Back To School | Make Up Tips

I haven't been in full time education for just over a year now and before then, I'd had 5-6 years experience of wearing make up in school. Most people who are in school and reading this will have been back a few weeks or so, and are probably already fed up with their morning routine (or I would have been anyway). If you're in secondary school and are finding getting ready slightly tedious with how time consuming your mornings are, here are my tips to make it as easy and stress free as possible.

First up is your skin.
It always surprises me when I see young girls in a full face a make up for school. When I was around 12/13 I honestly wouldn't have worn anything other than lip balm and occasionally mascara to school. Foundation would have been a big no-no as I had no issues with my skin, although I know everyone's different. If you are between the ages of 11-15 and have no problems with acne honestly, a good tinted moisturiser or powder foundation should suffice. I personally recommend the Maybelline Dream Pure BB cream, from my previous blog post. It's very easy to use and doesn't feel at all cakey. After a long day, foundation can feel a bit oily and yuck, but this cream stays on my skin all day whilst feeling light weight and very refreshing. 

If you are worried about sports/dark circles from staying up all night to do some last minute revision, the thought makes me ill, I whole heartedly recommend the Collection _ concealer. It works wonders on covering blemishes and dark circles, it's my staple two in one at an amazingly low cost.

Think you might look a bit pale and well, ill? If you pop on a good on a good bronzer or rouge, very lightly mind, you should be good to go. I recommend the Maybelline Cream Touch Blush to be used under your foundation, as it gives the most natural blush.



Your eye area.
Again, this is something which shouldn't take up too much of your time. I've seen many videos from beauty gurus who've suggested wearing eye shadow, but I know many schools in the UK prefer natural make up and you'd only have to go remove it anyway. Sadly this wasn't the case until I moved into year 10 and I can still picture the horror of the striped look which some of my friends were sporting. Pink/green/blue will never be a good look on anyone. The best thing you can wear is a natural looking mascara and maybe a bit of kohl eye liner just above the lashes and on your water line, if your school will allow it.

I've been using the Maybelline Big Eyes for my lashes as it gives a great natural fluttery lash look (although I am dying to try the Maybelline Lash Sensation). If anybody has a good recommendation for a kohl liner, feel free to let me know as I've been searching for one that actually stays on for quite some time now.

Luckily my brows are quite full anyway, so I never had to spend copious amounts of time sorting them out on a morning. If your brows only really need taming, I recommend the Sleek Brow Perfector and they won't budge all day. I now use the MUA brow kit, but that can be quite time consuming. For a quick way to fill in those sparse areas, a pencil is the way to go. 

I topped off the routine with my trusty Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me

As you can see, the look is very natural and will suit almost anyone. Honestly, the best thing you for your skin is get enough sleep, yes stop watching those YouTube videos at 12am, and don't spend too much time stressing about your hair and make up. School is just their for you to mess around with your mates learn. I just realised I sound like a teacher, ew. But your hair doesn't need to be straightened everyday within an inch of it's life and their are more important things than your 'eyebrows being on fleek'. Though do not let anybody tell you eyebrows are not important, you do not need those people in your life. 

These are just my recommendations for a quick make up routine, but honestly just do whatever you feel is best for you and most importantly, whatever makes you feel the most comfortable.

Victoria ♥ 

Blog Birthday | 1 Year On

Image credit

Yes, my blog is a year old. Hurray! They say a blog is like your baby, but to me it's more like my pet. The more time I invest in it, the better the quality of images, writing and overall look of my page. Though that is something which could be debated. If I neglect it, it just becomes more sad and empty looking, where as if I write post after post, I can feel the warmth from fellow bloggers and readers radiating through the screen. Mushy, I know.

I really would like to blog more often, but everyday life does tend to get in the way of that and I'm not really keen on content with very little written, just to fill out the amount of posts I create. It's just not my idea of blogging at all, I'm pretty much go hard or go home in that respect.

My job has meant I've learnt more and more about how to make my blog better, which I do hope to keep implementing as time goes on.

I enjoy writing about things I enjoy or  have learnt and I don't feel that is yet has a category in which it can fall into? Lifestyle maybe? But since this theme is something which people tend to enjoy, I think I'll just carry on what I'm doing.

I hope to blog everyday for a week at Christmas, good luck with that one Vicky. I'm a serious procrastinator, I may or may not be avoiding some academic related work while writing this, ahem, but I've been very proud in that I've kept blogging for a year. 

I'd just like to thank everyone who has taken time out of their day to sit and read and may even enjoy whatever I've felt like writing about. I can talk a lot of erm, crap rubbish sometimes, so I salute you, I really do.

So really, here's to another year of new experiences and essentially writing lot's of nonsense. 

Victoria ♥ 

Top 5 must visit places in the UK

I'd like to think I'm quite well travelled for a 19 year old. Although I've not visited half of the places I want to (Dublin, Venice, L.A. etc) I'd say I've done quite well for my age. Granted that a fair few of the places I've visited have been through school trips and may not have portrayed the cities in the best light, looking at you German ants that crawled all over my bed.

I'd love to do some more travelling, but a small income and being busy most of the time restricts me a lot. Baby steps, but I'll get there. Anyway, as well as travelling the globe, I've been to quite a few places in my home country, the UK. For anyone who's thinking of visiting the UK, yes that doesn't just mean London, I've compiled a small list of my favourite places from where I've visited so far.

5. Leeds | England

Okay, yes so I'm probably slightly biased as the is my hometown, but with the various trendy bars, restaurants, shops and plays, there's always something to do in Leeds. Personal favourites of mine include The Grand Theatre, Temple Newsam and Tropical World. Plus the buildings look very pretty and range from the 19th century style in the centre, to the modern skyscrapers built around it. If you're looking for a more historical focus, there's also the Royal Armouries, Kirkstall Abbey and Abbey House museum. So basically, it's got you covered.

4. Caernarfon | Wales

Most of my family holidays as a child involved various trips to different locations in Scotland and Wales. Even from being little, this quaint town stood out to me. Obviously the biggest attraction is the Castle with the interesting ruins, turrets and stairways to explore. I personally enjoyed wandering around the town and going into the various shops which contributed to my ridiculously vast Russian Doll collection I had going on, thanks mum. There's also various places to eat and drink and has a really family friendly feel. My favourite bit about the trips here was witnessing the scenes like in the image above. There was nothing better than walking on an evening with my dog and watching the boats sway in the water, with perfectly placed spotlights lighting up the walls a treat.

3. Whitby | England

Again, I spent many a childhood summer in my favourite seaside town. I've been to quite a few beaches up and down the UK, but nothing quite beats Robin Hoods Bay - a 5 mile drive from the town. Whitby is just one of those places where you want to walk around and take in everything you see, because it's just so darn pretty and much less tacky than some of the other seaside towns I've been to. Must visit places include Whitby Abbey, The Dracula Experience and Trenchers Restaurant if you're a seafood lover. There's also the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and Eden Camp nearby.

2. Liverpool | England

Funnily enough, I have only been to Liverpool once. So what makes the city so fab that it goes into my top 5? Well, I'd say 70% The Beatles and 30% the shopping. If anyone is visiting, The Beatles story is an essential must see. The museum looks at the lives of the members, the music and their lasting impact on generations to come. Even if you're not a fan of them, you get a great insight into the 60s, 70s and the music of the era. The city is also full of shops, varying from high end to a cafe where everything is a pound. Yes really, a pound. Liverpool Cathedral is also an amazing piece of historical architecture and if you reach the top, there's a break taking view of the city below. There's also Albert Dock, Liverpool Museum, a trip on The Mersey Ferry and various sightseeing tours.

1. Edinburgh | Scotland

So for my number 1. city, drumroll please.. oh you've already read the caption? So yeah, you've guessed it - Edinburgh. The city is again another firm family favourite, with its festivals, historical background and scenic surroundings. If you ever get the chance to go, the Forth Bridge and Edinburgh Castle are definitely must sees, especially the one o'clock gun which fires everyday except Sundays. Even just walking around the city centre, you get to experience the immense Scottish culture with the buildings making you feel like you're at Hogwarts.

What are your favourite places in the U.K. or where you live? I'd love to add some more cities/countries to my bucket list! 

Victoria ♥ 

Image Credits: Leeds, Caenarfon, Whitby, Liverpool, Edinburgh

Favourite TV shows of the month #2 | PLL & Desperate Housewives

If you're looking for girly shows that have just the right amount of grit that stops them turning into a sickly sweet concoction of romance and fly on the wall drama, then look no further than Pretty Little Liars and Desperate Housewives.

Whilst both shows may seem like something only teenagers/middle aged women would watch when they need a fix of girly drama and soppy romance, you'd be very much mistaken for thinking so. The shows are filled with relateable characters, various gripping story lines and just the right amount of fear factor to make them stand out to other programmes of the same genre. But how can a show about a bunch of teenagers and housewives be at all appealing to anyone not in these age groups? Well trust me, I started watching Desperate Housewives at the age of 13 and was hooked since the first episode.

Pretty Little Liars
This is a show I've only gotten into recently, so yes no 'A' spoilers please. I'm on series 3 and so far have managed to dodge any official clues as to who 'A' is, though I may have just been a bit dim, because I'm pretty sure I should know who they are by now. Update: scrap this, I found out yesterday, damn it. Anyway, I was very hesitant to watch this show when it came out a few years ago, (2010?) as I really did judge a book by its cover. I assumed the show was going to be unbearably girly and cheesy for me to handle, with a naff story line that would only appeal to the very young. Now, I'm not going to say that the show isn't cheesy and a bit too soppy at times, but when you become so enthralled with the lives of the characters and have a weird obsession with their hair, it's easy to forgive the OTT lustful stares from Ezra and Aria. Speaking of them two, their scene in the first episode alone was enough to stop me watching it altogether, talk about not remotely realistic?! However, if you manage to forgive the first episode, it's certainly worth the watch. 
In a nutshell, the show basically revolves around the disappearance of a girl named Alison and a year later, her best friends Aria, Hanna, Emily and Spencer start receiving creepy texts from someone signed 'A'. They are then left trying to find out what happened to their best friend and just who is the person sending them the life changing messages. If you aren't into teenage drama style shows, then this probably isn't for you but I'd certainly recommend giving it a try and I'm so glad I did.

Desperate Housewives
Now this is a show that finished a few years ago, but it does have some big parallels. If you watch PLL, think of it as if the girls were now 40 somethings women and odd things were still happening to them, but this time in a suburban neighbourhood with the girls all now being married/divorced and cattiness is even more prevalent. This is another show I recommend binge watching if you have them time. There's many series and lot's of episodes, but I think it's definitely worth it. Again, what I find appealing with the show is that it's not a typical drab series about a bunch of housewives and their mundane lives. It focuses on each individual characters personalities, their relationships and the mysterious happenings on Wisteria Lane. The flashbacks keeps the storyline interesting and the diversity within each characters personalities will make you and your friends relate to at least one of the women and their sassy one liners. "Oh you're just like Edie/that's such a Bree thing to do!" Again, with a total of 8 series there's a lot to catch up on, but to follow the lives of Gabrielle, Susan, Lynette and Bree, I certainly think it's worth it.

If you're into shows with a fictional reality of daily life, then these two are likely to be right up your street. I do think that PLL would appeal to a slightly younger audience than DH, but if you're a fashion fanatic, both shows are great for their different generations of styles.
Victoria ♥ 

Maybelline Eyeshadow | The Nudes Palette

A high street dupe of the original Naked palette? Yes please!

I've been on the hunt for a good nude eye shadow palette range for a while now and The Nudes Palette by Maybelline is just the ticket. Unfortunately, though tempting it is, I'm yet to buy any of the Urban Decay Naked palettes. For an average month, £38 on any one item of make up is slightly out of my price range. So this is something that is definitely going on my Christmas wish list this year. Yes I am aware it's only the end of July, but a girl can dream.

I'm a big fan of Maybelline products and when I saw the palette advertised on TV, I knew I had to have it and I've not been left disappointed. The colours in the set vary from light to dark, all very blendable to create the perfect smokey nude look.

  

On the back of the product, a little help guide is provided to show you which blend together in duos, trios and quads. I thought this was very helpful in achieving the perfect daytime/nighttime look. My personal favourite is the quads in golds.

 As you can see, the shades range from barely there, shimmery, to darker tones, which gives a varied selection for a assortment of looks to choose from. (Or maybe not as the quality of an iPhone camera is not the best, sorry!)

For £9.99 at Boots, I fully recommend the palette if you're looking for a new nude shadow range. The colours have great pigmentation and can last all day (or night) if used with a good eye primer base. Personally, I would use different brushes to the one provided to really help blend the colours together, making the look less full on and dramatic. Unless of course that's the style you're going for.

 If anyone else has bought the palette, I'd love to know what you thought of it and your favourite combinations!
Victoria ♥ 

Haul | The Body Shop

For quite a few years now, the internet has been a buzz with The Body Shop products. I myself, as a 19 year old, hadn't bought anything from there until recently. I know I know, I'm ashamed of myself too. It wasn't a "I'm too cool for this hype" however, unlike my insistent decision to not watch Frozen unless I'm forced, then my hipster side really does come out (but that's another story). 

Until recently, I'd just never been bothered to actually buy anything from there. It sounds bad, but it's only been in the last few years that I've upped my skincare and I had no idea how many people raved about their products. Don't get me wrong, I've had Body Shop gifts from friends in the past, but I never felt compelled to go in there myself. What is this madness you ask? Well, years of "Oh look, The Body Shop - maybe I can go buy a new body!" from my mum and grandma EVERY SINGLE TIME we've walked passed, may have contributed towards this. Anyway, with the help of a cheeky 15% off sale, I recently bit the bullet and ordered some of their most popular skincare products. So I thought I'd give my unbiased opinion with this little haul.

Tea Tree Face Mask

I'll start off with the Tea Tree Face Mask. This was one of the products I was most intrigued about due to the major skin benefits that come from tea tree. Before now, I've mainly used shampoos containing tea tree, on my hair, not my face, because it's great for unclogging build up and making my scalp feel refreshed.The thing I liked most about the the face mask is that it didn't dry out my skin unlike some masks that I've used before. I found that my skin was left feeling soft, refreshed and really revitalised. The labeling of the product advises that it used regularly to keep spots at bay and I've found that just by using it twice a week, my skin truly does look a lot smoother. If your skin is slightly on the sensitive side, the mask may feel a bit too intense so I recommend a thin layer instead of the heavy usage it suggests.
Price: £10

Aloe Soothing Night Cream

I really do love a good nighttime moisturiser. Who doesn't love a product that you can just shove on your skin and gets to work while you sleep. Aloe is well known for it's soothing attributes and great for treating problems such as sunburn, perfect for the hot summer weather (or lack of it if you're living in Northern England). I'll be honest, I haven't really seen much of a difference whilst using this night cream. I suppose I'd probably get the best results if my skin was slightly on the drier side/faced the effects of the weather. I was hoping that that the aloe properties would have a cooling effect, but I'm really yet to see the benefits of using the cream.

Price: £12

Tea Tree Oil

This was another tea tree product which had me interested. Before using the oil, I'd heard many people gush about it's ability to tackle blemishes and reduce all around redness. I'm not too sure why it's called an oil, as the consistency is very runny and is best to be used on a cotton bud which is dabbed on the problem area. That being said, I have noticed a significant reduction in the redness of blemishes and it does shrink them quite a bit. Again however, the product is quite strong and will probably be a bit harsh on sensitive skin. I also have used other spot targeting creams which have done an overall better job in completely getting rid of them.
Price: £7

Vitamin E Body Butter
Who could hate on a good old body butter? Well not me, although the idea of smearing butter on your body is quite grotesque. Thankfully, no butter is used in the actual product. Again, following the healthy skin theme I wanted to try this particular moisturiser, as it contains vitamin E which is used in sun creams as it helps soak up all the goodness which prevents it from drying out. I tend to find that shaving my legs, especially in winter, can leave my skin slightly irritated and can make them slightly dry. Using the butter on my legs does after showering really does leave them smooth as a dolphin. It's a pity it can't give me the swimming power of one. But, I will say I haven't noticed a major difference when compared to other moisturisers I've used in the past, other than that I do think it lasts a bit longer on the skin.

Price: £13

Vitamin E Eye Cream

Price: £11
Yep, more vitamin E. Hurray for vitamins! Any eye cream which suggests it can hydrate, soften and reduce puffiness of the eye area gets a thumbs up from me. The pointed shape of the tube means the cream goes on like a dream. I do find the formula hydrating and the skin under my eyes is left feeling velvety soft. Other than that though, I haven't really noticed a massive difference in the appearance of my under eyes, and I'm still yet to find a cream that really has a wow-factor for me. (Recommendations are always welcome).

Many of the products featured in this most were on the 'best sellers' part of the site. I've got to be honest, although I find one or two items a brilliant addition to my skincare routine, a lot of what I've purchased hasn't really blown me away. (Alright ya Debbie Downer). If anyone has any products from the Body Shop that you think I'd be a fool not to try, then please do leave a comment letting me know!

Victoria ♥

Product Recommendation | Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash

With summer now officially in full force, yes I'm looking at you heatwave in the UK, prepping your skin is a must when dealing with hot weather. Obviously whilst drinking water, sun creams, cooling sprays etc are important, changes to your skin that may have happened in winter which you did not care about/notice may have occurred. 

Whilst I now have to regularly shave my legs so that they don't resemble the Amazon rain forest, sigh, I also have to keep my skin prepped to be officially 'summer ready'. So what does that entail? Well, for me a major problem I have is tackling an unfortunate issue with my skin which seems to occur on my shoulders/top of my back - spots. What's that I hear you cry, a young adult who has a slight acne problem? Oh no! The shame! No but in all seriousness, I feel like what is termed 'bacne' isn't really documented enough since as far as I'm aware, it isn't as common as facial acne. But since I know full well I'm not the only sufferer on planet Earth, I thought I'd recommend a product that has been a real game changer for my problem.

Bring in the Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash. 

(For all you English folk, I think I've been watching too much Love Island)

Before summer had even began, I'd started looking for a not so overly priced solution for my body blemish problem and that's when I'd discovered Neutrogena's £10 life saver on Amazon. After reading numerous positive reviews and finding that the price wasn't at all extortionate, I thought I'd give it a go. It quite literally only took my about a week to notice a difference in my skin. There was a stark contrast in the amount of blemishes I found on my shoulders and the colour of them looked significantly less red and angry. Whilst the product doesn't clear up the marks, which it doesn't claim to, it definitely prevents another outbreak from taking over my skin. It's like my skin is Meereen and the wash is the Unsullied. Yes, the Sons of the Harpy are going down. I have been watching too many episodes of Game of Thrones, I think I need help.

When I team this with my trusty Sudocrem, my skin honestly clears up within a matter of days. I truly recommend this product to anyone who is suffering with body acne, no matter how big or small. Obivously if it's a continuous problem that doesn't clear up within a few months I would recommend going to see a doctor, but otherwise I think I've just found a major gem.

Victoria ♥