Benefit spray tan – review

HEY

Benefit Cosmetics is a well-known makeup brand – but did you know it offers a lot more than just makeup?! For the past four months i’ve been working at the Benefit Boutique within House of Fraser, Glasgow, on a temp contract. It is the only boutique in Scotland which makes it extra special… it even has a champagne bar! 

You can book in to have your eyebrows waxed and tinted, creating the infamous ‘Benefit Brow’ which is tailored to suit each individual’s face shape. All the brow girls are lovely and always do an amazing job. There are quite a few counters which have brow bars (im sure you have heard of them or probably been to one!) but the boutique in Frasers has a body waxing room and also a room for spray tanning! Now, I am a gal who LOVES being tanned and I was so impressed with the Benefit spray tan I had to share my experience with you.

The tanning formula they use is Vita Liberata and it is non-toxic, organic & moisturising. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about as I had only used gradual tan before. So, I booked in for a full body tan with the same girl who does my eyebrows – Emma. 

I wish I had taken a ‘before’ photo – i’m a wee bronzed goddess! You can opt for a light, medium or dark tan. The one I got was medium and it was perfect for my skin-tone. Emma is a perfectionist. From brow shaping to body waxing and tans, she does every job so well. It dries in seconds which I was very impressed with! When I washed it off, the morning after I got it done, I had no horrible streaks. It was pretty much flawless all over. Even my hands looked good! These tans tend to last for about a week; just keep your skin nice and moisturised.

I always think that I look much healthier when I have a tan. I don’t like being orange but it’s nice having a little glow, especially in winter! I’m already looking forward to my next one. Have you ever had a spray tan at Benefit before? Let me know in the comments! 

xxx

glowing makeup

I feel like despite ‘January blues’ a lot of people are really motivated this month, creating new goals for the year and trying to stick to resolutions they have made. One goal I have is to get back in to weekly blogging – I was doing so well at the start of 2016! 

So many people are detoxing or partaking in Dry January (I for sure am NOT) and this all fits in with creating a fresh and healthy start to the new year. My lack of detoxing aside however, I can advise you on how to achieve fresh, glowing and beautiful looking skin with the help of makeup!

I tend to only wear full coverage foundation for nights out now as I have to wear a lot of makeup for work and I feel like it’s been taking its toll on my skin! When I am off I love having makeup-free days or opting for a natural but radiant look like this one.

Maybelline Fit Me foundation is really lightweight yet has medium, build-able coverage and I love it! This, along with Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer creates a really glowing base for the rest of your makeup. The Wake Me Up concealer is brightening, so as well as camouflaging dark circles it reflects the light. 

Once I have finished the rest of my face go in with lots of highlight. One I am loving just now is a Vivid Baked one from Makeup Revolution in the shade Peach Lights. It is a really soft, pigmented powder and a little goes a long way!

xxx

sparkly eyes – Autumn

HEY

I love this time of year, it’s getting colder and darker but now we can start wearing cosy winter clothes yay! 

Im always experimenting with my makeup and recently i’ve been pretty obsessed with warm tones and sparkles. These four swatches are from one of my Makeup Revolution palettes which I use every day. The photo doesn’t do the shimmery shades justice – their pigment is amazing and lasts all day! 

I’ve been wearing the dark shade all over my lid and under my eye; with either the gold shimmer or copper shimmer on top. I use a champagne colour highlight for the inner corner – I got it from H&M and keep repurchasing, it’s so good! 

In terms of foundation & lips i’ve been trying to keep it quite minimal.. my skin has been a nightmare recently and i’m only just starting to see some improvements with medication. I quite like to wear a pinky lip liner smudged out then just apply some vaseline – that’s what I have on in the picture. 

I want to experiment with some other colours, possibly berry/pink shades. What palettes would you recommend? The Morphe palettes look amazing, has anyone used them? Let me know in the comments.

Amy xxx

girl talk

hello, hello

back in 2014 when i started this blog i wrote in my ‘about me’ section that this would be a place that i talk about everything i love – a place where i can rant and express all my emotions along with unique fashion/beauty content that people (hopefully) find interesting. But recently I’ve had a real lack of motivation, i’ve been very down and have let this effect my passion for writing and doing what i love!

It’s about time i get back to my normal self and to do that i need to get all these feels off my chest so hwfg…

Sometimes relationships can become mentally draining and if that’s the case it is definitely time to get out. Break-ups are never easy; but they can be the best thing for you, especially if you are feeling like this. At the start of the year myself and my long-term bf split up. It took me some time to come to terms with it. Everything that i was used to changed, a normal day was no longer normal – or what i had been used to for the past 5 years. Someone i spoke to daily, i no longer could and that was tough! 

Everyone told me ‘just keep yourself busy’ or ‘focus on yourself now’ which is good advice but defo easier said than done. So if you’re in this position and a mad over-thinker like me, heres my advice to get you through…

DO NOT social media stalk – the dreaded ‘omg hes followed a girl on insta’ its gonna happen so why annoy yourself by looking?! im guilty of this.. and the first time you see something you don’t like it reaaally hurts, so give it up! chances are you’ve followed some guys anyway

bff therapy sessions (in the pub) – getting drunk with your friends is essential, any time you can, have fun! just don’t text your ex … 

love yo’self – the worst thing you can do is start comparing yourself to other girls. you know you’re fabulous, don’t doubt yourself

chat to new people – i used to love swiping through my friends tinder, so when i got it for real i was like ‘this is pretty weird’ … but it can be fun. go on a few dates! boys like to be funny, so getting chat that makes you smile even when you’re feeling like shit is always good 

it seriously does get easier – everyday, just keep going : )

 

Amy xxx

Festival Fashion 2016

I am finally back blogging, HELLO 🙂 

The past few months at uni were very stressful, but last week I graduated with a BA Honours degree in International Fashion Branding! I now have my life back and can’t wait to enjoy summer before finding a new job. 

All the graduation celebrations are over and next weekend I am heading to T in The Park with my friends. I seen lots of Glastonbury coverage and Instagram was keeping me up to date with what people were wearing over the weekend! I have picked out some of my favourite looks. 

Zara Martin, Poppy Delevingne, Millie Mac & Whinnie Williams are my four go-to instagram accounts… they all have amazing style. So, of course, I was keeping up with what they were wearing over the weekend.

This year there has been a big step away from the typical festival-attire of bright crochet, flower crowns and ripped denim. As military-style cuts, camouflage, leather looks and lots of embellishment are very big this year. 

1 ASOS / 2 River Island / 3 ASOS / 4 River Island / 5 Urban Outfitters / 6 ASOS

I am especially loving the comeback of camouflage and army jackets. This one by Milk It Vintage was stocked by ASOS but is unfortunately now sold out! However there are lots of similar styles in shops just now. 

After checking the weather for this weekend, I am most definitely going to need a poncho and wellies… outfit ruined. Are you going to any music festivals this year? Let me know in the comments.

 

Amy x

Health, Beauty & Fashion Inspiration

Millie Mackintosh – MADE 

I was given this book for my birthday, mainly because of my love for Millie Mac, but it has been so helpful and interesting – a book you can always refer back to, open at any page and be inspired! 

Nosey Frenchie wanted in on the action!

Whether you love Made in Chelsea or not, if you are interested in fashion you will know of Millie Mackintosh and her incredible sense of style. I was so happy to get my hands on her hardback book which went on sale last September. It’s split in to four sections: style, beauty, food and fitness. Each one contains tips and ideas based on her own experience. Maybe it’s just because I’m nosey and love knowing people’s routines, or because I love Millie but I have found her book so interesting and helpful too! There is everything from her fake tan routine and what to wear to a festival, to tasty recipes and “Skinny Bitch Collective” workouts. Still not intrigued? Here are my top 5 tips I have gained from this book…

TOP 5 TIPS

– Mix some facial toner with water and freeze in an ice-cube tray. The combination helps to dry out and soothe spots if you get a nasty break out.

– A gel-filled eye mask blocks out light and combats baggy eyes.

– Going on a dinner date? If the lighting is likely to be low, wear a necklace that brightens your skin. 

– Sunnies are a MUST for festivals. The sun may not shine but you’ve gotta hide that hangover. 

– Avocado, honey & oil make a cheap, moisturising and strengthening hair mask. 

 

This book is a saviour if you’re ever in need of some style/beauty/fitness inspiration. Have you read it before?? Let me know in the comments!

 

Amy x

Brandy Melville – LONDON

Last weekend I was in London! Apart from it being very cold, I had a great time… I really should have taken a coat and not a leather jacket! We went to Saatchi Gallery on Saturday which was the location for London Fashion Weekend and displayed lots of new season collections – a bit out of my price range but it was amazing to see nonetheless. 

I had a look about some of the shops and was so happy when I came across Brandy Melville. I had seen bloggers post about the brand before, so I already followed them on social media and have always been interested in their clothes. It’s an Italian brand which is inspired by Californian lifestyle and offers simple, fashionable clothing. I absolutely loved everything, it was all just my style! 

I picked up a few things, but I love this bag the most! It’s a tan suede fringe bag and it’s just the perfect size for me. I am obsessed with tan coloured accessories and shoes just now. Especially since I wear a lot of dark colours, it breaks it up a bit without being too bright! 

When I got home, I looked on the Brandy Melville website and I don’t know why I haven’t ordered anything from it before now! I would say it’s similar to Urban Outfitters, but it’s not as expensive. The only thing is… it only offers one size in all clothing. They state that “one size fits most” but I would say generally sizes 8-14, which is quite annoying but I suppose it makes them unique. Definitely check them out, they have amazing things in just now! >> Brandy Melville website

Have you shopped in Brandy Melville before? Thanks for reading! 

Amy x

London City Break Essentials

On Friday, I am going to London for the weekend! I’ve only been once before, in 2013 I went to Fashion Week for a few days with uni, but I haven’t done any of the touristy things before. We fly down on Friday and home on Sunday, so lots of time for activities!

I’ve been searching the internet for posts about what to pack for city breaks, and London in particular, but not much has came up. I always do this before going places because I hate packing. It’s always interesting, and somewhat comforting, reading other people’s views on essentials for a trip. I know what I need to take, but there’s so much I want to take  – that I probs don’t need! So, I’m writing this for people like me, who search for posts like this. 

These are six “essential” things based on what I have taken on previous trips and what I think I will need for London…

1. Camera. Yep, I’m gonna be a typical tourist and snap away! I recently bought a Canon camera which I’ve been using for blogging. I’m excited to take lots of photos!

2. Mom Jeans. These are super comfy and great for a city break, easy to dress up or down. Especially good for London in February as I assume it’s going to be quite cold!

3. Layers. It can be hard to pack a stylish and compact wardrobe suitable for the weather. Neutral coloured cardigans or jumpers are easy to add to an outfit if you’re needing some extra warmth. (A blouse or shirt is a good idea too as they look good with or without the addition of a jumper)

4. Leather Boots. Heeled boots are great as they can be worn day and night. I’ll probably take trainers too, but it’s good to keep your options open! I’m not really a high-heels gal so I’ll wear boots out at night. These ones are from River Island.

5. Backpack. I just think a backpack would make life easier when walking about shops etc. This leather backpack is from Urban Outfitters, I use it all the time and would say it’s the perfect size.

6. Lipstick. Maybe this isn’t an essential item, but I’d certainly be lost without it! Down-sizing my makeup bag for a trip away means ditching my bigger eyeshadow palettes, so I make up for it with a dark lip – this is Whirl, a darker nude.

I hope you found this post useful if you’re struggling to pack for a weekend away! Apart from the obvious, let me know if there’s anything else I might need. Thanks for reading!

 

Amy x

R U Mine?

I am guilty of outfit repeating… I find it so hard to put outfits together. That’s partly why I started this blog. To try and experiment with clothes I own, old and new, and see what goes together and what doesn’t. I search on blogs for outfit ideas and also take inspiration from people I know – some girls can just put things together so effortlessly and look amazing!

So, from now on I’m going to try and mix up what I wear – instead of tiring out the same three boring outfits! 

I got this top from Zara, the detail and the “R U Mine” speech bubble attracted me to it straight away – got to love an Arctic Monkeys reference! It was also a bit different to anything I had seen in shops at the time. Since it’s navy and white, I think it looks best worn with denim. If you read one of my December posts, you will know that I got this skirt from New Look. It’s another item of clothing I’ve been wearing a lot recently – it’s just so versatile! I thought the leather jacket just tied the outfit together nicely. My mum got it in the 90s but hasn’t worn it for years! I was so happy when she gave me it, it’s beautiful!

Hope you’ve had a good Valentines weekend! Let me know if you have any tips for styling outfits! I would love to hear them.

Amy x

Valentines Night Out

I’m not really a fan of Valentines Day and how much of a hype it seems to have gotten over the past few years – but I do like to go out for dinner, any excuse and I’ll take it! Whether you’re going on a romantic date, a mate date or just heading out for drinks with friends, a bold makeup look is just what you need! Do not opt for a boring natural look, even though it’s easiest and I am guilty of this too, but spice it up – extend your eyeliner flicks and add some glitter…

I’m terrible at eye makeup, so after searching Pinterest I found a picture which I thought I could recreate with my Naked 3 palette. If you don’t have this palette, you just need 4 shades – matte cream/white, matte brown, shimmery champagne & shimmery brown (darkest you can find)!

Firstly, I worked the matte brown into the crease and highlighted my brow bone and inner-corner with the matte cream. Next I patted on the champagne shimmer across the lid and darkened the outer corner with the shimmery brown. Then blend blend blend! Sweep whatever is left on your brush under your eye so it all ties in together. I added some liquid eyeliner to make the look a little bit more dramatic!

Finished look and grainy iPhone quality selfie…

I wore this look out to dinner and wore my Kylie Lip Kit in Candy K. This is my go-to nude lipstick just now as it lasts alllll night long. I used it for a nightout last weekend and I didn’t have to reapply it once! Amazing!

Now my makeup is sorted, I need to find something I can wear! What are your plans for Valentines day?

Amy x