Sunday Adventures in the Sun (featuring Firmoo)

Sunday Adventures in the Sun (featuring Firmoo)

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Now that exams are looming, for those who are students, like myself, the sun has spitefully come out in England whilst we are all crammed inside studying out butts off! Sunny days are one of nature's finest - something that can simply make my mood for the rest of the day. Therefore, my revision was taken to a much prettier landscape, in hope to motivate my procrastinating tendencies at this time of year. 

My boyfriend and I absolutely love to go for walks and discover new places. Today we decided to keep this Sunday adventure to a minimum and keep it within easy walking distance from my home, as we didn't manage to leave the house until four this afternoon. We equipped ourselves with a picnic blanket, revision material, sweets and plenty of cold water. Hydration is one of worst possible things, for physical and psychological process in the body, so make sure if you do revise in the sun, you are regularly consuming water. On sunny days like this (27 degrees celcius! FINALLY!!) I cannot resist the temptation of wearing a nice outfit and photographing it; the sun makes everything seem much more picturesque.

The weather was extremely humid, signalling loose clothing and strappy sleeves. Accompanying my outfit, I wore a plain brown rucksack to help carry all the necessities to our revision site. I tied my lightly-curled hair into a high pony - wearing my hair down is a huge no-go when the weather is hot, I cannot stand the my hair clinging to my skin.

My Outfit: 

Playsuit - Primark

Shoes - New look

Rucksack - Forever 21

Sunglasses - Firmoo

Fortunately, we found a quiet spot on a large field surrounded by trees and other greenery - only a couple of dog walkers passed by in the 3 hours we spent there! I love when the sun is hidden behind the trees; when the rays reflect through the branches I find it impossible to not take a photo. We chilled, revised and admired the nature surrounding us - the heat and atmosphere got us so excited for our two week holiday next year. If you guys have any recommendations of hot countries then let me know in the comments below.

My top essential for a sunny day would honestly be sunglasses - sun damage to the eyes is one of the most dangerous things you can expose your body to. My eyes also seem very sensitive to brightness so tinted sunglasses are a life-saver in the sun to prevent my eyes from watering like crazy! These beautifully crafted sunglasses were gifted to me by a brand called Firmoo; they offer an incredible range of prescription, and non prescription, glasses to their buyers. I was very impressed with the swift delivery and to see my shades encased in a stunning, rustic map glasses case. The pink frame and gold detailing is very flattering alongside the insane defined reflective feature. Reflective glasses are THE one, as you will all know if you've stuck by my little blog for some time.

~ My Firmoo Sunglasses ~

After packing all of our bits and bobs, we left off for home. However, we got distracted by the pretty fields that were on the opposite side of the road to our revision zone. Being both very excited as the sun was starting to beautifully set on the landscape, we decided to take some final images of our little day journey.

Don't forget to check out Firmoo to see their stunning range of (sun)glasses! Let me know which ones are you favourites from their website down below!?

Lots of love

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This post was in collaboration with Firmoo; however all opinions are honest and my own.

Luxury Products You NEED In Your Makeup Bag

Luxury Products You NEED In Your Makeup Bag

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Over my years of makeup hoarding and testing loads of different products, I have come to terms with what works for me and what looks like a complete disaster. Recently, I've been trying to narrow down my makeup into a very small 'ten products you can't live without'. However, I found this too challenging, as I'm a huge lover of both the expensive and affordable makeup. Therefore, I would like to bring to you part 1 of my favourite makeup products of all time. 

Also, I've been thinking about uploading my top 10 drugstore products of all time over on my Youtube Channel to coincide with this blog post. I'm starting a Youtube Channel in the next few months as I am so close to saving up for a new, good quality camera. I cannot wait to start making videos and hopefully receive a positive response, as I've been sooooo scared to do this. If you are interested in watching my future youtube videos, don't hesistate to click on the link above or type 'CharlotteEmilyXXXX' to find my channel and subscribe. Leave a comment below if you do!

On with the fun stuff...

FACE

Without a doubt, I always prioritise my highend base goodies over my (also-very-loved) drugstore ones. Personally, I feel that they provide such a luxurious feel on the skin, alongside creating an effect that lives up to their high prices. I'm 100% a full coverage girl and my NARS Sheer Glow fulfills my every need; with a smooth, silky finish, even complexion and long-lasting power, this foundation is one to settle anyone's 'flawless finish' needs. Accompanying Sheer Glow comes my trusty NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. Nars base products really work on my skin, building a firm base with a glowing radiance that counteracts my dryness. This concealer does my under eye circles wonders - illuminating my dull areas (under eyes, around my nose) and my T zone to highlight the centre of my face. 

Powder products are definitely my safety net when it comes to adding extra definition to my face. Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess, which you are probably sick-to-death hearing about from me, is a dream to blend when contouring, accentuating the hollows of my cheeks and structuring my face. The tiny golden flecks running through the product makes it perfect for the summer months when you want your face to glow under the sunlight. Blush is something I have love-hate relationship with; I am horrendously bad at applying the correct amount to my cheeks so I tend to avoid wearing it. However, after picking up MAC's Melba at the beginning of 2016, creating a soft, flushed effect has never been so easy. The warm, peach undertones form a natural look on my cheeks, something I've been wanting to achieve for months years! Saving the best till last - highlight!!! MAC'S infamous Soft and Gentle and The Balm's Mary Lou Manizer are the highlights you will always find lurking in my makeup bag; I alter between the two depending on my makeup look. If I've chosen cooler tones on my eyes/lips, I will opt for Mary Lou. Alternatively, Soft and Gentle compliments warmer tones so I pop some of that on my cheeks when I'm wearing a copper shadow and I'm good to go :)

EYES

Finding a single eyeshadow palette that I adore with all my heart was a challenge - I own many a shadow palette so it was very difficult to decide which met all my criteria. The Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette won! This was simply because it met everything I could ever want in a shadow palette - a mixture of matter and shimmers, intense pigmentation, all wearable/versatile shades, a variety of colours, a handy mirror and sleek packaging to fit in your makeup bag. I will honestly never stop raving about this palette because I love it soooo freaking much! My most used shadow is definitely Creme Brulee - it creates a gorgeous golden lid colour for those days where you just cant be bothered to spend 113432 hours perfecting your eye makeup.

LIPS

Another very difficult product to condense into my top favourites were my lipsticks. Fortunately, I've managed to narrow my choices to my top 3 lippies - a deep pink, a nude and a dark shade. Starting from the left, Charlotte Tilbury's stunning rose-gold packaging holds my all-time favourite 'your-lips-but-better- shade - BOND GIRL. This cool-toned, mauve pink is perfect for everyday wear but can also look glamorous in the evening too. The versatility of this lipstick is endless and it will never leave my purse/handbag/pocket no matter where I am. Nudes are my fall back if I'm wearing little makeup or don't want to draw any attention to myself - Chanel's Satisfaction is always something I go back to when I acquire a nude lip. The creamy formula feels incredibly luxurious on your lips and lasts for several hours, not something many lip products can do. Lastly, MAC's Dark Side is a more recent discovery; the dark, red/purple undertones really complement my ivory complexion and leave a thin, yet intense, satin finish.

What are you favourite high end makeup products? Do you have any dupes for the products I mentioned above?!

Lots of love

My Top 10 : Revision Tips & Tricks

My Top 10 : Revision Tips & Tricks

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A Levels are probably one of the most hardest and most challenging things I've ever done in my life. Throughout my years of education, I have absolutely loved, and hated school; I still find it extremely difficult to balance my social life, and other hobbies of mine, with revision. However, I've been able to explore ways which work and which don't to help me achieve the best grades possible. Thus I will be sharing my tips and tricks on studying with you in today's post to hopefully stop biology revision from driving me to insanity!

1. First and foremost, I always begin the exam season by creating a realistic timetable. I say realistic because my GCSE timetable included about 5 different subjects a night, which as you could imagine, didn't go down well. Before planning your revision hours/sessions, make sure you have pinpointed time for your weekly hobbies (e.g. sport, dance, music lesson etc), time for relaxation (I recommend you stop studying at least 1 hour before bed) and also time to socialize with family and friends.

You can colour code your timetable, like mine, for each of your subjects. As I am only taking four subjects, I've decided to split mine into sections so that I can focus on specific areas of my course. You can also use apps, like SQA My Study Plan or Skedule, to formulate a digital version of a study timetable.

2. A huge influencer of my procrastination would definitely be my phone. Therefore, as much as it may hurt, I advise that you ask a family member to hide it somewhere until your revision session is over. I believe that mobile devices can be a large distraction when trying to study so it is best to steer clear of too much mobile use over the exam season. However, I'm not saying to avoid technology as it can be a key helping point for finding unanswered questions and exam papers.

3. A personal favourite technique of mine is making flash cards, These are my predominant go-to when revising; the colours make it more fun to work with and concise, relevant notes ensure you are not overloading yourself with unnecessary information! If you're making revision cards, find your course's mark scheme, print it off and only write information it asks you to know. This way you are being efficient and not wasting valuable study time learning regarding something in a text book that you don't even need to know! Moreover, to utilise my finished flash cards, I put them in a pile on a my bedside table - this way I am reminded to read and remember them. I do this as I wake up and an hour before I go to bed. 

4. This may seem like a more obvious tip but using the correct stationery is crucial. When you see everyone around you using fancy paper, colours and flash cards, you can feel obliged to copy them. Nevertheless, you must do what is right for you. You can find this out by doing timed practice exams at home - revise in different ways to see what style of revision suits you. Not everyone will remember information through colours/visuals; for instance, my boyfriend likes everything to be in black and white when studying.

5. The classic - revision posters. Whether these be the standard mindmap or intricate diagram, posters seem to be a popular and effective method of revision. Make sure to be inventive so they catch your attention - stick them around your house in places you regularly visit (the fridge, your wardrobe or even the toilet). If you are consistently seeing the information, you are more likely to retain it. 

6. Printing off a TONNE of past papers has really aided my progression. As soon as I began working with previous exam questions, my knowledge expanded. This is technically the best way to retrieve the knowledge needed, in my opinion, as you are able to compare your answers to the mark scheme and see exactly what your exam board want from you. 

7. This next technique usually works if you have an eidetic memory, like myself. Eidetic memory is where visuals can help relate or denote an image vividly, enabling you to mentally see the photos/writing on a page. Therefore, I tend to purchase text books or create diagrams so that I can relate the images to writing on the page. Using colours also helps me a lot.

8. Remember to break down your subject into ordered section. This will stop your stress levels exceeding to maximum as you will have a focal point to work on that day. Once you've broken a subject into a section, make sure to create, or do, something that will help your remember the information and then answer some past questions on the topic. 

9. This is a good one of those who travel a lot or have a busy lifestyle - download apps that relate to your subjects/courses! By downloading releveant apps, you are able to revise on-the-go. This is convenient as you are studying and not wasting any time. My favourite revision app has to be Gojimo; this has an extensive array of subjects which can be specific for different exam boards.

10. Finally, you MUST have regular breaks. I am seriously guilty of not following this one and it results in insanity, for sure. It is proven that working consistently for over 3+ hours will completely demotivate a studient. Make sure to relax every hour or two, even if it is for 15 minutes to watch a couple of youtube videos, reading a book or having a meal.

Share in the comments below any methods you use to revise...

Lots of love

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade | REVIEW

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade | REVIEW

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Brows are one THE most important part of my makeup routine. Unfortunately, I am one of those people who suffer with sparse brow hairs; therefore, they are difficult to shape when I get them waxed whilst further costing me an eyebrow tint for the beautician to ever SEE the hairs they need to wax. 

Finally, after many years of trying out awful brow pencils and powders, I have at last found the formula to satisfy my brows righteous needs...

Formulation - The highly-pigmented formula aids smooth application onto the brows - the creamy texture allowing the product to glide with ease. Also, the 'gel' is thick so a little product goes a long way; realistically, one dip covers one of my brows.

Colour - Not being able to buy Anastasia in England is such a pain when choosing colour matches. Therefore, I tentatively trusted Google Images to supply me with the correct colour match. To my luck and fortune, I succeeded and the shade 'Chocolate' matched my brows perfectly. This shade is slightly warm toned, complimenting my pale/ivory complexion. Finally, it is simple to create the gradient effect (dark to light from ends to where the brows meet) - all you need to do is apply more product onto the end of your eyebrow.

Angled 12 Brush - This brush has saved my life; it gives me ultimate precision when crafting my eyebrows, simple application due to the thin bristles and angled shape, and accompanied with a spooly to help tame those annoying stray hairs!! I would 100% recommend picking this up along with the Dipbrow Pomade. I totally plan on purchasing one for gel liner too. 

Sorry for the cringey selfie, but this is what the product looks like on my brows.

Have you tried the Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade? What is your holy grail brow product?

Lots of love

Oreo-Filled Cookie Recipe

Oreo-Filled Cookie Recipe

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After seeing endless videos/pictures on social media of everyone's favourite treats encased in cookie dough, I knew I had to get baking! My boyfriend and I fell in love with the oreo-filled choc chip cookies and began to prepare a recipe...

Gather the ingredients below and follow our method to bake some of the best cookies you've ever tasted. If you do end up making some/a variation of these cookies, don't forget to send us a picture of them via my Twitter/Instagram Direct Messaging. 

Ingredients (serves 10) : 

200g Margarine

200g Caster Sugar

2 Eggs

400g Plain Flour

2 tsp Vanilla Essence

200g Chocolate Chips (100g White Choc & 100g Milk Choc)

Method :

1. Grease your baking tray and preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4.

2. Cut the margarine into small cubes, place in a bowl and mix the sugar until a fluffy mixture is formed.

3. Add both eggs to the mixture and stir. 

4. Sieve the flour into the mixing bowl - if your mixture looks like the desired dough, begin to knead.

5. After kneading the dough, incorporate your choice of decoration/added extras (ours were white and milk choc chips!!!)

6. On a clean surface, break a small section of the dough mixture and press until a flattened, circular shape is achieved. Place an oreo, or your specified treat, onto the dough and fold the outer layer so the oreo is completely covered. 

7. Repeat step six for the rest of the mixture. Place on the baking tray and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Remember to leave them to cool on a rack for a further 10 minutes after being in the oven.

8. ENJOY! Eat them alone or acquire some mint chocolate ice cream as an added touch - it tastes amazing!

I hope you all enjoyed this slightly different post - comment below if you would like to see more recipes on my blog in the future. :-)

Lots of love

Online Avenue's Suede Stilettos

Online Avenue's Suede Stilettos

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What girl doesn't like strutting into a party with mega high stiletto heels (well, unless you're me and occasionally feel like a 7 foot giant)?

Today's post revolves around Online Avenue's insanely high, black suede, golden ankle-strapped heels - aren't they just gorgeous?! I was in awe when I received these and wondered why I didn't own anything like this in my shoe collection.

Itzel Retro Look Heels - RRP £23.99

These stunning high heels can make any girl's dreams come true - I was in heaven when I tried these on and looked in the mirror to see my legs appear longer. I have such short and stumpy legs so this was a huge bonus for me; the 'lengthening' of my legs also made them appear slimmer, another thing that satisfied my needs. Also, something I find with pointed-toe heels is that they can squish your feet but these feel super comfortable at the front and are completely squish-free! My favourite aspect is the golden, metallic strap that hugs at your ankle - personally, I find these a lovely additional touch to a shoe and can really complete an outfit.

One thing I would definitely recommend is to purchase your shoes one size larger than your normal size; my feet were insanely squished in the first pair I bought so I had to return and get the next one up. The delivery and exchange was insanely swift with no time wasting - I had these beauties back in my hand in no time!

I will most certainly be getting the Red and White pair of these retro styled shoes. My other favourite pair of shoes from Online Avenue's trainer collection would have to be their Elyse Lace Up Mesh Running Shoes; the black and turquoise look incredible together and would be amazing for a cheap pair of gym trainers at £14.99.

Lots of love