I'm back with another High End vs Budget post! These are fast becoming some of my favourite posts to write even though I'm running out of products to talk about. This week me and Amanda will be chatting all about eyeshadow singles...
I don't have many eyeshadow singles, I mostly stick to my big palettes, so when it came to writing this months post I only had a few to choose from. In the end I opted to review a little MAC single I've had for quite a while but never used all that much. This post gave me a reason to really trial it out!
About the product
The MAC Extra Dimension Eyeshadow in shade 'Ready to Party' is described as a hybrid product on the MAC website. It 'combines the smoothness of a cream, the blendability of a liquid and the finish of a powder. It also claims to be crease proof, fade proof, flake proof and long lasting with up to 6 hours wear.
Price
So as always lets talk about the price. This eyeshadow retails at £16 which is absolutely extortionate in my opinion. I can't remember paying anywhere near that amount and I probably didn't as I picked it up in my favourite place - Duty Free. For a regular eyeshadow single I'd only really be prepared to pay up to £10, so this is really pushing the boat out.
Does it work?
I can definitely vouch for the silky smooth texture of this eye shadow, it feels almost creamy to the touch. It's probably due to this texture that the eyeshadow is crease proof and flake proof - both claims I can confirm to be true. I'm not so sold on the claim that it is long lasting though. The MAC website states that the eyeshadow lasts for six hours, and it probably does but just about, and even then I don't think six hours is particularly long for a £16 eyeshadow.
What do I think?
Honestly I really like this little product. It's a handy size to keep in a handbag and the colour pay off is quite good as well. I love the texture and I don't feel like it's drying on my eyes like some other eyeshadows can be. I do think the price is a bit ridiculous though so I wouldn't purchase it again. I also think it's worth mentioning that to get the most out of this eyeshadow you should really pat it on with your fingers, brushes just won't give you the same effect.
Shop MAC Eyeshadows
So that was my chosen 'high end' eyeshadow, don't forget to click here to see Amanda's blog post about her chosen budget eyeshadow single! If you fancy catching up on our previous posts, you can find mine here and Amanda's here!
So this review is well overdue. This absolute beauty of a product has been sat in my ‘to use’ draw since I bought it at the Miss Patisserie event last year, but I finally got around to testing it out and now I feel confident enough to review it.
About the product
This delightfully scented Orange Coffi Scrub is from Miss Patisserie, a small independent shop based in the heart of Cardiff City Centre. They also have an online shop and ship worldwide so you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting hold of their products. All Miss Patisserie products are vegan, gluten free, and cruelty free - they don’t test on animals.
Price
So this product isn’t one of the cheapest body scrubs on the market. It retails at £13.99 which I think is pretty pricey and honestly I did have to think about it a lot before I made a purchase. In the end I couldn’t leave without it and after weighing up the pros I decided that £14 wasn’t too much to pay for a product that could be used on my face and body.
Does it work?
The Coffi Scrub is meant to moisturise and repair the skin leaving it feeling super soft. It also claims to help reduce cellulite but as I’ve only really used it on my face I can’t comment on how true that is. I can however confirm that after using it my skin feels incredibly soft and free from dead skin. It also feels very moisturised even in areas such as my forehead which tend to get a little bit flaky, especially in the colder months.
One thing I would mention is that this is a dry scrub. On the packet it suggests to massage into dry or damp skin however I did’t find this to work too well for me. I’ve been putting small amounts into a dish and mixing with water until it turns into a paste I can scrub my skin with. I’d also recommend doing this in the shower as it can get a little messy.
Shop other coffee scrubs
What did I think?
Honestly I’ve been really enjoying using this product. The scrub works really well, it gets rid of my dead and drying skin and leaves me with baby soft skin all day. I also think the orange scented coffee granules smell absolutely incredible and I love the fact that the scent lingers on my skin even though I hate the taste of actual coffee. I’d purchase this again in a heart beat!
Have you ever tried a coffee scrub before? What did you think?
Thanks for reading
x
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Plan ahead
Hours pass in no time while you're having fun in Disney, so a rough plan of the day is a good idea. Queues can sometimes be 2 hours+ so you might not be able to go on everything. Grab a map and circle the rides you know you want to get on. Do these rides first, that way you have a better chance of getting them all done. The rides I've found that have the longest waiting times are usually - Space Mountain, Rock N Rollercoaster, Tower of Terror, Crushes Coaster, and The Disneyland Railroad (if you get on at main street USA).
Pack a lunch
You'll be queueing for rides all day so there's no point waiting in line for food as well, although I'll be the first to say those Disney hot dogs are a must have. If it looks like you'll be waiting a long time for a ride, why not munch your lunch in the queue? I've done that several times before now.
Dress appropriately
This might be obvious but I've seen women in heeled boots at Disneyland before and believe me they didn't look too fab after hours of stumbling around. You are going to be walking around all day so it's always best to wear comfy shoes. It's also a good idea to wear layers in case you get too hot/ cold. If you are comfortable you should be able to run around Disney all day without needing too many breaks.
The Parade
The Disney Magic on Parade is one of the main aspects of your day in the park. It's usually at around 5:30PM but make sure you check the times in the park guide or by clicking here as they do change with the season. I would recommend getting to Main Street USA around half an hour early to guarantee you get a space at the front. People with children can be ruthless when it comes to getting a spot so make sure you stand your ground!
Shopping
There are a hell of a lot of shops in the park, you wont be able to avoid them as a lot of rides exit through them but I would recommend not spending too much time browsing these during the park opening times. You will probably be able to buy everything in the Disney Village which is open a lot later than the park itself. There's no point wasting your time shopping when you can pick it up later.
Shop my Disney essentials
So that was about everything I can think of right now. I'd say these tips apply to pretty much any theme park and not just my favourite one! I really hope you guys found these helpful, feel free to leave any of your own tips in the comments!
Thanks for reading
x
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In case you didn't already know from my excessive moaning on twitter, I'm in my second year of Uni. It will be my last year as I'm really not feeling going back for the top up. I currently have deadlines popping up left right and centre and I always leave things until last minute. I have to hand my biggest most boring module in tomorrow and guess what - it's not finished. I thought I'd run you through the thoughts I have as I switch between procrastination and panic, instead of actually doing the work itself:
1. Why didn't past Grace do this? I could be relaxing now but nope.
2. I'm going to make sure future Grace gets everything done on time.
3. Haha that's so not going to happen.
4. Okay lets get this shit done! I'm full of motivation and I'm going to smash this module!
5. Well thats one paragraph done, I guess it must be time for a break. I can't wear myself out.
6. Shit how did I spend 2 hours watching YouTube videos! This will be the last one and then I'm back to work!
7. Okay deffo on last one..
8. Urgh I hate referencing.
9. If I get the easy stuff out of the way first I can at least pretend I tried, right?
10. I'm going to finish my next project wayyyy before deadline day.
So I'll do this on repeat for a couple of hours until I realise its actually too late to do anything. I'm sure I'm not alone with this one right? RIGHT?!
Thanks for reading
x
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Body confidence; everyone wants it but lets be honest, it's hard to get. It's not something you can buy or achieve over night, it's something that you need to be constantly striving for. For years I battled with hating my body and being ashamed of the way I look but recently I'm a lot happier.
Maybe this new found confidence has come with age or with the rise in body acceptance blogs, but I'm happy I've found it. Now don't get me wrong I still have days when I hate the way everything looks on me. I'll try a hundred outfits on only to dislike them all and end up crying in my room not wanting to go out. I'm not perfect and I'll probably never be 100% happy with my lumps and bumps but that must be natural, right?
The majority of the time I'm pretty chill with how I look. I'm the opposite of the girls you'll find in Vogue and I'm actually the heaviest and biggest I've ever been in my life, but I mostly don't mind. I don't, mind that, is until I have someone to compare myself with. You might remember that I mentioned in this post how I didn't look like any of the other bloggers at The Clothes Show back in December and it really got me down. That day, looking at all the other gorgeous girls, my confidence hit rock bottom. But why? No-one had said anything mean to me, in fact everyone was really friendly, so how did I end up feeling so shit? I did it to myself. I compared my body, my face, my hair and even the clothes I chose to wear that day to the others. Yes they all looked amazing, but that morning when I left for The Clothes Show, I thought I looked pretty good too until I started to overthink everything.
We have got to stop comparing ourselves to others. The fashion industry is finally coming around to using diverse body shapes and if the most judgemental industry going is starting to promote body confidence, it's about time we started taking it on board. I'm happier with my body now than I have ever been, but I just need to change the way I think, we all do. Comparing yourself to someone thinner or prettier won't make you any thinner or prettier, it will just give you a hang up.
Although most of the time I love my body, I still have a lot to work on. It's about time we all started appreciating the way we look instead of worrying if we look as good as the next person. It's good to think highly of other women but it's just as important to admire yourself.
Do you struggle with body confidence? How do you keep the negative thoughts at bay?
Thanks for reading
x
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I've been really ill all week and I've had zero motivation to do anything, except pamper myself. When I'm sick I'm dramatic; a cold might as well be terminal for me, so I make sure I have time to relax and rear myself back to heath with a little help from some beauty treats.
A piping hot bath is usually my first port of call when I get the sniffles. A nice long soak with a bath bomb or two always makes me feel slightly better, even if there are no actual health benefits to it. I usually take my phone with me and catch up on any YouTube videos I've missed that week.
As my skin is looking a bit worse for wear after blowing my nose 100 times a day I make sure I keep on top of moisturising. Every couple of hours I'll lather up on my current favourite - Johnson's Daily Essentials - which keeps my nose from getting too dry. My lips also tend to crack when I'm sick so I'll keep those topped up with lip balm too. I'd recommend getting a cheap one that you can just chuck away when you are well again.
If layers and layers of moisturiser just aren't doing the trick it's probably time for me to step it up a notch. I hoard face masks like there's no tomorrow so I'll probably use one or three in a last attempt to save my drying skin.
I think keeping yourself warm and cosy is kind of underrated when you're feeling unwell. I always keep myself cuddled up either in bed or on the sofa with a hot water bottle. Although I usually do, I know I should't feel guilty about having a duvet day every now and then.
Makeup is pretty much off the cards when I'm poorly; it will only end up smeared all over my face when my nose starts running and my eyes start watering anyway. When the rest of me just looks a bit shit I don't mind taking some time to paint my nails so at least I feel slightly put together. I would 100% recommend getting some sort of drying product like this one for your nails because the sooner they are dry the sooner you can get all snuggled up again. As I type I'm actually painting my nails a disgusting garish pink shade which I'm already regretting if I'm honest.
So thats how I generally practise a little bit of self care when I'm poorly. If none of that is working I dose up on painkillers, cough sweets and nap the day away, which really isn't too difficult for me!
How do you guys will yourselves back to life when you're feeling a little under the weather?
As my skin is looking a bit worse for wear after blowing my nose 100 times a day I make sure I keep on top of moisturising. Every couple of hours I'll lather up on my current favourite - Johnson's Daily Essentials - which keeps my nose from getting too dry. My lips also tend to crack when I'm sick so I'll keep those topped up with lip balm too. I'd recommend getting a cheap one that you can just chuck away when you are well again.
I think keeping yourself warm and cosy is kind of underrated when you're feeling unwell. I always keep myself cuddled up either in bed or on the sofa with a hot water bottle. Although I usually do, I know I should't feel guilty about having a duvet day every now and then.
Shop My Essentials
How do you guys will yourselves back to life when you're feeling a little under the weather?
Thanks for reading
x
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You might have noticed I've been a little bit quiet on social media lately. I've still been posting here twice a week but I've not been updating Instagram regularly, nor have I been tweeting as much as I'd like. Some days I tweet like mad, I'll be constantly chatting rubbish, retweeting competitions, and advertising my own posts and then other days I won't even open the app.
I'm the same with Instagram too, sometimes I upload every day and then I can go a week without posting anything. I used to feel really guilty about this, I'm trying to build a brand and gain followers and I know that if I want to take blogging further I need to be on these platforms a lot, but I just don't have the commitment right now. I've been really trying hard with my 'Instagram theme' lately, its mostly pink with the occasional splash of forest green and honestly I'm in love with it. I've wasted so much of my time comparing my account to other big bloggers and it used to get me down but now I'm really happy with how it looks.
So getting back to how quiet I've been lately on both platforms; Instagram is all about aesthetics, everything is meant to look good, and I get annoyed when I post a photo that doesn't go well with the rest of my theme. Not every part of my life is Instagram worthy and honestly I wouldn't want it to be either. My blog is my place to be a bit more raw, I want my Instagram to be more put together. I don't want to share everything I do online and I really I don't want to post bad quality photos just to get something up so if that means I only post once or twice a week, I'm okay with that.
I don't want my Twitter to be as polished as my Instagram but some days I just don't feel like tweeting or I wont have time. If I'm having a bad day I'm not going to pretend to be all happy online just to have some sort of presence. I've been told time and time again that I need to constantly be sharing my blog posts, bloglovin link and other social media platforms on twitter but really who can be arsed all the time? It's nice to get views but we all know blogging is so much more than getting clicks.
A few months ago I was looking at making this my job. After getting one sponsored post I naively thought I'd be able to quit my job and dive head first into the world of blogging but its bloody hard work. Sometimes I just want to not worry about views and followers and networking and posting regularly. I need to remember that sometimes its okay to take a step back. As much as I love this little space on the internet I will not let it take over my life, I have much better things to be doing than constantly posting to my social media. I won't be giving up my blogging schedule any time soon as its took me a long time to get the motivation to post twice a week however if I do seem a little quiet on my other platforms, I'm not giving up I'm just taking a little break.
Does social media ever get a bit too much for you sometimes? I'd really love to know I'm not alone on this one..
Thanks for reading
x
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So I wear perfume pretty much every day, even to work and I have a few that I purchase religiously. They've probably cropped up in other posts before now but I thought it would be nice to dedicate a separate post to the perfumes I buy and wear the most. So here are my 3 all time favourite perfumes...
Avon Rare Pearls - I'm going to start with the perfume that I've probably been using the most. This little beauty has been my signature scent since I was 15 and I don't think that will change anytime soon. Its strong floral fragrance almost has a boozy scent to it that takes me back to my holidays as a teenager. Although the bottle design has changed over the years the memories that flood back to me when I get a whiff are always the same. Rare Pearls retails at around £13 although it's often on offer.
Avon Little Black Dress - Another budget bottle from Avon, this one retailing at around £8. It has a pretty subtle floral scent that reminds me of celery but in a nice way. The bottle is pretty plain, as are many of the Avon scents but this doesn't take away from its beautiful feminine fragrance. This has been my 'go to' perfume for quite a few months now and I always get asked what I'm wearing when I'm out, I wish I could lie and say its Chanel but I'm a bit too common for a scent like that.
Marc Jacobs Dot - On the other end of the scale completely is Dot. Let's be honest, anyone who buys Marc Jacobs' perfumes usually do so because of the amazing packaging regardless of what it smells like. That was the reason I bought Dot originally, but it quickly grew on me and is now a firm favourite. As it's a little pricey I usually save this for nights out and special occasions but I always make sure I have a bottle open at home. Dot retails at around £50 for 50ml.
So those are the perfumes that I will always repurchase. As you can tell I'm a bit of a budget girl when it comes to fragrance but I honestly can't tell the difference between something bought in Bodycare to something bought in Selfridges.
Thanks for reading
x
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