Welcome Autumn....

It's finally October, my favourite month! The last couple of months have been very strange for me; I have graduated from University and I have not found my calling in life. I have flitted between many jobs over the summer and now find myself confused and jobless.  Since I'm unemployed, I thought I would take a lot more care of this blog. I read everyone else's blog every day but rarely write things myself. I guess I don't think what I have to say is very important. But the last couple of months have taught me that I need to have faith in myself and that I also need to stick at something for it to turn into something worthwhile.

So that worthwhile thing will be this blog. Starting from now...

22 things learnt in 22 years.....

As university comes to a close and a new chapter of my life is beginning, I've had time to think about the things I have learnt in the last 22 years and the importance of them....

1). Do what makes you happy - don't try to please others too much

2). In the long run, the little things don't matter

3). Learn to let things go

4). Where possible, save money!

5). Appreciate and love your parents; they're the only ones you have
6). There's no point getting into Game of Thrones, everyone you care about will get killed
7). Don't be so self-concious
8). Embrace your talents, try not to let them fall to the way-side
9). If you want something, go out and get it.
10). Believe in yourself and your abilities
11). Learn about 'adult' stuff before it's too late (mortgages, bills, etc.)
12). University and education is  not for everyone....
13). Looking at fitness girls on Instagram relentlessly will make you want to kill yourself
14). Hard work and determination will get you where you want
15). All cats are evil. Except British Blue's.
16). Dogs, sleep, tea and F.R.I.E.N.D.S will always make everything better.
17). Never go to bed angry or harbouring bad feelings
18). As you get older, you will have less friends, but better friends
19). Less is more (in terms of make-up. This does not apply with clothes....)
20). Look after your body, it is not a rubbish bin.
21). Making baskets online when not being able to afford anything in it is beyond depressing
22). If friends are real friends, they will not be against you. They will not say bad things about you behind your back and they will be supportive and happy with your decisions and choices if you are and whatever they are.


University was a hard stage of life for me. I did not enjoy my course, and I realised that academia is not for me and I appreciate creativity a lot more than writing essays. Now, after achieving a good degree in a subject I have no intention of using, I am completely lost for what do to. This is both terrifying and liberating.

13 Best products of 2013

1) Nars Sheer Matte in Deauville - what line up for 2013's 'best products' would be complete without this beauty. Beautiful in consistency and finish, I'm glad I bit the bullet and picked up this foundation, because at £30.50....it better deliver! I got matched in the colour Deauville, which is perfect when I've got a bit of fake tan on but I'm hoping from now on to only get a bit darker in complexion so hopefully it will match until I re-purchase - and I definitely will be repurchasing!

2) La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo - another beauty blogger favourite, this product has been a life saver for my ever-changing skin this winter. It stopped break outs from going out of control and kept my skin clear and flawless all through my birthday, Christmas and new year.

3) Benefit 'Watt's Up' stick Highlighter - this was a late purchase in 2013, but already a favourite and I know it's going to look absolutely gorgeous throughout summer. This highlighter stick also does not go down at all so is well worth the semi-hefty price tag.

4) Real Techniques Buffing Brush - the only brush I use for my base. Real techniques just bring it when it comes to face brushes and, although specifically the buffing brush is my favourite, I own a lot of their brushes and they are a staple in my everyday make-up routine. However, you need to buy the whole core collection to obtain this brush, but the other brushes that come with it are also now a staple in my make-up routine.

5) Nars Laguna Bronzer - Another late purchase in 2013, but coupled with the Benefit highlighter, this bronzer just looks gorgeous on the skin; perfect for bronzing up a pale skin tone without looking orange or over the top. I use this for contouring every single day and I absolutely love it.

6) Maybelline The Falsie's Water Proof Mascara - Hands down the best drugstore mascara I've ever used, it makes lashes long, thinck and fluttery. A staple in 2013 and definitely in 2014.

7) L'oreal Superliner Perfect Slim Eyeliner - I only started using this in summer 2013 but it has since been used everyday to create my signature cat-eye flick that I so often sport.

8) Rimmel Scandeleyes Khol Kajal Eyeliner in Nude - the drugstore dupe for Mac's kohl eyeliner in NC20, this is basically the same product for under £4. I use it everyday in my waterline to brighten my eyes and look more alive.

9) Mac 'Ruby Woo' Lipstick - When autumn 2013 came, it was very rare to see me without this lipstick on. Matte in texture, it's long lasting and it's just a beautiful flaterring colour on all. Mac does bring it when it comes to lip products, I must say.

10) Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Brow Mascara in Medium Brown - 2013 was all about brows, and this offer from the drugstore is just perfect for a lazy make-up day or it can be used on top of powder to really define your brows and create a bold look.

11) Nivea Lip Butter in Vanilla & Macadamia - I think I own about 3 of these, all the same flavour; I just need one to hand at all times! It tastes amazing and makes lips feel silky soft.

12) Barry M Hi Shine Gelly Nail Paints (all!) - I love every single colour from this Barry M range, in particular 'Blue Grape', which can be seen on my nails in most of my previous blog posts. The formula is great, it dries quickly and the shade range is amazing.

13) Mac Turquatic Perfume - Last but not least, this is my favourite perfume of 2013 and if not, ever! I got it as a birthday present last year (so December 2012) and I had pretty much used it all by March. I repurchased, reused and now this is my third bottle. It just smells so fresh, and sort of manly, which I absolutely love.

So these are my favourite 13 products for 2013. Please let me know in the comments what your favourite products have been :) I love getting recommendations and trying new things out! That's all for now, take care xoxo

Prickly Pear

Barry M Hi-Shine Gelly Nail Paint - Prickly Pear

Midi Ring - River Island

Grey Jumper - Zara Sale

Pastels and nudes are in for S/S'14 so I thought I would try something different with my usual black attire. These nail paints maybe be 'so last year' but they're still amazing in terms of finish and opaqueness. They are an oldie but a goodie.

New Year, Nothing's Changed...?

I have no excuse for my behaviour...... I haven't blogged in 4 months. And I can only apologize. But things will be getting better I promise!

I'm so glad to have 2013 out the way and a chance to start a fresh. 2013 ended with me doing crap in my modules at uni and my flat being broken into and everything being taken (when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING!) So with no laptop, no camera and no internet connection, I've been living the somewhat non-existent life of a hermit crab over the last 4 months. But now that can all change.

Admittedly, I am writing this because I can't look at my essay any more but I am also writing this as a reminder to myself to keep at things. I always start things and never finish them or see them through properly, but with this, I will!

I hope you all had a lovely break and relaxing holiday. Here's a few pictures of how I spent my birthday, Christmas and NYE :)

Taraa xoxo

Carboot Haul #4

I've been away travelling for a while, so when I got back, one of the first things I was looking forward to doing was going carbooting because summer is over which means soon they will finish! In the meantime however, I dragged my sorry self out of bed at 7am and I'm so glad I did because I got some amazing stuff this week and it cost barely anything! It was a happy haul :)

I'll split this into fashion and beauty stuff because I didn't get that much in the way of fashion, just a few bits and bobs.

First thing I purchased was this navy blue and yellow aztec print dress from Zara for £2. It was in perfect condition, barely been worn and I though it would be a great transitional piece into autumn, just chuck a leather jacket and chunky boots over it and it'll look great.  Then I got these cat eye, leopard print sunnies. They were only a £1 and I'm sure they're not certified sun glasses with UV protection and all that jazz but I thought they looked cute and they were cheap :)

Next onto more beauty items and there are quite a few! Starting from the left, I bought Snow Fairy by Lush. I think it's past its expiry date because it's become quite thick but it still smells smazing, its completely full and it was only 50p. Next is the Elle Macpherson 'The Body' Exfoliator, in an attempt to make my body look like a different body....probably won't work but for 30p, I was having it either way. Then we have Soap and Glory's Flirtigo, which is a spray body moisturiser. It smells exactly like all other Soap an Glory products - amazing - and it's really convenient to spritz all over when I get out the shower because I'm lazy and cba to put on body lotion (y). Last on the back row is a Teatree Mint conditioner by a company called Organic. This was also only 50p and I like the idea of something mint and refreshing in the morning. On the front row and the last things I purchased in this rarely large carboot haul are these L'Oreal Color Mineral pigments. They are loose powder eyeshadows and I wasn't overly keen on the colours (blue and bronze) but they were 30p each and I thought I could work the bronze in some way shape or form even though I am not an eye shadow kinda gal.

That's all for this week (that's all....as if I didn't buy enough!) But I love a good bargain and will be sad to see  the Carboots go as we approach winter. There's still a couple of weeks left however so I will continue to scavenge!

tarraa xoxo

How much is my Face - Tag!

A lot of these have been circling around and now that I am finally settled in my new place with internet, I can finally do this post! I love an excuse to go through my make up bag and celebrate the products I use on a daily basis because, as I've got older, more and more products have become staple, 'holy grail' products for me and surprisingly, they are mostly drugstore. This is from years of testing and trying but finally this is what I use on my face everyday and how much my face is worth.........this will probably depress me a bit because I'm broke at the moment but oh well! haha


Base:

Simple Purifying Cleansing Lotion (200ml) - £2.99
Neutrogena Visably Clear Rapid Clear Treatment (15ml) - £3.99
Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer (50ml) - £4.99

Total: £11.97

This is my everyday routine before I apply my make up in the morning. I don't necessarily rate the Neutrogena Rapid Clear, I think I use it more out of habit than because of how good it is. I always make sure my skin is cleansed and clean with the Simple Cleanser and then I apply the Nivea moisturizer that doubles up as a primer - this product is amazing. It makes skin so soft and smooth and acts as a perfect base for make up application.


Face:

Revlon ColorStay 24 Hours in 180 Sand Beige - £12.49
M.A.C Studio Scuplt Concealer in NC20 - £16 (roughly, it is now discontinued)
Benefit Hoola Bronzer - £23.50
Benefit High Beam - £24.50
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Transparent - £3.99

Total: £80.48 (holy f*ck.....ha!)

Oh man, I wish I hadn't calculated this now haha! Although through years of trying every  foundation, powder and concealer there is, this routine is working really well for my combination skin and I like how long lasting the products I use are. This is probably the most 'expensive' part of my make up routine as most of the products I use are from the drugstore/high street. Now that the studio sculpt concealer is discontinued, I'd definitely think about purchasing M.A.C's Select Moisturecover concealer instead because it is not as heavy duty as the sculpt concealer and it also works fantastically as an under eye brightener.


Eyes:

Sleek Brow Kit in Light - £8.49
M.A.C Brow Set in Show Off - £13.00
Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in Nude - £3.99
Benefit 'They're Real' Mascara - £19.50
MaybellineThe Falsies Volum' Express Mascara - £7.99
Rituals Volume Mascara - Free with a magazine
ModelsCo Fibre LashXTend Lengthing Mascara - Free with a magazine
L'Oreal Super Liner Perfect Slim - £8.99

Total: £61.96


Apart from the Benefit mascara, all the products I use are high street because I think brands such as Rimmel and Maybelline are on par, if not better than high end products when it comes to Eye and Lip products. I'm not sure if it's cheating by putting in mascara's that I received free with a magazine, but if they weren't free, I wouldn't have them.....if that makes sense... haha :) I'd only use the Benefit and Maybelline mascara's so that doesn't effect the total.


Lips:

(Top to Bottom - Big Bang, Nude Eclipse, Prune)

Nivea Lip Butter in Vanilla & Macadamia - £2.25
Rimmel Apocolips Lip Lacquer in Nude Eclipse or Big Bang - £4.99
Maybelline Super Stay 24 Hour Bold Matte Lip Cream in 830 Prune - £8.99

Total: £7.24 (everyday basis)

On an everyday basis, I'll be wearing the Apocolips in Nude but if I feel like changing it up, Big Bang or Maybelline's Prune are my 2 favourite colours, and I'll wear them all year round, even more now that fall is coming! they are very long lasting products so I don't have to worry about topping them up during the day and they're very affordable so I love using them. The Nivea lip butter is the most incredible lip balm I have ever used, this is my 3rd pot and I've made all my friends buy it so they can stop stealing mine - just go to Boots or Superdrug and pick one up, they smell amazing and Nivea seems to do the best job at keeping parts of my face soft.


So that's the end of this tag. If anyone wants to do it and know how much money you are putting on ya face, then I tag you! I found it enjoyable to write so I hope you enjoyed reading it :)

taaraa xoxo