DIY: make up storage

Hey,

So today’s post is a DIY on how to make your own make up storage to fit in your drawer. I looked and looked for cheap and simple make up storage but I didn't find anything to my taste, so I decided to make my own! My DIY is so simple and basically separates your drawer to organise your makeup in a way that will be unique to your make up collection.

All you will need is:

• Cardboard
• Sellotape or duck tape
• Scissors
• Pencil/pen
• Ikea ‘Skubb’ drawer inserts, or your own pre-made ones. Avalible here: http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/categories/series/12555/

1.      First put in your drawer inserts to how you would like them.

2.      Take one compartment, to start with. Measure the width and length of the box and cut lengths of card- these will become very handy! These can be any height that you want them to be.

3.      With one of your lengths/ widths, take the first product you want to store. In the image, I choose a lipstick to begin with. I marked onto the card where I needed the other piece to be. Then I cut a piece of card that is the width of the lipstick.

4.      To stick these pieces together, I put L shape of sellotape on either side of the card.  Then I repeat the process of adding pieces of card that are the widths of the products. In my example, I had a line of lipsticks, so the widths were the same.

5.      Now you have to keep adding pieces of card, and fixing them with the sellotape, until you have filled the space that is equivalent of the width/ length of the drawer insert.

6.      Carefully push in the card layout into the drawer insert, and then fill it with the perfectly fitting make up.

I’m sorry because I seem to have made a really easy DIY seem really complicated, but this is where I was inspired, a video on LaurDIYs channel- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeXYsZDZwBY .

I hope you like my idea, please let me know if you want to try this DIY or if you have any other ideas,

Thank you, 

REVIEW- Tea tree & witch hazel- foaming face wash

Hey guys,

So today’s post is going to be a review of a product I have been using this month. Lately, I have been trying to take more care of my skincare routine, and I decided to test out a new everyday face wash. The product I decided on was the ‘tea tree & witch hazel- foaming face wash’.

I choose this product for several reasons. One was that with skincare I think it is quite risky to spend a lot of money on a product that takes a long time to work and may not agree with your skin, and this face wash was just £3.59. In the past I have tried the simple face wash, which didn’t work for me and I ended up breaking out, so I wanted something that would help. I’ve used the cleansing wipes from this brand before, so thought it would be a reliable choice to test.

Now I am not someone who does that much for their skincare, because I am lazy and never find the energy to. When using the simple face wash, which was a gel-like consistency, I found it a chore to do and this put me off. The ‘tea tree & witch hazel- foaming face wash’ does what it says on the tin, it is a foam. This is such a lovely texture for a face wash as it is light on the skin and doesn’t feel heavy. Not forgetting it adds a little fun to my morning routine!

I really love this product. I have been using it for a while, and in this time I cleared the spots I had and then didn’t get any more. I use it twice a day, on most days, as the packaging asks, and I have noticed a difference in my skin’s appearance.  As a teenager, spot break outs can be quite regular- so not having any is fab! There are so many things that make this product so good, and here are a few.

The smell. Because the main ingredients are ‘tea tree & witch hazel’ it meaning the product has a fresh clean smell. When I use it I instantly think the smell feels like it is helping my skin and cleansing it healthily. It wakes me up in the morning and refreshes me before I go to bed!

The ‘tea tree & witch hazel- foaming face wash’ is so simple to use that I never see it as a chore anymore. It doesn’t take a long time to do, just damp your face, message the product in and wipe off with warm water, so I really can’t complain.

When I have washed my face with this, I feel like my skin is clean and that old make up or dirt is gone.

Overall I give this product an 8/10, I would completely recommend it, and it is available in any Boots store or online at this address: http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Tea-Tree-Witch-Hazel-Foaming-Face-Wash-150ml_1213604/ .

What face wash do you use? Any skincare tips? Please let me know in the comments below, thank you, 

Spring Nail Polishes

Hey,

So today’s post is going to be a beauty post themed around spring. Here I am reviewing some spring nail polishes, my favourite colours and brands, but also I am including a nail polish I was displeased with. I hope you enjoy my thoughts, and will consider some of these fabulous products.

On all the nail polishes I used my Barry M clear topcoat, basecoat and hardener, which I love so much, as it keeps your nails strong, prevents chipping and adds a lovely sheen and shine to the paint.

The first colour I wore for spring was a bright blue shade. Barry M’s ‘Blueberry’ is a vivid, beautiful tone of blue and is perfect for spring/ summer days when you feel happy. This was the first time I have tried any of the ‘gelly nail effect’ nail polishes from Barry M, which retail at £3.99, and I loved it! The polishes are not dissimilar to the normal nail paint, but they do have a slightly thicker consistency and are must more pigmented. I coated mine twice, but this polish would be fine at a single coat. The polish is a royal blue, with under-tones of a somewhat purple/ lavender colour. Overall I give this nail polish an amazing 9/10, I’m sure to be re-wearing this soon! You can buy the product here: http://www.barrym.com/products/nails/effects/gelly-nail-effects.html.

The next colour is a pastel shade. Pastel colours are always loved in spring time and this is one of my favourites. Barry M’s ‘mint green’, is what it says on the packaging, a perfect mint colour. It is not to strong but still well pigmented. This is an annual favourite for me, and I always get a lot of compliments on it. It is the normal Barry M ‘nail paint’ and is available here: http://www.barrym.com/products/nails/paint/all-nail-paints.html, for only £2.99! I give ‘mint green’ a great 8/10.

The next colour I wore was a huge disappointment. I bought this polish recently from Barry M, if you haven’t guessed my favourite nail polish brand, and was so unhappy. I wanted a lovely pastel pink/ nude shade for the Easter time, and this product was a failure. I bought ‘nude’, a normal Barry M nail paint, and expected a good result. The problem was that the colour was so un-pigmented that it needed many coats to attain any colour, and this had an unusual effect on the paint. 

The colour was gorgeous, after the many coats, but even after it had had time to dry it seemed to pull off and had a gungy sticky texture. I had no choice than to take it off after barely a day of wear. I hope this was just my personal product, let me know in the comments. I do not recommend it and give it only 1/10, which is just for the colour that did not last!

The next nail colour I tried was a simple colour I have worn before (sorry for the blurry images). My light blue nail polish is a New Look ‘GOLD’ (Giles) nail polish, that I bought last year at a New Look Store. I’m not sure if the product is still available but the light blue is so pretty for spring. 

The paint doesn’t need many coats, and doesn’t chip easily- so I really like it. The light blue really refreshes your nails for spring, and is perfect for summer too! Mine is in the colour Skye, and cost only £2.99! For a similar price and colour match, Barry M’s ‘blue moon’ nail paint is available here: http://www.barrym.com/products/nails/paint/all-nail-paints.html.

The final nail polish I wore was a basic lilac. I love to wear lilac/ lavender purple shade on my nails because it is girly without being over the top, and a lovely alternative to pastel colours. Mine was a freebie from a BLISS magazine last year, but again a similar colour is http://www.superdrug.com/nyc/nyc-expert-last-nail-polish-lavender-cupcakes-257/invt/412250.

So what colours/ brands of nail polish do you like to wear in spring, do you adore bright neons or crave simple pastels? Let me know your recommendations down below, have a lovely Easter!

Book review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent. Best. Book. Ever.

So I know this is the second book review of the month, but it seemed right to put it up as I have just finished the book and there are some great deals on it and the movie is out!

So in this Easter holiday break, I went to see Divergent in the cinema (twice) and loved it. The storyline was so brilliantly shown and the characters wonderfully cast-ed. After seeing the film I had to read the novel. ‘Divergent’ by Veronica Roth is the best book I have ever read. The first book of the Divergent series and a ‘New York Times Bestseller’, this book is currently very popular. I am sad that I have not discovered the novel before, however I am happy as long as I read it.

Divergent is the story of a sixteen year old girl, named Tris that lives in a society that is divided into groups. She has to pick one and it will decide her entire life. You may think this choice is enough but it still isn’t that easy for her. Tris doesn’t fit.

The book takes you through the story of her decision. Where she is both alone and surrounded by friends, including a boy that seems to protect her and scare her. Twists and turns are in every page. Some parts are incredibly sad (although I didn’t cry), some romantic and sweet, others are slightly gory (like the Hunger Games) but overall this book makes your heart beat at 100 mph!

I loved this book so much. The characters are unique and are still relatable, and Veronice Roth’s style is everything you want from a writer. She is a genius.

When reading I had to literally force myself to put this book down, even though it’s a sizable 487 pages long. Chapters passed in seconds, on one day I even managed to read 200 pages even though I was trying not to!

This story touched me in a way, like when I read my first proper novel (‘Twilight’ when I was 11) and it is so unforgettable.

I recommend this novel more than any other, to any age of gender. The film isn’t exact to the novel, like always, but it still does the book justice (although if you like the movie, READ THE BOOK). I am going to read the rest of the series now, following Divergent with Insurgent. I give this book 10/10.
I have also got a Goodreads account if you want to follow: https://www.goodreads.com/friend/i?i=LTM1OTg2MDgxNTc6Mzgw

Thanks so much, please leave your thoughts below,

Dragon's Egg- Lush bath bomb review

Hey,

So this post is a review I am doing on one of the bath products from Lush (https://www.lush.co.uk/). I have never purchased anything from the shop before, but have heard positive reviews and recommendations. The shop sells a variety of products, that have a variety of prices as well, and the product I tested was a ‘Dragon’s Egg Bath bomb’. The product is available in store or here: https://www.lush.co.uk/products/dragons-egg. The bath bomb cost £3.25, which isn’t too expensive but for a product that only lasts for a single bath- it isn’t cheap.

I was happy with this product, as my first ever buy from the shop, and give it a 7/10 rating. I enjoyed the bath bomb but I did have mixed feelings.

When I first dropped the bath bomb into the water, it was quickly and foamed in the water, breaking apart and spreading a blue colour liquid. This colour intensifies and stays steady for a bit. This stayed the same for a period and then eventually it turned the water yellow.

As you can imagine, this isn’t exactly the colour you would desire in your bath, for obvious reasons, but it was bright and had a strong pigment. This yellow colour changed to orange and this was the end of the colour changes.

I had expected more colours, maybe pink or blue, like the spots on the bath bomb. I am unsure if this was just a fault in my product, or if all of the Lush ‘Dragon’s Egg’ bath bombs only give you this series of colours.

I was happy though, the colours were strong and did change the bath water, but I guess it’s your choice if you think 3 changes in colour is worth £3.25.

Please leave comments about your ideas and reviews of the ‘Dragon’s Egg’ bath bomb and any recommendations that you may have.

I hope you enjoyed this, below I leave a video of some footage I got of the bath bomb, sorry the lighting is bad. Thanks,

Book Review: 'The Perks of being a Wallflower'

Hey,

So again it has come to the time of my monthly book review. This months book is called ‘The Perks of being a Wallflower’ by Stephen Chbosky.

I heard about this book after the film, which I am yet to see, came out a few years ago. My sister read it before me and I thought it might become an interesting read, as I remember there being a hype about the film.

Overall I think this book is ok, and defiantly a good read but not a favourite of mine.

The book is written very well, and each page kept surprising me with its contents. Stephen Chbosky writes in a way that is simple to read but it still keeps you hooked.

The Perks of being a Wallflower is written in a letter style, which I found unusual but also quite refreshing to read. The main character of the story is Charlie, a boy who is just starting high school and the story takes you through the highs and lows of his first year. It is filled with love and sorrow, disasters and achievements. Through the story you learn more and more about Charlie, and as a reader you begin to really feel his thoughts.

The Perks of being a Wallflower took me a while to really get hooked to the storyline at the start but after I got into the plot, I read pages and pages and pages.

I think the book makes you feel quite inspired, as you learn how Charlie has to face challenges and overcome them. Parts are sad, other parts are very sweet and overall I think the book gave me a personal sense of freedom and awareness of my own life. I am in senior school, so I could relate to a lot of the thoughts Charlie had in his school life.

I would recommend this to anyone who liked the film, as I’m sure it is better than the film. I would also say that this book it 13+ due to some of its contents, but really that’s just an estimate as some minds mature earlier or later than that.

If you have read The Perks of being a Wallflower I would love to hear what you think, also comment down below any books you would recommend or want me to review. Thanks, have a nice day,