Small Christmas Haul

Hey petals, yes im still alive! |Did you miss me? (only kidding)  How was your Christmas? and if you don't celebrate Christmas how was the 25th of December for you? (hahaha comedian i know) Today i thought i would do a small Christmas haul of some of the main bits i was luckily gifted or i bought myself, no im not trying to brag, i just really enjoy reading these posts myself so i thought i would do my own! Here we go...

The first item i received this Christmas was the 'Naked 2 palette' by Urban Decay, i already own the infamous 'Naked' palette and ive always wanted to try the 2nd, im already in love with this palette and i definitely prefer this to the original 'Naked' palette. Both palette's contain 12 shades, which are very versatile and have very high pigmentation. Both palettes come with a brush (super handy)  these palettes are perfect for any makeup lover, or someone who wants to experiment with a new product!

 The next are my most favourite things ever, Yankee Candles! (I have a slight addiction) 

The candles above - 'Christmas Cookie', 'Snowflake Cookie', Christmas Rose' and 'Merry Marshmallow' As you can see i have a small collection of the seasonal Christmas candles, so if any interest you i suggest making a purchase quickly! These candles are just amazing, they burn for a long time and have unique scents which i love! You can find these candles here

The next item is this 'Two Faced' Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer, I personally love the packaging of this product, along with the bronzer itself, this is said to be a 'light to medium' bronzer, which i agree with, i think this would be perfect for lighter skin, or if you want to start out with a bronzer as this product is matte and doesnt give off an orange tone when applied. The pigmentation is great and looks very natural (perfect for everyday)  It also has a light pleasant scent to it. 

 The last item i want to talk about is 'Daisy' by Marc Jacobs, this perfume is definitely a cult product i have wanted to try for years. It has such a timeless yet fresh scent in my opinion, this is lovely for the new year. Id definitely check it out if you are on the hunt for a new perfume, and i best not forget the packaging is so cute! 

Hope all is well!

lots of love em x 

Current Foundation: Mac Studio Fix Fluid

Hey guys, sorry for the lack of posts recently, but I'm here now. Today I thought I would talk about my current foundation, I normally change up my foundation on a regular basis depending on my desired look, however, I have been loving one of my old favourites. Take a guess?

Did you guess right? The winner goes to 'Mac Studio Fix Fluid' (wow you can tell I haven't posted in a while hah) I first invested in the infamous Studio Fix Fluid, on my birthday a while ago, I'd heard so many great things about this product and I wanted to give it a try, however, I also heard that it has broken a few people out, and with my acne prone skin I have to admit I was rather hesitant to purchase it, but I thought hey-ho, I won't know unless I try.

Retailing for £21.50 I'd personally say this foundation is worth the money. Mac offers an amazing colour range which is perfect for a variety of different skin tones to fit any complexion. Mac claims this product is; 

"A modern foundation that combines a natural matte finish and medium-buildable coverage with SPF 15. Comfortable and long-wearing: lasts for up to eight hours. Applies smoothly, builds coverage quickly and easily. Contains specially treated micronized pigments and soft-focus powders for a super-smooth look that helps minimize the appearance of imperfections. Oil free." 

"A natural matte finish" I'd definitely have to agree with this statement as, when first applied it is very matte, but after half an hour (without powder) this product lets natural oils through. This can be flattering as it gives a nice glowy appareance to the skin, but I normally always use a powder. "Medium-build able coverage" the coverage is definitely my favourite thing about this product as you can sheer the product out and create flawless face depending on how much you apply and how you apply it. 

"Lasts up to eight hours" I would say this product is long wearing, however, that means applying a primer to the skin after moisturiser, (I normally do this anyway, us oil skin gals and guys need primer) I would also recommend applying a powder, to set the skin, and personally I like to use a setting spray to ensure my makeup will stay in place. 

"Oil free" personally i haven't noticed whether this product is oil free or not, but I have found that it helps to absorb any excess oil my skin produces.

The next thing about this product is the packaging, the classic matte black finish. Since the bottle is made of glass the product feels very luxurious, you get 30ml with this product which lasts me a good few months (especially when I don't wear makeup)  I think the packaging is super pretty and looks so cute on my dressing table (cliche I know). If I am being picky, the only downside to the packing is that you have to buy a pump separately, I don't mind too much it's just annoying sometimes (I recently broke mine too) 

Overall, I adore this product, it lasts well, the colour is perfect (I wear nw10, pale I know) I always go back to using it, and if you like a flawless face, or a bit more coverage than usual (even for special occasions) this is one to have in your collection. 

                                                         Thank you for reading, lots of love em x

Recent Purchases

Hey petals, so today i thought i would write a post about some things i have picked up recently.These are just some bits and bobs i have accumulated over the month. I hope you enjoy! x

The first thing i picked up is this mac lipstick in 'Please Me', im not usually drawn to pinks and nudes, i tend to opt for outgoing bold colours on the lip, However, i was looking for something wearable for everyday use and this is perfect. It is a matte shade which i adore as i find it lasts well on the lips. (make sure you moisturise the lips before application to prevent drying) I think this is a really great pink for lighter skin tones as it is a dusky pink which means it wont give me the 'washed out' appearance. However, it is also very flattering on olive skin tones.

The next item i picked up is this small jar of 'Merry Marshmallow' by Yankee candle, i wanted to pick up a large jar of 'Christmas Cookie' but the shop where i purchase mine are still waiting for them to come in, so i grabbed this for now, but i am in love with it. It smells sweet but its not super sickly, i will definitely be purchasing a large jar of this scent (i really want to eat it as it makes my bedroom smell like a bakery)  Retailing at £7.99-8.99 for a small jar, this may seem a little pricey for a candle, but it is so worth it as they last for ages and the small jars burn for up to 40 hours. 

This next item is by Botanics (boots brand) it is a facial brush, ive always wanted to try one but ive been slightly apprehensive as i have combination and acne prone skin, i didnt want to irritate it. The famous 'Clarisonic' has been said to work wonders, however, it has been said to cause alot of irritation to the skin. So i thought id opt for the basic facial brush rather than spend more money than needed.  I know the bristles look super harsh in the picture, but they are so soft i promise. So far i love this product, i wet my face, wet the brush and then put a small amount of cleanser directly onto the brush, Then using circular motions i scrub away (gentle though) this is said to exfoliate the face so be careful when using it. I have to say my skin feels amazing after using this, it is immediately soft and supple. Retailing at £6 id say it is worth the investment (i also really like the wooden handle and the 'organic' feel to the product) Even if you cant find this exact facial brush, i definitely recommend one!

This next product is just a repurchase of my Heat Defence spray, recently i have been loving to straighten my hair. I always let my hair dry naturally (this massively increases softness for me) then when it is dry, sectioning my hair, and spraying some of this to the section. Brushing through with my tangle teaser and then start to straighten. I really like this Heat Defence spray as it leaves my hair feeling healthy and protects my hair very well. 

This next product is super boring,  but i picked these up as i needed some new ones. I  use micellar water and cotton pads to remove my makeup and i go through normal sized cotton pads like crazy. So i thought i would pick up some extra large ones. My friend Olivia recommended the ''Johnsons' ones, but i couldnt find any so i just went with these. I really like them as they are soft and i only need one pad to remove all of my makeup. (sorry if my hand looks a little odd in the second picture, i wanted to show how large they are)

I hope you enjoyed! thank you for reading! lots of love em x

Weight of The World

Hey petals, so recently i have been a bit down in the dumps. So i apologise for the lack of blogs (not an excuse i know) Its not the typical teenager 'mood swings' either, i have just been feeling rather glum. i suppose its the 'pressure' of so many things. i have been bottling up alot of emotions rather than letting them out and clearing my head (no, i havent been eating oreos and watching pretty little liars all day to cure my troubles)  Sometimes its hard to respond to someone when they ask 'whats wrong?' as generally for me its not one particular reason but like i said many things  that amount to one big thing (its the little things that count apparently)  i have really been lacking motivation in general and so i thought i would write a post on how to cheer up when you are feeling the weight of the world (hopefully not to cringe worthy, i will have to see as i go along)

Weight of the world (lol dramatic) my first piece of advice is to approach the situation (if possible) and try to figure out why you are feeling 'low' or off colour. i tend to make myself feel worse by thinking 'but other people go through so much more' worrying will only cause more stress. Its important to remember everyone feels low at some point, and no matter how big or small we think the issue, everyone has the right to be upset/angry/confused (etc) we are only human and we can't stop ourselves from feeling emotion.

My second piece of advice is to 'do what you need to do' by this i mean, if you need to talk to people (best bet) to 'let your emotions out' and 'speak your mind' then you should, whether its a family member, friend, carer or stranger (just be careful with the stranger haha) its important to confide in someone you trust and it will help you clear your mind and approach how to move forward. However, if you feel like you are alone and there is noone, i suggest writing a letter, or notes about how you feel (mind mapping even) this may seem a little wacky (arent we all?) but i find this really works, it helps to relieve stress and anger because your feelings will be set out in front of you, making it easy to see what the issue is.

My last piece of advice is to' take care of you' by  this i mean, make sure you spend any time you can doing something you love, this could be anything. Personally,  i like to be around people that make me happy. It is easy to forget what makes you happy when you feel like you are stuck inside a bubble. But when you have time to yourself, it will lift your spirits and give you something positive to focus on.

' Happiness is by choice, not by chance'
                                               

                                               Hope this helped, if you need anything you can talk to me                                                                                       at  flowersandfreckless@gmail.com
                                                                                 lots of love em x            

Autumn Essentials

Hey petals, Autumn is here,my favourite season of the year (no rhyming intended)  Today i thought i would write a post on my 'Autumn Essentials'. I hope you enjoy x


My first Autumn Essential are dark lipsticks, i have chosen two the first being my new favourite;

 Mac's 'Cyber' this is a dark purple, almost looks black  (i promise its not) this colour looks amazing on dark skin and lighter skin, it is also sheer to build able coverage and has a satin finish which helps reduce the lips looking dry.  

The next is Rimmel's '107' from the Kate Moss Collection, this is a berry red colour, this suits a variety of skin tones (i think anyone can pull this off) it also looks great with a dark lip liner to create a gradient effect giving the lips more depth. One great thing about the Kate Moss line is the formula, '107' is a matte shade, however, its creamy and feels like velvet rather than drying the lips. Id say the coverage is similar to 'Cyber', as it is build able.







































My Second Autumn Essential are candles: Any type really, but i recommend the well loved 'Yankee' Candles, i only own one at the moment which is called 'Vanilla Cupcake' the name says it all really, i have had plenty of other Yankee Candles before, however, Vanilla is my favourite scent so would explain as to why this is my favourite. 'Vanilla Cupcake' smells so fantastic as it doesn't smell artificial at all, and is just so sweet and yummy. When i have it burning the whole house smells like a bakery (i love it). The price is a little high for a candle, but it is so worth it as they last ages!

My third Autumn Essential is a good powder: Normally i hate powders, however, as it is getting colder i have been obsessed with my Mac 'Studio Fix Powder' this is a powder foundation which would explain the amazing coverage. The reason i love this powder so much is due to its high coverage, yet it still allows my natural oils to come through. This is perfect for Autumn/Winter as it helps my skin to look flawless, yet also 'breathe', as it gets colder i tend to prefer a more heavy coverage foundation/powder and this is perfect for that. It retails for £21.50, which may seem a bit pricey but for someone who desires a good coverage, it is worth the money.

My fourth Autumn Essential are woolly jumpers: (these should be everyone's essentials) i absolutely love woolly jumpers for Autumn/Winter as they are such a classic and can be styled in so many ways. Mine is from Topshop, i picked this one up and wore it to death last year, but i have re-discovered it and my love for this jumper is flourishing once again. You can pretty much find woolly jumpers anywhere, i definitely recommend them to anyone!

My fifth Autumn Essential is lip balm: I wear lip balm everyday all year round, however, my favourite is this 'Nivea Essential Care' one, this is from the drugstore and costs just over a pound. I adore this as it moisturises my lips so well, its light and not scented. i also find it is a great base for lipstick.



                                     Thank you for reading, lots of love em x

Thought of The Day

Perfect Body?

 'Fat' and 'Skinny' are two terms that are loosely used, by this is mean they are said  without real thought,  in my eyes 'Fat' and 'Skinny' are both perfect. Perfect is seeing the up-sides and down-sides of something and learning to accept both and love it.  Who  can define what 'Fat' is or what 'Skinny' is?  those terms are both as equally as hurtful in my eyes even though they mean different things.

For most people weight or body shape is a struggle, it always has been for me. Especially being a teenager, media has such a massive impact on me personally. But it is important to realise that our 'imperfections' are what makes us unique, we are all individuals made of the same substance, most of us just don't recognise that it is okay to be yourself.

 They say no body is 'perfect', however, one could argue 'perfection' is in the eye of the be-holder, just as beauty. The important thing to remember is that no matter what shape or size you are you need to be happy. If you love chocolate eat the chocolate (this doesn't mean 10 bars a day) but do what is right for you, don't feel pressured by someone else's judgement. In my eyes everyone is beautiful (soppy soppy).

                                                                            Thank you so much for reading, em x

The Future

Have you ever just wondered why you were put on this earth? (apart from the fact you were made, but lets not get into that story) this may seem like a deep thought its just many people say they were put here for a 'reason', i guess we all have that in us. But whats your reason? Im constantly being bombarded with talk of My future; what do you want to be? what courses are you taking at college? are you going to uni? When really i have no clue. I mean i know what im interested in (makeup, fashion, beauty and other non-materialistic things) but not necessarily when it comes to academics. When we grow, most of us have to attend some form of education, but text books dont always give you a clear answer as to how your life will pan out. Im kind of lost when it comes to what courses i want to take (well i want to take A-levels thats my first step, cries) there are a few courses im leaning towards, however, i cant decide whats right for me.

How do i know whats right for me when i dont even know what i want out of college? (apart from a few A-levels in something) 

If you are like me and are kind of lost, i suggest just trying to be positive, work hard in what you do. I want to get the best grades i can so i have a record of them for life (just as anyone these days). I strongly dislike school (apart from the social side) but it is my foundation to this Mystical and Magic 'Future' of mine. I just have to keep pushing through it. The upside are my great hobbies; blogging, shopping (when im not poor), family&friend time and make up. I suggest finding something you love, and doing it in your free time (unless you have homework, just get it out of the way first) its important to have time for yourself. It doesnt have to be expensive, it could be something like a new sport, singing or watching Disney films, its really a personal preference. I also like to go to the gym a few times a week to keep in shape, i love the gym as it really helps release any stress and i can be independent which i really enjoy. 

As much as it can be hard not to worry about your 'Future' its best to be open minded, if you are negative others can instantly detect it and can feed them negative thoughts (fair enough we all have 'one of those days') Just keep looking at all options and dont dismiss any.

                                                  I hope this helped, lots of love em x

September Favourites (new products)

Hey petals, so I know it's a little early but I thought I'd do my September favourites, I've never written a favourites before, but there are so many products ive been loving (when isnt there) i also recently picked up a few items and i know they will definitely be my holy grail products. So i hope you enjoy, please leave a comment below with your recommendations or favourites for this month! x

My First favourite of this month, is Mac's Mineralise skin finish in 'light scapade', i keep reaching for this product daily as it is super natural on the skin. I think this is my favourite skin finish that Mac sells as it is a beautiful champagne colour and i wish they would make more.

This next product is a recent purchase of mine, its the Loreal Skin Perfection Purifying Solution. I love this product so much because it feels like water, Its supposedly a dupe for 'Bioderma' and retailing at £3.33 you cant go wrong! Id say its a pretty good dupe, it certainly does the job and leaves your skin feeling super fresh!

I have had this next product for ages, i used to be obsessed with it 'Lover Dose by Diesel' 

It was my signature scent at one point, but since winter is on its way i decided to give it a try, and now i love it again,   it smells of strong liquorish and vanilla when you first spray it but once it settles it has a sweet lingering of vanilla, mandarin with a subtle floral hint (perfect for me) id definitely recommend it 

Next is this eye cream by Estee Lauder called 'Time Zone'. I don't particularly have dark circles, however, my under eye area tends to get very dry, and also quite puffy (lack of sleep i guess), but i do love this product, i would say that an i eye cream is essential in your skin care routine as eyes are so delicate, so if your looking for one to try, this is a nice option as it is very light and creamy so it doesn't weigh your under eyes down.

 My last favourite of the month is this Disney film 'Wreck it Ralph' this is one of my all time favourite films, i love Disney so much! In my opinion you can be any age to love a good Disney film! You better watch it, im not telling you the story line! 

hope you enjoyed! lots of love em x

Chit Chat

Hey! So today I'm in the mood for a chit chat kind of blog, to update my petals on what I've been up to recently and my current interests I hope you enjoy! X


So last week I saw Insidious 2, it was great! If you don't know what I'm on about its a horror film, it's not too scary (I did cover my face a few times) but the original film is quite popular, if you haven't ever watched a horror film before Insidious is a good one to  start out with,. The plot of insidious 2 (without giving too much away) completely surprised me! I wasn't expecting It at all!  I definitely  recommend  watching it!

I have also recently been to a few parties (I'm kinda boring so it's not a regular thing for me) just kidding, but I am a great lover of movie nights, pyjamas and food. However, It's been great socialising with people out of my regular circle (by this I mean people I know but don't often talk to)
Even if you aren't very confident with speaking to  people you usually don't  or just haven't considered it , try it!  I have made a few new friendships and had such a laugh (excuse the crappy picture)

On Saturday I Went to Brighton with my Blog sis,Olivia  I have to admit we did take a trip to Mackeroo, but I was well restrained and didn't spend too much (I promise)  we also went  to boots  and  picked up a few other beauty bits!  I love my drugstore and highend, i couldnt live without them (woah just kidding) I will probably do a haul of my beauty items, maybe in a September favourites so if you like those kind of blogs keep an eye out or comment below!

Well I hope you enjoyed! I hope  you are all looking forward to winter as much as I am! Lots of love em x

Lessons i have learnt

Whilst listening to The XX (click here for a listen) its hard not to think about past experiences and whats still to come in life, so i thought i would write about lessons i have learnt from experience to help guide me into the future, of course we are still learning every day but maybe this could be helpful, hope you enjoy x

Comparing: of course it is a natural instinct to compare yourself to others, as i have already mentioned in a previous post , it is important to recognize that everyone has a different journey and some started their journey before others, embrace the little things and work your way up

Body Image: this can be a very sensitive subject for most people, however, after watching a video on body image recently, i learnt that we shouldn't be defined by a 'size' we should dress for our shape, everyone has a different shape and we shouldn't be ashamed of it, of course everyone has days where they hate their thighs however, you should dress for the way something looks, for the fit you desire not because you feel the need to be a certain 'size'

Self worth: its only recently i have started to recognize its important to value yourself, by this i mean dont feel you are 'below' anyone, everyone is equal, i used to let anyone walk over me as i felt intimidated by others, i would focus on only what other people wanted me to do rather than do what i wanted, one day i just sat and thought 'by feeling below others, am i happy?' so i started to become more confident with what i wanted to do and now i focus on what makes me happy

Hope this helped, lots of love em x

I love drugstore makeup tag

As Im on a roll with blogging today, I thought I would do a tag, I chose 'drugstore' makeup as it can be reasonably priced for begginers, hope you enjoy!

What's your favourite drugstore makeup brand?
This is hard questions as I like many different brands for different products, I would  have to say Rimmel since they have an amazing range of very pigmented and affordable lip products, they carry a nice range of foundations and their cult 'stay matte' powder

What are your favourite face, cheek and lip products?
I would have to go with Revlon's colour stay foundation, I use the formula for oily skin and it lasts all day, for cheeks I would go for sleek, as their blushers and bronzers are so pigmented and very good value for money, and for lips I'd definitely stick with Rimmel lipsticks (especially the Kate moss line) the formula is very creamy (the matte shades are my favourite and even they aren't drying)

What is your least favourite product from the drugstore?
For this I would have to pick Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation, I love this product on other skin types, however, my skin is oily and I end up looking like a chip shop after an hour of wearing it, it looks lovely on normal/dry skin, and gives a dewy finish but doesn't work for me (sad I know)

What is the best makeup bargain?
Oo, for this I'm going with MUA's heaven and earth palette, with this product you get 12 neutral shades (all satin finish) they are so pigmented and quite easy to blend, this is a great product for makeup beginners and only costing £4 you can't go wrong

What is your favourite underdog product?
Underdog, I would have to say Collection 2000 Creme Puffs, they have a creamy texture when first applied, and dry matte, the pigmentation and lasting power is great, (maybe similar to the NYX soft matte lip creams) I love them

What is a drugstore product that is over priced?
Eye liners, I find that some can be super over priced for what they are, especially when they go streaky when applied or start to crumble (mine tend to dry out)  some are £8-9 to be honest I'd rather spend a few pounds more in Mac and invest in something that will last, and won't dry out

What is your favourite drugstore dupe?
This wasn't hard to choose, maybelline colour tattoos are my first choice, they are so similar to mac paint pots, you really can't go wrong as both Maybelline colour tattoos and Mac paint pots are a great investment for beginners as there are no tools required

What drugstore product isn't worth the hype?
No7. Beautifully Matte foundation, I find this product is great for my skin type, however, it oxidises so much and looks patchy throughout the day time (very orange)

I tag, Sins and Sparkles, LauraLouiseBell and everyone else I follow x

Hope this helped, and hope you enjoyed! Lots of love em x

A read for a Rainy Day

Hey Petals, today I thought I would Write a post about self worth, there are probably a million posts on this, however people have different perspectives on this topic (if you don't like a slice of cringe, I suggest trying a slice of cheese cake) - Olivia

In life everywhere you go people will love you, people will hate you and people will be oblivious to your existence, the one thing I used to find hard  was accepting that, over the years I have found it really hard to accept who I am, or who I'm becoming, I guess that's because of experiences people go through in life, everyone has a different journey and it is so important to remember that. The thing I struggle with the most is comparing myself to the person next to me, of course I am still discovering new things about myself each day just as anyone, but sometimes you fade into the darkness and only see someone else's light, it makes you feel worse and worse and almost consumed.

                         

This is one famous quote, which really hit me like a tonne of iced teas, it really is true, "Don't compare your start to someone else's  middle" everyone takes different paths, which lead to different outcomes, if you spend a lot of time comparing yourself to others so much that it makes you feel worse, you need to step out of that mindset and realise what is in front of you, just remember that the only way you can reach the finish line is by taking the first step. This may all seem easier said than done, but once you cross the first line, it becomes easier to keep running. Remember practice makes perfect, don't forget that everyone has down days (I find Reeses peanut butter cups are a good healer) its only human, realising what you have isn't about the big things, it can often be about the little things that amount to a lot.

                 If you haven't fallen asleep by now, thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed em x

OOTD: Summer is ending

Hey Petals,
Today i thought i would do a different kind of post than usual, as August is over and Autum is on its way i thought i should do an outfit post on what i wore before i need wellies and my parka,  was a bit apprehensive posting this but i should stay open minded, enjoy

Hope you enjoyed! lots of love em x