The Night Circus

paperback | hardback
If you have ever read a book and at the end felt so sad, contented, happy and inspired (plus about a million other things you can't put into words), then that's how I felt when I finished this book. I mentioned earlier this month that I'm doing a 50 book challenge this year, and this was my third book that I've finished.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgernstern (here) is so simple but magical, and the imagination that must have gone into writing this is simply amazing. It's the kind of book that I could read in a day and get completely lost in. It's really well written and easy to follow, and the ending was not at all what I expected (it was better). I wish I could do this justice in giving it a shining review, but it is one of the few books that I have ever read that I just simply want to read over and over until I can remember every word by heart.

goodreads

n xx

Real Techniques | eye started set

 l-r
brow brush, fine liner brush, accent brush, base shadow brush, deluxe crease brush

I've debated a good long time (about a year) before I actually bought this set so I'm a little late to the party, and I'm so glad I finally decided to buy it. I love Real Techniques brushes, I think they're such good quality for their high street price. I picked this set up for £21.99 in Boots, which actually means each brush works out about £4.40, plus the case!

"Eye definition goes high definition with our revised starter set.

• Base shadow brush: applies a smooth, flawless foundation of color.

• Deluxe crease brush: soft, oversized design for effortless contouring.

• Accent brush: for precision detailing, highlighting and smudging.

• Fine liner brush: for precision application of liquid of cream eyeliner.

• Brow brush: distinctive shape easily defines eyebrows."

I'm not a massive eye shadow user, but in the month I've had this I've surprised myself by using all these brushes. The two smallest, accent and fine liner brushes, I've also used on lining my lips when wearing a bold lipstick. I find the brow brush a bit thick for especially the ends of my brows, but I really love it for shaping out a cat flick with powder before using liquid or gel liner. The final two brushes are my favourites, perfect for creating any kind of eye look. The deluxe crease brush in particular is perfect for blending.

Get them here... real techniques | boots

If you're looking for new brushes I'd definitely recommend these!

What's your favourite Real Technique brush?

n xx

Clinique liquid facial soap

Way back when I started to first get into skincare, Clinique was my go to brand. I started off with their 3-step skin routine, which I do still sometimes go back to when I'm having a bit of a switch up. Currently I'm using just the liquid facial soap in the morning before moisturising, and between make up removal and toning in the evening. 

I find it really calms my skin down, and I take it off using a muslin cloth so I get a bit of exfoliation in with it too. It doesn't dry my skin out at all, which is a common problem I have. It also doesn't effect the oily areas of my skin like some products do when they're good for dry patches, so I find this a really good product for combination skin. I would definitely recommend this if you're looking for something new to try! It's £16 for 200ml, and is great by itself or as a part of the 3-step cleanse.

3-step skin care

Have you ever tried this?

n xx

Yankee candle | salted caramel

"Sweet surrender is yours with our luscious gourmand confection of burnt sugar, sea salt and smooth vanilla caramel."

Salted caramel aka heaven. This little beauty was one of my christmas presents and I'm addicted to it. If you don't like overly sweet smells, this probably isn't for you. I normally don't like anything that smells so sweet, but I think it's the salted part of it that makes it so good. I have the small jar, which burns for 25-40 hours. I've not burnt this for more than an hour at a time because after that long it tends to get a little overpowering, and even without burning it still gives off a strong scent.

I'd definitely recommend smelling this if you see it! To me it's such a happy smell and always puts me in a good mood, plus I love Yankee Candles! They're so long lasting and the jars are so useful when you've finished burning the candle.

small jar | wax melt | large jar

What's your favourite candle smell?

n xx

Current make up favourites

In an effort to stop wearing the same make up constantly (something that I'm highly guilty of), I'm going to start posting about what I'm loving currently in my make up bag every month or so. Recently I bought the MAC pro longwear concealer (review here), and it's moved pretty firmly into what I'm currently using every day. It's long lasting and not too much of a dewey finish, though I think next time I might go for something a little more heavy coverage for the long lasting under eye bags I have.

I'm also loving the Body Shop Honey bronzer (here), which is the perfect shade for giving my pale skin a bit of life. It's not too dark, but I feel like it's definitely a buildable colour (I definitely learnt that the hard way). The final thing that I can't get enough of recently is this Soap & Glory christmas shade of smoulder kohl. I'm a big fan of the black, but I've never really given the emerald, purple or navy shades I got one christmas much of a look in until now. I've been loving emerald or brown instead of just black recently, they give my make up just a little something extra without much effort.

The Body Shop honey bronzer £13

Soap and Glory smoulder kohl £5

MAC pro longwear concealer £17

What are your favourite things in your make up bag?

n xx

Essie blanc | the perfect white

Essie blanc £7.99

here

I've been searching for my perfect white nail varnish shade for a while now, and I've found it in Essie. I posted about finding the perfect nude shade so I thought I'd share this one too! I'm a big fan of Essie polishes. I find that the brush is just the right size to easily cover my nail without having to faff around too much. Two coats gives a perfect white canvas on my nails, and I've found that generally Essie polishes are quite long lasting.

I'd definitely recommend this if you're looking for a white nail varnish! The price is more than some other brands, but the bottles are bigger and last forever. In three years I've only just finished my first one!

What's your favourite white?

n xx

Review | The Body Shop camomile waterproof make up remover

It's been a while since I picked up any new make up remover, so recently in The Body Shop I picked up a few new bits. Among them was this Camomile waterproof eye and lip make up remover. I'm a big fan of the camomile range, and I loved the sumptuous cleansing butter and gentle eye make up remover so I guessed I might get along with the waterproof version pretty well. It's £8 for 150ml, which I think is pretty good value. Plus the handy see-through packaging means you know exactly how much you've got left to use!

The first time I used this, I couldn't believe how easily it took off my mascara. I soaked a cotton wool pad for each eye and held it on for about a minute, gently massaging, and when I took them off about 70% of my eye make up had come off without me even having to try. Ever since it's been my go-to for eye make up remover, and I've never been let down. It's gentle on my skin but super effective. It's fragrance, alcohol and colour-free and hasn't flared up my sensitive skin.

Overall I'd definitely recommend this!

Have you ever tried the Body Shop camomile range?

n xx

The new handbag | Fiorelli

For what feels like the last century, I've been looking for the perfect black handbag. The hold everything, Mary Poppins style that is super versatile so I can use it until it falls apart. While I've found some before, they've all been designer and a little bit out of my price range (Mulberry I'm looking at you). So when I saw this bag, I had to have it. Plus it's called the Nikki tote, which I took as a sign. I never find things with my name spelt right.

I got it for £29, though it's normally £69- it might still be on sale here! As soon as I saw it I knew that I would have bought it for full price anyway. It's light, spacious and generally perfect. The middle pocket easily fits A4 notepads (perfect for student life), as well as an abundance of rubbish I'll never need but carry just in case. The outside two pockets are smaller but still fit a surprising amount in them, plus the entire bag can be made slightly bigger by the poppers that are on either side. All of them have silver zips that keep everything safe. There's also a small zipped section in the back which is perfectly key sized. Finally there's strap choices with two different types, and the longer over the shoulder strap is also removable.

Honestly, I'm in love. Now I just need the perfect purse to match and I'm all set...

What do you think of this bag?! 

n xx

Lush dream cream

I've always had pretty sensitive skin, which turned into eczema when I was a teenager. I'm forever looking for good soaps and moisturises that will keep my skin nourished without a flare up, and just recently I've fallen in love with dream cream.

My mum has been trying to convince me to use it for years, but the smell has always put me off. Over christmas I had a flare up on my hands from using the wrong kind of soap (normally I stick to honey I washed the kids) so I finally caved and tried it out. It has "cooling and soothing ingredients like oat milk, rose water and chamomile blue oil calm down hot and itchy skin" which I could feel working straight away. It's a been a few weeks since I started using it, but my skin had gone totally back to normal in about 4-5 days, and I'm still using it every day.

I think the main smell comes from the oats, but it's not long lasting and it's so natural that I like it a lot more now. It sinks in super fast to my skin, but leaves them feeling so hydrated and relieved. It's £11.95 for 240g, which I think is really good value for money. I use this all over after showering and I've still used barely any because a little goes a long way. I'd definitely recommend this if you're looking for a new moisturiser!

Have you tried this before?

n xx

Ted Baker Royally Relaxed

I'm not much of a sale shopper. Something about sale aisles in the aftermath of Christmas/ New Year makes my skin crawl (probably something to do with my OCD tendencies) so I never really venture into them. This year I was wandering through Boots, one of the few sales I embrace, and I stumbled on this beauty. Ted Baker? Baths? Sale? Cute packaging? Check.

Bath products might not be what springs to mind when you first think of Ted Baker, but I'm so glad I picked this up. Firstly, the packaging is beautiful. It's a glass bottle, which does weigh a tonne, but it looks so pretty and you have the added bonus of being able to see how much product you have left. It's a very feminine and floral scent, which I find very relaxing, and it gives off just enough bubbles to keep you decently covered.

You can get it here, though it's selling out fast! I love mixing up between bath bombs and bath gels, so this is perfect!

Do you have a favourite bath product?

n xx

50 book challenge

Being an English student, I read a lot. Most of it isn't even related to my degree, and one of my best childhood memories is going to the library with my family every friday when my dad got home from work. I like books. 

I've never really kept a track of what books I read or how many I read, so this year I'm making it one of my resolutions. I aim not only to read 50 books this year, but also to keep track of them. I have a book to note them down and I am all ready to go... as soon as I find the books I want to read!

If you want to follow my progress I'm hoping to make the occasional blog post, or you can do it here:

Goodreads

Are you doing a reading challenge this year?

n xx

Rimmel 60 seconds | let's get nude

let's get nude £3.69

I love a good nude nail varnish, but I've been searching forever for one that's just right for me. Now I've found it, I couldn't not share it so here it is from the Rimmel Rita Ora collection. The collection hadn't really caught my eye until I had two Rimmel products and there was a 3 for 2. Let's get nude is quite a tanned nude, but it looks nice even with my pale skin. It's also quite peachy, but I'm a real fan of peach!

So far I've always applied two coats when using it. One coat is that annoying nearly thick enough but not quite kind of coverage, but I find the brush is the perfect size for me to get a good amount of product on my nail. Over christmas I had it on for a good week with minimal chipping (and I put that mostly down to my nails being in not so great condition). It also dries really fast, though probably not the proposed 60 seconds. More like two minutes, but that's still pretty good in my books.

What's your favourite nude?!

n xx

MAC pro longwear concealer | review

I might not be a 'I stayed up so late partying last night' kind of girl, but I have the eye bags that say otherwise. A heavy duty under-eye concealer is an absolute essential in my make up bag, and recently I decided to leave behind the Collection lasting perfection concealer this winter and find something just as high coverage but more matching to my pale skin tone.

I opted for MAC pro longwear concealer in NC15, and it's £17 for 9ml. I wanted something that was liquid and easy to blend, as well as long lasting. I apply it using my Real Techniques setting brush, which is the perfect size to blend in around my under eye area. I set it with powder and a small brush, and I'm so impressed with how good its staying power is. 

It's also a really good match for my skin colour, given that I'm pale as anything. I do have to blend it in well just to be sure, but I'm happy with the match. The pump packaging means that quite a lot comes out at once isn't ideal, but as I don't wear foundation I blend it well around my face.

I'd definitely recommend this if you're looking for something new to try!

Have you ever tried this?

n xx

Loving lately #10

tswift image yoga image night circus image

Album of the moment...

It's still Taylor Swift's 1989. I was late on the bandwagon and I refuse to get off it yet. My current favourites are Bad Blood and Style.

The make up looks I'm loving...

Katie Snooks NYE gold glitter tutorial

essiebutton Taylor Swift inspired look

Pixiwoo Killer liner look

The new fitness pump...

Alongside upping my gym sessions, I'm attempting a 30 day yoga challenge by Yoga with Adriene. I'm loving it, but I am not as flexible as previously thought.

What I'm reading...

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

"The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called "Le Cirque des Reves," and it is only open at night."

n xx

2015 goals

image

Making New Years resolutions is great, but personally I think that if you want to change something, then you should change it then and there. Life's too short for procrastinating too much! Here's some of my long-term goals for 2015. Most of them are things that I've already started on, but I love having them written down so I can see how far I've come!

• hopefully graduate and be happy with my final grade

• reach my target fitness level, and generally be fitter

• find a job for after uni!

• start back at ballet

• holiday with the boyfriend

• find somewhere to live after uni (preferably not moving back home)

• organise spending my 21st birthday in Switzerland

• be better at saving money

• be more involved in the blogging community

Do you have any aims for 2015?!

Happy new year!

n xx