February in Pictures

Hello Lovelies!

So here we are at the last day of February and as always I'm going to end the blogging month with a nice round up of photos from the last few weeks. Even though this month has been a very short one I've managed to fit quite a lot of exciting stuff into it and yes that is Cheryl Cole centre of the centre (not that I'm bragging or anything hehe)...

Pop Tarts Night Out | Lucky Girl | Yummiest Desert | Valentines Cupcakes | Girls Aloud Ten Tour | 24 Hour Musical | Cast of 'Fairytales' | Funniest Play | Pancake Day Times

My favourite things from this month have to be seeing Girls Aloud, being in two shows and having a lovely Valentines weekend in London with the boy, super excited for my Easter holiday coming up in March now though! What were your highlights of February? 

I had another really fun night out for my friend's 21st last night (tequila shots are my new favourite thing apparently), but I'm off home later for a bit more of a relaxed weekend with my boyfriend which is always lovely. I hope you all have a great end to the month and week too!

Love Meg

x

February Favourites

Hey Girls!

I can't believe I'm rounding up my favourite products of another month already, but then I guess February is rather short! I'm also hoping the arrival of March will bring some sunny Spring weather with it so it's actually rather exciting that I'll be turning the calendar over on Thursday (Sadly I don't actually own a calendar this year but you can appreciate the image). Another thing that's exciting is how many great new products I've discovered this month which make up the majority of this post along with a couple of trusty items that I've reignited my love for...

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo: This anti-imperfection treatment has been causing quite a stir in the world of beauty blogging, so much so that it's been out of stock in my local Boots for a few weeks now! It basically claims to unclog pores and battle blemishes and since using it everyday in place of a night time moisturiser I feel my skin has been dramatically clearer and in an overall better condition. It does come in at a pricey £13, but the results are well worth it.

Nail Inc. 'Knightsbridge': In the recent burst of cold weather and snow flurries I've taken it upon myself to add some Spring into my life with this bright coral nail polish. It's such an amazing colour, gives opaque coverage in one coat and lasts rather well on the nails. What's not to love?

Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in 'Birthday Suit': It seems like these favourites are a bit more high end than usual, but that's because with certain things I think it's worth paying that bit extra, especially in the case of this gorgeous cream eye shadow that provides an amazing neutral base that can be worn on its own or under other colours which makes your eyeshadow last all day without creasing. It's also super creamy so applies like a dream with the brush mentioned below...

Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush: I became the owner of the Real Techniques  Eye starter set back in January and this brush from it has become a firm favourite ever since as it's perfect for applying and blending 'Birthday Suit' and other base shadows over the lids quickly and precisely.   

Origins Super Spot Remover: Another product that's been working wonders for my skin is this amazing spot treatment, I've had it since about October last year but have been using it a lot in my night time skin care routine this month along with the Effaclar Duo to improve my stressed exam time skin. It blitzes bumps and blemishes in no time, stopping spots before they even develop and because it's clear it can also be worn under make up.

Topshop Cream Blush in 'Head Over Heels': This cute little compact came into my make up bag last Summer but got neglected throughout the winter months in favour of more berry toned blushes. However, now we're on the verge of warmer weather it has been welcomed back into my life with open arms as it is the most gorgeous bright peachy coral colour that instantly brightens the skin and applies so easily with a stippling brush. You can see me apply it in my everyday make up routine video.

Boots Sparkling Eye Drops: A rather random favourite, but these eye drops have been a God send for those early mornings and late nights this month, as they really whiten and wake up the eyes, although I do still need to get to grips with application (think Rachel from the eye drop episode of Friends). Seriously, these are so refreshing they feel like a nap in a bottle.

Rimmel Apocalips in 'Stellar': Last but by certainly no means least we have the Rimmel Apocalips lip lacquer in 'Stellar', which is just such an incredible lip product for only a £6 price tag. Super pigmented, ridiculously long lasting and the most incredible neon coral colour, I think this will be a firm favourite for the rest of the year. Full review to follow soon.

What are your favourites of February? 

I usually do my monthly favourites in video form but really fancied doing them like this for a change so I hope you enjoyed the post :) In other more 'lifey' news I had the most incredible time last night as me and my house mates went for a fancy meal at a restaurant called 'Ego' then went to see GIRLS ALOUD!!! I'm so obsessed with both Cheryl and Kimberly so was pretty overwhelmed by being so close to them, they also all sang and danced really well and looked incredible so I'm feeling all girl powery today haha, I hope you're also having a good week!

Love Meg

x 

Clothing Haul: Primark, h&m, Victoria's Secret & More!

Hello Lovelies!

So today I had a lovely chilled out time making videos and taking photos for the blog and seeing as last week I had a lovely (but rather naughty) time buying things for the blog it seemed only right that I should do a couple of hauls, starting with this collective clothing haul...

The last couple of weeks have been amazing ones for finding bargain staple items and I'm pretty sure I've now found my holy grail jeans, leggings, vest tops and kickers (oo la la) which I talk about in way more depth in the video above, so if you want to hear more about these amazing finds along with more information on those cute Cath Kidston-esque (yes that is totally a thing) pyjama bottoms then I suggest you give the video a little watch... I'm also sporting a more neutral make up look and messy up do for a change and would love to know what you think of  it!

I really need to go and get ready for a night out at the union now though as I've only got about an hour till we leave and yet I'm still in my fluffy pink dressing gown with no make up on and my hair in it's crazy frizzy natural state. When will I learn to start getting ready earlier?! Have an amazing Saturday night girlies :) 

Love Meg

x

Comfy & Cosy: Casual Outfit Post

Hey Girls!

This time yesterday I was certain that Spring was beginning to, well, spring. However one day and some very chilly fingers and numb toes later we seem to be back to wintry weather, warning me not to put away the socks and scarves just yet! That's not such a bad thing though as I rather like layering old winter warmers over some summery favourites to create nice comfy and cosy outfits like this one which is a favourite casual combination of mine...

Vest top | Topshop

Denim shorts | Levi Vintage

Belt | New Look

Cardigan | Primark

Scarf | London market

Tights | Marks & Spencer

Socks | Next

I won't say too much about this outfit as it's just an example of what I like to wear on days when I'm lounging around the house or popping into uni for a lecture (well minus the socks for this one). It does contain a few of my big wardrobe staples though, the biggest of which has to be my Levi shorts. I probably bang on about these a bit too much, but I think I'm always going to need a pair of Levis in my life as they make a nice change from leggings and jeans, are super comfy, can be dressed up or down and were only £20 from a Vintage shop. Bargainous buying at its best. Another big staple of mine is this black and gold carpet scarf (not sure if that's the actual technical term but it does remind me of a big old rug!), which I love draping around almost any outfit as it's an accessory that keeps me warm and jazzes up plain things like the bugandy Topshop vest and cream cardi I'm wearing. Other things that have to accompany a good duvet day are a big top knot and chunky knit bed socks, as much as I love dressing up all glam and girly there's something rather nice about having feet that don't protest about being crammed into those oh so beautiful but oh so uncomfortable new shoes and not having hair flying in your face and getting stuck to your lipgloss. Someone please invent hair repelling lip gloss...

What are your casual day clothing staples?

I'm sporting an outfit rather similar to this one right now as I've had a pretty long day in uni and can't wait to chill out on the sofa now, catch up on some trashy tele and eat a malteaser bunny (or two). Although my house mates are trying to get me out tonight which they'll undoubtedly succeed in doing as I've got zero will power when it comes to these matters... In other news I just watched One Direction perform on the tele so am now feeling rather flustered and giggly, it's the effect they have on me. I hope you're all having a lovely week!

Love Meg

x

Does it work? Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment

Morning Ladies!

It seems like every week we are bombarded with new miracle products claiming to give you perfect skin and tone your bod in seconds and being the beauty junkee that I am I often can't help but buy into the claims (I'm an advertisers dream I know!). Sometimes I am left feeling like a fool when I haven't actually been transformed into a Victoria's Secret model overnight, but other times I'm left wanting to spread the word about how amazing a product is, I'm looking at you sneaky sudocrem. So in this new 'Does it work?' feature I'm going to be putting these big claim products to the test and letting you know if you should snub them or shop them, starting with a product I've received lots of stick for being sucked into continually buying: the Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment for 'hair that never grows past a certain length'... 

Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment | £7.99 from Boots

 The reason I've been through about four or five of these pretty pink pots (I can't help but love the Lee Stafford Barbie doll packaging) is because this time a couple of years ago I was sporting a short brown pixie crop, then summer 2011 I suddenly decided I'd had enough of only being able to style my hair one way and wanted long and luscious girly blonde hair (maybe I like Barbies a little too much). You can see my 'hair story' here, but I have managed to get my hair to a nice mid length style now even with continual blonde dyeing and I can't help but believe this product helped with this tricky transition... 

The product itself retails for £7.99 from Boots, which may seem a little pricey but it is often on a 3 for 2 offer and also lasts a long time as you only need to use a little bit between shampoo and conditioning once a week. The main thing I love about this treatment is how thick, rich and creamy it is and how soothing it feels on the hair and scalp, which is good as you do have to leave it on for 5 minutes. Perhaps because of how thick it is and the fact the formula is protein based I can really notice the difference when I use it on my hair both in the shower and after blow drying, as it leaves my locks feeling silky, smooth and in much better condition, so it's worth buying even just as a conditioning treatment. It also seems to reduce breakage and add volume and texture to my hair so it's great to use before styling. As you can see from the text on the packaging Mr Stafford does claim rather a lot of big things with this little pot and I can't really tell you if it 'penetrates the inner cortex' of my hair, but after weekly use it definitely improves its condition and in turn I think helps it to grow longer despite the constant abuse I give it from heat tools and hair dye. The only criticism I have is the slightly strange peppery 'Lee Stafford scent', but as you can put on a beautifully smelling conditioner after using it the scent doesn't really matter too much. So now for the big question, does it work? Yes, I think as much as a hair growth treatment is ever going to work, it does and I'll continue to use this as a deep conditioning weekly treatment until I've got hair like Rupunzel. Or Cara Delevingne. 

Have you tried this treatment or have anything else to recommend for growing hair?

I'm back into the swing of uni now after my weekend away and today I've got a seminar and rehearsal for our next musical to go to so I best go and get ready, so jealous for people getting ready for London Fashion Week instead of poetry discussions right now. Have a lovely day everyone!

Love Meg

x 

Valentine Kisses: Rimmel Apocalips Swatches

Happy belated Valentines everyone!

This themed post is a little late because I've been having a lovely Valentines weekend back home with the boy so haven't had chance to post, but I hope you had a nice time with your fella or your friends last week. But onto the actual post then...the lip product you wear around this time of year is always very important as you want your lips to look nice and kissable. So therefore I think the new Rimmel Apocalips lip lacquers are perfect as they give you an opaque glossy colour in one swipe and when the shiny finish goes away you are still left with a nice stain on your lips and all for a mere £5.99 a pop. The only problem with the apocalips is deciding which one to go for (or which ones if you're a lip product junkee like me!), as they come in a range of stunning shades. So to save you  hours of umming and ahhing next time you're in boots I thought I'd show you swatches of all the colours as the ones you get on websites are often not true to the actual colour...

From left to right- 

Nude eclipse: peachy nude beige
Galaxy: dark purple toned berry
Apocalyptic: deep fuchsia
Stellar: neon pinky red coral
Luna: orange toned peachy coral
Nova: mid toned pink
Big bang: bright poppy red
(I managed to miss Celestial: light candy pink)

After spending a long time milling in the make up aisle starring at these swatches on my hand I decided to start my collection with Stellar, as I thought it was the most unique shade and it provided me with some very eye catching valentines lips (full review to follow soon). What shades would you go for or recommend?

As I said I've been at home this weekend seeing my boyfriend and yesterday we spent the day in London where we watched the hilarious play 'one man two guvnors' and I got treated to some very pretty things from Victoria's Secret, its like a girls dream in there! I hope you're all having a great weekend!

Love Meg
x

The Freshen up Five

Hello Lovelies!

Tonight I'm taking part in the University of Sheffield 24 Hour Musical which is where you have to rehearse and put on a full blown musical in 24 hours. As much as this is an incredible experience, it also means no sleep or showering for a rather long time so I thought I'd do a little post on the top five products that I love to use to 'freshen up' on the go and which I will no doubt be using liberal amounts of over the next couple of days...

Hair: Batiste Floral & Flirty Blush Dry Shampoo

No hair washing plus jumping around learning dance routines for hours equals unhappy hair, so my number one staple for freshening up has to be this dry shampoo. It gets rid of grease and adds volume, whilst also making your hair smell lovely. It's been a true 'my alarm didn't go off and my hair looks like a birds nest' life saver time and time again so I'd run out and get this now if not sooner. 

Eyes: Boots Sparkling Eye Drops

A very new addition to my freshen up routine, but already one of my favourites. I've had a lot of busy days and long nights lately and my eyes have been struggling to keep up resulting in them looking red and tired. However, after popping one of these drops in each eye (easier said than done when I can't help but blink when the applicator comes near my face) my eyes look so much whiter and brighter, these are like a nap in a bottle!

Face: Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist

My housemate Rosie finds my daily use of face mist so amusing and unnecessary but I can assure you she won't make fun any more after I spray her with this tonight. Not only does this set your make up and give you a nice dewy finish, but it also really refreshes make up that's been on your face for far too long and leaves your skin feeling so soothed and revitalised. It's like washing your face without having to take your make up off, which is something I rather love not having to do.

Body: Fresh Brown Sugar Perfume Roller ball

Of course deodorant and body spray are vital for smelling lovely throughout a long day or night, but I also like to add a bit more girly luxury by rolling this Fresh Brown Sugar perfume onto to my wrists and neck whenever I feel the need for a little pick me up in the scent department. The thin roller ball bottle also makes it so travel friendly and who doesn't enjoy smelling like brown sugar?

Teeth: Extra Ice White Chewing Gum

I do plan on taking my tooth brush tonight and fitting in some teeth cleaning around rehearsals, but for those moments when your mouth feels in the need for freshen and you can't get to a sink chewing gum is an unbeatable solution. The extra ice white is my very favourite type too, as it also whitens your teeth and helps with their general health. Oh and it's also pretty good at keeping the midnight munchies away.

Now I've written this I need to pack all these items up and get myself ready as we're meeting at the Crucible  theatre (If you live in Sheffield then you'll know how exciting it is that we're performing here!) at half 6 to get told the musical we'll be doing, it was Oliver! last time and I actually played Oliver so that came as quite a shock although I did have a suitable pixie haircut at the time hahaa I'm planning on vlogging bits and bobs throughout the 24 hours so look out for that soon and why not come on down to see it tomorrow night if you're nearby (you can get tickets here and it's all for charity), although I can't promise I'll be looking quite as fresh as I do in my audition photo...

Anyway thanks for reading and I hope you all have a lovely day!

Love Meg

x

Video: Everyday/Wearable Red Lip Makeup Tutorial

Hey Girls!

So I uploaded a new youtube video today (I know, I'm getting right into my video making at the moment!) which is an everyday, wearable red lip tutorial which I thought might be helpful for people who are a bit scared to brave the red, particularly during the daytime...

Please subscribe if you enjoy the video and let me know what your go to lip colour is right now. I've had a rather hung over and tired day on account of me going to bed at half 6 this morning after drinking copious amounts of vino at the after show party for the play I was in last week. So on that note I best get off to bed and catch up on my zzzz's, night ladies!

Love Meg

x

Save or Splurge on Undereye Concealer: Maybelline Versus YSL

Hello Lovelies!

As you know my blog is of the budget variety so I love nothing more than a good drugstore find, however I can't help but get sucked in to trying out some luxurious high end products too, but the question is... is the price tag worth it? This is a question I thought I'd answer today by comparing the Boots bargain Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting concealer with the heavenly high end cult favourite, the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat. Both claim to be amazing highlighting under eye concealers, but which one will come out on top...

Price- The YSL Touche Eclat comes in at a very pricey £25 from make up counters, whereas Maybelline's dupe is a mere fraction of the price at £6.99 from Boots or Superdrug. RESULT: SAVE

Packaging- You can call me superficial but I defy any girl not to be drawn in by the classy and luxe gold metal packaging of the Touche Eclat, which I'm afraid triumphs over the plastic Lumi Touch although bravo to Maybelline for still keeping it simple and classic. RESULT: SPLURGE 

Application- You can see from the photo of the brushes how similar the applicators are but I do actually find the Maybelline one easier to work with as it's slightly shorter and flater so the perfect size and shape for the under eye area. RESULT: SAVE

Shade- I was given the YSL concealer as a gift hence why the shade seems very light compared to the other swatch, however good old Yves does offer ten shades that cater for very dark to pale skin tones in comparison to Maybelline's three which would not suit every complexion. RESULT: SPLURGE

Formula- If I'm honest both products have a lovely creamy and blendable formula so I can't really choose a winner in this category, I'm a cop out I know! RESULT: TIE

Coverage- Being such an expensive high end gift I really have tried to convince myself that the YSL one is better for this so I want to use it, but it just doesn't offer anywhere near the same level of coverage that the Maybelline one does, which manages to cover up those annoying dark circles in a matter of seconds. RESULT: SAVE

Illumination- I found the Touche Eclat to be very disappointing in this area too and had to add some other concealer on top for a highlight, however the Lumi Touch is literally an illuminating dream, making my eyes look awake and sparkly (no Edward Cullen style glitter necessary). RESULT: SAVE

Longevity- Because the Lumi Touch has greater coverage and illumination it's no wonder that it hides my pesky circles away for the whole day and a whole lot longer than the touch eclat, which I found needed reapplication throughout the day to prevent me from looking like a zombie. RESULT: SAVE

WINNER- Save with the Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer! 

At an incredibly reasonable £7 for product that lasted me almost a year this has to be one of my holy grail items. The difference it makes to my under eyes and brow bones (and where ever else you fancy putting it) is ridiculous and transforms my face from looking like a Shaun of the Dead extra to a bright eyed bambi (apologies for my bizarre phrasing today). In contrast I found the YSL Touche Eclat to be disappointing and certainly not worth all that dollar, which just goes to show more money doesn't always mean more effective. 

Have you tried either of these products or if not, what do you use to tackle those under eye circles?

Today I'm having a chill out until the final performance of 'Hansel and Gretel' and 'The Steadfast Tin Soldier' tonight. It's been an amazing run and made me realise how much I'm going to miss doing student theatre once          I graduate! On a happier more exciting note I'm going to start doing some vlogging today as I'm nearing 1000 subscribers on my youtube channel now (it's here if you want to take a peek) and I feel like I want to move into showing you some more about my personal life and things I get up to along side all the beauty stuff. So please let me know if you'd be interested in seeing monthly 'life highlight' type videos, as I think that's where I'm going to start because I have quite a few exciting things happening in February that I'd love to share with you. In the mean time though have a wonderful weekend!

Love Meg

x

Wedged Trainers and Tartan: Outfit Post

Hey Girls!

The wedged trainer has to be one of the biggest trends to come out of last year, but also one of the hardest to style. I think there's something mind boggling about a casual sport shoe having a heel, which probably explains why I wasn't quite brave enough to buy my own pair last year despite really liking them. So you can imagine how happy I was when Next offered to send me a snazzy (do people still say snazzy or is that just me?) pair designed by Mrs fitness herself Davina McCall and this is how I wore them to uni last week...

Top | Primark

Disco Pants | American Apparel

Scarf | Christmas Present

Wedged Trainers* | Next

Bracelets | Links of London and Pandora

Lips  | Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in 'Romantic'

Nails  | No.7 'Beautifully Black'

I was allowed to choose between a couple of pairs and went for these grey and white ones because they are quite a classic style of high top sneaker in a colour that would go with lots of things. First off despite the heel they are super duper comfy and I was fine walking in them for 25 minutes to my rehearsal and back and that's including going up and down some horrific Sheffield hills. The concealed wedge also makes your legs look longer and more slender and tones your thighs and bum as you walk so I had great fun declaring that I was working out as I just paced around the room (I know, I'm too cool sometimes). As a girl whose sports routine consists of putting pump it up and the 30 day shred on the tele I never normally wear trainers, so I feel like these are the perfect shoe for me in between casual and dressy that could be worn with either style of outfit. I went very much in the middle in the above outfit as I wore them with my smart and fitted American Apparel disco pants contrasted with my oversized slouchy Primark grey dipped hem tee. I also added my trusty tartan scarf for a bit of colour and Topshop frilly ankle socks for a bit of girly cuteness. Overall, I really love the look and I got quite a few compliments as I was walking down the street (a random man declared that I looked like I was out of a magazine which did make my day a little bit, not going to lie...) If you want to see the trainers or my outfit and make up in more detail then you can check out my latest big haul video here :)

Have you been brave enough to battle with the wedged trainer or do you think sneakers are for the gym only?

It was the opening night of the Fairytale play I'm in this week yesterday along with the first night meal and drinks (and a bit of very expert disco dancing of course), so I'm feeling pretty tired but also very happy today. It went so well and I can't wait to be a cat and a rat all over again tonight, have a lovely evening ladies!

Love Meg

x 

The February Wishlist

Hello Lovelies!

It's a bit belated, but I'm so happy it's February! January is always full of post Christmas blues, fad diets, debt and exams so the sooner the calendar changes the better and now it's February I'm looking forward to Valentines, Malteaser bunnies and Spring starting to arrive. And what better way to celebrate the arrival of February than by planning what I want to purchase this month. Well, at least look longingly at...

1. Topshop Leigh Jeans- I first became addicted to Leigh jeans back in first year when I bought a navy pair on account of my hatred of standard ill fitting and stiff jeans, as these are so soft, stretchy and perfectly fitting whilst giving the illusion you're in full on Shakin Stevens denim. Sadly my extensive wearing of them has resulted in some rips and discolouration, so now I'd like to add this lighter pair to my wardrobe as they're a staple I can't live without. 

2. Rimmel Apocalips- If you're an avid beauty blog reader then you will know all about these already. A recent release from Rimmel, they are a new breed of lip product called 'lip lacquers', somewhere between a stain, gloss and lipstick that leaves a long lasting opaque glossy finish in one swipe. They come in a range of stunning shades and are only £6 so the current 3 for 2 on Rimmel offer in Boots is calling my name rather strongly this month...

3. Yankee Candle in 'Vanilla Cupcake'- I've suddenly decided that I want to get more into candles, it's an odd resolution to have but I think they're so calming and lovely that having more in my life will make me a happier, more relaxed person. Again, I'm being a tad dramatic but I do very much want the smell of vanilla cupcake wafting around my room so think this Yankee candle will be a great way to start my collection.

4.  Mac 'Shy Girl' Lipstick- The people that have seen my lipstick collection might think this is a bit ridiculous as I do already own a vast array of peachy nudes, but they seem to be washing me out a bit at the moment because of my more pale winter complexion so I think I need 'shy girl' in my life to add a bit more colour to my subtle lip days.

5. New Look Tribal Print Midi Dress- I think I decide that I have nothing to wear on about a weekly basis and am forever wanting to add staple and statement pieces to my wardrobe. This month I'd like to add a more statement piece with this bang on trend midi dress from New Look. It's only £17, I love the colour and the print and I think it would be a great day to night and winter to spring piece to own.

What's on your February Wishlist?

Sorry for the lack of proper posts so far this week but I've actually gone back to lectures and seminars now and it's also the opening night of the fairytales play I'm in tomorrow so it's been all busy busy. Going to make sure I make the most of my mornings from today though (no uni till the afternoon this semester, get in) and keep on top of my posting. But for now I hope you've all had a great start to the month and have a lovely day whatever you're up to!

Love Meg

x

Video: Big Collective Haul- Primark, Boots, Topshop, Benefit & More!

Hey Girls!

It's a very late post from me tonight but I've just uploaded another video which is a big collective haul featuring things from Primark, Boots, Topshop, Real Techniques, Benefit and even a really cute youtube related present from my friend Joe. So if you'd like to see what I got from all those places and more then why not give it a little watch...

Please subscribe to my youtube channel if you enjoy it, it'd make me a very happy bunny :) I'll be back tomorrow night with my February wish list hopefully and there will be lots more beauty and outfit posts coming this week so stay tuned for those. I've just had a really fun day which mainly consisted of eating my body weight in tapas (from Revolution de Cuba if you're in Sheffield and hungry!) and cookies and cream ice cream with my friends before reminiscing at Jungle Run and the first Harry Potter, we are too cool sometimes...I hope you all had a great weekend!

Love Meg

x