Wednesday 31 December 2014

Top 5 Posts of 2014



It is always interesting to see the most popular posts on my blog, I love having a sneaky peak at the stats of each post, to see what people have most enjoyed reading.

1. Pollo Pesto Pasta  - My by far most read post of this year is my recipe to my pollo pesto pasta which I posted back in January after I had made it a few times and completely fallen in love with it. I still use this recipe every time I make it and its always as good as the last time.

2.  Zara Mini City Bag - is my favourite fashion purchase of this year and since buying it back in April I have used it none stop.  Fashion posts seemed to have quite high viewing this year, although I have not featured that many recently as I seem to have been more beauty focused. Something to differently try and do more of come 2015.

3. Escentual.com - An order which turned out to be a very important one as I finally placed an order on Escentual.com.  I bought the Real Techniques Sam's Pick's which turns out to include some of the best brushes I have ever owned. The multi-task brush is a definite staple within my beauty stash. I also stocked up on my Bioderma which is an everyday must within my skincare routine.

4. Rimmel Sun Shimmer  -  A post simply explaining how much I love the formulation, price, longevity and my go to everyday instant tan.

5. Birthday Presents  - Turning 20 and receiving such lovely presents was such a lovely day for me. For the first time on the blog I decided to share what I had got with my viewers and it turned out to be the right move. I love reading these on other people's blogs so why not do it on your own?

 I would like to say a huge thanks to everyone who had read my blog throughout 2014 and would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year, bring on 2015!

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Monday 29 December 2014

Kate Spade


A few months ago way before my sister headed to New York I casually showed my mum a sneaky picture of this bag and purse stating how beautiful I thought they both were. I had asked my sister for a new purse for Christmas and I was so excited when come Christmas morning I opened it and it was the exact purse I had wanted. My mum let me open all my presents and then told me there was an extra present behind the chair and within 5 seconds of ripping open the wrapping paper the bag was there in all its glory!

The style of the bag is the Cedar Street Maise, and the purse is the Cedar Street Stacy. They do not seem to sell the vivid pink in Selfridges or katespade.co.uk. Seeing as they were bought in New York I think they were quite a bit cheaper than over here as within the UK the bag costs £245 and the purse is £80. The quality of them both is high, and I have simply fallen in love with the brand and have had them displayed as arm candy ever since Christmas day.

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Sunday 21 December 2014

Manchester Christmas Markets


 




Every year for the past few years, Manchester has put on their annual Christmas Markets which are set up from around mid November. They have become such an monumental celebration within the city, and they are a truly festive site. They are dotted around the streets of the city in lovely wooden cabins all decorated in festive decor, they go on for miles and miles. The markets feature all different types of stalls from crafts to decorations and most of all the greatest selection of food you will ever see. There are food stalls from Dutch mini pancakes to the famous German wursts. As well as lots of sweets, chocolate covered fruit and a wide selection of cheese stalls. A main feature are the beer halls located in the main section next to the town hall where the giant Santa is placed. The beer houses feature all different types of local beer from within Germany and there are seating areas and bars within the wooden cabins. If you prefer you can get a mulled wine and they come in festive mugs featuring the markets logo with the year, which you can pay to take away as a little memoir.

Today is actually the last day they are set up before the markets close and all of the workers head back home for Christmas. I suggest if you live in the city or in the surrounding area to get yourself down there today! A little tip is that we went as a family on the last day last year and they sell everything off for half price to get rid of the stock. It is a really lovely day out and I guarantee you will walk away in the most cheeriest, festive spirit.

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Monday 15 December 2014

Skincare Routine featuring Clinique


I have been trying to keep up with a morning and evening skin care routine as much as possible recently in order to try and keep my skin clear. Clinique are one of the most well known beauty brands when it comes to skin care due to the vast amount and highly rated products which they sell. A few weeks ago I picked up three new products which I have never tried before, but have heard that they work wonders. Two products come from their anti-blemish solutions line the Cleansing Foam (£17) and the Acne Clearing Gel (£14). From reading a few blogs I have heard that Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm (£22) is an excellent and cheaper alternative to the Emma Hardie version. I have slotted the products into my morning and night routine and I love how clean and fresh they make your skin feel and they don't have a fragrance.  I am hoping that these will work there wonders and keep my acne at bay over the festive period.

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Wednesday 3 December 2014

One Year of Blogging

I posted my very first post in October 2013 and it was such a daunting experience uploading on my blog. It is strange because you do not have a clue of what is about to happen or the kind or reaction (if any) you are going to receive. I am not afraid to admit that I thought that it was going to be a lot simpler than it is to attract a growing audience, it terms of the blogging world mine has a small readers. I think that you have to be prepared that your not going to be the next best known blogger around, because whenever everyone sets out they deep down would like to achieve this and good on them. It can take up a lot of time and effort to try and make your blog the best that you want it to be. For me it started it out as a hobby and it still is I loved reading other people's blogs and thought I would give it a shot myself to see what it was all about. I have truly loved delving into the blogging world and community, and meeting so many smaller bloggers who blogs I find truly inspiration and deserve a lot more recognition.

I started out with this huge aim of posting a post every day, and at the start I managed this. However, it got to a point where it was totally impossible for me to juggle my time with blogging and doing everything else like university and working at the weekends. It frustrated me that I was unable to reach this aim that I had set out for, but then I realised that most of the 'big' bloggers do blogging as their full time jobs so therefore they had so much more time to dedicate themselves to achieving daily posts. It hit me that it was okay to just post two or three times a week, and fit it around everything else going on in my day to day life. I am now happy with the routine that I am in, but I do think that it can be a barrier to a growing audience. I also stumbled across the idea of starting my own YouTube channel as I thoroughly enjoy seeing my favourite bloggers having their channels as well. I feel it makes you be able to relate more to their posts on their blogs, and it is a much wider audience for you to reach out too. But for now I would not be able to fit this in, but it is definitely something I would consider in the future. However, YouTube is way more scary than having your own blog and you have to be prepared for all the criticism which unfortunately comes along with posting videos.

All I can say if I have thoroughly enjoyed it and it was the best but scariest thing that I have done in a long time. The slight issue which still seems to bother me is posting on my Twitter page which is lucyalanaxo. I use this as my personal and blog twitter as I thought it would be nice to integrate them both. I do feel though as if some of my followers might get sick of me posting my posts on that username as it is the one that I have had since I first signed up so I have all of my old friends on there. However, I think that it is easy to unfollow so if they get bored they can do with a click of a button. Twitter is such a big platform for your blog, and it is where I go to get the links to my favourite bloggers including Essie Button, Amelia Liana and ViviannaDoesMakeup. As well as being on Twitter to promote your blog and posts, bloglovin' is definitely a site which helps others to discover your blog, and for you to find new blogs which you love to reading.

I have loved doing a variety of posts, from beauty, fashion and lifestyle. Looking at my top 5 posts:

1. Pollo Pesto Pasta
2, Zara - Mini City Bag 
3. Escentual.com 
4. Rimmel Sun Shimmer 
5. Birthday Presents

It is easy to see that people enjoy reading all different aspects of my blog, and I definitely think bringing a variety of different posts brings in audiences from different places who have a wide scope of interests.

If you are considering starting a blog all the advice I can give is to just go for it! Honestly there is absolutely nothing you can loose. I am always striving to achieve a wider audience and I am not going to lie it is hard, really hard but if you passionate about it you will keep going!

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Sunday 30 November 2014

Letting Off Lanterns



I have never let lanterns off before which seems a little strange, but as a celebration me and my friends decided to. It was such a wonderful way to celebrate a special occasion and watch them lead off into the night sky along side the stars was a beautiful affair. We bought all different colours which was lovely and it really brightened up the occasion.

Have you ever lit lanterns?

Lucy
xoxo

SHARE:

Tuesday 25 November 2014

Marc Jacobs - The Lolita Palette






The second my sister mentioned she was going to New York the first thing which entered my little brain was Marc Jacobs! I think this is a little bit sad but my god am I glad to have my hands of this goddess of a palette. It is The Lolita Palette (206) coming from Marc Jacobs beauty range.

The pictures definitely do not do this beauty justice, but it features seven beautiful shades which are all easily wearable depending on your desired look. The colours featured in the palette are a matte off-white cream, matte nude, matte dark coffee brown, metallic warm pink with iridescent glitter, iridescent champagne pink seen, light peach sheen and rosy copper sheen. All the colours compliment each other perfectly and with a swipe over of the eyelid it creates a beautiful natural look which you can blend together to create a day or night look.

I could not go without mentioning the packaging, it is so slim and slender and looks so sophisticated on your make up desk, and as part of your collection. It also means it is easy to pack when you are travelling as it easily fits into your makeup bag with little fuss or space. Marc Jacob its renowned for it's fancy perfume packaging, and the black shiny shell to the palettes has not let us down! The price tag attached to this is $59.00 which is approximately £37, I would say this is good value in comparison with the Urban Decay Naked Palette which has the same price tag. You cant buy this from Sephora in store or online currently.

Will you be adding this to your Christmas list this year?

Lucy
xoxo

SHARE:

Wednesday 19 November 2014

Lush Northern Lights Bath Bomb


After my post featuring the launch of the Lush Christmas Collection, I just had to do an individual  post featuring my new favourite bath bomb it is Northern Lights. I just could not resist taking a photo, as it fizzled into a purple delight.I actually only used half of the bath bomb which I think is such good value. I was so surprised at how soft my skin felt whilst in the bath, as it contains jasmine absolute and ylang ylang oil which was so smoothing on the skin.

I am totally in love with this product, and will definitely be stocking up on these as soon as possible. This is perfect for a night when you need to de-stress after having a ridiculously busy day. It costs £3.50, but as I said you can make it last for two baths which I think is really good value.

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Sunday 9 November 2014

Primark Candles



In my recent Primark Purchases post I featured these candles as autumn essentials. They are just £2 and they have some really lovely scents in the collection. I had not tried this scent before which is Red Berries and Orchid but it smells lovely and is perfect for these colder months. I have previously purchased a different candle from the same collection in the scent Rose and Orchid, it is currently standing on my mantle piece but there is barely anything left in it. They have 30 hours of burning in them, which I would say is very good value considering the price. I understand that obviously the scents are not going to as exotic as more high end brands such as Jo Malone, but I think that they look pretty and the packaging doesn't actually look too cheap.

What is your favourite candle at the moment?

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Tuesday 28 October 2014

Christmas Lush Collection




I no its only October and I am a firm believer that Christmas can not start until at least November, but I just could not resist picking up two of Christmas bath bombs from Lush. There window displays are always magnificent and it simply drew me into the shop. I have never tried either of these products before so I was intrigued to see what they do. They are both £3.50 which is not cheap, but as a little treat and relaxation to yourself I think it is perfect.

I picked up Northern Lights which is a long purple stick of a bath bomb. The colour of this is what simply drew me in, it was so bright and vibrant. The lady told me that it will turn my bath water bright purple with blue running through it. It contains jasmine and ylang-ylang oil which is calming. The best feature of this is definitely the little silver stars which is contains which get scattered around your bath.

The second bath bomb I picked up was Luxury Lush Pud. I loved the holly in the middle and all the different colours speckled around the outside. The back half of the bath bomb is pink so that is the main colour which your water will turn  but then as it fizzes each colour will add to each making a rainbow in your bath! It contains lavender which will soothe and relax whilst your in a little world of you own enjoying the peace and quiet.

Have you picked any of the Christmas Collection up yet?

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Monday 20 October 2014

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Powder





If you are thinking have you seen this product before, don't be worried it is the same brilliant Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder from MAC, it has just had a makeover and now features a new stylish black packaging. I love, love, love when powder's come with a mirror so I was very happy about them adding this in. This is my third lot of this little beauty, and I just cannot get enough of it! The powder is light in texture but has great lasting powder to keep those shiny zones of the face at bay. I got it in the colour Medium and it is a great match to my skin, there are 15 colours in the collection so there is hopefully one for everyone. It is not the cheapest product on the market and definitely belongs in the high range category as it costs £23, but I have to say that these last a good 6 months and you really do get your moneys worth.

What is your current favourite powder?

Lucy
xoxo

SHARE:

Friday 17 October 2014

October Favourites




October has been a five week month meaning that I have had even more time than usual to round up my favourites from this past month. In a recent MAC Must Haves post, it featured Peachykeen and I explained how much I was in love with the colour, and it has become my go to everyday colour this month. Also featured was the Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer  in NW15, I love the smooth texture of this and it is great long-wearing concealer to cover pesky blemishes. The MAC eyeshadow in Sea Worship came from a specialist collection a few months back so is unfortunately not still available. The colour is so pigmented and applies such a pop of colour to your eyes.  My absolute favourite product from the month is the Real Techniques Multi Task Brush  I use it for applying for powder, bronzer and blusher, its just so good for all three! The Ultimelt by Soap & Glory is the best drugstore hot cloth cleanser out there, it feels like it is really digging deep into your pours and my skin feels so clean after application. My first favourite lip product comes from Revlon in the colour in Barcelona Nights. It is from the Colourstay Moisture Stain range and is a real steal at just £7.99. Finally, a good old favourite which still features regularly within my makeup routine is Tanya Burrs's lipgloss in Picnic in the Park.

What's been your must have product throughout October, I would love to know?

Lucy 
xoxo 
SHARE:

Primark Purchases





I took a trip to Primark last week and picked up a few new bits and bobs. I thought that the Little Mermaid makeup bag for £3 was so adorable and is perfect for travelling or to pop into your bag for day to day use. The candles are always so lovely and such a great price, the smaller one was just 80p and the larger one was £2. For winter essentials, Primark always allows you to stock up on this seasons must haves. I just could not leave the Christmas themed cosy socks on the shelf they just had to come home with me, they were just £2.50 for two pairs. The platted headband will be great for those freezing winter mornings to keep your ears nice and toasty and also looks cute in your hair, and for just £2 it is a total steal.

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Thursday 9 October 2014

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet




A month or two ago, I was browsing the huge Boots in Manchester when I saw a huge introductory offer on a new Bourjois lip product. I had seen these feature on a few people's blogs of those who had received samples of them, and I was intrigued as they looked very pigmented. I firstly picked up the colour Frambourjois which is red with a hint of orange to make it more accessible to way to wear day to day.

Then I saw Pink Pong on my next visit and instantly fell in love. I wear this often as it is such an easy way to create an intense coloured lip which instantly brightens a simple day to day look. They are now £8.99 to buy and they come in 8 colours featuring a variety of different colours.

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Sunday 5 October 2014

MAC Must Haves





I've done a bit of MAC shopping over the last few weeks and picked up some of my essentials.
First up the Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder has had a makeover and comes with some new fancy black packaging with a mirror in side which is very useful. My previous one lasted my for at least a year so you are definitely getting your moneys worth as it costs £23. I love the coverage of this, but best of all it feels so light on the skin and the application is simple.
Lingering Eyebrow Pencil is my most re bought item from MAC, I think this must be my fourth re buy of this just because I prefer a soft pencil as it makes application so much more easier and you can get your desired effect with little fuss, this costs £13.50.
It was time to add a new blusher to my minimal blush collection as it is one of makeup item where I have a few favourites and I just stick to what I know. The colour is Peachykeens and it suits my fair skin tone beautifully and costs £18.
Last up I wanted more of a cover up blemish product so I picked up the Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer in NW15. I have been previously wearing this product in NC20 as I was advised that this was best for my skin tone even though my foundation which is a perfect match is NW15. On application I have always found it a bit too yellow for my skin, even though it does work lovely as an undereye brighten. So this seemed liked the perfect solution to all my problems, and I am hoping it is at it's price tag of £15.50.

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Sunday 21 September 2014

Charlotte Tilbury Sexy Sienna Matte Revolution Lipstick





I have always wanted to treat myself to a product from the much anticipated line from the extraordinary Charlotte Tilbury. When I found out they were launching part of the line in Selfridge's in Manchester, I made a quick dash there the day before I moved back to Carlisle.

There were so many products which I had to pull myself away from buying because it is a high end beauty brand which comes with the usual pricey tag, although I could have gone crazy. I have heard a lot recently about the latest launch of matte lipsticks, and there had been a lot of love as to how great they were. The girl on the counter was extremely helpful and due to my fair colouring and blonde hair she thought that Sexy Sienna was my perfect match. She was totally right as soon as she swatched it on my hand, it was love. I do like vibrant colours, but I wanted more of an everyday nude/pink colour as this is what I tend to head for naturally, and this is just what this colour is.

The packaging is absolutely stunning gold and looks so nice taking pride of place on your dressing table. Like I did say, it is in no way cheap as it costs £23. But everyone once in a while you have to spoil yourself.

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Friday 12 September 2014

Moving Out to University?

I thought it would be a good idea to write a post directed those of you who are heading to university this September. Seeing as I am about to start my second year, I thought some of you would find it a useful to give you a little insight in to how I found my first year.

Firstly I have to say that I am doing a course which requires me to be in uni or placement for 40 hours a week, whereas some of my friends courses only had 12 hours of teaching. So it all really depends on what you are off to study. I would also like to add that I am at a University which is quite small but is still in a city and I also live away from home. However where I am, it is not a huge party town where there are student nights every night and there are tens of thousands of students. Nevertheless, I would still like to share my experience as some of you may be heading on a similar journey to me.

Moving out - For some of you, you will of chosen to stay at home and travel daily to your choice of university as you felt it was the best option for you. For others moving out of your home into an unknown place with know body you know can be a very scary thought. I am not the most confident person and I was scared at this thought out of  leaving my familiar settings at home, but honestly I think it was the best decision I could of made. Everybody is in the same boat when moving out, and everyone is having the same feelings as you even if they are not showing it externally there are differently thoughts whizzing round internally. When you arrive you most importantly just need to be yourself. I took a bit of time to myself once my parents left, to just process everything that had happened. I then just went and introduced myself to everyone and it is the biggest relief ever once you meet everyone and you start to realise that everything is really going to be okay.

Making friends - Once again like moving into your new accommodation you may be scared about approaching people and starting a conversation. But, I can assure you that everyone's thinking the same thoughts as you. Its great because I have friends who I lived with, and friends on my course making a whole new friendship group is great and will differently making you feel more settled in. Your never going to get on with everyone its just not possible, but there will always be people who you find have similar interests/hobbies as you which you find makes conversational talk very simple and easy.

Freshers Week - I am a girl who likes to go out and party and have a great time with my friends, meaning Freshers was something which I was really looking forward too. I know Freshers can be daunting and not everyone's cup of tea, but it is a great way to make friends and socialise in that first daunting week of starting university. I had a fab time in Freshers, it runs for 1 or 2 weeks mine was for two weeks. I did not go out every night as my lectures starting straight away so I was in uni 9-5 most days, however I did enjoy myself and headed out when I could especially at the weekends. If you are living in university accommodation it creates a great buzz around your new flat mates, and you get to know everyone a little bit more by the end of the week. I honestly loved it and can't wait to sneakily join in this year again. If Freshers is not your thing then no problem, there are loads of other events going on around uni for you to join in on.

Your course - I think it can be very daunting thinking about scary it is realising if you have made the right decision to firstly go to university, and most importantly whether you have chosen the correct course for you. Luckily I love my course and I definitely certain that I made the right decision for me to go. For my career, university is the only option which I am actually glad about. But I think it can open many doors in the future post graduation and it can make you realise what you really want to do with your life.

Being independent - Once you have recovered from Freshers and the real work begins, being organised is definitely more important than ever before. You need to know where you need to be and what time, lecturers are not there to direct you constantly you have to stand on your own two feet and be responsible for yourself.  It can be overwhelming in those first few weeks getting back into a routine after such a long summer break, but being organised will just make life a lot easier. I think you learn how independent you really are when living on your own, actually having to look after yourself. You will meet some people who can not cook and wash but it is all in the fun off moving away from home.

Dedication -  Now I am no way saying don't go out and have a good time, but the fact is you are there to get a degree. Most of you going off this September will be paying £9000 a year to go, therefore more than ever it is imperative that you actually put time and effort into what you are studying. You will definitely meet people who you find are there for the wrong reason, as they didn't know what else to do and came to get drunk every night and create as much chaos as they possibly think they can. But do you really want to be one of those people who looks back and thinks I could of achieved so much more at university.

Enjoy! This is the most important point I think out of everything, you have gone to university because you want to better your future. So go and make the most of your experience the months fly by and before you know it, it will be summer and your second year will seem scarily close. I hope this post has just given you just a glimpse into what to expect, like I say this is my experience and everyone has their own.

Lucy
xoxo



SHARE:

Tuesday 19 August 2014

No7 Brush Cleanser


Just before I went on holiday, it was time to do the brush washing ritual. However, I was surprised to see that my usual choice the ELF Brush Shampoo was completely used up and I some how had not realised. So when I was next in Boots I picked up the No7 Make Up Brush Cleanser. I have used it s few times now and I am pleased with the outcome, it has a refreshing scent and most importantly leaves them clean and fresh. It costs £8, but Boots are always giving out the £3 off skincare vouchers which you can use on this product making it a very reasonable price. I am definitely going to continue using this until it runs out, but then I am intrigued by the MAC brush cleanser which is a lot of people's go to product. The MAC version is more expensive and I am rather happy with this Boots alternative, and would recommend it to people looking a new and easy to use brush cleanser.

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Sunday 17 August 2014

J'Adore Clutch




After seeing this in my magazine last week, and I headed out to but it straight away and it was love at first site. Zara did this trend of clutch bags not to long along, however they sold out really quick and I never managed to get my hands on one. This is from Miss Selfridge and was £16, which I thought was a reasonable price. I will be able to use this on nights out to add a pop of colour to an outfit with its pastel pink colour.

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Wednesday 13 August 2014

Tiger Haul



I have seen a few Tiger hauls doing the rounds on peoples blogs, and was intrigued to see what the fuss was about. Whilst on holiday in Palma there was a huge store, I dragged the family inside and everyone instantly fell in love. It was a kind of a first discovery moment, like going to Ikea for the very first time. Everything was so cheap, literally either 1 or 2 euros, it is a big shop sellling all sorts of things including stationary and household bits. I spent 10 euro and got the entire content of the photos, it was stationary heaven.  It had those little bits and bobs that have cute, pretty prints which make you smile and you know you will get excited to use it. It is definitely one of those places where you can go wild and end up buying anything and everything, but I tried to restrain myself from going too overboard! There is a few located in England, everyone mentions the London one but I think it is slightly pricier compared to the stores in other locations in Europe.

Lucy
xoxo

SHARE:

Friday 8 August 2014

My Tanning Routine



I have seriously got into a tanning routine this summer and I have been using both instant and gradual. I usually shave, exfoliate and moisturise the night before I am planning on applying my tan which I usually do in the morning. I find this really prepares your body in the best way and creates a perfect basis for your tan to be applied too. I shave using the Gilette Venus and Olay Razor, as it has moisture bars attached to it, leaving the skin soft whilst showering. No matter which product I use, this years must have is my Rimmel Pre-Tan Exfoliator which featured in my June Favourites post. At just £3.99 this is an absolute steal, it has a gritty texture meaning it does the exfoliating job perfectly which is just what you need before applying your tan. Then I finish up using my Body Shop Body Butter in Strawberry to moisturise and leaves the skin silky smooth.

Instant tanning is great for those last minute occasions when you want to add a splash of colour to yourselves and you literally have 5 minutes to do it and for it to dry. If you don't have time for any of the pre tanning routine, I have found that my instant tan still picks up the colour great on your body so do not panic! I think if you are a beginner in tanning to definitely start with instant as it is definitely the easiest option. My favourite instant tan product also comes from Rimmel and it is the Rimmel Sun Shimmer in Light Matte. I did a post back in April on this product and I am still as obsessed as I was with my first impressions of it then. I have been using it on a regular basis especially on those days when the sun instantly appears and your unaware, and also on unexpected plans like having dinner at a swanky restaurant or a dressy night out. At just £6.99 it is definitely one of the most budget friendly tans on the market at the moment.

The more complex tanning option is the gradual tan. Xen Tan Ultra Dark Absolute Luxe has been my choice for this summer season. I only discovered this back in June, the downside to instant tanning is having to keep on top of the applications, and I wanted to see if I could find a gradual tan which lasts longer and makes my life q little easier! Well I am still working hard to achieve the perfect tan as I find it harder to apply as you can not see where you have applied the tan as the colour develops over a number of hours. However I have found that applying in long, circular motions seems to be my best bet. The Xen Tan even though it states its dark its not, I am a naturally pale and this is creates a nice, natural looking tan which when applied well looks great on. I find it does last a good couple of days which is exactly what I was wanting, but I am definitely in needs of brushing up and practicing my application skills.

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Thursday 31 July 2014

July Favourites



This post seems to feature a lot more products that usual, but with being on holiday for two weeks these products have been staples throughout the month.

Yes To Go Grapefruit Wipes -£3.99
Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine in Blueberry - £3.99
Real Techniques Multi-Task Brush - £29.99 in set from Escentual.com
Rimmel Lipstick in  - £6.49
MAC Sea Worship  - Extra Dimension £16.50
MAC Bronzer in Lush-Light Bronze (Not available)
Loreal Colour Riche Mono Eyeshadow in Nude 200 - £5.49

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Friday 18 July 2014

Topshop Buckle Geek Shoes




These cute shoes are from Topshop and are know as the Margate Double Buckle Geek Shoes in the colour Camel. I paid £32 as I bought them a few weeks ago, however they have now gone down to £15 in the sale!

They are so comfortable and I find that I have been wearing them with all sorts as the colour is nice and light for summer. The double buckle is a lovely addition to the shoes and makes them a little difference to anything else that I own.

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Thursday 17 July 2014

A Day at Wireless Festival







A week last Saturday, me and my sister headed to Wireless Festival in Birmingham for the day. We booked this last year and it was my first plan of summer which I was really excited about post finishing university for the summer. It was a pretty early start as we were getting the coach from Manchester to Birmingham which was a 2 and a half hour journey. We got there nice and early and headed for the coach, I don't think we quite realised how tired we were as we got on the coach the driver checked our ticket and we sat down. Just as we were setting off, we heard a girl behind us stating how she had never been to Hyde Park. We instantly realised we was on the wrong coach, and the driver said he didn't realise the festival was on in Birmingham and London. So finally on the correct coach we was on our way. We arrived at a pretty stressfree journey, excited for the day ahead. There was so many acts we wanted to say, we got organised and arranged our itinerary for the day.

We had an absolutely fabulous time watching Neon Jungle and Clean Bandit, John Newman is also exceptional live. We found J-Cole likes to use a lot of explicates and this was when we headed for dinner. There was so much food choice but we went for classic festival food in burger and chips which was rather lovely. The prices of festival food always breaks my heart, my burger and chips was £7 and my cider was £6.  A little extra addition was there was a local radio station there which was letting you have free transfer tattoos and they also had a photo booth. The headliner was Bruno Mars, but I was so excited to see Ellie Goulding she is so stunning and her voice is outstanding I had never been lucky enough to see her before and she was soooo good. She made the entire day for me being able to sing along to song after song was brilliant. The weather lucky held out which I was so happy about as my sister seriously does not cope with rain and being wet! Outkast was on next and I did not realise how much they rap which does not really interest me, but they obviously did there most well known and the entire field was going crazy at 'Hey Ya'. We then headed for tea where we opted for pizza and garlic bread. We caught the end of Robin Thicke just before he finished up with 'Blurred Lines', which created such a great atmosphere in the tent. Bruno Mars came on and I have tohe was just as good as we had expected, he has had so many songs and most of them are so uplifting and was able to have a good dance along to them. He finished off the day perfectly!
On the way home we got stuck in stand still traffic as there had been an accident on the motorway and there was also road works - chaos! It took over 4 hours and I was shattered when we arrived back in Manchester at 2.30am. There was some very lively drunken girls on the back of the coach which sang Bruno Mars songs on repeat for an hour in the standstill traffic, which is just what you want after a very long day - utter nightmare.

All in all I have an exceptionally fantastic day, I adore festivals with all the acts and the atmosphere we are planning on doing the same next year which is super exciting!

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:
Blogger Template by pipdig