BRB | Hitting the Pause Button

Ain't nobody got time for ANYTHING lately. Sorry guys I'm off on another blogging hiatus for a couple of weeks while we undergo another big, stressful life change. Thank you for bearing with, you can still keep up with my stresses, strains, moans and musings on the usual channels Twitter and Instagram of course. Keep an eye on the blog in a couple of weeks time for one of my first ever blogging competitions (did someone say MAC giveaway!?) keep an eye guys and I'll see you again very, very soon!

Until a few weeks time folks, BRB!

H.Elizabeth x

Worlds Best Cup of Coffee | Bloggers, Books and Beans

You did it, congratulations Books and Beans... World's best cup of coffee, great job everyone! (Will Ferrell fans and Christmas lovers will get that one)

Seriously though the majority of my spare time you can probably find me in my local Starbucks setting myself up with a caffeine drip for the day. Yes I am unashamedly a Starbucks addict, but that doesn't mean to say I don't appreciate, adore even, smaller, local coffee chains, and lucky for me and my fellow blogging gals (Sarah of Blogs Vlogs Etc, Laura of The Floral Elephant and actually courtesy of Katherine of Katherine Elizabeth Official) we were about to experience one of the Granite City's finest caffeine dispensaries the city has to offer.

I have never visited a coffee shop quite like Books and Beans, set in the heart of Aberdeen on the ever popular Belmont Street, Books and Beans offers a unique experience to cake and coffee lovers and a haven for both caffeine junkies (myself) and book lovers a like. With a vast array of second hand books you're free to paroose and purchase should you choose all while you enjoy confections, sandwiches, wraps and coffees from their equally vast menu selections! (Did I also mention they are fair trade and able to cater for all dietary requirements including vegan? Yeah let that tidbit sink in)

We were lucky enough to visit Books and Beans one fine summer Sunday this month to sample their menu and enjoy the full Books and Beans experience (though admittedly we were more Gossip Girl than George Elliot) We were first treated to two taster soups with toasted bread, coconut and sweet potato and lentil with red pepper. Being the sweet gal I am of course the coconut and sweet potato was right up my street! Our soup was closely followed by a vast array of wraps, sandwiches and (perhaps most important of all) cake, cakes of all variety, pan, tray bake, muffin, you name it (or simply dare put it in front of us) then we pretty much devoured it.

Rotund, rolling down the street, and sufficiently stuffed we trotted off on our way after a delight of an afternoon in one of the only fair trade, independent cafes in Aberdeen we left with (not only a caffeine buzz) a new firm favourite blogger haunt, and a list of books to buy as long as our arms! If by chance you find yourself in the area, bleary eyed, cold or just in need of that all important cake and coffee fix then I highly suggest making Books and Beans your go to (it's certainly mine now!)

As usual you can catch me and my cake hole on all of the usual channels (usually stuffed with cake also) Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and more from the blog on Bloglovin (though I must say that too is usually filled with cake)

Until next time folks, worlds best cup of coffee!!

H.Elizabeth x

False Lash 101 | Cleaning your False Eyelashes

Since my first every post on my false lash obsession I've had a lot of questions, ranging from how do you put them on every day, where do you buy them, which brand has the best lash and perhaps my most asked question, 'can you reuse them and if so how do you clean them?' To which I usually quippily reply, 'you think I buy new lashes eryday, honey how much money do you think I have?' what a dedicated soul (large bank balance) you must think I have! So today I thought I would dedicate an entire post to how I do just that. Cleaning and caring for your false lashes. 

Given the proper cleansing routine and of course a steady and delicate hand your lashes should last you approximately 3 weeks (not of course accounting for nights out or big events which can make lashes decidedly gross and fit for the bin)  But before I get in to how to clean your lashes and store them properly I just want to mention a couple of things that have the potential to ruin your lashes before cleaning even begins. Removal. Removal of your lashes is key to keeping your false lashes AND your natural lashes in tip top condition, pulling, yanking, ripping or of course sleeping with them on even is a sure fire way to pretty much burn your money and wreck all of your lashes. So, no matter how tired (drunk) you are, how (much of a wimp) scared you are you must remove them before bed (and you know wash, cleanse, moisturise all that jazz) 

1) Carefully peel your lashes off , if they stick use an oil based make up remover and a cotton bud working from the outside inwards.

2) Using small tweezers pick any noticeable glue from the lash band and then bend them back into a 'natural eye shape'

3) If your lashes are looking a bit grotty (bleh!!) then spritz them with an alcohol solution and keep them in a clean dry place.

4) Store your lashes back in the tray they came in alongside the glue (bit of a practical move there!) and they'll be all ready and waiting for you next time!

Another tip would be to avoid using any mascara on your lashes, I realise people say they 'bind' the lashes and make them look more natural but when applied properly and right at the edge of the lash line I haven't noticed very much of a difference. Otherwise there isn't very much to it, you know treat them like your furry babies and make sure they're tucked in safe at night and that's about it! Hopefully this has cleared up any questions you may have had about your totally natural lashes (wink wink) but any questions for me be sure to leave them in the comments section below, come have a chin wag with me on Twitter, visit my Insta or keep up with my latests on Bloglovin.

                                                    Until next time folks, don't be a wimp!

                                                                          H.Elizabeth x

Girls Night in | Skene House Aberdeen

As much as it can be said that I enjoy getting dolled up and going out (well the dolled up part anyway) but there is nothing, I say nothing that I enjoy more than a girls night in. So when Sarah of Blogs Vlogs Etc invited myself alongside a few of our other blogging gal pals (Katherine of Katherine Elizabeth Official, Laura of The Floral Elephant and Julia of Just Julia) for a night of pampering with Body n Sol, jewels with a Stella and Dot style consultation and all in the gorgeous settings of Skene House Rosemount in Aberdeen I was more than chuffed to partake in the girly festivities.

Of course being a Granite City baby I had never stayed in a city centre hotel or apartment before - why would I when I have a home to go back to? But after visiting Skene House for the evening I think I may just make a habit of not going back to my own bed every evening (I'm sorry bed...it's not you.. it's me...honest) A 5 minute walk from Aberdeen's city centre, located in a quiet area with lots of small local businesses and not to mention stylishly decorated (aka. a blogging gals dream) and comfortable, Skene Apartments are fab for hen weekends, trekking the city with the family, or maybe like me you fancied trying out a new and exciting mattress, the perfect setting for our blogger gals night in!

What can I say? In traditional girls night fashion there were cocktails, pyjamas, an insane amount of junk food and hilarity ensued as it tends to do. We were treated to manicures (for myself, Julia and Laura), lash tints (for Sarah) and brow shaping (for Katherine) by the lovely, talented ladies from Body n Sol and then a style consultation by renowned online jewellery brand, Stella and Dot (fun fact the name Stella and Dot came from the names of the two owners Grandmothers - so cute) As you can see I've taken a few pictures of my favourite pieces but otherwise I don't want to go into too much detail about the individual bits and pieces today but if you'd like a Stella and Dot centric post be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments below. (Also potentially coming up a scathing review of the Deliveroo service in Aberdeen... guys just walk for your food it'll be faster and hotter!)

How amazing are these frames which Sarah of Blogs Vlogs Etc made for us!

#IWokeUpLikeThis and the reason I woke up like this is because I slept like a baby! (Then dipped my face in some cosmetics) Skene Apartments definitely have my vote in comfort, style and value for money I only wish we didn't have to check out!

Big shout out to Sarah once again for organising our girls night in with Skene House and of course everyone else who contributed to making it a very special evening for us (a part from you Deliveroo..) If you want any information on Skene Apartment stays be sure to visit their website otherwise you can find all other links above and my socials at the following, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I did TOO wake up like this!

H.Elizabeth x

A whole other dimension | Eylure 3D Lashes No 119

3D lashes, have you ever heard of anything more marvelous in your entire life? Well maybe a 4D experience lash which will single handedly create their own wind (how can I grow if you won't let me blow comes to mind here) but perhaps that's a technological leap for another day. Today as you perhaps could have guessed I'm going to be talking about a brand new type of lash that has hit the stands with Eylure recently with a layered '3D' lash that promises to offer the wearer length and volume. I have been using these in number 119 for a month or two now and these, alongside my favourite textured lashes, are my new daily go to. Sorry it has taken quite so long for me to review these given I have been using them for quite a long time, but I did want to see how long one set lasted as well as give an overall in depth review, so without further ado let's do this (3D Glasses at the ready..)

The first thing I noticed about the lashes of course was the double band, having been used to wearing a lash that has one very thin and flimsy band I was worried these new, improved, double, super wham bam lashes would be too heavy on the eye  or perhaps that the band would be overly obvious and make me look (more) fake, but that hasn't been the case. In fact since wearing them I've had more people ask 'what my secret is' to long and healthy lashes which of course I still myself do not know, but hell if I had wanted to tell folks I did an egg eye wash or caked them in Vaseline every night I'm sure I'd have duped many. Where yes in reality these lashes give me a more doll like appearance than my natural piggy eyed state as they fan to the sides slightly and really 'open up' the eye - which is fab for someone with a hooded eye like myself.

Another thing I've been pleasantly surprised by is just how much more comfortable I've been finding them. As opposed to a singular band which can come loose at the sides relatively easily and give that all too familiar stabbing sensation we lash wearers have all come to know and loathe, these feel more secure and last all day (yes gals even though hayfever season - or you know ugly crying at the season finale of Friends)

In their collection I belieive at the moment Eylure only offer another one set of 3D lashes the 111's which I have also tried but don't give as 'natural' a look as the 119's. At the moment I have about 3 sets of these ready and rearing to go (shout out to Superdrug and their 3 for 2's) but these last around 3 / 4 weeks if you clean them properly and of course remove them carefully!

Just as a quickie reminder, if you need a quick crash course on false lash application I have a 3 step super simple false lashes in a flash tutorial that you can read through right HERE.

Which lashes do you love or loathe? I'd personally love to hear your suggestions, comments and favourites in the box below, come share your best brands with me on Twitter, or of course keep up with my other channels, Instagram, Facebook, Bloglovin etc, etc.

Until next time folks, 3D glasses at the ready!

H.Elizabeth x

Sleeping Beauty | Oils of Life Sleeping Cream by the Body Shop

 

The older I get the more I'm buying into the whole anti aging thing. I remember being what 16 or 17 years old and thinking everyone was exaggerating when they said you're never too young to start a good anti aging routine....well let me tell you something past Hannah, PREMATURE WRINKLES! In fact past Hannah you're already something like 10 years behind so you're doomed already! And now it's time to try and scrape it all back, starting with my skincare.

You guys already know from my post on the Oils of Life Facial Oil that I love the Oils of Life range, and in fact I only recently repurchased my beloved facial oil last month along with which I was lucky enough to be given a whole plethora of samples, funnily enough including the very sleeping beauty cream we'll be chatting about today.

The Oils of Life Sleeping Cream functions pretty much as the jar suggests, as a cream to apply lightly to your face at night, so you can awake a with a silky, smooth, freshly pressed face minus any creases (other than those you'll get off the pillow!) After trying a very generous sample, which lasted me 2 weeks, from the Body Shop themselves I decided the cream was for me and took the plunge on a pretty massive pot only last week. The cream was quite sticky in texture but was very lightweight and absorbed into my skin in no time at all (so no goop on my pillow, score!) and it smells lovely too! But the real test was the morning....well a few mornings really because I ain't expecting an overnight cure for my mug.

After a week or so of applying the cream every night, well every night I remembered, the condition of my skin had dramatically improved. Not that I'm particularly prone to spots, but my skin looked visibly brighter, didn't feel as rough or dry as it had been and my pores looked smaller (call me crazy but they do!) I've been chuffed so far with the results, and I was more than pleased to invest in my rather large jar, especially since a tub a thimble size managed to do my moon face for 2 weeks!

Have you ever tried anything by the Body Shop Oils of Life range? How did you find it? Share your picks and Body Shop finds with me in the comments below, I always love trying new products and finding brand new things to spend those hard earned dolla's on! As usual though you can catch my ironed face on the usual channels, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and of course more from the blog on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, ironed, plump and crease free.

H.Elizabeth x

Urban Decay | Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer Review

 

Concealer is something I've never felt an intense need to splurge on. After finding my tried and tested collection lasting perfection concealer all of those years ago I thought I was finished with my search (at £4.19 a go I wasn't complaining) However having now began my own make up artistry business I've found that many ladies simply don't appreciate me using a collection concealer on them, and you know a small part of me understands. If I were to visit a make up artist and they used the likes of make up revolution, MUA and collection I might pull a face or two, after all you're paying for the best. So off to the department stores I went in search of another concealer that could dazzle me as much as collection had all those years ago.

Enter Urban Decay. After nipping in to Debenhams for a top up of my favourite setting spray ever I hadn't expected to walk out with a concealer, particularly as Urban Decay have previously only been known for their sprays and shadows, but alas here we are and I want to introduce you to the Naked Concealer.

I chose the lightest shade available which I think is fair neutral to give it a good test run before committing it to my kit, the product is of a waterier consistency than my collection concealer but the brush is perfection. Flat on either end and spongy in texture it is so gentle under your eyes and distributes the perfect amount of product every time. The shade may be a little light for me but I've been using it so far to highlight around my brozner and contoured areas, buffed in with a damp beauty blender it offers a lovely dewy finish coveted by many at this time of year! Overall I am impressed with this product, particularly the coverage it offers and minimal creasing in my undereyes at the end of the day, and it also helps that it smells just like summer (open one and take a whiff you'll see what I mean!)

 

I've seen a lot of other reviewers online who claim that it has broken them out, doesn't agree with their skin type or is just generally a bad fit for them, and that's true in even the greatest products, so my best advice to you would be instead of splurging the £17.50 straight away, go in past your local Urban Decay counter and ask for a sample.

Overall I'm looking forward to stocking my kit with this little wonder in the future (my bank balance on the other hand is having heart palpitations) but don't worry I'll still have my trusty old Collection concealer on hand in case I need a stand in. Have you ever tried any products other than the Naked palettes by Urban Decay, I'd love to hear your thoughts and recommendations or even any product recommendations in the comments section below, come share them with me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram even, or you can keep up with my latest beauty buys, finds and reviews on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, let's get Naked.

H.Elizabeth x