Mini Primark Haul

Carrying on from yesterday's post Mini Superdrug Haul I thought I would do a little blog post about some of the goodies that I got in Primark recently!

The first thing I got was this gorgeous necklace, made out of what looks like feathers with diamond detailing. This necklace is quite heavy however I think it's lovely and it will easily jazz up a plain t-shirt of dress.

Next I picked up a gorgeous skater style dress and cream top.
I think the dress is perfect for my ball after party. It's very fitted and has the perfect "sticky out skirt" (technical term there...) without looking too much. Its a gorgeous pattern and colour. Was super cheap as well at a bargain of only £13! A close up picture of the pattern can be seen on the left and I think it's perfect for a party as it's not too dressy/casual. The material is also quite thick and seems to be surprisingly good quality!
The cream shirt I purchased is also gorgeous fabric. I am super impressed with the quality of my Primark purchases! Normally I consider my Primark bargains and one or two time thing, but I can really see myself wearing both these items again and again. This top came with a necklace attatched which you can see below on the right. I am undecided as to whether or not I think it looks tacky or beautiful. I will let you know.

There we go, as promised, short and hopefully sweet! I really like all my Primark bargains - have you got anything recently that you are loving? Let me know in the comments!
Z xx

Mini Superdrug Haul

Whilst shopping for ball necessities (the fact it's in less than a week is almost too much to handle) I managed to pick up a few new makeup essentials in Superdrug! (I also got a few new fashion items which I'll put in a separate post! )

The first item I picked up is nothing new to me and it's Maybelines Dream Satin Liquid Foundation in Ivory 100. This is my favourite foundation to date, as it has the most gorgeous dewy but matte (is that possible?) finish! Once blended well, and admittedly I do find that it takes a little longer than some other foundations to blend, it's air whipped texture comes into play and your skin is left quite literally feeling like satin - glowing and radiant. It's not too expensive either and I would say that is definitely has medium coverage which is perfect for me! I would t recommend this if you have oily skin, I have normal to combination skin with some blemishes left over from acne and I find that I always have to set this foundation with a good powder.

Next is the Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer in the light shade. This was a new adventure for me and so far I'm neither here not there. I find the colour slightly too orangey for my skin at the moment and haven't seen anything crazy whilst using it but I will need to give it some more time. I don't normally use a Bronzer so any foraging into this area would be almost unknown to me.

Continuing the base make up theme, I also repurchased the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in shade 003 Medium. I love this concealer. As does ever other blogger apparently. The coverage is great and the texture is lovely and blend able. My only slight annoyance is that this shade is ever so slightly too dark for me I think. Shade number two is much pinker and as my skin tone is slightly more yellow I feel like I can't really go a shade lighter! However, if I blend this in really well it works absolutely fabulously. 

Finally I picked up some Eyelure False Eyelashes in 101! I don't have a picture of these because I was too keen and eager to try them out I opened the box and used them before I decided to blog about it. Oops. However, I have found these lashes super easy to apply and I think they are very natural looking. I had never worn falsies and didn't want to go straight into the deep end so I would say these are perfect for beginners like me, or for those of you who like to wear falsies but for a more casual and every day look!

Let me know in the comments if you have picked up anything exciting shopping recently! Part two of my mini haul with be up in the next few days and I hope you all have a lovely week! 

Z xx

My AVON Palette

I have seen so many different blog posts about all the different palettes our there - from urban decay's Naked 1/2/3, Smashbox's neautrals and so on. But I want to let you all into my secret favourite - AVON'S DIAMOND SPARKLE COLLECTION PALETTE. 

I particularly love this palette because it has such a wide selection of colour shades, textures and finishes. There are colours perfect for every job. Highlighting, lids, crease and more. 

My particular favourites are; 

The baked gold colour (four from the right top row) because its got such a beautiful texture that it blends effortlessly over your lid for creating the perfect gold eye. 

The brown (top row four from the right) is perfect for intensifying any crease definition.

And finally the white/cream colour on the top right of the palette is perfect for highlighting the inner eye and brow bone.

In my opinion this palette will be more for you if you are looking for a great combination of matte and shimmer shades.

Another hidden gem is that there is a section which pulls out to reveal a whole new drawer of surprises! These shades of blush are surprisingly pigmented and looks gorgeous! The lip colours on the left are not really my thing but then again I didn't get the palette for this section! In fact, I didn't even know it existed for a few weeks after receiving it (I got it as a Christmas present this year!)

Let me know in the comments what your favourite eyeshadow palette is because in my opinion a girl can never have too many! Hope you all have a nice weekend, 

Z xx

"Fitspiration"

Recently I made an amazing discovery in the app store (sometimes I just love browsing through the apps to see what is out there) and I came across the "Nike Training App". Thinking to myself, hmm maybe I can use this as some motivation to do some "pre-ball" workouts. I downloaded it and have never looked back! This app is incredible if you are interested in fitness! There is a wide variety of workouts varying in length and difficulty ranging from cardio to toning to strength. With the option of even creating your own personal workout program in conjunction with the nike running app there really is something for everyone! Personally I like to use the fifteen minute focus programs where you work intensively for fifteen minutes on a particular area of the body. My absolute favourite is the perfect alignment by Gabby Douglas which targets core and thighs. Using a combination of exercises so you are never bored, this app has definitely changed how I work out and keep fit - especially on the days where I have no netball or any other sports I can pop up to the gym for a half hours workout.

One thing I would say is make sure you warm up properly! I know this sounds silly but I found it really difficult to locate and then do the warm up that comes on the app so I generally just improvise and do my own! And a stretch down is a must!

For all the sceptics out there that are perhaps not a fan of the "fitness app craze" that seems to be around at the moment I would strongly urge you to trial this app at the least! It's free to download and use and you might even pick up some ideas for creating your own workouts! 

This post is in no way sponsored or affiliated with Nike but I just really wanted to let you guys know about it because it's something I really enjoy using and feel I really benefit from! 

This photo is taken from Nike and I love it's message! I work out not because I want to "lose weight" or anything like that, but it makes me feel strong and empowered and I really love it!

Z xx

Dress Obession

Hello my lovelies,

I haven't posted in a few days since I have been very busy with travelling and starting back at school (only a term and a half to go yipee!) and I am not sure how my posting schedule will work now I am back to being super busy nearly 24|7. I feel so lucky to even have a few comments on my previous posts with some of you even following me on bloglovin really does mean a lot! So thank you!

But that isn't the point of my post today. It starts with me wanting to buy a new dress for our post-ball party in a few weeks. Having to wear a long evening dress for the actual occasion (maybe a blog post on my hair/makeup/dress for that evening will appear shortly *wink wink*) leaves the rest of the evening wide open to branch out into something a bit more adventurous. After scouring all the websites I could think of trying to find something suitable I have made myself a little shortlist. This gave me the idea to write a blog post on some of my new style obsessions in the form of this seasons short dress trends. Admittedly, I haven't actually bought one of these yet, but I thought that you could all help me by commenting in the comments which ones you like? What are your favourite dress trends for SS|14?

 1, TFNC Cami Dress With Pattern Sequin Skirt (ASOS) - I love this look! A perfect skirt/top combo where I don't have to do any of the matching! I think this sequined skirt is absolutely goergeous and in perfect pastel pinks, greys and golds for spring.

2, ASOS Sequin Cami Mini Dress (ASOS) - I think this is stunning. I really love the all sequined look and I think this cami dress is really beautiful. A bit "look at me" but thats what you want at a party right? Well, we'll see. Gorgeous dress though.

3, Jarlo Lyndsay Swing Dress - I have a bit of a thing for sequins as you can see, although this one is much more subtle. Beautiful lemon colour, perfect for spring and shift dresses really seem to be in fashion right now and I think this is a gorgeous twist on a classic style with the addition of the collar.

4, Black Snake Print Skater Dress (RARE LONDON) - I absolutely love this cut out skater dress style. You can't really see in the picture here but it has a beautiful snake print texture and I think this would look amazing with some gold sparkly heels (sequins again...)

So there we go, these are four of my favourite dress styles at the moment and believe me, I have looked everywhere! Please leave me a comment with your favourite dress styles as I am still looking for inspiration!

Z xx

Perfect Manicure

One of my all time favourite hobbies is painting my nails. Recently however I have neglected my "nail care" routine due to one of the other loves in my life - netball. Sports and painted nails don't really go together! But since I had a couple of days before our next match I thought I would treat myself to a little nail pampering session.

Products pictured L-R Leighton Denny Renovate Cream, Leighton Denny Miracle Drops, Barry M Nail Gelly in Lychee

Before painting my nails I make sure to buff the nail (definitely don't overdo this part since it can leave your nails a little thin and damaged)
Then I use my absolute nail saving product - Renovate by Leighton Denny. Containing diamond particles it helps buff the nail whilst moisutrising and leaving them with a healthy sheen. I literally could not live without this!
Next I used my favourite polish at the moment, Barry M Nail Gelly paint in Lychee. I love the formula of the Barry M Gellys as they leave such a smooth coating on your nails making them so quick and easy to use. I used two coats here and have been left with a pretty flawless result! I love a simple nude nail sometimes and I think this colour is perfect, especially for this time of year!
Finally no manicure is complete for me without the Miracle Drops by Leighton Denny. Simply place one drop on each nail starting from the cuticle, tipping downwards and your nails dry in no time at all! A godsend if you have to paint quickly before a party!

Excuse the red fingers, it's quite cold in my house today!

From weheartit.com

Painting my nails is my little treat for myself this weekend, and makes me feel special, which is why I chose this picture from weheartit.com to compliment today's post. But whats yours? Let me know in the comments if you have anything exciting planned!

Z xx

What I'm Loving

I have decided to trial a little series on my blog called "What I'm Loving" where each Friday (hopefully a Friday, I am not sure how consistent my posting will be when I am back at school) I will let you into my little world and share with you the things I have been loving this week. I have seen this on other blogs under a similar format and I am well aware that this idea is not my own, but since we are all members of the blogging community feel like sharing my favourites might help inspire some of your own.

Music - After finishing my preliminary exams last week I noticed there is one artist that I listened to through the whole thing. Newton Faulkner. What a beautiful voice. I had never really listened to any of his music before and hadn't really understood the hype. Having not released any new music recently I delved into the spotify shuffle playlist and fell in love over and over again with Dreamcatch me and Brick by Brick. I can listen to them whilst doing my homework, getting ready in the morning or even before bed. True perfection.

Books - For Christmas this year I got the White Queen series written by Phillipa Gregory and as a self confessed history geek I get absolutely lost in the cousins wars and stories of betrayal and mysteries. Gregory is such an incredible author, managing to keep close to the historical facts whilst making the stories vivid and exciting. (Although to me, a simple date timeline is classed as riveting) An absolute must read! Full reviews of each book in a seperate blog post? Let me know in the comments.

Lipstick - Ever since splashing out on the Revlon Colourburst Lip Butter in shade 080 last month I have hardly worn any other lip product. I love it's moisurising texture and it has beautiful colour pigmentation. It doesn't have amazing longevity but it's small enough and pretty enough that I don't mind carrying it around in my handbag!

From weheartit.com

I was so surprised to get such lovely comments on my last "Pinspiration" post that I thought I would share another (perhaps I could end my blogs with a fitting motivational quote?) This one seemed to fit perfectly with todays post since it's so true, it's the little things you enjoy each day that turn into beautiful memories in the future. 

Hope you all had a lovely valentines day, 

Z xx

Pinspiration

As someone who loves appreciating other peoples beautiful snapshots yet fails miserably to create her own, I find pinterest as a luxurious escape where I can allow myself to sit for hours and sift through board after board searching for my "pinspiration" I also love finding motivational quotes that fit exactly to how I am feeling in that moment. I thought I would share some of my favourites that really meant something to me today.

designforfun.com

I love this. I often find myself thinking "Oh no I can't do this because x,y,z could go wrong and then this would happen and so on." But if I take the time to stop myself worrying I find I can throw myself headfirst into the experience and enjoy whatever I was so afraid of in the first place (and generally nothing goes wrong...)

http://bella-here.tumblr.com/post/75054056109

Again, this is so perfectly true. Often we say things without realising the effect they have on people, and it only takes us two minutes to regret it. A compliment can change someones perception of the day, and encouragement can change the outcome of a task. They are free, quick and easy to give out, so from now on I am promising myself, that if I think someone looks nice then I'll tell them. If they make an great contribution to a discussion then I will thank them for it. 

So next time you are either thinking that you cannot do something then think back to these quotes. I am going to print them out and pin them onto my pinboard to constantly remind myself of their messages.

 Please feel free to share some of your "pinspirations" with me and you can Follow me here!  

Z xx

Introductions can be intimidating...

Having already written my next few blog posts I feel like I need to bite the bullet and write my "Introduction" (something which in truth, terrifies me slightly...)

I find myself wanting to blog at two main times in my life. When I have something special and exciting I want to write down and keep forever or when I am sad and a little bit lonely and take comfort in the words that form under my fingertips. So that is what this blog will be. Simply a place for me to document my amazing memories and explore many new ideas and journeys giving me a place to turn to look back at times when I am feeling just a little low.
Having always been fascinated in journalism, diaries, photos and generally "memories" it is not until this year that I am deciding to give it a proper go in the blog department. Studying languages in my final year at school I need something to fill up my "study periods" when I just cant face that essay on the structure of the European union or that listening about the pro's and con's of renewable energy. Here I will turn to pour out my ideas and passions and generally anything else that comes into my head.
One thing we will learn together though, is that I really do ramble on, I am most definitely not talented in the artistic photograph department and I have absolutely no skills with HTML or editing and for the foreseeable future my blog layout will be one of the most simple and basic designs that blogger provide you with. Even I can't mess those up.
With no clear direction for this blog, I feel it unfair to limit myself to simply one genre. I want to travel and document my experiences; I love fashion and want to explore some of the current trends and maybe even a few of those "OOTD's" will appear. I am also keen on make up and discovering new products; my inner avid reading might write some book reviews, or my terrible taste in boyband pop will prevail and I will spend hours gushing about how much I love one direction. Who knows? At the moment I don't and I like it that way because I have the freedom to branch and write whatever kind of post I choose.
Some days my writing will have a very intellectual touch, and I will try and cram in any of those big and impressive words I can remember from studying English; some days my inner excited girl will shine through and I will explode into the post, jabbering away to my hearts content. But I know whatever happens I will really enjoy this adventure, and I hope that I will meet many friends going through the same experiences that I am, and we can use this space to chat and have a genuinely lovely journey.
One last thing to bloggers reading this, I really truly hope that it took you as long as it took me to pick a style and size of font for your first blog post. Who would have thought the hidden dramas behind starting a blog? Any constructive criticism on this front would be greatly appreciated.

Z xx

A Whistle-Stop Tour of Berlin

As a language student, I pride myself on being able to justify jetting off to wherever speaks my chosen language, in the name of a three day jaunt in order to practice my skills. Recently, I was so fortunate enough to be able to travel with a select group from my school to experience the sights and delights of the German capital Berlin. A city so immersed in it's own history, I feel obliged to share my most memorable of experiences.

Having never visited Germany before (in fact this was only my second visit to a German speaking country) I was unbearably excited in the weeks leading up to the trip, fretting on end over which scarf hat and gloves would be most appropriate for this culturally diverse city. After hurriedly packed the morning of the flight (an early start of 6am is not something I am used to or will be repeating any time soon) we trundled down to Edinburgh airport where we boarded our turbulent flight.

Managing to squeeze almost every museum and tourist attraction into a mere three days (two and a half once you discount travelling) I can honestly say that I was truly blown away to see the rich and at times traumatic remains of the history of the city first hand. All around the city you would find remnants of what was, with memorials commemorating such a variety of atrocities it is hard to believe that these things happened less than 100 years ago when our society today is such a different place.

From being able to walk beside the Berlin Wall that once divided the city, to the breathtaking view 203m above the city in the "fernsehturm"  the trip is most certainly something I will never forget. Mainly for the beauty seen and knowledge gained, but also due to the exhaustion on the flight home as I realised we had walked around 20 miles each day, only stopping to use public transport to travel to and from the airport.

So in finishing this blogpost, it only seems fair that I leave some of the photographs I had taken whilst away. Each with a story to tell, showcasing the true magnificence of Berlin, a place I have no doubt that I will return to in the future.

We can just start now, appreciating that I am 100% not going to win the award for the worlds best photographer, in fact I'm not even close. However I loved this shot of the Brandenburger Tor as the sun was setting behind. A beautiful end to our walk on the first day. Through the gap between the second and third pillar from the right you can see the very small and almost unrecogniseable statue of the golden angel (Not entirely sure why this is of significance and was erected in the middle of the road - that'll teach me to pay more attention.

Probably the most poignant of my photographs. The Holocaust memorial. Spanning a vast area, thousands of concrete blocks are placed beside each other, no two blocks the same dimensions because no two people are the same. A truly moving piece of artwork. I'm not normally one for understanding the method behind the architecture but I can truly reccomend that if you are ever in Berlin even just for a night, you should make the effort to go an see this memorial. Something has to be said for the way the city has commemorated it's past and it is truly moving walking between these blocks to remember what has happened.

Having recollected ourselves after the Holocaust memorial we made our way here, to the Sony center. It would not have looked out of place in Dubai or New York. Surrounded by glittering lights this extraordinary glass building with it's colour changing roof definitely is a standout among the concrete, compliant buildings of former East Germany. With the upper floors being used as offices, the ground floor lends itself to some delightful German bars and restaurants. Whilst we were there the Berlinale Film Festival was taking place and we spent a happy hour in one of the typical German pubs watching celebrities that we had never heard of making their way up the red carpet on a large screen.

Up bright and early for day two of our adventure, the mornings activities included a private tour around the Reichstag.(Parliament) Climbing to the third floor we were confronted with the most beautiful glass dome. Ever the energy efficient Germans, the dome consisted of a large glass cone which hung down into the plenary chamber where most debates and sessions were held. Used in sunny weather in conjunction with solar panels to provide electricity for the building, in the winter it collected rainwater, using this hydraulic action as its energy producer. Truly innovative and beautiful at the same time.

Again, another fine example of why I will not win that coveted best photographer award. With the fernsehturm on the right (that spherical ball was where we stopped the night before to view the city from 203 meters in the air, something which I came very close to not completing as my head for heights is about as strong as my photography abilities) The main focus of the picture however is the world clock, enabling the viewer to see the time in almost all major cities in the world at any point in the day. Snazzy huh?

Finally, it would be verging on criminal to go all the way to Berlin and not take one photograph of the wall, so here is mine. A true reminder of the divisions which once impaired the city, now just a mural,  an artists canvas displaying the vibrant and colourful culture and history of this most interesting of cities.

By bursting onto the blogging scene with two posts in one day I hope to make the page look a lot less empty. And I was almost overcome with excitement that everything is finally coming together. Let me know if there are ever any particular tags or blogposts you want me to do, if not I will just go where the wind takes me.

Z xx