A dash of lifestyle, beauty, fashion and a bit of everything!

Sunday 27 November 2016

November Favourites








I didn't do a 'monthly favourites' post last month, as nothing really stood out to me. Instead, I've combined the items that have stood out to me for both October and November - hope that's okay with you guys! Autumn has rushed by and it's almost Christmas - get ready for lots of fun filled Christmas related blog posts, eek! 

MAC Lipstick  // 'Diva' // £15.50 // MAC Cosmetics
As we have been going through the Autumnal season, darker lipsticks are an absolute must. I was fortunate enough to receive this for Christmas last year and had been resisting using it until the beginning of October - oh boy, I was not disappointed! I could honestly go on for days about how much I adore this lipstick, but I'll try to keep it short! The pigmentation is gorgeous; the shade itself is divine; it stays on all day, even through eating food and drinking (to the point that it won't come off when you take your makeup off in the evening). I've been complimented so many times on it! MAC lipsticks are my fave - I only own 2, but if you've been reading this blog, you'll know how much I go on about Velvet Teddy!! Yes, I have been loving this very much through November!

MAC Studio Fix Powder // NW10 // £22 // MAC Cosmetics
After religiously using my Rimmel Matte 'Stay Perfect' Powder pretty much non-stop for the last couple of years, I wanted to treat myself to something slightly more expensive. I feel like your base is the most important part of your makeup, so you can splurge a bit on your foundation/powder, just so your skin looks flawless. I did really splurge with this - I only have about 5 high-end items of makeup in my collection, so £22 was quite a bit above my budget to be honest. I do not regret my decision at all - this has got to be my favourite powder ever (which really says something). You do not have to reapply it throughout the day - it covers the shine all in one go, and just sets your skin perfectly. I honestly don't know what I'd do without this, it's upped my makeup game so much!

Makeup Revolution Blush Palette  // 'Hot Spice' // £6 // Superdrug
This palette has been in my makeup collection for quite a while, but had recently slipped to the back a bit. However, I've rediscovered it and fallen in love all over again. For £6, you get 6 gorgeous blush shades, plus 2 pretty shimmer highlights. Mine is in a bit of a state - the mirror has gone very floppy is very messy (apologies for the finger smears, lol). If you are looking for a blush palette with a variety of shades in it for under £10, I highly recommend this one.

Almost £8 for a hairspray isn't cheap, but this has to be the best one I've used. Whenever I plait my hair, or want it down, but to have a bit of hold, I just spritz this everywhere and voila! It is stick enough to hold, but not enough to douse your hair too much. A little bit goes a long way, too. I love this so much and I am really glad I picked it up. If you're obsessed with hair like me, defo get this!

Ted Baker Body Spray // £7 // Boots
I use body sprays generally as opposed to perfume - I don't really have the money for many expensive ones on a student budget, so go for something cheap. My fave scents are floral, but have a musky undertone - nothing too full one, but just nice enough to stay on the skin for a while. This came in a gift set I got a while ago and I love this scent very much. The smell stays on your for quite a while after you spray it, with hints of grapefruit - I will definitely get this again in the future.

What have you been loving this month? Let me know below.

Katy x






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Saturday 19 November 2016

Wandering Around Rye Harbour





Hi!

After I visited Kew last month, many of you have been liking my posts on quiet and undetected places, so I thought I'd do another one when I visited Rye Harbour last week. I came here to do a shoot for my Photography A-Level project and actually loved it so much that I had to take some photographs for my blog!

When you arrive, there is a few options of what you can do. There are a couple of trails that you can walk down in varying lengths, depending on your stamina (I took the quicker one, which is one mile. but there is one even further!). Also, there is a coffee shop, a shop where you can buy gifts and also, the harbour itself. I started off by walking round this part - one thing that struck me was how tranquil it was! The water was entirely still, with very little life. Despite being a Tuesday morning, it was almost dead.

I decided to walk along to the point, which is the beach. There is very little to do here, but the walk was really pleasant, with a hide along the way where you can try to catch seeing some birds (I wasn't successful) and a little house (pictured above).

It's just nice to get out of the house and spend a couple of hours in a little place not many people know about. I'm thinking of making these places a monthly feature in my blog (or however often I go to them) - let me know if you'd like that.

I'd highly recommend visiting this harbour - information is available here: Rye Harbour Website

Katy x

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Saturday 12 November 2016

A Classic: Fairy Cakes





 

I find baking to be very therapeutic - I like to put some calming music on in the background ('Music For Concentration' on Spotify is my favourite by the way), put an apron on and get to it. The kitchen is usually a mess by the end of it (sorry Mum!) but it's worth it!

The recipe I used for this came from Mary Berry's book '100 Cakes and Bakes' (of course I had to use something from Mary, or Bezza as I like to call her). You will need the following:

  • 100g (4oz) of Softened Butter
  • 100g (4oz) of Caster Sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 175g (6oz) flour
  • A drop of water
  • 1 level teaspoon of Baking Powder
  • 1 level teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
For the icing, you will need:
  • 175g (6oz) of butter
  • 175g (6oz) of caster sugar
To make these cakes, start by laying out your ingredients. You will need a large mixing bowl, a wooden spoon and a set of scales. Place the butter in the scales, weight and pour into a bowl, then add the sugar then cream. Once this is nice and smooth, add an egg, then frantically mix with flour (half of the portion), then repeat with the second. 

As it is fairy cakes, that's basically it - nice and simple. Shove it into the oven for 15-20 minutes, then leave to cool for around half an hour. Then we get to the fun bit - the wings! Cut in a circular motion on the top, take them off, then cut them in half. You can put whatever you like in the filling really - I opt for jam and buttercream, nice and traditional. Then pop the wings on top and you're done!

I'm aware that this is a very simple recipe, but I feel that there is still a place in many British hearts for a few classic recipes - this one should not be forgotten, as it's still delicious! 

Let me know what you enjoy baking below and if you have tried this recipe before.

Katy x






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Winter Makeup Look










I'm really enjoying writing up seasonal posts at the moment, so I thought I'd sit down and write a good old Winter Makeup Look! I've used a range of products, both drugstore and high-end, so hopefully there should be something for everyone. I will try to link some cheaper alternatives to the high-end products below.

When I start applying my makeup, I use a toner water spray just to prime my skin. At the moment, when I use my foundation I combine the Rimmel Fresher Skin Foundation with my trusty No7 Stay Perfect Foundation and mix them together before blending them onto my face. I find this to be the perfect solution - the Rimmel foundation has a sheer coverage to it, so I wouldn't want to wear it alone, but blended with the No7 one it gives you a dewy and flawless look.

I've mentioned this palette numerous times, so it will come as no surprise to you all that I used the Benefit Cheekathon Palette to contour and blush. If you'd like to read my full review and unboxing post, you can do so here :). To set it all, I use the Mac Mineralise Skin Finish Powder, which I absolutely adore. 

The main feature of this look are the eyes. I line them using the Skinny Eyeliner by Soap & Glory and just do a simple thin flick. To create a golden, amber tone, I use my beloved Urban Decay Smokey Eyeshadow Palette and use a few different shades to build the perfect look. To start off, I use the pale shade called 'thirteen' at the far end. This blocks out any veins in your eyes and just gives a nice base for your eyes. 'Whisky' goes all over the eyes as a matte shade, and once this is blended out, I go to the other end of the palette to use 'Radar', just to give it some sparkle. 'Dirtysweet' adds a hint of gold, and 'High' is the perfect shade to put in the inner corners of your eyes. I then just quickly apply some mascara, then that's the eyes done!

A dark lip is an autumn essential, and finishes off the look perfectly. My lipstick of choice is Mac's 'Diva' - a gorgeous berry toned burgundy shade. I've received so many compliments on this lipstick, and I have to say I love it! After all this, I spritz my NYX setting spray to set it all!

Products shown:
Revlon Colourstay Concealer  // £6.99 // 'Fair'
Rimmel Fresher Skin Foundation  // £7.49 // 'True Ivory (103)'
No7 Stay Perfect Foundation  // £14.50 // 'Cool Vanilla'
Soap & Glory 'Brow Archery' Pencil // £8 // 'Hot Chocolate'
Soap & Glory Supercat Skinny Eyeliner // £6.50 // 'Extreme Black'
Mac Lipstick // £15.50 // 'Diva'

Hope you enjoyed reading this post! Let me know your autumnal makeup routine in the comments below.

Katy x


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Saturday 5 November 2016

My Autumn Staple - OOTD







I haven't done an OOTD on my blog in sooo long, so I thought as the weather in the UK is very autumnal now, this would be the perfect time to!

This jumper has very quickly become a staple in my wardrobe. It is super comfy and easy to throw on with a pair of thick tights. It's quite over-sized as well, and in general I love it! It's long enough to pass as a dress (although it is slightly on the short side), yet has the warmth that many thin dresses don't give you.

A thick and warm blanket scarf is essential for the autumn/winter months, and this tartan one is one of the best clothing items I own. It goes perfectly with anything - I purchased it last year and have no need to replace it.

I had so much fun doing this shoot - credit goes to Charlotte for these images. Her Instagrams: General Instagram
                    Photography Account

Jumper: LaRedoute Black Long-Sleeved Jumper
Scarf (similar linked, mine is unavailable) New Look Tartan Scarf
Shoes: vans.co.uk

Let me know your autumnal essentials in the comments below!

Katy x
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