M&S Best of British Collection.

"Celebrating the best of British design and manufacturing, the Best of British capsule collection is synonymous with quality and innovation, supporting homegrown talent and expertise" - Marks & Spencer.

On Monday I visited my local M&S with my boyfriends mum and stumbled upon the Best of British collection. I was drawn in by the high-end feel of the clothes in this section and the accessories looked super luxurious. I say stumbled upon, because I've never heard of this collection before nor seen anyone mention it in the blogosphere. After doing some interweb research, I discovered that the Best of British capsule collection was launched last AW season and that next season's offerings were suwon at LFW only last week. 

All of the items in the collection are designed and manufactured in Britain, celebrating our long history of manufacturing and being a major fashion capital of the world. Because of this, the items are a little bit on the pricey side but I guess the point is is that you're paying for quality products made in Britain by British people. The SS14 capsule collection features beautifully tailored coats, super shift dresses and more in a wonderfully fresh palette of blues and white. What I'm most excited about in this collection are the accessories! There are stunning cuffs a la designers like Hermes and Mulberry, featuring unique colour combos of black and colbalt blue or pink and brown. To go with these are matching skinny belts- both are reasonably priced I may add- and a stunning collection of hand made shoes including brogues and chelsea boots. However, I've fallen for the glorious handbag collection especially this g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s baby blue leather satchel bag. So much so, I handed M&S over the most money I've ever spent on an item for myself. Yes, I bought it. And I am in love.

This collection is beautifully masculine whilst being utterly feminine and SS appropriate. Prices start from a mega reasonable £19.50 (cuffs and belts) to an eye-watering £349 (leather jacket) so there's something for everyone. And can I just point out that the men's collection is divine and very mod-inspired. This collection is truly designer meets the high street and I can't wait to see the AW14 collection hit the stores! What do you think? Let me know, thanks for stopping by x

What I Did This Week #4.

1. Day out to Liverpool- I had a really nice day out with my mum on Thursday shopping in Liverpool. I got loads of mega bargains from Primark and I can't wait to wear all my lovely clothes! I also got some lovely wicker baskets in the sale in Primark that I've put my hair styling tools in to keep them tidy, they always look so messy!

2. I had a job interview- I was super nervous about it all week but it went really well! I didn't get the job but my close friend got it so I'm super pleased for her! The only thing is, all my work chums have got new jobs recently so soon I'll be left all by my lonesome!

3. I've been feeling creative- I bought a super cute beginners cross stitch kit from Hobbycraft and I've totally got the bug! I've started by making this for me and my boyfriend which I'm gonna out in a lil frame when it's done. I actually find it quite relaxing once I get into it. I've also been doodling outfit ideas, especially as I've been buying clothes a bit more out of my comfort zone so I've been dreaming about how I can wear them. 

4. I've been shopping online- I've not bought anything from boohoo for ages and I recently found loads of things I liked so I ordered them. Unfortunately, some of them didn't fit me and they don't do exchanges so I've had to return them then re-order the right size. I was pleasantly surprised that I needed a smaller size, always makes you feel better about yourself lol.

I hope you've all had a nice week! Thanks for stopping by x

Chanel SS14 Eyeshadow Duo.

Chanel Ombres Contraste Duo in 70 Rose Majeur (£30 from John Lewis).

I recently had my makeup done at Chanel and picked up a few goodies. Chanel was the first high end brand that I bought products from and I still keep going back to them when I can afford to treat myself as their products are such great quality. I'm still loving purple makeup at the minute and I fell in love with this eyeshadow duo the moment I saw it. 

This neat little compact contains two pressed eyeshadow powders, a lovely mini brush, a mini sponge applicator and a decent sized mirror. Rose Majeur is made up of a stunning dark purple shade and a super pretty shimmery pink shade. They're not an obvious combination colour wise but oh my God, they are perfect together. These are the kind of shadows that you can wear super subtly as well as build up to something more dramatic. The purple shade is a great alternative to your traditional brown shade to accentuate the crease of your lid and add depth. I love wearing them alone and both together and they last all the day long day. 

Now I know that £30 is ludicrous for two small eyeshadows but the quality is amazing and I think these colours are unique. What's your favourite eyeshadow? Thanks for stopping by x

Dupe Alert- MAC Up The Amp and Collection Perrie.

MAC Lipstick in Up The Amp (£15 right swatch) and Collection Little Mix Lipstick in Perrie (£2.99 left swatch from Boots and Superdrug).

I recently treated myself to a new MAC lipstick in Up The Amp, brought on by my current obsession with all things purple. So imagine my surprise (and mild annoyance) when I stumbled upon this Collection Little Mix Lipstick which is a total bargain dupe!! 

Up The Amp is an Amplified lipstick from MAC, I'm not particularly well up on the various formulas but this gives a flawless opaque colour to the lips. Both shades are a beautiful berry mid purple, I guess you would call it a plum shade. I love the classic MAC lipstick packaging and I love the smell of MAC lipsticks- I can't be the only one surely?! 

The Collection dupe is from the Little Mix collection, I've always like Perrie's style and makeup and this colour lipstick totally suits her look. I actually like the packaging of the Collection lipstick, normally in find cheaper brands packaging to be a bit tacky looking or flimsy but I don't mind this one. I think it's identical to Up The Amp in colour and finish to be perfectly honest! I would say that it doesn't last half as well on the lips as the MAC lipstick but you don't mind reapplying a lipstick that's a fifth of the price! Both the products are really creamy and moisturising on the lips but again, I find that the moisture lasts a longer from the MAC formula but reapplying the Collection lippy does the trick.

All in all, I'd definitely recommend this as a dupe- let me know what you think! Thanks for stopping by x

This Will Destroy You.

Dress- Somerset by Alice Temperly via John Lewis (sale)

Jacket- M&S (old)

Hat- Dorothy Perkins

Shoes- Topshop

Tights- Primark

Ring- Primark

Bracelets- M&S and eBay 

Lips- Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Shameless

Oh this dress, how I love it! I wore it on my shopping day out for the second time since I bought it. I love everything about it and it think it's super flattering. I also wore my new super cute hat with ears on it- it's totally me but it's my first venture into the fashionable hat world! I felt like I was dressed like a 'blogger' today if that makes any sense- I should have been at fashion week rather than shopping, dream on Roisin! I love these studded. Loafers from Topshop as the thick sole means that I can wear them even when it's raining, which is most of the time recently. I hope you're all OK, thanks for stopping by x

Let's Go Shopping.

Dress from Primark (£8).

Avon Nailwear Pro+ in Cultured Purple and Barry M Silk Nail Varnish in Heather.

Pyramid mesh bracelet from M&S Autograph (£15) and Skull bracelet from eBay 99p.

Today I went on a day trip out with my mammy and we decided to go to Liverpool shopping! I love the shopping area in Liverpool, it feels so spaced out and modern it's lovely. And the weather was really nice so bonus! I'm rubbish at eating breakfast so I was dead hungry when we arrived at around 10.30am. I had a lovely bacon butty and a brew (yes I drink baby tea- lots of milk and lots of sugar) which gave me the energy I needed for intense shopping in Primark! I tried on loadsssss of things in Primark including this floral tea dress- this is the dress that I already have in about 5 different prints already but I couldn't resist this one! I bought everything in the picture below that minus the Disney top as I wanted to swap it for the size smaller but the didn't have it :/

After that we went in Forever 21, Boots, Superdrug etc; I bought a nice vest top from New Look and some makeup bits on 3for2 in Boots. I wore my new Alice Temperly dress today with my new hat (with ears) and my trusty leather jacket. We ate in a place called Yee Rah which serves all kind a of food including Asian, Italian, burgers etc. My mum laughed at me cause I forgot to photograph my Massaman curry as I couldn't wait to eat it lol! I'd painted my nails last night and thought they looked really nice so I thought I'd share them with you. I bought this Pyramid Mesh bracelet from M&S last weekend and I am in love! 

I really enjoyed photographing my day and I'd love to do it again. Let me know if you like this kind of post and I'll try and do it more often. Thanks for stopping by x

Worst Outfit Post Ever.

Dress- Primark

Cardigan- M&S

Tights- Primark

Boots- H&M

OK so this is officially the worst photographed outfit post ever! Normally I use my Samsung Bridge camera proped up on a CD shelf (need tripod) in my living room to photograph my outfits. However, my boyfriend and all his mates were crammed into our tiny living room so I asked him to take some pics for me. He became frustrated almost instantly when he started taking photos and they were blurry and awful lol. So I had to improvise and take some in the M&S changing rooms! 

I love everything about this Primark dress- it's a bit out of my comfort zone as it's quite colourful and girly but I love the collar and the length and I've actually worn it loads. I bought these boots a couple of weeks ago when I went shopping with my chum but I wasn't sure whether to keep them or return them as my boyfriend hated them and ripped me for buying them. I decided to keep them in the end and I'm so glad I did because I think they're perfect for toughening up a girly dress like this one. I love the cut out detail and the triple buckle detail and they're super comfy to walk in.

I'm super excited because I'm getting tattooed in a couple of weeks and I'm arranging getting another tattoo done after that. I last got tattooed in Novmeber and I've found a local artist that I really like so my bank account and savings are in danger of being rinsed! Hope you're all OK, thanks for stopping by x

L'oreal Triple Active Anti-Shine Moisturiser.

L'oreal Triple Active Anti-Shine Mattifying Hydrating Moisturiser (£6.49, currently on offer for £4.33 in Boots).

I bought this moisturiser back at the beginning of January when I started my Skincare overhaul but it's taken me this long to test it because I initially couldn't make my mind up about it. I like the packaging of this products, it's simple yet sturdy and I thinks it's a good price point, although I bought it on offer!

The L'oreal Triple Active Anti-Shine Moisturiser is a super thick cream which I personally wouldn't normally associate with use for oily skin. It appears heavy, hydrating and luxurious whereas normally I use products that are light and gel/liquid in formula so as not to be heavy on my oily skin. For me, getting over this was the first problem. Secondly, it is super hydrating for the skin which feels lovely but it felt too much for use before makeup, therefore I've switched to using it as my night cream. This makes total sense for me as it doesn't have any SPF and it's mega hydrating. Having said that, it doesn't leave any residue nor does it feel greasy- it definitely delivers on it's anti-shine and Mattifying claims.

I will admit that I initially disliked this product, but I've made it work for me and have learnt a valuable lesson- perseverance is the key! Have you tried this or any of the other L'oreal Skincare products? Let me know in the comments what you think. Thanks for stopping by x

What I Did This Week #3.

1. I had a bath- I can honestly say that this isn't a special annual event and I am a clean person! However, what made this bath different was that I posted about it and my evening routine (sorry, no nude photos here). I enjoyed doing this post as I'm really nosy and love the typical "get ready with me" posts or videos so thought this was a bit of a spin on that. 

2. I went back on day shifts at work- HOOORRRRAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY!!!!! I cannot tell you how happy I am about this. Unfortunately, my brain and body clock have been upside down and back to front so I've been using my beloved Yankee Candles to help chill me out when I'm wide awake in the middle of the night. My faves are Vanilla Frosting, Salted Caramel and Christmas Cupcake!

3. Girly day out- on Saturday, I had a wonderful girly day out with my boyfriend's mum. We went shopping and had our makeup done at Chanel before meeting up with the boys for a meal out. I bought some sneaky bits and bobs including some bargain Skincare, some bargain makeup, some Chanel makeup and a gorgeous bracelet. I also got this Somerset by Alice Temperley dress in the sale and it was a bargain reduced from £160 to £48. I've had my eye on it for months now and it fits perfectly. I'll do a collective haul post either at the weekend or next week as I'm going shopping with my mum this week so I mayaswell combine the hauls!

4. I shopped the stash- I love nothing more than curling up in bed or on the sofa with my Yankee candles on, watching beauty bloggers on YouTube. I find them so informative and entertaining! Watching them reminded me of some products I used to love but don't currently use so I thought I'd dig them out. I think with the seasons changing into SS, I'm favouring more 'girly' makeup with pink cheeks and natural eyes. I'm definitely in love with the Dainty Doll blusher. I've posted about this on my blog- go check it out.

I hope you've all had a lovely week, let me know what you got upto! Thanks for stopping by x

Shopping The Stash.

Shopping the Stash- I've not done this for agesssss! There's loads of products that I love and then something new comes along and it gets pushed to the back of the drawer and forgotten about- sound familiar? I've rediscovered some old favourites of mine recently and thought I'd share them with you.

MUA Undress Your Skin Highlighter- I remember loving this because it's super subtle and not at all glittery or gold. It's the most beautiful pink pearl shade and I love the imprint in the powder. I'm not going to use this every day as I don't like wearing highlighter to work but I'll deffo be sporting it when I'm on my days off.

MaxFactor CC Cream- this was my first CC Cream and after liking the new Bourjois one I thought I'd crack this one out for comparison. I remember it being really light but giving good coverage and lasting really well. It's also got a matte finish which is a must for me!

Dainty Doll Cream Blusher in 001- I'm really sorry I can't remember the name for this shade and it's not written on the compact! I've felt ready for a more Springy blush and this baby pink matte cream blush is perfect for work and play! It lasts all day and doesn't move on my face half way through the day. It's already made it's way into my makeup bag.

Soap & Glory Lid Stuff Eyeshadow Quad- I was totally reminded of this when I watched a beauty YouTube video recently and thought I'd dig it out. It's the perfect everyday eyeshadow palette and my fave shade has to be the matte nude shade it's a great base! 

I hope you liked this post- hopefully I'll do this on the reg and rediscover some hidden gems in my collection! Thanks for stopping by x

Bath Time and Evening Routine.

I recently posted about the products that I use in the shower/bath so I thought I'd follow that on by showing you my evening routine. I don't always get time it have a soak in the bath, I obvs shower instead, but I love having a bath and find it super relaxing. I like to listen to my YouTube playlist called Sleepy Time in the bath which I sometimes listen to to help me sleep at night. I'm obsessed with Yankee Candles and my mum bought me this Vanilla Frosting one which is in different packaging to the traditional jar candles. It's funny to see my side of the bath filled with products compared with my boyfriend's side with only three products haha! I'm a massive fan of the Avon bubble baths and they're pretty much always on offer- I love this Warm Fig and Vanilla scented one. 

In the bath-

I'm currently focused on getting my hair back into good condition after bleaching my hair a million times last week. I finished using the VO5 Hot Oil Hair Elixir which I've recently rediscovered- I'm definitely going to buy this again- you leave it on for a minute before washing your hair and it makes your hair feel sooooooo soft- I only used it on the mid lengths to ends where my hair is damaged. Then I shampooed my hair with the Front Row Colour Protect Shampoo and used the Front Row Colour Protect Conditioner on the top half of my hair. I used the Tresemme Split Remedy Conditioner on the mid lengths to ends and left both conditioners on for a few minutes. After rinsing them off I squeeze my hair out and clip it up.

Then I used the Tea Tree Facial Scrub (which is a bargain 99p!) on my spotty shoulders to make them less oily. Then I tried out the Avon Naturals Moisturising Body Scrub in Chcoclate scent- I've been a massive fan of both the Strawberry and Vanilla scents so I thought I'd try this one. It's got a super fine grain scrub packed into a thick creamy formula. Then I used the amazing smelling Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash on my shower poof. Please note that I normally wear nail varnish on my toes but I re-painted them after having a bath lol. 

Evening Skincare Routine-

I know this isn't Skincare but I've been using the Tresemme Split Remedy Leave In Treatment which my hair just drinks up! The bleach has split my ends so badly and this is helping to mend them. Then I've dug out my Lush Tea Tree Water to tone my skin- I spritz it on and wait for it to soak in. Then I occasionally use the Clinique Pore Refining Solutions Correcting Serum I'd use it everyday except its £38 and it's so good I don't want it to run out. It really tightens my pores and makes them so small! Then I've started using the Skin Wisdom Ultimate Lift Eye Cream which is pretty inexpensive and I'm liking it so far. Then I use the L'oreal Triple Active Anti-Shine Moisturiser as it's super hydrating but mattifying at the same time and I prefer to use this at night as it's a bit heavier.

Wow I could open my own shop using all these products! Like I say, I would normally use this amount of hair stuff but I will be doing for the next month or so while my hair regains it's former condition. Let me know what products you use if you have any recommendations! Thanks for stopping by x

L'oreal Studio Line Txt volume Supersizing Spray.

L'oreal Paris Studio Line Txt Volume Supersizing Spray (PRICE, Boots).

Since having my hair cut, I've noticed how flat my hair actually is! My hair naturally dries with a wavey kink in it but there's no root lift whatsoever- it's totally flat to my head. Normally I just put a bit of dry shampoo in it and ruffle it up but this can leave a build up after a few days between washes. I saw this in Boots on offer, basically buy one get one free, and couldn't resist.

The Txt Volume Supersizing Spray claims to give "texturised matte volume" with its formula containing micro-powders. I bought and liked a styling powder a while ago and love it but found it a bit messy to apply. This is the perfect alternative as it's super easy to spray onto your hair, just like any other hairspray. What I love about this is the matte texture it gives my hair- I personally hate that "just washed" feeling of my hair and find it impossible to style when just washed. This spray gives that bed head look and feel without making your hair feel stiff or having to back comb it to within an inch of its life! You don't need to spray much on, I focus it on the roots, and then you can just keep scrunching it up throughout the day to keep the look. You could make your hair totally massive with this for a night out and it'd be great for making a beehive style!

If you want shiny sleek and glossy hair, don't buy this! If you want grungy messy hair then step right up! I have fallen in love with this product and I'm literally using it every day. Have you tried this product? Let me know what you think. Thanks for stopping by x

(It's Another) Haul.

Smokey Eyeshadow Palette (£3.99) and Tweezers (£1.99) both H&M; Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balms in Provocateur and Demure (£7.99 each) Boots; Victoria Secrets Body Mists minis in Noir Tease and Dream Angels Heavenly (from a set); MAC Amplified Lipstick in Up The Amp (£15).

So I went shopping with my friend tother day and guess what, I spent money again! The H&M buys were both total till purchases as I was buying a pair of boots. I've had a Nudes eyeshadow palette from H&M before and liked it but what made me get this one is the second shade which is super bronzy and bright. I finally got my hands on the Revlon Lacquer Balm in Demure as it had sold out when I bought my other shades. My friend went for Provocateur and I got one too as they're still on 3for2 in Boots. I had some money left on my Selfridges voucher from Christmas so I went for this MAC lipstick as it's super purple and lovely. 

Me and my friend Helen bought some Victoria Secrets body mists minis when we went to London last year and wanted to replace them as we've both run out! However, we could only find full szed ones which were about £22 each eek. On our way out of the shop though we spied a Valentines set with four minis in so we decided to split the set between us. When I say minis, they're 75ml and last ages! I love that they're plastic but look like proper perfume bottles. I'm thinking of asking for a perfume set from Victoria Secrets off my boyfriend but chance would be a fine thing! I also bought a pair of boots which I'm unsure about whether to keep or not and a new hair styler to make my hair wavey. Hope you're all OK, thanks for stopping by x

Revlon Colorburst Matte and Lacquer Balms.

Revlon Colorburst Matte in Elusive and Shameless and Lacquer Balms in Whimsical, Provocateur and Demure (£7.99 each, Boots). 

So the world and his wife have been raving about the launch of the Revlon Colorburst Balms, available in Matte and Lacquer finishes. There's an extensive shade range available in both formulas but I thought I'd share with you the ones I own. I first bought Shameless, Elusive (both matte) and Whimsical when the products first launched on 3for2 in Boots. I really wanted Demure but it had sold out. However, I managed to get my mitts on it last week as well as Provocateur. 

I love the packaging of these products- the chubby crayon style makes them super easy to apply and I love that the packaging matches the colour of the product making them easy to identify. I was most interested in the Matte finish as it's my fave finish but most high street brands can make their formulas very drying and chalky. The Revlon Matte balms are super creamy, pigmented and smooth on the lips and I don't find them at all drying, hurrah! On the opposite end of the scale, there is the Lacquer finish which is super glossy and high shine. I was worried this would mean that these versions wouldn't be as pigmented but they totally are! They all smell really minty and fresh which I personally like but I know won't be to everyone's taste! My favourite shade by far is Shameless, I feel like it was made for me! Demure unfortunately doesn't show up so well on my pigmented lips but I love love Whimsical- it's a super pretty berry shade with silver glitter subtly running through. But I feel like I've got a nice shade range here for all occasions. 

I've put some swatches below, let me know what you think. Have you tried any of the new Revlon Colorburst Balms? If so, let me know your fave shade below. Thanks for stopping by x