Thursday 27 February 2014

Interior Inspiration - Bedroom Bliss

If you've seen my personal story about my love for interiors then you'll know that I tend to favour dark/bright coloured rooms.

In the last few months that seems to have changed - actually longer when I look back at all my Pinterest pictures and realise that I've loved mauve/pale grey/light yet warm coloured walls for quite sometime without even noticing it. So last month I repainted my bedroom from that bright, deep toned blue to a more gentle and calming colour. I will be doing an updated bedroom decor once I have finally finished and I can keep it tidy for more than an hour.

Below are my favourite bedroom decoration ideas - all pictures are from Pinterest



I love to have lots of texture in my rooms - you can never go wrong with a few knitted or fur throws in my opinion.








This is such a classic boutique hotel style.


I have such a thing just now for having the bed at the window

Wednesday 26 February 2014

The Review - L'Oreal True Match Foundation and Lumi Magique Primer

So I thought it would be better to kill two birds with one stone in this review since I only ever use these two products together.





Up until about 3 weeks ago I was always a matte face lover purely due to my oily skin and thinking that it would make my makeup last longer if it was powdered.  However, back in December I saw a post by Liana Beauty on the L'Oreal True Match Foundation where she sang it's praises and gave it dupe status to the almighty Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation and thought I'd better take my first step into the glowy skin crew.



L'Oreal have a guide here to help you find your perfect shade of True Match from neutral, warm or cool tone but when I went to swatch it on myself in Boots I found I was more suited to N2 than N1 so it sort of made it easier for me.




This is a medium coverage foundation but it's also buildable and buffs into the skin really well. I have found that I'm actually using less concealer now that I use this foundation which can, in my opinion, only be a better thing for my skin and blemishes.  It gives a great glow to my skin that lasts all day and when my oily skin does start to push through it doesn't look weird.

The fantastic glow that I get with the True Match is probably in no small part due to the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Primer - I really need to try TM on it's own to get a real idea of it.



L'Oreal claim this primer "illuminates the skin" which it definitely does and that it gives "8 hours of hydration". Not so sure on that last claim as I have oily skin anyways so dry skinned gals this might be a good one for you.

I actually pair this with my Benefit Porefessional which helps to hold off the oil breakthrough, then the Lumi Magique gives me that ethereal glow - I use the term ethereal very loosely around me ha! 



It's a white pearlescent liquid primer and I only use this from my hairline down to the hollows of my cheeks as I feel it doesn't sit too well on the blemishes along my jawline.  Beware of that handy looking pump on the bottle though as it does tend to dispense quite a lot of product that goes to waste if you use a full pump.  Although it is pearlescent it isn't glittery and seems to blend into my skin a lot better than the similar MAC Strobe Cream and smoothes out my skin aswell - even when used without my Porefessional.

I feel that Lumi Magique is what has given such a boost to my base since I started using it along with True Match and will definitely be putting both onto my forever repurchase list.

L'Oreal True Match Foundation £9.99 at Boots
L'Oreal Lumi Magique Primer £9.99 at Boots

Monday 24 February 2014

The Weekly Edit

So last week was pretty exhausting to say the least.

Monday and Tuesday were busy with gym workouts, studying, trying to get my life in order and working.  Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were my three days on placement in a maternity ward.  It's such a change from the last hospital I was in as it's so much calmer and there isn't as much of a demand for beds.  All the staff are really nice aswell (not that they weren't in the other hospital) and they've already made me feel like a part of the team rather than a passing face.  Needless to say I think I spent most of the weekend trying to recover from three back to back 12.5 hour shifts in a ward the same temperature as the Sahara - I'm constantly wearing at least 2 layers in my house - whilst also fitting in work, study and a rather large pizza *drool*.


Next week is much of the same, I apologise in advance for the sameness of the review but hopefully I'll be more used to the shifts and I'll be able to get more done...although there will be a little reveal of something new next Monday!


Hope you all have a lovely week and check back on Wednesday for my next product review.

Wednesday 19 February 2014

The Review - Hydraluron Boosting Mask

I'm already a massive fan of the Hydraluron serum by Indeed Labs and if you didn't already know that where have you been?!?  So when I found out they were bringing out a sheet mask version I was super excited and intrigued.  I'd never heard of let alone used a sheet mask before, and at a normal retail price of £19.99 for four masks they aren't cheap. However with all the hype from other beauty bloggers I took the leap...and used my mum's Boots points to buy a pack - cheers mum!



Each mask comes individually wrapped so they keep fresh for ages - major bonus with the price.  They are a bit tricky to open up once you get them out of the packet as they are sticky and slippy with all the serum that it's smothered in but once it's open I found it fairly easy to position on my face even if it was a bit scary to look at - think Silas for all you Vampire Diaries fans....yeah...creepy.  

The packet advises to leave them on for 10-15 minutes but they aren't the most practical things to be wearing doing the housework say because they can slip around if you're moving too much.  So bed rest it was scrolling through Bloglovin', Pinterest and Tumblr.  Overall it was very cooling and relaxing to have on and I did feel a slight tingling around my mouth but this was not unpleasant. 

After my 15 minutes were up I removed the mask and could instantly tell where my skin was dehydrated.  My cheeks had chugged in the moisture from the serum and there was quite a bit of residue on my forehead so I massaged in the remaining serum concentrating on my cheeks.
I could feel an immediate difference in the texture of my skin after using the mask and when I woke the next morning my skin was a lot brighter than usual.  My makeup seemed to last better on my face the next day aswell.

Overall a fantastic item to purchase and I would definitely recommend for any skin types as a treat before a night out or a special event.

Indeed Labs Hydraluron Boosting Masks are available from Boots  with a normal retail price of £19.99 but are currently on offer for £13.33.

Monday 17 February 2014

New Week...New Schedule

So I've decided for the next couple of weeks I'm going to try out a new schedule of blog posts.  On Mondays it'll be a personal post kind of summing up the past week for me.  Wednesdays will be a product review, and Fridays will be a lifestyle or interiors post. I'll still be doing my monthly favourites and Birchbox reviews every month aswell.

So onto the past week...

The first half of last week was mostly taken up with the fallout from my weekend in London and mugginess and exhaustion was the general theme until Wednesday.  My London trip was amazing! Lots of tasty food, alcohol, laughs and of course I went shopping...probably my quickest ever session in the city but I still managed to burn a hole in my purse.


Tiny salt and pepper pots at Bill's


Bill's Super Green Smoothie

Scrambled Eggs and Bacon on Toasted Soda Bread

Last week was also the last week of my current module at uni.  I'll now be on an 8 week placement in a combined antenatal and postnatal ward.  I've been getting super obsessed with getting organised over the last week and spent a small fortune on stationery and Filofax supplies.  Also, no one ever tells you how expensive/messy it is to get organised in the first place!

I might do a video or post about how I organise my Filofax if it's something people are interested in so let me know.  Also if you want to see what I bought in London I could do a post on that aswell.

On Thursday night I went out for a boogie with some uni friends which was great fun. I don't think I've laughed that much in a long time. Anyways, I had decided I wouldn't drink that much because I had a training session at the gym the next morning - of course that went right out the window the minute I was out...bad vodka!  The next mornings gym session was pretty rough as I was so dehydrated and it was my last one for 3 weeks because my trainer is on holiday in New Zealand or that time.  I have as such vowed to be stronger and fitter by the time he gets back so on my days off from placement I am doing morning cardio workouts and strength workouts in the afternoon/evening.  I feel like I've also finally got my healthy eating head on so watch out world...ripped Gillian is on her way!

Hope you all have a great week and remember I'll have a product review on Wednesday and an interiors post on Friday!

Friday 14 February 2014

The Favourites - Nail Polishes

I have a rather vast nail polish collection and these are my favourites mostly based on their colour.


Rimmel - Mary Mary Quite Contrary


Topshop - Milkshake 


Nails Inc - Porchester Square


Essie - Tart Deco


Essie - Lacquered Up


Rimmel - Out Of The Blue

Friday 7 February 2014

January Birchbox Review

As I've already seen so many Glossybox reviews and I wasn't even impressed enough to try the products I decided to review my Birchbox for January.

Items I received in my box - not pictured is a gel eye mask


Rodial Glamtox Day Moisturiser
I was intrigued to try out this product as I had always seen them in magazines and in online stores but  would never buy them myself due to how expensive they are (the full size version of this moisturiser costs a whopping £75!).  Overall I found it to be a very light moisturiser despite being anti-ageing which are normally very rich and thick which suits my oily skin perfectly.  I also found it to be very hydrating and left my skin feeling really smooth and radiant.  If I could afford it I would definitely purchase so it's something I'll keep in mind for my future once I'm out of student budget life.

Delarom Aquaconfort Mask
To be honest I've only used this mask once since I received it because I have so many that I forget about it since it's such a small bottle haha!  The one time that I did use it though I found it to be very comfortable but I didn't notice much of a difference in the texture or brightness of my skin. I'll keep using it when I remember though so I might notice a change next time.


Benefit The Porefessional
I already own one of the full size size tubes of this product which I decided to get after I had used a sample I was given by the Benefit counter. It's perfect for my oily skin as it helps keep shine away from my t-zone for about 5-6 hours for and the rest of my makeup stays pretty much perfect. As I already have one I'll definitely repurchase unless something even better comes out in the future.

Anatomy Nutrients Body Oil
I'm a big fan of body oils as I don't have to hang around for ages before I put on my skinnies.  This particular one has a nice gentle scent and absorbs particularly fast without being greasy. The one issue I had with it was that after a few uses the spray started going a bit funny. Don't know if that's just an issue with the sample size bottle or not. I still have a few oils to get through so it's not something I'd buy in a hurry but I would recommend it to friends and family.


Phillip Kingsley Elasticizer
I've seen so many rave reviews about this in the blogosphere so I was excited to try it out myself. Admittedly I have only used it once but it did make my hair super soft (once I had straightened it) and my colour did appear to be brighter and stronger than before. I'd maybe buy it again because I didn't have to use a huge amount even on my long thick hair so cost per use for me might actually be quite low.

Overall a fantastic selection of products and I can't wait for my next delivery.

Monday 3 February 2014

January Favourites

So I'm a bit late with my first ever monthly favourites but really who gives a damn...as long as I do it right?

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette - £37 from Debenhams

I think every single beauty blogger and their grans cat has posted about this beauty! What can I say, this is the first of the Naked palettes I have truly lusted after, and my mum can testify to that after we practically ran the entire length of the main shopping street in Edinburgh to make sure I got one. Sure the original and the reboot are gorgeous but this is other-worldly!  Nude rose gold smokey loveliness all wrapped up in a pretty tin with a great brush to boot! That blender is such a pleasure to use and works so well with the shadows although the shadows themselves are that fantastic that I think even the naffest of brushes would still work.  My favourite shade has to be Limit and I wear it nearly every single day.  I don't want to go too much into my favourite shade combos as I'll be doing a post on that next week but all you need to know is that I want to have tiny rose gold babies with this palette. Is that a bit much?

Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray - £9 (currently out of stock but available in full size for £20 at Debenhams and House of Fraser)

I snatched myself one of the travel sized All Nighter sprays on the same day I bought my beloved Naked 3 as I had been wanting to try a setting spray for quite some time and heard such mixed reviews about MAC's Fix+.  I have fairly oily skin so something that will hold my makeup to my face and prevent an atrocity akin to a lava flow is kind of a big ask.  This lives up to that though.  I must admit I have drunkenly fallen asleep with my makeup on recently and when I groggily looked in the mirror my base was looking alright despite the eyeshadow that I had smudged all down my cheek.  I want to try out the other sprays in the Urban Decay range but I think this will definitely be a repurchase in the near future.

Nails Inc Porchester Square - £11 from Nails Inc

I thought I'd get all of the typical beauty blogger favourites out of the way first.  I had never really been one into the nude simple nail until fairly recently.  I was always the girl who had crazy nail art that I spent an hour on whilst watching the Grand Prix on a Sunday afternoon.  Unfortunately being a student midwife, taking an hour to do an elaborate ail design that I'm only going to have on for 2-3 days seemed a bit of a pointless exercise and so I have now opted, most of the time, for a basic manicure of a single colour.  I received Porchester Square as a Christmas present from my parents and wasted no time in slapping it on my nails the very same day.  What a gem this is...I can see why everyone raves about it so much.  This has such a nice formula and lasts really well.  I have a part time job in the medical records department of a local hospital and my hands take quite a battering but this polish lasted a full 4 days over the festive period without a single chip.  I even love the shade so much that I just repainted my bedroom a slightly lighter shade - how odd!

Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner - £7.99 from Boots

For the last 5 years I have been a loving devoted purchaser of the Bobbi Brown gel liner after I was introduced to it on my makeup artistry course.  Last month though it all changed.  The introduction of Jaclyn Hill and her amazing makeup tutorials into my life has swung my entire feelings upside down.  This liner goes on like a dream and so far I feel it is a far superior product to its predecessor.  It has no hint of going cakey or dried out in the jar yet, it's so smooth to apply and it really is the blackest of blacks.  And for half the price of the Bobbi Brown equivalent I am very happy with the update.  It does come with it's own brush but I think that and angled brush works much better with it.

Hydraluron - currently on offer for £16.66 from Boots

If you have read my skin care love in (here) then you'll know all about my feelings for this product.  It's the lightest smoothest serum I have ever tried and it's gel like texture makes it feel like you're rubbing a thicker version of water into your parched skin - bliss.  I'll definitely be repurchasing this...even considering the equivalent sheet masks for special occasions.

Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm - £3.69 from Boots

My brother and sister in law gave me a Burt's Bees set as part of my Christmas present that contained this lip balm as well as a hand balm and a cuticle balm.  This is my favourite product of the three though.  It's so moisturising and the peppermint scent is not too overpowering (I learnt on a recent university placement that peppermint aromatherapy oil is good for nausea so if you're feeling a tad queasy this might be the perfect pick me up...or even if you have a stuffy nose).  It also contains vitamin e which helps to keep your skin healthy.

 Paddy Wax Watermelon Mint Candle - from TK Maxx

Tyrell's Sweet and Salty Popcorn

I decided to include two lifestyle favourites this months just to jazz it up a bit.  First up is this Watermelon Mint candle I picked up whilst having a rake through the home department of my local TK Maxx.  They always have amazing deals on candles and I think this one was only £5.  The scent takes me back to my holiday in Dubai and Abu Dhabi as it reminds me of the apple Shisha pipe that me and my cousin are so fond of.  It has a great scent throw and there were a few other candles from the same range that were also really fresh and perfect for getting into the springtime mood.

Last in my favourites list is Tyrell's Sweet and Salty Popcorn.  I first picked up a big bag of this when I was in Morrisons after seeing it on my Instagram feed and scoffed near enough the whole bag in one night.  Luckily for my waistline my mum discovered a pack of 6 mini bags in Tesco.  It still takes a lot of self restraint to not eat another bag but it's definitely easier than having an open bag in the cupboard.  The sweet side isn't as sticky and coated as you'd expect from Butterkist and the salty isn't as much as they serve in the cinema.  Overall, it's a tiny tasty treat minus the guilt of a share bag.
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