Pamper Night

Hello Girlies!

If there's one thing that makes me feel better when I'm having a bad hair/face/body day, it's a pamper night. This usually takes place on Sunday so I start the week feeling all pretty and last Sunday was no exception so I thought I'd show you some of the products I used and what I thought of them...

St.Tropez Gradual Tan: This is my go to fake tan for when I'm not wanting to do the full on overnight mousse or lotion thing as just one layer develops into such a nice natural shade that instantly perks up my skin. It's also really moisturising and so easy to apply making it the best fake tan for anyone that's a bit of a lazy bones but still likes having that glow. Full review and comparison with a cheaper gradual tan here.
Sally Hansen Hards As Nails: As a former self confessed nail biter my talons are always in need of a bit of extra love and popping a coat of this on before I paint them properly or just on it's own ensures they stay strong, grow long and look nice and smooth.
The 30 Day Shred: I know not everyone will fancy working out during their pamper night but I personally don't feel that good on the outside if I don't feel good on the inside by keeping fit and eating well (well, for at least most of the time!), so by grabbing the hand weights and following Jillian Michael's bossy instructions for just 20 minutes while I let a face mask get to work I get to feel that little bit more honed and toned.
Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips: I've used nose strips ever since I bought some after watching Anne Hathaway rip one off in the Princess Diaries (Please tell me someone else remembers this moment?) so they are pretty old school, but that's fine because they really do work. I won't go into any more detail as it's a bit gross, but these Biore ones really clear out all those clogged pores and minimise their appearance.
Philip Kingsley Elasticizer*: I got this in my Cosmo Blog Award goody bag but have only just got round to using it as you have to put it on for about 20 minutes before shampooing which I don't often have the time to do. However, I think I'll be making a great deal more time for this hair mask in the future as it left my hair feeling unbelievably soft and healthy on Sunday. They'll be a full review to follow when I've used it a bit more.

I had a really fun time today as I got to go into a primary school and perform a play for the year fours as part of my course. It went really well and I do feel very lucky that my degree assesses me for things I'd volunteer to do anyway. I've got a good night in store now too as me and my house mates are off to a pub quiz so I better go and sort my face out as it's currently ridiculously bronzer and eye liner heavy as I did have to dress up as an Egyptian today!

I hope you're all having a good week!
Love Meg
x

Video: Autumn/Winter Makeup Tutorial

Hey Girls!

One of my favourite things about the changing seasons is that you can adapt your make up to match, so while I was all about pastels and peaches over the spring and summer I now can't get enough of berry shades and blush that makes you look like you've just come in from the cold. So as the last make up tutorial I did focused on how to create bronzed summery skin, I thought it was time I showed you how I create that fresh wintry glow and wear the deep shades of this season...

I really hope you enjoyed the video or just liked seeing the photo of the finished look and products I used to create it! Please do subscribe to my youtube channel if you enjoyed it :)

It was back to uni madness after a chilled out weekend for me today which involved painting an Egyptian backdrop and helping year 9's make role plays, got to love my degree sometimes! And now I don't plan to do anything but fake tan, watch Made In Chelsea and get excited that I turn 21 in a week today...

Have a great night everyone!
Love Meg
x

OOTD: Turn ups and Tinsel

Hello Lovelies!

It's time for another seasonal outfit post today so I can show you a look I've been loving lately which is both preppy and cosy. I also can't get enough of turn ups and tinsel right now (although I'm using tinsel more as a symbol for all things festive!), but then you probably guessed that from the title... 

Shirt｜Primark

Jumper｜Next*

Jeans｜Topshop

Socks｜Primark

Boots｜Next*

Lips｜Revlon Kissable Lip Stain Balm in 'Crush'

I wore this outfit today as I was mainly just lounging around the house doing some uni work and filming videos, but I find it also works for casual drinks and days out as the jeans and jumper make it warm and comfy, whilst the boots and shirt still keep it dressy. This outfit contains so many of my absolute favourite pieces of clothing such as the Topshop Leigh jeans which are as comfy as jeggings but still look like proper jeans and also the chunky knit jumper that I got to pick out at the Next Fashion Lock In I went to a few weeks ago which I've pretty much lived in since. I never used to turn up my trousers but I always thought Lily looked really cool when she did it so I gave it a go and now I turn up almost everything I wear including leggings and disco pants and love the sort of alternative look it creates, particularly when teamed with socks and boots. These boots actually destroyed my feet the first time I wore them (my poor house mate actually had to give me a piggy back all the way home from uni!), but I think I've broken them in a bit more now which is good as I think they're so beautiful! It also dawned on me today that it's only one month till Christmas, hence the tinsel reference in the title, so to mark the occasion I thought I'd show you the fairy lights we put up in our house today to get in the festive spirit (excuse the huge pile of washing up making a sneaky appearance in the background)...

I needed this chilled out weekend so badly and feel so much better and prepared for the busy times ahead because of it. I got so much blogging stuff done today too so there should be a lot of posts and videos appearing on the Boutique next week! I also have some exciting life news to tell you which is that I've just secured a weeks work experience with the social media team at the Next head office just before Christmas, which I'm super excited about as I think I'd really like to go into social media and PR after I graduate :)

I hope you've all had a good weekend and remember to vote Union J tonight, ohh I'm such a teenage girl sometimes.

Love Meg
x

Once you go MAC do you go back? MAC 'Hue' lipstick

Hello Girlies!

As most of you probably know being a student I don't have the most money in the world, hence why my 'boutique' is of the budget variety. Because of this it's taken me a rather long time to cave into the lure of the MAC counters I spend such a long time lusting over. However, when I got shortlisted for 'best newcomer' at the Cosmo Blog Awards earlier this year I knew I couldn't just carry any old lipstick with me in my newly purchased clutch bag, so decided it was time to invest in my first MAC lippy. As they come in at a rather expensive £14 a pop I wanted to make sure it was one I would get loads of use out of so went for the greatly hyped classic pinky nude, 'Hue'. But now I've dipped my toes into the beautifully packaged gorgeous smelling MAC waters will I want to go back to my trusty drugstore brands? 

'Hue' is one of MAC's best sellers as well as a firm favourite amongst so many beauty bloggers and after trying it out for myself over the past two months I can totally see why. It has a glaze formula so whilst it's not the most pigmented of lipsticks it does come with a super moisturising glossy sheen that allows it to glide onto the lips with the easiest of applications. Once the gloss wears off it also leaves a nice subtle stain of colour that will get you through until you next top up. The colour itself is possibly the perfect pinky nude, enough colour for you to wear it on a night out but subtle enough to be suitable for the most casual of occasions and I'm pretty sure no matter how dark your skin tone is this will never be pale enough to create the dreaded concealer lips effect I have nightmares about. As with all MAC lipsticks this also smells so incredible that I'd quite like to eat it (although that would undoubtedly be a rather unsatisfying and expensive meal) and the packaging is so sleek and classy it would fit in to the most made in chelsea like of occasions. You can sort of see it in action in this photo of the blog awards which made it into the digital edition of Cosmo and since then it has definitely become a firm favourite of mine for whenever I'm wearing a smokey eye or natural make up look. My only gripe with this lipstick is probably how much you need to top up due to the glossy formula and low pigmentation and also the way it can cling to dry patches on the lips when the rest has worn off, but that being said it will certainly have pride of place in my make up bag for many years to come!
So once you go MAC do you go back? Yes I think you do, mainly because the price tag is hard to justify, but also because I've found drugstore lipsticks that I love just as much for only £2, for example I still wear my beloved Natural Collection 'Rose Petal' all the time as it's just like 'hue' only more pigmented and peachy without the lovely smell and packaging. So I think for girls like me a mixture of drugstore and high end is perfect :)

I'm sorry for not blogging more so far this month but the past two weeks have been so busy and stressful  that I'm just very happy they're over and I've got exciting things like my birthday and Christmas to look forward to now. Saying that I did have a really lovely night in last night with my friends, a take away, several glasses of Prosecco and some trashy tele. It's more of the same for this weekend now too as I haven't actually left my Christmas onesie yet...oops!

Have a lovely Saturday night everyone!
Love Meg
x

Next Fashion Lock In

Hey Girls!

So this post is a bit overdue as I actually went to this Next Fashion Lock In event about two weeks ago now, but it was such a good event that I couldn't not blog about it and show you the snaps of the night. Better late than never... 

We started off at the swanky bar 'Apres' opposite Selfridges for cocktails and canapes which was so nice as not only did I get to drink some rather scrumptious alcohol, I also got to meet some lovely bloggy girls and have really nice chats with them. It's always scary going to these events on your own when you're such a small fish in a massive sea of bloggers (get me being all metaphorical) so it was really nice to walk in and see lots of friendly faces. After we'd eaten and drunk sufficient amounts we all made our way along Oxford street to the huge Next store. You need to go and see the really cute Marmite themed Christmas lights up along there if you haven't already! But anyway I thought I'd died and gone to heaven when I got let in to Next despite the fact it had closed just by brandishing my VIP pass and then got told I had £100 store credit to each spend on anything in store, which was just so exciting for someone who has basically no student loan left. We also got given tags to put around the ten items we were loving which was such a fun thing to do and I found some really great pieces, particularly in the coats and shoes. You can see what everyone else was loving here, but best thing that I found was a pair of black suede studded ankle boots, which you can see from the photo above I just had to take home with me. I also fell in love with the mottled cream jumper and have to fight the urge to wear it nearly everyday as it's just so cosy and goes with everything. A really snuggly  chunky knit hat and scarf set also made it into my basket as I was desperately in need of some new winter wear and I'm guessing they will last a few more winters than my usual Primark bargains.  

Overall it was the best event that I've been lucky enough to be invited to and I'd really recommend checking out rebeccape93, carolineelvin, pink-manolos and fiftysixfreckles as they're all fantastic blogs by such sweet girls. I'm still in uni work hell at the moment, but thought I'd take a bit of a break whilst I'm sitting in the Union at my laptop to write this post. Hopefully this time next week I'll be telling you all about the incredibly exciting tales of my post deadline life but for now it's back to Women playwrights on the international stage, oh joy...

I hope you're all having far more exciting weeks!

Origins Super Spot Remover: Worth the Hype?

Hello Lovelies!

So this post probably doesn't require much of an introduction as Origins has become the skin care brand of choice for so many beauty lovers and this product in particular has been raved about by such a huge number of bloggers that it was only a matter of time before I caved in and gave it a go myself...but the big question is, is it worth the hype?

For those that don't know, the Origins Super Spot Remover is a blemish treatment gel that contains Salicylic acid which is supposed to instantly heal, fight and fade spots or breakouts. I've never actually suffered with acne, but I've never had perfect skin either and whenever I'm stressed or not eating well my skin does like to throw a bit of a tantrum so I wanted to find a spot treatment that really works (anyone else had enough of using teenage spot zappers when you're in fact in you're twenties?) and decided it was worth spending that bit more on which is why I forked out a rather pricey £12 for such a little bottle. Don't let the photos fool you, this bottle really is tiny but you actually only need to use a very small amount of product, so not only is it travel friendly but will also last for ages. The actual product is very practical too because it's pretty much invisible so can be worn under make up and allows you to avoid looking like you've got a weird white spotty disease, which is the rather unattractive look I sport when slathering Sudocrem on my break outs.

 But enough about the product and packaging, what I'm sure you really want to know is does this actually work? Well after a good couple of months testing it out my answer to that question is going to be yes it does, but don't expect it to be a miracle worker. I say this because it certainly does calm spots down and quicken the whole process so you can get rid of your blemishes much faster, but you won't put this on before you go to bed and wake up looking like you've stolen Keira Knightly's complexion. I also find that this stuff is great for when your spots are just brewing under the skin or have become active breakouts, but I find my trusty Sudrocrem is better for healing spot scarring as it's got a softer and more nourishing formula. Not that the the acidic formula makes the spot remover too harsh as the most sensation you'll experience is a slight tingle and tighten, but I just find that a combination of this Super Spot Remover and Sudocrem is perfect for fighting both spots and scarring and it's a combination I'm sure I'll be using for a very long time. So yes I'd really recommend this to anyone who suffers with the odd blemish or full blown acne, but you need to remember that nothing will give anyone perfect skin overnight!

Sorry I've been pretty rubbish with my blogging so far this month, uni and life in general have just been so crazy that I've barely had time to open my laptop unless it's to write an essay, I'm determined to get back on it this week though so watch this space for lots more posts and videos!

I hope you've all had a good week girlies :)

Love Meg

x

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in 'Crush'

Hey Girls!

So I'm sure lots of you will have already heard of the Revlon just bitten kissable balm stains as I'm a bit late on the band wagon with this one, but I think that if a product is this good then you just have to talk about it! But in case you don't know these kissable balm stains are another hybrid product from Revlon which is something they seem to do so well (Revlon lip butters anyone?) and 'crush' has instantly become my favourite, possibly even holy grail lip product...

As I just mentioned these kissable balm stains are a hybrid lip product that are supposed to have the glossy moisturising finish of a balm and staying power and pigmentation of a stain and the great news is they absolutely do! Of course I'm only going by the shade 'crush', but my Mum has three other different shades and thinks they're all fantastic. First of all this product is so easy to apply you could do it without a mirror (well, if you were feeling a bit brave or getting ready whilst running to uni) and glides on incredibly smoothly with a moisturising formula that would leave even the driest of lips feeling nourished. The only thing I don't love is the slightly odd synthetic fruity smell but it doesn't transfer to the lips so it's fine. I know this shade might look a bit scary in the pan but I can assure you it translates to a really wearable Autumnal berry shade that you can wear fully pressed onto the lips like I am in the photos or as a subtle lightly pressed on daytime shade. Probably the most impressive thing about this product is the staying power as the glossy finish lasts a good couple of hours then you're left with a nice stain of colour that lasts pretty much all day or night. In fact getting this stuff off is more of an issue than keeping it on! Just like the lip butters these are a bit on the pricey side for a drug store lip product at £7.99 and I do usually prefer more metal and less chunky packaging but seeing as Clinique chubby sticks come in at a very expensive £16 and these are pretty much an exact dupe for them in look and quality, they are actually a real steal and I suggest you go out right now and get your hands on one if you haven't already!

I've had such a busy time with essays and general uni stuff since coming back to Sheffield from reading week so I'm very happy to just be having a night in tonight blogging and watching strictly, x factor and I'm a celebrity, oh I have such amazing taste in tv...

Have a great night everyone!
Love Meg
x

The November Wishlist

Hey Girls!

These monthly wish lists really do make the year seem like it's flying by as I barely have time to battle with my conscience and bank balance over how many things I can afford to get from one wish list  before it's time to come up with five more things to add to the ever growing amount of pretty items I'd like to write my name on (Not literally obviously, I could never deface make up in that way now could I). Saying that I don't really mind if this month goes quickly as the next time I'll be writing this post it will be a birthday and Christmas special. That must mean at least triple the amount of items and price of them! But anyway for now it's on to what I shall be lusting over this November and apologies in advance for how Topshop heavy it is...

1. Powder Highlighter in 'Crescent Moon' £10 Topshop- I've been using Benefit high beam pretty much every day since my friend gave me a mini version of it in the summer but that's running out now and I've become really intrigued by the great things I've heard about this Topshop highlighter in 'crescent moon'. I thought I'd always stick to liquid highlighter as I like a more dewy finish but I do find it can sometimes be hard to blend in well and from the photos I've seen of this powder highlight in action it really creates such a soft pretty and peachy winter glow. Plus it's supposed to be a dupe for MAC mineralise skin finish 'soft and gentle' for less than half the high end price tag. Win win.
2. Velvet Glitter Star Dress £46 Topshop- I saw this dress in Topshop last week and instantly fell in love with it as it's the perfect festive dress for the party season that takes girly childhood fashion memories (anyone else wear a lot of glitter and velvet to birthday parties when they were younger?) and makes them classy and grown up with the flattering skater dress fit and three quarter sleeves. I'm determined to be wearing this come Christmas day or New Years Eve!
3. Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in 'Birthday Suit' £14 Benefit- Don't get me wrong I love the Maybelline colour tattoos for affordable and effective cream shadow but recently I've been really bothered by their lack of a good neutral base shade and feel like I need to go high end to get it. My house mate Rosie swears by Benefit 'birthday suit' and it always looks so gorgeous on her whether she's wearing it as a base for powder shadow or on it's own so I already see it becoming a future staple in my make up bag.

4. Red Brushed Pattern Knit Jumper £40 River Island- As soon as Autumn hit I became a magpie for knitwear and it doesn't look like that's going to stop as I now have my beady bird eyes on this gorgeous plummy chunky knit jumper with it's festive pattern and super soft and cosy looking material. It also looks long enough to cover my bum but short enough to wear with short bottoms that you don't want hidden in case you end up looking naked. We've all been there (Or is that just me?).

5. Amos Pull on Chelsea Boots £62 Topshop- How perfect are these boots?! A cool and quirky chelsea boot design teamed with a heel that I could last all day in and still wear out in the evening. I love boots so much and really want to move onto wearing heeled ones just like these this winter as they look so cute with a skater dress or skinnies, if only the price tag was perfect too...

It's an early morning post from me today because I'm going to make the most of my last day at home and go to lunch with my grandparents, then later tonight I'm off to another Next blogger event which is a Fashion Lock in at their Bond Street Store. I feel so lucky to have been invited and can't wait to indulge in a bit of retail therapy and lust over lots of things way above my budget at Selfridges before I go, are any of you lovely bloggers going?

Have a great day everyone!
Love Meg
x

Baby You're a Firework: Autumnal Outfit

Hello Lovelies!

Seeing as my last outfit post was me dressed up as a creepy child, I thought it might be good for me to show you what I've been enjoying wearing lately when I'm not trying to look like a dead person (which I assure you is the majority of the time)...

Jumper- h&m

Shirt- Ebay

Shorts- Ebay

Tights- Primark

Ankle Socks- Primark

Boots- New Look

This has to be one of my favourite outfits of the moment as it works for lots of different occasions, keeps me feeling cosy and involves this seasons trends of leather, studs and berry shades. It's also an outfit made up of lots of bargains as the jumper was only £12 from h&m which I thought was such a steal I had to stop myself from buying it in several other colours, it's really soft and such a perfect autumnal shade I'd really recommend getting yourself one if they're still in store. You might recognise the spiked collared shirt and faux leather shorts as I've featured them on my blog before but I think teaming them with a casual knit makes them more wearable for daytime. I like the way the collar makes the outfit look quite preppy too (I'm such a sucker for any type of collar), whilst the shorts and spikes still create a bit of edge. I wore this to a social at our favourite pub last week so put my wedged shoe boots with it which I think are the perfect casual heels as they're not too dressy or high so I'll be wearing them lots more through the cold weather. 

What's your favourite outfit of the moment?

I had a little break from blogging over the weekend as I came home from uni for reading week and had a really nice time seeing my boyfriend. I don't go back to Sheffield until Thursday but I do need to face reality now and actually do some reading as I've got lots of deadlines coming up, boo :( 

I hope you all had a good bonfire weekend!

Love Meg

x

Next Spring/Summer 2013 Fashion Press Day

Hello Lovelies!

If you read my last post then you'll know that yesterday I attended the Next Spring/Summer Press Day in London where they showcased the new clothes, shoes and accessories they'll be releasing next year, along with some gorgeous home wear and beauty bits. I was actually so impressed by the trends and pieces they have in store for us so wanted to show you a few of my favourite photos from the event to give you an idea of what you'll be wearing once the jumpers and boots are put away for another year...

I'm going to focus on the women's fashion collection because I'm guessing that's what most of you will be interested in...The key trends I noticed that will be sticking around until next year from this season are metallics and peplums and they had some amazing silver Chelsea boots that I'm dying to get my hands on now! The usual Spring and Summer trends of candy pastels and neon brights will be reappearing as you can see from the colourful clothes rail and also smart nautical themed wear such as the nice navy striped dress and blazer in the second photo. Florals were also a big focus with bold flowery statement outfits such as the suits next to Mr Buddha (how much fun is he!) and the floral patterns were just as bold and bright on the shoes. Another statement shoe that popped up quite a lot was the flatform. These shoes have taken a bit of a back seat since entering into the fashion world this summer, but it looks like they'll be making a more main stream appearance next year with wearable chunky sandal designs. In my opinion the thing Next does best is work wear and the 2013 collection is no exception as it's smart but still fashionable in classic monochrome colours including some really nice lace detailing. Work wear is also great for the men next year with lots of sharp suits jazzed up with paisley print shirts, cravats and ties. On the casual side for men it's also all about the snazzy patterns (do people still say snazzy?), of which the tropical shirt and stripey detailing on the mannequins above is a prime example, showing you don't have to play it safe just because you're male! The children's section used lots of these adult trends but in such a cute way and I really wished I had a little niece or someone to buy tiny dresses for. All of the home wear displays were gorgeous too, particularly the country kitchen and girly butterfly collections and it really made me want my own house so I could decorate it, what exciting dreams I have... 

Overall I loved the collections and had such a fun time at the actual event feeling all posh eating little sandwiches and mini ice creams and also got a rather lovely goody bag with an amazing studded clutch bag and other things inside. After the press day I had a little mooch and swatching session around the make up counters in Oxford Street and then my Boyfriend took me for dinner at Meat Liquor which was so yummy. If you fancy going I'd recommend you go early at about half five or six to avoid queuing and get the peanut butter cup sundae for pudding! I'm hopefully going to burn all those calories off tonight though as I'm doing a 13 mile sponsored walk in the Peak District. So think of me tonight while I'm freezing cold with blisters on my feet and miles left to walk, the fact it's for charity makes it all worth it though. Well that and the pie, chips and fireworks at the end...

Have a lovely evening everyone!

Love Meg

x