Favourite Friday: TV

I am obsessed with all things silver screen. Like seriously, I'll spend days on end binge watching a series but at the same time be following a weekly programme that has me hooked. I buy the Radio Times nearly every week and don't get me started on awards season! I thought to commemorate my love for all things watchable I would do the Netflix tag! Yay!

1. What are your favourite series' to watch on Netflix? Pretty Little Liars, House of Anubis, Orange is the New Black, Merlin and Last Tango in Halifax.
2. What are you currently watching? I've just finished Pretty Little Liars (and tempted to watch it again) but at the minute I'm rewatching House of Anubis.
3. If you could have any series, old or new, put on Netflix what would it be? All the Small things. Does anyone remember it? It was on BBC a fair few years ago and was only one series and I can't find it to watch again anywhere. So good!
4. What is your one peeve about Netflix? The fact that the UK version sometimes gets left behind in the new series department, upsetting. 
5. Recommend one series or film for someone else. Pretty Little Liars. Hands down one of THE best things I have ever watched. I watched all 111 available episodes in two weeks, that's 83 hours and 25 minutes of watching when I had one assessment due and two exams. But I don't regret it in the slightest. A must watch. 

Bash of the Blushers

It's that time again to delve into the makeup draws and see who comes out on top in the blusher department. I'm not that adventurous when it comes to blush. I bought a lot of them when I first started university and I haven't grown my collection since. First off is the first in a group of Sleek blushers with Sleek Flushed. It looks quite pink in the photo above but in person it's a very autumnal red. It's a beautiful colour which looks great in the winter time with a dark eye and is matt so for a day when I don't fancy being too sparkly this is the one I go for. The problem with this is that it's a bit over pigmented so one slip of the hand and it looks like you've tried to dress up as a clown, annoying. Next is another Sleek blush in Pomegranate. Another great one for winter this is one of the most beautiful blushes that exists in the makeup world. It's a sparkly purple that goes perfectly with a pinky purple eye and I could just stare in the pan all day. Similarly as the last blush the pigmentation is just a bit too much and application has to be tentative otherwise things get messy. Last in the Sleek department is Sleek Rose Gold. I've heard that this is meant to be a dupe fro Nars Orgasm and this is the ultimate party blush. It's pink with a gold shimmer and on the cheeks it acts as a blush and  a highlight. It can sometimes be a little too much with a heavy eye but it is such a stunning blush. Another blush is the Soap and Glory shimmer brick in Peach Party. When I look at this I just think summer and the pretty sections of this make me smile. As with the last blush this works as a blush and a highlight, which goes well with orange and gold eyes, but can sometimes be a bit too much. Last on the list is a small tester of the Benefit Dandelion blush. In the pan this looks like THE most boring blush but when it's on the cheeks it is the most perfect smokey eye blush in the world. I wear it everyday because it's so easy to wear but it does get boring from time to time when I'm feeling more adventurous. For the fact that it's the one I wear the most I'd say the winner is the Benefit blush but for the fact that it's so great and looks so pretty I'm going to say the winner is Peach Party. Hooray for sparkle and shimmer!

L-R: Flushed, S&G, Rose Gold, Pomegranate, Dandelion

The Gooseberry Bush!

After my exam on Wednesday some of the journo crew plus myself took a celebratory to Wetherspoons. I've not been on many trips to Spoons but when I have they have been good ones. The menu is standard 'pub grub' type comfort food which I am totally okay with. I decided to have fish and chips but I also had a side of garlic bread purely for the fact that I'm in love with the stuff, I'm a big garlic fan. This was just what I needed after a few hours of intense concentration. The chips, which I'm not usually a fan of, were really good. Crispy and soft. The fish was nice, it tasted a little artificial, but the batter was really crispy and tasty. The garlic bread. Oh, the garlic bread. It was so good. Really garlic, with a crispy outside and a soft middle. I'd definitely go back just for that! Short one today but I only had the one course because after this one I was stuffed. Well and truly done!

What's in my Bag

I thought that because it's the 'done thing' I'd share with the internet the contents of my bag. Now, you've been warned, it's not at all interesting or original but I fancied taking a picture of things coming out of my bag because I think it looks cool so let's get cracking! Of course there is a purse, mine is from River Island and I found that I was limited in the purses that I could buy because I have about 25 separate cards and that means I need a lot of card space! At the minute I'm carrying gloves around with me because this weather really doesn't agree with my hands. I got these ages ago and they're so cute because they have little bears faces on *pause for awws*. I have a Soap and Glory Hand Food in there at present although it is quite underused. I use a Body Shop hand cream in the morning and at night but I never really think about it during the day so there's really no point in it being in there. Beats headphones of course for when I get bored and a key so that I can let myself into the building in which I inhabit. A pen for all my writing needs and a Ted Baker spray which I got in a set for Christmas, cute! The little thing with an owl on is a pass case from Paperchase which is where I keep my railcard and my student card for easy access. Last but certainly not least I have blotting paper. My face has a tendency to get like a greasy chip so having theses to get rid or that disgusting layer is a godsend! I purchased these from Amazon at the beginning of August and they are still going strong!

Favourite Friday: Disney

This week I found out probably the world's most exciting news: I'm going to Florida. Insane. I went when I was about six or seven and my memories, which are few and far between, of it are of a magical place where dreams come true (cheesy but true). I cannot explain how excited I am to wear a ton of merchandise, sing at the top of my lungs and push small children out of the way to get on the rides. So, if you're in the Orlando area sometime between July and August and see a 20 girl wearing Mickey Mouse ears crying because of the cuteness...it's me...nice to meet you.

Clash of the Concealers

This week in the 'face fights' series is the battle for the best concealer. I'm a huge fan of concealer and am constantly on the lookout to find the best one to cover up the suitcase sized bags I have under my eyes. The first concealer on the list is the Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer. The first time I tried this I was like 'No, not for me, too shiny' but then when I stopped using it as a cover up and used it as a highlight I quite liked it. How I use it is I put one of the other concealers under my eyes and then put a large triangle to the bottom of my nose and the top of my cheekbone to highlight a bit and it works fine. Next up is the Revlon Colorstay concealer which is possibly my biggest lifesaver. It makes my face glowy and awake and is really easy to use with the doe foot applicator. The formula is really creamy and gives high enough coverage to just about get rid of my dark circles, but on some days it's shiny tendency draws attention to them accidentally. The Seventeen Phwoarr Paint is my dark circle life saver. One swipe and they disappear and it is just insane! The downside of this concealer is that it sometimes separates on blemishes and makes me look like I have a skin disease, but tired eyes are a thing of the past. Last but not least is the Mac Pro Longwear concealer. The coverage is insane, it's my perfect colour and the texture is light but it gives a heavy coverage. The only problems are the price, little bit too steep, and the pump, why pump why do you dispense too much product! The winner of this debate is probably the Mac Pro Longwear concealer for the fact that it's a good all round product which stays put all day and the downsides in the grand scheme of things are that bad, although it is closely followed by the Revlon one as it is a good dupe.

L-R: Rimmel, Revlon, Mac, Seventeen

Chiquito's!

It's been a while since I've done one of these food things on here and quite frankly I've missed it so let's jump back in shall we! A few days ago the 'Notts house crew' (I know, super cool) took a little outing to Chiquita's and it was amazingly good! I'd never been before and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised as I'd never normally think to go. If I had one complaint to start it off I thought that the menu was a little bit too big, but even though there was a little of choice it was the same thing in different forms, like you can have chicken in fajita, taco or salad form. So if you're indecisive that might not be too great. I liked the atmosphere and the feeling that you were abroad, while not having to leave the centre of Nottingham.

For my starter I had chicken and chorizo enchiladas. These were very good. There's a theme running in these dishes where the portion sizes are just spot on, not too much but not leaving me hanging. It came with what tasted like a tomato/mint salsa which left the mouth feeling fresh and cleansed which I liked as it was a contrast to the hearty enchilada. The inside was filled with chicken, chorizo and a lot of sweetcorn, which at times felt like it was the only thing inside. It was the perfect amount of spice, just enough to give a little bit of heat which is fine by me.

For my main I had the Steak chilli and rice tacos and boy were they good. The tacos were crispy and the meat was soft and full of flavour. I'm a huge fan of sour cream and they just mad the tacos ten times better, I even liked the cheese, and I'm not that big of a cheese fan. There were three tacos which was the perfect amount but it came with a lot of salad which I thought was a bit unnecessary. I thoroughly enjoyed this dish!

Churros was the only dessert that I felt that I should have, Mexico and what not, and they were so good! Again, perfect portion and tasty sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. The chocolate sauce was very nice but I'd have preferred it if it was a little runnier and warm. I also liked the addition of the strawberries which tasted good in the chocolate, yummy!

Vice 3: Day to Night

Since I posted my first impressions on the Urban decay Vice 3 palette I've been using it everyday and loving it! It's so versatile with 20 shadows, some matt, some shimmer, colours and neutrals, there is something for any occasion! I thought to show how many different ways you can use this palette I would do a day and night look that I've been wearing quite a lot since I've had this in my clutches. Let's get going!

Day look: 

I decided for this look to use all of the matts on the left side of the palette. I applied Truth all over the lid and Undone through the crease. I then used Downfall on the outer corner and Undone again underneath the eye. To finish I used the L'Oreal Super Liner and the Clinique High Volume Mascara. I nice easy look that's perfect for everyday.

Night look:

The colours in this palette are amazing so why not crack them out for a night out. For this look I packed Sonic all over the lid just under the crease and blended out the edges using Truth. I then started smoking out the edges using Reign and repeated the application of blending until the edges were dark. I lined my eyes with the L'Oreal Super Liner and took Defy to smoke it out and make the line less harsh, and then took that underneath the eye. I applied the Tanya Burr Everyday Lashes, Rimmel Kohl Eyeliner in Black and Clinique High Volume Mascara. Viola! An interesting night look with this insane palette!

Favourite Friday: Pretty Little Liars

Last Wednesday my life changed forever, dramatic I know but it's true. I've been getting really bored with Netflix recently because I've exhausted all the series' I wanted to watch and just wanted to get into something really juicy. Then Pretty Little Liars popped up on screen and it was love at first episode. I love the characters, the story, the drama it's just all too much! As of writing this post (Wednesday) I'm on episode 5 of series 3 and to say I've had two days off it works out that I've watched 51 episodes in 5 days, which if I've done the Maths correctly is 38 hours and 25 minutes worth of programming. It's not as if I even have that much free time! Someone send help.

Since I''ve been obsessing over this series I thought it would be a good time to update my 'what to watch on Netflix list'. If you'd like to read my previous post click here, let's go:

• Orange is the new black- I know, late on the band wagon. I have no idea why I put off for so long but I felt like I'd missed out on a lot when I started. Parts are a little bit close to the edge but you just get sucked in and when you're hungover from a heavy night it is definitely a good remedy, believe me I know.
• The Paradise- On the last day of first term, just before I went home for Christmas, and I watched the entire of series one that night...sad I know. I'm a fan of period drama type programmes so if that's your thang I'd recommend it. Really easy watching. 
• Merlin- I was a Merlin watcher from the very first episode right to the end and I was a huge fan... until series 5 but judge for yourselves on that one. Now that Netflix has all of the series I can't wait to re-watch them all (except series 5, I'd never put myself through that again).
• The Inbetweeners- It doesn't matter how many times I watch these episodes they are just as hilarious! Funny and cringey, everyone should watch this at least once but I can guarantee, one episode and you'll be hooked. 

Battle of the bronzers

This post in the first in a series of 'face fights' where I delve into my makeup draw and see which product is best in each category. To start this off I've gone for the bronzer category (partly because battle of the bronzers sounds really cool). Up until recently I've only had one bronzer at a time, which was fine for me because I never really go over glowy. I've been using the Boujouis chocolate bronzer for just under two years and it's been treating me well for that time, still going strong and I've not had to purchase a new one. It smells so good, not like chocolate but a really nice sweet smell and it not too orange or too muddy. The only problem I find with it is that it takes a lot of building up if you want to go for a darker contour kind of thing. A few weeks ago I took the plunge and bought the ever so popular Soap and Glory solar powder bronzer. This is incredible. It's soft, not too orange or muddy and applies just the right amount of product. I like the fact that there are too different sides so if I'm not really feeling a full face I can just use the lighter side. I feel like the only problem with this is that I might need to repurchase a little more frequently than the chocolate bronzer as it uses more product. Although both products are great I think the winner of this fight is the solar powder bronzer for its versatility, and it has a mirror, bonus!

R-L: Boujouis, Soap and Glory (dark, light)

Uni Food

To say that moving to university hits you hard in the house keeping department is an understatement. Suddenly you go from 18 years of living in some kind of hotel to being made to do everything yourself, hard times! If anyone is planning to go to uni or is finding it hard to know what to eat here are a few of my faves that are cheap and easy to make but also really tasty:

• Lasagne- All you need is cheese, mince, an onion, chopped tomatoes and pasta. Put the onions and mince in a pan to cook then add the chopped tomatoes. Layer it up with the pasta and a creamy white sauce, cover it in lots of cheese and viola, a delicious meal that will serve four.
• Pizza- I found an easy dough recipe that doesn't need yeast so that covered in tomato puree and cheese is a dream. Plus it's much cheaper than a Dominoes!
• Tomato pasta- One of the easiest meals ever! A tin of chopped tomatoes and a bit of tomato puree is a cheap and tasty pasta sauce without that much effort. 
• Soup- A 59p bag of tomatoes and 3 peppers for a pound make a really tasty soup. Roast them in the oven until soft, blitz up and enjoy! Nice with or without bread.

Cleansers: Oil vs Cream

For the past few months me and my skin have been having, let's say, a disagreement. I've tried to up the skincare routine and in my quest for perfect skin I've encountered a few bumps along the way. I started off my journey trying out the more oily products such as the Body Shop camomile cleansing oil and the cleansing butter. Let me tell you, if you have oily skin this is not a good plan. For the first week of using both of these products I thought that they were miracle workers. I mean, a few rubs and swipes and all of your make up is gone, insane! But then after a while it made my skin feel really greasy and I got so many spots I had to stop. It made me really sad because I enjoyed using both of these products but it was one of those things that my face didn't agree with. This took me to try out something else that wasn't oily and thicker in texture. Enter Soap and Glory's the Ultimelt. I don't know if this is meant to be used as a cleanser but it certainly works! The texture is a thick cream and it smells like a trip to the spa. The only problem I found with this was that it made my eyes sting a little when I tried to take off mascara but in terms of my skin I had no breakouts. Because I was coming to the end of it I though I'd give the famous Liz Earle cleanse and polish and boy am I glad I did! I've only been using this for a few weeks but it's cleared up my skin (because I stupidly went back to the oil, idiot Abz, idiot!) and my face looks visibly brighter. It takes no time at all to take off my makeup and is a really pleasurable experience! So all in all for my face creams win every time, go cream!

Favourite Friday: Chatsworth

Last week, when all the selfie stick action happened, me and my family went to Chatsworth house in Derbyshire. It was a super cute day and I had a great time so I thought that I'd share a few snaps, enjoy!

Lip Problems

In the last 12 months I've been seriously obsessed with everything that us girls can put on our face, but there's still one thing that I can't seem to get right: lips. When I apply it everything looks great but after about 2 minutes I look in the mirror and it's all rubbed off! I don't know if it's my lip shape or if I just lick my lips all the time but it's baffling! I bought a lip scrub to make a better canvas for the products but that didn't work. What I've been doing is trialling different types of lip products other than straight lipsticks to see if anything else will work and actually stick!

My first thought was lip liners. People always say that they make your lipstick last longer so I splashed a whole £1 on an essence on called red blush. At first I was a huge fan. It lasted ages on my lips and looked pretty good but after a while I thought that my lips were going to rip in half if I smiled because they were so dry! That was out. My second thought was gloss because if I could feel it was there maybe I'd know if I was licking it off. After hearing many good things about them I bought a Maybelline colour elixir in the shade caramel infused and it was a good purchase! The fact that I could feel that it was there, not in a bad way, made me consciously want to keep it on so it seemed to last much longer than anything else that I tried. The only downfall was the winter wind, not great for the hair. The last thing I tried was the Maybelline color drama in minimalist and ladies and gentleman we have found out winner! It's not too dry and not too slippy and it just seems to stick to my lips. Stays in place for ages, looks and feels great, what more can you ask for. Hopefully I get better at the whole lips thing so I can expand my lipdrobe, sorry purse!

#Selfiestick

2015 is definitely going to be the year of the selfie stick! My instagram feed on Christmas Day was filled with family photos, table selfies and outfit shots taken with the extended arm and I have to say I think they're great! I was one of those people strutting round the house saying "Group photo? No problem, let me fetch my stick" like some kind of selfie superhero. Now I've taken it one step further: into the outside world. Me and the fam (minus my brother) took a little outing to Chatsworth last week and I thought that it would be a prime opportunity to take the stick for a road test in the great outdoors and I have to say, I felt like the coolest person on the planet. So many angles, house in the background, no awkward asking someone to take a family portrait, THERE IS NO DOWNSIDE TO THIS STICK! So, the moral of the story is if you don't have a selfie stick get one, it will change your life...it won't but it's great fun!

First Impressions: Urban Decay Vice 3

If you read my christmas wish list post then you'll know that one of the things I asked for was this very eyeshadow palette, and low and behold Santa answered my request! This has to be one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. I mean, look at its colourful glittery goodness! As I've only had it for just over a week I thought I'd go for more of a first impressions to share my initial thoughts. Let's start with the brush, I'm a fan. I've not really used the shorter end much yet but I really like the longer one to blend the edges and give it a final fluff. The colours are insane! A mix of matts, shimmers, neutrals and brights it has it all. So far I've used a mix of them all and they're so buttery soft and easy to apply and blend. I really like the packaging, and that it comes with a little bag, but why does it have a mirrored font?!?! It may look good but let's face it, it will never not have fingerprints on it. So far I'm really enjoying using this palette and can't wait to get back to uni and use it for a night out!

Favourite Friday: Frozen

It has to be said I'm totally in on the hype, but my inner hipster has to confess that I loved it before it was cool. I first discovered Frozen in March of last year by listening to the album on Spotify. I have absolutely no idea what made me start listening to it but I was hooked from the off. I'm pretty sure my flatmates hated going into the kitchen when I was there because 9 times out of ten the album would be on repeat. For christmas this year I was lucky enough to get a baby Sven, Sven from the beginning at the film when he's little, from my brother and he even paid to get a felt tag with my name on it, cute! Definitely one of my best presents! I also got a Frozen charm bracelet from my mum and dad which is one of the best things I've ever seen in my entire life. Try and get this off my wrist! These have seriously sparked my obsession with Frozen again and I'm constantly thinking of quotes, sad but true,

"Olaf, keep out of sight" 

"Okay...hello!"

New Years Resolutions

I've never really been one to make New Years Resolutions until recently because I never had the drive to carry them through. To be honest I still don't have the drive but I'm determined to carry it through! Last year I said that I was going to be more organised and even bought myself a diary, but as per it didn't last very long. THIS year I'm doing a slightly different resolution. For christmas I got two cooking books and my plan is to cook most of the recipes from each. Who knows, I might be on the next series of bake off (or not but a girl can dream). So watch this space because this year I might actually come through on a resolution!

Happy New Year!