2014 Resolutions Progress | April

Hello everyone!

If you haven't already noticed, we are a third of the way through the year. How frightening is that? Christmas is coming!!! Hahahah Joking! 

In January, I wrote THIS 2014 Goals post. When I was writing it I thought it would be a good idea to kind of review my progress as each third of the year passes, so that's what I'm doing today. If I continue to do this you'll see this post again in August and December!

So, how have I been getting on? 

1. Vlog more. 

I vlogged around Berlin at the beginning of the year and really enjoyed it but since them I haven't really been anywhere worth vlogging. 

I did make a little video about Holmfirth which you can see HERE. But other than that I haven't been anywhere. Tom and I are going to Liverpool for a few days in May though so I'll make it my mission to vlog that!

2. Reach 100 followers on the blog!

YAY I think I have achieved this. As I'm writing this I have 60 GFC followers and 82 Bloglovin' followers. Hello to you all!

The reason I was hoping to gain more followers was just to have a wider audience reading my posts, I've been spending so much more time and effort on my blog this year that it's nice to know that it's helping and entertaining people. I try to follow everyone back, especially on Bloglovin' as GFC is very unreliable these days...

If you are following me, thank you so much! I love to hear your feedback in the comments and I reply to everyone. I hope I continue to entertain you throughout 2014!

3.  Find a job.

Still no luck on the job front unfortunately!

4. Redecorate my room!

All done! You can see that post HERE. 

5. Do more things that don't involve shopping. 

I think I have kind of achieved this. Or more so just staying at home, saving some money, rather than going shopping every single weekend. Tom and I did go to Eathrow Park in Romley last weekend though which was nice. (I'll write a post soon).

Hopefully we'll get better at this when summer rolls around and we're not walking around parks freezing in the rain!

6. Be more positive.

I was doing well at the beginning of the year but then all the university work piled up and the prospect of graduating and growing up set in! hahaha. So. Scary. 

7. Make more effort.

I have partially achieved this goal. I make more effort in myself which is a great starting point I suppose. I don't stay in my PJs all day anymore, even if I don't put on a face full of makeup I feel like I've made more effort. I wash and straighten my hair more and go to the sauna and steam room regularly which is helping my skin a great deal. That's as far as I've got with this goal though.

I think my progress so far has been about 50/50. Some goals have progressed nicely, others not at all! Maybe in August things will be different!

How are you getting along with your resolutions?

Thanks for reading,
see you next time,
Leanne x

OOTD Ft. Coolway Boots!

Hello everyone!

If you saw my collective haul a while back, you may have seen the Coolway boots I bought. I absolutely love them, I bought them from TKMaxx for £35.00 and they were supposed to be £110.00... what a bargain!

As they are so unusual I quickly took this picture so you can see how they look on and how they actually do match other clothes despite them being patterned. Enjoy :)

Top - ROMWE

Jacket - Miss Selfridge

Leggings - River Island

Boots - Coolway

Nails - Barry M Greenberry & Essie Beyond Cozy

Sunglasses - Vans

I think, generally, if you wear a block coloured bottom half then you can still wear something patterned on your top and they will look fine. 

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealler

MaxFactor Creme Puff Powder

ILAH Brow Powder in Brown 

L'Oreal SuperLiner in Black

MaxFactor Wild Mega Volume Mascara in Black 

Stila Self-Adjusting Custom Colour Blush in Pink

Revlon Colourburst Matte Lip Balm in Unapologetic

So that's how I've been styling the Coolway boots, mainly with block colours leggings/jeans and a more colourful or patterned top.

(Note to self - stop doing OOTDs with the ROMWE top! I swear I do own other clothes hahah)

Thanks for reading,
Leanne x

China Glaze, Too Yacht To Handle Vs Barry M, Greenberry

Hello everyone!

I have a little review / comparison for you today. I recently bought the China Glaze polish Too Yacht to Handle from Nail Polish Direct, you may have seen my China Glaze haul a few days ago! Well today I thought I'd tell you what I think and also compare it to the Barry M Greenberry which is a very similar colour. 

I absolutely love China Glaze polishes. They have such a vast range of colours, finishes and textures that it's difficult to choose which ones to buy! I do think though that they are extremely over priced. At about £13 a bottle RRP I would be disappointed to say the least if I payed that price considering how they perform. 

The main problem is that they chip so quickly, I wore Grass is Lime Greener last week and I had to take it off the next day because it had chipped that badly. So, in my opinion with China Glaze polishes you need to buy a top coat. 

Although I think the £13 price tag is too excessive, I suspect that price is something to do with the shade range they have. Some of the colours differentiate by a fraction. You can definitely find the exact shade you're looking for in this line and if it's available on a discount website like Nail Polish Direct then that's great!

Too Yacht to Handle is a gorgeous summery turquoise. You can find this shade in a lot of jewellery so it would be easy to find something that matches and makes it pop, I think it looks really flattering throughout the warmer months!

Had I seen this shade in person before I bought it on the website I may have refrained from buying it simply because I already have a nail polish that is almost identical. 

Barry M's Greenberry is extremely similar. There is only the slightest difference in colour. From looking at it I'd say that the Barry M shade is slightly greener whereas the China Glaze is a little more turquoise. However, if you were wearing both shades on either hand you would have to be analysing it to tell the difference.

Not that Too Yacht to Handle isn't a beautiful colour, I'd just say that over all if you're looking for a shade similar to this I'd recommend that you try the Barry M Greenberry. It's cheaper, lasts longer, you don't need a top coat and it's available in a store.

China Glaze Too Yacht To Handle - £4.95

Barry M High Shine Nail Paint in Greenberry - £3.99

Hope this was helpful!

Thanks for reading, 

Leanne x

Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm | Unapologetic

Hello everyone!

Every woman and her cat (myself included) has been raving about the Revlon Matte Balms! So today, here's my review on the shade Unapologetic!

This is the shade I was instantly drawn towards, it's probably the brightest one of the bunch and I was really looking for a bright coral/pink which is what this shade is. 

I absolutely love this lip product, you may have seen it in my March favourites, as it's such an easy yet bold product. You just have to quickly apply it and you're good to go. No faffing! It's easy to reapply throughout the day as it's in pencil form which makes a nice change from them bold colours that you have to really keep your eye on for smudging etc. 

It's one of the nicest formulas I've tried for a while. It apples smoothly and evenly and, despite it being matte, it actually feels like a balm. I wouldn't call it moisturising but it feels comfortable and slick on the lips unlike some matte product which feel very dry. It also leaves a fresh, minty tingling feeling on your lips just after application. 

Another plus in my opinion is the packaging. It's a retractable product which makes for no sharpening, woo! I hate sharpening things as I can never find a sharpener, especially for a jumbo pencil like this so thumbs up from me!

This is the perfect colour for Spring/Summer as it instantly makes your face look fresh and awake. I can't wait to buy more colours and sing their praises too. Probably my favourite matte lip product I've used... and I've tried a lot.

Price: £7.99

Revlon Colorburst Matte Balms

Have you tried these matte balms? What do you think?

Thanks for reading, 

Leanne x

Fuzion Noodle Bar | Manchester

Hello everyone!

Anyone live in Manchester? Anyone going to visit Manchester?

If you are, I have a food recommendation for you today. Tom and I went to the Fuzion Noodle Bar in Fallowfield a couple of days ago and we really enjoyed it. The food was incredible and tasty, it was all freshly prepared and, frankly, I can't wait to go back!

I ordered noodles with veg and a side portion of vegetable spring rolls. I'm not vegetarian but I I"m not huge fan of the way chicken is prepared for this kind of food. The food was delicious, prepared freshly and quickly. It was so yum!

Tom's a bit more extravagant with this food choices and ordered a soup which I didn't try but it looked nice and he said it was tasty. It looked like a vegetable soup but I'm not exactly sure what it tasted like. He also got a side of shrimp which he enjoyed too. 

If you go during the week and order off the weekday menu you can get a starter and main fir £9.95 which is pretty good value as the dishes are large portions. Next time I'd probably just get the mains for about £7.95 as that filled me up fine.

You can view the restaurant's website HERE. You can also download the menu for prices etc!

Are you all craving Chinese food now? I am! 

Thanks for reading, 

Leanne x

Rimmel Exaggerate Full Colour Lip Pencil | Eastend Snob

Hello everyone!

I have a quick review here on the Rimmel Exaggerate Full Colour Lip Liner! I bought this a few weeks ago as I never ever use a lip liner and I really wanted to try one. I decided that this was a good, neutral shade that could be paired with a lot of different colours and it has been working well so far!

It is a muted, nude colour and completely matte. It looks a lot more pink in the tube than it does on your skin. Not only have I been wearing this under other lip products but it actually looks really nice on its own. 

I find that this lip pencil serves its purpose really well, it's very long lasting and I find that my lipsticks don't wear away as quickly as they usually do when I use this underneath. It also helps more liquid-y products such as lip glosses not to smudge outside of the lips. 

I think this is the perfect starter lip liner, it's not bold or scary and you can't make a mistake with it. 

I love the packaging as it's retractable, you don't have to sharpen it which is great for those lazy souls like myself. I never sharpen anything. Mainly because my sharpeners grow legs and run away... I think. 

A few downfalls are that the product can be quite drying, it has zero moisture which, I suppose, is how it manages to stay on your lips for so long. I'd try to get your lips in pretty good condition before applying as it will accentuate dry areas and flakiness. Also, you have to be quite light headed with the product as the stick will break easily as I have discovered quite a few times :( 

Anyway, I really recommend this lip liner and I'm definitely going to pick up some other shades in the future! I think it's a great multi-purpose product as you can use it as both a lip liner paired with something else or on its own for a subtle, nude look.

Price: £3.99

Rimmel Exaggerate Full Colour Lip Liner!

Have you tried any other shades from this line? 

What are your thoughts?

Thanks for reading!

Leanne x

China Glaze Haul!

Hello everyone!

After I bought the China Glaze polish Sun of a Peach, I knew that I had to buy some more! You can see my review on that shade HERE. I went ahead and ordered three more colours from Nail Polish Direct as they have most of the China Glaze polishes on sale. You have to spend £10 to qualify for free shipping which is very easy to do once you get carried away!

The shades I bought are:

Grass Is Lime Greener // Too Yacht To Handle // Petal To The Metal

So far, I've worn Grass is Lime Greener which is a very bright, almost neon colour. It's so pretty! Makes a nice change from all the turquoise greens we see in nail polishes. 

I've also worn Too Yacht to Handle which I kind of regret buying only because it's so incredibly similar to Barry M's GreenBerry. The Barry M polish is a touch greener but you can hardly tell unless you're properly analysing them. 

I'm still yet to wear Petal to the Metal but you'll definitely be seeing reviews on these soon! I will warn you though, if you're going to buy these polishes, get yourself a good top coat because, although the colours are beautiful, they chip so quickly. 

These polishes are all £4.95 each.

What's your favourite China Glaze polish?

Thanks for reading, 

Leanne x

Easy Referencing!

Hello everyone!

Are there any students out there who are writing their dissertation, finishing their dissertation or, if you're like me, only just starting your dissertation? 

Well, I have something that may make your life a little bit easier...

It's a free app called ReferenceME. 

You just scan the barcode of the book you're using, choose your referencing style and email it to yourself! Simple as that!

1. Create your essay, mine's called 'dissertation'.

2. Click 'add reference'.

3. Scan the barcode.

4. Add the page number you want to reference. 

5. Choose your referencing style and click 'export'.

6. Email the reference to yourself. 

You don't have to email them all separately, you can email all the references together to make it even quicker

Hope this helps some of you!

Thanks for reading, 

Leanne x

March Favourites!

Hello everyone!

I've been finishing off my story all day for university and I looked at the date and realised I hadn't written my March Favourites! Luckily, I already knew what I wanted to write about. So here goes! (In no particular order...)

1. Revlon Matte Lip Balm in Unapologetic

I bought this towards the beginning of the month and haven't worn much else since. It's a lovely, bright, spring colour which livens up your makeup look immediately. 

2. Cheese and Onion crisp

Only the Walkers version! I love cheese but never really liked cheesy crisp. Throughout March though I couldn't get enough of them.

3. Sauna and Steam Room

At my local swimming pool they have a sauna and steam room etc. Most places do now. And this month I've been going with my mum every Thursday. It's so relaxing and my skin feels so soft afterwards. 

4. Coolway Boots 

Since I bought these about a month ago they basically haven't left my feet. 

5. Gogglebox

Does anyone else watch Gogglebox on a Friday? Just me? 

I love it! I watched the first series and loved it then too, I think it was on a Wednesday though. I just think it's so funny. I like the old couple and the posh couple, they're my favourites!

6. Tea

I'm an avid coffee drinker, usually. I've been feeling funny this month and reverted to tea a lot though.  I wasn't sure why I felt funny but I came down with the mother of all colds a few days ago and I think that's why. It's been lurking. Tea really helps to sooth my throat so I've been drinking quite a lot of it.

7. Vicks and Night Nurse

Speaking of colds. This has also been helping me along. I swear by Vicks in these situations, it helps unblock your nose and clear your chest. It's the best. Night Nurse just knocks you out at night when you can't get to sleep. It also stops your nose running which is great.

8. China Glaze Sun of a Peach

You may have seen me review this last week. I've worn it for about two weeks of March. It's so pretty! 

9. Relax Music App

I've recently got in to the habit of falling asleep to noise. Whether it be a YouTube video or a song, usually there's something in the background when I'm going to sleep.  I downloaded this app called Relax Music for free and it's so good. You can choose all kinds of music to fall asleep to, my favourite is Zen which reminds me of the music they play in beauty salons. 

It also has Binaural Beats. One for relaxation and one for concentration. I used the concentration one to help me focus when I was writing an essay a few weeks ago and it helped so much. 

10. Flowers

I'm eagerly awaiting the warm weather and flowers being around the house have really lifted my mood this month.

11. Neutrogena Visibly Clear 2 in 1 Wash/Mask

I've been using this a lot this month having broken out in a million face demons. I despise my face at the moment. I'm not generally prone to spots but I've just broke out in loads and I don't know what to do with them! HELP!

This product hasn't really been removing my blemishes but it's definitely been helping by soaking up excess oil from my face.

That's everything on my list!

Hope you enjoyed reading and if you see any mistakes I do apologise but I'm typing this with one hand whilst I hold my nose with the other to stop it running! NICE.

See you next time, 

Leanne x