Lush Cosmetics Haul

Anyone who knows me knows that baths are my absolute favourite things in the world. I love nothing more than coming in from the cold outdoors, and getting into a hot bath, preferably with Glamour magazine in hand. Through the likes of Zoella and Tanya Burr, I have discovered the brilliance of Lush Cosmetics. I initially thought it was just a brand with overwhelmingly strong smelling shops, but oh how was I wrong.

After trying a huge selection of things over the past couple of months, I have narrowed down my favourite bits (so far - I will definitely be trying more!).

KING OF SKIN

Tanya Burr has been mentioning this for so long, and for reasons I fully agree with! It's a moisturising bar which you can use in the bath/shower and that fresh just-moisturised feeling stays all day. It also has a gorgeous vanillery smell - LOVE. It's my favourite product now and I will certainly be doing repeat purchases!

LIP SCRUB - THE KISS

I was actually given this as a freebie by the sales assistant at the store in Windsor so shout out to her! Exfoliating my lips was something I'd never done before and now I do it religiously. It's ideal for before putting lipstick on so it slides on perfectly with no little flakes where you have dry lips. It also tastes nice and the little decoration bits (it comes with hundreds and thousands on it - dream.) are edible too! This was a limited edition but I've tried all the others and they are just as good.

BRAZILLIANT SHAMPOO BAR

The concept of washing my hair with something that looks like a bar of soap was weirdly intriguing. So I picked up an orange shampoo bar which smells incredible. I can't say I enjoy using it much as it makes my hair feel a weird texture, but it feels normal after conditioning. It is a super useful product for holidays as it's light, small and not a liquid, but I wouldn't use it day to day because it doesn't give my hair the shine like regular shampoo does.

BATH BOMBS

I tried a whole variety of these including Phoenix Rising, Sex Bomb, Dragon's Egg, Twilight and Space Girl. I didn't like Phoenix Rising because it smelt of cinnamon and I hate cinnamon, but the others were all super nice and I would definitely recommend. I'm looking forward to trying a new selection!

What are your favourite Lush products? Let me know in the comments!

xxxxx

Turning 21!

With a new year comes new beginnings, new people and new experiences. For me, it also included a new stage in life - turning 21! My official birthday is on January 16th, but I had a super fun party a week beforehand to celebrate. Planning events is literally one of my favourite things to do and obviously I needed it to be perfect.

I wanted it to be huge, think Super Sweet 16... but I had to be realistic, we aren't quite millionaires haha. Between my parents and I (and a whole lot of help from Pinterest), we did a pretty good job even if I say so myself. I had all my closest friends and family there, as well as an array of entertainment (think magician, roulette, cocktail flairers) and one epic cake table because, let's be honest, who doesn't like cake?!

I wore the most amazing silver bandage dress from a designer I can't remember right now (I will find out!), with silver/iridescent heels from Office and jewellery from Huttons. I had my hair blow-dried at Harringtons, and my should-be-a-make-up-artist best friend Grace did my make-up. You may be surprised to hear that I don't dress up very often and tend to spend most of my life in gymwear, so it was nice to have such a formal occasion :)

Here are a whole selection of pictures for you to enjoy and imagine you were there with us, drinking to our hearts' content and adding more to the post-Christmas weight...

Just in case anyone didn't know which house it was at...

Little goodie bags for the guests to take home - each including a cake pop, a water bottle & paracetamol (for the hangover!) and a little keyring with a cute message on it

Cupcakes, gold macaroons, cake pops & a 2 tier-cake - got enough there?

Me with my lovely parents who helped make the party a huge success (along with some amazing speeches that almost had me in tears!)

A little beauty station with a selection of make-up, hair bits and perfume to top up with throughout the night

My boyfriend, Tom, the first at the roulette table as usual!

Reunited with my oldest school friends (and old PE teacher!)

Being absolutely amazed by the magician (Mike Stoner, look him up!) - he even guessed my phone passcode, crazy!

With my absolute bez <3

It really was one of the best nights of my life, and fully worth all the stress it took to organise! 

Bucket List Dreams

First things first, I apologise for not blogging for a horrendous amount of time (I'm too scared to count the number of months)! I don't really have any reason for this except that over summer I was just chilling and going on holiday, and now I'm back at uni it's crazy what with having a dissertation, etc!

Anyway, this post is a little different to my usual but I thought it would be an interesting read. Whilst on holiday in Portugal with my family, we went swimming with dolphins. This has been an dream of mine for yearssss and it got me thinking...I should write a bucket list. Bucket lists tend to be associated with dying, where people write one once they have been given a certain about of time left to live; however, why limit it to such a negative moment? I may as well start young, keep adding things to my list, and live life to the absolute full.

1. See the Northern Lights - I'M GOING!!!!! I had my 21st birthday last month and because I have the best parents in the world, they got me a trip to Iceland to see the Northern Lights in March!

2. Visit the Norwegian Fjords - I love walking and amazing scenery so I think a summer and winter trip to Norway is on the cards!

3. Go skydiving - not a difficult one to complete, particularly as heights don't bother me! This is one that I should plan immediately.

4. Visit Auchwitz - I know this is unusual, but I think it would be hugely interesting, especially having learnt so much about WW2 at school. My mum, however, thinks I'm mad for wanting to visit!

5. Visit New York - a city with incredible culture, shopping and people!

6. See Taylor Swift live - such a guilty pleasure, but Taylor is so great.

7. Do a Colour Run - can I be honest about this one? I want the cool colour-stained clothing instagram pic.

8. Stay in a bungalow on stilts - you know what I mean by these, like the ones in Bora Bora or the Maldives. The perfect honeymoon destination!

11. Visit Australia - with a lot of saving, this one is definitely an option in the future! I don't know what appeals about it so much, but anywhere with sun and sea sounds good to me!

12. See orcas in the ocean - orcas/killer whales are my absolute favourite animals and have been since I was tiny (I even sponsored one back in the day) so seeing them in their natural habitat would be incredible.

9. Go to the Cheerleading Worlds - I currently cheer for my university cheerleading team, and have become super keen. Worlds are like the cheer equivalent of the Olympics and I couldn't imagine anything better than watching all my favourite teams compete.

10. Be able to back handspring - another cheer-related one! I was close to getting this last year, but had an ankle injury. Being able to flip upside down is pretty cool, you have to agree.

13. See the Grand Canyon - one I will hopefully be doing next year! My cousin is getting married in California so this is being incorporated into a month-long trip to the US, eeeee!

14. Visit the Arctic - I want to see polar bears and just to see such a vast space of ice and snow must be breath-taking.

15. Give blood - another super simple one. These are happening constantly and are so beneficial. I'm actually going to go and find when the next one is in my area and I recommend all of you do the same!

16. Go to the Ellen DeGeneres show - everyone loves her and her show looks like so much fun! Now to somehow get tickets and travel there...

And that's it so far! Most of these involve travelling, but I love exploring new places! I will continually add to this as life continues, but I love having a place to go to when booking a holiday now, or if I want to plan something fun! What's on your bucket list? If you don't have one, then go grab some friends, discuss plans and all create one!

Love from Roxy x

Prepping for Portugal

Woo I'm off to Portugal tomorrow! I literally cannot wait for some sun and to be able to come home with nice glowing tanned skin! Everyone has their favourite necessities they need for their holidays, including myself, so I thought I'd show you all my new bits that I bought for my holiday :)

Firstly, the trainers. These are there to show the exercise I have been doing in preparation for the dreaded day of putting on a bikini. I was recently told about a girl in Australia called Kayla Itsines who is a personal trainer and has just released an ebook called 'The Bikini Body Guide Workouts' and is absolutely amazing. It is a 12 week programme involving circuit training, along with low-intensity training which is just a 45 minute walk. NO RUNNING. I hate running, and these workouts mean I can do a half an hour gym session of circuits and be done for the day! They are hard (you have to 'earn your body' as Kayla says) but the workouts can be adapted for any ability and you don't even need a gym membership to do them. Kayla is also really inspirational, and regularly posts on her blog, Facebook and Instagram about healthy living. This is the first exercise regime I've ever actually stuck to and I'd highly recommend it. Click HERE for a link to her website. 

I gave in to the current bblogger obsession of the Revlon Colour Burst Matte Balm because I love a bright lip, particularly in summer when I have a tan. I think it's far more casual and fun than red and suits my colouring. Although I haven't tried this yet, I trust all you bloggers and expect it to be a worthwhile purchase! I went for the colour 235 'Mischievous' which you can buy HERE.

Now this little piece is the cutest hair scrunchie from Topshop. I've been trying to avoid buying a scrunchie for so long because they have become super 'hipster' and 'edgy' and I am neither of those things, haha. This, however, is more girly and pretty so I thought I could pull it off. They come in loads of different colours and patterns and just make a ponytail look much more interesting. I hardly ever wear my hair up but it's much more comfortable to do so on holiday so decided this would be a handy little item to spruce up my holiday outfits! You can buy this HERE

This may seem like an odd purchase because most of you will remember using this when you were about 6. Well, I absolutely loved it back then, and I still love it now! As much as I love how my hair goes all wavy in from the sea, I hateee the feeling of it. My hair gets ridiculously knotty in general life, so you can imagine how bad it gets once it's full of salt! This detangling spray works just as well now as it did all those years ago, and the smell of 'sweet pear' is just amazing, so it is definitely a holiday necessity for me! You can buy this HERE.

 Finally, I bought a tinted moisturiser. I've never really worn one before as I've just stuck to trusty foundation, but it's such a hassle once your face gets tanned on holiday and your foundation is too light. So, I decided to be brave and ditch the foundation. I asked around on Twitter for advice on the best to buy, and Laura Mercier came out top. However, as I've not used tinted moisturiser before, I thought I should try a cheaper one just in case it didn't become a regular for me. No7 was also suggested a fair bit so I went with that and I am hoping for great things! It also has an SPF 15 which is very important! You can buy this HERE.

Well, that's it for my pre-holiday purchases! I think all of these are complete necessities for a holiday (along with plenty of other things of course!) and I'm excited to put them all to use! What are your holiday necessities? Have you tried any of these products? Let me know in the comments :)

Love from Roxy x

Huge Summer Haul

It's been raining the past few days so what have I done? Gone shopping...for summer clothes... I can't help it they are all just toooo pretty! As a treat for finishing my exams (thank the lord), I went on a rather large shopping spree (both online and offline) and came out with some gorgeous little pieces!

1. Whistles Pink 'Je voudrais' Jumper.

The girl in the shop said to me when I was buying this 'Oh, did you see Lucy Watson on Made in Chelsea wearing this?', which obviously I did. I liked this sales assistant - anyone who watches MIC is a friend of mine. It's just a super cute and fun jumper that I'll wear all the time. Buy this HERE.

2. Zara Pastel Blue/Teal Cami.

I  fell in love with the colour of this, and the back is also amazing - it has a bra-type fastening at the back and is completely open, meaning it will look so nice with a tan (come on sun!!). Buy this HERE.

3. Asos Oversized Smock Top.

Although not a very exciting piece, definitely a useful one! I rarely wear white things and thought this would look really good with a chunky necklace, ripped jeans and some nice sandals. Buy this HERE.

4. Topshop Cutaway Crop Top.

My friend Zoe had this in white and told me I needed to buy it too because it looked so good on. She wasn't lying, it's so flattering when on, and has really nice zip-detailing at the back. I will probably wear with a colourful skater skirt in summer when going out for dinner or drinks. Buy this HERE.

5. Topshop Grey Jumper with Mesh Back.

I've never been a big fan of mesh, but this top has converted me. I like the fact that it's really casual with the grey jersey front, balanced out with the cream mesh at the back. It's just a staple piece to go in my wardrobe really! Buy this HERE.

6. Dainty Dolls Pom-Pom Cami.

I came across the Dainty Dolls boutique on Twitter and they have the cutest little summer dresses, tops and playsuits that are all perfect for summer. This particular top caught my eye because of the pom-poms, making it slightly different from a regular chiffony cami top. Buy this HERE.

7. Motel Rocks Monochrome Co-Ord.

I've fiiiiiinally bought a co-ord!! I've been so desperate for one for ages and eventually found one I really liked that wasn't too 'out-there' like a lot of them are. The simple black and white makes it easy for any occasion and I can't wait to wear it! Buy this HERE.

8. Zara Pink & Gold Sandals.

Sandals are my favourite things to buy in summer, you can never have too many pairs! I love these ones so much that I have even ordered the exact same pair in black! Buy these HERE.

9. Asos Leopard Print Espadrilles.

These shoes are so cute and useful! For only £10, I couldn't refuse - that's such a bargain! They may not be the best quality shoes, but I will live in them this summer and even if they have fallen to pieces by September, that's fine - they will have been worth it. Buy these HERE.

Hope you liked seeing all my new bits! Have you started your summer wardrobe yet? Let me know in the comments!

Love from Roxy x

Met Gala 2014 - My Top 10 Looks

In case you hadn't already noticed (from the hundreds of celebrity selfies on Instagram), it was the annual Met Gala last night - a huge highlight in the fashion world. The Met Gala is a fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, and is also the opening for the fashion exhibit that is held there. It's also another excuse for every actor, singer and model to dress up and let us drool over their outfits. This year the theme was 'White Tie and Decorations', which seemed to lead to many wearing old-school glamour styles. After scrolling through picture after picture, I finally settled on my top 10 looks:

10. Suki Waterhouse  (Burberry)

This isn't a look I would wear myself, but the pale pink and the ruffled layers make it a statement dress and with her hair up in a messy bun and limited jewellery, the look was balanced out perfectly.

9. Hailee Steinfeld (Prabal Gurung)

17 year old Hailee certainly looks beyond her years here and although I don't think this dress is everyone's cup of tea, I think the simple monochrome with the large tent bottom makes it very sophisticated and she looks incredible.

8. Selena Gomez (Diane von Furstenberg)

This look screams Hollywood glamour, with the fishtail dress and drop earrings and the purple/maroon dress goes perfectly with Selena's dark hair and skin tone, making her look gorgeous.

7. Diane Kruger (Hugo Boss)

Diana Kruger is queen of simplicity, often wearing dresses with little detail, and always manages to pull it off. The box clutch matches perfectly, and having her hair in such a clean middle parting shows off her face and lets the outfit speak for itself.

6. Taylor Swift (Oscar de la Renta)

This cute pink dress, with the low-cut back and bow detailing at the back is just amazing and such a Taylor outfit. She loves her cute girly bits and certainly didn't fail with this outfit!

5. Kate Bosworth (Stella McCartney)

Similar to Diana Kruger, Kate also looks incredible with a flat hair do and a simple dress. She is just beautiful and can basically wear anything. (Although she will always be 'the surfer girl' from Blue Crush to me!)

4. Lily Donaldson (Burberry)

I picked this outfit purely because of the back - IT'S AMAZING. Bows are clearly a big thing at the moment! I want a dress just like this.

3. Blake Lively (Gucci)

Obviously I had to include the picture with Ryan Reynolds in it too, because they are the best couple ever. Blake's loose curls and super hot (but still pretty) dress make her the perfect woman as usual. 

2. Emma Stone (Thakoon)

This is quite a casual look with the side plait and open midriff, but it suits Emma just perfectly. I love the two different shades of pink and they really compliment her red hair.

1. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (Balmain)

This is without a doubt my favourite look of the whole evening. It's a completely different style to any of the outfits seen throughout the night. It doesn't really go with the theme, which is slightly disappointing, but the dress totally makes up for that. The leopard print pleats and gladiator-style heels make it edgy and current. Her hairstyle is simple, elegant and how I wish my hair could look all the time!

I hope you all enjoyed my take on the outfits for this year! What were your favourite looks at the Gala?

Love from Roxy x

OOTD: Visit to the Saatchi Gallery

Last weekend, I went for lunch in London with my mom and cousin, and we ended up taking a look inside the Saatchi Gallery. None of us have a clue about art but we thought it would be nice to do something cultural for a change!

Looking at all the beautiful and bizarre pictures, we attempted to work out what the artists were trying to do with their art but, if I'm being honest, we didn't have a clue for most of them. So I basically just wondered around and took pictures of ones that I liked, mostly due to colour because I love anything with bright, vibrant colours - especially when it's a nice sunny day!

I want clothes in this print!

I found this little ghost thing adorable - don't ask why

Interesting name for a painting...

Ants on a wall? Really?

I dressed for the sun because it's rare we get such a nice day in England, but it wasn't quiiiite as warm as I'd hoped so I ended up wearing a jumper. My trousers were brand new from Zara, and I loved the shape of them because they were skinny but not glued to my legs, which makes them more flattering - and I fell in love with the colour of them. I then threw on my beloved Wildfox 'LOVE' jumper which I've had for about 4 years now and I cannot live without it - it's simple and goes with absolutely anything! On my feet I just wore my regular white Converse as they are easy and left the stand-out piece of the outfit to be the trousers. 

Get the look

Jumper - Wildfox

(Similar)

Trousers - Zara

Shoes - Converse

Do you guys like this look? Let me know!

Love from Roxy x