Getting Ready For University with Dunelm

The autumn weather is starting to make an appearance, and with it brings my favourite season. A season for fresh starts, colourful leaves, crisp winter air, and of course - getting ready for university. When it comes to shopping for things to fill your new accommodation, it can be quite easy to go overboard and waste money on items that will be left unused by the end of the year. With every box that gets packed up, it's easy to get carried away when deciding what you really need to take with you. It's important to make your flat look homely, but you do need to be logical and think about what you can actually fit in your car. So when Dunelm got in touch offering to help me get ready for my final year at university, I jumped at the chance! I've teamed up with Dunelm and three other bloggers, and we have each picked our student essentials from one section of their killer checklist, so freshers know exactly what they need to take with them!

I was given the cleaning section of the checklist, and I think it includes some really simple items that people often forget. I'd suggest leaving bin liners until you've moved in as you could buy them as a flat, same goes for an iron/ironing board - you won't need 6 irons! My university provided these, and I only ever saw them get used about a dozen times. Coathangers are a must unless you want to store all your clothes on the floor, as universities don't usually provide them. A clothes airer is an essential, because it saves money when doing your laundry - you don't have to pay to use the tumble dryer! From the cleaning section, my three essentials are:

Towels // Everybody needs plenty of towels to take with them to university, and you will be surprised at how versatile they can be. Besides the obvious, you can use towels to make a makeshift ironing board, as a draft excluder, as an extra blanket in the winter months (trust me, student accommodation gets cold), or even as a tablecloth for a christmas dinner with your flatmates! I took two bath sheets, 2 hand towels, and 7 flannels with me when I first moved away. Looking back, I wish I'd have taken more bath towels with me as it would have saved me a few trips to the laundrette, but these things come with experience. And when you pay per load, it makes sense to fill the machine as much as possible! When picking out some towels to feature, I couldn't decide which to get! Dunelm has so many different colours and patterns! In the end I mainly opted for the Egyption Cotton Towels in 'Lagoon' as they match my bathroom perfectly! But 'Cornflour', 'Duck Egg', and 'Grape',' also made it into my basket in flannel form! In terms of quality these towels are so soft and luxurious - I will definitely be buying my towels from Dunelm in the future! 

Bath Mat // I can't speak for other halls of residence, but the showers in my first year halls were notorious for flooding. Every time you'd take a shower, the whole bathroom floor, and some of your bedroom carpet would be soaked! So a bath mat is a must! I'd recommend taking two, to give time them to dry out between showers. Plus a funky bath mat allows you to add your own personal touch to a plain white bathroom. I picked the Bobble Bath Mat in 'Lagoon' to match the towels I'd picked out, but again there were so many to choose from! The simple bobble design makes it extra absorbent for those little flooding emergencies too! Plus, the bobbles are so squishy, it feels like you're walking on air!

Laundry Basket // When I first moved to university, I didn't think about buying a laundry basket, and it was only when I arrived that I realised that I didn't have one. I'd wanted to pick up this cotton rope laundry bag, because of its simple design and practicality - the collapsable design allowing you to fold it away for moving day, or when you have friends over to stay. But when I got into the store, it was out of stock, but whilst walking round the Curver Knit Basket caught my eye. They had a couple of different sizes and colours, but I picked up the 30 litre size in 'Blue'. The two sturdy handles make it perfect for lugging to the laundrette across campus, plus, you can use it to transport things in when the time comes to move out!

In the end, I also picked up a few bits from the Geo Skandi tableware range. Although my kitchen is full to bursting, the matching mugs, plates, and bowls were too hard to leave behind! I couldn't choose a colour, so I picked up one of each to mix and match! Plus, they were all reasonably priced, so if any of your roommates happen to drop something on the floor they are all easily replaced without burning a hole in your purse.

What are your student essentials for back to school season?

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This post contains products sent to me for the purpose of a review. All thoughts are my own and you can read my full disclaimer policy here. 

Review: Magnitone Full Monty Skincare Brush

Just before Christmas, Magnitone kindly sent me the new Full Monty Skincare Brush* to try out. I've secretly wanted either a Clarisonic or a Magnitone cleansing brush for years, and so I got rather excited when the email pinged into my inbox! I did briefly talk about it in my winter skincare routine post, however today I'm going to do a more in-depth review after using it regularly for a couple of months! The Full Monty is described as 'the ultimate multi-tasker' as it can be used in various different ways. Magnitone claim that you can see instant results from the first use, and I just want to say I straight up agree with that. After the first use my skin felt so smooth and my serums and creams sank into my skin so easily. The brush is designed to give your body a full workout. Not an alternative to exercise, but it is meant to make your skin look more toned, with a healthy glow. And do you want to know the best part? It is suitable for every type of skin. 

 As my skin adjusted to the 'new, deeper method of cleansing' I experienced a bit of a breakout, but it was warned it could happen in the instruction manual so there was nothing unexpected there. A bit worried at first, I carried on using it and blemishes quickly disappeared to reveal clearer, glowing skin. The brush has three different modes for the face alone, and can be used on 'sensitive cleanse', 'daily cleanse' and 'tone. I've tried all three modes, but I tend to use the brush in the evening to thoroughly take off my makeup with the 'daily cleanse' setting. Some people have said that they use it twice a day, and personally I think that it is gentle enough to do so, but I prefer to use it either in the morning or evening. I've found that with everyday use, any patches of dry skin disappear and my makeup goes on a lot smoother. Which is obviously nice!

With the different brush attachments it cleanses, tones and exfoliates for gorgeous skin from head to toe! I've tried all three attachments and I'm extrememly impressed with the results each gives. The brush has a built in 20 second timer so your entire face can be cleansed in just 60 seconds! At first I was incredibly stupid thinking it would beep 5 times (once for nose, once for each cheek, etc.), but then I realised that there are only 3 lots of 20 seconds in a minute and then I started to divide my face into three. After only a minute of use, my skin feels incredibly clean and I can definitely tell when I've not used the brush (like when I've forgotten to charge it up). The feet attachment, is my second favourite after the facial brush as it is really good at giving you soft, baby-like feet.

Magnitone do recommend that you replace brush heads every 3 months so bacteria doesn't build up on the bristles, however I think you could go a little bit longer between changing for the feet and body attachments. I highly recommend trying one of their brushes out for yourself as my skin has been a lot clearer and radiant! It retails at £130, so isn't cheap - but I honestly think the results are worth it!

Have you ever tried a cleansing brush - what were your thoughts?

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

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The Magnitone Full Monty Skincare Brush (RRP £130) was kindly sent to me by Magnitone for the purpose of a review. All thoughts are my own and you can read my full disclaimer policy here. 

My Hydrating Winter Skincare Routine

Ok. I'm sensing a pattern here. All I seem to blog about recently is lipstick and skincare products. I'm sorry. I'll try harder. I promise. Maybe. But seriously, I have found some incredible products that have been keeping my skin nice and hydrated recently! I made a similar post exactly a year ago (plz don't go back and read it, my old posts are so embarrassing!), and with winter fast approaching, many people battle with the elements, central heating, and various other things! As it starts to get colder (why is it so cold?!), it is extremely important to adjust your skincare routine so that your skin is properly looked after. Winter calls for extra layers of moisture and protection so I've rounded up everything that fits the bill and have been slapping it on my face until I can't take any more! 

I know what you all want me to talk about first, so I will... The new Magnitone The Full Monty Skincare Brush* has been incredible for my skin this winter! It has left my skin so smooth, and I honestly think that it has been the most beneficial to my skin out of everything mentioned in this post. I've been using it once a day (in the evening) to remove all the grime and makeup from my face and I have noticed a visible difference in my skin's texture. It hasn't really done anything to calm down my spots, but my skin looks a lot more 'clean' - if that makes sense? It gently exfoliates and tones whilst removing dirt and impurities and serums and moisturisers soak in so much easier! The other day it ran out of charge for the first time so I had to manually cleanse my face, and I was shocked at how much difference it actually made! 

Alongside my Magnitone, I have been using the Merumaya Melting Cleansing Balm* to remove the bulk of my makeup. I've never tried anything from Merumaya before, but this cleanser is fab at taking my makeup of quickly! I don't use this with my Magnitone out of personal preference, and I just massage it in and use one of the Liz Earle muslin cloths to wipe everything away. The cleanser is very rich and silky, perfect for those with drier skin or those just wanting something that can get makeup off easily. It cleanses the skin very well, and doesn't leave a greasy/waxy residue like some cleansing balms can. You apply it dry skin, add a splash of water and it turns into more of an oil. After I've used it to take all my makeup off (sometimes I use it twice if I have heavier makeup on), I follow up with the Good Things Manuka Honey Creamy Cleanser. I've recently mentioned that it is 'saving my skin' and it still is! I have a bit of a breakout at the moment, but I've had a lot of sleepless nights and deadlines have been stressing me out so I can understand why. I've been using this both morning and night and it is incredibly soothing and calming on blemishes. The manuka honey acts as an antibacterial and is perfect for reducing the size of nasty blemishes. I wouldn't really describe it as 'creamy', as it is more of a rich lotion formula and I think this is perfect for winter. It contains mostly natural ingredients and I think this would be perfect for most skin types - however the brand do advise against those with bee/wasp sting allergies to stay well clear of this particular range of products! 

After I've finished cleansing, I move onto the toning stage of my routine. I've fairly recently got my hands on the Pixi Glow Tonic after it being so hard to get hold of and this stuff is literally like gold dust! It leaves your face so glowy and isn't too harsh at all! It is classed as an acid toner as it contains a mild concentration (5%) of glycolic acid. It is so gentle that it can be used twice a day and usually I do, but sometimes if my skin looks a bit aggravated I switch it up for the Liz Earle Skin Boost Tonic as it is more soothing. After toning I follow up with a serum and I'm not usually one for serums, but the Salcura Bioskin Dermaserum* has performed miracles on any dry patches! They have recently relaunched and reformulated their products and they are specifically formulated for those with sensitive and dry skin conditions such as Eczema and Psoriasis. And even though I have neither, I have found the serum incredibly hydrating in the cooler weather! 

After the serum I usually go in with something like tea tree oil or Sudocrem and apply it directly to blemishes to reduce any swelling and calm them slightly by morning. I don't always apply something and I mainly only use it on spots that look a bit more red and angry. I then follow up with the Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser for normal/combination skin. Although a little more on the expensive side of things, it really agrees with my skin, and acts as a perfect base for makeup! Plus the tub lasts forever as well! It is such a lightweight formula and absorbs into the skin straight away, leaving your skin feeling nourished, hydrated and thoroughly pampered. 

Talking about pampering! A couple of times a week I use a face mask as a real treat for my skin, and the only one I've really been using recently is the Good Things Manuka Honey Radiance Face Mask. Ok it doesn't really do much in terms of hydrating but it certainly doesn't dry out your skin, and boy does it leave your skin radiant! Plus for only £7.99 you can't really go wrong!

And that's it! Sorry this post has been so long - major brownie points to those that read through to the end! 

What one skincare product could you not live without?

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

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The Magnitone Full Monty Skincare Brush (RRP £130), the Merumaya Melting Cleansing Balm (RRP £15.50), and the Salcura Bioskin Dermaserum (RRP £11.99) were each kindly sent to me by Magnitone, Merumaya and Salcura Skin Therapy for the purpose of a review. All thoughts are my own and you can read my full disclaimer policy here. 

Recent Skincare Additions

My skin has taken a (big) turn for the worse recently. I thought it was getting better; my scars were fading and I had less breakouts. But I was being lulled into a false sense of security and now my acne looks like something you would see on an episode of embarrassing bodies. As soon as all this cold weather came around my skin was like BAM.. here you go, have a few more spots. It probably doesn't help that I'm only getting around 4 hours of sleep a night and my stress levels are through the roof atm. I'd love to be brave and show you how bad they actually are at the moment, but I'm sure if you Google image 'severe acne' you can imagine my skin is somewhat similar to the less severe results that come up *cries*. You can tell they're bad as I've been popping out to the shops with at least 2 layers of full coverage foundation on, and you know that usually I'd just bob out makeup free (or with a dash of light concealer at most)! 

With my usual products failing me, I began scouring the shelves for some products that would help calm things down a lot a bit. And with the help of the trusty blogging community, I picked out a couple of products that had seemingly 'worked miracles' for other people, in the hopes that they would too help out my skin! 

First up I picked up the incredibly hyped up Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask, which aside from the antibacterial properties, was meant to really help calm skin down whilst keeping it hydrated. I'd wanted to try it out for a while but was always put off by the price tag. But it has gotten to the point where, if someone would work, I'd pay ££££ for it! But when Feelunique.com had a little offer on (which was well timed with my breakout), I decided I had to pick it up to see if it would sooth my skin. The moment it arrived I ran upstairs to the bathroom, ran a hot bath and slathered my face with a thick layer of the stuff. It smells amaaaaaaazing and is so so so relaxing. It has calmed by skin down a hell of a lot over the last couple of weeks, and I can noticeably tell a difference after using it. 

At the same time I picked up the La Roche-Posay Serozinc spray which is targeted at blemish prone skin. I'm not sure if it has had a difference on my skin, but when I first used it alongside the mask - my skin looked tonnes better by morning! I really love that it is slightly mattifying as I noticed that my makeup seemed to stay on a little better throughout the day. However after finally buying the Pixi Glow Tonic last week, I have been using the Serozinc less and less. After Caroline Hirons (goddess of all things skin) mentioned it last year (?) the blogging/youtube world went crazy for it. I was going to jump on the bandwagon then, but as always I was a little skeptical about the claims. In a brief moment of online-shopping-weakness, I bit the bullet and bought myself a bottle. And what can I say? WHY DID I NOT GET ON THAT FLIPPING BANDWAGON?! It is working wonders on my skin. I never thought my skin looked particularly dull, but this has really added a glow to my skin. It has smoothed it out beyond belief and is really helping to reduce the number of blemishes. 

And finally! I've been trying out the new Claudia Louch Mint Exfoliating Facial Polish* which so far I am really liking! Claudia Louch is a relatively new brand to me and this scrub is a little different from my usual face scrubs in the sense that is a more gentle (but still effective) with larger grains of sugar. It is also unusual, as you use it on dry skin rather than damp skin. It is 94% natural and packed full of plant extracts, it is incredible for a deep clean without drying out your skin. 

And they're are my recent skincare buys! 

What is your one holy grail skincare product?

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

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The Claudia Louch Mint Exfoliating Facial Polish (RRP £59) was kindly sent to me by Claudia Louch for the purpose of a review. All thoughts are my own and you can read my full disclaimer policy here. 

New In: Orelia Jewellery

When it comes to jewellery, Orelia are a brand that just do everything right. Their simplistic designs, the extremely high quality and the sheer wearability of their pieces. Known for their detailed and delicate jewellery, they have some incredibly beautiful silver, gold and rose gold accessories in for the new season! If you have been reading my blog for a while, you will know that they sent me some of their new pieces last season. So you can imagine how excited I was when this popped through my letterbox!

First of all, how cute is the packaging! Someone took the time to lovingly tie the most beautiful bow! It made it so exciting to open - it felt like Christmas! When I opened up the box, I was surprised to see three lovely new pieces in there from their new collection! They sent me two drop dead gorgeous pairs of stud earrings and a lovely ring necklace. 

This necklace immediately caught my eye when I opened up the little parcel. It is a gorgeous textured ring like circle on a short gold chain. I absolutely love it! Because the chain is so short (40cm in length), it is perfect for layering which is making a comeback for Autumn/Winter 2015. I'm sure it will be a bestseller! 

These semi-precious pyramid studs remind me so much of the art deco style. It was one of my first thoughts after opening them up. The lapis stone in the centre is a beautiful shade of blue and the gold setting matches it perfectly. I can see these fast becoming one of my favourite pieces of jewellery! They aren't the cheapest of studs at £15, but they are gold plated so they would be a little more expensive than your usual pair from Primarni (Primark for you behind with the times). 

Just for your info, these earrings are both gold. The lighting made one look black!

I think the mini heart shaped stud earrings have to be my favourites of the lot! They are such a classic and I actually think I own/use to own a similar pair somewhere in my collection! The best thing about these earrings is that they can be worn with just about anything. Whether they are paired with a tracksuit or a ball gown. They just go! 

Have a lovely Sunday and thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

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All the jewellery featured in this post was kindly sent to me my Orelia for the purpose of a review. All comments are my own. Check out my disclaimer for full details. 

Celebrating 1000 Followers With Bakerdays

UPDATE! The giveaway has now closed!

Hello friends! As I'm sure you may have noticed, in the last week I reached 1000 followers on my blog(!!) and the lovely people at Bakerdays got in touch to see if I'd like to celebrate with one of their lovely letter box cakes! I obviously said YES as who could turn down an opportunity for cake?!

When the cake arrived I was impressed that it actually did fit through the letterbox! I know, it’s a Letterbox Cake, so obviously it will fit through the letterbox, but I was still impressed! When I opened up the little box, the cake was inside a beautiful tin alongside a little note card, balloons, a couple of candles, some balloons and a party blower. I thought this was a lovely touch that made the gift seem a little more personal and worth the money - plus you can use the tin to store the cake in so it doesn't go all dry and stale!

I was excited to see what the cake would look like as I'd not given them any specific design ideas, just telling them to be creative haha! But when I opened it up THEY HAD WRITTEN MY NAME ON IT!! I've never had my name on a cake so it made it even more special! It had an absolutely gorgeous design and I'm so happy with it!

You can choose from six, yes six different flavours of cake - vanilla, chocolate chip, chocolate and vanilla layered, fruit, and theres even gluten and dairy free! My cake was vanilla flavoured, and this is exactly what I would have chosen if I'd have been placing an order! AND OMG IT TASTES FREAKIN' DELICIOUS! The cake itself lasts for around 14 days according to Bakerdays, but if I'm honest mine lasted about an hour before it was demolished. It would have been eaten quicker, but I had to photograph it for the purpose of this blog post!

You can personalise a cake with different messages, your own photos or simply choose one of over 400 pre-made designs with a standard greeting like 'happy birthday' or 'congratulations'. The letterbox cakes start at just £14.99 including delivery (price includes a 7 day delivery, you can pay to have it delivered sooner though). Simply go to their website to choose and create a special gift for someone (or even yourself if you're in the mood!).

Giveaway Terms and Conditions 

Bakerdays are offering the chance for one of my lovely readers to win one of their very own cakes so you can celebrate along with me! It's very simple, all you have to do is follow the instructions mentioned below. The giveaway will close one week from the date of this post (closes at 2pm on 02/09/2015), and a winner will be selected entirely at random by myself. 

1. Follow Bakerday's on their Twitter

2. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

3. Follow my blog on Bloglovin'

4. Consider voting for me as the Best Up and Coming Beauty Blog here

5. And last but not least, leave a comment down below so I can get in touch with you if you are selected as a winner!

Thanks for reading and best of luck!

Love Charlotte x

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P.S! I have been shortlisted for the Best Up and Coming Beauty Award in the #BloggerBlogAwards and I would be absolutely over the moon if you could go over and vote me as winner! Eeeeeeek!

Nokia Lumia 640: A Trial and Review

Since the age of about 11 I have been a true Apple fanatic. Since then I have owned multiple iPhones, an iPod and a MacBook Pro - absolutely loving all of them. As sad as it sounds, my life completely revolves around my phone and after having some form of iPhone for over seven years, I couldn't imagine not having one. So when Microsoft got in touch offering me the opportunity to take part in their Lumia Voices campaign and trial one of their Lumia phones for two weeks - I jumped at the chance! 

I was offered to trial the Lumia 640, one of the latest releases from Microsoft. I haven't had a Nokia phone (or anything else other than an iPhone for that matter) since I was 12 years old when I had a Nokia N95 so I knew it was going to take some getting used to. The opportunity was perfect timing as my existing phone is on its last legs and I was preparing to go straight ahead and buy an iPhone 6. As a blogger and a student, my phone is essential to my everyday life. It isn't just a phone, it's my personal assistant, my calendar, my alarm clock and my form of communication with the outside world. Apple is renowned for its sleek designs, amazing software and its ever-expanding app store having pretty much every app you could ever think of. So you can see why I couldn't see the point in checking out the competition. 

When the phone arrived on my doorstep, I was shocked at how beautiful it was! The sleek design, the bright orange hardware and the impressive looking interface. I honestly wasn't expecting it to be as good as it is. I didn't want to compare it to my iPhone but, whilst using the Lumia, I couldn't help it! There were so many similar features, some features that Apple do not have and some features that Apple has and the Lumia doesn't. 

Essentials // First lets talk about the most important stuff. It is extremely well designed. The sleek hardware makes it look so much more expensive than it actually is. I was shocked when I looked at the price!! I expected it to be about £300 but it is infact only £129.99 to buy outright/sim free!! It comes in a few different colours (black, white, blue and orange) and has the option to mix and match the different coloured backs which I thought was a nice touch! Alongside the impressive hardware is the brilliantly designed interface/operating system. After hating Windows 8 on my sister's laptop so much, I was really worried that I wouldn't get on with the tiled interface. I thought it would be so complicated to use but infact it was the complete opposite! Even my mum found it simple and she is pretty rubbish with technology (she gets impressed when she manages to attach a document to an email). Another impressive feature on the Lumia 640 is the battery life! My iPhone battery currently lasts 20 minutes (I'm getting a new phone soon thank goodness!!) so pretty much anything could top that at the moment! The specifications mention a 17½ hour battery life, but the most I managed to get out of it (with my normal usage) was 24 hours and 27 minutes! 

Connectivity // Unlike the Apple iPhone, you don't have to worry about planning how much memory you're going to need (16GB, 64 GB, 128 GB. etc), as the phone is only available as 8GB. It has space to slot in a micro SD card (up to 128GB) which are relatively cheap to buy and certainly cheaper than buying the storage already built in. The phone uses a micro-sim and is 4G enabled meaning you can use super fast internet if it is part of your phone tariff. According to the Microsoft website, you can also use the new wireless chargers that are making a scene on the market! You do however have to buy them separately as the phone just comes with a basic wall-USB charger. 

Camera, Video and Audio // This area was one of the biggest let downs to me personally. The phone boasts an 8MP camera and the ability to change the camera settings (ISO, shutter speed, aperture). The video was fine, but I didn't like the camera when it came to taking still photos. Although the quality of the images is pretty good, my real gripe was the fact that it does this strange thing where it takes a short video and clips the best frame to save as your photo. This annoyed me a little as I am so used to tapping the screen to focus and snapping a quick photo. As well as the camera, the audio bugged me a little because the speaker is on the back of the phone (rather than the front or sides), meaning that if you are listening to music or watching a video - you can't hear it if you put the phone down on the table! When holding the phone in your hand, you have to be careful not to cover the speaker with your fingers. As you can see in the second image, the speaker is positioned in the exact place where your hand would sit naturally.

Productivity // Cortana has to be one of the main forms of productivity with the Lumia 640. Similarly to Apple's Siri, Cortana is able to create reminders, set alarms and even open apps ("Cortana, play House of Cards on Netflix"). Microsoft have made sure that Cortana is fully integrated with everything on the phone - unlike Apple where Siri can only perform certain tasks.  Alongside Cortana, there are all the usual smartphone features, including; a calendar, email and an alarm clock. There isn't however a built in stop watch or countdown timer which I use regularly on my iPhone to make sure I down burn my chicken nuggets or my soufflés.

Overall I have been incredibly impressed with the Lumia 640, but I don't think I'll be swapping my iPhone quite yet! I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would and I'm actually kind of sad to see it sent back to Microsoft now that my trial is over.   

Would you consider buying this phone? Would love to know your thoughts and feelings in the comments!

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

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April Favourites

How is it the end of the month already? The time to write these posts comes around so fast! And to start the post off, I wanted to include the Benefit Bad Gal Lash Mascara again. I know I included it in last month's favourites posts, but I have used it religiously throughout April and I've fallen in love with it even more! It makes your lashes look super long and fluttery. I really want to get around to trying the new Benefit Roller Lash. But that may have to wait until this one has dried up!

Towards the start of the month, Burberry launched the release of their new Burberry Kisses Lipstick*. They came up with an ingenious Twitter campaign to  give away some samples and I was incredibly lucky to be sent one! I chose the shade Sepia as I am a lover of 'your lips but better' kind of lipsticks. I have worn this repeatedly, and I will definitely be buying the full size when my sample size runs out!

I've been pairing the lipstick with my Charlotte Tilbury Colour Coded Eyeshadow in Dolce Vita and I must say they go together perfectly! The golden tones in the eyeshadows compliment the colour of the lipstick and together they make your skin glow! Been loving wearing the combination for days where I decided to make more of an effort.

When I haven't used the Charlotte Tilbury quad, I have LOVED using the limited edition NARSissist Dual Intensity Eyeshadow Palette. It comes with a mini Wet/Dry Eyeshadow brush (the full size one costs £24 alone!) which is incredibly handy for on the go application! The thing about these eyeshadows is that you can use them wet for a more intense look. I am yet to try using them wet as they are incredibly pigmented as they are, however I am excited to see the effects!

Finally, we have the Benefit Porefessional primer. I wasn't a fan when I first bought it, but it is slowly growing on me now! I love the fact that it's tinted as all of my other primers are clear/white. I feel that this gives a little extra coverage so is perfect for achieving a flawless look!

What have you all been enjoying this last month? I would love to know!

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x
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Orelia Jewellery*

Hello everyone! I hope you are all having a great weekend! I was recently sent some absolutely beaaaautiful jewellery samples from Orelia's new summer collection. I already own a few other pieces from the brand and was so excited when this sample came in the post!

Orelia is a company that make stunning costume jewellery adorned with crystals, semi-precious stones and charms. They are all really dainty and the necklaces are perfect for layering up with other pieces.

I was sent this set of ear studs* (£18) and they made me want to get back into wearing earrings again! I do have my ears pierced, but I very rarely wear earrings any more and when I do they always seem to irritate me and I end up taking them out immediately. However you can barely tell that you’re wearing these as they are so small and dainty! My personal favourite are the rose gold heart shaped studs - I think they look so chic and will go with a lot of my jewellery.

As each of the pairs work out at £6, the pricing isn't bad at all - especially when they are such high quality!

Orelia were also were kind enough to send me this adorable necklace* which retails at £10. I love how dainty their necklaces are. They are perfect for an everyday casual look and you could even wear them with a nice dress when you are going out. 

I'm extremely impressed with the Orelia brand and having browsed through their site, I now have a wish list a mile long. You can check them out at www.orelia.co.uk, www.topshop.com and www.asos.com see all their new amazing pieces! 

What do you think of Orelia? Any favourites from the new collection? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x
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