Sunday, 27 August 2017

Empties

Hiya, I hope you've been doing well! I know it's been a while, but this is going to be a long one so grab a snack and get comfy. I wanted to make this blog post because recently I have been really enjoying reading these myself. Before we get started don't forget to follow my social media so that you can keep up with my upcoming posts; the main ones I use are Instagram and Twitter, my Twitter is gracedoesbeauty and my Instagram is gracedoesbeautyxoxo!

The first category I split these into is hair products...To begin with we have the L'Oreal Paris Elvive Colour Protect Caring Conditioner which is £4.49 from Superdrug. I am going to be straight up, personally I wouldn't repurchase this. Although I don't have dyed hair, this doesn't leave my hair feeling particularly nourished, which I think is a pretty standard thing to look for in a conditioner. Next up we have the Dove Nutritive Solutions Intensive Repair Shampoo which was £2.69 from Superdrug. This and the matching conditioner are my  absolute holy grails! They leave my hair feeling so moisturised and instantly detangle any knots. This product is also really affordable, which is always a bonus! My next empty is this TRESemme Restructuring Treatment Masque (£5.49 from Superdrug). I would definitely repurchase this, it felt so indulgent to use! I used this once a week and it left my hair feeling so silky smooth. The final empty I have in this category is the Batiste Coconut & Exotic Tropical Dry Shampoo that was £2.99 from Boots. I use this pretty much every day, to add volume and texture to my hair. This is really reasonably priced and an absolute must have for me, the scent is great too! Furthermore, this product is vegan and not tested on animals!

The next category is make up and make up removers. I thought I'd give these PS...Love Your Skin Gentle Cleansing Wipes a mention, as they were only £1 for a twin packet from Primark. Obviously they don't work wonders but they definitely get the job done. I will 100% be repurchasing these, they are perfect for keeping on your bedside table for the times you simply cannot be bothered to remove your makeup properly. Furthermore, these are fragrance free which make them ideal for sensitive skin. Secondly, I finished yet another packet of the Simple Spotless Skin Quick Fix Cleansing Wipes, which were £3 from Superdrug. These are an everyday essential for me, and are my first choice when it comes to face wipes. There is not much more I can say about these other then that! Thirdly we have the Garnier Skin Active Express 2in1 Eye Makeup Remover that was £3.49 from Boots. This is so much more effective than your usual micellar water when it comes to removing eye make up, and I really do believe that it cares for your eyelashes. I will be sure to buy this again, as I am really missing using it! The next item is these Eylure Exaggerate Fake Eyelashes which were £7.25 from Boots. I will not be repurchasing these, as unfortunately the great look they gave did not last long as they spent most of the evening awkwardly hanging from my eyes until I reluctantly ripped them off. I'm going to talk about the next two items collectively, as they are variants of the same thing. I tried out the Garnier Skin Active Moisture Bomb Tissue Masks in the super-hydrating rebalancing mask and the super-hydrating revitalising mask. I LOVED these! They were only £2.99 each, which is as inoffensive as it gets. On the packet it says to use these one a week, however I would easily use one everyday due to the noticeable difference. This is a affordable, indulgent product which I would definitely repurchase! Next up I have the Bioré Charcoal Pore Strips, which are £9.49 for six nose strips from Boots. I'm not going to lie, I love these, and they are a staple in my skincare regime. I can't deny their effectiveness. However, I can't help but feel they are about overpriced. I wish they were more around the £6 mark, as I feel that would be more reasonable. Another skincare empty I have is the Clean &a Clear Advantage Oil Control Cream Wash (£4.89 from Superdrug). I couldn't live without this, it is one of the two face washes I use daily and I have already brought a replacement. This is an everyday product for me which I cannot see myself not using, at least for the foreseeable future. I have two more Simple Skincare products to talk about, first of which is the Simple Purifying Cleansing Lotion, which was £3.80 from Boots. This did its job, however I don't feel the need to repurchase as I use a cleansing makeup remover which is more fitting for my needs. The other Simple product is the Soothing Eye Balm (£4.02 from Boots). As someone who suffers from under eye circles and puffiness, I find this and the Simple Eye Roll On really useful. I use both everyday and night, as I find they really soothe and refresh my eye area. The final item in this category is the LUSH Popcorn Lip Scrub, £5.75. I'm a sucker for any lip products, and this one did not let me down, although I'm pretty sure I've eaten more than has gone on my lips...I already have another of these, and I am still using it religiously.

The final category is body, and the first empty I want to talk to you about is Coco Loco Coconut Oil, £2.49 from Aldi. I'm obsessed, in fact I'm considering doing a whole separate post just on the uses of coconut oil! What could be better than a product with a host of uses. Technically this could have been put in all of the categories, as it isn't exclusive to any single one. The second thing I'm going to mention is this Salt Of The Earth Spray Natural Deodorant, £3.99 from Holland & Barrett. As someone who has both sensitive underarms and furiously sprays their body with perfume, particularly throughout the warmer months this is perfect for me. It is the most effective deodorant I have found, and the fact it's a spray means you can reapply throughout the day without having to use a roll on and transferring sweat back onto the roller ball. Another great thing about this product is that it is vegan, and not tested on animals. Thirdly, I used up all of this E45 Intense Recovery Hand Cream, which was £4.19 from Boots. Admittedly, I'm guilty of over washing my hands, so there's nothing I love more then a thick, intense moisturiser to coat them in, especially overnight. This did just that, I think it is possibly the most soothing hand cream I have come across for dehydrated hands. I would definitely like to repurchase this, I am just in the process of using up another, but it simply cannot compare. The final items all came in Christmas sets, which you'll remember me talking about if you read my What I Got For Christmas blog post. The first items I used up were the Baylis & Harding Vanilla Frosting Hand & Body Cream and the Candy Cane Shower Creme. Although they both smelt lovely, I wouldn't repurchase these as I feel they aren't something I would buy for myself. The other items I received in a gift set were these Sanctuary Spa Green Lemon & Orange Blossom Body Wash and Body Lotion. These felt so indulgent to use, I found the scent really unique and I was pleasantly surprised with it. The final products from gift sets I am going to mention are the Soap & Glory Clean On Me and the Scrub Of Your Life. Out of the gift sets, this was definitely my favourite. I adore Soap & Glory products and it is the one thing from these gift sets that I have and would repurchase for myself.

Wow, this is without doubt my longest post to date! Thank you so much if you have stuck around and made it to this point. I would be really grateful if you could leave a comment on this post as I spent such a long time preparing for and writing this post. Finally, don't forget to follow my social media, my Instagram is @gracedoesbeutyxoxo and my Twitter is @gracedoesbeauty. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!







Saturday, 15 April 2017

Trends I'm Loving: Embroidery

Good morning, I hope you're having a wonderful Easter! This week I thought I would share a current trend I'm absolutely obsessed with; embroidery. The past few weeks I've come across everything from embroidered bags to chokers to jumpers, and my heart aches for it all! I'm going to talk about a piece I own, as well as some things I've had my eye on. Without further delay, let's get started…

I picked up this gem from Primark, as soon as I laid eyes on these beautiful jeans I knew they had to be mine! By this stage I had been eyeing up embroidered clothes for a while, and I knew this would be the perfect place to start. They are mom style jeans with turned up bottoms in a light blue denim wash, on the bottom of the leg and the opposite hip are the most gorgeous pink flowers, alongside perfectly placed rips.



Now onto the pieces I've been loving...New Look is definitely one to watch if you, like me, love this trend. I've spotted two stunning pieces in there; this black biker jacket as well as this grey bird jumper. I tried these on in store with the Primark jeans I mentioned above, and it was honestly a dream outfit! Topshop also has some great pieces that tick this box, like this the black shaped box bag which I have been lusting after for weeks - I love the studs on the edges, too! (I can't actually find a link to this, so I will insert a screenshot below). Finally, this is the thing that kicked off my obsession: these MADAME black heeled boots. These have to be the most amazing pair of shoes I have ever seen!


Do you like the embroidered trend? What is your favourite piece I have mentioned in this blog post? I hope you enjoyed this at-a-glance look at some of the items I've been loving recently. Follow my social media to find out when I next post - @gracedoesbeauty on Twitter and gracedoesbeautyxoxo on Instagram. Thanks for reading!



Sunday, 2 April 2017

Morning Routine

I hope you've been doing well lately! I'm sorry I haven't made a blog post in awhile, I needed to take some time out to focus on myself. Anyway, I'm back - and I couldn't think of a better way to resurface than to share my (painfully realistic) morning routine with you. I hope you enjoy this and that you may even find it relatable!

5.30am
To my horror, I am abruptly awoken by my alarm. I actually have two alarms; one of my iPhone next to my bed, the other on my iPad across the room, which is placed there in an effort to prevent myself returning to my warm, inviting bed. However, this is somewhat inevitable, as after turning off my alarms I almost always return back to my bed. At this point I debate whether to go to school or just roll over...for the sake of this blog post I'll go with the first, as otherwise it would end here and continue when I wake many hours later!

5.40am
Once I've put on my biggest, fluffiest dressing gown I go downstairs to make myself a warm drink. Lately I have been loving the Pukka Womankind blend which is a delicate blend of organic cranberry, rose and sweet vanilla. Whilst the kettle is boiling I take my morning dose of Floradix, it helps greatly with fatigue so I slurp it up happily! Once I've made my tea, I go back to my room and flick through Mind, Body, Spirit magazine (which by the way I am obsessed with). It is also around this time that I uncover my budgie, Tooticky and my Guinea pig, Pickles, who also share my room.

6.00am
Sadly, it is finally time to remove myself from bed. I open the curtains and make my bed so that I am less tempted to dive back in (mind you, not that this always works). This is when I go downstairs for breakfast, which is undoubtedly a bowl of Coco Rocks! I'm definitely a breakfast person, I can never skip it unless it's absolutely necessary. At this time I also have my first coffee of the day - I mean, they say start as you mean to go on and at this point I definitely intend to drink many more cups of coffee throughout the day! At this point I scan through my social media too.

6.30am
As soon as the clock strikes 6.30, I'm off to get ready as there isn't a second to waste. If you want to see an in depth version of what I do at this point, you should read my morning and evening skincare routine and my back to school makeup routine. No matter how much of a rush I'm in, I always spritz on some of my Roberto Cavalli perfume, which I received for Christmas and have been using religiously ever since. It's such a unique smell; a truly mature and sophisticated scent.

7.40am
Well, 7.40am ideally but more often it's another story...I pull on my trusty green Topshop parka in attempt to protect myself from whatever the day throws at me, as well as my school shoes, before grabbing my school bag and walking down the road to catch the bus. Soon after I arrive this point I plug in my headphones as, I don't know if this is just me, but I really cannot socialise so early in the morning.

There we go! That's pretty much everything I do from the minute I wake up to the minute I leave the house, I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post. What are the key parts of your morning routine? Follow my social media to find out when I next post - @gracedoesbeauty on Twitter and gracedoesbeautyxoxo on Instagram. Thanks for reading!



Saturday, 25 February 2017

February Collective Haul

Good afternoon! I thought I'd share my monthly beauty, makeup and accessory  purchases with you. These are from a variety of shops: H&M, Select, New Look, Primark, Superdrug and  Boots. Hopefully this will bring a bit of fun into this grey, February day, as I know I for one love hauls. So without further ado, let's get to it!

Let's start with New Look. I was desperately in need of some new socks and the selection in New Look was just too cute to resist! I know socks may not necessarily add anything to an outfit from a visual point of view, but I always seem to have a spring in my step if I'm wearing adorable socks like these. They were £2.49 a pair, or three for £5. I also picked up a Shadow Duo Blending Brush for £3.99. I really wanted some more eyeshadow brushes and wasn't yet ready to splash out on Real Techniques ones. I really want to up my eyeshadow game, and I thought this would be a good place to start. The final thing I picked up in New Look was this Buff Lip Scrub, £3.99. I'm that person that is constantly applying Vaseline, I always seem to have dry lips so I am hoping this will help.

Next I went into Select where I picked up a few accessories. I brought these pastel telephone wire hair bands for £3. They came in a set of four and to be honest I've wanted some of these for a while. I love having my hair up, when I get home the first thing I do is put my hair up in a hideous updo. I hate the awkward kinks and waves it leaves in my hair though, so I am hopeful that these telephone wire hair bands won't have that effect. The other accessory I bought from Select was this grey bag Pom Pom which was £3.50. I had one of these before from Topshop, but it eventually broke, so I decided to pick this one up. I think these are so sweet, they really add something to a plain bag.

After that I went into H&M. I have never actually tried any of their makeup, however when I went inside it was hands down the first thing that caught my eye. Without hesitation I picked up five eyeshadows; Baci Di Dama (a gorgeous brown shade with orange undertones), Sahara Dawn (a stunning deep purple shadow), A Pretty Penny (a sublime copper eyeshadow), Paradise Lost which has to be my favourite (a nude pink shimmery shade) and last but not least Supernova (a light pink, almost white, sparkling shade). They were £4.99 each and I could easily have picked up one of every colour. I swatched the eyeshadows for what must have been half an hour, I couldn't get over how pigmented they were! Whilst in H&M, I was distracted by their body mists, which were only £2.99! After spraying all of the testers, I settled upon the Ruby Pomegranate Body Mist which smells beautiful, a new favourite to say the least!  

Fourthly I went into Superdrug and Boots. (I thought I would lump these two together as they sell pretty much the same stuff, at least on this occasion I could have brought these items from either of the two shops). I re-purchased several items; Clean & Clear Advantage Oil Cream Wash, Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, Garnier Fresh Eye Makeup Remover and the Simple Eye Balm and Roll on. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you may recognise those products from  this  post. The five products I just mentioned are ones that I use in my everyday skincare routine.  I also picked up two new products, one which I'm sure you will have heard off...the Biore Free Your Pores Deep Cleansing Charcoal Pore Strips (£9.49). This have been raved about over the past few months, so I just had to try them out. I've used two of the six strips, and it is a part of my weekly pamper session that I very much look forward to. The other product I picked up was the Simple Kind To Skin Moisturising Facial Wash, £3.45. I am yet to try this although I am sure it will not disappoint. I was hoping to re-purchase the Simple Spotless Skin Triple Action Face Wash but it only seems to be available at the supermarket, nonetheless I am sure I will love this facial wash.

Last stop was trusty old Primark. I could honestly wonder round this shop for hours upon end, it's one of those shops that has so many hidden gems. Everytime I go into Primark I find something I like, I love how it's affordable for young people like me, allowing us to keep up with the latest trends. With that being said, on this particular trip I just grabbed some essentials, such as this three pack of 80


Denier Appearance Tights, £3.50. Half term is coming to a close and there is nothing worse than digging through your draws searching for a pair of tights without a ladder on a Monday morning.
Primark is the only place I buy tights from, I don't see the point in splashing out on something I only really wear for school. I also got these Gentle Face Wipes, which came in a twin pack for just a £1! I don't use these as my main makeup wipe, instead I use them for wiping foundation and smeared make up of my hands when I am getting ready, or to get that final bit of mascara off. Last but not least, I picked up this Choco Delight scented hand sanitizer for £1. It was one of the things by the till, which I can never leave without picking up. This really does smell divine!

There we go, that was all the interesting bits I picked up this month! That has got to be one of my longest posts to date, I just love talking about new purchases! I would really appreciate it if you could follow my social media to keep up with all of my upcoming blog posts; my Twitter is @gracedoesbeauty and my Instagram is gracedoesbeautyxoxo. Thank you so much for reading!







Saturday, 11 February 2017

Shoe Collection

Good morning, happy Saturday! I thought I'd give you a close up of my shoe collection. I haven’t included the boring bits like school shoes or PE trainers because I only wanted to share the pieces I love with you. I decided to split my shoes into three categories; trainers, heels and boots, as well as some stunning shoes that I would love to add to my collection.

Let's start off with trainers, which is no doubt the biggest part of my collection. First I have the Nike Roshe One’s in black with a black tick, they cost £70 and are by far the comfiest trainers I have ever had! I've had these for over a year and I still get a lot of wear out of them. If you don't have a pair of shoes like these, I would definitely recommend getting some. Secondly, I have a pair of white low top Converse that were £45. I must admit, I don't find these shoes overly comfortable as I have quite wide feet and these shoes feel rather slim to me. However with that being said, I don't think anything looks more summery than a skater skirt and vest paired with white converse. Thirdly, continuing with the white theme, I have white Stan Smiths with green detailing, they cost £70. I was obsessed with these shoes for months, and when I finally got them they did not disappoint. For me, these are the perfect casual shoe. You can effortlessly slip them on with a pair of jogging bottoms if you need to nip to the shop, or slip them on the day after a sleepover when you walk home. Fourthly, and last up in this category, are my purple Puma Suede with yellow detail, which are retailed at £55 but kindly got handed down to me from a family member. They are virtually brand new, and I am yet to wear them. Do you have any suggestions of what I could wear them with? If so I would really appreciate it! I haven't owned a pair of shoes in purple nor yellow before, so I am unsure of what to match them with.

Continuing onto the next category, heels, which is the smallest part of my collection. I brought these black high heels from New Look for £19.99 with the intention of wearing them to a friends party. If you're like me and are just starting out in heels, I think a pair like these are a perfect pair to begin with. They are relatively inexpensive, versatile and have a thick heel for good support. I have worn these with black jeans and a bralet and on another occasion I wore them with a burgundy lace dress. Just a quick tip; it's always worth buying gel insoles and other similar items (located by the till in the New Look I visited) to increase the comfort of the heel - I don't think I would have been able to walk by the end of the night if it wasn't for these. A pair of heels that I can't stop lusting over are these  embroidered heeled boots by MADAME from Topshop which are £89. I love the embroidery trend and these are by far the most stunning embroidered piece I have seen! I like how they could be worn on a shopping trip or to a party depending on what you wore them with.  Another pair of shoes that I would love to add to my collection are these pink patent pointed court shoes which are £19.99. I have dreamed of owning a pair of these shoes for as long as I can remember, I just think they are so classy! The fact they are a wide fit is just the icing on the cake hahah! I think they are such a feminine shoe without being over the top or in your face.

Finally let's finish up with the boots category, of which I own two pairs. Firstly I'm going to talk about these black Chelsea boots from Primark that cost £10. I originally brought these because I needed a pair of smart shoes to wear to the Savoy for my grandma’s birthday, I hadn't anticipated that I would get so much wear out of these. I think they are really sophisticated, these shoes make me feel great whenever I wear them, and that's a lovely feeling to be able to say that about a pair of shoes. One of my favourite outfits to wear is these shoes, a pair of blue jeans, a grey turtleneck and a pink, purple and grey poncho. Lastly are my beloved black 1460’s Doc Martens which were £115. I brought these when I was experimenting with grunge fashion, when I moved on from that style I feared I wouldn't wear these shoes, although I could not have been more wrong! These boots are absolutely faultless, they are absolutely amazing quality and cannot even be compared with any other shoes I have ever owned. Admittedly they took a while to wear in but the blisters were definitely worth it as they are now the most comfortable, well fitting shoes I own. They say Doc Martens are shoes for life and I could not agree with this more, I've owned these for three years and I could never see myself parting from them. Doc Martens are perfect for winter as they are made for mud, snow, rain and whatever else the British weather throws at us in these cold months! I can't rave enough about them!

Phew, there we go! I hope you enjoyed finding out about my shoe collection in  depth. What shoes make up feel on top of the world? Don't forget to relax this weekend - That is after you follow my social media to keep up with all of my upcoming blog posts; my Twitter is @gracedoesbeauty and my Instagram is gracedoesbeautyxoxo. Thank you so much for reading!









Saturday, 28 January 2017

January Favourites

Good afternoon! Here we are already, the last few days of January, which also means the first favourites blog post of the year! I've been enjoying quite a range of things this month, like clothes, skincare and books. I thought I would share them with you so you could try them out, as everything I mention is definitely worth picking up in my opinion!

I'll begin with everything in the clothing category. I picked up this jumper from New Look for £5.99! I had been given a gift card for Christmas so I checked out the sale items online so I could make the most of it. I didn't expect much from this jumper given the price, however when it arrived I was pleasantly surprised! It's a cropped style, the sleeves are wide, and it's a gorgeous nude colour. I've also been loving these Jamie jeans from Topshop which were £45. I am a huge fan of Topshop jeans (minus the price), but these made me fall in love with them all over again! I'm not sure what it is, they are just so flattering! Lastly I thought I would mention my Doc Martens which were £100 from Schuh. Admittedly, they are well loved and covered in mud. I think a quality pair of boots like these are an essential for this time of year, because they are perfect for January weather!

Next up I'll talk about the products in the skincare/haircare category. I've been obsessed with these Nicky Clarke straighteners, which I picked up from Boots at the reduced price of £39.99 (previously they were around the £80 mark). As someone who uses heat on their hair everyday, these were a total game changer for me. They leave the hair smooth, and there is different settings for different hair types which I think is a great idea! The second product in this category is this St Ives face scrub that I got from Superdrug for £3.99. I was shopping with a friend and in need of a new face wash when she recommended this to me. I find it really satisfying to use, you can literally feel it removing old skin and afterwards your skin is left silky smooth!

Onto the final category, reading. I am in love with poetry; two poetry books I have been enjoying this month are Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur and Love and Space Dust by David Jones (£6.99 from Amazon). For me, poetry is the ultimate expression of emotion, and these books definitely fit into that idea. Milk and Honey is the better known of the two, but I had been following David’s social media for a while and knew I would love this book of his! Milk and Honey had me in tears, it is such a life changing book which I brought for £7.99 of Amazon. I have also been loving Bloom by Estee Lalonde, which I purchased from Amazon for £12.99. It is so easy to dip in and out off, it truly is the most beautiful book, both in its words and appearance. I love Estee’s YouTube so I knew I had to pick up this book when I heard about it, and it most certainly did not disappoint!

There we go, that's a roundup of everything I've been loving this month! I hope you enjoyed reading this, be sure to let me know what you've been enjoying throughout January. Don't forget to follow my social media to keep up with my blog posts; my Twitter is @gracedoesbeauty and my Instagram is gracedoesbeautyxoxo. Enjoy your weekend!





Saturday, 21 January 2017

My Morning And Evening Skincare Routine

Hello! I hope you're having a lovely, relaxing weekend. Is it just me or has this month been even colder than December? However, this means more time spent curled up on the sofa with my cat, browsing Bloglovin’, so who am I to complain. I actually made a New Year's resolution to do my morning and evening skincare routine every day, as admittedly I tend to slack! I thought I would show you my current skincare routine, what I do at the start and the end of each day.

I'll start with my morning skincare routine. I begin by using the Clean & Clear Advantage Oil Control Cream Wash, I wet my face with warm water and spread a thin layer over my face and neck, before wiping it off with a damp flannel. Once I've dried my face and décolletage, I use one of my Simple Spotless Skin Quick Fix Wipes to remove any of the left behind face wash and to generally freshen up. Next I grab a cotton wool bud and squeeze some of my Simple Kind To Skin Purifying Cleansing Lotion onto it. Once that has sunk into my skin, I use a small amount of the Boots Botanics Cleansing Toner. I finish off with my Simple Soothing Eye Balm and my Simple Revitalising Eye Roll On, dark circles are my downfall so I always pay extra attention to this area.

Onto my evening skincare routine. The first step I take to remove my make up is the Boots Botanics Gentle Cleansing Cream which I apply to a cotton wool pad and rub over my face. After that I use the Garnier Fresh Eye Makeup Remover, I wear so much eye makeup I often feel like it's never really off, however this removes all traces of eyeliner and mascara. Thirdly, I wipe the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water over my face to remove the makeup from my face. The last step I take in removing my makeup is using a Simple Spotless Skin Quick Fix Cleansing Wipe to remove any final traces of make up. Next I use these two face washes; Simple Kind To Skin Purifying Cleansing Lotion and then the Clean & Clear  Advantage Oil Control Cream Wash. Next, I use cotton pads to apply the Simple Kind To Skin Purifying Cleansing Lotion and the Boots Botanics Cleansing Toner. Finally, I use the Simple Soothing Eye Balm and the Simple Revitalising Roll on.

There we are, that's my current skincare routine! I hope you enjoyed finding out about the products I use each and every day. What are the products that you use in your morning and evening skincare routine? Don't forget to follow up me on social media so you can keep up with my blog posts: @gracedoesbeauty (Twitter) and gracedoesbeautyxoxo (Instagram). Enjoy the rest of your weekend!





Friday, 13 January 2017

What I Got For Christmas

Hey everyone, I hope you've had a good week! I know this post is a bit late but it's something I really wanted to do. A little disclaimer, I'm not doing this is any way to boast, I just genuinely enjoy reading these posts myself so I thought I would give it a go myself. I'm not going to go through everything I got, just a few bits that I feel I can say something about. Anyway, let's get to it!

First let's get to the clothes. I got a adorable pair of dinosaur slippers from New Look, they are so cosy! I have lived in these since Christmas, as soon as I get home I slip them on. The colours are like a dream too, pastel pink and sparkly purple! Next, of course, I got some fluffy socks! Is it really Christmas if you don't get some soft socks from Primark? Another lovely thing I got, which is also from Primark, was a gorgeous nightie. I think it looks so much more expensive, not that I'm dissing Primark because I love it! It has a lace trim at the top and is a really flattering shape. I also got a sophisticated striped polo neck from Dorothy Perkins. The stripes are white and brown/purple, I have a weakness for roll necks, they are definitely one of my staples! I was given a voucher for Asos, I decided to try out some of their jeans. I was not disappointed! I have always sworn by Topshop jeans and worm them religiously, but these are a new firm favourite! At £25, they are nearly half the price!

Next let's talk about makeup and hair items! I got these Nicky Clarke Diamond Shine Pro straighteners - Wow is all I can say! Up until receiving these I had been using some cheaper ones, but I am definitely converted! I straighten my hair every day, even before school, and I only ever have a few minutes to do my hair. With these I can straighten my hair in less than five minutes, whereas before it took 15 at least. There are five settings, for the different hair types. You don't need to preheat these, as they reach salon temperatures in seconds! Before I found my hair would frizz when I straightened it, but I don't find that with these Nicky Clarke ones which is great! Another present I was lucky enough to receive was this Roberto Cavalli Nero Assoluto Perfume. It's such a mature scent, I'm in love with it! Definitely worth trying if your aren't too keen on floral scents or overly feminine perfume. The last product I thought I would mention in this category is the Bare Minerals Lash Domination Eyeliner and Mascara. I've tried this mascara before and thought it was fab, so I have high hopes for the eyeliner! I wear eyeliner basically everyday, so this was the perfect present for me! Both are full sized too.

Thirdly, let's move onto the bath and body products! I got some scrumptiously scented Lush items; the Candy Mountains Bubble Bar and the Snow Fairy body wash. I've heard so many positive things about Snow Fairy, and I know for a fact I'll love the bubble bar! Come to think of it, I've tried Lush bath bombs before but
never a bubble bar, so I can't wait to try this. Everytime I go into my room I can smell the Candy Mountains too! I was gifted the Soap and Glory Take Your Pink; which includes the Clean On Me creamy clarifying shower gel, the Scrub Of Your Life body buffer, The Righteous Butter body butter, Hand Food hydrating hand cream and the Super-sudsy shower puff. Who doesn't enjoy getting Soap and Glory sets? Another set I got was the Sanctuary Brimming Full Of Happiness gift; this set includes the Green Lemon & Orange Blossom Body Wash, Body Scrub and Body Lotion. All three of them are full sized bottles too! I got this Buttercream Dream Mud, I haven't tried this one before but I've tried others are they are great! They remind me of having pamper evenings with my friends when I was younger, I can still remember how soft they made my skin feel! I also got this cute Baylis & Harding Beauticology Toy Soldier Cosy Night In Gift Set. I think this is such a nice idea! The set includes a Strawberry Candy Cane Body Wash, a Vanilla Frosting Hand & Body Lotion and the super cute red and white stripy soldier hot water bottle cover! I received this Simple Cleansing Oil, which I am super excited to try because I have been recommended it. I swear by Simple skincare, and it is the main skincare range that I use. The last thing I thought I would mention in this category is this Primark bath wrap. I spend 90% of my life in the bath, so I thought this was a great idea. It's basically a mini dress made out of towel material with two spaghetti straps. It's ingenious! It covers all the important bits but is light enough to allow you to multitask whilst wearing it.

Right, onto the last part. This is a combination of different things that wouldn't fit into the other categories. I was lucky enough to get my hands on some books that had been on my wish list for ages; Milk & Honey by Rupi Kaur , Love and Space Dust by David Jones and Bloom by Estee Lalonde. I have read the first two, which are both beautiful poetry books, in a few hours. I am reading Bloom currently and am really enjoying it, it's such an aesthetically pleasing and positive yet down to earth book! I also got this lovely candle by Voluspa. I actually smelt it whilst I was out Christmas shopping with my mum, and I couldn't believe it when I opened it up on Christmas Day! Now, I thought I would leave the best till last...I went to a pet shop a few days before Christmas and pickled my beautiful budgie, Tooticky! He is just the most beautiful shades of blue, as soon as I laid my eyes on him I knew he was the one. I had wanted a budgie for the past year, yet I still couldn't believe it when I took him home. Alongside beauty, animals are another passion of mine. I am extremely grateful to my parents for getting me my beautiful boy!

Well, I think by far this is my longest post to date! I hope you enjoyed reading this! Keep up with my social media to find out when I next post - @gracedoesbeauty on Twitter and gracedoesbeautyxoxo on Instagram. Have a great weekend!















Saturday, 7 January 2017

Empties

Good evening everyone, happy new year! Over the past few months I have accumulated quite a few empties, so today I thought I would share them with you. They range from lip balms to bath products to skincare. Without further ado, let's get started!

First of all I'll talk about the lip products, this nspa Coconut Lip Shine, which was a gift I received last year, feels like a luxury on the lips. It's great to use just before you go to sleep for deep hydration. The other lip product empty is my trusty Vaseline, in Original, which was a £1. I literally cannot live without this, it's a lifesaver for dry lips. I think I would be horrified if I knew how many tins I had been through or how many times I slathered this on throughout the day!

Next up is my bath products empties. If you've read my previous blog posts you may have already heard me talk about this - The Dove Intensive Repair Shampoo & Conditioner. This is my favourite shampoo and conditioner duo, it suits my straight, thick hair very well. Also, they are £2 each, which isn't bad! Another one of my bath empties is the Palmolive Naturals shower milk, which is a bargain at just £1! This leaves my sensitive skin SO soft after every use!

Now onto the skincare empties. I love these Simple Spotless Skin Quick Fix Cleansing Wipes, £3. These face wipes even remove waterproof mascara! These are my favourite face wipes, I would choose them over any other. Secondly is the Garnier Fresh Eye makeup remover (£3.49). I wear so much eye makeup on a day to day basis, I'm never without my cat winged eyeliner and thick lashings of mascara! This is the only product I can use that truly make me feel like I am rid of all traces of eye makeup. My last skincare product is this amie Naturally Kind Deep Cleansing Mask, £5.95. You can literally feel this working when you put it onto your face! It has natural extracts that are skin friendly which is another bonus.

Lastly, here are a few bits that wouldn't really fit into any of the other categories. This is a bit random, but I couldn't not include it; Sudocrem antiseptic healing cream, £2.99. I always have a pot of this in my draw somewhere. It's a lifesaver when it comes to spots, blisters, shaving cuts...Everyone should have a pot of this! Finally is the Salt Of The Earth unscented natural deodorant, £4. This is the only anti perspirant I can use on my sensitive skin that doesn't sting my underarms. It's also not tested on animals!

Wow, congratulations if you made it to this point! Thank you for reading, what are you recent empties that you've loved (or hated)? Keep up with me on my social media: @gracedoesbeauty (Twitter) and gracedoesbeautyxoxo (Instagram). Enjoy your weekend!