HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Happy Halloween! I don't think I ever realised how much I adore this time of year but it's actually so nice to have a festival all about having fun and getting full permission to break the eyes or lips rule! This year's fun/rule breaking involved dressing as a vampire for the Gleam Halloween party and dressing as a leopard/cat (my friends all assured me that my original idea of a 'leopard print cat' wasn't a thing) at Rosie's house party tonight. Needless to say any excuse to dress up and have a party is a fabulous thing and as a little nod to today I thought I'd throwback to some of my favourite childhood Halloween costumes. First up, every time my big sister was a witch I'd always be her cat so you can imagine there are a lot of photos featuring me and my homemade taped on ears and knitted tail combo. I also went though a bit of a devil stage and clearly found a great hooded disguise at woolworths to suitability transform me. It's worth noting that I kept my pink fluffy slippers on the whole way through that night... Then we have the person I was truly born to dress up as, Miss Hermione Granger. I was completely obsessed with the Harry Potter books and films and for a large part of my life thought I'd be able give Emma Watson a good old run for her money. I mean really, check out that facial expression! 

What are your favourite Halloween costumes of the past & what will you be wearing this weekend?

Urban Decay does Pulp Fiction

With Halloween fast approaching it’s time to rock a red lip, smoke up the eyes and don your disguise, which makes it pretty much prime time to get a piece of the Pulp Fiction collection from Urban Decay. This super sexy five set is the most exciting thing to come out of the big UD since our beloved Naked Palettes (dun dun duuuun) and is a true ode to the iconic film’s 20th Anniversary. The products are all inspired by Pulp Fiction’s heroine, Mrs Mia Wallace. If you’ve seen the film you’ll know there are many things we probably shouldn’t idolise about her, but when it comes to rocking a bold hair and make up look (and flared ankle swingers) she’s pretty up there and this is the best way to get her signature look. 

I actually fell in love with it all before I’d even touched anything because the packaging is seriously cool. Covered in delicate details, classic quotes and little trinkets from the film, it’s a true collectors dream and be warned, you may deem this too attractive to use. However, if you do decided to dig your brushes and fingers into it, you’ll most likely love the products too. The eyeshadows, although not made for everyday/travelling, are of the pigmented, long lasting quality you’d expect from Urban Decay, as is the amazing gunmetal glitter which I’ve used a surprising amount already- casual glitter Tuesdays anyone? The lipstick and liner are a match made in statement lip heaven that can be used together or alone and will most likely be firm favourites over the festive season. With quite a glossy finish the lipstick isn’t the best at staying put though, so let’s just say there ain’t no hiding who you’ve been under the mistletoe with… The nail polish is the only thing I really have a love hate relationship with- I’m convinced the colour is my perfect Autumn vampy shade with an amazing glazed and slightly glittery finish. However, it chips like no tomorrow and I’ve yet to find a top coat that’ll keep it on more than a couple of days so do let me know if you have miracle products for this problem. All in all it’s a fabulous collection and one that I’ll be reaching for an awful lot this week. Even if it also makes me want to reach for a Royale with cheese and 5$ shake.

THE VIDEO | YouTuber Halloween Party

A (slightly early) Happy Halloween folks! Enjoy my how to vampire makeup and YouTuber partayinggg.

My Hair Hero | Elasticizer Extreme

There are a whole lotta hair products out there that claim to deliver a whole lotta big promises, but only a handful that really do what they say on the tin (or bottle). And when it comes to really restoring dry damaged locks, there is actually only one product that does it for me. Meet my hair hero- the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer Extreme. I’ve been a huge fan of the original for years but as this one is stronger you can use less and keep it on for less time too so it’s much more practical. It’s a unique treatment as you unusually apply it before shampooing and it not only nourishes but delivers elasticity, bounce and shine. My poor ends have been dyed blonde for about three years now and I have incredibly crazy frizzy hair to start with that also takes a serious amount of heat (aren’t I lovely), so popping this on to damp ends just 20 or even 10 minutes before I step in the shower makes all the difference! What I’m left with after washing is hair that looks freshly trimmed in a transformed condition that is so much easier to style- it’s no wonder Audrey Hepburn was such a fan! Be warned this is heavy duty stuff so I wouldn’t take it near the roots and if you have fine or virgin hair I’d leave this well alone and opt for the original, but if you like me are forever buying bottles with phrases like ‘serious moisture’, ‘intense condition’ and ‘miracle restore’ on, then put your pennies together for this pricier purchase and I promise your new luscious locks with thank you.

What is your ultimate hair hero?

The October Wishlist

kate moss '30' lipstick // estee lauder 'raisins' palette // topshop flippy dress // mr. fox phone case // zara leather shopper // spiced pumpkin yankee candle // h&m fur stole

What are you wishing for this week?

The Autumn Weekend VLOG

Happy Sunday Eve my loves! Sorry that things have been a bit quiet over here this week but it's been another crazy one. Needless to say the weekend was very much welcomed and I've had a lovely family time today as my lovely sister down to see us and she's expecting a little bundle of joy in March (I'm going to be an Auntie EEEK!), so I've spent as much time as possible talking to little bumpy. I also uploaded an Autumn weekend VLOG for you which I filmed on my Bristol adventure with the besties so you can partake in a little Sunday night viewing here. That's it for now but I have lots of posts coming this week and will also be heading to the Daily Mix Halloween party and Tanya Burr Cosmetics new product launch so make sure to stay tuned on Instagram and Twitter for live action of those rather exciting events! Have a wonderful end to the weekend :) 

The Ruth Crilly Launch | COLAB

We all know and love Ruth Crilly, the stunner behind 'A Model Recommends' and after this post you're going to know all about her brand new dry shampoo range and trust me, you'll love it too. Being a modern girl in a busy world Ruth wanted to solve one of life's biggest beauty dilemmas, how to keep hair fresher for longer (ain't nobody got time for a daily blowdry), so she teamed up with an array of experts- Pixiwoo to name just two- to create COLAB. I was lucky enough to meet up with Ruth last week and attend the ever so cool launch party afterwards so got all the COLAB low down first hand. First off there are five unique scents named after five of the world's best cities; London (classic), New York (fruity), Paris (floral), Tokyo (oriental) and Rio (tropical). My favourite has to be New York as the notes of apple and melon make for a really uplifting and refreshing scent that can be worn all year round. It feels a bit odd talking about dry shampoo as though it's a perfume, but that's just one of the things that makes these bottles different from other dry shampoo on the shelves. Although actually the most stand out thing about the range has to be the formula. Spoiler alert: IT'S NOT WHITE. I know right. Even our favourite Batiste comes out white and has to be really worked into the hair to ensure there are zero dandruffty remains, but COLAB is completely clear with a sheer consistency so it disappears as soon as it comes out of the bottle and all you are left with is voluminous gorgeous smelling hair that feels freshly washed. With cool, contemporary packaging and a £3.50 price tag, along with handy £2.00 mini bottles, Ruth and the team have done such a good job and honestly, I think this might be the end of my relationship with Batiste 'floral and flirty blush... #holdthephone.

      Will you be picking COLAB up from feelunique this week?

A Morning Muse

I know it's the classic blogger thing to say but time has been going so fast lately. I feel like I only just edited my summer holiday look book and now I'm prepping for Halloween and dare I say it, Christmas posts! So this morning I thought I'd take a breather, grab the metaphorical pumpkin spice latte I devoured last week and make time to give you a little update about crazy life of late. 

#MOVINGHOME // If you watched my Zoella Beauty VLOG then you'll know that I've actually just moved back home. This may seem like a bit of a step backwards but I'm working in London now so I can commute from the Island and save money/see the boy/get looked after for a few months before finally moving to London with aforementioned boyfriend after Christmas. And as much as it's so lovely to be home with the fam, I am SO SO excited for that new adventure after 5 years of mainly long distance. We're thinking Clapham at the moment but any London living recommendations please let me know!

#PINCHME // I've been experiencing a whole lot of pinch me moments since starting my new job at feelunique. I got to interview Zoella, have afternoon tea with my favourite mummy bloggers and spent Thursday night at the super cool COLAB launch party. Needless to say my blogging dreams are coming true and I couldn't be happier in my new job! The excitement is set to continue as little old Meg's Boutique has been invited to the Gleam Halloween Party this year. Me and Corrie are frantically planning costumes (and how to not be a fan girl) as I write. 

#HELLOAUTUMN // Another thing aiding my happiness at the moment is the fact it's Autumn. I swear being a beauty blogger makes you ridiculously excited for every change in season! Autumn is my favourite season though because you have Halloween, Bonfire Night and Christmas to look forward to and it's my birthday as well. Autumn fashion and beauty is the most flattering I think too- who doesn't look good in a cosy jumper and berry lip? I've got lots of Autumnal posts and videos coming this month so make sure you're following me on bloglovin to catch those.

#FRIENDS // One such video will be a VLOG of this weekend because I'm away in Bristol with my uni friends. Once you've left uni and your home friends move around the country too, it can be really hard to keep in touch. But my advise would be to stay proactive- text, call, plan weekends away and just make the effort. I'm actually run down with a bit of a cold at the moment but there was no way I was missing out on this weekend! I'm very lucky to have lots of lovely people in my life and I need to make even more time for them even though it's easy to make excuses when you're busy. 

#HAPPYBIRTHDAY // Obviously the main thing that keeps me extra busy is blogging/vlogging alongside my full time job, but I honestly wouldn't have it any other way! It was actually my blog's third birthday last month and I've loved every minute that I've been part of the blogging community. Sharing snippets of your life with other people is such a great thing to do and I keep thinking of all the friends I wouldn't have met if I'd never started, as well as all the opportunities I would've missed. The fact Zoe is now in Vogue and on the side of London buses shows  how powerful one girl, one camera and a few ideas can be and I'd like to thank  everyone reading this for allowing me to be a part of it all! 

Right, I think that's enough soppy behaviour for one day, please let me know any of your updates below and have a wonderful weekend. Byee! 

September Favourites

As I sit here on the sofa all curled up in a jumper about to watch the bake off final (what will I do with my Wednesday nights now?) it is incredibly clear that Autumn has arrived and I for one am super excited. October is one of my very favourite months because it’s not too cold and you have Halloween, bonfire night and Christmas all ahead of you- not forgetting 13 weeks of live X Factor and Strictly shows. But before I get too ahead of myself it’s time to give September a last bit of lovin’ by running down my favourites of the past month. It’s quite easy to see I was done with Summer slightly prematurely with the return of my all-time favourite berry lipstick, Kate Moss 107 and there’s actually another Kate Moss offering in the mix- a rose gold eye crayon that is so easy to use and looks totally stunning all around the eyes. On the higher end of things we have a copper shadow from Sephora and the new Mrs Mia Wallace nail polish from Urban Decay. Be warned, this is a chipper, but it has a skull on the top of the bottle (nice and seasonal don’t cha think) which contains a colour so close to 107 it’s uncanny. A shower gel and super one step skincare also made it into the party which I go on about lots in my video alongside some extra hair, fashion and vlogger faves so make sure you go along and give that a watch before bake off begins. You’re time starts… NOW. 

What's New | Mighty Exciting Maybelline

When it comes to high end make up, I seem to be aware of every last blusher formulation and eye shadow shade being released way before it even hits the counters. With drugstore however, you blink and totally new products appear before your very eyes. That’s what it felt like when I was chilling in a Maybelline lounge last week anyway and as all the shiny new things were mightily exciting I thought I should give you a bit of a run down.

Maybelline Colour Drama Velvet Lip Pencil | Dupes for the Nars lip crayons at a teeny £4.99. Pigmented, creamy and long lasting, it’s no wonder ‘nude perfection’ has already made it home with me. Cheeky.

Master Kajal Kohl Liner | Liner that doesn’t need a silly sized sharpener? I’m sold. Add in the fact that they glide on like a dream and come in an exceptionally cool range of colours and the shelves will be sold out too.

Maybelline Colour Elixir | A new release I actually did know about, these have caused a fair amount of hype in the US already. It takes a seriously good lip product to move me from bold matte finishes though so my thoughts are tbc.

Master Smoky Shadow Pencil | The original black master smoky is on my holy grail hot list so it’s no wonder I’m going gaga for these bang on trend navy blue offerings. I blame Cheryl’s sexy smudgey blue X Factor eyes for that one.

Electro Baby Lips | They probably don’t do a whole lot more than the originals or any other lip balm, but the packaging is super cool and they come in at just £2.99 which makes them great for a budget beauty bag.

What drugstore releases are you getting giddy over right now?