Moving On...

Hey guys,

So, I was a bit absent from blogging for a while, and for this I apologise, but, in those two weeks, something very big happened.

Okay, so, if you have read my 2017 Goals, then you will know that I applied to study abroad in the USA or Canada, and was waiting on a decision over Christmas. During this time, I was told that over 50% more students had applied that year across the university (which is a hell of a lot of people) to go on the international year abroad. And most of these applications were to go to the US or Canada. So, as you can probably guess, I wasn't expecting to get in.

Sadly I was right, as the universities that I had picked to attend had over 50 people applying per place (I know, it was pretty ridiculous), so I was put in the 'pool'. Yes, this was a tad disheartening, but it had also happened to a lot of my friends, so I wasn't too bothered by it.

However, when I opened the email saying my application was unsuccessful, I actually felt relieved. I know you may be thinking 'what on earth?', as I was thinking the exact same when I felt it, but I did. I don't know if this was because the stress was over and I kind of already knew that I had been unsuccessful, so was just happy to move on, or if it was something else. I later realised that it was something else.

I'm not going to lie, spending a year in the US or Canada would be an amazing experience, and I may do something like that some day, but I had started to doubt my decision. What if I didn't like it? What if something happens and I can't get home? These were two questions that stood out to me the most, as these are both things that have happened at my current university. In Birmingham, I'm only 3/4 hours away from my hometown, so what would it be like if I was on the other side of the world? Due to this, before getting my application back, my anxiety surrounding it seemed to be getting worse, which I just assumed to be to the university taking a hell of a long time to reply, but, as it turned out, I just didn't want to go. I say this, I would have liked to go, but the cons were outweighing the pros at this point.

Therefore, I started to consider Europe. Before the whole application process began, I had looked at the University of Bari in Italy, as this was one of the universities that my department linked with in the Erasmus scheme. It was truly stunning, and the town of Bari itself was one that looked incredible, with a ton of history and culture. However, I had always had it in my head that I wanted the American University experience (as who hasn't watched a film about a college in America and thought it looks pretty insane? And I know that films aren't completely accurate, but it still looks pretty cool). So, I stuck with America, and applied. In a weird way, I feel that if I had gone straight for Erasmus, I would have thought 'what if?', so I'm glad that I did it this way, as it helped me find out what I really wanted to do.

After my application to the International programme was unsuccessful, we were offered another chance to apply, but I decided to go for the Erasmus scheme. This did involve a very stressful hour and a half in a café in London with just my phone to write an application and translate the university's website, but I did it. I would also like to apologise to the other people in the café, as they saw a very stressed out Grace that day who was very loudly crying into her cup of tea due to the stress of it (I was told my application had to be in that day as there was one space left). I finally got my application in after a lot of tea drinking, and then went for a celebratory pancake, cause why the hell not?

So yeah, last Monday, I found out that I was going to be studying in Bari for the next year of my life. It is daunting as hell, but I am honestly so excited for this next chapter in my life, and cannot wait to document it all on my blog. So yes, I do apologise for all the Italy talk that will be on here, but I do love a good travel and lifestyle post! But don't worry, the beauty posts will also be here too!

I just thought that I would write this post to show that even if you want something, but don't get it, something else great may come along instead. Even though studying in the USA would be an amazing opportunity, so will studying in Italy, and I'm really glad that I made this decision. I had no idea that I would be in this position this time last year, and am so happy with how far I have progressed, and I am so happy that I haven't let my anxiety hold me back from such an amazing opportunity.

I'm now off to frantically learn Italian and eat some pizza (ha, as if I need an excuse!)

Tanto amore,

Grace x

(and yes, I did just Google translate that)

Date Night Make-Up Routine ft. Threads Beauty

Hey guys,

So today I thought that I would show you a make up look that I have been loving recently. This look is super easy and is quite natural, but gives a good coverage and glow. Also, the red lip and lashes just give it a bit of a pop, which I feel is perfect for date night! (I say date night, you can wear this for a meal with your family, your friends, or even just if you want a bit more of a glam look during the day!)

For this look, I used the Modern Renaissance palette (this is literally my fave thing EVER) and I used the shades Tempura, Buon Fresco, Antique Bronze and Vermeer. Here, I used Tempura as my transition shade, and then went in with Buon Fresco, and blended it into my crease and towards the middle of my eyelid. I then went in with Antique Bronze, and blended this just in the outer corners, as this added a bit more definition. I then used Veneer on the centre of my eyelid, and blended it out so there were no harsh lines.

For eyeliner, I used the Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner, which is honestly the best eyeliner I have ever used! It stays black all day, does not budge, and is perfect for precision. This is a relatively new purchase to me, as I have struggled with eyeliners as they just go grey and wear off after a couple of hours. However, this is incredible, and does exactly what it says on the tin - it definitely stays all day!

For my base, I primed with the Estee Lauder Perfecting Illuminating Primer, which is perfect for that dewy look. For concealer, I used the Naked Skin Concealer, which is a new love of mine (don't know why I had never tried this before, it's fab!), along with my holy grail foundation, Estee Lauder Double Wear. I then used the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette for setting under my eyes, down the bridge of my nose, my forehead and my chin. This just adds a bit of a glow, but also keeps your make up on all day! I then went in with the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow to contour (I know I look super pale in these, but the contour was there!), and the Anastasia Beverley Hills Glow Kit in the shade Bubbly to highlight my cheekbones and cupid's bow.

For brows, I used my trusty Brow-Zings from Benefit, and used the spoolie at the end of my Goof-Proof Brow Pencil to brush through them, just to make them look a bit more natural, but neat. I then highlighted underneath my brows with the Zoeva Brow Light in the shade Margarethe.

In terms of lashes, I used my Benefit Roller Lash Mascara (if you know me, you will know that I love this product, it's fab!) on my top and bottom lashes. I then used the Threads Beauty lashes in Charleston* to give my eyes a little more of a pop and to add a bit more glam. I'm not going to lie, when I initially saw these lashes, they seemed like they were going to be too long and dramatic for me. However, when I put them on, they just looked quite natural, but also made my eyes stand out more. I will definitely be using these for a night out, as they don't look too over the top, but add a bit of glam to your look. I was also very kindly sent the Sex Kitten lashes from Threads Beauty, but I have tried these and they unfortunately don't suit my eye shape.

In terms of a lip colour, I am wearing the Benecos lipstick in the shade Watermelon* to give the look a bit of a pop, but I feel that this would work with any red lip (I also love Nars Hyde Park). I love a red lip all year round, especially with a more natural eye and base; it's a classic!

So there you have it, my date night make up routine! I hope that you enjoyed it, and I would love to know what products you have been loving recently!

Much love,

Grace x


*I was kindly sent these products in return for a review, but all opinions are my own.

Pamper Night: Valentine's Edition ft. Kiss Nails*

Hey guys,

So, I am back with another pamper post, but this is a little bit different. Firstly, it didn't end up in complete disaster like my previous one (which I will link here if you fancy a laugh) and it's kinda themed, although I guess you could do this at any time, but some of the products used are Valentine's Day themed!

Disclaimer: I'm not a huge fan of Valentine's Day, as I feel that you should show your partner/family/friends that you love them every day, but I thought that this would be a cool thing to do if you're having a chilled night in! Plus, I have nothing against those who do like Valentine's Day, as I think it is a lovely concept, but I'm just not one to celebrate it!

So, firstly, you've got to start with a good old bath. For this pamper routine, I decided to put in The Body Shop Rainforest Radiance Hair Butter. I love this product, as I always leave it in when I go in the bath, and after I have rinsed and dried my hair, it is always left so silky and soft.

For my bath, I used the Unicorn Horn Bubble Bar and the Two Hearts Beating As One Bath Melt, which were such calming products. These are both from Lush's Valentine's range, so I'm going to have to stock up! The Unicorn Horn smells like lavender, and makes the bath all pastel and pretty! I then put in the Two Hearts Beating As One, which made the bath more pink (perfect for Valentine's!). The Lush bath melts are perfect for those with dry skin, as they are so moisturising, and your skin feels amazing when you come out of the bath!

Obviously, I had to watch a bit of Netflix whilst in the bath, so I went for Gilmore Girls, which I am currently obsessed with! How have I never watched it before?!

If you have read my pamper posts before, then you will know that I always end up doing my nails! However, this time I thought that I would try the Kiss Acrylic French Nails*, which are actually the first pair of acrylics that I have ever tried. In all honesty, it took me so long to put these on, but I think that this was human error and nothing wrong with the nails! I just couldn't get them to the correct length, so filing them down took a VERY long time. And I'm pretty sure that they still haven't been put on right. Plus, my hands look awful, for which I apologise.

However, the nails themselves are really nice, and look so natural! I love the French tips, as they aren't too in your face, as the tips are a lot more pink-y than normal. I feel that my photos don't really give them justice, as my mum, who has never really liked the idea of acrylic nails, went 'Ooo, they're nice!', which really meant 'Can you do mine like that?'. In person, they're more of a pink-y colour, and look more natural. It's just my awful photography and lighting, so I apologise, but you can kinda see what they are like.

Kiss* also very kindly sent me another set, which are more of a typical French nail (pictured above), which I will definitely be trying in the near future! However, for this Valentine's, I thought I'd stick to a more natural look. I'd definitely recommend these nails if you want a natural, feminine manicure! You can find these pretty nails in Boots.

After a bath and a manicure, I always end up chilling out with a cup of tea and a good old TV series. However, I thought I would push the boat out and have a glass of prosecco, as it was a nice change, and it felt more like a treat (I'm not a huge drinker, but I do drink from time to time). Plus, I got the bottle for Christmas, and it needed drinking (not really, but let's just say it did), so what better time than the present...?

So there you have it, my Valentine's Day pamper routine! You can probably do this all year round with a couple of different products, and I'd say it's probably not a good idea to have the prosecco if you are under 18...but you get my drift! I hope that you enjoyed this post, and I hope to see you all again soon!

Much love,

Grace x

*I was kindly sent these products in return for a review, but all opinions are my own.

Current Favourite Lip Products

Spoiler; I bloody love a nude lip.

Hey guys,

So this is kind of the second in a series of posts all about my favourite beauty bits (I've also written a Skincare Favourites), and this one is all about my favourite lip products! They range from Charlotte Tilbury, Gerard Cosmetics, NYX and Candescent* lip products, and there is a recurring them of a nude lip, but they're all different shades, I swear!

Firstly, we have the BEAUTIFUL Bitch Perfect from Charlotte Tilbury. This is the perfect pinky nude, that I feel would suit any skin tone. I was recommended this by Lucy from Just Lucy's Life (if you haven't already checked out her blog, then you definitely need to!) and fell in love with it.

As well as the packaging being absolutely stunning (Charlotte Tilbury's products are literally goals), the lipstick is super creamy and pigmented, and glides on so effortlessly. It's also really moisturising, as it is from her K.I.S.S.I.N.G range. This is definitely my go-to for a subtle, nude lip.

Next, there is the NYX Lip Lingeries, which are in the shades Bedtime Flirt and Lace Detail. If you have watched my latest video, which is a Beauty Haul and First Impressions, (cheeky promo there), then you will know that I actually disliked these when I originally tried them.

With liquid lipsticks, I feel that the formula can be very hit and miss, as some can be quite cakey or drying. At first, I found these to be exactly that, and they didn't seem to settle well onto my lips. However, on the next try, they glided on so well, and weren't cakey at all. I don't know if my lips were especially dry that day or if they just didn't react well, but something changed! I'd advise putting on a moisturising lip balm before using these however, but I would say that with all matte lipsticks, as they can be quite drying.

I had actually wanted to try these lipsticks for a while, but just could never find the shades that I wanted, so ordered them from ASOS a couple of weeks ago. I was a tad apprehensive, as the shades looked significantly lighter online, so I bought two that seemed to be not too light, but light enough. However, when they arrived, they were a lot darker then I anticipated, so I was quite confused (as you can imagine, it doesn't take a lot). However, when I swatched them, Lace Detail was perfect for my skin tone, and was such a pretty light pink nude. I haven't worn Bedtime Flirt as much, as it is a tad darker, but it is still really pretty.

Next up is the Hydra Matte Lipstick in the shade Skinny Dip from Gerard Cosmetics. This is not something that I would normally go for, as it is a mauvey-purple colour, and is a much darker shade than I would normally wear. However, Beauty Bay were having a sale (who can resist that??), so I think this was reduced to about £8. I was very excited to try it, and when it arrived (and I swatched it, because I am a stereotypical blogger), I fell in love. It is much darker than I would normally go for, but it is a shade that I have never tried before. Due to being very, very pale, I have to be careful with brown toned lipsticks, as they can sometimes wash me out to the point where I look ill. Therefore, I stick to what I know, by normally sporting a pink/nude/coral lip. As you can see by the swatches, it is very pretty, and if I'm feeling daring, my go-to for a darker lip.

Last, but definitely not least, we have the Candescent Lip Balms*, in Cherry, Bubblegum and an Unscented one. I was very kindly sent these by the lovely people over at Candescent, and I literally can't go a day without using these! The formula is so moisturising, and they are definitely a life-saver during this time of year. Plus, the Bubblegum lip balm smells soooo nice, it reminds me of when I was younger and was never without Hubba Bubba. (throwback to childhood). However, I do find the chapstick packaging to be much more practical, as it's a lot easier to put on the lips instead of trying to get product from the tin. But, apart from that, these are my holy grail for when my lips need a little TLC.

So there you have it, my current favourite lips products! I hope that you enjoyed, and I hope to see you all again soon!

What are you current favourite lip products?

Much love,

Grace x



*I was kindly sent these products in return for a review, but all opinions are my own.

Estee Lauder 'Foundation the Nation' Event

Hey guys,

So I was very fortunate to be invited to the Estee Lauder 'Foundation the Nation' event in Debenhams. As a huge fan of Double Wear (it is honestly the best foundation EVER!!), I was super excited to attend.

'Foundation the Nation' is basically where Estee Lauder have toured the world to see if they can create shades that will match everyone. Therefore, they have been to the US, Australia, China, South Africa and now England, to see if they can create a match for everyone to Double Wear.

When I arrived, my make up was removed by one of the Estee Lauder make up artists, and she used a product that basically melted my make up away! It was a product from their Take It Away collection, and was the Makeup Remover Lotion. It was so soft on the skin, and took my make up off so quickly!

I then went to get colour matched. I had actually put fake tan on the night before (I was going to another event that night too so had prepped the night before), so I was feeling a bit daft, as I thought they would match me a darker shade. Turns out that I am still the palest shade even with fake tan on. Fab.

The technology that they used was amazing, and I had honestly not seen anything like it! They did the usual colour matching technique, such as taking pictures from your cheeks, forehead and jawline, but also then took photos of your whole face to see any UV damage or redness that couldn't be seen on the surface yet. It was so cool!

You were told your colour (and I was Shell, the palest shade), and then the very lovely ladies over at the make-up counter gave you a make over! I asked for quite a natural look as I had to go back to university straight afterwards, so they gave me a golden bronze eye look with a subtle base and blusher.

I have taken pictures of the products used below to show you what was used!

So that was the Estee Lauder 'Foundation the Nation' event! It was so lovely to attend and learn all about the new technology that they are using to colour match their foundation! (I'm a right little nerd, so I loved learning about the ins and outs of it all!) I also got to catch up with the lovely Sian Victoria(you can check out her blog here, she's fab!), who I hadn't seen since the last Debenhams event!

I hope that you enjoyed reading, and I will be back with another post soon!

Much love,

Grace x

The Reality of Blogging Events ft. Reasons Why I'm an Idiot

Spoiler alert - I am a bit of an idiot and don't have the best of luck.

Hey guys,

So I was going to write up a post all about my time at the GoGlamGala, but I thought that I would do something a bit different. Don't worry, I do love those recount posts, as I love finding out about people's day-to-day lives (I'm nosey, you see), but I thought that I'd do something that may be more beneficial to others who may have felt this way. But I also thought that I would make use of the fact that half of it was my fault, so you can also have a laugh at how disorganised and unlucky I am.

Okay, so it all began with the initial worries; I'm going to look out of place, I'm not good enough to be there, I'm not going to look the part, I'm going to do somethings daft, what if I fall over on the red carpet and then everyone laughs and then my life will be over? As you can tell, I overthink everything to the MAX. But I was determined to go to this event, and the fact that I had paid for accommodation and travel was something that made me more determined.

Initially, I was so happy and so excited (and don't get me wrong, I was excited the whole time), but the fear just crept up on me, and I just kept thinking that I wasn't good enough to be there, as huge bloggers were going, and it was quite daunting. However, they ended up being absolutely lovely, and I turned out to not have anything to worry about. But it's me, and I worry regardless.

Okay, so this is where it starts to sum up my luck. I bought a dress online the week before (I know, cutting it a bit fine, but I left more than a week!), and paid for next day delivery. They ended up cancelling my order on the Monday due to a lack of stock, so I was stuck with no outfit (I have no fancy clothes at uni as I basically dress like a slob for the majority of my time here). So, I rang my dad at midnight on the Monday in a panic, and he managed to calm me down, and my parents ended up sending me an outfit from home. Crisis averted.

I then ended up getting the wrong train. Well, staying on the wrong train. I had to leave at 5 due to my boyfriend still being in lectures until then, so caught the first train that we could. Our tickets said that we had to change, yet we thought, as the train we were on was earlier, that we would therefore get there earlier. But, we were wrong. Fab. We ended up being 30-40 minutes later than anticipated (did I also mention that our train then got delayed). So yeah, I basically had 30 minutes to get ready and get to the event, which was a struggle, I'm not going to lie. I tried to be organised by doing my hair before, but it was raining (typical England) so I basically looked like a drowned rat, and had to straighten it when I got to the hotel anyway. But it was fine, I contacted the blogger who was running the event, and she was lovely, so I began to feel better.

Then we got lost. Right, I'm northern, I'm not great with the London Underground and I'm a bit shit when it comes to anything geographical, so I left it to my boyfriend. Granted, this confusion only delayed us by about 10 minutes, but our delay was starting to add up. We then ended up getting lost trying to find our hotel, but that was soon sorted (thank you Google Maps, you absolute beauty).

When we finally arrived at the event, I was feeling so nervous. Apart from all of the thoughts I was already having about being out of place, I was now late.

But you know what? It was a pretty amazing night. I got to meet some lovely bloggers (such as the gorgeous Maria from www.marusjastyle.com, you should definitely go and check out her blog, it's FAB!), I got to sip on cocktails (which were AMAZING!!) and had a laugh with my boyfriend. Honestly, about 10 minutes in, and all of my worries had gone.

Alex hates this photo because his 'legs look short', but I thought it was cute so he's going to have to make do with short legs.

To sum up, I just wanted to say that even if you do feel like you can't do it, or you're not good enough, or even that you're just very nervous, if you want to do it, do it! I honestly am so glad that I went to this event, and it reminded me of why I love blogging. Everyone was so supportive, and it was just great to be in a room with such like-minded and lovely people. I loved every minute of it, and I was so fortunate to have been invited. Plus, I got to meet two of my favourite bloggers, Lydia Elise Millen and Victoria from In The Frow.

And I apologise for my face in the photo below, but I was fan-girling a bit, I'm not going to lie!

I'm sorry for the waffley post by the way, it's just that I have seen a few people post that they also get nervous before events, so I just wanted to say that it is completely normal to feel this way, so don't let it hold you back. Plus, I thought it would be good to share my stressful/hilarious experience to make you all feel a bit better about yourselves (I love a good self-deprecating post don't I), and to show that you can do it! Although, don't feel pressured to, but if you want to, then just go for it!

Thanks for reading, you lovely lot, and I hope to see you all again soon.

Much love,

Grace x