What I got for Christmas 2016

Sometimes I wonder why I wasn't named Pinocchio as I'm so nosey. I'm too lazy to nose  about other in other people's drama but I love these kinds of posts and looking at all the beautiful pictures so, thought I'd do my own for other Pinocchio's out there! I'm in no way bragging as I know some people get a bit funny about these posts (so look away now if you're one of those people), I'm just very appreciative and wanted to share a few pieces as I received some really lovely thoughtful presents. 

Disney Minnie Mouse Mug

I mean how cute is this! I love receiving presents where you have no clue what they are but they're so well thought out and reflect what you love which in my case is Disney. There are going to be so many hot chocolates (and possibly green teas cause yano, gotta get that summer body sorted) consumed out of this. 

Joules Scarf

I received this beautiful scarf by Joules from my brother and Flo Jo and it's super cute so thanks you guys. It probably won't keep me very warm cause it's quite thin but it's very pretty and the little deers are reflective (almost as reflective as my highlight - lul).

Swarovski Earrings 

My mum is the best at picking out jewellery and these little earrings are super cute! When they're on they come all the way up the lobe and they look stunning. Thank you Mumma P. 

Yves Saint Laurent | Black Opium | Eau De Parfum 

The boyf very kindly bought me my favourite perfume which is too expensive for my poor student budget but it smells soooo good. I'm a sucker for sweet perfumes and this is just the best.

Clinique Anti-Blemish Skincare 

Clinique will forever be one of my absolute favourite skincare brands. My skin is oily and prone to spots (or as I like to call them, acorns) and the anti-blemish range works a treat. I'm not even joking the clinical gel should be called miracle gel, you literally put it on before bed and in the morning your acorns are basically gone. Oh and how cute is the pink box and packaging!

Anastasia Beverly Hills | Master Palette by Mario

This Master palette by Mario was shipped all the way from Sephora and is now sold out and I'm so so grateful. I'm so excited to use this because look at all those beautiful warm toned shadows ahhh. Anastasia eyeshadows are so pigmented and are always of a high quality so I'm super excited to get my brushes into these. My amazing friend got this for me and she's an extra babe, thank you - You know who you are!

My friend Molly combined my Birthday and Christmas together to buy this beautiful Hourglass palette which I have been talking about for ages. So so grateful because it's incredibly pretty and Hourglass products in general are phenomenal - thank you!

I also kindly received several Debenhams vouchers because people know I love makeup but didn't quite know what to get me as I have quite a lot already. I didn't include pictures but my main present this year was a MacBook pro which I am currently writing this post on. I normally use our shared Mac but this is going to come in handy especially for university but also now I can write posts on the train, on the go and hopefully use this for some potential YT video editing. Oh and for playing Sims 4 - duh. 

I hope you all had a magical Christmas and wishing everyone the best for 2017!

Til next time x 

21st Birthday Presents // Photo Diary

I don't normally do blog posts like this so I thought I'd change it up as yano, 21st birthdays mark new beginnings and what not. Also, Christmas is a couple of days away and I wanted to post it before then. Just keep in mind that this is a very photo heavy post. Yes you may realise from these photos that I'm not capable of posing like a normal person but at least I have an emoji crown. Ps, thank you to everyone who made my birthday so special, I'm so grateful for all your love even though I'm the biggest drama queen ever xoxo 

Presents from my beautiful uni friends and our very fun night at Yautcha (where we spent £15 on water HAHA glug glug glug) ask for tap water you guys, don't assume that still means tap. My dessert also came out with a lil message on hehe. Yautcha is so nice as well, I've already been there before and I'll probably continue to keep going. My friends are the cutest and got me a bag filled with Pandora and makeup (inserts heart eye emojis). How beautiful are these Charlotte Tilbury bits though, I don't know if I can bring myself to use the palette. Thank you chickas!

Cake obviously is a must and I'm not even the slightest bit ashamed to say that I ate the majority of this. 

The cutest swan earrings and more Charlotte Tilbury makeup from my brother and Flo Jo <3 If you know me at all then you'll know that I am absolutely obsessed with anything Disney related and this Kate Spade card holder is so unbelievably cute. 

I also received the prettiest Michael Kors watch from my parents which is so pretty but too big for my tiny wrists so I'm gonna have to wait a little while longer to wear it. And of course, 21st birthday's call for lots of Tiffany boxes including a beautiful Tiffany charm bracelet from my auntie and this necklace from mumsie and dadsie (which has my initials engraved on the back).

And what birthday would be complete without a little me to me gift in the form of the prettiest lipstick ever. Haven't included everything but these were my favs and I'm entirely grateful for having such wonderful people in my life <3

Til next time x

Are they worth the hype?

One of negative sides of being completely obsessed with makeup is that some products are completely over hyped up. Sometimes it's just worth knowing if they're actually good or if you'll just go and buy it and it turns out that it's most definitely not worth the hype. So I've gathered some products that have been hyped all over the internet with my honest opinions.

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner - Trooper | £16

Is this the most hyped eyeliner ever? Yes probably. But it is actually amazing. Because of the applicator you can achieve that sharp wing with less effort and you can also get that precision for a super thin line over the top of your eye. The formula wears well and stays black (I've noticed that it does come off when you cry from laughing so just bare that in mind guys). I wear winged liner everyday and I haven't found anything as good as this. 

Worth the hype? Yes 

Anastasia Beverly Hills - Modern Renaissance Palette | £41

I've already reviewed this product so it shouldn't come as a shock that I'm completely obsessed with this still. The colours, pigmentation and formulas are amazing. Obviously it's completely worth the hype. 

Worth the hype? Yes

Nars Creamy Concealer | £23

This is probably the most hyped up concealer e v e r. Literally everyone on youtube raves about this so obviously I had to go and spend £23 on it - duh. Honestly though, it's a nice concealer but I question if it's worth such an expensive price tag. Don't get me wrong, it's a lovely concealer, it has a creamy (self explanatory there) consistency so it's really good for covering any spots or dark circles. I just feel like £23 is a lot for a concealer when I personally go through them so quickly. 

Worth the hype? Yes

Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kits | $29

A lot of people will have their opinions out on these already so you might have your mind made up. Although the colours are beautiful, I just find that the consistency is fine at first but when you go to reapply through out the day it crumbles on your lips (which is not attractive) and it's a shame because they look . I like applying a little bit of the product and then tapping it into the lips with my finger then applying lipsticks over the top so they have a bit more staying power. Sadly although the matte lipsticks are lovely the lip liners are so crumbly. I've found they have no staying power and don't sharpen well at all. 

Worth the hype?
Matte Liquid Lipstick - Yes
Lip liner - No

Kylie Metal Matte Lipstick - Heir | $18

This has literally been a game changer for me. I have been wearing it nearly every day since I got it. Unlike the lip kits it's just a nice formula which isn't drying or crumbly. It does come off throughout the day but because of the colour (which is a beautiful peachy/gold majesticness) it fades on your lips and doesn't look too obvious if that makes sense. So basically I'd say these ones are completely worth the hype! (But plz can there be a warehouse in the UK cause custom charges are just outrageous). 

Worth the hype? Yes

Charlotte Tilbury -  Filmstar Bronze & Glow | £49

If you use Instagram you'll have surely seen this product.  I mean it's £49 for a highlighter and bronzer. The bronzer is more of a contour but it's a nice formula and doesn't give you that muddy look. The highlight is lovely and again subtle, I've found it works best over the top of a cream highlighter though. This is worth the hype but maybe not worth the expensive price tag.

Worth the hype? No (just because of the eyewateringly expensive price)

Thank you for reading chickas! x

A Gift Guide for December Birthdays

The title should actually read 'a gift guide for those annoying December Birthdays' because yes everyone finds them annoying as they're so close to Christmas (my birthday included). But we didn't choose to be born in peak trade time, really you should blame our parents - I mean how rude, parents should really have this in consideration when trying to conceive. So anyway, I've put together a gift guide to help anyone stuck for ideas *cough cough wink wink*. 

Jouer Cosmetics Long-Wearing Lip Topper | Skinny Dip - £13.50 LINK

Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita Palette - £38 LINK 

Charlotte Tilbury Pressed Powder | Fair - £33 LINK 

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat | Pillow Talk - £16 LINK 

Nars Laguna Bronzer - £28 LINK 

Nars Illuminator | Copacabana - £23 LINK

Nars Velvet Lipglide | Unlaced and Stripped - £22 LINK

Diptique Candle | Vanille - £42 LINK

Swarovski Iconic Swan Pierced Earring Jackets - £75 LINK

Pandora December Birthstone Ring - £40 LINK

Pandora Promise Ring - £95 LINK

Vivienne Westwood Orb Necklace - £95 - £65 

Kate Spade Minnie Mouse Card Holder - £55 LINK 

Hope this is helpful for anyone in need of some inspiration, thanks for reading chickas! x 

ps I'm size 52-54 on those ring sizes ;)

Recent Beauty Buys | November 2016

I seem to be an avid believer that treating yourself to makeup goodies is the way forward. As always, I'm sharing my latest spending habits which have made my card cry so maybe someone else will be inspired to make their card cry too!

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner
If you're an eyeliner addict like myself then it's more than likely that you've probably heard of this liner. It has such a fine tip that looks like a felt tip pen. I tried a sample of this before buying the full size and honestly it's so good. As the tip is so fine, it allows you to get that sharp wing with minimum effort.

Kat Von D Thunderstuck Eyeshadow
In winter I'm all about minimal bright eyes and bright red lips. Guilty as charged, I bought this because I've heard it makes an awesome highlighter as well as eyeshadow. So far it has swatched really and it's a beautiful champagne cream shade with a sheen.

Hourglass Bronzer in Luminous Bronze 

Probably the most expensive of the bunch, this bronzer really pacts a price punch but when Space Nk do a money off deal you can't really complain. How majestic is this though, such a beautiful shimmery bronzer which is perfect for all year really cause I am an avid fan of glitteryness.

Zoeva Luxe Soft Crease Brush
Zoeva sell my favourite brushes ever. I'm always in need of eyeshadow brushes as I can get quite lazy and not wash my brushes. I already have this one but I bought another to make my eyeshadow blending life easier. These brushes are super soft, have amazing longevity and are so good for the price.

Makeup Geek Cocoa Bear

So this one isn't pictured as I've already made such a dent used it every day since buying. It's the most beautiful medium warm brown shade which is perfect for this season (and any other season to be honest) and I would literally recommend it to anyone!

Nars Creamy Concealer in Custard
It would seem that I am forever looking for a concealer that doesn't crease and has some fantastic staying power on those pesky marks and stress breakouts. Here's praying that this will work miracles as I have 4 assignments due soon. The consistency seems to be quite thick with this one so I'm hoping that that coverage will be good too.

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Lipstick in Heir
This lipstick, has changed my life. It is such gorgeous shade, a metallic peachy pink which is also matte but I would recommend using it as a lip topper rather than on it's own as it comes off throughout the day. I've been pairing it with Koko K underneath to give it some staying power but it's such a beautiful shade and it's not so metallic that you'd be too conscious wearing it.

Thank you for reading chickas! Hope you've enjoyed my cheeky haul x

Autumnal Clothing Lust List

It's that time of year again when things get a bit colder and it's basically acceptable to be head to toe in black (yipee!). It's also that time where a comfy slouchy knit will be your go to and you will find it hard to function without a hot beverage in your hand to wake you up in the morning - because really we're meant to be going into hibernation and this is why we're so darn tired. I'm seeing a lot of small studs in trend which I am absolutely loving and of course some beautiful high end dupes. 

 Topshop Velvet Cross Body Bag - £26 

Topshop Lace Foil Pintuck Blouse - £39

M&S Studded Chelsea Ankle Boots - £79

Topshop Extreme Trumpet Top - £29

River Island Grey Knit Tie Sleeve Grazer Jumper - £36

River Island Light Blue Stitch Jumper - £30

Zara Faux Fur Collar Biker Jacket - £89

Next Black Leather Micro Stud Strap Boots - £70

Of course everything is mainly black with the exception of a couple of items. I'm seeing a lot of studded boots similar to the Chloe Susanna boots, in fact the Next pair are almost identical that I will need to be picking up a pair of those pronto. I'm also loving all these Acne Jacket dupes which are available for just a mere fraction of the price, all the heart eyes. 

Til next time

x

5 Things To Do When You're In A Mood

         

As I went back to university in September, stress levels are high with impending doom as my deadlines are already looming over me, it's 2nd year and that means I have to try harder to get a better mark, my financial crisis hits home as I've treated myself a few too many times etc etc. So basically, I'm finding that the smallest of problems at the moment can set me off and I just need to calm down really. So here are 5 things to do when you're in a mood: 

Breathe

That's right I said it. Count to ten and take some deep breaths. Inhale the positive and exhale the negative. I've found that this really helps to just calm down instantly and just take a moment to chill. 

Remind yourself how lucky you are

I think we often forget how valued and loved we are by other people. Sometimes we take people for granted and forget how loved we are by them. So just remind yourself how lucky you are to have them in your life and how lucky you are to have the life that you do. Is that small tiny problem worth having a tantrum over? No. 

Take a hot bath or shower

By doing this the hot water will essentially wash away your troubles and relax your muscles like nothing ever happened. Lush products seem to work best for this by the way. If you're having a shower I would strongly recommend the comforter shower gel. But if you're having a bath, a bath bomb and bubble bar are a must.

Comfort Food

I mean, I know this is so bad for me to say but comfort food makes me feel instantly better. It doesn't have to be incredibly bad for you, heck, it could just be your favourite tea in your favourite mug or a hearty spaghetti bolognese with cheesy bread. It's guaranteed that some form of comfort food is going to help you calm down and make you feel better. 

Take your mind off it

Get into your pjs, wrap yourself in a blanket like a human blanket burrito and indulge in your favourite film or TV series. Whether it's Game Of Thrones or Frozen, you're bound to feel better after taking your mind off the problem and focusing on something else. 

I hope this has helped anyone feeling the stress right now, I know I certainly am. 

Til next time

x

Baking | Chocolate Brownies

If there's one thing I love more than baking it's eating baked goods. Recently I've been making brownies and I thought it was only fair to share the brownie love a.k.a. the recipe.

Ingredients 

175g Unsalted butter

100g Self-raising flour

250g Caster sugar

40g Cocoa power

90g Chocolate

20g Chocolate (for chocolate chips)
1tsp Vanilla extract

3 Medium eggs

Method

- Preheat the oven to 180⁰C, gas mark 4

- Grease and line the base and sides of your square cake tin with greaseproof paper or simply use butter

- Stir together the coco powder, sugar and flour

- Gently melt the butter with the chocolate and allow to cool

- Beat the eggs in with the dry ingredients

- Stir in the melted butter, chocolate and vanilla extract

- Cut some small chunks of chocolate and add to the mixture

- Pour into a greased tin making sure the mixture reaches the sides

- Bake for 30 mins (a knife should come out clean)

- Optional, sieve icing sugar over the top for finishing touches

I normally cut them 5x5 and then take them about with a spatula, then dust with icing sugar. I find this recipe super easy and they don't require any fancy spancy icing that you might mess up. Also if you burn the top a little bit you just cover it with icing powder and no one will know.

Happy baking! 

Til next time

Amelia

Patisserie De Bain | New bits and bobs

Last week I was kindly sent some beautiful products from Patisserie De Bain and Rose & Co (thank you Abi) so I thought I'd do a review for you guys as they smell amazing and the packaging is so so cute. If you're like me and love anything that smells sweet then you will absolutely love these.

Sweet as Cherry Pie - Hand & Body Lotion

This literally smells like Cherry Bake wells it's so nice. The formula seems to be quite moisturising and absorbs quite easily as well so I'm quite impressed. Can we just talk about the packaging for a moment because it looks like a little picnic blanket. The scent is quite strong at first but when rubbed in has a lovely subtle cherry scent. 

Strawberry Cupcake - Bath & Shower Creme

I wouldn't say this smells like cupcakes but the scent has a very lovely mix of strawberries and raspberries. You can actually smell the product after you've come out the shower which is really nice.

Cranberries & Cream - Hand Cream

This product I'd say smells the sweetest out of the bunch - it smells like delicious fruity baked goods. The formula is quite thick like most hand creams and is a little bit sticky but it's quite moisturising and the perfume lingers on your hands for ages. A little goes a long way with this and it's the perfect size to take in your bag.

Rose & Co - Rose Petal Salve
This lip balm comes in the cutest tin and has a strong scent of roses. The formula is moisturising and gives a slight pink tint to your lips which is really good for everyday use and just touch ups when you don't want a heavy lipstick. 

Sugar Rose Bath Fancies

These are so cute. I believe they're like bath melts.They look like little cupcakes in their paper cases and are all sparkly. They smell like roses and they're so pretty I don't want to use them up!

I'm really impressed with the quality of these for the price. I'm loving that the scents are based on different cakes/flavours from a french patisserie and I'm itching to try the Lemon Bon Bons scent. The packaging is so cute/vintage and you can pick these up from Superdrug for £5.99 - £1.99, bargain!

Til next time

Amelia