How To Feel Festive

I haven’t posted anything on my blog in nearly 2 WEEKS! Whaaaat! I have had so many ideas for new blog posts but i haven’t seemed to be able to put photos and words together lately, whoops! But i am back, and this week i thought i would write a post about the festive season, as we are only 12 days away from the best day of the year… CHRISTMAS. For anyone who can’t seem to get into the festive spirit, or who simply has no interest in anything christmas related at all, then hopefully this post will give you a little glimpse of inspiration to feel a little more festive this year!

As an 18 year old teenager, i know that sometimes christmas isn’t as exciting to me as it is to everyone else. When December starts, i get SO excited for the festive season. But, 5 days into the month, I’m bored of it already. However, i find doing these little things each year helps me to feel christmassy right up until the actual day. So, here are 3 super simple steps to make you feel festive this year.

1. DECORATE!

When i say ‘decorate’, i don’t mean the christmas tree and your front room. I mean decorate EVERYWHERE! Especially the place you spend the most time in, which for me, is my room. I find that decorating my room each year to my acquired festive taste, gets me super excited for christmas! Not only can i make my room look super cute and christmassy, but giving your space a festive change can make it feel so much more cosy and inviting!

This year i went for a simple red and white duvet cover, bringing in all the festive colours. I purchased everything on my bed from ASDA. As my room is mostly white, i incorporated the festive pillows that also match the style of my bedroom, so that everything blends together nicely and doesn’t look ‘too much’.

George Home Reindeer Duvet Set: £16

You cannot decorate a room without a christmas tree! I bought this tiny little tree from Dunelm Mill, for… £5! YES, i paid £5 for this christmas tree AND it comes with lights! That is bloody amazing if you ask me. I feel like by adding a small christmas tree into your bedroom, it makes the room feel so festive and also super cosy. I also decorated the tree with gold baubles, to make it look more homely and also match my bedroom.

3ft LED Christmas Tree: £5

Like i said previously, all of the bedding i bought was from ASDA. I LOVE these pillows because they match the interior of my room whilst also bringing in a festive vibe.

George Home Red Snowflake Cushion: £5

George Home Glisten Cushion: £7

George Home White Faux Fur Cushion: £7

The last thing i did to decorate my bedroom, was add some fairy lights. One of the biggest steps to making any room feel festive, is by adding fairy lights! They make my room feel so much warmer and also look so pretty. I may even keep them up all year long! I decided to wrap these fairy lights that i bought from Primark around my mirror, as they really stand out in my bedroom.

2. Candles

Candles are one of the most important parts of christmas. In order to feel festive, you must have festive scents all around your house! Plus, candles make any area look cosy and warm, whilst providing you with beautiful smells that get you excited for the christmas season.

My personal favourite christmas candles are both Yankee Candles. ‘Christmas Eve’ smells like christmas in a jar, I’m not exaggerating. It has a sweet yet sharp cinnamon type scent. Whenever i light this candle it automatically makes me feel 10x more festive, and who doesn’t love a candle that has Santa and his reindeers on the front of it?! My other favourite christmas candle is ‘Winter Glow’, this smells a lot more fresh, but also has a musky undertone. Its not as festive as the Christmas Eve candle, but it definitely makes my room smell like a winter forest.

Yankee Candle: ‘Christmas Eve’  £17.99

Yankee Candle: ‘Winter Glow’ £17.99

3. Christmas Films & Music

The next step to feeling festive, is by watching christmas films and listening to christmas music. There is no better way to experience christmas spirit than by watching Elf with a cup of hot chocolate, or jammin’ to Mariah Carey and singing your heart out.

If you’re reaaally stuck on what Christmas films to watch this year, then here are my top 5 favourites that will make you feel super festive:

1. Love Actually
2. Elf
3. The Grinch
4. Miracle on 34th Street
5. Polar Express

I assure you, after watching one of these films, you will feel like Buddy the Elf.

And, if you are unsure as to what Christmas songs you should listen to, heres a few that really get me into the spirit.

‘Golden Glow’ Eye Makeup

Ive recently started using eyeshadow a lot more as part of my daily makeup routine, so in todays post i thought i would share with you my favourite winter ‘golden glow’ eyeshadow. I use the Naked 2 Palette to achieve this look, and i personally LOVE it! I think this makeup suits the colder weather as it brings a warmth to my eyes and a slight shimmer, by adding a bit of glitter to an eye can make it look so much prettier.

I only used 4 shades to create this look: Foxy, YDK, Chopper and Snakebite. I added a bit of depth to a natural shimmer eye makeup look, making it look slightly smokier but also keeping it subtle and perfect for any daytime or evening event.

I absolutely adore these shades in this palette, and Chopper is definitely my favourite. The pigments are so strong, and each colour has a different tone of gold which makes my eyes POP. YDK is a darker shade of gold, with a slight copper tone. Whereas Chopper is a more rose gold/pink shade. Then Snakebite is a brassy gold tone, which helps bring together the whole look.

To achieve this natural, yet smokey golden glow, i use 4 steps. Firstly i take the shade ‘Foxy’ and cover my whole eye lid as a start base for the rest of the pigments. Then i take  YDK and apply that throughout my crease to give more depth to my eye. Next i cover the middle of my eyelid with ‘Chopper’ to create a golden tone that mixes well with my crease. I then blend both of these golden shades together so that my eye has depth and shimmer. Finally, i take ‘Snakebite’ and apply this to the outer corner of my eye to smoke out the look a little bit. Sometimes i also take a darker colour, such as ‘Half baked’ to give my eye a darker golden tone on the outer corners and create a smokier look.

So, thats it! My simple golden glow eye makeup look, let me know if you like this eye makeup or if you recreate it in the coming weeks, i know this will definitely be my Christmas day eye shadow!

Everyday Makeup Routine

I LOVE makeup, I am in no way a makeup artist, but there is something i really enjoy about being able to transform my face. I thought i would do a post today showing you my everyday makeup look! I don’t wear makeup every single day, but on the days i do, i like to keep it relatively simple. I usually opt for a brown, slightly copper toned eye, with a nude lip. Im going to take you step by step through my everyday make up routine for anyone who wants to recreate this look, so i hope you enjoy!

Face

1. I always start off my makeup by using the Mens Nivea Post Shave Balm as a primer, and let me tell you, this stuff works wonders! Its like a glue for foundation, and keeps my make up on aaall day long.
2. I then apply the Maybelline Fit Me foundation in the shade ‘230’, i absolutely adore this foundation as it gives me a complete matte finish and super full coverage.

3. Next, i put the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind concealer, in the shade ‘light’, under my eyes in a triangular shape, and on the high points of my face (nose, cupids bow, chin, forehead). Ive been using this concealer for YEARS and its the best one everrrr to cover under eye bags, but also highlight the face.

4.  Whenever i have any spots i always conceal them using the Nars Creamy Concealer in ‘vanilla’. Again this stuff is amazing, and has great coverage.

5. Once I’ve concealed my face and hidden any blemishes, i move onto contouring using my Sleek Contour Kit. I love this palette so so much, i only use it for the darker contour shades but it is so creamy and blends so easily with my beauty blender. I take the lighter shade on the left, and blend that onto my forehead and below my jaw to give me abit of bronze. Then using the darker shade i define my cheekbones by drawing a line from my ear where my cheek bones are. This gives the perfect definition.

6. After I’ve applied all the cream based products onto my face, i move onto powders. I use the Rimmel Stay Matte powder in ‘transparent’ all over my face, to get rid of any shine, as i personally like a matte finish.

7. Then i take my Hoola Bronzer and apply this where i put the cream contour, to give my face more definition and try to make myself look like i have some sort of cheekbone! If you’ve never tried Hoola by Benefit i definitely recommend it as the shade is so warm and matte, it looks so pretty.

8. For blusher i use the Benefit Rockatuer, this blush is the most gorgeous blush I’ve ever used. It has a slight sparkle to it, which mixes perfectly with the peach and rose pigments.

9. Next up, is HIGHLIGHTER. I love highlighter, its my favourite makeup product! Because of this, i often use 2 highlighters as i can’t choose between both of them. These are the Mac ‘Soft & Gentle’ highlighter, and The Balm’s, Mary-Lou Manizer. I apply the Mac highlight above my cheek bones for a warmer glow, and the Mary-Lou on my nose and cupids bow for a lighter highlight.

Eyebrows

10. For my eyebrows i use 3 products. I start by using the spooly brush, from Benefits Precisely My Brow Pencil, to brush through my eyebrows. (As the shade of the pencil it too dark for me).

11. I then use Soap and Glory’s Brow Archery in ‘medium brown’, to fill in my eyebrows. I use the crayon pencil to lightly fill in the start of my eyebrow as the crayon is quite light so doesn’t give a harsh overdrawn look. I then take the felt tip type of brush at the other end of the product to lightly fill in my arch and the rest of my eyebrows, using light brush strokes.

12. Once I’ve filled in my eyebrows i set them using Gimme Brow by Benefit.

Eyes

13. I love a brown/copper eye look during the winter, as it gives abit of warmth to my eyes. Also because i have quite big blue eyes, using warmer colours makes the blue stand out more which i love. I use the Naked 2 Palette to do my eyeshadow. Taking ‘Snakebite’, i define my crease. I then take ‘Chopper’ to go over my lid towards the edge of my eye. Then i take ‘Bootycall’ and put that in the inner corner of my eye to make them look brighter. On occasion, i will also take my Mac highlighter and put it in the middle of my eye to make them look bigger and more awake!

14. My favourite go-to mascara is the Too Faced Better Than Sex. This mascara makes my eyelashes look so thick and long which i loooove. As i currently have eyelash extensions i don’t often use this mascara, but i will sometimes apply it for added depth. When i don’t have eyelashes, i ALWAYS do winged eyeliner with this mascara, and it makes my eyes look so much bigger!

Lips

15. The last stage of my everyday makeup routine is my lips. I always wear these 2 Mac lip products. I start by lining my lips with this lip liner in the shade ‘Spice‘. I then apply my fav Mac lipstick in the shade ‘Velvet Teddy‘. These 2 colours go so nicely together and can be worn with any make up look.

SO, that is my completed makeup look that i do about 5 times a week! I hope you enjoyed, and let me know if you use any of the same products as me, or what your everyday makeup looks like!

X

5 Gift Ideas for Him // Under £10

I recently posted a gift ideas for ‘her’, so i thought why not post a gift ideas for him, to help anyone who is struggling to buy the perfect present for their partner, brother, dad or friend. I have found 5 gifts that i think are perfect to buy for men this Christmas, and they are all under £10! So, if you’re finding it tricky shopping for your family or friends, here are a few ideas that will hopefully inspire or help you to buy the best gift this Christmas!

Christmas Fairisle Beanie Hat: £10

Hats are the perfect gift for a man this winter. With the cold weather and festivities, there is nothing better than a beanie to keep you warm, especially one with a Christmas pattern to really get into the festive spirit. I love this gift idea, as this hat is super cool and the colour will suit anyone.

Basket Case Game: £10

This is a perfect gift for any impractical jokers in the family. Any man would love to receive a funny game to entertain the family on christmas morning, so why not whack a basketball hoop onto your head and get everyone to throw basketballs into the net? A humourous but also very fun gift to receive.

Jack & Jones Socks: £10

Socks are also a great present to receive, and they are even better when they suit the festive season with a funky pattern. These socks come in a pack of 4 different designs, suiting any man. Plus, the packaging of these socks is super smart, making it look like you put a lot of effort into choosing these cool socks.

Face Mats: £6

This is another joker gift, but it can also be fun for all of the family. I have seen these face mats all over the place in the last few months, and I’m sure any dad, husband or friend will really enjoy joking around with different facial expressions attached to them during the holiday season! So this is definitely a top pick if you want to gift someone with a fun and entertaining present this year.

Bulldog Protective Moisturiser SPF15: £9

The last gift is something affordable and suitable for all men, a moisturiser! Everyone needs to moisturise, so a moisturiser specifically aimed at men to protect their skin is the perfect gift! Its also the best stocking filler as it is a small gift, but very thoughtful.

 

5 Gift Ideas for Her // Under £10

Christmas is soon approaching! With only 5 weeks left i thought that this week i would upload some gift ideas, to help anyone who is struggling to buy the perfect gift for their loved ones! I have bundled together a range of 5 gifts for women, all from ASOS, that are under £10! SO if you’re finding it tricky shopping for your family or friends, then this post will give you a few inspirations or ideas to help you buy the BEST Christmas presents, at an affordable price!

Loungeable Cuff & Pom Textured Sock: £10

One of the easiest presents to buy someone this year, is SLIPPERS! Every girl loves slippers, especially in the freezing cold weather. These slipper socks are a perfect gift as they are super warm but also very stylish. Also, they are only £10, which means you could add a little extra gift on the side (maybe some chocolate), and it would look like you really put a lot of effort and thought into that person.

Capri Blue Velvet Moss And Jasmine Candle: £8

Most women absolutely love candles, i know the best gift i will receive from a friend is CANDLES! No matter what scent, candles can be used throughout the year and make the perfect present. This candle also looks super cute in its tin, the pattern gives a slight festive vibe, although its not actually a christmas candle, so can be used all year round!

Ciate Mini Paint Pots: £10

You can never go wrong with gifting a woman nail polish. This super cute set will be the perfect gift for anyone in the family. The festive colours and gorgeous packaging will look great underneath the christmas tree and plus, who doesn’t love Ciate nail polish?!

 

Paperchase Christmas Handwarmers: £8

I LOVE this gift idea. Not only are these hand warmers the cutest thing ive ever seen, but they are also the perfect present! Not many people think to  buy hand warmers as a gift, but these little mini bears will make any woman smile on christmas day!

St Tropez Luxe Oil 50ml Cracker: £10

The last gift idea is fake tan! Most woman love to fake tan so whats better than to receive a top quality tan product wrapped up in a christmas cracker?! The product and packaging are amazing, and will make the best gift for your girlfriend, friend or sister.