a catch up and introduction of my upcoming posts!

Hello blogworld, just a quick catch up. I know I’ve not posted in a really long time and I do apologise but I’ve struggled to find time to sit and write any posts over the summer, we've had beautiful weather and i've been trying to make the most of freetime with my family and friends.

    Currently I’m in the process of moving back to University for my third year and I’ve decided to write a series of posts about the University experience, what to expect and how to deal with common student problems. I know this blog post may be a bit late for some of you who have already moved to University but for those who still have to move or even those considering university in the coming years I hope this post gives you a few helpful hints.

Just as a bit of background information; Firstly, I am not claiming to be an “expert” and the tips that I’ll give in this blog post are a reflection of my experience at University and things that I think are useful to know in your first year. Currently I’m going into my third year of a BA(Hons) degree, I study at a campus University which (for those who don’t know) means that all the halls of residence, lecture buildings and university facilities are in one place as opposed to being scattered around a town centre like some Universities. During my first year I lived in Halls of residence and then I moved to a shared house with my friends for second year and now live in a shared house with strangers for my final year (I’ll go into more details about accommodation later on). Luckily for me it’s only a 30 minute train from University to my hometown so I can easily pop home for visits at the weekend which definitely makes things a bit easier.

So hopefully you’ll enjoy my University series and feel free to ask any questions you have in the comments. 

NICOLEPOWNALLX

REVIEW: Sleek Pout Polish in Pin Up!

I absolutely love the way a simple red lip can completely transform your makeup, As red tends to be the colour i reach for most on a daily basis, i get a lot of questions from my friends about what product i use, how i make it last etc. So for today's blogpost I'm going to do a mini review of my go to product for a red lip - Sleek Pout Polish in 157 Pin Up!

About a year and a half ago i discovered Sleek Pout Paint, it seemed like a really cool lip product and i was enticed by the idea of being able to create my own lip colours by mixing different shades.

Sleek website describes the product as "A truly unique lip product, Pout Paint is an intense lip pigment like no other that is made to be mixed.", though the product bares similarity to OCC Lip Tars i couldn't agree more with the statement! The key attraction to this product is its pigmentation, lasting power and wearability! Sleek Pout Paints retail for £4.99 and are available in Superdrug stores that stock Sleek Cosmetics.

Packaging

The plastic squeezy tube is really easy to use and the nozel ensures that you get a tiny amount of product with limited wastage, this also helps to maintain hygiene with the product.  Another thing i love about this product is the fact you can cut the end and scrape out the entirety of the tube ensuring you get all of the product out.
In my opinion, the design of the packaging looks classy and more expensive than it actually retails for.

Application and the product itself

When applying this product you really want to use a tiny amount on a lip brush, the application is generally quite easy and the product spreads well. However, it is easy to get in a mess with this product if you use too much and it may take a few uses to realise how little you need.
The product applies almost like a gloss but drys to a nice matte finish. I'd say it's quite difficult to get a light coverage with this product as a tiny amount tends to give you a full opaque lip look but mixed with vaseline or a balm you could create a tinted lip balm. The product has a very vague vanilla scent and taste which fades throughout the day and the product can be worn for several hours. I've found that the product does stay if you eat carefully but throughout the day the product does wear slightly and become quite dry and flaky feeling on your lips; this isn't visibly noticeable but you can definitely feel it as a wearer so i would recommend re-application after about 4/5 hours or wearing a primer on your lips.

I would definitely say this is my all time favourite product for a red lip. The staying power is amazing and the colour red is perfect for the look i desire, it's reasonably priced and just an all round great product. To anyone who wears a red lip regularly or wants a long-wear lip product I'd say this is a must have!

NICOLEPOWNALLX

the past few weeks...

So the last month has been quite busy, with the beautiful sunshine over the last few weeks i've had plenty of opportunity to enjoy some outdoor time and make the most of the "summer". I have attached a few instagrams from June/July below so i hope you enjoy.....

strawberries&grapes, baby sister, Sutton Stop Canal, Festival, Despicable Me, Boyfriend, Canalside pub, OOTD, Boyfriend, Beer, Taybarns, Graze honeycomb flapjack, Beer garden, Greek yogurt, Nandos, Night out, Fajitas, No makeup, FOTD, Strawberries & cream, Cafe Coco, Coombe Abbey, RIP Grandad, Boyfriend, Summer Friends, Boyfriend, West Orchards, Thorpe Park, date night, Boyfriend.

NICOLEPOWNALLX

Makeup story

Good Morning bloggers, I've finally found some free time to return to my blog and today I'm going to be writing quite a lengthy post about MAKEUP! (I make no apologies for this).

Where it all began:

It's hard to remember exactly why or how i got into makeup, during Secondary school and my early teens I wasn't too bothered about "appearance" and was quite happy to go to school without makeup. However, i came across the youtube community  completely out of the blue when i was about 15, I remember watching youtubers like lollipop26 and really developing a desire to be "good" at makeup. For a couple of months I watched a variety of youtubers in awe and then decided to give it a go myself, I'd always received inexpensive mess-about style makeup for christmas so i dug out a few mascaras and lipglosses,  like most girls i started off with a cheeky bit of mascara and then progressed to foundations etc. I think my parents noticed and agreed to buy me some drugstore better quality basic makeup for my birthday and from then on I have been experimenting and developing a 'passion' for makeup. 

Starting out with makeup advice:

If you're young and starting out with makeup I would firstly recommend going for drugstore as a must. There are lots of inexpensive brands such as Natural Collection/MUA/Miss sporty available that sell palettes and eye shadows really cheap, if you get a few of them and work out what colours work best for your eyes and go from there you're much more likely to be happier with the outcome. Once you've got used to applying eye shadow and know what colours you like you'll be able to make some really good higher end purchases. Secondly, don't be put off if you don't get the hang of it straight away... like everything in life practise makes perfect. I had a phase in year 11 of wearing a baby pink eye shadow on my lid with hot pink in the crease. (CRINGE)  I thought it looked really cool but looking back it was awful, but it really is all about learning from mistakes and a bit of trial and error (without sounding to cliché). Now at the age of 20 I have come a LONG way in terms of how i apply makeup and what products i choose and I'm quite happy with my everyday makeup routine and the amount of money i set aside to buy makeup.

Everyday Makeup:

Foundation: Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation (100 Ivory) £8.99
Concealer: Collection Lasting Perfection (1 Fair)  £4.19

Powder: Rimmel Stay Matte (001 Transparent) £3.99

Bronzer:  Miss Sporty Ohh! TAN so fine (002 Sunny)
Mascara: Scandal Eyes Volume Flash (001 Black) £6.99
Eyeliner: Collection Fast Stroke Black £2.99
Smokey eye created with: Collection Smokey Eye shadow pallet £4.19
MUA eyeshadow - Shade 19 Matt £1.00
17 Glam Rocks Palette Discontinued
Lashes - Eylure 100 or 107 £5.00 (at tesco)
Lipstick: Sleek pout paint in Pin Up £4.99

In the above picture you get an idea of what my everyday go-to makeup is and how it looks applied. As a brief overview I would say that all of these products are good value for money and all available in either boots or superdrug if not both. I tend to reach for drugstore products a lot more because I'm a student and need to budget money. The prices listed above are the general prices from boots/superdrug/supermarkets but it's worth shopping around sometimes places suchas Bodycare, Wilkinsons, Market stalls and discount stores will sell them a bit cheaper and cosmetic lines suchas Rimmel and Collection are always having promotional savings when you buy their products!

Anyway, for those interested in my skin type etc I would probably say i have 'normal' skin, I rarely suffer from dry patches unless the weather is exceptionally bad, but i do tend to get quite an oily forehead and I also have freckles across my cheeks and nose.
I find that Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation works perfectly for normal skin and leaves with a nice healthy glow but this is easily counteracted with powder if you prefer a matte finish, in terms of coverage I would say its light to medium but buildable; for daytime wear i only apply a light coat and my freckles are still slightly visible but during nights out/occassions when i wear a little more foundation i find that it hides my freckles so its quite a versitile foundation if you have a mixed preference of coverage. As mentioned above i used 100 Ivory which is the lightest shade they do (I believe), in honesty it sets on my skin a little bit darker than I'd like but once i've applied my powder it isn't noticeable.

In terms of the rest of the products, i think that they're pretty generic "work with anyone" products that can be used by anyone.
I hope you enjoyed reading this post and it was of some use to people who have the same complexion as me or are just generally interested in everyday makeup. I am quite happy to do an individual review of any of the above listed products so if you would like to know any more details just let me know in a comment

NICOLEPOWNALLX

A spot of afternoon shopping... // PRIMARK AND NEW LOOK HAUL.

So it's June again, the time of year i find hardest to buy for. I think the trends this year are gorgeous - I love all the dainty tops and light-wash denim around but with English weather being notoriously unpredictable it's really difficult to pick which items are really worth the investment. Recently I've been trying to limit my spending and reinvent old outfits to fit current trends - As a student money isn't great and I've got to be reasonable!

However, this past week i've picked up a few bits and pieces that i just couldn't say no to...

(Travel toiletry bag and make up bag from primark. £3.00 & £2.00)

These two beautiful travel bags were from Primark!  I think they look gorgeous and definitely a little bit more expensive than they were. At the moment Primark have a lovely range of travel and toiletry bags really worth a look at! The bags appear to be a sort of dusty off pink/rose fabric with the cream detailing painted on top. The bags have a sort of rubbery texture (from the paint i think) which makes them quite easy to clean. Both bags have beautiful rose gold detailing and a faux crystal on the zipper which is a lovely touch. Definitely one of my favourite purchases this month!

(Primark - £4 down from £8 ... also available in black with silver details)

Couldn't believe my luck when i coined these sale sandals! I have been searching high and low for a nice pair of 'wear with everything' sandals for the summer and Primark had the winning ticket. I'm really into the skater skirt trend and usually wear them with a leather brown belt which looks perfect teamed with these sandals, and they were on sale! BONUS!

(Top left Primark £3, Top Right New Look £5.99, Bottom Left New Look £4.99, Bottom Right New Look £4.99)

I've not purchased fashion necklaces for a couple of years now, i used to be into "kitsch" pendant and long necklaces which i used to layer up but i went off that look.. However! recently I've seen a lot of girls (particularly sales assistants) wearing these short necklaces under the collars of their shirts and i thought i would give it a go myself! 

(Left playsuit from New Look - £16.99 and Sheer Shirt floral print also New Look £14.99)

(Polka dot top - Primark £10 and T-Shirt skater dress - New Look (Cameo Rose) £15.99)

(Sheer Shirts both Primark £10 and £8)

(Playsuit from New Look £19.99)

Overall i think i bagged some really great buys, i tried to purchase staple items which i know I'll get a lot of wear out of/will go with my exsisting wardrobe. There are definitely some lovely summer pieces available on the high street at the moment and if you have the spare money to splash out on some summer clothes i definitely would go and have a peep. 

Until next time...

NICOLEPOWNALLX

The month of May in photos...

So the month of May has been and gone in a flash! I always find May tends to be one of the busiest months of the year for some reason.This month i feel like i have been all over the place - I spent the first few weeks of the month sorting out my last few pieces of University work (made difficult by the demon of procrastination) but it was a relief to finally finish all my assignments for Second year. Then I traveled down to Cornwall with my Aunt and Uncle for a week in St Ives, the weather wasn't amazing but we got a few sunny days and visited a few different Cornish towns over the week so it was a nice and needed break from Uni and "city life". A day after getting back from Cornwall i traveled to the town my boyfriend lives in to spend a bit of time with him and we ended up having a little day trip to West Midlands Safari Park which was really nice! Then later that week we traveled up to Lincoln together to spend a few days with some friends which was great! All in All it's been a pretty busy month... though i do appreciate all the places I've been able to visit over the month it is nice just to have a bit of time in the comfort of my own room!
Like many iPhone users i am absolutely obsessed with instagramming photos... I've noticed a few other bloggers post a selection of "recent photos" every now and then and thought i would also jump on the bandwagon and share a handful of instagrammies from the last month... so here is my May in photos:

(Packed ready for a trip to Lincoln/ Snaps and Ribena on the go/ Pink Lipstick day / Bathtime / Tuna Baguette / Packed Lunch for WMSP / Boats in Falmouth / Pizza Express / Looe Beach / Elephants at the Safari Park / Truro Cathedral / Rekorderlig Strawberry and Lime / Press On Nails / Strawberry Ice Cream in the park / Peacock / Wonka sweets and Twizzlers / Flowers / Ice Cream / BBQ. )

Thanks for reading.

NICOLEPOWNALLX

End of year thoughts...

As i mentioned in my first blog entry, I have just finished my Second year at University - an exciting yet scary thought! ...Though i am thrilled to see another academic year pass and graduation get nearer it scares me to think that in a years time i will be one step closer to full time employment! Being a University student has changed my life completely... i have learnt so many life skills which have transformed me as a person...Okay, that sounds incredibly cliché but it's true!As a student in the middle of my degree i think i'm in a great position to give advice to those thinking about University so if anyone would like a more in depth post about moving to university and what to expect then i would definitely enjoy writing that! (Let me know in the comments) 

Anyway, in summary I would definitely urge anyone considering University to give it a go! ...I won't pretend it's all rainbows and butterflies because there are ups and downs and you will face financial strain, deadlines, work loads, disappointment and a few arguments but the pros of University definitely out way the cons and for the most part i think everyone leaves University a better person! 

Sadly, in my case things didn't quite work out with the second year house so i and a few friends have spent the last few months securing a flat for third year and unfortunately i now have the tedious task of packing my room up and moving out and into a new place for third year! This room was so beautiful and i am gutted to be leaving. (It was on the downstairs of the house so i was lucky enough to have a small conservatory/office space leading into the garden!)

(Collage of my second year University bedroom)

NICOLEPOWNALLX

I shake you warmly by the hand...

Hello to anyone reading this... My name is Nicole, I'm a 20 year old student from the Midlands. Currently i'm living at University and have just completed my second year. (hooray!) As it's now the start of June it's also the start of a very long summer... and i am going to use my summer to start a blog! The main focus of my blog will be to document my personal experiences and share my thoughts on some "beauty" related topics! Hopefully if you're reading this you'll join me on my little journey into the world of blogging...

Catch you soon.


NICOLEPOWNALLX