The Lexicon Bracknell - Fashion Trends for SS18*

Three weekends ago now I was invited to the new shopping centre over in Bracknell called 'The Lexicon' for brunch and a chat about the upcoming Spring/Summer 2018 Trends with some lovely bloggers.

We sat in Coffee Barker, the coolest place I've ever eaten in to have coffee and a chat. I learnt all about what the fashion trends are going to be such as the pastel colours on EVERYTHING! Imagine mint choc chip ice-cream or strawberry ice-cream colour on a little t-shirt. Already I want all of these clothes! One item of clothing I already have that will be perfect for an England spring is the trench coat. It is light enough for the potential warm weather but also keeps you dry if it rains. There are many other fashion trends too such as tailored denim, sheer tops/dresses.. sheer everything, slip dresses, pencil skirts and lots of primary colours! I also learnt all about how plastic is going to stay with us until SS18, ready for the festivals. We chatted away  about how to style all of these items and what would work best together. My favourites definitely have to be the pastel colours, the primary colours and definitely the pencil skirts because I love wearing skirts in the summer! We were given a voucher to spend called the 'Lexicon Gift Card' which can be used in pretty much all of the shops. There are so many different stores to chose from including the big department store Fenwicks which contains everything high end that your heart could desire! I picked up a few pieces from Topshop ready for spring focusing on the primary colours because I knew I could then pair these with bright items another time. 

I somehow stuck to blue and picked up a gorgeous Checked Frill Waist Mini Skirt* which was predominately white but had blue and red lines throughout to make it checked. It also as two gorgeous buttons at the top of it, which adds that little bit of extra detail. To go with this skirt I picked  out a blue (surprise surprise) cropped top*, which also had a slight frill in the sleeves and along the hem line. This featured the word dreamer across the left of the chest which was embroiled in some bright colours. After doing some shopping in Topshop I couldn't not head home without at least looking around Fenwick's. 'Accidentally' I picked up a new tube of my favourite Urban Decay Concealer* and finally the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation* so that I can try it out. 

The Lexicon has such a variety of shops that it would suit anyone and anyone. There is also lots of things to do there while you shop including: dining out, cocktails (Coffee Barker serves them in the evening, I need to go back!!) a cinema and so much more! 

At the moment there is a game over in 'Princess Square' called Beat The Clock where you have the chance to win from over 5,000 different discounts and prizes, to spend in all of the shops that they have available. If you are at The Lexicon then make sure you check it out because you never know what you might win, meaning you can head home with something amazing!

I am definitely going back to The Lexicon for my shopping now because of the wide variety of places to shop. If you want to find out more about The Lexicon you can find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

I couldn't not have a Peach Bellini as a pitstop drink before heading home!

- Abigail x

Jim Chapman - 147 Things | Review*

Now that we are in the full swing of autumn there is nothing I love more than sitting under a blanket with a cup of coffee and reading a good book. Last week I was sent a copy of Jim Chapman's new book - 147 Things, now I am normally a big fan of crime and thriller books but having been watching Jim's videos for at least 4 years I thought I had to give his book a read.

147 Things is hilarious. The stories Jim shares about all the random things that he has done and thought about as well as all those theories you've thought might possibly be real, are now answered by Jim! There is countless 'things' in the book that I have never even thought about before but now I have read all about them I want to keep learning more.

My favourite theory Jim explains is 'Thing 113: Coffee doesn't sober you up but it does make poop happen.' The reason for thing 113 being my favourite is because I am capable of having one too many drinks and then trying t recover the next day. The one thing I always turn to is coffee because I think it will wake me up and keep me going through quite a long day. I never thought to link my toilet antics to drinking coffee so I'm rather glad Jim talks about it because I've learnt something new that I didn't even know existed before this! As well as this Jim also had the intellectual description of how coffee works with all our cells and bile ducts and what not, so it's going to help with my biology work at college!

I would recommend Jim's book 147 Things to anyone that doesn't like to read. Now you probably think I'm crazy but because each little theory is only 2/3 pages long it makes it so much easier to read and its not like if you stop reading you have to try and remember what happened. I'd even say to you if you like reading to also check out 147 things because once you've learnt one random thing you want to learn more and the cycle just keeps going!

You can purchase 147 Things online at Amazon or you can go into your local bookstore and I'm sure they'll have it! Here is also a link to the audio book of 147 Things with an exclusive Q&A with Jim.

Also don't forget to check Jim's channel out here if you're not already subscribed: https://www.youtube.com/user/j1mmyb0bba

If you've read Jim Chapman's book already let me know in the comments what you thought or tweet me!

-Abigail x

Penclic, Does it really work?*

Can you imagine a mouse... thats a pen? Well neither could I until i tried it, and now I'm OBSESSED.

Whenever I edit my Instagram photos I use my MacBook because I have multiple softwares on there that I much prefer using and I can do quite a few images in one go. To sum up how it goes, my hand gets very tired because of the angle that I am sitting at and how the trackpad is positioned on MacBooks.

A couple of months ago now I was ever so lucky as to receive the Penclic R3 which is a wireless pen mouse if you like. It simply is a pen on a computer mouse. I struggled before when using a computer mouse because my fingers are double jointed they didn't sit properly over the shape. Due to the Penclic being the shape and size of a pen it is incredibly easy to use as I do write a lot of notes in class and so am used to holding a pen! As you can see in the image above you even use it just like a pen, except it is on a little square block which helps to move it around easily.

I have even been using the Penclic R3 for completing some of my college work which usually takes me a long time, especially doing all my annotations and labelling, but being able to use something that is just like a pen has literally halved the time! I used to spend hours on homework but now I don't because it is so much easier and comfier to hold the Penclic R3 I whizz straight through it all!

So the mouse itself has a battery inside of it which you charge up using a cable which plugs into the mouse. I have only charged mine up once and it has lasted such a long time while I have been editing away into the night so I am rather impressed.

If you struggle with holding a mouse or find yourself in pain using a normal mouse then I recommend you try out a Penclic because once you have you will never want to go back! Well... I don't want to anyway. For a wireless mouse that is like no other on the market it is a lot more affordable than I ever anticipated it would be, you can check them out HERE!



- Abigail x

Summer Travelling... Gone Wrong?*

If you follow me on social media then you would've seen that back in May I passed my driving test! I am now on the roads in my little car driving around... sensibly I might hope. I am partnering with Point S for this blog post (which is a website in which you can purchase car tyres from) to tell you some dangers of driving around in the summer!

Exploding Tyres
Can you imagine you are just driving along enjoying the views of the ocean over the edge of a cliff,  when you suddenly hear a loud bang. You're losing control of your car and unsure on what to do. This is what it is like when your tyre has exploded. When the wheels are constantly turning they are creating a lot more heat (hot air takes up more space than cold air causing your tyres to expand), add in the warm weather on the tarmac your tyres are going to be very hot. All the mix of friction and heat will cause them to explode! Now don't worry, this isn't going to happen to you whenever you drive but just make sure you are checking your tyres regularly when the air is cold.

Engine Failure
There are many different ways that engine failure can occur, trust me - I've done my research. The one way that I think is most likely to happen while travelling is flooding your engine. If you're driving around and drive through a deep puddle or even a couple can really damage your engine. The water can find its way to the spark plug and suddenly, you're pulled over on the side of the road with an engine that no longer works. Another side note... Don't avoid any leaks, always get them checked out!

Laws about Tyres
Do you know the legal tyre depth for the tyres on your car? Well if not you're in the right place because I know. Having recently passed my test one of the questions I had to be able to answer was the legal minimum tyre depth, which is 1.6mm all the way around in different places! If you find your tires are not 1.6mm then head on over to Point S Website and you can get yourself some new car tyres or just the one!

Sleep
With the nights being lighter everyone is out later, meaning less time to sleep. Now I know that if I am not in bed by 11, I will be grouchy and spacey the next day. Getting in your car tired can cause the same effects as driving under the influence of alcohol. Your concentration and reaction rates are incredibly reduced causing not only you but also everyone else on the road in danger. Make sure you have had enough rest before you next get into your car and drive because you are putting everyone else you in danger too.


Make sure you go and check out Point S because you may be able to find some good deals on tyres for your car!


-Abigail x

Lets Talk Periods | BetttyBox*

           

There is seemingly some stigma online around talking about periods and it is an uncomfortable topic for some to talk about. Well I guess not me! When the time comes around all you want to do is stay in bed eating as much food as possible while watching every film under the sun. 

A week ago I was lucky enough to receive the July Betty Box, which is a monthly subscription service aimed at young teens to help make that time of the month a little bit easier. Your first box is only £6.99, an absolute bargain when you think about how expensive tampons and pads are! After your first box the price increases slightly to £10.50 which is incredibly affordable for everything that is in your box!

In July there was so many goodies that I absolutely adored! I am a big fan already of the Hairon bands because they leave no kinks in my hair and to see them in the box I was very impressed, as these alone are normally just £3.99!   I know of this because in the box as well is a little booklet of not only the costing of the products individually but also stories about topics based around that month. With July being a month of holidays there was a story on '7 Myths about Sun Protection You Really Shouldn't Believe.' which I found not only helpful but such a good touch!

As well as the box 'for you' there is also a box 'for night', 'for later' and a drawstring bag 'for now'. The lids to the boxes easily come off so you can stand them in a draw to grab one or on a shelf to easily get to. The drawstring bag 'for now' is a great disguise for hiding your supplies in your school bag. When I was in school I was always worried about someone seeing my stash in my bag so always stored my pads and tampons  in a little makeup bag. Well the lovelies over at Betty Box have got you covered!

You are able to decide on what supplies come in your box when you place your order. There is a wide range of brands and different types that Betty can provide you with. There is different absorption types and different sizes over on the website and if you like a mix of tampons and pads then you can! The box is so flexible and allows for you to have whatever you like so there is no worry that it won't suit you. You can then order your Betty Box to come on whatever date suits you so you can get it a week before your period is due on or a couple of days, whichever suits you best!

Let me know if you have ever ordered a Betty Box and what you think of them, I now love the idea!

- Abigail x

Slapp Ldn Review*

Does anyone else struggle with trying to find the perfect foundation shade? Matching my face to my neck but then testing a certain foundation on a certain part of your body gets way too confusing for me. Imagine if there was an app that allowed you to match your selfies to different foundations... oh wait... there is!

Slapp London is an app that allows you to upload a selfie (or take a live one in the app), you can then select different parts of your face until you have a shade. Then the app works out which shade in foundation/concealer/contour you need to be wearing. It is a life changer! I have been playing around with the app for a couple of weeks now and I have tried some products that are in my 'shade' to see if the app truly does work.

I took some screenshots of me trying out the app and inserted them for you to see what I meant by my attempt of describing it above! To the right is my no makeup selfie taken in broad daylight so that I could get the best results. I tried to select areas of my face that I felt were most representable of my face so my chin, cheeks, nose and forehead.

The app matched me as shade #f5d3ae which is fairly pale... probably because I scrubbed off all my fake tan! Anyway, the lovely people over at Slapp then sent over two products that were in my shade so that I could see if the app truly works!

The two products I tried out were the LA Girl Pro Conceal HD Concealer in the shade Porcelain and the LA Girl HD Pro BB Cream in the shade Fair.

I was a bit sceptical on whether the products would match my skin tone, after all they were determined through my iPhone. The BB cream matches me perfectly, it blends into my skin so smoothly you can hardly notice it is there. The colour is identical to my face which is crazy to think.

The concealer is one shade lighter than my natural skin tone which is perfect because it allows me to use it to highlight and brighten up my under eye area. This concealer has quickly become up there as one of my favourite concealers because it is so full coverage.

If you're looking to get your hands on a new foundation or concealer make sure you go check out the Slapp app first! Not only will you get your perfect shade but it will then take you straight through to the website to purchase all the makeup to your hearts desire!

You can download it for your iPhone HERE





-Abigail x

Neutrogena's Hydro Boost Range* | A Review by My Mum & Me.

     

So three weeks ago now, I attended a blogging event in Soho, London with the lovely ladies who represent Johnson&Johnson. Before I had attended the event I never realised how many brands that I already use everyday are owned by them such as Neutrogena, Clean & Clear, Aveeno and many others. The ladies were all so lovely and let us take home some of the products so that we could test them out for ourselves.

One range of products that I have been lucky to try is the Hydro Boost range by Neutrogena which has recently been released. It is specifically targeted at an older generation (which I didn't even know Neutrogena did!) who have dry and thirsty skin. I wouldn't class myself as part of the older generation so I knew that I had to rope my mum into trying out some of the products while also testing some myself. Here is what we both had to say about the products....

My Review

I have been using the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gelée Milk cleanser, which you take on a cotton wool pad and wipe over your face, eyes and lips to remove all the makeup and dirt that may be on there. I was rather sceptical about the idea of a milk formula that you then don't have to wash off because you would think it would leave behind a residue of being greasy... but it doesn't at all! Like the rest of the Hydro Boost range that I have tried it leaves your skin unbelievably soft before even applying a moisturiser.  The smell of the Milk cleanser is also absolutely divine, its so fresh!

I am an awful blogger and lost my image of the wipes and now the packet is empty where I have been loving them so much,  I'm afraid there is no close up picture :(((

I have also been using the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Facial wipes. The wipes claim to remove waterproof mascara as well as boosting the hydration in your skin and trust me they do remove all my makeup! I am normally quite partial towards makeup wipes because they react with my skin and so make me break out a lot more than I would like, however because the Neutrogena wipes are suitable for sensitive skin they haven't been irritating me at all. Every time I use a wipe my skin is unbelievably soft and isn't dry to the touch either, even after removing all my makeup... even the stubborn mascara. If you are heading to a festival this year I would recommend you had some of these facial wipes to hand because after spending the day covered in glitter and whatever else, the hydration really helps!

Now onto my mums part of the review.....

Recently I have been loving a rather expensive high end moisturiser but at £80 a tube it was going to be costing me a lot of money. When Abigail returned home from the event she told me all about the Neutrogena Hydro boost range and I couldn't believe how affordable it all was. After using the Hydro Boost Water Gel for nearly 3 weeks now I can definitely notice a difference in how my skin not only feels but also looks. Every morning when I apply the water gel it wakes me up because of how refreshing it is but then soaks right up into my skin ready for my makeup. I am definitely sticking to this moisturiser instead of heading back up the expensive lane!

So because Abigail tried out the milk cleanser I have been using the Micellar water which removes waterproof mascara as well as moisturising your skin. You're probably thinking, how on earth can a makeup remover hydrate your skin? Well I have no idea either but Neutrogena have done it perfectly. You only need a little bit of the Micellar water on a cotton wool pad because a small bit goes a long way! There is no greasy residue either which is a bonus because I hate feeling like there is something still sitting on my skin even when the makeup is gone.

I hope you enjoyed this review that was done by my mother and I, let me know what your favourite skincare products are below!

- Abigail x

The Prettiest Pinks*

The blush and the lipstick are definitely the prettiest pinks I've ever seen... however maybe the eyebrow pencil is a bit more of a brown. A couple of posts back I tried out W7 makeup for the first time and completely fell in love with it, since then I've ran out of the primer and not found one I love even nearly as much. 

Shade - Hot Gossip

Talk about being sparkly, shimmery and spectacular. This blusher comes in a brick form of a powder, contains 6 gorgeous shades that all work as one or as sextuplets separately (I googled what 6 twins is called and apparently its sextuplets and I felt like it just sat right). My favourite shade is the bottom left hand corner which comes out very similarly to Nars-Orgasm. The paler whites and pinks can even work as a soft highlighter if you were to dip a small enough brush into the colour, then it would work perfectly. The blushers are very pigmented and the glitter  transfers nicely from the brush to the cheek with minimal fallout.

Imagine if you could apply pink glitter to your lips, without the actual glitter the harsh scratchy feel or the dry texture. Oh wait... The shade Negligee by W7 is a gorgeous light/medium pink full of sparkle. The pink colour has a slight opacity to it however this isn't noticeable until up close. The glitter hides the fact the pink isn't a bold colour, however this is what I love about the lipstick. I've never found a lipstick that is full of glitter yet isn't dulled out by a bold, bright toned colour. It's a bonus that Negligee doesn't dry out your lips like any other glitter lipstick would have. For the price of this lipstick it is so affordable!

I am not yet mastered in the skill of getting my eyebrows to look good, no matter how hard I try or the amount of products I use, I cannot get eyebrows that look how I want them too! I used the W7 Super brows, when testing out makeup products late at night (who doesn't lets be honest) and so many people commented on my brows and I was amazed because I thought I'd done a job of a 5 year old. I followed my natural brow shape and added in 'fake hairs' or little lines in simple terms before brushing through with the spoolie so my brows were back in shape. The brush clearly is magical because it blended all these harsh lines that I had created together to create an eyebrow that didn't even look like mine. 

I hope you enjoyed exploring a few more W7 products with me, my favourite from this trio has to be the blusher brick,  I love the shimmery colours and high pigmentation!

- Abigail x

In need of Sunglasses? Don't worry, I've got you covered!*

Now that the weather is brightening up I have loved being able to wear sunglasses again! Obviously living in the UK we rarely get a chance to wear sunglasses so as soon as I went away to Florida I knew that I would finally get wear out of them. Below are a couple of shots of my favourite pair that I  have been loving recently teamed up with a cute outfit to give you inspiration!

On the right I am wearing them on my head as a fashion accessory.

On the right I am wearing them to keep out the sun while playing with snapchat filters!

My sunglasses are from a website called GlassesShop.com and they are a website that allows you to buy not only sunglasses but also prescription glasses in many different styles. The glasses are super affordable and are definitely long wearing because I've had mine for over six months now and they are still going strong. The glasses also came in a plastic box to keep them protected which is much better than the material ones you get in shops!

You can find my sunglasses here: https://www.glassesshop.com/eyeglasses/sup0205


I have unfortunately left my glasses with my best friend over in America because I am so forgetful however here is a picture from their website of what they look like up close:

So gorgeous!!

-Abigail x

Cleaning Your Makeup Brush's Just Got Easier*

Everyday I like to change up my eye makeup because it allows you to be creative. However it is such a hassle, having to keep cleaning your brushes in-between each creation. Well beautyessentials have saved my butt here, all because of their Shadow Switch. The Shadow Switch not only cleans your brushes but it is also eco-friendly, hygienic and reliable! For only £5.99 you can clean your brushes so easily without having to use any water or solution! I tried out two of my brushes below so you can see the comparison.

I use this makeup brush way too often for a brown crease. This week I decided right before college I wanted to have a pink/red crease but all my brushes are brown/black from the previous couple of days. Out I whipped my shadow switch to give my brushes a swirl around. Within seconds of swirling the dry brush, on the dry sponge, it was clean. When I then put the brush into a pink tone there wasn't a single trace of brown so I was rather impressed!

One of my most used brushes has to be there for applying glitter to my eyelid. I wasn't expecting the shadow switch to take out any of the glitter as I struggle when cleaning my brushes with a solution to clear all the glitter but this did a much better job than I anticipated! The brush has no trace of the golden/copper glitter so I can dip straight in to a different crazy colour.

Beautyessentials have recently changed their packaging (this being the old packaging) to have something a lot more simple, that can also have more added to it. Make sure you head over to the amazon page so you can see what new exciting things they will be releasing!

The Shadow Switch would also be really handy if you are going away on holiday for at least two weeks. You could easily keep up with the cleaning of your brushes, without having to worry about a liquid solution running all over you clothes in a suitcase.

-Abigail x

A brand I've never used before... But Now I love !!

 

The lovely Molly over at W7, sent me a few makeup items to try out. W7 is a brand that I always see when I'm scrolling through Amazon or on social media yet I've never ordered any because I don't like the idea of having to do it all online as I can't go into the shops to swatch and try everything out!  

I was rather intrigued by the idea of a waterproof foundation and had always wanted a product that would last. I wore the foundation on my GCSE results day and lets leave it as a cried multiple times. There wasn't a single streak in my face and not a single bit of the makeup had moved. I was so impressed that it had lasted through my salty tears. The coverage is very high for the foundation and I think this helps in making it waterproof and long-lasting. The colour I wore is Sand-Beige and although it is slightly too pinky for me I just blended it down my neck and managed to get away with it! The packaging is similar to many of my high end foundations being that it has a pump and is a glass bottle. I feel although the bottle being glass helps keep the product looking clean because its easier to wipe away fingerprints of foundation! If you are going to be crying like me, or if you just want a high coverage foundation without the cost then I am definitely recommending the W7 Waterproof foundation as it was incredible.

Obviously to go with a foundation you need a good primer and that is exactly what the W7 Prime magic, camera ready prier does. The consistency of the primer is similar to the photo ready Smashbox primer. It is obviously clear and doesn’t have a slight tint or colour like other primers I have tried previously. I use quite a bit of primer as I’d rather have slightly too much and my pores are protected than not enough. I’m not sure if the primer helps with the foundation but it does definitely hide majority of my pores and makes my skin look photoshopped without the photoshop.

The eyebrow pencil (shade brown) was in a 'style' I'm going to call it that I have never used before. I'm normally a gel kind of girl with powder over the top as I love the finish it gives on your brows. However… When using the W7 product it was so creamy yet dried like a powder I was amazed and couldn’t believe that all this times I had been using a gel with powder over the top when there was a product available that could do both. The nib is in the shape of the bristles on an eyebrow brush if you know what I mean! It is triangular and slanted so that you can get those on fleek brows!

I also tried out the lipstick in the shade Damson. The red colour is my go to shade for going out in the evenings, as it is more glam and bold which is the look I always like to go for. The colour pay of is a lot higher than I first anticipated because it is such an affordable price. The lipstick isn’t as long lasting as a more high end product and it will last for around 3 hours and thats with drinks and food too. The lipstick has a matte finish which means it isn’t shiny or glossy. A lot of matte lipsticks have a rather drying formula but I found this one didn’t and it still moisturised my lips while wearing it. 

The final W7 product that I tried was the ‘Eye want it’ eyeshadow collection. The colours in the palette are all my normal go to options and I really liked the pigmentation. It did take slightly longer to blend the colours out but I didn’t mind because it does give me the option of more of a prominent look if that is what I wanted. My favourite colour had to be the pinky shimmer as it was such a gorgeous colour. It looks lovely either as a lid colour or even as a light dusting on the top of the cheekbones as a highlight. The tin works as really good storage for the colours however I do think it is rather bulky and it sticks out in my draw. You could easily de-pot them and pop them into a z-palette but I am unsure if they are magnetic or not!

I hope you have enjoyed this review of a few W7 products. My favourite has to be the foundation I have fallen in love with it and now wear it everyday!!

-Abigail x