Nail Varnish of the week: Barry M Gelly in Blood Orange

I've been wondering whether or not to get my nails professionally (acrylic to be precise)done for a while now and since I'm on a student budget it's a tough decision between nails and food (just kidding!) So I decided on day that I would get them done and spoke to my flat mate about this, she is much more knowledgeable about it that me, and she told me that getting your nails done is all well and good but if you don't look after them properly before during and afterwards you run the risk of potentially ruining you nails and them not growing very fast or healthy looking for a long period of time after this. This brought me to the decision to not get my nails done after all as my nails grow fast, grow healthily and grow strong so I just decided to invest in some nail hardener  nail base and top coat and some nail varnish - since I wear a long of gold wrist jewellery I decided I would like a red nail varnish that looks very feminine/dangerous and I opted for Barry M's Blood Orange colour from the new "Gelly" range.

I was never previously a huge fan of Barry M as the brand always ravaged my nails, this may be due to the fact I never wore a base coat (which I now do) and since doing this my nails are fine with Barry M polishes! The Gelly range is very shiny and smooth on the nails and my first impressions were to love it's look! 

However, I'd like to start off saying that  do love this nail varnish but after only a day - of not doing much - the nail varnish started to chip and I find that I have to keep applying it every one or two days to my incredibly chipped nails. I don't know if this is something I'm doing wrong or? 

I love love loveeeee the colour and finish of the nail polish but I don't love the wear which is a shame, i wouldn't recommend it for long lasting but I would recommend it on its colour and shine. Hopefully I can find a red polish that lasts!

What are you favourite nail polishes? Have you ever had acrylic nails?? Let me know!

Alicia x
Twitter | Bloglovin' | Tumblr

SHARE:

5 lovely messages

My trip down the high street/Beauty Haul! Boots, Superdrug and Primark.

   

                            

Top to bottom: Tresemme Instant Refresh Dry Shampoo, Tresemme Keratin Smooth hair masque and heat protection shine spray, Real Techniques Stippling brush, Primark Opia barrel brush, Sleek cosmetics eyebrow pallete in Dark 818, L'Oreal Paris Superliner Perfect Slim eyeliner pen in Intense Black, Rimmel Glam Eyes Day 2 Night mascara in Black/Brown, Maxfactor Facefinity 3 in 1 foundation in Light Ivory 40, Primark Opia combs 2 pack, Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Collection lipstick in Kiss of Life 111 and 101

Ok so this is my haul from the last few weeks before/after I've been to uni (so before new year up till now) I wanted to collect quite a few items before I posted so then my blog wasn't all about beauty, as I like to keep it varied and about my life in general!

This is what I've bought and all together it's come to just under £100! Which for all that I think is quite good in my opinion! I have also bought a fair few "everyday" clothing pieces which i will post about soon. i bought these "everyday" pieces and i also tend to gravitate towards the 'going out'/party clothes and then have nothing to wear in the day times so i thought i could break this habit and find some clothes i can wear in any daily situation!

What have you favourite beauty buys been?

Alicia x 

Twitter | Bloglovin' | Tumblr

SHARE:

0 lovely messages

Health kick 2013! What I'm eating.

So I've recently realised that I have been eating a lot of bad foods such as cookies, chocolate bars, fast food. Just because it was easy and convenient for me. I decided at the beginning of the year, just because its the stereotypical "new start" that I would vow to become healthy, not skinny, healthy.

I made my way down to the local Aldi and looked what I could buy, including snacks, and I realised that my problem is, not that that I don't have the money or that there isn't anything I like. I'm just too lazy to actually think about what I would like to eat, if it's healthy and take the time to actually prepare it. 

After my trip to Aldi I came out with bags of healthy stuff such as Wholemeal bread, Mushrooms, Strawberries, Peppers, Nectarines...you see where I'm going, right? I decided that from now oh I will eat healthier and even when I snack, I have things like nectarines and strawberries to fill me up instead of crisps and chocolate. I vow to put in the effort and to prepare a meal from scratch rather than to walk to the nearest maccies or to shove a meal in the microwave. So far so good I made a decent meal!

This is what I made:

(Ignore the playing cards haha!) Chicken with savory brown rice!

Not going to lie i actually prefer this to the fast food, which is ok every now and again but, gets a bit sickening after a while! 

This is how I made it :) > Put the rice into a pan of LIGHTLY salted water (enough water to cover the rice)

                                   > Bring it to the boil and keep stirring, when it starts to boil, reduce heat slightly and then grab a frying pan, add some olive oil chicken to a frying pan and add a little pepper to the chicken.

                                   > Chop up some mushrooms, peppers and onions add them to the frying pan with the chicken in and reduce the heat.

                                  > When the chicken had lightly brown take some peas and sweetcorn (or any veg you like!) drain the juice from it and add it to the pan with the rice in it, remember to keep stirring both pans!
                                > when the majority of the water has gone from the rice pan, strain it off and pour onto a plate. Make sure the chicken is white all the way through, then it's ready to eat, serve and enjoy! 

Here's a few pictures to (maybe) help you along!

Going to throw in a picture of my "healthy food" window sill too!!

What are you favourite healthy meals? Send me some recipes/ideas! Happy 2013 :) (bit late haha!)

Alicia x
Twitter | Bloglovin' | Tumblr

SHARE:

3 lovely messages

Plain and simple! Face of the Day #1

So this is my first "Face of the Day" post and i guess I'll just show you what make up I had on - that's how these things go right? Anyway, here it is!

What products I used:

- Collection 2000 pressed powder in Candelight     - L'oreal True match foundation in shade RC15 

-17 lipstick in Beehive                                      - Collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer in Fair

-Rimmel blusher in "Pink Rose"                      - Bourjois bronzer in shade 52

- Maybelline master precise felt tip eyeliner    - Maybelline Great Last mascara in "very black"

- Rimmel Eyebrow pencil in dark brown

My Make-up bag!

Tools used:

Illamasqua power brush

                                                          Real Techniques powder brush

Real Techniques Foundation Brush (for some reason, i haven't pictured it, sorry!)

So that's what's on my face and what tools I used and I wanted to slide a cheeky picture of my make-up bag in there cause I love it, haha!

Alicia x
Twitter | Bloglovin' | Tumblr

SHARE:

1 lovely messages

My Week on Instagram #1: New year - now!

                                  

1)  Chicken, whole grain rice and sweetcorn, 2)Foggy liverpool, 3) Revising and eating cookies, 4) NERD t-shirt, 5) Real Techniques, 6) Chillin with Niall, 7) NYE OOTN, 8) Topshop Nail varnish, 9) Beverly hills Polo Club Make-up case, 10) Me and Harry Styles, 11) Jack Russell Cushion, 12) Embellished Collar and pink lip, 13) Jelly Belly Very Cherry candle, ) Chopped my mop, 15) New storage arrangement on my drawers.

Alicia x
Twitter | Bloglovin' | Tumblr

SHARE:

0 lovely messages

Bloglovin'

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

I've had Bloglovin' for a while now but I've never really bothered to use it. However, i've just popped onto it now as a sort of spur of the moment thing and I realised i hadn't even "claimed" my blog. :s woops!! Newbie alert. Anyway go over to my Bloglovin' page and follow me! :)

Alicia x
Twitter | Bloglovin' | Tumblr

SHARE:

0 lovely messages

Another life post! : Storage solutions/bargain hunting on a student budget!

I recently moved back to uni after the new year and was sick to death of the sight of my room, it just wasn't "me" enough and I didn't know what to do about it. I ended up clearing out every single bottle, all the rubbish, old receipts and anything deemed as "clutter." After I had done this I started to rearrange my furniture to try and get my room into my preferred style as the way the university had arranged it was just weird. The wardrobe is literally slap bang in the middle of the room leaving no space for anything else!

This gets be down because I hated living in a room that felt like it wasn't a home, it just looks too "officey" and that made me upset and definitely not comfortable. So I decided to take it upon myself to buy lots of happy things and to change my room around until I felt it was mine and this is what I bought :)

 
     Green Cauldron Style pot, £4 TK Maxx  (for my 
   Bronze Coaster Holder £1, TK Maxx                                                            make up brushes!)
  (but I've use it for my rings!)                       

                      This is what they look like on my vanity table!

This is only an example of two of my recent purchases that I have bought to make my room a little more creative and unique but I love them! Couldn't be more happy with these purchases and I will definitely be going back to TK Maxx when I get the money to look at more of their deals! There is a Beverly Hills Polo Club make-up bag that I have spotted which I want to snap up ASAP! Hoping it's still there when I go back!

What are your storage solutions? Let me know! Has this given you any ideas? Leave a comment below :)

Alicia x

SHARE:

0 lovely messages

After Christmas treats! Primark, Boots and CEX Haul.

Hey guys! 

Student loan is in! QUICK!! Hide my bank card!! Haha, no I have promised to be good this semester and I've kept to my budgeting so far (with the help of Christmas spends that have recently been put into my account!)

Here's what I have bought:

Beauty

Boots Conditioning Nail Polish Remover: £1.30            Real Techniques Powder Brush - Boots, £12.99

Ok. So, these are the beauty purchases I made today - perhaps slightly overindulgent in the price range but I felt it was needed! I am yet to try the powder brush but I am expecting nothing but fabulousness from it as all the reviews for Real Techniques brushes are amazing! I am so excited to finally get my hands on this product! Then we have the nail polish remover which is pretty self explanatory...I need to take my nail varnish off but I had run out hence the purchase!

Fashion

Primark Leopard Print Flats* £2                                   Primark NERD T-shirt, £4

 

Primark Cotton Owl Print Snood £4                              Primark "Short" Skinny Jeans - £9

Primark Fur Trim Biker Jacket* £10

Miscellaneous

Primark Coffee Mug £2.50                                                            Brides Maids* CEX, £4
                                                                                                       Shutter Island* CEX, £2.50

Primark Jack Russell Cushion £4

So, I planned a budget for myself this semester as last semester i ran out of money RAPIDLY and I've decided I'll treat myself moderately once a month IF I stick to my budget! These are the things I have bought this month my favourites being the cushion and the real techniques brush :) all from shops in Liverpool city centre!

What're your January sales buys?? Link me! :)

Alicia x

SHARE:

1 lovely messages