Fall/Autumn Make-Up Essentials| Featuring Mac Media

So now that October is almost here and Fall/Autumn is upon is, it's time to mix up the makeup routine a tad. So here's what I've been loving so far... P.s. I do apologise for the abundance of Bourjois Paris products, I seem to be liking them a lot lately!

Bourjois Paris Healthy Mix Foundation

I have always been a firm believer in sticking to a good foundation, so for the last few years I haven't really tried any new ones. Then, this month Bourjois had a 3 for 2 event and I thought I'd give this foundation a go... and I am so glad I did! It's super high in coverage which means I don't have to wear as much concealer and it gives such a nice glow after even when you've put powder on. It lasts me all day too, which is a must have in the colder weather!

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette

This palette has been collecting dust in my drawer until recently. This is such an autumnal palette with all the gorgeous brown, golds and purples and it works fab for an every day look or a vamped up evening smokey eye!

Bourjois Paris Bronzing Powder

This is my absolute go to Bronzer. I love it. It looks stunning with a dark lip in the autumn/winter and is so easy to apply.

Barry M Nail Varnish

Lets face it, we've all been waiting for October to arrive so we can rock the dark nails again... and here's two of the shades I think look fab... Cosmo Berry which is a darker plum colour and Raspberry which is more of a deep red. I've also been loving the matte nail look so apply Barry M matte paint over the top and prepare for nail envy!

Bourjois Paris Blush

This blush in shade 54 Rose Frisson/ Frosted Rose is such a gorgeous colour. I'm not usually a fan of bronzer and blush together but paired with the Bronzing Powder, this creates such a fresh faced look - like you've been out in the cold with rosy cheeks - but you get to sit in the warm, instead!

Dark Lips

This combo of three lip products will no doubt be my staple autumn lip. NYX lipliner in plum, The Ted Baker Lip Pencil (no shade colour, sorry!) and Mac Media are spot on for autumn. I've never tried NYX before as it isn't sold in the UK but I am so surprised by its good quality for such a cheap price. And as for Mac, well we all know how blimmin' good their lipsticks are.

Bourjois Paris 1 Second Volume Mascara

I am so fussy when it comes to mascara, but this one definitely has my approval. It's a winner if you're after length as it's probably the longest my lashes have ever been through mascara alone, and the brush is a good'en as well!

Let me know what products you're looking forward to trying this fall/autumn!

Love Lauryn xo

September Birch Box

                     

                         

So over the last year or so I've absolutely loved the monthly Birchbox but when I graduated and had to crack down on my spendings I had to cancel my subscription *sob*... However, when I saw a cheeky little email in my inbox about Birchbox's birthday I couldn't resist having a peek at the website. Whether your a member or not, this month they were offering a present to everyone... and mine was 50% off this months box. A Birchbox for £6?! Well, it would be rude not to, right?

I have to say, for £6 this months box was just fab. I received products I'd been wanting to try for ages... although now I'm not so grateful because I'm totally hooked on them. I've included a little description of each product below...

1. Benefit: The Porefessional: License to Blot
I am a huge fan of the Porefessional primer and when I saw this in my box I was so happy. I've been wanting to try it for months and I can say it definitely lived up to my expectations. My foundation went on a lot better and stayed on a lot longer than without the blotting stick... plus the packaging is so cute.

                                       

2. Beauty Protector Body Cleanser
This is pretty much your standard body wash but I must say that it does smell amazing! It's perfect to pop in your suitcase and take on holiday!

3. The Birchbrush
This little brush is so handy to leave in your handbag for work or in a clutch on a night out. It's pretty similar to a tangle teezer which is my holy grail of hair brushes, except the bristles aren't as flexible but it's size makes it a life saver on a windy morning.

4. Laura Mercier: Flawless Skin Face Polish
We all know Laura Mercier is the queen of beauty, so I was beyond happy to see one of her products in this months box. With sensitive skin, I have to be so careful what products I use but this was a god send! The cleansing wash made my skin feel so smooth and clean and meant applying makeup was a lot easier, too.

5. John Masters Organics: Detangler
I've never really used a detangler before and when I first tried this through my hair it did make it a little greasy. However, the second time I just ran it through the ends of my hair and my brush ran straight through... plus it smells like a spa in a bottle! Bonus!

6. Laqa & Co: Cheeky Lip Pencil in Humble Brag
I love the Laqa & Co lip pencils as they apply so easily, are full of colour and stay on for ages, and this one was no exception! The colour is such a nice shade of pink that I'll definitely be wearing.

                                     

If you head on over to birchbox.co.uk before the end of September you can still grab a birthday box... and trust me, its definitely worth every penny of that £6. Meanwhile, I'm off to shopaholics anonymous...

Love Lauryn xo

Life Lessons We've Learnt From American Tv Shows

So over the years there have been so many fab American TV series that have captured the hearts of the British Nation, but as well as providing us with endless hours of entertainment, they've also taught us many a valuable life lesson...

1. Friends: Cheating is not cool, even if you were 'on a break'.

2. Sons of Anarchy: That it's totally okay to fancy a long haired, slightly psychotic mummy's boy... cue Jax Teller.

3. Gossip Girl: That on/off thing you've had with that boy from college for four years? It's so Chuck and Blair.

4. Pretty Little Liars: That when the majority of the town's population has at one point been a murder suspect, it's probably time to move...

5. Sex in the City: At times in your life, men will screw you over but as long as you have a bottle of wine, food and your bessie friends, you're all good.

6. Glee: There is a song... and a costume... for quite literally every occasion.

7. Desperate Housewives: You're totally okay to sleep with your gardener if he looks like Jesse Metcalfe.

8. CSI: We're smarter than we thought, in fact we're so smart that we suss out who the killer is before the actual detectives. Hand over the shades, Horatio.

9. One Tree Hill: It's totally possible for one group of friends to all end up famous. Basketball player, author, singer, tv presenter, fashion designer? Unlikely? Pfft not in Tree Hill.

10. New Girl: If there's one girl that gets us... It's Jess...

So thank you, America for some of lifes best TV shows!

Love Lauryn xo

Rediscovered: Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette

                         

                           

After a huuuge clean out of the makeup drawer, I found a few gems that I realised I'd completely forgotten about the last few months. There's nothing better than re-discovering an old love, especially when it comes in the form of chocolate scented makeup!

After playing around with the gorgeous colours that are on offer in the palette, I soon remembered how much I loved it, especially in the autumn with so many bronze, golds and gorgeous purples. The shadows are quite pigmented which makes it easy to build up the colours and blend them in easily.

                                      

I'm no expert when it comes to eye makeup and normally stick to the basics but these colours make it so easy to create a smokey eye so I'd definitely recommend it for beginners like myself - plus it literally smells like chocolate, who can resist that?!

Love Lauryn xo

Autumn Must Haves

So in the blink of an eye, Summer has been gone, and here we are in Autumn... and I could not be happier! I absolutely love Autumn... Halloween, cosy nights, hot chocolates and most importantly... a whole new wardrobe. And this year, there are some fab trends hitting the high street. Have a read below for my Autumn must haves!

1. Loafers

I'm absolutely loving these patent loafers for that in between sandals and full on winter boots stage. These burgundy loafers from New Look are so comfy and I'm in love with the autumnal colour. 

                                

2. Faux Fur
Whether it be a collar on a coat or a full gilet... nothing says Autumn like faux fur! It's a great way to keep warm as the cold sets in and it looks super stylish.

                                

3. Hats

Whether its a Fedora or a floppy hat.. they're back in! Not only do they save your hair from frizzing up in the soon to arrive fog, but they add an edge to any outfit. This cute Fedora was a steal at £14 from F&F at Tesco. 

                             

4. Burgundy

So incase you can't tell, I have been completely obsessed with the plum/Burgundy colour that is literally everywhere this year! From nail varnishes to lipsticks and coats... it looks so autumnal and suits everyone.

                             

5. Layers
While we can no longer walk around in those floaty tops, it's not quite time to bundle up in our Winter coats just yet. Layering a plain long sleeved top with some of the fab jackets that are on the high street at the moment is a great way to stay warm but stay on trend. Sleeveless Waterfall jackets are everywhere, as well as wraps, and they both look gorg!

6. Candles

For me, candles are an absolute must have year round but even more so in the autumn and winter. Yankee do some of the most amazing scents and the new box set smell like Autumn in a box. I can never decide on one scent so the Autumn box set at Asda for just £6 is perfect for me, and it means you can create your own scent by burning a few at the same time!

                             

7. Patterned Scarves

With the dark colours making an appearance, a patterned scarf is the perfect way to brighten up an outfit. 

                              

8. Cosy PJs

It goes without saying that Autumn is the time for cosy saturday nights and comfy pyjamas while you watch X factor and eat your bodyweight in food... and Primark have some fab new PJ sets. Not only are these princess pyjamas crazy cute but they're so comfy for saturday night tv marathons.

                                       

What are some of your autumn faves?!

Love Lauryn xo 

Being Lipstick Brave

So last year when the whole dark purple/berry lip colour thing became a trend, I bought myself the Mac 'Media' lipstick. When it arrived I was so excited to try it and loved it. That was until I walked into the bedroom and asked Mitch what he thought, and out came the dreaded words of... 'It's alright.'
Any girl will know that what he might as well have said is 'have you seen what you've put on your lips?' 'Alright' was not the right answer. 'Alright' is not what we are striving for here, 'alright' is in fact so very far from what we are aiming for that you might as well have have laughed in our face and told us we look a disgrace. So basically, after the 'alright' comment, the lipstick came off and went straight to the back of the makeup drawer.

So, a year later I'm having a look on good ol' Ebay for a new lipstick (I'm on a student budget so no judging), when I saw 'Diva' and quite frankly, fell in love, and that's when I remembered poor old Media sitting at the back of the drawer. But that's when I realised, what the heck do boys know about makeup? They are completely clueless as to what makeup actually looks good, and most importantly it's my face, so I'll wear the makeup that I like. So in my rage of defiance, I purchased Diva and adored it even more when it arrived.

As with all mac lipsticks, it applies so smoothly but as it's a dark colour you have to be so careful with your lip line, so I bought the Nyx 812 Plum lipliner also from Ebay for just £2.50 which makes it so much easier to get a neat application. The colour looks so autumnal which I adore and I have vowed to myself not to hide this one away.

So, if you have that bold lipstick you've been dying to wear out but feel a tad too shy, it's time to be lipstick brave!

Love Lauryn xo

Dear Freshers...

As September rolls around yet again, a new whole new influx of freshers are getting ready to leave home and take on the new life of a uni student. From first hand experience, moving away to uni can be a pretty scary experience so here's my advice to beat those Freshers nerves...

1. Facebook

A lot of student accommodations are now on Facebook, so if you're lucky enough to find out which building or even which flat you've been assigned, log onto Facebook and see if any others have posted their living assignments on there, too! I met my entire flat before I moved in and it made it a lot less daunting to meet people I kind of already knew.

2. Room decorations

While some Freshers will take it all in their stride, some, like me, will get homesick - and there's nothing worse than missing your home comforts. Remember, your new uni room is your home for the next year so make it as cosy as you like - and if that means taking your faded old blanket and one direction poster, then do it! Primark is a great place to buy some new decor such as fairy lights which really make your room cute and cosy but don't break the bank.

3. Making Friends

Chances are, in a flat full of complete strangers, you aren't all going to get on - and the same goes for everyone on your course. But you are going to have to live with these people for at least a year so it goes a long way to make a little effort with the people you live with - there's nothing worse than feeling uncomfortable with the people you flat share with! Take common place items such as a pack of door stops that other people would have forgotten to bring, to help break the ice.

4. Be Organised
Of course Freshers week is about the social side of uni, but you are there to learn, too. (Totally sound like my mum now!) In the midst of nights out and hungover days, it's easy to forget about your new studies, so before the partying starts get all of your study materials ready for your first day so it's one less thing to worry about.

5. Pace Yourself
Throughout your welcome week, there will be an event happening pretty much every night - so remember to pace yourself! As tempting as it is to get drunk past the point of knowing your own name on the first night, you don't want to give yourself a hangover that's so bad you miss the next night out, too. Nights out can really help you bond with your new friends, so pace yourself and enjoy!

6. Be Money Wise
Chances are, this is the first time you're really free - and that includes your finances, too! Depending on your student loan, you might have a lump of cash just burning a hole in your bank account, but remember it has to last an entire semester, so as tempting as a shopping spree may be, think about what you need to buy for uni. I found the easiest way to handle my money was divide the amount I had by the amount of weeks I was at uni - that way I knew exactly what I could spend each week. (This was more my mums idea but shhh!)

7. Speak Up If You're Not Happy!
Uni isn't for everyone, so if you're really not happy, tell someone! You might be on the wrong course, find living at home easier like I did, or even just not want to be there anymore, and if that's the case then don't suffer in silence because 9 times out of 10, something can be done to fix your problem and make the absolute best of your university experience.

Your three years at uni will absolutely fly by so make the most of your Freshers week because you'll soon be crying that you're all old and stuff!

Love Lauryn xo