The Diary of a Student #1

I don't really know what I'm going to put here but I just wanted somewhere to post my thoughts. I haven't given much consideration as to whether anyone will listen, I don't really mind if you're reading this or if you've just pressed "back" thinking "This isn't what I wanted to see -_-'". This is my life, take it or leave it, and I am here to say whatever I feel needs to be said.

My name is Laura, I'm 16 (almost 17) and I am in the lower sixth at secondary school and just about to sit my AS level exams. It's funny how when you sit your G.C.S.E.'s you freak out because you think they are the most important thing in the world. Didn't anyone else? Well, I did...how wrong was I. In the scheme of things, GCSE's mean nothing- let's face it. As long as you don't get 12 E's then you're pretty much set to get to the next stage in life...A levels. How are you supposed to mentally prepare yourself for something as scary as that?!? ANSWER- You can't. Nothing could have prepared me for how much things changed. The number of times my parents, teachers, older students, warned me about how different life would be when I started A levels is ridiculous, an unthinkable numbers of times. Did I believe them? NOPE. There was 15-year-old-me strutting around thinking "What the hell you talking about bruv?! I ain't got nufin to worry 'bout". Well...I don't talk like that...it was for comedic value xD If you are doing your GCSE's and reading this, LISTEN to those people and work hard, eat your greens, and make sure you're in bed by nine!! And get off that computer of yours, you'll make your eyes turn square (sorry...I must have turned into my nan).

So, what can you get out of that rant? I'm terrified. I don't want to fail, I have too many people to disappoint if I don't do well. If you're thinking "get off your blog then and revise!", I do revise, ok? The Easter holidays are upon us and I will be doing nothing but practice questions and revising from textbooks that make me feel suicidal when I read them. I went to a university "fair-of-sorts" the other day and picked up around 50 prospectuses for all kinds of universities. I really want to do english, I do literature and language at A level, perhaps a joint honours degree with creative writing...what do I do with my life??? xD

I'll leave you with those thoughts. I hope you come back again. Until then, check out this video of random cartoons that create joy...you're welcome ^^

I hope you enjoyed reading my rambles. Please follow my blog to read more and look at my reviews/tutorials/raves/rants/wants/baking etc. Next time will be more light-hearted, I promise, I'm just feeling a bit down at the moment.

Lots of love and happiness and pie-flavoured pies, Laura








P.S. I like trains...

Review (& swatches): Rimmel Lasting Finish Soft Colour Blush in 050 Live Pink

Hey everyone! Today I going to be doing a review on my latest blush purchase from Rimmel, that I mentioned in my spring haul post.

The colour of the blush is a gorgeous light pink with slight orange undertones and a stunning gold shimmer, which is actually really flattering on the skin (particularly for skin with yellow undertones like mine).

The packaging of this product is quite basic, with a clear lid (which makes it easy to find the shade) and black pan, but it feels really sturdy. Simple yet effective. The lid features the classic Rimmel London crown logo and the actual product has a print of the union flag- it looks quite snazzy ^^ 

You can slightly see the gold shimmer in this photo, the blush also seems to have a rose tint which is what I thought it was when I saw it in the shop (I actually thought it would be a nice dupe for Nars Orgasm but it's more similar to the Sleek blush in Mirrored Pink- part of the new aqua collection)

You can really see that glimmer of gold- it's so gorgeous! 

The blush is really smooth and nicely pigmented, so much I had to apply it with a light hand xD

My attempt to capture the gold once again :L

As you can see, the blush gives a really nice "rosy" flush of colour which looks quite natural but still very stunning. I absolutely adore the blush and I must get my hands on some more! I've had my eye on Sleek's Rose Gold blush which is apparently quite similar to this but darker.

For the quality of this blush it was an absolute steal at £3.99- you can get it from Boots here.

Lots of love, Laura xx

Review: Collection Volume Sensation Lipstick in "Tea Rose"

Hey everyone! Today I have a quick review of one of Collection's lipsticks (formerly Collection 2000).

I picked this shade up in shade 12 which is called "Tea Rose"- a name that is both pretty and appropriate. The colour is a gorgeous coral/pink toned nude which looks a lot more pink in the bullet than when applied. This is a lovely natural nude that doesn't wash out my really pale skin (like most nudes do) and adds a beautiful flush of colour to the lips- think "your lips but better", it's so flattering!

You can see in the picture that the formulation is really creamy, I would describe the finish as been a "satin" one. However, this doesn't compromise the lasting power which is a good 3 or 4 hours. When first applied the lipstick feels really moisturising but I do find it quite drying after a while so a good layer of lip balm may be necessary if you have dry lips.

L- One swipe, R- Two swipes

I have noticed that the lipstick does feel slightly "plumping" as it has a slightly cool, tingly feel when first applied but this soon goes away- I didn't really notice any volume from the product but it doesn't really bother me. This lipstick does have a slight synthetic "marshmallowy" scent which many may not like but I quite like it, it does go away once applied.

The only thing I don't really like about the lipstick is the packaging. The hot pink plastic case looks fun but not very "classy". I guess companies like "Collection" are aimed at young teenagers who would LOVE the pink but still! On the plus side, it makes it easy to find in your collection (it sticks out like a sore thumb on my dressing table).

 

VERDICT- I really like this lipstick. I think the quality and colour are gorgeous for the price (£2.99) and I would like to see what other shades they have.

Thanks for reading this "short" review (haha...) I know this wasn't in my Spring haul, which I could of put it in, but I only got it today and was desperate to review it! I think I'm going to review my Rimmel blush next, so exciting!!!! Keep tuned for that ^^

Have you tried this lipstick? What do you think?
This lipstick will be perfect for spring! Yay :D
Lot of love, Laura xx

MUA "Chubby Sticks"??? Something to look out for!

MUA (Make Up Academy- the best make-up brand EVER!) have posted some pictures on their website revealing new products they are bring out called "Power Pouts", the best part? Not only do the colours look super gorgeous but they are pretty much exact dupe for the Clinique "Chubby Stick" lip products that I have been DYING to try but could never justify spending £13 pound on! The MUA versions are coming out in Superdrug stores on April 10th (my dad's birthday ^^) and will be £3 each! Yay! :D

"Available in six rich bold shades from chic nude ‘Rendez Vous’ to deep rich rasberry ‘Broken Hearted’, our new colour intense lip tints will ensure your lips will look good enough to kiss!
MUA Power Pout is a lip treatment with colour intensity that relieves dry, cracked lips providing immediate moisturisation. The handy pencil-style applicator provides easy to apply sheer soft lip colour and rolls up for easy use.
Ensure you have the most kissable lips this spring and kisses they will remember forever…"

Here are some pictures of the "Power Pouts" from the MUA facebook page

You can clearly see the resemblance in the design with the Chubby Sticks- the colour coordinated packaging, the white font up the side and the shiny bottom which twists to make the lip crayon come out and retract. The colour range looks lovely and the bright fun colours will be perfect for spring/summer. I have my eye on the second one (from the left- the shade "Broken Hearted") which looks similar to the Clinique Chubby Stick shades "Super Strawberry" and "Woppin' Watermelon", which are the ones I wanted to get.

Top to bottom- Crazy in Love, Broken Hearted, Irreplaceable, Rendezvous, Runway, Justify

I do actually think the shades that MUA are offering are meant to be exact dupes of the Chubby Stick shades as many of them look ridiculously similar (like how "Runway" looks like "Two Ton Tomato", Rendezvous looks like "Heaping Hazelnut", Irreplaceable looks like "Pudgy Peony"). This is quite good as it offers the same as the high-end brand but it's also a bit sad as you question the originality of the product, is it always good for them to do exact dupes of products (which they have been doing a lot lately) without adding their own flair to them?

The colours look so moisturising and luxurious! I can't wait to get my hands on these :D Broken hearted and Rendezvous will be first on my shopping list.

What's your favourite shade?

The "Power Pouts" come out on April 10th in Superdrug stores for £3 each but are available now online here 

Lots of love, Laura xx

It's SPRING! (A mini spring haul)

Hey everyone! The flowers are blooming and the chocolate eggs are disappearing from the shops, which can only mean one thing...spring is here! YAY! I just have a quick "spring themed" haul to share with you- 5 items I've recently got from Superdrug and will be reviewing soon :)

The products I got were...

Yet another Rimmel Apocalips (What can I say...Rimmel were 3 for 2) in shade 501 Stellar- £5.99

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in shade 010 Light Porcelain- £6.99

Rimmel Lasting Finish Soft Colour Blush in the shade 050 Light Pink- £3.99

Elemis freshskin loving lips Quenching Lip Balm (What a name xD) I didn't buy this but got it free with Cosmopolitan Magazine- Available in Superdrug for £8

And finally MUA lipstick in shade 16 Nectar- £1

I really needed some new foundation and had heard SO MANY great reviews about Match Perfection foundation (from the likes of other bloggers such as Fleur and A Pretty Obsession- check them out if you haven't already, they're awesome ^^) so I decided to give it a whirl.

Pink cheeks and coral/pink lips are always on trend in spring so I decided to get the Stellar Apocalips, which I was going to get last time but wasn't feeling brave enough to try xD I actually intended on getting Luna (a more orange based Apocalips colour) but I've never really tried orange toned lipsticks- hence why I got the MUA lipstick! Clever, I know :)

The Elemis lip balm is really nice as well. I've heard a lot about Elemis and their skincare range but I've never considered trying them as they are a bit out of my price range, the lip balm retails at £8 in Superdrug! But as it was free I can completely justify trying it...I just won't be replacing it anytime soon (I mean, seriously? £8 for a lip balm???)

I can't wait to review these products- especially the blush, which looks absolutely gorgeous and perfect for a spring look!

What are your spring make-up essentials?

Lots of love, Laura xx

My Latest Amazon Bargain! Calvin Klein lipstick in Desire

Sorry for my lack of make up...I was short on time :(

Hey everyone! Today I'm going to be sharing my latest lippie purchase from Amazon which is a Calvin Klein lipstick in the shade Desire. This lipstick is a gorgeous deep pinky plum colour (possibly verging on a "berry" shade), which is really annoying because it's a lovely colour for winter... but winter is over now -_-' Next year, I guess xD 

The packaging of the lipstick looks really basic but quite sleek, it's plastic which feels quite cheap but at the same time it's quite sturdy (how does that even work? O.o). It's fine but I would expect nicer packaging from a "designer" brand (it's technically designer right?)

The colour actually looks really golden here but it's due to my bedroom light. The shade name and lipstick type ("Delicious Luxury") are put on a sticker on the side of the casing, which is good for reference but doesn't earn the product any points for being aesthetically pleasing. 

Top- Lipstick with No7 lipgloss (see below) Bottom- Lipstick alone

You can see from the swatches that the lipstick is very pigmented, creamy and goes on smoothly, I would describe it as having a "buttery" consistency. The bottom swatch is the lipstick on its own but the top swatch is the lipstick topped with some No7 High Shine Lipgloss in Whisper.

Sorry about the rubbish picture...

Another rubbish picture (sorry) with the lipgloss

 Overall, I really like this lipstick and think it would be perfect for a night out. The colour is so vibrant and it looks lovely with the lipgloss and it was so cheap! YAY! I'm been really into berry shades lately but this years Spring make up trends seem to point towards a pink/coral lip...time to dig out my beloved Maybelline "Coral Tonic"!
What's your favourite lipstick bargain?
I got the Calvin Klein lipstick for £2.89 here 

Lots of love, Laura xx

Ready...steady...BAKE! #2 Chocolate Celebration Cake ^^

Hey everyone! It's been a long time and I'm really sorry but I have had ALL of my coursework deadlines in this week (upon reflecion doing double english at A Level's was probably not the best idea for my sanity O.o) Anyway today was my friend Zoe's birthday and I decided to bake her a cake I'd seen on Mary Berry's latest television series- for those who do not know, Mary Berry is the British Queen of Baking (seriously :D).

(P.S. These baking posts will always be quite picture heavy..I get a bit carried away)

Nom :3

Ingredients
For cake-
190g/6 1/2oz Self-raising flour
150g/5oz Caster sugar
2 level tbsp Cocoa powder
2 level tsp Baking powder
2 tbsp Golden syrup
2 Free-range eggs
150ml/1/4 pint Sunflower oil
150ml/1/4 pint Milk


For icing (ganache)-
200g/7oz White chocolate
150ml/1/4 pint Double cream
125g/4 1/2oz full fat cream cheese (yeah...this isn't the most healthy cake on the planet. But SO GOOD)

1. Heat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius/Gas mark 4 and grease and line two sandwich tins with greaseproof paper

Whoops...

2. Sift all the dry ingredients (the flour, sugar, cocoa powder and baking powder) into a large mixing bowl. Stir the ingredients until combined and make a well in the centre.

3. Add the syrup, eggs, oil and milk and mix with a hand whisk until fully mixed together, then pour into your two cake tins ^^

Ooooooooo...

4. Bake in the oven for around 25-30 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed with your fingertips. Turn out onto a wire rack, remove the paper and leave to cool (you can't ice your cake until it's completely cool).

I made extra batter so I could make some cupcakes as well (my friends are greedy xD)

I didn't burn them! YAY! :D

5. For the icing, break the white chocolate into a bowl. Heat the double cream in a pan, until very hot but not boiling. Pour the cream over the white chocolate and stir until it is completely melted. Once melted set aside to cool.

6. Spoon the cream cheese into a bowl and gradually pour the chocolate mixture in until combined. Set aside to cool until it's thick enough to use as icing.

7. Spread some of the icing on top of one of your cakes. Then assemble your "sandwich" and put the rest of the icing on the top. I used a spatula to smooth the icing and create a nice swirly finish.

8. As a finishing touch I sifted a bit of cocoa powder over the top and then grated some white chocolate to create decorative "curls" on the top. And viola!! :)

This cake was SO NICE. My friends loved it! Definitely a winner :) I hope you liked this post and perhaps feel inspired to try it out. I promise more posts will be coming soon, including some reviews and looks. I also really want to do monthly favourites so look out for those. Please feel free to leave me some love in the form of a comment, I read and reply to every single one. See you soon!

Lots of love, Laura xx





This recipe can be found on the BBC website also here.