Sunday, 24 August 2014

A Meal in Deal

As I write this I am sitting on the sofa of a cute little holiday house, with my family, in the small town of Deal, Kent. Admitedly to my suprise, it is a really lovely seaside town with pretty coloured houses, seagulls, and cute little dogs everywhere you look (pictures to come). 
Our first day here, we went out for a small snacky lunch and came across 'The Allotment'. I've been trying (emphasis on the word 'trying') to eat slightly healthier recently so as you can see from the sign, this place seemed like a good choice. 

 
I must admit, there were a couple of flaws; limited choice, slow service, not the the nicest decoration. But overall I did really enjoy the food and so did my family, including my sister who is newly vegan. I had a houmous and rosted veg sandwich which was simple, but was perfect for what I wanted. They do also do full english breakfasts throughout the day which looked amazing. Plus, they have free wifi which is always a bonus.


 


Thursday, 7 August 2014

my daily makeup


I personally really enjoy seeing other people's daily makeup products. Although alot of bloggers/vloggers will rave on about loads of different products that they love, I think that the real test is actually how much they use it. Doesn't the fact that someone is happy to be putting these things on their face almost everyday speak for itself?

That being said, I can't promise that these products are the best out there because I've only really worn a full face of makeup for about a year, but I can tell you that I love and favour these over anything that I've tried.
 
P.S. Please excuse the state of my makeup, it's just well loved.

Revlon Colorstay Foundation combination/oily skin - Buff

I tried this foundation for the first time a month or so ago because I wasn't happy with the foundation I was using and this one had loads of good reviews. I was using the Loreal True Match, which I know a lot of people like and it was ok, but I found that it didn't have a high enough coverage for my increasingly horrific skin and seemed to disappear off my face throughout the day.
The Revlon Colorstay is so much better in my opinion. It has good buildable coverage which I have really been needing recently *cries*, and as it is meant for oily/combination skin it has good staying power aswell. The shade I have is 'Buff', and for me this shade works really well because it's a very neutral shade; not too pink, not too yellow. Plus the fact that it has SPF 15 was handy when I was on holiday a couple of weeks ago #safetyfirst.

I dot this all over my face and then blend it with a Real Techniques Expert Face brush. If i'm wanting to look a little bit closer to flawless I'll make sure this first layer is really well buffed into my skin and then add another layer. 

 Mac Pro Longwear Concealer - NC15

For sooo long now I have been wanting to try some Mac products, pro longwear concealer included, but have always been scared away by the prices. Personally, I can't justify spending the majority of my money on one thing that is eventually going to run out. Fortunately though, birthdays exist, and so do parents. I'm not sure how long it's going to last yet but the quality of this concealer definately reflects the price. It has really good coverage and goes on really smoothly.
 
I wear this concealer under my eyes to subtly highlight as well as to cover up the dark circles and blend it in with my fingers. I would usually use this to cover up any spots but because it is a very light shade, I can't really at the moment because I have a tiny bit of a tan.



Classic Carmex Moisturising Lip Balm

 I LOVE this lipbalm. Yes it makes your lips soft, but so do a lot of lipbalms. What makes me choose this over the thousands of other lipbalms out there is that when you put it on, you get this minty, refreshing, tingly feeling on your lips. Trust me, it's really nice.

 Maybelline The Falsies Waterproof Mascara

After using, loving and running out of the original Falsies Mascara, I went and bought the waterproof version for my holiday. I actually prefer it to the original because I have found that it holds a curl so much better. I have really straight eyelashes naturally and this is the first mascara I have used that keeps my eyelashes curled throughout the day. Being waterproof, it is a pain to get off at the end of the day, but for nice lashes, scrubbing my eyes for 5 minutes in the evening is something im willing to do.

I always curl my eyelashes before I put on mascara. I used to think that curling eyelashes was a pointless thing to do and that the curlers looked terifying like some kind of torture instrument, but it seriously does make quite a big difference. I got mine from primark for only £1.



Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette 

This is something I have been lusting after for quite a while and is another reason why I love birthdays. I do actually think the amount of top quality eyeshadows you get for the money is pretty good and I love how you can do so many different looks with the one palette and every single eyeshadow is just so pretty.

I don't always wear eyeshadow but when I do I usually just keep it simple and blend 'Nooner' into my crease, put a bit of darkside in the outer corner and blend a bit of both under my eyes. I do all this with the brush that comes with the palette. 


 MUA Pro Brow Kit

This is actually the only eyebrow product I have tried so obviously I'm not an exactly an expert, but I do think this kit is pretty good, especially for the price. I actually think this might be a bit of a dupe for the Benefit Brow zings so if your looking for a cheaper alternative then I would recommend heading down the MUA route.

I have been eyeing up the Anastasia Brow Wiz but until I find a way to buy one in England or France, this is good enough and I will probably be buying another one.

Using a slanted brush, I mix the wax with the darkest brown powder so that I can fill in and set my eyebrows at the same time. Doing this also helps the powder stick and last all day.



Sleek Face Contour Kit

In this kit are two things that are so hard to find in the drugstore; a matte bronzer and a highlighter. The bronzer is so good for contouring because it's matte, it's got good pigmentation and it's not too orange like alot of bronzers tend to be. I also really like the highlighter because it's quite natural looking and is a really pretty pinky champagne shade. I think everyone who likes makeup should have this in their lives. Its such good value for money.

I use the bronzer to attempt to enhance my non existent cheek bones and up on my forehead to subtly contour and put a bit of colour in my face. I do this using a big powder brush to get a softer look. I don't like having too much shimmer on my face so I only put a small amount of the highlighter on my cheekbones and on my brow bone.


Rimmel Clear Complexion Clarifying Powder - Transparent

I'm not really sure what a 'Clarifying Powder' is supposed to do but I use this to set my foundation and concealer. It does seem to work and also gives my skin a soft look to it. I don't think it's anything special but it does the job.

With a powder brush I pat the powder onto my skin so that I don't wipe off any foundation with the brush.


 Primark Eye Liner

1£ for a pack of two? Dont mind if i do. I dont have much to say about this except that I haven't noticed a world of difference between these and slightly pricier eyeliners.

As a 13 year old, I went through that awkward eyeliner stage where I would try and line underneath but the line would be about an inch away from my actual eye (you know what I'm talking about). But I've learnt my lesson the hard way and now I will simply line my tightline. I think that doing this can make the lash line look more defined but without having an obvious harsh line.

Kiko Smart Lip Pencil - 712


Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector - Nude Shimmer 



 Mac Lipstick - Velvet Teddy

I'm not really the kind of person to wear something on their lips on a daily basis but when I do, these are the three things that I usually opt for. As you can tell, I do tend to stick to nude colours because I think that they can really finish off and improve your makeup but are really easy to wear, these 3 products especially.
I think that the shade of the kiko liner shown here is really good because it will go with pretty much any nude shade you could possibly put on your lips. 
The Clarins Lip Perfector is a very natural looing gloss but it somehow just makes your lips look really lovely. 
This is my first and only Mac lipstick and I am really glad I picked this shade because the colour is beautiful and I love the fact that it's matte. I would also say that it is quite Kylie Jenner-esque which everyone seems to be obsessed with at the moment.

When lining my lips I do over draw them very very slightly because I don't like my natural lip shape. I always smudge the liner into my lips a bit using my finger just so that the line isn't too harsh. On a day where I just want my lips to look natural but don't want them completely bare I will put a bit of the Clarins Lipgloss over the liner. If I want to look like I've made a bit more of an effort and more put together, I will put the lipstick over instead.

 

Wednesday, 6 August 2014

Spain photo diary

In July I was lucky enough to go on holiday to spain for a couple of weeks with my family. I had a really lovely time and I would say that Spain is definately one of the nicest countries I've been to. It has beautiful beaches, big cities, and warm weather; what more could you want from a summer holiday? Here are some of my favourite photos from the holiday:

Begur

Dali's House

Sitges

Barcelona


Saturday, 2 August 2014

Silly little things that make me happy

warning : cheesiness ahead


"Little things seem nothing but they give peace, like those meadow flowers which individually seem odorless but all together perfume the air" - Georges Bernanos
 

For my birthday about a month ago, I got a book called 'my future listography'. It's a really cute book where on each page it tells you to write a list of 'moments in your life you don't want to forget' or 'the cities you want to visit' for example. Anyway I've been loving filling it in in my spare time, and it inspired me to write this post.
I think it's always good ( although difficult, I know) to think about all those little things that sound silly but can make your day that little bit better. Because that's what life's about really. I know that personally I found it hard to see the inportance in these things and it made me miserable. Sometimes it's those things that seem stupid and meaningless that, combined, make life worth living.
Whether it cheers you up, makes you think 'omg same!' or you're just a bit nosy - I hope you enjoy reading through my list either way :)

To me happiness is:

• fast internet  
• discovering a good song
• new clothes
• summer evenings
• watching youtubers
• singing loudly in the car
• popping bubble wrap
• putting on my pyjamas at the end of the day
• knowing I don't have to wake up early the next morning
• when a song I like comes on the radio
• the smell of wet concrete after it rains
• fresh bed sheets
• discovering a good restaurant
• peeing after holding it in for a long time
• choosing presents for people
• long hugs
• cooking a successful meal
• taking a half decent selfie
• chips.
• getting into bed after a long day
• taking a photo I'm proud of
• finishing a drawing
• laughing so much it hurts
• getting a text/Facebook message
• completing a level on candy crush
• finding money i forgot I had
• getting a follower on Instagram/twitter
• warm summer rain
• having a tidy room
• pretty buildings
• getting a compliment
• eating something delicious that I know isn't bad for me
• big waves in the sea
• flowers
• cuddles with my dog
• when the person I like talks to me first
• being cosy in bed when there's a storm outside
• when tea/hot chocolate is the perfect temperature
• staying in nice hotels
• being in a city
• when people laugh at my jokes
• amazing skies and sunsets


Wednesday, 5 February 2014

Rant #1 - Education

Ok so I was a bit reluctant to post something like this but then I thought to myself 'why not?! it's my blog and I can post what I like!' so that's what I'm going to do...

So recently, I've been really frustrated with the world, and more specifically the education system. We spend the majority of our teenage years 'learning' about things that we are unlikely to ever use again. For example: algebra. Unless you are planning to be some sort of mathematician or scientist after you leave school, I doubt very much that you will be using algebra very often, if not at all. So why are we learning these things?! Who was it that decided that some ridiculous and complete abstract theory is more important than being a decent human being for example? There are plenty of people out there who, despite maybe being extremely rude and disrespectful, are still thought of by our society as 'better' just because one of their strengths happens to be in an academic subject, and I don't think this is fair.

I strongly believe that being a good, decent person is 100x more important than having a good memory to pass an exam. That's the other issue: all we are learning is aimed at one exam. Shouldn't the whole point of an education be to teach and prepare children and teenagers for adult life? To learn the things that will come in useful like how taxes work or how to deal with people in different situations. So much pressure is put on us to do well in exams but is it really fair to judge us on how much useless knowledge we have managed to cram into our heads.

The sad thing is that there is near to nothing I can do about it. But anyway, I don't want to ruin your day too much so I'm going to shut up now. 

If you do agree with me on anything please restore my faith in humanity and leave me a comment.

- RANT OVER -

Tuesday, 4 February 2014

25 Facts About Me



So today I'm going to tell you all (all 0 of you...) a little bit about myself. I have come up with 25 completely random facts that will hopefully help you get to know me a bit better :) . Enjoy...

1. Ella is short for Eleanor.

2. I was born on the 28th of June in 1997

3. When I was 4 I moved to France and have lived there ever since

4. I would quite happily live off chips or pasta.

5. I have a dog called Stanley.

6. I tend to come across really grumpy and shy sometimes but most of the time it's just because I'm quite a laid back person with a bitchy resting face. 

7. I have two middle names which are 'Millie' and 'Beatrice' and I absolutely hate them. (sorry if that's your name)

8. I am a 'vegetarian' but I eat Big Macs from macdonalds...

9. I have a slight phobia of flies because once a fly a landed on my bed and gave birth to baby maggots and it was traumatising.

10. I have visited 13 countries so far

11. The key to my heart is chocolate coated raisins

12. I literally spend as much time as I can in my pyjamas because I can't stand being in uncomfortable clothes.

13. I was born with a hole in my heart and have had two operations to sort it out.

14. I am probably the fussiest eater you will ever come across.

15. I find it really hard to talk about serious things and usually end up laughing out of awkwardness.

16. One of my biggest dreams for the future is to design and build my own house.

17. Christmas is my favourite holiday.

18. My family are my most favourite people in the world.

19. I took my French gcse 2 years early and got an A* but I still struggle to hold a conversation in French

20. I love dark and rainy weather

21. I really hate school and can't wait to leave but I have no idea what I want to do next

22. I tend to get upset rather than angry

23. Pretty much all I drink is water on a daily basis

24. I absolutely love dancing but not when it involves improvising. One of my biggest wishes is that I could street dance.

25. When I was younger I didn't used to be very girly and would spend a lot of lunchtimes playing football with a load of boys. I even used to be ashamed of liking the colour pink


 






Saturday, 18 January 2014

January Favourites


Since it's now the end of January, I thought I would talk about all the things, whether they be beauty, music or just random, that I have loved this month!

Kate Moss rimmel lipstick
One of my favourite beauty products this month is probably this Kate moss lipstick in the shade 107. It's a lovely dark red berry colour and is perfect for the winter time. I find that it goes on really smoothly and stays on pretty well without drying out my lips. The best part though is that it's very affordable! I'm not the most adventurous person when it comes to makeup so I haven't actually worn this much, but that hasn't stopped me from loving it!


Candy Crush
Recently I have been ADDICTED to this game. I don't even know why, I just can't stop playing it. It's really good for when you're bored or waiting for something and I find it really useful as a distraction when I'm feeling anxious or fed up. My one complaint however would be the fact that once you've run out of lives, you have to wait 30 minutes to get just one life back. For someone as obsessed as me, this is like torture.


Nail Varnish
Despite having extremely short and ugly nails, I do still attempt to paint them and recently I have been in love with these two nail varnishes: Kiko mirror nail laquer (don't know the name but it's the silver one)  + Barry m matte nail paint in 'Vanilla'. Personally I don't like to be too bold with my makeup so this Barry m shade is just a perfect nude colour that I reckon would be lovely throughout the year! And the silver one is just... Wow. It is really metallic and shiny and I love it! I would say however  that it does actually chip very easily because it's more like a foil but I still would recommend it.


James Arthur's New Album
I have actually been loving this album for a while now, pretty much ever since it came out, but I still love it so I thought I would include it anyway. I have never really been an Xfactor fan but from the moment I heard James Arthur I absolutely fell in love. To be honest I think he is the only person who has ever really deserved to win the Xfactor. He has such an edgy and quite original voice. His songs have amazing lyrics and are just really great songs in general so I would definitely realllyyyyy recommend giving this album a listen if you haven't already. 


Tartan Blouse
I bought this top about a month ago and I love it. Unless you've been living under a rock the past few months, you will have noticed that tartan seems to be everywhere at the moment and I have seen a lot of people on Instagram and YouTube looking amazing in this trend so as soon as saw this top I just had to get it. I think the Peter Pan style collar is so cute and the colours are perfect for winter. I think it was about 20€ from Bershka.





So there you go... hope you enjoyed this post!