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