My Kiko Love-In

My Kiko Love-In
One day when casually shopping, I stumbled upon the new Kiko store in Nottingham Victoria Centre and fatefully went inside and promised my self I would come back and buy the whole shop.

The reviews for both the Invisible Powder and the Pencil Lip Gloss in Shade 11 can be found in my September Make-Up and Beauty Haul- both of which are amazing products, so go on and treat yourself!

Pencil Lip Gloss (Shade 12)-£3.90
I cannot rave enough about these Lip Gloss sticks, they're absolutely brilliant! I have the nude shade as mentioned above, and now have shade 12 which is the wine red and is beautiful for both a delicate day look or subtle sultry for the evening. They apply beautifully and the consistency is gorgeous, with their lasting quality being an added bonus! Basically, they're wonderful and you should buy every shade x  

Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow (37 Burgundy)- £6.90
Eyeshadow sticks are a major love of mine because they're mega easy to apply for a quick make-up look, but also look amazing! This burgundy shade is more like a dark red, which was an incredibly daring choice for me as I'm very much a nude eyeshadow sort of girl, but I'm in love with this product and the colour. The pigmentation is incredible and is topped only by it wearability. The name 'long lasting' isn't lying as it is one of the most durable products I've ever used! The rounded applicator stick makes it so easy tocreate you chosen look and really is worth the £6.90!

High Pigmentation Eyeshadow (Shade 116)- £2.90
My favourite eye look this Autumn is Olive eyeshadow so I wanted a Khaki shade to create a smokey eye effect. So when I saw these Kiko shadows for £2.90 I couldn't resist! All of the eyeshadows are super pigmented and this shade in particular has a little bit of sparkle which I absolutely love! They blend amazingly and look fab with neutral tones or with a bronze/gold shade to pick out the sparkle in the shadow. An absolute bargain for £2.90 and it comes in 48 different shades so why not buy loads?

If there's a Kiko near you, then it is definitely worth a visit and if not, they have a website which is just as fab. However, I'm not responsible for the ridiculous amount of money you'll spend on all of the beautiful products...
Love,
Elle x

September Haul

September Make-Up and Beauty Haul
The month of September means I'm back at University, which also means I'm back with my friend Izzy who is a bit of a Make-Up shopping fiend like myself. So when we get together, beauty buying gets a little out of hand...
L'Oreal True Match Foundation-2.N Vanilla
After returning to my normal pale self after my holiday tan had vanished, my summer foundation was too dark which meant an excuse for a new foundation.The L'Oreal True Match has received great reviews from beauty bloggers, with it being almost identical to Armani's Luminous Silk which will set you back £35 per bottle, so this £8 dupe was a steal. It has a great medium coverage that applies beautifully and is incredibly light to wear, without feeling like you're wearing a lot of Make-Up. A great foundation at a bargain price.
Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
For a while I fell out with my Smashbox Primer but I've fallen in love with it all over again. With a price tag of £12.50 for a 12ml bottle, it seems expensive but is totally worth the money. It is silicone based so provides a smooth, silky base for your foundation whilst blurring out any open pores or fine lines before applying your foundation. It is no doubt one of the best high street primer's out there so treat yourself to a bottle.
Lacura Q10 Gentle Daily Face Cream for Dry and Sensitive skin-£1.49
With the quality and price of this wonder moisturiser, I'll never use another again! This gorgeous face cream from Aldi is great to apply before putting on Make-Up as it moisturises, but isn't greasy or oily, giving that unwanted shine before we put on our face. It rubs in wonderfully and smells beautiful, so who can argue with a £1.50 bottle of perfection?
Revolution Make-Up Fixing Spray-£5
A new Make-Up brand to high street beauty giant Superdrug and has fast become one of my favourites. They have great quality Make-Up at bargain prices, with plenty of dupes! This spray is a dupe of Urban Decay's Setting Spray which is £25 a bottle, so to find something just as good for £5, it would be rude not to buy it! Two sprays after applying your Make-Up will make sure it stays all day. It has a strange smell but does a great job of setting your Make-Up.
Revolution Make-Up Double Flick Thick and Thin Liquid Eyeliner-£3.50
This is hands down the best liquid eyeliner pen I have ever used. Better than my L'Oreal Paris Super Liner and my Benefit 'They're Real' Push Up Liner, so at £3.50, it's an absolute god-send. It has two ends one to line your upper lash line, and the other to perfect the cat eye flick, both of which enable you to create that vintage look with ease. Like the Fixing Spray above, find this and many more bargain beauty buys from the Revolution Make-Up counter in any Superdrug store.
Kiko Invisible Powder- £11.90
My new brand love apart from Revolution is Kiko. Their products are great quality, at affordable prices. This setting powder is great to apply after concealer and foundation as it sets your base, ensuring it creates no shine and adds no extra colour to your base either. It is super light and does exactly what it says on the tin, meaning your foundation and concealer won't budge when applying the rest of your Make-Up.
Kiko Pencil Lip Gloss- £3.90
This product is simply genius and takes away the mess and fuss of applying and wearing your standard lip gloss. It creates a great shine but is super soft and applies wonderfully. With 16 different shades, there's one to suit everyone, but I picked up shade 11 Mauve Beige which I'm obsessed with and haven't stopped wearing! There's both neutral and bright shades, so whatever your desired look, this range has it covered and at £3.90, why don't you have one already? 

There's some super great products in this haul ladies, so if your Make-Up bag is in need of an update, then get spending!
love,
Elle x

12 of my Favourite Albums of all time.

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12 of my Favourite Albums of all time.
Music is a huge part of my life and one of my favourite things to talk about! I could name you loads of albums I adore but these are a few to which my love never seems to falter.
(These are in no particular order!)

Mumford and Sons- Babel
I cannot rave about this album enough. It combines three genres in Folk, Country and Indie/Alternative and is just bloomin beautiful! I love Sigh No More but Babel is so much more established and multi-dimensional. It can go from a quiet, haunting track like Ghosts That We Knew to something gritty and powerful like Broken Crown (My fave on the album!) DOWNLOAD NOW.

Plan B- The Defamation of Strickland Banks
I have never been a huge fan of rap, but this album completely changed that. Ben Drew's lyrics are clever and meaningful, everything rap never was to me. It mixes the modern feel of rap with a more old school Swing/Jazz/ Blues vibe and it is genius. But it isn't just the lyrics that are inspired, the whole album follows the story of Strickland Banks and it's like modern day Poetry to your ears.

Royal Blood- Royal Blood
If you're in to rock and you haven't listened to this band, then where have you been? I was late to the Royal Blood hype after my boyfriend was obsessed before they blew up in a big way and now I can't get enough. To say there's only two of them, when you listen to this album in the car or wherever, you feel like you're in a stadium. It's loud and it's brilliant. Everything these guys do is incredible, they're cover of Roxanne for one!

Ed Sheeran- +
You don't need me to tell you this album is amazing because the figures and his success says it all, but I love everything this man does. His voice, lyrics and melodies give me goosebumps every single time I listen, no matter how many times I have it on repeat. It's music at its rawest and best form and it's what makes it so special. I could go on, but it's just truly beautiful.

Ben Howard- Every Kingdom
I love a voice that's different and haunting and Ben Howard's is just that. It's fresh but it has an old fashioned quality about it, but his music is so unique and different that when you hear his voice, it couldn't be anyone else. He isn't talked about enough, despite his undeniable talent. My personal favourites on the album are Only Love and Old Pine.

Kings of Leon- Only By the Night
Because I sing a little, I appreciate voices and they're often the things that get my attention. Caleb Followill's voice is one of my absolute favourites because it's raspy and raw,spine-chillingly brilliant. This is their best album in my opinion, and shows their diversity. Be Somebody is as loud as canons and then there's the chill and groovy Manhattan which is a summer anthem for me.

Maverick Sabre- Lonely Are The Brave
It's all about the voice again for this album, it's truly incredible. I say this to everyone, but for me, he is the male Amy Winehouse. He was another that changed my perception of rap, made it mean something and rapped about things that were relevant to me. He's just as great live as he is on this album, another true talent that needs more recognition!

Fleetwood Mac- Rumours
This is one of the greatest selling albums of all time and with good reason. I love the mix of tones and styles on this album, it proves that old is gold! I love music where you can hear individual instruments, and all of Fleetwood Mac's music does just that. Personal favourites include Dreams and Songbird which are great for Sunday chill days.

Paolo Nutini- These Streets
This is most probably my favourite album of all time and again, it's all about the voice. I'm a huge fan of Paolo Nutini and this album demonstrates his incredible talent as an artist and writer, writing most of these songs at the age of 18. It can lift you up with songs like Jenny Don't Be Hasty, then turn you into an emotional wreck with Rewind. The lyrics are beautiful and the voice is stunning, you need this album in your life.

Robbie Williams- Escapology
Maybe a lesser known album than some of the others on this list, but nonetheless brilliant. Robbie Williams is so much better than angels and Rock Dj, with this album being the evidence. His lyrics on this album are sometimes funny and often devastating, but gorgeous all the same. This album is great driving music and really showcases Robbie's gritty and beautifully imperfect voice. He isn't run of the mill and it's what makes this album great.


Foo Fighters- Sonic Highways
Has there ever been a more genius album than this? The concept of it, the music journey you embark on and the lyrical superiority of Dave Grohl's writing make it one in a million. This album proves that rock music doesn't have to be loud to be brilliant, but when it's good, at max volume is the best way to listen. Watch the series to make it even more special or just sit back and listen to the pure brilliance that is Sonic Highways. 

The Script- The Script
This album is a close contender for my favourite and it's The Script at their best. It's diverse, lyrically brilliant and has me singing along to every word. This band is a personal favourite and I love everything they do, but this album defines what is good pop music, infectious melodies, great lyrics and sing-at- the- top-of- your lungs chorus'. If you listen to any of their albums, listen to this!

Ed Sheeran- X
The only the artist that features twice but I love both albums unbelievable amounts! The songs on this albums can make me cry, smile or question my life, and it's wonderful. These songs make your soul swell, because they're so beautifully written and they need nothing more than  a voice and a guitar to make them brilliant. I couldn't  love this album anymore, or Ed Sheeran for that matter. Tenerife Sea and I'm a Mess are must listens.


Some of my favourite artists are missing from this list, but I simply couldn't pick one album that I love the most. Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga and Queen are all missing from this list but make the most incredible music, to which all of their discography is worthy of this list.

Happy Listening lovelies,
Elle x

Celeb Style Steal- Alexa Chung

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Celeb Style Steal- Alexa Chung
With her laidback ,edgy city style, Alexa Chung is one of my fashion queens so here's the items you can get your hands on now to recreate her signature style. 

Lace-Up Stilettos- £30 from prettylittlething.com

70's Floral Skater Dress-£18 from boohoo.com

Denim Dress- £30 from missguided.co.uk

Denim Dungarees- £48 from Topshop

 Striped high neck shirt- £15 from Dorothy Perkins

Snake skin Ankle Boot- £29.99 from publicdesire.co.uk
Denim Pinafore Dress- £28 from Dorothy Perkins
Distressed Jeans- £24 from missyempire.com

Alexa's style is perfect for Autumn so get a heads up with these few pieces to nail her signature style!
Elle x

Hair and Beauty Holy Grail

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10 Hair and Beauty products I can't live without!

1. Tangle Teezer- £10.99
This is my life saver on a daily basis! I have incredibly thick and long hair so trying to get a brush through it without it being painful used to be a nightmare until I started using my Tangle Teezer. It's great for not only brushing your hair but creating volume too! Plus its a handy size for your handbag or even your clutch on a night out :)


2. Rimmel Brow Pencil- £2.99
I don't know whether this is just me but I never truly feel human until I've done my brows and most certainly never leave the house without them done! This is the pencil I previously mentioned in my July Favourites post but it's honestly brilliant! It's super creamy and doesn't create any harsh lines. It comes in 3 shades, Hazel, Dark Brown and Black Brown. 

3.Batiste Blush- £2.99
If you don't own a bottle of Batiste then what are you doing with your life? I really couldn't live without Batiste for those lazy days where washing and drying your hair is the last thing you want to do,so instead, you just spray in some Batiste and you're good to go! All of them smell wonderful but Blush is my favourite! It's great not only for hiding greasy roots, but also for creating volume without the back combing!

4.No 7 Concealer- £7.50
This Concealer Blemish Stick from No 7 is hands down the best concealer I've ever used. It's the only concealer I've ever found that truly conceals blemishes and doesn't just claim to. It's lovely and creamy and applies beautifully! It comes in 17 different shades so you're bound to find the perfect one for you :) The price may seem a little steep but it's totally worth it.

5. L'Oreal Micellar Water- £3.33
This is another product that features in my July favourites but it is worthy of all this attention! I use it at night to take off my make-up along with an eye make-up remover, which leaves my skin feeling clean and fresh before bed. It's super gentle and is great for those of you with sensitive skin like me. I haven't had a break out since I started using this product, so I'll continue to sing its praises.


6.Simple Eye Make-Up Remover- £1.69
I love Simple's products because they're brilliant and so affordable. They're perfect for sensitive skin types and leave no irritation and in this product's case, no redness around the eyes. This is the best eye make-up remover I've ever used and ensures I don't wake up with Panda eyes in the morning!

7. Angels on Bare Skin- £6.75
I was introduced to Lush products when my boyfriend was a Christmas Temp there a few years ago. He'd bring home free samples and often things for me he thought I'd like, to which Angels on Bare Skin was one of them. I used to have pretty bad skin a few years ago with my face being blemish free on very few occasions. This product was a life-saver for me as the lavender in the product reduced redness over night, which meant concealing my spots was far easier. Angels on Bare Skin is listed as a cleanser but is great for those of us with spot- prone skin, leaving you feeling fresh and revitalised after use. 


8. Katy Perry Killer Queen- £28.50
This perfume was given to me as a gift for my 18th Birthday and I've been buying bottles ever since! It's my daytime perfume and is my second favourite to Lady Million, but isn't as pricey! It smells beautiful and comes in the most fabulous bottle which can double up as an ornament on your dressing table. It's floral but isn't over powering and smells classy, if that's a passable statement!


9. Real Techniques Core Collection- £10.99
Before becoming obsessed with Tanya Burr,Zoella, Naomi Smart and PixiWoos, I had no idea what were deemed to be good or bad Make-Up brushes. So I thought it was about time to see what all the fuss was about with Real Techniques brushes, and I'm glad I did! You can most certainly tell the difference between cheap plastic brushes and the soft fibres of Sam Chapman's brushes. The Core Collection is fab to get you started and is worth every penny! You'll notice your make-up applies better and therefore looks better :)


10. Benefit Bad Gal Waterproof Eye liner- £15.50
You can always count on Benefit products to be high quality but expensive, but I'll always pay it for eye liner. Without eye liner, I look around 12 years old, so it's essential for me to wear it everyday! This liner is creamy and stays all day because of its water proof quality and comes with a handy smudging stick to create those smoky eye looks that we all love:)


There's no harm in buying more Make- Up ladies, no matter what anyone says!

Stay beautiful,
Elle x

New Found Fashion Sites

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5 Clothing websites you need in your life! (Not Boohoo, MissGuided or Asos)
We all love a good peruse over Boohoo, Missguided and Asos, but if you're looking for something specific and these websites fail you, here are 5 others that you should definitely add to your favourites!

www.publicdesire.co.uk
This is my new go to website for shoes! I could spend an absolute fortune because every single pair is beautiful, and they're so reasonably priced! Standard delivery is the bargain price of £2.99, with Public Desire also offering 15% Student Discount!

www.missyempire.com
I heard about his website via instagram from various TOWIE stars that I follow. Lydia Bright and Georgia Kousoulou are huge fans, as am I! They have some gorgeous pieces which you can see to the left, all of which are super reasonable! All UK delivery is free, with a bonus of 15% Student Discount on offer!

www.inthestyle.com
In the Style was another Instagram find and now I'm addicted! With guest collections from Charlotte Crosby and Lauren Pope, you can really dress like a celeb, with their own collections also filled with some absolutely beautiful pieces. Standard delivery is £3.89 and this white co-ord is a complete fave!


www.prettylittlething.com
Pretty Little Thing is slowly working its way in to the ranks of Boohoo and Missguided, and the hype is well- deserved. The collection by Lucy Mecklenburgh is blooming gorgeous, and is perfect to create your summer wardrobe! UK Saver Delivery is £2.99 with 15% Student Discount also on offer :)

www.missfoxy.co.uk
This is a website that I found by acident but I'm so glad I did! The black lace-up body on the left is one of my must haves and is super on trend! The website isn't as well-known meaning their pieces are offered at great prices that are super affordable! Delivery is free over £35 with a great saving of 20% on offer for students!

Now go on a spending spree! There's nothing wrong with treating yourself once in a while :)
Love,
Elle x

Feeling Down?

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5 Things to do when you feel down.
We all have those days,or times in our lives where we feel upset, or lost or just plain helpless. Even though it may feel like you'll never be okay again, trust mhe, you will :) Here are a few things I like to do when the world is getting me down. 

1.Music
The thing that helps me out most in this situation is music. Make a playlist of your favourite songs and blare them through headphones, it helps you clear your head, makes you feel more composed and just puts you in a better mood in general. 

2.Alone Time
Sometimes, distance from a situation or state of mind can help you to figure out what to do or to just make you feel better. Go for a walk, or go do something by yourself that you enjoy like shopping or getting your nails done. Having some time by yourself to think and get your thoughts together can be the most refreshing and helpful thing to do in a difficult situation. However, don't isolate your self from everyone and everything, just take a day or a few hours to compose yourself and have some 'you' time. 

3.Be a people person
Even though a little bit of alone time is good to get a clearer picture of things, surrounding yourself with others is another great way to take your mind off the problem at hand. Spend time with people who love and care about you, whether that's family or friends. Those people bring out the best in us and help us to put things in to perspective about our lives. 

4.Don't dwell on it
Trust me, I know at the time this isn't an easy thing to do, but it helps more than anything. Don't sit around doing nothing, feeling sorry for yourself because it honestly just makes things worse, dwelling on the problem won't solve it, instead go out and do something to either solve it or distract you. My thing at the minute is colouring from the anti-stress colouring books covering the shops and book shelves! If not, tidy or organise your room, it can help to clear your head, and living in a tidy room can help you think better!

5.Think about you
When we get stuck in a frame of mind, it's so easy to think about everything else except for the most important thing, YOU! Have a good cry, get it all out and don't beat yourself up about how you feel, you're only human. Focus on what makes you happy and keep doing it, life's too short to be anything but happy :) 

Always keep smiling beauties, 'because life is a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about!'
Love,
Elle x