...and Relax

...and Relax

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Finally, I have endured the majority of my exams and I cannot be more relieved. For those still in secondary school/sixth form, it is exam season and the past few weeks have been incredibly stressful. Currently, I'm taking my AS levels (the first year of sixth form) and I've had to work my butt off to try and maintain consistent grades throughout the year. You've probably heard many people say it before but the gap is H U G E between GCSE and A Levels - the courses get harder, the work load is more intense and the amount of content increases by 300% in some of my subjects. It has been a tough, stressful and tiring year which has gone very quickly and I'm praying that the work I've put in has paid off. Fortunately, we've all earnt this week off school and I can't wait to relieve some stress before returning on the 7th of June to complete my final biology exam. 

Now that I've got some time to myself, away from revision, I will definitely spend some nights pampering myself. What's more to love that coming home from an exam, work or simply a bad day and treating yourself to a 'me' night? If you aren't quite sure what 'me-time' is - make sure to carry on reading because you're seriously missing out. Here is my relaxion and ultimate night routine to keep you and your body feeling happier than ever...

Refresh Yourself

When you've had a busy day, or a study-filled evening, nothing is better than refreshing yourself with a nice warm bath or show. Whichever your preference, giving yourself a wash always helps to cleanse your mindset, as well as your body. Every once in a while, I treat myself to a nice warm bath. I love using bath bombs from BOMB cosmetics (the ones photographed above) and LUSH cosmetics (The Enchanter and Sex Bomb are my faves)! Also, I love to look at the ingredients in them to ensure there are products that contain oils to moisturize my dry legs. When shopping for bath ingredients, always look at what the product will do for your skin - unless you simply just want to relax and look for one with your favourite scent.

Washing my hair is also a must whenever I have a pamper evening. Currently, I'm using the Richard Ward Keratin Restore collection, which you can read more about here, that has thankfully recooperated my damaged locks. I used to neglect my hair so much but seeing the difference from using hair masks, oils and better shampoo/conditioner I'm constantly looking after it! After washing my hair, I wrap it onto the top of my head with a hair towel - these things are sooo useful and help to dry my hair quicker, allowing you to avoid exposing it to heat.

Cleanse Yourself

An essential part of my ultimate night routine is skincare. I cannot get into bed without removing my makeup, cleansing my face, moistuzing and apply a lip balm. My favourite, and highly affordable, makeup removers are the face and eye ones from Garnier. I apply a small amount of product onto a cotton pad and wipe my face in gentle, small circles - this avoids spreading the makeup around your whole face. Also, these products do not sting your eyes, which I've found a lot of remover products do. Next, I cleanse with the Skinology lotion to remove any excess makeup, get into my pores and be rid of dirt that may be trapped in my skin. Finally, I moisturize with the Garnier Moisture Match for dry skin and the Body Shop Hemp lip conditioner. Sometimes, I like to grab my Body Shop Japanese Camellia Cream, which I hasten to add smells and feels incredible, and give my legs a little bit of TLC. My favourite body lotion of all time - next time you are in Body Shop, please give that a whiff. You will not regret it.

Treat Yourself

Possibly my favourite part of this routine is the treatment session. When I'm feel sad after a bad day, I like to pamper myself with some face masks and give myself a manicure. Usually, painting my nails is one utter, monotonous chore; however, I absolutely love to paint my nails when I'm in a bad mood?! At the minute, I've been loving Nude Frosting (such a cute name!) from Model's Own. Although the finish is supposed to be matte, a slight glossy finish is present but I don't mind, the colour is so pretty. Nude nail polishes look incredibly feminine and go with every outfit! Face masks are also a must-have (especially if you've tagged a friend along to join you). Seaweed masks are my favourite; they are great for those with dry skin/dry patches, help to minimize pores and leave your skin feeling silky smooth. 

Comfort Yourself

The final part of the routine is complete and utter relaxion. Do your favourite thing and try to not worry about anything. Wear something comfortable so you don't feel restricted - I love wearing baggy tees and shorts to bed, or a dressing gown and fluffy socks in the Winter. Personally, I love to just sit on my laptop, watch Youtube videos and write some blog posts. If I'm really into a book, then I tend to read that or if their is no new Youtube videos in my subscriptions, then I watch my favourite Disney film, Family Guy or something romantic on Netflix. Oh, and don't forget your comfort food to accompany your activities (mine would totally be jaffa cakes and a strawberry split ice lolly) and a hot drink! Whatever you choose you do, this is entirely up to you! Just relax...

Allowing yourself time between revision, school and sleeping is super important - you need to give your brain time to relax and shut down for a few hours, especially prior to sleeping. I've had countless sleepless nights by making the mistake of cram revising until 11/12 o'clock and it is NOT good for you. I wish you the best of luck for those who are still in exam mode and have more left. Well done to those who may have finished already - I hope you all get the grades you deserve :)

Are you currently studying at school? What subjects do you take?

Lots of love

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This post is not in collaboration with any of the brands/products mentioned.

Brand Focus : Butter London

Brand Focus : Butter London

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Vibrancy and intensity are always summer 'thing' but this year companies are going crazy to compete for the best, unique range of summer perfect products. For some reason, the sun energizes me and gives me more confidence in my skin and my general being. I'm not sure exactly why that is but I'm sure that there is a scientific reason for it - everyone associates the sun with positivity after all...

Butter London is a brand I'm sure most of you have heard of - they are a company who are infamously known for their buttery, opaque nail polishes. Being rather slow in the grips of social media, I never really knew they sold other makeup products so when I got the opportunity to give some of their cosmetics a test, I was more than merrier to do so. Personally, I'm a huge fan of glossy, bright lips in the summer - moisture is key and I cannot stand matte lipsticks sinking into the crevices of my lips. NO THANK YOU. Instead, I opted for some very 'out there' liquid lipsticks that leave a glossy shine.

Fortunately, Butter London ever so kindly wrapped up two nail polishes to accompany my requested liquid lipsticks. I was thrilled to see varnishes that matched the seasonal colour scheme - bright oranges and yellows are incredibly eye-catching and on the nails, they can add extra warmth to a Summer's day outfit. The two shades I received were CHUFFED and CHEEKY CHOPS. Chuffed is a stunning orange glitter with golden flecks of glitter running throughout. The glitters would complement a gorgeous golden cheekbone highlight - matching nail colour to makeup can really help to enhance your favourite features. As this polish is a glitter, application requires two thin coats to achieve a full opaque coverage. Cheeky chops is bright yellow; it is slightly toned down which makes it more wearable for those not brave enough to rock a crazy fluorescent number. This shade achieves opaque perfection with a single light coat, leaving a glossy finish. Butter London nail varnishes contain vitamins that aid nail strength - something I definitely need with my poor stubby excuses for nails! They also provide a consistent, smooth layer on the nail.  

Liquid lipsticks are an evergrowing trend among the beauty lovers out there; I am a huge fan of this trend - who wouldn't want moisturized, opaque lips in the simple swipe of an applicator? The two shades I received are La Moss and Primrose Hill Picnic. La Moss is a burgundy, red-wine - the coverage lays between an opaque matte lipstick and a lipgloss with a formula rich in shea butter, creating a beautiful moisturized feel on the lips. Primrose Hill Picnic is a tropical pink - I'd say it is in between a fuschia and 'Barbie' pink. The underlying blue tones allow the product to compliment my cool skin tone, which is always a bonus on vibrant colours you are a bit tentative to wear in public. This shade would look insane on holiday - it reminds me all the tropical flowers you would see on a secluded, exotic island. You can tell I've got eternal holiday blues!!!

Don't forget to head over to Butter London to check out all their cosmetics range, as well are their very-loved varnishes. Let me know what you think of them.

Which lip colour is your favourite? Do you own any products from Butter London?

Lots of love

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This post is in collaboration with Butter London, however all opinions are honest and my own.

Brand Focus : Models Own

Brand Focus : Models Own

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Nail painting for me is always a chore. I find it so difficult to paint my short nails and wait for them to dry - I'm waaaay too impatient! However, I can't resist the temptation of buying nail polishes and testing the colours immediately. Therefore, when I got in touch with Model's Own, I was more than happy to share my thoughts and opinions on their products.

Models Own are a cosmetics brand, sold in drugstore like Boots and Superdrug, that sell stunning nail varnishes alongside an evergrowing range of other products (eyeshadow, lipgloss etc). Over a long period of time, I have been a large fan of the company because they produce incredible opaque polishes for a reasonable price. With other drugstore nail polishes, I find that they lack in intensity and require more than one coat to build up to its true potential. However, I've never experienced this flaw in Model's Own formula and find that applying a single layer is all you need, making me extremely happy because I don't have to wait 30 minutes for several layers to dry.

*Disclaimer - my nails are horrendously short and I can't apply nail polish for sh*t so please don't judge the swatches below*

When I received my package, I was thrilled to see 6 summer-perfect polishes awaiting me to test them. All the colours, for me, are wearable because I'm not that fussy with colours matching outfits. Fortunately, I was gifted 4 Hyper Gel polishes in which hold similar qualities to that of a gel-manicure at a salon (high pigmentation, hi-shine etc). Alongside this, I received on of their classic polishes to compare with the gel finish and a 'special effects' Chrome shade from their new range.

Hyper Gel White Light

An simple, classic true white with high pigmentation and shine. The hi-shine effect, derived from the gel formulation, ensures that the nails glisten under the sunlight. This is perfect for the Summer - white looks incredible against dark/tanned skin!

Hyper Gel Summer Solstice

Orange is another colour that always looks beautiful on sunkissed skin. This deep, rustic orange glides on the nails with ease via the precise applicator. Also, Hyper Gel's always seem to last a lot longer on the nails than the original polishes - I definitely think the incredible, thick gel formula has something to do with this!

Sarong Wrap

A bright yellow to match the sun, accompanied by a beach-friendly name. I love brands that come up with appropriate, qwerky names to call their products - it's the little things that matter! Although this is border-line on my comfort zone, I will definitely be wearing this out in the summer to complement the sun (if we ever do get some in England!!) as I'm rather tentative drawing attention to my gross nails.

Hyper Gel Persian Pink

A blue-toned pink that is perfect for everyday wear. Wearing pink polish is something I opt for on a daily basis as the colour is feminine, classy yet simplistic. I also love how the blue undertones have toned down the vibrancy of the pink - this totally makes it more wearable for me as my cool skin tone doesn't look good against the typical 'Barbie' pink.

Hyper Gel Loganberry

The last of the Hyper Gel range I was gifted was this beautiful, deep cherry red. This will look incredible in the Autumnal months accompanied by a dark red lip. The Gel effect specifically showed on this darker colour - the pigmentation was the best and the shine glowed when exposed to light. I cannot wait for Autumn so I can wear this constantly!

Chrome Pink

Finally, my absolute favourite shade - a metallic rose pink with silver, iridescent glimmers. I cannot begin to describe the love I have for this polish - I have not stopped wearing it since I received it. The silver and pink really work together, giving off a glamorous shine under rays of light. Also, I was very impressed with the uniqueness of this range - I was yet to find an intense, metallic polish from the drugstore until I met this collection for Model's Own. You will definitely be seeing more from this range in the future - I cannot wait to go and pick up some other stunning chromes!!

What are you favourite nail polishes? Do you own anything from Models Own?

Lots of love

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*This post is in collaboration with Models Own. However, all opinions are honest and my own.*

Brand Focus: Essence

Brand Focus: Essence

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Today's brand focus is a brand that has rose dramatically in popularity over the past few years. Prior to receiving my Essence goodie bag, I had only ventured as far as their liquid glitter eye products and lipsticks so I was extremely excited to see what else they had to offer. Already, I was expecting good things, as I was rather impressed at the quality of their lipsticks, despite the inexpensive pricing.

Essence are a cosmetic company that are sold exclusively in Wilkinson's in the UK; however, when I went to Ireland a couple of years ago, they were selling Essence in a shop called Pennies (I believe it's the equivalent of Primark in England). 

EYES 

'Plump NO CLUMP' Mascara ~ Drugstore mascara is my go-to! I've never found a highend mascara that is any better than one I love from the drugstore; so quite simply, I just stick to the cheaper option. This worked very well on my lashes, giving added volume and lengthening too. 

Long Lasting Black Eyeliner ~ Eyeliner is something I always struggle to apply - I cannot perfect the 'winged' liner no matter how many times I try. However, I'm also a lover of eyeliner in my waterline and below to my bottom lashes to intensify an eye look. Thus, a long-lasting black eye pencil is what I need. I've wore this out once so far and was rather impressed by the results. The liner didn't budge for a good 5 hours, alongside maintaining the same pigmentation from when I first applied.

LIPS

XXXL Nude Lipgloss in 'Soft Almond' ~ I always turn to matte lips in the Winter, despite my lips deteriorating in the cooler months. This has literally ruined my lips and I completely regret not opting for lighter options, like lipgloss. I really love subtle lipglosses to add a shine to the look - a layer of this would look incredible on top of a nude lip! Perfect for the summer!

'Soft Berry' Lipliner ~ This may actually be the favourite product I received from Essence. I am a huge fan of nude lips, like most of the female population at the minute, so was thrilled to be gifted with the PERFECT nude liner to accompany my MAC Velvet Teddy lipstick. Soft Berry is a muted mauve-pink that doesn't budge from the lips all evening. I like to apply the product on my lip line and in the corner of my mouth to create a soft, ombre gradient.

NAILS

'The Gel Nail Polish' Base Coat 

'The Gel Nail Polish' in 'My Love Diary'

'The Gel Nail Polish' Top Coat

Nail Polish is something that always seems a chore to me. However, whenever I buy new polishes, I cannot help but quickly apply them. My go-to colour to wear on a daily basis is nude - it's just perfect for sixth form and every day wear because of the versatility of the colour. This makes matching your nails to your outfits a solvable issue. Anyway, these gel polishes were something I was excited to get my hands on. I love gel polish and have had my nails painted with 'shellac' many a time - I couldn't wait to try it on myself. Unfortunately, I didn't capture a photo with them on but the product lasted on my nails for 6 straight days. Usually, drugstore nail polishes chip within a day or two so this was a huge difference from me. Get your hands on these while you can girlies!

Have you purchased anything from Essence before? What are your favourite summer nails polishes?

Lots of love

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These products were received in collaboration with Essence Cosmetics. All opinions are honest and my own.

Festive Nail Polishes

Festive Nail Polishes

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Nail polishes become one of my favourite things around Christmas time. During the rest of the year, I usually find painting my nails an irritating chore but when Christmas arrives, I can't help feeling completely happy as I spruce up my nails with a red, green or glitter polish. 

At the beginning of the month, I attended Clothes Show Live with my best friend, Jess, and I received tonnes more nail varnishes to add to my winter/Christmas collection - a few of which will be included in this mini top 5 post. Enjoy! x

*FROM LEFT TO RIGHT*

Models Own - Scarlet Sparkle (a rich, Christmas red with thousands of ruby sparkles)

Models Own - Catherine Wheel (flecks of gold/red glitter strands that simply sum up Christmas)

Mint London - Hyper (cool green,blue tones with glitter to enhance those winter vibes)

Barry M - Silver (perfect for winter events to add some class to your outfit)

Barry M - Watermelon (a deep, sultry green to match your Christmas tree)

Lots of love 

9 Nail Polishes You NEED This Summer

9 Nail Polishes You NEED This Summer

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Painting my nails is seen to me as a massive chore, mainly due to the fact that I'm awful at it and always end up in a mess. However, in Summer, I have a little more motivation to do so - especially this year because I'm going on holiday with my bestfriend Jess to Turkey!

I thought I would put together my absolute favourite summer time nail polishes for you all incase you are a nail polish hoarder, like myself (I have no idea why I have so many/where they all came from?)

 Dior Samba 794 - A glamorous metallic green-blue polish that reminds me of the glistening waves in a tropical country. This was part of a duo from their Summer Bird of Paradise Collection in 2013.

Barry M Mediterranean Sea - A shade from their aquarium collection which I am deeply in love with. This colour is a rose pink with subtle hints of gold bursting throughout. 

Barry M Grapefruit - This one is part of the Gelly Hi-Shine range meaning they are a dupe of the gel manicures you get in a salon. This vibrant pop of coral/pink looks beautiful on sunkissed skin and holds a gloriously glossy finish.

Yes Love W865 - A neon orange that I would preferably wear on the toenails. You cannot go wrong with bright nail polishes on the toes, they look great during summer - just be careful if you're wearing clashing coloured sandals/flip flops! 

Models Own Lemon Meringue - A toned-down pastel yellow that isn't too 'in your face'. This looks really cute and girly for the day time and only needs one sweep over the nail to create a thick glossy coat.

Essie Mint Candy Apple - An infamous polish loved by all. Not only is this my #1 colour, it also holds all great traits of a fab nail polish. It stays chip free for a good week or so (something very hard to find in a drugstore varnish), the colour in the bottle forms opaquely on the nail with one layer and it applies smooth onto the surface of the nail. A winner from me!

Barry M Blueberry - Another of the Gelly Hi-Shine range. Blueberry, I would describe, as a sky blue that requires a build up of layers to achieve opaque-ness. Another of my absolute favourites from the bunch.

Barry M Indigo - This is a harsh navy shade with deep purple undertones. My favourite toe nail colour would have to be this - it really accentuates a summer tan, even if the sun has kissed you just a little. Although this is a dark shade, I just love how it complements the skin during the summer months.

Models Own Grape Juice - Last but not least is Grape Juice. Desired shade is achieved with two thin coats or a good ol' single thick one. Grape Juice is a soft pastel lilac that is a further great shade for a girly daytime look, just like lemon meringue. 

 What are you favourite Summer nail polishes? Are you going on holiday this Summer?

Love