2016, you've been a ball

Dear 2016, you've been a ball.

I'm sure I'm one of the rare ones who say that. Everyone's thoughts one twitter and such have been the complete opposite but hard as I try, I really can't dampen my enthusiasm and relate. Because for once, I actually understand when people say they had a great year. That was 2016 for me. I absolutely adored this year and lately it's all I can think about, how bloody fantastic this year has been for me! And no, I'm not one to exaggerate and look at everything through rose-tinted glasses because sure this year hasn't been perfect, of course there's been some low points too, but does a completely perfect year even exist? I'm just weighing the pros and cons and even at this moment in late December, I can barely remember all the low points because I've had way too many great moments in 2016 that outshine them. I can't help sounding overly enthusiastic so I'm sorry if this posts rubs you wrong or even comes of as bragging because that's not my intention with this. Blogging has always been my writing escape, a community I love being part of but most importantly, my virtual memory box. I document these moments because I don't want to forget them and I don't want to miss how I felt in that moment and place. So for this posts, I'm going to round up all the best parts of the year and to reflect and remind myself how grateful I should be to experience all these amazing opportunities.

The Girl on the Train

I haven't had the time to pick up a book and sit down for a good read in agesss and I quite miss it. Honestly, who knew uni life was going to be so hectic. I've had this book sitting on my bedside table for months and just never had the time to finish it. With my first semester of first year over, I figured our short family trip to Phuket would be the perfect time to crack it open again. It was such a big hit when it was released, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it and understand what all the hype was about and with the movie coming out, it sorta fuelled the urge. I have to say, I'm not sure exactly what my expectations were but the storyline definitely wasn't what I expected from the title. It's a psychological thriller to say the least and a pretty darn good one at that. The protagonist is a troubled woman named Rachel, aka the girl on the train. Basically, she gets tangled up in a murder investigation during a vulnerable stage in her life. She commutes to London for work every morning and while on the train she observes a couple who lives in one of the houses the train passes by daily. So she begins to create this imaginary ideal reality for said couple (whom she's never met) where they live this happy and perfect life until she witness something that shatters that illusion. The story is narrated from the point of view of 3 women, Rachel, her ex husband's wife and the female half of the "happy couple", Megan. Personally, I find Megan the most interesting character in the book. Her personality is so complex and at times the author has managed to capture certain thoughts of mine in Megan's own feelings. I sorta related to the way she thinks on a very minimal level but that sort of sparked my interest in seeing how her role plays out. The ending was definitely unexpected and was what put this book in the thriller category for me. I can't say I was blown away by this novel but it did make me think quite a bit after I put it down which is something I always appreciate from a good book. Themes of the novel include romance, treachery, murder, adultery and addiction. Not usually the sort of books I tend to gravitate towards but I think I might just pick up a couple more thrillers after this. Overall I give it a 6/10. Just because I expected a lot more from the huge hype surrounding the book. If you've read it, what are your thoughts on it?

Talk soon xx

College Abroad

Well, I can't believe it's already time to do this post. I planned to a couple months ago mainly to sort of reflect on the past months and to keep this little post handy in my virtual memory box. 8 months went by a lot quicker than I expected. I still remember how doubtful and nervous I was about doing college abroad and taking the foundation programme. It didn't fit in with my post-highschool plan. I was meant to do college for a year at home with the SAMs programme and then apply for a university in Australia. Exactly what my sister did. A safe, secure plan.
Except, my mum heard about St Andrew's foundation programme and asked me to apply. Thinking I'd never get in but I'll just do it for the sake of pleasing her, I sent out my application. Surprisingly enough....I got in. I still remember receiving the call while we were on a weekend vacation in Penang Island. Basically, my reaction was "well shit".

Coldplay | 2016

Yes, this is not a drill people. I actually saw Coldplay perform live.

That sentence still seems particularly unreal to me. Coldplay is one of those bands that I've always grown up with. Yellow, Fix you, Charlie Brown to name a few, are some of the songs that always managed to speak to my (supposedly) teenage angst ridden soul. Even in their MIA days, you would still immediately recognise their old songs whether you're walking around in the mall or you hear the instrumental version in some sort of advert and start jamming out. I never thought I'd able to go for one of their concerts because their tours never did reach Malaysia. However, when my friend and I heard about their A Head Full of Dreams tour....we freaked to say the least. We're both from Malaysia but she was studying in Sheffield while I was studying at St Andrews at the time. With all the rumours floating about that this may be their last album/tour (I have no clue if this is true, don't quote me on this) we were desperate to catch them live. So we hurriedly made plans to catch their Wembley show in London, a week after my Spring Break. 

One word. Incredible.

Kat Von D: Lolita II

Honestly, I've been trying to find the perfect terracotta (brownish-red) colour for my skin tone for the loooongest time. I absolutely adore this shade of lip colour and I really wanted one for myself. But eyerytime I come across a lippie with this sorta tone, it's always either too pink/mauve or a little too dark. When I saw Lolita II from Kat Von D's Everlasting Liquid Lipstick line, I thought yes finally!! A beautiful brick red/brown shade, it's a little lighter than I originally wanted but I was still obsessed with the swatches I found online. So today when I was browsing Sephora with my friend, we debated so long over whether to get Lolita or Lolita II. Both were beautiful shades but I feel I have quite a few lippies in my collection in similiar shades to Lolita and immediately after my friend swatched Lolita II, she fell in love. So we both bit the bullet and bought it. I have to say the colour didn't come off exactly how I wanted it to. It looks a lot more pink on me than the reddish tone I wanted. On other people and on my friend who has fairer skin, it looks more terracotta. This happens SO much to me, it's annoying. Though,  a little tip I found that helped was adding concealer to my lips before applying the lipstick. The concealer canceled out my natural lip colour and allowed the reddish tones of the lipstick to come through. I think this is a great tip for girls out there with more naturally pigmented lips. The formula is amazing. It actually feels pretty comfortable on my lips for a liquid lipstick, not as drying as I previously found from other liquid lipsticks. It doesn't dry sticky which is something I love. I never use lip glosses because some of those tacky/sticky formulas make me cringe. Lolita II does settle into the fine lines on my lips a little but that's something I could easily fix with some balm. It lasts amazingly well. I wore it all day out with my friends and barely did any touch ups, it lasted even through eating or drinking. When it does fade, it leaves a pretty light pink on your lips and it isn't too patchy either. Overall, it is a pretty pricey liquid lipstick but you definitely get your money's worth. What are your favourite colours from the range?

Talk soon xx

Barcelona | 2016

Update #8

It's already July....wow. This year has gone by insanely fast but I'm starting to think that's just time in general. I should be researching my biology essay or preparing a presentation on a famous artwork but I decided to procrastinate a little and write this post instead (what's new). The past month has been pretty hectic but in the best possible way. It began with my amazing trip to Barcelona for my summer break. I had the best time ever with my friend in that week we spent in sunny Spain. Then the week after, I headed down to face the opposite on the weather spectrum. Cold, rainy London. For good reason though, I made plans with a friend of mine from home to catch Coldplay live at Wembley Stadium. It was absolutely brilliant. It was one of those bucket list things for me and I still find it surreal that it happened. Like damn, I saw Coldplay perform live.

Mary-Lou Manizer

This just arrived in the mail today and gosh was I excited! The highlighter frenzy is everywhere, that much is certain. For the longest time I was looking for a highlighter that would suit my darker complexion and wouldn't break the bank. Obviously I was lusting after the Becca highlighters especially "Champagne Pop" but I couldn't justify the price but then I stumbled upon The Balm's Mary-Lou Manizer. I saw someone on youtube use this in a 'grwm' video and I fell in love with the natural but stunning highlight it gave. I got mine from lookfantastic just because it was that tiny bit cheaper than feelunique or any other online store really. Honestly, when you're in college every penny (in this case £1.50) counts. Firstly, how cute is the packaging?! The balm always has the most adorable packaging for its products and the cutest names too. I've heard so many good things about them and I'm so glad I finally decided to purchase something from their line. Previously, I was using Benefit's High Beam and while it is a pretty good liquid highlight, I wanted to try out a more gold/bronze tone shade too. That's also why I opted for Mary-Lou rather than Betty-Lou or Cindy-Lou, which are the other shades in the highlighter/bronzer range. I only just got this today but I already adore it. I swept the highlighter across my cheekbones, bridge of my nose and cupid's bow for an all over glow and it looked brilliant. I even used it on my brow bone and inner corner of my eyes. It's super pigmented and feels almost buttery at the touch. Not chalky at all. You can either diffuse the colour with a more fluffier brush or layer it on for an intense glow. It is really easy to bend out and I prefer doing that for a more subtle glow to suit everyday wear. I'm so glad it works well for my tan skin cause that's always my biggest worry when buying face products. Will it suit my skin tone?? Thankfully, it does. I also love that you can use it as an eyeshadow too because let's be real, products that multi-task are every girl's favourite travel companion. I can't wait to try out more products from this brand. I've already got my eye on their matte eyeshadow palettes next.

Talk soon xx

The Marble Collector

I started reading Cecelia Ahern novels when I was 11. Starting of with P.s. I Love You and continuing down the line from there. I have almost every single one of her novels in my collection because I absolutely adore this author. The way she writes is brilliant. I was never really into romance novels until I came across her because while some of her books are romance themed, they always have a little something extra that sets them apart from the other hordes of romance novels. It never is just the typical - girl meets guy, girl and guy falls in love, girl and guy lives happily every after. She just has a special flair that turns boring old love stories into something magical. The Marble Collector was a different sort of love story though, one between a daughter and her father. Each chapter of the book shifts from the daughter's point of view to the father's present point of view or his past. The entire story took part in a day which is already something unusual. One day for Sabrina (the daughter) to solve the mystery that is her father because it turns out she doesn't know as much about him as she thought she did. In an odd way I felt like I related a little to her. I'm not in love with the water like Sabrina is but we do share the whole not really communicating thing. I'm not one to constantly share my feelings and thoughts and this book actually made me want to change that a little. My favourite bits were the flashbacks of her father's past because I liked seeing how what happened then, affected the way he is now. My favourite character was Hamesh, he was Sabrina's uncle. I loved reading about how he was as a rebel teen and how her dad looked up to him and thought the world of him, his personality amused me the most and I think I sort of had a minor crush on teenage Hamesh. Hahah! Not all that surprising since fictional characters seem to be the sort of guys I fall for most. I wouldn't say this book is one of my all-time favourites from her but I will admit it was definitely an enjoyable read. Totally worth picking up if you're looking for a new book. Any books you have recently read and loved? Let me know because I'm on the lookout for a new read.

Talk soon xx

Outfits of Spain

Black long sleeve top & tan shorts - H&M, Choker - Asos, Sunglasses - Monki, Red bag - Longchamp, Pink blouse - idk, leather shorts - H&M, Silver necklace - gifted, Crop top - Forever 21, Flowy pants - Primark, Black slip ons - New Look

Well, the outfits I remembered to document anyways. We left for Barcelona at the end of May which meant that Spring was just ending and Summer was just beginning. I pretty much packed for sunshine really, didn't even bother to check the temperature which was a rookie mistake. The only smart thing I did was bringing along my denim jacket because while the days were pretty warm, the nights did get a little chilly. Even on the beach, whenever I was reading in the shade my legs got pretty cold. However, applause for Spain's amazing weather during our time there, not a single drop of rain which was such a relief because I didn't pack for a wet holiday at all. I stuck with shorts for most of the trip because towards June, the days started getting pretty hot. I wore some tan shorts with an off the shoulder long sleeve top when we were visiting Park Guell. Kept it simple with a choker, my sunnies and a brown belt for accessories. For when we went up Tibidabo Mountain, I wore a cold shoulder pink chiffon blouse with some faux leather shorts. I've only just realised that this top is pretty much the only pink item in my closet. I do love it though, it's such a light and breezy blouse that seems perfect for summer. I can't remember where I got it because it was ages ago but I do wish I had bought more. All I wore with this outfit was a dainty silver necklace. We visited the Sagrada Familia in the evening, so I opted for these flowy trousers to face the chillier weather and because well I am going to a church. I adore these pants! I left my flowy pants back home and was searching for some new ones and I couldn't believe my luck at finding such a pretty pair at Primark. We visited Edinburgh for a little shopping before our holiday and I was quite impressed with Primark's Spring collection when we dropped by, they had quite a nice selection. I paired the pants with a plain black crop top and my denim jacket. I wore black slip ons with all the outfits because honestly, we did a lot of walking everyday and I just wanted to be comfortable. We practically covered half of Barcelona on foot I'm sure. It's a wonder our legs didn't fall off. I'll do a post on what we got up to during our trip asap. The holidays have ended and I've just started the second semester of my programme. Still trying to get back into the swing of school again. Oh by the way, I started watching Game of Thrones and I am absolutely loving it. Any shows that you are currently obsessed with?

Talk soon xx

Beach Essentials

I love the beach or well I half-love the beach. 

I love sunshine but I hate getting tan. I love swimming in the sea but I hate sea salt drying up my hair. You could say this hate-love relationship has been growing pretty strong between us for a while. All in all, beaches are one of my favourite places to visit. Even if I don't always do typical beach activities (e.g. tanning & swimming) when I'm there, I still definitely enjoy the relaxed atmosphere beaches provide. Getting myself a perfect seat by the ocean and sipping some Pina Colada while reading a book is definitely one of my favourite things to do to wind down. And not to mention I have the best naps ever by the beach. No other location has yet to beat my beach naps because they are just beyond amazing. While we were in Barcelona, we visited the beach twice but spent pretty long hours there. Thought I'd share the few items I brought along with me. I never carried much because we always had plans and places to go after the beach and I didn't want to be lugging around a heavy bag all day. I did bring the most important item though, a book. Right now I'm in the midst of reading The Marble Collector by Cecelia Ahern. She's one of my favourite authors and I'm already half way  through the book. I think I might do a review soon to let you know my thoughts on this book. Of course I have my sunglasses along. Honestly, the Spanish sun makes this accessory an actual necessity. The weather is absolutely lovely but the sun rays can be so bright and blinding sometimes especially when I'm under it for long periods at a time. A beach towel/mat is pretty important too. They charge ridiculous prices to rent a deck chair so having a towel or mat to just sit on the sand is good enough. We forgot to bring one but managed to buy one from one of the many people selling them around the area. It was still pretty expensive for basically a piece of cloth so I really recommend bringing your own. I brought my headphones as well incase I wanted to take a break from reading and just relax with some music and last but not least sunscreen. I lathered up my face and body but still got a tad darker but at least there was some protection. I can't stress enough how important this is because it's been a couple days later and my friend is still hurting from the sunburn she got. I left the sun for a while to wander into this restaurant right on Barceloneta Beach. Ordered myself this delicious acai bowl as a snack while I read in the shade for a while. It was the perfect cool fruity treat on such a warm day. Definitely recommend hitting up the Barcelona beaches because they are absolutely gorgeous and you'll have a good time no doubt.

Talk soon xx

Holiday Packing

Summer break is starts next week and unfortunately for me, I only have a week of freedom before it's back to school. On a brighter note, I'm spending that week (Or well, 5 days really) in sunny Barcelona! I'm so excited about this trip. It's a short holiday but I've always wanted to visit Spain and now I finally am. I'm heading to Barcelona with a friend of mine and we'll be staying right in the city. Since it's a relatively short holiday and we're travelling via a budget airline, I'm only bringing a carry on as my luggage. In the beginning, I was worried because I have a severe overpacking tendency and how was I supposed to fit everything I need in 10kgs?? I'm indecisive so I always like having multiple outfit options, which in turn leads me to bring a lot more clothes than I necessary need. I couldn't do my usual routine of stuffing my closet in a suitcase for this trip so instead, I decided to plan my outfits before I leave, something I usually never do. I set 5 outfits aside, a beach outfit, a night out one and a couple day to day ones. I also put some more versatile accessories that would suit the outfits - a black floppy hat, a brown belt, a dainty necklace and a choker. And of course, two sunglasses that I forgot to include in the pictures above. I'm only bringing along a pair of black slip-ons and some sandals for footwear. For makeup, I had to keep it more or less minimal. The toughest thing was limiting myself to only 3 lip products. I usually pick my lip colours based on my mood so restraining myself from dumping like 6 or more lipstick options in my bag was tough. I won't be blogging while I'm away mainly because I'm leaving my laptop behind (cough 10kg limit cough) but I'll update with tons of pictures when I get back.

Talk soon xx

RT brushes!

Finally!

I have been coveting these brushes for years. Ever since I heard Pixiwoo came out with their own line of affordable makeup brushes I've been dying to get my hands on them. But I never could justify the shipping fee for these if I were to order them from home. Everyone raved about them for being amazing quality brushes for a comparatively affordable price. And after watching countless reviews and hauls, I decided it's time to finally buy them. But obviously with me it's either go big or go home. So I placed an order for the core collection, starter set and blush brush all together. I've only used the starter set so far and they are a dream. The crease brush especially is amazing and makes blending my eyeshadow all that much easier. But admittedly, I'm most excited for the blush brush. I've always been a blusher gal and this brush has just the perfect shape and size to lightly sweep a nice wash of colour across my cheeks. Not to mention the bristles are amazingly soft. Personally, I think I won't get as much use out of the detailer brush, foundation brush and fine liner brush. Mainly because I rather use the buffing brush for foundation/concealer and for eyeliner, well I always preferred a more angled brush. But they're still pretty handy to have anyways so I'll give them a go and see how they work out for me. The next Real Techniques brush I have my eye on is probably the powder brush. It just looks so big and fluffy and soft and I just really want it. There isn't really a viable reason to purchase it yet other than the fact my current powder brush needs to be retired soon anyways. I can't wait to try out the rest of these brushes and I'll be sure to let you know how I get along with them.

Talk soon xx

Chokin'

 

Top -  H&M, Lips - Revlon Matte Balm in Fiery

Hey! I'm pretty pumped because I've just finished my exams today. Well, actually I've only done my Bio and Maths paper. I've got an English paper next week but at least, the brunt of it is over. Felt so relieved coming out of today's paper, Bio really stressed me out this past week. I'm just looking forward to summer break now because I am soo ready for a holiday. I thought I'd do a post about my little choker collection. I've always thought they looked really cool (cough 90s vibe cough) and recently, they've suddenly been popping up a lot more. Guess they're coming back in trend again. So, I decided to pick up a couple for myself. I got the slim black velvet choker from Asos. Probably the basic choker style that everyone owns. With good reason though, it's pretty much the most versatile design, because well it's monochrome and minimalistic. You can't go wrong. It's a casual design that works day to night. The next choker is velvet too but has a little bit of a more wider band. Mine's from Romwe. I think this design is a newer addition this season and I really like it! Personally, I prefer it as more of a night piece or if I want to dress up an outfit slightly. I think it looks especially amazing with off the shoulder tops. Last but not least, the piece de resistance of course goes to my final choker, this intricate lace one. It's so pretty! I adore it but I'll admit I haven't worn it out yet, just haven't found the perfect place/event to let this beauty shine. I got it last December when I was shopping for a Christmas present for my cousin. I saw it in the store and I fell in love. There were only two lace chokers left with slightly different styles. Obviously, I decided to kill two birds with one stone and pick them both up. Wrapped one up and gave it to my cousin and kept the other for myself. That's basically the best part of Christmas shopping isn't it, you're technically out to find things for other people but unintentionally scouting for yourself as well. I can't wait for someone to throw a halloween party because I call dibs on being a vampire princess, just so I can wear this baby. I'm on the look out for some thinner chokers, you know the sort of wraparound string types? Let me know if you have some or know where to get some nice ones.
Talk soon xx

Boots of the Day

Boots. My one true footwear love.

Okay, so I might cheat on them with sneakers or some pretty heels now and then but I always come back! Thing is, my love for them could never really progress back home in Malaysia. The hot weather just made it too bothersome to wear yet I always kept a pair handy just in case. I figured I needed an extra pair before coming here and I 'just so happened' to find these beauties in H&M. They sort of give me the same grunge feel you'd get from Docs but without the bulkier look, all thanks to the sole. And I love that! I have this slight obsession with the 90s. While I could live without the heavy metal and punk music, I've always had a soft spot for the whole dark grunge fashion. These boots remind me of that and all without a hefty price tag. Not to forget, the sole is perfect for the rainy weather as well as the muddy grounds and the leather is easy enough to clean. Now, I'm not going to lie. I totally expected them to be a pain to walk in (no offence h&m) but they sure did surprise me. I wear them almost everyday and they're pretty darn comfortable. Even with the 20 minute walk to campus, all I had was minor discomfort in the first week of breaking them in. Now, I barely feel a thing. I'll be realistic here though. I know they are probably not the most dependable boots and will most likely not last me for years. They're already scuffed up from me wearing them every single day but I don't mind.They're great to use at this moment and anyways, it'll just be a good reason to go shopping when the time comes. Or who knows. maybe I'll finally save up enough to get a pair of much coveted Timberlands...?

Talk soon xx

Spring Break 2: Exploring Scotland

Hey, so we last left off at Windermere didn't we? Well after that, we drove up towards Scotland. We dropped by Stonehaven to take a look at the renowned Dunnottar Castle. Basically, a medieval fortress perched on top a rocky cliff overlooking the sea. Quite a spectacular sight. I'm quite fond of castles and the history behind them. So I enjoyed venturing about the ruins and reading all about the past royal bloods that lived in them. We drove towards Aberdeen as well, but didn't stay too long there. Our next stop was Edinburgh, a.k.a another city I've fallen in love with. There's something so beautiful about being in such a bustling modern city yet still be surrounded by mountains and nature. I loved that aspect of Edinburgh. Instead, of demolishing the area to construct a city, they just built a city around the nature. I can't really explain why I like this city so much but something about it just draws me in. I can't wait to visit again when I have spare time from Uni. It has a really nice vibe and the shopping available is finally something worthwhile. We even visited Edinburgh Castle. Also known as home to Mary, Queen of Scots (Yes, my Reign obsession is still persevering). It was a huge castle and as usual my favourite bits were the prisons and dungeons below. Didn't get to see the Scottish Jewels but I wasn't bothered much. I was quite content to roam about the War Room instead. The third picture was the view from the castle. It was at such a strategic spot overlooking Scotland. I could even vaguely spy where the Kingdom of Fife generally was from up there. Which is where St. Andrews is. We headed back to St. Andrews after Edinburgh, as my parents wanted to have a look around. It was quite a good feeling to be able to show them around 'my' town. We were a little short on time, so they didn't get to see as much as they wanted to. Obviously, I was sad to see them go. They left the next day as they had to drive back all the way down to Milton Keynes, to catch their flight home at Heathrow. Next, I see them will be in August when I go home but I try not to think of that too much. I focus on what's going on here and what needs to be done now (a podcast, a 1500 word essay and 5 graphs). As long as I keep my mind of missing home, I'm pretty happy here. I also have a couple more pictures on my instagram of my trip if you are interested to check them out. I'll update next when I can, but until then, I hope everyone has been doing fine.

Talk soon xx

Spring Break

Hello! Just a week after spring break and I'm already dying for another holiday. Literally, I'm being suffocated with all the assignments that's been dropped on me. And I can't fathom why they are all due next week. Who's great idea was that??

Well anyways, I thought I'd share a few pictures from my spring vacation. Unfortunately, while everyone else jetted off to Punta Cana and Ibiza, I stayed back here in lovely England. Actually, I'll give the UK some credit.  For the entire 2 weeks my parents were around, we had some pretty fantastic weather. Not a single drop of rain, which is a miracle on its own. But by that, I don't mean there was some kind of drought over the whole UK for two weeks, just that we were pretty lucky with our timing. It didn't rain anywhere we visited, and if it did, we would've already have left the place by then. My parents (& little brother) came over here to visit me and we had a little road trip from England to Scotland during the break. It started off by me taking my very first train journey alone to meet them in Milton Keynes. Turned out pretty well, I only got slightly lost when I had to transit at Haymarket but I'm so glad I didn't miss my train.  We stayed with my aunt for a while in Milton Keynes and even went down south to see the Stonehenge (pic 1), before starting our journey North. Stonhenge was a semi-interesting stop. While it was fascinating to hear about the theories surrounding this famous icon, in the end, you are technically out in the cold wind staring at a bunch of....rocks. So I'm happy I've been to see them but I probably wouldn't go back. After that, our first stop was Blackpool (pic 2/3), which was a really pretty seaside town. I think it was more of a summer place because when we went, most of the stores were closed but it still had such a gorgeous atmosphere. We walked around the beach and had some ice cream. I really liked that day. Hopefully I'll get to return in the summer one day because I want to so badly. Next was Windermere (pic 4-7), which is part of lake district. Goshhh, words cant describe how beautiful it is there. We took a long winding road through the mountains instead of cutting straight to the highway. Results include fantastic views of mountains and plains and lakes and sheep but with a side of minor carsickness. Frankly, I'm weak and there's only so much windiness I can take. The lakes are breath-taking though. Crystal clear waters surrounded by lush greenery and rocky mountains looming above. Literally, almost every angle from where I stood was insta-worthy and that's a fact. I highly recommend dropping by lake district if you are ever in the vicinity because it is definitely worth it. I decided I'll split my Spring break post into two parts cause it might get a little too long and draggy if not so part 2, which includes our trip in Scotland, will be up next!

Talk soon xx

Spring lippie!

Let me first just start off by apologising for my dreadful looking chipped nails. I had them done a little over a week ago and I'm awful at removing nail polish. I usually just let them chip away until I paint on a new colour or until I really can't stand the sight of them. Horrible, I know. But moving on, it's supposedly spring here, but the weather today sure doesn't seem like it at all. Luckily, the day I took that picture of me was a gorgeous sunny day in Blackpool. It was a lovely place to explore with the family. Even though the theme park and all the stores were closed cause well it isn't summer yet, we still had a good time walking the beach and enjoying some yummy ice cream. Heading back to the lipstick though. I've decided to officially declared this lovely muted coral colour as my spring lipstick. It's a Revlon lipstick from their super lustrous line called "Rosewine". It's such a pretty pink colour and perfect as an everyday lipstick. The colour screams summer to me. I envision white sun dresses, cute sandals and a large floppy hat with this on my lips. I do have a soft spot for coral lip colours and this has a beautiful blend of pink to it too. The formula itself is creamy and pretty moisturising but unfortunately not too terribly long lasting. I would reapply maybe twice a day. I picked it up mainly for it's colour so it doesn't bother me too much that the formula isn't spectacular. I hope you've all had a great spring break though. I hate that it's ending so soon, I'm back to Uni next week and I'm definitely dreading it. 

Talk soon xx

Big Change | 2016

Hello strangers,
Well, it's definitely been a while hasn't it. Last I remember I told myself I would take a break for a year to concentrate on school. A lot has changed since then considering the fact it's been 2 years! I don't know if you noticed my little sidebar, but I had to change two things. Firstly, my age. Obviously, I've grown a little older. Say hello to 2016 a.k.a the year I turn legal (in October anyways) and my location....I'm in Scotland! Yeah, there's your big surprise. I got accepted for a foundation course in the University of St Andrews. So, just last month, I packed up my life and headed over here. Can't say it was amazing having to leave the comfort and stability of home and having to leave my friends behind especially has brought my FOMO to new heights. Fear Of Missing Out, if you didn't catch that. Although, coming here isn't as horrible as I though it'd be. While the Scottish weather might take some getting used to, St. Andrews itself is positively gorgeous. The pictures above were taken one afternoon when I was on the outskirts of town. Living on my own was the biggest change, I never imagined I would be off to university so quickly. I've only been here a few weeks, and so far I'd like to think it's going pretty well. It's been a little hectic though. Like I mentioned, I've only just started Uni but I'm already swimming in coursework. Or drowning more like. I'm going try to keep updating as regular as possible but bear with me, I'm still getting into the swing of uni life.

Talk soon xx