Maggs London

I have been watching Hannah and Steff Michilak since I can even remember! Their weekly videos make my day on a Sunday, when they pop up in my subscription box it instantly puts a smile on my face. I have been wanting to invest in a Maggs London bag for a while and when I saw that the Grayson fabric was back and the bags back in stock I was straight on the website!

Within 3 days of ordering it came, just in time for me to take on holiday. the shipping was fast, the bag is amazing, and it is so worth the money. To find products that are made in the UK and created with such love and passion really is a win win situation.

The bag came beautifully packaged in brown paper with a cute hand written tag saying 'Work hard and stay humble.' Also, and I don't mean this in weird way, but the bag smells incredible as well.

I'm so pleased with my purchase and would highly recommend anyone to get a Maggs London bag 

Lots of love mermaids

xxx

Facing my fears

I know I am not the most consistent person in the world, but when I have the urge to blog I will. Like now, its 10 past 1 on a Wednesday morning and I have to be up in a few hours for work. 

This is going to be something a bit different but I think its time that I spoke about something that has bothered me my entire life. My weight.

Ever since I can remember I have been uncomfortable with my size. I could not name a time where I felt happy with it. in recent years I have gained weight and thought nothing of it and over time marks appeared and I couldn't handle it, when people say that stretch marks are like a tiger who have earned their stripes I could not disagree more in my case. I see the marks as a failure, my body fighting back and telling me that I shouldn't be like this. Since coming home from university I have realised how much of a difference healthy eating and regular exercise can have on your mood, your size and your body. Countless nights clubbing and drinking really do take their toll on you, I have had the best year of my life with some of the best people I have ever met but I know it is time to change for the better. 

being happy and comfortable in my own skin has been a personal goal for a long time, and someone can tell you that you are beautiful until they are blue in the face, but that will fall on deaf ears until you as a person accept and believe that. Don't get me wrong I love wearing clothes that accentuate my best bits (I always have and always will love my bum) but that tight dress that makes my bum rival Kimmy K's will cling to my stomach or my arms in a way that will make me change at least 3 more time before I go out. Countless times have a caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and wondered what on earth i was thinking wearing that crop top with short sleeves and jeans. I constantly nit pic and critique myself to the point where a baggy tee and jeans will always do. 

Recently though I have bought clothes that are out of my comfort zone and as well as trying to loose weight, trying to also accept my body. You have this body for the rest of your life and if you choose not to love it you can't just return it and get a new one. 

I'm writing this post to not only get these thoughts off my chest but to hopefully reach out to other people who face the same problem I do. If you think you are too big, too small or you are just unhappy with your body its time to embrace your flaws and realise that you only get one life so you really should just live it. the size that you are does not determine who you are. You could be looking in a magazine and see catwalk models wanting to be that thin. however that girl who has a similar build to those models could be looking at you wondering why she doesn't have boobs and a bum. There is a vicious cycle going on in the world, one minute people are praised for their slimness, next week its all about 'belfies' and embracing your curves. As long as you are happy with who you are then why does it matter what size you are. 

See today as a turning point, a time to realise that you are not alone and no matter what you want to achieve, mentally, physically and emotionally just remember you are the one with the power, the control and the tools to make things happen.

In the words of Ru Paul, if you can't love yourself how in the hell you gunna love somebody else. If you take anything from this just remember to love yourself and who you are. If you are happy then continue with what you do to make you happy. Self love can take a while to develop but once you start its hard to go back to the way that you are. I'm not saying that one day I will be a size 8, because for me that wouldn't personally make me happy. One day I hope to walk past my reflection and not always look at myself and poke and prod at the bits that make me unhappy. I am a happy person who is unhappy with their body and that is why I'm going to change it.

Surround yourself with the people you love, wear that dress, put on that bright lipstick, go to that festival you've always wanted to go to. Don't let anyone, especially yourself stop you from doing the things that you love.

The end of an era

I am devastated that ELF (Eyes Lips and Face cosmetics) is no longer going to be distributing there products anymore. I don't know for definite if it is the last we will ever see of ELF but I thought I would take advantage of their sale.

Now, I've been looking at this palette for a loooooooooooong time. I wasn't however willing to spend £20 on it! But in an amazing up to 70% sale, which is still going on by the way, I picked up the 50 piece make up artist palette.

5 blushers
5 bronzers
40 eyeshadows

I. Cant. Even.

They are all so so stunning and so worth the £10 I paid for it.

The pigmentation of the blushers is insane, the bronzers are gorgeous for an all over glow, I wouldn't recommend them as a contour bronzer though due to the shimmer in them. The eyeshadows come in some of the craziest colours that I wouldn't even think of buying on their own.

I'm really looking forward to trying out some different eye looks and experimenting a bit more with my blushers and bronzers.

Don't forget to have a look on ELF for any remaining products, unfortunately this palette is no longer available but there are quite a lot of things left!

Thanks for reading! xxx

New Beauty Box

I haven't been into beauty boxes really, but this one did catch my eye.

The Love Me Beauty box is a monthly subscription box where you are given credits to choose what you want to get. After taking a short test about products you want, skin type etc you are taken to your own personal boutique, where products have been selected based on your needs.

Even if you use all your credits up you still have the option to buy the remaining products if you want at a very discounted price.

In my boutique i had a selection of nails inc nail varnishes, body creams and lipsticks from a variety of brands.

In my box I chose a Popband London hair tie, one of those small elastic hair bobbles that doesn't kink your. Not much to say really just a hair tie!

I've been really into face scrubs recently and skin care so i chose a perfecting face polish from Organic Surge. it is suitable for sensitive skin which I do suffer from on my face and body so hopefully this isn't so harsh! It smells absolutely incredible as it contains pure rosemary and lemon oil. perfect size for travelling, 30ml sample sizes are my favourite.

Last but not least I got 2 Lorde and Berry lipsticks. I have never tried anything from this brand but I was so exited to try them. I chose Brick Lip and Smooth Beige. Brick Lip is an amazing brownish nude colour (which I have been obsessed with recently.) I am however very disappointed with Smooth Beige, it is grey. Theres no way to go about it but it looks very grey on my lips.

For £10 a month plus postage I would definitely consider getting this box again. I love the idea of a personalised tailored to you service. Are there any other beauty boxes that are worth having a look at? Let me know in the comments!

Long time no speak

I know, I know.

I deserve a slap on the wrists for my blogging capabilities right now. 

So many empty promises to do this and do that but now I am back and I will stick to it.

Where can I start, I had the most amazing birthday this year with all of my friends back home and at uni. I went to Circuit in Essex for my pre birthday with my best friends. My dress was from Rare London and I absolutely love it, the perfect length, the perfect colour, everything.

We saw SecondCity and they were amazing but I must admit although the club has a reputation for being quite dressy, I felt like I should have had a bum bag and been in my festival gear because the vibe in there was insane.

I came back to Bournemouth on my actual birthday (9th february) and as soon as I walked through the door to my flat I was greeted with beautiful almost bird like singing from my flat mates, a cake and a fish bowl that was probably purple for all the wrong reasons. After opening my sex shop special presents, I got ready and this time my dress was from Pink Soda and once again i cannot fault it, apart from the tan I had on got on the cream bit, but whats to be expected from a night of dancing.

I saved the best for last though. Calum Best. Fresh out of the CBB house I got a hug a kiss and a happy birthday from the man himself. Just ask anyone who was on our table that night and they will tell you how much I was shaking and nearly on the verge of tears. Don't worry I played it super super cool.

I was absolutely spoiled by my family, friends and boyfriend this year. Thank you so much for everything you do and the gifts you bought me. I love you all lots, from the gorgeous Vivienne Westwood earrings, the Janoski trainers and the sex position shot glasses and willy straws. I love them all!

Heres to another year, why does 19 feel so old. 

I know I'll laugh at myself for saying that later on.

Degusta Box - food subscription box

Something a little bit different this time. I love food and that isn't a secret, so when I saw an offer on Facebook for a half price food and drink box I grabbed it while I had the chance!

Degusta Box is a monthly subscription box where you get between 9-14 products ranging from crisps to cider! Priced at £12.99 including delivery and with most the products being full sized or very generous samples, I think it really is worth the money.

With January being the month to kick start your diet (or not in my case) January's box was the healthy box.

The first thing my eyes went straight to were my favourite ice teas Little Miracles, a blend of fruit juice, organic tea and ginseng. Even better I got my 2 favourite flavours peach and raspberry! 

Total - £2.98

Next up Mornflake, 2 little porridge pots one with maple syrup and one with NUTELLA!!!! Add hot water and you're good to go.

Total - £3

As a student you can never have enough olive oil but this healthy alternative Alfa One Rice Bran Oil is an essential in my cupboard.

Total - £2

Another thing I've been wanting to try is coconut milk and what did I get? You guessed it Koko Dairy Free Original coconut milk.

Total £1.39

I once went through a phase where Pot Noodles were my life, but this healthier alternative Kabuto Noodles has introduced me to a more fresh and less stodgy pot noodle. I got Chicken Ramen flavour and I must say it was delicious.

Total - £2

Not one for making my own bread but I'm willing to give it a go with Sukrin bread mix.Sunflower and pumpkin bread sounds pretty delicious and also healthy, but for the price I wouldn't buy it with my own money.

Total - £5

The classic Ryvita biscuit takes a twist with these similar Finn Crisp crackers, mixed with sourdough giving it a tangy flavour kind of similar to cornflakes. Great for snacking with a variety of toppings.

Total - £1.20

Cider is one of the best things, imagine sitting in a beer garden a nice fruity cider with the sun shining what could be better. This Magners low calorie fruit cider has got me right in the mood for summer now, Orchard Berries mmmmm.

Total - £1.89

Not a fan of this next one Haywards Piccalilli, grim. Enough said.

Total - £1.89

As a special gift I got a deluxe sample size of Clipper Green Tea, not a fan of hot drinks but I'm willing to give it a go.

Total - £1.69 for 25 bags (given 10)

Overall total £20.71

I think I will definitely look into subscribing to this box permanently. As well as the food and drink you got recipe cards to help you use the products in the box and also some leaflets about the brands in the box. Seriously, who doesn't want a big box of snacks and treats delivered to their door every month? Compared to Graze Box I definitely prefer this as it isn't an all snack box. Obviously it costs more but I think it is a definite investment 

Lots of love 

Emily xx

From Essex to Bournemouth

Its been a very very long time since I've posted anything on here. First of all I'm sorry, I've been at university and maybe had one to may nights out and definitely not enough sleep.

This post won't be about makeup or mermaids but more of a life catch up.

During my time here at university I have met some of the most amazing people I could ever have met, I have made friends for life and today I even looked at my first house for next year! 7 boys and 2 girls in a house looks set to be as chaotic as Freshers!

Home sickness is kicking in now and I really do miss everyone so so much, but on the bright side I've realised I am a pretty alright chef (I make a mean home made katsu curry I'll have you know)

I will try my very hardest to at least get a post up once or twice a week, and maybe not all make uppy type posts but I will try!

Lots of love 

Emily xx

Clinging on to summer

As the summer is coming to an end I needed to cheer myself up and whats the best way of doing that? Say it with me, retail therapy, well of the online kind anyway.

ELF is an amazing yet affordable online make up company which ships and delivers in next to no time. I ordered on monday and I got it on Tuesday just in time for the weekend! Not only is delivery fast its free when you spend £20 or more but the best thing is the 30% off when you spend over £20 with the code 300814. It just keeps getting better right?

So lets get down to it, I bought a body shimmer stick which is a lovely creamy consistency recommended for use on the body to highlight and draw attention to your best assets, but I think I'm going to use it as a cream eyeshadow base due to the lovely bronzey colour and my passion for nude eyeshadows.

I have heard so much about ELF's mascara primer after many years of watching and reading Becca Rose's blog and channel so I caved and finally bought it. I can honestly say after using it once I noticed a difference not in the length of my lashes but definitely the volume.

I also picked up a lipstick a pinky red coral in the colour Fearless, its ok and does the job, has good colour pay off and for £1.95 you cant go wrong.

Before I have bought ELF's complete coverage concealer palette and I adore it, with 4 shades of concealer available to cover any imperfection I thought I would try the corrective concealer palette. It has 4 shades a pink, a blue, a green and a yellow. These random colours do the job and I especially like the green to counteract any redness!

A repurchase for me is the eyebrow kit, with a gel and a powder to tame my brows its perfect and compact with a tiny brush for on the go.

The last thing from ELF was the contouring blush and bronzer duo in Antigua, now on the website I was thinking wow this could be a dupe for Nars Laguna bronzer and Orgasm blush. Well the blush is stunning and is a beautiful pink with golden shimmer, the bronzer however had a lot of shimmer and was (in my opinion) a tad muddy looking.

Finally as a little treat to myself for getting into uni I bought Daisy Delight by Marc Jacobs, I cannot for the life of me describe scents but this one smells so good and I'm not normally a floral person when it comes to fragrances!

Whats your favourite fragrance? Comment below and thank you for reading!

Lots of Love 
Emily x

The Liebester Award + nominations

Imagine, its a wednesday night I'm watching The Great British Bake Off and I find out that I have been nominated, buy the lovely Holly Wynne, for the Liebester Award! After reading her post about it I shall now tell you about it. 

This award is given to bloggers by bloggers who have 200 or less followers. After you've been nominated you must answer the questions given to you by your nominator and then you must then nominate 11 other blogs and write your own list of questions!

So lets answer Holly's questions..

1. What do you find is the hardest thing about blogging? Finding the time to do it and taking good pictures!
2. Do you have any goals when it comes to blogging? I would love people to value my reviews on products and to actually go out and buy something because I have recommended it
3. Is the URL you have, the one you originally wanted or was that one taken? I love mermaids and I love makeup, no one had taken it I was happy 
4. What is your all time favourite shop? All time favourite would have to be Primark, bargains, fashion, home wear whats not to love!
5. Who is your favourite blogger? I love Louise (AKA SprinkleOfGlitter) She embodies everything I want to be
6. What made you start blogging in the first place? My mum and my sister grew tired of me hauling in the living room so I thought I'd show the whole internet as well!
7. Are you happy with your blog? I wish it looked a bit more professional but its cute and its me
8. Do your prefer spending time on your make-up, your hair, or your outfit? My makeup 
9. What is one of your pet-peeves? Dropping my favourite powder and having it shatter in front of me :(
10. How do you find blogs to follow that you like? I search the tags and look for people who have similar interests to me 
11. Would you rather give up your phone or your laptop? My phone, my laptop is my life!         

I would like to nominate:

Little Miss Redhead

Sophella London

Life x Emporium

Melanies Plum

Boutique Candy

Moss and Mink

Eleanor Rose Etc.

Elegantly Fashionable

Pamper Preen Perfect

The Modern Girl

Jades Lifestyle Blog 

Here are my questions for you!

1. What is your favourite brand of makeup

2. Favorite Disney princess/character?

3. What is your holy grail product?

4. Whats the best thing to happen to you through blogging?

5. Where in the world would you most like to travel to?

6. On a night out would you choose to either do your makeup or your hair?

7. Name one product you'd recommend to your best friend

8. How long have you been blogging for?

9. Favourite food?

10. Any siblings?

11.Tell me one exciting fact about you!

Thank you again to Holly for nominating me and to all the girls I've nominated I look forward to reading your responses!

Lots of love 

Emily xx

Payday makeup haul

My favourite day of the month... PAYDAY! So of course I treated myself to a few new pieces to add to my collection.

Soap and Glory, well known for their body and skin care products, in my opinion also have some of the best makeup. The Thick & Fast mascara is a cult beauty product and the newest addition is the Flash Extensions Effect Mascara which has the promise of your lashes being mistaken for fake ones! I also got 2 of the Smoulder Khol waterproof eyeliners in Cocoa Bean and SuperBlack. They come with sharpeners on the lids and are so soft that they smudge beautifully on the lash line and they perfectly define the waterline. No more forgetting your sharpener in your makeup bag on your travels!

I also picked up 2 blushers Natural collections Peach Melba and No7's Honey, both are beautiful neutral peachy coloured blushes which look stunning on both fair and tanned skin. Honey has a slight shimmer and is bronzey compared to Peach Melba which is matte and more pink based.

Now on to the lip products, Baby Lips by Maybelline are one of my favourite lip balms not only are they moisturising they also have a good colour pay off and the new Electro collection doesn't disappoint. I picked up Berry Bomb a stunning electric purple which when applied gives a sheer purple glow and it smells delicious. I also got one of Sleeks True Colour Lipsticks in Exxxaggerate, yes thats really how many X's are in the name! I already have Russian Roulette from Sleek another matte lipstick, the same formula as Exxxaggerate and not only is it moisturising the colour is bold and long lasting. 

Last but not least my favourite purchases, these are my first full size purchases from Benefit and I'm in love! I picked up the Hydra-Smooth Lip Colour in Talk Flirty a dusty pink rose colour which applies smoothly (like the name says it should) and the packaging reminds of an art deco Great Gatsby-ish style. I also got one of Benefits renowned box powders in Hervana, a good karma powder, which has 4 beautiful shades which when swirled together look stunning on the cheekbones which Benefit describes as achieving Hervana.

What do you splurge on when payday comes around? Let me know in the comments, thank you for reading!

Lots of love Emily x

Primark, Boots and H&M haul

Its no secret that I love to shop, and today I visited my local shopping centre and picked up a few bits!

In Boots I picked up Dove's new purely pampering body oil in the scent pistachio cream and magnolia, and it smells absolutely divine! Just from the first use my skin feels soft, smells gorgeous and doesn't leave a greasy residue. I also picked up Seventeens nail effects polka dots polish which has small circles of light and dark blue and black. It would look lovely as an accent nail or for a full out all over nail effect.

In H&M I picked up a basic grey t-shirt which is loose fit and slouchy and would look great with a pair of skinny jeans and a statement necklace. I also just picked up a plain black long sleeved jumper ready for the winter, paired with some thick black tights and boots, this would make the perfect look.

Then last but not least... PRIMARK, I picked up some absolute bargains. I bought a plain black bag which reminds me of one i saw in ZARA, its just the right size and I can even fit my laptop in the centre compartment! I also got a pastel powder blue purse which is quilted and the hardware is rose gold. Also I picked up a Bardot style dress, which is worn off the shoulders and is very form fitting (might have to get the Bridget Jones pants out!!!) I then picked up another pair of my favourite capri leggings in black and white gingham, they are so easy to wear and pair with crop tops or slouchy tees. My favourite purchase of today however are my new boots. Chelsea styled cleated heeled boots for only £15! I couldn't resist, these will definitely be an autumn winter essential for me.

What is your favourite high street bargain that you've found recently? Comment below and thank you  for reading 

Lots of love Emily x

My 'sweet dreams' skincare routine

As any girl knows getting home from a long day at work or school or anywhere for that matter, 2 things are essential to ultimately relax. Number 1, taking off your bra! Number 2, taking off your make up!


My night time skin care routine hasn't been as good as it should be lately, so when i popped into Boots I picked up a few new bits to try out.


To take off the majority of my make up i use Garniers Micellar Cleansing Water, not only does it remove make up, including stubborn mascara, its fragrance free and feels just like water on your skin!


Next I use the Botanics All Bright Gentle Cleansing Cream, which contains hibiscus to brighten and leave the skin feeling smoother. This product smells amazing, and is essential to me for removing stubborn make up that didn't come off with the cleansing water.

I follow up using another Botanics product, the 100% organic Rosewater Toning Spritz. I must admit i hate spraying things onto my face, like make up setting sprays but needs must. When I first tried this I was shocked by the sensation, however it left my face feeling toned, clean and with the scent of Damask Rose I was sold!

Last but not least, I've been using the Nivea Daily Essentials Sensitive Night Cream, I have suffered from sensitive skin ever since I was little mainly on my face and my legs. However this cream leaves my face feeling well moisturised, reduces redness and overall more healthy looking. 

Photo taken from http://www.boots.com/en/Botanics/

In the morning when I wake up the next day my skin feels soft, rejuvenated and ready for the day! I haven't tried many skincare items from Botanics before and I'm glad that i have. Nivea and Garnier skincare have been staples in my skincare but every now and then its good to try something new!

Whats your holy grail skin care product? Comment below and thank you for reading 

Emily x

An everyday summer make up look

During the summer months I ditch the full coverage and go all sheer. That is with the make-up I may add!

Here are the products I use in my everyday summer look and my before and after pictures.

On my face I start off with the Bourjois happy light luminous primer, which gives my skin a dewy look. I mainly focus on my under eyes, cheekbones, cupids bow and the top of my nose just to give a highlighting effect. On top of that I use the Bourjois BB bronzing cream which compliments and adjusts to nearly all tanned skin tones. I however wouldn't recommend this to be used on fair skin tones. Then using the Collection lasting perfection concealer I conceal my under eyes.Then using the Bourjois bronzing primer to contour, and dolly mix blush to brighten up my face, I then powder my T-zone and now its onto the eyes!

Sleek's Dolly Mix blush, Bourjois bronzing primer, happy light primer, BB bronzing cream, Collection lasting perfection powder and concealer, Real Techniques buffing brush, contour brush and pointed foundation brush Seventeen blusher brush and Barbara Daily powder brush.

On my eyes i used Benefits bikini-tini as a base for my eyes, I then put Sleeks taupe eyeshadow all over the lid and used Conker in the crease, both of these eyeshadows are from the Au Naturel palette. Then using my Maybelline eyeliner in my waterline, my Bourjois Bourjois volume 1 seconde mascara and my Maybelline brow drama in dark brown my eyes are complete!

Maybelline brow drama and expression kajal liner, Sleek palette in Au Naturel, Bourjois one second mascara, Benefit Bikini-Tini, Real Techniques accent brush, base shadow brush and deluxe crease brush.

Lastly for my lips i used Maybellines colour sensational lipstick in electric orange with Sleeks eau la la liner in pumpkin

 And here is the finished look..

What is your favourite summer essential? Comment below and let me know!

Thankyou for reading 

Emily x

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Summer lovin' make up and OOTN's

My summer holiday this year was to the island of Lanzarote, and wow was it beautiful. Me and my boyfriend escaped for 8 nights and I wish it could've been longer!

As you can tell we both were a tad excited!

Not only did I have great company, great weather and fabulous cocktails, I got to wear some of my favourite summer purchases, and I even managed to get in a bit of retail therapy spanish style!

Kimono: Boohoo Shorts: ASOS Shoes: Primark

Here are some of my favourite outfits from my summer holiday! 

Body suit: ASOS Shorts: ASOS Shoes: Nike
Check shirt: H&M (boyfriends)

  

So now on to my favourite part the make up! 

I managed to get the Sleek blush by 3 limited edition candy collection trio (bit of a mouthful if you ask me) The colours are absolutely stunning and include Candyfloss, a pink blush with golden shimmers. Dolly Mix, a slight lilac pink blush and Cupcake a hot pink cream blush that blends beautifully!

Left to right: Cupcake, Dolly Mix, Candyfloss

I also got 3 nail varnishes by the brand RARE,  and the set I got is called 'All the fun of the fair' it came with Blue Skies, a colour true to its name, Helter Skelter, a coral colour and my favourite Bright Lights, a copper, gold, blue and green chunky glitter polish!

I also picked up some make up wipes for a euro, they smelt like coconut i could not resist! 
I think I've saved my favourite for last, please welcome the new addition to my MAC family...
SNOB! A nude pink colour which looks great with a tan and makes your teeth look super white!

Whats your favourite purchase you've made abroad? Comment below and thank you for reading!

Emily x