j'adore nicole

project 10 pan (ish)

2012-02-17T14:08:00.002Z

Now i know this is more like "project 9 pan" but hey ho. As you can see, i am a junkie for anything to do with my "base". I love every single one of these products but for one reason or another, i've stopped using them/it(?) to replace it with another product. Therefore i have decided that i am going to use all this lot up, even if it kills me!

First things first, NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Face Powder. Now i had this in the loose powder form and i loved it. I used that all up and ended up buying the pressed powder version as it was more convenient for traveling etc. Now i stopped using this as i bought Rimmel's Stay Matte pressed powder - which is featured to it's right. I loved this powder because it's so light. It doesn't feel like your face is caked and it's pale, which is always a plus for me!

ColorTrend Fresh Face Oil-Free Foundation. Now this foundation here was my very first foundation! (not the same bottle mind you, but the first foundation i tried!). I loved it because it was again light and pale. It's good for them days when you feel like you need a little coverage but don't fancy going out in a full face of make up!

Revlon Colorstay. I love this foundation, i can sing it's praises for hours. Whenever anyone asks for foundation recommendation, i always always say Colorstay. Yes it's quick thick and sometimes hard to blend but the coverage, the finish and colour range is fab-u-lous! It's lasted forever and after i've finished all these foundations, i'd probably go back to trying another Revlon formulation - maybe Photoready?

Rimmel London's Lasting Finish. This foundation reminds me of Colorstay a lot in the sense that it lasts for hours. Even though this is the palest shade Rimmel make in this formulation, it does look really dark in comparison to the other foundations. But saying this though, it applies really well and i don't look orange - which is a god send. It actually makes me look healthy rather than deadly pale (like my Colorstay, sob).

Rimmel London's Hide The Blemish Concealer. I loved this when i was using it but my skin suddenly went through a dry spell and as this concealer is so drying anyway, my face just looked like a crackled mess. So now my skin isn't as dry as it used to be, i'm hopefully going to use the rest of it up!

Rimmel London's Stay Matte Foundation. Again, i loved this when i was using it but my skin went insanely dry and a matte formulation with dry = not a pretty look.

Rimmel London's Match Perfection Foundation. I bought this for a fiver from Tesco once (it was on this crazy offer) and i fell in love with it. I admit, it does smell a bit funky but the finish is so lovely and i've fallen back in love with it. The colour again looks really dark (and orangey) but it's actually really nice and i look healthy for a change, ha.

Nivea Soft Lips Lip Balm. This was my go-to lip balm while in secondry school, and then i was introduced to Carmex. I have about 3 different flavours of this lip balm and i actually forgot how moisturizing they are, so i'm glad to be using them again!

And lastly, Rimmel London's Stay Matte Pressed Powder. I do like this powder but sometimes it can feel a little bit cakey, so i'm desperately trying to use it up and finish it so that i can try another (hopefully better) powder!

So there we have it, my project 9 pan which is majority Rimmel - you can tell i was a big fan!? It'll probably take me months to get through all of the foundations as a few of the bottles are pretty much full. But i'll keep you all posted on my progress!

kreativ blog award

2012-02-02T19:10:00.002Z

Firstly; thank you, thank you, thank you Hannah for passing the award to me :) Sorry it's taken me so long to actually do the tag. I had no idea you tagged me!

So from what i've gathered, i have to answer a series of questions about myself and then pass the award onto 10 other bloggers.

1. Link back to the person who gave you the award.
2. Answer the 7 questions below.
3. Award 10 other bloggers and let them know.
4. Share 7 random facts about yourself.

1. Name your favourite song: I want to say something really ~deep and meaningful~ here but i have no idea. I have certain songs (and bands) that i associate with certain people and places. I really like You and Me by Lifehouse, and their song Broken. They both remind me of two parts of me life and hold such good memories for me :)
2. Name your favourite dessert: Anything chocolate really...
3. What ticks you off? People who like you and are nice to you one minute, then ignore you the next. And generally people who are twats, haha.
4. When I'm upset, I... Cry - copy of Hannah's answer but true!
5. Favourite pet? I haven't really got a favourite pet. My old cat is now my boyfriends cat but my dad has a dog, Woody, and he's really funny. So, probably Woody.
6. Black/White? I like to wear black more but i have a white laptop and phone. So i'm half and half on that one!
7. Biggest fear? Snails. And Octopuses. I'm have a horrible phobia of both.
8. Everyday attitude? I'm usually in a alright mood, neither extrememly happy or depressed. Just normal really..
9. What is perfection? Ed Westwick.
10. Guilty pleasure? I really like watching Apple Keynotes. I've watched every single one to date..

7 Facts About Me:

I can dislocate my left thumb, I got my phobia of Octopuses after having a recurring dream where a headless Octopus was chasing me, I have a really good sense of smell and hearing yet i have terrible eyesight, I study Creative Media at College, I absolutely adore flavoured custard, I don't like fruit or veg, I work at Tesco.

Tag 10 people.I don't actually know many people on blogspot to tag them, so i tag everyone (i bet only 5 of you will accept this tag, so it works out haha).

PS: sorry for the lack of posts - since December! I just don't know what to post and i've felt really guilty as i've noticed i've been getting more followers yet i'm doing nothing to deserve them!

winter wonderland

2011-12-20T17:00:00.000Z

After trolling down to London and around Oxford/Regent Street, we decided to walk down to Hyde Park to see Winter Wonderland.
I was beginning to run out of battery by this time - that'll teach me for not bringing my camera - so the amount of photos i got were limited although i like to think that perhaps my photography skills progressed throughout the day!

PS: my waffle is the first one, Luke's is the second

Harry Potter Noble Collection

2011-12-20T15:00:00.000Z

Again, my apologies for the crappy quality and ammeture photography skills.

I felt like i had died and gone to heaven when i walked onto the fourth floor of Hamleys. I couldn't believe my eyes, i have never seen so much Harry Potter merchandise. I knew there was a shop in London that sold The Noble Collection but i thought it was Harrods, not Hamleys - which is a good thing that i thought that as i would of probably ran from the underground station to Hamleys just to get my hands on it all.

As you can see they literally had everything, from Broomsticks to House pens, the Marauder's Map, Tom Riddle's Diary, Wands, Bookmarks, Ties, Scarf, Harry Potter Glasses, Horocuxes, Hermione's Time Turner, the Sorting Hat! I literally could go on and on. I was fangirling beyond belief.
I would also like to point out that they had a Dumbledore's Army sign. I acteually squealed out loud when i found it. The fact it has their signatures, oh my.
We spent around 20 minutes looking at the collection, it was small but it did have a lot crammed in. The shopping assistant told me they have every single characters wand and then some extras which were Ollivanders wand (from my understanding it was meant to be marketed as your own wand, as if you are a wizard/witch - which i obviously am).
Like the rest of Hamleys, everything was so expensive! Tom Riddle's diary was £50, Hermione's Time Turner was £42, Ties were £31 and Wands were £20. I got Ron Weasley's wand - which i took a picture of - and a Hermione bookmark with her wand which is also a pen.
The best part of the whole thing was when i was debating about which wand to get, the sales assistant asked me "what age are you buying for?" and i replied with "myself....".
Ever since laying my eyes on merch from the series, it's made me want to go to Harry Potter World 100x more. Why oh why did it have to be in Florida? Especially since it's an English story/franchise but i'll save you lot the rant.
Anyone who is a Harry Potter fan and is in the area, i would definitely recommend you go to Hamleys and see it all!

oxford and regent street

2011-12-19T22:31:00.003Z

Firstly, i should apologize for the picture heavy post, bad picture quality (ahem iPhone camera...) and my lack of consistent posts!

As you can see, i got a bit camera happy in Hamleys and took majority of my photos in there. I did take more of the Harry Potter Noble Collection but i'll leave that for another post.

I absolutely adored my short visit to London and i definitely intend on going back there. I also went into Forever 21 to see what the hype was all about and i thought it was okay. Nothing majorly exciting..

The best thing was the fact that all the Christmas lights were Arthur Christmas related and i absolutely adore that film!

PS: i would like to point out that the Will and Kate dolls were £100. One Hundred freaking pounds! and that the giant lollipop was £20. So even though Hamleys would completely mind blowing and amazing, it's freaking expensive - hence the "spend over £250 and get free shipping" as if £250 isn't a lot of money to spend in that shop!

blogger help?

2011-12-11T18:34:00.001Z

i've been trying to get the photos that i post to be posted really close together but i can't seem to get them to do it! i've looked on several tutorials online but none of them are showing how to solve what i want - if that makes sense?

ideally, i would like my photos to be posted like milkteef/llymlrs-esque with the occasional two sided picture post, rather than one after the other..

i don't know, maybe i'm just talking complete rubbish and trying to do something which isn't possible!

if you could offer any tips, i would be eternally grateful!

lusting over topshop

2011-12-09T12:21:00.001Z

grainy jumper | leigh jeans | leopard shirt | aztec jumper | hotpants

With this wishlist totaling to a whopping £321, i highly doubt i'll be getting everything off this wishlist. In fact, i know that i won't be buying the hotpants because as much as i adore them, i don't have the ~confidence~ to wear them!

The aztec and grainy jumper aren't things that i've seen in the shop and thought "this must be mine", they were more of an impulsive addition to this rather expensive list.
As much as i love the leopard leggings, i can't bare parting with £20 for them. Thankfully, Primark have a cheaper alternative which is a mere 6 quid!

I decided to add the impulsive selections to this wishlist as i decided that having either minimal items/the same items but in different colours could be a tad boring for you to look at.
The items which i would like duplicate colours of would be the skater dress, leigh jeans (which is obvious by the fact i have two pairs on this list) and the scallop vest.
I love the burgundy dress, even though it looks strawberry red on the website, and have been unable to find a cheaper alternative! Although, i have found a black and leopard alternative which only cost a tenner each! I would link ya'll but they're from a one off shop called Hype. The black and leopard versions of this beautiful skater dress are much thicker which means i'll be getting more bang for my buck? Right?

Ever since one of my best friends, Jodie, told me about her fabulous new jeans from Topshop which she called "lie" eventhough it's pronounced "lee"... I decided to try them on when i was next in the store. I was utterly flabbergasted to how bloody amazing these jeans were. "Why hadn't i been introduced to these beauties earlier?" was what was running through my mind when i tried these puppies on. I have them in a bright blue colour and oh my god, i wear them all the time! They are the perfect material, you can bend your knees without them going saggy! They're so soft and don't make them horrible creases behind your knees after crouching for a while - which i hate with normal jeans. I was on the look out for a nice pair of jeans to replace my holey (and broken zipped) Primark jeans but none could compare, i loved them so much and even though i was constantly *flying low*, i always wore them. Now Leigh has my heart and i need every single colour. It's not even a joke, i genuinely need to have everything single pair of these jeans going (and i'm even considering buying two pairs of my trusty bright blue....)

The scallop vest has been in Topshop for a while now and they're available in every single damn colour, and to be honest, i need them all. They're much more ~classier~ than the regular vest top, therefore, i need them in my lfie as i wear vests daily. I was thinking with starting small and easy by going for the black, but i have most definitely got my eye on the burgundy one and even the cream one! For £15, they're irrestable!

The "waffle-weave" jumper (as i like to call it) is so beautiful and i have been looking out for the perfect black jumper for a while now, so it's meant to be, surely?!
Lastly, the leopard shirt is beautiful and would look lovely for them occasions with family where it's smart but you don't want to look like a total frump but you're nan would approve of your choice of dress..

So, now you all know how much of a shopaholic i am and how i lack all forms of self-control. But i promise that i won't buy everything as i do like a good bargain!

what i've been up to #2

2011-12-04T15:05:00.001Z

excuse the crappy quality, these are all taken with my iPhone

1: My Week with Marilyn. I've always had a love for Marilyn Monroe, so when i found out that there was going to be a movie about her, well i knew i had to see it asap! I went with my mum's friend who has a love for Marilyn that is even bigger than mine - she's the one who got me into her in the first place! The movie was really good, i liked the acting, the actors and the storyline. The one downside for me was that it didn't end how i wanted it to but that's because it was a "true story" and i obviously can't re-write Marilyn's life to end how i want it, haha. The fact Emma Watson was in the film, even though it was a small part, was a big plus!

2: Vecta's. I have been waiting and wanting these babies for so long. At first, i got them for my birthday but they were too small, so when i went to return them, it turned out they had been discontinued. When i couldn't find them on the website to re-order them in a bigger size, a part of my heart broke. I was procrastinating at college with my friend, Steph, when i came across them and almost had a heart attack in the process. But, to my luck they were out of stock in the bigger size. In the end i chose to just give up on them and i was close to buying replicas off eBay but in the end, i just couldn't be bothered with the hassle and gave up on trying to fuel my lust for studded slippers.
It turns out that i accidentally clicked on the bookmark i had for the Vectra's and thank the lord, they had them in my size AND in stock. I almost burst out into tears and done the Willie Wiggle. I ordered them Sunday night and had them by Wednesday. After waiting for months and months, and actually praying at one point, i finally have the shoes!

3: Deathly Hallows Part II. Me and mother were in Asda on Friday to have a browse to walk into the shop to find Diagon Alley. The Potterhead in me squealed with delight! They had these Gryffindor scarfs alongside Undesirable #1 posters, Lego merch and pajamas! I, of course, didn't want any of the Lego or pajamas but the poster and scarf caught my eye. I didn't end up getting the poster as i don't have anywhere to put it but i kept the scarf!

4: Arthur Christmas. Last night mumma, my sister and i had a ladies evening and went to the cinema then had pizza for dinner. I actually really enjoyed the film! It's by the same people that made Wallace and Gromit, even though the animation is more like Flushed Away compared to Wallace and Gromit/Chicken Run-esque animation. Some of the jokes were childish but some were funny for the older people in audience. I really liked the storyline and Bryony was definitely my favourite character :-)

christmas wishlist

2011-12-01T15:00:00.000Z

I'm obviously aware that i'm not going to get everything that i've asked for here as some of the items are a bit pricey, ahem Tiffany's and GHD's, but this is me and my wishful thinking!

I made this wishlist a few nights ago and since then i bought some cross earrings from Topshop for only £4, so the ASOS earrings are a bit pointless now but hey ho!

There are a few things i would probably add to this list if i was to do it again, like perhaps a Juicy Couture perfume (is it bad of me that i don't know if the one i like is either Couture Couture or Viva La Juicy? oopsie), a black oversized jumper from Topshop and a cropped wolf vest from Topshop!
I would also like to point out that missguided have stocked even more Lita-look-a-likes which is unbelievable! The only downside being that the heel isn't wooden like Lita's but is suede-like, which is a let down but you can't have it all!

I've been in the Christmas season since October, thanks to work selling Christmas items asap! I've bought majority of everyone's presents, just got to wrap and name tag everything now! I'm literally wetting myself for the moment i can put all my presents under the tree, eeeeep!

swapsie with michaella

2011-11-30T18:18:00.001Z

*please excuse the bad quality photos, the carpet in the background and my chipped nail polish. i was too excited to wait to do a proper photoshoot!*

I cannot explain how excited/happy i was when my step-mum told me that i had a package! I swapped with Michaella who is a very good friend of mine that i met via Tumblr. Michaella''s package is currently in the post, it's with ~priority mail~ as i didn't want anything to break while in the air!
Here is a list of items that i got:
EOS Lip Balm in Summerfruits
Stila Lipgloss pack
Nars Lipstick in Dolce Vita
NYC Sun 2 Sun Bronzer
Sephora by OPI in Frankly, I Don't Give A-Damn and Metro Chic

I asked for the EOS lip balm and the Metro Chic polish, the rest were surprises. And let me tell you, seeing Nars AND Stila in my package was a surprise! I know the States is cheaper but i pretty much had a heart attack while trying to act nonchalant in front of my step-mum and friend (i don' t think my sudden intake of breath helped me act calm and collected..)
I currently have Metro Chic on my nails and i love it. At first i was a bit undecided as it's so hyped but i'm definitely on the Metro Chic-bandwagon! It's the perfect purpley/brown/grey colour. I am in love with it! I tried a matte top coat, a la Rimmel, at first but it made the polish look muddy and dirty, so i quickly applied a regular ~shiny~ topcoat and all is well.
I tried the lipstick this morning and oh-my-god. Wordless, it's just amazing. It reminds me of my 17 Mirrorshine in Belle in the fact it 's "my lips but better" and the texture but this looks like lipstick on my lips rather than lipgloss - like with Belle. It's so smooth and feels like gloss, which i love. Ugh, i just love this lipstick. It's helping me feel less scared about lipstick and more willing to take wrists when it comes to my make-up!
I also quickly applied the EOS balm and i'm smitten with it. Why EOS can't come over to the UK is beyond me as i would be running to my nearest Superdrug/Boots to stock up on every colour!

I'm yet to try the Stila glosses (i'm saving them for tomorow!), the NYC bronzer and the grey shade of the polishes!
Thank you, thank you, thank you Michaella! You've made me one happy girl!

my week in photos #1

2011-10-16T19:39:00.001+01:00

{I've had my Mac for 3 years now (eeek) and i still struggle to use/find the hashtag....}

I guess i should i apologize for my extreme lack in posts, but i do have a very valid reason this time! I've moved house, started college AND a new job.. So, am i off the hook?

Now my apology is out of the way, i'll explain what each of these photos means:

1: Costa Coffee's Hot Chocolate. On Monday i start at 12, so i met up with my friend Steph and we had a hot coco before college which was tres lush. I'm more of a starbucks kinda-gal but i'll be honest, i prefer Costa's hot chocolate.

2: My questionnaire on Marley & Me for my report on audiences blah blah blah. I thought it made me look semi-profesh therefore, i took a cheeky snap. Speaking of college, we had to make silent movies (i've taken a 2 year Creative Media course by the way) and wearing tudor dresses and acting in public = embarrassed nicole. It's safe to say that i look like a douche on film as much as i felt like one while filming which is always fab.

3: iOS5! If you have Twitter then you know how many trending topics were made over this download. As much as i love it, it was a pain in the ass to download and by that i mean: it took bloody ages. I'm not the type to happily sit for 2 hours while my phone updates, yes i could use it but trying to have a phonecall while connected to your laptop is not fun, let me tell you that! In terms of technology, i have gone up in the world! I now how Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 as well as 2GB of RAM. Now all i need to do it update to Lion and my baby will be like brand-new! Hallelujah!

4: Luke. My boyfriend came home for his scheduled long weekend this past Thursday to Sunday, and as you can see, we wore the same shoes ~cringe~. In my defence, i wore my Toms to work the night before, slept at his and then wore them back to my house while he wore his. So, it's not all bad, right? I had such a lovely time while he was back, seeing him makes this long-distance mess all worth while :-)

I think it would be good to end this post on a extremely soppy moment which honestly does make me cringe quite a bit but oh well!

I hope ya'll had a fab weekend and i hope to try and make more posts for you guys!

One Day movie - review

2011-09-12T20:54:00.001+01:00

*CONTAINS SPOILERS*

So, you all know what i think of the book and in all honesty, i wouldn't of picked the book up if i hadn't of known it was getting made into a movie and had Anne Hathaway staring in it. I'm the kind of reader that won't read a book if i haven't been recommended it or it hasn't been made into a movie/tv series.

I adored the book and was debating about whether i really wanted to see the movie as i had the perfect image of all the characters in my head and i didn't want the actors to ruin the fairytale for me. But, i did end up going to see it - as you can tell from the photo above. I dragged my boyfriend, who didn't protest as he actually wanted to see it too.., and we went and saw it one rainy afternoon.

The movie in some sense ruins the book and i can only describe this in the sense of Dexter physically telling Emma he would give her confidence, or if not that, a scented candle. In the book, he wrote this in a letter after one too many drinks but she never got the letter as one of Dex's many lovers took it. I liked the fact Emma got to know Dexter's feelings but i was disappointed because i hate it when the movie is changed from the book.

I pictured Tilley to be a largish woman with crazy curly hair - kind of like Nessa from Gavin and Stacey but with curly hair. In the movie she was petite and blonde. Also, the karaoke was beyond cringey, i sunk down in my seat and cringed throughout that whole scene.

Ian was a balding man who's face resembled an egg - in my mind. To put it bluntly, the actor who played Ian wasn't much better looking than me egg-Ian.

Oh, and Sookie was black in my head....

I did actually enjoy some parts. I liked how the beginning of each chapter had a different way of saying the "15th July" and then the year. My personal favourite was when it popped up with the toast and Luke (my boyfriend) favourite was when it was the screensaver on the laptop.

I liked how accurate the scene where Dexter broke Sylvia's nose was and how Anne portrayed Emma's unhappiness in the mexican restaurant.

Moving onto Anne's accent, i can only really say one thing about it - it was shit. One minute she had a really strong Yorkshire accent and then the next she had the stereotypical posh accent that all Brits have according to Americans.

I liked how sudden Emma's death was. I didn't like how we saw her get hit by the van was.. Even though i knew it was coming and was waiting for her to get hit, i still took a sudden intake of breathe like everyone else in the cinema - including Luke. He actually asked me why the author made her die as it didn't seem like her story was over yet. I have such bittersweet feelings over her death, bitter because i loved Emma and sweet because the book breaks the stereotype of everyone living happily after.

Overall, i liked the movie. I think i would of liked it more if i hadn't of read the book and loved it as much as i did.

blogging blah

2011-09-11T18:57:00.001+01:00

I always say to myself that i'll take photos for a 'my week in photos' or whatever, that i'll do reviews etc but i literally don't. Therefore, i win the title of "Worlds Worst Blogger".

Luke has been home for the past two weeks and it's been lovely (i've also not been on my computer throughout those two weeks, so i'll blame my hiatus on him.....).
I started my new job which has been so daunting but exciting at the same time!
I also start college next week, so it's all happening at once!

Tomorrow i'm not working at all and i have a few blog posts in mind :-)

I hope you've all been well!

PS: i love the new blogger, it's fab!

insert crappy photo of my ombre hair here

2011-08-03T21:39:00.000+01:00

So i Ombre-d my hair! I love it, i can't even express how glad i am that i took the plunge!
I wanted to quickly make a post about my new hair while i'm still excited about it. And because i'm a lazy ass, i can't be bothered to put mascara on to make myself presentable for a proper photo - but i promise to take one on my camera (and maybe even an outfit post oooooh) when i go back home on Friday.

I know my Ombre isn't very in-your-face and obvious but that's how i wanted it. I wanted to ween myself into the ombre-ing, i didn't want to come out looking like i had abused the bleach.
But next time, i've told myself i'm going to make the blonde brighter and higher up my hair!

To Ombre or Not To Ombre?

2011-08-02T15:42:00.001+01:00

Drew Barrymore is my ultimate Ombre hair girl crush! I love her hair so much like this, especially in the picture on the left!

I've been debating about doing this for yonks now (well, ever since i found llymlrs blog and her amazing hair) and this weekend just gone, i decided to just go for it. I try to live by the saying "you only live once" and at the end of the day, it's only hair. It'll grow back - eventually.

So, i popped into Boots (with my nan by my side - she is surprising really up for me ombre-ing my hair!) and picked up Perfect Blonde Creme by L'Oreal for £6.12! I was surprised by how cheap the bleach was! I was under the impression it would cost around a tenner..

My question is; would you like me to blog about my ombre-ing experience?

I can take before, during and after photos and write about how i done it etc etc..

Wish me luck!

(sources: 1 & 2)

Recently...

2011-08-02T15:21:00.000+01:00

I know, i know, i've been seriously slacking with blog posts but i have a valid reason this time! My MacBook was in for repair, so i was without a laptop (and i've been working non-stop recently!)

I have the 2008 White MacBook which is known to get cracks in its exterior. I recently got another crack in the bezel and i just lost it. I couldn't have my baby cracking anymore, i needed to take it back to the Apple Store and get it fixed. The lovely technician said he'd send my laptop off for repair (for free!) and this was last Thursday. It's now Monday and my laptop is safely back in my arms, along with the amazing new-laptop smell - is it weird that i like that smell so much? The smell of my MacBook when it's new smells soo good nomnomnomn.

For those who don't follow me on tumblr or haven't been following me long, you wouldn't know that i work in a Cattery. Summer, Easter and Christmas are always our busy days and at the moment, it's so busy that i'm (happily) working double shifts everyday! Waking up at 7am to be at work for 8 is awful but i like working in the morning as i then have the rest of the day to myself. When i'm working double shifts, i have to be back at work for 4:30pm which is alright considering it's always quieter in the afternoons compared to the mornings.
I'm currently trying to save my money for my mega shopping trip with the girls at Westfields which is next week! But after that, i think i'm just going to act like a granny and save, save, save for Christmas!

When i'm back home (i'm currently at my nans), i'll do a lookbook of all my new purchases and do a kind of "haul" for ya'll.

I hope you're all well! :-)

Update - 26.07.2011

2011-07-26T20:17:00.000+01:00

I need to think of a fab *hello* line because "hey dolls" is so not me.

Anyway, I've been pretty distant from the internet in general lately due to one person - Albie. Albie is now my baby brother who was born on Friday.
There is a whopping 16 (almost 17) age gap between me and him but ma mere was young when she had me and pretty average aged when she had Albie, so it evens out.
But he's obviously very time consuming for the whole family and draining. So sleep hasn't been something that i've gotten a lot of recently - hence my lack of motivation to turn my computer on and go online.

I'm currently on a shopping-ban as i'm saving for various birthdays, shopping trips and the ever-depressing Apple Store trip. I have a white MacBook (2008 edition eek) and even though it's perfectly fine on the inside, the hardware is complete crap. I've already had the screen plastic replaced, which now has two lovely cracks with a third on the way. And the keyboard plastic has one gigantic crack and one hairline carck.
In all honesty, it's depressing seeing something you paid just under £700 to be cracked. Therefore, i'm plucking up the courage to take it to the Apple-reseller in Windsor to see what they say about the cracks. I'm praying that they can replace the plastic and it'll be kind to my purse! But, we all know how over priced Apple can be...

Other than working and going to Windsor on Thursday, my life is pretty dull at the moment. I have more things planned for August than i do for the rest of the month, which is just completely depressing. Lets hope my social life picks up sometime soon!

One Day - Review

2011-07-18T18:01:00.000+01:00

*CONTAINS SPOILERS*

After being told to read this by one of my friend's younger sisters (and seeing the movie trailer) i set out to own this book. Luckily, my step-mum decided to treat me and buy this on a deal with The Single Girl's To-Do List for me!

At first, i really struggled to get into this book. I loved Emma and hated Dexter with a passion. For a while, i just left it on the side, untouched, because i wasn't getting into it. Then i was on twitter one day and i saw a friend of mine make a goodreads post about the book and he was ahead of me. So, the race was on...

He did finish the book before me but i'm glad i got all competitive about it, because if i hadn't, then i probably wouldn't of picked the book up again.
As the book progresses, the characters develop and become their own - duh. I slowly grew to like Dexter more and sympathise for him over this mothers death. Emma was as always, lovely.

The thing i love the most about it is the fact each chapter is the same day but a year on. That way, it becomes faster paced and easier to read. It's also in third person which is a love of mine.

I didn't think that i was that attached to the book but i found myself wishing for Emma and Dexter to get together, to marry, to start a family. So, when it all came crumbling down and impossible, i cried. I cried for the loss of Emma, for how Dexter would cope, for the fact she never got to start a proper family with Dexter, that she was only 39 and there was no justice to her death.
Saying this though, i feel like Nicholls made this ending a complete cop-out. I don't believe Dexter and Emma's lives should have ended that way - i like the think that when Emma died, a part of Dex did too. I feel like the ending was a rush and it ruined the story. I felt myself willing the author to change his words, for him to make them live happily but that's a cliche. So, for that the story does have a realistic edge to it because we don't always live happily ever after. We do lose loved ones and it will be out of our control. So, as much as i hate the ending, i think it's clever how Nicholls gave it the realistic twnag to it.

I would recommend this book to all readers. It's easy to read, once it picks up. It's lighthearted in parts and is funny. The character are loveable, even Dexter..

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2 - My Thoughts.

2011-07-18T17:40:00.000+01:00

*CONTAINS SPOILERS*

So, as you may already know, i have been counting down the days till Deathly Hallows II. I can't explain the anticipation i had walking down the aisle to my seat on Friday. (of course i wore my DH necklace!)

The movie was everything i wanted. In my eyes, it was perfect. Exactly like the book.
People have complained saying Part I was very slow and dragged at some parts but it had to in order for everyone - readers or not - to understand the Deathly Hallows and the situation. So, once we all knew what the Deathly Hallows were and what they could do if destroyed, it allowed for Part II to blow everyone away with action.

I had goose bumps the whole way through, and i did cry my heart out at parts. Parts like Snapes death, the resection stone, the kiss, fFred's death, Remus and Tonk's death, Neville's speech to Voldemort the ending.
I've never been a fan of Snape but he did redeem himself to some extent in Deathly Hallows. I mean, he became fairly decent compared to a complete twit. Actually seeing his death and his memories was pure perfection. It was exactly how i pictured it in my head, so to see it with my eyes rather than in my head was magical (cliche or what?).
I cried at "Harry's death" in the book and i cried in the movie too. Seeing Sirius again just broke my heart. And Remus, oh lordy. I sobbed my heart out when Sirius died in TOOTP, so seeing him again brought back all those emotions. The movie never portrayed Sirius' death properly, in my opinion. I've always love Remus Lupin and i think i always will. He's such a complex character with self-loathing for somthing he cannot control. And i love Tonks for loving Lupin. Seeing them trying to hold each others hand but not quite reaching. Then seeing them dead and their hands still not touching, oh my, it just broke my heart. - I can feel myself welling up now.
Neville Neville Neville. I cannot express my love for this character. He is so underrated in the movies and i hate that. Dobby always stole his ideas in the movies. I was so happy Neville became a hero in Deathly Hallows and there was a lot of focus on him. Matthew Lewis deserved it.

As inappropriate as it is, i also laughed at parts in Deathly Hallows II. Like Voldemort's awkward hug with Draco. I'm sorry but what was that? It was so hilarious. Seeing Voldemort even trying to be remotely loving is just unbearable.

Ginny and Harry had as much chemistry as a leaf which i hated. In the book, there is so much sexual tension but in the movie, oh no. I don't think it's the actors faults, the on-screen chemistry just isn't there, but they do try.
Ron and Hermione on the other hand. I have always always always adored Ron and Hermione. I cried tears of joy in the book when they got together and seeing the kiss in the Chamber of Secrets was just perfection. And when Ron shouted at Draco "OI, THAT'S MY GIRLFRIEND" in the Room of Requirement literally made my life complete. I will ship won won/hermy forever.

Speaking of famous quotes, i grinned like a mad-man when Molly Weasley said her ever-famous line to Bellatrix - "Not my daughter, you BITCH!". A friend of mine who hasn't read the books, said that Molly was badass for saying that and in all honesty, she is. I love her. Forever.

As this is the last movie in the series, i plan on seeing a couple more times in 2D, once in 3D and in IMAX 3D also. Just to soak it all up before it's over for good.

18.07.2011 - wishlist

2011-07-18T17:21:00.000+01:00

Hey dolls. So, this is my 10th attempt at this bloody post. I have lost the will to live thanks to Blogger.
Anyway, i'll jump straight in with each items.

Nude Pumps - asos. I first laid eyes on these as a girl i follow on Tumblr featured them on her blog. I don't usually buy shoes from asos but they're so beautiful. I need them in my life - along with the Studded Pointed-Toe Pumps (also from asos) and the Studded Slippers (from Topshop).
Zipper-detailed Purse - River Island. I've always been insanely jealous of anyone with a River Island bag. I hate the ones where they overly brand RI but the more subtle ones are gorgeous (must me inner-chav or?). I've also been insanely jealous of their purses. So, when i went into River Island to nose around in their sale - in which i picked up a lovely maxi-dress for only £12! - i saw this purse and fell in love. I have the excuse of my current purse falling apart and needing the good ol' super-glue jobby.
iPad 2 - Apple. Luke has an iPad, the original one, and i have part ownership of it as he's away. I've come to love this beautiful tablet as my own but i can't help lusting over the new iPad 2. It's so white and has a camera *grueling*.
Nude bag - Aldo. I first saw this featured on mariannan's blog. She has the tan/orange version, if i'm not mistaken? Either way, it's gorgeous bag in which i need in my life.
Thomas Sabo charm bracelet + N charm - Thomas Sabo. I adore my pearl TS bracelet, so i *need* the silver charm bracelet in my life.....
Leather Pandora Bracelet. I've justified wanting this by the fact i always buy faux Pandora bracelets but they always end up rusting, sob. So, i've decided that at one point, i will this bracelet - or the original silver version.
Dead Reckoning - WH Smiths. I need more Sookie Stackhouse in my life. Enough said.

I hope that by this post you don't consider me a materialistic teenager! I've seen so many of theses posts and finally decided to do one in hope of bringing my blogger mojo back.

& i hope you're having a happy monday!

21 Days and Counting...

2011-06-24T19:45:00.000+01:00

I think to say that i'm excited for Deathly Hallows Part 2 is an understatement. I am literally buzzing! I've been counting down the days for well over a few months now, i can't believe it's only 21 days till it comes out!

In preparation for the movie, i've set my iPod and iPad to DH related images, counting down the days on my calender and how i have this gorgeous necklace to complete my fandom.
I've been lusting over Deathly Hallows jewellery since i read the last line of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows! I done a bit of researching and the best decent-looking DH necklace i could find was $35! $35 for a necklace is a bit out of my price range.. So being the blogger that i am, i asked my followers on Tumblr for the best place to find good DH jewellery. The lovely Victoria (vipxo) replied saying she was thinking of getting some necklaces into her shop and i guess the rest is history.

The necklace was £8, which is majorly cheaper than $35, so i was over the moon!

The chain is so long, oh my god i can't even explain how much i love it. (i squealed when ma mere told me i had a package!)

Is anyone else as excited for Deathly Hallows as i am?

Water Marble Nails - Fail

2011-06-24T19:33:00.002+01:00

As you can see from this photo, i have attempted (and failed) to do the Water Marble effect on my nails.

Me and my friend Jodie were bored, so we decided to watch some youtube videos on nail tutorials. We stumbled across how to Water Marble and decided to give it ago.

After an hour of doing this and getting the polish absolutely everywhere, this was my turnout.

I'm not crazy for it but i'm not going to take it off straight away as i feel like all my hard work will be for nothing!

I think from now on, i'll stay to painting my nails just one colour...

London Day Trip - 24/06/11

2011-06-24T19:23:00.002+01:00

Molly, Me and Steph on a statue of two naked women

Big Ben/River Thames

Big Ben

London Eye

Man dressed up as a Cat on Southbank

Man dresses up as Captain Jack Sparrow on Southbank

On Southbank

Our tickets for Madame Tussauds

Robert Pattinson

Daniel Radcliff

I don't know what the workers done to Zac Efron's nose but he looks so hilarious!

Lady GaGa

Today was the Media Studies annual day trip to London. Previous years have gone to BBC but for some reason we didn't go this year, instead we went to an IMAX movie and Madame Tussauds.

The IMAX movie was Sharks 3D (which i do not recommend) but we had no choice what movie we had to see. The experience was amazing, it was actually 3D and the screen was huge. I need to see Deathly Hallows Part 2 in IMAX, every time i picture what The Battle of Hogwarts will be like, i start to get excited and have to suppress a fangirl squeal.

I've been to Madame Tussaud's before - when i was 6 - so going again was a great experience. It was surprisingly packed considering it was a Friday afternoon and there were so many tourists (who were so rude, may i add). I was so sure the Harry Potter trio were there, so when i couldn't find them, i felt a tad let down. Daniel Radcliffe was there and surprisingly short! I knew he was small but it still surprised me nonetheless. And talking about height, Robert Pattinson was huge! Seeing him just released my inner twilight-fangirl, hence my subtle reach for his hands. If he is that tall in real life, i am sure he is my dream man.

I look so goofy in pretty much every photo but it was hot in there, my hair was fraeking out and i was getting a migraine from the 3D.. I do have some photos taken from my phone, and my friends phone, as my fresh camera batteries decided to die out, and the quality of the phone photos are shocking so they're best left for Facebook.

Today has confirmed that i have an overwhelming love for London and that i definitely need to go back there soon!

Turquoise

2011-06-21T21:44:00.000+01:00

Ring - Primark

Hey everyone!
*you'll have to excuse my duvet, when i took this photo, i was snuggled up in bed!*
I bought this lovely ring from Primark today for an amazing £2.50! Two Pound Fifty for this beauty, i know, shocking!
I've always lusted over the rings on jwlry but i have the problem of having big knuckles - thanks dad. So, i usually have to get rings in "large". Because of my big knuckled-ness, i've always been hesitant to buying rings online, even if they are adjustable.. So, when i saw this ring in Primark (and in my size) i pretty much squealed in delight.

This post is a bit different from the norm but i wanted to let you know that Primark has some amazing rings at the mo!

I hope you all had a lovely Tuesday!

Milkshakes and a Catch-Up

2011-06-20T19:36:00.001+01:00

Jacket - H&M

Top - New Look

Jeggings - New Look

Necklace - New Look

Ring - Dorthory Perkins

Hey everyone!
(I counted how many New Look items i was wearing today - including bag and shoes - and i was wearing 5 items. *New Look-aholic*)

Today Lewis and I went into town for a general mooch but more importantly a milkshake and a well needed catch-up.
We had a lovely day and i even got my paws on the ring that i'm wearing in this post! I've seen it in Topshop etc but for £7.50, i couldn't persuade myself to buy it. I ended up buying it today as it was only £3 from Dorthory Perkins!

I hope you all had a fab monday!

To Town I Go

2011-06-17T16:06:00.001+01:00

Top - New Look
Shorts - H&M
Cardigan - Dorothy Perkins (was previously ma meres, so it's ancient)
Nails - Sugar Plum by China Glaze

Ring - vipxo

Mumma, Sister and I are about to nip into town, so i took this opportunity to make my very first OOTD post!
My outfit is most probably very bland and boring but i just threw this on as we're about to go out in the door in a sec. -i've also been asked on Tumblr what my sleeveless top and high-wasted shorts looks like on, so two birds one stone.
I have been wearing my scrabble ring everyday since i got it (which has been like 2 days, but whatevs....) and so far i've gotten quite a few compliments on it!

I hope you liked my OOTD and please excuse my awkwardness!

Signature!

2011-06-16T22:05:00.000+01:00

I decided to be like pretty much every other blogger on here and make my own signature, so here it is:

I used the font Kaileen from dafont :-)

xxx

MAC Glamglass Collection for Autumn 2011

2011-06-16T18:32:00.001+01:00

Another MAC Collection post, i know *sigh*.
Anyway, i literally cannot wait for this collection. It's right up my alley, a collection based on lipglosses? Yes please!
This collection is due to come out in August of this year which isn't that far away! :--)

Casual Air, It's A Wow, Check This Out, Rich & Witty, Comfort & Joy, Famously Fab!, Tour de Fabulous, Knockout, Style-Packed, Rich Bounty, Real Posh.

As always, the bolded caption is the name of the lipgloss' i have my eye on!

What do you think of this collection?

xxxx

*all images and information from Temptalia*

MAC Semi-Precious Collection (Summer 2011)

2011-06-16T17:56:00.002+01:00

Hey dolls!
I'm hoping that by now you've sussed out that from my previous posts that i'm a fan of MAC Collections! According to the insanely famous Temptalia, Semi-Precious is due to come out Summer 2011 - July to be precise!
I'm not really much of an eyeshadow girl, in fact i have no idea how to apply eyeshadow to my own eye. I'm able to put it on other people (granted not very well....) but i just can't do it to myself. Therefore, i generally just stick to lip products from MAC as they aren't cheap, so i don't even attempt to venture out, and because i just love lipgloss' in general. With this collection though, i have fallen in love with the promo image for a mineralized blush!

*the bolded name for the Lipglass is the one i have my eye on!*

Warmth of Coral - Mineralize Blush

Geo Pink, Looks Like Sin, Musky Amethyst, Pure Magnificence and Richly Revered.

Nicole xxx

*all images and information from Temptalia*

N

2011-06-15T09:58:00.006+01:00

I bought my ring from vipxo for £2.50 :-)

This is my newest edition to my ring collection! I am in love with it.
I know that scrabble rings are kind of a thing of the past here on blogspot, as i've loads of bloggers post about their scrabble rings, but i'm excited about it nonetheless.
I've been wanting a scrabble ring for the longest time and i've always been a bit suspicious about buying online (and because i never had a debit card until recently *blushes*). Anyway, i've over the moon about it and i'm sure i'm going to get a lot of wear out of it!

Nicole xxx

MIA

2011-06-03T23:00:00.002+01:00

I've totally neglected this blog (again). I just feel no motivation sometimes, if you follow me on Tumblr or even Twitter, then you would know i am a lazy girl, so i find it effort taking photos etc. I think also the timing adds to the situation - it's my GCSE exam period, so i haven't really been up to much as my focus is on my exams and studying!

You'll be glad to read (i hope) that i'm going to at least try with this blog. I don't know where i want it to go and honestly, i'm not happy with what's on it at the moment - layout, content etc. So, i'll try having a play around on it when i have a few spare hours (yes, hours. i take ages to edit html!). But for now, i'll just do the odd personal post, like this one, and add a few personal photos of what i've been up to. I think that's the best way of me using this blog without going all out and going on a photography frenzy!

Here are a few photos of what yours truly has been up to!


Photobooth sesh with my best girlfriend

This was taken with the boyfriend the night before he left for his army training!

At a party with Steph & Molly

Steph, Me, Jodie and Claudia all grannies. Sara is Mario. Lucy is Where's Wally.

xxxx

REVIEW: Boots Tea Tree + Witch Hazel Cleansing and Toning Lotion

2011-03-29T15:01:00.001+01:00

Ok, i'll start off by telling you all that this will be a negative review. As you can see, i have used just over half of the bottle and i hate it.
I had high hopes for it as a youtuber i used to watch always went on about this brand- Tea Tree + Witch Hazel, so i thought that as they're so hyped up by her, then it'll be good. I was wrong.
I would say my skin is sensitive and dry to normal with a bit of oiliness, so combination really.. I found that this cleanser completely broke me out. I came out in a hideous amount of blemishes and to be honest, i had never been that spotty in my life, so i shattered my confidence a bit.. I broke out in places on my face in which i never had - upper forehead and cheeks.

I think the main problem for this lotion is that it's a two-in-one jobby. I also think it didn't really remove my makeup as i would be wearing foundation yet when i went to remove it, it didn't stain the cotton pad..

I've now reverted back to my old trusty skincare routine which involves soap and water along with a few exfoliantes but that's it.
I am so disappointed in this brand now (their other products i bought were just a bad/didn't do anything for my skin at all!). I highly doubt i'll buy anything else form this range again.

Have you used any skincare products that completely let you down?
xxxxx

Haul- LA Colors

2011-03-29T14:51:00.001+01:00

without flash

with flash

L-R: Top Coat, French Cream, Mega Watt, Apricot Fizz

L-R: Pink Satin, Shocker, Atomic, Treasure Island

So, here are the nail polishes that i bought for 99p each at Beauty Base in Westfield (in London) the other weekend (i made a haul video on them and said i would take photos of them for my blog)

They're all so beautiful and so far i've only used Atomic with Treasure Island on top then the Top Coat. It was a beautiful combo (to say the least) and i got loads of compliments from friends and people asking me if i was wearing one of Katy Perry & OPI polishes, hehehe.

They're a definite bargain and actually very good polishes- by the look of them.

If any of ya'll are in or near Westfields, i suggest you check out Beauty Base!

xxxxx

NOTW- Barry M Mushroom

2011-03-29T14:41:00.001+01:00

please excuse my abnormally large hand, hehehe

Hey dolls!

I decided to start a Nails Of The Week series thingy. It's not an unknown fact that many people do "Nails Of The Day" posts but to realistic, i only change my nail polish once a week (every sunday, if i can be bothered), so this'll be a weekly thing- hopefully.

xxxx

Wonder Woman

2011-03-12T20:53:00.002Z

If you remember (or look through my posts..) you'll see how excited i was for the Wonder Woman collection by MAC.
I went into the MAC counter yesterday and i can't even explain.. I was honestly so disappointed. The swatches and reviews on the collection hyped me up so much that i was literally wetting myself in excitement during my train journey into town. When i finally got to touch the products and see them in person, i felt proper let down.
I have no idea why my Wonder Woman world was crushed to smithereens but i'm hoping MAC's next collection isn't as much of a left down!

xxx

Update + Apology!

2011-02-28T19:01:00.001Z

So, it's obvious i owe you all an apology. I have been checking up on my blog and keeping up with the blogs i follow but i just haven't felt the need to blog. I know it sounds a bit bizarre as i'm a total shopaholic but lately i've been curbing my spending (on myself...). Lately i've been buying a lot of take-away pizza, which i don't recommend if you liked your slim figure before but hey ho, i don't mind the extra pounds- or half a stone......

Anyway, that's going totally off topic. I haven't been spending a lot of money on makeup or anything really that i wanted to blog about, hence my lack in posts. I've been spending a lot of my money on others at the moment (birthdays etc), so that's why i've had no money.
Recently i've been working a lot more which means only one thing- more money, so i've decided i wanted to start treating myself again with makeup.

I bought a lovely dark red lipstick the other day from MUA! I don't understand how a lipstick that pigmented and lovely can only cost a quid, such a shocker. So, since my red lipstick kick i've felt the need to branch out and buy something from MAC- Viva Glam Cyndi.
I haven't actually bought the lipstick yet and i've already successfully managed to talk myself out of it. The main reason i wanted it was because it's limited edition and will be going soon- such a lame excuse, i know and i honestly doubt i would even wear the lipstick..
I also managed to totally talk myself out of buying anything from the Wonder Woman collection before it's even hit stores (it launches this thursday by the way- 3rd Mach 2011)
So, in conclusion to this long ramble, i'm thinking of just sticking to drugstore make up for the moment as i can buy so much more for my money.

I currently have my eye on the tinted lip balm by Sleek, the *new* Barry M lipstick in 105, Rimmel's 25-Hour-Foundation, Revlon's Colourstay and the coral MeMeMe boxed blush :-)

I hope you don't mind my lack of posts and that i'm hopefully forgiven.
I'm not going to be the kind of blogger that makes one post after another but i'm going to try and make posts at least regularly for ya'll! xxxx

Long time, no blog!

2011-01-12T22:11:00.001Z

Hey dolls!

I'm going to be honest with you and tell you that i've been really un-inspired with blogging via Blogspot. I've still been gaining followers (thank you very much!) yet i haven't been posting, so i'm sorry about that! As i said, i've just been feeling really un-inspired and Tumblr is just a lot easier to blog from as i'm not into Fashion posts or anything like that..

I'll try to blog more, i promise!

Thank you for sticking around <3

nicole xo

MAC's Wonder Woman!

2011-01-12T22:09:00.002Z

Right now, i'm a sucker for any MAC collection (i guess i'm just going through one of those phases?) and this collection looks right up my alley!

I adore the packaging, the colours and just the products in general!
I think i'll end up going for the nudest Lipglass in Emancipation (i love my nudes!) and probably a Lipstick?
I honestly felt a bit let down with the collections after Venomous Villains, but i still went and checked them out regardless, so hopefully this one lives up to the hype!

The Wonder Woman collection is due out in the spring of this year, so not long left!

Here's images of the Lipglass' and Lipstick's:

nicole xo

Images all from Temptalia

Polish problems?

2010-10-18T17:23:00.002+01:00

I'm a big fan of nail polish at the moment, even though i'm not painting my stubby nails as i hate the look of short nails that have been painted.

Anyway, i originally wanted Mean and Green, i think?, from MAC's Venomous Villains collection but i couldn't justify spending £8 on a nail polish.
I then found out that Topshop done a dupe for £6 and i was honestly delighted. I'm sad to say that to buy 'Lead' from Topshop i would have to pay an extra £4 shipping. £10 for one nail polish, how insane is that?
So, i was feeling pretty bummed that i couldn't get my hands on a petrol coloured nail polish on a budget to say the least. I then remembered about Missguided nail polishes being free in this months Cosmo magazine, so i popped to the shop just round the corner from my to get my hands on one!

The nude polish that i originally wanted was sold out (i think i'm going to have to go on a hunt for it?) but they did have a lovely black with gold glitter/reflexes/shimmer- i'm not quite sure what kind of gold it is, but there is definitely gold there! It's such a lovely colour and i'm in love with it! It's definitely gotten me out of my petrol nail polish blues for the time being.

I'm going to have to also go on a hunt for some petrol polish asap!
Anyway, here's a picture of the polish i got!

xoxo

MAC's Venomous Villains "haul"

2010-10-10T20:34:00.002+01:00

I can't express how happy i was counting down the days until this collection came out! The day after it was released online, i ordered myself the must-have of the whole collection.

I admit, i didn't spend nearly as much as everyone else who's hauled this collection and to be honest, i'm not really that bothered. Spending £26 on two Lipglass' is enough for me. I thought that as these are my first MAC products, i should start slowly rather then dive in head first.

Anyway, this is what i got from the collection + all the packaging..

Lipglass in Devilishly Stylish.

Lipglass in Strange Potion.

(L-R)
Devilishly Stylish
Strange Potion

I am definitely more than tempted to buy some more from this collection but there isn't much else i can see myself really using, i would only really be buying anything else just for the sake of it.

Were you as excited about this collection as me or did you think it was one that you could let pass you by? xoxo

Review: QVS "The Airbrush"

2010-10-10T19:56:00.002+01:00

I've had my eye on this brush for the longest time. Ever since i started getting into makeup, i longed for a stippling brush but i just wasn't prepared to pay silly amount to buy one. So, i was obviously over the moon when one of my favourite drugstore makeup brush brand (what a tongue twister!) brought out their own.

QVS is exclusive to Superdrug, from what i'm aware. They're cheap and usually very good quality. I, however, feel that this brush isn't.

I felt so let down with this brush. I really wanted it to work and i had such high expectations of it! I'm always seeing guru's apply their foundation flawlessly using stippling brushes, so i've seen the technique many times.

I felt that this brush was lacking brissles, like in the sense it wasn't dense enough for my liking. When i was applying my foundation, it kept bending and flopping around. After many attempts at getting it to work, i resorted in going back to my trusty QVS foundation brush and using that along with my fingers.

For £7.99, it's a good price but it's a pointless brush, in my opinion.

On the front of the packaging it does say that it's perfect for mineral makeup which i'm assuming is powder. I feel that this brush will be able to handle powder but it cannot handle anything thicker or even remotely liquidy. But then at the top of the packaging, it says about how it'll be perfect for concealer or foundation, which i disagree with. I also tried to use it to apply a cream blush but that also turned out horrifically.. xoxo

Venomous Villains dupe?!

2010-10-09T23:40:00.006+01:00

(L-R)
Topshop, Heavy Duty Collection in Lead - £6
MAC, Venomous Villains Collection (Malficent) in Mean and Green - £8

I saw gemfatale mention the Heavy Duty Collection being dupes for MAC's Venomous Villains collection polishes. I, personally, love the polishes in the collection but i just couldn't justify spending £8 on a nail polish i might not like/suit. So, i was over the moon when i heard that there were dupes! I don't think these promo photos give the nail polishes justice as they look extremely different in person, but hopefully you can see that there the Topshop polish is a close dupe!

I think that the Lead one is my favourite as it appears to be a dupe for my favourite Venomous Villains one but the others look equally as lovely.

As crazy as it sounds considering it's only £2, i am really looking forward to getting my hand (or nails) on this lovely polish! xoxo

Thomas Sabo

2010-10-09T15:58:00.003+01:00

I've found a new love and his name is Thomas Sabo.
I've been eyeing his jewellery for a while now and for my birthday i got a bracelet along with two charms! I am completely in love with them and they're the exact ones i wanted.

Aren't they adorable? Gosh, i love them so much. I'm definitely going to buy some more charms and perhaps the black beaded bracelet!

The things i like most about this jewellery designer is that he is well known but only to a certain group of people and that the charms are so cheap! I think £30 is around the maximum price, how great is that?! xoxo

Review: Boots Natural Collection Vanilla Body Spray

2010-10-09T15:43:00.003+01:00

I've had this body spray for a while now and i am in love with it. It has such a delicious vanilla smell! I've never found a body spray like this!
For only £1.99, you can't go wrong!
As you can see, i haven't really used a lot which i find bizarre as i'm always wearing it. If i'm not wearing my Harajuku Lovers (Love) perfume then i am wearing this.
It does come across quite strong when you first spray it, so less is more with this. But i find that because it's quite strong when you first spray it, hours later you can still smell a hint of it. I find this completely amazing as i rarely can smell my perfume after school if i first sprayed it before i left in the morning.
I really love the plastic bottle as i'm not that worried about it smashing in my school bag or anything. I also like the design of the bottle, it's really simplistic. The smell of the body spray corresponds to the picture on the front of the bottle, so there is a Vanilla plant on the front of the bottle as it's Vanilla flavour. The amount of product you get is definitely worth your money, you get 150ml in a bottle.

I really want to try all the other one's that the Natural Collection provide as one of my good friend's, Claudia, got a few lovely ones for her birthday.

I don't think i can give this product enough praise, it's superb. If you haven't already gotten a body spray from Natural Collection then i strongly suggest you run to your nearest Boots and buy one! xoxo

September Favourites - 2010

2010-10-09T15:30:00.006+01:00

Harry Potter! I'm on the fifth book now but oh my, are they good!

I got my baby as an early birthday present about two weeks ago. I am in love with this phone.

Speaking of birthdays, i recently turned 16!

My best friend bought me this as a birthday present. I've had it before but i'd literally just ran out when i got this new bottle. I'm wearing this all the time now!

I bought this just under a month ago and i'm using it everyday.

I got a Thomas Sabo bracelet with two charms for my birthday and it's the only bracelet that i've really been wearing lately, minus my rope friendship bracelets which i rarely remove.

So, these are just a few of the things that i have been really loving this past month :) I hope you all had a great September, like i did! xoxo

I'm sorry!

2010-10-09T09:59:00.002+01:00

I haven't blogged in ages! I've been checking up on all the blogs i follow but my heart just hasn't been into it (blogging, i mean.)
I just had my sixteenth birthday and i've been pretty busy with school and such.
I think i'm going to dedicate today to create some blog posts for ya'll and perhaps a "at the moment" post which will just be able things i love at the moment.

Sorry again for the absence! xx

MAC 'A Tartan Tale'

2010-10-09T09:53:00.001+01:00

I have no idea why i'm so excited for this collection as i don't think the packaging is that great (i've never really been a fan of tartan) but there are a few things that i have my eye on, no doubt they are lip products. I am in love with the set of Lipglass' at the bottom of the top picture and the Lipstick/Lipglass combo on the left in the bottom picture. I do also like the brush set but i'm a fan of my drugstore brushes, so i don't think i'll be venturing out into the world of MAC brushes just yet.

This collection is due to come out in late October in America, so it'll be coming over to the UK not long after that.
I better get saving!

If You Could See Me Now

2010-09-04T20:45:00.002+01:00

I'm not in the mood for a big blog post so i'll leave you with this..

This is the current book i'm reading. I bought it from a charity shop for £2! This book is honestly one of the best things i have ever read. It's so adorable, i've shed a few tears just by how cute it is. (it's kind of heart breaking too, in a way). It's about an imaginary friend but i'm not going to stay anymore as i don't want to give anything away.
I suggest you all read it. It's lovely :')

nicole xo

PS: i still need to change my calender, oops!

A new iPod Touch!

2010-09-01T19:48:00.002+01:00

This isn't a side of myself that i like to reveal often but it is very much present in my life. I am in fact a very, very, very big Apple fan/ nerd on technology in general. This year i have kind of slacked on things though as i haven't be as 'into' the news as i have with other things like Tumblr for example.
Anyway, Apple had their annual iPod event today but they named it a "Media Event" as they didn't just release new iPods.. But my main focus was the iPods.
My prediction was that they would in fact make the Touch's hardware more like the iPhone 4s as that is what they done with the previous Touch and iPhone 3G/3GS.
So, i present to you the new iPod Touch..

This baby has a front and back facing camera which films in HD. The main purpose of these cameras was to allow FaceTime to the iPod Touch but you can also film, edit and upload videos to YouTube from your iPod.. There is also a new Retina display (super high quality basically) and they bumped up the processors to that it can handle iOS 4.1.

I, personally, am in love with this iPod. My iPod Touch is two years old now and the lock button is a bit indented, so i am in need of a new one :)

My birthday is right round the corner, 29th September, so i'm hoping to get one of these babies for my birthday! We'll wait and see!

nicole xo

Amazing-stoke!

2010-09-01T12:02:00.006+01:00

I've heard that Basingstokes Festival Place mall to be called Amazing-stoke and it honestly lives up to it's name! I went there yesterday with Lewis, my best friend, and his parents for Lewis' birthday.
We had a quick bite to eat at a cafe called 'Cafe Bebo'. I had a cheese and ham croissant, yes, a cheese and ham croissant! I didn't think you could mix sweet and savory but my god, it is delicious!
I didn't buy much while we were there as i done quite a bit of spending the day before in Reading but i did manage to buy a few things.

The first shop i bought from was Superdrug. I knew that i wanted to walk away from Basingstoke with the NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Powder as i am in love with the Loose Powder.
The colour is i701A Translucent and price was £2.99!

My thoughts so far would be that the pressed version is the same texture of the loose powder once on the face and it seems very good so far!

I also decided to buy a MUA lipgloss as i've seen quite a few people raving about them.

The colour is in Shade 4 and the price was £1!

I can tell off the bat that i'm not going to be a great fan of this product as much the scent is really off putting, for me. I've seen reviews were people have commented on how much they like the scent as it's "strawberry". This lipgloss doesn't smell of "strawberries" to me, it's like a fake manufactured smell that reminds me of airports..

After we went into Superdrug, we hit Primark. It's not obvious on here, yet, but on Tumblr i think it's clear that i am a big Primark fan. I love the fact you can get great items for such a cheap price! I know why they're so cheap, etc etc but i still love the shop nonetheless.
I am really loving Primarks jewellery as it's so in fashion and dirt cheap!
The first thing i laid eyes on was this cupcake necklace which i adore!

It was only £1.50 and it's so dainty + cute.

The next thing i found was this beautiful ring.

When i first laid eyes on this ring many months ago, i fell in love with it but i never bought it because i thought that by the next time i went into Primark, they would still have it. I was wrong and this scenario happened again another time. When i saw it yesterday, i had to buy it as i couldn't let it go! It was only £2 as well!

The second ring that i bought was this beauty.

I am in love with big and animal rings right now so i had to get this and it was only £2!

The last thing i bought yesterday was this china doll necklace. It was only £1.50 and i am so in love with it!

That was all i bought this shopping trip, i know it's a small haul but i love the things i bought nonetheless.

I'll be doing reviews on the makeup products that i bought once i have given them both a fair go.
I hope you all have great week!

nicole xo

This or That?

2010-09-01T10:37:00.004+01:00

I just saw sabrina make this post and she tagged everyone, so i've decided to do it too!

Makeup

Blusher or bronzer - Blusher

Lip gloss or lip stick - Lipgloss

Eye liner or mascara - Mascara

Foundation or concealer - Concealer

Neutral or colour eye shadow - Neutral

Pressed or loose eye shadow - Pressed

Brushes or sponges – brushes

Nails
OPI or china glaze - China Glaze
Long or short - Long
Acrylic or natural - Natural
Bright or darks – Darks

Body
Perfume or body splash - Perfume
Lotion or body butter – Body Butter
Body wash or soap – Soap
Lush or other bath company – Neither

Fashion
Jeans or sweat pants - Jeans
Long sleeve or short - Long
Dresses or skirts - Skirts
Stripes or plaid - Plaid
Flip flops or sandals - Neither
Scarves or hats - Scarves
Studs or dangly earrings - Studs
Necklaces or bracelets - Bracelets
Heels or flats - Flats!
Cowboy boots or riding boots – Preferably ankle boots..
Jacket or hoodie - Jacket

Hair
Curly or straight - curly
Bun or ponytail – Messy bun
Bobby pins or butterfly clips - Bobby pins
Hair spray or gel - Hair spray
Long or short - Long
Light or dark - Both
Side swept bangs or full bangs - Side
Up or down - Down

Random
Rain or shine - Rain
Summer or winter - Winter
Autumn or spring – Autumn
Chocolate or vanilla - Both!

I tag everyone else to do this too! :)

nicole xo

MAC's Venomous Villains collection

2010-08-28T15:04:00.002+01:00

I hope i'm not the only one who's super excited for this collection. This is the first MAC collection that i've ever really took any interest in..
I think the thing that has got me really excited for this collection is that it opens the day after my birthday- in the states though :( It comes out in October over in the UK.. Which is still pretty close to my birthday.
There are a few things i have my eye on already from the collection but the more i look at the collection, the more i get turned off by it. I know, it sounds crazy! But, i feel like the more i look at the products, the more i can see drugstore dupes. Don't get me wrong though, i'm definitely going to get a few lip products and perhaps a blush but that's about it. 80% of the is really unwearable, for me, so that's the big turn-off point for me. Saying that though, the Cruella de Vil part of the collection is the except though. It's full of nudes that are simply beautiful.

I'll have to keep an eye on it as i don't want to miss the release date! But i'll definitely be getting a few products from this collection as it seems, to me, that's one of them that you just can't miss!

nicole xo

My first post!

2010-08-28T14:22:00.004+01:00

I've had this blog for a very long time, about two years to be exact, and i've never really done anything good with it. So, i've decided i'm going to open this blog back up and im going to start posting.
If you're reading this, then i'm guessing i wrote about it on Tumblr and you have come here form there? Well, hello anyway.
I'm going to be posting anything and everything on this blog that i don't put on my Tumblr. I feel as if my Tumblr is more for pictures, etc while this is more personal..
I have a list as long as my arm with things that need to be changed around with this blog, so you'll have to bare with me! Once this is all up and running to just how i like it, then i'm sure everything will come together, but right now, i'm just trying to figure this website out ;o
Thank you and i hope you enjoy whatever i write!

nicole xo

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If You Could See Me Now

A new iPod Touch!

Amazing-stoke!

This or That?

MAC's Venomous Villains collection

My first post!

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