Wednesday 31 December 2014

Hello 2015




Happy New Years Eve! 

I thought I'd share with you my new year resolutions. I'm so awful at keeping resolutions...for the whole of January I stick to it/them however when February comes, they're out the window! But in 2015 I'm going to try SO hard to stick and complete them as I feel like it's about time I make some positive changes to my life. 

1) Get Fitter
I don't want to lose weight, I just want to get fitter. This means that I want to eat healthier options, eat less rubbish and more fruit and do more exercise. I'm rather lazy and (embarrassingly) I get out of breath a lot so I just want to make my body happy by cutting down the carbs and running around more. 

2) Make My Blog Like My Baby
This is rather strangely named resolution but in 2015 I'm going to start loving my blog even more and make changes to it. I'm getting a new theme and hopefully learn tips at how to improve my photography. I'm going to blog a lot more regularly and most importantly, 

3) Do More Things
I'm quite a shy person and I normally back away from things just because I'm scared of rejection and failure. This has stopped me from doing a lot of things this year and I need to make a change to this as soon I'm going to have to venture into the big wide world of reality. So, as hard as it may be, I'm going to say yes to more things and not worry so much. 

4) Be Happy With Myself
This year I've really been battling with being happy with myself. I've suffered quite badly with low self esteem and it's something that I really need to sort out. Everyone deserves to be happy with who they are as we're all original in many ways. So, in 2015 I'll try and take processes to become a happier Hannah in terms of being myself. I'm not sure what these processes will be but I'm thinking of sharing the 'process' on my blog so if you'd be interested in that, comment down below :) 

5) Explore New Places.
This is quite self-explanatory. I want to visit new places and actually see beautiful parts of the world or even my own country instead of staying in the comfortable but boring places. 

What are your New Year Resolutions?
I hope 2015 is a great year for you :)

Love Hannah 
xoxo

(ps, make sure to follow me over on bloglovin!)

Friday 26 December 2014

Get Ready With Me | Christmas Morning

Merry Christmas! I want to first of all say that I really hope you had a lovely christmas, ate tons of food and opened lots of lovely presents!! 

I thought I'd share with you how I got ready for the big day yesterday from showering to outfit. This is my first ever 'get ready with me' type of post so I do hope you enjoy....

PRE-MAKEUP
After opening presents and having breakfast, I went upstairs to have a shower. Although I didn't wash my hair (I had done that the night before), I washed my body using Champneys shower gel.This was my first time using this product as it was a present but my first impressions are very good. I followed it up with Champneys body lotion. These two products are amazing together - my skin was left feeling incredibly soft and smelling very citrusy which I loved. Then I washed my face using the nitrogena facial scrub and moisturised with simple light moisturiser to get my face ready for the makeup. 



MAKEUP
I started off by priming my face using MUA's matte primer. I love this primer, it's so good for those with oily skin as it controls the oil balance and matifies the skin ready for foundation. For foundation I used the L'Oreal Match Perfection which I adore! Then I went on to concealing any blemishes with Collections Lasting Perfection which I'm sure many of you have heard of as it's brilliant and then I used Rimmel London's Wake Me Up concealer for covering dark circles under my eyes and highlighting. I went in with a No7 blush, I love this blush as it creates a really lovely subtle pinky colour to the cheeks with a hint of shimmer. Then, I highlighted using MAC's Soft and Gentle on my cheekbones, nose, chin and the top of my forehead. 




To fill in my eyebrows, I used No7 pencil (I'm not sure what the name is as I've sharpened it!). I love this pencil - it's easy to use, a perfect colour and blends nicely. Then I went on to doing my eyeshadow but I firstly primed my eyelids with Sin by Urban Decay. For my eyeshadow, I mixed it up a bit and used my Naked 3 palette by Urban Decay to create a pretty pinky look. I got inspiration for this look from this video. I then just applied a winged eyeliner, black pencil eyeliner on my bottom waterline and lots of coats of mascara. 


I wanted to keep things very classic by wearing a glossy red lip. Nothing screams christmas more than wearing a red lip! I used Body Shop's lip pencil in..., Avon red lipstick, Seventeen red gloss (tester size) and then to seal all that in I used Rimmel London's Lip Lock top coat. I definitely recommend this top coat sort of product, it's so good at keeping your lipstick on all day. 



HAIR
I decided to curl my hair just at the bottom using...and then create a lot of volume at the top by back combing with Primark's back combing brush to create a sort of 'beehive' look. I then took two strands of hair at either side of the front and clipped them at the back of my head so that beehive could be defined even more. I think this is such a lovely hair-do that can dressed up even more or dressed down. 


The completed hair and makeup look!


OUTFIT
I loved this outfit (if I do say so myself!). I think it looks so elegant but still youthful and fun due to the feather trim at the bottom of the dress. I also really love the holographic shoes that appear to 'change colour' whenever the light hits it at different angles. The dress is from Topshop and the shoes from New Look - they were both purchased this month so, if you're interested, I'm certain they're still available. 

(I'm so sorry for the horrendous lighting!)
Dress - Topshop
Shoes - New Look

So that's it! Thanks for reading this special GRWM and I hope you enjoyed it. Once again, I hope you had a lovely christmas and have a happy new year! 

Love Hannah
xoxo

(ps, make sure to follow me over on bloglovin!)

Wednesday 24 December 2014

A Little Winter Haul

My first haul! 
I'm so excited to show you the lovely little bits and pieces that I've collected over the past month or so. 

First up is New Look. For me, New Look is one of those 'hit and miss' shops as sometimes I'll love their stuff or hate their stuff. But I have really been impressed with their Winter/Party collection....








Next is Missguided. I use to love this shop but for some unknown reason I went off it however I went back onto the website recently and fell in love with it all over again! The clothing is right up my street and I really had to restrain myself from buying too much but what I need buy, I love!









What haul is complete without a few bits from Primark? Normally I'd buy a lot of stuff from Primark, especially because at the moment their Christmas range is so cute!! However I was able to just stick to buying a couple of christmasy false nails which are SO cute. Surprisingly, they're lasting longer than I thought, baring in mind they were around £1.50 so they definitely were a good purchase. If you're popping into Primark anytime soon, keep an eye out for these 'nails' - definitely recommend. 






Topshop next. Again with New Look, Topshop is a very hit and miss shop and at the moment I'm not 100% loving their stuff but I did find a really lovely dress to wear on Christmas Day. My family never have and probably never will wear 'loungey' or even casual clothing on Christmas Day, we always like to go all out and dress up, regardless of whether family are coming over. Are you and your family like that? Anyway, I fell in love with this dress. The feather trim at the bottom adds a really nice contrast of texture to a somewhat plain crisp white dress (plus it's not fitting so no one will see that food baby!).





What winter haul is complete without a christmas jumper?! I bought this traditional navy christmas jumper from Amazon and for a very good price. Even though I have about 100 christmas jumpers, this one is my new favourite as I love how it's not 'in your face' but it's still a cute, novelty jumper.





I really hope you liked my first ever haul! I'd love to hear what you think so make sure to comment down below :) 

Love Hannah
xoxo

(ps, make sure to follow me over on bloglovin!)

Tuesday 23 December 2014

14 Favourite Products of 2014


2015 is VERY nearly upon us so this evening I thought I'd share with you my 14 most loved products of 2014.





1) MAC Soft and Gentle Highlighter 
I started using this highlighter around Easter time and haven't regretted it. Highlighting my face is something that I love to do as I love that dwy look and this highlighter does the perfect trick. It is powder based but it lasts all day and the 'shine' of it on the skin stays looking the same as when first applied. I'm sort of an Ivory skin tone and it looks so lovely and subtle however I know girls who have used this product with very pale or very tanned skin and still looks natural on both so I'd definitely recommend this product regardless of skin tone and I don't regret purchasing it! 

2)Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette
I got this palette for my birthday in June and I fell in love with it instantly! The shades are very pinky-browny tones so those with blue and green eyes would go well with this palette. It is extremely versatile - it can be used in the daytime but also nighttime and although expensive, I can't fault it. 

3)L'Oreal True Match Foundation
Although I purchased this foundation at the end of 2014, it has been my go-to foundation and will be until I find an even more better one! The coverage is medium but it doesn't look caky and creates a really lovely flawless base. It stays on all day and night and I haven't had any problems with patchiness or creasing at the end of the day. 

4)Benefit Dandelion Blush
When I got a little tester of this blush for my birthday and after using it a couple of times, I immediately had to buy the big version. This blush peachy, pinky toned and is perfect for those who want a subtle but visible colour to the cheeks. 

5)Rimmel London Wake Me Up Concealer 
This conceler has literally been my life. I absolutely love it, the coverage is so lovely, under my eyes, and really brightens and conceals any dark circles or discolouration. It doesn't crease which is something I normally struggle with when it comes to concealers, so it has become my favourite under eye concealer ever! 

6)Avon Red Lipstick
I love wearing red lipsticks as they sort of 'fit in' with any time of the year. I have so many red lipsticks it is ridiculous but my favourite one of all is definitely one which is from Avon (I'm not sure what the name is as it doesn't say on the tubey thing!). This lipstick creates a classic matte, vibrant red lip which honestly lasts for ages. I cannot fault it and I'm dreading the day when it runs out as I don't know what it's called!! 

7)L'Oreal Extraordinary Oil
During the summer, my hair gets horribly dry due to the heat, especially when I go on holidays to somewhere abroad so I always need with me a nourishing and caring hair product of some sort to calm my hair down. This year I have been loving L'Oreal's extraordinary oil - it can be used for anything in regards to hair: before blow drying/straightening/curling, after shampooing and even for when your hair needs a bit more loving. It has completely transformed my hair into a dry mess to  tamed and sleek locks. 

8)Lush Sea Spray Hair Mist
Lush is one of my favourite shops ever and this year when I picked up this sea salt spray, I loved it even more! This product was put on my hair nearly everyday during summer and when I went on holiday as it created a really nice, natural wavy look that is perfect for summer. It also creates body and volume...so it's basically an amazing 3-in-1 product! 

9)Lush Eau Roma Toner Water
Also from Lush I have been loving this toner water. It's such a good toner to use day and night that hydrates and clears the skin for any left over make up. I'm currently on my second bottle which is nearly at an end, so you can tell how much I love this product. Definitely check it out! 

10)St Tropez Tinted Moisturiser 
Although I am not using it now (I don't mind having pale skin for winter), this tinted moisturiser was something I used 24/7 in summer. For someone that isn't very confident with fake tanning, I was pleasantly surprised at how subtle this tinted moisturiser was and it didn't make my body look orange and streaky which is something I was really worried about! I love this product and will definitely be visiting boots as summer approaches to pick up some more. 

11)Urban Decay Sin Primer
This primer has been the base for my eyeshadow for the majority of 2014. I think it goes perfectly with shimmery eyeshadows as the hint of shimmer in the primer emphases the eyeshadow/s even more creating a glam look - a must have for the evening! Also, it lasts all day and all night so worrying about creasing or colour fading is not needed.

12)Vaseline Rosy Lips 
I'm extremely picky when it comes to lip care as I don't like weird textures on my lips, so after trying out so many I picked up this one from Vaseline and haven't regretted it since. The texture is really nice and almost silk like and with the added hint of red, it brings back that youthful colouring to your lips. A very handy little product that's always been in my handbag throughout 2014.

13)BarryM Matte Nail Polish Range
If you haven't heard of this range then where have you been?! I probably own most of these matte nail polishes and any of them are have been on my nails 99% of the time during 2014. I guess it's a personal preference of whether your prefer matte or glossy nails but I can't really describe how much I adore how matte nails look! Favourite nail polishes of 2014.

14)Real Techniques Expert Face Brush
I adore this brush! It can be used for anything and everything - concealing, foundation, contouring, highlighting etc etc. It is such a useful and basic essential that should be in everyone's make up bags. The hairs are soft and haven't fallen out and  this brush makes it so easy to apply and blend any product. A must have really!

I'd love to know what your favourite products of 2014 have been :)

Love Hannah
xoxo

(ps, make sure to follow me over on bloglovin!)

Sunday 7 December 2014

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year






December and Christmas are the best times of the year, personally, so I thought I'd share with you a few reasons why I love December and Christmas....

Decorating the house
Christmas lights in the streets
Christmas jumpers
Eating too much
Wrapping presents
Christmas songs
Hot chocolates
Dark colours
Snow
Layering up
Chilly days
Evenings getting darker
Winter wonderlands
Carol singers
Christmas films
Grottos
Everyone seeming happier
Salted peanuts
Advent calendars
Long, muddy walks
Frosty mornings


What are your favourite things about this month?


Love Hannah
xoxo

(p.s make sure to follow me on blog lovin!)



Thursday 4 December 2014

Winter Essentials

 It's finally December! 

December is probably one of my favourite months purely because everywhere you go and everywhere you look, it seems as if christmas has vomited on everything (rather gross way of putting it). December is also an extremely cold, wintery and snuggery month so as it's most definitely winter now, I thought I'd share with you my winter essentials. 

My number first winter essential would have to be jumpers. Whether thats a christmas jumper or fishermen jumper, they're always something that I personally have to have lots of in my wardrobe because they're a piece of clothing that you can throw on with anything and still make it look like you've spent an hour on your outfit.

Primark Christmas Scene Sweater

Primark Mens Knitted Jumper
These two jumpers are definitely my favourite this year.  I have so many different christmas jumpers but I think this one has to be my favourite just because the scene, in my opinion, is perfect and very traditional (it also looks so cute with a frilly collar). The second is just your bog standard knitted jumper. I really like this jumper because it is SO thick and warm, but also because the colour is beautiful; the added specs of the pinks and reds really complement the main burgundy colour which is probably my favourite colour to wear in the winter period. 


My second essential are boots! During winter you'll probably only really find me wearing boots as they're so comfy and keep your toes roasting. Boots are also amazing when its slippery as most have quite a strong sturdy grip, so the chances of you slipping over on ice may be quite unlikely (but don't take my word for it!).The boots that I wear range from cute little brown boots to chunky black chelsea boots but I think it's nice to have a range of one style as it gives you options - am I right?!


Black Chunky Heeled - Primark
White Chunky Heeled - Ebay
Burgundy Doc Martins - Office
Brown Chelsea Boots - Primark

A rather popular trend that is my third essential is tartan/checkered scarves. There are so many different types of tartan/checkered scarfs in almost every shop and it's not surprising seeing how  they can just complete an outfit and still being warm at the same time. It's quite obvious why these are an essential of mine as they're just so nice to layer up with and, like I said, they're really an all round essential for anyone - no matter how old you are! 


Can't remember the name of this shop but like I said previously, these sort of scarfs can be found anywhere at the moment!
The scarf I have and wear 90% of the time is this really lovely camel, old looking scarf with red, dark green and navy stripes. This scarf goes perfectly with almost everything that I own so there's no need for me to go out a buy another one which is great, but it's also incredibly soft meaning that wearing this keeps my neck nice and snug!


My next essential are a toasty pair of slippers. One of my favourite things to do when I get home from being in the chilly weather is to put on my pug slippers. Your feet is one of the first place the coldness hits you, so, by wearing slippers that problem is resolved! For me, winter isn't winter without a snug pair of slippers. I love my pug slippers, they may be rather battered as you see but they're so adorable and very furry inside that I just can't bear to through them away,



A beauty essential during winter is dark lipsticks, the colours are just so wintery and can glam up at any outfit, especially as we're in the party season. I must admit, I'm not one to be shy when it comes to wearing lipstick, if anything, the darker the better! 


(From left to right)
Rimmel London - Coffee Shimmer
Collection - Scorned
Rimmel London - Amethyst Shimmer

My last essential (which is probably the most important) are candles! Nothing beats curling up on the sofa with blankets and a christmas dvd surrounded by gingerbread, berry and cinnamon scented candles. For me, candles fill up a room with festive scents, relaxation and wintery goodness!

Tea light holders - Dunelm 


What are your winter essentials?

Love Hannah
xoxo



(ps, make sure to follow me on bloglovin!)







Monday 1 December 2014

A Weekend South West | Longleat and Lacock

There is nothing nicer than having a little weekend away to a new and interesting place. My family and I packed an overnight bag and drove up to Wiltshire where we had a visit to Longleat and a historic village called Lacock. 

Longleat is a safari park with a beautiful manor house attached. I think I've only been once or twice when I was tiny so this time round was the first time that I was able to admire how beautiful it all really is. Also because it's pretty much Christmas now (kind of) you can imagine how Christmasy and sparkly everything was. Even though I love going to the zoo, this wasn't really the reason why we went to Longleat. Up to the end of December Longleat put on a Festival of Lights where it was all very Chinese themed with lanterns, thousands of brightly coloured lights and stalls with Chinese features. 



Who remembers Postman Pat?!
 









Hat - (not sure where I got it from but there's so many in high street stores atm!)
Turtle Neck Top - ASOS
Belt - Primark
Floral Skirt - Topshop
Chunky Chelsea Boots - Primark
Coat - Primark

Even in the daylight it looked incredible, however when the sun went down and the moon went up it was a completely different story...... 









The pictures don't show enough of the light projected by the amazing displays. It was honestly breath-taking how delicate but 'in your face' all the features were and it definitely is something I'll remember for a very long time. 







The next day we travelled a little way across to a very small, victorianesque village called Lacock. This village was so beautiful but full of historic features, I could easily live there for the rest of my life. We walked around the village square and went inbetween little lanes which was so cute because the lanes where very small but still filled with unique architecture. 











Then we walked around the Abbey grounds which was so autumnal and pretty. No describing words i the world could even describe how amazing and breaktaking the grounds were....so I'm just going to let the pictures do it! 











Do you recognise this from Harry Potter?

 





I really hope you enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed my weekend away.
Where's a place you've been to recently that you've loved?

Love Hannah
xoxo

(ps make sure to follow me on bloglovin!)