Wednesday 17 December 2014

• 1 YEAR BLOG GIVEAWAY - URBAN DECAY NAKED BASICS 2 •

I will keep this short and sweet - thank you so much for reading, following and commenting on my blog this past year! 

I started this blog on the 31st December 2013 to focus on something other than work, and I never knew how much I'd love it and how much it would help me. I've now learnt to brew a cuppa, get comfy on the sofa and just relax by writing whatever I want to write about; somehow, as if by some miracle, nearly 700 of you read my posts! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love my little blog and I'm so glad that so many of you enjoy reading it.

To say thank you, I'm giving away the gorgeous Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 Palette. Swatches of the palette are in this post. To enter, all you have to do is follow the Rafflecopter below. I thought it would be nice to end it in the middle of January when some of you may be having the Christmas blues. This giveaway is international so anyone can enter. Good luck! Daniela xo
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday 10 December 2014

• KIKO Cosmetics // review •

Genuinely, I can't even get over the quality of these KIKO cosmetics.

They perform like high-end products, with the price tag of high-street brands. I was never expecting them to be that incredible as, to start with, the lipsticks were no more than £7 each, but this make up brand is just so up and coming, and for so many reasons that I can now attest to. So we'll start with the Watercolour Eyeshadow in 200 Champagne. This highly pigmented, long-wearing and creamy eyeshadow can be used with both a damp and dry eyeshadow brush. I tend to use a flat brush to really pack on the colour and this works really well. It's a bronzey, goldy type of colour that catches the light so beautifully and is on the more metallic side. I honestly receive so many compliments when I wear this eyeshadow and I usually just wear it all over the lid and in my crease for a no-fuss, easy make up look. Another eyeshadow I have been absolutely obsessed with is the Supreme Eyeshadow in 01 Posh Crystal Rose. Genuinely if you're looking for an eyeshadow that will brighten up your dark, puffy, 'morning eyes', then this one will do it. The formula is cream and it dries to a powder finish, the colour is an iridescent, shimmery pearl colour and it is truly stunning on the eye lids and inner corner. I wear this alone and with other eyeshadows on top and it really makes them pop. Again, it is very long wearing and will last you all day. It's just perfection and I will definitely be picking up some more of the colours in this range.

A lipstick that I usually reserve for weekends is the Smart Lipstick in 912 Crimson Red. This is a highly pigmented lipstick that feels smooth and creamy on the lips, is moisturising yet not tacky, and is very long-wearing. The colour is so vibrant and bright; it's perfect for a night out and I'll be rocking this at my work's Christmas party. I think it's a really unusual colour, as it's not quite red yet not quite pink. With a simple smokey eye, it'll look perfect. For my every day nude, I've been loving the Luscious Cream Lipstick in 500 Shell Rose. It's a stunning pinky-nude and looks really beautiful with lined lips. I'm really into my nudes at the moment and this one ticks all the boxes; it's the perfect colour as it's not too light, not too dark and is a very flattering, girly pink colour; the formula is incredible, as it's creamy yet lasts a few hours before it needs reapplying; and this lipstick moisturises my lips and doesn't cling to any dry patches. I really recommend this rich, pigmented lipstick - I'm wearing it every single day of the week now!
So, obviously, rave reviews for KIKO cosmetics!
I now see what all of the fuss is about and I can't wait to get my hands on more.
Have you tried anything from the brand?
Am I missing out on something amazing?
Daniela xo
Follow on Bloglovin

Monday 8 December 2014

• Gift Guide For Her // #CountdownToChristmas •

Every year, people always ask me what I want for Christmas, but who wants to write them a list at the age of 22? 

Cue - the gift guide (in a very handy web link that can be emailed or left lying around on the laptop...just sayin'). I thought it'd be easier to categorise these gifts so I've gone for 'Stocking fillers' (smallish gifts), 'Gift bag goodies' (medium gifts) and 'Santa's Sack Whoppers' (big, badass presents). I've spent a good few hours scouring the internet, as well as adding to my own Christmas wish list, and have hand-picked the gifts that I personally would love to receive. I hope this helps and maybe gives you a little inspiration for that special lady in your life, and I hope you enjoy reading!
Untitled #12
Stocking fillers
1. I do love a good candle set, and this one from Boots is really pretty and so festive, with the cracked glass and tree effect. For £8, the 3 candles make the perfect little filler.
2. Nails Inc always come out with great Christmas sets and I love all of the gifts this Christmas, but this one's my favourite. Anything with the word 'Snowflake' in the name is worth a look, and this lovely little nail polish is £16.
3. Since moving into my own place, I don't have a garden (*sob*) and this little set of herbs will fill the gardening void. The set of 3 includes sweet chives, basil and parsley, all for £15.
4. Essie always kill it with gift sets, all year round in fact, and I absolutely love this coral and pink duo. Who says all Christmas polish needs to be deep, dark shades? This little duo is £12.99.
5. Probably the cutest gift of all, this little Fox hot water bottle is £20 and I love it. Practical and gorgeous!
6. I'm in love with this little tea light holder! I will definitely be stocking up at these, especially for the price. Which is...wait for it... £2.99! Amazing!
7. My goal for 2015 is to print more photos, and if I had cute little photo frames like these, I think I'd stick to the resolution a lot easier. This little heart duo photo frame is from Asda and is £5.
8. This Christmas mug has it's own little jacket, and it contains Baileys hot chocolate... need I say more? A very indulgent treat for £10!
9. Coming in at £24.99, this Essie quad is the most expensive stocking filler in this post, however I had a clever thought - you could split the gift into four and have four separate nail polishes. Not bad, eh?
Untitled #13

Gift Bag Goodies
1. My baths have been taken to a whole new level since I started using Aromatherapy Associates bath oils. They are seriously incredible and make you feel as if you're in a spa. This lovely set includes 3 of the well-loved bath oils and is £28.
2. A gift guide wouldn't be a gift guide without a benefit set, would it? The Best of Benefit gift set is £24.50 and is lovely.
3. I've recently become obsessed with Kate Spade (mum, Josh, if you're reading...?) and this 'Pretty Little Thing' phone case for an iPhone 5 is £35 and stunning!
4. Neom is such a luxurious brand and it would feel so special to receive this as a present. This Moment of Calm Candle smells amazing and so calming. It's £30 and one for ladies who like to pamper, light a candle, and relax.
5. I've included a random selection of LUSH bath bombs and melts, as these are the ones I have been enjoying so far this winter period. I think receiving LUSH bath products for Christmas is such a treat, as most of the Christmas period for me is spent in the bath with a book and lots of bubbles! They aren't the cheapest, but they are the best, and I usually spend about £40 a pop whenever I go to LUSH.
6. Skincare is hard to buy for someone else, in my opinion, as it's such a personal thing and hard to know what type of skin someone else has. This set from Clarins includes products that are catered for all skin types, so is a winner really at £25.
7. You can't go wrong with a stunning palette, especially this one from Smashbox. It's £29.60 and has a mix of shimmery and matte shades and a mini mascara, too.
Untitled #14
Santa's Sack Whoppers
1. The NARS Virtual Domination Palette has received a lot of hype this year, and for good reason. It's £45, includes 4 blushes and a bronzer, and is beautiful.
2. When I said I was a fan of Aromatherapy Associates, I wasn't joking! This set includes an extra 7 miniture bath oils and costs £55.
3. I quivered when I saw this Bobbi Brown Warm Glow Christmas palette - it is absolutely amazing. With 9 perfect neutral shades, and for £59, everyone will love it.
4. I've tried the Eve Lom cleanser and loved it, so this handy set for £85 (which includes the famous cleanser) is a great gift for a luxury-skincare lover.
5. I'm in love with Diptyque (you can read my rave review of the Diptyque fragrance Philosykos here) and this mini candle set is fantastic for a candle lover. It includes Resine, Epice and Hiver, which are all very festive, Christmassy scents, and the set is £78.
6. Perfume is always a winner for Christmas and this Tom Ford gift set smells incredible. It's £76 and is amazing value for money.
7. I've never tried the NARS lip pencils but I've read so many rave reviews about them, so receiving this set, which is £32, would be the perfect way to try five of them.
8. You can't get more 'luxury' than high-end beauty Christmas crackers! For a box of 6, they're £48.
9. Zoeva brushes are so well-loved by beauty-lovers from around the globe and this rose gold set, which comes with its own pouch, is simply stunning. I would love to receive these as there are a mixture of face and eye brushes, and this set is £56.95. Love. Them.

Wow... that's a lot of Polyvore-ing! I hope this post gave you some inspiration and suited a range of budgets. It's not about how much you spend, but how much you have matched the product to the person.

What else would you pop on a gift guide?
Daniela xo
Follow on Bloglovin

Wednesday 3 December 2014

• Perfection in a Bottle - Diptyque Philosykos // review •

I'm not usually one to get excited over scents but I feel as if I've truly found perfection with Diptyque Philosykos eau de parfum.

Yes, this is holy grail status and I have been obsessing over it since the day I smelled it around 2 years ago (it has indeed taken me that long to build up the willpower to buy it, as it 'aint cheap). The scent is very deep, woody and kind of unisex and the main note is fig. The scent doesn't last all day which kind of upsets me, so I carry it around in my bag with me and spritz on the go, whenever I feel like I can't smell it on myself anymore. I always receive compliments when I wear it and a few of my friends are now looking into purchasing a bottle. Well worth a sniff, if you're near a Space NK. At £85 a pop, I would say Diptyque Philosykos is a perfect gift for Christmas and the packaging is truly stunning and very luxurious. If you're into these deep, sexy kind of scents then I'd definitely give this one a go; I feel like I'll be wearing this perfume for years, its so timeless and sophisticated.

Have you smelled this perfume before?
Would you recommend anything else from the Diptyque brand?
Daniela xo
Follow on Bloglovin

Monday 1 December 2014

• The Christmas Tag // #CountdownToChristmas •

I am so unbelievably excited to write this post - 
I've been waiting for the 1st December for a few weeks now! 

I'm taking part in the #CountdownToChristmas tag which was set up by Megan and Emily and the plan is to write a blog post, Christmas-related, every Monday and Friday. I won't spoil the surprise but there are some pretty amazing blog posts coming up including a few gift guides, a holiday survival kit and Christmas make up ideas. This post is The Christmas Tag, and I shall get right on with it!

Whats your favourite holiday movie?

A Muppets Christmas Carol, every time, each year. I love it. I'm not one for soppy, lovey-dovey films and much prefer hilarious (children's) films, and this one's a winner. There's just something about seeing Kermit in his little black coat, walking through the snow that always gets me so excited for Christmas!

What are your favourite Christmas colours?

I'm a bit boring and would have to go with maroon, navy, white and gold. I pretty much wear a deep berry/maroon lip from September onwards, I'm in navy all year round, white is just classic and reminds me of the snow, and gold is just traditionally Christmassy - the gold glitter tends to come out every year and ends up not only on my eye lids, but all over my face (Christmas fairy, anyone?)

Do you like to stay in your PJs or dress up for Christmas?

We're usually out of the house by about 10am every Christmas as we head over to my grandparents house, so I'd have to say dress up! We like to take lots of photos on Christmas day so we all make an effort; men in shirts, ladies in dresses. I try and rock a bold lip but it goes slightly pear-shaped as we eat a whopper of an Italian Christmas spread, so x amount of courses + a bold lip usually ends badly! This year, I'm heading over to Canada for Christmas so I'll definitely be dressing up for Christmas day, but I'll also be wearing lots of layers!

If you could only buy one person a present this year who would it be?

Without a doubt, my mum. She does so much for me and my family and she really does deserve the loveliest of gifts.

Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?

Definitely Christmas morning! I've never heard of opening them on Christmas Eve - is this even a thing? I'd hate that! I love the excitement of Christmas morning and the rush of opening all of the presents, thanking everyone, then getting ready for a lovely day ahead. There wouldn't be as much to look forward to if all of the presents were opened on Christmas Eve, surely?

Have you ever built a Ginger Bread House?

No, and I've always wanted to. I love baking but only quick things, as I'm very impatient, but I think that the time and effort put into a Ginger Bread House would be worth it. This has just reminded me that I want to bake one this year!

What do you like to do in the Christmas holidays?

I'm very lucky as I get quite a long holiday, being a teacher, so I keep things varied by making sure I do something different every day. This usually consists of shopping one day, relaxing another day, working another day, then having a pamper day, seeing friends another day etc etc (the list goes on). I like to balance things out by seeing my loved ones and having some 'me time' as I don't get much of that during term time!

Any Christmas wishes?

In truth, I wouldn't write my Christmas wish in this blog post, as it's extremely personal and nothing related to beauty/fashion/lifestyle or even Christmas, but yes, I do have one.

Favourite Christmas smell?

Clove!! I made a gorgeous warm spiced cider last year and I used so much clove, it tasted lovely. This smell, along with cinnamon, reminds me of Christmas and I love those spicey, festive scents.

Favourite Christmas meal or treat?

I'm a sucker for brandy sauce, really I am, and I'd eat it out of the bowl - the stronger and sweeter, the better. We traditionally have a pasta dish (among 100 others) for Christmas and I really like large pasta shells stuffed with ricotta and spinach, drizzled with some Italian tomato sauce and sprinkled with sugar. My Nonna (grandmother) makes them and they are seriously to die for. I'd eat them every day if I could.

I hope you enjoyed this tag! Feel free to do the tag yourself; I think they're great questions and are suitable for a wide range of blog types. Thank you to Megan and Emily for setting up #CountdownToChristmas - it's such an exciting series to be part of! Keep your eye out for Friday's post, it's a rather exciting one :)

Daniela xo
Follow on Bloglovin
Photo source - Pinterest

Friday 21 November 2014

• My life through a lens #3 •

1. Receiving lovely parcels makes me happy |
2. selfie'ing |
3. nothing better than a little Netflix & popcorn! |
4. lazy Sunday afternoons with a book and nail polish.

5. my baby cousin and I - family is everything |
6. photographing for a budget make up brush post |
7. center parcs + starbucks = :) |
8. a cheeky Kiko haul.

9. my holy grail scent - Diptyque Philosykos |
10. our first hour pet, the gorgeous little Brody |
11. #alipaday in the month of September |
12. coffee and movies with a festive feel.

13. new lipsticks make Monday's so much better |
14. food and friends  |
15. I bought a few jumpers... |

A peek into what I've been instagramming lately
 over on danielascribbs :)
Daniela xo
Follow on Bloglovin

Sunday 16 November 2014

• benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot Palette // review •


benefit's latest offering comes in the form of their first 
ever box blush palette, complete with 6 blushes 
and their stunning cream highlighter.

benefit own the show when it comes to Christmas palettes and I find myself glued to the Boots website every single year, drawn to the pretty packaging and amazing deals that the brand has to offer. Everyone goes mad for the box blushes so I think that benefit have taken that on board and come up with a very clever idea. For £29.50 you get 6 of the best-selling box blushes and a little opal cream highlighter, which is really beautiful and one I wear all year round. The tin is sweet, I intend to keep it when I've finished the blushes and it definitely makes a stand on your dressing table! As always, the Christmas gift set range from benefit is very beautiful and great value for money, so I definitely recommend popping this on your Christmas list if you're a blush lover - I'd be a very happy girl if I found Cheeky Sweet Spot Gift Set in my stocking!

As for the product itself, I already own Hoola and Sugarbomb and absolutely love them, but I've never tried the others and it's very handy to have them all in one palette. I used to be a bronzer kinda gal but recently I've been leaning more towards blush, so this palette is perfect for me and I can't wait to have a real play with them all. I love that there are a mixture of pink, peach and mauve shades, so I can imagine it'd suit all skin tones and make up looks, and also different times of the year - I think I'd get more wear out of Coralista and Bella Bamba in the Summer months, and Rockateur and Sugarbomb in the colder months - although who's to say you have to categorise blush for different times of the year?! (I just prefer peach colours with a tan!) I have already used Rockateur and Dandelion so I can vouch for the fact that they are extremely pigmented and last a very long time on the cheeks. I also love the little brush you get with the palette - very similar to the NARS contour brush (which will cost you the Earth). So, to conclude, I'm a very happy bunny and will be rocking a different cheek for nearly every day of the week - I have to give my skin a break on a Sunday which is face mask day!

Have you tried any of the box blushes?
Do you have your eye on any of the other benefit gift sets?
Daniela xo
Follow on Bloglovin

Wednesday 12 November 2014

• The London Haul Part 2 // Skincare & Beauty •



When I was in London, Kiko was definitely on my 'must visit' list. I'd been to Kiko in Naples a few years ago (before it got really big in the UK) and I couldn't wait to get my hands on some more products.

So I did! And I've also included some Elemis* products in this haul, as I received some pretty wonderful skincare bits. Part 2 of the haul is mainly skincare and make up, which I'm sure you'll agree is just as exciting (if not more) as homeware and perfume. You can click here to read part 1 of my London haul (I just love making things nice and easy for you!)

I absolutely adore cleansing balms. I love my MOA cleansing balm, my One Love Organics cleansing balm, Ultrabland from LUSH - all incredible. Balms just make taking make up off so much easier and fuss free! So when I received the Elemis Pro Collagen Cleansing Balm* I was so excited to give it a whirl. I can confirm I am thoroughly enjoying using it, and a review will be up soon. I also received the Exotic Cream Moisturising Mask* and the Pro Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream* but I haven't yet had a chance to test them out. The Frangipani Monoi Shower Cream* smells seriously divine - I'm not usually one for floral-y scents, but it smells quite sweet and I really like that in shower gels. The scent lingers on my skin for ages after I've got out of the shower, and the consistency of the product is really creamy and moisturising. Love! Lastly is the Frangipani Monoi Body Cream*, which again, smells incredible. I'm not usually one for body cream, so I just put this on my arms and décolletage and the scent is so powerful, it's lovely. So a big tick from me, on all products!

Next up is Kiko - undoubtedly the brand of the moment. Everyone is talking about it, reviewing the products, making endless orders, and it's easy to see why. I picked up the stunning Luscious Cream Creamy Lipstick in 500 Shell Rose, a beautiful nude pink, not dissimilar to MAC's Creme Cup. It's a beautiful shade and exactly what I was missing in my collection. Another lipstick I picked up is the Smart Lipstick in 912 Crimson Red which is basically exactly what it says on the tin. A crimson red. It's a very rich, pigmented colour that I think will look fantastic with a small cat eye flick and big lashes around this time of year! I was also curious to try the Water Eyeshadow in 200 Champagne, which can be used wet or dry. I've tried and failed to use eyeshadows wet before, resulting in ruining them, so I think an eyeshadow that is meant to be used wet will solve the problem! The colour is a really beautiful, pigmented champagne, with a rose gold and gold shine when the shadow catches the light. It's really very pretty. Lastly, I was drawn to the Supreme Eyeshadow in 01 Posh Crystal Rose. I've used this product already, multiple times, and oh my gosh it is truly stunning and unlike any product I've seen before. The eyeshadow comes in a little pot and is in a smooth but firm cream form - very hard to explain, but worth paying a trip to Kiko for. The shade is a very light champagne and the glitters in the eyeshadow are very noticeable but not offensive, and I wear this eyeshadow to school pretty much every day now. It's so so lovely and the formula is incredible - you need one swipe, the pigmentation is brilliant, and it doesn't crease all day. I really recommend this product and it definitely feels like it's worth more than £11.

I hope you enjoyed my two-part haul!
No more shopping for a while now... promise.
Have you been buying anything recently?
Daniela xo
Follow on Bloglovin

Saturday 8 November 2014

• The London Haul Part 1 // Skincare, Homeware, Beauty •

I went shopping, I went shopping...
(in my head I sang that to Beyonce's 'I been drinkin, I been drinkin...' no? Just me, then.)

Ohh I just bloody love spending my money before I've even been paid, apparently! So I plodded all around London, stopped off in a few beaut shops and treated myself. So much so that I've decided to split this into two hauls. You know it's bad when you have to split hauls over two posts.

Liberty was first up, and I picked up the cult product Pixi Glow Tonic. I'd read reviews on the product, some good, and some that absolutely bashed it, but I'm a person who is intrigued easily so I decided to go for it. I'm so excited to try a liquid exfoliator as I've only ever used manual ones, and this one promises to reveal glowy looking skin. I'm planning on using it in the evening before bed so my serum goes on smoother and in deeper, having more of a chance to work overnight. I'll keep you posted on this as I can imagine I'll want to throw in my own two pennies!

I've wanted Diptyque Philosykos Eau de Parfum for absolute donkeys years (two years) but I've always thought the price tag was a little steep - at £85, I wasn't going to reach into my purse lightly. However, since recently starting my first full time job, I just thought 'sod it'. So I walked into Space NK, marched straight up to it and took it to the till as quick as possible (so I didn't have a chance to think about the price and change my mind). I certainly don't regret it. This is my favourite smell in the whole world, with no exaggeration, and I can't even look at any other perfume in the same way again. The scent is very figgy, earthy, sort of unisex/masculine and it sticks around all day. I do tend to spritz 5 or 6 sprays as I love to smell the perfume all day long, so I can imagine I'll run out of it in a few months but I don't care - I will always repurchase this product, I absolutely love it.

Since hearing amazing things from Lily Pebbles about & other stories, I made it my mission to find my way there. As H&M's sister shop, I had high expectations, and when I walked into the shop I was a little bit excited. The layout of the shop is quite minimalist and clean, everything on the shelves looks so pretty and the shop smells amazing. They sell everything from clothing, homeware, make up and more which is totally my jam as I love shops that sell an array of different products. I somehow found myself in the homeware section (seriously when will I stop buying home things?!) and was instantly drawn to the lovely hand soaps. They look so vintage and I'm a real sucker for packaging. More importantly, though, is the scent of the soaps. I picked up Moroccan Tea, Fig Fiction and Breville Bakery. They smell incredible, so strong and amazing. The scent lingers on your hands after you've washed them and my hands feel smooth (and not dry!!) after using the soap. I really love these and for £4 each, I'm pretty chuffed with the price, as you only need the teeniest amount for them to lather up. I'll have to place an order when I run out of them as it's a little crazy to make the trip to London just for hand soaps... right? Is it? I don't know. I'm considering it.

I hope you enjoyed this post!
Have you picked anything up recently?
Daniela xo
Follow on Bloglovin

Sunday 2 November 2014

• The Budget Make Up Brush Set •


I'm a make up brush hoarder and I seem to have built up quite a collection! This is, however, an expensive habit so I decided to go on the hunt for the perfect affordable brush set...

So after a long and tiresome search for products and reviews, I turned to eBay. I watched YouTube reviews and read blogs and it seemed that eBay was the place to go for brushes. I found this white and gold set (the black and gold set look remarkably similar to the Real Techniques brush set...) and I have to say that they do look rather professional, and do not reflect what I paid for them at all. You can get them in an array of different colours and you can buy them in sets or individually.
I decided to go for both the face and eye brush set as I think they each deserve their own blog post, but what struck me the most was the genuine quality of the brushes. They are dense, not dissimilar to the Real Techniques Buffing Brush and Expert Face Brush, they're all a little different (some are tapered, some are flat, some are domed) and they all have a chunky handle so they're easy to grip and handle. The face brushes are large, as you can see, so it takes me no time at all to apply my base in the morning. I've used liquid and cream foundations with them and they work brilliantly at buffing them into the skin and they give such a lovely finish. The brushes don't allow the foundation to cake up and you can go for either a natural finish or use the brushes to apply another layer of foundation for a more flawless finish - this does, however, obviously depend on the coverage that the foundation is able to give. The brushes wash beautifully, but take a while to dry as they are so dense, and the bristles still feel so soft on the skin even after a total of 8 washes thus far. The only downside is that they do shed a little bit, but I've had them for about 2 months and they're still packed full of bristles. I'm genuinely so impressed with the brushes and have been opting for them over my more expensive brushes as they feel gorgeous, work really well and are so cheap!! So, to put you out of your misery, these eBay brushes were £5.37 including postage, which is absolutely incredible considering the quality! They arrived in just over a week so the postage time wasn't too long which I was so chuffed about. I would say, though, that you should wash them before you use them for the first time as they do smell a bit plastic-y but that's only if you're sensitive to scents like I am.

If you'd like a post on the eye brushes, let me know. I used them in my latest get ready with me post, which was an Autumnal gold and burgundy look!
Have you found any budget make up brushes?
What are your favourites?
PS. Be sure to enter my giveaway - it ends soon! :)
Daniela xo
Follow on Bloglovin

Wednesday 29 October 2014

• Make up. What's it all about, anyway? •

I recently had a very interesting conversation with 
a male friend of mine who asked me why girls
 wear make up to impress boys when boys don't
 really like girls to wear make up.

And, to begin with, there are so many 
things wrong with that question already.

Now, I have his permission to write out the argument on here, but as the conversation went on for about an hour and a half (and I can't remember word for word what we both said), most of this will be done by memory. The general gist of it is this; (male friend) "girls wear make up to impress boys" (me) "girls wear make up for themselves". But for the sake of giving a balanced argument, I will attempt to write it out in a more interesting, holistic, coherent way for you. Please note: I don't mean to offend anyone, these are just my opinions so please don't feel like you have to agree with me and please don't feel like I speak for everyone - this is just how I feel.

Why I wear make up
I've mentioned on here before that from about the age of 14, I was very interested in make up. Looking back, however, I was interested in it for all of the wrong reasons (in my opinion). I used to wear it to cover up my acne and yes, to attract and impress boys. Yet, I was a child, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who caked their face in Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse and eyes in black kohl liner. I was inexperienced, young and, unfortunately, brow-less (I'm sure people didn't start filling in their brows til at least 2006? Am I wrong? I'm probably wrong... but as a teen, I was never into it, and never noticed other people's fuller brows either!) Now I'm more confident, have grown into myself a bit more and I've learnt how to do my make up to suit my face shape and tone, I wear make up for me. I wear it because it makes me feel more confident, put together, 'finished off' and so that, basically, I feel nice. I literally love the ritual of putting it on in the morning, creating a mental to-do list in my head for the things I have to get on with for the day, and I love the concentration that goes into it all. I feel so relaxed when I'm doing my make up and I always look forward to it! Make up might not mean to you what it does to me, and everyone can have their own reasons for wearing it, and I'm not saying my reasons are right, but they are my reasons nonetheless.

The 'girls wear make up to impress boys' debate
My boyfriend comments on my appearance when I wear make up, and he comments on my appearance when I don't wear make up. This then tells me that he doesn't mind whether I do or I don't. And in turn this tells me that whether I wear make up or not, he won't be any more or any less impressed. So I wear make up to please myself and because I think I look nice with it on. My male friend was telling me that girls wear it purely to attract members of the opposite or same sex struck a chord with me and actually offended me. Why is everything centred around finding a boyfriend/girlfriend these days? Why is everyone so focussed on trying to please and attract potential lovers? Why can't we wear make up, do our hair properly and dress nice just so we feel a little better about ourselves? I personally have been on a night out wearing no make up at all, my hair in a bun and (God forbid) jeans and flats on, and did I feel like my night was any less fun than the other people I was with? No, not at all. People are so set on trying to attract other people that even applying make up is seen as provocative.

Beauty bloggers' lives evolve around make up!
My instagram is filled with photos of make up and selfies showing different make up looks, this is on my 'news feed' screen and also on the photos that I myself add. And so what? What the hell has it got to do with anyone else? If you don't want to see these photos, then don't follow me or any of the people that I follow. If you don't want me to tweet that I've just bought a new lipstick, then unfollow me. My friend was telling me that people become obsessed with make up and that it takes over their social media, and I told him that it's because we enjoy make up and it's a hobby, just as much as golfing or swimming is a hobby to other people. But do you judge someone who has photos of new golf clubs or new swimming trunks on their instagram? No. So how can you judge someone that has photos of the perfect winged liner or a lipstick dupe? This confuses me, honestly. I like the look of make up and packaging, so I pop it into my instagram. My life does not evolve around make up, and I don't think that checking someones social media can even tell you what their life evolves around, it just tells you what they're interested in at that certain point in time.

To end this rambly, honest and perhaps controversial post, I'm asking you if you agree or disagree with me. I'm curious, really, as to other people's opinions or if it's just me that thinks these things. I'm not crushing anyone, I'm not saying I disagree with every point my friend made, but I did disagree with the majority.

Let me know your thoughts!
I hope that post wasn't too deep for you. And if it was, to lighten the mood...
Daniela xo
Follow on Bloglovin

Sunday 26 October 2014

• London Girls Night Get Ready With Me // Face of the Day •

I love this Autumnal, dark, bold look, especially for an evening out in London pubs dancing to 90's music!

I went to London on Friday night to see my girlfriend Alphie and had the best time. We ate some food, went for a few drinks at a pub and ended up randomly dancing the night away to some nostalgic tunes from our teen days! I decided to put this look together as I really love the colours - the golds, the burgundies, the mixture of sparkly and matte. I hope you enjoy this look; this Get Ready With Me is pretty long, but I promise it's very easy to do!






I started with an illuminising primer to highlight the high points of my face then pressed a pore-minimising primer on and around my nose and chin. Then I took some foundation, dotted it around my face and used a damp beauty blender to blend and buff it in, being sure to carry this down onto my neck. A light concealer and a dark cream bronzer were then swiped onto my face to give me a light contour, again blended out with the damp beauty blender. I then used a brow pencil to fill in my brows and a white eyeshadow base to prime my eyes and make the colours pop. I blended this base out and began applying a gold eyeshadow to the whole of my lid with a flat eyeshadow brush. Then I went for a deep burgundy colour for my crease and blended it out seamlessly. I applied a cream eyeshadow to my brow bone to highlight it, then used the burgundy colour for my lower lash line. To brighten my eyes a bit more, I highlighted my inner corner with a champagne highlighter. Next up was tightening, so I grabbed my gel liner and began to tighten my upper lash-line. Then I used a liquid liner and started to line my eyes, starting with the flick and then filling it in. My lashes were next, so I used a mascara primer and the matching mascara, then applied some glue to some false lashes, waited for it to go tacky, and applied them using tweezers - first dragging the lashes to the outside corner, then the inside corner, to make sure they fit snugly. I then used bronzer to warm up my pale complexion, highlighter to highlight my cheekbones, and lip liner to line my lips. I also used this liner to fill in my lips as the colour is stunning.

I used:
eBay eyelashes

I hope you enjoyed this post! Let me know if you recreate this look, or something similar :)
PS. Don't forget to ENTER MY GIVEAWAY!
Daniela xo


Follow on Bloglovin
UA-48181795-1