HAUL: MODELS OWN MAKE-UP BRUSHES...

As I mentioned in my previous Models Own haul post I treated myself to some make-up brushes as well as the obligatory nail polishes in the Models Own 50% off sale. So here are the brushes I bought in a little more detail..

Type - Kabuki Brush

Price - £10 £5

What Models Own Say: 

"Our professional Kabuki Brush is a must-have all-purpose accessory without which no make-up bag can be complete! Use this super-soft and full brush for a natural and beautifully layered look. It can be used with powder, bronzer or blush - this is multi-functionality at it's best!"

I kind of expected this brush to be a little bigger but it is the perfect size to fit in an on the go make-up bag. Models Own promise 'super-soft' & they definitely deliver, all are gorgeously soft brushes! I have been using this brush for my bronzing needs for just over a week now & have had no shedding what-so-ever, for £5 it was certainly worth the money!

Type - Angled Blush Brush

Price - £8 £4

What Models Own Say:

"Looking for a way to create super defined and glamorous cheekbones? Our professional Angled Blush Brush is perfect for creating a fantastically sculpted look. The slanted shape of this brush offers precision contouring, is soft on your skin and is perfect for accentuating your features!"

I had been looking out for a reasonably priced angled blush brush for a while so when I spotted this it felt like my prays had been answered! Again really soft & no shedding as of yet! I've been using it to apply my MeMeMe Blush Box & it goes on so much better with the angled brush than with the little square brush that it comes with! The perfect brush for the £4 price tag!

Type - Powder Brush

Price - £10 £5

What Models Own Say:

"Our professional quality Powder Brush is excellent for blending loose or pressed powder. Load powder to the brush, tap on palm of your hand to remove excess and lightly sweep over your face or body for a sheer and flawless finish."

This brush only arrived this morning so can't 'review' it as such. With my initial order I was sent two blush brushes & no powder brush so I mailed Models Own & they resolved this straight away. My powder brush was replaced free of charge so I am a very happy customer. I also have high hopes for my new powder brush as the others I have started using are great quality for their tiny price tag!

RECENT BUYS: AUGUST...

A bit of a random mix of things but just wanted to share with you what I have been spending my pennies on over the last couple of weeks..

001. Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara - Love, love, love this mascara! I've been using it for years now & doubt I'll change to a different product! It's on offer at the moment in Superdrug for £8.99 so if you haven't tried this before now's the perfect time!

002. NUS Extra Student Discount Card - If you're a student BUY THIS CARD! This is probably the best £11 that you will spend all year. I'm a serious bargain hunter so having the opportunity to save money every time I shop is a dream come true! You can use it everywhere from the cinema to ASOS to Mc Donalds to Missguided! My new card should be with me any day now!

003. Apple USB Cable - My iPhone is my best friend but my charger cable is falling to pieces! I bought this replacement on Amazon for just 66p with delivery, bargain!

004. Topshop Wing Sleeveless Top - I bought this top via eBay for just £14.99. It even still had it's tags attached (worth £24!). I wore it out to a Barn Dance on Sunday with rolled up jeans & a leather jacket, had so many compliments! Definitely going to be my new favourite top!

005. Schwarzkopf got2b POWDER'ful Styling Powder -I picked this up in boots a week or two ago as it was on offer for £2! My hair is so limp I'm willing to give anything that promises volume a try! I've used it a couple of times but not 100% sure whether I actually like it or not? Anyone else tried this product?

006. Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance Leave In Conditioner Spray - I've been using this for a couple of years now, I just squirt some in my hair after washing & let it do it's job! It smells lovely & leaves my hair feeling gorgeous, what more could you want?

HAUL: MODELS OWN NAIL POLISHES...

We're probably going to see millions of these Models Own posts over the next few weeks because of the 50% off sale but I don't mind cos they're just so prettyyy! I received my little parcel this morning & was quite shocked as I only ordered it Tuesday (Good service MO!)! I ordered 7 nail varnishes in all (I needed cheering up after loosing my favourite Blooboo, excuses excuses) & a few make-up brushes. They sent me the wrong brushes so will feature them in a separate post when it's all sorted (they've mailed me already arranging a replacement so can't fault them to be fair!). So here are the beauties that I treated myself too..

Juicy Jules - I am a human magpie; I seen this colour & literally squealed 'oooh pretty!'! Man is it sparkly! Done a little tester & after three coats it's amazing! I would only wear this colour on false nails though as I can see it being an absolute nightmare to remove!

Fuzzy Peach - Such a dreamy colour! I'm a pastel, girly girl when it comes to nails & this colour is just perfect! This peach

 is a close second to my utter favourite colour..

Blooboo  - Can't big this colour up enough! It's eye catching, yet subtle, cool but girly; my favourite nail colour ever. It has a slight shimmer to it which my old bottle didn't but this makes me love it even more. Blooboo FTW!

Lilac Dream - Again another awesome colour. I think that pastel shades look amazing with a tan & this will defo' be one of my holiday shades. Love, love, love!

Bubblegum - I got quite excited when I seen this colour. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite as pink as this! A really fun colour that I'm sure to get my wear out of!

Top Turquoise - I must say this is this biggest let down for me out of all the colours I ordered. It's a lot darker than I imagined & will take some time to grow on me, like I said I'm a pastel gal! I feel like it kind of washes out my skin, maybe more of a winter shade.

Purple Passion - I've been eyeing up this colour in work & I must say I love it! It's a little darker than I'm used to but will look amazing on a night out!

Overall the first four polishes mentioned are my favourites! At £2.50 a pop you can't really complain, although I wish I went into boots to see the colours first hand. I probably wouldn't of bought the Top Turquoise & would of went for maybe a lighter shade! Oh well my birthday is coming up & after seeing my excitement at getting the Models Own parcel this morning I think my folks know what to get to keep me happy! Did you guys snap up any bargains in the sale?...

FOR SALE: JC FOXY REPLICAS...

I mentioned in my previous post about the JC Foxy Replica's that I ordered off eBay. Well they came this morning & don't fit! I am devastated; want them to fit so bad!): I ordered them in a size 39 because that translates as a UK 6 but are way too small! As they are from Shang Hai it would be way too much effort to try & return them so I'm offering one of you lovely ladies the chance to snap up a bargain before I'm forced to place them back onto eBay..

Size - UK 5

Condition - Immaculate, never been worn!

Price - £20 including P&P

I'd say they're a UK 5 even though they're a 39; I'm a strict size 6 & my toes hang over the edge! From just trying them on I can say that they are weirdly comfy & don't feel that high for an almost 5" heel! I'm selling them for just £20 which is the same price as what I bought them for. I'm not interested in making any money just don't want to be stuck with another a pair of shoes that I'll never wear! If you're interested or have any questions leave a comment below or email me (molyneuxoxo@hotmail.co.uk)...

HOLIDAY WARDROBE WISHLIST...

With all the summer sales on their final clearance it seems only logical to buy my holiday clothes now. It's only the middle of August & the number of wooly jumpers in stores out number the bikinis by far, depressing! If I left it until just before I go in September I wouldn't have a chance of finding anything to wear! So I thought I'd share with you some of my holiday wardrobe wishlist...

All above are River Island

001. Tribal Print Bandeau Playsuit £17 - I love the tribal print of this playsuit! I think it'll look amazing with tan accessories & a real golden tan!

002. Yellow Bird Print One Shoulder Playsuit £18 - I think the shape is really flattering. The colour is also gorgeous & who can resist bird print?!

003. Orange Print Bandeau Playsuit £16.99 - Floral + girly = perfect!

004. Green Aztec Print Playsuit £16.99 - The graphic aztec print makes this playsuit edgy & cool. The minty colour will also look great against a tan!

All above are Topshop

001. Multi Stripe Bandeau Bikini £26.50 Now £12 - Love, love, love this bikini! I ordered this online Friday & got my fingers crossed that it fits when it arrives. Love the colour, the shape, everything!

002. Cream Lace Bandeau Bikini £28.50 Now £12 - Crochet lace has been everywhere this summer & this bikini is just gorgeous. Only a size 16 available online so I guess I'll be scouring the shops to find this beauty!

003. Cream Floral Print Triangle Bikini £28.50 Now £12 - A traditional triangle bikini with a funky, floral maybe 70's feel.

001. Gold Diamante Side Detail Sunglasses River Island £14.99 - These sunnies are even more gorgeous IRL the pearlised arms & diamonte detail add a feminine glamourous look.

002. Cream Shell Cats Eye Shape Sunglasses Topshop £16 - I've been on the look out for the perfect pair of cat's eye sunglasses since seeing the lookbook images for stylestalker. The model makes them look effortlessly cool & I'm hoping they do the same for me!

003. Gold Aviator Sunglasses River Island £12.99 - This is my faithful style of sunglasses, live & die in my aviators!

004. Leopard Print Top Frame Sunglasses Topshop £16 - I bought a pair very similar to these from Primark on the weekend. The top plastic is just cream & they cost only £1! They add a quirky look to any outfit.

So these are the bits I've had my eye on so far! I've picked up quite a bit in the online sales & will share them with you guys when they arrive! I think I'm mostly done for clothes & bikinis but struggling to find sandals/flip flops & a nice hat (autumn has truly taken over when it comes to footwear & headwear!). Would be grateful if any of you have any ideas/shops to share?...

PS Models Own have hit the 50,000 likes which means the 50% off sale is upon us! I'm keeping one eye on their facebook page for the code & another on my basket ready to grab me a bargain!

WANT: 80'S HOT PINK TROUSERS...

Both River Island

I love the whole bright bottoms, neutral top look at the moment. I think Nicola Roberts rocks this look with big hair & 80's accessories! I know we're starting the transition into our AW wardrobes but I'm not quite ready to leave go of summer brights just yet! Especially with having a holiday to look forward to, all I seem to be doing is gazing at colourful summer clothes! The pink 'Super Skinny' jeans fit like a dream; I've been eyeing up the mustard pair we have in store, ready for pay day! At £40 they're not the cheapest coloured jeans but they fit so well & are such a gorgeous colour! The pink tapered leg trousers on the other hand are only £20, bargain! They're made from a cotton jersey material so would be perfect to wear on the plane, smart yet super comfy! What do you guys think? Are you already in you Autumn shades or hanging on to the pop brights of summer?... 

PS I apologise in advance for me rambling on about my holiday; I don't go for another 5 weeks but expect you'll hear about it in every post as I'm just so excited! 

PPS I haven't forgotten about my promised DIY, it's nearly finished!

WE'RE FLYING RECKLESS TONIGHT...

Yet again empty promises of the outfit post, sorry! I always give myself plenty of time to get ready yet I always end up rushing! Any thing that could of gone wrong in preparation for the night went wrong; tan, alcohol, dress, hair, make up, you name it I had trouble with it! It didn't stop me from having the usual crazy & messy night though! I only really go out once a fortnight so a lot of steam is released when we hit the big smoke! Love my friends!

I'm in yet another rut with my hair; after looking at Saturday night photo's I think it's time my trusty extensions were laid to rest! I love having long hair on nights out but I think a shorter, volumised look is overdue; I'm literally in love with Morven's new hair from Cats and Rocking Chairs, hair crush! I mentioned about maybe going darker a few weeks ago but delaying this until I return from my holidays as the sun & sea will just return it back to its blonde state. 

I've spend the past two days on my sofa feeling sorry for myself as my crazy dance moves & drunken antics have resulted in a back injury! It hurts so much but that'll teach me aye! Going to continue with my DIY's this week & hope to have one to share with you tomorrow, hope you've all had a good weekend too...

I FEEL MY LUCK COULD CHANGE...

Sunday I ordered a dress on eBay which, from the picture, I thought looked exactly the same as the block colour Missguided one that I blogged about in this post. When it came, not so similar! It fitted weirdly & I just wasn't happy with it, resulting in me rushing around the shops yesterday before work like a woman possessed to find something to wear for Saturday. Turn of luck, I actually found something (not my usual luck at all!)! I should of known not to plan an outfit, never works out well for me! Anyways I thought I'd share a little sneaky peak of what I found with you guys...

It was in the Miss Selfridge section at Outfit & was on sale for £15! The colourful, aztec print caught my eye & with around 7 minutes left before I started work, I thought it would have to do! It's kinda casual so will need dressing up but I think I can manage that! I'm thinking tan/nude shoes & lots of accessories! Going to try & take a nice outfit pic' before I go down my mates house, show you how it looks all styled up! Looking forward to a night out with my girlies; hoping the weather is nice to sip pre-cocktails in the garden before we go! 

Tomorrow I'm going to Bryn Meadows Spa for a Rasul Mud Treatment, afternoon tea & to use to spa facilities, I can not wait! I bought it on Groupon for the boyf's birthday back in April & only now managed to get an appointment, busy people! Can't wait to get my pamper awnnn; kinda worried about the whole mud thing though, have any of you had a mud treatment before?...

WANT: VINTAGE STYLE BACKPACK...

I'm loving the whole rucksack micro trend at the moment! I think they're a nice change to the staple satchel which has been the 'it' style of bag for a while now (not that I don't own a few!). I think they're the perfect bag to use for hand luggage on holidays; you can fit a lot in them & sling them on your back out of the way when you have your hands full of suitcases, tickets & passports! Here are a few that caught my eye...

001. Tan Contrast Stitch Pocket Backpack Topshop £40 - Tan handbags in my opinion are timeless; I think this backpack looks vintage & neat. Looking at the pictures on the website it looks like this bag is two way meaning you can carry it as a tradition bag as well as a rucksack, bonus!

002. Blue Washed Oversize Rucksack Topshop £36 - This is probably my favourite bag out of the bunch! I think the colour is just gorgeous & is just overall cute! Too tempting to buy this one.

003. Floral Canvas Backpack ASOS £35 - The floral canvas adds a girly spin to this trend. I think the contrast between the dark leather & floral print works really well. This backpack may be a little too big for my taste but a gorgeous bag none the less.

004. Washed Canvas Backpack ASOS £35 - A neutral version of the bag above. Love the tan detailing!

005. Stripe Rucksack Fat Face £40 - Probably the perfect beach bag! Nautical stripes? Check! Room for tanning oil & towel? Check! What else could you ask for!

So what do you guys make of this style of bag? Do you think you'll be storing away your satchels in place of a rucksack?...

DIY LACE TRIM SHORTS...

So the first of my holiday DIY's is a pair of denim lace trim short that I made yesterday inspired by this picture. They were so easy to make & took me no time at all! I made them slightly longer than the inspiration image as I don't think I could pull off a bum cheek bearing pair! This is how I made them...

To start off with you will need;

• An old pair of jeans - I used an old pair of Newlook skinny jeans. I think an indigo colour work best as the dark denim contrasts with the white cotton lace. 
• 1.5/2m of lace trim - I bought this from a local fabric store, it was just 80p a metre! 
• Scissors. 
• Navy & white cotton. 
• Pins. 
• Chalk. 
• Sewing machine

Firstly I tried on the jeans and marked them with the chalk to the length I wanted. I added an additional length of around 2cm so I could turn them up. I then simply cut along the line I marked so they looked like this...

Once I cut them I tried them on again and turn the hem up so that the shorts were the length that I wanted. When I was happy I pinned the hem in place, like so...

I then used the sewing machine & the navy cotton to sew the hems up. I sewed all around the leg 1cm in, I turned the shorts inside out to make this easier. Once finished I trimmed the excess material so it was nice & neat (I'm a bit of a perfectionist!)...

Now for the lace! You can do this one of two ways; lace in or out. As demonstrated in these images...

I thought that with my particular lace & shorts the outer style looked better so pinned it in place ready to be sewn. Again I turned them inside out and carefully stitched them in place with the white cotton. If I chose the other method I would use the navy cotton so it would have looked nice & neat. Once both legs have been sewn, you're finished...

I'm really happy with how they've turned out! So simple & only cost me £1.60 to make! I'm not quite sure how I'm going to wear them yet. Do you guys have any suggestions? Today I'm going to create a sheer maxi skirt & make more jeans into shorts, I think I have the DIY bug...

TAKE ME AWAY...

Taken sneakily out of the plane window on the way to Egypt last year.

This morning my boyfriend & I booked a holiday for the end of September! One week, all inclusive on the sunny isle of Greece, yes please! Being the typical girl that I am, my mind has immediately started to ponder over clothes & outfits. I already have a tower of shorts so going to try & not buy that much summery clothes as when we come back it'll be October & probably arctic weather here! Instead I'm going to try & be thrifty & DIY as many clothes as I can. I'm thinking lace trimmed shorts & side split skirts a la A Pair & A Spare! I'm stupidly excited already! It's nice to have things to look forward to. I've spent the last few months being short on cash & things to do and it isn't fun! Now I have nights out, a spa day, my birthday, an Adele concert, starting back to uni' & a holiday to look forward to! Happy, happy, happy...

MAKE UP BUYS JULY...

Whilst shopping Friday I had good intentions of finally investing in a MAC foundation (after I've been banging on about it for what feels like an eternity!). However before going to the MAC store I stopped into trusty Superdrug. Bad decision! The bargain hunter in me just couldn't justify paying £23 for foundation alone when I got all the items pictured above for £25! Maybelline had a 3 for 2 offer on so I picked up foundation in my everyday shade (Fawn 040) + my tantastic weekend shade (Sun Beige 048) resulting in a free lipstick (I chose Luminous Beige, a nude-ish colour). I've been after a coral blusher for a while & the one that caught my eye was the MeMeMe Blush Me! box in Coral. It's probably the most I've spent on a blusher at £8.50 but I'm really happy with the result so far! I'm now hoping to get my hands on an orange toned lipstick to compliment my new blush! Whilst at the MeMeMe concession I noticed that the face illuminator was on offer so picked up the Beat the Blues in Sunbeam. 


I can see the difference in my make-up application since using the MAC 187 brush so not ignoring the fact that there is quality that comes along with the price tag. I can honestly see myself eventually caving in and buying MAC; but at the moment while I'm working part-time & have no student loan coming in I think I'll be sticking to my Maybelline! What about you; make up snob or offer hunter?...

WANT: MISSGUIDED DRESS...

Both dresses Missguided - Shoes River Island Sale

The weekend after next is my friends birthday night out & I really want to wear a dress! This may sound a little random but I always wear shorts/skirts so wearing a dress would be a nice change. I don't particularly want to spend a fortune as it's more than likely that I'll wear it only once! To make my decision a little more difficult I've already decided that I'm going to wear the heels I bought in the River Island sale (pictured above) so need to pick a dress that goes with them. I've had my eye on the Sharon Lace Cut Out Skater Dress for a while, I love it but scared it'll be too wedding-like. The cut-outs do make it more night time, I think it's just because I rarely wear light coloured dresses. I think the pop of colour the shoes will add will make the outfit! The Kellie Colour Block Shift Dress caught my eye this morning. I think it's perfect; the shift style is a super flattering fit! I think with the turquoise shoes & accessories it will look amazing! I might order both dresses & see which takes my fancy IRL; please help me decide, which do you prefer?...

LUSH BUBBLEGUM SUGAR LIP SCRUB...

Bubblegum Lip Scrub - Lush £4.95

I love popping into the Lush store whilst shopping in Cardiff. I mostly marvel at the shower jelly & bath melts but Saturday I picked up this gorgeous smelling lip scrub. My lips are forever dry & I was getting fed up of my lips looking flakey underneath lipstick. This product is definitely an effective quick fix if any of you suffer with the same problem! Lush describes this product as follows;

'Our fabulous lip scrubs are here to keep your kissers sweet. This one will make your lips smell like our best-selling Snow Fairy shower gel. Bubblegum is made with exfoliating castor sugar and our delicious vegan flavour to gently scrub away rough skin, keeping your lips smooth and kissably soft. Simply rub it over your lips when they're feeling the need for some sugar.'

First things first, this product truly works! I've been using it a few times a day since I bought it & my lips are chap free & even a little plumped from the exfoliating! It's super easy to use (you simply rub it into your lips) however it isn't something I'd personally use in public as it's a little messy. You definitely need to apply with a mirror to make sure that you don't have any sugar left on your face, but if you do you can simply lick it off! If you look at the ingredients (Castor Sugar, Organic Jojoba Oil & Flavouring) you realise that it may not be worth the £4.95 price tag but I don't begrudge spending that much on it at all! Overall; smell/taste = delicious, price = worth it & does it work = amazingly! Have any of you tried the Lush lip scrubs?...