Essie's 'Mint Candy Apple' Drugstore Dupe?

If we own an Essie nail polish, 9/10 we purchased the shade Mint Candy Apple - a famous mint green colour. The polish has been out a few years now and other brands have tried to release shades similar but I think I'v found possibly the exact dupe at a ridiculously cheap price of £1 from MUA.

MUA are known for their cheap drugstore dupes (their Undress Me palettes are dupes for the Naked palettes, for example). I saw this polish on their stand in Superdrug late last summer and it caught my eye and I picked it up. I compared it to Essie's polish and it's just about exact apart from the price (Essie's polish is £7.99 and MUA is £1!) The polish lasts nearly a week, has a gorgeous shine when adding a top coat and only need 2 coats to become opaque on the nail. The colour is slightly streaky when applied because of the scratchy brush but at a super cheap price this is something to defiantly pick up!

Laura xox

5 things to do when you are sick ♡

Currently I am at home surrounded by tissues and with a sick bowl next to me and I'm feeling pretty gross so what better way to cheer myself up then to write a blog post for you. This is my third sick day off school this week so I have sort of got some ideas on what to do when you don't exactly feel great. My hopeful tips may also be good for you if you just don't feel yourself and you want a bit of me time.

1. Read something. Did you know reading is one of the best things to relax and de-stress your mind, when you ill you want exactly that. It can be anything from Charles Dickens to The Hunger Games, to magazines or even wordsearches - but don't go for the most complicated ones as these could stress you out, you are actually the most fragile when you are sick so stressing yourself out isn't going to help you get any better.

2. Take a bath. This is proabably the most obvious one but laying in the bath for at least half an hour relaxes your muscles and refreshens you. Always a good thing if you feel pretty gross. I would recommend a minty shower/bath soak to relax yourself - you don't want something strong and citrusy that's going to wake you up! Of course you can read in the bath or even go on your phone but be careful you don't drop it - I have learnt that the hard way!

3. Watch Netflix. Or watch any film. Just make sure the movie or TV series isn't too heavy, again you don't want to be stressing your mind out. I would go for something light like a comedy or a chick-flick rather than horror or action! But this is all good just don't watch movie after movie with no break. Your eyes need a rest as they are more than likely to be pretty tired. Also, I probably sound like a 50 year or something (I'm actally 15) but try to stay away from social media, it's hard, I know but it will honestly help your sick bug if you stay away from Twitter or Instagram, just for a day or so.

4. Write notes. This can be from video/blog ideas, to lists of places you want to travel to things you want to do with your friends at the weekend. Jotting ideas down like this will get your imagination going, something we can never lose even if we are sick. You may prefer to do this when you are feeling slightly better as it involves more brain thinking but even if you are not sick I think this is a great idea.

5. Listen to music. Again a pretty obvious one but music is such an amazing thing that can make you feel so many different feelings. Like the movies, I recommend going for something light and quiet as you will feel calmer but with music it's your choice. If rock and hard metal make you feel better, go for it! Listening to music through headphones is apparently worse for you than listening to the music out loud but I personally find headphones (or earphones) make you switch off from the rest of the world so you can unwind.

Hope you found this weeks blog post interesting and possibly and to all you sick people out there, get well soon!

Laura xox 

What's On My Phone? ♡

Last Sunday I uploaded a new video which was a requested video by a viewer and as I had brought a new phone case (which will also be included in an online haul this weekend *hint hint*). It was also a collaboration with my friend Floral Sarah, she also did the same video

I hope you enjoy this video and be sure to catch a normal blog post next week!

What's on my Phone? : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obhvvWOaDuE

Laura xox

Spring FOTD ♡

Today I thought I would celebrate the start of spring with a simple, fresh, 'no makeup' kinda day!

All I did for my base was apply my Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer to bring a touch of radiance to my skin, especially under my eyes as they are looking pretty dull from my lack of sleep, oops... I applied this with the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush which I'm sure you have heard a lot about and is definitely an essential for your base makeup.

I went straight to my eyes and lightly filled in my brows with my new favourite brow product which is the Maybelline Brow Satin and its a fab dupe for the Anastaia Brow Wiz, it's the perfect shade, not too red and not too ashy. Definitely worth the try if your looking for a new brow best friend.

With the contour powder from Sleek in the Face Form palette I apply a little in the socket of my eye as a transition colour to define the crease slightly to open up my eyes and give a fresh bronzed contour on my eyelid.

Also, I went in with my Soap & Glory Supercat eyeliner, I AM IN LOVE! It's jet black matte colour lasts on my eyes all day without flaking off and has a flexible nib to create a thin, precise line or a thick, defined cat-eyed.

I used a light layer of the Roller Lash mascara to define my lashes slightly but I didn't go over the top as I wanted the look to be as subtle and as natural as possible!

Going back to the Sleek Face Form Kit I used the blush and highlight to create the illusion of a healthy glow right on top of my cheek. I love these little palette as great for travelling and at a price of £10 I definitely think it's worth it! I applied it with the Real Techniques blush brush which I adore, it apples the product seamlessly without being scratchy and making the product cakey. A must have in anyone's makeup collection!

And finally to finish off the look I applied generous coats of my Mac Lipstick in Patisserie - a colour that matches my natural lip shade perfectly while giving a good amount of gloss and shine to the lips without being sticky.

I hope you enjoyed this quick little FOTD! I am so excited for spring and summer as I hate winter and can't wait for sunglasses, ice creams, sunny evenings and of course the gorgeous makeup!

Love Laura xox

Fragrances from Winter to Spring ♡

Wow, it's only the middle of February and you are talking about spring, Laura!? Yes, yes I am, but here in the UK we like to think we have a season called spring but to be honest by the time it has arrived it is June and people are thinking about holidays on the beach! *dreams of having a fresh lemonade on a summers day, ahhh* 

But wait, we are getting ahead of ourselves here! 

So to get me in the spring mood (even though technically it's still winter) I am going to be chatting about my favourite fragrances from winter to spring - in over words, smells that suit any season!

To give you a heads up, my astonishingly crap vocabulary for scents will be attempted so don't expect much with my literature skills!

1. For Christmas I was lucky enough to receive a Marc Jacobs perfum - it makes me very happy thinking about it! I'm grateful to own the Daisy Dream scent which I was drawn to everytime I walked into Boots for its gorgeous floral yet fresh scent and of course it's beautiful bottle. When you have used the product (which for me will be in a few years probably as I would only want to use it on special occasions) you can use it a pretty ornament which I think is a great selling point from Marc Jacobs. I own the 30ml bottle which I believe is £38.50 or you can invest in the 50ml which is £51.50 or treat yourself to the 100ml for a whooping £69.50. Pick your choice!

2. My second fragrance I also received for Christmas but is a little more on the budget side at only £6.50 for the full size bottle or you can by the travel size in a gift set a long side it's two body mist sisters for £9.50. I haven't even told you it's name yet and I know you are already excited! It's the Soap and Glory Mist You Madly Body Spray - I love S&G's names! Being a mist it is cheaper than the full on Eau de Toilette and great for on the go. I love popping this in my handbag as it is slim with 100ml worth of product inside. My only way of describing the smell is sweet yet floral but not overpowering so the after scent is quite fresh and minty, something I love in a fragrance. So next time you are looking for a mist that does the full job, go and pick this up from Boots!

3. My third choice is even more budget friendly and is also a body spray. I love body mists and sprays as they are so much easier to use and you can easily just pop it in your bag without worrying it will smash. This spray is from Natural Collection, a popular brand, exclusive to Boots. This scent is very sweet and fruity so out of the 4 I'm showing this is my least favourite but if you love the strong strawberry smell, you will love this. Other scents are also in the collection like; mango (my favourite!), and vanilla. Boots re-released them a few months ago with different packaging and supposedly healthier ingredients. These retail at £4.50 so great if your on a budget!

4. And finally I also received this for Christmas and I have been wanting a Hollister spray for months now but at my local shopping centre they don't have a Hollister so fortunately Santa brought be one! I love this scent the most out of all the sprays and this literally make me think of a beach on the west coast of the U.S. (even though I have never been there!) The one I own is Palisades Beach which is the light pink spray. There is also a dark pink, a light blue and dark blue and also a pale yellow but I can't think of the names off the top of my head! These retail at £11 or the usual offer is 3 for £24 which I think is pretty good so go and pick one of these up if you feel as if you want summer NOW!

Hope this blog post was helpful to you in some way! Also sorry about the crappy photos, I took them on my iPad and next time I will try out my camera, it just takes time to upload to my laptop! I also uploaded a new YouTube video which was a first impressions on the new Rollerlash from Benefit! You can check that out here > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_tn8zJVJjo.

Love Laura xox 

My New Favourite Lipstick ♡

I was a very lucky girl as I received my first gorgeous MAC lipstick for my Christmas. For years I have heard people rave about these lipsticks and I wanted to try one myself and I was so very grateful when I opened the the gift to see a MAC cosmetics bag and then the lipstick inside. I was so fortunate that my Auntie bought it for me as I'm so happy and very grateful.

This isn't a joke but I screamed and nearly cried when I saw it and I have NEVER done that at a Christmas gift before! It sounds so lame but I really LOVE this lipstick! Obvs :)

The first time I used it was on Boxing Day and wow I am in love and for the past month I have been wearing it non-stop! I have mine in the shade Patisserie which is a lustre finish so it is quite sheer but not glossy, more like a satin finish. The colour is definitely very nude, a 'your lips but better' colour which makes me love it more because this means it's so wearable with anything, from a smoking eye to a sun-kissed glowing skin.

I defiantly want to invest in another MAC lipstick or any MAC cosmetics because they have beat my expectations! If you have any recommendations, please tell me!

Laura xox

Girl Online ♡

I am a bit of a book worm but out of all of the books I have read Girl Online is defiantly in the Top 5 along side The Hunger Games, a tough series to follow, but I think Zoe did it for me!

Girl Online was at times slightly unrealistic and cliché but what made me fall in love with Zoe's writing was how unpredictable it was and the twist at the end was genius work! I love how the book hooks you from the beginning and how much you become a part of the novel and how you wish you had someone like Elliot, or Tom or more so, Noah!

But what stood out for me the most was the message Zoe portrayed throughout the book; how you can find hope when you think everything is lost and the messages Penny sends through her blog posts and I feel we should take in those messages and do something about them (example; hate on the Internet) rather than just letting them go over out heads.

I feel the media has defiantly got the wrong idea over this book and it certainly deserved to earn that many sales in one week but it certainly didn't deserve the hate from the media and neither did Zoe.

I believe Zoe did write Girl Online but that is just my personal opinion.

Girl Online was an inspiration to me and I don't usually get that feeling from a book.

Proud is an understatement. I love you Zoella. <33

Laura xox