Acrylic Nails: An update + Essie Chinchilly

I've had acrylic nails applied once again! A little longer and sharper this time and I'm in LOVE.
I originally had them done in a dark purple colour but I decided it was a little too 'gothic' so I opted for a more neutral Autumn hue. This is Chinchilly by Essie. It's a beautiful colour and my first Essie nail polish! I've had it on for a (very active) week and through work and an active fitness routine there has been NO chipping. This could be helped by the acrylic nails but I am seriously Impressed. It only took two coats to achieve the colour (covering a nearly blackish purple).

Downside to the nails, my pinky nail broke off only 8 days after application. I guess the quality of your acrylic nails has a lot to do with the person applying them so try to go somewhere that a friend has been or have a website/facebook page where you can see their work.
Also you might want to check what colours they have in, I wasn't too impressed by the colour selection available at the salon I last went to.. a lot of neons let's just put it like that.

Overall though I feel like having sassy nails really completes my look and compliments by outfits and makeup - definitely worth getting done. Typing has become a bit trickier but that's really something I can live with.



Blog posts coming up soon: Urban Decay Naked Concealer, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Soft and Gentle, Urban Decay Afterglow, Favourite Concealers, Fitness + Weight loss Update.

Stiletto Nails.

So for a while now I've wanted to get stiletto nails. I think they look fantastic and they're right up my alley.

I had planned on using the elegant touch false nails in 003 (I actually bought them), but a few things put me off;

1. After opening the box I realized that the instructions state that you have to buy a separate solution in order to remove them. This isn't indicated anywhere on the box and this did put me off a little.
2. I was worried about one of them snapping off in work. They're so distinctive it would be SO obvious if I lost one.
3. They didn't all fit perfectly - I have tiny hands.

Therefore I decided to get acrylics.

I've never had any kind of manicure before, but I was down in London for a couple of weeks and decided that it needed to be done.
We went to a little nail salon called 5 star nails in Watford and it cost £20 for a full set and colour (including the ombre) which I found very reasonable.

It took a little over half and hour and was a very enjoyable experience.

As I've just had them done I'm not sure how much damage will be done to my natural nails but I will keep you updated on a separate post!

Itty Bitty MAC Haul.

When I saw that MAC had released a new foundation; Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation, I knew I had to buy it. The original Pro Longwear foundation was a staple of mine for over two years until I somehow became paler and there was no longer a shade pale enough for me.

With the release of this foundation I realized the amazing range of colours and knew I just HAD to.

I pondered a lot over which shade to select. I don't live anywhere near a MAC counter (hour and a half away in fact) so I was making this choice based purely on online swatches and reviews (of which there aren't many yet). I wear the shade Buff in Revlon colorstay which is very pale but seeing as though summer is coming (and I really want to show my skin some sun) I decided to go for NC20.

I haven't used the product yet, as they arrived today AFTER I had done my makeup, but i did have a peek in the tube and the colour seems promising!

When ordering this I realized that also they finally had the Harmony blush back in stock. I've heard a lot of good things about this by fairer skinned ladies so I took the plunge and ordered it. First impression - it seems warmer than I expected but I will let you know how it works soon enough.

Finally I ordered a backup Pro Longwear concealer (NC15) just because I can't live without it.

So here they are - I plan on wearing the new items tomorrow and giving them a trial over a working day so keep your eyes peeled (ew) for my next post!

Gerard Cosmetics; Mini Lipstick Haul + First impressions.

I've heard a lot about Gerard Cosmetics through social media in the past year. They are an American brand and there has been a lot of hype about their lipsticks and glosses recently.

I wanted to make a sizeable order from them, but considering the items would be coming from America  I wanted to try a mini order to check the waters (postage time, packaging, hidden fees).

One thing I love about the brand is that there always seems to be a discount code available. I managed to get 35% off my order PLUS free delivery (made me very tempted to order more).

I ordered two lipsticks; 1995 and Underground.

I've always been a fan of the 90's lips and fashion so 1995 was definitely a lipstick I had to try. Underground was also a no brainer, something really grungy but pretty about it.







Top; Underground. Bottom; 1995.

Let me just start by saying - I'm REALLY happy with them. These lipsticks definitely feel and look matte on the lips, however they are not drying. It sounds unusual but i feel there is a certain amount of elasticity in them so that talking and lip movement doesn't alter the appearance. I have been wearing underground for 4 hours (I have eaten) and it is still going strong.
The colours I've purchased are very flattering on my pale skin and I'm excited to try more.


The packaging was not overly impressive but I don't really mind that as it goes straight to the bin anyway.
I ordered on the 11th, they arrived today (19th) which is understandable as they came from America. However I was unable to track my package and I didn't receive any updates on where it was or when it would arrive. I'm a patient person though so this didn't really bother me, I'd have been happy waiting up to about 10 days.
The items came in a tube of sponge, within a brown mailing bag.




I will definitely be ordering in the future, as a few of the glosses have caught my eye (despite me being a no-gloss kinda girl).

Keep an eye out for the next haul and some in depth reviews!

Easy and Healthy.

So I did mention that I would make a post about everything I eat in a week, however I soon realized that some of the recipes I enjoy most are so delicious that I have them a few times a week. I'm the type of person that could eat the same thing 4 nights in a row if I liked it enough.
Alternatively I've decided to share with you a couple of my favourite recipes from this week, and I will do the same next week.

I have to say my #1 dinner time recipe for the past few weeks is my carb-free courgette Chow Mein.

To make this you will need a spiralizer.  I cannot tell you ENOUGH how much of a game changer one of these things will be to your healthy eating or weight loss. I have adpoted a rule of trying to limit carbs to one meal a day (surprisingly easy) at breakfast or lunch, so having one of these is a great way of lowering your carb intake. You ca make a Bolognese, stiry fry (as you will see), Carbonara, and loads of other things using vegetables as noodles.

So this is my Courgette Chow Mein  Stir Fry.
I used Courgette (for the noodles)
Then, using Fry light spray (one calorie per spray) I fried the mushrooms, thin sliced carrot and chicken (optional).
Once these are done, you can add your spiralized courgette to the pan for about a minute just to heat it up, and add your sauce.
Any Chow Mein stir fry sauce will work, but make sure you take a look at the calories/fat on the back.
Mix it all up and serve!








Next is this Super simple salad.



All I did here was use a handful of leafy lettuce, quarter of a sliced avocado , smoked salmon and a nice drizzle of low fat honey and mustard dressing. I also added a few dates to finish it off.

Super easy but delicious and satisfying..!

MAC Cosmetics Eye Shadow x15: Warm Neutral.Review.

This is a gorgeous palette.


If you're familiar with MAC eye shadows then you'll know how they're pretty consistent and reliable with the quality and pigmentation.
Each eye shadow in this palette is the size of a full sized pan from MAC.
There is a mixture of finishes in the palette including matte, satin, Lustre and Velvet.
I don't find them overly pigmented (this is a great thing for me especially with bold, dark or shimmery colours - gives me more control over intensity and colour).
The textures of the shadows are extremely soft and velvety.
As with all MAC shadows they are very long wearing and don't crease on my eyelids throughout the day.
Three eye shadows that stand out to me from this palette are Amber Lights, Gingersnap and Unwind.

I would definitely recommend buying this palette if like me, you lean more towards warm toned colours.

In the photos of the eye looks made from this palette (below) I have not used an eye shadow primer.



Shadow names:
Hey, Warm Breeze, Gingersnap, Dark Brew, Dance In The Dark
Brule, Vanilla Extract, Honey Lust, Amber Lights, Saddle
Lemon Tart, Creative Copper, Butterfudge, Divine Decadence, Unwind.

For the above eye look I wanted to go for a look that reminded me of a soft crackling fire, I used the shades Amber Lights, Hey, Divine Decadence and Dance in the Dark.

This eye look uses the more cranberry/pink shades in the palette, specifically Warm Breeze, Gingersnap and Dark Brew.

Losing weight.

I've always had a troubled relationship with my weight.. might have something to do with how my relationship with carbs and sweets never really dwindled. I've always been a bit weighty, and up to a certain point I had surrendered my mind to the fact that this is how I would always be. A bit too 'curvy'. A 'real woman'. But why? Why can't I be one of those slim, toned, and athletic women? We all have very similar bodies at the core, so the only thing stopping me from becoming the best version of me was... me.
I signed up to a weight loss class last year and lost 8 lbs in the first month. I didn't go back as I had my finances prioritized elsewhere but I have recently started working and have REJOINED.
I wont go into it all now but.. this year has been hard.
You know what, I'm not going to lie, it's been really really shit.
My life and future as I thought I knew it turned out to be a fantasy and the harsh reality is very.. harsh.
Yet somehow.. (attending 7 workout classes a week along with spontaneous jogging trips and a low carb diet that I will show you soon) I have lost 21lbs in the past 3 months.

Ok so in the grand scheme of things this isn't a great number.. especially as I have 25 more to lose.. but I'm proud to be nearly halfway there.

I don't really like showing before/during/after photos because I'm honestly mortified at how I look in the 'before's'.
I never thought I looked that bad.. but looking back I looked HORRIFIC. How can I trust myself when I feel like I look okay if I thought I looked okay THEN? Anyway , that's a separate issue.

I'm going to show you some before/during photos now, sorry if they're not great but I'm trying..!












Next week I'm planning on posting in detail everything I do/eat in 7 days as part of this new lifestyle. Feel free to ask any questions!

Things I bought in the month of April.

It's very nice having a job. It's also very nice having a job and not having to spend my income on someone else. Independence is highly rewarding therefore today I have decided to share some of the fruits of my labour.

As you will notice, my main focus when shopping recently is makeup/cosmetic products. This is because I am in the midst of a weight loss journey (had to use the word journey it's deep) in which so far I have lost 21lbs. I'll make a separate post all about this but it means that I'm not really buying clothes at the moment as I've no idea what kind of body shape I will have in the coming weeks/months.

I will be posting reviews of most of these products.



MAC pro palette x4 inserts along with Brule + Blackberry (top right and bottom left). The other two are Shroom and Sketch but I've had those a while.

MAC Eye Shadow x 15 Warm Neutrals. This was actually a gift from my parents that they bought on holiday (Hooray for duty free!). It's a stunning palette and I will be creating many eye looks with this. Expect an in depth review (with swatches) very soon.

MAC Lipsticks in Mehr and Blankety. Lovely additions to the collection.

MAC Lipliner in Nightmoth. Well I had to really Cyber was getting lonely.

MAC Pro Longwear concealer NC15 my go-to concealer for the past 3 years. I have tried to convert to others but there honestly is just no better.

MAC Fluidline in dipbrow. Speaks for itself. Brow routine anyone?

Makeup Revolution Flawless palette. My local Superdrug finally started stocking Makeup Revolution and this palette spoke to me - nay- screamed out to me so I had to buy it. I will be posting a review with swatches for this palette too (spolier - they're amazing).

LUSH dream cream. I'll be posting a full review on this as it has changed my life. I have really problematic skin (eczema) and this has been wonderful. This is my 4th tub.

LUSH Bubblegum Lip scrub. Another delicious product. I'll go into more details in an upcoming post.. hint..Lush Favourites..

And underneath it all is a high waisted midi pencil skirt I bought from Primark for £5. I'm not slim enough for it to look okay yet but hopefully in a few weeks you'll see it styled in an outfit..!