e.l.f. | eyeshadow palette

 e.l.f. 6 piece eyeshadow palette in natural: £3.75

i've really gotten into wearing eyeshadow as of late because, sometimes, a winged eyeliner is just a little more than i can be bothered to try and perfect first thing on a morning. when i saw that e.l.f. had just released some brand new eyeshadow palettes, i was straight in there to snap up this lovely 'natural' palette, composed of nudes, golds and browns and was excited for my delivery to arrive so i could put the palette to the test.

i'll start first of all by saying that my photographs do not do the colours justice at all. my favourite in this palette is definitely the middle top gold, the colour's really lovely and shimmery and really pigmented, and i just generally find that gold colours suit my skin tone and eye colour. when creating my smoky eye, i go all over my lid with the lightest top left colour, then over again with the middle top gold, apply the top right brown to the outer corners of my eyes and then line the bottom and top of my lash line with the bottom right darkest brown to help to define my eyes and keep things looking somewhat dramatic.

i reviewed a h&m eyeshadow palette a couple of months back, and in comparison to that, this e.l.f. palette definitely trumps it. the colours are much easier to get onto your brush and so require less product for more colour intensity, and i find that the colours stay on your lid a lot longer, losing no colour intensity throughout the day. i've never tried any high end eyeshadow palettes and so can't compare this product to any other that might have miraculous all day staying powers, but for just shy of £4, i'd definitely recommend these palettes. once again, e.l.f. have not failed to impress me.

 

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sunday synopsis

the last week's been a fairly slow one, probably because i haven't had any looming deadlines breathing down my neck! at the beginning of the week we were briefed our PDP2 module, which in short is dissertation prep. already i've found some really insightful books and have had a good nosey through them and think i might be onto something in terms of putting together a question, i just need now to find more books to inform me about my subject matter! on wednesday i visited newcastle with my good friend josh and we paid seven stories a visit, which was absolutely fabulous as well as being relevant to my PDP module. i had such a good time mooching around the building and taking in the scenery such as wall murals painted by the fantastic oliver jeffers, and then was inspired by the judith kerr exhibition - the way in which all these fantastic illustrators seem to work with such ease is endlessly inspiring, and really pushed me to want to do more and be less precious about doing! i'm sure these illustrators didn't get to where they are now by worrying about every silly little thing.

in other news, i got my PD1 module grade back (the module that i created my sloth's guide to illustration zine for) and was completely pleased and relieved to discover that this mark was much better than my previous one, putting me back into the first boundary where i so comfortably sat for pretty much the entirety of first year. while i was relieved about the grade, it all felt a little bit sour because i was equally pleased with the work from both of my recent modules, and so find it a little ridiculous that i should celebrate this piece more than the previous just because it was more suited to assessment purposes. basically, i worry a lot about my grades and i'm not entirely sure how useful or relevant grades actually are in the big bad world, anyway. all i can really take from it is that my self initiated work seems to be more successful, which perhaps could be because i'm truly passionate about it, which says to me that i should now be taking note of every little thing that crosses my mind and seeing how i can use it to push future personal projects. just the other day i came up with a rough story idea based around a fleeting, silly thought i had, and then i realised that i need to pay more attention and not let silly thoughts go when they can hold so much potential - after all, my work exists because of silly things!

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jaded

jumper: primark
dress: primark
necklace: topshop
boots: primark

ok, i am a total primark fangirl. whenever i go into town i just have to have a browse, regardless of whether i want or need any new clothes - after all, just looking can't hurt, right? right, especially when you can pick up a jumper and a dress for just £13! i'd eyed up this dress on the primark website, so when i saw it in store i didn't have to think about taking it into the changing rooms with me. i also spotted this jumper whilst browsing and thought it'd look fab layered over the dress because of how the colour of it complements the colours in the dress. i'd previously bought the chelsea boots, but they look bloody good with just about anything - well done, primark, you did good!

i'm also pleased to have recently added collection to my list of cruelty free makeup brands. at first i was unsure about the brand, but after seeing that other cruelty free bloggers trust it, i decided to go ahead and add it to my own list. shortly after this, i browsed a stand in boots and was taken by this gorgeous, deep burgundy shade of lipstick from the new gothic glam range and snapped it up quickly. after having looked for a dark, vampy shade for a while and seemingly failing to find one that was dark enough for my liking, at £2.99 i was pretty damn pleased to have found this!

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a sloth's guide to illustration

my latest module required me to create a piece of self promotional work that would be sent out to studios and companies that i may decide to to apply to for work experience throughout the summer, and i'll bet you're all extremely surprised about the fact that my work was sloth based! at the beginning of the module i struggled with the idea of promoting myself, but once i understood that it was more of a self directed project rather than something to promote me, the penny dropped and i realised that nothing made more sense than to use sloths as my project driver!

i knew that i wanted my piece to reflect my silly, light hearted outlook and personality as well as my illustrative style so i could be comfortable knowing that whoever opened my package knew exactly what kind of person was contacting them. i felt that this zine idea helped to honestly convey my tone of voice, my mind as a creative and how i work as one, too, and i feel that within the illustration world it's so important for your work to be genuine and an honest reflection of yourself.

we had to also consider a cv, covering letter and envelope design to be sent out alongside the promotional item, so i decided to keep the designs simple and relevant to the theme of my zine by sticking to a monochrome colour scheme and by using simple line drawings. i feel that this choice helps to display how my style works both in colour and monochrome as well as the fact that i can work on a more complex or simplistic level depending on what a brief may require.

in addition to our physical self promotion items, we were also asked to consider a digital solution that could be anything ranging from motion work to a simple pdf, so i decided to step a little out of my comfort zone and attempt a simple bit of motion in the form of an interactive illustration. i stuck with the sloth theme and the exploration of a sloth training as an illustrator, so i decided to create an image where a viewer could explore a sloth's creative studio. i linked my physical and digital pieces together through the creation of a character, dame olive napsalot, who is a well renowned illustrator within the sloth creative community who kindly offers up her advice about working as an illustrator which in turn becomes the content of the zine. at the end of the zine you're then presented with the opportunity to visit her website where you can explore her studio, which helps to make the content of the zine feel real and believable. if you'd like to explore olive's studio you can do so below, but please do excuse the dodgy quality - the .swf upload seems to have been a little odd?



i've had a lot of fun working on this module and it's reinforced the fact that i love writing my own material and having complete authorship over all of my work. my tutors have encouraged me to carry on making sure i put my stamp on all the briefs i tackle, so i hope i can get my teeth stuck into future projects just as i have this one!

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sunday synopsis

this week saw the first assessment of the year and i think it went okay - fingers crossed this module's mark is a little better than the last's! either way, i thoroughly enjoyed creating the work for this module and will probably post a bit about it up on my blog within the next week. this week also saw my work get shortlisted for a hallmark competition! i literally squealed for a good 10/15 minutes after finding out the news and am so chuffed at all the lovely things the judges had to say about my work. hallmark is one of the places i've been eyeing up as a potential placement, so fingers crossed that this'll help me on my way to hopefully getting there! *more eternal squealing*

i've spent this weekend monging out and doing far too little (other than vegetate in front of the tele,) and it's all in preparation for the next two modules i'm starting this coming week. one is in preparation for my dissertation next year *sobs* which will be a lot of work but interesting if i choose my path wisely, and the other is a specialist module where i'll be tackling the macmillan prize with an original story i've written, which will also be a lot of work (so much work i feel ill thinking about it,) but it will be SO FUN. i've literally been looking forward to tackling this brief since may last year when i eyed up the entries being sent off by previous second and third years, and hopefully i'll pull myself together, push myself and end up with a piece of work that i'm proud to have in my portfolio that'll reflect my aspirations.

i hope january's been treating you all well, and if not, it'll be over in the blink of an eye anyway!

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black & white

 hat: h&m

top: primark

necklace: handmade

shorts: charity shop

boots: river island

back in the summer of 2011, shorts were literally all i lived in; almost three years later and it's a rare occurrence if i'm spotted in shorts. last summer i almost threw all my shorts out because i just didn't feel good in them anymore, but for some reason i decided against it, which was probably a wise decision or i'd have been out buying more to replaced the lost pairs!

i like to think this outfit works better in the warmer weather when i can ditch the thick tights and pair my boots up with some cute socks, but i figured with a leather jacket i might as well attempt to get as much wear out of my shorts as possible - i used to back in the day, braving shorts and tights in the dead of winter! i don't know what it is about skirts that makes you look less of a fool wearing them when it's cold, but it's something i stay thankful for as i live in skirts and dresses!

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e.l.f. | £1.50 lipsticks

e.l.f. lipsticks: £1.50

not so long ago i went on a bit of an e.l.f. binge, and in a crazed moment i added several of their lipsticks to my basket and tried to ignore the fact that they were shades i already owned from other brands. lipstick's becoming a slight problem for me at the moment, perhaps some sort of rehab is necessary...

you might remember not so long ago that i posted a little review about one of the body shop colour crush lipsticks, and i'd definitely compare these bargain e.l.f. lipsticks to the likes of that, and they're almost a tenth of the price! when first breaking the lipsticks in, they feel a little stiff and a few coats is needed for colour intensity, but after a couple of uses they become easy to apply and the colour transfers much quicker. on your lips they're extremely moisturising just like the body shop colour crush lipsticks, however they do feel a little heavier, and are slightly more matte, which for me isn't a problem at all because i personally like to feel my lipstick on my lips because you know that when you can no longer feel it, it's time to reapply!

my favourite of the four lipsticks are definitely sociable because the colour's just so intense, and captivating because i find it works quite nicely with my eye colour and skin tone. i found that when the lipsticks arrived the colours looked slightly different to how the swatches appeared online (i expected gypsy to be much darker,) so i'd bare that in mind and perhaps look around some blogs for reviews on a shade if you don't want to commit to the colour unknowingly.

my only problem with these lipsticks is the packaging. not because the text wears away or because it's not the prettiest, but because two of the four lipsticks arrived slightly beaten because the bullets were off centre in the tub and so scraped along the sides of the tub when you twisted them up. of course this is easily fixable and for £1.50, are you really that bothered when the quality is so great for the price?! i know i'm not!

to conclude, i love these lipsticks. i'll definitely be repurchasing more shades at some point when my inner lipstick demon rears its silly head again, and i really won't mind because i'll be getting quality products at a fantastic price. if you still haven't tried elf make up, go and do it. i promise you won't regret it!

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sunday synopsis

well i've endured the first week back at uni after christmas, typically the 'most depressing time of the year', and i think i can safely say i've avoided any kind of depression, thankfully! it's been nice being back around familiar faces and actually having some sort of routine again - i never thought i'd be the kind of 'boring' person that enjoys having a routine, but without one i just get so incredibly lazy! perhaps this is me tackling my 'adult' responsibilities head on?

speaking of responsibilities, second year is hard. i recently received my grade for my last module of work which i worked my bloody arse off for, and received quite a disappointing mark for it. the mark's not terrible by any means, but i know i could've and should've done so much better. after speaking to people though it seems that most people dropped at least a grade boundary lower than they normally do, so i'm assuming it's just a natural progression throughout the years, i mean, of course it's going to get harder! i've tried my best to not let it get me down too much, given myself a swift kick up the bum and kindly reminded myself, once again, that i need to work harder. i often say that phrase to myself and hate myself for it because i know i work hard, but i think people can always do more. i guess i just need to find the balance between doing more and running myself down and making sure i sit comfortably between the two markers. if anyone has any useful tips for staying motivated and pushing yourself harder, i'm all ears, haha!

i hope you've all settled back into uni if you've started again, and if not i hope you're all having a terrible time sitting at home relaxing before your post-christmas term does actually start *huff* well, not really, but i am jealous, haha!

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floral kimono

hat: h&m

necklace: dainty darko accessories

kimono: charity shop

dress: handmade

blouse: charity shop

boots: river island

ok, first things first: how gorgeous is this kimono?! i couldn't quite believe my luck when i laid eyes on it in a charity shop for just £4, i swooped right over and claimed it before anybody else had the chance to beat me to it. it's very rare that i find wardrobe staples in charity shops that aren't just typical collared blouses, but i find that if i'm having a day where i'm not so sure what to wear, i'll throw this on with a plain dress and before i know it i look presentable and feel great - isn't it great what clothes can do for your self confidence? i can go for months on end without thinking to check out my local charity shops, and it's gems like this that remind me to have a mooch around them more often, because you never know what bargains could be waiting for you!

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design juices feature

hello, everyone! i'm just quickly popping by to let you know that i've been featured on the Design Juices website today, and if you'd like to take a peek at the article you can do so by clicking here or on the image above. 2014 has gotten off to a fabulous start for me, and i'm crossing my fingers, toes, eyes and whatever the hell else i can cross in the hope that 2014 continues to be just as exciting for me! *internal squealing*

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lush herbalism

when i first started reading blogs back in late 2012, i very much preferred reading fashion blogs and often wondered how people became so obsessed with and hoarded makeup and skincare... well, a year and a bit on and i'm now ready to admit that i, too, am now a bit of a makeup and skincare hoarder. oops...

i recently decided to splurge a bit in lush, and after having a chat with a store assistant i came out with herbalism in my bag. i was a bit dubious about the product at first - i'd never used a solid cleanser before and the smell was questionable, but after having it recommended for my skin type i decide to let go of any doubts i had and give it a go, and i'm totally glad i did!

after a few times of using the product the smell became less of an issue; i find that there's something oddly familiar about the scent as it reminds me of my nanan's house for some reason. i'm terrible at describing scents, but i think it smells earthy, yet fresh - perhaps herby as the name suggests?! friends of mine have commented that it smells of fish and chips, but i can't say i agree haha!

after almost two weeks of using the product, i can whole heartedly say that it has worked miracles for my skin. i get really bad blackheads around my chin and i generally break out there around once a month, but since using this my blackheads now are less visible and there are definitely fewer of them - yippee! obviously i still have the odd blemish on my face as you can see in the picture above, but i'm so pleased with the results i've seen from this product so far and would recommend it to anyone with oily/combination skin who's looking to tackle blackheads and spots. it also leaves your skin feeling fabulously soft and supple because it also works as a gentle exfoliator as well as a cleanser. it's not the cheapest cleanser out there, but i'd say that it's worth every penny because, unlike other cleansers, it's actually worked for me!

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sunday synopsis

wait, what happened to my typical sunday selfie? i'm afraid this week i've traded it in to share with you all the fact that i've been... *breathes* featured on the primark website! laura got in touch with me a couple of weeks ago about answering some questions to be featured on the new website, but it still came as quite a shock to actually see my face up there amongst all the other articles! if you'd like to have a nosey at the short q&a i took part in, you can do so here! primark were kind enough to send me out a giftcard for taking part, so in good time i'll have a primark haul to share with you all featuring all the goodies i bought with the store credit.

in other news, i'm now at the end of my christmas holidays and i'm kind of dreading having to head back to university and deal with all my work responsibilities again because i just know from here until summer is going to be absolutely hectic! time to really apply myself and focus on bettering myself - there's only a few months left of second year until i'm a third year, and aren't you supposed to be somewhat 'established' by then? it's scary to think about!

during my time at home, i've settled back in and spent a lot of time with people that i hadn't seen since the summer, so it was nice to catch up with friends, go places and know that friends are only a car ride away - something that's easy to forget when you don't see people for months on end!

all in all, i'm ending the christmas holidays on a pretty positive note. thanks so far, 2014!

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silver tones

dress: primark

jacket: h&m

necklace: primark

boots: ebay 

this dress is something that i loved upon buying, but once i got it home i struggled to style it in a way that i liked. i tend to play it safe with a tartan scarf and leather jacket, however i discovered that when teamed up with this floral bomber jacket and a girly pink lip, you can dress it up in a more feminine manner. simple silver jewellery and a pair of buckled boots help to pull the look together.

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