50 Facts About Me

Hey Guys! A little bit of a different post today.

Although i'm just getting started on this blogging business, and i'm pretty sure only one or two people read my posts, either way I thought i've never properly introduced myself! So thought i'd do a little 50 facts about me for you to get to know me!

Enjoy :)

1. My name is Holly

2. I'm currently 21, and am a 2nd Year University Student studying Early Years Childhood Studies

3. I am an only child 

4. I drive a Mini Cooper, which quite frankly, is my whole life

5. I'm a very fussy eater

6. I'm currently single *sob*

7. I love a good night out, and try to have a proper one once a week.. Well what would a Uni Student be without consumption of alcohol?

8. Vodka & Cranberry is my drink (incase your ever buying)

9. I have super sensitive skin, i'm prone to having reactions super quickly

10. Boring people are in my opinion, the worst kind of people. I strongly believe in living your life to the fullest, taking every opportunity and making the most out of every day

11. I'm a pretty chilled out person

12. I do not get stressed easily

13. I have a small addiction to Pretty Little Liars, late on the bandwagon, I know

14. My natural hair colour, I believe is a dark blonde. Even though I haven't had my natural colour for years. I have super blonde highlights done around twice a year. With T Bar top ups in between. 

15. I hate having wet skin touching clothes. I will never put my dressing gown on even slightly wet after a shower

16. I also have a hate for wet hair on my back. Like when you get out of a swimming pool and its hot on holiday. Ew. Ew. Ew.

17. Sticking to that theme, I have a phobia of sand. There is nothing in this whole world I hate more than sand, I despise the beach. Even on holiday, in fact, even more on holiday. 

18. My favourite take away food is Indian, or McDonalds, I won't lie

19. I absolutely love make up, I never think you can own too much

20. I love fake tan, I don't care if its fake, I love the stuff

21. My favourite feature is either my legs or my eyelashes as they are super long (the lashes.. not the legs!) Or my teeth.

22. On that note i'm small, i'm around 5'2.

23. My clothes size is a petite size 4 in most clothing, but a 6 or 24inch waist on bottoms

24. My favourite scent at the moment is Chanel Chance or Jimmy Choo Blossom

25. My favourite item of food is red grapes or yoghurt, I bloody love yoghurt right now. Got some with honey as I write this, if we're being honest. 

26. My favourite colour is pink. Not to wear, or to have in my bedroom, but just too look at. So probably not my favourite colour really then? Hmm

27. When I was a baby I won't the prettiest baby of the year award for all the M&S stores in the UK. I won £1000 and was in the paper. *proud moment*

28. My least favourite feature is my face shape

29. I wish I have cheek bones

30. My hair seriously stresses me. It's straight, but super fine which makes it hard to style! But extensions always help me out. 

31. I don't like people that moan they are tired all the time

32. I absolutely love photos, i'm sure I probably take too many and overload social media after a night out, but their memories and I love them. 

33. I drink a lot of water, it's my favourite drink

34. My parents have had a house in Cyprus since I was 8, so I always have at least 2/3 holidays there every year

35. I always shower every single morning, and bath every single night, I like to be clean!

36. TOWIE is my guilty pleasure.

37. I don't really like chocolate. I'll eat it, but i'm not a lover of it. Is that weird?

38. Like a million other girls, MAC is my favourite make up brand. Although people think it's a waste of money, i'd much rather spend the money on good products, than lots of crappy cheap ones. 

39. It annoys me when people say you wear to much make up and that you don't need it. Yeah you don't need it, but if you like it, why not?

40. Oasis is my favourite band. Their song Stand by Me is my favourite. 

41. I don't have a favourite film, but I like horror

42. I have a thing about smelling nice. I think it's important to wear a fragrance every day, no matter where your going. 

44. Candles are my weakness

45. I love to go out for dinner with the girls

46. I try my hardest to enjoy everything, and live every day to the best I can

47. I have smile lines, thats a good thing, right?

48. I wear glasses for reading, driving, computer, uni, and work. So most of the time. (not that I actually do)

49. I love sweets, all sweets, any sweets

50. and believe it or not I can't think of a final fact. Apart from this was pretty tough for me to think of 49! So I guess my final fact is that I find it hard to think of stuff to write about myself!

And there we have it!

Enjoy guys! 

Holly x

Mid Week Haul

So this week i've spent a fair bit of money online shopping and on the highstreet, so I though i'd share my purchases here with you!

Firstly on my shopping haul is two Yankee Candles. I picked up Lake Sunset & Fireside Treats. As you can see from the photos i've only burned Lake Sunset so far, but even without burning I can smell how amazing Fireside Treats is - hence why i'm saving that one to burn second! 

I am burning them both in my bedroom, but they are both lovely scents for the whole home. Fireside Treats is super sweet & Lake Sunset is very fresh. 

Next up I made a tiny MAC order, of my Primer & MAC's Matte Lipstick in Velvet Teddy. 

I was due a long awaited eye test and I finally got round to it. I replaced my black Ted Baker Glasses, for a brown pair of Michael Kors. I am loving them and I find brown goes with so much more than my black pair! However, annoyingly Michael Kors have stopped provided a case for their glasses (ridiculous when they cost so much!) so I was given this gorgeous one by Dolce & Gabbana. 

From Toyshop I brought a grey cropped jumper, a grey tunic and this classic denim skirt. I love the collars on both these jumpers as I think they are very warm and stylish at the moment! They look great with any coat or jacket. I have had my eye on this skirt forever, and finally took the plunge! I think its a nice alternative to jeans and very flattering. 

Again from Toyshop I also picked up this over sized denim shirt. (as you can tell I was wearing it when I took these photos!)  This is a petite size 4, so as you can tell it's super oversized! I love the look of this, especially with a gold necklace.

I love a good smelling room, hence the amount candles I buy! So I was excited to try out the new Zoella Reed Diffuser. Its super strong, but not in a sickly way. I think this is definitely going to be my new bedroom scent!

A shopping trip wouldn't be right without a trip to LUSH. Especially now their christmas pieces are in! I picked up only a few things i've never had before. I brought 'Pop in the Bath', 'Butterbear' & 'Candy Mountain'. I cannot wait to try these beauties out!

LUSH also gave me two freebies! *yay*, as this never happens to me! They gave me 'Serendipity Soap' & 'Coal Face'. Both which can be used on the face & body. I'm also super excited to try these ones out as i've never used any face products from LUSH!

I brought the Superdrug Limited Edition Vanilla Fudge Mask this week. MY GOD. The smell of this is incredible, absolutely to die for! It's self heating which is super relaxing. I also find you get 2 uses out of this, which makes it a bargain at 99p.

Lastly I brought 2 new make up brushes this week. Both Real Techniques, I brought the Face Sculpt and the Setting brush. 

I absolutely love the colour of these brushes. I really trust Real Techniques, and have many of their brushes. I plan on using the Face Sculpt for my foundation & the Setting for setting my concealer under my eyes.

Holly x

Favourite Body Shop Products

I've been super busy with Uni & work lately that I haven't been able to upload a post! So I thought as I sit here running my bath, i'd jot down a little!

I've been a huge fan of the Body Shop products for a few years now & am always super exciting to buy something new! I have to admit, the Body Shop isn't super cheap, as when I was younger I always used to think £14 for a body butter is completely ridiculous.. However, for the amount, and the quality of the product, it's totally justifiable. I also have a loyalty card for the store which honestly is incredible, you receive 10% off every purchase, getting free gifts, and at least once, if not twice a month they email me with 40 % of any order I choose, online and in store, with free delivery! Really impossible to complain.

Anyway ... enough of me promoting their loyalty card and on with the post!

So although I own many more Body Shop products than shown in this photo, I just wanted to share my most favourite or we would be here forever! 

I've decided to stick to skin care - even though their candles are to die for!

Firstly is the Peppermint Intensive Foot Rescue.

Now I absolutely hate the smell of mint, however this is bearable. The smell is strong, but not overpowering and you cannot smell it once you have massaged into your feet. The cream is very rich and nourishing, I like to apply every evening right before bed and will usually wear socks to lock in the moisture.

Next is a favourite of every Body Shop lover, their body butter.

Available in hundreds of flavours, however this is a recent buy of mine & it's definitely made its way to my favourite! I believe this is limited edition in the flavour Early Harvest Raspberry, and my god, incredible is the only way to describe this. Incredible.

Next is a cleanser I have spoken about before. The Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter. This is so luxurious and calming on the skin & eyes. I use this on dry skin and wash away with a Body Shop Muslin Cloth. I have very sensitive skin, and this does not irritate at all. It's also very good at removing hefty eye make up!

Again, something i've spoken about before, Hand Cream. These little beauties are everywhere in my house, I currently own 8, in every flavour & I love each and every one. I won't ever leave the house without one of these!

Lastly on this mini favourites is the Strawberry Body Puree, which is similar to the body butters but lighter and comes with a pump which is a little less messy! The puree's are a lot cooler and much thiner which makes them very easy to rub into the skin. I believe they are also a fair bit cheaper than the butters!

And thats it for my favourite Body Shop products!

All products mentioned are available at The Body Shop, but don't forget to join their loyalty system too! It's so worth it!

What are your favourite Body Shop items? 

Holly x

Night Out Makeup

So as I wrote a post on what products I use on a night out, I thought id do another including pictures of how the make up actually looks! I had another night out, so the make up is pretty much the same with a few extra products!

ps, I took these photos simply as selfies on my iPhone 5s (we all do it!) with no purpose to write this post, hence the poorer camera quality & the fact I haven't posed to actually show the make up well!

Firstly I started on my base which I prepped my skin with Origins Gin Zing Moisturiser. I then used MAC Prep + Prime Skin Finish Primer to give a super smooth base & to help my make up last all night long!

For foundation I used a Real Techniques Buffing Brush to apply MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation in the shade NW15, along with MAC Select Cover Up Concealer in NW20.

Coming back to my base later, I then moved onto my eye make up where I applied MACs Paintpot in Painterly as a base, and then used my Naked Basic Palette by Urban Decay. Applying the shades Foxy and W.O.S all over my lid. I then used the Venus shade as a highlight under my brow. I then used a Real Techniques duo fibre eye brush to apply Hoola Bronzer by Benefit into the crease for a natural shading. Again from Naked Basics, I applied the shade Naked 2 through the centre to edge of my lid. I then went in with the darkest brown called Faint into the very corner. 

I then filled in my brows using the Benefit Brow Zing in Light, focusing mainly on the bridge & end of my brow for the most definition. 

Back to my base, I then applied MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in the shade NC20, in a triangle shape under my eye, and on the bridge of my nose to create light. I blended this in with the Zoeva Face Shape Brush & the Zoeva Concealer Brush in smaller areas around my nose and eyes. 

I then set my base with my favourite powder, MAC Studio Fix in NW15, which always makes sure my make up lasts all night. 

I then used Benefit Hoola across my whole forehead, my nose, cheeks & chin for a natural bronze. I then took my Collection Contour Palette & used the dark shade to contour my cheek bones, top of my temples and down the side of my nose.

I didn't use any blush for this look, but used lots of MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Lightscapade which I am obsessed with at the moment!

I then used MAC Vanilla Pigment in the very corner of my eye to make them pop! Finishing the eyes with my trusty Maybelline Sensational Lash Mascara & Seventeen Tattoo Me Eyeliner in Raven Black. Once my mascara had dried I applied some individual lashes from Eyelure. 

To complete my look I spritzed MAC's FIX + and I was ready for the night to begin! 

Holly x

How To Care For Your Nails

Welcome back! 

This little post is about I think is the best way to care for your natural nails and making them look beautiful! Nails are such an important factor that I think a lot of girls forget about. Your nails can give such a wrong impression if they are bitten short, untidy & dirty. 

Now i've never been one for acrylic nails (some can look lovely - but most the time fake and a little tacky!) plus, we all know how terrible they are for your natural nails. Now when I was younger I was a horrendous nail biter & I honestly never thought i'd stop, until around the age of 18 when I finally grew out of it. My nails have always been naturally rounded and short - and really not very pretty.

This is how I get them to the beautiful length they are now!

Firstly, my most favourite thing to use on my nails is CND Shellac. I started having CND Shellac nails done professionally every 2 weeks about 2 years ago. It was super exciting to choose a gorgeous colour each week & give myself a fresh look. However spending £15 every 2 weeks really adds up, so after just over a year (once i'd learnt exactly what my nail technician was doing!) I decided to invest in the whole kit myself - now i'm not trained, but it's pretty god damn simple, expensive to begin with, but you soon get your money back from all the manicures you would have had!

My natural nails now, in the colour 'Plum Paisley'. When I first had shellac, my nails were short and very unfeminine. Now I keep them long and squared, which is my favourite look. Doing them myself I usually change colour around every 2 weeks, sometimes 3. Its important to maintain your shellac to prevent having to have them done more regularly! 

Incase you are unaware of shellac, its a gel polish hardened by a UV lamp. They are designed to be super shiny & scratch proof. A colour is designed to wear for 14 days, but depending on your day to day jobs can be less, or longer than 2 weeks. 

I always ensure I file and trim them each time I re-do them to prevent splitting, just like you do with your hair. 

To maintain the shellac I use CND Solar Oil every night on each nail, which I love and have spoken about before. It smells of almonds which I absolutely love! 

I put a small amount on each nail and rub in, including around the nail bed onto my fingers as well. 

To keep my nails extra strong I highly recommend hairburst. Although designed for hair growth, I believe this is what really keeps my nails super strong & prevents them from breaking and splitting. Since taking hairburst I have seen very little breakage in my nails! 

& there we have it! A simply nail idea to help keep your natural nails super strong and beautiful - ditch the acrylics girls!

Holly x

Fake Tan Favourites

So this blog post is about one of my favourite products to use - Fake Tan!

I'm going to share my favourite tanning products and a few of my tips, so keep reading!

Firstly, my most favourite product of all time for tanning is Fake Bake's Beyond Bronze Self Tan Liquid Tan Spray. I'm also a huge fan of the Fake Bake Self Tan Liquid Tan Spray (the original), which is just as amazing, but I usually use that more in the winter as Boot's stop stocking beyond bronze after the summer. 

Anyway, went of track a little.. but I really rate the Fake Bake products I have used. Do not be afraid of applying Fake Bake, it will come out EXTREMELY dark, and you will look like a total idiot when you apply, but having such a dark colour really allows you to apply evenly, as you can see exactly where you've put the product. 

I always use a mitt with gloves underneath to ensure I don't have bright orange hands, I then lightly go over my hands at the end. Once applied all over, sleep in the tan & wash off in the shower in the morning, and I kid you not you are left with the most gorgeous tan, without being orange. 

I also use this on my face, in fact its the only tan I ever use on my face, regardless if i'm using Fake Bake on my body or not, it doesn't break me out and leaves a very natural colour.

Fake Bake is the only 'fake tan', I use, the other products I love are tinted moisturisers. This one is Dove Derma Spa Summer Revived. I was actually looking for the Dover Summer Glow, but I couldn't find it anywhere! From what i've guessed, this has replaced it, which i'm pretty upset about, let me know if you know how true this is!

I get the shade medium - dark skin to give a really deep sun kissed look. The thing with tinted moisturisers is that it's clear, so unlike Fake Bake you have no idea where the hell your applying! But if you can apply it evenly, you are left with the most gorgeous natural tan. However, you need to ensure that you wash your hands throughly after using this!

Although, one down point, I really do not like the smell, I find it's all I can smell the next day! 

Another tinted moisturiser, Garnier Body Summer Body, which smells better than the Dove (still not the best!), also gives a really gorgeous natural deep tan. To apply this again you need to make sure you wash your hands well after applying!

My top tip for tanning is moisturise, moisturise, moisturise! Before applying tan its important to moisturise dry areas on your body to ensure the tan doesn't sink or crack into dry skin. So areas such as elbows and knees definitely need to be moisturised before!

It's also important to moisturise when you have your tan, in order to maintain the tan as long as possible before you need to re-apply!

And thats it for my favourite tanning products!

What are your favourites? 

Holly x

Mr. Blanc Teeth Whitening

This little review is on Mr. Blanc Teeth Whitening Strips.

Now we've all seen the pictures of the celebs holding this popular brand & we're all ever longing for the whitest teeth, right?! Well is it true this little gem can do just that?

I purchased the 14 day box which gives you enough strips to use once a day, for 2 weeks. Now I haven't done a before & after picture as to be completely honest, I have pretty white teeth. I have whitened my teeth many times using Crest Whitening strips which in my eyes are the most amazing creation ever, honestly, they really work. But as I know, they are not good for your teeth, of course there not. Anything with the products in to whiten your teeth is not going to be amazing - however they work, and thats the end of that. But, these strips are designed the same way as the Crest Whitening Strips, which was what drew me to them. Even better though - they claim they cannot harm your teeth & are completely safe. 

Win! Right?

So back to where I was, I have pretty white teeth, however they have dulled down and needed a re-whiten. After my 2 weeks I can safely say these have really worked and my teeth are back to bright white. They give an instant whitening, the second you remove the strips you can see the white remaining on your teeth, however this does fade quickly, so it is needed to complete the full set in remaining true white. 

As they worked for me, I obviously cannot comment on how well they work on already very stained teeth. But for the price of £20, I really do believe they are worth the investment, instead of paying many pounds on over the counter whitening products which are simply a fancy toothpaste. 

Holly x