Life Update: Im Back! | Domestic Abuse | ♥ New Beginnings ♥

Hello! I feel so strange opening my laptop again and typing on here.. it has been too long! I finally have some motivation to start blogging again. The last time I posted on here was in November last year, the reason I have had such a long break from blogging was because I was in a bit of a mess and I needed to make some serious changes to my life.

I was "stuck" in a horrible, both mentally and physically abusive relationship. This relationship had been terrible since day one, I was in it for 4 years, since I was 15. I tried to convince myself it would be okay and it would sort itself out, I was wrong. Things got really bad around May last year, I was so exhausted and fed up. I was having constant battles in my head, mind games, blackmail and lies were just a few of the horrible, mentally draining things I was dealing with on a daily basis from my ex. I had no life whatsoever, I lost contact with so many friends because I wasn't allowed friends, I was constantly being judged wherever I went, I was being cheated on and lied to all the time, I was constantly "looking after" an unemployed, depressed, drunk boyfriend who never failed to disappoint me.

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara ♥

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara Blackest Black- £4.99
I have a problem with buying mascara, I buy about 2 new bottles a month which ends up with me having an entire drawer full of half used mascara's. Not ideal. However, I thought this was a mascara worth mentioning.
I don't usually use just one mascara on it's own when I do my makeup, so I have been enjoying using this mascara as a 'base', it separates and lengthens all of my eyelashes to a perfect length, top and bottom. I could get away with using it on its own for a basic look but because my eyelashes are long I like to use a bit more mascara to emphasise them even more on a day to day basis.
When used on its own it is a true dark black colour which I really like. It can be built up to make my eyelashes thicker. It dries really quickly and it doesn't flake off through the day either which is brilliant. This is an amazing budget mascara, I can't believe it is only £4.99, I highly recommend it to you all!

Current Favourites ♥

Hey! I hope you had a good weekend. I am currently full of the cold.. the joys of winter time! My grandparents are coming up from Ayrshire this week to stay with me and my family so I am really excited and if we go anywhere or do anything I will probably take my camera and write about my day because a lot of you enjoyed my London and Brighton posts. I just hope my cold goes away in time for them coming! 

I haven't done a current favourites or a monthly favourites in such a long time so I thought now would be the perfect time to show you all what I am loving. 

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette - £37

This is probably no surprise to any of you that this palette is featuring in my favourites but I use it every day and I think Autumn and Winter time is where it fits in the best. I have been using more shimmery shades recently such as the copper shade (Chopper) and the golden shade (Half Baked). If you want to read more about the Naked 2 palette I have a seperate post (here) which reviews it fully.

Bourjois Bronzing Powder "Medium 51" - £7.99

A lot of bronzers look terrible on my pale skin. They are either too dark brown or far too orange and they make me look like I have smeared mud onto my face. However, this bronzer is perfecto! I find it very light at first until you build it up which I really like as I hate when bronzers are at full pigmentation on the first swipe onto your cheeks. I build up to the perfect bronzed, golden shade and it makes my face look slightly less chubby. It also smells of chocolate which is a total bonus!

Revlon Colorstay Foundation Combination/Oily "110 Ivory" - 12.49

I have recently went back to this foundation as I decided I wanted to try out some new foundations for summer. I wish I hadn't bothered because every other foundation I bought was a complete waste of money as no others match up to this one. I love the colour, it is really pale, it almost matches my skin perfectly. It lasts all day and it doesn't oxidise either which is brilliant. I have a full review here if you want to read more.

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara - £4.99

I love how this mascara lengthens, thickens and separates each individual eyelash. It is a complete bargain at 4.99. I can't rave about it enough. It is just brilliant. You have to go and get it.

Maybelline Matte Maker Powder "Classic Ivory" - £3.99

I have been trying out a lot of different powders recently and this is the only one which seems to do the trick for me. It lasts all day and even if I need a touch up it doesn't go cakey or make my face look fake. It also doesn't stick to dry patches on my face.

Elf Liquid Eyeliner  -  £3.95

*The best liquid eyeliner everrrrr* 

I love this eyeliner so much. it is super black, the applicator brush is thin and so easy to use and it dries instantly and lasts all day.. what more can I say.. oh yeah it's only £3.95!

MUA Single eyeshadow "shade 30" - £1.00

 I have been using this eyeshadow below my bottom eyelashes most days. It really brightens them up and compliments my blue eyes. I love how pigmented it is and how shimmery the tiny flakes are.

Rimmel Kate Lipstick "shade 03" - £5.49

I have been enjoying using this nude lipstick with dark eyes recently, it is a nice transition colour from summer to autumn. It lasts about 2 hours without me having to reapply it and it leaves my lips soft and moisturised. It has a semi matte finish which I think looks great.

Hello Autumn, I'm Back!

Hello! I am back from my totally unplanned blogging break. 

I have been really busy over the past couple of months, so I haven't found the time to blog or take pictures in day light. 

I recently started a Fashion Design course at my college, I love it. I never really enjoyed sewing and making clothes in high school but now I really enjoy it. I have to make a skirt before Christmas, so I will keep you updated on how it is coming along. I would like to do a post about my course at some point, so if you would like to read that then let me know. I have been working most days and pretty much every day after college too, so 3 days a week my day starts at 7am for college and ends at 9pm when I finish my shift at work, I don't mind but it has definitely affected my blog. I will try harder to get blog pictures taken on my full days off. I have also had my hair dip dyed again so it is back to blonde on the bottom which I really like for this time of year. I hope you are all well, I have taken lots of blog pictures today so I will have some beauty posts up over the next few days. Thanks for sticking with me while I have been away :) x

p.s how cosy does Magick look lying in front of the fire!

Life Recently ♥ | Kittens, Mountain Bikes, Sunny Days etc.

HEY! I hope you're doing well! I feel like I haven't talked to you all in so long.. I have been so busy recently, I have been hanging out with my best  friends, one of which has just left to live in Glasgow :( (so upset), I've been swimming in massive pools and rivers, having BBQ's, having DVD nights with my friends, travelling with my mum and of course working! I have managed to fit in a lot into my spare time which I am really pleased about, I have been getting out in the sunshine whenever I get the chance, so I haven't been posting as much (sorry). Here are a few pictures I would like to share with you all. I am going to take plenty blog post pictures today as I'm off (y a y) so I will be back on track very soon, I have loads of reviews and ideas that I can't wait to share with you all! I hope you like this little update post, let me know what you've been up to! x

Pictures in detail (from Left- Right, top to bottom):

1,2 &3 - My friend Jerez's kittens! SO cute!

4 - One of the rivers I explored recently with my brother and James

5 - The mountain bike world cup is held where I live every year, it is a good event, I love bikes and the atmosphere is always magic, it was amazing to see stunt planes this year too!

6 - There have been some beautiful, bright and vibrant sunsets recently, this one was amazing!

7 & 8 - I dyed my hair (please excuse my bogging mirror in the second picture)!! My hair was not meant to turn out this dark at all but I liked it at the time, I have now attempted to strip my hair 3 times, all of which haven't worked brilliantly and my hair has faded back dark each time! I am getting my hair done on the 6th August though so it will be totally different again, I can't wait!

9 & 10 - A new cafe opened in my high street, it is amazing and it does thee best brownies EVER.

11 & 12 - I have been here twice in the past 2 weeks, it is such a beautiful place to go swimming or just sit and chill at!

13 & 14 - Me and Leon (the one who moved to Glasgow) sitting in a park one day being weird and taking stupid selfies.. & me and my best bud Laura taking more stupid selfies!

Amazing Advertisers - May ♥

Hey! I hope you're having a good week! I would like to introduce you to my two lovely advertisers, they have been featured on my blog throughout May. Be sure to add them to your reading list, they have lovely blogs which are full of beauty and lifestyle posts. I will leave the rest to them to introduce themselves:)! 

Exclusive Advertiser

Blog|Twitter|Instagram|Bloglovin'

"Hi, my name is Sophiia (yes I spelt it right, don't judge!) and my little blog is Beauty By Sophiia. Its not a very original title, I know, but I'm heavily pregnant so blame it on the baby-brain. I blog about anything beauty related that catches my eye, and sometimes I like to dabble in a bit of fashion. I also post about my pregnancy and will be featuring more of my son in the coming months, so keep an eye out if you love photos of adorably dressed toddlers! I like to write honest reviews, so you'll never get a load of mindless twaddle from me - brownie promise. Speaking of which I'm also getting into posting recipes soon, once I've cracked my ultimate cupcake. So that's what I'm all about, take a look at my blog if you like the sounds of it, and comment too! I love reading and replying comments, I like new friends :) Much love, Sophiia x

 Large Advertiser

Blog|Twitter|Instagram|Bloglovin'

"Hey guys! My name is Alex and I have a blog named "Prettythoughtsx". I currently work as a Retail Apprentice at Next and hope to go into Visual Merchandising! I've not been blogging for very long, only a few months but I really do love it. It's mainly Beauty and Fashion related - however I do the odd post on fun things I do aka travelling! Come say Hi sometime :-)"

If you want to advertise on Shabby Chic and Tea, all the info you need is here, prices start from £3! Book your slot for June now! xo

Models Own Speckled Eggs Range ♥

Models Own Speckled Egg Collection £5 each

Hello! I recently took full advantage of the Models Own 6FOR20 offer. I had never bought anything from them before so I thought this was the perfect opportunity, 6 polishes for £20 what's not to love?! Of course I had to buy some of the polishes from their new Speckled Egg collection, they are the perfect pastel colours for this time of year. 

I only needed 2 coats to achieve this gorgeous opaque colour. They have a lovely high shine finish and all nails had dried within a minute, which is excellent! I am really impressed with my first purchase from Models Own, I really really didn't need to add any more nail polishes to my huge collection but these are so pretty, I just couldn't say no! 

Models Own -'Dove Pink' £5

Models Own - 'Swan Lilac' £5

Models Own - 'Duck Blue' £5

Have you taken advantage of the 6FOR20 offer?

What's In My Bag? | Anna Smith 'Bailey' Bag ♥

Anna Smith 'Bailey' Bag - eBay £23.99

Hello! I haven't done a what's in my bag post in ages so I took this as the perfect opportunity to show off my new bag! I have been wanting this bag for ages, I originally wanted it from The Handbag Shop but they ran out of the black version so I had to look elsewhere, I found this one on eBay for only £23.99 + £1.99 p&p! It is the perfect size, I can fit everything I need in it with extra space left! It is very thick and sturdy with 2 inside compartments, a small inside zip pocket, 2 phone compartments and a front pocket which I keep my car keys in. I hope you enjoy seeing what I have in my bag, I love seeing these posts, just to be nosey hehe!

Samsung Galaxy S4 - My new phone, thee BEST phone I have ever had!

Clique Magazine - A free beauty and fashion magazine which pops through my letter box every month.

Nivea Pearl & Beauty deodorant

Mascara - Bourjois 1001 Clis

Emporio Armani Diamonds Rose Perfume (lovely fragrance)

Lipstick - Barbara Daly 'Sugar Candy' (my fave lipstick)

Pen

Inhaler

Comb

Car Keys - with a few keyrings from James :|

Hand sanitizer - Superdrug (constantly using this!)

Carmex lip balm 

iPad - I usually take this with me to James' 

Notepad - for jotting down blog post ideas and never ending shopping lists!

Earphones

Purse - Next

Top 10 Beauty Products - Collaboration Post! ♥

Hello everyone, I hope you are all having a good week. I have a different kind of post today so I hope you like it!

Taylor from Taylorscollectionn tweeted the other day asking if anyone would like to do a collaboration post with her, so I thought I would give it a try, I've never done a collab post before so this is all new to me! I love how these kinds of posts connect bloggers and I love how we are all helping promote each other in a more interesting way than just an Instagram or Twitter shout out! I hope you like the topic we picked to talk about. All of Taylor's links will be below so definitely check out her beauty blog and twitter profile! If any of you would like to do a collaboration post with me then please get in touch via email (nataliemaac@googlemail.com) or tweet me @shabbychicndtea and I will consider it, I love making new friends through blogger! 

Click on Taylor's Links: Blog ♥, Twitter ♥ & Bloglovin' ♥

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

To the majority of you this will come as no surprise that I love this concealer, everyone does, however, I don't use it as a concealer, I use it as an eyeshadow base! It gives my eyelids a perfect all over natural colour and it makes my eyeshadow last all day! Of course all the packaging has rubbed off as usual! Which is so annoying.

Bourjois 1001 Clis Mascara

This has become my all time favourite mascara, you can get it on Fragrance Direct for only £2.99, bargain! It separates and spreads out my eyelashes evenly and holds them up all day.

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish - Grapefruit and Patchouli

Those of you who are familiar with my blog will know how much I adore this limited edition cleanse and polish. I love the smell and results from this cleanser, it makes my skin feel silky smooth and oil free! Worth every penny.

Naked 2 Palette

Another all time favourite, I have a full review here. I use this palette every day, all the eye shadows are super pigmented, they blend perfectly together and they last all day. Definitely a palette every aspiring makeup artist should have in their kit!

NYC Pressed Powder

This is my new favourite powder. It brightens up my foundation even more and it makes my skin look smooth and silky once I've applied it on top of my foundation. And it's only £1.99 from Fragrance Direct which is amazing!

Liz Earle Skin Tonic

I have a full review on this tonic here, I use it every day after I have cleansed my face, it has helped brighten and clear my skin when I need it most and it makes my skin feel hydrated and soft.

MUA eye shadow shade 1 (Superdrug)

I use this eyeshadow as a brow and cheek bone highlight. It is only £1 from Superdrug. I have had this pot for over a year now and I haven't even hit pan yet! It makes my skin glow without looking caked or too shimmery, definitely worth trying out!

Elf Bronze and Blush Duo - St. Lucia

I use this duo every day, it compliments my pale skin perfectly and it lasts all day. I love how easy it glides onto my face and how well these colours compliment each other. I have heard and seen it is a good dupe for the Nars Laguna duo too!

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Polish
I love all of the Gelly Hi Shine polishes but this one in particular is amazing! It matches every outfit and it lasts for about 4/5 days! I use it all the time and its only £3.99, what's not to love?!
Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser

I use this as my daily moisturiser before I apply my foundation. It is brilliant for my sensitive skin and it gets rid of any dry patches I happen to get in the colder winter months. Simple is a brand I absolutely adore because their products are full of vitamins and they don't have any perfumes or bad stuff in their products!

Did you enjoy this post? xo

Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic Review ♥

Liz Earle Skin Tonic 200ml - £13.25

Happy Valentine's day! I hope you're all having a good day, whether you are with someone or not this Valentine's, you should take the opportunity to pamper yourself! Get a good DVD, some munchies and your favourite face mask and have a good evening:)!

I have been using this skin tonic religiously every morning and night after I have cleansed my face, I'm obsessed! My skin feels cool, refreshed and hydrated after I have applied this using a cotton pad. All the good ingredients and vitamins make me feel like my skin is being looked after, these include; Organic Aloe Vera, Calendula, Rose-scented Geranium, Cucumber and Vitamin E (which is an antioxidant that helps repair and protect your skin!). The smell of this product is amazing, as are all Liz Earle products, it has a very heavenly rose scent, which lasts ages! I have also noticed my skin hasn't had as many breakouts recently and my blemish marks are starting to fade? I can't think of any other product that could be doing this apart from this tonic, so that has pleased me. If you have used this product then comment your thoughts below!

(p.s I know that the bunny chocolates in the picture look like they have been involved in a chocolate bunny massacre but they taste amazing and were too cute not to feature in this post! They're from Tesco!)

♥What are your plans this Valentine's day? :)♥

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette Review ♥

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette £37 - Debenhams

Hello! I am enjoying my week off work, so I thought I would take some time to type up this post and share my love for the Naked 2 palette with you all!

I know so many of you have this palette and a lot of you will have read multiple reviews on it but since having the palette myself I now understand why EVERYONE has to write about it. You just can't not write about it, it's too good, here's why. 

The colour range is amazing, all 12 shades are all I could ever need. The colours are super pigmented, soft, blendable and most of all, they last all day (big thumbs up!). This has been the only makeup palette I have used in 2014, I don't find myself reaching for any other ones, which is a shame but it also stops me from buying endless amounts of palettes I don't really need as I have it all in this one, which is great for my bank account! 

I am really enjoying using the dual ended brush it comes with, it has very soft bristles which pick up and apply a decent amount of product onto my eyelids. I use the flat end for applying a concentrated amount of product all over my eyelid or my brow bone and I use the fluffy, rounded end for blending and applying shadow onto my crease. I haven't abandoned all of my other makeup brushes for this one brush but it is a decent one to add to my collection.

My go-to simple, daily look with this palette is, 'Bootycall' all over my eyelid, this is a lovely shimmery, cream colour, followed by 'Tease', which is a highly pigmented matte brown shade with slight purple undertones, blended into my crease and finally to soften up and darken the outer corners of my eyes I use 'Busted', which is a shimmery, dark brown/purple shade, perfect for the Autumn/Winter months!

If you don't have Urban Decay's Naked 2 palette in your makeup kit then I highly recommend you invest in it! I can tell these eye shadows are going to last me a long time and the makeup looks you can create with it are endless!

My Gel/UV Polish Collection & CCO Review & tutorial ♥

CCO Gel/UV nail polishes £3.36 each from this eBay seller

Hellooo! I really feel like I'm getting my blogging mojo back, which is so good because over the past couple of months I have been falling behind, especially after blogging so often to never at all! I guess everyone has those kinds of months at some point but now I am in my new room I feel like I need to blog more to show off how pretty it is! I hope you are enjoying my new picture backgrounds, I am still experimenting so bear with me! Anyway I hope you enjoy today's post!

When I worked in my cousins hair and beauty salon last year I was always getting my nails done with Shellac Gel nail polish, it was such a treat for my ever breaking and peeling nails. When I left the salon  to work elsewhere I missed getting my nails done all the time. I am sure I would still get them done for free but I don't want to ask and I don't want to pay £10/15 a time to get them done elsewhere, so I thought I would invest in a UV lamp from Banggood and some decent gel polishes that don't cost a bomb like the Shellac ones do. I was so happy when I came across these ones on eBay. I have purchased from this seller on 3 different occasions and I have never had any problems. My items arrive quickly and safely each time. The polish lasts on my nails for about 8/9 days which is so good for me because it gives my natural nail time to grow and strengthen. My nails don't grow very long unless they have these polishes on them!

TUTORIAL:

First I apply a uv base coat onto my natural nail (featured on the far left of the picture above) and cure under the uv lamp for about 10 seconds. I then apply a thin layer of my chosen uv colour without touching the sides of my nails/skin, as this will cause the polish to peel at the edges and come off later on, I then cure the coloured polish for 2 minutes, I repeat this step two more times to get a thick and bold colour. When I am happy with my nails I apply my top coat (featured on the far right of the picture) and cure for a further 2 minutes. When I am finished I take a small amount of nail polish remover on a cotton pad to remove the sticky residue from each of my nails. It is important you don't remove the sticky layer until the end, after you have applied your top coat as your uv polish will not set properly and will not work. A lot of people recommend you only use 99% Isopropal alcohol but I find that Acetone/nail polish remover works just as good, it leaves my nails shiny and strong!

Do you have any gel nail polishes? (: 

Blogging Days ♥

hey hey hey! I felt like having a chit chat about blogging and how I keep myself and my blog organised and how I get my motivation to blog! Please comment your blogging tips below!

Note keeping & being organised

I've had a mad obsession with stationery since I was about 5.. I don't know what it is about it but I just need about 100 notepads even if I don't write anything in them. If I see a cute notebook I will buy it, if I see a pretty pen I will buy it and if I see any reduced stationery at all I will buy it. Am I the only one? Surely not. But a key point to blogging is keeping notes and lists. Lists of blog post ideas, lists of your favourite products throughout the month for 'monthly favourites' and lists of products you have seen on other blogs and you are desperate to buy (this is usually my biggest, never ending list). I also recommend you type up lots of blog posts for the following week and schedule them for when you are at work/school. This is a good way of keeping your blog active.

Inspiration

I love reading beauty insider magazines from different companies such as Liz Earle which comes through the post every month, I love reading about new products and reading the descriptions of popular products. I am subscribed to Company magazine which at times I think could be a bloggers best friend. I absolutely love every aspect of this magazine, it has fashion, beauty, social media and of course blogging sections which are so interesting to read. Zoe from Zoella is going to be on next months front cover so keep an eye out for that one! Company also do an interactive weekly edit app which is only 69p, each issue, from the app store and is now available on iPad WOO! Tanya Burr is this weeks cover girl!

Social Media and Apps

I love using Twitter and Instagram as I feel like everyone is having a big chat with each other. If you don't have a twitter for your blog then I highly recommend you create one. I have found so many lovely bloggers from Twitter and I love the #bbloggers chats we have every Wednesday and Sunday at 8pm (uk time). It is a great way to get your blog out there and known, it has definitely helped me. 

Bloglovin, Polyvore, Tumblr and Pinterest are all great apps to have on your phone, ipad or tablet to help you get into the blogging mood. I use all of them regularly. Bloglovin is brilliant to have on the go to catch up with your favourite blogs. I use it every day and I find it so much easier than using the blogger home page! Polyvore is fab for making collages for Instagram, Twitter or even your blog. I created my Valentines Day Wishlist using Polyvore. 

I hope you have enjoyed reading this post and I have given you an inspiring insight into how I blog and I hope you find some useful information from this post! xo

♥ Valentines Day Wishlist / Gift Guide For Her ♥

1. Pandora Delicate Heart Ring £35, 2. Diptyque Patchouli Candle £20, 3. Skull Dr Martens Boots £159, 4. Rose Gold Marc Jacobs Watch £179, 5. NARSissist Eye Palette £48, 6. Marc Jacobs Daisy Sunshine £45

I hope you like my wishlist/gift guide. I have hinted to James about the Pandora ring, it is such a bargain at £35, I love it! The other items are just things I love and would buy if I had a tonne of money! I hope I have given you a few ideas for presents or just for yourself! Have a good day:)! xo

January Favourites 2014 ♥

The first month of 2014 is almost over, what... not another one of those years! I can tell this year is going to fly by just like last. I've heard a few people say that as they get older time flies much quicker but I didn't think at the age of 18 time would be going this quick for me!? I have almost been in my new job a year?! Wowee! Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading my January favourites and I hope you all enjoy your weekend!

Netflix - £5.99 a month

I finally bought myself a 6 month Netflix subscription, yay! I live in a remote area so I can't get freeview on my TV in my room and I don't always want to sit in the living room to watch TV so I thought Netflix seemed like a good alternative. Tonnes of films and entire TV box sets for £5.99 a month!? I was wondering when they would email me with the catch.. but nope, no catch! Of course I did some research into which online film/tv providers were the best before I bought my gift card subscription, for me Netflix seemed to be the best one, Lovefilm doesn't have as many up to date tv shows as Netflix  does, so I ruled that one out. I would highly recommend getting yourself an online gift card (if your like me and you don't want to give them your bank details for a direct debit every 6 months) or a subscription, it is worth every penny but I am warning you now.. you might get addicted to even more TV shows like me!

Naked 2 Palette - £37

I am pre warning you, this palette is going to be featured on my blog yet again after this post! I am so in love with it, it made my 2013 favourites and now it is in my monthly favourites. I would feature it in every months favourites but after this week I think you will all get the idea, I love it. If you own this palette you will understand where I am coming from when I say it is just everything you could ever need in one. The colours are perfect, highly pigmented, blend effortlessly together and most of all, they last all day! I could rave on and on but I will leave that to its own blog post. This is the only eyeshadow palette I have used since I got it for Christmas, all my others have been tossed to the side for now..

Superberry Exfoliating Face Mask - £2.59 Superdrug

I love using Superdrug's face masks, they don't break out my skin and the tubes last a long time! I adore the smell of this face mask, it smells exactly as described in the name 'Superberry' it is lovely. There are tiny crushed up raspberry seeds mixed into the mask which act as an exfoliator. My skin is left feeling smooth and refreshed after I rinse off the mask with warm water and a muslin cloth.

Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic - £13.25

I have been mainly using this skin tonic in the mornings after I have washed my face, however, I also like using it on days where I don't want to wear any foundation or BB creams as it brightens up my skin and makes it appear clearer and more radiant. I love the fresh and floral smell of this product, it is lovely to wake up to first thing in the morning.

CCO UV Gel Nail Polish 'Overtly Onyx'- £3.25 from this eBay Seller

This month I have really been loving this gun metal dark grey/black UV polish, I have a UV nail polish collection post coming soon, so keep an eye out for that. I love using these polishes as my nails don't grow very long and they tend to break easily but with these they grow and stay strong for about 2 weeks with the polish still on and not chipped, woo!

Burberry The Beat For Women Eau De Parfum 75ml - £45.00

I used to wear this perfume all the time when I was about 14/15 and I loved it, but like most perfumes I have, I got bored of it after a while, so I stopped using it. I finally got it again this Christmas and I haven't stopped wearing it, I love it and the memories it brought back to me when I first sprayed it on Christmas day were so strange! It's weird how a smell can remind you of 2 years of your life!? It has a very soft, warm and floral scent, which fits in all year round! Go try it next time you are in Debenhams!

2013 Beauty Favourites ♥

Happy New year everyone! I am really sorry I have been away for so long, I have been really busy recently. I have finally moved into my new room, yay, I absolutely adore it, I will be posting a room tour soon so keep your eyes peeled! I also haven't felt like myself recently so I didn't feel up to writing blog posts, sorry but I am feeling a bit better now so I should hopefully be back on track. I hope you all had a magical Christmas and New Year, I had a good one.

Here is my round up of best beauty products in 2013, most of them will have their own reviews linked within the post and others will be reviewed soon!

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette - £37

 I know everyone and their mother raves about this palette but it is definitely the best I have ever had! I am going to do a full review on it soon. The shades are highly pigmented, they last all day and look brilliant when blended together. The list of eye looks you can create with this palette are endless! I have used it in so many different ways and every look I create I get lots of compliments on. I have posted a couple of pictures of my makeup using this palette on my Instagram @magickruby if you want to have a look. I could happily just use this palette on its own, forever and not use any others, it's that good!

Simple Eye Makeup Remover - £3

I have been using this makeup remover for about 3 years now and I wont ever use anything else. I have very sensitive eyes and skin, so I have always been wary about certain makeup removers. This one has no artificial colours or perfumes, no oils and 2 vitamins, so a big thumbs up from me! I use it on a round cotton pad and hold it over my closed eye for a few seconds and then wipe away my makeup. It is such a gentle product and it gets rid of every last bit of my makeup. 

Clean & Clear deep cleansing lotion - £2.99

I have been using this cleansing lotion for a couple of years. It works perfect with my skin and it cleanses every last millimetre of my face. I use it on a cotton pad in the morning and at night before I go to bed. It removes my foundation and powder effortlessly, leaving my face feeling cool and refreshed, I have done a full review on this product here.

Emma Hardie Amazing Face Cleansing balm - £34

I have a full review on this product here. I feel like my skin gets a treat every time I use this face cleanser, it smells amazing, it's easy to apply and it leaves my skin feeling clean and refreshed. I have also noticed while using this product for a long time that it has brightened my skin, which is good for me as I have blemish marks which never seem to disappear (annoying!) I highly recommend trying it out if you haven't already!

Liz Earle Grapefruit and Patchouli Hot Cloth Cleanser Limited Edition - £24.75

I have always loved the original Cleanse & Polish and its scent but this one is AMAZING I adore the smell of patchouli and the smell of grapefruit.. so when these two came together and made this amazing limited edition bottle I was very happy! I have a full review on the original Cleanse and Polish so if you want to learn more have a read of that here.

Revlon Colorstay Foundation 110 Ivory- £12.99 

I have been using this foundation for a few months now and i am so pleased with it. I have a full review on it here. It is medium/full coverage and it blends perfectly into my skin, it is the perfect pale shade for me and I don't see me changing to a different foundation any time soon! If you have super pale skin like me, give this foundation a try, it's working well for me.

Elf HD powder - £6.99 

This loose powder sets my foundation perfectly in place, it has a very natural finish and it lasts all day. I find applying it with the powder puff it comes with works best, it makes my face feel silky smooth and as if I amnt wearing any makeup. This tub lasts months so for £6.99 it is a real bargain and worth every penny!

Sweater Weather Is Better Weather

Hello everyone!

It's Friday woohoo! I hope you've all had a good week. I have been feeling very wintery and Christmassy this week, I blame my work which has been completely Christmas over hauled and the cold frosty weather outside! I have done most of my Christmas shopping already, I feel pretty organised this year, are you? 

I thought I would share a winter fashion post with you all as I LOVE wrapping up warm and wearing big oversized jumpers at this time of year. I hope you like my picks, I want all of them!

1. Quiz Heart Shirt - £18.39 (reduced from £22.99)

2. Sweater Weather Is Better Weather - £18.53 Etsy

3. Fairy Lights Jumper - £28 Topshop

4. Skeleton Jumper - £14.99 New Look

5. Big Cable Knit Jumper - Primark

6. Penguin Christmas Jumper - £27.99 New Look

7. Grey Knitted Jumper - Primark

8. Oversized Unicorn Jumper - Primark (I looove this jumper!)

Revlon Colorstay Foundation Review | My New Favourite! ♥

Revlon Colorstay 24hr Foundation (Combination/Oily) £12.49 - Superdrug

I am loving this foundation at the moment! It is hands down the best foundation I've used so far, here's why. 

I have very pale skin as some of you already know and I can't ever ever find a the correct foundation colour for my skin tone, however, this foundation seems to be the perfect match. I have it in the shade 110 Ivory which is the lightest colour Revlon has to offer. It has a medium to full coverage which is great for those not so good skin days! 

I find this foundation works best for me with an oil balancing moisturiser as a base layer, I use Simple's 'Clear Skin Oil Balancing Moisturiser' (review here). I then apply my foundation with an Elf stippling brush followed by my Beauty Blender (review here) to blend it all out and get rid of any brush marks, to give my skin an airbrushed & soft look. It blends out perfectly and has that 'no foundation, flawless skin' look. 

This foundation hasn't caused my skin to break out which is great because quite a few high street foundations have done in the past, so this one is in my 'safe' zone. It lasts all day which is good for me because I always lean my hands on my face or I have an itchy nose or something (weird, I know), so most foundations I've used tend to rub off but this one stays put! I am just about to purchase my second bottle, so I would highly recommend you try this foundation next time you are looking for a new one!

What are your thoughts on this foundation?

MUA Ever After - Matte Palette | Review ♥

MUA Ever After Palette £4 - Link

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a good weekend! I didn't do very much, I had lunch with James on Saturday and then yesterday, to celebrate the first day of my week off (woohoo!), I had a lazy day! I hope you enjoy today's review, let me know what you think!

I was so excited when I seen the latest addition to MUA's makeup palette range and for only £4 you really can't go wrong! I only ever use matte shadows on my eyes so this palette was exactly what my ever growing makeup collection needed. 

I have read a few negative reviews on this palette, however, I really like it! What I find with a lot of eye shadows is you need to get past the top layer to get to the true colour, once you've done that with this palette, you get highly pigmented and easy to blend colours. 

I love the colour selection, if I was to create my own MAC palette this would be the shade range I'd choose. It ranges from the blackest of black to a very light cream colour, I used the black along with a gel eyeliner for my Halloween makeup last Thursday, it lasted all night and blended perfectly (see makeup below). I use the light and dark brown shades every day now and I am amazed at the different eye looks this little palette can create.

Most days I use 'Fade' along the top of my crease as a light transition colour, followed by 'Penny' on my crease and onto the top half of my eyelid and finally to finish off the look I use 'Truffle' in the outer corner, blending it out evenly into the shade 'Penny'.

what you think of this palette? xo

BOO! D: