Sunday 30 December 2012

JANUARY SALES:: Coupon codes

Hey everyone! I hope you guys had a lovely Christmas with your friends and family, got absolutely stuffed with delicious food and was spoilt royally! No matter where you are on the planet, there will be people queueing up for high street sales hoping to grab everything that they couldn't buy at full retail price. Personally, I try and avoid mad sales as it becomes a war-zone with a  life-or-death situation so I have been doing a little bit of shopping online (hehe!)

I just wanted to drop in a few coupon codes that I have found for shopping online (which make all the difference when you're a student!) . One top tip I would advise before checking out the items in your basket is to google some discount codes - even if it's only 10% off or free delivery, it really does make all the difference! 

H&M
Enter 1304 for £5 off your order (£11 min. spend)
Enter 0307 for free delivery (works on sale items too)
They can both be used on the same order!!

Forever 21
Enter HOLIDAY50 for an extra 50% off sale items (ends 31/12/12)
They have a bunch of extra cute accessories on there!

Boohoo
20% off if you're a student studying in the UK and you sign up with UNiDAYS here:
Enter FREE1 for free UK super saver delivery (ends 31/12/12)

Motel Rocks
Enter UNIDAYS for 20% off

Plus your usual student discounts at New Look etc.

Good luck and Happy New Year everyone!
I look forward to seeing you all in 2013!!

Monday 10 December 2012

ST ALBANS:: Waffle House Date

My boyfriend and I hit the 34 months anniversary line today (woo!) so we chose the waffle house in St Albans (Hertfordshire) for a lunch date as I have this mad sweet tooth problem! I came across some pretty good reviews about the restaurant (food and service-wise) but as it appears to be popular among families, customers only ever complained about noise levels from baby cries and young children. Unfortunately, that is true but we weren't too bothered and I guess it really depends on the time and day you choose to go. Besides, the food and the service totally makes up for anything that might cause you to rate them lower! :)

The restaurant is located on a 16th century watermill so they've done a brilliant job in conserving the vintage feel in a more modern scene. We opted for seating inside as it was quite chilly but outside seating is available underneath the canopy when the weather is not so great (as in our case!). Old photographs and maps of the area and watermill are hung on the walls which I absolutely love!

We ordered waffles because we'd already had a quick bite. If you have a sweet tooth like me or even if you're just in the area, I would definitely recommend dropping by! The waffle itself was not sweet (which makes sense because the toppings were!) and it was so incredibly soft.







Cappuccino and apple juice

Tim's make-shift heart! 

How adorable is this cutlery pot?!

Fresh banana waffle with ice cream!

Hot dutch apple waffle

Leaving :(



See you later waffle house! We'll definitely be coming back for more! ;)

Thursday 29 November 2012

SALLY HANSEN:: No More Breaks, Healthy Cuticles Now & Insta-Brite


a few months ago, moneysupermarket had an amazing sally hansen deal
where you could choose 3 products for the price of £6 (plus £3.99 del.)
and there were three different sets to choose from..
(really really sorry i didn't tell you guys earlier!)

the option with the dry-quick polish sold out super quickly
so i chose the set with these three products:
- healthy cuticles now
- insta-brite nail whitener
- no more breaks natural nail strengthener

i couldn't use them for a while because i had my acrylics nails
(and because they didn't arrive till about 2 weeks later!)
but now that they've finally decided to come off (except the ring fingers)
i've tested out the 'healthy cuticles now!' cream 
and the 'no more breaks' polish.

my nails were very weak after the acrylic nails had fallen off
and my cuticles were extremely dry and rough.
but after having only using this product twice a day for three days,
my cuticles are now moisturised and healthy-looking
and my nails are definitely stronger and thicker.

i would definitely recommend grabbing one of these
if your nails are: dry, weak, brittle and thin;
and if your cuticles are: dry, rough and unhealthy.
it retails for about £7 in boots and superdrug which is a little pricey,
but you get instant results and you don't have to use it twice daily
(although it is recommended if you want to see results quickly)
so you can just use it whenever you feel they need it.

i have mixed reviews about the 'no more breaks' polish
mainly because my nails are in such terrible condition
that they're not physically keeping any polish on the surface.
you can apply them to dry nails as a clear protective shield,
or you can wear them as a base or top-coat.

however, the product is a green mixture so your nails will have a green tint.
so i would prefer using it as a base coat rather than a top-coat
(unless you're digging a greenish tint at the moment!)
but as i mentioned before, my nails don't have an even surface at the moment,
so the polish just cracks and peels off :(

i will definitely try it again when my nails have healed and i'll let you guys know!
also, i haven't tried the nail whitener yet because i don't want to overload
my nails with too many products for the moment (poor things!)

sally hansen products usually retail for just under £10 which is a little expensive
but they actually do what they say so you won't be disappointed.
if your nails need some care, it's worth looking into :)
for now, here are some piccies! :)

Sally Hansen: Healthy Cuticles Now!

Sally Hansen: Insta-Brite Nail Whitener

Sally Hansen: No More Breaks

before:

after:

what do you guys think?
would you invest in any of the three?
and if any of you have used the nail whitener, let me know!!

P/S: sign up to the moneysupermarket deals (i think they're weekly/fortnightly)
if you want amazing cosmetic bargains or cheap getaways!

Monday 26 November 2012

CHINATOWN:: Acrylic Powder Nails

i'm so so sorry for being MIA for so long!
i am now back at uni and the workload is just piling on at 60mph!
whenever i finish a piece of work, there's always something else waiting for me :'(

but i thought i'd just give a quick post about a little experience of mine.
i was shopping with my best friend around china town about a month ago,
and we spontaneously decided to get our nails done 
in the nail salon in china town market.

we decided to get the acrylic (powder) nail set 
which was priced at £30 on the sign outside,
and i'd never had my nails done before so i was next to clueless!
as we were close to finishing, they encouraged us to get designs
but they "forget" to inform you that a 3D design per nail is an additional £5..
thankfully, we'd read the price list beforehand so we decided to get 
3D designs on just our ring fingers.

major tip: 
make sure you agree on a price before getting anything on your nails!
and make sure they stick to it!

we ended up paying £45 each even though they'd quoted £40 beforehand,
they charged £35 for the full set and £10 for the two ring fingers.
the woman that was doing my nails decided to stick a small diamond 
on my pinky fingers and apply gel polish (permanent) 
which would have originally costed at least £60 -
even though i had not asked for them.

there were two members of staff in the salon.
although they were both friendly at first, i was wary of one of them.
if i picked up a phone call, she'd ask me, "do you want to finish this or not?"
which i just laughed off but that's not something everyone else can do!
you just get the feeling that if you mess with her, 
she'll definitely mess up your nails! :s

the quality of the nails are relatively impressive as it lasted for about a month
but the diamonds on the Chanel 3D design started falling off after 2 weeks.
nonetheless, this was my first try so i can't make comparisons yet.
as they peeled off, my nails were in horrible condition - dry, thin and brittle.
so i definitely wouldn't recommend having false nails applied 
if your nails are already weak.

i'm not sure as to whether or not i would recommend this salon
solely because of the service that i received 
and the way they presented themselves.
but if you're daring and willing to try something new,
then i would definitely recommend googling some local nail salons
which charge reasonable prices for good quality nails.
read reviews from other customers because every experience is different.

here are some piccies of our nails!

my nails:

carmen's nails:
have you guys had your nails done before?
do you have anywhere you could recommend?

Thursday 6 September 2012

FOREVER 21:: Earrings

i've visited forever 21 a few times now but have never actually bought anything
so i decided to dedicate a few hours to the store on oxford street
with the aim of buying at least one outfit for uni..

i was actually quite disappointed with what they had for this season,
there were a lot of blacks and whites along with some sharp colours
like royal blue and red which i thought weren't the best choices for autumn.
and although their sales racks were jam packed with clothes and people..
unfortunately, i didn't find anything that i wanted :(

i ended up leaving the store with two pairs of underwear and two pairs of earrings.
the earrings were retailing at £3.15 each so i spent about £12 in total
which i thought was a little more than what it would usually cost
if i were to get these items from another store (eg. h&m/claires?)

but i have been on the look out for some really cute flower earrings
so i thought i'd grab myself a light blue pair (which matched my nails at the time)
and a crystal silver pair which i thought would be perfect for dinner dates! :)


i'm definitely planning on making another trip with the hope that i'll find stuff i like
as i always hear such great things about the store in america etc :)

what are your opinions on forever 21?
do you guys buy from there?
let me know!

Monday 13 August 2012

MINI HAUL:: Famous X

my local superdrug has a new stand open for the cosmetic brand 'famous x'
so i thought i'd check it out and grab a few items to test ;)
i've never purchased anything under this brand before
but the stand was so flashy and colourful, i just couldn't resist! :'(

there wasn't much available as i'm guessing they were still stacking the shelves
so i grabbed three eyeshadow palettes (mainly because i liked the packaging)
i can't remember exactly but i think they were around £4-£5 each..




i'm really excited to try all of them because they're all so sparkly!!
i'm loving the shades in the last palette (smouldering)
although at first i was a little skeptical because the eyeshadows in
the glitzy palette looked quite similar so i decided to get both to try ;p

i'll swatch these for you guys soon!

peace out! 

Monday 16 July 2012

GUINEA PIG:: Little Miss Bookworm

so sorry i haven't been updating, i've been so busy with work etc!
i've got loads of posts planned and lots to show you guys, eeeee! ^^

i recently reviewed one of Bourjois' eyeshadow trios 
and we all know i absolutely loved it to bits!!
so i decided to experiment with it on my little sister, chantel,
who was secretly very happy to volunteer (no really, she was!) ;p

i used the same Bourjois palette (03) for her eyes -
the lightest shade for the inner corners of her eyes and brow bone,
the darkest shade on the outer third of her eye and her lower lash line,
and the medium shade to blend the colours together in the centre :)
i also used Collection 2000's Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Liner to line her eyes
and Barry M's chunky eyeliner for her lower lash line!

chantel's face becomes oily relatively quickly so i went over 
the lower lash line (not her water line!) with the felt tip liner to avoid smudging.
and for mascara, we chose Maybelline's Great Lash Mascara in Black
which works great for her lashes but not so much for mine
(dry textures work better on my lashes)

to finish, i brushed a little bronzer and blush onto her cheeks :)
and we added a little bit of drama to her eyes with some falsies!
she actually loved them and ended up buying some the next morning ;p

enjoy!





you guys can follow chantel here:

Tuesday 26 June 2012

BOURJOIS:: Smoky Eyes Trio (Mordoré Chic 03)

i got this a few weeks ago and i absolutely love it!
i love it so much that i use it on a daily basis now ^^
the eye shadow stays on all day and you don't need a lot of it -
a little definitely goes a long way with this little beauty!

i got the Mordo Chic 03 trio (third one in the photo above)
so there's a light shimmery beige colour, a gold and a shimmery dark brown.
i don't need to gather a lot on my brush to see the results
and the product lasts all day - even without primer!
which is amazing because i don't usually use primer (pure laziness)
and i can get quite busy throughout the day so i don't have time to reapply :)

the packaging is absolutely adorable!
it's a small circular pot which is slightly smaller than my palm
so it's extremely convenient and doesn't take up a lot of space in my clutch.
they also provide you with a small applicator on the side
so if you bring this with you on a night out, then you can reapply with that
(rather than using your fingers or having to bring a brush)

they also have instructions on the back for a basic smokey eye look
which is incredibly helpful for newbies :)
you don't have to follow their instructions, it's just a guideline -
i use mine in a completely different way which is fine.

i use the lightest shade on my tear ducts and the inner third of my eyes,
the darkest shade on the outer third and the medium shade in the centre
to blend away any harsh edges and because the gold looks stunning!
and i also apply the lightest shade on my brow bone..

overall, i would definitelyi (100%!) recommend this product
as the eye shadows are pigmented enough to give a beautiful smokey eye look
and it is very, very convenient to have with you on any occasion!
i think i paid about £6 for this too so it was definitely worth it! ^^

pros:
long lasting
small packaging
extra applicator
instructions for newbies

and no cons for this amazing product! :o




Wednesday 20 June 2012

MASKED GOLDILOCKS:: Make Up And Hair

carmen and i attended a fancy dress party two weekends ago
(only, we were one of the very few who actually dressed up as something!)
we wore matching outfits, heels, masks, hair and make up
so we spent the entire night confusing everyone at the party! ;)

for the face, i concentrated on the eyes and the lips
as everywhere else would be covered by the mask..
and i actually made the mistake of using an eyebrow pencil and concealor
which will melt behind your mask throughout the night!
so it will eventually transfer onto the back of your mask :(

i actually chose quite a simply smokey eye look by focusing on gold
to compliment both the outfit and the beautiful mask :)

for the inner third of my eyelids:
i used a light, shimmery cream eyeshadow to make my eyes appear larger
and i also placed some near my tear ducts and lower lash line.

for the centre of my eyelids:
i used a shimmery gold to blend the cream and brown together
and brushed it slightly higher than my crease as i was planning on wearing falsies.

for the outer third of my eyelids:
i used a dark brown eyeshadow near the crease to deepen the look
and i feathered it towards the brow as i wanted the eyeshadow to be still be visible
after putting on my super thick falsies!

for the cheeks:
if your cheekbones aren't very apparent, bronzer and blush is a must! :)

for the lips:
i couldn't decide between nude lips and rosy lips
and decided to opt for rosy lips as they complimented the mask beautifully!
(which was somewhat surprising for me haha!)
and i chose a lip stain to avoid having to reapply constantly.

for the hair:
i tied two low ponytails and used a curling iron to create spiral curls
and hair sprayed them into place :)




 products used:
Garnier Roll-On Concealor (Shade 02)
MUA Pressed Powder (Shade 1)
SASA Cameleon Make Up Palette (No. 18 - Shimmery cream)
H&M Glitter Eyeshadow Palette (Gold)
Urban Decay Sustainable Shadow Box (Half Baked)
Collection 2000 Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Liner
Barry M Soft Eye Pencil (Black)
MUA Bronzer (Shade 1)
SASA Cameleon Make Up Palette (Blush)
Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Stain (150 - Tender Rose)
False Eyelashes from Ebay
TRESemme Hair Spray (Freeze Hold)

Thursday 14 June 2012

MAX FACTOR:: False Lash Effect Mascara (Gold Edition)

i got this mascara as a bit of a random spend..
and unfortunately, i haven't really been using it.
it doesn't give me a 'false lash effect' and the brush is so spikey!
i definitely would not recommend using the "blinking" method
to coat your lashes with this mascara because it will HURT! :(

my lashes are very thin so i usually choose a brush with more bristles
but the texture of this mascara is very hard to build on to get volume or length.
i have to do about 4 coats of mascara to actually see any results!

this mascara is a little more pricey compared to other high street brands
and my favourite ones do the job perfectly for me! 
so i was really disappointed with this purchase :(

i definitely would not recommend getting this product
if you have very thin and short lashes as it is very hard to build on
and the bristles are too sharp to touch your water line
so you can't really create longer lashes from the base.

i think this product would work a lot better for thicker lashes
because it would be easier to transfer the product to the lashes.
however, not all of us are blessed with long, thick and full lashes! :'(

i don't think the gold edition is different the normal black one,
i think it just makes it 'limited edition' because of the gold packaging..

pros:
doesn't smudge if you coat your bottom lashes

cons:
hard to build on
little more expensive
can't get the 'false lash effect'
sharp bristles

i couldn't get a picture of me actually wearing the mascara
because it wouldn't show up on the camera (no length or volume!)