Hauling It About | Drugstore Hauls | Elf, MUA, W7

Hello There!

I've been hauling it about recently so I thought I'd show you some of my spoils from my sprees. 

I've noticed that we don't really cherish the really budget brands over here in the UK. I know that MUA has made its name in the budget make-up zone recently, but before that range came out, the other budget brands - technic and w7 were usually overlooked.  

Whereas in the USA - ELF has long been regarded as a 'good quality' but insanely affordable make-up range. So I went on their site to grab the Mineral Eyeshadow Primer and then I saw on their site that it was buy-one-get-one-free and I couldn't not buy more stuff off it. Oh well...  So, apparently their blushes are great, so I was sure to pick one up - this one is 'Candid Coral' and I'm really excited to try it out!

The other pick I've been enjoying is the w7 Honolulu bronzer, which is amazing. It's evidently a dupe for the Benefit Hoola bronzer, but I think this is just as good. At a measly £2, I'd have tried it anyway because I always get excited when I find a really cheap product with the same quality as a higher end product - those gems have to be found somehow!

And an update on me would be that I've had some highlights put in my hair, which I'm going to be building up because I want a lighter look for summer, but I may give up on them and just dye it blonde. I've done the sad thing of using Photoshop to make my hair blonde, and I'm not sure whether that with my skin tone I'm going to look really washed out, so I thought I'd start with the highlights. I used to dye my hair blonde from when I was 10-12yrs old (I actually can't believe my parents let me!), anyway, my skintone has just got paler and paler since then, so it might not be the same now. But it has taken me this long to dye my hair again - I had to grow my blonde out last time, and it took 2 years - I looked incredibly strange until it  grew out of my fringe.... So I've decided to do it all over again :)

Have you been hauling it about recently? Are you changing your hair for summer?

Let me know in a comment  - I'd love to know!

Ciao for now, G x

Motivational Mantra of the Month 2 | May 2013

Hello There!

Phew, it's been a while since I last posted. Well 3 days felt like a long time...
So, as promised, this is the second installment of weekly mantras for May/June. They're on the theme of exams, and I hope that they'll get you guys through, but most of them can be applied to everyday life as well.

Anyone who's done exams (or even just something that's really important that you've spent ages preparing for) knows the disappointment when you come out of the exam (or whatever else) and you think it's gone bad. And I'm the kind of person who worries about it. And worries about it. And worries about it some more. 

I discovered this quote only recently and I wish that I'd have known it when I was doing exams last year. I'm the kind of person who really feels any kind of failure, even if it isn't really a failure, I just take it as though it is. So I really try and listen to that part of the quote.

But I also like the first half. Success doesn't really happen to me in the way that I want to, but I think, not letting it go to your head is really grounding, and reminds you to appreciate what you've got and not to go mad if things go the way you want to!

Hope this helps you all :)

Ciao for now, G x

NOTW | Polka Dots | MUA Nail Polish - Strawberry Crush

Hello There!

So, I'm doing a NOTW post today. I'm a novice when it comes to nail design - I have neither the patience nor a steady enough hand to achieve a nice design. I've been looking round other blogs and admiring their creative designs, and even if they've got a really easy-to-follow tutorial, I've been too impatient at the moment to try them. So I've stuck with a basic design that I've tried and tested many times before. 

Polka Dots. From my blog background, you'll have guessed that I'm a fan of said polka dots and they're the simplest design to do. All you have to do is apply the pink nail polish as normal (2 coats) and then dot the white on top - simples!

I recently bought an MUA nail polish and so I tried the colour 'Strawberry Crush'. The bottle is reminiscent of Essie nail polishes but they don't have the designer price tag at a crazy £1! 

Apologies for my weird toes, but I thought I'd show you my co-ordination :)

I'll do a full review of MUA nail polishes later on, but for now I thought I'd leave you knowing what I'm sporting on my nails for this week!

Have you been experimenting with nail designs? 
Follow me if you like my posts - you'll make my day!

Ciao for now, G x