A Little NYX Haul | Spring Edition

Hey guys,

So, if you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, or if you have read my previous post, then you will know that I recently visited Amsterdam. (I apologise about the 'Dam spam guys, as I really know that I have been going on about it so much, but I have major holiday blues).

Here, I decided to go into the NYX shop, as I saw that they had products that I had never seen at my local NYX counter, so thought that I would pick a few up. So yeah, I just thought that I would show you what I bought, my first impressions and swatches!

Firstly, I picked up the NYX Pump It Up Lip Plumper in the shade 'Elizabeth'. In all honesty, I didn't even know that NYX did lip plumpers, as I had never even heard of this range before. However, I was intrigued, so thought that I would buy one to try it out.

When I first put this on, I couldn't see a difference. However, after about 30 seconds, my lips started to tingle, in the same way that other lip plumpers react on your lips. When this started, I could see the results, and my lips did look fuller, so it pretty much did exactly what it says on the tin. Plus, it gives a really pretty subtle nude tint to your lips and is very glossy, so is super pretty for a light make-up day.

Next, I picked up the Bright Idea Illuminating Stick in the shade 'Pinkie Dust'. I thought this was such a pretty coral shade, one that would be perfect for a spring/summer make-up look. As someone who is very particular with blushes due to having very fair skin, I decided to pick one of the lighter shades in the range, as I thought it would add a pretty glow with just a hint of colour.

However, when I put this on, I managed to rub off all of the make-up on my cheek, so I've learnt to not put it straight onto my cheek and to maybe pat it on gently with my fingers, or maybe use a sponge? I don't know, I'm pretty useless with this kind of thing, so if you have a suggestion/know how you're supposed to apply this, then please let me know in the comments!

Lastly, I picked up one of the Butter Glosses in the shade 'Maple Blondie', as it looked like such a pretty pink, coral shade. (Can you tell that I love to wear coral colours during the spring/summer?) Strangely, I have never tried one of their Butter Glosses before, yet I have always wanted to try them, so I decided that it was the right time, and I was ready to make the commitment.

I'm so weird.

But yeah, I really like it, it suits my skin tone really well, as it's not too bright, but adds a bit of colour to my lips. I also really like the formula, as it doesn't feel too sticky like a lot of glosses do, and it glides on really well without looking gooey. (If you've tried a bad gloss before, you'll know what I mean).

I also thought that I would include swatches of all three products so you can see what they look like. From left to right: Elizabeth, Maple Blondie and Pinkie Dust. As you can see, they are all perfect colours for a pretty springtime make-up look.

I absolutely love these products, and they will all definitely be a staple in my springtime make-up look.

What products do you love to use during the springtime?

Much love,

Grace x

Amsterdam Travel Diary | Spring 2017

Hey guys,

So, as you probably know by now, I visited Amsterdam last weekend, and I had such an amazing time. It was one of the most beautiful cities I have visited, and I loved every second of exploring it. Therefore, I thought that I would write a travel diary, as one, I love looking back at what I got up to (I have major holiday blues right now) and two, I thought it'd be fun to do!

On the first day, we decided to just have an explore of the central part of Amsterdam, so wandered around the canals and the nine streets. It was such a lovely spring day (we were so lucky with the weather, it was bright sunshine every day that we were there), so it was great to just amble and see what we came across. As you can probably guess, we stopped for a lot of pictures.

On the second day, we decided to visit the Anne Frank House. Even though it was incredibly emotional, it's definitely somewhere that you should visit. It was quite surreal to be in the actual house where Anne Frank and her family hid for 2 years; her story is truly heartbreaking, but one that needs to be known by all.

We then visited the Rijkmuseum, after getting a few photos next to the Iamsterdam letters of course! We were a bit late visiting the Rijkmuseum, but still got to see a couple of exhibits, and it was really interesting to find out more about the history of the Netherlands.

We then visited the Heineken Experience (which was Alex's favourite part), where you were given a tour of the original brewery, and shown how they make Heineken (as well as given three half pints to enjoy!). It was very interactive, with photo booths, a ride and videos to show you how it was (and still is) made. Plus, at the end, you can sit in the bar and enjoy your beer for as long as you like, and it's such a great atmosphere.

We then decided to go out for cocktails, as it was our last night. I had found one on Trip Advisor (did you really go on holiday if you didn't use Trip Advisor?) that looked amazing called Door 74, but when we got there, it looked like a boarded up building. However, I had read that it was a 'speak-easy' kind of bar, so I was determined that this was where we were meant to be.

However, Alex was adamant that it was closed and was no longer there, yet there was a doorbell to press. After a while of us debating whether to go or try the doorbell, Alex finally tried it, and a man came to the door (I was very smug, as Alex only rang it to prove me wrong). Here, he ushered us in, took our coats and gave us a table. He then gave us a menu, which was the coolest menu I had ever seen. It was designed like a map of Amsterdam, and had all the cocktails listed on the back. It was great to try these out, and we ended up having two each because they were honestly the best cocktails I have ever had.

So if you are ever in Amsterdam and looking for a cool, quirky place to have some cocktails, then definitely check out Door 74. And don't be put off by the fact that it looks closed, as it's very much open! However, I would recommend booking, as we were very lucky to walk in as we did, as every other table was full.

Alex very much liked his owl cup.

On the last day, we decided to have an amble again, and ended up in Vondelpark. This was such a beautiful park, and was perfect for blog photos. We ended up spending the majority of the day here, as it was such a gorgeous, sunny day, so we just laid on the grass and chilled.

We then went for an explore of the park, and obviously took pictures of the surroundings. I also made Alex take picture for future blog posts, as you never know when you're going to need a candid picture of yourself in a park, am I right?? I also 'made' him pose for photos (I say 'made' as he posed himself, and even though he moaned, he absolutely loved it).

We then sadly had to leave this beautiful city to come back to crappy English weather. Sad times. However, I will definitely be returning to Amsterdam, as it was such an amazing place to explore, and there is plenty left of the city that I haven't yet seen.

I also hope to travel to more places this year, and I hope to document it all on here. I hope you enjoy these posts, as I genuinely love writing them.

Where would you like to visit?

Much love,

Grace x

It's Okay Not To Be Okay.

Hey guys,

So, I have been very quiet recently, and for this I really do apologise. If you've read my Moving On post, then you will know that I have had some pretty big news recently, but I have also had a few other things that have been affecting me.

I wasn't sure whether to write this post, but I feel like this is a great outlet to express how I'm feeling, as I often find it hard to verbally express how I'm feeling.

Basically, I don't really sleep. As in, once, I had 11 hours sleep in 7 days, and still had to attend university, complete numerous assignments, keep up a social life, eat (obv) and just try and upkeep as normal a life as I could. However, with a brain like mine, which literally never stops due to anxiety, this had started to become difficult, basically to the point where it would never stop and keep me up until 7am, when I had a 10am lecture to be in for.

And I know this is the stereotypical student life of going out partying, staying up until the early hours, then dragging yourself into a 9am lecture still drunk, but this wasn't the issue. I was going to bed at a reasonably normal time, but just laying there for 6-7 hours just overthinking everything. And believe me, I tried everything to just stop it, I tried reading, turning my phone off earlier, playing relaxing music, sleep pillow sprays, the lot. And nothing worked. I ended up getting a better sleep after a night out than I was on a normal night, which is most definitely not good.

This therefore led to me being mentally and physically exhausted, meaning I had to get extensions on assignments (which I hate doing as I feel like I'm giving in to it, which I know is stupid, but I do), I was missing vital lectures, I was getting continually ill and I was just miserable. I mean, I try to be a happy person and I feel like I am the majority of the time, yet this I just could not cope with.

You're probably wondering why I didn't go and get help initially. I actually did about a year ago as my university, but the way in which I was treated by them meant that I just could not face going back. So I ended up going to my welfare tutor who I had spoken to before, and whom I knew would actually listen and not just patronise me, and explained what was going on. In all honesty, he took one look at me (my under-eyes were that black, that I looked like I had been punched, and my skin was literally translucent I was that pale), and just said 'you need help'. So from here, I got a key worker, so now I can easily get help on getting extensions, and it just made everything a whole lot easier.

This made me realise that I shouldn't have been exhausting myself to the extent that I was, in the fact that I was going into uni after having an hours sleep, not being able to understand what was going on as I was so tired, and then going back home and stressing about how I hadn't learnt anything. I'm just happy that I finally took a step back and realised that this wasn't healthy, and I shouldn't have to put myself through that.

The point of this post is to just remind you that it's okay not to be okay. It's okay to admit that things aren't exactly right, that you're not happy in the place that you're in, or that you just want a break from things. It's okay to ask for help, to talk to others about how you're feeling. There will always be someone who will listen and help, even if you feel like there won't be.

It's okay not to be okay.

Much love always,

Grace x

Beauty by Benecos* with Swatches

Hey guys,

I'm back with another review! Sorry for the lack of blog posts recently (a post all about what's been happening will be up in the next couple of days), but I am back and hopefully will be posting more regularly.

I was very kindly contacted by the lovely people over at Benecos, who offered to send me some of their products to try. They are all cruelty-free, so I was so excited to try them! Therefore, I thought that I would share my thoughts with you, and include some swatches too!

So, let's start with the Natural Fresh Bronzing Duo in Ibiza Nights. As I am very pale, I have to be very careful with bronzers, especially ones that have an orange undertone. Unfortunately, this product does, and when I put it on my skin, it literally looked like a big orange splodge on my cheek. However, this product would be great for someone who wasn't as pale as me, as I am literally translucent right now. This is super pigmented also, which means a little goes a long way! The blusher is really pigmented too, and is again quite dark for my skin tone, yet with this, I can apply a little and it doesn't look too dark.

The Natural Eye Shadow in the shade Frozen Yoghurt is my favourite product of the three. It blends so easily, is super creamy even though it's a powder, and is just fab. It's great for a natural look, yet adds a tiny bit of shimmer to an everyday look. It's super soft too (is that a thing? I don't know, but this eyeshadow manages to be soft), and is just the perfect peachy shade to add a pop of colour.

Lastly, we have the lipstick in the shade Watermelon, which is a berry tone with pink tones. As someone who has very pale skin (lol, have I mentioned that already?), berry tones tend to wash me out and literally make me look ill. However, this lipstick doesn't do that, and is great for adding a pop of colour to a natural make-up look. It's not insanely pigmented, but it's pigmented enough to get the colour, and leaves a satin finish. It is also great as it feels super moisturising and doesn't dry out your lips. However, a con is that it doesn't last that long on the lips, and regular touch ups are needed. When you do need to reapply though, it doesn't feel cakey. I've inserted what it looks like on the lips below.

I thought that I would include swatches of the products - L-R Frozen Yoghurt Eyeshadow, Watermelon Lipstick, and the bronzing and blush shade from Ibiza Nights. As you can see, the blush shade is quite light, so is wearable for a paler skin tone, but can be buildable.

I also apologise about how bad my photography is, but you can see what they look like.

So that was my review of the products by Benecos! I have loved trying these products, and would like to thank Benecos for very kindly sending me them.

I hope that you have enjoyed this post, and I hope to see you all again soon!

Much love,

Grace x

*These products were kindly sent to me in return for a review. All opinions are my own.

Crown Brushes*: Are They Worth the Hype?

Hey guys,

So I am back with a review of some make up brushes that I have heard A LOT of good things about. Crown Brushes* are brushes that I have seen a lot of bloggers rave about, and I was so excited to try them out. So, did they live up to the hype?

Okay, so let's start with the eyeshadow brushes. First, we have the Duo Fibre Crease brush. I do like this brush, it does the job, yet I have brushes that I prefer to use for my crease. For example, I don't find this brush to be particularly soft, and I struggle to get enough product on the brush with just one dab in the eyeshadow (is dab the right word?)

Okay, so this next brush is not an eyeshadow brush, but I use it for the eyes as it is great for I love the Tapered Concealer Brush, it is perfect for putting concealer on the lid to get a precise cut crease, and is great for defining your brows. This is because it's quite flat, but is really soft and flexible enough to get a precise line.

The Chisel Blender Brush is honestly a godsend. I love it, it's perfect for blending the shadow under your lower lash line, and is great for creating that smoky-eye look. It's super soft and blends the product so well, and you only need a minimal amount of product on the brush - I love love love it!

The Round Contour Brush is perfect for placing product precisely in the crease, as it is small and soft, but reasonably dense (again, is that the word? Maybe firm? I don't know, I find it hard to describe things). After using this, I then go in with a blending brush of some description, but it's great for placing the shadow initially in the crease.

The Smokey Eye Liner Brush and the Bent Liner Brush are brushes that I have used the least, yet when I tried the Smokey Eye Liner Brush, I loved it! It blended my eyeliner so easily, and it's easy to use without product going everywhere or going too far up the eyelid (I have had issues with previous eye liner brushes, but I think this was my error). So yeah, I love this brush, yet haven't had the chance to use it as much as I'd have liked as I normally go for a look that needs a precise line. The Bent Liner Brush is one that I haven't actually used, as I don't use gel liner, but I have tested it on the soft scale, and it is very soft. So therefore, it seems that it would be delicate on the eye (this is normally used to apply eye liner to the water line), but I cannot say for sure.

So lastly we have the face brushes. Right, firstly, these brushes are soooo soft. I mean, I definitely didn't sit there for 5 minutes just stroking my hand with it. (I'm weird I know, but they were so soft!)

The Duo Fibre Blender Brush is a good brush for applying product, and I feel is a great stippling brush. However, I am not a fan of stippling brushes, as I feel that they don't blend product into my skin as well as a Beauty Blender, but as far as stippling brushes go, it's good. I feel like it's just me to be honest. Me and my awkward skin.

The Dome Blender Brush is my favourite of the face brushes, and I use it to make my contour a bit more defined in the hollows of my cheeks and to blend it out to avoid harsh lines. I absolutely love this brush, it blends product so well and have I mentioned how soft it is??

The Contour Blush Brush is also fab, and I use this for blush (obv), but have also used it for highlight, as it doesn't add too much product but adds the perfect glow.

So overall, I would say they are most definitely worth the hype! Apart from the odd one that I wasn't a huge fan of due to personal preference, the brushes are great quality, super soft and are most definitely a great new addition to my make up bag.

I would like to thank Crown Brushes for sending me this set, and I can't wait to create more make-up looks with these amazing brushes.

What products have you been loving recently?

Much love,

Grace x


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