Hairstyle Hacks: 5 Step Easy French Plait

I've been trying to nail the French plait for literally years and years and I finally think I've got to grips with the technique so I thought I'd do a post where I can explain it as simply as possible for anybody else who finds most online tutorials hard to follow...

>> Firstly you need to make sure your hair is well brushed so you can run your fingers through it without tangling. Then take a section at the top of the back of your head. This can be as thick as you like- the thicker it is the thicker your overall plait will turn out.

>> Next you just simply part this hair into three equal strands and bring the left piece over into the middle. Then bring the right side piece over into the middle- just as you would if you were beginning a normal plait.

>> Then take the piece on the left side and go to bring it to the middle again, but before you do this be sure to grab a section of hair from the front of your head on that same side (again, the thicker the section the thicker the braid will be). Merge the piece of hair from the front with your left strand and then bring it into the middle. Then repeat this exact same step with the piece of hair on the right side- merge it with a section of hair from the front and then bring it into the centre. 

>> Continue repeating step 3 over and over until all of your hair is woven into the plait. By the time you get near the end of the plait you may naturally end up going into a regular braid, this is completely fine and helps to tie up the plait neatly.

>> Finally, tie your hair at the end with an elastic and pull out any loose pieces at the front for a pretty, wispy look.

Hopefully these steps were easy to follow...the satisfaction of finally mastering a braid is always a great feeling!

MAC 'Mehr' Lipstick Review

After eyeing it up for several months, I finally decided to tick 'Mehr' off of the list of MAC lipsticks I want whilst in Brighton recently. As a big fan of the Revlon Matte Balm in 'Elusive' (which I reviewed here) I hoped Mehr would be a similar rosy pink wearable shade.

On comparing the two, Mehr is a little more reddy-brown toned but the classic matte formula from MAC makes the lips look really full whilst being impressively long wearing. It tends to fade to more of a subtle lip stain after you've eaten/drank. I also find MAC's matte formulas to be surprisingly non-drying...when your lips are feeling a little chapped, a matte lipstick usually sounds like a bad idea, but the MAC formula manages to have a creaminess to them which prevents the product from clinging to dry patches.

I've been wearing Mehr alongside a gold/bronze shimmery eye (usually made up of All That Glitters eyeshadow!) and I think it's so perfect for this Summer into Autumn transition because its bright enough to be noticed but still neutral enough to pair with virtually any eye look. You could also most likely get away with it for school if you didn't build it up too much- Mehr looks just as great when lightly dabbed on the lips.

This is my sixth MAC lipstick and I can definitely see it becoming one of my most worn!

Available from MAC here  and priced at £15.50!

Celeb Style for Less: Rihanna's Pastel Pinks

Following on from her Grammy's dress, Rihanna seems to be all about the pink tones recently and what better example than this entirely pink combo she wore for a recent television appearance on March 13th. Whilst Rihanna was sporting an entire outfit from French fashion house Pascal Millet's Fall 2015 collection its just as easy to replicate her look on the high street.

TROUSERS//ASOS:  Initially I wanted to use these similar trousers from ASOS as the base for this look, but because they've been reduced to less than 2/3 of their original price they are completely sold out, so i've had to go for slightly more dusty pink shades than Rihanna herself, but the concept remains the same. The trousers I have selected are £28 from ASOS and have a chic, tailored look which makes them an ideal Spring alternative to jeans.

COAT //RIVER ISLAND Because wearing all baby pink and a fur shawl is quite a big statement (unless you're Rihanna) I chose this coat because it incorporates the jacket and the fur in a more wearable way. This coat is currently half price on River Island, although there are limited sizes available so ASOS also stock it here . The length of this jacket is really nice because it finishes mid thigh- not too long and not too short.

CAMI//ASOS  Another ASOS pick...but it really does have amazing choice and this cami is only £12 and matches the trousers well, so it will avoid any colour clashing. Regardless of this outfit, this cami can also act as the ideal basic for Spring and its feminine V neck makes for an elegant touch.

HEELS//TOPSHOP I think the pointed heels really top off Rihanna's look, giving more of a defined edge to the soft colour palette. Like the cami, these shoes would undoubtedly get a lot of wear in  wardrobe and could take you from day to night seamlessly.

EARRINGS//RIVER ISLAND Rihanna's earrings seemed to be like 3D pink spheres, but these River Island hearts tie in the colour scheme really well and also compliment the gold rings thanks to their gold outline enamel. At £4 they're also a huge bargain.

RINGS//H&M Rihanna has a tonne of stacked rings on with her outfit and the easiest way to recreate that is by purchasing one of these packs, this one from H&M contains 7 rings and the pink and gold tie in really well with the completed look. Like the earrings, they are also really affordable, setting you back only £3.99

LIPSTICK//NARS ROMAN HOLIDAY This lipstick provides the perfect amount of mauve pink, without going over the top- like a sheer and glossy version of MAC St Germain, but much more wearable.


Thanks for reading! Any suggestions on other outfits to recreate for less are always welcomed :)

Max Factor Excess Shimmer Eyeshadow Review (Pink Opal)

In my Face of The Day post here I mentioned the Max Factor Excess Shimmer Eyeshadow and promised a full review soon, so here it is.

I've been using the Max Factor Excess Shimmer Eyeshadow for just over a week now and during that time i've used it every single day! It is one of the most interesting eyeshadows i've ever tried due to its mousse consistency. I'd heard of these shadows before but never realised they were a mousse until I swatched them in Boots. The colour range of these is so nice, I also wanted to get 'Pearl' a pale shimmery white with a hint of green, but there's also a copper, bronze for those who prefer the neutrals.

The colour I chose, Pink Opal is a pale lilac-y pink which adds a subtle wash of colour so its perfect for those of us who don't get too experimental with bright eyeshadows because its a great way of easing yourself into colour. Pink Opal is also one of those shades that has an iridescence to it when it catches the light, this is definitely why I chose this colour as it really brightens the eyes and is massively Spring-appropriate.

As you may expect from a mousse formulation, the Max Factor Excess Shimmer Eyeshadows can crease because the texture of them is so light and whipped, although what I like to do to combat that is to apply my  L'Oreal Color Riche Mono eyeshadow in 'Opalescent' lightly over the top to set it, as the L'Oreal shadow is an iridescent white with lilac tones, so the two compliment eachother perfectly.

Overall I've really been loving my Max Factor Excess Shimmer Eyeshadow and think the innovative formula and lightweight texture makes them both fun and fast to apply and the perfect quick fix product for switching up your make up bag for Spring.


Max Factor Excess Shimmer Eyeshadows are available now at Boots and Superdrug, priced at £7.99

Maybelline Baby Lips Dr Rescue Review- Just Peachy

Today I thought i'd do a review of a lip product i've been trying out over the last month. The Maybelline Baby Lips have been around for a while, but the medicated Dr Rescue line is a more recent release which are meant to be even more hydrating than the originals.

The shade I picked up is 'Just Peachy' which is a muted pinky coral. I ordered this online so I was googling swatches and to be honest all of the colours in the range looked pretty similar to one another, but there is a clear option as well. They're all quite muted shades, as you would probably expect from a balm formula.

After using this for a few weeks i've come to the conclusion that i'm not a big fan of it. It has a very strong menthol scent (probably to tie in with the "medicated balm" concept) but I found it actually too medicinal and not very pleasant on the lips. I also wasn't keen on the way this applies and ultimately looks on the lips. It has quite a plastic-y look when its applied and reminded me of  the sort of make up you'd get free in a magazine when you're young. 

As you can probably tell from this picture, the Maybelline Baby Lips Dr Rescue balm seems to really sit on the lips and look streaky, which is a shame considering its a tinted balm, so a quick and even application is fundamental.

Whilst I was disappointed with the Maybelline Baby Lips Dr Rescue, I'm still a fan of the original baby lips line and the Electro range, so if you're considering trying out the Dr Rescues, then maybe go for one of those instead, as the formulation and the scent is much better!

As always, thanks for reading x

FOTD: Spring Pastels 23|03|2015

I've wanted to do a Face of the Day post for a while so today I thought i'd share what i've decided is going to be my go-to makeup look for Spring. It's basically centred around a shimmery lilac eye and rosy pink lips and cheeks.

- Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer  I use 'Vanilla' the second lightest shade. This has been my ultimate favourite foundation for years. If you want decent medium coverage that still feels light on your skin then you can't beat it.

- MUA Pro Base Prime and Conceal Palette  I did a review of this here and I find myself using it most days prior to concealer, using the peach shade under my eyes, the green to combat redness around my nose and the highlighting shade down the bridge of my nose.

- Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer Again something that I've used countless tubes of and don't see myself straying from for a long time. I use this solely on blemishes as whilst it is a great concealer, it doesn't give the radiant look I like for under the eyes.

- Rimmel Stay Matte Powder This seems to do the job well enough for me, although I have to be honest and say I find powders pretty boring so I don't tend to try a tonne of them out.

- NYX Mosaic Powder in Rosey My mum bought me this for Christmas without knowing too much about it, but its actually so great! It offers the perfect amount of vibrancy, so you can see a nice pink flush but its not too unnaturally bright.

-  NARS Laguna Bronzer At £27 this is eye wateringly expensive for a singular product, but I'm pretty sure its worth it. It can be difficult to find a bronzer that isn't too muddy or too orange, shows up enough but isn't too heavy..this seems to strike the balance and tick all the boxes.

- MUA Pro Brow Kit Another great MUA product. If you want an affordable brow palette that still does a good job then this is a great choice. I mix the two brown shades together and apply lightly with a Real Techniques Brow Brush.

- Max Factor Excess Shimmer Eyeshadow in Pink Opal This is what the whole look is centred around. I bought this on Friday and I'm really loving it. I won't say much more than that for now as a proper review is coming soon.

- L'Oreal Color Riche Mono Eyeshadow in Opalescent  This is a seriously amazing eyeshadow. It's a perfect iridescent white colour that shows shimmery lilac when it catches the light. I used this to set the Max Factor shadow as it has a mousse consistency.

- Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer I've tried a lot of affordable concealers to find the one which is best at targeting dark circles. So far this takes the crown. Just enough coverage and the foam applicator makes application fast and distributes just the right amount.

- L'Oreal Super Liner  This is my current eyeliner which i'm actually thinking about switching it up as it's not as intense black as i'd like, but I'm just used to how it applies, so it'll do for now.

- Benefit They're Real! Mascara  I've used multiple tubes of this and i'm still amazed at just how good it is. Its just so quick to get seriously long lashes with a few fast strokes.

- theBalm Mary Lou Manizer Luminizer  This is another slightly unnecessary product for everyday use, but once you see what an amazing job it does its hard not to use it! Seriously the best highlighter ever- its a powder but with the butteryness and blendability of a cream.

- Revlon Matte Balm in Elusive   Sometimes i'm really in the mood for a matte lip and this one is great for spring, I reviewed it here  and I think the blue tones in it make it tie in well with the lilac in the eyes.

 So that's it, seems a ridiculous amount of make up when you list it out but some days I feel like spending time on my make up when I have the time, so i'll definitely be wearing this look again soon!x

Rimmel Eastend Snob Lip Liner Review

Lip liner seems to have grown massively in popularity over the last year or so and one that seems to have received a lot of interest is the Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner in Eastend Snob. I've been using this for quite a long time now and probably gone through about 2 or 3 of them, so needless to say I really like it.

The main thing that made me pick this lip liner in the first place was the fact its a wind up crayon-style pencil rather than one which has to be sharpened. I find this so much more convenient and easy to use, although the downside is that you get less of a sharp, precise point compared to a sharpened one.

Colour wise, I think of it as a muted rose colour. It has too much pink in it to be called a nude, but as far as pinks go its quite a neutral one which compliments a huge range of lip colours. I also sometimes wear this as a lipstick, applying it all over the lips (as pictured) as well as lining. Like every lip liner, this can be quite drying on the lips, but it creates a nice even and matte coverage.

If you've always been interested in trying lip liner, but aren't sure where to start then Rimmel Eastend Snob is a great choice. It's an extremely wearable and flattering shade, with a really easy wind up packaging design that makes it great for keeping in your hand bag. 

Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner in Eastend Snob is available now at Boots & Superdrug and costs only £3.99

Thanks for reading!x

Barry M Plumpy Top Coat Review

Today I thought i'd do another nail related review, but this time of the new Barry M 'Plumpy' Top Coat. Although top coat isn't usually the most exciting of products, I was really looking forward to picking this up when I heard it was part of Barry M's new Spring nail releases as it's apparently meant to make your nails look plumper and mimic the appearance of thick, glossy gel nails- quite an appealing concept.

I hate to say it but I unfortunately wasn't very impressed with the results it gave. Barry M are my ultimate favourite nail polish brand and I wanted to like this top coat so much but sadly it just didn't make my nails look any thicker, glossier or like gels. In fact, my nails actually chipped considerably quicker than with the usual top coat I use (Rimmel Finishing Touch Ultra Shine). I can usually get approximately a weeks worth of wear with very minimal chipping at the ends of my nails, but with the Plumpy top coat I had to repaint a couple of days earlier than usual.

This is my nails with the top coat on. The polish i'm wearing is OPI "Thats Hula-rious" with Rimmel "Disco Fever" over the top.

I still think the concept of a top coat which makes natural nails look like gels is a great idea, so hopefully some more brands launch some alternatives soon.


Barry M Plumpy Top Coat costs £2.99 and is available now at Boots & Superdrug.

Perfect Spring Nails: OPI Hawaii Collection Review

Recently when flicking through the channels on a Sunday evening I saw the new OPI Hawaii collection being advertised on QVC. I resisted purchasing then and there but couldn't stop thinking about how pretty the collection looked, so the next day I caved and bought the set of minis! It was a complete bargain on Beauty Bay for only £10.15 (on offer from £14.50).

I don't usually buy sets of nail polish as I never seem to really like every single colour, but this collection is an exception: the set contains (from left to right)

"Suzi Shops & Island Hops" a pale pink with mauve undertones, like Essie 'Fiji' but with more depth and less white-ness,

"That's Hula-Rious!",  a pastel mint green..aka the ideal Spring shade

"Lost My Bikini In Molokini"..This is a purple with a hint of royal blue to it, apparently inspired by the reef. It's a really good one for this Winter into Spring transition.

and finally... "Aloha from OPI" a bright coral-orange which i'm saving for the peak of summer as I think it will look really good with dresses and a tan.

This is what each of the colours look like after two coats. As you may be able to see, the purple is the most opaque, closely followed by the coral, whilst the pastel shades would ideally benefit from a third coat for them to gain complete opacity. Nevertheless, the formulation of these is pretty fantastic, they are extremely easy to apply even with the mini sized brush and I was really impressed with how shiny they looked- my nails could've been mistaken for gels!

I've never come across such an all-round great nail set where every shade is a real asset to your collection. It's also excellent value for money for only £10 considering that's the price of one full size shade- definitely worth picking up!

My MAC Lipstick Collection!

Everybody loves MAC lipsticks, so today I thought I'd show the little collection i've amassed over the last couple of years. I currently only have five MAC lipsticks but I'd like to think they're pretty good choices that cover the majority of my lipstick needs, although of course there's still room for more!

From left to right: Velvet Teddy // Flamingo // Kinda Sexy // Up the Amp // Costa Chic

Starting with Velvet Teddy..probably the most well known and popular out of the five, largely due to it being hailed as a perfect Kylie Jenner style brown toned nude. I never thought i'd buy (let alone love) a brown-nude as I just never thought it would be flattering or suit my skin tone, but I really do love this, it was a struggle to get hold of it as its pretty in demand right now, but totally worth it!

I love flamingos so of course I wanted this one..its my perfect summer shade and is a Lustre finish so it applies a lot sheerer than the rest, but is much more glossy and moisturising. The colour is a gorgeous soft coral that would most likely look flattering on anybody. 

Next up is 'Kinda Sexy'...I like to think of this as Velvet Teddy's slightly more wearable sister, as it's a similar shade but its less brown toned and more pinky, so if you're interested in Velvet Teddy but not sure if it would suit you, then this could be a wise choice. I think of it as a great everyday nude that I apply without even thinking about as it will go with any eye look and any outfit. Like Velvet Teddy, Kinda Sexy is also a matte finish, so moisturised lips beforehand are a must!

Up the Amp is like the wildcard of the bunch...its pretty out there compared to the majority of lipsticks I own, but surprisingly i've got a tonne of wear out of this and I definitely don't regret trying it. It's a lavender-violet which has enough pink undertones to make it wearable and not too crazy. I've built it up quite a lot in the picture so you can see the colour, but it looks equally nice sheered out for more everyday wear.

Lastly I have Costa Chic, which funnily enough was actually the first MAC lipstick I ever purchased. I think i'd seen a couple of people have it on Blogs/ Youtube Videos and thought it looked like a really nice, bright coral . This is a Frost finish which a lot of people don't seem to be a fan of. Whilst I don't like the finish of this as much as the others, I wouldn't say there's anything particularly bad about it, so don't let that put you off if you like the colour. 

Hope you enjoyed reading <3 

OOTD: Pink Biker Jacket

Today I thought i'd do a post on an outfit I wore yesterday and shared on my Lookbook page. The outfit is centred around the newest addition to my wardrobe: This  pale pink biker jacket by Lipsy, which is part of Michelle Keegan's range for them. I'd always been interested in her collection but this was the first thing I really loved..and I got it on sale which is even better!

The jacket is faux leather with faux sheepskin lining, cuffs and collar. I'd been wanting a new leather style jacket and a sheepskin style jacket, so this combines the two and is perfect for Spring when you want to ditch the heavy coats but still have some warmth. 

I paired it with a high necked, ribbed cream top from M&S. This is the first piece of clothing (aside from cami's) that I've ever got from M&S, I don't usually look too much at their clothing but this was a good find as its slightly cropped so it finishes at the perfect length to complement a skirt. Unfortunately it was part of their Limited Edition range, so I can't seem to find it online anymore, but I've found this really similar alternative at New Look.

I'm also wearing a really pretty shell pink and silver statement necklace from New Look, but it's totally been swallowed up by my hair in these pictures! Lastly, my wrap tube skirt is from H&M and its a really good basic piece with a twist.

My Lookbook post can be found here :) 

MUA Pro Base Prime & Conceal Palette Review

I was really intrigued to see the  MUA Pro Base Prime & Conceal Palette whilst browsing in Superdrug, as correctors seem to be mostly exclusive to high end brands and I’d wanted to try one for a long time in the hope of concealing dark circles and purple tones more effectively than standard concealer.

The MUA Pro Base Prime & Conceal Palette is a corrector palette containing five different correcting creams for targeting a range of skin imperfections:

Lilac- Brightening and correcting yellowness.

Green- Reducing redness/blemishes

Yellow- Brightening and correcting purple tones (e.g dark circles)

Peach- Adding radiance

Middle colour- Highlighting

I was sceptical of how effectively the palette would work as its only £4 but I was massively surprised with the results. The consistency of the creams is thin but still delivers just the right amount of  coverage so that you can still apply your regular concealer over the top without caking. I’ve been mainly using the peach tone to brighten under the eyes and I’ve found it to be significantly more effective than the majority of concealers I’ve tried. I’d be lying if I said it completely abolishes dark circles, but after using this palette the purple tones under my eyes were barely visible.

I’ve also been using the green shade to correct redness which seems to work effectively as well, although it could perhaps do with being slightly darker, as its very white when applied. 

I haven’t been getting too much use out of the lilac, as I don’t really have any yellowness to correct and I’ve been preferring using the peach tone for under the eyes instead of the yellow, as I feel it looks more natural. Also, the central ‘highlight’ colour is actually more of a concealer shade on me, so I’d rather it be a bit more champagne coloured, perhaps it works more effectively on darker skin tones.

Overall I still have to say that this palette is definitely worth purchasing if you’ve always been interested in correcting as for £4 you get the chance to experiment with five different correcting creams.  However, instead of repurchasing the entire palette again, I think I’d be more inclined to just purchase the individual peach shade, which is a huge bargain at £2.

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Designer bags for only £5!

A couple of weeks ago the new Lulu Guinness for Comic Relief bags were released at Sainsbury's, there are three large canvas shoppers in the range, each priced at only £5, with £1.50 of that going towards Comic Relief.

I purchased two of the bags, the vertical stripes and heart design along with the leopard print one. They are really roomy and sturdy and would be well suited as a laptop bag, gym bag or a school/uni bag, the heart one seems to be particularly popular as its completely sold out at my local Sainsbury's.

These bags are a really nice way of owning a Lulu Guinness bag without parting with hundreds of pounds as well as being a great way of donating to Comic Relief.

Available now at Sainsbury's for £5.