and life makes love look hard

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I put this post together because this week my year have had some exams and so everyone has been really stressed and it's completely understandable. A lot of people I know always feel rubbish after an exam and while I don't always feel confident I do take the approach that it's done now, and there isn't anything we can do but wait so there is no point worrying. However, my exams finished today and so I wanted to put a post together that is happy and optimistic and inspiring and lovely.

I hope you've had a lovely week so far.

Victoria x

Nails (13)

Beauty UK - Cafe Culture No.63 - £1.99

Barry M - Turquoise NP295 - £2.99

Both from Superdrug.

I've been wanting a nude colour for a while now and once again Beauty UK pulled it out the bag. First of all, I love the name of the polish - cafe culture. Secondly, this polish actually has a bit of shimmer in which I hadn't noticed until I looked up close so it adds a subtle shine to your nails which looks lovely. Thirdly, the price for the quality that you get is amazing. I adore Beauty UK, they're nail varnishes are such good value for money, I would definitely pay more than the £1.99 they charge. 

I absolutely love Barry M's nail varnish bottle design. I know it's been around for ages but I still think it looks quite, I don't know, classy maybe. I always think they look lovely in photographs because of the light on the glass. I chose this colour because while I have blues most of them are quite dark or pale whereas this is quite bright. I really like this colour, Barry M are always, I think, brilliant at bringing out good colours. I wouldn't normally pair it with this polish when doing the 'ring finger thing' but I thought I might as well see what it looks like and it makes it easier to show both the polished at the same time. I might add a light glitter coat to the top of the blue. As always with Barry M I find myself wanting it to be just that little bit thicker or opaquer as even with two coats on it looks a little thin in places. Maybe that is just personal preference though and hey, third times a charm. 

What do you think about Beauty UK and Barry M polishes?

Victoria x

and that's just what we do

Boots - Ebay

I've had a really odd week, going back to school on Wednesday threw everyone out of whack. I'm really worried about my exams next week and I just did a practice paper which hasn't helped as I ended up using my textbook a lot which probably isn't that great seeing as the exam is Tuesday. So, in order to distract my self I've decided to blog about another pair of new boots I got. 

I'm really fussy with shoes and so I find it a bit strange that I've bought two pairs of new boots in quite a short space of time (first pair here), the new novelty of being able to use my own money (wages, hello!) probably isn't offering any self restraint either. However, I can justify these boots because as it stands they are my only weather appropriate pair of shoes I have right now, unless you count my wellies. 

Hope you're having a lovely weekend so far. I'll be revising and panicking that nothing is going in and working which just got crazily busy. I'll also be watching The Inbetweeners movie again, I love it so much, however my dad does want to watch it and that is something I'll try and avoid at all costs. Too cringe (the word cringe makes me cringe).

Have you got any boots like this?
Victoria x

that new year feeling

First post of 2012!

I'm so glad it's a new year, not because 2011 was bad because it wasn't, it was actually quite good but because every new year seems to reignite  a sense of optimism in everyone. I've not set a list of goals or resolutions this year because it seems to me that, like rules, they're made for breaking. I'm definitely not much of a rule breaker but I can't keep a resolution either. Therefore, in order to make sure the optimism doesn't just fade after January I've written a list. Lists are good. 

My list, I think, is quite easy going if that makes sense. It's not a pressuring or forceful list, just a list of things that I'd like to do more of this year, because isn't that what it's about, making each year better than the last? I must admit however that the no pressure-no force bit applies in absolutely no way to the first one. That is pressure right there. That needs to be done, and hopefully done well!

Time goes so fast. I think it's a bit scary how fast we got here, I remember thinking about being in this year at school and this age with my friends when we were much younger and now we're actually here. And we made it here a lot faster than we thought we would. I think it's a good scary though, exciting almost.

I hope you've had an absolutely wonderful start to the year!

Are you making any goals/lists/resolutions this year?

Victoria x

Favourite Purchases of 2011

As we're having to say goodbye to 2011 tomorrow I thought I'd post about some of my favourite purchases that I've made this year. 

Matalan

I actually got a coat this year, my lesson was learnt after a cold 2010. I kind of wish I'd gone for this in one size down but then it's useful for when I have to layer up! I completely adore this colour even with the vast amount of times I've been called red riding hood. 

left - Boohoo & right - New Look

 The boots on the left I posted about yesterday so I wont repeat myself but as I love them so much they had to be included in this post. I've genuinely had them at the side of my bed since I got them. The heels on the right are very special to me. One because they are my prom shoes and two (mainly this one) I can actually walk in these, fairly confidently even if I do say so myself.

Models Own Website

 I think most of us remember the Models Own 50% off sale, don't we. It was bittersweet, the ordering being a little bit of a nightmare but the customer service from the Models Own team was really amazing and they deserve medals for it. Then of course, the sweet part was receiving it! These two are my favourites out of the ones I got. 

Apricot

I got this in the sale and have worn it so many times. I will say that I usually wear it with thick leggings or trousers rather than the tights in the picture - I wore a tube skirt underneath this to save my dignity! This is really summery, comfortable and girly. I love it because I don't feel I have to put much with it, an nice easy outfit in my opinion!

James Corden - May I have your attention, please? & Ed Sheeran - + (christmas presents but probably Tesco and Amazon/HMV)

I read James Corden's book in  two days and a bit of an evening. I love it and him. Admittedly, having watched his Piers Morgan  Life Stories there were some bits I knew about but they were more detailed in the book and the majority of it was new to me. It's entertaining and eye opening, before Piers Morgan's show, I had no idea about his time kind of 'off the rails' for lack of a better phrase but he talks really openly.

Ed Sheeran, you beautiful man. His album is so good, I'd heard most of the songs before I got it but that didn't matter to be honest, it was still so good. Only found the cheeky extra track on track 12 on about my fifth time replaying the album. Yep, I do that. The album seems to go really fast and it's perfect to revise to.

One Direction - Up All Night

&Sorry about the blurry photo but you get the idea! I love this album so ridiculously much, it is in fact playing while I type this. I played it almost solidly for two weeks when I got it, people seem to think I'm exaggerating when I say this, I'm not.

Belt - H&M

       I'd been after a plaited belt for ages. At the end of 2011 I have acquired two or three. The best is by far my H&M one as it was a steal at something like £3.

Primark - £2.50

I'm not a big jewellery person, at all, but I do adore this ring. The price was lovely as well!

Primark - £12

Without a doubt, this was one of the best things I got in 2011. My friend and I looked in the women's section for onesies but they were all plain blue with one cupcake on, so we headed to the men's section. We found this beauty and were sold. It is so so warm and perfect for sleeping in, although I don't sleep with it zipped up as I got too warm one night, tried to unzip it but I'd slept on my hand and so i was, effectively, trapped in my onesie. Still love it though. 

So there we are, my favourite purchases of 2011. If you've done a post like this then I'd love to see it! 

I hope you have a truly wonderful new year, however your're spending it. 

Here's to 2012.

Victoria x

My New Boohoo Boots.

Boots £12 - Boohoo.com

First of all, I hope you had a lovely Christmas and are looking forward to a good New Years! Secondly, yes you read that right, £12! TWELVE QUID PEOPLE! 

I didn't get these for Christmas but was ill in the week leading up to it and so didn't really want to blog or go near a computer or anything that wasn't on the sofa. I was actually looking for some waterproof boots for school when i stumbled across these gems. I wasn't sure about them to be honest when I ordered them, but I'd been after something similar for ages and, not sure if I've mentioned it but, they were only £12 (!). 

I think these look best with skirts or dresses but you can put them with jeans as well, in fact I've been sporting them with my pj's, each to their own. I was also worried they wouldn't fit well with the zip being at the back and I have really narrow heels apparently but they're wonderful. I'm still a little wobbly in them but I don't know if this is because I haven't walked in heels that many times or because the heels is quite thin, maybe a combination. However, I'm reasonably confident in them because they're wedges so offer more support. 

Overall, I love these so so much. I think they look lovely and for that price! 

Have you got anything similar?

Victoria x

Instant Nail Polish Remover

Pretty Quick Instant Nail Polish Remover - £2.50 (Boots - here)

My mum picked this up when she went into town the other day after we were shown a similar product at the clothes show. The idea behind this product is genius (I feel I should start a feature after my face masks post!). It makes the whole process of taking off your nail varnish, which I find annoying and tedious, very very quick. You do just what it says on the tub - dip your finger in and twist. That simple and your nail varnish is gone. You may need to dip it once more if there are little dregs of it near your cuticle but that's not really a hassle. 

While this is very time saving, I have found a couple of things I'm not completely happy with but they're quite minor. The first is the smell - please note - the one I linked you to at the top is the acetone free one, mine is not acetone free - it is very very strong. I found it very over powering, more so than the nail varnish pads I'm used to but that is to be expected as this is liquid remover into sponge but never the less I still found it noticeably strong. Therefore I definitely suggest trying to find the acetone free one, I will be doing this in the future. The second thing is that on the nails I left in quite long or dipped again after my nail varnish going wrong it has left some white-ish patches. It's hardly noticeable and all painted over now. As this is the first of these products I've owned I don't know if it is because of the product or if this is to be expected with acetone maybe? If anyone can shed some light, please feel free!

Overall however, I do really like this product and am definitely going to carry on using it and try some others on the market. It really does reduce the time, and mess of remover pads/cotton wool. I can put up with the smell for the ease and speed of the result but as I said, I'm definitely going to get an acetone free one next time. 

Above is a short video of the product in action - I will say that it is much easier with two hands so one can hold the pot still but as mine was busy holding the camera I had to make do!

Also - just a tip. Look to see if you have any cuts/scratches on your fingers before dipping! (sense the tone of regret).

Have you tried this or something similar?

Victoria x