Catch up...

I really wanted to post something but I haven't had any time or bought anything new recently. I've been a busy little bee with lots of exciting things going on so I wanted to catch up and fill you in! First off I want to apologise (AGAIN) for not posting as regularly as I should, but now things have calmed down and I have a bit more free time I will try my best to get back into a routine of posting weekly! 

My first bit of exciting news is that I passed my third year at university which means I am graduating in June! Yaaaay! I finally made a decision on what I wanted to do; if I wanted to do fourth year or not...it took A LOT of tears and stress but I got there in the end. Luckily this made way for my second bit of good news which is that I got a promotion at work. We have a new store opening and I am going to be store manager, I'm so excited to see what it looks like and get in there! But for now I'm doing my training and enjoying my new challenge :) So after all that stress it all turned out well in the end. 

Can you believe this is where I'm going to work, it's so pretty! 

As well as all the good news, I've just got back from my holiday to Kos. We had a great time, the weather didn't go completely our way but we had a nice relaxing time! Kos is a beautiful place we stayed in Lambi (near Kos Town) which is the quieter end of the island. The food was amazing and the people were lovely! I would definitely recommend the hotel we stayed in: Pelagos Suite Hotel, it was absolutely stunning it even had sunbeds in the water (perfect for hungover naps) and the staff couldn't do enough for you. One week just wasn't enough and we were so sad to go home. We are already planning our next holiday for (hopefully) later on this year. 

Excuse my paleness! Can I go back please?!

I do feel like 2014 has definitely been a good year for me so far and I hope that continues! I hope you are too! Post soon! 

x

Buchanan Galleries Window Displays.

A while back my friends and I entered a competition that had been set up between Buchanan Galleries, Beattie Communications and Glasgow Caledonian University. The brief was simply to design a window display and a pod display around the theme of "Spring/Summer" in small groups. I want to be a Visual Merchandiser so this kind of thing is what I love to do. We were already swamped with other assignments but we made the time to sit down and make a rough CAD drawing aaaaand this was the design we came up with.  

We decided to go with a floral garden theme to make sure it was bright and eye catching. The idea was to lay grass on the floor, hang a swing to display accessories etc. on, hang flower pom poms and ribbon from the ceiling and make the models the main feature by replacing their heads with giant flower pom poms. So we submitted our entry and waited...

...and we WON! Not only were we asked to install one window display we were asked to do both! We were so excited! We arranged to meet with our lecturer to figure out a game plan. We decided that we would have a pastel window and a bright window to make them look slightly different. She managed to order us grass and her husband kindly made our swings for us (THANKS!). Which was a massive relief! We then bought a million and one sheets of tissue paper in all different colours to make all of the flower pom poms. Which took forever...I hope I never have to see another pom pom again!

These are the finished displays! With help from our lecturers and Sarah from Beattie we installed the design which turned out exactly as we had imagined (with only a few mannequin related problems). The next day we were asked to attend a press call to have our photos taken. We ended up in The Metro, The Herald and The Evening Times. The whole experience was amazing and it's made me even more determined to become a VM! We installed our design on the 11th May and it will remain in Buchanan Galleries windows until the 25th May. So if you are from Glasgow have a look!

Let me know what you think! I hope you like them!
x

River Island Chunky Gladiator Sandals.

As you may know I go on holiday at the end of May, so I have started to buy a few bits and pieces for it. In reality I'm using it as an excuse to buy myself new things during study breaks. I always feel like you have to get in quick with summer clothes, before you know it it's July and everything's gone. I learnt my lesson last summer when I spontaneously booked to go to Italy in September, absolutely no summer clothes anywhere! This summer I decided to be safe, start early and buy a few bits every month...which also helps spread the cost! So to add to my extensive range of bikinis (who actually needs 10 bikinis in Scotland?!) I acquired these pretty sandals. 

Now I know they may not be every ones cup of tea, but I really like the chunky shoe trend at the moment and they are surprisingly easy to wear. They are from River Island and cost £40. The upper is made from a pretty decent quality fake leather and the sole is plastic. They have two ankle buckles to fasten, which if you have slim ankles and feet like me is ideal because they fasten quite securely so they don't flap around. The heel height (if you can call it that) is 6cm, so it gives a little height boost but they are still comfy. 

I think these will be ideal for nights out while I'm away...I don't know about you but I think that wearing heels abroad doesn't feel right. There is far too much dancing to be done, I don't need heels killing my feet. So far they feel pretty comfy, I haven't worn them outside yet because I don't want to ruin them (yep, I'm one of those people). But I like the fact that I can wear them at home too, because they are a bit more chunky I will get away with wearing them when the weather brightens up a bit. They go with almost everything I've bought so far and they make even the simplest things are bit more interesting so in my eyes they are a winner! They also come in gold and light pink...you can get them here!

x

Winsdor Smith "Grunt" Dupes from River Island

First off let me apologise for committing the cardinal sin of bloggers...my last post was almost a month ago. But I have good reason...I'm coming to the end of my last year at uni so I've been swamped with course work and studying and trying to figure out what I'm going to do with life after uni (you'd think this would be easier since I've already done it once...but nope). I absolutely hate not having a plan so I'm feeling a bit out of control at the moment. But hopefully once my hand ins are over and I've had a bit of time to regroup I'll feel better. Mean time, studying is my life. But I have felt very guilty about not keeping up my weekly post so I've decided to make time to blog. 

These boots featured in my Instagram round up post and I mentioned at the time that I would do a full post about them later...so this is it! I love shoes...I think it's because they always fit, they don't get too tight after the Christmas season or shrink in the wash. It also has a lot to do with my Mums influence...we cannot walk past a shoe shop without "just looking". It's probably why I'm willing to spend more money on shoes than I am on clothes.

Recently I came across the shoe brand Windsor Smith who make the most amazing shoes. They are so simple in design but so beautiful. If I could have one of everything that would be awesome...but being a student they are slightly out of my price range at the moment. Although that's not to say they are ridiculously expensive, they are on a par with or slightly cheaper than Jeffery Campbell pricing. I fell in love with a pair of boots called "Grunt" boots which cost £111.17 (to be exact) but I pushed them to the back of my mind for the time being because I just couldn't justify that for sky high heels. However I was browsing through River Islands website and came across these...

Windsor Smith                                                                                                                                                               River Island

These are the River Island "Black Cleated Sole Extreme Platform Boots". They are almost identical to the Windsor Smith "Grunt" boots but with a slightly lower price tag of £75. Now normally I'm not a big fan of "dupes" because I always feel you get the quality that you pay for, and I am in no doubt that the Windsor Smith version will be of a higher quality. However for the amount that I will actually wear these boots, I felt that paying the lower price tag was the best option. I also used a 25% off voucher code that I had at the time which made them £56. Bargain(ish).

They are leather, with an elastic Chelsea boot style panel down either side and a rubber cleated sole. The heel is 14.5cm which is half a cm lower than the WS boots and have a 4.5cm platform. I have to say they are insanely comfy considering how high they are! I think it's the rubber sole, you almost feel like your feet bounce if they bang off the ground. Getting them on and off can be a bit tricky the first few times because the elastic is pretty tight but the tag at the back helps. On the whole the boots are really good quality I haven't had any issues with them at all. However be warned that after the smallest amount of wear the creases that you can see around my ankles start to form, but I don't think that's an issue it makes them look worn in. They have a higher rise on the ankle so they look best with shorts, rolled up skinnies or very short skirts/dresses so they don't cut off your leg. They are beautiful boots and add edge to simple outfits. They are available in Black, Grey and Pink from River Island.

What are your feelings on dupes? Do you prefer to save or buy the real deal?

x

#nomakeupselfie

You would have to live on the moon right now to not be aware of this trend! Basically girls are removing their war paint and taking a 'selfie' which is then posted to any social media site. Originally this started as one of those annoying chain type messages you get on Facebook...you know the ones! They claim to be raising awareness for various forms of cancer. Correct me if I am wrong but the whole world is painfully aware that cancer exists. Everyone has been affected by it whether it's personally, a friend or a family member. So to me posting random statuses about where you leave your bag or taking a make up free 'selfie' is not going to have any great impact on the cause. 

I guess that's why I was pretty negative about this when it all started. To me, posting a picture of your face is not going to make a difference at all. Although I suppose in a way it did make a difference because it made people question what the point to these 'selfies' actually was! 

Luckily people have realised that the best way to actually make a difference is to donate what ever you can afford. Cancer Research have already reported £2million in donations from the last 2 days alone. That's why I succumbed to peer pressure and took my own #nomakeupselfie. If it encourages just one person to donate then it's done some good. 

To donate £3 to Cancer Research text BEAT to 70099. It's for a great cause and lets be honest we don't look that horrific without make up! 

Have you taken your #nomakeupselfie yet?

x

Bits and Bobs from Boots...

Basically someone made me go into Boots and forced me to buy this stuff...well that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Here's what I though of what I bought:

Real Techniques Silicone Liner Brush

I have always loved cat eye flicks. However I'm an absolute perfectionist when it comes to make up and I can never quite get it right...ones always seems to be higher or thicker than the other. So unless I have hours to get ready (which is never) I don't even attempt it. Until I tried this brush...it's like flicks for dummies. I have to admit that I'm not the biggest fan of it for doing liner on my lid because I don't feel like I have enough control over the brush. But for flicks it works so well...I used gel liner  (I should probably have used liquid) and while pulling my eyelid to the side slightly (you know what I mean) I ran it along the lash line and flicked it out at the end...I then went back over it, joining the point of the flick to the lid line about a quarter of the way back in to thicken the line and make it more precise. They are available from Look Fantastic for £5.09. It's also available from Boots but Look Fantastic are currently offering it at a cheaper price!

Eyelure for Boots 'Lash Pretty' in LP5

I love false eyelashes, and since the disappearance of Mister Mascara (where did he go?) I've been looking for a new favourite. I think I might have found it, these are so pretty. They give lots of volume but don't look too over the top because they aren't too long. They are a really nice curved shape that makes application easy, they sit nicely on your lash line with minimal need to poke them about to fit. They are exclusively available at Boots and cost £6.50.

TIP: Glue your eyelashes on normally, once you are happy with them dot a few blobs of glue along the band and pat in gently with your finger. This will reinforce the original glue and make your eyelashes less likely to fall off. Wait for the glue to dry and then apply eyeliner (carefully), this will let you cover up any messy bits and also means if you mess up in the first place you won't have eyeliner everywhere.

Models Own Hyper Gel in Pink Veneer

First things first...look how pretty the colour is!! This is an easy way to nail the pastel trend if you are usually a lover of dark clothes (like me). The consistency of the nail polish is slightly thicker than Models Owns normal range but it applies just as easily and dries quickly. It took me three thin coats to build up to an even all over cover and after around 20 minutes I felt like they were dry enough to go about my life again. Pretty good so far right?...but this nail polish claims to be a gel like polish. Give it it's dues it does have a really pretty high shine finish but I found that after around 2 days I had chips and what looks like cracks all over the ends of my nails. Not what I expect from gel. I probably will buy this in other colours but I wouldn't expect much more from it than a normal nail polish. Available from Boots for £5.

L'Oreal Skin Perfection Soothing Gel Cream Wash

The Skin Perfection range is my new favourite. I've been using the serum, day moisturiser and eye cream, I love it all so far so I thought I might as well try the face wash! I'm not a big believer that face washes have any impact apart from removing dirt but since I started using this I have noticed that my skin has been clearer than normal. It's soap free and is designed for dry and sensitive skin so it doesn't have a fragrance. It has a really nice gel like texture and lathers up well so you only need a blob about the size of a 5p. Overall I think I will be sticking with this for a while...it's available from Boots for £2.99.

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair

Not the best photos but you get the idea...

I suffer from pretty bad dark circles under my eyes so finding a concealer that hides them well is like finding the holy grail. This one definitely lives up to all of the blogging hype that surrounds it. It's quite thick which gives fuller coverage and means you don't need as much because it also blends really well. I use my Real Techniques Pointed Foundation brush to blend it once I've applied it around my eyes and down the sides of my nose. Considering it only costs £3.99 it definitely beats a lot of more expensive alternatives. Get it from Boots!

Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in 220 Showy

Serious pout...

Generally when you think of matte lipstick, you assume it will be drying right? Not this one! Not only is this super pigmented it's also really moisturising and has a nice minty smell. It doesn't give the most matte effect but it does the job without drying. Which is really good news for my already dry lips. The colour is so bright and cheerful it livens up any outfit. It's a perfect way to wear a lip colour through the day. I'm going to have to physically restrain myself from buying every shade. Available from Boots for £7.99.

x

My Month in Pictures...

I know this isn't technically fashion or beauty related but...I want to do a round up of my photos. So I can look back every now and then and remember the things that might not have been such a big deal at the time. 

• The boots and sandals arrived today and I'm already in love! I'll probably do a separate post about them once I've worn them. 
• The range board (computer screen with drawings on it) is the collection of menswear we designed for uni, we are so proud of it. I genuinely think someone should give us a job based solely on that. Haha!
• The window display is from work. I want to be a Visual Merchandiser when I finish uni...so I love doing all of the displays and creative stuff at work. Fingers crossed for me that a job comes up in the next few months! 
• The photo in the middle is a very rare photo of my Mum, my sister and I at Christmas time...I only managed to get a copy of it last week! It's not the best quality but we can blame my Dads lack of photography skills for that!
• The baby scan is of me...as a baby, I'm not preggers. My "hilarious" attempt at a #throwbackthursday. It's strange how rubbish 80's ultrasounds were, I mean that's actually me and I don't even know where I am?!
• The other two of my face and my lovely friend Rebecca are from nights out. Everyone loves a selfie don't even try to deny it!
• Now for the most important part...the food:

I've eaten out A LOT recently at some amazing new places. My favourite one has to be Bread Meats Bread...basically if I was on death row, this would be my last supper. To let you understand I'm not a big meat eater, the majority of my Mums side of the family are veggie so I've not really grown up with it. Factoring in the fact that I'm not too keen on red meat in general and a place with the name "Bread Meats Bread" should not be somewhere I would be falling over myself to get to. But I am, among other amazing things they serve this amazing Canadian junk food called Poutine which is chips (fries) covered in gravy and cheese curds, it's like a heart attack on a plate but it is magical. 

Another mention has to go to Tribeca, they do the most amazing breakfast. My friends and I went this morning and the sheer amount of food we got was ridiculous! I had a stack of pancakes with berries and maple syrup (this may not be a big deal to Americans but for British people pancakes aren't widely served). But the award for biggest portion had to go to the girls omelettes...which were made from 5 eggs (plus the two doorstep pieces of toast). Can you overdose on egg?

So if you live in/near or are visiting Glasgow, then I definitely recommend that you give both of them a visit...you will not regret it! 

x

Triangl Bikinis...

My friend and I spontaneously booked a holiday to Kos a few weeks ago. Partly to celebrate the end of my degree but mainly because we haven't been on holiday in forever! Since I haven't been on a proper holiday since 2011 and I practically live in the Arctic my holiday wardrobe is somewhat lacking. So I've been keeping an eye out for all the holiday stuff slowly creeping in, I have to say that so far it's all a bit too basic. I do like my basics but on holiday I've been known to be a bit more outgoing with my wardrobe choices.

 

Miami Mint Winnie Bikini 

The one item I knew I had to get was a Triangl bikini. Triangl are an Australian company who specialise in swimwear and more recently amazing underwear (devastated that they don't do my size). I've been lusting over these beauties for weeks. But with a 89USD (£53.20) price tag I couldn't justify buying one just to prance around the house in! So as soon as I had an excuse I headed over to the website and spent a whole night trying to make up my mind which one I would make mine. I genuinely would have them all if I could...but I eventually settled on the Winnie Style in 'Miami Mint' and 'Ruby Capricorn'. I had to buy two...it was payday OK?!

I wasn't sure about my sizing so I used the online chat function and I have to say the girl I spoke to was so helpful and lovely. She told me exactly which size I was and when I asked about the underwear she told me straight that they didn't cater for my size just yet...which is nice, she could have let me buy an ill fitting one. 

They are made from 100% Neoprene, which is the stuff that wet suits are made from. The material is pretty thick compared to normal bikinis (so no one will know if you're cold) and the quality of the bikini is amazing! It even comes in its own little neoprene bag, which will be handy for going to the beach.

Ruby Capricorn Winnie Bikini

I am a 30DD and I bought a medium top, it fits perfectly. The top is boned so it gives a nice shape and a little bit of support, and it fastens at the back with a really secure clasp. The zip doesn't unzip completely which is a bit of a relief...boys can be cruel. The bottoms are the part that I was most concerned about because Triangl state that neoprene has stretch resistance meaning that they are a firmer fit than normal bottoms. I bought the Large which is around a size 12 - 14. I'm usually a size 12 and in my opinion if they were any smaller they would be cutting in so if you are a 14 I would recommend the XL. I also noticed that the 'Ruby Capricorn' bikini bottoms were slightly tighter than the 'Miami Mint' ones...but I think that might have something to do with the coating on them. All in all the sizing is good and I'm relieved I don't have to return anything. I'm so excited to be lying by the pool wearing one of them! 

x

The TMI Tag.

I know this is meant to be a YouTube thing but I thought I would do it on my blog, it will help you get to know me a little better. Plus it reminded me of the emails that I use to get when I was younger...ah the good old MSN days. Here goes...

1. What are you wearing? Grey ripped skinny jeans from Zara, the grey and pink jumper I featured in my last post from New Look and silver leather Converse. Something comfy for uni.
2. Ever been in love? Twice.
3. Ever had a terrible breakup? Yep. At the time I thought the world had ended...turns out it hadn't.
4. How tall are you?  5ft 11 (and three quarters to be exact).
5. How much do you weigh? I'm not sure...I've lost a bit recently though. Around 10 stone?
6. Any tattoos? Nope, I haven't ruled it out though.
7. Any piercings? Just my ears done twice.
8. Do you believe in OTP (One True Pairing)? No, I think that's a really depressing thought. What if you never had the chance to meet them. I think no relationship is perfect, you need to work to make it work.
9. Favourite show? It's a toss up between 'The Walking Dead' and 'Criminal Minds'.
10. Favourite bands?  All time...All American Rejects and Fleetwood Mac. But right now I love Haim, Bastille and The 1975.
11. Something you miss? Being young and carefree...no bills or responsibilities, you just don't appreciate it at the time!
12. Favourite song? I could never choose just one.
13. How old are you? 25.
14. Zodiac sign? Virgo...the traits are scarily accurate.
15. Qualities you look for in a partner? Sense of humour, ambitious...the overall thing is confidence. Confidence is more attractive than any physical trait. 
16: Favourite Quote? My friend sends me a motivational quote every week...so my favourite quote this week is "The best is yet to come."
17: Favourite actor? Eddie Redmayne...because he is beautiful plus he can genuinely act.
18: Favourite color? Red.
19: Loud music or soft? Completely depends on my mood...but generally loud to cheer me up, wake me up or because the song is awesome.
20: Where do you go when you're sad? To my parents house.
21: How long does it take you to shower? I've had to perfect the art of the 5 minute shower because that is all the hot water my boiler produces. So around 5 - 10 minutes.
22: How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? It completely depends on whether I'm washing my hair or not and where I'm going. But on average around 45 minutes.
23: Ever been in a physical fight? Once, at high school...
24: Turn on? Blonde hair, tall guys, good tattoos, rugby players, danish men, bartenders, funny, well dressed...
25: Turn off? Arrogance...nothing worse than a guy who knows he is hot.
26: The reason I joined Youtube? I haven't...I have a horrible accent I won't inflict that upon you.
27: Fears? I don't think I would call it a fear because it doesn't impede me in any way...but I would prefer not to watch horror films, look at clowns or be in the vicinity of an orange. 
28: Last thing that made you cry? Feeling overwhelmed with pressure to have the perfect life. Uni is almost over and everyone wants to know what I'm going to do...the simple answer is I don't know.
29: Last time you said you loved someone? To my mum...d'aww.
30: Meaning behind your Youtube/Blogging Name? 'The Height of...' is a reference to the fact I'm really tall and also a play on 'The Height of Fashion'.
31: Last book you read? I re-read the Hunger Games trilogy over Christmas.
32: The book you're currently reading? "The Wolf of Wall Street" because I always like to read the book before I see the film.
33: Last show you watched? How I Met Your Mother...for the millionth time.
34: Last person you talked to? My flatmate, Christina.
35: The relationship between you and the person you last texted? Gayle, my best friend.
36: Favourite food? Bread Meats Bread (it's a restaurant in Glasgow) "Pulled Bird" and Poutine...best meal EVER!
37: Place you want to visit? Australia, Thailand, America...the list is endless.
38: Last place you were? Tesco and before that uni.
39: Do you have a crush? Nope, I don't meet any guys to have crushes on.
40: Last time you kissed someone? Around two weeks ago.
41: Last time you were insulted? Couldn't have been too bad because I can't remember.
42: Favourite flavour of sweet? Apple or strawberry.
43: What instruments do you play? I have had keyboard and drum lessons...so I can play both, just not very well because I gave them both up.
44: Favourite piece of jewellery? Having an HND in Jewellery Design you would think this would be an easy question to answer...but no. Umm...probably all the sentimental stuff like my great grans wedding ring, my grans rings, my mums charm bracelet and my dads ID tag.
45: Last sport you played? I genuinely can't remember.
46: Last song you sang? Linger - The Cranberries.
47: Favourite chat up line? "Feel that...that's boyfriend material." or "How do you like your eggs...scrambled or fertilised?".

48: Have you ever used it? Nope...eye contact works just fine :)
49: Last time you hung out with anyone? I can't actually remember...that's terrible, I can't wait to finish uni and get my social life back!
50: Who should answer these questions next? Anyone and everyone :)

x

Late Fashion Haul.

This was meant to be part of my February haul but oh...look at that, it's March! Never mind...it means that the items I'm about to show you are now in the sale. Yaaaay! Not that I'm bitter that I bought them a week before they were reduced! 

I've been feeling the cold recently and living in Scotland we are always in need of a good jumper (even in summer), so on my lunch break I popped into New Look and picked up a few cute and cosy ones. I'm also still in love with the 90's trend (mainly because I was there the first time)...I had one of these tattoo chokers when I was little and it made me all nostalgic for ski pants and Sweater Shop jumpers. Ok, I promise I won't go that far but I do love this choker.

I'm in love with this jumper! I really like the neon pink flecks running through the wool while the grey and black bring it back from being too girly. The fit is great, true to size and not too tight. The sleeves are a great length for taller girls as well. I've mainly been wearing it with grey ripped skinny jeans for uni to be comfy and warm. Although to smarten it up bit I've styled it up with a grey denim shirt underneath and a silver statement necklace under the collar. I'd wear it with black skinny jeans and a pair of chunky black boots. I bought this from New Look for £24.99 but you can get it for £12 in their sale.

 People that know me know (and point out...all the time) that I generally wear a combination of black, grey and nude. I do dabble in other colours but they are my staples...so I decided that for spring and summer I am going to try and lighten up. This cream raglan jumper is so soft and cosy I kept stroking my arm while I was wearing it. So while the weathers still a bit cold I've been wearing this with denim skinny jeans and a cream and pink bobble hat. The fit of this is great as well, sleeves are nice and long. I bought mine from New Look for £19.99 it's now on sale at £10. It comes in loads of other colours as well.

This is one of those things, along with slap bracelets, multi coloured rubber band bracelets and stick on nose studs that made my childhood. This one is a better quality replica though, however I do prefer mine not to have a catch on the back as I don't feel it is tight enough with it. I do have a pretty narrow neck so maybe it's just me but I think this could do with being a tiny bit smaller. Regardless for the price I paid (£2.89) I can't complain too much. I bought mine on eBay here. If you search tattoo choker you will find millions of them for sale.

x

February Make Up Haul.

1. MAC Lustre Drops - 'Pink Rebel'

MAC is a brand that I've always been a little scared of, I find the shops and their massive array of products a bit daunting. However I got my hands on a few bits and pieces and I'm hooked. Lustre drops is a liquid highlighter. Either used as part of a contour or with a little mixed into your foundation it leaves you with a healthy dewy glow. I think Pink Rebel is a great colour for paler skin tones, bronzed tones can often look fake. Available from MAC for £18.

2. Calvin Klein Ultimate Edge Lipgloss - 'rose' and 'rich&famous'

I'm not a big fan of lip gloss, it brings back teenage memories of feeling like I had glue smeared on my lips (pointing no fingers...Juicy Tubes) and my hair constantly being stuck to my mouth. I converted to lip balm and lipstick years ago. However these little pots aren't lip gloss as we know it. They are light and moisturising while still giving a subtle wash of colour they also last a good few hours. The brown shade is called 'rose' and the pink is called 'rich&famous' which is my favourite. These are available from Fragrance Direct for an absolute bargain at £1.99.

(Left - rich&famous Right - Rose)

3. MAC Sheen Supreme Lipglass Tint - K-Wow

I love this product, it doesn't feel sticky or heavy like other lip glosses. It just gives a subtle wash of colour and a high shine to you lips. The colour is a very natural pink, it is slightly lighter than my natural lip colour but apart from that an ideal everyday shade or to balance out a strong eye look. Unfortunately this is being discontinued by MAC though, so I can't get too attached! 

(L-R - MAC Eyeliner, Lipliner and Lipglass)

4. MAC Lip Pencil - Vino

I am a massive fan of a dark red lip so this lip liner is perfect for me. It is perfectly named and reminds me of the colour your lips turn after one too many glasses of red wine. Dark lip liners can be daunting but this one is easy to apply and glides on smoothly. Use this as a base for your lipstick by lining your lips and then filling them in with the pencil then applying your lipstick over the top, it will stay put for hours. It is also an amazing colour to use to create an ombre lip with a bright red lipstick or liner. Available from MAC for £12.  

5. MAC Pro Longwear Eyeliner - Strong Willed

Because I'm blonde I often think that black eyeliner for an everyday (kicking about uni) make up look can look a little bit harsh, this colour is perfect, it's a sort of deep browny purple shade which also helps to compliment my green eyes. This definitely lives up to the name 'longwear' it doesn't budge once it's on, it lasts all day and night (I fell asleep with it on...sorry I know it's naughty). In fact I had to work quite hard to get it off. I can't seem to find this in the UK...so here is the link to the US MAC site.

6. Real Techniques - Powder Brush

From my last Real Techniques post you will know that I absolutely adore this brand and this brush is no exception. As usual the bristles are so soft and dense making it feel far more expensive than it actually is. It is the perfect size for all over powder, bronzer or mineral foundation. Which is exactly why I bought it, to go with the bare Minerals foundation. It blends product in seamlessly and because it's so big it takes seconds to cover your whole face. Can't fault it! It's available from Look Fantastic for £10.99.

7. bareMinerals Matte Foundation - Fairly Light N10

I've been eyeing this product up for a while now and I finally took the plunge and invested. I'm not a massive fan of wearing foundation daily, I generally wear concealer and powder as my base. So I thought as a compromise between the two this would be perfect. However I was a little disappointed with bareMinerals. It has such a massive hype behind it that I think I was expecting big things and it just didn't deliver. I bought the matte version, when its first applied it looks lovely and even with no dry patches. However I find that it needs reapplying through the day as I've become shiny again. The coverage is not what I would expect from a foundation, it is more like a tinted moisturiser. I don't mind this too much but I wouldn't recommend buying this if coverage is what you need. Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but it didn't dazzle me like I had hoped. Choose from 20 shades at Feel Unique. 

8. Kent Angled Eyebrow Brush No.1
If you want a sharp clean line on your brows this brush is not for you. In my opinion the brush is slightly too big and not blunt enough to create a defined brow. However it would be good if you were doing a quick natural look where definition isn't too much of an issue and you just need a bit of filling in. It's available from Look Fantastic for £6.65.

9. LUSH Liquid Lipstick - Laugh Out Loud

That's a bit of a mouthful! I took a wander into Lush to kill time the other day and saw the amazing colours of these lipsticks, I couldn't resist. My friend had one before and the colour was incredible so I was keen to buy my own and try it for myself. They definitely do not disappoint! The colour is a beautiful two tone pinky orange colour...almost like a shimmery coral, it's so intense when applied. They don't feel heavy or sticky however they do stay wet which takes a little getting use to. I need to buy more of these immediately...get yours for £14.50 at LUSH.

10. LUSH Lip Scrub - Bubblegum

Continuing with my Bubble theme I also bought this little wonder. I suffer with really dry chapped lips, I've tried almost every lip balm/treatment there is, with little joy. I mainly bought this because it smells amazing and I thought I might as well give it a go. But when I tried it out, it works wonders...a little rubbed over lips and rinsed off makes lips so soft and smooth. I use it before bed with a moisturising lip balm or before a night out to make sure my lipstick goes on evenly. Cannot recommend enough. Clearly I need to try out more LUSH products if these two are anything to go by! Lip scrubs are available from LUSH for £5.50.

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February Hair Product Haul.

Originally I thought I hadn't bought too much in February...but when you put it all together, turns out I thought wrong. I've bought a lot of beauty bits and bobs this month. A lot of them being products that I've wanted to try out for a while. I'm going to split this into three posts...hair, make up and fashion. So here is the first...Hair!

1. Phillip Kingsley - Elasticizer

This product has a bit of a cult reputation. Apparently this was made especially for Audrey Hepburn to keep her hair in good condition while having it over styled daily for filming. It is a pre shampoo treatment. The bottle tells you to wet your hair and apply it in sections working it through evenly to the lengths. Leave for 10-20 minutes (or while your bath is running) then rinse well and wash and condition as normal. My hair is completely frazzled at the ends from years of bleaching and heat. So I decided to sleep with it in overnight and I definitely noticed a big difference the next day, it was much softer than normal. It does say for best results use regularly. If I still love it once the tubes finished I will definitely buy the bigger tub. The 75ml tube is available from Feel Unique for £15.

2. Bumble and Bumble - Surf Spray

Another product with a massive following. I love salt sprays, they add texture and volume so easily. This one smells lovely and is lightweight. It says you can apply it to damp or dry hair. If you have fine hair this product would be ideal to spray onto damp hair to give you a bit more texture. I have ridiculous amounts of hair so I tend to style my hair then spray this on and scrunch. I bought the tester from Boots but the full sized bottle is available from Look Fantastic for £21.50.

3. Charles Worthington - Curl Definer Smooth Waves Taming Spray

This is the kind of product I always pick up. Anything that promises to smooth my frizzy wavy hair. Nothing ever works for me, my days of washing my hair blasting it and leaving the house are gone. This is a nice enough product, it just didn't do what I had hoped...which is perform a miracle so I won't hold it against it. It does smell fresh, smooths hair and doesn't weight it down so if you don't need as much help as I do then this would be a good product for you. Available from Boots for £5.99.

4. Natural World - Moroccan Argan Oil Moisture Repair Hair Treatment Oil

I love this product. First off it is soooo cheap. I bought mine from Savers for £3. The oil is a really nice consistency not too thick not too thin and it absorbs into hair so well. I have used argan oil before and I was never too fussed about it. But now I use this all the time. I use it after a shower through the lengths of my hair. I also use it on the ends if they are feeling a little dry, rub a bit in and leave overnight in the morning the product will have completely absorbed. Obviously don't go pouring loads on...that's just silly. All in all I definitely recommend you add an oil to your hair routine especially if it is damaged like mine. You can get this from Savers or Fragrance Direct for £2.99.  

What do you think of these products? Which are your faves?

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The Best Places for Tall Clothes...

As you may or may not know I'm pretty tall (over 5'11) so I know how difficult it can sometimes be to find nice, on trend clothes that actually fit. I don't know if it's just me or do some companies assume the taller you are the wider you are? I'm not particularly big but I am long...I just need a few extra inches added on to cover my stomach and my ankles. I know we all have our own clothing "problems" but this and finding bras that fit (I might go into this another time...) are mine. So I thought I would try and help out other not so vertically challenged girls with a few of my favourite places to shop and a few tips at the end. 

Just to put it into perspective...

Probably most talls girls go to range. What can I say? On trend, not too pricey and generally good quality. I would say that a good idea is to go into a store that holds the tall range at sale time, they tend to have previous seasons stock out the back that they only bring for sales.  

New Look removed their tall range from store and as far as I am aware now it is only available online...which is a bit rubbish because I use to love their tall range it was so affordable and they had a massive choice. Although they still do offer a good variety I find that a lot of it is just the same thing in several colours! Sort it out New Look!

I know this might be a strange one for some people, but in my experience Zaras trousers and jeans they are all pretty long. I'm a 35 inch inside leg and I have several pairs of their jeans and they all fit perfectly or are slightly too long. Definitely worth a rummage in their sales as well!

Hallelujah! ASOS have finally cottoned on! I've been dreaming of this day for years! Their offering is a mix of their own brand and other tall ranges such as New Look and Glamorous Tall. They don't a lot of variety yet but it has expanded since I first checked it out so fingers crossed they keep it up.

For me LTS can be a hit or a miss. I have a few things from them, but I'm often let down by items when I try them on. They look great on the model but in real life it's just not the same and for the prices they charge I expect it to fit like a glove! I also find that a lot of the clothing is more my mums taste than mine, I feel they are missing out on a massive gap in the market by not really catering for the younger customer.

I've only recently heard of this brand, but although they don't have a lot on their website the items they do have are exactly the type of things I have been looking for. Well fitting basics and a plain jersey maxi that touches the ground, dream come true! The prices are reasonable as well. Fingers crossed for them!

There are a few others such as Dorothy Perkins and Next but I feel they only cater for an older age range, unless you are buying staple pieces. It can be hard and it is unfair that we mainly have to buy online but I would never change the fact that I'm tall...I love that I can see at every concert, I can reach things without ladders and that I could pass for 18 at 13 (sorry mum). 

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Tips for tall girls! 

• Learn how to sew, being able to let a hem down and adjust the length is invaluable! 
• Buy trousers or jeans that have a turn up, let it down and steam iron it with a damp cloth.
• Skinny jeans slightly too short? Turn them up once and wear them as ankle grazers.
• Look at the models height when shopping online to get an idea of how it will fit on your height.
• Embrace the current trend for lower heeled boots for a night out.
• Make sure you have a pair of well fitting black trousers, black skinny jeans and a pair of denim jeans and you are covered for all occasions.

Real Techniques Core Collection Review

I've never really been a fan of make up brushes, I've always preferred using my fingers or a sponge to put on my foundation. But after hearing the buzz about the Real Techniques brushes many million times I decided to see what all the fuss was about. So here's my review of the 'Core Collection'.

The set of four face brushes comes in a black carry case which double up as a holder with the pull of a toggle. The elastic that holds the brushes in is a little tight and I often find if I'm in a rush that I don't bother to put them back in because it's too fiddly, but for travelling purposes the case is a great extra! The set costs just £20.99 from Feel Unique.

The Detailer Brush

This brush is probably my least favourite of the four but that's not to say that I don't like it. It has a very small head which makes it good for focusing on detail (like the name suggests)...covering spots, small areas etc. but apart from that I prefer to use it as a lip or eye shadow brush.

Pointed Foundation Brush

I love this brush, but I have no idea who has time to put their foundation on with it. For me it is far too small to use as a foundation brush. Instead I use this to put on my concealer, it blends it in so well and has the perfect pointed shape to get around your eyes and down the sides of your nose.

Contour Brush

Perfect sized brush to contour and highlight the whole face. It blends the product in beautifully and doesn't leave harsh lines. Although I would say it is slightly too big to contour my nose precisely as I would like.

Buffing Brush

I have no idea how I ever lived without this brush. It has completely changed the way I put on foundation. After I have 'painted' my foundation on I use the buffing brush to blend the product in making it look flawless. No tide marks, no streaks! I also feel like my make up stays put a bit longer when I've used this brush. It's also a really good brush for buffing on mineral foundation or powder.

Overall I'm an absolute convert to brushes...they are definitely worth the money and I've even started to build my collection. I would definitely recommend you invest in a set of Real Techniques brushes!

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