Body Shop Midnight Bakula Box

Firstly, before I review this lovely Body Shop box, I apologise for the lack of posts and the truth is I have been very busy with school work at the moment and I am going to Australia in three days time! I have also started up my blog's Twitter (@lucy_robertsx) and that's been great for getting to see other bloggers, so go check it out and follow! However, I will also be tweeting my friends and updating followers on my life so prepare yourself.

Now that's out of the way, onto this gorgeous box which one of my closest friends gave to me a few weeks ago for my birthday and I know it should just be about how glorious the product is and how great it works but really, in the image obsessed world which I am very much a part of, packaging matters! This lovely box really fits with the Arabic inspired products and now resides in my room holding my little bits-n-bobs. 

The gift box included a body butter, which I was so happy about because I love the Body Shop butters as they make your legs so soft, (however I did get one recently which although worked its wonders on my skin, smelt like neat Cif detergent, so I won't be using that on a night out again in a hurry!), a perfume, body wash and a normal washing sponge. They are all created with the same scent and use patchouli, rose and nectarine and after years of my mum using it think they all smell a lot like Christian Dior's Dune fragrance. The fragrance is very floral and sultry though only one or two squirts is required otherwise it can be quite an overpowering scent. I am very pleased with these and have literally used half the butter already; also I finally got round to taking so decent pictures again at the weekend because I've been battling with the Winter evenings for light at the moment but the camera is packed for Australia! 

Bach Good Night Spray

I came across this a few years ago and it has literally sat on my bedside table ever since, with only the occasional use if I really can't sleep, but I began using it again recently and it does smell so good! It has the scent of 'English Organic Lavender' but having checked out Bach Flower Remedies' website, I've seen that it is all natural, achieving its gorgeous smell from a blend of different aromatherapy oils and flower essences, which are Rock Rose, Impatiens, Clematis, Star of Bethlehem, Cherry Plum with White Chestnut and English Organic Lavender. 

By spraying it into my pillow, and around the room if I'm really getting into it, it makes everywhere smells lovely as you're falling to sleep and it does make you drowsier faster. I was pleased to see that this company really care about the impact of their products and do not test on animals and the packaging is 100% recyclable. It's always nice to feel good about where a product comes from and this is a very organic company which I will probably purchase more off. 

Shot on my LOVE pillow from John Lewis and I've gotta say I was pretty pleased with the action spray shot!

Outfit Post from the Summer

     

My lovely auntie sent these to me recently from when we went into London to see the Queen's jewels in Buckingham Palace for my grandparents 50th Wedding Anniversary. This is a very simple outfit which really stands out with the bright patterned leggings which I have been complemented on by a kind stranger. I am wearing my white top from Fornorina in Brent Cross, love heart leggings from Topshop and my statement fluffy bag from River Island. I wore some gladiator sandals to finish the look and my Tom Ford sunglasses which have disastrously been ruined by a bike accident in Switzerland, now I have a nice scar under my eye and on my chin, nice. However I was eyeing up some Chanel ones in Harrods the other day so fingers crossed for birthday or Christmas which I will be spending in hot, sunny Australia. Can. Not Wait.

Barry M and Ted Baker Presents

This weekend one of my friends is hosting a party and I do love giving makeup as a present because it looks lovely and its a present which you can actually use as oppose to a what I would call 'Temptations present', a sparkly box, jar or room decoration which looks great, goes on your shelf and is never as well appreciated as sometime which you get a little bit of joy from!
So, as you can see, my friend is receiving this Ted Baker shower gel and eau de toilette which I know will smell gorgeous as I actual have the perfume from another TB set. I thought this was a great reduction in Debenhams going for a mere £5 for Ted Baker and leaves a little room for a few little presents on top! Now another good brand bargain, Barry M were doing a 2 for 1 or half price or something with this Lash Modelling Mascara which I think has great packaging in a lovely vibrant lilac and gloss. This Glossy Tube looks very pink and sickly but they tend to come out quite sheer so it gives a gloss to the lips with a good tint, however this is just from other Barry M products as I have obviously not opened these as they are not for me...shame.

Furry Leather Converse Boots

My newest shoe purchase, the Converse furry, lace up, boots! They are from Converse's new Suede and Leather collection and are such great boots! I wouldn't consider them my usual style but my mother decided I needed another pair of flats (apparently, the new Brogues and Creepers weren't acceptable because ''you can't wear proper socks with them'' - yes, really) so a power shop at Office yielded these lovely, practical and warm boots. 

I've had a pair of the of the normal Converse before but having narrow, size 7 feet, the solid colour style always made my feet look really long and didn't really do a lot for me. So, my original pair were patterned. Red and white kind of check patterned with strawberries and watermelons on (think less three year old, more retro, they were nicer than they sound) and this seemingly solved the problem but I've never been a big trainer lover. Especially normal sports trainers, so when I was told I could only wear trainers by the school for my week-long trip to Italy I bought these patterned Converse, which did the job and have been used since, but effectively got trashed with the dust, dirt and general grime that Rome and Sorrento bring to shoes.  

So here they are : warm, comfortable and with lots of furry flaps, laces and button holes it brokeup the shape, making my feet look great! Also, a complete family of strangers came up to me in Thorpe Park to tell me they liked them. Isn't that sweet?

The Liebster Award!

I have read a few posts from others who have done this and I've now been nominated by Enhance Your Natural Beauty For Less for this award! It mainly features around 11s and the rules are as follows : 

1)  Thank the person who nominated you and link them in your post.

2) Then you answer the 11 questions asked about you from your nominator.

3) Nominate 11 inspirational bloggers with under 200 followers and link them in your post.

4) Create 11 questions for your nominees.

5) Go to their pages and tell them!

6) No tag backs.

So here goes!

I was asked : 

1) Why did you start blogging?

Well, I had and still have a huge interest in fashion and I really wanted to share it with someone and I love writing but here I get to bring my thoughts and experiences to other bloggers and people who share my interests.

2) What is your Autumn/Winter favourite accessory?

A hat definitely! Apparently I have a great head shape for them but I find anything that is too shaped just won't fit because I have a big head and a lot of curly hair so I tend to go for beanies or woolly hats especially as my birthday is in November so its a great present for me!

3)What is your favourite Starbucks drink?

The hot chocolate with syrup, whipped cream and marshmallows! I'm not a great coffee lover and this just warms me up with a great energy boost for carrying on usually shopping as my fave Starbucks is in Brent Cross shopping centre, London!

4) What is your favourite candle scent?

I honestly do not have one! I hardly ever burn scented candles but I do have a few around which seem to just be decoration, thinking about it!

5) What is your favourite type of flowers to receive?

Roses are my favourite flowers because they always look and smell so good!

6) Do you have any pets, if so what kind?

My two rabbits Blossom and Tigerlily recently decided that hutch life wasn't  for them so they are sadly living  a life in the woods or with a nice fox...however I have a lovely golden retriever called Toby and my long standing guinea pig, Rocky named for his spiky mohican!

7) Was is your must have beauty product?

Obviously mascara and foundation are the must have basics for anyone but one of beauty trade marks is the big black eye and eyeliner is my favourite product but after using liquid for a few weeks I'm back on the khol which I love!

8) What is your favourite food?

Although going out for meals is great and I do really enjoy good quality food, I much prefer lighter food and I've got to say that a great chicken sandwich with fresh bread and salad cream will win out every time at home!

9) Do you prefer drugstore or high end skincare products?

I've got to say drugstore as by buying cheaper lets you work out what is actually good and explore different brands at that price rather than have a few stick-to products which will cost that much more. My favourite brand for skincare in Simple which is cheap but really freshens my skin and really cleanses my face.

10) What is your dream job?

For a few years now I have wanted to work in fashion magazines, whether it be journalism or another aspect of that industry so the absolute dream job would have to be to work at Vogue!

11) What is your favourite holiday?

So finally, I love a good beach holiday but its a toss-up between Le Tousserok in Mauritius where I have been twice and enjoyed every moment of or Mark Warner holidays where I always meet great new people and have a really fun time with other people my age away from family!

My nominees are as follows : I have linked them all!

1) #itstidds

2) Ellie Alice

3) LaBellaVida

4) Style Storey

5) <3 Yocandy <3

6) Make Up Your Mind

7) Punky Pugs

8) luciel0cket

9) Louise Rose

10) From Nicole With Love

11) Daisies and Dr Martens

So here are my questions for you :

1) Why did you start blogging?

2) What is your favourite shampoo and conditioner?

3) What is your one make up essential?

4) What is your favourite nail polish colour for Winter?

5) Your middle name?

6) What is your ideal holiday location?

7) What is your favourite shoe store/brand?

8) How do you prefer to wear your hair?

9) Your favourite make up brand?

10) What is your one hope for a Christmas present this year?

11) What is your dream job and why?

Enjoy! xxx

£50 For Autumn Tag

I came across the '£50 For Autumn Tag' on Whirly Bob and she tagged me to do one for myself! So, the rules are that you create an outfit, accessories and all, for Autumn. I am aware that most people would assume this means a lovely layered outfit with a big coat and preparations for Winter but I always see Autumn as the beginning of the party season because for some reason all my friends birthdays are in this season and there is something about going out all dressed up in the cold which you don't get in the Summer. Here is an outfit which I love and I think I will buy this skirt as I've wanted a dip hem for ages and I feel I have enough bright vest tops to pair with it. I love the bling on the cuff and shoes and am very proud that I managed to pull this together for 50 quid!

Price Compare - Gold on Black Metal Toe Cap Heels

Dorothy Perkins £25
NOW £17.50

Matalan £10

ASOS £45

Bloomingdales £150
NOW £112.84

Dune £90

Nordstrom £140.29

Yves Saint Laurent £720

Alice + Olivia £202.64

Valentino £465

 A trend which is very popular in shoes this season is metal toe caps on neutral heels. Although they come in lots of different varieties as with any trend, my favourite is the gold on black suede look, though I love the snakeskin pair by Alice and Olivia above. Here I compared the price from Matalan's cheapest (£10, what a bargain!) to the gorgeous Yves Saint Laurent pair, a whopping £720! Out of these featured, the ones I would choose have got to be (realistically) the Dune pair because they are just so elegant which I love because I have very narrow feet but the detailing around the cap makes them that bit more unique and special. However if price was irrelevant the studded Valentino ones are gorgeous and the slight platform breaks up the cap from the suede. A definite must have style for winter! 

Barry M Liquid Eyeliner

Now normally I prefer kohl to liquid when it comes to eyeliner, but one of my recent purchases was this Liquid Eyeliner by Barry M. It has a felt tip and is very easy to apply and remove! Great for thin lines and builds up well if you've got a steady hand! Long-lasting and non-smudging, its at a good price (£4.79 to be precise.) Definitely recommend! 

Maybelline Colossal Volum' Express Cat Eyes Mascara | Review

   My recent purchase of Maybelline's Colossal Volum' Express Cat Eyes Mascara turned out to be a success. Whenever I'm buying new makeup I always take packaging into consideration because when browsing I always try things that catch my eye off the shelves and having something flashy in your make up bag is always great! Having tried out a friend's original Volum' Express and being suitably impressed I thought a new take of essentially the same product could only being better.
   I am very happy with it, it gives so much volume and really opens up the eyes without having to use liner for an everyday look. With heavier eye makeup it still lives up to its name, bringing out the very edge lashes. However, it is slightly flaky, with a few black specks coming off in the first couple of hours after application. This mascara is best with no more than two or three coats as it starts to clump, binding multiple lashes together and looking too heavy.

London 2012 Olympic Games

 Yes, I, Lucy Roberts can say that I have officially been to  the London 2012 Olympic Games! An incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience and all that but it was great to see an event that took place in the Olympic Park because the mere hour or so of sport is of course the highlight but I also went up the Orbit, watched the Park Live screening of the tennis and ate in one of the biggest McDonalds in Europe.
 (Left) is me looking somewhat groggy at 6:30 am on Monday morning eating a quality bacon sandwich at Rickmansworth Station before getting on the train to Finchley Road and from there through to Stratford. It was about half commuters and half Olympic spectators (trust me, you could tell the difference) on the tube which was obviously busy but I nevertheless got a seat; I put it down to a smile and sharp elbows but hey...

There was a cruel moment when we had to walk through the Westfields without pausing (well Cafe Nero doesn't count), past the Prada which is huge there btw and into the crowds which were flocking into the Park. Photos were deemed essential on every device and my dad skillfully hijacked an Olympic Volunteer to pose with me and his bright pink hand outside the queuing lines waiting to go through security (very airport like with added guys in uniform.)

 Our event was the Women's 200m freestyle heats, Men's 200m butterfly heats and Women's 200m IM. The Aquatics Centre was magnificent and we had fairly good seats with a clear view of the pool, the athletes and I hate to add fuel to this ongoing argument but the view of empty VIP seats opposite (right) in which only the far left section became filled with other athletes.

 The terrifyingly towering Orbit is a crazily impressive piece of architecture and its not until you're speeding up that lift with two tiny portholes in that your realise how high you really are going. However, the stomach churning ride paid off with the fabulous birds-eye view of the Olympic Park and London stretched out around. Tractors were spotted busily working on the Stadium, getting ready for the athletics to start next week. Note to all future Olympic spectators : at your event, only wave madly if a) you see a camera and b) you are holding a flag....

Designer For A Day

Designer For A Day by lucy-roberts14 featuring a pencil skirt