DIY Cute Santa Card

Hello everyone!

There's nothing quite as special as receiving a handmade Christmas card because it makes you feel all fuzzy and warm inside. And you'd like to return that dose of happiness, but haven't much time on your hands, well, never fear, because this Cute Santa Card takes literally 15 minutes, and you don't need many resources at all.

~ Red card                 ~ A pink pencil
~ Peach card            ~ A black pen
~ White card             ~ Glue
~ Scissors

1. First of all, I chose which colour card I was going to use as a base. I used white, but, if I'd had enough peach, I'd have used that instead.
2. Next, I folded the white piece of card in half and cut the peach card so it was about the third of the height of the white. I tore the long edges, pasted it horizontally in the middle of the white card and then trimmed it to size. (Take a look at the end result down below and hopefully, it should make sense.)
3.  Then, I took my red piece of card and cut it so it was about a quarter of the height of the white card.
4. I tore one of the long edges, pasted it horizontally at the top of the white card, torn edge at the bottom, leaving a small gap between the red and the peach. Then, I trimmed it to size, so they didn't jut out.
5. And finally, onto the peach card, it drew two eyes, rosy cheeks and a button nose. On the white card, I drew a mouth.

And this is the finished result:

There you have the cutest Christmas card ready to be written and sent off to a friend or relative. It's bound to make them smile!

Lucy x

Barry M Goody Bag | The Clothes Show 2015

Today, for the first time, my mum and I went to the Clothes Show in Birmingham and it certainly lived up to expectations!

Along with Rimmel, NYX, Models Own and many other makeup brands, Barry M had a stall, which I'd had a scan of early on in the day, but hadn't bought anything from. Then, as the show got busier and busier, I noticed lots of people carry Barry M bags, so I dragged Mum back there and fought to the front, where I discovered you could get a goody bag for just £10. The lady told me it included 12 items: six nail polishes, two eyeshadows, two lip glosses, a lip liner and an eyeliner.

I knew it was a gamble, but it was also a chance to try new things and perhaps find a gem. So, I went for it, and I don't regret my decision at all. Yes, there are a few items that really aren't "me" (they'd would look great on someone with blond hair and fair skin though) but, the majority of the items of lovely.

Let's begin with the two eyeshadows. They're both utterly wearable shades; one's a shimmery brown and the other's a shimmery grey.

The lip gloss is packaged in a sleek glass bottle with a black lid. Coincidentally, I'd been looking for a natural, everyday lip gloss and I think I may have hit jackpot. This also smells AMAZING and adds a nice sheen to the lips. It's doe-foot applicator makes application super-easy, too.

Left - Right: Rockstar & Jingle Bells

Left - Right: Red Black, Paprika & Forest

Surprisingly, I love 5 out of 6 of the nail polishes. They are: Jingle Bells, Red Black, Forest, Paprika and Rockstar. My favourite is probably Jingle Bells, which I'm planning on using over Red Black when I paint my nails this evening. Paprika is also also nice; in the bottle, it looks a bit scary, but, when I tried it just now, it comes out this lovely dusty orange.

So, that's all for today's post! I hope you've enjoyed finding out what I got in my mystery makeup bag! (Oh yes, I forget to mention that everything comes in a lovely pink makeup bag!)

Lucy x

Bath & Beauty Haul: Lush, Rimmel, Carmex & More

Hey guys!

Can you believe it's almost December? I can't; this year seems to have flown by. Well, anyway, today I went into town with what seemed like the rest of Wiltshire (it was so busy!) and picked up a few things, mainly beauty items as per usual.

OK, the first thing I got was a Carmex Lip Balm twin pack, because, in Savers, a pack of two was only 50p dearer than one, so it made sense.

The other thing I picked up in Savers was the T-Zone Deep Pore Cleansing Cream Wash (wow, that's a mouthful), as I currently have quite a few blackheads around my nose, so thought I would give this a whirl. It was only a pound, but, you never know, it might be amazing!

Then, because I'd ran out of my Body Shop concealer, and didn't really want to couch up £13 to replace it, I thought I'd try the Rimmel Match Perfection one instead, which I got from Superdrug.

Whilst I was in there, I spotted the Collection Fast Stroke Eyeliner, which I've heard many YouTubers rave about. And, because I only one eyeliner, a felt tip one by Soap & Glory, I wanted to try a different kind, so I bought this in brown to match my eyes.

Yesterday, the lid of my Body Shop Bronzer just snapped off, which was a bit phooey, and although the product itself was absolutely fine, I'm a bit fussy about broken packaging, so we took it back and they replaced it for me. Thanks Body Shop!

The last thing was the Candy Mountain bubble bar from Lush and this honestly smells so good (just like sweeties!).

So, that's all for this haul! (#Poetry). I hope you've enjoyed it and I apologise for the last of posts recently; I was trialing making YouTube videos but they take loads of time, besides I prefer blogging!

Lucy x 

What I Got For My Birthday 2015

Hey guys! I apologise for not blogging in a while, but, I'd really like to get back into it, so in today's post, I'll be sharing what I got for my birthday, which was last Sunday!

From my parents, I got a bunch of lovely things: the IKEA Alex 5 Drawers, the No7 Cleansing Brush Set, the Soap & Glory Peaches & Clean Deep Cleansing Milk and Girl Online On Tour, which I'll definitely be reviewing once I've finished reading it. I might review the Cleansing Brush as well because I really enjoy using it every night to give my skin that deep clean.

Then, from my grandparents, I got a red metal arrow with LED lights in it (AMAZING!!!!), a Boots gift card and the Nip & Fab Dragons Blood Fix Plumping Mask, which I use as an eye cream and love it!

And, finally, from my friends, I got body wash, body lotion, a few bath bombs, some cool pens, money and a Debenhams gift card, all of which I'm very grateful for!

So, that's all for today's post! Please note, I wasn't trying to brag or boast in the slightest;  I just really enjoy finding out what others get for their birthdays and thought you guys might do too! Also, I'm very grateful to all my friends and family and I appreciate everything I got!

Ooh, and watch out for a few reviews coming soon and maybe a haul!

Until next time,

Lucy x

P.S. Check out my YouTube video on this topic by clicking here! It's only quick!

Makeup Revolution Naked Chocolate Palette

Can we just take a moment to admire how utterly gorgeous this packaging is, please? Come on, it looks like a chocolate bar!

As for the 16 eye shadows inside, well, they're equally as gorgeous. Ranging from shimmery shades to matte ones, there's something for everyone. And at £7.99, this is perfect! PERFECT!

The shades all have really cute names; my favourites are Frosted Choc, a light shimmery brown, Buttons, a dark shimmery brown, Toblerone, a light matte brown and Wonka, a dark matte brown.

All the shades blend extremely easily and the longevity is SO good! At about six in the evening, my eyeshadow stills looks just as it did that morning, which I definitely wasn't expecting.

If I was being really picky, I'd say one or two of the matte shades are slightly chalky, but the shimmery shades are flawless, amazing pigmentation with no fallout whatsoever!

Finally, even if you're a beginner like me and still mastering putting together an eye makeup look, this palette is fab because any the shades work nicely together!

Oh, and it has a huge mirror, which is so handy when travelling!

That's it for today's post! I hope you've enjoyed it!

Until next time,

Lucy x

Weekly Happiness Roundup #1

Hey guys! Yesterday, I uploaded a video onto my YouTube channel, where I basically shared one thing from each day of the week that had made me happy. So, I thought I'd do a similar thing on my blog as I feel I haven't been posting as much recently and miss it lots!

On Sunday 4th October, I was happy because, that morning, my mum, my friend, her mum, her gran and I went to Lechlade and had cream tea in this lovely coffee shop called Vera's Kitchen. Then, we had a quick walk around the town itself, dashing in and out of all the amazing, quirky little shops. In this one antique shop, Belle's, I think its name was, Mum and I spotted a teddy bear, who looked incredibly sad sitting all by himself, so, we just had to buy him and because he's quite old, we gave him a fitting name, Edward.

On Monday, I was happy because I had a really cosy evening. First off, I had a steamy shower, then put on my cosiest pyjamas, hopped into bed a watched YouTube on my laptop, all whilst listening to the rain pitter-patter against my window. It was bliss!

Then, on Tuesday, I started a new book called Finding Audrey and it's just fantastic. This made me happy because, recently, I've been struggling to find a good book that I'll actually finish reading, but now I have done!

On Wednesday, I watched the finale of the Great British Bake Off and Nadia, my favourite won, which I was very happy about!

Then, on Thursday, I read more of my book snuggled up by the fire and this made me happy!

On Friday, I was happy because obviously it was Friday, but also, I had a good day at school, and an especially good PE lesson, because we played five-a-side netball and my team did really well in both games we played.

Yesterday, I was happy, because Mum, Dad and I got up fairly early and went to IKEA for our breakfast. Then, we had a walk around and my parents bought me my birthday present, the Alex 5 Drawers, which we aren't going to assemble till my actual birthday, so I have something to look forward to! Also, that evening we had Chinese takeaway, which just made an already great day even better!

So, I hope you enjoyed this post! If you have a few minutes (3 minutes and 16 seconds to be precise), then feel free to go and check out my YouTube video by clicking here!

Until next time,

Lucy x

Huge London Haul: Superdrug, Lush, Primark & More

Hello everyone! The weekend before last, my mum and I went shopping on Oxford Street in London and I picked up a few bits and bobs, so, in today's post, I thought I show you what all I got!

The first shop we went into was Primark and in there I picked up a pack of 60 hair bobbles, some super cute socks and a lovely navy and white polka dot head band.

Then, we went into Superdrug and I bought two items, the Nip + Fab Glycolic Scrub Fix and the Makeup Revolution Naked Chocolate palette, both of which had been on my wishlist for a very long time!

H&M was our next destination and in there, Mum kindly treated me to a navy, woolen beanie, which I love!

Lastly, we went to the Lush superstore and I picked up the Big Bang bubble bar, which I can't wait to try; it looks and smells amazing!

So, that's all for today's post! I've also made a YouTube video on this topic, so, if you'd like to see that, then click here!

Until next time,

Lucy x  

P.S. Sorry it's been such a long time since I last blogged; I've been bombarded with homework recently! 

My Skincare Staples

Hello everyone! Yesterday, I made a YouTube channel, Lula Belle, and uploaded a Skincare Staples video, so I thought I'd write a blog post similar!

The first item is from an Italian brand named KIKO and it's their 24h Cream. I love this as it's so hydrating and smells gorgeous! Also, it's non-comedogenic, meaning it won't block pores. This moisturiser costs £11.90, so, although it's on the pricy side, it's so good and I'll most definitely repurchasing it.

I've finally found the perfect face mask and it's KIKO's Energy one! I absolutely love this; it sucks dirt and grime out of clogged pores, leaving me with smooth, clean skin.  This is £5.90 and worth a shot if you're looking for a detoxifying mask!

The third product came in this month's Glossy Box and I've been really enjoying using this morning and night. It's the Naobay Calming Face Toner and it leaves my skin feeling super-soft and balanced.  I love the bottle too; it's very minimalist and the wooden cap is really cool!

Next up is a product that's been raved about a lot and I can totally understand why. Garnier's Micellar Cleansing Water removes my make-up so qucikly and easily (no rinsing needed!). I have the mini format, which I picked up in Savers for a pound, but the taller one is £4.99!

Last but not least, is an exfoliator and if I'm quite honest, I don't tend to include this step in my beauty regime all that often, but when I do, I always use the St. Ives Apricot Scrub for Sensitive Skin. This is a lovely scrub and does exactly as it promises to do: reveal smooth, radiant skin by gently buffing away dead skin cells!

I hope you've enjoyed this post! If you'd like to watch my video, click here!

Lucy x

Beach Bag Essentials

Hello everyone! On the first day of our holiday, I had a sudden flash of blog inspiration - I'd share with you my beach bag essentials - so decided this morning I'd finally sit down and write it. So, without further ado, let's dive straight in...

 

 

The first, most obvious, essential is suncream because, as I'm sure you'll know, it's important to keep your skin protected from the sun, especially on holiday when you're likely to be outside lots. The suncream I use is Riemann's P20 because it provides 10 hours protection, so you only have to apply once a day. However, I like popping a small bottle of it in my bag just in case I feel it's rubbed off in the sand or on the water slides!

 

No. 2 is an SPF lip balm because on holiday, my lips tend to dry out, so I need to keep them hydrated and protected to ensure this doesn't happen. My favourite SPF lip balm is by a brand called Forever Living and the product itself is called Forever Sun Lips. I love this because it provides 90 minutes of Factor 30 sun protection and makes my lips tingle when I slather it on.

 

 

Next are my sunglasses, which have a tortoise-shell-patterned frame.

I also take my mini Tangle Teezer, so that I can give my hair a quick brush when I get out of the sea (it gets very knotty otherwise!).

 

 

A small amount of money is a good idea, too, just in case you want an ice cream or chilled drink!

 

 

Another obvious one is a towel; I like taking a big, thick one so that I can sunbathe on it.

 

No.7 is a hat. Mine is from New Look and it has black and white spotty feather trimming. A hat is great because it keeps the sun from burning your scalp and, providing it's floppy, your shoulders too!

 

 

Now, moving onto the electrical bits and bobs. I like to take my phone and earphones in the hope there's 3G, so that if there is, I can catch up on YouTube etc.!

 

 

The last thing I take, is my Kindle because, although I love a good old paperback, I hate it when books get wet and the pages crumple. At the moment, the Kindle book I'm reading is called Say Her Name and it's by an author named James Dawson.

 

I hope you enjoyed this post! Let me know what your beach bag essentials are!

 

Lucy x

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another New Look Haul // Summer 2015

 Hello everyone! I know I did a New Look Haul just last month, but this morning, it became apparent that I needed another bikini for my holiday as I only had two. So, we popped to New Look and, you guessed it, came out with not only a bikini (which I love, by the way) but lots more as well! Oops!

I'm a bit short of time as Dad would like to load the car this evening and I haven't even began packing, so this is going to be a quickie!

Coral Floral Kimono & Coral Orange Crop Top

I've always wanted a kimono, so when I saw this one on the sales rail, I was over the moon! It's goes so well with my new coral orange crop top (also found on the sales rail) and white shorts, which were featured in my last New Look haul!

Printed Playsuit

I love this as it's unlike anything I own and very comfy. Also, the yellow in it should compliment a tan!

China Blue Floral Kimono & White Tassel Top

Yes, another kimono but this one's more for the evening, whereas the other one's for daytime wear. And, as the tassel top, don't you love it? So simple but so summery!

Stripy Vest Top

If you read my last New Look haul, you'll know I'm into my stripes, so this just had to come home with us!

Stripy Off-The-Shoulder Top

I love this! It's pretty and works with practically everything I own!

 

Red Floral Culottes 

I think the design on these is beyond cute and the colours are my favourite, red and blue!

Coral Orange Bikini

For £5, this was a bargain and not only is it the ideal fit and a flattering shape, it matches my coral floral kimono perfectly!

So, I hope you've enjoyed this quick haul! I better get on with my packing now!

Lucy x

Benefit's Hoola Bronzer

Hello, I'm back with a review! Whilst I was visiting my Gran and Gramps in Northern Ireland, we went to Moores of Coleraine, and by chance, we bumped into a my mum's cousin, Jenny, who knew the lady at the Benefit counter. So, Jenny introduced me to Andrea, the makeup artist, and asked her if she'd have time to do my make-up for me. Andrea, who was extremely nice, said "yes" and told me to take a seat, then began working her magic. She used several products on me including the new green eyeliner and electric blue mascara from the They're Real line. But the one product that really caught my attention (in a positive way!) was the Hoola Bronzer. My gran, being ever so kind, insisted she bought it for me, so off I skipped clutching my new bronzer, as pleased as punch!

First off, the packaging is gorgeous; the bronzer is housed in purple cardboard box that has a small mirror in the lid. It also comes with a flat contour brush that I wasn't expecting to like, but love. It picks up just the right amount of product and fits nicely in the hollows of my cheeks.

According to Andrea, Hoola is the only bronzer in the world that doesn't contain red or orange pigments, so no matter how much you use, you won't look like a carrot! It's also very versatile; you can use it to contour with, add an all-over glow or even as an eyeshadow. She also said it should last me about two years, so, hey, it's almost value for money, don't you think?

Unlike many other bronzers, this doesn't look chalky or obvious. Instead, it's smooth and almost undetectable on my skin. It's never made my face look muddy either, which is great because that's not a look I tend to go for!

To contour with, it's perfect as you can build it up to be as intense or natural as you like. Also, because it's an ashy brown colour, it's good for creating shadows.

I think this would be ideal for all skin types and skin tones. This product's only downside is it's hefty price tag, but if you're looking for a lovely bronzer and willing to splash the cash, then I'd definitely go for this! It's exceeded my expectations!

Lucy x

P.S. This is just my personal opinion; what works for me may not work for you, so try before you buy!