May Rate Or Hate

Looking back at May it hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be. With a month of exams that don't finish until the middle of the June, I was honestly dreading May but I have been pleasantly surprised. Of course not everything was great this month (I'm looking at you C2 maths exam) but I've formed great memories by making the most of every moment I've been able to spend with my friends in between exams. 

Not everything is perfect and this shows in this months rate or hate -

Maybelline Baby Lips and Eyelure Naturals No 015 Eyelashes 

Rate - 

In the past I've never been a fan of strip eyelashes, all I ever saw on the high street were thick fake lashes that made you look like an extra on TOWIE or beautiful fluttery eyelashes that looked great in the packaging but brushed against my eyebrow they were that long. But after seeing these beautifully re-branded Eyelure lashes in boots I decided once again to give strip lashes a chance. The No 015 eyelashes by Eyelure are the perfect eyelash, they thicken and lengthen the appearance of your lashes but without looking fake or unnatural. I'm no pro at applying false eyelashes either but these were so easy that I put them on perfectly first time saving a lot of time compared to my usual individual lashes. Will I be repurchasing them? Definitely!

Hate - 

I feel like a bit of a hypocrite having the Maybelline Baby Lips as this months hate as I vaguely remember including it as a rate sometime last year, but I can honestly say that my opinion of them has changed since then. Honestly, the Maybelline Baby Lips lip balms are nothing special, they don't particularly moisturize or hydrate my lips and since I started using them I haven't noticed a dramatic difference in the appearance of my lips. Looking back now I may have fallen under the pressure of the hype because truthfully cheap and cheerful Carmex does a better job at moisturizing my painfully dry lips.

I'd love to hear how your May been, did you rate it or hate it?

Eleanor xx

Sunday Nails - Flowers and Lace

Yesterday was by no doubt one of the biggest days in the celebrity social calendar as it was the wedding of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. I love the Kardashians and am a big fan of Kanye so of course yesterday I was constantly refreshing twitter in hope of seeing some wedding photos. From what I have seen so far their wedding looked beautiful: walls of white roses and peonies, a custom made Givenchy lace gown and hundreds of celebrity guests, all of which have inspired today's nail art.

To create the white flowers I used green and white acrylic paint, then free handed the intricate white lace design with a nail art pen. I'd love to try this design with nail art stamping sets as it would be a lot more detailed but also easier and quicker, so I may look into buying a nail art stamping set in the future (anyone got any good recommendations?). 

While there are of course more important things in life than billion dollar celebrity weddings I don't see the harm in being interested in the details. Were you interested in Kimye's wedding? 

Eleanor xx

Day To Night - Black Jeans

You can never go wrong with a nice pair of black jeans, there are hundreds of ways to style them and I constantly find myself returning to black jeans when I'm stuck in a fashion rut. It is safe to say that black jeans are a staple piece in my wardrobe and that's why finding the perfect pair is so important as a good pair will never let you down. 

So instead of showing you a hundred different ways in which to style your classic skinny black jeans (because let's face it we would be here all day), I decided to focus in on two ways in which to style black jeans: day and night/smart and casual. 

The first look is a more casual daytime look, created by pairing a basic white vest with the jeans and some layered jewelry. When it comes to wearing basic items like a vest and jeans, I think that it's nice to go all out with the jewelry, and as you can see from the pictures below I've stacked my necklaces, rings and bracelets. Layering jewelry can be a bit scary, but if you stick to similar styles and tones then its difficult to go wrong!

Primark Sunglasses, New Look Vest, Topshop Jacket, *Warehouse Jeans, H and M Rings and Dune Boots 

The second outfit is more of a night outfit, perfect for drinks or a meal out. I love this outfit because it's smart and elegant but still shows a bit of flesh. If you were however a bit self conscious about exposing your stomach then this outfit would still look great with a simple black shirt.

New Look Blazer, Topshop Crop Top, *Warehouse Jeans, Zara Heels

I don't think my love for black jeans will ever fade and that I will be wearing this lovely pair from Warehouse at least a couple of times a week for the foreseeable future!

How do you style black jeans?

Eleanor xx

Sunday Nails - Hippy

Yesterday I went to a party and the theme was 60s hippy. While I'm not incredibly fond of themed parties I still like to make an effort and go all out on clothes, hair, makeup and nails, hence today's nail art. To create the psychedelic hippy pattern I used a marbling technique.

While marbling is one of the more difficult nail art techniques, it can create a lovely effect that is worth practicing for. This was my second ever attempt at marbling (the first was an absolute disaster) and for a second attempt I don't think that it's too bad. I'm sure there are lots of posts about this technique on the internet but if you would like an in depth 'how to' style post with step by step instructions I'm sure I could write one once I've had a little bit more practice.

I hope you've all had as great a weekend as I have, especially with the beautiful weather we've been having in England this past week. Sadly I will be spending the rest on my weekend revising for my exam on Monday instead of sunbathing, having water fights and other summer activities. Fingers crossed it will be worth it!

Eleanor xx

May Wishlist

I think I have an addiction; an addiction to shopping that is. Shopping is all I can think of since I put myself on a ban from going shopping until all of my exams are over, but since that is over a month away internet shopping is allowed right? I mean I only banned myself from going shopping...

Kate Moss Topshop Jumpsuit - £90
Ah how could I not feature an item from Kate Moss' latest Topshop collection? The queen of British modeling has come up trumps again with her new collection that includes this gorgeous silk jumpsuit.

Triangl Bikini - £47
With summer coming up again it's about time I started looking for some new bikinis to take on holiday with me and let's be honest who doesn't want a Triangl bikini? Those who don't want them already own them and it's because of their popularity that I'm quite surprised that no where on the high street has started selling dupes for them. Until then I  will either have to lust over this leather look bikini in my dreams or try and find a way to justify spending nearly £50 on a bikini.

Real Techniques Modern Natural Makeup Kit - £15

Sam and Nic Chapman have done it again with their brand Real Techniques but instead of brushes they have delved into the world of makeup. This month they released two gorgeous makeup kits that include everything you need to create a multitude of beautiful looks perfect for day or night.

22" Floral Penny Skateboard -£104.99

Okay so I want to jump on the bandwagon (or should I say skateboard) and buy a penny board. Over the summer me and my friends have created a bucket list of thing we'd like to do and this included learning to skateboard. Penny boards are the epitome of cool and hopefully if I do get one, hopefully some of that cool will transfer to me, though this is not likely as  I'm incredibly clumsy a girl can dream. 

Good luck to everyone doing their exams, I had my first exam today and while it wasn't horrific I'm not looking forward to the rest of my 6 exams. But than again who looks forward to exams!
Note - I've already had to pick a new winner for my giveaway because the first winner didn't reply to my emails, I've emailed the new winner but remember if you don't reply then I can't give you your prize! The winner is displayed on the widget so go check that and your emails to see if it is you!

Eleanor xx

Sunday Nails - Messy Mani

I often have quite a clear idea of my nail art before I start but sometimes that changes as I go on; this was one of these cases. I'd seen a nail art that had a gradient and then a checked pattern on top and it looked great, so I was giving it a go myself when I stopped half way through because my nail art looked finished. 

By using a sponge to create a white gradient that fades into my natural nail, creating a modern take of the classic french manicure. I then finished it off with a ultra glossy topcoat. It's a bit difficult to have a classic french manicure with stiletto shaped nails as it just looks a bit strange so this is a great alternative. It's also a lot easier than a french manicure before you don't have to worry about being neat, so perfect if you don't have a very steady hand. 

I also just thought I'd let you know that I've picked the winner for my giveaway and emailed them but if they don't email me back by tomorrow I'm going to have to pick another winner, so if you have entered my ASOS giveaway GO CHECK YOUR EMAIL YOU MIGHT HAVE WON!

Eleanor xx

Outfit Post - And The End Comes To Soon

Honestly this outfit is a bit out of my comfort zone but I love it all the same. I'm not sure why because I've stuck to my usual monochromatic colour scheme but it may be due to the layering and angular shapes. Recently I've become very lazy with my outfits, just chucking on a basic tee and jeans but the other day I had a sudden image of this outfit in my head and I had to see if it would work.

Topshop Jacket, Pull and Bear Crop Top, Ben Sherman Shirt, Zara Skort, Nike Air Force 1

Sorry for the awful photography in this post, as my sister has gone back to Uni I am left without a photographer and had to make do with a tripod. There was also the dilemma between good lighting and a decent background, as you can see I chose a decent background but I'm really regretting it as its not even that decent! I would've retaken the photos but I had to sacrifice my blog photos for revision *sad face*.

Why can't I just have a boyfriend who is an amazing photographer like Anouska Proette Brandon? Or maybe just a boyfriend full stop...

Also don't forget to enter my £15 ASOS Gift Card giveaway here!

Eleanor xx

Sunday Nails - Spring Blossom

As you may know I love flowers and the arrival of spring means that there are beautiful flowers blooming everywhere. The amount of instagram pictures that I've seen of blossom is verging on ridiculous though I have to admit that I am guilty of posting a stereotypical instagram seasonal picture every once in a while. So with all this inspiration about how could I not do a blossom themed nail art?

To create the blossom I used a tooth pick, a brown nail polish and two different shades of pink nail polish, it really is easier than it looks. 

Also there is under one week left until my giveaway ends so if you would like the opportunity to win a £15 ASOS gift card just enter here!

Hope you're all enjoying your bank holiday weekend

Eleanor xx