Revlon Colorburst Matte Balms

I'm either a hollywood red or deep berry kinda gal...there is no inbetween, and although I'm brave enough to wear such dramatic lip shades, I rarely set foot outside of my comfort zone. Everyone's raving over the Kylie Jenner 90's lip and the increasingly popular nude lip products that are EVERYWHERE at the minute, and it made me want to try something new...

Don't worry this isn't another tutorial on how get lips like a Kardashian - but rather I'm introducing to you the newest additions to my lipstick collection!

Taking advantage of the recent 3 for 2 offer at my local Superdrug store, I picked up a selection of Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balms. And feeling it was time to step out of my red lipstick comfort zone, I picked up an array of colours that I've never thought of trying before!

These look similar to the Clinique Chubby Sticks but are just a fraction of the price at £7.99 each. They are a moisturising lip crayon that eventually dries to a matte finish, but without leaving your lips feeling like you haven't had a drink of water in about 3 months. You get quite a lot of product for you money - when it runs down, you just twist the silver bit at the end and voilá...more product! 

The gorgeous and vibrant colours I picked up are;

Complex, which is a gorgeous peachy nude which I was inspired to buy by my beautiful friend Laura after she rocked a similar shade on our recent night out!

Elusive, which is a pretty girly pink colour that I think will serve me well all year round, and will be perfect for those barely there makeup days.

Audacious, which is the boldest of the three but the one I am excited to try the most! It is a dramatic coral/orange shade which I'm not sure will work as well in winter or against my skin tone but I'm super excited to properly give it a try, and I'm sure this will be another spring and summer favourite!

  Complex

 Elusive

Audacious

They have a few other colours available, including a gorgeous red shade and a wintery plum shade that I'm sure will be making their way into my collection before long but I am looking forward to branching out and trying these little babies out for size! Also available in the ColorBurst collection are a range of Balm Stains and Balm Lacquers that are all equally as beautiful and perfect if the matte look isn't for you!

Have you tried these or something similar before? What is your favourite shade? Let me know in the comments below and follow me on GFC and Bloglovin...I'm thinking of running a lovely little giveaway once I reach 200 followers (nearly there!) Link me your blogs too, I love reading them! 

Always, Alice x

Christmas Jumpers Galore!

What better way to get into the festive spirit than with the addition of a Christmas jumper to your wardrobe!

I love a good crimbo jumper...who doesn't?! I know they're bright and tacky and you probably wouldn't really be seen dead wearing them anywhere other than in your front room eating your turkey dinner with the family whilst watching the Eastenders Christmas special, but it's something that just has to be purchased, right?

After perusing the internet for the best there is to buy, I'm bringing you my picks of the most festive Christmas jumpers that shops have to offer, and I'll hold my hands up and say that this year they are FANTASTIC! I am a Christmas nutjob - I love everything about it, even down to the brussel sprouts -  so you can imagine my excitement writing this post...only 1 month to go people!

  

                                                         Asos - £32                                                                         Asos - £35

         

New Look - £27.99                                    New Look - £14.99

        

    Topshop - £46                                              Topshop - £40    

        Missguided - £22.99                                   Missguided £22.99

How cute are the last 2 from Missguided? They come with detatchable pieces so you can create your own design! So adorable!

Anyway, let me know what you think of my picks and which ones are your favourite! Also I'd love it if you all let me know a bit about what your family Christmas traditions are in the comments below too as I love hearing about how everyone celebrates their Christmas! 

Always, Alice x

I've been Cohorted!

I first discovered Cohorted after reading a blog post by Thumbelina Lillie. The idea is simple; sought-after products are sold via Cohorted and the more people that purchase, the lower the price gets (there's a limit of course!)

What a genius idea!

Everyone loves a bargain, but receiving a bit of discount on something that is high-end is relatively unheard of! Sometimes a product may be only 10% off but there have been products on offer at a whopping 70% off previously, and with brands such as D&G, Benefit, Too Faced and Chanel to name a few, this website is every beauty lover's dream.

4 cohorts are released every week, each with 7 days in which to buy, although the more popular the product, the quicker it is likely to sell but at a cheaper price as lots of people are buying it...geddit?

You can also 'request' a future cohort from a list of products, by leaving your email address and then you receive a lovely little email when it goes live so you can get your debit cards at the ready! This part is a bit of a tease if you ask me though, as I'm so impatient and the future cohorts always look so good...

After a couple of weeks of checking the website to see what was on offer, I decided to take the plunge and join the cohort, buying this little beauty!

Every woman and her cats want a piece of the Urban Decay action and ever since the release of the Naked Basics palettes, they have been on everyones wishlists. I'm severely lacking in the Naked palette department, and I'm not lucky enough to own any of the full size palettes just yet (they're on my christmas list though!), so I thought this would be a good place to start!

I've never been much of an eyeshadow lover - I always thought the options were either a black smokey eye or something ridiculously bright and obnoxious - but lord above, I've been converted. I'm all about a subtle eye and bold lip, and this little palette aids me with that perfectly. The 6 matte shades that come with this go from an ivory to a very dark brown, with plenty of neutral shades in between.

l-r Skimp, Stark, Frisk, Cover, Primal, Undone

I now wear eyeshadow pretty much everyday and this palette has drastically change my attitude towards makeup - cheesy, I know, but true! - I can't wait to get my hands on the full sized palettes and have a play with the shimmery shades. 

The Naked Basics 2 set me back a modest £15.40 (rrp £22) so I saved a lovely £6.40. Not a groundbreaking saving but every little helps! You receive free delivery on all cohorts and you also receive loyalty points after every purchase, which is another cool idea!

The only negative thing I have to say is that delivery did take a while, probably about 2 weeks as you have to wait until all 4 cohorts for that week end before your order is dispatched (I ordered on the first day the cohort came out which was probably the wrong move!), however that is me being a bit pedantic and if I'd have read the website's delivery info a bit better it would have more than likely explained all that!

I'd definitely join another cohort soon, and I already have my eye on a few products that will be for sale soon! If you love a bargain and can't resist a luxury product then this is the website for you! New cohorts are posted online every Monday at 6pm so go check out what all the fuss is about this Monday! You will not be disappointed :)

Have you ever used Cohorted? Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Always, Alice x

Todays Adventure...Harrogate Knit And Stitch Show

Today I was lucky enough to go to The Knit And Stitch Show in Harrogate. It's basically a crafter's idea of heaven, with everything available to buy from fabric to buttons, to fashion and so much more! There's even a few exhibitions from some AMAAAAZING textile, fashion and knitwear designers which was so inspiring let me tell you! 

Today wasn't the first time I've had the pleasure of visiting the show - I went twice whilst I was studying Textiles at college a few years ago - so I knew what to expect when I got through the doors, but I was still completely overwhelmed! I have literally never seen hoards of people to that scale all under one roof and each and every one was all there with the same interests but a broad scale of age and knowledge, which was quite interesting thinking about it.
I haven't really spoken about my love of crafting much on my blog, but after studying Fashion Design and Textiles for a few years at school, college and a poor attempt at university, it is still very much a passion of mine that I sadly haven't had much time recently to divulge myself into. Well let me tell you, I am bloomin' well inspired after today! I even decided to start myself off with a new hobby - knitting! Yes thats right, I am 22 going on 82 but it's something I really want to learn how to do and I've heard it's super relaxing! Plus how handy would it be to be able to make my own knitwear instead of buying from the shops...now there's a thought.

All in all, I had a grand day and picked up some little treats for myself including a lifetime's worth of fabric fat quarters...I can't resist a bargain, okay?!
Here are some photos I took throughout the day, I hope you appreciate the amazing handiwork as much as I do!

Have you ever been to anything like the Knit And Stitch Show? Do you have any crafty hobbies? Let me know in the comments and follow me on GFC and Bloglovin if you want to keep up with my blog :)

Always, Alice x

Advent Calendar Hotlist!

With only 2 and a bit weeks left until December, it's nearly time to bring the advent calendar out and let the countdown to the big day begin! 

We're spoilt for choice this year, with calendars for the beauty lover, beer lover, and of course the traditional chocolate lover. In fact, I think there's probably an advent calendar out there to suit just about everyone! 

Here are my top picks of the best advent calendars that are on the shelves this year - fingers crossed my loved ones read this eh, hint hint!

Ciaté Mini Mani Manor - £49

Ciaté have produced a similar calendar for a couple of years now and I've wanted one of these bad boys ever since I saw a lucky someone instagramming their countdown goodies last year! With nearly every nail polish colour you could ever possibly need in mini form, and a little selection of their nail caviar and glitter polishes too, this is a must have for the beauty obsessive with the extensive nail polish collection. A great price too for the quality of product you get inside!

Liberty Beauty Christmas Advent Calendar - £149

Obviously this is massively on the pricey side for an advent calendar but would be perfect as a little treat before christmas! It features these gorgeous little Liberty printed drawers that are jam packed with high-end goodies that you'd find in the store itself, eg. NARS, Eve Lom, Diptique, Laura Mercier and Dermalogica. With so many mini products, this one would be every bloggers dream...think of how many blog posts and reviews you could squeeze out of that!

Tea Garland Calendar -  £38

I found this amazing creation on notonthehighstreet.com, and it's basically just 24 days of yummy tea! Each adorable sachet provides enough tea for 2 cups, and it even comes complete with a little tea strainer! It's fairly pricey for what you get but for that tea-mad friend or family member, this would make their year! You also get a special secret something to open on Christmas Day itself (hands up who wants it to be a pack of digestives?!) 

Benefit Candy Coated Countdown - £60

Upon first glance I thought this, again, was on the pricey side. But after another look, boy was I wrong! If anyone has kept up with my previous posts you'll know I have started a little collection of the Benefit tin palettes, so unsurprisingly I NEED THIS IN MY LIFE! 60 English pounds may seem like a lot for an advent calendar, but you get a mini sized version of pretty much all of their best sellers (They're Real Mascara, Dandelion cream blush and Watts Up Highlighter to name a few!), and some extra little beauty treats thrown in there too this is sure to make anyones christmas start off brilliantly. How cute is the packaging too?!

Lindt Bear Adorable Advent House - £9.99

What Christmas would be complete without a chocolate gold foil-wrapped Lindt bear? This box of sweet goodness features mini reindeers and bears galore, and also the traditional melt in the mouth Lindor balls. New for this year as well, it also feature chocolate drops which sound AMAAAAZING! This is the perfect treat for the kiddywinkles in your life or perhaps just a cheeky gift to yourself. Not a bad price either!

What Advent calendar are you hoping to receive? Would you prefer a beauty themed one or the traditional chocolate option?

Always, Alice x

Trying out Nic's Picks...

After resisting this little box of magic for quite some time, I finally gave in to temptation at the weekend and purchased the Real Techniques Nic's Picks brush set!

I have to admit, makeup brushes were one of the last things I added to my makeup stash, as I was never convinced that I needed them and would just use my fingers or a grotty foam pad...not good! I have since seen the error of my ways after purchasing the Real Techniques Core face set, and let me say, makeup brushes are now my new obsession. 

Whilst applying my face makeup was a dream, I still struggled with my eye makeup and would completely avoid experimenting with eyeshadow simply because I didn't have the tools to work with. Enter Nic's Picks...

It features 5 brushes, 3 of which are for the eyes/eyebrows (win!), and 2 for the face. They come in this luxurious silver design, with 3 exclusive brushes that are brand new!

The set includes;

-  a duo-fiber face brush that is amazing for use with face powder or a light application of bronzer/blusher! It's bristles are more spaced apart than your  standard brush which allows for a sleek application and the finish is flawless!

- an exclusive cheek brush that is shaped perfectly to the apples of your cheeks and glide effortlessly across the cheekbones. I think this is my favourite brush out of the whole set as it actually makes my blusher stay put!

- the exclusive angled shadow brush, which is the tool for applying eyeshadow into the crease of your eyelid and building up a neat layering of product. The shape of this is awesome as it fits perfectly into the crease and makes creating sultry looks a dream!

- a base shadow brush, which is just a cute rounded brush to apply shadow to the main part of the eyelid. I think this would also be great used for concealer too as it's the perfect shape and size for under the eye!

- an exclusive angled eyeliner brush that makes applying eyeliner so much easier! Personally though, i use this to fill in my eyebrows, combined with wax and shadow. It creates tiny little strokes to fill in the gaps between the hairs and my eyebrows have never looked better!

All in all, this was a bloomin' good investment. After just a couple of days use, this set has already made a massive impact on my makeup routine and I don't know about you but it makes me so excited to apply my makeup everyday!

I'm yet to make my way onto MAC or Zoeva brushes but I'm sure my obsession will expand soon enough!

What are your favourite makeup brushes?  Is there one you just couldn't live without? Let me know in the comments and follow me on GFC and Bloglovin if you want to keep up with more of my blog posts :)

Always, Alice x

Current Beauty Essentials...

I've probably said it a gazillion and one times by now but this is without a doubt my favourite time of year. It's FINALLY cold and crisp outside, the nights are long and cosy and don't even get me started on the amaaaaazing A/W fashion that's about at the minute...

The thing I'm loving above all else at the minute though is my beauty stash. I think its the best time of year to be all experimental with different makeup and hair looks and rock something you've been scared to do before! Skincare is vital at this time of year too, as the weather is so damaging! And then there's a good bath product which doesn't really need an explanation does it really.

Here is a little selection of my recent beauty essentials and things that I am LOVING at the minute, each one is something I would recommend to the high heavens and I'm not easily pleased! 

1. Bold Lips

This isn't so much of a current essential for A/W so much as an all year round love! Anyone who knows me knows that I am incredibly fond of my signature red lip, and more and more I'm experimenting with different shades of berry lipstick.

My favourite red shade at the minute is the L'Oreal Colour Riche Blake's Pure Red (£6.99) which was perfected to match those with similar colouring to the beautiful Blake Lively. Now I ain't a blonde bombshell but it's such a gorgeous ruby red matte shade that suits my pale skin amazingly. The pigmentation and staying power of this is incredible, literally the best red lipstick I've ever had the pleasure of using so far!

The other lipstick I'm loving was one of my pricey little treats that I picked up from Space NK during my little Leeds trip during the week. I couldn't resist the NARS counter, and was drawn almost instantly to the Audacious Lipstick collection, and although I was hoping to pick up the deep red 'Ingrid', I instead settled for this gorgeous plum shade in 'Liv' (£24) inspired by Liv Tyler! It's a matte consistency which I'm loving, and although it doesn't have as much staying power as the L'Oreal stick, it's still made an appearance on my lips a hell of a lot this week! Definitely one to pop on your christmas lists...

I also picked up these bargain lip liners (both £2.99) from my local Superdrug to maximise my bold lip and they help it stay put for longer which is must for those long shifts at work...nobody likes it when half your lipstick has rubbed off and you're left with the remnants outlining your lips like a bad nineties lipstick job! Instead of just lining the lips, I colour the entirety in with these instead.

2. Vampy nails

Whilst in Leeds, I decided to break out of my Barry M comfort zone, and invest in another brand of nail polish. I went into the adorable Kiko store, and was in awe of the choice of amazing colours! I immediately drew my attention to this gorgeous sapphire blue colour that has a hint of sparkle mixed in - perfect for christmas! I also went for this black-red shade, which I love and have already worn it on my nails a good few times! Both look just as good in the bottle as they do on the nails and they were a bargain at £3.99 each.

3. Bright Eyes

Dark circles, be gone! As mentioned in my recent skin care post, I am loving this Brightening Eye Gel from Sanctuary (£10)! I was a bit skeptical at first but I have noticed a significant improvement in my under eye circles and I no longer look like I'm on deaths door every day. A little goes a long way too, so I think this tiny little tube will last me some time!

And lastly what A/W essentials would be complete without...

4. LUSH! 

I have enough Lush bathbombs and bubble bars to last me through til next christmas, nevermind this one but I couldn't resist going back for more and boy was it worth it! I FINALLY got my hands on the Northern Lights bath bomb (£3.50) which has been sold out of my local store for absolutely ages, so I was all over this as soon as I clapped eyes on it the other day. I used it in my bath tonight and it was amazeballs. As well as looking amazing, it smells fantastic and really calmed me down after a very hectic weekend!

I also couldn't leave this little guy behind...look at him! It's the Melting Snowman bath melt (£2.50...i think!) and it smells divine! I've not tried using a bath melt before so I'm excited to try this but I will save this until closer to christmas I think when it will be perfect to wind down and take the day off with.

As featured in my October Lush haul post, I picked up the popcorn Lip Scrub. It has been a savior! My lips are constantly dry and cracked despite always wearing lipbalm and lipsticks so this has been a godsend. It smells and tastes amazing and for £5.50 I thought it was a bit of a pricey pot to start with but a month on I use this everyday and haven't even made a dent in the product! A must buy for supple, soft lips this winter.

Let me know what you think of my picks, and what your A/W beauty essentials are! Leave your blogs down below so I can check out some new posts too :)

Always, Alice x

The Christmas films have started...

Normally I'm one of those that refuses to partake in anything Christmas-related until at least the first of December, but the other night I somehow found myself watching 'The Santa Clause' for the first time ever. And that was it for me...CHRISTMAS IS HERE!
I then proceeded to watch the sequel 'The Santa Clause 2' and downloaded the third installment for after that...

It's my ultimate favourite time of the year - everything looks so pretty and festive, it's nice and cold (the perfect weather to rock my porcelain skin!), and the days and nights are filled with tummy warming hot drinks and cosy nights watching films. And no doubt for the next month and a half during the countdown to christmas, I'll probably have made my way through every christmas film ever made!

So if you're like me and a bit eager for the festive holidays to begin, here is a little rundown of my favourite christmas films to fill your cosy nights in until Santa arrives!


1. 'The Santa Clause' franchise

  

I can't believe it took me so long to watch any of these! I thought with them all being made so far apart (the first in 1994, 2nd in 2002 and the last in 2006!), that the first would be amazing and the last 2 would be rubbish with no continuity whatsoever but I was so wrong! The first is obviously the best one but the others are hilarious as well and can easily be enjoyed by kiddies and adults! 

2. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

                       

This might be a bit of a controversial opinion but I think the second Home Alone installment is so much better than the first! I love the first film of course (don't bother with the later ones!) but I've always wanted to visit New York at christmas time, so this one is perfect for me! It's a christmas eve tradition for me to watch this before bed, even 18 years later...

3. Love Actually

Just cause, what christmas would be complete without it?!

4. Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

I watched this for the first time ever last christmas and I cried my eyes out through the last half an hour at least! So heart warming, definitely one to watch with the family! 

And lastly...

5. It's A Wonderful Life

This is my all time favourite film EVER, not just at christmas! It's an oldie but goodie as it's all in black and white which I think puts people off but the story is just so heartwarming and the cast is brilliant! I challenge anyone not to shed a tear whilst watching this! 

What are your favourite films to watch over christmas? Let me know in the comments below and follow me on Bloglovin if you want to follow more of my posts :)

Always, Alice x