FASHION // Outfit Planning

This season I am loving monochrome and I am also loving court shoes, so these monochrome court style ankle strap heels (New look £24.99) are perfect to me and they will go with a number of outfits, especially this jumpsuit (ASOS £50.) Jumpsuits are timeless, especially black or block colour ones. I don't feel as though I am brave enough for bold print ones nor do I think they would suit me, I reckon they would make me look more frumpy than anything. Due to the fact I'm quite short as as well I've opted for this jumpsuit as the leg is a little cropped which will give the impression of a long leg, which is definitely something I want! 

For accessories I've chosen this bag (River Island £18) as it suits the shoes and ties in with the colour scheme fairly well without being too much, it's really classy and I also think I could get a lot out of this clutch as the colour scheme would suit a lot of outfits, especially since I basically live in black clothing. Jewellery wise I've kept it simple with a few gold rings, you can get these from most shops but I reckon Topshop or an online store would be your best bet (if you know of any online, comment them below!) they're so simple and go with anything so they wouldn't overwhelm the outfit they'd just add that last finishing touch to give it that effortless look of glamour.

A red lip is never a wrong choice and seeing as I'm wearing mainly black I thought I'd go for a pop of colour on the lips with my RiRi Woo (RiRi Hearts MAC limited holiday collection £14.50) It's very similar to Ruby Woo but with a cooler more blue undertone so brings out the white in your teeth and is flattering and all skin tones which is a bonus!

I haven't decided on whether or not a necklace will be too much yet, but I may try a few dainty ones on and see how I feel. 

Have you tried an outfit like this? Or have an opinions on this outfit? Let me know in the comments!

Alicia x
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REVIEW // Elizabeth Arden's 8 Hour Cream

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream - £6, Amazon

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So I'm sure everyone has heard of this beauty wonder cream, right? It's everywhere in the beauty world and has a host of clams to its name dubbing it the wonder of all beauty balms/creams. It truly is wonderful and super good at healing burns and chapped lips.

I bought this little tub 30ml from Amazon and it's lasted me for ages, literally years. (is that gross? i don't know, it seems to be fine though) I use it near on everyday and I'm not even half way through it yet!

This little cream is said to be a skin protectant and can be used to tame rough patches on the knees, elbows and feet, you can use it to get rid of chapped lips, on the skin where it has recently been burnt (give the burn a little time to heal first, don't apply to an open or "soft" burn) and you can even use it for manicure purposes as it is able to soften hard cuticles and hang nails. It really is a cream for all purpose (beauty wise.)

I love this cream for nothing other than dry patches, such a blemishes that have scabbed or chapped lips. On chapped lips this is an overnight wonder, apply at night before bed and come morning the lips will be relieved and immensely soft and soothed.

The only downside to this cream is the strange smell, but I can definitely overlook this with all the pro's this cream has it's definitely something that I repurchase over the years I truly think it's amazing.

What do you think of this cream? Have you tried it? Let me know in the comments!

Alicia x
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The Monday Matter #14

The Mess Many of you may recognise this mess, after swatching and picturing lipsticks for a "top favourites" post? It's a common sight for beauty lovers and for me, it occurs quite regularly. As much as I love lipsticks and blogging, the two don't bode well for me and my lips, the swatch after swatch takes it toll on my lips, lucky I have Elizabeth Arden's 8 Hour Cream to save me!

The Notebook(s) I've scheduled a post for early next week about how I have begun to organise my blog posts and how it's really helped me to be organised and on time with posts. It's also helped me to clear up time for me, for work and so that I always have ideas for blogging and always have something to write about. I get inspiration from everywhere even real life and then places like Pinterest and then I just jot it down in my notebook. After that I will then plan it out in my sketchbook/freewriting notebook. I'm really looking forward to that post and really enjoying my new planners.

The Jumpsuit I've been obsessing with jumpsuits literally all week. Apparently you need the right fit and the right shape, the right length or it can go totally wrong and look like you're wearing a curtain. I'm a lot more educated on Makeup rather than fashion, fashion is my weak point. I can dress myself (just barely) but after that it's all down to whatever I read on the internet/blogs. This is the jumpsuit I;ve been looking at and it's from ASOS (link here)

Awkward Hug Scenario... I've recently started watching Breaking Bad and this scene made me laugh out loud. I wont ruin anything from the first season incase some of you are planning to watch it. I'm only on Season 2 Ep 3 but so far so good and I'm really enjoying it. A lot of my friends told it it's amazing and kept going on about it so I had to give it a watch.

That's my week in review! How has your week been? Let me know in the comments!

Alicia x
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REVIEW // Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye

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This eye cream was also in a GWP along with the Day Wear moisturiser, review here. It's a sample size just like the other one but I can definitely see why they've included it in the gift, because it's that good you'll want to buy more, sneaky.

Estee Lauder Says: "This super-potent, fast penetrating serums helps significantly improve the look of key signs of ageing around the fragile eye area such as fine lines, wrinkles,puffiness,dark circles and dryness."

It definitely does make your eye area feel more hydrated and rid them of dark circles, I used to have quite dark circles under my eyes and now the colour has evened out to my skin tone, obviously sleep and water consumption has helped this but this has also given me some results in that area. This also contains enhanced repair exclusive Chronolux technology and helps skin's natural renewal processes to improve the look of line and wrinkles with appear first around the eyes.

This, like the Day Wear, is very refreshing on the eyes and feels luxurious. The packaging is so so nice and sophisticated also. It definitely decreases puffiness and soothes the eyes so is brilliant to apply in the AM or PM and it doesn't irritate the eyes whatsoever. Whenever putting it on I just take a small amount and dot it under my eyes then rub into the under eye area and eyelids. It has definitely decreased dark circles and my eye area always feel so soft and soothed after applying this.

I can't really think of any negatives for this product apart from maybe the price tag which is again in the £40 area like Day Wear and maybe the fact I haven't noticed a massive massive difference from it, it hasn't greatly changed my life but it hasn't been a complete waste of my time either so I'm very on the fence with this product. It does last a long long time though as you don't even need a pea-sized amount of this to get the desired effects.

Have you tried this eye cream? Let me know!

Alicia x
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TOP 5 // Favourite Lipsticks for Spring/Summer

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I did one of these post every season last year so will continue the trend on this year, with my Top 5 lipsticks of every season. I've usually done it as Spring/Summer and Autumn (or Fall)/Winter so just thought I would continue this trend as it's easier, plus my lip colour don't often vary, I tend to stick with the same colours all season long.

Lipsticks that made the cut

1. Lime Crime Opaque lipstick in Coquette
2. Illamasqua Glamore lipstick in Luster
3. MAC Heroine
4. Topshop All About Me
5. MUA Luxe Velvet Lipstick in Kooky

If you want to read a review of any of these lipsticks, just click the names as the ones I have reviewed will be direct links to the review.

Swatches.

Lime Crime Coquette

Illamasqua Luster

MAC Heroine

Topshop All About Me

MUA Luxe Kooky

These are definitely my absolute TOP 5 lipsticks for this season (Not necessarily "on trend" but my favourites none the less.) I've always love a bold lip for summer but theres something about the two deep purples that just make me want to wear them all year long. 

During the day time I am more of a neutrals kinda girl but I wanted to show you my absolute favourites for when I'm not working and I'm just going out. I would usually tone down my makeup for lipsticks such as these ones but then again, you can easily do a daytime look with any of these colours! Definitely don't be afraid to wear what you want :) it's all good fun!

Now it was very hard to me to whittle it down to just 5 so I've also compiled an "Honorable Mentions" list to give all my other lipsticks, which I also use near enough daily, a mention. I just didn't include them as they're just my basics so not necessarily something extra extra special or something that I'm loving insanely. 

Honourable Mentions

1. MAC Candy Yum-Yum
2. Collection Creme Puff in Cotton Candy
3. Revlon ColourBurst Matte Balm in Elusive
4. Estee Lauder Pure Colour lipstick in Pink Berry

These are my everydays, my basics, my backbones. They're not my favourites just because they're just normal, they're my routine type lipsticks. Nonetheless they deserved and HONORABLE mention, without a doubt.

Just as before click the names of the products for the review direct link, if I have done a review yet.

Swatches

MAC Candy Yum-Yum

Collection Creme Puff Cotton Candy

REvlon ColorBurst Matte Balm Elusive

Estee Lauder Pure Colour Pink Berry

Those were my honorable mentions and my Top 5 lipsticks of the current season. They're all super easy to wear and great summer colours.

Have you tried any of these colours? Let me know!

Alicia x
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REVIEW // NYX Eyeshadow Base in Skin Tone ESB03

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No matter what eye colour, shadow, pigment, whatever you are wearing, you NEED a shadow base or primer to help those colours adhere and stand out for longer. Eyelids are skin so they do tend to get oily and since they roll up, for lack of better words, your shadow may crease. This is partly due to the amount of shadow or the quality but a shadow base can really help your eyeshadow not crease and stay longer.

The one I have been using is the NYX Eyeshadow Base is Skin Tone ESB03, I'm not too sure if there are lighter or darker colours but I'm assuming there are lighter as I have 03 however, when I bought it from Very.co.uk It didnt specifiy a colour so I assumed this was the only one they made and bought it, it is a little dark for my skin but it still works and you can't tell once the shadow is on.

You apply the base directly to your lid using ether your finger or a brush, I use a brush just for hygiene but your finger would be fine also as long as it's clean! You just put it all over the lid where ever you wise to put your shadows or any other eye colour products.

This product in my opinion isn't amazing but it is really good, it does what it says, its holds the shadow, prolongs the wear time  and intensifies the colour. It also helps the shadows stay on my lid for a lot lot longer as my lids can be a pain as they get super oily and this really stops the colour from slipping and sliding around. You can use multiple shadows on top of this and it holds them just as well as applying it straight onto the base and the colour doesn't show through despite it being quite pigmented since it's too dark for my skin and it doesn't change the colour of my shadows either which is really good.

The only problems I have are that it is too dark for my skintone and the shade range isn't amazing. I checked the NYX website and the only I have ESB03 (you can see a true to colour swatch above) is the darkest one and I am quite a pale gal. The colours before are white (ESB01) and pearl (ESB02) which would be good if you're quite pale but for darker skinned girls and guys I don't think this would work very well!

I do love this product but I definitely wouldn't say it's my holy grail, I would still shop around but it's good for just £6!

Alicia x
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REVIEW // Estee Lauder Daywear Advanced Multi-protection Anti-oxidant Creme SPF 15

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I received this moisturiser in a GWP from Estee Lauder and I honestly am so glad they included it in the little gift as I really don't think I would have tried it otherwise.

With the gift I received a few other items, all sample size, and I love them all especially this and the Sumptuous Extreme Mascara (review here) which is just beyond anything I've ever tried, paired with other mascara's it's definitely a favourite of mine.

This moisturiser is made for normal/combination skin and you can apply it in the morning and at night after you've applied the Repair Serum which Estee Lauder also makes. I don't use the Repair Serum as i don't own it but I've heard really good things about it so I may end up purchasing it one day, but for now, my skincare routine is good enough for me.

This defends against and diminishes the appearance/sign of premature ageing so for example dullness in the skin and fine, dry lines. You can use this at any age, I use it now even though I'm only 21 but hey, never too early to diminish wrinkles right? This is also the winner of Instyle's Best Beauty Buys of 2014 under the category of Best Moisturiser with an SPF and it actually has an SPF of 15 which is a plus, because it gives protection without quite being a high enough SPF to give you that flashback face in photos.

This smells of cucumber which is so so refreshing and so nice when you apply it especially in the morning it just really wakes me up and I love the smell of cucumbers so it's a definite plus for me. It doesn't clog up the pores and it feels so so luxurious. A lot of moisturisers I find do clog my pores and this one feels so light weight and sinks into the skin really quickly leaving it super soft. It also works on my oily skin despite it being aimed towards normal/combo skin so that's again a good thing, which I feel really makes this worth the price tag (full size is around £40 I think.) You don't have to load your face with this either as a little really does go a long way, i've been using this near enough every morning since february and it's still got some left in the little pot which again is great so if you did want to buy the full size, it would definitely last you a good few months!

The only downsides to this are the price, even though like I said it does last but £40 is still a lot for a moisturiser, I would probably continue to buy the "deluxe" or sample size of it because it lasts me long enough and is around the £12 mark rather than the £40 so if I were to repurchase, which I really want to, I would definitely go for that size. Another downside is if you want to put it near your eyes you have to be really careful, I have quite sensitive eyes and it really stung once when I got the tiniest bit in the corner or my eye, I had to stop doing my makeup for a good 5-10 minutes until my eyes stopped watering but the good's definitely outweigh the bad points when it comes to this product! 

Overall I do really love this product and really want to repurchase if I can get my hands on the sample size again. Have you ever tried this moisturiser? Let me know!

Alicia x
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The Monday Matter #13

Derren Brown Thursday just gone I went to Venue Cymru in Llandudno to see the amazing Derren Brown, now I won't say anything about the show itself but what I will say is if you ever get the chance to see him, definitely get yourself down there, he is definitely NOT one to be missed. Pure. Amazing.

Cocktails This week I tried my first ever Cosmopolitan! I shared it on Instagram (you can follow me by clicking here) and I felt super classy and sophisticated when drinking from the large glass! They always remind me so Sex in the City or something and I've always wanted to try one and they taste lovely! Just a shame it didn't have the sugar round the edges!

Blogging So last week I decided to return to 5 posts a week instead of the 3 I've been doing and it went pretty well last week. I haven't felt overwhelmed as of yet so hopefully I can keep this up!

The Hair Ah the ever-changing hair that I have. I decided to dye the ends back to pink again because I just love it so much. I can't go too long without some sort of bright colour in my hair because I just feel like one colour is so flat and boring on me so I love putting different colours in there.

That's my week in review! How have yours been?

Alicia x
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LIFESTYLE //Making The Switch from iPhone 5 to HTC One M8

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Here on aliciajadex I aim for variety as there is nothing more monotonous and boring that review after review, right? Today I will be sharing with you the daring and daunting choice that was giving up the iPhone. I have been an avid iPhone user since the bygone days of the cute little 3GS model. I loved my iPhone to the end of the world and back, sad right? What has technology done to this generation *sigh* Anyway, where was I, my iPhone was my baby as it was so easy to use, so good to look as and did everything a busy, working individual like myself could want, but it wasn't enough. iPhone and I just never really really got on, yeah I loved them, but I was always looking at other phones behind it's back because I felt there was something missing, a niggling feeling that my iPhone just wasn't worth the £38-42 a month that I and most other users pay. 

Also Apple just get right on my nerves my home button went on my 3GS, through no fault of my own - £60 to fix. Then I go the iPhone 5 and the battery depleted within 13 months - how coincidental 3 weeks out of warranty and straight after this my lock button just rusted up and stopped working. What was I paying for? £38 for a phone that didn't last 12 months never mind the 24 months length of my contract! This lead to me researching the best phones on the internet and every search lead to one phone - HTC One.

Technology is a big thing to us in everyday life, people may not like this, but it is, we all need it and rely on it in some way. I like my phone to let me do anything I want, write blogs, take good quality photos, edit photos, send emails, organise calendars, watch videos literally everything. In our day, here and now the iPhone rules supreme, it is the go to phone for any smart phone user and abuser it is the one that new users will opt for because it's just such a big name in our society but for me, I wanted something that made me feel like I was paying for something that was worthy.

The main difference of the iPhone and HTC are:

1. Screen & resolution. HTC has 1080p 5inch display where as iPhone 5s has 4inch screen, I'm not too sure of resolution it's either 720 or 1080.
2. The HTC One has a dual camera and dual flash, dual camera contains one regular lense and a depth sensor meaning you get clearer more life-like pictures with the option to blur out certain aspects that are in focus. 
3. The interface is different, HTC has Android and iPhone has iOS. Android is better is you prefer to personalise and have more freedom and iOS is better if you just want it to get up and go.
4. You can personalise everything on Android for example, you can have the appls be the shape of pokeballs etc. Apple do not support personalisation but the interface is still stunning.
5. The front camera on HTC One is 5mpx whereas iPhone 5s is 1.2mpx. However iPhone's back camera is 8mpx whereas HTC One is 4 Ultra-pixels. Ultra-pixels let in more light per pixel for a clearer view. To be honest I can't tell the different in picture except from the HTC seems to work better in lower light. The lack of pixels has made no difference to my and I use the camera a lot.

Overall I am glad I made the switch and probably wont be going back to the iPhone. I am not a tech person, this is just information I know from searching mixed with my own opinions here and there and my own findings since owning the HTC One M8. iPhones are good phones and do what they say, but the HTC is just so much more stunning and easy to use, when you get used to it. 

Making the switch was one of the best decisions for me, are you brave enough?

Alicia x
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REVIEW // Barry M Summer Love Shadow & Glow Palette

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I've been diving into the world of palettes recently as they're just so convenient to have in my kit/personal collection. I was browsing around Superdrug the other week and came across this Barry M palette which caught my eye as it's just so summery!

Using this palette you can create a soft, summery look with the six pretty pastel shadows and dewy golden highlighter. It comes equipped with 2x double ended applicators, but I don't use them I prefer to use my finger for this palette as it doesn't come out very pigmented with a brush. The 6 shadows and highlighter weigh 9.2g in total which isn't a lot but this palette is a bargain at only £6.49 especially for what you get in it.

The colours are very shimmery so if you're into mattes it wont be for you but it's good to have in your collection for when you feel like going for something light and different. Other than that there is a good choice of pastels for the Summer looks. The packaging goes perfectly with the contents and even has a large mirror on the inside which is a bonus. The packaging looks especially nice in my clear makeup storage trays. The highlighter that comes with it, I haven't used if I'm honest as I am a strong MAC MSF Soft & Gentle lover so can usually be found with that on the skin but it is a beautiful looking colour.

The only issues I have with this is the pigmentation, with a brush it'll take a good 5/6 goes to get it anywhere near showing up, hence why I use my finger. I just take a clean finger, rub it in the shadow and pat it onto my lid which I have always prepped with an eyeshadow base to help the shadows adhere and last longer. You do get a fair bit of fall out with this palette but I'm used to it after using MUA and ELF palettes and you can always just clean this up, I always highlight my under eyes after i've done my eyeshadow so I can wipe away any fall out and conceal it. Other than that, I do quite like this palette!

Have you tried one of the Barry M Palettes? Let me know!

Alicia x
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UPDATED REVIEW // MaxFactor FaceFinity All Day Flawless 3-in-1 Foundation in 40 Light Ivory

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This foundation has a lot of hype recently and I did a review of the next shade up to the one I have here which is Warm Almond 45 and you can read that review by clicking here.

This foundation is my staple, a constant in a world of makeup that I'm uncertain about, I can always trust this one to suit me fine and go on like a dream for simple daytime looks. (I have my Estee Lauder double wear for time that are a little more demanding such as nights out.)

This foundation claims to have 3-in-1 properties boasting a primer, concealer and foundation in one product. It also has an SPF of 20 giving your skin a little bit of protection on those sunnier days. The coverage is a firm medium, if you apply a normal/2 pumps sized amount but you can sheer it out or build it up to get your prefered coverage, without it going cakey. I wouldn't say that this has a massive amount of "primer & concealer" in it like it claims to have but it does cover blemishes and has a longer staying power on my skin than most other foundations, so there is some element of primer and concealer type ingredients in there which for me is perfect.

It doesn't feel heavy or greasy on the skin which some foundations can so this is why it's perfect for me, my skin would not cope with heavy or greasy it would just break out and over produce oil like it'd gone made so I definitely steer clear of those two elements.

The colours of this foundation are good but not amazing, there are 6 shades which go from "40 Light Ivory" which is my shade, to "80 Bronze" in the UK or "85 Caramel" In other countries, I'm not too sure which though! The shade range is pretty poor as darker skinned people would not be able to use this product since the shading range is so light but if you can find your shade I would definitely go and get it or try it. It's perfect for us pale girls struggling to find our way amongst the drugstore foundations!

The only down sides, apart from the shade range, that I have with this is that fact that it doesn't really prime, my skin is oily like i've said so without further a further priming product I would get probably about 3 hours wear, whereas if I put a primer underneath, it'll last all day with maybe one touch up after 6/7 hours which to me is fantastic but kind of doesn't do what it says it will but that isn't much of an issue for me. The price also puts me off a bit as it's a drug store foundation but costs £12. I can get a MAC foundation for £10 extra which is shocking as most drugstore apart from REvlon are around the £7.99-9.99 mark so £11.99 made me gasp a little.

There we have it, my updated review of my holy grail drugstore foundation, it's not perfect but it's as close as I'm going to get I feel! Have you tried this foundation? Let me know!

Alicia x
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REVIEW // Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser

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Being a massive fan of the Benefit POREfessional I had to try the Maybelline offering when it hit the shelves. This primer retails in Boots, Superdrug and online for £7.99 and you get 22ml of product just like the POREfessional but without the hefty price tag. This was said to be, by the public, a drugstore dupe for the Benefit offering, but I don't think it is and I don't think Maybelline intended it for that purpose, however more on that later!

The Maybelline Baby Skin Pore Eraser is a primer that is said to make pores appear instantly erased for smoother looking skin. This lightweight primer apparently leave the skin smooth and poreless looking. You can apply it alone or under your makeup whichever you would prefer.

To me this primer feels really nice on my skin, it feels soft and does leave the skin feeling smooth and looking smoother than before I applied it. I wouldn't say it hides my pores but it definitely blurs them out a little bit and it feels really lightweight on my skin so nothing too heavy and greasy feeling which you can often get with primer containing silica/silicone. It is a transparent formula and mattifies the skin wonderfully. This is especially good for me as I am super super oily during this time of year and the majority of the year but especially spring/summer. It is fragrance free which is a bonus (it doesn't say fragrance free but it doesn't smell of chemicals or perfume) and my makeup looks good on top of it.

However, I do find that this doesn't last long at all on my skin, after about an hour, my pores are visible, almost as if its sank into them making them look like oily craters on the moon (I have very large pores so when makeup sinks into them it accentuates them, this product didn't make my pores any larger, I just naturally have them large.) Another thing that niggled me was that it didn't erase my pores at all, like the POREfessional does, I wouldn't mind if it was call Maybelline Baby Skin Pore Blurring Effect or whatever but it's not, it said it would erase the look of my pores and unfortunately, it didn't. Sadly enough, after around 2 hours, I was as oily as ever and yes I've tried with and without moisturiser, with different moisturisers, using a brush, using my fingers, using a little, using a lot, different ways of cleaning and toning my face etc etc etc. It was all one big hassle for a product I don't believe worked very well for me which is a shame as I was really excited for it.

Don't get me wrong it feels and looks flawless on me, for about 2 hours and then not even blotting can save me. I'm going to continue to trial and error ways of using it and hope I find one that works for me as I've bought it so I want to use it because considering I can get 30ml of Rimmel 5-in-1 primer for £6.99 saying that this is 22ml for £7.99 has annoyed me a little because I got less for a product that doesn't do what it says (on my skin).

What do you think of the Maybelline Baby Skin? Let me know!

Alicia x
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COLLECTION // MAC x The Simpsons in MAC & Marge

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As an avid watcher of The Simpsons and, what I would call myself, a superfan I couldn't contain my excitement when The Simpsons and MAC announced this collaboration on their twitters last week. The collaboration is going to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the well-loved family show and will focus on the shows most famous blue -haired mother, Marge Simpson.

The collection specifics haven't been revealed yet, as to what it will contain but there will definitely be some Blue's and Yellow's in there, that's a given! MAC have only revealed the teaser/visual picture above and the name of the collection which will be MAC x Marge and the collection should hit stores and online this Autumn.

I will definitely be getting my hands on some of this collection and cannot wait for more to be revealed, I will post more on this as it comes as this collection is definitely my favourite one to date!

Are you going to be getting some MAC x Marge goodies? Let me know!

Alicia x
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The Monday Matter #12

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The 12th Monday Matter already? It definitely does not feel like I've been doing this little section of my blog for near on 3 months, how time really does fly!

The Photography This past week or two I've been really upping my game, or trying to, when it comes to blog photography, I used to just take photo's whenever and wherever (Shakira Shakira) just so I could get posts out on time but now I'm definitely trying more to do so in the morning/before around 2pm when the sun disappears from my window, because I feel in my house the natural lighting from my room is the best, as the house tends to be dimly lit all day anyways, big walls, not many windows. I've also been playing around with backgrounds for my photo's the one above really makes me want to look at the photos as it's so pretty, how about you?

Instagram I've been putting a lot more effort into trying new makeup looks and posting them on instagram. Follow me if you like just click HERE (link opens new window) I really love instagram it's definitely a good way to become inspired by other bloggers and makeup artists and definitely, or hopefully, to inspire other people who are in a bit of an uninspired rut!

Organisation This week for me has been all about becoming organised with my life and taking things head on rather than just settling and ignoring problems and then being overloaded with work which was my usual and unhealthy work ethic. I've started planning blog posts now so they become better constructed and quicker to write, this also means I can see what I'm writing for the new week or so and take all the photographs in one day, then I can upload then and write the blog content whenever I have free time, it's been really working for me and I'm hoping I can keep it up.

The Schedule This is my new blog posting schedule, if you haven't already seen the actual/original post I posted earlier this week, maybe Wednesday/Friday. I've decided to go full blogger on the weekdays and have the weekends off to plan, edit and write up the posts.

This has been my week in review, how has your week been?

Alicia x
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FAVOURITES // April

Hey!

*Cliche blogger comment* How fast is this year going? I can't believe this is my 4th favourites post already!

Anyway these are the products I've been loving throughout April which have got me through the month with ease. I've been really looking after my skin this month and it has thanked me for it, aside from eating healthier (ish) and drinking plenty water I've also been using new moisturiser and eye cream which are the Estee Lauder DayWear Advanced Multi-Protectant Anti-Oxidant Cream and the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye. These make my skin super soft and hydrated whilst not over loading my skin with excess oils which is really important for my oily skin. They've also helped with the preparation for a smooth base to go in with my favourite foundation for the daytime/everyday life which is the MaxFactor FaceFinity All Day Flawless 3-in-1 the shade I have is 40 Light Ivory and it's near enough a perfect match for me and it goes on like a dream, I us my Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge or my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush to apply this on it goes on flawlessly and stays put for around 6 hours which I think is amazing for a drugstore foundation, my oily skin usually melts foundations off within 2 hours if I don't blot but this can stay literally 8 hours if I blot and re-powder which to me is fab. As for a setting powder, for my whole face I use Rimmel's Stay Matte but just to set my under eye area and concealer I have been using - and loving - MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light I use my Real Techniques Setting Brush to apply it and it just looks so flawless so I've been loving that.

Eyeshadow bases are super important to me because I have such oily skin (yeah mention it once more why don't you, Alicia) so a base is really important not only to keep the shadows in place but to help them be as vibrant as they can, this month I've been loving NYX Eyeshadow Base in Skin Tone ESB03 I'm not sure if this is there only shade but since its 03 i'm guessing not, this one is a little dark for my skin tone but works fine and keeps the shadows on all day. After eyeshadow I really think mascara pulls a look together and the one I've been using (amongst 3 others) is Estee Lauder's Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying and Volumising Mascara in Black it works really well on it's own and does what it says on the tin but paired with my other mascaras it's just above and beyond so i've been really coveting that this month!

As I've said previously, my birthday was this month and I received two Lime Crime Lipsticks, amongst other things, they've become my new obsession and I want them all, the colours I got were Coquette and Airborne Unicorn they're super opaque and smell a little like Play Dough but more like vVanilla which to me smells amazing, they smell a little stronger than MAC lipsticks and the packaging is phenomenal! Last but definitely not least is Marc Jacob Daisy Eau De Parfum 100ml I posted about this being my signature scent recently and it truly is, it think it's the nicest perfume I've ever smelled and I will continue to buy it until it's discontinued, if it ever is, it goes above and beyond in terms of wear and just smells better and better as you wear it, if you haven't smelled it, get on it.

So they're my favourites for April, what're yours? Leave me links & comments below!

Alicia x
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