Monday 14 July 2014

Summer Nails

I absolutely love painting my nails so for me, summer nails are a must a have. They can add the perfect touch to any summer outfit. I've picked out a few of the nail polishes I've been loving so far this summer. 

Before painting my nails , I always apply the No7 'Stay perfect' clear base coat. I've noticed this nail polish has helped improve the conditions of my nails, and protects them from being damaged when wearing nail polish. It also drys very quickly and provides a smooth base, to ensure your nail polish is applied easily. 

No7 'Stay Perfect' base coat


 
I absolutely love bright, coral/orange colours at the moment (looks amazing with a tan!) Fell in love with this colour when I saw it in the Rimmel London section in boots. It's called 'No tan lines here'.



Tanya Burr 'Mini Marshmallows'


Tanya Burr has a lovely collection of nail polish, and I decided to get the one in the light pink colour called 'Mini Marshmallows'. The colour is very subtle, and can vary depending on the number of coats, (I put three coats on to achieve this look). The colour is light, summery and gives a high gloss finish which looks lovely and elegant.








Barry M Gelly nail paint in 'Dragon'


The nail polish by Barry M is a similar colour to the Tanya Burr Nail polish, however is not as subtle as the colour is darker, and gives more of a bold 'baby pink' look. I currently have this colour on my toes, however I know some people aren't so keen on feet so I've spared you the picture, haha. 

Let me know if you want to see any more of the nail polishes I've been loving for the summer, or any requests you may have- Twitter @girlythings961 or email me girlythings96@gmail.com. I've also been using my instagram a lot more these past few days so check out my account if you want :) What nail polishes are you loving this summer? 

Saturday 12 July 2014

New Shoes | Vince Camuto

Vince Camuto Sandals 

I'd say I was more of a clothes lover than a shoe one, however having said this I do have quite a fair amount of shoes! I usually can't bring myself to spend more than £30 on a pair but when I found these gorgeous sandals I couldn't resist! They're by the designer 'Vince Camuto' and on the website originally cost £195, however I found them in TK Maxx for £45!

I absolutely love shopping in TK Maxx, you can find lots of nice clothes/shoes/bags for a lot cheaper than you would have had to pay originally, so really recommend it if you don't mind spending time looking through to find some really nice things :) 

 
I know these might not be everyones cup of tea, but I absolutely love them and have already spent time planning outfits to wear with them. Hope you liked this post, and thanks for reading :) 

Friday 11 July 2014

Makeup Remover

Makeup remover is always something I've struggled with. I'm very disciplined removing my makeup, however trying to decide on a product to use which is neither expensive or damaging to my skin is challenging. 

Because of this, I've always played it safe and used 'Boots own cleaning wipes' (I know, how much more basic can you get?). The Boots makeup wipes come in a pack of 25 and have been described by Boots as being: 

"suitable for skin that is sensitive or allergic to perfume. These fragrance free wipes with soothing Aloe Vera and Vitamin E, remove make up and excess oils to leave skin clean, soft and smooth".  (Seems like the perfect product right?)

Each pack contains 25 wipes, which last me almost a month depending on how often I'm wearing makeup. To entice me even more Boots always have offers for this product, they're initially priced at £1.50 a pack however almost every week the offer '3 for £3' draws me in and each time more and more are put into my shopping bag. 
 

I think the question I'm trying to ask is, is it wrong for me to use and like the very cheap and basic boots own makeup wipes? I've read many blogs on makeup remover products, only to find they all conflict each other. Some argue wipes 'don't do the job properly and only take away a layer of makeup from your face', whereas others believe expensive, liquid makeup removers are a complete waste of time. 
Like most, I want to protect and nourish my skin and so am always looking for a product which will do this. However so far this product has done exactly that (again, with a very favourable price tag). So is it bad that despite all the thousands of makeup remover products on the market I've settled for the very cheapest and basic one?

 Let me know in the comments or on twitter @girlythings961 what you guys think, the products you use for removing makeup and your views on these makeup wipes.

Thank you for taking the time to read, and I'm very interested to read your views and suggestions :)

Thursday 10 July 2014

Questions About Me

In case any of you are interested in me, and not just my posts I've answered 10 questions about myself as requested by Lorn Helorn- http://lorneee.blogspot.co.uk . However if you're only interested in the beauty/fashion/lifestyle side then I'd stop reading now :)

1) How old are you?

I'm 17 years old, soon to be 18. 

2) Do you have any siblings?

Yes, I have one 14 year old brother.

3) What's your height? 

5ft 5"/5ft 6"

4) Do you have any pets? 

I don't at the moment, I used to have a cat and have had three hamsters (at different times), I think cats are definitely my favourite animal, they're so cute and loyal. 

5) Where have you been on holiday?

I've visited quite a few places in America (New York being my favourite), Spain, France, Portugal and Greece :) 

6) What's your favourite book?

Readings something I really love when I start reading a book however I never seem to find the time to actually start reading one. Over the summer I definitely want to start reading more, so far my favourite book has been 'Girl Missing' (one I read a looong time ago, and a more recent one, 'The perks of being a wallflower'.

7) What camera do you use to take pictures for your blog? 

I use either my iPhone (4s) or my camera Canon 1100D.

8) Whats your favourite cafe, and what do you order?

Really boring, but my favourite cafe is starbucks. During the winter I order a hot chocolate (favourite winter drink) and in the summer I LOVE their chocolate and cream Frappuccinos. 

9) Any guilty pleasures?

Hate to admit it, but hey thats why its called a guilty pleasure but I do really like watching KUWTK. 

10) Favourite clothes shops?

The shops I go to most often have to be Topshop, Zara, Primark, H&M, Tk Maxx and New Look. But I also do a lot of my shopping on online stores :)



Hope you liked this slightly more personal post, again if you have any more blog requests or questions tweet me or email me girlythings96@gmail.com :)

Wednesday 9 July 2014

Photography

Canon 1100D



In my spare time I love to take photos, I find it one of the most relaxing, calming hobbies to have. I never specifically choose something to photograph but walk around my garden looking for bright, beautiful, interesting flowers/scenery/animals to take pictures of. 

After using a disposable camera, then a standard canon camera with one setting, I finally saved up enough money to buy a Canon 1100D. I always wanted to buy this type of camera, not only because of how nice and professional it looks but also because of the practical side, and the raving reviews it has received. And I can honestly say its been one of the best expensive buys I've made. There are quite a few settings however nothing to complicated which wouldn't take more than one read of the help guide to figure out. It is heavier and less practical to carry around than say a 'normal' camera however I was willing to sacrifice this, and don't mind carrying the camera in an extra bag or around my neck, because to me it is definitely worth it! I've uploaded a selection of photographs I have taken in the past year using the canon 1100D, hope you like them :) 

Love the 'blurred background' effect 
Spotted this butterfly on the flower on holiday in Greece, the camera picks up delicate detail perfectly.
Definitely a favourite picture of mine, love the precise detail and colour
This was taken on a standard setting, I just liked the way the apples contrasted with the grass.

If you're looking for a calming hobby, I really would recommend photography, as you can see my photos are only of an amateur level however if you have the patience and a decent camera you can take photos which you are really happy with and can treasure and be proud of (cheesy I know, but its so true!).

This blog post is a bit different and may not be everyones cup of tea so do let me know if you want to see more photography pictures I have taken/more blog posts like this.

Hope you liked my photos, and are enjoying my blog so far, 

Tuesday 8 July 2014

Welcome to my blog!

Hello everyone, welcome to my Blog! 

I've been reading so many peoples blogs recently it has inspired me to create my own. I've just finished my final A level exams, and have a long 10 week summer ahead of me, so decided this would be the perfect time to start! 

A little bit about me....

I'm 18 years old, and have just started the new, exciting (and scary) journey of leaving school and deciding what I want to do with my future. For the moment blogging will be a relaxing, fun way to spend my time. 
I'd love to share personal blogs about school, exams, the future and general lifestyle experiences. I also love fashion and beauty so will be posting what I'm wearing, what I'm doing and what I'm loving. 

Photography is also a passion of mine, so I'd love to share my photography with you as well. 

Lets see how it goes. I really hope you like it!