25 Random Facts About Me

I know this is a really unoriginal post to do, but everyone seems to be doing this post at the moment - I love reading them myself so I thought that I'd follow the trend and have a go at one myself. So here goes! 

1. I've lived in the same house for the whole of my life 

2. I can speak French and Italian 

3. When I was 14 I went to Sri Lanka for a week because of a link my school has with a Sri Lankan school - I saw over 100 elephants on a safari 

4. I have emetaphobia (fear of vomit) at such a strong level that when anyone is sick I have a panic attack 

5. My absolute favourite films include The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Coyote Ugly and Moulin Rouge 

6. My dream is to visit New York. And if it was over the Christmas/New Year period it would be even more perfect 

7. My all time favourite time of the year is Christmas. I love everything about it

8. I cannot watch scary films. Ever. I get way too scared, extremely easily

9. Music is my entire life, and I've been at my happiest when I went to Leeds Festival last Summer, because it was a whole entire weekend devoted to some of my favourite bands

10. My favourite meal is a dish that my mum makes incredibly well. It's pasta in a creamy sauce with peas and shredded smoked salmon. I could literally eat it by the bucketload

11. I am a massive Harry Potter fan, and have been ever since the first film came out when I was a kid. I get really excited when I find anyone else who loves it as much as me

12. I used to horse-ride when I was younger, and I did for 6 years until I was 14

13. I am addicted to strawberry pop tarts     

14. I drink a huge amount of tea. It calms me down, cheers me up and comforts me 

15. I love singing, and I always have. But I don't have the confidence to sing in front of anyone other than my Dad 

16. I'm a really sensitive person and I get upset/hurt really easily

17. My favourite Disney Film is The Little Mermaid because when I was younger I wanted to be Ariel due to that fact I have the same colour hair as her 

18. If I was a boy I would have been called James or George 

19. Scented candles relax me no matter how rubbish I feel 

20. I can't wait to move away from the North of England 

21. I keep a diary and I have done for the past 5 years of my life. I write in it every single day without failure 

22. I've always wanted to play the piano. I took lessons when I was 4 but then stopped after a few years - it's something I hugely regret 

23. I really, really, really... really want to get an old fashioned typewriter. The sound of someone typing on one is the best sound ever 

24. When I was born I had to be resuscitated and injected to keep me alive 

25. I love to watch YouTube videos, especially Dan, Phil, Zoella, Louise, Marcus, Tanya, Jim and Alfie. I aspire to get the confidence to make videos of my own one day, but I don't think that will happen

Well I think that just about covers it! I hope that you enjoyed getting to know me a bit better, and thank you for taking the time to read this. 

 Harriet x

♥   

Favourite Fragrances • 2013

Hello everyone! After neglecting my blog for a few weeks, I seem to have been bitten by the bug again and have thought of a few things to write about - so expect good things in the weeks to come! Now I've never really been one for obsessing over perfumes, as I just find that they sometimes are too flowery and sweet, which I don't find appealing on myself or anyone else for that matter. But over the past year or so, I have been browsing the perfume section of Boots and discovered two fragrances which I fell in love with instantly. And my very kind family bought me them for Christmas, so I thought it would be a nice idea to let you know what perfumes I'm loving, and what I wear myself.

♥ Lola by Marc Jacobs - My Night Time Fragrance

I have been in love with this perfume for about 2  years, and it's always been just that little bit too expensive for me to stretch to, until Santa generously bought me this bottle for Christmas. I've tried the Oh Lola perfume by Marc Jacobs, which is a bit sweeter than the standard Lola scent, and for me it just isn't as nice. I absolutely adore the smell of this, it's definitely slightly heavier than my other perfume, so I savour it for nights out and special occasions - purely because I love it so much and don't want it to run out. I think the bottle is really snazzy, and I love wearing it. 

(In case anyone was wondering, for a bottle this size at Boots, it cost £37)

♥ Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel - My Daytime Fragrance 

I know this isn't actually a perfume, it's a 'moisture mist' so it doesn't have as strong a smell as normal perfumes - but this perfect for wearing to college or just when I'm out on a daytime. It's a sweeter smell and very refreshing, which is perfect for a morning when you just need a little pick me up. I don't know how expensive this was unfortunately because it was a present, but as it isn't the actual perfume I wouldn't expect it to be too pricey. I would really recommend this, as it's a young and girly scent - and I love love love it! 

What are your staple perfumes for the day and night? And if anyone has tried these out before, what did you think? As always thanks for reading

 Harriet x

♥ 

Daily Make Up Essentials • 2013

Hi there everyone! I'm sorry I've become a little complacent with my posting on here, I've been up to my eyeballs in work for the past few weeks, and due to being ill with tonsillitis for the whole of last week I have had no time to do much else. However, I am back in full force, and will stick to posting on here a few times a month. I thought as it's a new year, and I have recently had a clear out of my make up (some of which had been lurking in my vanity case for goodness knows how long) that I would show you my make up essentials for 2013 so far.

Above is my make up bag which I was given by my parents for Christmas - it's from Cath Kidston if you couldn't already tell by the adorable pattern on it. It's been really handy for me, because I generally keep all of my make up in one rather large case, and am always rummaging around in it when I've lost my eyeliner pencil or mascara on a morning, and it takes me ages to find anything. Whereas now, I have put my staple products in this bag so I can take it pretty much anywhere with me and I will be super prepared. 

Here's a list of my top 5 essentials which I keep in here (left to right): 

♥ Maybelline 24 Hour Colour Tattoo (Permanent Taupe) This product is one of my favourites at the moment, because it's just so versatile. I use this colour nearly every day when I go to college because it's simple, but at the same time, it adds that extra sparkle to my eyes. It's really easy to apply and the pigmentation is fantastic; it has a lovely texture and doesn't harden or rub off. I can't rave enough about this, which is why it's in my essentials 

♥ Maybelline Fit Me Foundation (Shade 125) This one is a pretty obvious choice in my opinion, every girl needs a  bit of colour to her face, and this foundation does the job for me! I'm not one for wearing foundation every day, because I have fairly good skin, however on a weekend or if I'm going out, then I will use this to give my face a little pick me up. 

♥ Benefit Bad Gal Lash This is my favourite product that I have in my make up bag at the moment. I haven't found a better mascara than this yet, and I don't think I will. It goes on my lashes brilliantly and doesn't cause them to go really hard and brittle like some mascaras - my eyelashes are still soft to the touch even after applying a good few layers. Unfortunately I only have the miniature version, so I will need to take a trip to the Benefit counter in Boots soon to get the larger size, I absolutely love it!

♥ Rimmel Glam Eyes Liquid Eyeliner Now those of you who know me, will be aware that I am a bit of a fanatic for liquid eyeliner, and I've become quite attached to the winged out look on my lids. This is my weapon of choice for creating my flicks, it's not at all pricey or fancy, it's just a typical liquid eyeliner. I have about 3 of these kicking around in my make up bag for fear of losing or running out of one

♥ Rimmel Soft Kohl Eye Pencil (Black) This really doesn't need much explaining, I think every girl out there will have some form of eye pencil in her staple make up collection. I've shopped around for a good black eye pencil, and have stuck to this one, as it's not expensive, and the colour really comes out easily without too much pressure on the pencil - which is what I love about kohl pencils. I use this on my bottom waterline and just on the edge of my bottom lash line to emphasise my eyes, and it really completes my daily look     

So there you have it, my top 5 make up essentials. I'd recommend all of these products, so if anyone is looking for something new to try, then give any of these a go and see what you think. Thanks for reading what I hope is the first of many blog posts in 2013. Have a lovely day! 

Harriet x 

I Love Fall Tag

1: Favourite Fall Lip Product? 
I'm going to have to go with my Rimmel: Kate Moss lipstick in shade 101. It's quite a pale pink colour (I have mentioned in in a previous blog post), and it's perfect to wear at any occasion. I'm only really just getting into wearing lipstick because it scares me a bit, but this colour is perfect as a start out for me. 
2: Favourite Fall Nail Polish? 
Again, I have mentioned this product before.. But it's the Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine nail polish in Watermelon. It's super shiny, and a really gorgeous, dark colour which I think is perfect for the Autumn months. 
3: Favourite Starbucks Fall Drink? 
I have to admit, I'm not a massive Starbucks fan, as my Starbucks can get pretty loud and busy which isn't great when I want to relax with a hot drink. However, I'd probably have to opt for the good old hot chocolate with whipped cream on top. It does the trick, and lets face it, who doesn't love a mug of hot chocolate on a cold day?!
4: Favourite Fall Candle? 
Being the candle fanatic that I am, this was a pretty hard decision for me to make. However I'd have to choose the candle that I'm currently burning which is the Yankee Candle - Christmas Cupcake. I know it's a Christmas one, but I still love it all the same. 
5: Favourite Fall scarf or accessory?
I normally just throw on my plain black cashmere (copy) scarf when I go out at the moment, however I thought that was a bit of a boring choice - so, I chose my Miss Selfridge scarf that I received as a birthday present from one of my friends last year. I wear it quite often to Sixth Form as it jazzes up what I'm wearing whilst staying smart at the same time. 
6: Haunted house, haunted hay ride or haunted corn maze? 
I genuinely don't think I've tried any of these.. However I think if I had to make a choice out of the three I'd pick the haunted corn maze because I do love a good maze. I don't really know why, because I always end up getting lost and can never get myself out again, however a haunted one does sound like good fun. 
7: Favourite Halloween movie? 
Now, I'm really not one for scary movies. I get really easily scared, really easily.. My friends all know not to watch horror films when we get together because I just won't watch it. However, a film that could be Halloween related, that I love (and isn't scary, yay!) would be The Addams Family. I love it, after seeing it on TV once, I had the theme tune in my head for weeks, I really should go and search for the DVD one of these days.. 
8: Favourite candy to eat on Halloween?
Being more of a chocolate person myself, I don't really eat sweets as much as some people. However, I'm a sucker for anything fizzy, like Fizzy Strawberry Lances. So literally anything with a tang of sourness to it, and I'll probably like it! 
9: What are you dressing up as for Halloween? 
For once, I actually got invited to a Halloween party this year so had to make the decision of something I could dress up as, without spending a fortune. After much deliberation and changing of my mind about 100 million times, I finally decided to go as the Batman villain Poison Ivy. Seeing as I have red hair and I love the colour green, I thought it would be appropriate. If you don't know who she is, search her on Google, she's my favourite Batman character hands down. 
10: What is your favourite thing about Fall?
I think in reality I'm going to have to say the best thing for me is that it means it's nearly Christmas... But I also love Bonfire Night, that's probably my favourite thing about Autumn, that's actually in the Autumnal period. Where I live our town has a big bonfire and firework display which I go to every year with my friends. I love wrapping up and standing all huddled together with sparklers just watching the fireworks. It's the cutest thing ever. 

Haul • Autumnal Clothes and Beauty

Hi everyone! Over the past week or so I've bought a number of things that I thought I'd show you - I'm aware it's not a lot, but I'm a student and money doesn't grow on trees! 
As this week has been half term, I took a trip with one of my friends to Manchester on Friday because I've been told the shopping there is fabulous, and I was not misinformed - it was amazing! Coming back to where I live and visiting our town was so boring after visiting the plethora of shops that Manchester has to offer. Anyway, on with the haul: 

As you may or may not know, I'm a bit of an addict when it comes to painting my nails; I will never stop buying nail polishes, even if I'm 90 and have a room dedicated to my collection. Over the past 2 weeks, I have acquired these three beauties to add to my collection. 
Modelsown: Freak Out! 
I've been trawling through the Modelsown website recently and lusting after the sparkly polishes they have to offer. My mum actually bought me this one, so I'm not 100% how much it actually cost, but Modelsown nail polishes are usually around the £5 mark I find. I've worn this over a black nail polish and it looks gorgeous, really perfect for a night out or a party if you want to add some sparkle to your outfit!I have a weakness for glitter when it comes to my nails.. It's just a shame how difficult this is to clean off! 
Barry M (Gelly Hi-Shine): Watermelon 
When I saw this on the shelf in Boots it caught my eye, so I couldn't help but buy it. I love it when my nails are shiny, and I always apply top coat in excess to keep my nails looking super shiny! There's a range of colours in this collection, but I opted for the teal coloured 'Watermelon'. It cost me £3.99, which is really good for the job it does; as when I applied it, I didn't even need a top coat, it's SO shiny, I absolutely love it. In fact, I think I'll have to take another trip to Boots and pick up some of the brighter colours. I really recommend this nail polish, it's a must have!
American Apparel (Neon): Neon Green 
Now, this polish I was probably too excited to be purchasing. When I was in Manchester, I suddenly saw an American Apparel store which I had no idea was there, and immediately went inside. I'd seen the neon colour collection on the website and also in some beauty blogs/youtube videos so I was pulled towards the nail polish selection as soon as I walked through the door. It was £7, which yes, is quite pricey however the colour on my nails is just fabulous and I'm so glad I bought it! (If only I'd had the courage to buy myself some of the American Apparel disco pants whilst I was in there, I'd be all set!)

The first item of clothing I've picked up recently is this absolutely gorgeous dress from New Look, it cost me £27.99 which I think is fantastic for such a beautiful dress. It's in this gorgeous teal colour, and the belt on the waist makes it really flattering by just giving that bit of definition to the waist and slimming you down, plus it just adds that bit extra sparkle to the dress. I love how the neckline is higher up, and the top of the dress is quite plain because I could accessorise it with a really pretty necklace. But what really sold this for me is the style of the skirt, there's a stretchy dress underneath the chiffon-type material, which forms the skirt. It falls down to thigh length at the front and then drapes right down to my ankles at the back. Paired with some killer sparkly, gold heels it would be perfect for a Christmas or New Years Eve party. It looks so flattering on, and is perfect for the holiday season! I can't wait to wear it out somewhere, roll on December. 

The second and last item of clothing I've bought isn't particularly as interesting as my party dress, however I do still love it to bits, in a more casual way. When I went to Manchester, I had to take a trip to Hollister as, again, we don't have one in the town I live in. On entry of the shop, I felt like I was entering a night club; the dimmed lights, loud music and black floor/walls paired with the overwhelming (in a good way) scent of the Hollister perfume, created a different shopping experience for me. We spent ages just walking around looking at the clothes and I finally decided on a simple t-shirt which cost me £16 - not bad for a brand like Hollister I thought. It's baggy, which I like, and the material is so soft and lightweight, it feels lovely when you wear it. I'm not generally interested in the pricey brands like Abercrombie and Fitch, Jack Wills etc... But I'll admit, I do love this t-shirt! 

I hope you enjoyed reading about my latest purchases. I won't make a habit of telling you what I bought every time I go shopping, but sometimes I think it's nice to read about -- or at least I enjoy reading blog posts about what other people have bought - if anything, it gives me ideas of things I want to buy and if they're going to be any good or not! Thanks for reading as always x 

Beauty Favourites • October

It's nearly the end of October as you all know, and so I thought I'd share with you what beauty products I've been loving this month and that I would recommend that you go out and buy! 

FIVE: At number 5 on my list is the Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24hr Cream Gel Shadow in the beautiful colour of 'Turquoise Forever'. I purchased this after seeing it on a make up tutorial on Youtube and totally falling in love with the colour. It cost me £4.99 which in  my opinion is a very reasonable price for how substantial the pot size is. I love this because it is so easy to apply, with a brush or with your finger - it goes on really easily and the pigment is gorgeous and looks fantastic on your eyelid. The models wearing this product in the promotional photographs to advertise it achieve an extremely bright colour from this, however in reality, to get that colour on your own eyes, it would require quite a few layers of application to get the pigment looking that turquoise. That is the only fault I can find with this product, I think it's perfect for going out, and I have also bought a golder, more neutral colour which is perfect for day to day use!

FOUR: At number four, is another Maybelline product; it's the Fit Me! Liquid Foundation (mine is in shade 125). It cost me £7.99 which I think is a decent price for the size of the bottle that it's contained in. I've been needing a new foundation for ages, and all of the best brands' foundations are quite pricey for a student like myself. So when I saw this on the Maybelline stand of Boots I didn't hesitate in buying it (obviously after I'd tried it on etc...). I don't tend to wear foundation every day because my skin doesn't really need it, however I do wear it when I go out on a weekend and it's really great. The coverage, I find, is really good and you don't need much on your brush to apply it all over your face. I find that my face can still breathe when I wear it, and it does't feel like it's clogging up all the pores on my face when I'm wearing it. I definitely recommend this for anyone searching for a new foundation. 

THREE: Coming into my top 3 now. I have my Barry M Kohl Eyeliner Pencil (in White) which only cost me £2.99! I love Barry M, they have such a fun and bright range of cosmetics. I just fancied a white eyeliner pencil after seeing a girl wearing it (I don't remember where) and I suddenly remembered when I was browsing the Barry M stand and saw this. It's really easy to apply and the colour really shows up well on my eyes and makes them look striking and bright. There's not really much more I can say about this product other than that obviously I love it, and it makes a change to my usual black liquid eyeliner to add some piercing white on there as well!

TWO: Down to my second favourite product this month, which has been Benefit's Bad Gal Lash Mascara. Now, I got this smaller (40g) bottle for free because my mum gave me a coupon from a magazine she had been reading, however I believe the full sized version costs £16.50, which in all honesty I might not be prepared to spend on a mascara when there are plenty of other brilliant ones out there. Nevertheless, I do love this, not only because it's the perfect size to keep in my handbag for when I go out and might need a top up when I've been out all day, but also because it's a really good quality mascara. It doesn't make the eyelashes clump together and become sticky or rock solid - like some mascaras our there - but it gives them a great covering and lengthening whilst also remaining quite soft. If you're looking for a good investment, maybe it's worth saving up for this mascara because you'll certainly get a good quality product in my opinion! 

ONE: Here we are, this is my top and favourite product of this October. I only bought it recently, but it is my favourite thing of the moment. And it's from the Rimmel, Kate Moss  matte lipstick collection in the shade 101, which cost me just over £5. Normally, I'm not one for lipstick, it scares me a bit. However I decided to start off with a safe, light pink. And now I'm absolutely in love with it! It smells lovely, and keeps your lips nice and moisturised (it doesn't make them feel dry or anything like that), plus it looks gorgeous on the lips. I was worried I wouldn't be able to carry off this colour, but even I think it looks pretty on my lips, and that's saying something. It's given me a newly found love of lipstick, especially from the Kate Moss collection with Rimmel; I will definitely be going back there to buy another, maybe darker and more daring colour next time I'm in town. I really recommend these lipsticks, they're fab! Full marks from me. 

I hope that you enjoyed reading about my favourite beauty products of this month, and maybe made you want to go out and buy some for yourself! If you want any more opinions from me on any of these, leave me a comment and I'll do what I can. Thanks for reading, as always x 

Addicted To Candles

Hi everyone, today I thought I'd mention one of my absolute favourite things - in fact I think I would class it as more of an obsession/addiction. And that thing, is candles. I absolutely adore them; they're relaxing and perfect for when you've had a stressful day and just need to chill out with a cup of tea, especially in the frosty Winter and Autumn months. At the moment you can get some gorgeous candles that smell like Christmas (which is something I plan on investing a lot of money into the next time I get paid!). Recently, I discovered a candle shop where I live, which for some unknown reason, I had never visited before, which is extremely hard to believe! It was like I'd stepped into heaven, it was wall-to-wall Yankee candles of all different sizes, scents and colours. To my delight there was both Halloween and Christmas scented ones on display, and also Christmassy candle holders screaming out festivity with glitter and teeny figurines glued onto a frosted glass pot. Needless to say, I used what change I had to purchase a Halloween themed and a Christmas themed candle of a small size (for starters) . 

'Candy Corn' Yankee Candle

Before you ask, no, I haven't edited the life out of this picture, it really is emitting that bright orange glow. Sadly I didn't think to take a photograph pre-lighting of the candle, so this is it on its last legs, as I have burnt it nearly all the way down. It used to be a Yankee Candle called Candy Corn as a special Halloween treat, it smelt gorgeous (as most candles do!) and I think it was only £1.80 which was great! 

 Although I may be criticised for purchasing anything with Christmas themes, I do not care - for this candle smells like what I imagine paradise smells like. It's not great if you don't like sweet smells, as it really does smell of a cupcake (well, as much as wax can do). I have lit it once, but then decided to savour it for the beginning of December when I go Christmas mad. Just like Candy Corn, this was £1.80 so it didn't cost very much for what I get out of it. Here it is, in my star candle holder, looking very festive (I know, I know, it's too soon).

Christmas Cupcake - Yankee Candle

Candles might not be everyone's thing, but they're something that I love and so I wanted to share that with you guys. Everyone needs a bit of a relax every now and then - go on, buy yourself a candle, and you'll sink into relaxation and get rid of all that stress x