17 January 2020 /

Testing Primark Beauty products


I've been using Estee Lauder's Double Wear foundation for a few weeks - I have a sample size so I only use it for special occasions or when I know I'll be needing a full face of makeup for the whole day. On a daily basis I use a lighter coverage as I prefer a more natural look and my skin is quite dry at the moment so anything matte scares me. However, I love the airbrushed effect that Double Wear gives, and the incredible variety of shades (I was colour matched and it was the perfect shade!) so I thought about adding something with a fuller coverage to my collection. 

At £34 a bottle, the Double Wear foundation is way out of my price range. I also found it too heavy for every day use and therefore couldn't justify spending that much money on it. So I decided to take to the internet and ask for suggestions for dupes of Estee Lauder's Double Wear foundation on my Instagram stories. The results varied from L'Oreal Paris Infallalible to Arbonne but the product that came up multiple times was Primark Beauty's Double Coverage Matte Foundation. Obviously, I headed straight to my local Primark to hunt down a bottle of my own..

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I think there were only six shades available and it took me a long time to decide which one would be the best match for me. Not only because some of the testers were missing (The worst part about makeup shopping, it's soo inconvenient) but also because there were quite a few people crowded around the stand who were also trying to grab a bargain and find their shade too. I ended up choosing Ivory which to be honest is a pretty good match. It's slightly more pink/cool toned than I would like but it's not overly noticeable and for £5, I can work with it. 

It has the same scent and consistency as Double Wear but I found the coverage to be slightly lighter. Which isn't an issue for me as I didn't want something too heavy anyway but if you're expecting it to be as full as the Double Wear, you will notice the difference. 

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The second product I tried was their Shimmer Lip Glaze lipgloss which was only £2. A few years ago I bought two of their metallic liquid lipsticks and I was not impressed. The consistency was thin and it smelt strange. Looking back I shouldn't have even attempted to test them because metallic lips are not a look for me but at the time, I definitely got caught up in the trend. 

However, this lipgloss has completely restored my faith in Primark Beauty lip products. I've used it every day since I bought it and it's the perfect colour. Unfortunately the name of the shade was only on the outer packaging so I can't actually tell you what it's called but there were only two options - this one (I think it was called daze or flame?? Don't quote me on that) and a lighter, more peachy colour. It doesn't dry out your lips, it has a sweet scent but it's not too overpowering and it adds just the right amount of shine. I also think it makes my lips look fuller and plumper as well which is a nice bonus! 

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Overall, I've been very impressed with these two new Primark Beauty products that I recently picked up. I've used their lipliners for years but now I've branched out into their face makeup too, I can't wait to try some of their other products!



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12 January 2020 /

The Gentlemen: Film Review


My first cinema trip of 2020 was to see The Gentlemen and, having not even watched the trailer, I had no expectations. The only thing I knew before seeing it was that it was directed by Guy Ritchie and the cast included some incredible actors; Hugh Grant, Colin Farrell, Henry Golding and Matthew McConaughey, to name a few. So I hoped it would be pretty good and I was not disappointed. This film is one of the best films I've seen in a long time.

The Gentlemen follows the story of drug lord Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) as he plans to sell his marijuana empire in order to take a step back from his criminal activities and retire. Drama quickly ensues as criminals of the underworld attempt to overthrow Pearson, the "King" of the industry. It's a classic British, gritty crime-gang film so expect guns, henchmen, murder, fighting, drugs and a lot of swearing. The c-bomb is probably dropped at least once in every sentence. Unsurprisingly, its rated 18 although there isn't really any violence or gore, which you would usually expect from this genre of film.

It's fast-paced, there's a lot going on, and you never really know who to be suspicious of until the very end. The characters are really well-written and Hugh Grant's portrayal of Fletcher, a sneaky disloyal underdog that wears sunglasses indoors, is genius. It's probably my new favourite role that he's taken on and he has some of the best lines, along with Coach (Colin Farrell). I thought the script was perfect, aside from the unnecessary overuse of the aforementioned c-word. It was just the right mixture of witty and funny - I lost count of the amount of times I caught myself still laughing about something that had happened in a previous scene. 

The only small criticisms I have are that the storyline is quite disjointed. It jumps around a lot between Hugh Grant's character in the present day recalling what has previously happened, through the use of flashbacks. So if you're the kind of person who can't put their phone away and concentrate on the screen for a couple of hours, you'll probably struggle with this one. It needs your full attention and even though I was completely invested, there were times when I thought "hang on, who's that? Have we seen this guy before?". I also found Hugh Grant's accent quite distracting. It is one of the best comedic elements of the film (I hope that was intentional..) but at the same time it did just sound like he was doing an impersonation of Tom Hardy, which I found difficult to overlook.

Apart from those minor critiques, overall I loved it and would 100% recommend this film. Even if crime isn't your go-to genre, I think most people will enjoy it purely for the humour and eccentricity of the characters and storylines. Plus, Henry Golding as a baddie.

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9 January 2020 /

Golden Globes 2020: Best Dressed

London, UK
It's officially awards season and that means more Best Dressed posts are coming your way..

I choose my fave dresses from various award shows every year (I think this is my fourth time doing a breakdown of the GG's) but in all honesty, I really wasn't overly keen on any of the dresses from this year's ceremony. Quite disappointing overall but there are still opportunities to be wowed by the red carpet in the next few weeks.

I have managed to put together a shortlist of my favourite looks from Monday's ceremony which ranged from simple pieces, bold colours, metallics and surprisingly, a lot of red.


Ana de Armas
Ralph & Russo


Renee Zellweger
Armani Prive


Saoirse Ronan
Celine


Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Cristina Ottaviano

Scarlett Johansson
Vera Wang


Let me know which looks were your favourite :)

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20 November 2019 /

Last Christmas: Film Review



*Contains spoiler-ish content*


Usually I don't condone watching Christmas films until December but films seem to be in and out of cinemas so quickly nowadays and I didn't want to miss this one, so I went to watch it last night.

I think there's a lot of pressure for Christmas films to do well because there are so many classics to compete with but for me, this one didn't live up to the hype. If you're expecting it to be another Love Actually or The Holiday you will be disappointed. However, there were some good bits..

George Michael's songs obviously play a huge part in the film and I love his music so I can't fault the soundtrack. There's also a few heartwarming scenes that remind you of the meaning of Christmas - the importance of helping people, not holding grudges and surrounding yourself with the people you love. The casting was good. Emilia Clarke is infectiously likeable and I feel like her character is very relatable; we can all learn something from the journey she goes on throughout the film (I know I've definitely been guilty of avoiding an issue because I'm scared of the possible outcome) It's also quite rare for someone to have not experienced some sort of family drama or problems at work so I think most people will understand her character's actions. There are also a few laugh out loud moments and the occasional cheesy/cringey interaction, which is obviously expected in a Christmas film.

I just felt like it wasn't really that Christmassy. Apart from the scenes in the Christmas shop and the odd decoration on the street, there aren't many references to it being Christmas time. I didn't come away from watching it and think "I can't wait to start wrapping presents or putting the tree up". Something was missing but I can't put my finger on what it was. I also predicted the twist at the end. If you saw the tweets about the trailer when it first came out, you'll probably be able to guess what it is as well. I think if you've already worked out the ending (the song lyrics kind of give it away..) it probably doesn't have as much of a shock factor, so I didn't cry. But there was definitely a lump in my throat!

Although I won't be rushing to watch it again, overall, it's a nice, easy watch and it's a good start to the Christmas season!

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15 November 2019 /

Get the Look: Grandad Chic


A few years ago, if you'd said to me "put on a cardigan and some checked trousers" I would have refused and probably would've said something along the lines of "No thanks, I don't want to dress like a long lost relative of Wallace from Wallace and Gromit". Fast forward to 2019 and I own multiple cardigans and like a moth to a flame, I'm instantly drawn to anything and everything in a checked print.

I'm not entirely sure where this obsession has come from. Maybe it's because it makes me feel nostalgic as both of my Grandads did wear things very similar to this and it reminds me of them. Or maybe it's because there's just something really classic about the two simple elements put together. Either way, this is a trend that I am 100% on board with.

Outfit details:
Cardigan and trousers - Primark
Top and boots - New Look
Bag - A boutique in France



The items that I'm wearing are no longer available to buy but I've found a few similar options below that you can recreate this look with.




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31 May 2019 /

Rocketman: Film Review


After patiently waiting for well over a year since they first announced it, I finally got to see Rocketman last week and it did not disappoint. It's no secret that I am a huge fan of anything Taron Egerton does but I really think this could be the one that gets him the recognition he deserves. If he's not nominated for an Oscar next year it will be a travesty and I am fully prepared to lead the campaign for this film to win all the awards.

I went into this film with absolutely no knowledge of Elton John whatsoever. Obviously I've heard a few of his songs and I love the ones that I do know of, but when it comes to Elton himself and his life, I had no clue about any of it. Until I saw this film...

Rocketman tells the story of Reginald Dwight and how he became the iconic star who is better known as Elton John. Through the power of Elton's classic hits, key moments in his life and career are potrayed including his time at the Royal Academy of Music, signing a record deal with his best friend, Bernie Taupin, and performing a sold out show at the Dodgers Stadium in front of over 100,000 people. The audience is also given an insight into some of Elton's darkest times such as his difficult relationships with his parents and manager, John Reid, and his battle with alcohol and drug use which led to a stay in rehab.

Directed by Dexter Fletcher and starring a brilliant supporting cast (Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, Bryce Dallas Howard), it was always going to do well. Taron's performance throughout is incredible and you can tell that he really threw himself into the role. Aside from transforming physically (there are times in the film when you think it genuinely is Elton John) he sings all of the songs and pulls off an unbelievable performance. I also loved Jamie Bell's character (Bernie Taupin) and the portrayal of his and Elton’s friendship. It seems like everyone needs a Bernie in their life and their duet of Yellow Brick Road is so poignant, I was definitely tearing up.

Another particular number that stood out for me is the carnival scene in which we see a young Elton (played by Kit Connor) change into the older version, played by Taron Egerton. The song used in this scene is Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting) and I'm not exaggerating when I say I've listened to it at least 10 times a day since I first saw it. The soundtrack is amazing and my favourite songs are Bennie and the Jets, Honky Cat (duet with Richard Madden) and of course, I'm Still Standing, which is the perfect ending to the film.

There are scenes that pull on the heartstrings and there are scenes that make you want to jump out of your seat, put on a flambuoyant feathered costume and dance around the room. It's a rollercoaster of emotions, perfectly mirroring the crazy life and persona of Sir Elton John.
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19 May 2019 /

Concert Outfit Inspo

Going to concerts is one of my favourite things to do and every year, I like to make sure that I have at least one concert booked in so I have something to look forward to. There's nothing better than hearing your favourite songs live and getting to experience that feeling of excitement and anticipation with thousands of other people who are having just as much fun as you are.

I consider myself as a bit of a pro concert-goer but no matter how many times I've been to one, I still struggle every time with deciding what to wear. On the one hand you want to be comfortable and practical because you're probably going to be stood up for a few hours (and you might have to queue in the rain if you're in the UK..) but on the other hand, you might want to go all out and get dressed up for the evening. My advice is to go with a combination of the two.

Even though it sounds boring and cliche, I always find jeans and a nice top is the go-to combo. You can make it as dressy or as casual as you want and you know you're going to be comfortable. There's nothing worse than getting too hot or having sore feet because it'll ruin your mood and you'll definitely regret it the day after. I remember going to see Justin Bieber on the My World tour in 2011 and some fans by the stage started screaming so everyone went running over because they thought it was Justin, and these two girls in mini dresses and high heels collided with a steward and they all went flying and ended up in a heap on the floor. So if you don't want to run the risk of flashing an arena full of people and almost breaking bones, from that experience alone I would suggest leaving the stilettos at home.

However, if you do want to add extra height so you get a better view, heeled boots are your saviour. I'm 5'4 and on two occasions I have ended up with someone who is around 6 feet tall stood right in front of me so I learnt that the hard way. I have these ones from Boohoo and they've been one of my best purchases ever! I've also put together 5 outifts that I think would be perfect for a concert just in case anyone needs some inspiration. All of these items are from Boohoo as they have some really nice pieces at the moment and they seem to always have offers and discounts which is a bonus.



I love jumpsuits, I find them so comfortable and easy to dress up or down. Khaki and leopard print are very on trend at the moment so this combo would work really well.


I have been seeing this red dress all over Instagram for months and I love it. You can't go wrong with a dress and a pair of trainers for that 'pretty but casual' look.
The one shoulder is back and I'm definitely a fan of the 90s vibes! This heel is the perfect height to give you that extra boost without making your feet hurt and the outfit is dressy but not too much.

This is my 'rock chick' look that features my beloved boots. I wasn't keen on camo to start with but this jacket really adds to the outfit and makes it more interesting. Also black denim shorts should be a staple in every wardrobe.


I've been loving blazers recently as you can wear them in so many different ways. This is quite a dressy concert look with the satin cami and slightly higher heel but you could always change the top for a white tee and add some trainers to make it more casual.

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