My Birthday Weekend Away!

Last weekend, I turned 22 (I can't say I'm thrilled about being this age!). I feel like people look at me funny when I say im pretty gutted to be 22 because that isn't old in many people's eyes! To me, I always looked forward to my next birthday and always wanted to grow up and be older. I couldn't wait till I was 18 and then after I got bored of still being ID'd for plastic cutlery and Ibuprofen tablets, I wanted it to be my next big birthday, which is 21! Now I'm not 21 anymore, I just feel like the next big birthday is 30 and I am definitely not rushing to get there!

Anyway, my Fiance and I went away to Bournemouth for my Birthday weekend and we had such a lovely time! Bournemouth holds so many memories for me because it's somewhere we used to go on family holidays to when I was little. It is also the first place my Fiance and I went away to together and we've since been there for a few day trips and for another weekend away a few years back!
I got absolutely spoilt rotten for my birthday and received so many lovely presents which I'm sooo grateful for. Jamie (the Fiance) also made the weekend away so special and even surprised me with a beautiful afternoon tea! We played two games of crazy golf (one on each day and two different places). I won the first game on my Birthday (Jamie thinks he let me win but he really didn't ;)) and he won the second days game. We love a game of crazy golf and once went in search of one on a holiday in Portugal and almost got heat stroke as we were walking for so long and when we got there we got told it had been knocked down a while ago! That wasn't the happiest day of my life, I can tell you that for sure!
We also went for my birthday meal at Days restaurant in Bournemouth which is a big all you can eat buffet style restaurant and if you haven't been there, I suggest you go!!!

Abbie x

Mid Week Break- Bristol & Bath

Back in December, my Fiance and I visited Bristol and Bath for their Christmas Markets. It was a lovely weekend away and we really loved both places (it was our first time visiting them both). However, being near Christmas and having all the famous Christmas Markets around, it was extremely busy and we didn't get to see a lot of each place. We said we'd definitely come back at some point maybe in the Summer.

May 17th was my Fiances birthday so we decided to take a few days off work, book a hotel and go back to Bristol for one day and onto Bath the next. On our day in Bristol we mainly did shopping as the weather was terrible and rained practically all day! We went to a shopping center just outside of Bristol which was really good. We then got back to our Hotel, got ready for the evening and headed out for a meal. When we came to Bristol last year we discovered ZaZa Bazzare and loved it so we had already decided that was where we would go for his birthday meal and it definitely satisfied our cravings we'd had ever since we left after our visit back in December!! We definitely ate waaaay too much though!

On our second day we headed into Bath. It was a much sunnier and warmer day which we were both super happy about! We had such a lovely day wandering around the town and actually being able to walk around reasonably freely without the massive crowds we experienced on our previous visit!
Places like Bath just make me feel so relaxed and happy and I always wish that one day I'll live in a beautiful City like that but I think I'll be saving my pennies for a lifetime!!
I just love Cities that are full of character and old buildings! Where I live seems super boring and has no history compared to places like Bath!

I'm now back to work and hoping to plan another little trip in the near future!

Abbie x

Update!

Wow- it's been a long time! I guess when I look back and see that my last post was on 15th March, I haven't really been gone for that long- but it just feels like ages ago that I sat and wrote a post! So yeah, here's a little update on what I have been up to!

Firstly, a little while after my last post I came down with Tonsilitis (a few days before I was due to run a Half Marathon that I had been training hardcore for-gutted!). I have never had Tonsillitis before and I was really quite poorly so I was told strictly by a Doctor to not run that weekend under any circumstances! I'm not the best runner and I can't say I ever enjoy doing it, but I was really disappointed I couldn't do it after all the training I'd done! I was also due to go on holiday the following weekend so I was kind of glad I was poorly when I was instead of missing out on my holiday or not being able to enjoy it. 

So yeah, the following week, my Mum and I set off to Gran Canaria for a week of sunshine, relaxation and cocktails (luckily, I finished my antibiotics the day before we went!!)- it was perfect!

 I had all these plans to do some blog posts about my holiday preparation in the week leading up to it, but I was obviously unwell so that didn't happen :(

Once I was back from my holiday, it was pretty much straight back to work and busy busy busy! I must admit, I thought about blogging and writing a post but I just haven't been able to find the time or be in the right mood to sit down and write. I need to sit down at some point and do some more planning as most of my plans I had for the past month or so have been and gone now! 

I am really looking forward to Summer as I brought a new camera a few months ago and I still haven't had much chance to use it as the weather has been miserable and I was finding getting blog photos really difficult as I work full time and it was always dark by the time I got home from work. I'm definitely ready to get back on it and hopefully have some decent blog posts on the way! 

Abbie x

Collective Fashion Haul

I've been a bit naughty recently! I'm usually not sold on many trends and go through phases where I hate everything in the shops. So, when I find things I like, I don't hesitate much to buy them as I don't really buy clothes and fashion items that often! I've been trying to add more staple pieces into my wardrobe that I know I will get loads of wear out of and will go with lots of different looks!

As you will be able to tell from this haul, I'm a bit of a grey lover! I just think it's a really easy colour to wear and goes with the other colours in my wardrobe which are mainly black and white (what a surprise!).  

I love this grey t-shirt from Primark- it's so simple yet has a lovely feminine touch with the lace detail on the sleeves! I can see myself wearing this a lot when the weather is a little warmer with black ripped skinnies or perhaps a pleather skirt to add an edge to it! This was only £6 so I knew I had to add this to my growing collection of grey t-shirts!

I will be totally honest and say I'm still really undecided on these studded flats! I really like them but I'm not sure I'm 'cool' enough to pull them off and I'm struggling to put them with an outfit! They had these in a nudey pink colour which were really nice and almost Valentino look-alikes but they were patent all over which isn't my thing. I don't know- maybe I'll keep these and just try to team them with something I feel comfortable in as they are a little out of my comfort zone for shoes! These were £10 , so again, another bargain! 

Oh, and another pair of shoes!! I bought these mainly for my holiday in a few weeks time! I thought these would dress up some of my evening outfits a bit as I usually stick to sandals. I love these and I'm so glad I grabbed these when I did as I think they will sell out really fast! These will be perfect in the summer months to dress up an outfit. I feel like they could be worn during the day or night as they aren't too high and feel quite comfy, yet are dressy enough for evening drinks etc. These were £13 and also from Primark!

Now, this was a slightly naughty purchase but one that I don't regret! My Fiance and I took a little trip to Gunwarf Quays shopping outlet recently and I found myself in Kurt Geiger falling in love with pretty much everything! I found a black bag (similar to this Grey one that I ended up getting) which was a little smaller than the one pictured and had a gold chain shoulder strap. I really liked it but decided this one would be more practical and I'd get way more use out of it! It feels such amazing quality and really sturdy and I cannot wait to start using this and styling it up with some outfits! 

I also found myself in Topshop having a little browse recently. I don't often shop in there anymore as I find a lot of their stuff pretty pricey for what it is (I find some almost identical pieces in Primark for a fraction of the price!). However, I found this beautiful peachy, baby pink colour lace detail jumper and I instantly knew I had to have it! I tried it on and loved it even more. I have worn it soooo much since I bought it and I absolutely adore the cut out scallop detail shoulders as I feel it makes the jumper a lot more Spring appropriate! (By the way, excuse the black cami top peeping through the lace in the top picture- I would normally wear a nude coloured cami or none at all haha!!). I got this jumper for £25 reduced from £39! 

As I was rummaging through the different sizes, I found loads more lovely jumpers (all reduced!) behind the pinky one- why do shops do this!? It's like they don't want you to find their clothes so they hide them behind others on the rails! Anyway... I found this grey jumper, again, with cut out details on the shoulders (I love this trend at the moment!). This one was also £25 reduced from £36. I am yet to wear this one but I think the cut out detail along with quite a high neck is so flattering. 

So there we go- I think I now need to be on a spending ban (we all know that won't happen!)...

Let me know where your favourite place to shop is at the moment in the comments!

Abbie x

February Favourites

I'm always a little late with these posts but the only time I really get to do 'bloggy things' and upload is on a Sunday so here it is! These are the beauty products I loved throughout the month of February...

The Body Shop Honey Bronze Drops Of Sun has been a massive favourite for almost a year now! I did stop using it for a while but have recently fallen back in love with it! As we've been slogging our way through winter, my skin has been extremely pale! This is when I decided to get this back out of my makeup drawer and fell back in love with it. I mix it in with my moisturiser and it gives me an instant glow and just makes my skin look a little less ghost-like! The few months that I wasn't wearing this, a few people actually asked me if I was unwell because I looked so pale and that is not what I wanted to be hearing!! I also used this while I was away on holiday last June as my face doesn't tan as much as my body (I put a really high factor sun protection on my face) and it just gave me a lovely natural tan/glow to my face. It is just a lovely product and I will continue to use it now for a looong time! 

Bourjois Radiance Reveal Concealer is a new addition to my makeup collection and was definitely well loved and used throughout the majority of February! I always used to use any old concealer under my eyes but found that they were a little too heavy so I wanted to find a lighter, illuminating concealer for my under eyes. This one is perfect! I love Bourjois anyway but this concealer has now become another massive favourite of mine. It is lightweight, definitely illuminating and lasts well under my eyes. 

Kerastase Nectar Thermique Polishing Nourishing Milk (phew long name!) has changed my hair for the better! This is what they always use on my hair in the hairdressers and I could never find it online until recently so I snapped it up as soon as I saw it! It is a great multitasking product as it seals my hair for a perfect sleek blowdry and also protects my hair from the heat used to style. It is aimed at people with dry hair and I can honestly say that it feels really nourishing and protecting on my hair as I blow dry and style it. My hair is much smoother and shinier now when I style it and it isn't as damaged as it used to be. Depending on your hair length, you really don't need a lot of this, so it lasts for ages!

NYX Matte Bronzer- I was recently on the hunt for a good bronzing powder that wasn't too dark or orangey for my pale skin. I also wanted it to be a matte one as I already own a few shimmery bronzers and often prefer it to be matte. This one is great, affordable and super pigmented! It is quite messy because of its pigmentation as the powder comes away from the pan so easily so you literally need to tap a brush into it and then I usually have to tap off my brush a lot so it doesn't come out quite so extreme on my face! Other than that, it's lovely and I have been using it every day for a while now and i'm sure i'll love it even more when I have a little bit of colour on my face in the summer! 

There we go! Those are just a few of the things I have loved during the month of February and will most likely continue to love for months ahead!

Let me know what your favourite beauty product is right now in the comments!

Abbie x

How To Get Silky, Shiny Hair

Every girl wants shiny, sleek and healthy looking hair, right? I know it's something i've always been trying to achieve. A few of my friends have naturally really soft and super shiny hair that just catches the light. I've never really had that kind of hair- it just isn't my hair type.
My hair is quite frizzy and coarse and I have a lot of it!! I used to have pretty dark hair (dyed) and that is probably the most shiny it had looked. I then began bleaching the ends of my hair to create a balayage look and this seemed to really take any shine I did have, away. It didn't look very healthy and almost looked a bit straw like.

I am always swapping and changing my hair care routine and products because as mentioned in previous hair posts, I don't often find a shampoo and conditioner combo that I love enough to settle with. Sometimes, it's not even that as I have now found a few products I really like but I generally get bored and enjoy trying new products. Each time I need to repurchase, I usually try something new because I just like trying new things!

I recently had a bad experience with a Kerastase product which left my hair feeling really weighed down and super greasy (which is strange because I usually love Kerastase and I actually purchased the same products that my hairdresser uses on my hair). Anyway, that's another story! Basically, I was a bit miffed that I'd spent all that money on a 'higher end' hair product and it just wasn't working for me. So, I went into superdrug and was on a mission for a cheap shampoo, conditioner combo. I ended up going for the L'oreal Elvive Nutri-Gloss Luminiser combo as it was dead cheap and the 'high shine' promise jumped out to me!

I have almost finished both the shampoo and conditioner and can honestly say I have loved using them. I totally saw a difference in the appearance of my hair. It was super soft, felt really clean and most importantly, was really shiny (without looking greasy!). I just find that my hair looks really healthy and glowy in all lights and it has definitely taken away that dull look I had before. It smells great, lasts a long time and is always on offer in places like Superdrug.

This is another of my holy grail hair products. I have repurchased this many times and been through numerous bottles of this stuff! Again, I have a bit of an obsession with trying new hair products, so I have tried many different hair serums and oils, but this is by far the best one in my opinion. I love that when my hair is feeling a bit frizzy, dry and brittle, I can run some of this through the ends of my hair and it instantly transforms the feel of my hair. It feels soo super soft and again, makes my hair really shiny and healthy looking. I also sometimes use this on my damp hair before blow drying to keep my hair cuticles sealed and my hair looking sleek.

So there it is! Those are my favourite products at the moment for keeping my hair looking shiny and healthy!

What is your favourite hair product of all time? Let me know in the comments :)

Abbie x

Zoeva Naturally Yours Palette: Review

I've always been a real sucker for a good eyeshadow palette. I tend to stick to quite neutral shades for my eyes and go for browns, taupes and orangey shades as I have blue eyes and just find that these kind of colours suit me best.

When I saw this Zoeva palette whilst trawling through Beauty Bay one day, I was sold! I often find it hard to find a palette that I know I will use the majority of the colours. When I saw this one, I knew I'd use pretty much all of the colours. Ok, I use some of them a lot more frequently than others, of course, as everyone has favourites. But all in all, every single one has been used! 

The pigmentation of these shadows is great and they are definitely really blendable which are two of the main things I look for in an eyeshadow. I also love that there are a mixture of matte and shimmer shades in this palette as sometimes I like to go for a matte, really natural look using, First Love, Pure and Soft and Sexy just to add some definition to my eyes. 

I got this palette for £18 on BeautyBay.com which I think is a really affordable price for such a good quality 'everyday use' palette. I got this palette a good few months ago and have not stopped using it so that just shows my love for it! 

What is your all time favourite eyeshadow palette? Leave me a comment :)

Abbie x

How To Get The Perfect Brows/ My Current Brow Routine

I was never really that into doing my brows properly when I first started using makeup. When I decided to start filling in my brows, it completely changed my makeup game! Being able to get your eyebrows to a shape that suits you can really change how you look as your eyebrows frame your face. Over the past few years, having the perfect brows has become a massive thing in the makeup and beauty industry. It wasn't until now that I found a routine of products that really change the way my brows look. 

I've used the Soap and Glory Brow Archery for a good few years, but that used to be all I used. I'd been interested in using a brow gel of some sort since they became popular in the makeup world. I didn't really think it would suit my brows as I don't really like my makeup to feel too heavy and I imagined brow gels to be this way. I picked up the Maybelline Brow Precise Fibre Filler quite recently and it totally changed my brows for the better! 

I start by brushing through my brows with a cheap brush I got from primark (which, by the way, is just as good as any other expensive slanted brow brush I've ever owned) to make sure my brow hairs are all combed through and in the same direction. 

I then use either the pencil side of the Brow Archery or the NYX Brow Pomade with the slanted brush and brush this through my brows in light, short strokes. This just helps to fill in any sparse areas I have and shapes my brows how I want them. 

I then simply move onto brushing the Maybelline Brow Precise Fibre Filler through my brows which sets them in place for the day and also fills them in even more! I can't explain what it does exactly, but I won't do my brows without it now- it's soooo good!

That really is it, I feel like it's so simple, doesn't take long and makes my brows look the best they can! 

What is your favourite brow product? Let me know in the comments- I'd love to chat! :)

Abbie x

January Favourites

Hello again..! I know I'm always late with these monthly favourites posts but I guess it's better late than never, right?! I've been a little under the weather again this past week which is really naff but I'm feeling much better now and ready to get back into blogging. I am also hoping to get a new camera in the next few days which will definitely motivate me to keep up with the posts as I'm quite aware that my photos are rubbish quality at the moment.

Anyway, onto what I have been loving throughout the month of January!

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

As you may know if you have followed my blog since the beginning and if you follow me on Instagram, I am a massive lover of the L'oreal Telescopic mascara and have never found a mascara I like as much as it. I don't know why I had never tried Lash Sensational as I know there was a lot of hype around it agesss ago (and still is!). I purchased this mascara about a month ago and I must say, I do really like it! I wasn't sure at first as it seemed a little thick on my lashes and made them clump together a bit but I think that was just because it was new and there was far too much product on the wand. I have been using this mascara every day and it has made my lashes look so good! They look curled, voluminous and long which is everything I look for in a mascara and it does it all! Also, it is currently £5.30 on feelunique.com but normally retails at £7.99 which is still affordable in my opinion!

Maybelline Brow Precise Brow Fibre Filler

I love this product!! I've only ever filled in my brows with a pencil or powder product. It took me forever to get them to my desired shape and thickness and was the bit of my makeup routine I dreaded the most! Since brow gels have been making an impression in the beauty world, I'd be meaning to grab one for such a long time but never found one I liked the look of. I picked up this one when shopping for some other bits in Boots one day and I absolutely love it! As it contains real Fibres, it looks so natural and sets my brows in place so well! I've never been that great at doing my eyebrows but this makes it so simple!

Clinique Anti Blemish Solutions- All Over Clearing Treatment

I got this in a set I received as a Christmas present. My skin hasn't been the best recently and I never really know what is best to put on my skin when I have one of them huuuge spots that just won't budge. My mum had tried this spot treatment and said she found it worked really well, so I decided to try mine. I must say, most of the time, I will apply this before bed and by the morning my spot will definitely be smaller and less inflamed and it does really dry them out. 

Loreal Pure Clay Detox Mask

I've used the purity mask from this range of face masks and really enjoyed it. I always wanted to try the detox one but they never seemed to be in stock! I managed to find this in Boots (and on offer) so I have been trialing it over the past few weeks as my skin has had a little bit of an eruption! I love how this mask feels on my skin, it doesn't sting too much and just feels really creamy. I'm not really sure if it actually did anything to help get rid of my spots but it definitely made the rest of my skin look clearer and feel super soft! I have just been loving using this as a little bit of a pamper to be honest because it makes my skin feel lovely afterwards!

So there it is! Those are the few things I have really loved using throughout the month of January! 

Leave me a comment and a link to your blog in the comments below- I really want to follow more blogs and chat to a few people!

Abbie x

What's In My Makeup Bag

I loooove reading what makeup other people are using and what they are loving, so I thought i'd do a little post (probably won't be little at all, so get a cuppa and get yourself comfy!!) on what I have in my makeup bag. I have selected the bits I have been using most over the past few months so my makeup collection is obviously a LOT bigger than what is in my little every day makeup bag! 

Face:

These are my 3 most used base products. On work days, I tend to just use the Mac Prolongwear Concealer on its own just to cover dark circles under my eyes and any discoloration or blemishes I may have. I have used this product for almost a year now and still repurchase every time I run out- it's a lifesaver! 

Rimmel Stay Matte is another well loved product of mine which gets used every single day! It's all in the name really as it keeps my skin matte mostly all day. 

The foundation is one that I use at weekends or if i'm going out in the evening. I have again, used this for a long long time and still find it is the best for my skin type. 

Bourjois Bronzing Primer is a massive favourtie of mine. I love that it is a cream product as I find that it can look more natural than powder bronzers. I use this all year round to keep myself looking a little less 'vampire'! I am quite fair skinned and this still works perfectly on my skin when blended out well. 

Mac Lightscapade is my all time fave highlighter! It is so natural on the skin and gives the most amazing glow. I am definitely after Soft and Gentle when payday comes around as I know that is massively raved about too! 

Finally for face products is Milani baked blush which is a fairly recent discovery and I have used it every day since, its a lovely natural shade with a slight golden shimmer (isn't as scary as it sounds, I promise!).

Eyes/Brows:

I have used Soap and Glory's Brow Archery for as long as I can remember! I don't tend to use the 'tint' side of it but the pencil is the perfect shade for my brows! 

Maybelline's Brow Fibre Filler is a recent purchase and I have totally fallen in love with it! It fills in my brows so well used after the Brow Archery as I don't always have the time to sit and pencil in all the sparse areas and gaps. It is a perfect shade for my brows and as it is real fibres, looks soooo natural. I have had so many 'good brow days' since using this!

I have tried so many liquid liners in my time and not found any that I really like until I purchased this Soap and Glory Supercat Liner pen. It is sooo easy to apply which is a must for me as i'm useless at liner! It has fabulous staying power and is really black! What more could you want?!

Loreal Telescopic has been my fave mascara for a long long time! I've repurchased it so many times and still love it to bits! I recently jumped onto the Lash Sensational bandwagon (extremely late may I add!) and I have been really liking this mascara too. They are both pretty different but both work really well for my lashes. 

Lips:

I have really grown my lipstick collection over the past 6 months or so but these are the 3 lip products that have stayed in my makeup bag and been the most used over the past few months. I love Mac lippies and these two are my most recent lip purchases!
LA Girl lip liner is such a great budget lip liner as it only costs a couple of pounds and works just as well as a high end liner. It is also such a versatile colour and works with pretty much all of my lippie shades. The shade is 'Natural'.

Left is 'Whirl', Right is 'Twig'

So there it is, I hope you enjoyed taking a peek into what is currently in my makeup bag and finding out what i'm loving!

What are your staple makeup products? Leave me a comment below- I'd love to chat!!

Abbie x

January Sale Buys

 Sale shopping is probably one of my worst nightmares! I always walk into shops and skip straight past the 'Sale' section because it is just hell! This year, I was determined to get a few bargains so I got straight online and ordered some bits to save the fights in the shops! (Although, I did pop into lush as I find sale shopping on their website pretty tedious!).

Here are a few of the things I got...

This French Connection gift set was in the famous Boots half price sale. I must admit, I kind of bought this just for the wire basket as I really wanted one for my Lush bath bombs to be displayed in. However, these smellies are actually beautiful and I have already used most of the shower gel and body spray- they smell amazing! This set was reduced from £20 to £10- win!!

I'm a bit obsessed with bags at the moment (especially small ones). The couple of times I did venture into town for quick essentials over the new year, I kept finding myself in Accessorize looking at all their bags and purses. I managed to walk out of the shop empty handed on numerous occasions and regretted my decision, so instantly went online when I got home and found myself purchasing this little beauty. It's very simple but I love it! It is a lot smaller than I expected but it's still a good enough size for your phone, small purse, keys and a little more space for anything else you may need. 

Ok, so, I have lived in these PJ bottoms the past week! I absolutely LOVE Fat Face PJ's and have a growing collection of PJ shorts from there. They are so comfy and the best quality ever. I even have some of my Mum's 'hand me down's' as they last so well but she is also obsessed and has far too many! These are long PJ bottoms and are sooooo comfy for lounging around the house in. 

What were your top sale buys? Did you get any amazing bargains?

Abbie x