Currently Loving #06.

01. I was going to turn this post into a "must have in your collection" for beauty products, but I also have a bit of news to share!
The products above are all ones I truly believe that no girl (or guy, we don't discriminate here at gp.com) should ever live without. Of course, you will have heard of the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, it really does live up to the hype. A beautiful, natural creamy cleanser which will remove every trace of makeup and really deep cleanse for lovely fresh skin. A favourite of mine, I use this every day, twice a day!

Now, Sudocrem isn't the most glamourous of products but it really does heal all. I can't live without this stuff, and I know it's loved by all (even Cheryl Cole who apparently uses it on her spots overnight). It's antiseptic properties mean it's great for blemishes, sores, eczema, dry skin... definitely something you should have in your collection at all times.

Another product which has a lot of hype surrounding it is the NARS Orgasm Powder Blush which is definitely my favourite blush ever (which is saying something as my collection is huge!). It gives you such a lovely peachy glow which a slight shimmer.

Next up is Models Own nail polishes, the one pictured is the ever popular Juicy Jules but I have a fair few of their polishes now and I love them. They're a good price and great quality, they don't go gloopy over time, dry quickly and last well. Other favourite shades of mine include Jade Stone, Coral Reef, Fuzzy Peach and Bloo Boo.

MACs Studio Fix Fluid foundation is my "go to" foundation, I reach for it most days and if I do decide to try something different, I always end up coming back to this. It's a natural finish but great coverage which lasts all day.

Finally, Soap and Glorys Breakfast Scrub is my all time favourite body exfoliator. It smells amazing, truly incredible! This is an abrasive scrub which is great to give your body a good cleanse (and also very good for removing fake tan). I've had this since Christmas, and use it rather a lot so it's well worth the money.


02. Finally my moving day has come. I'm nervously waiting to get going, I feel sad about leaving Leeds as I do love this city, and I'm moving even further away from Scotland but I'm so excited about the opportunities London will bring.


03. gh0stparties.com is going global! You can now "like" the gh0stparties.com facebook page! I decided to set up a page to branch out a bit, and see where it takes me. Please like and spread the word!

Recent Purchases: Topshop; Primark.

I recently bought some Topshop studded loafers and a pair of Primark teal brogues, both of which are so "me" and I've really got my moneys worth out of them recently.
The teal brogues are really... sturdy, and by that I mean they seem perfect for the winter months.

I also got my Boudoir Prive box, which was a bit late this month (although I believe that was to do with the recent Hurricane in America, but I could be wrong).
I'm still really undecided on this box, I'm contemplating ending my subscription as I already subscribe to Glossybox and I find that is more suited to me.
There are some lovely things in this months Boudoir Prive box, I'm really excited to try the Macadamia Oil but other than that, nothing really excited me.

Last week I was at home in Scotland, which was amazing. I met up with my best friends in Edinburgh, and had such a good time.
On Thursday I am moving to London, which is so scary/exciting! To be fair, I'm pretty used to making big moves on my own, but London is a whole other story. I'm going to be interning at a beauty PR company! I'm really really excited (can you tell?) but also very sad to be leaving Leeds as I've lived here for a year now and I love the city. Time to move on though!
So with that, my blog posts will be sporadic while I get used to crazy city life!

Wish me luck!

Review: Sleek Oh So Special Palette & Pout Polish.

Meet my favourite new eyeshadow palette! I recently bought the Sleek Oh So Special eyeshadow palette and it's quickly become a part of my daily makeup routine.
It has a really varied range of shadows, and while it may not be for everyone, it's my ideal shades. I can easily use all of the lighter colours - which include all sorts of pinks, beiges and peaches - for day time wear and smoke it up a bit at night.
Recently I've been using a darker colour to line around the rim of my eyes, which is completely different for me but it's so great to have a change in makeup routine.
For the price, Sleek palettes are so worth their money. They have such a wide variety so there will always be something for someone.

I also bought the Bare Minimum Pout Polish as well, which is a lovely nude lipgloss. I rarely wear lipgloss but this really appealed to me for some reason. The scent is nice, although I find it has that typical synthetic sort of scent, and it looks really natural on.
It's one of those pots that you can keep in your hand bag, and apply anytime without the use of a mirror, yet still gives you such a nice colour.

I really want to try the new natural sleek palette, but it's sold out everywhere!

Review: MAC Lovelorn Lipstick.

I recently purchased MACs Lovelorn lipstick. It's a Lustre finish, which means its incredibly easy to apply and wear. My lips are so so dry all the time, so I can really only pull off lipsticks with a sheen.
This reminds me of MACs Fanfare lipstick but more blue toned. It's been one of my favourites recently.

I find it lasts longer due to the moisturising finish. Definitely one that can be worn day or night, as it can be layered up for a deeper colour, or worn as one layer which is like a pigmented lipgloss.

Wave Upon Wave.

Top - Internacionale, Skirt - H&M, Belt - Primark.

I found this cute little top in Internacionale, it's pretty much identical to the ones that were in Topshop not that long ago, except for £8.99. Admittedly the quality isn't as good, but I'll probably only wear it a few times anyway. 

Today I was a hair model, a salon in Leeds called Cutting Room Creative needed models for stylists training for Shu Uemura products so I volunteered. I got to have my hair washed, blowdryed and styled all using lovely Shu Uemura products! My hair feels and looks amazing, so it was definitely worth it. 

I've had a busy few weeks, with getting ready to move to London (next week ahh!), the Look show on Saturday which was great - albeit very hectic, cramped and hot, it was lovely meeting so many bloggers! I'll do a full post soon, but it was a great day. 

I'm heading home to Scotland for a few days tomorrow, I'm really excited as it will probably be my last trip home for a while (probably until Christmas!) and I get to see my best friends in Edinburgh on Saturday!

In bloggy news, I hope you like the new and improved layout & I also reached 1500 followers! I'm really, really happy so thank you and welcome new followers! 

Glossybox September: A Review.

This month, I (and I believe a few others!) was sent the September box slightly earlier than usual to allow time for me to review the products before I posted. This is such a great idea, as there tends to be a bit of a competitive rush to see who can post about the latest Glossybox first, rather than actually reviewing the products.
I personally subscribe to the box so I can try products before I go ahead and either buy the full size or purchase other items from the brand, which also means I like to give my thoughts on the products to my readers as this is a beauty blog after all!

This box is actually one of my favourites, and I've been a subscriber from the beginning (which means I got the box with contained the NARS Orgasm illuminator).
As soon as I saw the HD Brows, I know it was a good 'un, however my favourite product actually turned out to be the L'Oreal Professional Mythic Oil.
I've actually been using the Alterna Caviar Hair Rapid Repair Spray (review here) from the first Glossybox on my hair, I had no plans to change this as I truly love this product, but I now love rotating the Caviar spray with the Mythic Oil. 
The Mythic Oil is to be applied to damp/towel dried hair, I usually only apply it to the mids and ends of my hair before blow drying. I don't tend to get split ends, but I've seen such an improvement after using this treatment.
My hair feels so much softer, I often feel the ends of my hair and it doesn't feel or look dry at all, and overall looks so healthy. 


The StriVectin-SD Eye Concentrate is a 2week supply which helps to deal with fine lines, dark circles and puffiness. I'm 20 years old, so I don't really have a massive issue with fine lines at the moment, but dark circles are a killer and I'm prone to the odd bout of puffiness from time to time.
The skin around my eyes is rather sensitive, so I'm generally quite wary of what I put around this area. Admittedly, this cream did prickle a tiny amount when I put it on, but I wasn't concerned and after a few days it seemed worth it as my eyes felt so much softer and did look brighter. Obviously, I'd need to keep this up for the two weeks to see more results but I'm not great at sticking to a routine and I rarely use eye cream. 


The HD Brows kit came in all the boxes, and I know a lot of people were excited about this. I fill my eyebrows in every day, so I was quite pleased about this. I got the "Vamp" kit, which is slightly too dark for me which I'm gutted about, but luckily it also doubles up as an eyeshadow palette! As an eyeshadow palette I think it's brilliant, it's quite hard to come across matte colours and I own very few. Sometimes for day wear I prefer using matte eye shadows, especially as you don't get glitter fall out. 


The Plum fragrance by Mary Greenwell isn't one I've heard of before, but this is usually what attracts me to fragrances as I'm very rarely a fan of the fragrances you find in Boots (Diesel, Prada, Gucci etc. really don't appeal to me for some reason). I gave this a go and I was surprised when I actually enjoyed it. It's quite a light, floral scent which is usually what I go for. Perfume smells different on everyone though, so although I like it on myself, it might not suit other people. 


Finally, the little bottle of Nuxe Multi Use Dry Oil is such a lovely size. I don't like putting oil on my face, but I have been using this on my cuticles. I find it absorbs in really well, a lot easier than some of the other oils I've tried. The small size means its great for travelling, or keeping in your bag. 


Overall, I'm really impressed with this months box. The Mythic Oil is definitely my favourite, but I've never really tried any of these brands before yet I've loved them all! 
What was your favourite product from the Glossybox?

Applying Foundation.

Liz Earle Skin Repair Normal/Combination Moisturiser; MAC Matte gel; Sigma F80 brush; MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation

I planned to make this into a Youtube video (link to my channel) but I prefer blogging (although I may still do this video at some point). This is just a quick written demonstration on how I apply my foundation each day. 

I start off by cleansing my face, and then applying moisturiser. This Liz Earle Skin Repair moisturiser is my current favourite as it's not greasy or tacky, but hydrates my skin without leaving me with an oily tzone. I leave a few minutes before I do anything else, this gives my skin time to absorb in the moisturiser otherwise the foundation won't set as well as it should. 

The next step is my primer, and for this I use MACs Matte gel. This is a lovely soft gel which aims to absorb any excess oils. I mainly use this on my T-Zone (forehead, nose & chin) where I have oily patches. I call this a primer as it does leave my skin feeling so soft, smooth and "primed" ready for my next step. I tend not to use this on my cheeks as these are areas which have a drier skin type, so it's really not required. I find that this gel helps my makeup stay put for longer, and it really helps to keep shine at bay during the day. 

Finally, my foundation. I do tend to switch between foundations but I'm currently using MACs Studio Fix Fluid and recently purchased a new bottle. I find it gives great coverage with a natural look, and stays on all day. To apply my foundation, I use a Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki Brush. I would absolutely recommend this as the perfect brush for applying foundation. The bristles are densely packed, meaning the foundation can be buffed into the skin to give such a natural look. 

I apply a pump or two of my foundation to the brush, and then dot it over my face (usually a dot on my chin, forehead, cheeks and nose) and then gently but quickly buff it into the skin. This way it doesn't leave brush strokes like other brushes I've used, and really does give such a flawless finish.
I blend in my foundation down my neck and then finish with powder.

Review: Liz Earle Skin Essentials.

After running out of my Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish, Skin Tonic & moisturiser and my skin getting significantly worse, I headed to the Liz Earle store here in Leeds and was convinced to enter into this very good deal. I bought all three products, got two muslin clothes and a Superskin Concentrate free. I also got to pick up a little sample free, and I chose the Soothing Eye Lotion.

If you've followed my blog for a while, you'll know that I'm a massive fan of Liz Earle products. They do really help my skin as I'm prone to blemishes, and my skin feels and looks so much nicer when I use them.
I've bought the Cleanse and Polish hot cloth cleanser quite a few times now, and although it is a bit out of my budget for a cleanser, it is worth it. Whenever I finish a bottle and stray to something cheaper, I never see such good results. I warm my muslin cloth under warm water, lie it over my face for 30 seconds and then apply a pump of cleanser to my face. I exfoliate in circles using my finger under the muslin cloth, regularly rinsing out the cloth as I go.
I then pat my face dry, wait a minute and then apply the Skin Tonic using a cotton pad. The Skin Tonic aims to freshen the skin and prepare it for moisturisation. Finally, I moisturise.
Last time I bought the Liz Earle moisturiser for normal/combination skin, but being the beauty obsessive that I am, this time I decided to go for something different as my skin has been slightly on the oily side recently.
I went for the light moisturiser for Oily/Combination skin types, it contains a small amount of talc to absorb excess oil. While this does really help my oily t-zone areas, I do find it's slightly drying on my cheeks. I do rate this moisturiser, but I'm probably more of a normal/combination skin type.

I have only briefly tried the Superskin concentrate as I'm slight wary of putting oil on my skin. I used it a few times when my cheeks were slightly dry and it did feel really nice, but again I'm too worried about getting blemishes to really get any use from it.

Finally, the Soothing Eye Lotion is a travel size freebie I got, but I think I'll eventually invest in the full size. I have quite a few problems with my eyes on a regular basis, they're usually quite red and dry, and I'm prone to infections. The skin around my eyes is also really sensitive, but I knew I was going to be safe using this product. It really is so soothing and refreshing, it's exactly what my eyes need after taking off all my eye makeup. It doesn't irritate my skin at all, and leaves my eyes looking healthy and brighter.

The Skin Essentials kit is £41 altogether, which includes a Cleanse and Polish Cleanser 100ml, Instant Boost Skin Tonic 200ml, a 50ml moisturiser (choose from dry/sensitive, normal/combination, oily/combination), 2 muslin cloths and a Superskin Concentrate.

If you're buying the 3 steps (cleanse, tone, moisturise) it is worth entering into this deal as you get some seriously good freebies. I highly recommend the Liz Earle products, I've been using them for about 8 months now and although there are cheaper alternatives out there, I like the products and the results, and the natural ingredients really appeal to me.

Missguided A/W Blogger Lookbook.

Top - Topshop, Jumper - Missguided, Skirt - H&M, Belt - Primark, Shoes - Ebay, Necklace - Urban Outfitters

Gh0stparties Lookbook Entry

I was recently asked to enter the Missguided A/W blogger Lookbook, involving some delicious knitwear. The images are on the Missguided Facebook page, it's a little competition to see who can get the most "likes".
If you could give my entry a little "like", I'd really appreciate it. You can see my entry here.

I actually quite enjoyed doing this as the jumper isn't something I'd usually wear! I think it turned out quite well though.

Neapolitan.

Top - Topshop, Cardigan & Skirt - H&M, Bow Tie - ASOS

This outfit combines all of my favourite things; bodycon skirts (which I literally LIVE in, I wear one every day pretty much), lace, cute bow ties, monochrome and bright pink! As usually, thrown together in true gh0stparties fashion!

Today I had a short trip to London, and also won a competition for some Look Show tickets! After being offered tickets twice by friends (but turning them down) and then winning some myself, I have decided it's fate!

Had a nice little lunch with Lily and then dinner with Victoria. The makings of an excellent day.

Stay Young, Go Dancing.

Top - Internacional, Belt - Primark, Skirt - New Look, Shoes - Ebay, Lipstick - Rimmel 

I should have taken these pictures earlier in the day, but it slowly got later and later and darker and darker. I love this little top so much, it's a bit tight around my chest but luckily Emma gave me some velcro strips to stick it together so I don't get that annoying gap that happens with button up tops!

I kept this outfit simple (like all of my outfits!) I always think high necked tops look funny with necklaces so I opted for bracelets instead. 

August/Recent Favourites.

MAC Bite of An Apple Blush, Viktor & Rolf Eau Mega pefume, MAC Matte Gel, MAC Studio Fix Fluid, Alterna Caviar Hair Rapid Repair Spray, Too Faced Natural Eye Palette. 

01. MAC Bite of An Apple Blush; this was from the Venomous Villains collection and is a matte powder blush. I'm partial to a matte blush now and again, especially as you can add your own highlighter if you fancy it. This gives the perfect "rosy" blush, which is buildable so looks good on fair skin or tanned. Probably my "go to" blush at the moment.

02. Viktor & Rolf Eau Mega perfume; Overshadowed by it's older brother "Flowerbomb" (which I also have), this perfume just doesn't get the recognition it deserves! It's like nothing else I've ever smelt, which is why I love it. I hate going out in the typical branded perfumes, I like something a bit different. This is floral and fresh, and really does smell so nice. I'd say it's a bit heavier than Flowerbomb, so definitely a good Autumn perfume if you enjoy something fairly light and refreshing.

03. MAC Matte Gel; I've had this for a while and only recently started taking it seriously. I rarely use primers, even though I have quite a collection, as I feel they don't help my oily/combination skin type. I spread a bit of this mattifying gel on the t-zone (after a very honest girl I know told me I was a bit shiny round the ol' forehead, thanks pal...!) to help combat any shine I get throughout the day. It also works as a really great primer, it gives such a smooth feel to the skin!

04. MAC Studio Fix Fluid; I stopped using this for so long and have recently come back to it. I think it is one of my favourite foundations, it's really versatile and loved by so many! A great foundation whatever your skin type/coverage you prefer.

05. Alterna Caviar Hair Rapid Repair Spray; This came in the first Glossybox and has to be one of my favourite products. I dropped it on the floor once and it cracked, I sobbed and then promptly wrapped it in tape. Problemo solved, although it does look a little unsightly. I spray this on wet hair pre-blowdry, it smells incredible - I'd quite like to wear it as perfume. On days when I use this, I literally cannot stop touching the ends of my hair! It makes hair so soft and glossy!

06. Too Faced Natural Eye Palette; Another forgotten favourite. This was found tucked away in my drawer, and I love the matte colours in the 'day' eyeshadows, all of the shades are so easy to wear, are very pigmented and all blend so well together. I think I prefer this to my UD Naked palette just because the colours are a lot more wearable.

If you haven't already seen, I've done a guest post on Sofias blog with my beauty favourites!

 

When The Night Falls.

Playsuit - Topshop, Belt - H&M, Lipstick - No.7 Forever Cherry

I wore this lovely little beaded playsuit to the Glossybox event, I realised this was a mistake about twenty minutes (and a litre of water) into the journey when I was having to get fully naked in a train toilet. Serious school boy error there.
I love the sheer material and the Peter Pan collar!

Today I ate too much lunch and felt ill all afternoon... and will I learn my lesson? Never.

I Am A Pirate, You Are A Princess.

Jumper, Top, Skirt & Ring - H&M, Wing ring - ASOS

I still adore Peter Pan collars, I'm thinking about making my own... although I'm already worried about how I'm going to fit everything in over the next few weeks!
Lots of exciting stuff going on at the moment, and I need a haircut! My hair grows so so so fast.

I sent out the packages from my blog sale today, there's a few things left here so have a nosy and fund my move to London!

Glossybox Event.

Anyone who has followed my blog for a while will know I'm a big fan of Glossybox and a subscriber to the service which delivers tailor-made boxes of 5 hand-picked samples to your door each month.
I was recently invited to attend the Glossybox event in London, along with Emma, Victoria, Lily, Michelle & Emma.

As I was a subscriber from the beginning, I've had four boxes delivered to me so I know a little about the Glossy experience and I've always loved the idea of it (see my last post here) but I was interested to see how the company began, as well as how the samples were picked (and I was also keen to get a little insight into what the boxes might contain in the future!)

Although not specifically aimed at bloggers, Glossybox really appeals to me (and I'm sure other bloggers) as it is a way of finding niche brands and trying new products for a small amount of money each month. I'm a sucker for spending all of my wages trying to find the perfect foundation, self-tan, mascara etc. so this is perfect for me personally.
I love the element of surprise to it too, especially having met Sky who deals with the brands which feature in Glossybox and finding out she is absolutely the person to be dealing with our boxes each month.

We were invited to create our own personal Glossybox from a selection of products (some which have been in past boxes and others which may be appearing in future boxes) which was a great idea and lots of fun. The last picture shows my custom Gh0stparies & Glossybox collaboration - including the Inglot Facial Oil - I was devastated when I didn't get this, but now it is mine! - a Neal & Wolf Volumising Lotion, another sample of Xen Tan, a Murad cleanser and a Korres lip butter.
What do you think of my box? Would you trust me with your boxes each month?

A massive thank you to everyone at Glossybox for a brilliant evening, I'm excited to see what the future boxes will bring!