1ST YEAR UNI EXPERIENCE #STUDENTSERIES | LIFESTYLE

HUGE BOOTS HAUL | BEAUTY

5 THINGS I WISH I KNEW BEFORE UNI #STUDENTSERIES | LIFESTYLE

I have just uploaded a video all about things I wish I knew before uni! If you enjoy the video please like and subscribe to my channel! Thank you!

Lorraine x

SELF CARE/STAY AT HOME FAVES | BEAUTY

If you want to find out what products I have been loving during lockdown then be sure to watch my new YouTube video! Hope you enjoy and please like and subscribe! 

Lorraine x

MY EXPERIENCE LIVING IN UNI HALLS #STUDENTSERIES | LIFESTYLE

If you are starting uni in September or are just interested in finding about what it is like living in uni halls then I have just uploaded a video on my YouTube channel all about my experience, and some tips that I learnt! I hope you enjoy the video, and hope it helps you out!

Lorraine x

CHARLOTTE TILBURY STONED ROSE BEAUTY PALETTE | BEAUTY

This is another item that I received as a Christmas present, and isn't it so pretty!! I'd never tried any bronzers or eyeshadows from Charlotte Tilbury, so I was really excited to try this out. First off, I think this is the perfect palette if you have never tried anything from Charlotte Tilbury and are wanting to try some products from this brand, as it gives you a variety of products all in one. It features 3 eyeshadows, 2 blush shades, a bronzer and a highlighter, so for one palette that is quite good, and realistically when you buy a full size product how often do you use it all up?!

Wearing everything from the palette (Sorry for the frizzy hair haha!)

Eyeshadows: The eyeshadows in this palette are not usually a colour I would go for, as I usually wear a bronzey eye, however I thought I would try them and give it a go. Number 1 is my favourite eyeshadow, the pigment of the sparkle is very pretty and is a perfect everyday shadow on its own. I also wore number 2 on the outer corner of my eye, and also underneath my eye to finish the eye look off. I did find that the two purple eyeshadows are not as pigmented as I would have liked them to be.

Blushers: I mixed the two blushes together, and it created a lovely natural peach colour. It looks amazing with a tan and over the bronzer. I am absolutely loving blush at the moment, and this one is a new fave.

Bronzer: This or the blush is probably my favourite thing in this palette. This bronzer warms up the face so nicely, and gives such a nice sun kissed look to the skin. It is a good all over the face bronzer. I would not use this for contouring, as it is too warm toned, but looks amazing as over all bronzer.

Highlighter: The highlight is really nice for everyday wear. If you are like me, and do not like a bright one for the daytime, then I think you would really like this, as it is quite subtle but you can still see it on the skin. 

Lorraine x

LOCKDOWN SKINCARE & BEAUTY HAUL | BEAUTY

I don't know about you, but I have been buying so much skincare during lockdown!! It's just the perfect time to reset everything, and take time to care for your skin, hair and nails! I have uploaded a haul video on my YouTube channel of all the skincare and beauty bits I have been buying recently! Hope you joy, and please like, comment and subscribe! 

Lorraine x

UNI Q&A #STUDENTSERIES | LIFESTYLE

I have started a new series called The Student Series, and I will be making videos related to University to help people who are starting and offering some advice and my experience. I hope that they can help you, as I know when I was watching a lot of videos before I started my journey! I hope you like the video, and please subscribe to see more! 

Lorraine x

EVERYDAY MAKEUP ROUTINE & GET TO KNOW ME | YOUTUBE

I've just uploaded my everyday makeup routine and I answer some questions to get to know me more! Hope you enjoy the video, and please like and subscribe! 

Lorraine x

A FEW CHANGES... | LIFESTYLE

Hi everyone! I hope you are all well and thought I would just update you quickly. 

As we have gone into lockdown in the UK, I have decided that I am going to be focusing more on my YouTube videos for the time being due to this being much easier for me to create content. I will struggle to create content by myself for outfit posts for my blog, therefore will be focusing more on my videos. I might post a few reviews, but there will not be as many and I hope you understand. When this is all over I will definitely start posting more content on here again! I will post my videos on here to keep you posted. 

Stay safe and well everyone. 

Lorraine x 

CHARLOTTE TILBURY MAGIC CREAM | BEAUTY

I received these Charlotte Tilbury moisturisers as a Christmas gift, and I was so happy as I have wanted to try the Magic Cream for ages but did not want to spend all of that money on it as I did not know if it would work well with my skin. 

First of all let's just talk about the beautiful packaging! Of course it is features the signature colour rose gold which represents their brand very well. The packaging is so luxurious and looks so pretty on your dressing table. 

Day Cream 

 On first glance in the pot the consistency of this cream looks very thick, however when I first used it I was pleasantly surprised as it is quite lightweight. My skin type is combination to oily, therefore thick creams are too heavy for my skin. When I rubbed it into my skin it sunk in straight away, and made my skin feel so soft. Once it had sunk in my skin looked really plump and glowing. I prefer to use this on my no makeup days as it gives your skin a very healthy look. I think in the winter this cream will be so good, as you tend to have much drier skin and this is so hydrating! If you have a dry complexion this would work really well for you, as it is so moisturising. Oily complexions would probably find this bit too thick for their skin, especially underneath makeup but if you want to try, I would recommend going to a Charlotte Tilbury counter and asking for a sample! This day cream also contains SPF 15 in it which is good for protecting your skin, so you don't have to apply another layer of SPF, however sometimes I do if I know that I am going to be in the sun all day. 

Night Cream 

The night cream is VERY thick. The first time I used it I applied it how I apply moisturiser normally, and I dot little bits around my face, but that was way too much! I think for dry skin this wold be a dream!! But for me it is way too thick, however when I woke up in the morning my skin had an amazing glow to it. So when I use it now, I use a very small amount and it goes such a long way. It is also very good if you have any dry patches on your face, recently I had quite a dry nose and applied this on it and the next morning all my dry skin had gone so it is amazing. 

Are there any products from Charlotte Tilbury that you recommend? 

Lorraine x 

BOOTS SHEET MASKS | BEAUTY

I have been using these Boots sheet masks for a few years now, and I thought I would include a review on the blog, incase anybody hadn't tried them as they are so good and affordable. They only cost £1.50 and sometimes they have offers on when you ca n get 3 for 2, or 2 for £2 so a real bargain. I love sheet masks for a pamper evening, as they just feel so relaxing and make your skin look so glowy. As well as the two photographed, they have a few more masks in the range depending on what ingredient you like. 

The first one I tried from this range was the hyaluronic acid infused sheet mask, and when I took the mask off my face my skin felt so moisturised. I like to rub the excess serum into my face so it absorbs as much as possible and not to waste any product. When I woke up the next morning my skin felt so soft, and looked really healthy. 

I would really recommend these sheet masks if you are on a budget, as I find some sheet masks can be quite expensive now, especially as you only get one use out of them. A top tip I have is when you get the sheet mask out of the packet squeeze it before so the serum does not drip everywhere. For the rest of the serum in the packet I always save it, and put it on over the next few days so there is no wastage, and makes my skin feel amazing! 

Have you tried any of the Boots sheet masks? 

Lorraine x

OPI NAIL ENVY BUBBLE BATH | BEAUTY

(4 coats) 

So I thought that I would give my nails bit of a break from the acrylics and gels, but I didn't want them to be just plain as I hate looking at my hands with no nail polish on them! Then I remembered that I used to use OPI Nail Envy Original a few years ago, but I still wanted some colour! Then I came across this OPI Nail Envy Bubble Bath, and instantly bought it!! The colour is so pretty. I was so excited for it to arrive, because I knew the original formula really strengthened my nails. I ordered mine from Nail Polish Direct, because they had 35% off the original price so a really good price for OPI! 

So with the OPI Nail Envy polishes, you are meant to apply two coats every other day to get the best results. The nail polishes contain wheat protein and calcium to resist peeling, cracking and splitting, and it definitely works. My nail polish has hardly chipped when I wear this, and usually when I just have normal nail polish on, it chips within a few hours. Also I don't add a top coat with mine, so I just use this nail polish and it still gives off a very shiny finish. 

I have been using this for just under a month, and honestly my nails are in so much better condition and have grown so much. Every Sunday I usually take all the nail polish, and put a fresh two coats on, and then every other day I just paint over the top, and I've found that this routine has worked really well. Before getting acrylics, and gels my nails were very strong and thick, but since getting them done my nails have become much weaker, and when I have natural nails they just snap and chip off at a certain length which is really annoying. I also had dents in my nails from where the acrylic nail had grown out, and you can't see it anymore as my nails have grown so much that it's gone. 

 If your nails are in quite bad condition, or you just want to strengthen your nails then I would definitely recommend this. If you do not want this colour, they do a few other colours, and they also have different formulas for whatever nail type you have. 

Lorraine x 

MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL | LIFESTYLE

Just a quick one to say that I have made a YouTube Channel!! I am going to start posting content very soon so please subscribe to stay up to date. I will be posting makeup videos, fashion videos, and lots of university content as I think this would be really helpful! If you have any other suggestions then please do let me know. Hope to see you all over there soon. 

Lorraine x

THINGS I AM LOVING #1 | LIFESTYLE

These four things are my current obsessions! The first thing I am loving at the moment is my new Perspex Mules from Zara. These were a last minute purchase before a night out, and honestly I am so glad I bought them. They are the comfiest pair of heels I have ever worn, and I have worn them every time I have been out since. I must admit when the perspex heel trend first came about I hated them and I just thought it was a big no, but recently my opinion changed and when I tried them on I was like I love them!! Also at £29.99 what a bargain.  

The beauty product I have been loving at the moment is the Fenty Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Foundation. I have had this foundation for a few months, and have been using it for all my nights out since. I have combination skin, and it works so well with my skin. I have a lot of scarring and hyperpigmentation from when I used to have acne, and it covers it really well. I use a powder on top too, but I think if you had a dryer complexion you would not need too. 

A social media platform I have been loving recently is Bloglovin'. You can follow me here! This is a platform where you can follow all of the different blogs you love to read all in one place, and it makes it so much easier rather than searching for all the blogs it is altogether. It is a good way to discover new blogs too, because you can see what blogs people follow from the people you follow already, and helps to see some new blogs which you would not have discovered. 

The last thing I have been loving is this Zara Bag. I have been wanting a new small handbag for ages as I always end up taking a massive bag which is so unnecessary as I just end up taking out rubbish I don't need with me. I spotted this bag when I was shopping, and the thing I loved the most was where it sat on my body. I always find that crossbody bags always sit too low on my body and I like the look of it being quite high. (You can see it styled in this Blogpost) It is really good quality, and I think it looks much more expensive than it was! I actually found it quite challenging to find a black leather handbag with gold hardware, so I am really pleased with this purchase. 

What have been your favourite items this month? 

Lorraine x

OLE HENRIKSEN GLOW | BEAUTY

When I was browsing Boots website over the Christmas period I came across an Ole Henriksen gift set with these four products in and it had a great saving and a discount on top of that too! I have always wanted to try there products, especially this range so I thought what better way than a gift set of all of them?! The main product I wanted to try out of them all was the Truth Serum  as I have heard loads of great things about it. 

 I was definitely not disappointed with this serum. It is definitely my favourite product out of this range. I use this in my nighttime routine, as I felt it was too heavy for me to use in the day. The texture of it is a gel consistency and feels very luxurious on the skin, and it also absorbs into the skin very well. I leave it for around 2-3 minutes before I out my moisturiser on, as I want it to sink in properly, and I find this works very well. When I wake up in the morning my skin looks really glowy and refreshed and feels soft. I would recommend this product to people with dry, oily and combination skin types. If you have sensitive skin, I would do a patch test before you put it all over your face as it does have a scent to it which may irritate your skin. 

The Banana Bright Eye Creme was also a product I loved. This eye cream was really moisturising, but not greasy! I get quite dry eyelids as I wear false eyelashes quite often so the glue dries my eyes out quite often, but this has really helped to keep them mositurised. The moisturiser to go along with this eye cream is the Brightening Gel Creme. I only use this moisturiser at night as I feel it is quite heavy for me to use in the day, as I do get an oily t zone, but I have heard on lots of reviews that it is really good under makeup so depending on what your skin type is then test it out! It is not a thick consistency, as it is described as 'gel' but once placed onto your skin it is quite thick but sinks into the skin very well and quick. The Banana Bright Face Primer was not my favourite primer I have used. As I have an oily t zone, this did not sit very well for me under my foundations as it made me quite shiny quickly. The texture of it is like a moisturiser, whereas I prefer my primers to be quite lightweight and runny. If you had dry or normal skin and liked a glow this would be perfect for you. Overall I love this range from Ole Henriksen, and next I want to try the toners! 

Have you tried anything from Ole Henriken before?

Lorraine x

THE STATEMENT BLAZER | FASHION

I don't know about you, but my most worn colour is definitely black! So adding a print to your outfit can change the whole look. This houndstooth print is very easy to pair with an all black outfit, and also makes it look smarter too. I bought this blazer to wear for work as it is smart, but the longline style makes it slightly more casual and stylish. I also love the double breasted buttons, as it makes it different to just an ordinary blazer. 

I styled this over an all black outfit that was a knitted plain top for warmth, and some leather look trousers and a block heeled boot. I accessorised this with a crossbody black leather handbag with gold hardware, and I think this makes the outfit look much more expensive. I accessorised with a simple rose gold watch on the wrist, and nothing else, as I think the print speaks for itself!

This blazer is so versatile, and can be worn casually with some loose cuffed trousers, and a simple crop, or can be worn smartly like the way I have styled it. This blazer is very affordable to add to your wardrobe, and a very versatile piece. I hope you love the outfit!

Lorraine x

Items worn: 

Blazer: BooHoo

Knitted top: Primark 

Leather look trousers: Zara

Bag: Zara

Boots: ASOS

THE ORDINARY NIACINAMIDE SERUM | BEAUTY

At the start of the year my skin was breaking out really bad on my forehead. I have struggled with acne in the past so was trying everything I knew, but nothing was working. My friend sent me a photo of The Ordinary Niacinimide + Zinc Serum , and said that I needed to try! It was only £5, so I thought why not? (If you're a student get it on ASOS then you get an extra 10% off too!) Also I have tried the toner, and rose hip seed oil from The Ordinary before and they worked really well, so I had high hopes.

The packaging is very sleek and simple, and the product dispenses in a pipette style, therefore it is very hygienic to apply onto the skin. The serum itself is a clear and lightweight formula, and sinks into the skin so well. I have normal to combination skin, and it works well for me, however I think this would suit all skin types as it is not heavy at all. I had no problems with adding this into my skincare routine, and I apply this just before my moisturiser morning and night.

After testing this morning and night for around 2 weeks I can say that I would really recommend this product, especially if you are struggling with your skin at the moment or having a breakout. It is such an affordable price for the quality of the product, and I am going to continue to use it everyday to help improve my skin.

Lorraine x

2020 GOALS | LIFESTYLE

I can't quite believe we are in 2020, sounds crazy to say right?! It's not just a new year either, it's a brand new decade which kind of makes me feel slightly overwhelmed.  I thought as we are in January there was no better time to write down some of my goals for the year ahead. 

• Read 1 book per month: My favourite type of books are motivational or self help books, and I have a few in my Amazon basket that I am going to purchase. I have started off the year by reading a book called 'Creating Well-Being' and so far I am really enjoying it. 
• Go to the gym 3x a week: I have never ever been a gym person, and never got into a routine for gym, so this year I am going to try and make it at least 3 times a week and make it part of my routine. 
• Establish a routine: I recently started a new job which I love! However with studying at uni, and socialising with my friends has made it quite hard. So I want to try and incorporate some type of routine where on certain days I know what I am doing and what time etc. 
• Eat out less and spend less money on food: I am VERY guilty of eating out, and getting takeaway a lot!! So this year I want to try and spend less money on food and only eat out on special occasions and not every week! I am also going to start taking lunches into work, so I will save some money that way too. 
• Get out of my student overdraft: As I am in my last year of uni I want to try and get out of my overdraft as soon as possible because I just feel it looming over me, and when I get rid of it will be such a good feeling. 
• Save, Save, Save!: I am going to make sure I put a certain amount of money away each month into my savings accounts. I have recently opened up a LISA aswell for when I buy my first home. I am also going to try and put myself on a budget so it will help me save more and not spend my money on things I do not need. 
• Graduate uni with a 2:1 or higher: I really want to graduate my Fashion Styling degree with a 2:1 or above, and if I work really hard I know I am able to achieve that. Since September I have put a lot of effort into my last years work, and will continue to do so until I finish. 
• Work hard on my blog & start YouTube videos again: I am going to post on my blog 2 times a week, and I am also going to start creating YouTube videos again. I started before I came to uni, but then I stopped as I didn't have the time, but I really enjoyed it so I want to make the time for it. 

I hope this year was just as good as my last, or even better. I can't wait to see what 2020 has in store for me. 

Lorraine x