Halloween Masks | Crafts

It's that time of year again, where everyone gets excited for Halloween! Whatever age you are, you can always have some fun on this day! I thought I would share a cute idea with you, for people that don't have much time on their hands but still want to make some effort for this occasion. 

In more recent years I have not had chance to dress up properly, but this year I came up with a slight alternative! Paper plate masks! Oh yes.... it's time to whip your art and crafts out!

So these are seriously easy to make, and you can make them look however odd you want! I just tried out two designs with my friend, which ended up looking like this >>>

So all you need is:
                            paper plate
                            orange paint
                            black paint
                            glue
                            brushes
                            some bits and bobs to stick on
                            hole punch
                            scissors
                            and some elastic or string

I would say it was pretty obvious how we made these masks, but for those of you who like to read how i did it...then please carry on reading. First of all we completely covered the masks in orange paint, and let it dry. once it had dried, we then cut out holes for the eyes, and punched holes for the elastic to be tied through, which will end up being the strap to go around your head. Then we just got creative, so create whatever design you want!

Have fun this Halloween, but remember to stay safe!

xox Laura xox

NEW Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paint By Barry M | Nails

Recently I purchased a few of the new Gelly Nail Paints by Barry M, and I absolutely LOVE them! If you want to see all of the colours, and where to buy them from check out Barry M. I have been wearing the colour Pomegranate all week, and I just put on the colour Watermelon ... lets just say it is GORGEOUS!

^^^^^

Just a few snaps to show you what it looks like! 

The pictures above show the nail varnish with two coats of the colour, along with a clear top coat. The formula in this new nail varnish is fantastic; with just one coat, the colour was as it is shown above *I just like to put two coats, out of habit*. From what I can see, the new Gelly formula is slightly thicker than the usual Barry M nail paint, and it also has more of a glossy look to it. So really with this nail varnish you could easily get away with having just one coat of the colour, without even needing a top coat to make it shine! Now what more could you want if you were in a rush! 

From wearing another colour of this nail paint, I can tell you that it really lasts! I wore it for a week, and literally just my thumb nail chipped slightly! I am really impressed with this nail polish, and will definitely be purchasing all of the other colours! The only reason i didn't buy them all in one go was because I wasn't sure how different they would be to the normal nail paints. 

There are 9 different colours available at the moment, which really vary so that they can suit many people, and styles. There is a beautiful blue, pink and purple, which are all quite similar to the ice cream colours; they are light, block colours, which are absolutely gorgeous! Then as a more central colour type, there is a darker pink, a block orange, and a pretty red. These are also just as lovely! Then at the darker end of the colour spectrum we have the dark green shown above.. a deep purple, and a dark blue. Having three sets of three colours is how I look at them... so the options are endless! 

There is definitely a colour for everyone! And for those who like to have all of the full names of the products:

Blueberry

Prickly Pear

Satsuma

Grapefruit

Pomegranate

Plum

Blackberry

Watermelon

Blood Orange

I hope you all enjoyed this mini review/ chat about the new nail paints by Barry M, and let me know if you like them too! 

xox Laura xox 

Match Perfection Blush | Review

For a very long time I have been a huge fan of Rimmel London products, but for some reason I went off them for a while. However now they are some of my most used products!

This is a new Blush offered by Rimmel, and I own it in two shades. 001 Light, and 003 Medium. **I just wish they had pretty names to match the pretty packaging!**

If you want a specific coloured blush, then you can easily just use one side of the blusher; it's large enough don't you worry! Sometimes I want a more natural spread of colour, so I just whizz my brush throughout the whole pot! **Living life on the edge, i know!**

It is very reasonably priced, at just £5.99, and believe me... it will last! I tend to purchase mine from Boots.com as shown here ... Boots

Have a lovely pink day! 

xox Laura xox

Ever After: A Cinderella Story | Film

I first watched this film on the 26th of September '12.... so on Wednesday, and since then I have watched it everyday. Somehow I have fallen in love with a film; I did not think that was possible. I was clearly mistaken.

This film came out in 1998, so how I hadn't seen it until now is beyond me! It is not only an amazing film but it also has some fabulous actors in it, for example Drew Barrymore and Anjelica Huston.

It is a classic take on the original film Cinderella, but with a few differences and twists!

I warn you though.... it is just over 2 hours long! So brace yourselves with popcorn and drinks!

Give this film a watch!

xox Laura xox

Falling Fast By Sophie McKenzie | Book

With just 247 pages, this book is quite an easy read! (just what I like!) 

In summary it is a modern take on a real life Romeo and Juliet situation (ish). It isn't an easy book to describe, but I would definitely recommend it to those who like love stories, that could possibly have a twist or two. 

This is quite a new book, with a really cute front cover! As you can see below. I really liked this book because it shows how love can be complicated, confusing, and arrive in in-expecting places, at rather strange times. 

Pretty true really, because love is all those things. Everything but easy. 

Read this is you like to get through books quickly, and get gripped right at the start!

xox Laura xox

Gok Wan Through Thick and Thin | Book

As soon as I picked up this book I couldn't put it down. It may have 357 pages, but fortunately the writing is on the larger side, so reading it in a few hours is possible; or at least it was for me! I am not a big reader, so it is a new thing I am trying to do as much as possible. I thought that there may be a lot of girls, and guys out there who don't enjoy reading, and neither do I really, unless I find a really good book. Sadly for us with little money; like Moi, books are rather expensive these days, so I have become quite the local at my library. Books are completely free to take from the library, and if you don't read them in the reserved 3 weeks limit then you can just renew them until you get round to reading it! 

I tend to find it difficult finding books that I can get my head into, so the library is a perfect option for me, when i'm never sure if i'll enjoy the book or not. A lot of the time i do tend to judge the book by its cover; bad i know, but i think petty books tend to be the best. 

I was recommended this book by a friend, and I really did enjoy it. I will definitely read Gok's other book/s when I find them! This book is inspiring, true and about life and family. Anyone who needs a boost in life will honestly find this helpful. You wouldn't believe how much even GOK has been through. Truly relate-able. 

Give it a read!

xox Laura xox

Jane Austen Stole My Boyfriend | Book

I purchased this book from a cute little bookstore in South Wales, and couldn't wait to read it. I just thought it sounded great! 

Here is what the back of the book says- 

"Jane Austen (who considers herself an expert in affairs of the heart) has done her fair share of matchmaking, and at the age of fifteen she has already found her best friend Jenny a very eligible gentleman. Now Jane's decided it's her turn to fall in love, and no amount of dancing, dresses and disasters will stop her from finding the man of her dreams. But a good reputation once lost is gone forever, and Jane is in danger of becoming the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons . . ."

It cost me £5.99 and i didn't think i could get so involved with one book! I could hardly put it down!

It was just so gripping, slightly rushed end i may add, but i still loved it!

Definitely give this a read if you like romance! 

xox Laura xox 

 

Nails | Pixie Stix

I am totally in love with this nail polish by Orly! It is so nice for summer! I'll definitely be wearing this a lot over the holidays! Such a pretty coral pink, but not too 'stand out'. Just right!

Xox Laura xox

Hair | leave in conditioner

I love to give my hair as much care as possible because I tend to use a lot of heat on the poor thing. Before I dry or straighten/curl my hair I always use a heat protection spray, but after using the heat, my hair tends to feel a bit dry and lifeless...

Until I found this... Coconut and Almond Leave-in Conditioner!

What a life saver! I have re-purchased this product so many times I have lost count. I apply it all over my hair once I have styled it, and I just feel that I am giving it it's life back. It makes my hair less fluffy, gets rid of frizz and adds shine! What more could you want?!

Well as a bonus it does smell divine!

It is a Boots own product, and is cheap! ( yay for cheap amazing productssssss ! )

Try out this product and let me know what you think, and let me know of you think you have anything better!

Xox Laura xox

8 NEW Barry M Colours and Effects | Nails

So, seen as I am new to blogging you won't know me very well .... but basically I am slightly obsessed with Barry M nail varnish. And when I say slightly... i mean VERY. As soon as new colours or effects come out, they are already on order, I just love them so much! 

Pretty, and not Pricey! 

So these are the newest 8 colours, including 3 effects. The new effect is called 'Chameleon' If you want to see a brief video introducing these colours so you can see what they are called and what they look like on, then check out my quick VIDEO. 

I'll be sure to do some more detailed posts and videos on these new colours very soon! 

xox Laura xox

The Holiday | Film

Starring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Jack Black and many more. Truly a top 10 film. Great for those days when you are feeling hopelessly romantic. I could honestly watch this film over and over again. If you've not seen it ... Well what are you doing?! Hurry up and watch it!

xox Laura xox

Spa Therapy Products | Review

I got these three items in a hotel recently, and I thought I would share them with you guys, because I really liked them. So the three items ... a conditioning shampoo, a body lotion and a soap. First of all the soap is so cute! It is a reasonable size (20g) very suitable for a travel kit, and it contains Aloe Vera. It smells divine, and feels really soft on your skin. Next up is the body lotion, it is a  'relaxing sea fennel' and contains 30ml of product; again perfect for travelling. It is slightly scented; a kind of soft floral cream smell, if that makes any sense at all! The conditioning shampoo bottle contained the same amount, and was entitled 'softening sea lettuce'. Again this has a scent, but it isn't too harsh to have on your hair. I have to say, even though it claims to be both a conditioner and shampoo, I would only use this as a shampoo. It has the foaming qualities of a shampoo, so that's what it should be. Just a cute little set I wanted to share with you!

xox Laura xox

Rimmel London Stay Matte Pressed Powder | Review

This pressed powder is by far, the best and most affordable powder I have ever used. In Boots this powder only costs £3.99; and it is definitely worth it! I have used up at least 6 of these powders, since I first discovered them, and since finding them I have tried many other powders, but always returned to Stay Matte. I love how it eliminates shine, and stays put for several hours. As a result of its low cost, it will not last as long as 12 hours on your skin, like some other powders claim to do, but a little goes a long way, so re-application isn't an issue. I like to apply it with a Kabuki Brush and put it all over my face, and slightly down my neck. It has a good coverage, and if it isn't good enough for you, try it over a foundation. It will set it nicely and give you that extra coverage, and matte look. Try out this fantastic pressed powder! FYI i use it in 'Silky Beige' and i have normal to light skin.

xox Laura xox