November Favourites

Long time no blog! November has been a really busy month for me - I finally got a job after months of applying and although its only as a part-time christmas temp, I'm really enjoying it! - so I've had very little time to post but here I'm back today with a new blog post - my monthly favourites for the month of November! Enjoy!

I have been loving so much this month and have looked forward to showing you what I've been loving! Everything is beauty and skincare related and some things are new and others are products I have started using again.

Products I've Been Loving:
Maybelline Rocket Volume Mascara
Tangle Teezer
Zoella Beauty Soap Opera Bath Soak and Shower Cream
MUA Heaven and Earth Eyeshadow Palette
Yes To Tomatoes Daily Clarifying Cleanser
Good Things Five Minute Avocado and Goji Berry Facial Face Mask
Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain in Rio Rush
Rimmel Stay Matte in Ivory

Firstly is the Maybelline Rocket Volume Mascara. I bought this mascara over a year ago and then over the summer I started using Barry M's Lash Vegas but in the last few weeks I have been loving this one as I feel it gives my lashes a natural longer look and doesn't clog them. I also love Maybelline's Falsies but this one is my personal favourite. Next up is my Tangle Teezer. I love this! I mainly use this when my hair is wet but I also like to pack it in my bag for when I'm out and about. A definite beauty must-have!

Next up is a product from Zoella's beauty line - the Soap Opera Bath Soak and Shower Cream. I picked this up at the end of last month and have been using it every day since I bought it. It has a sweet floral-like girly scent and is my favourite bath product at the moment. I have even added the body mist from her collection to my Christmas list! I don't really tend to wear eyeshadow on a day-to-day basis but this month I have been loving the MUA Heaven and Earth Palette. The palette is a gorgeous selection of brown and nude colours which a mixture matte and shimmery shade - perfect for the Autumn and Winter months. I really love MUA palettes as they are super pigmented and long lasting and of course - a really affordable price (I think this palette was £4.00! - what a bargain!).

My skin in the past few months - Since around Late September - has been anything but clear and acne free and on twitter - laurenmwelch if you want to follow! - earlier this month I asked (using the hashtag #bbloggers) if anyone had any recommedations of any good high street skincare products for acne prone oily/combination skin and someone suggested the Yes to Tomatoes range so on my next shopping trip, I picked up the Daily Clarifying Cleanser. I have been using this for the past two weeks and although my skin is still not very clear, I definitely feel an improvement in the appearance of my skin. Another skincare product I have been using is the Good Things Five Minute Facial Face Mask. I picked this up earlier this month and although I have only used it twice, It left my skin feeling soft and clean and I really like it and looking forward to using it more in the upcoming months.

I love lip products and am always on the look out for new ones to try out and this month I have been loving Revlon's Colorstay Moisture Stain in Rio Rush. Its a beautiful bright pink and is a mixture between a lip stain and a lipgloss, although its not as sticky as a lipgloss when worn and is very long lasting. Its a beautiful colour and I know that I will get used out of it even in the warmer months.

Lasting, is a product that I have come back to over the last month - Rimmel's Stay Matte Foundation. I am a huge lover of Rimmel foundations as I also really love Rimmel's Wake Me Up Foundation. I have decided that I really love to wear this foundation through the colder months more than the warmer months as its a lighter shade for when I haven't got a tan on my face. Its a great consistency and has very good coverage.

What products have you been loving this month?

Lauren x

Taylor Swift 1989 Album | Review

A slightly different post from me today, exciting! I am a huge fan of Taylor Swift and when I heard she was releasing a new album, of course I had to buy it! Today I thought I would do a review of her new album and I have been playing it none stop - whether its at home listening to the CD or on my Iphone when I'm out and about!

It is, of course, a slight music style change for Taylor as her usual style is more country/pop but I really love this album as much as I do her other albums! I have to be honest, when she released 'Shake it off' a few months ago, I wasn't really sure if I liked it and was skeptical about the new album - but after I listened to it a few times, I found myself humming and singing it even when I wasn't listening to it as its such a catchy song and I love the album too!

I bought the normal version of the album but there is also a deluxe version available with three extra songs as well as a few demos and obviously there are 13 songs on the normal version as its Taylor's favorite number and her birthday date!

I think the album cover is great and the title - 1989 - is very personal to Taylor, herself, as its her birth year. As with a lot of people who have bought her album, I really love the little sleeve with the Polaroids as its a personal and unique touch and that seems to very fitting with the whole album as the cover is a Polaroid photo of Taylor and a line in her song 'Out of the Woods' refers to a polaroid photo; '...you took a Polaroid of us...'.

My favourite songs on the album - aside from 'Shake it off' (which you can listen to below) - include Welcome to New York, Style and Blank Space! Although 'I Know Places' and 'How You Get The Girl' are also great catchy songs too!

Overall, I think its a really catchy album and although is different to Taylor's usual music style - it is still very similar due to the deep personal lyrics in every songs. Definitely one of my favourite albums I have bought this year!

Do you like 1989? What are your favourite songs on the album?

Lauren x

Topshop Lipstick | Rio Rio

It feels like I haven't posted on here for ages but it's only been a week since my last post! Anyway, today I'm back with another post about a beauty product I have been loving lately and its a Topshop lipstick in Rio Rio! This is the first ever purchase from the makeup collection in Topshop - I know, I know where have I been? - I just have never really been interested in buying anything beauty related as its a clothing store and in all honesty thought it wouldn't be that good but was I wrong - I love this lipstick!

I really wanted another red lipstick - but one that had orange undertones - and when I saw a review on this lipstick recently I thought I would take a leap and buy one from everyone's fave - Topshop! I have been wearing this non stop since I bought it just two weeks ago and it is definitely one of my favourite lipstick and will getting a lot of wear over the upcoming months - especially over christmas!

So, what do I like about it?
- Its super hydrating - some lipsticks can be very drying but I find this one very moisturing and doesnt make my lips feel dry at all.
- It long wearing - It lasts hours and you wont have to keep reapplying throughout the day!
- Its very pigmented - as you can see from my photos it is very pigmented!
- Wearable for both day and night.

What I don't like about it? 
- My only critique is the price. I dont know if its just me but I think the reason I haven't purchased anything sooner from Topshop makeup collection is because I feel that they are slightly overpriced - especially for a clothing store makeup collection BUT I do like it and think it is very good quality!

Do you have any favourite lipsticks from Topshop or any other product from the makeup collection at Topshop?

Lauren x

My Top 5 Autumn/Winter Nail Colours

L-R: Chilli, Cappuccino, Cardamom, Rimmel's Your Majesty and Indigo

I love to paint my nails all year round but in the colder months of the year, like many people, I tend to be drawn to darker colours and todays post is focused on my favourite nail colours for the Autumn and Winter seasons. Four out of five of them are Barry M - Yep this gal loves a Barry M nail polish in case you didn't you know already! - but you can probably find similar shades in other brands.

Barry M Gelly - Chilli
Chilli is a beautiful brown toned red colour and is from Barry M Autumn Gelly collection. This colour has graced my nails so much over the past few weeks and will definitely be doing so over the next few months too! I love it!

Barry M - Cappuccino
This a gorgeous taupe brown shade and is my equivalent of a nude shade for the warmer months. Its a nail colour that would go with any outfit. Its such a sophisticated colour and will work well with any skin tone. Looking forward to getting a lot of use out of this colour.

Barry M Gelly - Cardamom
Cardamom is a beautiful medium green shade. Its from the original Barry M nail paint collection and although I have only worn this colour once since I bought it about two months - I know it will get a lot of use in the next few months! Perfect Autumnal Green!

Rimmel - Your Majesty
I have had this colour for years (maybe about 2?) - I can't even remember buying it! I know you are meant to throw away nail polishes (like any make-up or beauty items) after about a year but this colour is still wearable and still of good consistency so why throw it away? Its a shimmery silver and will be perfect for the Christmas period! Love it!

Barry M - Indigo
Finally a bright colour for Autumn! This is a deep blue shade with slight purple undertones. Its super shiny and like all Barry M polishes its a great consistency. I haven't worn this one yet this Autumn but I am looking forward to wearing it on my nails over the next few months. A great shade to bright up an outfit!

What are your favourite nail colours right now?

Lauren x

Zoella Beauty Range | Soap Opera

It is the time of the month where I would usually write a monthly favourites post but this month I haven't really had any new favourites throughout October so I thought instead I would write a post on something from Zoella's new beauty range (It was released in Superdrug stores and online at superdrug.com and feelunique.com last month) - the soap opera bath soak and shower cream!

I only picked it up yesterday but have already used it twice and can say that I really love it! It has a lovely fresh fragrance to it and with just a small amount added to running water, it makes loads of bubbles (as you can see from my photos!). It also leaves your skin feeling super soft. I really want to buy the perfume soon too but unfortunately it was sold out when I was shopping yesterday - but hey what can you expect with Zoe having over 6 million subscribers! I really adore the packaging of the whole range too! It completely sums Zoe up with her logo printed on each item and is super cute and girly with the pastel colour theme throughout the range.

Other products in the range include a body lotion, bath fizzers, a body mist, a candle and there is also two super cute make-ups (an eye aqua green one and a pink guinea pig one!). All can be bought for just under £50.

It is a great collection and its so lovely to see all the blogging and YouTube community come together when Zoe announced the range earlier this year. I can only see the future getting even more brighter for Zoe especially with the release of her first book in a few weeks (cant wait to get that too!) It is so great to see someone who I have been watching on YouTube for the past three years grow and have as much success as she has! She is a true inspiration to all young people and I wish her the best of luck for the future!

Have you brought anything from Zoella Beauty?

Lauren x

Simple Chocolate Brownie Recipe

Today I made some chocolate brownies and thought that it would be a good idea for a blog post aside from the regular beauty and fashion posts. They smell absolutely incredible and taste even better! Its a fairly simple recipe to follow.

Cooking Time: 25-30 minutes (depending on the size of the baking tray; the smaller the tray, the longer they may need)

Ingredients:
130g Plain Flour
175g Unsalted Butter
325g Caster Sugar
3 Eggs
200g Dark Chocolate (broken into pieces)

Extra Equipment:
Baking Tray
Mixing Bowl
Wooden Spoon
Measuring Scales

Optional:
Icing Sugar to Decorate (Dusting)
Chocolate Chips

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 170 degrees or gas mark 6.

2. Grease and line your baking tray with parchment paper.

3. Put the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl and place into a microwave until its smooth and melted. (This can also be done in a saucepan on the heat if you prefer).

4. Add the melted chocolate and butter to your mixing bowl and add in the caster sugar and stir well. Then add the flour.

5. Crack the eggs and add one at a time to the mixture (I like to crack them into a cup or jug before adding them to the mixture but you can crack them straight into the bowl if you prefer).

6. Make sure the mixture is thick, smooth and glossy. Add in the chocolate chips (optional).

7. Spoon the mixture into the baking tray and cook in the oven until flakey on top but still soft in the centre - cook for about 25-30 minutes (may be a little longer if your baking tray is small as the brownies will be thicker).

8. Take the brownies out of the oven and leave them to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar (optional) and cut into squares! Then enjoy!

Happy Baking!

Lauren x

Wishlist: Autumn Day Outfit

Jumper / H&M

Monochrome Loafer Shoes / New Look

Bag / H&M

Essie Nail Polish / Licorice 

Jamie Jeans / Topshop

Who doesn't love to wear a cosy jumper for a chilly Autumn day? This one is from H&M and I really like that its not your typical style jumper as its slightly cropped. Also how lovely is the cherry red colour? Jeans are obviously a must-have for any wardrobe and these black Jamie jeans from Topshop are perfect and the ripped knee add to the casual daytime look.

These loafer shoes has been on top of my wishlist for a looong time! I love this style of shoe as I think they are a must-have statement to any look. I want them! How nice is this fringed bag from H&M? I had a fringe bag a few years ago and used it to death! I have always loved the fringed bag look and think this one would be perfect for the Autumn and Winter seasons. Love!

Lastly, as a nail polish addict, I had to add one to this post. I think black nails look great for this time of year and I love this one by Essie - Licorice! Also how cute are the names of the essie nail polishes - I love them!

Lauren x