Lifestyle | My Week #6

17th October - 14th November 2013

1. Reunited with my lost keys!

2. Night out with 2 of my housemates

3. Water Polo Halloween Social - Scary Ballerinas!

4. Halloween with my housemate

5. Halloween with my other housemate

6. Pres at mine for Halloween

7. Fireworks

8. Housemates birthday cake baked by me!

9. Invitational Water Polo Social - Doctors & Nurses

10. Invitational

11. Invitational

12. Invitational

13. Won our first match against Durham 6-5

What have you been up to recently?

Love Alice x

Quick Post!

Hey,

Just a really quick post from me now (back in university at 4!) to apologise for the lack of posts over the last few weeks. Things got incredibly hectic with assignment deadlines, water polo training and matches and life in general! 

There will be a photos post later tonight of the last few weeks and then normal blogging should resume now I have no more assignments to hand in until January.

Also I'm nearly at 100 followers, so thank you for reading!

Hope you are all well,

Love Alice x

Beauty | Rimmel Scandaleyes Eye Shadow Stick

I love Rimmel and I love this Scandaleyes Eye Shadow Stick.

I picked this up a couple of weeks ago after hearing a few people talk about these products. I went for the shade 003 Bad Girl Bronze. This shade is light brown/bronze shade with bronze shimmer running through it. I thought it would be perfect for both in the day smudged into the lash line and for the night as a base or to add intensity at the lash line. They also claim to be 24 hour and waterproof.

I apologise for the fact it's blunt, the night before I took these photos I dropped it onto my carpet, and I can't find a pencil sharpener big enough for it?!

Firstly, it's incredibly soft and creamy so applies easily and as a result it's very easy to blend out. It also lasts a long time, however I do always wear a primer on my eyes due to habit so I couldn't comment on whether it really would last the full 24 hours! 

In the day it's nice just to smudge into the top (and bottom if you wish) lash line and blended out to add a little something to the eye. In the evening I've been either wearing it again along the top and bottom lash line, smudging out, and reapplying, smudging out etc until I get the intensity I want or applying it to the outer corner/through the crease to add depth to the eye. The only thing with this product is it does require a few applications after blending out to get the full shimmer/intensity of the colour.

Top - smudged out
Bottom - 'normal' application

I'm going to pick up a few of the other colours soon to test out.

Have you tried these Shadow Sticks? Any colour recommendations?

Love Alice x

Lifestyle | My Week #5

10th October - 16th October 2013

1. Selfie before PlanSoc night out

2. First PlanSoc social

3. We love PlanSoc!

4. September Monthly Favourites - read them here

5. Water Polo social

6. Water Polo terrorising a very drunk friend...oops

7. Abs challenge day 1 (I died) whilst my friend sat and watched me whilst eating

What have you been up to this week?

Love Alice x

Beauty | Clarins Haul

I warn you now, this is quite a long post, get a cuppa and get comfy is my suggestion!

A few weeks ago as I was walking home from university I received an email from Clarins saying I had won a £250 voucher to spend on their website! I thought at first it was a scam, but to my delight it wasn't! So I quickly went to their website and chose my many products.

Clarins isn't a brand I normally look at or buy from, but I had heard of a few products from them which I was eager to try out. This post is just to let you know what I got, I currently haven't tried anything out but when I have I'll let you know my must haves!

The first product I knew I wanted was their Beauty Flash Balm (link). This is a cult product that claims to be an instant radiance booster. I thought it was just used as a makeup base but it says it can also be used as a face mask. I'm very excited to try this to see if it lives up to the hype!

Next I bought 3 of the Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in 02 Apricot Shimmer, 03 Nude Shimmer and 05 Candy Shimmer (link). I've bought one for myself, one for my Mum and the last for my Sister. Again another product I've heard alot about, but I love lip products that are more balmy/glossy than a lipstick so this is right up my street. It says it helps to nourish, repair and protect so I hope it lives up to this.

Left - Right : 02 Apricot Shimmer, 03 Nude Shimmer, 05 Candy Shimmer

The only other makeup product I bought was the Splendors Colour Quartet and Liner Eye Palette (link). This is such a pretty neutrals palette with a champagne, a bronze, a mink and a chocolate eye shadow plus a plum liner. Swatching them quickly shows that they look fairly pigmented but I'll let you know when I properly test it out. I wanted a smaller neutrals palette to my beloved Naked palette for if I'm travelling and this could be the perfect one! It also has a fairly decent sized mirror in it as well, ideal for travel.

I've wanted to try MAC Fix Plus for ages but never got round to buying it, so I picked up the Fix' Make Up (link). This product is a refreshing long lasting mist that says it holds your makeup in place. It says that it keeps your skin matte, and as someone with oily skin I really want to put this to the test!

Next an item I actually needed - an eye makeup remover! I wear quite a lot of mascara and eye products on nights out so I thought the Instant Eye Make-Up Remover (link) would be a good one to try as it claims to remove waterproof and heavy makeup. 

Another item I needed was an eye cream. I've been using and loving the Clinique All About Eyes Serum but I've nearly ran out so thought I would try one from Clarins. I decided on the Eye Revive Beauty Flash (link). I'm assuming it's in the same line as the Beauty Flash Balm so thought it should (hopefully) be good.

I have also wanted a new clay mask so decided to try the Pure And Radiant Mask (link). This has pink clay in it which helps to purify, tighten pores and refine skin texture along with the alpine willow herb. It also says it leaves a matte finish because of natural tanaka powders. I'm very excited to try this out as any product that can mattify my skin is a must have!

Next I purchased the Blemish Control (link). These are 2 x 5ml tubes with a roller ball top to use on any blemishes. Recently my skin has been good but I think that's due to a good diet/exercise/sleep pattern whilst living at home and I find my skin always goes a bit crazy when I move back to university so I'm sure it won't be too long until I try these out!

The last product I purchased was the Lotus Face Treatment Oil (link). I was worried about this, putting an oil onto oily skin sounds disastrous, but this is formulated for oily/combination skin. Reading the reviews about this, people said it was such  lovely product even with oily skin, so I'll let you know how this goes!

Then at the time of ordering Clarins were offering a free gift if you spent over a certain amount so even more goodies! In this I got the Moisture-Rich Body Lotion (link), the Relax Bath And Shower Concentrate (link), the One Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser (link), the Hand and Nail Treatment Cream (link), the HydraQuench Rich Cream (link) all in a cute drawstring bag!

Left - Right - HydraQuench Rich Cream, Moisture-Rich Body Lotion, Hand and Nail Treatment Cream, Relax Bath and Shower Concentrate, One Step Gentle Exfoliating Cream

And then I got to chose 3 miniatures! So the final 3 products are the One-Step Facial Cleanser (link), the Pure Melt Cleansing Gel (link) and the Pore Minimizing Serum (link).

Left - Right - Pore Minimizing Serum, One-Step Facial Cleanser, Pure Melt Cleansing Gel

So that's the end of my very large Clarins haul, of which I'm incredibly grateful for winning!

As I try these out I'll be sure to let you know what they are like.

What products would you like to try from Clarins?

Love Alice x

Monthly Favourites #2

2 posts in one day, bit keen! But, September was a very weird month for me, at the beginning I was still living at home and at the end I was back in Newcastle and in lectures! I love being back up here in Newcastle but things have got a bit hectic (hence the lack of posts), but here is my monthly favourites from September.

Beauty

1. Urban Decay Naked Palette

(link)

This is my go to eye palette for nights out. I love all the colours in this palette but I have a few favourites. I use Virgin or Sin for the inner corner of my eye, Naked for across the lid, Smog or Darkhorse through the crease and Creep as a liner. There's so much choice in this palette, I couldn't live without it!

2. Maybelline Baby Lips - 'Cherry Me'

(link)

I had wanted to try the Baby Lips for months and finally got my hands on one. I use this all the time, both for day and night to add a subtle hint of colour to my lips. I also love the fact they are super moisturising! I definitely want to try out some more of the range. 

3. Clinique High Impact Mascara - 'Black'

(link)

Again another go to product for nights out! I love the fact that this mascara not only lengthens but volumises my lashes giving me really big, full lashes. I am a massive fan of big lashes but can't apply fake eyelashes to save my life so any mascara that does that is a definite favourite of mine. 

4. Dior Pure Poison

(link)

Yes another night time favourite - can you tell I like/go out a bit too much at university?! Anyway, I adore this perfume. I had a mini version of it, but my Mum kindly gave me her almost full bottle of this during Summer. I love the scent of it but I couldn't tell you the notes in it!

Miscellaneous

5. Converse - 'White'
(link)
Another pair of Converse in my monthly favourites, but I love them to much to not include them! These are so comfy for walking to and from university and go with everything. I just hate getting them dirty so feel I won't get much more wear out of them this year!

6. ASOS Culottes - 'Floral Print'
(link)
These shorts were a bit of a risk for me as I tend to stick to denim shorts for nights out but I love these. They are so comfy and teamed with a black tee, I think it creates a really nice outfit. I've just bought another pair as well to add to my wardrobe!

Favourites minus my Maybelline Baby Lips because funnily enough I lost it on a night out!

What are your September favourites?

Love Alice x

Lifestyle | My Week #4

3rd October - 9th October 2013

1. Pre drinks with 2 of my housemates

2. Silly faces

3. Work is already building up

4. Casual Sunday morning on our road

5. Selfie before Wednesday night out!

What have you guys been up to this week?

Love Alice x

Lifestyle | My Week #3

An even bigger apology than normal for my lack of posts recently. I started lectures on Monday and things have been a little crazy this week with the open day/lectures/water polo/nights out!

26th September - 2nd October 2013

1. Wristbands with Geordie sayings from the Newcastle Open Day

2. Haul - find out what I bought here

3. Clarins parcel arrived

4. Lots of Clarins goodies - post coming soon

5. First NUSWPC social of the year

Haul | Boots & Miss Selfridge

Oops, I've done yet more shopping before my student loan comes in!

I popped into town the other day 'needing' some bits and pieces from Boots. I picked up another can of both the VO5 Plump It Up Dry Backcomb Spray - £3.89 (link) and the VO5 Give Me Texture Dry Texturising Spray - £3.89 (link). I love both these products to add volume to my hair, and an added bonus that selected VO5 products are buy 2 for £5! 

Then I bought the Boots Essentials Lip Salve in Spearmint - £1 (link). I'm always losing lip balm so hate spending lots of money on them, so these are perfect. They won't be winning any prizes soon for the best lip balm, but they do a decent enough job for me. These were also on offer for buy 2 for £1.80. 

Next I repurchased my favourite spot treatment, the La Roche-Posay Effaclar A.I. Targeted Breakout Corrector - £9.19 (link). This was also on offer for £6.89, and I'd been holding out for ages for somewhere to do an offer on La Roche-Posay before I repurchased it. It's not that I don't think it's worth the full price but I know that La Roche-Posay frequently has money off, and I am a student after all! I use this twice daily on any spots I may have and it definitely helps them to clear up quicker. 

Next round to the Rimmel stand where I purchased the Scandaleyes Shadow Stick in Bad Bronze - £4.49 (link) and their version of the Chubby Stick, the Colour Rush Balm in Drive Me Nude - £5.99 (link). I'd been wanting to try out the Shadow Stick for a while having seen them being spoken about and I'm going to have a full review up on it very soon. 

Final stop in Boots was to the No7 stand, I love their nail varnishes and I conveniently had a No7 voucher so I picked up 2 shades of their Stay Perfect Nail Colour in Foxglove and Star Shower - £6 (link). 

Then I went to Miss Selfridge where they had a buy one get one free sale on. I picked up this grey floral jumper which I love. It originally was around £25, but reduced down to £15. I split the 'free item' with my flatmate so I only paid £10 for it in the end! I also purchased a pair of earrings. These are gold 6 pointed stars with a black stone in the middle and were a bargain at £2. I don't often wear earrings but I thought they would look nice on a night out. (Neither items are still online, however check your local Miss Selfridge store as I saw both items in my store a few days ago). Then I purchased this Black Rollcuff Crop Tee - £10 (link). I'd purchased these floral culottes from ASOS a few months ago, and thought this tee would go nicely with it.

Weirdly everything I bought was on offer, so my bank account gave a slight sigh of relief (although not much!).

Have you bought anything recently?

Love Alice x

Fashion | Win With MRP

Quick post from me but who doesn't love a competition?! 

MRP is a South African based company that sells amazing pieces at even better more amazing prices. Think cute polka dotted jeans for £10, printed cardigans for £6.50 and embellished shirts for just £5.50. A bargain in my eyes!

Not only this but with postage at only £4 to the UK it makes it a very affordable option!

And now for the good part, MRP is running a competition to win a years supply of clothing from the site. All you need to do is click the link below and enter your details, easy as.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

Have you entered?

Love Alice x

Lifestyle | My Week #2

19th September - 25th September 2013

1. Quiet night in

2. Bongo fun whilst watching Geordie Shore

3. Attempt to sort my life out

4. Snazzy t-shirt and badge for the Newcastle University Visit Day this Saturday

5. I won a £250 Clarins voucher as part of their Summer Draw!

Quiet one on the picture front this week! 

What have you guys been up to?

Love Alice x

Tag | The Beauty Tag

I saw this post over on the blog Blue Eyed Beauty by the lovely Caroline. I thought it looked like a really nice beauty related tag, so here's my version!

How many times do you wash your face daily?

Twice a day

What skin type do you have? (dry, oily or combination)

Combination - oily through my T-zone and normal everywhere else

What is your current facial wash?

I have the Elemis FreshSkin Peachy Perfect face wash, but I use Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish too

Do you exfoliate?

Yes, I love exfoliating!

What moisturiser do you use? 

Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser light for combo/oily skin

Do you have freckles?

Yes, across my nose and cheekbones

Do you use eye cream?

I use the Clinique All About Eyes serum

Do you or did you have acne prone skin?

No, although I did have a very severe breakout earlier this year which I would class as acne

Did you ever use ProActiv?

I couldn't even tell you what that is!

What foundation do you use?

For day either Garnier BB Miracle Skin Perfector - Oil Free in Light or L'Oreal True Match in Rose Ivory

For night Revlon ColourStay for Oily/Combo skin in Natural Beige

How about concealer?

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection in shades 1 and 2

Do you know your undertone colour?

Not really! Can you be in the middle?

What do you think of fake eyelashes?

Tried them once about 5 years ago, was useless so not tried since!

Did you know that you are supposed to change your mascara every 3 months?

Yes, but I don't, oops

What brand of mascara do you use?

Too many! I love L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic at the moment

Sephora or Mac?

I don't own anything Sephora, so MAC

Do you have a MAC Pro-Card?

Nope

What make-up tools do you use in make-up application?

Brushes by Real Techniques, Body Shop, MAC and Urban Decay

Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes?

Yes

What is your favourite eye shadow? (Colour or Shade)

Neutrals, my favourite palette is the Naked palette by Urban Decay

Do you use pencil or liquid eye-liner?

Kohl

How often do you poke your eyes with an eye liner pencil?

Not very often, I don't wear it much anymore

What do you think of pigment eye shadows?

I love them but too messy for me! 

What is your favourite lipstick?

I don't wear much lipstick, but I love Clinique Chubby Sticks and all the spin offs in particular No7

How about lip gloss? 

Not keen on it, so I don't wear it often

What is your favourite blush?

Benefit Coralista or the blush in the Sleek Face Form palette - see my review on it here

Do you buy make-up on e-bay?

No I haven't

Do you like drug store make-up?

Yes I love it

Do you go to CCO's? (Cosmetic Company Outlets)

Yes, I love the one at Bicester Village which is very close to my home in Oxfordshire, and I've been to the one in Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth and the Designer Outlet in Swindon many years ago

Did you ever consider taking make-up classes?

No, I like make-up but it's quite expensive!

Are you clumsy in putting on make-up?

No never!

Name a make-up crime that you hate?

Umm....the wrong shade of foundation which hasn't been blended down the neck, so you end up with a line!

Do you like colourful shades of make-up (lipstick, eye shadow) or neutral tones?

Eyes, definitely neutral, but I'm being slightly more adventurous with lipstick nowadays

Which celebrity always has great make-up?

Too many!

If you could leave the house with just ONE Make-up item, what would you use?

Concealer

Could you ever leave the house without any make-up on?

I do to ride and run, but I wouldn't to go to uni/town etc. When my skin is good, I could leave with very minimal makeup on though if that counts?!

Do you think you look good even without any make-up on?

No definitely not!

In your opinion, what is the BEST make-up line?

Tough one, I want to say Rimmel but I'm not overally keen on any of their foundations (yet to try their new Stay Matte Foundation) but they do brilliant powders, eye products, lip products etc

What do you think of Make-up?

I love make up, brilliant invention IMO!

Have you done this tag? What do you think of it?

Let me know if you have or are going to do it so I can have a read of your version.

Love Alice x

Fashion | Wishlist #2 (With Fashion Union)

This month I rediscovered Fashion Union after etailPR emailed all it's bloggers to offer us the chance to win £500 to spend on the Fashion Union site. 

I remember placing orders with the company many years ago but I had forgotten just how great a site it was with the latest trends at affordable prices! 

So here's my fashion wishlist for this month from Fashion Union.

Grey Sparkle Knitted Jumper With Zip Detail (link) £25
Blue Supersoft Blasted Jean (link) £22
Khaki Fur Collar Parka With Removable Sherpa (link) £65
Brown Sheep Skin Shoulder Bag (link) £15
Tan Flat Pull On Chelsea Boot  (link) £25

I think this outfit would be perfect for a shopping trip up here in Newcastle. Nothing too uncomfortable, or difficult to get in and out of whilst trying on clothes, yet I think it would look 'put together'. And anything with a bit of sparkle, like this jumper, I'm instantly in love with!

Cream Single Strap Woven V Neck Vest (link) £12
Black Aztec Print Mini Skirt With Side Zip (link) £20
Black Basic Blazer With Cream Lining (link) £20
Black Suede Gold Tip Pointed Court Shoe (link) £25
Orange Neon Envelope Clutch (link) £18

This outfit I thought would look really nice to go for drinks with friends. I like the monochrome theme running through the outfit, teamed with the neon bag to add a pop of colour. The gold tipped shoes add a twist to the simple black court. Add some simple gold jewellry and you're good to go!

Black Chiffon Playsuit (link) £25
Blue Peep Toe Platform Heel (link) £25
Black Metal Belt (link) £10
Black Snake Clutch Bag (link) £7

I'm not really a dress person, so I thought this chiffon playsuit would be perfect for a party. Again, I've added a pop of colour with the shoes, but kept the rest of the outfit very simple, with the metal belt to define the waist.

If you would like to be in with the chance of winning the £500 prize, create your own wishlist from the Fashion Union site. All the details can be found here.

Also this month, Fashion Union are offering free delivery so even more of an excuse to go and check them out! Click on the photo below to be taken straight to their site.

What would be on your wishlist?

Love Alice x

Lifestyle | My Week #1

A new weekly post from me - my week in photos!

12th September - 18th September 2013

1. (Larry) Lucky Lamb birthday cake - my sister's 15th birthday

2. Goodbye Oxfordshire

3. BUPA Great North Run

4. Completed in 2:18:45!

5. Unpacking in my university room

6. First night back out in Newcastle

7. Club Trop

Love Alice x

Quick Hello!

Hey guys,

Sorry for being so rubbish at blogging over the last few weeks, but I thought I'd make this quick post to explain my absence! 

Last Friday I moved back up to Newcastle to my new house ready for my second year of university. My house is so lovely and I'm sharing with 4 other girls this year. Since moving in I've been sorting out my room and meeting up with friends that I haven't seen since June so I haven't had much time to sit down and write a proper blog post.

As well as this I ran the Great North Run on Sunday in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity. It peed it rain near enough all day but I actually enjoyed the experience so much. I ran the 13.1 miles in 2:18:45, which was over 10 minutes quicker than my original aim of 2:30 so I was very pleased. I enjoyed it so much that I'm pretty certain I'm going to enter again next year...what am I thinking! If you would like to sponsor me for this run, you can do on my JustGiving page here.

So that's my quick update, but now things have settled down a bit I can sit down and write some proper posts for you all.

Hope you are all well!

Love Alice x

Lifestyle | 5 Tips For Starting University

It's that time of year again when lots of people are off to start university. I'm very jealous of anybody being a 'fresher' this year, I had an amazing first year and would love to do it all again!

But here are my 5 tips for those of you starting university -

1) Make the most of 'freshers' week

If your university is anything like mine, not only will you have a variety of nighttime events, but also events throughout the day. I wish I had made more of an effort to do these daytime activities rather than just sitting around the flat (admittedly with others!). They had such a wide range of activities including cocktail making sessions, paintballing, beach trips, tours of St James' Park, the list goes on! Not only will you get to meet even more people, but the cost of all these was already included in our (rather expensive) wristband for the week.

2) Get involved - societies, clubs etc

Join societies, sports teams etc and get involved with them. Not only will you meet people with the same interests as you, it will get you out and about and looks great on your CV if you take on an active role.

3) Stock up on paracetamol, cold and flu medicine etc

Word of warning now - you will get freshers flu. Its inevitably going to happen, hundreds of new people put into one area and germs are going to spread like wildfire. Stock up on all your cold and flu remedies before you go, so at the first sign of 'the flu' coming your way you can start dosing yourself up without having to try and find the nearest chemist. 

4) Stock up on cupboard essentials

Another stock up, but this time with kitchen cupboard essentials - tins of beans, soup, dried pasta, jars of pasta sauce etc. When you've spend the majority of your loan and you still have another week until you can go home for Christmas these essentials are vital.

5) Enjoy first year

Don't stress out too much, do some work, but also go out and have fun. The phrase 'work hard, play harder' springs to mind. First year is such an amazing year of your life and is the only time where the phrase 'you only need 40%' can be used! This time next year, you'll be sat here like me, thinking this year I'm going to have to do some more work...

Are you off to university this year? Have fun!

Love Alice x

Tag | The Liebster Award

I was nominated by the lovely Emily at Emily Allcott and Ceila at Ceila's Antics for the Liebster Award, and I've finally got round to doing it!

I've copied Ceila's idea of picking questions from everyone's 11 questions as I feel mean picking one person's 11 questions over the other, so here we go!

1. Post a photo of what your day has been like today

I've been fortunate to be allowed to ride a lovely horse over the Summer so here's a photo of him chilling in the sun (technically taken the other day)

2. If you had to pick between drugstore and high end make up which would it be?

Right now, drugstore. I'm a poor student who can't afford higher end makeup, and I think over the last few years the drugstore brands have really upped their game in terms of quality of product. There are also lots of very good dupes in the drugstore for higher end products.

3. What is your favourite brand for lipstick?

I don't really wear lipstick, but I do love the chubby sticks. I have ones from Clinique and No7, and I think I'd pick Clinique due to the wider colour range.

4. What was the last book you read? Did you enjoy it?

Pains me to say this, I can't remember the last book I read! I used to be such a big reader and I have so many unread books on my shelf but I don't read as often as I used to anymore. I am currently reading Star Island by Carl Hiaasen however.

5. Chocolate or sweets?

Chocolate everytime!

6. Describe your ideal night-in

I like nights in during the Autumn/Winter, when it's cold and raining outside. Nice home cooked dinner, from my Mum - something like a stew or pie and mash (I love stodgy wintery-type homecooked food!) followed by some good TV!

7. What is your favourite time of year?

Autumn/Winter for sure, I love layering up my clothes, those nice crisp sunny mornings etc!

8. Are you a cat or dog person?

Owning both, I really couldn't choose! I think I would lean more towards dogs.

9. What is your Chinese zodiac sign and does it describe you well?

I am a rooster, and I used this to find out what I'm meant to be like!

First of all it says I'm meant to be punctual....I'm pretty much late for everything - unless it's super important like a job interview, so that's not correct! This "they are deep thinkers considered to be honest, bright, communicative, ambitious, capable and warm-hearted...they like to be busy and neat. They are not reluctant to fall behind others and hate dawdlers" is very true about me! And I hate to say it but I feel this may be true about me as well "they are critical and think they are always right. Like their fortunes, their emotions swing from very high very slow. They can be positive but selfish, caustic and too outspoken. They are narrow-minded and vain. They probably refuse suggestions but would like to lecture others."

10. What are your top 3 high street stores to shop at?

1. H&M
2 Next - for jeans, I find they fit me well. Also do great shoes!

3. New Look maybe? I like the fact it's cheap and does nice things for nights out.

11. What do you want to be doing in 5 years time?

5 years I'll be 25, so I would like to have finished university with a 2:1 or even maybe a 1st?! I'd liked to have figured out a better plan for a career, I'm still very unsure of what I want to do.

And here are my 11 questions:

1. What is your favourite drugstore and high end brand?

2. You can only use 3 products for your makeup, what would they be?

3. What is your must have skincare product?

4. What is one fashion item you are currently lusting after?

5. What season is your favourite to dress for?

6. Heels or flats?

7. What is your favourite food?

8. What is your dream job?

9. Do you play a sport?

10. Why did you start your blog?

11. What blog posts do you like reading?

And finally, here are my 11 nominees (hopefully I found blogs that haven't already completed the Liebster Award!):

1. Emma at Beauty About Town

2. Mollie at What Mollie Did

3. Natalie at A Love Affair With

4. Amy at We'll Follow These Lines For Miles

5. Holly at Beauty & Lifestyle Blog

6. Brodie at Brodu Soup

7. Lucy at Luce's Life Lessons

8. Sam at Blinkered Barbie

9. Gracie at Gracies World

10. Madeleine at The Fashion Diaries Of Madeleine

11. Crystal at A Teen's Guide To Life

Love Alice x

Beauty | Makeup Brush Storage

Sorry for the lack of posts over the last few days, things just got a little hectic, and unfortunately just a short post from me today, but hopefully normally posts will resume next week!

I needed some new makeup brush storage as my brush collection has expanded quite dramatically in the last few months! 

I'd seen a few bloggers storing their brushes in the 'Skurar' range from IKEA (link), however with no IKEA nearby I set about trying to find some other nice storage ideas.

I saw these little candle holders in the sale section at Cargo and thought they would be ideal. The larger diamond type one was £5 and is still available online (link). The smaller blue one was £1.50 and although isn't available online anymore, I still spotted a few in store the other day. I then stuffed the bottle of them with shredded tissue paper.

I think they look really cute in my bedroom at home, but will also look nice when I move back up to Newcastle for university!

You can also see my part of my current skincare routine!

Love Alice x

Monthly Favourites #1

It's the 1st of September so it's time for my monthly favourites! 

Beauty

1. Sleek Face Form 

(link)

I received this palette for my birthday, and I was instantly hooked. The 3 powders are highly pigmented and help to create a really nice contoured/highlighted look and I've finally got to grips with the blusher. I wrote a full review HERE

2. L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic - 'Magnetic Black'

(link)

I bought this mascara at the beginning of the month as I fancied trying a new one out. I'd heard quite a lot about the Telescopic line so thought I'd give it a go. The brush is a plastic brush which I'm not normally keen on, but I love the finish the mascara gives. It gives plenty of volume whilst also giving length, and is perfect for daytime with 1 coat, or night by adding more layers. 

3. Garnier BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector Oil Free - 'Light'

(link)

I jumped on the BB cream bandwagon way back when Garnier first released their version of the BB cream, however I found the normal version far too oily for my skin. Then they released the oil free version which I finally got round to picking up a few months back. This month however I've been loving it, as the weather in the UK has been very warm and muggy I haven't liked having a heavier foundation on. The cream is very easy to blend in and gives me a light coverage, evening out my skin tone and covering any blemishes I have.

4. Essie Nail Polish - 'The More The Merrier' (Part Of The Summer Collection)

(link)

Another birthday present and my first Essie nail polish and I understand the hype around the brand. I love bright nail colours, and this is perfect to add to my collection. It's a lovely lime green which has looked great over August. 

5. Models Own Nail Polish - 'Beach Party' (Part Of The Hed Kandi Collection)

(link)

I love Models Own nail polish, and this bright orange has looked brilliant in the warm weather. Only con is that it seems to chip slightly easier than others I have from Models Own which is a shame but I love the colour to much to care!

6. Abercrombie & Fitch - Fierce

(link)

Yes I know it's a cologne and therefore for men but I love this scent. This is the scent that is spritzed around their stores and I can't stop smelling it, despite having owning it for several months now. (I'm sat here smelling it as I type this!) They describe it as a clean scent of citrus scent and warm musk, which is quite masculine but I'm not fussed at all. It's quite a strong scent, so only a light spritz is needed, but it lasts all day long. (Plus any man that wears this goes up in my estimation!)

Miscellaneous

7. Joni Topshop Jeans - 'Vintage'

(link)

Super comfy, fit me well, and they go with everything, what more could you want?!

8. Converse - 'Faded Neon Pink'

(link)

I love my white Converse so decided to invest in another pair. This colour seems to be tricky to find in the UK, but they are so worth it. Comfy as always, and go with so many things, I'm sure these will get a lot more wear yet.

What have been your monthly favourites?

Love Alice x

Great North Run

A slightly different post from me today but something I wanted to share on here.

Next month, on the 15th September, I'm running the Great North Run...eek! The Great North Run is a half marathon, so is a 13.1 mile (21.08km) run starting in Newcastle and ending in South Shields. To say I'm nervous is an understatement! I've never been a 'runner', I hated athletics in school, although my only benefit is I've always been quite sporty - I used to swim competitively and enjoyed other sports at school. I started training properly when I came home from university in the middle of June. At the time I could only run 1.8 miles (3km) and was very unfit so I think a few people were questioning my decision to enter! 

I'm running for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity (GOSHCC) which is a brilliant charity here in the UK. They need to raise over £50 million a year to be able to help the many sick children and their families effectively, so this event is an important fundraiser for them. 

I've been training 4 times a week since then and on Monday 26th August I completed a 14.3 mile (23.02km) run in 2h32. Totally unintentional I have to admit, my original route was 13.1 miles, until I got lost in a nearby village and ended up running round for a bit trying to find the right road! This run has made me slightly less nervous, I know I can run the full distance (despite it hurting a bit at the end) but we'll just have to wait and see what happens on race day now. 

My original aim was to complete the run in 2h30, however I have now reduced this to 2h15 which I think I could do, fingers crossed!

If you want to find out more about Great Ormond Street and the brilliant work they do, click HERE

If you want to donate to my JustGiving page (which I would be very grateful for) click HERE 

I have a target of £375 to raise, and I'm very close now!

If you want to follow my running routes/times etc, and other things that are going on in my life, follow me on Twitter HERE

Love Alice x

Haul | Boots & H&M

Hey guys, hope you all had a good weekend! I will hopefully have a post up later on this week about what I did this weekend so stay tuned for that.

But today I popped into town with my Mum and Sister and picked up a few bits and pieces which I thought I would show you.

Firstly I went to Boots. I always spend so much money in there, I don't think I've been in there once this year and not bought something (oops!). 

I needed to get some more body scrub so I repurchased the Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub - £8 (link). I love the smell of this product, it reminds me of fizzy cola bottles which are one of my favourite sweets. I find the scrub 'scrubby' enough that you feel a difference to your skin but it's not so harsh that it irritates it. 

Next up I repurchased another favourite of mine for my hair which is the VO5 Give Me Texture Dry Texturising Spray - £3.89 (link). I like using this product to give my hair a bit of boost when it's down or up, I highly recommend it. This must be at least my 5th can now! As there was an offer on VO5 styling products of buy 2 for £5 I decided to also try out the VO5 Plump It Up Dry Backcomb Spray - £3.89 (link). This is one of the few products I haven't tried from in the range so I'll let you know how I get on with it. 

Lastly, I eyed up the new Maybelline Baby Lips - £2.99 (link) at the end of the aisle. My sister and I have been looking for these for ages and have looked in several Boots stores around the country but we finally got our hands on some! I decided to try the one in 'Cherry Me' as I like the idea of a tinted lip balm. I've just applied it now and it gives a really nice red tint to the lips that feels super moisturising. I'm definitely going to pick some more of these up!

Boots purchases
Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub
VO5 Give Me Texture Dry Texturising Spray and Plump It Up Dry Backcomb Spray
Maybelline Baby Lips in 'Cherry Me'

Lastly I popped into H&M and spotted this Burgundy Sleeveless Shirt - £14.99. No link unfortunately as I can't find it online, I'm pretty certain it's brand new in to stores as I've not seen it before today so you should be able to find it! I bought a similar shirt last year in white from their 'Conscious Collection' which I love to wear on nights out tucked into a skirt or shorts, so I thought this would be a perfect addition to my wardrobe as I'm back to university soon and I would think there will be quite a few nights out to come! This has got a low V neck with ruffles along the edges, with 'pearl' buttons down the front.

H&M Burgundy Sleeveless Shirt

Have you been shopping recently and picked up anything you love? 

Love Alice x

Tag | 21 Questions

I thought this would be a good way for you to get to know me a little bit better! So here's the 21 questions tag that I've seen on a few blogs. 

1. Are you named after anyone? As far as I'm aware no. Although my Great Great Grandma (I think/hope that's enough!) was also called Alice, I don't think I was specifically named after her.

2. When was the last time you cried? I genuinely can't remember! I don't cry very often at all.

3. Do you have kids? No!

4. If you were another person, would you be a friend of yourself? Yes I think I would be.

5. Do you use sarcasm a lot? Yeah a fair amount, I'd even use it on the internet if it wasn't for things being misinterpreted!

6. Will you ever bungee jump? Up until recently I would answer this question with a definite no. However more recently I think I may say yes, it's one of those once in a lifetime experiences isn't it? Not that I'll be rushing out to the nearest bungee jump any time soon though!

7. What's your favourite cereal? I don't really eat cereal but I like Weetabix or Fruit and Nut.

8. What's the first thing you notice about people? It may be shallow but probably what someone is wearing!

9. What is your eye colour? I have hazel coloured eyes.

10. Scary movies or happy endings? Happy endings every time!

11. Favourite smells? Christmas! The tree, food etc etc. Also freshly baked bread, cut grass, hay bales.

12. Summer or winter? Summer for the longer days, but I like winter as well to be able to wrap up in lots of layers.

13. Computer or television? Computer - technically you can watch television on it too!

14. What's the furthest you've ever been away from home? Florida

15. Do you have any special talents? No I don't think so.

16. Where were you born? England, in Cambridgeshire to be more precise.

17. What are your hobbies? Horse riding (I've ridden since I was 4), at the moment running! Shopping would be in there too, listening to music.

18. Do you have any pets? Yes, a Boxer called Libby and 3 cats - Hannah, Oscar and Mowgli

Left: Libby the Boxer
Middle: Mowgli on the left (he's a Bengal Snow Leopard) and Oscar (white and black)
Right: Hannah
Libby is incredibly photogenic, the cats not so much so for now sleeping pictures will have to do I'm afraid!

19. Favourite movie? Tough one but probably Billy Elliot.

20. Do you have any siblings? Yes, a younger sister Emily, she's nearly 15.

21. What do you want to be when you grow up? I'd love to renovate houses but failing that something in property/real estate (at the moment anyway, I change my mind regularly)

I hope this has given you a better idea of what I'm like outside of this blog. If you have any other questions feel free to leave them in the comments below.

Love Alice x