New nails

Lilac nails courtesy of Glam Nails, Cardiff

I love this colour it's so summery and a happy/ girly colour. It's slightly similar to a colour I've had before but that was more of a vibrant purple and I think this colour photographs not so well. I'm still a big fan of the almond nail shape, but definitely swayed more towards to shorter length rather than super super long ! 

Amy :) x 

Hiking adventure 🐏

On Saturday my parents and I took a trip to Brecon and decided to hike up to Pen Y Fan for a little adventure. 

It's the second highest peak in Wales situated in the Brecon Beacons, nearly 3000 ft from sea level. It's very rocky and quite a steep climb for most of the way surrounded by more hills, grass and lots and lots of sheep 🐏

 We hiked all te way to the top and then across to Corn Du (the peak situated next door). It wasn't a really easy hike but it's we worth it for the views :) 

I'd definitely recomend the trip up to the top (maybe not if it's raining though), and there are a few routines easy & hard.. I think you need the good weather for good visibility but there are plenty of sheep to see on the way :) 

Amy :) x 

New nails !

I had a new set of gel nails done a few weeks ago. A bit delayed in posting but this is what they look like :) 

Quote of the day !

Yay for False Nails!

Being such a girly girl I've always loved having lovely nails. I love painting them to match outfits and trends and following fashions. I grew my nails really long a few months back an shaped them into the popular almond nail style. I dropped something really heavy on my hand without realising and broke one of my nails half way across. I was so mortified and filed all of my nails short and lived with it for a week. Then I decided to treat myself to getting nail extensions at the salon!

 

I got to a nail salon in Cardiff called Glam Nails, all of the girls who work there are lovely and they're all very talented. I usually have a picture ready on my phone (from Pintrest usually) to show them, and they'll copy it perfectly. They use gel and then shellac to create the nail extensions and then paint.

It doesn't matter what your nail length is or how different from your desired result, if you want it they can do it !

As far as I know and from my experience, with the gel nails your nails continue to grow underneath. I started with my nails being filed right down and with three sets of shellac being painted over my 'nail extensions' my 'real' nails are now the same length. I keep the almond shape because it's really in fashion right now and I love having long nails. The square option just isn't for me.

 

This was the first set that I had done. My natural nails underneath were just to the end of my fingers so it felt really strange going from short to long nails in one hour. I opted for a really lovely purple shade.

 

From my experience the shellac doesn't chip or scratch all. It doesn't wear away at the edges like some nail polishes would and the only need to go back for any change or maintenance is when your own nails grow and the gap between the polish and your cuticles becomes greater. They are so durable and I personally wouldn't opt for any other kind of nail service/process after going with the gel and shellac.

 

Three weeks later I went back to have the colour changed and went for this really light grey colour. I asked for the glitter along the edges, sort of like a take on a French manicure.

Below I've posted a contrast of the growth at three weeks compared to a fresh polish. This won't be the same for everybody because everyone's nails (as well as hair) grows at different rates.

 

Then 3 weeks later I went back again, took another Pintest picture along with me and got this amazing ombre French done ! The picture here really doesn't do them justice. The neutral colour is more of a natural pink but photographs as a peachy orange tone.

 

 

 

I always get so many compliments on my nails and I love the luxury and pampering.. the girls at Glam Nails are great so check them out on Crwys Road in Cardiff, (they have a facebook page too)

 

 

Have a great day, Love Amy x

Spring Splurge: Highstreet haul Part 1

Happy Easter weekend everybody!
Hope everybody is having a great few days off in the sunshine!

So rather than doing some spring cleaning around the house I decided to clean out my wallet instead!
 
I took myself on a little shopping trip today and when I go by myself I tend to buy more.. but also be more ruthless about my choices. I came home with some pretty good pics today. Being honest, I didn't pick up any great bargains. There are mid season sales all around town but I didn't want the hassle of sifting through the mess, and all of the pretty new pastel displays are too enticing!
 
I'm going to do this haul in two separate posts, one for accessories (including shoes) and my second will be solely clothes.

Thank goodness for the power of driving and drop off trips back to the car park!

Shoes!!
I really need some new neutral flats for this spring/summer. I purchased some gorgeous baby blue loafers from New Look a few weeks back, but baby blue doesn't go with everything ! I came across these simple ballet pumps in H&M today with laser detailing. I originally went for the white pair but I thought the brown would be a staple nude toned shoe and the white more for summer time use.

They feel really comfy and I really like the detailing that carries on all around the shoe. They retail at £9.99 which I thought was a bargain. I know you might find a similar looking pair in a place like Primark, but I feel as thought these will last longer. (Equally you could probably find a similar pair in Topshop for a lot more!)

The brown pair fee as tough they are made of a slightly softer more suede material compared to a more rigid plastic white. (but I love both) I know I'll get a lot of wear from both of these.



Last week Dorothy Perkins were offering 30% off most of their stock and 20% off selected shoes. I came across these khaki wooden combi sandals and thought they would be a great all rounder shoe for spring/summer, day/night time.

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to grab a bargain so I ordered these online hoping they were going to be just as nice I the flesh. I wasn't disappointed.  I love them. That is all.  

The second pair of shoes that I opted for in my DP order were these baby blue (semi) flatform wedges. They're soft and comfy, so easy to walk in and perfect for the summer time. I don't know what I'm going to wear them with but I can't wait to wear them! 

 

Accessories !!Towards the end of my spree in H&M I loitered around the jewellery section. I love statement necklaces but don't wear them as often as I used to so I though I'd opt for some little bracelets to layer up now we wont all be wearing long sleeves very often! I thought this set was really cute (and kind of hipster-ish.. but that's not the vibe I'm going for). Retailing at £6.99

 

Like I've said, I really do love a statement necklace. I thought this was cute and simple. It's a really nice duck egg/grey toned greenish colour. (close up below)

 

 

Finally I had to pop into my favourite make-up haunt, MAC.
I've been surviving for two weeks with using high street foundation as I had run out of my trusty Studio Fix Fluid and I'm so happy to own it again! Some high street foundations are really great but once you've fond a foundation that suits your skin type and texture its difficult to stray or accept any imposters! I also purchased a new lippy in the form of matte neutral Mehr.

Part 2 coming soon ...


Love Amy x

Movie of the week: Love,Rosie

I watch films so often I thought I would create a post featuring my films watched in the past week. 

I'm currently obsessed with Greys Anatomy thanks to my Netflix subscription (which I'd highly recommend to everybody. Netflix and Grey's that is!) It's slightly gorey at times and can be hard going in the emotional department, but if you're looking for a lot of time to waste away .. Grey's is the way to go!

Anyway .. Due to my recent Grey's fixation I realised that I haven't actually sat down and watched a good movie for quite a while. Now for somebody with a pretty extensive DVD collection, that's pretty tough (what can I say I'm under the Grey's spell) 

Last week I found myself wandering aimlessly into the dvd isle of a supermarket store and pondered the new releases on the shelf. I debated on a few titles that I've never seen or heard of .. Mocking jay and then an indie movie starring Shaileen Woodley came into the equation, but ultimately I went for Love, Rosie. 

Love, Rosie 

(2014) 15

Starring Lily Collins as the title character, this British rom com it proves to be an easy watch. I'm not sure what gravitated my decision towards this film in particular, maybe It was the "Rom com of the year" heading or just wanting to see Sam Claflin in a non hunger games role.

I can't really give an honest review without giving away some of the plot but what I will say is that this film is definitely worth a watch. I do believe its one of those ones you have to watch more than once to come to a definitive state of mind on the title. That being said it does embrace the typical values of a good British rom com, humour, melodramatic tones, random recognisable faces (in Sukki Waterhouse and Jamie Winstone - thank you IMDB.com !) and plausible clichés, and I did enjoy watching it.
Sidenote: Lily Collins actually produces a spot on British accent , props for that Lily!

The only film I can think to liken it to at this moment is Like Crazy (2011) starring the fabulous Felicity Jones. The tones and theme of young Love, Long distance love and the struggles that these character face along with that are reminiscent in Love, Rosie. Like Crazy is one of my favourite indie films if not one of my top 5 in general, so I'd definitely recommend that one too. (It may not be for everybody.. but I'm a big fan!)

One film that I hope viewers won't draw comparisons with is One Day, brilliant book .. Terrible adaptation - mainly due to Anne Hathaway's (bless her) atrocious 'british' accent. The only comparison I would draw here is the narrative evolving over a number of years etc.  

It's rated 15 which I believe to be appropriate, there is no thematic content too explicit or suggestive in the film but I wouldn't necessarily recommend any younger viewers to watch this one.

Overall, It was enjoyable and easy to watch, I'll have to watch it a few more times to decide whether it ranks above Like Crazy in my opinion but I'd probably give it a 7/10 for now :)
 

 

What else did I watch this week?

Saving Mr. Banks 

(2013) PG

 

Based on the life of Mary Poppins author P.L Travers all star cast featuring the loveable Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks and a surprisingly aplaudable performance from Colin Farrell. With interjected humor and ever present visual, thematic and musical links to the
Disneyfied version this film is a must watch for any Mary Poppins fan!

Be warned, it definitely is a tear jerker!

Cuban Fury 

(2014) 15

This next pick was a Netflix find. Searching for a new comedy to find I found myself drawn back to this classic British comedy. If you haven't seen Cuba Fury please do watch it ! It's Hilarious. Starring Nick Frost and Chris O'Dowd the story follows a former salsa dancer who has given up and settled in his life in a 9-5 office job. With no prospect of love, he sets his sights on winning the heard of new boss Julia. Through reigniting his passion for salsa aiming to entice her he joins a beginners salsa class and his confidence mirrors the progression of his salsa skills. This film embraces classic British humour, providing a full 90 minutes of laughter,

 

Suitable for all the family, whether you're a fan of salsa or not, just give it a watch!

 

The English Teacher 

(2013) 15

 

At first glance The English Teacher is a star studded indie movie with potential for Oscar winning status or majorly missing the mark. I have to say I had great expectations for this film because I am a big Julianne Moore fan. However 40 minutes in and I fell bored.

 I'll definitely go back to this one at some point, even just to see it through to the end, but I unfortunately I wasn't overly impressed with this one!


So..What films/movies have you been watching this week ?

Have a great day!

Love Amy x

Quote of the day !

Some friends and I are semi-planning our exploration across South America this summer (or our SAm travels as I'm now calling it) I cannot wait .. I just had to find and post an inspirational quote of the day to share because I am in such a great mood! I

 I'll definitely be posting lots of travel snaps in a few months that's for sure! 

I love this quote below from Anthony Bourdain..

.. Have a fabulous day ! 

Love Amy x 

A fantabulous brunch!

This week I've had a wonderful time visiting my closest friends, we rounded off the week by saying goodbye to two of the girls yesterday and two of us travelled back  in the afternoon. Before the final goodbye of the week me and my friend Rosie made the short trip to the Fino Lounge located in Whitchurch Village, Cardiff. I just had to share the amazing brunch that we had! 

I went for the Bacon and egg stack :
consisting of slices of eggy bread sandwiched between salty bacon smothered in maple syrup with a dusting of icing sugar (and two mini hash browns on the side).

Rosie went the breakfast brunch.. a posh fry up !

If you get the chance to visit them you should definitely try out the all day brunch menu !

Have a fantabulous day !!

Love Amy x

Outfit of the day

This week I'm visiting friends in Swansea, So there's no fancy fonts or colour theme on this blog post! 

I thought I'd do a quick post of my ootd as it's one of my faves. Last week I made a few new purchases and went on a mini shopping spree in River Island.. 

Selfie time .. 

I love this white and navy stripe long sleeve top. It's from River Island retailing at £20 which is quite reasonable. The material is thick and durable but not too warm and it has small split detailing on the right and left sides at the front . 

I chose to pair it with this brown leather look crocodile skirt also from River Island retailing at £30. 

I thought the outfit would look best paired with brown boots but the combination of brown boots trailing up towards a brown skirt didn't feel quite right so I opted for black heeled boots from h&m and black tights. 

This is definitely my new favourite outfit ! 

Have a great day and thanks for reading

Love Amy x

Tried and tested : False lashes mini review

I am a self confessed hoarder of false/fake eyelashes (or just lashes)! I wear them almost every day and am a strong believer that they are a great finishing touch for any make-up look day or night. 

 

I used to believe that false eyelashes were just something you'd rock on a night out, they were extremely difficult to apply, always too big for my eye shape so I would have to cut them (but then cut off too much, or from the wrong end!) and it was difficult to find the perfect pair to repurchase over and over again. 


I've tried several brands of lashes and sat though many YouTube tutorials on how to perfectly apply those little buggers, but it really is just practice! I've tried strips, individuals and pre-glued and all are slightly different to get along with. 

Pictures below: firstly my lashes coates in Bourjois Glamour curl mascara

Pictured below: straight after fake lash application (using duo glue; still wet obviously) 

So here it is, my run down, top tips, and overall review of fake lashes...

Why do I love them so much ?
I have fairly small eyes, so I don't tend to go for really heavy thick black eyelashes. Wispies, defining and lengthening sets are the most flattering for my eye shape because they really do open up the eye and add to a more polished make-up look(if applied correctly of course!). I genuinely feel more 'made up', pretty and girly whenever wear false lashes they are a great accessories to enhance any make-up day or night. 

Favourites
Currently my favourite set of lashes are extremely affordable at £3 for 5 pairs! Unbelievably great value this set by ViVi's Collection is extremely malleable, and a close dupe for the Ardell Wispies. I wear them virtually every day, they're very durable and great quality for the price, they remind me of the lashes Kylie Jenner wears. Theyre suitable day or night as they're fairly natural. 

Wispie lashes by ViVi's Collection available on their website click here 

Brands

1. Eylure
2. Ardell
3. Tanya Burr

Eylure are by far my favourite brand of lashes. Their range is never-ending, providing and array styles, length, thickness and even colour. From celebrity collaborations with the likes of Cheryl Cole and Katy Perry, to sets for the beginner, they even have starter kits which have a practice lash strip and plastic applicator. Malleability is very important in a good set of false lashes so that they are easy to manipulate when they're being applied (stiff, plastic falsies are a nightmare to use when you're trying to bring the corners in!). Eyelure lashes a nice and bendy, yet hold their shape well.  

Application 

You can watch countless tutorials on YouTube but the truth is practice makes perfect! 

Even now, sometimes it take me several attempts to perfectly apply lashes. The most important rule is that you use a well lit room, daylight is best I find, otherwise you might end up with what you think is a perfect application but you false lashes are no where near your lash line. 

My tip: I like to apply lashes with tweezers, first apply your glue of choice along the vein of the lash. Hold them with the tweezers for around 30 seconds to let the glue dry slightly then apply. Make sure you secure the middle of the false lashes to the middle of your lid which makes it easier to bring the corners in either side and position perfectly. 

There are a few brands that make false lash glue .. but my favourite by far is by Eylure. It has really great staying power and when the glue dries clear it doesn't leave any sheen or evidence that you've used the glue on your kids. YouTube favourite Duo comes in a close second however, sometimes I find that if you get the lashes really close to your own then when it comes to removal it's sometimes painful (because the glue is so strong!). Another point to make is that I find there to be a slight sheen when the glue dries, this is the only down side in my opinion but it's easily covetable with some matte black shadow or eyeliner. I've not tried and tested the tube made by Revlon, but I have heard good things about it on YouTube. As I've mentioned (quite a few) times I really do like the lashes by Tanya Burr, however I wouldnt rate the glue than comes in the box. I've tried using it several times but every time it really stings and irritates my eyes. Initially at a glance I did favour the clear product and assumed that it would work just fine, but I won't be reaching for it any times soon. Trusty Eylure for the win ( and duo on nights out)! 

Have a great day and thanks for reading :) 

Love Amy x 

Real Techniques: First impression of the Bold Metals Collection

The day the new Bold Metals Collection launched  I took a trip to Boots (the only official UK stock list of this collection) in the hope that there may be some brushes remaining in store on launch day .. however I was bitterly disappointed to find that they were nowhere to be found. I waited a week and still, no sign of the precious metals. In a bid to get my hands on (at least) one I ordered two online and now I can share with you their beauty !

A teeny tiny bit of background info..
The Bold Metals Collection is a new premium brush line created by the Champman sisters of YouTube fame, known as Pixiwoo. Featuring 7 brushes embracing distinctive look, shape and feel the Bold Metals Collection are an assembly of incredibly (incredibly, incredibly) soft synthetic bristles, slightly weighted for artistic precision with intelligently shaped spines.. not forgetting the striking palette of gold, silver and rose gold, 

You can watch Pixiwoo's Bold Metals vlog HERE to learn more about their new brushes.

What I chose
I am a big fan of the Real Techniques brushes, but I have to admit that with a price point ranging from £10- £25 I wasn't eager to buy the entire collection in one go. Their original collection of brushes were so affordable and such great quality that I wanted to give them a go .. (somehow I can justify spending more on them than MAC brushes because they're just so pretty... and I love Sam & Nic!) 

I went for number 100 - Arched Powder
and number 301  - Flat Contour 

Even the packaging is just beautiful, following the form of the brush embracing the spindle silhouette and embracing the metallic detailing.

The Flat Contour is literally the perfect contour brush, it's the perfect shape for using in the hollows of the cheeks and lightly on the nose for some Kim K style face shaping. The angled spinally handles make for easy use and application, as the brush surprisingly sits in your hand easier than a classic round barrelled brush.

Next up is the ever so fluffy arched powder brush. There's not an awful lot I can say about this one, it's a typical powder brush, however unlike its slightly fanned predecessors this boasts a pretty round yet slightly flat shape. I think it will be the perfect brush to even dust any finishing powder across the t-zone or as a blush brush on the apple of the cheeks.

Close up: Left 100 Arched Powder, Right: 301 Flat Contour

Comparison: Cheek brush from Nic's pick's Vs the Arched Powder Bold Metal

Size guide top to bottom: 
Cheek Brush from the Nic's pick's limited edition collection
Mac 116 
Real Techniques 100 Arched Powder
Angled brush from the Real Techniques starter set

Overall Opinion
So far I really love this new collection and I'm really glad that the Real Techniques brushes are now a joint venture for the sisters (First launched by Sam) and hopefully the brand will continue to grow. I own a number of the collections launched and my favourites by far are the silicone liner brush (the greatest brush to use with gel liner) and the miracle complexion sponge (a cheaper version of the Beauty Blender). I cannot praise this new line enough. The quality of the brushes from the very first core collection to the new Bold Metals is consistently high. Now that I own some of the new collection I can completely understand the elevated price point. As Sam and Nic illustrate in their latest vlog;  a little more time and money has been put into the production of these brushes, and you can definitely tell. I still love the original brushes, after all they are very accessible and used by professional make-up artists around the world.. but for now I'm definitely on the Bold Metal hype !

Meeting Pixiwoo!
Back in the summer I was lucky enough to meet Sam and Nic in Cardiff at a Real Techniques fan event. They held a meet and greet in the Superdrug Beauty Studio and hundreds of girls turned up to meet them, take photo's and have brushes signed. I've been watching their videos for around 4 and a half years now, since before I went to uni, not many people knew who they were or followed beauty guru's online... I have to say I really did learn most of my make-up tips and tricks from watching their videos over and over again!  Here are some of my pics from the day back in August :) 

Have a great day !

Love Amy xx