GIRLY NIGHT IN ESSENTIALS ♡

Hey guys!!

Whether you are by yourself or with some friends there always time for a girly night in. I won't bore you by telling to watch When Harry met Sally, Mean Girls or Say Anything... (although they are great films and you definitely should watch them) but why not try watching a TV series instead? I am currently watching S3 of Drifters on E4, it's a show about three twenty-something girls who live pretty normal lives but they are hilariously real and relatable. I rarely find a programme that actually makes me laugh, but this one never fails! I'm pretty sure you can watch the first two series on catch up so don't worry you won't miss anything! I would also recommend watching Awkward, Faking It, The Mindy Project and Dash Dolls for something to keep you entertained during your girly down time.

Something else I like to do when I'm having a girly night is make myself a nice cup of tea or hot chocolate (depending on how healthy I'm feeling) and grab some veggies and dip to snack on (plus some cheeky chocolate, it's OK if you have a balanced snack haha). To set the chilled out vibe I light some scented candles or use my Yankee Candle wax melt burner -  also if you're stuck for christmas present ideas this would make a great one. Another essential you will need is some cute/funky/character pajamas, fluffy socks or slippers, a dressing gown and a blanket (also fluffy) can't get more cosy than that!

So now for the pampering: here's some beauty products that are easy to apply, affordable and fun!

 Elegant Touch nails in Jelly Twinkle £7.95 www.eleganttouch.com

Montagne Jeunesse Fruity Beauty Face Masque Sachets £1-£2

These face masks are great, you can buy them from pretty much anywhere that sells beauty products such as Boots, Superdrug or Amazon. There's so many to choose from and you can buy individuals or a multi-pack.

If you are alone for your girly evening why not take a relaxing bath, preferably with some Radox bubble bath or bath soak and some Bath Tea from The Body Shop. Alternatively you could treat yourself to a bath bomb from Lush, I have to be careful with these because I am allergic to some of them so please ask in store for advice if you have sensitive skin.

However you choose to do it, the main thing is that you are chilled out and having some you-time. I hope that this post has reminded you to take one evening this week to have a girly night in and now you have a couple of ideas of what to do. Please let me know how they went and if there's something you do which I haven't mentioned.

Thanks for reading, I am so grateful!

Love from Lily xxxx

A FOUNDATION THAT ACTUALLY WORKS

Hey guys 

Hope you are all good, I'm sat here with my low cal hot chocolate with sugar free marshmallows wrapped in a lovely white blanket from Primark. Not gonna lie my nose is running like a tap which means I'm probably getting a cold. :((( However I tried a new foundation today and it actually DID all the things it claimed to on the packaging so I thought why not share it with you. Plus it wasn't even expensive!

The foundation I am talking about is called Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Foundation by Collection. You may have noticed I have a lot of products by this brand and that's because it's cheap and it WORKS! Here's a list of everything the product claims to do:

• LAST FOR 16 HOURS
• OIL FREE
• SPF 20
• FLAWLESS COVERAGE
• MINIMISES IMPERFECTIONS

Ticks all round from me, I can work all day and it won't fade or seep into pores, oil free is always a bonus as well if you have an oily or combination skin type. I will say that you may need to top up on the powder every so often if you're using it for the full 16 but that's due to your skins natural cycle not the foundation. SPF 20 hasn't really been tested out as its not exactly the right season but it's good to know it's there if you burn so easily like I do. As for flawless coverage and minimising imperfections I would have to agree, it doesn't go on quite as smoothly as other foundations I have used in the past but once it's on the finish its beautiful and matte.

If you are looking for a new foundation but don't know which one to go for I would definitely recommend this one. Price £5.99 from Boots.

Also while you're in Boots you can check out their Christmas stuff as it has now come out, bring on the beauty gift boxes!!

Love from Lily xxxx

BEAUTY 101: SAVE YOUR LIPS THIS WINTER ❤

Hi Everyone!

At the moment my lips are driving me crazy because they keep getting super dry and flaky (sorry for that image lol) so I thought I would take this opportunity to share with you some of the things I use to try and make them better.

I have chosen to put an image of the Baby Lips range be Maybelline at the top of my post today because I absolutely LOVE them. Let's be honest it was the cute packaging that made me first want to buy them, but after using them I thought they were so good I even repurchased. I have tried the orange one 'cherry me' and the pink one 'pink punch', I have to say they both are brilliant because they make my lips feel really soft and they both add a dash of colour. The only negative thing I have to say about them is that you do have to reapply fairly often, especially if you eat or drink anything. If you wish to purchase them there are available in a lot of shops that sell this brand and from Boots or Superdrug they are priced at £2.99 each.

This is a slight variation on the classic Burt's Bees lip balm, I like the fact that it comes in a squeezy tube (I always think the ones where you have to put your finger in are really unhygienic). In addition the hint of mint feels very pleasant on the lips and Vitamin E will protect and repair them. If you would like to buy this you can get it from www.burtsbees.co.uk for £4.99. Be sure to check out the other lovely natural products they have on their site as well!

Now moving on from lip balms, I have been told another way to keep your lips looking and feeling good is to use a sugar or salt scrub. This will really exfoliate your lips and leave them soft and smooth. You can buy these from most cosmetic stores or you can even make your own by mixing salt or sugar with honey. Simply rub it all over your lips and wash off with warm water, then apply a lip balm of your choice to give your lips some moisture.

Tip: If you love your lipsticks make sure during the colder months you apply a lip balm underneath to stop them from drying out.

That's all  you have to do, simple! 

I really hope you enjoyed reading this, I have something exciting to tell you all about soon but I have to wait 'til it arrives. Please leave any comments below I love hearing what you have to say! Also please follow me if you want regular updates!

Love from Lily xxxx

WHATS ON MY CHRISTMAS LIST 2015 ❄

Hi guys!

So we are in the early days of October which basically means it's Christmas time right? I am one of those people who loves the holiday season (sorry if you find that annoying~) and I make sure I am prepared early! 

I am going to share some things I've had my eye on this season NOT so people know what to get me but just to give you a little inspiration of what to get your family and friends or even some things you might want to treat yourself to, I know I do.

1. The Benefit 'Party Poppers' Beauty Advent Calendar 2015

I don't want to ruin the surprise and give away what's inside but I'm telling you now there's a bunch of CLASSICS that you will LOVE. It's not a bad price either at £34.50 considering the contents is worth £79.17! This will be available to buy from www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk from 15th October.

2. The Naked 3 Palette by Urban Decay

I know a lot of you may already have this but I personally have never had the chance to try one of the Naked palettes out. This one caught my eye because it has some great colours to go in the crease such as 'nooner' and 'limit', plus 'mugshot' would look great with a dark lip. It's priced at £38 which to me seems quite a lot to spend on eyeshadow, but for a one off treat or present it would be ideal. It also comes with a good quality brush which is always a bonus! You can buy this from most department stores or from www.urbandecay.co.uk.

3. Daisy Dream by Marc Jacobs

 A nice lady in Boots approached me and got me to smell a sample of this and I thought it was lovely. (I'm not one of those people who gets annoyed when people approach them because they are simply doing their jobs! Really bugs me when people are rude and ignore them you only have to say "no thank you"). Anyway I thought I would go back and get it close to Christmas because both the packaging and smell were amazing! You can get the 50ml bottle from Boots for £59 online and in store. Also comes in an EDT or EDP (Daisy Dream Forever) version.

There we have it, I will probably do a part two when I have spotted a few more things! But as promised here is a photo of what the nail polish mentioned in my previous post looks like on (its Field Day by Collection in shade 2. Peony):

Hope you enjoyed the post, let me know what you thought in the comments. :)

See you next time.

Love From Lily xxxx

NEW MAKEUP

Hey guys!

I felt it was time to try out a few new bits and pieces for autumn and thought I would share them with you. All of the items shown in the photo are very affordable and under £10.

So let's get started!

Top left: Gorgeous Glow Blush Block 1 by Collection £3.98 from ASDA

Second from left: Field Day by Collection in shade 2. Peony £1.98 from ASDA

Third from left: Volume Million Lashes Feline Mascara by L'oreal Paris £9.99 from Boots

Forth from left: Rimmel London Professional Eyebrow Pencil in shade 002 Hazel £2.98 from ADSA

Middle Left: Speedy Highlighter by Collection in Shade 1. Pearl Sheen £3.99 from Superdrug

Bottom Left: Collection Lasting Colour Lipstick in shade 13 Aubergine Kiss £2.98 from ASDA

It's worth nothing that the lipstick looks a lot lighter when its actually on so I've included a swatch below:

It looks really pretty on though, I had been looking for a darker shade of lipstick that actually suited me for ages and now I've finally found it! It just goes to show you don't have to spend a fortune to get decent cosmetics, you simply have to spend a bit of time trying out different drugstore brands.

When it comes to mascaras I prefer the rubber brush with the little spikes compared to the bristles every time, and when I discovered that Volume Million Lashes had one I was delighted. However it does take a few coats if you like your lashes looking thick, but if you take the time the end result is satisfying. My lashes looked lengthened and defined without clumping.

I know the nail polish isn't exactly an 'autumny' colour but I'm a sucker for pastel shades and I didn't have one in pink. Plus the packaging was cute. Going to paint them tonight and will include a photo in my next post. 

Love from Lily xxxx