Sunday Session #7

April Favs//RIP Rocky :(//Shameless Posing//AA Disco Pants ready for Forum//Baskin & Robbins makes my day//Housemates <3//Loving Life in our Pool somewhat drunk//BBQ!//Treats from Boots//Jedi time! on Kinect//Handbag Love @ Zara//Brush Cleaning Time//This show makes my evenings - Phil Dunphy <3//|Cocktails @TGI's//Aunties 40th Outfit!

This is a bit of a compilation of the past two weeks which has been filled with laughter, paddling pool frolicks and making the most of the sunshine we were blessed with for only a short period of time. My AA Disco Pants finally felt like they fit so I've been parading around in them whenever I have the chance and therefore I have been sung at "you better shape up, because I need a man" countless times for their resemblance to Grease. I'm so glad to finally put exams behind me and enjoy my four months of freedom! Hooray!

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Project Perfect

I was recently followed by Amy from Flaws and All and after clicking onto her blog one of the things I fell in love with was her 'Project Perfect' concept. The main idea behind it all is to raise your own and others self esteem. We are all guilty of having certain down days about ourselves, those days where your hair resembles a lions mane that you just can't tame, or even worse those days where you just can't look in the mirror. In today's society people often focus on the negative, for instance many beauty magazines highlight a certain celebs celluite to ridicule. Why the obsession with putting others down, does it really make us feel that much better about ourselves?

Amy's project seeks to change this perception of beauty and help people start to feel better about themselves and this is a project worth mentioning in my opinion.

Here's what you need to do...

1. Post a photo that you like of yourself and say in a couple of sentences why you like it.

2. State some things that you DON'T like yourself but say why others may love to be like that.

3. State 3 things that you DO like about yourself.

So here's my photo that I like about myself 

Okay, so it's not just a photo of myself, I'm with my gorgeous friend Ellie. Looking for a photo I genuinely liked of myself on my own was hard as I've realised I rarely get my photo taken alone without pulling some obscene face. I really like how I look in this photo (despite the sun burnt shoulders) because my hair looks healthy and so does my skin and that really makes me feel better about myself.
Thing that I don't like about myself, but others do/might want
1. I have complicated stages of loving and embracing my pale skin and absolutely hating it and selling out to fake tan and an even olive skin tone. When I do get down about it it's mainly not because I'm pale but because as my skin is so fair depending on whether I'm hot or cold it can go a horrid pink colour or white blue tinge in the cold which I really hate.

2. I not a fan of my teeth and feel self conscious smiling sometimes. I'm one of those people always on the hunt for a whiter smile. However, my boyfriend thinks my smile is one of my most attractive physical qualities so it can't be all that bad :)

Three things that I do like about myself

1. I really do love my hair, despite odd moments when people have teased me in the past I've really learnt to love my shade of auburn. I've never dyed my hair because I'm scared of losing that colour, and roots would look awful. I used to sell my hair to my hairdresser so she could make wigs out of it and I find myself receiving more praise than ridicule. I like how it makes me stand out.

2. I have quite long eyelashes which despite and obsessive habit at picking at them have remained quite thick and lengthy.

3. I like my lips, they are quite full and rosy red.

 If you fancy having a go at doing this remember to let Amy know!

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Things I do not need, but still want nonetheless.

1,2,3,4

1. The Kindle is something I've often thought about purchasing, and okay I did just cheekily relent finally and one is on its way to me. My justification is that it is an investment as and English Literature Student and avid bookworm, yes that's made me feel better. Can anyone give me any book suggestions?

2. NARS Blushes are my all time favourites and Luster is described as a 'sheer golden apricot' blush which I think will suit my fairer skin tone in replacement of more pink toned pigments.

3. I've joined in on the Essie Nail Polish hype and treated myself to a gorgeous blue shade called 'Lapiz of Luxury' and now I can't help greedily eyeing up more pastel shades for this gorgeous summer weather we are having, que torrential rain..

4. Again the summer sun is making me realise how dismal my flats collection is and I spyed these whilst browsing on the H&M website!

Is there anything you have you eye on? Or have you made any cheeky purchases recently?

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Zara Rose Gold Messenger Bag With Edging

Available here £19.99

I think everyone and their mother has been yattering on about this bag and after many unsuccessful trips to my local Zara I finally resorted to ordering it online. I've been after a new handbag for quite some time, I'm not one of these girls who prizes her bags like arm candy with a very sparse collection so this was a welcome edition.

It arrived shortly after I'd ordered it and ever since has been my go to university bag as it fits my laptop in perfectly. The light grey leather is great matching with summer pastels and it goes well with most outfits, it does come in red and black but I personally don't find those to my taste. I especially love the rose gold hardware which really zinched the deal for me when forking over my not so hard earned student loan as a treat for a month of dreaded exams. The price was also a real seller at a cheap and cheerful £19.99 so all I have left to say is rush to the shops and see if you can get your hands on one!

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MAC Hue Lipstick

Available here £13.50

Another beauty blogger and youtube favourite has to be MAC's Lipstick in the shade 'Hue' and after searching for this holy grail of lipsticks for quite some time I did eventually get my ever eager mitts on it a few weeks ago. Since then I have been wearing this shade non-stop as although I have been adding to my MAC collection I hadn't yet purchased a more everyday based shade instead opting for bright corals and my definitive red lip.

Hue is a Glaze finish leaving your lips feeling moisturised and buttery soft in just one coat reminding me ever so slightly of the finish of Revlon Lip Butters and their lipstick/balm hybrid that I'm a sucker for. It is not just your average nude lipstick leaving more of a rose pink flush to your lips and this pinkish tone can be brought out the more you build up the product if you wish to. I feel like this shade compliments a smokey eye or everyday natural look, it seriously is a great choice if you're looking for something more natural and subtle to add to your collection.

One fault I do have with this product is that I sometimes do find that its buttery balm finish does tend to wear off more quickly than other MAC finishes and so I do find myself re-applying this a few times throughout they day. However, this is something I'm willing to put up with and I think I've found a new firm favourite that I will continue to repurchase in the future!

Do you have any 'everyday lippy' suggestions?

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Beauty and Brains TAG

I've got back into the knack of wittering away at my webcam for your personal delight at watching my cringe worthy youtube videos, that for some reason or another a lot of you really love. I really liked the look of this tag and once exams are done and dusted I'll be filming a lot more hauls, outfit of the day type vlogs, and beauty reviews for you all.

In the meantime if you have any request for what sort of videos you'd like to see please let me know and I'll take a note of it! And, you can check out more of my videos if you'd like via my youtube channel.

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real techniques stippling and blush brush

Stippling Brush £11.99/Blush Brush £9.99 Available at Boots

I know, I know, you're probably sick to death of all the 'Real Techniques' Brush Reviews that are floating around the beauty blogosphere but I thought I'd just add my two pence. I wasn't wowed by them at first, even with all the surrounding hype, I've never really been one to choose celebrity endorsed brushes although the pretty metallic pink finish did catch my eye every time I perused my local Boots. However, Samantha Chapman is a professional make-up artist and face of Pixiwoo, I'm addicted to her beauty videos and so just couldn't resist trying her brushes for myself.

As a belated birthday treat Jon picked me these two brushes from the collection and the taklon bristles are so incredibly soft I've been stroking my face with my blush brush ever since I could call it my own. I know most people bought the stippling brush with foundation primarily in mind and I do find it does work better than my tiny little didgets at blending in my foundation but it does take a bit of work and I find that the Buffing Brush from the core collection (review coming soon!) is my brush of choice for foundation, seriously in love. I find the Stippling Brush does work better for cream blushes and gives a gorgeous finish to my skin.

The Blush Brush is extremely versatile and I've found myself using it for not only blusher but all over powder application and the tapered end makes it also a good choice for highlighting your cheekbones and more precise application, however, I rely on the specific contour brush (core collection) for my bronzer and highlight application. I seriously cannot get over how soft these brushes are and how easy they pick up the product so no more dabbing furiously at my blusher to try and pick up any colour!

I love the bright pink colour choice and although much thicker than the average brush I love how they're able to stand up straight on their own and so don't have to be muddled in and crowded together with all my other brushes. I've been really impressed with them and so cheekily snapped up the core collection only two days later!

Have you tried any of the Real Techniques range? I'm eyeing up the starter set for eye make-up application but restraining myself from splurging out anymore.

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