REVIEW: Estee Lauder Eyeshadow Duo - Raisins

Hey Pixies! 

So since our last chat I have turned the wonderful age of 16! I really didn't want to be 16 as it means I actually have to get a job and do grown up things now! 

But one of the pros of having a birthday is of course the presents! I have been so lucky to have received so many wonderful gifts, I have not have one 'oh god just smile and pretend you like it!' so that's got to be some kind of miracle!

But one of my amazing gifts was this beautiful Estee Lauder eyeshadow duo (I know!) from my two friends Anna and Annie. I think I may have actually squealed when I opened it!

Ok so let's just start by saying it's AMAZING! I think I may be in love! The colours are just gorgeous and just go so well together and with so many other colours. 

The colours are a light shimmery pink and a purple/brown. Although you could think that the darker one may be difficult to wear it looks surprisingly great and can be layered or blended out to give just a hint of colour.

As you can see from the swatches, they are unbelievably pigmented and go onto the lid just as pigmented. I know that sounds silly but sometimes a swatch can come off very different to how the colour appears on the lid. 

They are also amazingly creamy for powder and blend like a dream. It is so easy to get a really gorgeous looking blended out look with these shadows. 

You can definitely feel the quality and they are the the best eyeshadows I have ever used, they even trump my Naked Palette shadows! 

So there was my quick review on the Raisins Eyeshadow Duo. I received quite a few makeup pieces for my birthday so a few more reviews may be coming up! Oh and current favourites is on the way but I had these photos ready and you should know how lazy I am! 

Thanks for Reading!x

 ♥

Soap and Glory Haul

Hey Pixies!

So this weekend I made one of my far too regular journeys to Boots because I was in desperate need of a new scrub. Of course I went straight to Soap and Glory! But, because I have the worst level of will power ever, I of course didn't only leave with a scrub!

Flake Away - £7.00

Hand Maid - £2.50

Glad Hair Day Conditioner - £2.50

Butter Yourself - FREE (I know!) 

Flake Away

Flake Away is an old and cherished favourite of mine, and pretty much every other blogger and human being in Britain! It is the best scrub I have ever used and never fails to leave my legs feeling baby soft, and perfect for pre fake tanning! 

Hand Maid

I've never really been a fan of anti bacterial gel. I mean obviously it is a great invention and is a perfect handbag essential, but I am never fond of the scents and (as a shameful thumbsucker - don't judge me!) the taste of most gels. However I thought I'd have a go at this one as it is highly raved about and smells amazing! It's great for school and so far I'm loving it! 

Glad Hair Day Conditioner

So basically, bleach is bitch! Looks great, but is indeed a bitch. I've been using some Tresemme shampoo and conditioner recently and not been loving it I'm afraid to say. So when I saw this little sample of conditioner I thought I'd give it a go and if it turned out well I'd buy the full sized jobby! I've only used it once but so far so good! 

Butter Yourself

Finally the freebee! So the reason I bought the two little things were because at the moment, to launch their new body lotion, boots have been giving a free Butter Yourself when you spend £10! It's worth £10.50 so it is so worth it! And it is AMAZING!! It's so gorgeous and the fact that I got it for free is just the shizzle (word used ironically I promise!!) 

So there you have it that concludes my little haul! Current favourites coming soon!! 

Thanks for reading!x 

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