London Haul

Hey Pixies!

So last weekend I took a wee trip to London with some friends for my friends Amy's birthday!!
I bought a few goodies, so I thought that I'd share them with you!

First of all we went to MAC, where I picked up the Studio Sculpt Foundation in shade NW20. 

I've been wanting this foundation for so long, I got a sample of it in the summer and really loved it so I thought that I would take the plunge and purchase! I am really loving it so far. It's gell-based so a little goes a really long way. If you would like me to do a full review let me know as I would be more than happy to! 

Then we stopped of at Forever 21. I have been wanting some statement necklaces for a while and Forever 21 is just the place to find them as their jewellery is gorgeous and so reasonably priced! 

I really love all of these as I just think that they will add a little something to even the most boring of outfits! The tusk necklace looks great under collars and the chunkier and larger necklaces look great over jumpers and plain baggy tees. 

Last of all we dropped by Topshop of course, where I couldn't resist grabbing a few things - I am a sucker for Topshop ;) 

So this was all I got clothes wise! You can't really tell in the light of the photo but the cropped jumper is actually a really vibrant mint green! It's gorgeous and I am absolutely in love with the brand new Joni jeans! They fit like a glove and a really super high-waisted! My friend and I call them Monica jeans as they remind us of the type if 90s jeans that Monica lived in during the early seasons of Friends! (we're not addicted to Friends or anything!) 

That's all I got from the clothes sections but I did pick up a couple of lipsticks! 

I grabbed myself shades Saint and Rio Rio. I have been after a replacement for my beloved Hue by MAC for a while as mine is very nearly done! I was going to grab another at the MAC store but decided against it as my birthday is coming up! So I was delighted when in Topshop I came across Saint (which I'd never heard of before). I was over the moon as it is an almost exact dupe! So if there's anyone out there who wants to try Hue but isn't sure whether they want to spend £14 on  lipstick - head to Topshop and get Saint! 

I fancied a couple of new lipsticks and I thought I'd pick two completely different ones so I went for a bright red! I bought Ruby Woo in the summer but I find it quite a pinky red and very drying on my already broken lips!! I love the trueness of Rio Rio and I thought that, although it is very matte, it would be a tad more moisturising!! 

So that concludes my London haul! I really hope you enjoyed it!

Thanks for reading!x

♥

Messy Ponytails...

Hey Pixies!

So, if you had long-ish hair as a child then I can guarantee you spent most of your time with your hair in a ponytail - I know I did! Since then a pony has always seemed a childish hairstyle - unless you're a celebrity or on the cover of vogue!!

The pony has for a long time been overshadowed by our old friend the messy bun! As much as I love that old gem, the messy ponytail is making a fierce comeback!!

It's all over tumblr and I absolutely love it!! I think that it's such an easy style and is so flattering on all hair colours. Whether you have mid-lengh or super long hair I think that no matter what, it looks great!!

I just think that for something so simple, it is so stylish at the moment - could anything be greater than being lazy and looking good??

So I couldn't resist having a go myself - what d'ya think??

(Sorry for the super posey photos!)

I also think that it just looks amazing with ombre. It's just fantastic for turning a bad hair day into a great hair day!

So there you go! A few words on my love of ponytails! Random I know but I just thought I'd share.

Thanks for reading!! 

♥

New Years Ramble

Hey Guys!

WARNING! This will be a long post so if you can't be bothered to read - vacate now! (I promise I won't mind!) 

So first of all, as I do on every post I'm going to apologise. I haven't posted in what seems like forever and when I have, the posts I do feel seriously half hearted. I could lie to you guys, as I usually would, and say that school has been crazy and that I'm just super busy and have had NO time, which is true, but I won't. I have had school work but if I'd have really made the effort, I could have found time for my little blog. 

This post aims to let you guys in a little bit and to help me move on from my little wobble that I had this year and look on up! (including resolutions and shizz!) This scares me a little as I know certain people that read this tiny blog and will therefore see this post.. but hey ho! I also know that this post isn't going to receive loads of comments or gain me loads of followers, but I really don't care!! This is my space on the internet and I feeling like letting this out - so what better place to do it right? (plus twitter only allows 140 characters) 

First off, my struggle! So basically these past few months (maybe even year) have been really difficult. I've been in a really bad place and just generally feeling crap about myself and my life. I have an awful habit of getting jealous. I'm not talking 'oh I wish I had her hair' jealous, I'm talking serious envy, the type that makes your insides want to burst. Yeah it's not fun.

It's made me do some pretty stupid things and almost do some pretty serious others but I don't know what it is about New Years but it somehow gives life a whole new perspective and has made me see that I am being totally STUPID! It doesn't matter that I'm not the most beautiful girl in the world, or haven't got the most conventional family, or don't have everything or don't always get the grades or anything like that because they're trivial and insignificant. 

What does matter are the people and things in my life that are good, no not good - AMAZING! 

*que photo montage* 

All but 1 of these photos were from 2012. So despite me in my tiny ickle mind having a (excuse french) shit year, thanks to my dear old chums, they made it bearable - better than that - a solid great. 

I want to make 2013 incredible, so without further ado, here are my resolutions!

1. Stop Caring 

Not in the good way, but in the bad way. Stop caring so much about what other people think and just do what you want to do because it makes you happy. 

2. Don't compare yourself to others

Oh my that will be hard, but I need to try - for the sake of my own sanity!!

3. BE HAPPY

4. Try hard at school

You dossed these past three months Claudie - you know you did, and your results will show for it! This year is SO important so I really need to make sure that I do everything I can to get the grades that I need

5. DO MORE BLOGGING

I love blogging I really do so this year I really want to just put my heart and soul into it and start writing posts that I really enjoy putting work into!

6. Start Youtube

Ah! That is such a scary thought! Right now I'm in the process of trying to find a decent camera in order to start Youtube, this is sooo scary! I am terrified but it's something that I've wanted to do for so long so I think I am just going to have to take the plunge - AH! 

7. Do more exercise 

Haaaaaaa!! 

8. Spend more time with Friends

I love my friends so much, probably more than they realise, so this year I just want to spend as much time with them as possible before we all move on to different schools or places etc. 

9. Stop caring about numbers

I seem to look at the number of comments I get on posts or the amount of followers that I gain a little to often. It's unhealthy and makes this whole amazing this unenjoyable and that's ridiculous!! It's my hobby, so I need to enjoy it right? So I need to stop worrying about figures and just let what happens happen!

(I wanted to do 10, but I ran out of things!) 

So this was a bit of a different post to usual. I really let my guard down and told some real stuff about me. I don't know whether that's a good thing or not but I did it;) I can assure that I do want to get back to doing beauty posts ASAP! But I do want to chuck in a life post every now and again because I liked writing this a lot I found it was like lifting a weight off of my shoulders! 

If you did manage to read all of this - I salute you!! Thank you so much if you did! Here's to a great year!

Happy 2013! 

♥

House of Fraser Beauty Blogger Competition - Christmas Party Look

Hey Pixies!

So today I have an entry for a competition! Now you guys know that I have a rather unhealthy obsession with makeup so when my friend put me in touch with this competition I thought what the hey! I don't pretend to be very good at makeup but it doesn't hurt to have a go right?

So first I did my base. I used MAC Select spf Foundation in NW20 and MAC Mineralize concealer in NW20 too! This is just a really pretty, flawless but dewy - great for a party:) 

Then I moved onto my eyes! For a base I used UDPP and then I used the shades 'Virgin', 'Sin' and 'Half baked' from the Urban Decay Naked Palette to create a pretty, shimmery base for the rest of the eye makeup. I then used 'Creep' to create what I like to call a 'crease liner'. I then used the Topshop pen liner to line the tops of my eyes and joining them up to the crease liner. Then topped off with Maybelline the Falsies Mascara. This gives a really striking 60s look that is super easy to create. 

For my face I used 'Buck' from the Naked Palette to contour my cheek bones and 'Virgin' to highlight. I then used the 'perfect-for-a-party' Nars Orgasm! This creates a subtle but cute face. 

But then just to tip the over the top look over the edge - a red lip! Ruby Woo from MAC is just the thing!! 

_____________________________

So yeah that's my look! - I sure hope I'm not late for the competition as it closes today! I think this is just Christmas in makeup - Gold, Red and a Statement!! 

Thanks for reading!x

Laa dee daa!

Hey Pixies!!

Oh my days!! I know it's been over a month since I posted but I have literally just had a severe case of bloggers block! 

If I'm being completely honest this post is just a last resort, my mind is blank to post ideas and if I can think of nothing else I can surely ramble about music right?? 

So I have a pretty distinct music taste, I like acousticy (I'm pretending it's a word), folky stuff. I am not a fan of pop or R&B, I just like my music to be chilled. 

I love the classic bands such as Coldplay, Oasis, Snow Patrol and Arctic Monkeys but today I just thought I'd chat about my current favourite bands/artists, partly to let you guys get to know me better and partly because I just looove talking about music!!

Jake Bugg

So recently one artist that I've been absolutely obsessing over is Jake Bugg! If you haven't heard him - I urge you to! His music is just so unusual and unique, it sounds like it almost should be in the 50s!  He's just so raw and rough around the edges! 

His recent album 'Jake Bugg' is just INCREDIBLE! Please listen to it! 

Oh and it doesn't hurt that I think he's gorgeous - I think I'm in love!! 

Mumford & Sons 

Secondly I will always be an avid fan of Mumford & Sons. Their music is just so unbelievably beautiful and there is literally not 1 song on both of their major albums that I don't like! Every word is sung with integrety and their songwriting is just amazing. Both 'Sigh no More' and 'Babel' are brilliantly albums and 'Babel' has been one of my music highlights of 2012! 

The Vaccines

Another band that I just can't get enough of are the Vaccines. Their new album 'Come of Age' is certainly among my most played. They are just a really good easy listening band that I really enjoy listening to! Simples. 

Ed Sheeran

I can't help but mention him! I know he is crazy big now and I'm so happy for him but I just can't not talk about Ed! Ed Sheeran is just so beautiful to listen to and despite any new finds, I always find myself gravitating back to him! Both 'Loose Change' and '+' were such gorgeous albums and I am just so excited to see any new stuff that he brings out in the future! 

Ben Howard

Ah Ben Howard! What a beauty - inside and out! I just absolutely love laying back and whacking a bit of Ben on and just relaxing because his music is just so stunning! Enough said. 

Kate Nash

My favourite girl Kate Nash! I have been listening to her for soooo long and I just love the bones of her! Her music is so personal and a joy to listen to. Her songs have so much meaning and take me back to certain places in my life that I never want to forget! Both albums 'Made of Bricks' and 'My Best Friend is You' are fabulous but 'Made of Bricks' will always hold a special place in my heart!  

Foster the People

Ah they are just so good! I love listening to their music, it's just amazing! That's pretty much all I have to say.

I think that's enough for now but I just feel like I've left so many out! Bombay Bicycle Club, Laura Marling (see this post), Florence and the Machine, Lana Del Ray, Tracy Chapman, Of Monsters and Men... too many to mention!! 

I really hope you like this post as I really enjoyed writing it! 

Please give me ideas for posts, I'm stuck in a pretty huge rutt and need your help big time!!

Love you muchly!!x

Autumn Wishlist

Hey Pixies!!

'Wait is that Claudie, cause I haven't heard from you in aaaages!!'

I know, I know, I'm a huge failure as a blogger but I'm just so bogged down with coursework and studying that my little old blog had to take a back seat!! 

But anyway now the apologies are out of the way - on with the show! 

So I've never done a wishlist before but seeing as I have been doing a lot of 'avoiding revision by browsing ASOS' I have seen so many things that I want. SO here are just a few!

River Island - Red print fringe platforms £35

I don't even know why I like these I just think that they're really cool and would look really great with over the knee or even just ankle socks. They're just different from the regular doc, platform converse or creeper. 

Topshop lipstick in Beguiled £8

  

I am absolutely loving dark plummy (it's a word!) lips this autumn, they're so edgy and add a whole new dimension to a makeup look or outfit. They are just so versatile and I think I may have to get my hands on one soon and I especially like this one from Topshop. 

The Body Shop's Extra Virgin Mineral Compact foundation £16

To be totally honest with you, I only want this because of a really old video by Anna Saccone from theStyleDiet that I watched recently where she spoke about this product. In the video her skin was not as perfect as it is now and when she used this product her face just looked amazingly flawless! Now I haven't got the most beautiful skin in the world and now that Autumn has well and truly arrived I feel that I can get away with bumping up to some heavy duty full coverage stuff, so I may have to grab me some of this. However the price tag is a little steep for me at the moment:( 

If you would like to watch that video, you can find it here

River Island - Brown stud biker boot £40

Literally I would never usually look at a boot like this, like ever, but for some reason these just seriously caught my eye! I can picture these with so many outfits and I just think that they would be such a versatile Autumn/Winter boot! 

ASOS Over the knee socks (Navy) £5 

Now to be honest with you, the brand, type, colour really doesn't matter all I want are some seriously high over the knee socks and these happen to be reasonably cheap and fit the bill. I just think they're really stylish and edgy without being overly slutty (sorry) - obviously depending on how you wear them!;) I also think the skirt is gorgeous in that picture too! Can you tell I'm liking tartan recently too? 

So there you guys there's a few things that I've really been wanting recently. I probably won't get around to buying any of them because I am mighty broke!! But hey it's nice to window shop and I really like seeing what other people have been loving so I hope you enjoyed this!!

Thanks for reading!x