rebecca

Hello You Lovely lot!

I have been AWOL recently and I do apologise for that. I am really determined to get back in to blogging over summer because it is something that I enjoy so much! I just lack with ideas and motivation at the moment. So, hopefully turning over a new leaf, here id my first blog post of many! Of course it had to be a favourites. Favourites blog posts are some of the best to write because I just get to talk to you all about things I love, what could be better?!

Beauty / Skincare :

I have had so many Beauty/Skincare items that I have been obsessed with this month so it took me a while to just narrow it down to one. However, when i really think about it, it's clear who the real winner is.

NYX Prismatic Eyeshadow - Liquid Gold







My friend Nathan actually gave me this shadow as a little gift and I am in love. Whenever I put it on I feel as if my eyeshadow looks one hundred times better. I normally wear it with orange shades in my crease and it creates such a lovely smokey eye! Super easy to blend out and highly pigmented, incredible!

Music : 

Between when I wrote my last favourites post and now there's been so many artists and albums that I've loved and I think it's impossible to narrow it down to one because it has been such a long time. So here's a quick little list to give you the rundown of what I've been listening to!

Albums :

Harry Styles - Harry Styles
midnight - Lewis Watson
Sleep Is For The Week - Frank Turner
Speak Now - Taylor Swift

Songs :

Hold Your Tongue - Frank Turner
Heartbeat - Wildfires
There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back - Shawn Mendes
Power (feat Stormzy) - Little Mix

TV / Film :

If you know me (or follow me on Twitter because it's all I ever tweet about every night at 9pm) then you may be able to guess what I have been obsessed with recently!

Love Island

This is the third series of Love Island that I have watched and although I feel that this series has taken a while to get really interesting I fall in love with it more every single time I watch it. So far my favourites are; Kem, Dom, Marcel, Montana, Camilla and Gabby.

Photo : 

Maybe a month or two ago I went to a four day Frank Turner festival. It was one of the best four days of my life. Throughout that weekend Frank played my favourite song of all time twice. I took this photo whilst he was playing it the second time. The song means the world to me and I even want a tattoo to remind me of it!

Hello You Lovely Lot!

As I'm sure all of you know I'm a vegan and so this year I can't have my beloved Dairy Milk advent calendar. My parent's actually bought me a Yankee Calendar for this year so I still has something to open every day...not like I'm 20 in January or anything...nope. And so, with that being said, I thought I would compile a list of Advent Calendars that didn't include chocolate for vegans, people who don't like chocolate or people who just want something different this year! I know it's a little late but it's never too late to buy an advent calendar (plus the later you buy it the more you get to open in one go so, that's a plus)

Yankee Candle - Holiday Party Advent Calendar (£17.49)

This is the one that I have and I LOVE it! You basically get a tea light every day and then on Christmas even you get a slightly bigger one on Christmas Eve. There's six scents in it I think? All of which are just lovely I have to say. Also, the tea lights last for a really long time considering they're only little!

You can buy that here!

Oliver Bonas - Nutcracker Jewellery Advent Calendar (£20)

This is out of stock now but what an amazing idea for next year! I've never heard of a jewellery advent calendar and I love the idea of it. As someone who doesn't wear jewellery I think that this would make me wear it more. Especially considering it's Oliver Bonas I imagine all the pieces to just be gorgeous. I think it would also get someone who just wears the same pieces again and again to go out of their comfort zone!

Yankee Candle - Holiday Party Special Party Pavilion Advent Calendar (£20.99)

This appears to be one step up from the one I have because there's more scents and there's also bigger candles in some of the windows! This is for the person in your life that REALLY loves candles (which I do, so next year I might have to buy this for myself) and it's not that bad of a price if you think about how expensive Yankee Candles are!

You can buy that here!

Tanya Burr Cosmetics - 12 Days of Christmas Gift Set (£25)

I have never had a beauty advent calendar but I feel like if I was going to have one this would be where I would start. It's on the low price end for beauty advent calendars but still amazing quality. I have an eyeshadow palette by Tanya and the makeup is lovely! It's always nice to try a load of different products and I'm pretty sure that in this you get a few things that aren't in her collections!

You can buy that here!

Makeup Revolution - Beauty Advent Calendar (£30)

I LOVE Makeup Revolution and I had no idea that they even had an advent calendar or I totally would have bought it for myself! I think advent calendars like this are such a good idea because you get to try stuff you never would have bought otherwise and could possibly find a new favourite product! A must have for next year for me!

You can buy that here!

Perkulate - Coffee Advent Calendar (£35)

I found this on notonthehighstreet which is amazing anyway! I'm not the biggest coffee fan although I have been drinking it more in the mornings because I'm just SO tired. If you know someone who's just got in to coffee I reckon this would make a perfect gift because they get to try a different coffee every day and they can't complain about that.

You can buy that here!

Lime Tree London - Letter Advent Envelope Bunting (£39.50)

Now this isn't necessarily an advent calendar itself but you get to put your own gifts in the little envelopes so you can put whatever you like in them. Obviously this isn't really one you'd buy for yourself because you'd know what you were getting. It also would be, more likely than not, a little bit more expensive because you'd have to buy the gifts too but I think the thought is lovely!

You can buy that here!

POSTTEA - Advent Calendar of Tea (£49)

I love tea too and I drink a lot more tea than coffee. I had a look at the Bluebird Tea Company one but it was sold out and then they said they some of their vegan ones left but I couldn't find them but I didn't want to put it in if it wasn't vegan because that might be why you're here! However I think this one is vegan! I am constantly trying new teas and so to have a new one every day would be absolutely amazing!

You can buy that here!

Ciaté - Mini Mani Month Advent Calendar (£50)

Now I don't have any nails really so this would be a bit pointless for me (it's because I bite them, the shame) but for someone who is a nail varnish fanatic this would be perfect. I don't think you'd ever need to buy nail varnish ever again if you bought this lets be honest. I don't even think they're samples I'm sure they're full size which is amazing for the price it is.

You can buy that here!


So there you have it! A list of Chocolate Free advent calendars! I hope this helps people and makes everyone realise that even when you grow up and your parents wont buy you a chocolate one (which mum tried to do last year, she didn't get away with it) there are other alternatives!

Thanks For Reading!

Becky

Hello You Lovely Lot!

So, this post is a bit later than my favourites would usually be but that's because I've been busy revising for my exam (which is now over so SUMMER IS HERE EVERYONE). However, I love doing my favourites so much that there's no way I could skip a month! So, here you have it...

Beauty / Skincare : 

I have to say that there's only one contender for my beauty favourite this month...

Urban Decay Alice In Wonderland Palette




So I bought this early on in May I think and I am SO glad I did. I wasn't sure about it at first because some of the shades looked like I would never be able to use them but I have fallen in love with those shades. The shades that I have used the most from the whole palette has to be the green one 'Hatter' and then the turquoise one 'Heads Will Roll'. These are colours that I never thought I would use but I think I might hit pan on these one first. Urban Decay eyeshadows have always been beautiful and so so blendable and this palette has encouraged me to use my other Urban Decay palettes more.

Music :

I wrote a whole other blog post about this so I'm not going to go in to too much detail about this album but my favourite album for May has been...

Meghan Trainor - Thank You




This is such a good album and I even bought a physical copy the other day so that I can play it in my car (because my car doesn't have an aux, I know, how sad is that). I don't think theres a single song on it that I don't like to be honest. Obviously there's a few that I like more than other but that happens with every album I think.

Top Five Songs :

5. Mom
4. Dance Like Yo Daddy
3. Kindly Calm Me Down
2. Woman Up
1. Me Too

Other Songs I've Loved :

You're Such A - Hailee Steinfeld
Teenage Dirtbag - Wheatus
Everything I Knew - Busted
Don't Go Alone - Bry
Hair - Little Mix

TV Show : 

This is something that I've only got in to towards the end of the month. I just haven't had time to watch TV recently but now that I have not much left to do with my life I've got back in to...

Dance Moms


I think I gave up on Dance Moms because after a while it gets quite repetitive. They go to a competition, Maddie wins, Abby shouts and that's that. However, when I found out that Maddie and Mackenzie are leaving I wanted to see everything that lead up to it. I'm currently about half way through Series 4 so I'm really excited to carry on watching!

Purchase :

This is a product that will probably also be in my YouTube video that I make however it deserves to be in both because honestly it's amazing

Makeup Revolution - Ultra Blush Palette - Sugar and Spice


This is meant to be a blush palette and I have used it for blusher before and of course it's lovely. However, it is also an amazing eyeshadow palette! These are so pigmented and just the most gorgeous pinks. I got it because Nicole recommend it and now all I can do is recommend it too because I am totally in love.

Photo : 

My favourite photo for this month is one that I took at Busted...


This was when they were on the B Stage and it was one of the best parts for me. The stage was so pretty and they played two of my favourite songs on it. It was one of these moments where everyone has their torches on which is just the best part of any concert to me!

What's Exciting About Next Month?

Well next month (or tomorrow as I write this but it's fine) I'm going to see Coldplay! I've waited years to see Coldplay and I can't even believe I'm finally going to see them it's crazy! It's also the first month of Summer for me which I am so happy about. As much as I've loved my first year of Uni, it'll be nice to be back home and I'm starting a new job too!

Thanks For Reading!

Becky x

Hello You Lovely Lot!

So a while ago I went internet shopping mad and bought a load of things i really didn't need so I thought I would give you a first impression of a few of the things! There will be different blog posts on the other things I bought. I have grouped these three things together because I used all of them to create one look which you can see if you head on over to my youtube channel :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78n3WZB99As

Contrary to the title, I started with the MAC brush to apply my foundation so my first review will be that (I really should have planned the title out better lets be honest)

MAC Oval 6 Brush

I wasn't sure about this (although it did come in lovely packaging) to begin with. I think it just felt weird putting my foundation on with this kind of brush when I'm so used to using a beauty blender? But it's definitely something I could get used to! As I mention in the video, one positive to it is that you won't have to keep repurchasing it like you have to keep repurchasing beauty blenders. I don't know about you lot but I buy beauty blenders so often and I don't know whether that's everyone that does that or just me?! It could be the way I wash them or the way I use them, I don't know, they just seem to give out on me so fast! This however, just needs washing after you use it (which I do with a beauty blender anyway) so I guess it could be seen as a bit of a hassle. I think that you need to wash it between every use because otherwise my fear would be brush marks and that is one makeup faux pas! The bristles didn't feel like I expected them to at all, they were so soft and densely packed. I don't know whether this does any better than a beauty blender but obviously, as I've mentioned, there is the money you save. Overall I am really glad I bought this because it left a nice finish and it was just so quick to use whereas with a beauty blender I feel like I have to just keep going to get it perfect. I would totally recommend this brush but if you're not sure you can just go in to your local MAC store and just ask them about it!

Makeup Revolution Ultra Cream Contour Palette

I didn't get on with this at all but I think that might have just been down to the fact that it's the first time I've ever tried cream contouring. I wasn't really sure what brush I should use so I used my Real Techniques Rose Gold Contour Brush which I think may have been my first mistake to be honest. It left a really thick line that just didn't look great. The lightest colour, I used a concealer and under my eyes it worked a charm but not so much on my spots but I'm not judging it on it's concealing powers since it's not meant to be a concealer! I think I just need more practice on this is I'm honest but if anyone has any tips please feel free to let me know!

Makeup Revolution Ultra Blush Golen Sugar 2, Rose Gold Palette

I have another ultra blush palette which is sugar and spice and I am in love with that so I thought I would just buy another one but I think that could have been a bad decision because now I want them all? This palette is meant to be for bronzing and highlighting but I have yet to use it as that! I used it as eyeshadow in the YouTube video and it worked a charm! The other palette I have is also something I use for eyeshadow but it looks beautiful on the cheeks too because i have used that one for it's actual purpose. The fact that these are multi-purpose, whether they meant it to be or not, makes me so happy. These are so easy to blend and so pigmented. They're incredible for the price they are and I would highly recommend it to anyone!


Overall the only product I wouldn't recommend would be the cream contour but that could change so fast if I actually work out how to use it so I just need to play around with it a bit more because I can properly say how I feel about it! However, for the price it was I think it's great and I'm a massive fan or Makeup Revolution for this reason!

Thanks For Reading!

Becky x

Hello You Lovely Lot!

I feel like it's been ages since I last wrote a blog post and I really have missed it! It's also been ages since I did a review so I thought I would grace you all with my words of wisdom (I'm not actually very wise...sorry).

So, the last review I did was also on a NARS makeup product but I can't help it that they're all so amazing! I have also mentioned this product before in a favourites but I think that it deserves a whole review of it's own. I have used it every single day since it arrived on my doorstop and I just thought I sing it's praises in a little blog post!

Of course I am talking about the...

NARS Copacabana Illuminator




I bought this product a few months ago and I was really anxious about spending that much money on a highlighter. This product is retailed at £23.00 on feelunique.com however I think I bought mine from ASOS. (I KNOW, ASOS DOES MAEKEUP...WOAH, RIGHT?!). I have heard SO many people hype and rave about this product and I'm sure you have too.

Before this highlighter I had only just started using the Sleek highlighter that came in the contour palette. Highlighting is a relatively new thing for me and I only started to do it because I started contouring and it came with the palette that I bought. However, I will now never be able to go back to not using a highlighter.

I have the liquid version and not the multiple stick. I haven't tried the multiple but I feel like it would just push my foundation around. If you've got the multiple of tried it feel free to let me know how you find it because I wanted to buy one that I could use as a blusher!

This highlighter just gives you such a glowy look without making you look like Edward Cullen (I don't know how many times I've made that joke but it's too many and that's all I know). However, I do think it's easy to put too much on. It is really build-able though so I just put a really small bit on and then add more until I'm satisfied. The fact that you only have to use a little bit means that it it going to last you a long time. If you want to see me using it then I made a 'Daily Makeup Routine' video for my YouTube which you can watch here. Considering I use mine every single day that I wear makeup, I've hardly made a dint in it. As a student, I know that money is a precious thing but I can promise you that this is worth the investment. My skin just looks so much healthier and dewey when I use it.

Hopefully you enjoyed this review and maybe even go and buy the product yourself. If you have a Space N.K Apothecary near you then I know that they stock NARS so you could even go in and ask for them to try it on you. Same with any Harvery Nichols and I'm sure there are other places that stock NARS!

Thanks For Reading!

Becky x