The Drugstore Beauty Edit

Over the years I have tried and tested my fair share of drugstore products, so much so that I now feel that I have a pretty good idea of the best brands, in my opinion, for specific beauty product categories. Whilst I do love spending a little extra sometimes on more luxurious high end products, I really don't think you can go wrong with the drugstore for most things, especially as there is now so much to offer with products to rival their high end competitors as well as the added bonus of avoiding serious damage to your bank balance...

The best brands for the Face... 

Foundation is the one product that is probably worth spending a bit more money on however, for a cheaper alternative, Rimmel is the brand to go for. They have so many foundations on offer that all provide varying degrees of coverage as well as having a range of different finishes. My personal favourites are their Match Perfection and Lasting Finish, which have long been staples in my makeup collection. For concealer, I think that Loreal has the best, and slightly underrated, offerings from the drugstore. Whilst I didn't get along with the True Match Foundation I do love the concealer version, as it super blend able with a high coverage to give a flawless look to my face. I also love the Lumi Magique highlighting pen, which is quite similar to the YSL Touche Eclat, for under the eyes, as it really brightens the eye area and helps conceal the appearance of dark circles. Lastly, for powder, it's got to be Soap and Glory, with my favourite in particular being their One Heck of a Blot, which is super translucent and extremely mattifying, perfect for keeping shine and oil at bay!

The best brands for eyes...

In terms of eyeshadows it's a toss up between Maybelline and Sleek. For single eyeshadows, Maybelline are my pick, especially the Colour Tattoo cream shadows as they are so easy to apply and are extremely pigmented. However for palettes you can't beat Sleek, as they have so many to offer in a variety of colour options, as well as being super pigmented and a pretty decent quality, especially for only £7.99. For liner, it's back to Soap and Glory, as I use both their Supercat liquid liner and Smoulder Kohl pencil pretty much on a daily basis. For Mascara, I have always loved Maybelline, and have tried so many of their offerings over the years, but my favourites are definitely The Falsies and Lash Sensational - perfect for volumising and lengthening lashes. 

The best brand for cheeks...  

...has got to be Sleek as they offer so much - individual blush colours, contour kits, cheek palettes. There is such a variety of matte and shimmer shades available, all being super pigmented, and some of the blush colours are beautiful.

The best brand for lips...

It was quite a difficult choice as so many brands offer great lip products, however, in the end I think Revlon comes out on top, as they have one of the biggest selections from the drugstore, including Lip Butters, Balms, Stains, Glosses, Sticks - the lot! They also have such a huge array of shades to choose from, whether it be classic reds, bold pinks or pretty nudes you're after, they've got you covered. 

What are your favourite Drugstore Brands?

Megan 

Book Review- All The Light We Cannot See

"For Marie-Laure, blind since the age of six, the world is full of mazes. The miniature of a Paris neighbourhood, made by her father to teach her the way home. The microscopic layers within the invaluable diamond that her father guards in the Museum of Natural History. The walled city by the sea, where father and daughter take refuge when the Nazis invade Paris. And a future which draws her closer to Werner, a German orphan, destined to labour in the mines until a broken radio fills his life with possibility and brings him to the notice of the Hitler Youth."

I have to admit that I was slightly sceptical about reading this novel as I bought it as part of a deal without really thinking about it or bothering to read the blurb, so, when I eventually got around to discovering it was a story set during World War 2, I was leaning towards leaving it on the bookshelf as I thought it may be slightly too historical for my personal liking. However, as I loved war stories as a child (When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit and Friend or Foe for example), I decided to give it a go, which I am so glad about, as it is one of the best books I have read in a long time.

Shifting between 1944 and the events of the previous ten years, Anthony Doerr uses the narrative viewpoints of two children to give opposing perspectives of life during World War 2 in both Germany and France. Reading the novel from Marie-Laure's perspective was unique due to her disability, and as the story progressed to the climax of the War, I continually found myself being in awe of, and afraid for, this character. Experiencing the story from the viewpoint of Werner was also different, as I don't think I have ever read a novel told from the perspective of a member of the Hitler Youth, and so it gave a fascinating insight into how much young children were brainwashed by the Nazis during the 1930s and 40s.

 

 In my opinion, 'All The Light We Cannot See' is such a success due to the writing of Doerr and the imagery created with his language. It is such a beautifully written story that captured me as a reader and allowed me to connect with the characters on an emotional level, and I often found myself feeling the same emotions as each character at certain points throughout the book. The chapters are extremely short and succinct, yet the attention to detail and almost poetic style of writing never falters, lending itself to a real page turner of a novel. 

It is a highly intelligent and thought-provoking novel, with characters presented in such distinct detail that they can easily be imagined as real people. The weaving of themes and reflections create a truly mesmerising story that casts light on the ideas of love, morality and the ability to find light even in the most desolate of times. I honestly could not recommend this book enough, as it is a completely moving and absorbing masterpiece of literature.

Have you read this book? What did you think?

Megan

Lemon and Blueberry Victoria Sponge

To me a Victoria Sponge is the most traditional cake you can bake, and is such a classic British teatime treat, especially in Spring and Summer. As the weather has finally started becoming warmer and sunnier, I thought it would be the perfect time to spend the afternoon baking one of my favourite cakes, but with a bit of a twist on the classic raspberry jam/whipped cream combination that usually makes a typical Victoria Sandwich. There are so many flavour combinations that you could try out and experiment with, but today I decided on Lemon and Blueberry for the perfect Springtime treat...

Ingredients

For the cake

 175g butter

175g Castor Sugar

3 eggs, beaten

175g self-raising flour, sifted

Zest of 1 Lemon, finely grated

4 tbsp blueberry conserve

For the Buttercream

75g unsalted butter, softened

175g icing sugar, sifted

small amount of lemon zest

1-2 tbsp lemon juice

 

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas mark 4.

Grease two sandwich cake tins and line the bases with greaseproof paper

Put the butter and castor sugar into a large bowl and cream together with a hand-held electric beater, or freestanding electric mixer, until light and fluffy.

Gradually beat in the eggs until the mixture is smooth, then, using a large metal spoon or spatula, gently fold in the flour.

Add the finely grated zest of one lemon to the mixture

Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and gently level the surface with a palette knife. Bake for about 25 mins until golden and firm to the touch

Remove from the oven and leave the cakes in the tins to cool for 5 mins, then turn out each layer on to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. 

To make the buttercream, put the butter into a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy. Gradually stir in the icing sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice and beat well until light.

Spread the buttercream on the top of one cake layer, then cover with the blueberry conserve. Put the other cake layer on top and lightly press the two. Using a sieve, dust the top of the cake with icing sugar.  

 Serve and enjoy!

What is your favourite thing to bake in Summer?

Megan  

My Favourite Disney Films

 As a child I was a massive Disney fan - I owned most of the films on VHS, I collected numerous Disney figures and sticker albums and I was always dressing up as my favourite princesses. Whilst I am *slightly* less obsessed now that I am older, I still love revisiting my childhood and immersing myself in the magic of Disney, so today I thought I'd share my favourite films, which include a mix of oldies and newer releases, with a couple of Pixar offerings thrown in as well...

Beauty and the Beast
As a child, this wasn't my favourite Disney Princess film, however in recent years my love for it has grown so much that I would possibly consider it my favourite Disney film ever now! The characters and the themes behind them, such as not judging a book by it's cover, are probably what I love most about this movie, and I can't wait for the live action version with Emma Watson (the perfect Belle, imo) next year.
  
Big Hero 6
The newest of the Disney films I have included here, yet that doesn't affect my love for it, despite me normally preferring the old school Disney animation style to the more modern style. I love that the story revolves around a group of extremely smart and unique characters, as well as the fact that it isn't a stereotypical magical Disney tale. I think it's extremely funny and the perfect family film, and I have to say that Baymax is probably the best Disney character ever. I love it!

Lady and the Tramp
I have always loved dogs, having owned a dog my whole life, which is probably the reason why I love Lady and the Tramp. I find the beginning of the film so adorable, with Lady as a puppy, and as she grows older the story progresses into a sweet, alternative tale of love. I remember bawling my eyes out, even as a child, at the end when something happens to Trusty, my favourite character, but don't worry if you haven't seen it, I promise it does have a happy ending. 

Ratatouille
I love Pixar movies, and whilst there are so many amazing ones to choose from, one of my favourites has always been Ratatouille, which in my opinion is sometimes overlooked and underrated. Whilst I am not a particular fan of rats, I actually love the story of a rat running a restaurant, especially in such a fancy Parisian restaurant, and I just think it is an extremely heartwarming movie. Definitely one to check out if you've never seen it!

The Little Mermaid

This was my all time favourite movie as a child, with Ariel definitely being my favourite Disney Princess, and my love for it is still going strong all these years later. I love the fact that it isn't set in a castle like most of the other princess films, whilst it also contains some of my favourite Disney characters and songs- who can resist singing along to 'Part of your World' and 'Under the Sea?' I have a big love for this film.

Toy Story 

Lastly, I had to include Toy Story as it is such a classic Disney film which I have loved since I was a child. I always used to hope that my toys would come to life after I left the room thanks to the magic of this film, and I think that this film in particular has one of the best character ensembles out of all of the Disney offerings. I also loved both sequels, which is quite rare, and I am very excited for the forth instalment. I think I would have to say that it is one of the best animated movies of all time!

What are your favourite Disney films?

Megan

Revision Tips and Tricks

As it's drawing closer to exam period in the UK I thought it would be a good idea to share some of the revision tips and tricks that I learnt over the years at school. Having finished school last year, this is actually the first time in 4 years that I don't have to revise(and probably the last year for a long time as I'm off to Uni in September!), however as I have been helping my sister revise for her upcoming GCSE's, I thought I would pass on my knowledge and put together this mini guide for making the most out of your revision, whether that be for GCSE's, A-Levels, finals etc...

1. Be Organised 

In my opinion, being organised makes a huge difference to the quality of your revision as I used to feel a lot less overwhelmed with the amount of work I had to do once I had made numerous lists and schedules. I found the best way to be organised was to make a checklist of all the topics studied in each of my subjects and to colour code these topics, using one colour for areas that I was quite confident with, whilst using a different colour for topics that I knew I definitely had to revise. By doing this, you can easily prioritze subjects and areas that maybe require more revision than others so as to ensure you don't spend unnecessary time revising things that you are better at and avoiding your worst areas. Revision timetables are also a great way to stay organised, especially if you stick to the schedule, as you know exactly what you will be doing each day in the run up to the exams  and so won't spend valuable time trying to decide what to revise each day. 

2. Vary Revision Technique 

I found that different subjects required different ways of revising, and by the time I did my A-Levels I had a seperate revision technique for each of my subjects. I always used a combination of A3 mind maps for larger topics, flashcards for shorter, condensed notes and labelled diagrams for my Biology, Chemisty and Physics notes, and found that this was the most effective way for me to revise. However, you could also use a whiteboard to make notes, highlight key areas of textbooks and exercise books, or even create voice memos and record yourself reciting some of your notes. 

3. Revise in small, short bursts

Revising all day with barely any breaks is probably not one of the most effective ways to revise, as you are simply going to overload your brain with too much information for you to take in and remember. 30-45 minute sessions of revising with a 5-10 minute break was always my routine, as I wasn't cramming my brain all in one go, and I found that I remembered my notes a lot more this way. 

4. Teach someone else what you know

My biology teacher always said that one of the best ways to revise was to teach someone else what you have learnt, and I have to say that I agree. I would quite often teach my parents and siblings various areas of my subjects as it showed that I was confident enough in the topic to teach it to someone else, and also proved that I had taken in everything that I had been revising. It is a great way to also mix up your revision technique, as well as take a break from the constant reading and writing of notes. 

5. Remove Distractions 

This one goes without saying but being in a loud, busy environment surrounded by distracting stimuli such as other people and electronic gadgets is not the best place to be revising for exams. I always found a quiet place to study, mostly my bedroom, but a library or even the garden is great too, and removed all distractions so that I was fully engaged in my revision. If music helps you revise then I suggest listening to classical music as it is less stimulating than upbeat tunes, and so it is less likely you will be tempted to start singing along and get distracted from studying. Spotify has loads of great playlists for focusing and revising. 

6. Test Yourself

One of the best ways to ensure that your revision is effective is by testing your knowledge of your various subjects. There are numerous resources online, from past papers and mark schemes from previous years, to quizzes covering the topics in your subject, making it extremely easy to see how well you have been revising. Even getting a friend or family member to ask you quickfire questions using your notes is a great way of testing your knowledge, especially a couple of days after revising the topic to see whether you have retained the information learnt over a few days.  

7. Check out Tumblr

I became obsessed with the revision tag on tumblr last year as I took a lot of inspiration from various users notes and revision techniques, so much so that I started becoming quite envious of the notes some people had made. There are a large number of study bloggers on the site, and many of them even offer free printables to help with planning and organising your studying, which I made full use of. It is definitely worth checking out for a bit of inspiration and motivation!

8. Take a Break

Probably one of the most important tips included in this guide, as studying for a number of hours all day every day can be extremely intense and can have a negative impact on your cognitive functions. Taking the time to have something to eat and drink, get some fresh air and even unwinding with a long bubble bath at the end of the day is the perfect way to de stress and refresh your mind after a hard revision session. It is also extremely important that you get enough sleep every night (about 8 hours) to allow your brain to rest, ready for the next day.

I hope you have found these little revision tips and tricks useful, and if you are about to take any exams then Good Luck!

Megan 

Blue Denim and Biker Jacket

Boohoo Biker Jacket | H&M Jumper | Boohoo Mom Jeans | River Island Boots | Topshop Necklace                

Whilst mom jeans have been all the rage for a good couple of years now, I have only recently jumped on the bandwagon after getting a little bit bored of wearing various pairs of skinny jeans almost everyday. Despite only purchasing them the other day I am officially obsessed as there are so many ways you can style them, so I thought I would finally do an outfit post and show you one of my favourite ways of wearing them.

For quite a casual look, I paired the jeans, which are a 70's style mid wash blue, with this khaki jumper, which is a great transitional item of clothing to wear at the moment as the weather can still be slightly chilly. To complete the look I wore this Biker jacket which I love, especially the gold zip details, as well as my beloved pair of black chelsea boots, although I would also wear my white converse for an even more casual outfit, and a simple rose quartz necklace.

I think this is the perfect weekend outfit, and as the jeans are so versatile, it is so easy to style them in a more relaxed or dressy way for whatever occasion.

Do you like mom jeans? How do you style yours?

Megan