Scent of Summer

So right now the UK is recuperating from it’s first official “heatwave” of the summer, so I know a candle might not be at the top of everyone’s must have list, but this one is just so gorgeous I had to mention it.

The Silk Blossom scent comes in a candle which I purchased for £42, and a cologne which comes in at the slightly steeper £82. Very pricey yes but all the proceeds of the candle go to the Jo Malone charity which builds gardens in underprivileged areas, so it’s pretty much the most feel-good purchase you’ll nab this year!

Described as “Nature’s blooms at their most tempting. The nectarous, pink-fringed pompoms of Silk Blossom. Irresistible to hummingbirds and butterflies. Apricot-fresh with a touch of spice. Airy with clouds of powder-soft heliotrope, nestling on a bed of moss. Fruity and enticing.” It’s the epitome of a fresh and summery scent which works equally as great as a room or personal scent. Not to mention the gorgeous ombre design of the products make them almost impossible to resist!

The candles are pretty much sold out everywhere although I would have to recommend to beg, borrow or steal to get one, as its versatility and mix of complex scents makes it a perfect scent for a modern woman looking for a hint of sophistication in Summer. I know I’ll definitely be counting the pennies until I can afford the cologne as well!

Gemma

xx

Tangle Teezer- Worth the Hype?

The Tangle Teezer is one of the most hyped hairbrushes ever with it being stocked everywhere from Boots to Asos, so as a long time sufferer of wild, tangly hair I thought it was time to take the plunge. There’s an ever expanding range from the aqua splash which is intended for showers, the salon elite, the original and the handbag sized compact styler which I decided would be my weapon of choice . They range from about £10-£12 but i would totally recommend doing what I did if you have a student discount card and purchasing it somewhere like Topshop or Asos just to get it that little bit cheaper.

So down to the nitty gritty, I would say one of the definite upsides is in terms of colours and general variety of products you’re pretty much guaranteed to find your perfect product. In terms of detangling, it definitely does the job and it really is perfect for carrying about with you with its lightweight nature and the Compact Styler comes with a base with keeps everything neat and tidy as well.

The plastic formula of the product allows it to air dry extremely quickly so it’s great to use after the shower which is where the majority of my knots at least tend to appear. The varying bristle lengths mean the brush glides through wet hair as well so I never have to live in fear of accidently tugging my hair out because of a particularly nasty knot which long hair is especially prone to.

My only critcism of the product is that if you’re like me and have extremely thick hair it takes slightly more effort to fully remove every tangle, I find it usually works best if I separate my hair just to fully get all those tangles out. But it’s still so completely worth it, especially for long hair as I’ve noticed less breakage in my hair and it’s so much more compact and cuter than carrying a brush that it’s become my perfect hairstyling product and one that I can promise is very much worth the hype!

Gemma

xxx

The Lip That Lasts- Bourjois Velvet Rouge Edition

Now when I say I am obsessed with lip products this is no exaggeration, considering I may have brought over 15 lip products last time I went home… which was for a week, but hey a girl has got to have options. But this obsession has led me to be is more discerning in the quality, pigment and longevity of my lip products which is why I was completely over the moon to have discovered Bourjois’ Rouge Edition lipsticks. While they have more of a standard lipstick formula I have to focus on my favourites, the Rouge Edition Velvet lipsticks which take a more lip lacquer formula which means they last all day long.

Although this is by no means a new concept with every brand having had a crack at it with both positive and negative outcomes, Rimmel’s Apocalips being a personal highlight for me. For Bourjois though it seems biding their time was completely worth it and after buying one I was so impressed I immediately ran back the next day and bought two more. With an eight colour spectrum it won’t be long till I collect them all and with a variety that boasts bold bright pinks (Pink Pong) to more muted reds and browns (Frambourjois and Nude-ist) there’s something for everyone. It doesn’t suffer from multiple layers either so you can build it up as much as you want without it smudging or flaking at all. Although the packaging suggests a more lipgloss texture it gives a matte finish, so if you’re a bit wary of dry lips I’d perhaps lay a base of lip balm first just to lock that moisture in. The wand is simple but effective making it quick as a flash to apply and the long lasting finish and bold colour combination a lot less daunting to apply.

In terms of the big ticket selling point they do not disappoint easily taking you from morning to midnight. I test drived them at T in the Park which with the combination of beer, sweat and rain is pretty much the most extreme test a lip product can be given and it passed with flying colours. With no need to reapply or any risk of the dreaded lip liner look when it wears off it’s perfect for low maintenance looks that gives colour without the need for constant top ups. A couple of makeup wipes later and it’s finally off but when given the choice between more wet wipes or constant top ups I know which one I would choose. At £8.99 a pop it’s proof again that the drug store brands have raised their game and are definitely suceeding on taking on the big budget brands.

T In The Park

So over the weekend I was lucky enough to head along to T in the Park festival in Kinross, Scotland. After heading to Reading Festival in 2012 and having an awesome time I was really excited to give another festival a go, and after seeing the line up I thought I’d give Scotland a whirl.

On Friday we headed to Charlie XCX who was a pretty good way to kick off the festival then stayed for You Me At Six at my sisters insistence so that we could grab a good spot for Haim who were amazing, hands down one of my festival highlights.

We ended the day with Ellie Goulding and Ed Sheeran and then headed to bed as we’d been up since 5am travelling and weren’t particularly fussed about any of the other headliners.

Saturday was the wettest day with torrential rain for the majority of the day, but that didn’t dampen the crowd at Calvin Harris when Will Smith came out! Definitely added a party atmosphere to the night and with stellar previous performances by Pharrell, Paolo Nutini and Twin Atlantic it was a day of such great music that even the rain couldn’t bring us down.

Although by Sunday the sun was blazing down which was great to brighten the mood. We were camped out pretty much all day at the main stage to make sure we had the best spot for Arctic Monkeys and it paid off with us spending the majority of the day at the barrier. From Kodaline to Kaiser Chiefs, Bastille, Paul Weller, Jake Bugg and finishing with Arctic Monkeys it was hands down for me the best lineup of the weekend. Although I was sad to miss some bands such as Franz Ferdinand, London Grammar and Tinie Tempah it was completely compensated by the great performances on the main stage. Kaiser Chiefs were one of my highlights of the festival as they completely owned the stage, while Bastille are one of my favourite bands so I was incredibly excited to see them again. Although  the night and the festival was completely owned by Arctic Monkeys who made me go from not being particularly fussed about their music to becoming undeniably obsessed.

Dan from Bastille

All in all it was a great weekend spent with great friends, weather, food and music. It’s definitely convinced me of the worth of trying different festivals and although the ticket was £200, with me only spending £40 the whole weekend it was way cheaper than a holiday and so much more fun!

June Favourites

So it’s July already, when did that happen? It seems only yesterday it was Easter and now we’ve already got less that 6 months to go till Christmas it seems so crazy. I thought this was a great time to start …

Fun Friends and Food

Before I headed home for the Summer I was really lucky to have two lovely days in Belfast and more importantly two really lovely meals. On the first day it was unfortunately chucking it down with rain so my flatmate …

Getting to know me

 

For my first ever blog post I thought I’d do the obligatory all about me so you guys have an idea of what this blog will be about as well as a little bit about me. So where to begin;

My name is Gemma and I’m 20 years old and currently in my second year of university. I have always been obsessed with various lifestyle aspects such as cooking, fashion and makeup especially, and have been reading blogs and watching Youtube videos for as long as I can remember. I am especially passionate about writing and I just thought what better way to combine the two than start my own blog!

Like my interests there will be a variety of posts from makeup reviews, recipes, fashion and some general posts about what I’m getting on with and doing in my own life. I am by no means any sort of expert on any of these things but I hope you will all enjoy reading this blog as much as I’m going to enjoy writing it!