Autumn Tag

Hi! Today I thought I'd do the Autumn Tag, which I have seen on a few blogs now. Autumn is by far my favourite season, so I HAD to do this tag!

1. What is your favourite seasonal drink from Starbucks?
I actually don't really like the Pumpkin Spice...shocker! My absolute favourite is the salted caramel hot chocolate, or the gingerbread hot chocolate. Sometimes they do these little candy cane cookies that I love as well!

2. Favourite Autumn accessory?
Boots, always boots.

3. What music do you like to listen to in the Autumn?
To be honest I pretty much listen to the same music all year round! Obviously Taylor (new album in two weeks..EEEEEP), Alex and Sierra, Ed Sheeran, Hunter Hayes, Carrie Underwood, Megan and Liz, Betsy Lane, Nina Nesbitt, Lucy Hale and The Vamps are some of my favourites. As you can probably tell from that extensive list...I love my music!

4. What is your favourite scent at this time of year?
Probably the seasonal body spray from Hollister or Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift.

5. Favourite candles for this time of year?
Christmas cookies and Christmas Memories by Yankee Candle - Christmas begins in October lets be honest!

6. What do you love most about Autumn?
SO MUCH. Dark nights, snuggling on the sofa with a book, hot water bottles, and everything about the build up to Christmas are a few of the things I love. Oh, I just thought of another...layering! I love layering clothes!

7. Favourite make up look?
Liquid eyeliner always makes an entrance in the colder months, and I'm definitely going to be brave and start wearing dark lip colours more.

8. What are you most looking forward to about the season?
The general cosyness of Autumn is something I look forward to every year. Seriously, who doesn't love piling blankets over themselves and spending days on the sofa?

What are your favourite things about Autumn? I tag anyone who reads this!

 

Emily xoxo

Zoella Beauty

Hey guys!
I made two purchases from the Zoella Beauty range (how crazy is it that she has a whole bucketload of products now!) and thought I'd show them to you, although you've probably seen them a hundred times already on other blogs.

The first item I bought was the teal coloured make up bag. I love the size of the bag, perfect for packing in your make up and taking on a weekend away. The bag is instantly recognisable as Zoe's, with the main design being her eyes, and her name in the corner of the bag. I think this is reasonably priced at £8, and is perfect for a birthday or Christmas gift. It doesn't have to be used for make up either, I think it would work really well as a pencil case, or a bag for all your hair slides and hair ties.

 

Secondly I bought the Fizz Bar. It is priced at £5, but lasts for several baths. I broke off two cubes for my bath, and there's eight in the bar, so you could easily get four baths from just one Fizz Bar. This would mean that each bath would cost around £1.25, which is cheaper than one of the small bath bombs at Lush (don't get me wrong, Lush is one of my great loves - I adore the 'So White' bath bomb for Christmas!) The scent is fresh, and although I'm rubbish at describing smells I think I could identify citrusy scents in the bar, don't quote me on that though!

 

It's so surreal to walk into Superdrug and see a whole stand dedicated to Zoe. I remember watching her videos well before everything really took off, and when I see these products I just feel so proud of everything she has achieved. Well done Zoe!

 

Emily xoxo

 

World Mental Health Day

Hi everyone! As some of you may know, today is World Mental Health Day. Zoella has just become an ambassador for MIND, a mental health charity, and they have come up with the fantastic idea of the little red button.

Basically, you wear a red button to show either that you yourself have anxiety or another mental illness, that you know someone who suffers, or that you are supporting anyone who may suffer. I think this a great way to break down the stigma against mental health, and show anyone who feels like they can't speak out about their issues, that there are always people there available to talk. The hashtag for this campaign is the #Don'tPanicButton.

Mental illness is a really big issue for many people in today's society. The problem is the stigma that surrounds it. Just the other day I heard someone say they didn't understand a person's struggle with a mental illness because "they seem to have everything they want." Having a mental illness isn't something that is chosen, it is something in your mind that you can't change (but you can train your mind to cope with it). We need to get everyone involved with campaigns like this, to change the common thoughts about mental illness and to be fully supportive of every single sufferer. Anxiety is something that I have struggled a lot with in the past, although fortunately I have learned to control it and feel much better about myself than I did this same time last year. Just because it isn't as big a part of my life as it was, doesn't mean that I don't still feel passionate about it. A mental illness can be very scary, especially when the people around you don't understand, and don't even try to make an effort to. Even if we don't fully know what is going on in another person's mind, it doesn't make it any less real, or any less of a problem. Mental health is just as important as physical health, and statistics show that a good proportion of deaths in the UK stem from mental illness. It isn't an issue that will go away if we ignore it, and we shouldn't treat any sufferer with disrespect. A problem is a problem, and it shouldn't matter whether it is a physical or mental one. We have a duty to respect and care for anyone who is struggling.

Please support this campaign and reach out to those who are struggling to cope with something that they can't even understand themselves. Sometimes the little things are the best ways to show that you care.

5 tips that I use when I am feeling anxious:
1. Distance yourself from the situation, and find a quiet place to calm your breathing.
2. Read. Anything.
3. Make a list of everything that makes you happy.
4. Focus on your surroundings, and not what is going on inside your head (focus on colours, sounds etc)
5. Remember, this feeling will NOT last forever.

Emily xoxo

Top 5: Nail Polishes

Hi! Today I thought I'd do a Top 5 product post, with the focus on nail polishes. I don't wear nail polish often (mainly because my nails are atrocious) but for some reason I buy quite a lot of it, so I do have some favourites.

1. NYC Quick Dry Nail Polish in the colour 'Chelsea'. I love red nail polish a lot (probably because of Taylor's album), and this shade has a hint of glitter in it which I really like. It also dries super quick, so is handy if you're painting your nails in a rush. I was bought this for a gift, so I'm not sure of the price, but I think that it's probably pretty reasonable.

2. Technic Nail Varnish in 'Isla Bonita'. This is just a glittery nail polish that I tend to paint over other colours to give them a bit of the wow factor! I love how the sparkles are multi-coloured, and how the individual pieces of glitter are different shapes - it gives a really nice effect to the nails! This was only £2.50, so considering the price I'm really happy with the results.

3. Barry M Nail Paint in 'Blue Moon'. This is a beautiful pastel blue colour that I wear in the spring time. Pastel blue is one of my favourite colours, and I love the Barry M Nail Paints, so this is always a winning combination!

4. W7 Nail Polish in 'White' (no bonus points for this name though). I've seen white nail polish on lots of people lately, and I love the way it looks so I bought my own! I've tried it a couple of times and I like how classy my nails look when they have this on them, and the polish doesn't chip very easily, which surprises me because the polish only cost £2.50.

5. B.Complete Long Lasting Nail Polish in 'Treasure Chest'. This one I got in a Glossybox a few months ago, and I absolutely adore this colour! It goes with almost every outfit, and is a light bronze colour with extra sparkle (which you should be getting by now that I love) and it lasts a good week before it starts to peel off. I'm not too sure of the price because it came in a monthly box, but the products they send are usually more upmarket, so I would imagine that it was a bit more expensive than the others.

Emily xoxo

Autumn Lookbook

 

Cardigan: ASOS

Crop Top: River Island

Black Circle Skirt: Forever 21

Tights: Forever 21

Combat Boots: New Look

Necklaces: Forever 21

 

 

Emily xoxo

September Favourites

Hi everyone!
It's officially October, and you know what that means....September favourites time! It also means Autumn which is super exciting, as Autumn and Winter are my favourite seasons.

My first favourite this month is the 'Cupcake' face mask by Lush. Me and my sister were having one of those days when everything feels like it's going wrong, and we stopped by Lush to get some stuff for a girlie night in to try and cheer us up. We chose this chocolate face mask aimed at teenage skin, and it was so fun to use! It really made us laugh seeing each other covered in chocolate, and we ended up having a really nice evening, so I had to put this in the favourites. My skin felt a lot softer after, and I noticed a difference in my skin the next morning. Recommend this one!

 

Next I've been loving the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water. I use it to take off my make up before I wash my face, and it leaves my skin feeling extremely refreshed. It takes off eye makeup easily, and is gentle enough that if you do get a tiny bit in your eyes, it doesn't hurt too badly. I saw this in Jordan's (http://keepdreaming-13.blogspot.ie) favourites last month, and I'm so glad I decided to try it!

I've never been big on eyelash curlers, purely because I can't normally be bothered using them. In September I used this pink leopard print one from Forever21, and I love the way it gives my eyelashes more definition. Also, if my makeup is quite natural (as it usually is) it gives my eyes a slightly more dramatic look, which I think is great. If you've never really looked into an eyelash curler before, I would suggest that you give one a go - this one was only £2.99 or something like that, so it's not a huge investment.

 

Since going back to college, I have liked using these shine absorber sheets by Kleenex. Whenever I get a free moment I pop to the bathroom and use one of these to take some of the oil out of my skin, to give it a matte look. I like these because it means you don't have to keep applying translucent powder, you can just quickly use one of the sheets and be good to go.

 

I'm a big fan of the instant mocha, so when I tried this 'Double Choca Mocha' by Nescafe I knew it wouldn't let me down...and it really didn't! I don't have much to say about this other than...oh my mocha-ery goodness. Tip: sprinkle a little bit of cocoa powder on the top, and then a little bit of sugar - it tastes amazing!

 

 

 

I got these combat boots a few years ago from New Look, and I've never really had the courage to wear them until this month. Autumn and boot weather is approaching fast, so I have literally worn these every day! They go with a lot of outfits, but I like to pair them with a skirt and tights, or to spice up a pair of leggings. A pair of boots is a must have for the colder months, and I am really looking forward to getting some more use out of this pair.

 

So they are my September favourites! I recommend every single one (although some items may not be still available) for you to try! What have been your favourite things in the month of September?

Emily xoxo