C H R I S T M A S | What I Got For Christmas 2014.

I am currently experiencing the post Christmas depression, it just went by so fast and I can't believe it's all over. 

To cheer myself up I just thought I would jump on the bandwagon and show you all what my lovely family bought me for Christmas.

Firstly I was extremely lucky and got Monty and Mabel from the John Lewis advert this year. The advert completely captured my heart and it was the first thing I put on my Christmas list, so my mum hunted them down and I am so so grateful. I love them to bits, they are currently sat on my knee as I type this. Yes I am aware I sound like a five year old haha. 

My beautiful St.Christopher. This is the most sentimental gift anyone could have ever bought me. My Grandma has worn one of these around her neck for as long as I can remember, my Grandad bought it for her many moons ago. I couldn't believe it when I opened it, I have never cried so much. To me it is more than just a gift, it means I will always carry a piece of my grandparents with me so very close to my heart. Soppy, I know hahah.

These next two don't even need an explanation. Just look how stunning they are. They melt my heart every morning. They are Nars' 'Virtual Domination' and 'Narsissist'.

I also got Black Opium by Yves Saint Laurent. I'm horrific at describing scents but seriously just go and smell it. I'm so in love with it, it's become one of my all time favourites alongside Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle.

Finally, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a Terry's Chocolate Orange. 

I am so grateful for each and every one of these gifts, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.

If I don't speak to you before a very Happy New Year.

x

CHRISTMAS | The Christmas Tag

1. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS FILM?

This is such a tough one for me. I am such a Christmas film lover. I have traditions you see haha. I love Miracle on 34th Street and ELF, to watch on my own in bed, with candles lit and my little tree glistening in the corner. Then I love watching The Grinch and Polar Express on Christmas Eve with my step dad!

2. DO YOU OPEN YOUR PRESENTS ON CHRISTMAS EVE OR CHRISTMAS MORNING?

Christmas morning of course!! haha! It's such a family tradition, we all take it in turns and watch one another open the gifts we've bought each other. Its so so lovely. 

3. BEST CHRISTMAS MEMORY?

I honestly couldn't just pick one! I just love the whole day, the whole month in fact. I just love waking up in a morning and sitting with my family for the whole day and forgetting everything else that is happening. Just being surrounded with nothing but complete love. I LOVE IT! hahah

4. FAVOURITE FESTIVE FOOD?

Okay, this ones a bit strange, but my favourite food around Christmas is Christmas morning breakfast, we have smoked salmon on brown bread with scrambled egg and lemon juice. OH MY GOD! mmmmm

5. BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT?

I'd have to say it was when I was little and my mum bought me the Bratz lim

o! I was so excited, I couldn't believe she had actually got me it! I was happy for weeks on end. Who remembers Bratz?

6. FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS SCENT?

I love the smell of snow fairy shower gel from Lush, I am also a sucker for all of the Yankee candle Christmas scents. I currently have their toasted marshmallow candle burning, it smells soooo good!

7. ANY CHRISTMAS EVE TRADITIONS?

Not really, we normally just go to my grandparents, put the presents under the tree ready for morning, my grandma does the whole family a little buffet and we all just chill out together. These days we usually watch a couple of episodes of Mrs Browns Boys haha.

8. WHAT TOPS YOUR TREE?

This year we have a little red angel. I must stay I'm more of a star girl but its my step-dads favourite for some reason haha.

9. AS A CHILD WHAT WAS THE ONE EXTRAVAGANT PRESENT YOU ALWAYS ASKED FOR BUT NEVER RECEIVED?

Every year, even now I ask for another kitten ahahah. I am quite literally the crazy cat lady, I just want so many cats haha!

10. WHAT IS THE BEST BIT ABOUT CHRISTMAS FOR YOU?

I cannot pick just one bit. I love it all, the month up to it, buying my loved ones presents, seeing them open them, spending proper quality time with my family. Generally just having a sense of complete content and love.

Merry Christmas to you lovely lot xx

CHRISTMAS | Feelin' Festive.

Over the last couple of days the festive spirit has hit me like the warmth hits when you walk in from the cold. Yesterday morning I woke up and felt like a ten year old all over again, walking into the kitchen with the lovely greeting of opening the first little door on my advent calendar with my brother. You're just never too old for an advent calendar. Right?

I just felt so overwhelmed with the warm feeling inside when you know Christmas is fast approaching. I really wanted to share a bit of joy with each and every one of you. So I thought I would share my festive little weekend.

Saturday was such a magical day, my uncle got married! It was a small, but idyllic winter wedding. Starting the day off listening to some good old Christmas songs whilst myself and mum got ready together.

Can we all just appreciate how beautiful she looks, I was in such astonishment at seeing her in a dress, and oh my god does she pull it off. 

We then travelled over to my grandparents house and took some photographs. The service was held in the dainty viallage registry office, tears were shed and nothing but love was surrounding the room.

 We then had a beautiful meal out with immediate family as we toasted to the newly weds and their future. Finally they had the evening 'do' with their closest friends and family members, it's always lovely to see and catch up with people you haven't seen in so long over a nice glass of Pinot.

The happy couple have now jetted off for the honeymoon dreams are made of in New York City. Can you think of anywhere more perfect at this time of year?

I wish them all the happiness in the world, God knows they deserve it.

Hectic day of weddings over, Sunday was spent how all Sundays should. Doing nothing but relaxing. I wrapped a few Christmas presents with Christmas songs blasting through the whole house. 

To finish off the perfect weekend I made my room into a little Christmas wonderland and settled down with a cup of tea and watched 'The Holiday' before the joys of reality hit on Monday morning.

I hope all of you are feeling festive too!

x

CHRISTMAS | My Christmas Wishlist.

I'M BACK!!! 

Wow this seems so strange, typing in this little box, it's been far too long. Life has just taken over recently. Things have been so crazy, but my life is looking up and I haven't been this happy in so so long!

Anyway enough of the cheezy-ness. It's fast approaching my favourite time of year and I'm sure a lot of yours too. I am such a winter girl, I love everything about it, the way your cheeks get all pink when  youve been in the cold, coming home to a warm cup of coffee, snuggling up in bed with my beloved cat and watching a Disney movie, but most of all Christmas!

This year has been a massive change for me Christmas wise (and in every other way physically possible, drama drama bloody drama), I have always spent Christmas at my grandparents house, but they moved not long ago and they no longer have the space to fit the whole family, which absolutely sucks as I'm not a huge fan of breaking traditions. So this year I won't be able to wake up super early with my Grandad and have a little pre-rummage at the presents. 

I think this is why this year I haven't been quite as excited as I usually am. I hate to say it but I think I'm getting old!! I just could not think of a single thing I really wanted this year, which is so unlike me, I always have a list as long as my arm, written and ready by about August.

So getting down to it, eventually. I thought this might be a nice little idea to help any of you out there who are feeling similar to me this year and give you a boost of ideas. Or ideas for gifts for loved ones, although I do plan on doing a couple of gift guides for you all.

1. YSL Black Opium2. Topshop Faux Fur Holdall

3. Nars Virtual Domination Palette (Limited Edition)

4. John Lewis Monty (Sold Out Everywhere)

5. Narsissist Smokey Eye Compact

6. Terry's Chocolate Orange (Essential)

7. Anthropologie Dusk-to-Dawn Headband

9. Lush Snow Fairy

What are you asking Santa for this year?

x

L I F E S T Y L E | A Touch Of Inspiration.

Okay, so tonight I was having a little flick through Pintrest and this crept up and a smile just smeared across my face. I just thought to myself 'what a lovely little quote'. Recently I've been having a really hard time, and while things are getting better, I just thought this was such a great way of looking at things.

I thought I would share this with you all and just perk up anyone who is having a rough time or is feeling a little down.

Always try and think positive.

Things DO get better.

x

L I F E S T Y L E | Autumn's Here.

Autumn is finally here and I couldn't be happier about it. It is my absolute favourite season and I wait all year long to sit wrapped in my duvet, with a film on, candles lit and a cup of cocoa in my hand.  The nights are beginning to draw in and it is definitely getting colder (I'm sat in my onesie as I write this).

 Here are a few snippets of my Autumn so far. I have spent the last few nights with my candles lit, filling my room with little scented flickers of light, having long, lovely Christmassy lush bubble baths (yes, the Christmas products are out and I was way to excited about this) and cuddling up with my beautiful little Pascal. 

I look forward to showing you more little snippets of my life in the colder months.

What do you love about Autumn?

x

B E A U T Y | Current Hair Routine.

I have been having some dreadful hair problems recently. A few weeks ago I dyed my hair darker again for the colder months, and it just seems to have damaged my hair. It has left it feeling so dry and frizzy, well frizzier than usual, which does take some beating haha. 

So today I went on a hunt for some decent shampoo and conditioner and I stumbled across this, the 'Garnier Ultimate Blends Shampoo and Conditioner' I had heard such great things about it and my friend who I bumped into in Boots said that it was really good to restore your hair. 

Anyway, I came home and have just washed my hair and oh, my, god. It feels amazing! It feels so much better than it has done in so long! So I thought I would come and rave about it to you guys.

I'm not sure if this is normal or not, but I wash my hair with shampoo, rinse it, then wash it again. I then go in with a good amount of conditioner, brush it through with my tangle teaser, leave it for five or so minutes and rinse. 

I'm then a sucker for a good hair oil, I just find them to leave my hair so much silkier and smoother. These are a couple of my absolute favourites. The 'Moroccan Argan Oil' is great and you only have to use such a small amount that this bottle has lasted me for months and months. The Body Shop's 'Wild Argan Oil' is a spray oil that can be used on both the hair and the body. I love it for both, and do use it for both haha. 

However, I do have to say with hair oils, make sure you only use a very very small amount in the length of your hair and none near your roots otherwise it will go all clumpy and feel horrible until you next wash it. I learnt the hard way haha.

Then to finish off my hair when it is dry (I part towel dry it and finish it off with a quick blow dry, it's far too thick to faff about blow drying it all), I like to go in with a texturising product. These are three of my absolute favourites, they do exactly what they say they do and just add a bit of extra volume and texture to the drabbest hairstyles. I highly recommend any of them to you. They are also super affordable. 

All of these products have absolutely saved my hair and now I can honestly say I feel like I have luscious locks and just want to swish it from side to side haha.

Any hair products you guys can recommend? Have you tried any of these? Do you love them as much as I do? haha

x

B E A U T Y | Urban Decay Naked Three Palette.

This post is long overdue. I have been wanting to finish my collection of the Naked palettes for a while now (check out my others here and here, like what I did there haha). I have had this one since it was first released I just never actually got around to doing it, so here it is. 

I have to firstly say, this definitely is my least favourite of the three, while the rose gold packaging and the colours are lovely, they just don't seem to appeal to me as much as the other two do. Whereas it is my friend Kat's favorite of the three, so it all depends on preference I think. One thing I do love about this palette though is that there are no repeats of the other two palettes in here, all of the shades are completely new.

As I mentioned in my review of the second palette, I really don't love the metal packaging, I much prefer the first ones suade effect packaging, it just seems much more sturdy, I always worry with these that the pans will fall out, touch wood so far mine haven't ha. However, I do love the brushes in the second and third in comparison to the first, I find the fluffy end great for blending for the perfect smokey eye and the flat end for packing on the colour for ultimate pigmentation. 

Again with the third palette I have to say again that the pigmentation and the quality of the shadows are fantastic. For the price I just think it is fantastic, it is a high end product but you are getting twelve shadows for £37. 

My favourite shades are  Burnout, Buzz, Trick, Noomer, Mugshot and Blackheart.

From left to right;

Strange
Dust
Burnout

Limit

Buzz

Trick

Noomer

Liar

Factory

Mugshot

Darkside

Blackheart

Take a look here for yourself, I recommend every girl should have at least one of the three.

Have you tried any of the Naked palettes? Which is your favourite?

x

B E A U T Y | Benefit 'Watt's Up?' Review

Okay, so firstly I apologise yet again for my long absence, life has been absolutely crazy over the last month, and quite honestly well and truly horrible, but not to dwell on that! 

For months and months I have been lusting over this little beauty, and finally I took the jump and bought it. It is on the pricey side at £24.50, but I've found that when I'm using it, hardly any seems to get used, so I can see it lasting a long time, so really it's a bit of an investment, I've been trying to justify it to myself haha. I am a bit of a sucker for a good highlighter, I just think that they can completely change and brighten up the face, even on the worst of days, which recently I seem to be having a lot of. 

I just use this on my cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose, (lightly, I don't want it to look like a beacon, ha), and on my cupids bow. It's got such a rich and creamy consistency that you can tell it is of a high quality. The pigmentation is fantastic, although if you do use too much you run the risk of looking like a disco ball. 

I would reccomend this to everyone, it is totally worth the price.
Have a look at it for yourself here.

x

L I F E S T Y L E | My Art Work.

This is a bit of a random one for me to put on my blog, and while I am aware that some of you might not be interested in the slightest, I just thought it would be nice for me to share something that I absolutely love doing, and have done since I was a little girl. 

I love doing art work. I did art throughout school and even carried it through to my A-Levels. If it didn't have such an unclear career path I would have taken a degree in it too, without a doubt! I think it's always important for someone to have some form of a hobby that can just relax you and take your mind off of all of the other problems that might be going on in your life, and for me that is art. I enjoy sitting for hours on end just painting, drawing whatever it might be. 

Personally I love painting in oils, sometimes acrylics but not as much, I love oil pastels and most of all graphite pencils. I haven't really done any in what seems like a while but I am currently working on quite a big piece for me to have framed and put in my room at uni, I shall reveal when I finally finish it, it's a long process haha!

Anyway before I ramble any more, here is some of my work from over the last three years. A lot of it was for my A-Levels so excuse the running theme haha.

Hope this was slightly interesting 

x

B E A U T Y | Urban Decay Perversion and Subversion Mascara Review.

I'm back!! Apologies for my absence for however long it has been, life has just taken over recently, but never the less, here I am!

I have recently been doing quite a lot of shopping, and I'm loving it, my bank balance... not so much, woops. So I took a trip to Meadowhall with my mother dearest, and I had heard such amazing things about this mascara. Now I'm really not the kinda girl that enjoys spending a lot of money on things such as mascaras just because they're not as pretty as lipsticks and blushers and all that. However, the woman at the Urban Decay stand was like would you like to try the new mascara out, it would have been rude to say no. Right? Well anyway, I fell in love.

This is quite honestly one of the best mascaras I have ever tried, and I have been through a lot! Mainly drugstore ones but I have also recently tried the 'Benefit They're Real' mascara and honestly, I wasn't a lover of it, especially for the price, I found it dried out really fast. 

It comes with two separate parts, which as an introductory offer they did a full size mascara and a tester primer for £17 which isn't bad. Normally though they are going to be £15 each.. I think? 

So firstly you put the Subversion primer on, which looks terrifying, honestly I look like I have conjunctivitis when I put it on haha. But this claims to make your lashes 'longer, thicker and stronger', which honestly I think it lives up to! Compared to just wearing a regular mascara it just seems to make such a difference, it separates your lashes and just makes the application of the mascara so much better.

So once you have applied the primer, you go on with some of the Perversion mascara. I recommend doing this when the primer is still a bit wet. The photo above is just with one coat of the mascara. Considering I have small lashes to start with the difference is great. The mascara claims to make your lashes 'bigger, blacker and badder', which it really really does. The formula of the mascara is really wet, which I tend to love in a mascara, I've had this for a couple of weeks now and it still has no signs of drying out which is fantastic!

And here is the final outcome! I can't stress how much I love this product. I 100% recommend you go purchase one for yourself and give it a try. Have a look for yourself here.

Have any of you tried it? What do you think?

x

L I F E S T Y L E | Instagram Diary #2.

Topshop Sale Loving • Happy Birthday Zoe • Pursuit of Happiness Quote • RIP Robin Williams • New Purchases • Funny Gossip Girl Quote • Pascy Pops Yawning • What 'Sims' Does To Me • Death by Revision • Current Favourite Arctic Monkeys Song • All Time Favourite Childhood Memory • Pug Loving • TBT feat. My Step Dad • Selfie In New Jumper • My Future • Favourite Disney Film • Funny Photo • Fancy Dress At Work • Sarah Millican • Inspirational Quote • Pascal Snoozing • Missing My Baby • RIP Lucky, My Cat Passed Away • Curly Hair • My Change • Online Shopping Problems • Cart Chewed Phone Charger • Coffee Trip With Zoe • Dressing Table Love • New Brushes • Song Loving • Bandanna Selfie • Grandad's Ancient Camera • Wolverine Love • Angry Tweet • Batman Night • Summery Selfie • Snuggles With Pascy • Chuck Bass, Ultimate Love • Darker Hair Again • New Favourite Tea • Frozen Quote • Gerard Butler Snappy • Funny Car Sticker • Two Hannah's • Night Out With Yazz • Yes, I'm Gross and I Smoke

Little life update through Instagram, follow me here.

x

B E A U T Y | Soap & Glory Haul and Review.

Okay, so I shopped.. again.  As I pointed out in one of my previous posts, here,I have been lusting after these items for so so long. I said to myself "just buy one today Hannah and then you can buy another one next week maybe". But no. As per usual, I have ZERO self control. I decided I would get the 'Archery' and 'Solar Powder' but when I got to the counter the lovely lady told me they were on 3 for 2 and I think I may have got a tad too excited. But yay, bonus!!

SOLAR POWDER

This is incredible!! I tend to really struggle to find a decent bronzer that suits my skin tone, because I am pretty pale and a lot of them make me look orange, which definitely isn't what I am aiming for. This is such a lovely subtle colour which is mainly matte but has a tiny bit of shimmer, which I'm not usually fond of but I don't know this has converted me! I have worn it everyday since I bought it and I will definitely repurchase this when it has gone. 

LOVE AT FIRST BLUSH

This really is a stunning little blush. The beauty of it though is that if you stick to the middle segments it can also be such a beautiful highlight for the brow-bones and the tops of the cheeks. I do love a good old multi-purpose product haha! This is going to be lovely for the winter months for a little flush of pink on the cheeks. 

ARCHERY

There are quite literally no words that can express just how much I love this product. It is absolutely incredible! My brows have quite simply never looked so good. They make them look the perfect shape but fill them in so naturally. You first fill them in with the felt tip looking side which is a tint. I think that if you were in a hurry you could leave them like that and they would still look great! But then there is the retractable pencil side which just gives them the lovely shape with an arch. I will be buying this over and over and over again I can tell already. None of my other brow products are anywhere near as good as this little bad boy! It is also such a reasonable price.

Have any of you tried any of these products? What are your thoughts?

x

L I F E S T Y L E | Inside My Room At Home.

Pascal spends about 90% of his life sprawled out on my bed.

Yesterday I spent about two and a half hours gutting out my bedroom, literally gutted it! haha! So I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to snap some photos to share with you. That is if you are even remotely interested haha! This is my room at home so a lot of my stuff is in my room at University. 

I love my room at home it's like my very own little haven. 

x