Empties #3

  There were so many things in my ever-growing empties box that I thought I should split them in half: makeup and non-makeup. Above, we have a number of hair products, like for example the Batiste Dry Shampoo, the Aussie 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner, and the Boots heat protective spray. I was a fan of all three of these, they are nothing fancy, but they do the job for not much money. 

  Then not one but two Snow Fairy's. A mini and a big one. It took me ages to get through these, and I admit I was getting a bit sick of the scent by the time it got to May, but I wanted to finish them up. My friend gave me this Ted Baker body mist, which I liked the smell of very much, although the only thing I'd say about it is that I got through it very quickly.

  In terms of skin, I've tried a couple of different products recently, neither of which I particularly liked. The Freederm face wash left a very strange residue, and the Neutrogena 'blackhead eliminating' lotion did not do very well at eliminating any blackheads.

  This may look like quite a few products (especially lips) but it has taken me six months since the last empties post to collect this lot. First is the Maybelline Baby lips, just the clear one. I liked this, not least because it was only £2.99. Then the Fresh Sugar lip treatment in 'tulip'. You may have seen this in my Sephora haul post. It took me a while to finish, but I'm sad that is now done because I can't easily find/afford another one. The Rimmel stay matte powder and Collection lasting perfection concealer are both old favourites, both of which I have already repurchased. 

  I actually finished the Benefit Lollibalm quite a while ago, because I got it for Christmas, and it didn't last very long, but I enjoyed it while it lasted. You may not be able to see from this rather low quality photo, but I have finished the middle three eyeshadows from the Naked Basics palette, Foxy, Naked 2 and Walk of Shame. I liked these immensely, but I've now used the colours I most like, so I'm not sure what I'll do with the other three (even though I've hit pan on Venus). 

Sorry I had a month off blogging, I was extremely busy, but now it's summertime, so hopefully posts should be more regular.

Love Lucy xxx

Revision and Exam Preparation Tips

It's that time of year - exams. As all older teenagers in the UK (and US?) will know, this time of year is stress-filled and revision-heavy. It would be fair to say I hate revision, and my study time is usually not very effective, but I have learnt some techniques which work for me, and hopefully might work for you too.

1. Make a timetable

Structuring your time is essential, because otherwise I am prone to zoning out and playing on my phone (not good). Having a clear plan allows you to be purposeful, and know exactly what you're supposed to be doing when, which helps. 


2. Have breaks

I definitely know from experience that trying to do 4 hours of solid revision will not work. After around an hour of productive revision, my brain just becomes fuzzed, and all further revision is unproductive. It's much better to do effective blocks, rather than hours of bored, bad revision.

3. Break topics into chunks

I always do this with topics, especially things like biology and history, where there is just so much content to learn, that just to sit there and read years worth of notes is not very effective. With biology, I made an A4 page or two of typed notes for each topic, which didn't take too long, and is a lot more manageable.

4. Make flashcards

I used to loathe flashcards because it took hours to write them out. Then I discovered the world of online flashcard websites, and my life was transformed. www.cram.com is my personal favourite, although there are many others. They are an excellent way of learning, for example dates, or specific facts.

5. Don't over-revise

This may sound stupid, but while these exams are extremely important, getting too stressed will be counter-productive and end up making you do worse. Doing revision is necessary, but doing too much, or cramming crazily, won't help you get the grades you want.

Hope this helps!
Love Lucy xxx

BareMinerals Complexion Rescue | My thoughts

I was going to include this in my next samples roundup post, but I decided that it merited it's own post. I finally summoned up the courage to ask at the bareMinerals counter for a sample of their new Complexion Rescue (believe me, it took a long time, I hate talking to people in shops). 

 The lady was very pleasant, and colour-matched me to my shade (01 Opal - the lightest shade naturally). She squeezed me out a sample into this cute pot. On the voucher I brought along it said 'Deluxe' sample, and let me tell you it was definitely deluxe. I got 18 uses out of it! That is a lot! And I was not being scarce with it, I was going all out, assuming it would run out after a week. 

The texture is extremely light, and the colour is perfect for me. It spreads very easily, and so a little goes a long way. The coverage is quite minimal, but having said that, it does reduce redness and cover up acne quite well.

The only negative I have with this is that it is very dewy. I usually like that radiant-complexion kinda look, but I have quite oily skin, and it is more of a shiny-face sort of effect. Coupled with the fact that I have just run out of my Rimmel Stay Matte powder, the shine has been reigning free for the last few days.

  All in all, I am a huge fan of this, and am extremely tempted to buy the full size, but it is pretty expensive. Having said that, bareMinerals is an excellent quality brand, and given how little is needed, it would last a long time. Hmmm...

Love Lucy xxx

What's in my bag

 I though I would do one of these posts, because I love reading/watching them, but I warn you that it might be a little dull, because I really don't carry very much around with me.

My bag is a rucksack from Primark. I got it last summer, but either they still sell it, or another shop sells similar, because I see people with this design all the time. It was, if I remember correctly, only £8, so it may not be the best quality, but it shows no sign of failing me yet.

Like I said, I don't carry very much with me, because I hate carrying heavy bags, so I choose to travel light.

 First (and most important haha) is my phone. I don't think I could live without it, and I am constantly checking it, or playing games (Candy Crush is my personal favourite). I have a Cath Kidston case with clocks on it, which I love.

 For my purse, I use this one from Cath Kidston (I am a fan, if you couldn't tell). I got it for Christmas, and would seriously recommend investing, because it holds literally everything. 

  I suffer from extremely dry hands, so this E45 hand cream is an essential. It is so hydrating, thick and creamy. Maybelline baby lips are another must, and this one - 'Mint Fresh' - has a very nice smell.

Love Lucy xxx

My eyeliners

 Yes, this is a lot of eyeliners. What can I say, I like trying different ones. In my defence, all of these have different purposes.

Stila Stay all day eyeliner in 'Midnight' - An essiebutton inspired purchase, and one that I don't regret. The formula is very good, and does last all day as the name suggests, but the brush is a bit thin for my liking. I do love the navy colour though. 

Mac Superslick Liquid eyeliner in 'Defiantly Feline'  - My mum bought this for me in duty free, and whilst I like the long brush, the formula takes a while to dry, and I think I would have gone for the black rather than the brown, which has some shimmer in it.

Rimmel Exaggerate eyeliner in '01 Black' - This was the first eyeliner I ever bought, which was a long time ago, so I should probably throw it away, but it is my only black liquid liner, so I am reluctant to. This is definitely not the world's best eyeliner, because it only lasts about 2 hours before it smudges or somehow evaporates, but I will keep going with it because I don't want to buy another liner. (I really don't need any more)

Charlotte Tilbury Rock'n'Kohl liner pencil in 'Bedroom Black' - The only pencil eyeliner in this collection, and also my favourite. It has become very small, because I have to keep sharpening it, so I am going to run out soon. I don't think I can bring myself to repurchase it, so I will have to find a pencil alternative. :(

Urban decay eyeshadow 'Crave' from Naked Basics palette - I apply this with a little angled Elf brush which came in a travel set, and I actually really like the effect of it. Crave is a matte black colour, and while it doesn't show up well on the paper, it is actually very pigmented. 

I might do more posts like this, focusing on one sort of product, but to be honest I only have one of most other products, so it might not be very interesting!

Love Lucy xxx

Review | Barry M Speedy Quick Dry Nail Polish

  Well if the extremely long name and the snazzy racing-themed names weren't enough to tempt you into trying this range of nail polishes, I can add my praise to the mix. I've been a fan of the Gelly polishes for a while, and after hearing some raves about this new range on Youtube and in the blogging world, I decided to give it a go. 

 I wanted to pick up the shades 'Eat my dust' or 'Stop the clock', but both were completely sold out in my local Boots so I got this one instead, 'Lap of honour'. It is a beautiful colour, and at £3.99, I am very likely to get a couple more colours, because the whole range is stunning. 

  I have always been sceptical about so-called "fast drying" nail polish, but I can honestly say this is the real deal. I couldn't believe it when my nails had dried in about 5 seconds. The whole process took record time, and I am extremely impressed. 

Have you got any fast-drying recommendations? I am very tempted to buy other colours, because this is easily my favourite nail polish of the moment, and very spring appropriate!

Love Lucy xxx

Samples Roundup #2

I'm back today with the second installment of samples from my sample drawer! Just a little head's up that I have a hella lot of samples still to try, so there will be more of these posts to come. :)

Garnier 5 second Perfect Blur - I did actually like this, and while I won't be purchasing the full size (because I don't believe in primers personally), it was quite a novel experience. Like it claims, it does blur imperfections reasonably, and smooths out skin ready for base.

Benefit Stay Flawless 15 hour Primer - Whether or not it was because the sample was in strange packaging, but I didn't really enjoy using this. It caked up quite a lot, and I ended up removing it and starting again both times I tried using it. As to it's lasting 15 hours, I'm not sure whether anyone has tested that assertion, but it seems unlikely to me. 

Bumble&bumble Colour minded Shampoo&Conditioner - I don't have coloured hair, so I probably wasn't the target audience, but I still enjoyed using these. I only got one wash out of the samples, but they were very moisturising, and I can understand how they would help prolong colour, with their hydrating properties. 

L'Oreal Elvive Smooth&Polish Perfecting Shampoo - I've wanted to try L'Oreal Elvive for a while now, and while this sample might not have given me the best idea, I certainly found it lived up to expectations. Also, the sample gave a hefty amount of shampoo, compared to the measly amounts usually given.

Love Lucy xxx

PS. The Garnier one isn't open in the pic because I hadn't started using it when I took the photo :D.

Favourite Eateries: Good Life Eatery

I'm sorry. I failed at the four-posts-a-month thing in March :( But guess what? It means 6 posts in April!  Can I just start this off by saying that this is officially my all time favourite eatery. If you are near South Kensington, GO HERE.

The Good Life eatery is an unassuming little place - you would never know just how cool it is unless you went in. Nevertheless, it was absolutely packed. They only have 25 seats, which I think they could definitely do with increasing. Me and my mum were overwhelmed by the choice (sorry everyone behind us in the queue...) and ended up ordering pretty much everything. :D

  We got a superfood shake - Berry Sunrise, it was the most delicious smoothie I have ever tasted. (I am exercising a lot of restraint not to use capital letters for everything here) My mum got water, but then ended up stealing my smoothie :/. I got the Peanut butter cups, because I had heard so much about them, and let me tell you they do not disappoint! As an added bonus, they are vegan, which makes me feel slightly less bad... We got four sides between the two of us, which was plenty. We went for the saffron chicken skewers, avocado toast, hummus dip, and sweet potato falafel. Honestly, every thing was perfect. It was amazing how delicious it was, given that it was actually really healthy. 

The decor of the place was really up my street, it was all brick walls and vintagey tables. The window were pleasantly steamy, and the air was filled with sounds of chatting, and smoothies being blended. Hmmm. 

 So in case you couldn't tell, I am in love. Definitely recommend.

Love Lucy xxx

Spring Wishlist

  Sooo, a wishlist. I feel like I haven't done one of these for a while. First, is the new BareMinerals release, Complexion Rescue. This looks awesome, and whilst I seriously don't need another base product, I may be able to find a niche in my collection for this one. Next is the cult favourite, Pixi Glow Tonic. I have wanted this for a while, because it is generally raved about in the blogging/youtube world. Also on the skincare front, is the Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion. I saw this on EllaGraceDenton's youtube channel, and is cheap and natural and looks awesome. 

  On the non-beauty side is the cookbook 'Deliciously Ella'. I LOVE her blog, and this cookbook looks so beautiful. Next is Alt-J's newest album, 'This is All Yours'. I am in love with their first album, and although I have heard this one isn't quite as good, I am still keen to listen to it. The last thing will not come as a surprise to anyone who read my last post, about Alexa Chung. It's one of her nail polishes in collaboration with Nails Inc, in the shade 'Cashmere'. I mean just look how beautiful the colour is!

That's all for this one, I can guarantee that there will be another wishlist sooner or later!

Love Lucy xxx

My Alexa Chung addiction

As a general rule, I am not a fan of people who are famous for being famous. And although Alexa Chung was originally a model/TV presenter, she does essentially fall into that category. However, I love her. She is just inexplicably, cool. Her hair, her style, her winged eyeliner. Everything. Consequently, I have googled a lot online to see what her favourite products are, and in the process discovered all sorts of collaborations she has done with various brands. 


Alexa Chung for Eyeko


Alexa is famous for nothing if not her winged eyeliner, so it seems only fitting that one of her collabs should be for just that. It is just a shame that, as can only be expected, having her name on the product boosts the price of the liner and mascara. 

Nails Inc. 

How beautiful are these nail colours? This collection, all named after different materials, is stunning, and I have a serious soft spot for 'Cashmere' (far right). At £15 each though, this might have to be one I save up for, but no-one can deny that Alexa has done good here.

AG Denim

 



I think I'm right in saying this is Chung's most recent collaboration, and it certainly is an awesome one. The price range is clearly very high end (prices start around £150) but I can look in awe at the website. The dress on the left, despite being £388, has completely sold out, which proves Alexa's appeal. 

So that was just a short round up of Alexa Chung's products, all of which I lust after. I love her even more after seeing her on the Comic Relief Bake Off, which I think brought her into the eye of more people who don't necessarily see her on the cover of Vogue (my mum).
Sorry posts have been a bit thin on the ground lately, don't worry there are more to come!
Love Lucy xxx

All the way from the USA

I've only been to the USA once in my life; we went around 6 years ago, and it was to Harry Potter World in Florida. We didn't actually see many things outside of the theme park, and certainly didn't go to any shopping malls, so my American shopping experience is negligible. Happily, my dad sometimes has to go on business trips to the States, and this time, I was ready to wave goodbye to my money (once again) with a list of things to purchase.

 First is the Tarte Amazonian clay BB tinted moisturiser. I got the shade 'ivory' and it is a perfect colour match. The packaging is the most stunning thing I have ever seen or felt, and I can't tell you how happy I am to own this. The coverage is minimal, but it evens out skin tone, and has SPF20, which will be perfect in summer.  

Next is the Fresh Sugar lip treatment in 'tulip'. This product is pricey for what it is, but it is honestly so good. Just one swipe gives a non-streaky, lovely colour, and it is so hydrating. The packaging is also so classy, and I love the matte finish of the tube. 

Finally is the Formula X nail polish in 'moon glow'. I did think that this would be more opaque, but it is quite transluscent, and you need a lot of coats to make a colour. I think I would try layering this over another colour rather than by itself. It does a lovely iridescence, and the colour is very pretty.

Hope you enjoyed this little haul, do you have any favourite products from Sephora?
Love Lucy xxx

Brand Focus - Urban Outfitters

It's been a while since the last one of these, so I thought I would make another one, this time on the shop I probably spend the most time surfing the website of: Urban Outfitters.
I don't own nearly as many things as I would like from them, mainly because it is veryyy expensive. However, I do have a few things from there, all of which I am IN LOVE WITH. 

 I'll go in chronological order, starting with this jumper. I did actually write a blogpost about how much I loved this, right after when I bought it, but I think I deleted it because it was a bit cringeworthy... It is slightly cropped, but not very noticeably, especially if you are wearing leggings. The colour is a faded orangey/navy, and it has a vintagey quality that I love.

This top is probably my favourite thing from UO. I wore it so much last summer (not in a disgusting I-don't-wash-my-clothes kind of way...) and I'm sure I'll get loads of use out of it this year. The material is so light, and the elephant design is really unique.

This was from the Renewal Vintage section of the UO in Bluewater. There were loads of different designs and colours, and each one was unique. 

I ordered this jacket online (which I would definitely recommend btw, it was very speedy), and it was also from the Vintage section. I like to think I am very cool when I wear this (in my dreams) and the quality is amazing. They sell these in quite a few different shops, but UO do different colours, and for the quality, I think the price is worth it. 

This top is the most recent addition to the Urban Oufitters section of my wardrobe. It is a blue plain t-shirt with navy trims around the sleeves and neck. This is, in my opinion, an essential basic piece, and I can see myself wearing this a lot throughout spring and summer. 

I do also own a little gold midi ring with an arrow on it (similar here) which I bought in Westfield. However, I can't for the life of me find it, so you will just have to imagine it's beauty. 

Love Lucy xxx

Recent Purchases #3

So I may have accidentally bought some things...

Blue tee - £15 from Urban Outfitters - Ahh Urban Outfitters never fails to disappoint. Their new spring layout in the Oxford Street store was AMAZING, and I spent a very long time looking around. Me and my mum also discovered a very snazzy photo booth on the top floor, which if you are there, you should definitely check out.

Floaty knit top & blue tie dye top - £21 and £14 from Brandy Melville - If you ever get the chance to go to Brandy Melville, go. It has been slammed a lot for only having one size for everything, but my Mum found two cardigans she really liked, and I don't think she was quite the target customer. There isn't a very good UK website, so I can't link these clothes, but I love them a lot.

Love, Tanya - £12.99 from WHSmiths - This was a present from my brother, who knows I'm a massive Youtube fan. Tanya's book is full of great tips and stories about her life, and I can't wait to finish it.

Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow foundation - £26.50 from feelunique - I caved. I bought this foundation. And I love it. The shade is a teensy bit orangey, and I would have thought they would have more shades given what a big brand Benefit is. However, I love the feel on my skin, and I would definitely recommend it. 

Body Shop Seaweed cleanser - £8.50 from Body Shop - The scent of this is divine, and although it doesn't remove waterproof makeup that well, it definitely cleanses the skin pretty well. 

E45 Nourishing & Restoring hand cream - £3.99 from Boots - My hands get incredibly dry and disgusting in winter, and this has done an amazing job of moisturising them. Not much more to say. 

Love Lucy xxx

Photography | Anglesey Abbey

  Some more photography today, since it's been a while since the last one. My family went to Anglesey Abbey, which is a National Trust property, and I took these photos on my Dad's big DSLR camera. Hope you enjoy! xxx

Product Empties #2

  This is second empties post, and indeed it bears a lot of similarities to the last one. What can I say, I am a creature of habit. Sorry the picture quality is so bad, I had to take it on my phone instead of a camera. :(

L'Oreal EverRiche shampoo&conditioner - These were in the last empties too, and are consistent in their appearances because I like them a lot. I also tried the EverSleek conditioner, which I probably liked even more than the EverRiche, so if I was to repurchase, I would probably get the shampoo/conditioner of this one instead.

Snow fairy shower gel - This has been in my empties box practically since I posted the last one, and I actually bought it in 2013, but better late than never! There will definitely be another Snow Fairy in the next empties, because I received it again this Christmas. 

GHD heat protect spray - Not a huge amount to say about this, it protected my hair (at least I hope it did), but I probably won't repurchase because it is more expensive than most drugstore heat protectants. 

Bumble&bumble Straight shampoo - The most expensive shampoo I have ever and will ever buy. I will almost definitely not repurchase for this reason, not least because it didn't last very long (and I am stingy with my shampoo).

L'Oreal false lash telescopic mascara - I was very sad when I had to let this go, but it dried up completely and got very clumpy and disgusting. Sadly I think they have discontinued the waterproof version of this, so I have had to resort to different mascara. 

Collection illuminating touch concealer - Again a repeat from last time. Not a massive fan of this concealer (although you wouldn't guess it), because it provides almost no coverage, but given the price you can't really complain. 

Maybelline Dream matte mousse foundation - This, in my opinion, hardly counts to be classed as a foundation. I bought this probably 2 years ago, and it is in fact not empty, but the consistency has gone very strange and I am never going to use it again. 

Body Shop olive body butter - I got this in duty free, and on sale, so for a fraction of the original price. This was perhaps fortunate, because I wasn't a fan of the scent. 

H'suan wen sua hair mask - I reviewed this fully here.

Sanctuary instant hydrating toner - It took me a while to finish this, because I kept forgetting to use it. I wanted to finish it though, and I am at last through it. It leaves your face feeling very fresh, but takes a while to sink in. 

Bumble&bumble hairdresser's invisible oil mini - If it wasn't ridiculously expensive, I would definitely buy a full size of this. It is very weightless, and has a very pleasant scent. 

That's it for the empties! I can't believe its 2015 as I write this... Bye!!

Love Lucy xxx