Found out my final uni grade - Whilst at work on Monday morning I found out my final uni grade, and I was so happy to find out that i'll be graduating with a 2.1, which is what I was aiming for! I was that happy that I cried as soon as I found out, as I really thought I wasn't going to get it.
Went to see 22 Jump Street - After work on Wednesday, Abbie and myself went to see 22 Jump Street. So so funny, and Channing Tatum is hotter than ever!
Had an indoor BBQ - On Friday night, myself and couple of friends from college got together to have a good catch up as we haven't seen each other since Christmas. As it rained we had an indoor BBQ and played a few card games, which was a nice way to spend a Friday night.

What have you been up to this week?

Starting with the base, as always my Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer is the first product that I reach for to hide any bags under my eyes, and of course to cover any blemishes. I really need a new concealer, so if you guys have any recommendations leave them in the comments. As for foundation i've been using the L'oreal True Match Foundation and I love it! It's so light weight, it hardly feels like I have any product on my face but it also gives such a good coverage. The shade I picked up matches my skin tone so well also, so i'm really impressed with this one at the minute.

I've really been getting back into my Nars One Night Stand Palette as it's so handy first thing in the morning, as I can add a little amount of contour and blush in a matter of seconds. I'm really getting into using blusher again as it gives a lovely little pop to the complexion. I also really enjoy using my Nars Laguna Blush as it adds a lovely amount of golden glow to my cheeks, it has got to be my favourite Nars product. As always my brows are done with the HD Brows Kit, which I didn't photograph but that is never going to change. 

Onto the eyes, i've been getting back into my liquid eyeliner as I went off it for a little while. Of course i've been using my trusty Collection Fast Stroke Eyeliner, but i've also found that priming the eyelids has been helping it stay put really well throughout the day. I've been loving the Smashbox Photo Finish Eyelid Primer, it's great! As always, the Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara has been another go to and this is almost dried up, so i'm definitely going to have to buy a full size. 

Lastly, in this months Birchbox I received the Yves Rocher Sheer Botanic Lipstick, which I was keen to try as it looked like a matte formula but it contains cherry oil said to moisturise the lips and i've been pleasantly surprised. It's quite a sheer coverage, but very build able. It does appear quite matte and wasn't as drying as usual matte finishes but it does still cling to dry patches, so a good scrub and frequent reapplying is a must. 

Have you been trying any new products?

Starting with the Kallax Shelving Unit, i've been wanting something like this to store my makeup, perfume, etc in as I have random little units all over my room, and I just want everything all in one place for once. This will also match into my other unit similar to this one. Even though I already have billions of cushions, the Brakig Collection has been calling my name especially as you can only pick it up in store, so i'll for sure be checking their cushions. 

The Persby Shelves are a no brainer, seeing as my current shelves have fallen down so many times that they've now broke. I really like the slick and minimal feel to these. The Lack Side Table I initially wanted to put my printer on, as it takes up too much space on my desk, but I think it might be too tall but we shall see. 

As for the other bits and bobs, you can't not pop to Ikea and pick up a few home decoration items you weren't planning on buying. I've been eyeing up the Skurar Series for ages, as I already use the candle holders for my makeup brushes, so I thought why not add a few more pieces from their collection. 

I'm hoping the majority of this stuff will be in stock, or I can find pieces similar as i'm really determined to get my room looking how I want it over the next few months. I'll for sure be doing a few room detail posts, similar to the ones I did a few months back, if that is what you guys would like to see?

What are you lusting over from Ikea at the moment?

Sampled my second Wagamamas katsu curry - Where I live, we also don't have a Wagamamas so it is a rare occasion that I get to have one. Whilst in Plymouth last weekend/beginning of this week, we went and I tried out their new Raspberry Rush Juice, which was so good and of course chowed down on a katsu.

Reorganised my bedside storage - The shelf on my bedside cabinet was looking an absolute mess, and I had random things just lying around everywhere so I thought i'd reorganise and put all my daily things in one place. I quite like the rejig, and my room is looking a lot less cluttered. 

I'm working pretty much everyday next week, so I don't know if or how i'm going to next Sundays post, but I will try my hardest. Also posts throughout the week may be a little lacking as I honestly wasn't expecting to be this busy, but hopefully you guys will understand. 

What have you been up this week?

I was really excited about this months Birchbox, as I'd seen a lot of reviews before receiving mine and as some people had been receiving The Beauty Blender and some products from Caudalie I had high hopes, which have unfortunately led to me unsubscribing, but more on that in a minute.

With The World Cup in full swing, this months box titled 'Global Strikers' is Birchbox's take on the products from around the world competing in The World Cup. Bringing us a beauty version of The World Cup, which I really like the idea of and ties in really well with what is going on a the minute.

Kicking things off, see what I did there.. with the Naobay Body Radiance Lotion, which is Birchbox's Spanish pick. Described as a lemon fresh organic body lotion, containing shea, olive and avacado in order to leave the skin feeling really soft. I've recently been getting into my body butters, especially the subtle scented ones so i'm excited to give this a go, seeing as it smells really refreshing. 

Next up we have two products from France, which are kicking everyones butts when it comes to skincare! First up we have the Yves Rocher Sheer Botanic Lipstick. I have a few lipsticks from Yves Rocher, but this is said to contain cherry oil designed to leave the lips 'lusciously soft'. To me this appears quite matte, so i'm intrigued to find out what this is like. The next French pick is the Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre, which is a cult French moisturiser. As i'm really getting into my skincare i'm really eager to give this a go, and i'm in need of a new moisturiser. 

This next product is inpsired from the host country itself, Brazil and this is of course the O.P.I Nail Lacquer Brazil Collection. This collection is said be inspired by Brazils tropical rain forrests and sandy beaches. The shade I got is called 'Bikini Zone', which doesn't look that appealing in the bottle but the swatches i've seen of this are just lovely. 

Lastly they had include a product from England and this is the Silk + Honey Shea Butter Hair Mask. Said to deeply nourish the hair, whilst protecting and softening the hair to improve it's elasticity. I love a good hair mask, and from what i've heard about this brand is that all of their products are natural, so i'm excited about this also. 

As an extra treat, Birchbox have also thrown in a Brazil Flipflop Keyring. Overall I am pleased with this months box, but I just feel the consistency and the quality of the products available across the boxes just doesn't match. Even though I will use all of these products, I would have much preferred to try out, what I would describe as cult products that other subscribers received. 

What did you think of this months box?

Even though I relaxed mostly whilst visiting, we did get up to a few things which allowed the camera to come out, so I thought i'd share with you guys what I got up to.

As Plymouth is on the coast we always take my Dad's dog, Bash out for a swim, and as he recently underwent a major operation on his leg so training it by giving him a little swim has really been helping. So we took him down the Devil's Point (I think it's called), where I got snap happy with the little fishing boats. That same night we popped out for a meal down the Barbican to the Barbican Kitchen where I devoured this tasty bacon and cheese burger, so good!

Another dog walk we went on was to the Hoe, no innuendo's here, that is genuinely what it is called and is of course famous for it's light house. My dad used to live in walking distance of the Hoe, but since moving I haven't been on it for a few years now so it was nice to get a glimpse of it again. That same night we also popped out to Wagamama's in Royal William Yard, and of course I had my favourite chicken katsu curry and a really nice raspberry rush juice, I highly recommend.

Other than a quick trip to town, where I picked up a few bargains for TkMaxx, I spent the majority of the weekend just chilling out and enjoying a few days in the beautiful sun, which I have actually managed to burn my arms after spending an hour or two in garden.

So that was my weekend in Plymouth. Have you been to Plymouth before?

Usually i'll start by running myself a lovely hot bath, baths aren't my favourite but every now and then a good soak is exactly what I need. Usually i'd opt for a Lush bath bomb of some sort, but more so recently i've been using bath oils as I find that they provide the ultimate relaxation. I've had a few samples lying around, and i've loved using the Aromatherapy Associates Bath Oil and the Aroma Works Body Oil. Both of these give off such a soothing fragrance that puts in the ultimate relaxed mood, whilst also giving my skin the burst of moisture that it needs, leaving my skin feeling so soft.

Whilst in the bath I like to get down and gritty with a good scrub, and recently i've rekindled my love for the & Other Stories Punk Bouquet Body Scrub. This stuff isn't like your ordinary scrub, it lathers up really nice whilst also working to give my skin the scrub that it needs. This one also smells amazing, if you're ever able to pop in store make sure you give this a whiff.  Once i've had a good soak and done all the other bits and bobs that come with a bath, i'll crack out a body butter. At the minute The Body Shop Shea Butter has been my go to as I love the smell of shea butter and this leaves my skin feeling lovely, especially after giving them a shave. 

I'll then move onto skin, starting by giving my face a gentle cleanse using the Caudalie Gentle Cleansing Milk, one i've rekindled my love for recently. It just works to remove any kind of makeup without irritating the skin, and just gives an overall lovely cleanse. I'll then whack on a face mask, my favourite is the Origins Drink Up 10-minute Mask. I love this as it infuses moisture into my skin without having to faff around. I also really love the smell of this, it's like spreading apricot yoghurt all over my face haha!

So that is my quick mid week pamper, which is a lovely way of taking a break from a busy week.

What products do you opt for when having a good pamper?

When it comes to giving my feet a good pamper, I like to keep things pretty simple just like my life really.  Starting off with a scrub and the one i'm loving at the minute is the Soap & Glory The Scrub of Your Life. It's great for giving your feet a good old scrub, removing any dead skin and just brightening up the appearance. This stuff has cute little pink beads in it, and they work to really get in there whilst also leaving your feet smelling nice.  

After i've given my feet a good scrub, i'll next go in with a body butter or foot cream. I'm loving both the Inecto Pure Coconut Nourishing Moisture Creme and the Soap & Glory Heel Genius. Both of these products work really well to moisturise the skin, leaving your feet really soft and supple.  As for pampering that's all I really do, but you can give your feet a good buff as well if need be. I then move onto painting my toe nails, giving them a good file and then painting them in usually in a fun bright shade. At the moment I have the Bourjois 'Turquoise Block' 1-second Gel Polish on my toes, and I love it. 

So those are the simple steps I take when getting my feet sandal ready. Simple and very quick to do.

What products do you use when getting sandal ready?

 This week feels like I have not stopped, same as last week - the reason for not posting a 'This Week I' last Sunday. I've been working pretty much everyday whilst also updating my blog as often as possible, whilst juggling other things in between. I'm not complaining, I love being busy but my body/brain isn't used to it. I haven't done an awful lot outside of work this week, but this weekend i've headed down to Plymouth to visit my Dad seeing as it is Father's Day. 

Tea has been my fuel - Literally! Any given chance I get to have a cuppa i've jumped at, whether it be during the rushing around at work or just before hopping into bed. It keeps me running, and happy.
Devoured the tastiest curry ever - I'm not joking, this almost topped the ones I was eating when I was in Thailand a few years back and they were amazing. This had sweet potato and spinach which just added to the flavours, so good. I love a good curry haha!
 Headed down to Plymouth - Yesterday (Saturday) I drove down to Plymouth to surprise my Dad for Father's Day as I haven't seen him since Christmas, which is crazy. Safe to say he had no idea, and was really happy to see me.

First up is the body bits, and as you can see i've used up a fair few bits mainly from Soap and Glory, but i'm going to start with the Dove Go Fresh Pomegranate & Lemon Body Wash, I think I got this for Christmas and I don't usually use anything from Dove but I found this to be so nourishing on the skin. It also smells so nice and I found that it lingered for a few hours after using also, and these body washes are only a couple of pounds so i'd definitely pick up more of these in the future. Moving onto my favourite body wash, and we all know that is the Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash. I'm not going to say much as I always bang on about this, but I just love this stuff especially the scent. 

Moving onto a product I wasn't overly wowed by and that is the Aromotherapy Associates Revive Body Gel. I think I got this in a Birchbox, and although it smelt nice I didn't really find it all that amazing. Another two products i've really enjoyed using are the Soap & Glory Foam Call Shower & Bath Body Wash, which smells divine and the Soap & Glory Clean on Me Shower Gel. Both of these I got for Christmas, and like I said i've been trying to minimise my stash. Just like all Soap & Glory products these smell so nice, and just really refresh the skin. 

Moving onto more face things, i've used up quite a few foundations to the point where i'm going to have to finally repurchase some. The first two are both my favourites from Rimmel, the Match Perfection Foundation is just a lovely medium coverage that lasts really well on the skin, and then the Wake Me Up Foundation just adds a lovely glow to my tired and dull skin. I will probably be repurchasing one of these two as they are so affordable. Another foundation, one I bang on about far too much is the Erborian BB Creme, which I love for the summer months as it's a little bit lighter than my everyday foundations, whilst also providing enough coverage. I will for sure be repurchasing this! 

This next product is one that I loved last year, but then kind of went off and took me ages to use up, and that is the Nivea Express Hydration Primer. It's a lovely primer especially if you have dry skin, but I think I just moved onto better primers and found ones that worked a lot better. Another product that I liked in the beginning but again moved on from was the L'oreal Gentle Eye Makeup Remover. Everyone was raving about this a few months back, and I really needed a new eye makeup remover so I gave this a go. It's a lovely eye makeup remover and works really well on stubborn waterproof makeup but like I said I just moved on from it. I'd definitely repurchase it as it's really budget friendly and it does the job. 

Finally onto the hair products that i've used up recently. Starting with the John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Shampoo, I initially bought this to try and add some tones to my hair in between dying as I found it often looked dull but this just didn't really do anything other than making my hair really shiny, and then greasy after one day. The conditioner however is brilliant. Next is a shampoo i've repurchased time and time again and this is the Herbal Essences Bee Strong Shampoo. It's great for damaged hair I find, and the overall quality of my hair has been slowly improving over the last couple of months, which is down to a lot of products including this one I believe. It just works to infuse a bit of moisture into the hair, whilst also leaving it smelling really nice! 

Moving onto the hair sprays/styling products. The Tresemme Extra Hold Hairspray is one I found really handy especially as this is a mini, and I would often carry it round with me. It works great to hold the hair in place, but I did find that it often left my hair really crispy but it worked fine for quick touch ups. Lastly are two of the Batiste Dry Shampoos, I must feature at least one in every empties post because I just can't live without this stuff!

So that is everything i've used up recently. Sorry if that was quite lengthly but hopefully you've read this far.

What products have used up recently?

Starting off with the brush that begins my makeup routine, and that is the Real Techniques Setting Brush. Just like most beauty bloggers I use this to blend in my concealer, which I apply under my foundation. I love this brush as it's just small enough to get into the areas that I apply my foundation, whilst also buffing it in really nicely. Moving onto foundation, I have a number of foundation brushes that I use but more recently i've been using this Domed Foundation Brush from eBay. It's just the perfect shape to really buff in your foundation and gives such a lovely finish. Also this brush was cheap as chips in a set of four, for less than a fiver! 

Moving onto the fluffier brushes within my daily routine, starting with the Real Techniques Powder Brush and probably the biggest brush I own. I use this mainly to apply any sort of setting powder just to remove any shine from my face and for me it's just the right size to cover my entire face especially when i'm in a rush! Another brush I use for powder based products is the Real Techniques Blush Brush. I often use this instead of the previous brush if i'm really in a rush, but usually this is used to apply any contour or blush to my cheek area. This is probably my favourite brush of all as I can use it for more than one product and applies powder based products like a dream.

Finishing off with the part that completes my face, my brows. Without them, my whole face would be lost and for this I use the Real Techniques Brow Brush. The angled shape of this brush just works wonders when filling in my brows and gives a lovely shape to them, that defines them really well. I think I love Real Techniques brushes, haha!

So those are all of the brushes that I use pretty much on a daily basis. Which brushes do you opt for on a daily basis?

I've found a light cleanse is my skins favourite, it removes the makeup that i've been wearing all day, cleanses my skin really well and doesn't weigh my skin down, leaving it feeling clean and not irritated. I've also seemed to rack up a good amount of cleansers that do this job, so I thought i'd narrow it down to my four favourite.

Starting off with the trusty Caudalie Gentle Cleansing Milk. I've featured this once or twice, but I haven't really used it much in between then and now. I love this stuff, it's probably the lightest cleanser that I own but does the job of removing a days face really well. Even though it is described as a cleansing milk, it's a little thicker than your average cleansing milk but isn't as thick as your average cream cleanser. I also find this work so well to remove any eye makeup as it super gentle on the eyes. 

Another favourite, one you guys are probably sick of hearing about is the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish. It's no secret that I love this stuff, it works really well to remove any type of makeup whilst also cleansing the skin at the same time. What is also great is that it's designed for most, if not all skin types as it is really that gentle. Okay, i'm going to shut up about this product now ha!

Another cleanser that I seem to talk about a lot at the moment, and that is The Body Shop Vitamin E Cream Cleanser. This stuff reminds me a lot of the previous product, but a little more creamier meaning you can really get a good cleanse that also leaves the skin feeling and looking replenished, moisture wise. It's a lovely cleanser as it's so gentle on the skin and it's really affordable. 

Lastly is a cleanser that I spotted stocked in Tesco, and I thought i'd give it a go. I'm talking about the Along Came Betty Pore Goodness Sake, which was on offer at the time and after giving this a good sniff I was sold. It contains shea butter and cocoa butter, which are two body butter scents that I love so mixed together they smell like a dream. This again really reminds me of the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish as the formulas feel very similar and work in very similar ways. It works well to remove all makeup types and i've been pleasantly surprised, seeing as I picked this up from Tesco! 

What cleansers do you opt for on lazy days?

The Revlon ColourBurst Matte Balms were released a couple of months back, and instantly I thought to myself 'eww matte, no thanks' as i've never got on with matte formula's in the past as they would just cling to any dry skin on my lips, and me being a sufferer of very dry lips I just stayed clear of them. It wasn't until I saw reviews surfacing, claiming that these weren't drying at all that made me go and swatch them to see what they were all about, and I ended up picking two shades.

I picked up the shades 'Unapologetic', a fun bright pink (almost fluro looking) and 'Striking' a lovely red with an ever so slight orange undertone. Now I do have to say, i'm not overly impressed with the shade selection of these, or the shade range i've come across in my local Boots stores. I don't know, just a lot of the shades don't float my boat what so ever, but these two are just lovely and I will be getting a lot of wear out of these. These two shades are so pigmented, you literally need one coat and you're good to go, but can be built up and reapplied on top without any product coming away. 

Now onto the formula, and of course by the name they do have a matte finish but these are not drying at all. They're so creamy and moisturising that you don't even realise that you're wearing them half the time, and for the first time ever i'm loving the look of the matte finish. These do not cling to dry patches at all, unless your lips are super super dry so if they are suggest applying a lip scrub before hand will do a massive favour. Also these have a subtle minty scent to them, which I quite like seeing as you don't really notice the scent as it's not overpowering at all.

Overall i'm really pleased with these, more so than the lacquer balms and I hope they bring out some new shades.

Have you tried any of the Revlon Matte Balms?

Starting off with my most recent favourite lip product and that is the Revlon Color Burst Matte Balm in the shade 'Unapologetic'. This colour is definitely my bright pop of colour for this summer as this shade is so bright and really brightens up my complexion. I also love the formula of this, as matte finishes have never been my favourite.. I love how they look just not on me, but this so moisturising!

Another pick from Revlon and another recent delve for me into the Revlon Lip Butter in the shade 'Raspberry Pie'. This shade is a little darker for summer, but seeing as I love my plum shades this is my exception for my summer picks. Lasts well, nourishing and overall just lovely!

This next pick is probably my most favourite from last summer, this next product is the Maybelline Color Whisper in the shade 'A Plum Prospect'. Little back story, I lost this stupidly on a night out and I was gutted, so when Alexandra sent me a replacement I was so so happy! I love this as it makes my lips look so juicy and this is such a pretty pinky shade with a slight purple undertone, love it!

Moving onto two more products that I loved last summer, well technically the same product but in two shades and of course i'm talking about the Bourjois Color Boost Lip Crayons in the shades 'Red Sunrise' and 'Orange Punch'. I love the formula of these and they are so easy to apply when you just want a quick sweep of colour that doesn't dry out the lips and lasts pretty well. Both of these shades are so different to any other lip products I own, which is probably why I like them so much.

Last but not least, I couldn't not include my current favourite MAC Lipstick in the shade 'Girl About Town'. I've recently rekindled my love for this shade as it adds such a nice pop of pink without it being to 'in your face' but also not too subtle, a nice in between. I love this shade for when i'm more dressed up or going for drinks, but I don't trust myself with any of my more pricier lipsticks on nights out, sigh.

What lip products are you reaching for this summer?

I'd had my eye on the Acrylic Lipstick Holders that both Home Sense and TKMaxx stock, some are just lipstick holders and other have a few other compartments (like mine) for other products to be displayed in.  As I was browsing the home section of my local TKMaxx I just thought 'why not?' and picked up this one for just £7.99 as I liked that it had a few extra sections where I could store my everyday items, as well as my favourite lipsticks. 

As you can see i've already organised mine and i'm happy with it, but I probably will change it ever so slightly here and there. For the lipstick section i've just popped in my more higher end lipsticks at the front, my four favourite MAC lipsticks in the second row and then my more day to day favourites in the back. The main reason I purchased this was to make me use my lipsticks more often, and I definitely think it will. I've also displayed my favourite blush/bronzer products in the front section, some lip crayons in the back and then my brow kit behind all of the lipsticks, just so everything is in arms reach. 

What do you think? I've definitely started the acrylic storage addiction, I just can't wait to purchase some more!

Do you use acrylic storage to store your makeup?

Had a little follower - As i've been at home pretty much all week my dog, Maisie has stuck to me like glue. I couldn't resist getting a few snaps of her, how cute it she!?

Went to see Bad Neighbours - I finally left the house on Wednesday afternoon to go see Bad Neighbours and it was pretty hilarious. Not as funny as I expected but still really good, if you haven't seen it yet then you really should!
Cooked a mean steak - For the past few days my boyfriend has been in Poland, so as a way to surprise him I cooked up some yummy steak and made a rather tasty cheesecake! Safe to say he enjoyed it, and was rather happy!

What have you been up to this week?