Christmas Gift Guide - Beauty Products

Hi everyone!

If you follow my twitter then you will know that I have started a new 'series' on my blog. I will be doing 5 Christmas themed posts throughout the lead up to Christmas. Today's post is a gift guide on beauty products from high range to low. 

1. Rimmel Apocalips 

This one is on my wishlist! I haven't had the chance to buy one of my own but my friend owns 2 in the shades 'Apocapliptic' and 'Nova'. They look absolutely gorgeous on the lips with a flawless finish. The colour is extremely pigmented and lasts for ages! I would definitely recommend you try them out if you haven't managed to get your hands on one already. The RRP  is £5.99 

2. Essie Winter Collection 

Again, these are on my wishlist. I have been looking at all the pictures of people wearing these shades and they are so pretty. They have a rich tone and are very apt  for winter. I personally think Essie nail polishes are the best as I find they don't chip and continue to stay a strong colour the whole time your wear it. The RRP is £5.50

3. Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder

Now this I have tried and purchased. I hate when I get an oily look from foundations or with my natural skin so I turned to powders to help me. However, I found not all powders gave me enough coverage until I found this. It is just the right consistency to remove oil and leave your face matte with a gorgeous glow. Definitely a good purchase. The RRP is £3.99

4. Chanel Rogue Allure Velvet 

Another wishlist item! I know many people hate the texture of matte lipsticks but after reading the description of these I am just dying to give them a go. They have now added two new colours to their collection in 'La Precieuse' and 'La Desiree' The colours are rich and musky a bit like mulled wine. Perfect for Christmas. They are a bit on the pricey side however, at RRP of £20.80

5. MAC Prep + Prime Skin Base Visage 

I should really re-name this post to 'My Christmas Wishlist' because once again, this is on it! I struggle with covering my blotchy skin and getting an even look. This product does it all! After reducing oil it evens out redness giving an even and flawless base for your foundation/powder. It sounds like the perfect product and I want it so bad! The RRP is again quite pricey at £20.50

So there you have it, my Christmas Gift Guide on all things beauty. I know it's only a few but I could ramble on for hours so I thought I would cut it down. I hope you enjoyed and maybe found a few ideas. What products are on your wishlist this Christmas? I would love to know!

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A small, odd, shopping trip

** I just need to apologize for the quality of pictures, my camera broke so I was having to use a cheap old one**

Hi everyone!

 Recently I went shopping. I set out just to pick up a birthday card for my Auntie and then got distracted by other things...

I thought I would do a little haul on them. They aren't the most interesting things, just a few cheeky little bits an bobs. However, I am waiting for a few things to be delivered from online shopping. My plan was to blog about those items but they still haven't arrived which is annoying! So as I time filler, I thought I would blog about these.

Firstly, in the cards aisle, I found the latest Company magazine. These are my favourite magazines and if you haven't read them, I don't know what you're doing with your life. One of the reasons why I started blogging is because I would love to be a columnist in a magazine like this. Is it cheesy to say stuff like that?

Anyway this months issue featured all the Christmas jumpers which are a must have on anyone's shopping list. Also their 'hot new hair' section is a life saver for me as I never know what to do with my hair in winter months.
If you are wondering, the magazine costs £2.50

Secondly, I bumped into this. It is the Simple Skin Care eye makeup corrector pen. Every morning I mess up my eyeliner or smudge my mascara so I am hoping this will really help. The tip is exactly like a liquid eyeliner which looks like it could be really easy to use and be precise with. Let me know if you would like a review. I may do a massive one on all things I buy at the end of the year.

Lastly, I couldn't help but fall in love with this. It is the Asda Christmas duvet set. How cute is this though? Ah! I've put it on my bed and it is so cute and puts me right in the Christmas mood. I definitely do not regret buying this as a cheeky purchase.

Have you had any cheeky purchases lately? What were they?

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Top 5 Autumnal/Fall Nail Polishes

Hi everyone!

I am addicted to painting my nails. I will constantly have a colour on them as I think it really brightens up your look and adds an extra little touch to your outfit. In the summer you like nice bright summer-time colours however my favourite nail polishes to wear are fall colours. So to celebrate fall colours coming back, I thought I would tell you all my top 5 Autumnal/Fall nail polishes.

{I just thought I should add in that these nail polishes are not in any order because I couldn't decide!}

This is the Essie nail polish in Midnight Cami. It is a really dark gorgeous navy blue. I adore this colour for fall. I wanted something dark which wasn't black and this is perfect. The blue is dark yet still distinguishable between blue and black. In the daylight the blue really shows and shimmers and I found it has a very slight shimmer to it. The brush is really wide and flat making it so easy to apply. I only had to do 2 strokes before the whole nail was covered and only 2 coats until the colour was strong. Also, I find that Essie nail polishes stay on for ages. It took 5 days before one chip even started and that was without a top coat! I would definitely recommend this and all the other Essie nail polishes!

 This is the Maybelline Express Finish nail polish in shade 17. This is the classic black nail varnish however what made me purchase it is the '40 second drying time' on the packaging. I always smudge my nails as I get impatient so something that dries quickly is always a bonus. Once I tried this out I found that it really did dry quickly and I was actually presently surprised. The brush is thinner than the Essie ones but still easy to apply. I would definitely recommend it for it's speed and because you always need a black for fall! It's a classic!

This is the Rimmel London nail polish in 320 'Rapid Ruby'. I love this colour. It is a deep musky red, perfect for fall. Like the Maybelline polish, Rapid Ruby is also a speed drying. It says 60 seconds and it does just that. You just apply it and a minute later you have a dry coat. Also the brush is different to all others. It is rounded and flat to fit the shape of your nail, This made it easy to apply than most other traditional brushes. I would definitely recommend it if you are looking for speed and a beautiful musky red.

This is the Rimmel London nail polish in the shade 500 'Disco Ball'.It is a glitter glue polish with really pretty silver, white, blue and purple specks. I use this over a dark  polish like the black or blue. The glue is really long lasting and I would definitely recommend it for that extra detail on your nails. I couldn't get a picture of the brush because the glue was just dripping everywhere.

This is the 17 nail polish by Boots in the shade 12. It is an auburn sort of  colour which looks really pretty and autumnal on the nails. It has a very slight shimmer which I find looks better than a completely matte nail. The brush is quite thin and takes a couple of strokes and layers to be complete. However, once it is fully applied it looks gorgeous. I would definitely recommend it if you are looking for something different and gorgeous. 

So these are my top 5 favourites what are yours? Have you tried any of the ones I have mentioned? 

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Bamboo Style Boho Waves Spray - Review

Hi everyone!

I have always craved naturally beach wave hair so I have tried multiple products to try and get it on my own. This was just another product I came across and decided to give a go but oh my, is it good or what? 

This is the Bamboo Style Boho Waves by Aterna. I must say, it is a bit on the pricey side at $22 for a 125ml bottle. However for what is does, personally, I think it's worth it. Also you don't actually use too much in each use so it is worth the price if you feel up to spending that much on a product. 

So what does this product really do? Well apart from giving you boho/beach waves it also gives you texture and makes your hair less frizzy which I love. Having long hair means I always have to struggle with flat hair as my hair is always weighed down. I usually use a bit of dry shampoo to give it a bit more texture and then another product to make it wavy. Having a two in one is amazing as I'm not using so much product on my hair and it just feels better. The waves last me all day depending on the weather. If it's raining and my hair gets wet then when it drys again I will have to use more if I want the waves back. However, when they are there, they're really loose textured waves.

It's also really easy to use. You need to get your hair damp first. Notice the word damp and not absolutely dripping wet. If you use this straight after coming out the shower, nothing is going to happen. You need your hair to be about 70% dry so that it will actually soak in the product instead of letting it run right off. I will usually get out the shower and then let my hair towel dry. Then when it is 70% dry I will spray it from root to end and scrunch it. I literally just scrunch the product into my hair and then I will take individual chunks and rub/scrunch it into those. This is what they mean by 'shape the hair' on the bottle. After my hair is completely dry I may use a bit more and then shape again.
If you aren't going to use it after a shower then you could always wet your hands and then dampen your hair with them or even get a spray bottle and hold it at arms length and then spray on.

Overall, I think this product is definitely worth the money and I would recommend it for both texture and beach waves.
Have you ever used a product like this? What were your thoughts?

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Yay & Nay No.1

Hi everyone!

Long time no see right? Sorry about that. Lots of life stuff has been going on and my blog had to come second. Although I guess its good that my actual life was more exciting than my internet life as usually it's the other way round! Anyway, I thought I'd start a new series on my blog (series, is that the right word?) called Yay & Nay. If you're an internet addict like me then you'll probably know what this means. If not then it's basically Yes or No or Like and Don't Like. So this 'series' is going to be about my likes and dislikes of the month. My Yays and Nays.

{You may have noticed I have a Halloween theme for my picture. I like it.}

YAYS

• Jumpers - The best thing about fall/winter is definitely the jumpers. I love feeling all snug and warm and the jumpers in fashion at the moment are amazing! 
• PJ's - Even though I love jumpers I still prefer to just lounge around in my PJ's so good winter ones are always the best. I recently went to Primark and purchased some really cute red checkered bottoms with a white Cami-Top! I love PJ's so much I probably have more than all my other clothes put together! It's ridiculous! 
• Thick Woolen Socks - Keeping up with the cozy theme are some good thick woolen socks that keep my toes warm! They aren't the best fashion accessory especially my neon pink ones with squirrels on! But I still adore them. 
• Sims 3 - I found all my Sims games which I haven't played in ages and decided to give them all a go. Addicted is the word I would use. I'm no good at it though. They're releasing a new one called Sims 3 Into The Future and I have mine pre-ordered already!
• Peaches - You always need a good peach. I think I must of had at least 3 today.
• The new iPhone filters - I've taken about 50 pictures a day using all the filters. It makes my life pretty. Just to let you all know my favourite at the moment is probably Transfer. 
• Halloween - I'm so excited for Halloween this year! I'm making design ideas for my pumpkin.

Nays

• Uggs - This time last year Ugg season was coming back but this year I am not feeling it. I am much more looking forward to wearing little pretty leather ankle boots. 
• Shaving - I'm sure most girls hate this but it needs to be added. People need to accept really hairy girls because I really, really, cannot be bothered to do it. Ever. 
• Cereal - I haven't been able to stomach cereal for weeks now. I have no idea why. I've had toast non stop for breakfast. I actually ran out of bread this morning so decided to toast rolls instead. 

That's it for this month but I'll have plenty more for next month!

What are your Yays and Nays? 

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Lip Scrub by Lush

Hi everyone!

For the last few days I have been suffering with sore, chipped lips and I was desperate to find products to help them. I came across this product in the back of my cupboard. It is amazing!

This is the Popcorn Lip Scrub by Lush. I got this as a gift for Christmas as it was part of their Limited Addition Christmas Range. However you can still buy it on their website now so maybe they continued the line?

I think it acts more like a lip exfoliator as, if you have chapped lips it will exfoliate the layer of dead skin and leave your lips looking fresher and plumper! It is also really easy (and delicious) to apply. All you do is get a little bit on your finger and buff your lips until you feel that they are softer and then you lick the excess off which is the delicious part! Because it's Popcorn flavour I was a bit worried about what it would taste like but in the end it tasted like Popcorn from the cinema so if you like Popcorn, you'll like the flavour but if not they also do Mint and Bubblegum.

You do only get 25g in a pot which isn't very much but you don't have to use hand fulls of it every time, so it should last quite awhile.

I can say that after about 3 days of using this my lips definitely look better and they also have a nicer colour to them. I would definitely recommend anyone use this even if it is only going to be used occasionally as it makes all the difference. 

Have you ever used a Lip Scrub? What products do you like to refresh your lips with?

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Vans // a little review

Hi everyone!

Sorry that I haven't posted in what feels like years! My laptop had a breakdown and decided to fling out half the keys. The problem was fixed and now I'm back! *claps to self* 

While my laptop was dying I had a mini internet haul. I ordered 3 items but thought I'd give them separate posts to spread things out. The first thing I ordered was a new pair of Vans. The only other pair I have are burgundy and I literally live in them so they now look a bit worn out. I decided another pair is just what I need! I didn't want the same colour and I am so fussy with shoes that it took me ages to find a pair that I actually liked. But finally I settled on these;

These are the Vans Old Skool Shoes in the colour Navy, they were £55. The website says they are made of Suede and Canvas and the description says: "The Old Skool has never been lacking in the attitude department. It brought the dawn of the classic Vans side stripe which has developed into a status symbol of  tradition and skate stature. Aside from all that personality, they have lasted as long as they have for their ability to preform on a skate board, and to last, and last."

When you feel them you could feel that they would last as they are incredibly sturdy. The burgundy Vans which I currently have are a lot softer than these. They have quite hard backs and sides which gives support. When I wore them for the first time, it was on a dog walk and we were walking for about 2 - 3 hours. Biggest mistake. My feet hate hard back shoes and they immediately protested in big red blisters after only 10 minutes of walking. I spent the rest of the week walking about in 3 pairs of thick rugby socks to try and stretch them a bit! However, now, they are the most comfortably shoe to wear out and about! They also go with a lot of outfits and I am very pleased that I purchased them! 

Have you ever owned any Vans? What did you think?

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Liebster Award

Hi everyone!
I was recently awarded the Liebster Award by the lovely Courtney from Cheap But Chic Beauty.
The award is for bloggers with less than 200 followers and it is a way to discover new blogs and motivate the new blogger to carry on blogging!

Once you have been awarded the award there are 4 rules you must follow;

1. Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger awarding you the award.
2. Choose 11 more blogs for the award, you cannot give the award to the person awarding you. The people you award must have under 200 followers and you must give the person awarding you the award a shout out in your post.
3. Ask a set of 11 new questions.
4. Contact the 11 bloggers to let them know they have been nominated. 

Here are the questions I was asked:

1. What is your favourite lip colour?

My favourite lip colour is red but at the moment I am really loving the Bourjois Colour Boost Crayon in Peach On The Beach.

2. If you had to choose a hairstyle for the rest of your life what would you choose? 

I would choose to have long brown ombré hair as that is what I am growing my hair for at the moment!

3. Who is your favourite blogger at the moment?
I am loving so many blogs at the moment but I have two favourites. One of the first bloggers I ever found Kayleigh from Courture Girl. I adore her blog and she is so stunning! I also recently found The Style Diet on YouTube. If you haven't heard of her, her name is Anna Saccone and she is gorgeous with an adorable daughter! Click anywhere on all of these words in this sentence to view her blog! Haha!

4. What is your go to make-up look? 
It would probably be something really simple. If I was going to wear a foundation at all it would be a tinted moisturizer and then I would wear mascara, liquid eyeliner on my top lid and pencil on my waterline/bottom lid. Maybe a nude lip or nothing at all.

5. Where would be your ideal location to live? 
I always think about this but there are so many places in the world I haven't been that I barely have any choice! But I would probably say Portugal. It isn't very fashion/beauty orientated but I just love the country. It is stunning.

6. What would you rather? A makeover or a fashion takeover?
Probably a makeover, I'd love to have a completely new look!

7. Why did you start your blog?
I have already had 3 other blogs, all sort of the same idea. But I was never sure what to write or how to do everything. I've always wanted to be a blogger and now seemed like the right time to make one. I have a lot of ideas about my blog and for now this is definitely what I want to do with my life.

8. What beauty product could you not live without?
Mascara. Without it I feel almost like a different person. It's so weird but that's honestly what it feels like! Also you could make it eyeliner by sort of rubbing it onto your top lid. It's like multi-tasking!

9. What is your favourite film of all time?
I love so many movies and I could literally watch my favourite one over and over again until I'm sick of it. So right now, my obsession is the Jason Bourne movies!

10. What is your favourite fragrance?
My favourite fragrance at the moment is the Ralph Lauren Big Pony Collection Number 2. If you have seen them it is the pink bottle. This scent is delicious! It reminds me of sweets but mixed with a floral scent.

11. What is your favourite season?
Probably Spring because it is always so pretty and you get to wear summer clothes and winter clothes so I can use up my whole wardrobe!

Those where all the questions so here's who I nominate:
(I don't know if any of you have already won the award)

Debrabros - Unbelievably Ordinary
Your Daily Break
Chatty Life
Evi The Fashionista
Wild Flower of Prague
My Fair Style
Frosted Planet Beauty
Eager Emily
Keep It Chic
Embrace The Best at Everything
Show and Tell With Michelle

And here are my questions for you:

1. What is one make-up product you will never wear?
2. What is your favourite hair product?
3. Your favourite holiday destination / a holiday you are looking forward to?
4. Which blogs inspire you?
5. Why did you name your blog what you did?
6. What is your favourite TV show and movie?
7. A food you could not live without?
8. What are your favourite pair of shoes?
9. What is something your readers don't know about you?
10. Do you have a secret talent? If so what is it?
11. Do you prefer make-up or fashion?

So that's it. To all the bloggers I nominated, let me know if you decided to do the post, I would love to read your answers! Don't forget to follow the rules and keep on blogging!

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BEACH WEAR & BEACH READS

Hi everyone! 

Last week in the UK it was hot, sunny weather. So hot that I actually managed to go to the beach and swim in the sea! I know, it's hard to believe that we actually get hot weather here, but it's true! However it didn't last long as for the past 3 days we have had rain and thunder. Great. But the sunny weather put me in a beach mood and now I am craving a holiday! So here is my Beach Wear and Beach Reads post!

Beach Wear

Here are some of my favourite things to wear on the beach. 

In the first picture is a floral, bright bikini. The picture doesn't show how bright and pretty it actually is! It is a lot more pink and blue than what the picture shows. It has one line of frill on the bottom and two lines on the top. I adore bright bikinis as they remind me of hot tropical places and I love frills so the two together just made a perfect bikini! The top has removable straps and in the store the straps were in a separate little bag which I actually dropped so ever since I have had to use this black one or have it strapless. Oops!

(I will tell you where I bought everything later)

In the second picture is a navy blue and white striped bikini top. I don't know why but for some reason I didn't buy the bottoms so I have to mix and match with all my others. This bikini top also has removable straps but this time I didn't loose the correct ones! I love the colour and it's also really comfortable to wear in and out of the water. I hate bikinis which are uncomfortable to wear while sunbathing but this one is great!

The third picture is of some shorts which I will sometimes wear over bikini bottoms. It is actually quite a bold purple which isn't showing up in the picture. They are elasticated around the top so they are comfortable to wear. One thing I would say though is not to wear them on water slides! The amount of times I have got stuck down a water slide where it has caught on a bump is ridiculous and so embarrassing! 

Now for the prices and where I bought everything

Picture 1: £12 from New Look

Picture 2: £4 from New Look

Picture 3: €7 from a stall in Portugal

Beach Reads

Here are my beach reads for this summer. 

Matched by Ally Condie and Insurgent by Veronica Roth

I got both of these books from Waterstones, they were both £6.99. Insurgent is actually second in the Divergent Trilogy which is coming out as a movie soon. I read Divergent in about 3 days so I had to buy Insurgent! Divergent was amazing and it is one of my favourite books so I would definitely recommend it. If you check out the link above it will give you a description of each book in the trilogy.

I was looking for more books to read on Waterstones and they recommended Matched after Insurgent. I read the blurb and I was instantly hooked. Here is what it says:

"On her seventeenth birthday, Cassia meets her match. Society dictates he is her perfect partner for life. Except he's not. In Cassia's society, Officials decide who people love. How many children they have. Where they work. When they die. But, as Cassia finds herself falling in love with another boy, she is determined to make some choices of her own. And that's when he whole world begins to unravel."

I think it sounds amazing and I can't wait to start reading! Would you like a review on these books? Let me know and I'll write one up!

I thought I would give you an idea of how long each book is so I made this picture below;

You can see they are not small books but I think once you get into them, you wont care about the size.

Overall, of the whole post, I think you should definitely try out New Look bikinis and maybe give one of these books a go too! 

Enjoy your summer!

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EYELINER REVIEW

Hi everyone!

For my first proper post I decided to do an eyeliner review on the two eyeliners I use everyday.
I always use a liquid eyeliner for my top lid and a pencil for my waterline and bottom lid. These two, I have been using for about 3 months now so I thought it would be great to do a review on them!

 Liquid Eyeliner

This is my favourite liquid mascara.It is the Master Precise by Maybelline. 

Here is what Maybelline says: "Exclusive felt tip. Never dries. Never skips. Ultra-thin 0.4mm brush supplies smooth, even lines. No mess or excess" 

 I bought this for £7.99 and it is definitely worth the money! I wanted a felt tip because I find them easier to draw with and I don't make as many mistakes with them! I also like eyeliners which aren't too dry and don't crisp and flake off and this guy doesn't budge! Ah! I just love it! 

All I can really say is if you are looking for a liquid eyeliner; TRY THIS ONE! 

Pencil Eyeliner

This is the Pencil Eyeliner. It is the Carbon Eye Definer in Black by The Body Shop. 

In all honesty, this is only the 2nd eyeliner I have tried. I know, I know, shocker right? But I only decided I wanted eyeliner on my waterline/lower lid a few months back. But even though I only have one other to compare it with, I can still tell you how much I like it! 

Here is what The Body Shop say about it: "An intense, ultra colour eye definer with line smudger incorporated on to the end of the pencil. The formulation is water-resistant, with a smooth texture for blendable and smudgeable affect. The pigments give high coverage and the formulation is long wearing." 

It costs £9 but it's worth the money because it does everything that it claims it does. The only thing I haven't tried is how water-resistant it actually is. The package itself doesn't state that it's water-resistant so I have never used it as a water proof eyeliner but maybe I'll give it a go and update you in my next post! 

What I can tell you though is that it applies easily and looks bold on your eyes. The only thing I don't like about it is that by the end of the day it will sometimes smudge making you look like you have huge bags under your eyes. Once it has completely finished I think I will look for a longer lasting one as the bag look really isn't in right now!

Overall I adore the Master Precise Liquid Eyeliner and am not too keen on the Carbon Eye Definer. 

What is your favourite eye pencil? I think I need some help!

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Welcome to Emily's Rambles!

Hello and welcome to my blog Emily's Rambles!

My name is Emily and I am a student living in the UK. 

I have always been a chatterbox; wanting to share my thoughts and opinions with anyone who would listen! I have also always had a passion for writing so putting those two things together makes a very chatty blog! I wanted to start blogging years ago but always lost interest after a while as I could never find a good subject to blog about. But I realized that maybe the things I am interested in, other people are interested in too? So here is Emily's Rambles and I hope you enjoy them!