get to know me post...

Top Left - Me and my best friend of 18 years
Top Right - The beauty that is Noodle (my cat)
Bottom left - Home / London
Bottom right - My entire life, my better half, my everything. Alex

Top left - One of my tattoos
Top right - Favourite flower / Daisy
Bottom left - My beautiful cousin and I
Bottom right - My wing-woman forever (Alex's' sister)

I know I have an 'about' page with a few questions, but I thought I would answer a few more random questions (they are definitely random) so you can get to know the person behind 'just me and my wonderland' a little better. So here goes...

Favourite soft drink? Peach iced tea is where it's at...I can't get enough of the stuff

Favourite alcoholic drink? I don't really drink (shock horror!) but when I do it would be a cocktail.

Whats the last film you watched? The Book Thief (yesterday) I LOVE that film.

When is the last time you cried? Yesterday, when watching The Book Thief (i cry at everything, don't get me started on John Lewis adverts)

What's your star sign? Sagittarius - Born in December :)

Your biggest phobia? Spiders and snakes (anything with more than 4 legs or less than 2 is just too much for me to deal with)

Do you have any children? No, I'm only 23. We (Alex and I) are very career focused!

Do you have any tattoos? Yes, 4. One on each wrist, one behind my ear and one on my back.

Whats you're ideal Saturday night? I'm a real homebody, like I said I don't drink so my sofa, a movie and a cuppa is my idea of heaven. If I am feeling really adventurous then going out to a nice restaurant is also lovely.

Favourite perfume? This is hard...Chanel Chance and most of the Marc Jacobs. Oh also, Jo Malone - English Pear and Freesia.

Favourite flower? Daisies! I love daisies! They are such a happy flower :) Oh and Jasmine.

What's your dream job? My job! I just recently got my dream job working as an office manager for a British luxury fashion house.

Do you like sushi? YES. I have a lot of love for sushi.

Tea or coffee? I think tea, I drink so much tea. I do love a good coffee for an energy boost though!

Desert island makeup product? Well I am guessing if I am on a desert island I will be tanned so i'm going with mascara.

Cats or dogs? I can't decide...I have a cat, she's a beauty and I love her silly amounts (we even have a voice for her - think female Stewie from family guy. Yes, im serious) BUT I can't wait to have a house so we can get a dog too!

Favourite restaurant? My kitchen when Alex is cooking ;) He is a chef (a dam good one at that)

One of your favourite quotes? Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring (Marilyn Monroe)

What do you miss most about being a child? I think this is the same as everyone...not having responsibilities such as sky high rent and bills!

If you won the lottery whats the first thing you would do? SHOP...then book a holiday, then buy a house then give money to family to thank them for everything :)

Last song you listened to on your phone/iPod? Broods - Never guna change (I love Broods, a lot)

Where do you live? London

Favourite holiday? Easter for the chocolate, Christmas for the roast. Pig much?

What has been your favourite age so far? I think my age now. 23. Alex and I have a beautiful home and we both have our dream jobs and are really looking forward to the future. N'awhhh.

Do you ever get mistaken for a celebrity? Yes, when I had longer darker hair I got mistaken for Kristen Stewart all the time. I had people stopping me in the street thinking I was her. My nick name at work was Bella. (Twilight)

What 5 songs take you back to your teenage years? I could literally write an entire post on throwback beauties but I will try and stick to five. TLC - Scrubs (what a tune) Blu Cantrell ft Sean Paul - Breathe. Blue - All Rise (ye that's right, I liked blue) Kelis ft Andre 3000 - Millionaire (this is mine and my best friends song because we're cool) Justin Timberlake - EVERY SINGLE SONG. I could keep going, I won't though.

Who's your best friend? Kim, she has been my best friend since we were six years old! 18 YEARS!!! I love her to pieces and couldn't imagine my life without her :)

Who do you know that has a similar personality to you? Alex's sister Emily. We are so similar. She is my wing-woman. Both the clumsiest people you could ever meet. We will text each other and keep the other one updated on what we broke, spilled, tripped on that day.

One random fact about you? I think I have an addiction to strawberry Fruitellas.

Right so that it's for the questions, if you have anymore then please feel free to ask, I am always happy to answer! I am now listening to 'blast from the past' songs and loving every minute! (Now playing: Ciara - 1, 2 Step....just because).

Rouge Edition Velvet - The best liquid lipstick

I have always loved a matte lip. It has always been my lip of choice. Lipglosses and I just don't seem to get on very well. Combine wind and your hair down and it just turns into a hot mess! Don't get me wrong I like a balm and don't mind a slight gloss in a lipstick but matte just tops them. Not only do they seem to really last I think that they look very sophisticated and classy, ye that's right. I can be classy.

I had heard a few people mention the Bourjois 'Rouge Edition Velvet' liquid lipsticks and had always wanted to give them a go seeing if they were going to live up to the hype and boyyy did they!

This is not a snap judgement, I have put them to a fair few tests and been wearing them for a month or so. They even stayed put after a day on the beach after copious trips for a cool down dunk in the sea, glugs of water and delicious dinners. No touch up needed. Did they fade slightly, yes. (The lighter one more so). But were they still obvious on my lips after 8 hours? Yes. The formula is a joy to apply, layering is so easy without any flaking and the applicator has a pointy nib at the end so can can achieve a precise application.

I got them in the lighter more everyday shade 'Nude-ist' and the incredible show stopping bright pink that is 'Ole Flamingo!'.

Like I said, the Ole Flamingo! lasts a little longer than the Nude-ist but even this colour doesn't fade horribly and patchy leaving a very unattractive outline, it fades evenly not making it obvious that you need a lippy top up.

Left - Nude-ist - Right - Ole Flamingo! (Excuse the untidy swatches)

If you haven't tried these already and like me, love a matte lip then you really should. Bourjois I think may be turning into my favourite drugstore brand. They always seem to get it right from bases to eyes and lips. Their products all seem quite luxurious for drugstore. The packaging is really nice and to top it off so are the products.

Have you tried these yet? Is there any other shades I should try or something else from Bourjois you think I might love? Let me know x

O hey there blush

It was only recently that I went to the other side and converted to blushers. I was always a bronzer girl, always. I very rarely touched blushers. I dabbled in and had plenty of bronzers though.

I have now found a few that are happen to have me hooked and, shock horror. I haven't picked up a bronzer since (only for contouring - I can't go cold turkey). 

From left to right:

Rimmel, Stay Blushed Liquid Cheek Tink in Pop of Pink. This is a lightweight liquid blush that can be applied to the apples of your cheeks with your fingertips. I personally use a flat top contour brush as I find that it blends it out really well and seamlessly. In terms of staying power, it lasts a really good amount of time. Even better with setting powder. For the price it really is worth it and something that I will definitely repurchase. I would like to try it in different colours next time.

Bourjois, Cream Blush in Nude Velvet. New favourite blusher. Love. Everything about it, the colour, the formula and the finish. This cream to powder formula really does melt on to the skin for a second skin feel. It is so blendable and very easy to apply. Again it is also long lasting and no need for top up's even on my oil prone skin. Like I said. LOVE.

MUA powder blush in Bubblegum. I'm not going to lie, it was the amazing bubblegum pink colour that caught my eye and I think it was only about £1!! Say what?? Ok so it may not be the most long lasting or pigmented powder blush out there but for £1, do I care? The colour is so gorgeous and actually it really is not that bad quality at all. I have used this a few times and it may not last quite as long as the others but it gives such a nice flush of colour to the cheeks that I really do love.

Left to Right - Bourjois, Rimmel, MUA

I would love to hear some blusher recommendations from you lovely lot if you have some, I need to grow my collection ;) 

Laura Mercier - Silk Creme Foundation

When it comes to foundation, you name it, I have tried it. I used to have just one that was great and I had no reason to really chop and change, I may have done occasionally according to season and shade but apart from that there was only a select few. Until that dreaded day when my skin decided to change, for the worse. It was literally like an overnight thing. I went to sleep with good skin I woke up with awful skin. (the joys of being a woman and taking that daily pill - that by the way they changed, which was the reason behind the crazy skin) Every foundation I tried looked shiny and oily within hours and sometimes even minutes of applying. Believe me I tried lots. I went towards everything that stated it would provide a matte finish. No more lovely dewy glow for me. I certainly didn't need it because what I was rocking was wayyy past the point of dewy glow. I couldn't not wear a base because where there is oil there is breakouts and I was suffering with tonnes of them, constantly. If I would get rid of one another would appear. My skin may have been spot free for a couple days in a month if that. I then found a bit of solace in BareMinerals matte powder foundation. Don't get me wrong by the end of the day there was still oil but it seemed to stay put a lot longer and keep the shine at bay a dam sight better than a liquid base did.

Now I have got my skincare routine under control and I am seeing a huge difference in my skin. It has taken about a year for me to really control this. Do I still breakout? Yes, but not half as bad as I used to and I have noticed it is only really happening at that time of the month that us ladies love so much. My makeup is also lasting the day and not quite literally sliding off my face as my skin isn't nearly as oily as it used to be. So with that in mind...back to the liquid base :) 

Hunting for a foundation is so daunting, there are so many brands, then within the brand you have different kinds. Luminising, Matte, Oil Free, Full coverage, Medium coverage, Highend, Drugstore (you catch my drift). Where to start? Laura Mercier is a brand that I love and have always been more than happy with the products so I focused my attention on that and came out from SpaceNK with the Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation. This base states that it provides a flawless natural coverage. The light-diffusing formula offers light reflecting properties which help with diffusing imperfections. Good start. I got this in the shade Hazelnut Beige as naturally I have a warm skintone and quite olive skin. It is a really great match for me in Summer Months, in the winter I may need to go one shade lighter. As the description states the texture is very silky and creamy and so easy to apply. The coverage is great and depending on how you like it you can build it up. It covered all imperfections and dark spots and gave my skin a really healthy glow without it looking shiny. I use the Real Techniques Buffing Brush when I want a good coverage and when I want something slightly lighter I use my fingers. On top I apply a setting powder, because you can never be too careful. (NARS is great) just to ensure the shine stays away and by the end of the day it's still there. Result! So if like me your skin is combination then you may really like this too. If you suffer with very oily skin then it may not be the best for you (you should try the oil free tinted moisturisers - they are the bomb) In my eyes Laura Mercier is a flippin genius, add the lovely ladies full of wisdom at SpaceNK and you got yourself a winner.

Have you like me suffered with up and down skin and struggled with bases? If so you are not alone. If you have found some secret formula I need to know about, fill me in.

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Magnifibres - AKA my new best friend

When it comes to lashes in the beauty department I honestly think it can be a lot of false promises and only a few winners. Every single brand will tell you that your lashes will appear, thicker, fuller, longer and all together totally amazing. What percentage of them have actually lived up to the promise though? I used to have eyelash extensions done which I really loved but the up keep was just way to tedious for me. There is also the option of the false lashes...me and false lashes do not get on, the handful of times I have worn them within about an hour I have taken them off! When you have shortish straight eyelashes you need a good mascara and eyelash curler. (if i lost my eyelash curler i would probably cry before stopping whatever I was doing to immediately purchase a new one) I finally found a mascara that I love, I just wish it was waterproof. The Benefit 'They're Real!' mascara really works for me and I love it but now I have found the perfect companion for it....

Why on earth have I never heard of this genius invention until now?? No seriously. For a girl that is obsessed with a good mascara and good lashes I am very ashamed of myself. MAGNIFIBRES I LOVE YOU. Yes that's right, I just confessed my love for it.

If you, like me love impact lashes and you haven't tried this yet, you must. Enough said.

Magnifibres (brush on false lashes) are 100% natural fibres. You curl your lashes (not necessary but a must for me) apply one coat of your mascara as usual and whilst your lashes are still wet you apply the white fibres. Leave for 30 seconds to ensure that they have set in place then you apply a second coat of your mascara. What's great about them is that you can use your own mascara, you don't need a special fancy one. Just your favourite. The results really are pretty incredible. Manifibres advertise as 5mm extra length, I didn't actually measure so I can't say yes or no but the difference in length, volume and fullness is amazing. It was like having my extensions back again with a lot less hassle. You can purchase them directly from the website here. I honestly can't rave on about them enough and if like me you like your lashes looking lovely and you haven't jumped on the bandwagon yet, you need to. ASAP.

hello stranger

IM BACK!! Wow, it really has been a while, 3 weeks nearly. I have a good reason though, i didn't just decide not to blog. I was away in Greece on my holiday to see my family which was incredible and I miss it already. I hadn't seen them in nearly 8 years and since then a lot has changed. I made a promise to myself that I would go there at least once a year, even if only for a few days. It was the first time Alex (my better half) met the crazy Greek family and luckily he was a hit and they loved him! Even my crazy auntie, the auntie that squeezes my cheeks and will make me sit on her lap every time I see her and probably will until i'm 40! Then the day after we came home and after 4 hours sleep Alex and I moved house. Everything always happens at once right?? The flat is beautiful and it still feels like a dream. It's a new build so everything is so fresh and clean and the best part is the gorgeous terrace out the back which is huge and actually bigger than our old living room! The minute we saw it we new we wanted it and we are so happy to be here! Until today I have not had broadband and now that I have it back again it's going to be pretty tricky to peel me away from my laptop...I was so excited that the guy that came to install it seemed a little weirded out by it. What would we do without the internet?

New Flat - Will upload more photos when everything is in place :)

Beautiful Greece

I am not going to babble on too much in this post it's just to let you know that I haven't disappeared, I am back and I have a lots planned so will be back to regular uploading again, most of the posts beauty based as the past few months I seem to have discovered a fair few products that I really love and have added to my ever growing collection. (in our new flat I have a lovely bathroom cupboard to store them all! Yay...simple things.) I hope to do a post on my skincare collection soon too but that could take a while to prepare but watch this space...

PS - for those of you that knew about the bikini scenario - whether they were going to show up or not....THEY DID!!! The day before we left :)