Treating Myself: More Charlotte Tilbury

It is no secret that I am a massive lover of Charlotte Tilbury products. Everything about her products just screams luxury. One particular evening in November, I was searching the internet for Christmas gift ideas for one or two friends and for some reason or another, I ended up on the Charlotte Tilbury website. I was eying various products up, popping them into my basket for future reference. Then whoops. I slipped and fell on my keyboard - resulting in this very expensive treat.  Now I'm all for treating myself (and you guys probably know it), but this was ridiculous even by my standards. I honestly spent about an hour hovering over the 'checkout' button, and I'm still asking myself why I did it. But nevertheless! It's done now, and I can't go back even if I wanted to (well I could have returned it but what's the fun in that?). When it arrived, I told myself I wasn't going to open it - and for once, I stuck to my guns! I wrapped it up all fancy and hid it on top of my wardrobe to be opened as a big little treat on Christmas Eve. Obviously, having ordered it over a month prior to opening it, I couldn't exactly remember what I'd ordered. So unwrapping it felt like such a treat (even if it was a slightly guilty one)! Plus I got to wear lots of sparkly new products on Christmas Day!

First up, I ordered the Matte Revolution Lipstick in 'Love Liberty' (£23). I have a fair few red lipsticks in my lipstick collection, but this is a little different from my usual go-to reds. I did write a post talking about the red lipsticks I might wear on Christmas day, but in the end I opted for this one as it looked so gorgeous! I love the formula of the Matte Revolution lipsticks as they have such incredible staying power and are perfect when you are going to be eating a meal. Keeping on with the lipstick train, I also ordered the K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in 'Bitch Perfect' (£23), after Rhianna (from Robowecop) wouldn't shut up about it on her social media. I've only tried this on a couple of times as of yet, but it is the perfect everyday pink-nude! I'd not tried any of the K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipsticks before, but I knew that if it was anything like her other lipsticks I just knew I would love it!

I got the lipstick in a lip and cheek kit alongside the Chic to Chic Blush in 'Love Glow' (£30) which is a perfect berry-pink toned blush. The Chic to Chic blushes each have two different shades so you can 'swish and pop' as Charlotte calls it. You swirl your brush round the outside of the pan and blend it onto the apples of your cheeks, and then you finish off my dabbing your brush into the centre of the pan and dot the darker shade on the high points of your cheeks. Alongside the slightly shimmery formula, the two shades of blush give incredible depth to the face and make you look so much more awake! With my order I also got a free travel sized sample of the Wonderglow Primer  (Full size is £38.50), which goes perfectly with the blush! Charlotte Tilbury has suggested many ways to make use of this product, and my favourite is to use it on my cheekbones, browbone, and my cupid's bow as a highlighter. You can also use it under or mixed with your foundation to create gorgeous glowing skin!

Onto eyes, the main product I wanted to order was the Colour Coded Eyeshadow Palette in 'The Vintage Vamp' (£38). I have the Dolce Vita palette and loving wearing it on a regular basis, but I had been eying this one up to alternate with. The shadows are so rich and creamy, with intense pigments and blendability. I have been enjoying teaming it with the Full Fat Lashes 5 Star Mascara (£22) as the pair compliment each other perfectly. The mascara gives wonderful curl, volume and length to the lashes, and I have been wearing it every time I've left the house! On Christmas day, I wore them both with the Rock n Kohl eye pencil in 'Barbarella Brown', which was the perfect dream team! Continuing with eyes, another duo that made it into my shopping basket was the Nocturnal Cat Eyes To Hypnotise (£29) set featuring the Rock n Kohl eye pencil in 'Amber Moon' and the Nocturnal Cat Eyeshadow in 'The Huntress'. Both together look incredible and you can create a gorgeous smokey bronze cat-eye look.

Have you treated yourself to any new makeup recently?

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

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November Beauty Favourites

Apologies, as this post is going to be rather short and sweet as I haven't been mixing much up since my last monthly favourites post. There has only been a couple of things I have been loving. I have 'shopped my stash' and had a good rummage through my collection to see what I could use. I've also purchased a couple of new things that I have been loving too - so here we are again! 

Whilst rummaging though my collection, I came across the Revlon Colourburst Lip Butter in Candy Apple and thought it would be perfect to wear in the run up to the festive season. It is a gorgeously sheer red that is perfect for everyday wear and I have been loving wearing it to university! I have also been loving all the compliments I've got when I've worn it! Another rediscovery is the Soap and Glory Perfect Ten Eyeshadow Palette - this was a limited edition palette that I bought myself last christmas, and they have it (or an extremely similar one) back in this christmas! It is extremely similar to the original Urban Decay Naked palette, and being from Soap and Glory, the quality of the shadows is incredible! They are so buttery and very well pigmented, so if you're in the market for a cheaper neutral palette, or are simply looking for some christmas gifts - definitely check this one out!

At the end of October I reordered the Liz Earle skin bundle, and the free gift inside the bundle was the Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint. I didn't really think I'd use it, but since my skin has started (and fingers crossed continues) to clear up, I have really enjoyed using this in place of my foundation.  To apply it, I have been using the Crown Brush SS003 Deluxe Medium Oval Foundation Brush* which I am in love with! It gives such a natural finish and is perfect for applying liquid foundation and BB creams! 

What one thing have you been enjoying this month?

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

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The SS003 Deluxe Medium Oval Foundation Brush (RRP £7.19) was kindly sent to me by Crown Brush UK for the purpose of a review. All thoughts are my own and you can read my full disclaimer policy here. 

Interiors: Dreamy Workspaces

(Images sourced via Pinterest)

Over the last couple of weeks I've really been getting into using Pinterest. I've had an account for years but never really understood the hype - now I use it for everything! One thing I've been using it for is for crushing on peoples houses and interior designs (like the ones pictured above), so when WeWork got in touch to ask if I'd like to share my dream workspace with you all, I was happy to get involved!

At the moment, I don't have a workspace or even a desk for that matter. I've just moved out of my first year university accommodation and decided I wanted to commute for the next year just to see how it goes. But this means that I've been left without a desk! Although at some point over the next few years, I'd really like to get my own flat/house and decorate it - and in order to this I've been seeking some inspiration.

I'm a true fan of simple, minimalistic style in all it's forms (from fashion to decor) and I love to stay organised so having plenty of storage is key. If I were to decorate my dream office, it would be painted in a nice neutral colour and offset with white furniture and plenty of accessories. My desk would be white with a complimentary chair in the same colour. My laptop or computer would be the main feature on my desk and around it I would fill my space with plants and flowers, trinkets, a cute lamp and simple art prints. Depending on the amount of space available, I would put up a few floating shelves to create extra storage and use them to prop up photos of friends and family. 

Out of interest, how would you decorate your dream office?

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x
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A Photo Diary: Life's A Beach

A couple of years ago my Dad bought a house by the beach (if you could call it a house). He got it so cheap because it was literally just bricks. There were no floors, nothing - just bricks. We have spent a lot of our free time doing it up and I pretty much lived there last summer helping him paint and do other odd jobs. Now that the house is finally liveable in, I spend a lot of my time there because who doesn't love the seaside!

I have just got back from spending a week there with a friend. To be fair we did spend a lot of time inside re-watching season one of Pretty Little Liars, but we had a lovely week strolling along the beaches and eating fish and chips multiple times!

What have you all been up to this week?!

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x
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Fitspiration #3 - The iPhone Apps

I find my iPhone incredibly handy when it comes to tracking my diet and working out. I use it constantly whether I'm working out, or eating cake. I always have it in hand to log everything.

MY FITNESS PAL

This app has been in my phone for years. Every new phone I've got, it is downloaded straight away. It helps me keep track of how much I eat and how much I burn. The app even allows you to access your account online where you can get more detailed information about your lifestyle.

NIKE + RUNNING

A cult app for all runners and fitness fanatics. It tracks how far you run, how many calories you burn whilst running and with GPS it even sees where you run! As with myfitnesspal, you can even login online to track your progress and even view other runners' routes in your local area!

SPOTIFY

I don't just use this when I fancy a little boogie, I use this when I work out too. I have saved playlists and even made my own playlists for whatever type of workout I want to do - whether it's cardio or yoga! Using Spotify also means that I don't have to spend time updating my playlists as someone else does it for you! Yay!

30 DAY AB CHALLENGE

I'm sure you've all seen people attempting the 30 day squat challenge on Instagram? Well this app is made by the people that came up with the idea. There is a whole range of apps including the squat challenge and even a press up challenge. I like this app as it combines a few different exercises to help you get rid of that dreaded muffin top!

SEVEN

Do you struggle to find large blocks of time to work out? Well this app is designed for people just like you! It gives 12 exercises to do in just 7 minutes (each exercise is 30 seconds) so you can boost your fitness with no excuses!

I find this incredibly useful to do when I don't have the time to do cardio. 

What apps do you guys use/recommend?

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x
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February Faves

How is it that time of the month again already? It seems only two minutes since I was writing my last favourites post! But without further a due, here are my favourite beauty products this month!

There have been a couple of new purchases this month that have really bowled me over and made such a fantastic first impression! One of those has been the Charlotte Tilbury Colour Coded Eyeshadow Quad in Dolce Vita which was a very 'in the moment' impulse buy. I have been eyeing this up for absolutely ages and I finally caved and bought it whilst in Harvey Nichols at the beginning of the month. I was so amazed with the quality of the shadows. I know that Charlotte Tilbury always has the highest, most sought after quality - and these were no exception! They are so creamy, almost like a cream eyeshadow. Being this creamy means you get very minimal fallout (yaaaaay!) and they are super easy to blend (and I mean ridiculously easy!). Even without all those fancy blending brushes. I have once even used my finger when desperate and the final outcome still looks great!

Another new purchase was the NARS Audacious Lipstick in Anna. I have been wearing this shade pretty much every day and it has received many compliments! I was singing its praises to one of my friends who, when realising that I loved it so much, decided to try and scratch the NARS logo off the side of the bullet. Luckily they were joking and I came immediately to its rescue!

This friend also happened to be the one who bought me the nail varnish that has been featuring heaving on my toes this month! The Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure nail polish in 'Rosy Outlook' has been constantly on my toes this month as we slowly start to see signs of spring. It is such an adorable shade and I love it so much!

And finally, the star of the show has been the Soap & Glory One Heck Of A Blot powder which I have worn every makeup wearing day of the month! I have been recently opting for a more natural bases, mainly using bb creams and sheer foundations, and this powder has been perfect for finishing off my looks! It isn't too cakey which is perfect for those 'no makeup, makeup' days.

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x
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Fitspiration #2 - The Workout Playlist

The other week, I mentioned that I have been getting really into fitness and that I have some new found motivation that is inspiring me to keep going week after week. The fact that I have a killer workout Spotify playlist is adding to the motivation levels as it is just so damn good! So here I share with you the tunes that give me the energy to work out on a regular basis…

Lips Are Movin - Meghan Trainor
Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson (ft. Bruno Mars)
Elastic Heart - Sia
Heroes (We Could Be) - Alesso
Outside - Calvin Harris (ft. Ellie Goulding)
Up - Olly Murs (ft. Demi Lovato)
Dangerous - David Guetta (ft. Sam Martin)
Chandelier - Sia
R U Mine? - Arctic Monkeys
Prayer in C (Robin Schulz Remix) - Lilly Wood and The Prick
Night Changes - One Direction
Rather Be - Clean Bandit (ft. Jess Glynne)
Something I Need - Ben Haenow
Steal My Girl - One Direction
These Days - Take That
Changing - Sigma (ft. Paloma Faith)
Blame - Calvin Harris (ft. John Newman)
Real Love - Clean Bandit (ft. Jess Glynne)
Hold Back The River - James Bay
My Head Is a Jungle (Radio Edit) - Wankelmut (ft. Emma Louise)
Pump It - The Black Eyed Peas
She - Greenday
I Can Talk - Two Door Cinema Club
This Head I Hold - Electric Guest
Dancing Shoes - Arctic Monkeys

Is there anything you think I should add that is on your playlist?
Let me know!

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

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NARS Audacious Lipsticks

When the of the launch of NARS' latest lipstick hit at the back end of last year, I was a little bit excited. I wanted in! There were nearly 50 shades to choose from and I knew straight away which I wanted - Charlotte. It doesn't take a genius to know why does it really?

I have been putting off from writing this for quite some time as I was unable to get my hands on Charlotte for ages. Every time I went to Harvey Nichols or looked online at Selfridges or NARS they were sold out!
When I couldn't find the shade Charlotte, I decided to buy the shade Vera, followed by Anna then Natalie and then, against all odds, I managed to get my hands on my most sought after shade in Harvey Nichols last week! It was also the last one left in stock - it had to be fate! 

NARS have really upped their game with their Audacious lipstick. They are so luxurious! The formula is lovely and the texture is so creamy and hydrating. They have a glossy, satin type finish and they last for hours (on me anyway!). The bullet itself is shaped for precise application and is even engraved with the signature NARS logo. The product casing is even magnetic to make sure that the lid is properly shut to stop the product drying out. 
If they weren't £24 a pop then I would certainly have built a larger collection by now! 

I am extremely happy with my choice of shades and I am currently lusting after the shade 'Barbara' as it looks like the perfect nude shade to add to my collection!

Have you tried any of these?

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

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What's New?

Over the last couple of weeks I've noticed a few new faces popping up on my blog and all my other social media platforms. I've also noticed that I have gained nearly 30 new followers in this short space of time. Every time I see that someone has commented, followed or contacted me regarding my blog, I get really excited. My face lights up. Like someone has just given me a big ol' hug! Like a little kid with sweets. Like.. well I don't know what like - just plain old excited!

I have come to the conclusion that, besides my blog design, something has changed. And changed for the better. Although, I'm not quite sure what this is and I want to make sure that I continue doing whatever I'm doing!
So you lovely bunch.. I was just wondering why you all like my blog so much? Like seriously? I just ramble!! I actually want to know!
For those loyal readers that don't follow me, you can follow me here to keep up with all my stupid little posts!

See you all soon! 

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

Fashion and Beauty Essentials and How To Pack Them - Guest Post #1

If you are anything like me, you have an itch to travel and do so as often as possible. The upsides are many: getting to know all these amazing cultures, taste different foods and drinks and meet some awesome people along the way. The downsides exist as well – there’s jet leg, being exhausted and sticky immediately after you arrive at your destination and, of course, that terrible question: what to pack? Depending on the time of year you will do the traveling, your destination and how long you’re going to stay at your destination, you will pack what you think you will need the most (and some extras too, probably). I am here to share my experience with you and give you a few tips and tricks I’ve picked up on my travels so far.

(source)

Beauty on the go!
Before you start packing, make a list of things you will need on your trip. It’s important to take with you things you need to use every day and you don’t want to buy once you reach your destination. Pack your morning and evening products first: toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, makeup remover wipes, face wash, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, etc. After you pack all that, you can add a bag for all your makeup and different brushes you are using. My advice is not to pack too much makeup- you might think you will need a lot, but you most probably won’t use more than you use every day. Aside from my foundation, setting powder, mascara and a blusher, I also like taking an eye liner, a bronzer, a few bright lipsticks and a neutral eye shadow pallet, the Urban Decay Naked 3 being my favourite!

(source)

What clothes should I pack?

For many of my first trips I’ve overpacked and regretted it many times. I would take 15 different dresses, three pairs of shoes, four pairs of jeans and a dozen tops with me on a 6 day trip. Crazy, right? So, after a while I decided to pack only things which go well with each other and which can give different looks when combined. Four tops and four bottoms can give you 16 different looks if you pair them up well. I most often follow the 5,4,3,2,1 rule: 5 tops, 4 bottoms (at least one skirt), 3 accessories, 2 pairs of shoes (flats are a must-have in my suitcase). Again, depending on where I’m going I’ll probably pack some extras. Sometimes it will be a bikini and colourful kaftans for the beach and sometimes it will be a fancy blazer to help me look more professional.

Creaseless beauty

Folding can cause your clothes to wrinkle; rather carefully roll them up. This way they will take up less space in your suitcase and will not be wrinkled (too much) when you reach your destination. I also suggest you put the tops and dresses on top of your suitcase because that way the heavier things such as jeans and makeup bags won’t squash them. If you’re feeling fancy, you can also check out packing cubes – I’ve heard they are awesome, but I haven’t tried them yet. If you do, let me know what you think!

As you can see, it’s not so difficult to pack lightly and still have all your essentials with you. Thing to remember for your next trip: if you didn’t use an item on your last trip, you shouldn’t take it with you on your next one. Good luck and bon voyage!

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A big thanks to Remi Mayer for writing this great post. 
She kindly contacted me asking if she could write a guest post for my blog so she could gain some experience in writing. She was even fabulous enough to source images and link products that she loves which was a great help for me. 

You can check out her Twitter here, and please make sure that you give her some well deserved feedback. 

If anybody else is interested in writing for my blog, you can contact me by email. 

Thank you!

Love Charlotte x


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