Monday 15 October 2012

Home for the year

Hellooo!

So I have now returned to uni (yaaay!) and moved into a house. I have finally got my room kinda in order so I thought I'd do a little post on it and a few things I have done!

I have one of the smaller rooms in the house which I was sort of sad about to start with but now I loveee it and also I swear it is warmer than the larger rooms in the house :) Our house is cheap and cheerful so it's no palace but its 'charming' in its own little way (in spite of the constant mess and various broken appliances we are slowly discovering - but that's what being a student is all about, right?).


This is sort of my room as you walk in, you can see the foot of my bed and window. The drawers/'dressing table' is new from Ikea as I needed some drawers that would fit into the awkward cubby-hole! So we got this chest of drawers which I looove and the smaller drawers are so handy for make-up storage. Bedding is also from Ikea.


This is my window where I have little nic-nacs like my rings in a little dish and perfumes. The little owl pot is the newest addition from New Look!



Not much to say here - my desk and laptop. Probably a place I will procrastinate to no end.


And on this wall I stuck on the wall stickers I got in Korea, I really like how it turned out :) And again, the mirror is of course from Ikea and the bedding also (it was £12 so I thought it would be kinda bad quality but its actually really nice).

And thats about it realllly! Not much else to say apart from that I have shopped waay too much already since ive been here considering I have yet to succeed in finding a job. Maybe i'll do a post on a few things I have bought sooooon.

Thanks for reading :)

Alice x



Friday 21 September 2012

Shoes, shoes, shoes

It has been an AGE since I last posted anything as I just haven't had anything to write about to be honest. However I thought i'd do one today about some of my recent shoe purchases. Part of me doesn't like doing these 'haul' type posts as I feel like i'm coming across as boasting or something, but personally I like reading stuff like this so oh well! Also bear in mind that I probably won't buy another pair of shoes for years now haha as i'm all set.

New Look - £24.99
I have been eyeing up these for a few months now and I thought seeing as my old pair of black heels are falling apart I could treat myself haha. I also had a voucher for New Look from my birthday so wasn't too pricey! I haven't worn them out yet and I can see them killing my feet but I shall persist through freshers week with them on nonetheless.
Deichmann - £14.99
I needed some comfy shoes to walk to uni every day seeing as i'm a good 20 minute walk away this year. I was looking at vans and converse but then came accross these which were a fraction of the price and actually seem very good quality so far! And it was free shipping and free returns online which is always a bonus so definitely check out the website.
Topshop - £45
These are the most expensive boots I have probably ever bought as I always go for the cheap and cheerful pairs you find in Primark or something. However I thought seeing as these are leather boots and from topshop, £45 (£40.50 with student discount) wasn't actually too bad for a pair of boots. They have a mid-heel which I also like as I feel they could transition between night and day and also look a bit more mature than your average flat ankle boots.

Never have I bought so many pairs of shoes within such a short space of time but I think these three pairs of shoes will easily see me through for a looong time :)

I am going back to uni this weekend so I will be sure to post about my new room if it turns out well!

Alice x

Thursday 6 September 2012

A Drop of Sun

Hooraaay the sun is finally here! Since Monday we have had clear blue skies which I am most definitely not complaining about.

The only shame was that it was grey and dreary on my Birthday - however I still had a lovely day nonetheless :) However I just can't believe I will never be able to say i'm a teenager again, I don't feel old enough to be 20 already! Time is moving too fast for my liking, I need to stop wasting time watching one tree hill (though we all know that will never happen) and make the absolute most of this year.

I was offered to work at my university's Open Days on Tuesday so stayed in Southampton for 2 days which was fun - and a bonus getting paid for it! 



The Docks in the sunshinnneee
I might have accidentally gone shopping and spent some of my birthday money whilst there and bought a new pair of boots from Topshop - the 'Mighty' boots. I love them but contemplating whether they are very practical for uni so mightttt return them. Though who wants practicality in their wardrobe?

Just thought i'd do a quick update as I was bored - I plan to write a lot more next week!


-Alice x


Tuesday 28 August 2012

The perks of Poundland

I have always thought of poundland as a place to go when I need things like bin-bags or a last-minute Halloween costume. But after reading this blog post from 'A Thrifty Mrs', I found that poundland may hold more treasures than I once thought!

In my local branch I found a selection of Rimmel, Stila, Sally Hansen, and a few other brands as well as a lot of nail polish. I'll be honest a lot of it is probably rubbish and dried up but at a pound a product, what is there to lose. Here's what I picked up..


Stila SPF 30 oil-free sheer colour tinted moisturiser in 'light 03'
Sally Hansen 'Diamond 12 Hour Lip Treatment'
Rimmel London 'Stir it up' eyeshadow in '700 Wassup?'


So far I am impressed with 2/3 of these products. I have tried the tinted moisturiser a few times and on first impressions it is a nice option for days when I am not necessarily going anywhere but feel the need for a skin boost. It is a light coverage and I would say quite moisturising, so probably not ideal for oily skin-types. Also it has SPF 30 in it so even if you are not one to often wear a foundation it is worth it for protecting your face as sun-lotion can be very pricey.


The eyeshadow is nice and quite pigmented although I found it quite hard to pick up on a brush for some reason. It is a shimmery bronze colour which when blended out is actually quite pretty, however personally it is not the sort of colour which I would use often.


The Sally Hansen lip gloss/treatment was the worst quality of the three as the brush was frayed at the ends and the product itself was quite sticky and did not seem to do much. However I have to say I have never been one to wear lip-gloss so I don't really have much to compare this to!


Definitely go check out your local Poundland for some bargains :)


Alice x


Monday 27 August 2012

Ramble Ramble

It's about 4pm at the moment and looking out my window it feels like its night-time as the weather is so dull and rainy! As far as summers go, this has definitely been one of the best but in no way is that due to the English weather - so much for global warming.

Today's post isn't about anything specific as I have mostly been working for the last week or two so my life is far from exciting! I went out to a party on Saturday night with some friends which was nice - really gets me in the mood for going back to uni! Bring on freshers (again)!

Bec and myself ( http://becamorton.blogspot.co.uk/)
Bec - Top and jacket from Topshop, skirt and belt from Primark, and necklace from France
Myself - Top from Newlook, skirt and earrings from H&M and belt from Primark

My birthday is approaching this Sunday, the big 20! I'm not really looking forward to it to be honest as as usual I am lost for inspiration as what to do for it - here's to hoping that the weather will perk up for it. One good thing about birthdays is the guilt-free shopping afterwards I suppose ;)

Sorry that this post lacked any sort of direction - it's one of those days :)

Alice x



Thursday 23 August 2012

August Playlist

Music i'm loving this month

Dry The River
Bastille
Icona Pop
These have been filling up my 'Recently Added' playlist on my iPod these past few weeks so thought i'd share! Songs in particular are - 

Hammer - Dry The River

Bible Belt - Dry The River
Flaws - Bastille
Overjoyed - Bastille
Laura Palmer - Bastille
Lovers to Friends - Icona Pop
I Love It - Icona Pop

They are worth a looky :)


Alice x

Wake Me Up Foundation - Review

Hey hey,

So I have been in need of a new foundation for a while as I was running low; and I have pale skin, it is not always easy to find a good colour match as well as good coverage! My last foundation was Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation and, although it was definitely the best foundation I had tried so far, I had heard a lot of good things about Rimmel's Wake Me Up Foundation. 




After trying it for a week or so now I think its a really great foundation and doesn't break the bank at £7.99. It claims to have an 'anti-fatigue effect + radiant glow' which I think it is true as it makes my pale skin look healthy and awake. The fact it has SPF 15 is a plus as well, especially, again, for paler skin as it is more sensitive to sun damage.

Overall, I would definitely repurchase :)

Alice x

Saturday 18 August 2012

Recent Purchases

If you like a good bargain, you have come to the right blog as I am definitely a very indecisive person which results in me usually shopping in Primark over Topshop in favour of guilt-free shopping!

I am soon to be beginning my second year at University and so moving into a student house and my bedroom is far from glamorous. So I am slowly collecting little bits and bobs for my new room in hope to 'spruse' it up a little!

Amazon - Roughly £5
I have been looking for a nice necklace holder/jewellery holder for SO long now as the tangles were just getting too much for me. I never think to look for stuff like this on amazon but I found this little gem which is cheap, cheerful and pretty. 

E-Mart in Korea - Roughly £7
I bought these whilst on holiday and they are wall stickers which form a tree and bird-cage on your wall. I have wanted some for ages and thought these would easily add a little character to my new uni room. I know you probably won't be able to fly to Korea and grab a roll of these but I'm pretty sure if you search the internet they won't be hard to find!

That's all the decorative stuff for now but i'll keep you updated on other bits and bobs I find :) Below are a few bits I bought when shopping the other day...


Miss Selfridge - £3
Primark - £16

Bargain of the day - Primark - £1
And as one final random purchase, me and my friend both got our ear pierced as we have both sai we would do it for aaages but never got round to doing it. Finally did today though! Successful shopping trip i'd say :)


Hope you are having a lovely day,

Alice x



Wednesday 15 August 2012

Everyday Make-up


Hello again :)

I have decided to do a 'beauty' related post today and show you my everyday make up and the products I use. In no way am I a make-up expert, if anything i'm still learning but hopefully this will interest someone! My everyday make-up is usually similar to this, the only part I switch up really is my eye-shadow and the use of bronzer (as you can see I haven't used it today though I do sometimes to contour).



I often wing out my liquid eye-liner although it is hard to see here.
1. Boujour Healthy Mix in No. 51 and 17 'Hide & Chic' in Soft Ivory
2. Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in No. 1 Fair
3. NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Face Powder
4. Collection 2000 Fast Stroke Eyeliner in Black and Eye Pencil in Black (I think also C-2000)
5. Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24hr in 05 - Eternal Gold
6. Natural Collection Blush in Dusky Pink
I mix these two foundations as I am at the point where they are both running out and niether are the right colour for my skin. However I purchased Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation today so once I start to use that I will be sure to tell you my thoughts on it! I will also be reviewing the Colour Tattoo soon as I have really enjoyed using it recently as it is so quick and easy.
The Collection 200 concealer is my Holy Grail product - I am definitely lost without it as it is amazing. The other products I don't have much to say for - I repurchase them all as they are cheap and cheerful and do the job really. I am definitely someone who doesn't like to spend a lot on make-up as I feel it can be such a waste if the product is then rubbish and also at the end of the day I can think of better things to spend my money on than high-end make up products.
I have just realised that I haven't included my mascara - I use 17 Peep Show mascara which I find is definitely one of the better mascaras I have used.

I definitely go on peoples advice so that I know that the product I am buying will be good - so please let me know of any recommendations you might have for me!

I hope you are having a lovely day :)

Alice x




Sunday 12 August 2012

Korea Haul


The first 'Haul' of my blog - exciting times! Haha no I thought I would show some of the adorable nick-nacks  that I bought when I was in Korea, so here goesss...

Ridiculous Amount of Cute Notebooks

Totoro Keyring ~ Pens

Nail Varnishes from 'The Face Shop'

Cute Vocab Book For French

Make-Up Brushes From Forever21

I <3 Korea T-Shirt

This is a few of the bits I got whilst away - as you can see there is a hell of a lot of cute stationary! I couldn't resist it.

The Nail Varnish was super cheap (it was about 70/80p a bottle) and is actually very good quality; so if you're ever in Asia and see 'The Face Shop' grab some of these. The colours are perfect for summer as well.

The Make up Brushes caught my eye because they were pretty if i'm honest but after having used a few they aren't all bad for about £3 for the pack.

If I had had all the money in the world to spend I would definitely go back to Korea purely for the shopping.

Alice x

Saturday 11 August 2012

My Trip To South Korea


I am currently on my summer holidays and I have been lucky enough to have just come back from an amazing week in South Korea! This is thanks to my brother who has been working there since last October and offered me the chance to visit him.

It was an amazing trip; partly because I finally got to see my brother after 8 months but also because Korea is an amazing place. After learning about the Korean war back when I was at school, I found it really interesting to see what South Korea is like now. Obviously I didn’t visit the North, however, as it’s a bit wild up there!

We spend most of the week visiting the capital, Seoul, and then also Incheon and Songdo.



As you can see the buildings were incredible, especially in Songdo which is ‘reclaimed land’ and so is completely new and not set to be complete until 2015.



Seoul Zoo was definitely a highlight of my trip! Who doesn’t love the Zoo?! And it was so cheap as well compared to British Zoos at about £2 entry.



And, of course, the food was deliciousss. Apart from the very traditional Korean meal we had one day which involved a lot of raw fish - not my cup of tea! There was a place we went where you cook at your table which was really yummy.


McDondalds was mega cheap there too which was a bonus ;)


I bought a few bits and bobs when I was there so might do a post on that at some point very soon. But yes, very lucky to have gone and I would definitely go back - An Amazing week!

Alice x

Friday 10 August 2012

First Post! Helloooo

Hi there, my name is Alice and I am a marketing student. This is one of many Blogs I have started as I never manage to keep up with regular posts - i'd like to say life gets in the way but it's probably more laziness.

So as a first post I suppose it would be fitting for me tell you a bit about me -


I am 19 years old and come from a small country village which, eventhough it is sometimes dull, is beautiful and has been my home all my life.


I have just completed my first year at university which flew by (thankfully passing all of my exams in the process). I have 3 more years left and I can't wait - university has definitely brought a new excitement and independence to my life for which I am thoroughly enjoying.


In my spare time (which I have had by the bucket-load this summer) I mostly see my friends and family (generic answer but true). In terms of 'hobbies' I wouldn't say I have one overriding interest in life. I spend too much of my time on my laptop on either facebook, youtube, twitter or reading blogs. I also have a love of films, reading and music - but who doesn't. I keep a record of my life through scrap-books and have managed to keep that up for 2 years now (impressive by my standards). All of these you may not regard as hobbies and more of a waste of my time haha.


So what will this blog contain exactly?


Honestly, I have no idea.
It will most probably be a mixture of everything and anything in my life whether it is related to films, music, books, fashion, beauty, marketing or just my day in general.


This may turn into something regular (here's to hoping) so enjoy :)



Alice x