What I Got For Christmas 2012!

Hey Everyone!

How are you all? It feels like weeks since I last posted but its actually only been a few days. Did you have a good Christmas? Mine was great, though as always I'm sad its all over. Although, I am going to London for New Year which I am super excited about!

So, I thought I'd share with you a few pictures of my presents. I'm not trying to brag at all; I just enjoy reading posts like these so thought you might like to see mine. Also, I was going to film a video on this instead, but my camera has broken! We might need to make do with my phone snaps for a while!

I am very, very lucky and have already got stuck into trying out all my new makeup (expect lots of reviews) and using my new hair tools and burning candles (my new obsession!). The only downside is that my skin is terrible with all the chocolate! 

'Twas The Night Before Christmas...

Hey Everyone!

I thought I would write up a little post just to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! 

I've said many times in the last few weeks that I don't feel like I have had enough time to prepare but in actual fact today I realised that I have appreciated the festive season very much this year and so far its been one of the best Christmases I've had. 

I am SO excited for the morning to run downstairs and open my presents (yea I'm a child at heart!) and I of course will be sharing with you what I got.

I'm off now to take all my make up etc off, send everyone Christmas wishes then get an early night!

Hope you all have a brilliant day!

A/W 12 Trend | Statement Fur

Hey Everyone!

I mostly do beauty related posts but I really interested in fashion too and I thought I would do a few posts on what sort of thing I'm really liking this season. There are two parts to these posts- I'll post some examples of the trend on the catwalk then how I would wear it. 

When the first crispness of winter arrives, I am in no way hesitant to reach for that extra layer (or five). What makes more sense that to cosy into a protective fur jacket (faux, of course) and this season is all about making statements with that fur. 

Not being one for shawls myself, I would wear an oversized fur coat (à la Carrie Bradshaw) and cute accessories.

From experience, I have found fur jackets like this to cost an arm and a leg, so I would recommend having a nosey around vintage stores- you never know there may be some luckies!

Will you be sporting faux fur this season?

Instagram | The Last Fortnight in Pictures #14

Hey Everyone!

I'm currently taking a break from my maths homework which, frankly is making me want to jump out the window. I have a lot to do today, so I'll keep this post quick.

I've had a very festive themed fortnight (besides the endless hours studying which is not enjoyable at all!) I decided to have Friday night and yesterday off so I got all festive on Friday and decorated my room whilst listening to Christmas songs and yesterday I went shopping (and bought some new killer red heels!).

From left to right and down:

pretty lights in town | tree of lights | green nails | someone put this sweet in my Christmas card- what a good idea! | Santa decoration outside my house | snow fairy shower time yay | Christmas shelf- spot the Santa I made in primary! | my first Lush bath - amazing- | I got my secret santa gift yay - this is it after I opened and re-wrapped it haha | organising my jewellery | stocking ooit | Christmas dance dress | feeling festive! | Topshop nail polish from my secret Santa- it changes colour in different lights- ooer | my lovely Christmas card from Melanie (blog + YT) - made my day! | day 16/24

Its safe to say that writing this post has cheered me up a little and I'm ready to go back to studying (eugh!)

How has your week been?

Wishlist | Current Drugstore Makeup Covets

Hey Everyone!

It seems like no amount of purchases will satisfy my constant wishlist. I think something new adds to my wishlist everyday! 

Maybelline The Falsies Flared Mascara

Revlon PhotoReady Foundation

Topshop Nails in Jem

Topshop Nails in Fallen Leaf

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation

Topshop Lipstick in Hazard

Barry M Nail Polish in Pink Silver

Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Kajal Eyeliner Nude

Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in Wine

Topshop Nails in Threadbare

Topshop Lip Stick in Clueless

Although I cannot possibly justify buying another bottle of nail polish, I think these shades are amazing and so Christmassy! I'd also love to get a dark lipstick for this time of year and a nude eye pencil to make me look more awake. Then I'd like to give The Falsies another go because it was years ago that I tried it and let's face it, what did I know then? I'm also loving Barry M's glitters- they're so opaque! And as always, I'm coveting a whole lot of Topshop makeup. 

Can you believe that if I were to buy all of this it would cost £71.44- eeek! Just for a few (11) drugstore products. Oh my- it doesn't even look that much! Goodness knows what the price would be for all my high end covets!

What's top of your drugstore wishlist?

Review | Clinique Rinse Off Foaming Cleanser

My skincare routine is awful. In fact, its pretty much non-existent. After me buying a selection of products to get my skin into shape, those products are lying in a drawer and I continue to use wipes to take my make up off. However, when my face wash ran out a few weeks ago, I swapped a rinse off cleanser into its place. Not a drastic change but one that I will stick to.

I have had Clinique's Rinse Off Foaming Cleanser for ages and knew I would get round to using it. It does pretty much what is says on the tin (or tube)- you massage it onto wet skin and it will act as a cleanser (but without the hassle of cotton wool pads etc). 

The formula strikes me as being very 'pure'. It has no fragrance or colour which implies to me that there are no added nasties. I use a pea size amount and it foams fairly well. It has a really rich, creamy consistency which reflects its quality. What really really impresses me about this product is that when I rinse it off, my skin is literally squeaky clean. My skin feels really hoovered out and is ready for moisturising. I can't say whether or not it has helped my spots as I think there are too many factors (weather, diet etc) which influence your skin. However, I can confidently say that this really cleans my skin, and is taking me a step closer towards a skincare routine. This type of cleanser definitely suits me best as I can easily incorporate it into my daily routine.

What cleanser do you use?

P.S - whoopa gangnam style :) 

Very Subtle Ombre

Hey Everyone!

I've had my hair done! Well I say that, but you may not actually notice a whole lot of difference. I used blonde dye on the ends to attempts a kind of ombre/ gradual lightening effect. Honestly I thought it would be more extreme, going quite blonde at the ends, but its turned out a very light brown. However, I am actually quite thankful at how its turned out as its still a change but I won't be looking in the mirror like 'who is that?'. In the future I think I will go further, but for now, I'm quite happy as it looks really natural as if I've been in the sun for a few months. 

Boring Hair Alert

When it comes to hair, most of us adopt a 'grass is greener' attitude- those of us with straight, sleek hair wish for curly, voluminous locks and those with curly, voluminous hair lust after straight, sleek hair. 

For the majority of the time, I get along quite well with my hair. Yes, its flat and yes, it doesn't hold any kind of styling no matter how much hairspray is used, but it doesn't require maintenance and I can roll out of bed, brush it and walk out the door. I wrote a post a good few months ago now about how I wanted hair like Kendall Jenner and although I must admit that my hair had grown alot, I constantly feel like my hair is lacking 'pizazz'. There's just nothing exciting or oomft about it. My name is Julianne and I have boring hair!

So, for the first time ever- I've decided to spice up my hair. I am planning to have it ombred tomorrow! There hopefully won't be a drastic change, just gradual lightening towards the ends of my hair. I am super excited but so nervous and praying that nothing will go wrong and it will be great and I will love it. 

I will of course be posting pictures asap unless its horrific in which case you may not hear from/ see me in several weeks haha :)

What do you do to add 'oomf' to your hair?

Wishlist | Dahlia Fashion

Studs? Check.

Peterpan collars? Check.

Seasonal colours? Check.

I'm pretty much in love.

A few months ago, I stumbled across Dahlia which is a quirky fashion boutique with beautifully individual pieces. I found it whist stalking Caroline Flack, who incidentally, has wore a couple of their dresses. Since its creation in 2000, the online store has went from strength to strength, opening a shop in London and now being stocked in Topshop.

If, like me, you love vintage-inspired, opulent, cutsie Oxford-style clothing (is it possible to use any more adjectives?), their site is definitely worth a look. Since their prices are way out of my range, I thought I would show you my favourite pieces from their collection.

1. Black Leather Look Glitter Collar Dress

2. Burgundy Pinafore Dress

3. Black Leather Look Skater Skirt with Laser Cut Detail

4. Military Hooded Cape Jacket 

5. Bat-sleeves Diamonte Blouse with Skull Buttons

6. Burgundy Studded Peter Pan Collar Dress

I am in love with these pieces- they have such taste and obvious quality. If I'm looking to make a luxury splurge in the future- I will definitely be turning to Dahlia. 

Have you heard of this brand before? What's your favourite piece?

Instagram | The Last Fortnight In Pictures #13

I've actually tried to publish this everyday since Sunday and it just won't post argh! 3rd time lucky...

Hey Everyone! I can proudly say that for the last week I have been really focused with my studies- yet I have also managed to find a few hours for blogging/ YouTubing. I think the key is time management and I'm going to try and organise and use my time really effectively so I can do everything I want to. I don't know about you, but I absolutely LOVE this time of year. Everything is just so festive and everyone has got Christmas fever. Sadly, I'm A Celebrity has finished- though that does mean an extra 2 hours added onto my night. I really enjoyed the show this year (as always!) and was happy for either Charlie or Ashleigh to win. What did you think of the result?

 From left to right and down:

red nails | Thorntons Christmas Santa! | study study study | pretty soap packaging | quite proud of my wrapping skills! | cute handmade tree decorations | first night putting the fire on | sleeping in the library | pale blue and grey glitter nails | yo | advent calendar | lots of filming done yesterday | woo name spelled correctly | amazing lush parcels in store | how cute is this?

 What have you been doing in the past two weeks? Does anyone have their decorations up yet?

Step Into Christmas...

 Hey Everyone!

Its officially December woot woot! Today was absolutely lovely- I really made the most of my first day off in ages. I went into town with my mum and it was so Christmassy. It was great because we weren't looking for anything particular so we could just enjoy the atmosphere. It was crazy busy- especially in Debenhams which had a sale across all beauty. We sauntered about and popped into Starbucks and I got a Peppermint Hot Chocolate which was delish (and big thumbs up to the Starbucks lady who spelled my name right!) We also went into Lush; their employees are so 'out there' and positive, the smell is amazing and the Christmas sets look fantastic! The day has well and truly got me completely in the mood for Christmas!

Have you been doing anything festive lately?

My New Favourite Shop - TKMaxx

Hey Everyone!

To me, TK Maxx has always been a shop that's just kind of 'meh'- I would buy something occasionally, for a fair price. Either my vision was badly hindered or recently TK Maxx has become a whole lot better. 

Firstly, I love their clothing. They stock an enormous range of brands, often small boutiques, meaning your unlikely to be wearing the same as someone else. They strike the perfect combination between great quality, stylish clothing and an affordable price. 

I think TK Maxx is absolutely amazing for Christmas shopping. If I had to get all of my gifts in there- I would probably manage it. They have beautiful gift sets from many different brands including Cath Kidston and Baylis & Harding, all of course at a discount price. I also discovered while browsing a couple of weeks ago a great selection of elf cosmetics Christmas sets (my eyes were popping out of my head as you can imagine). Also, their Christmas section is like a winter wonderland- ooh you get excited just looking at the selection of baubles and stockings. And the home decor section is beyond describable- shabby chic galore.

I love the very strong American theme running through the shop. As a avid (verging on obsessive) viewer of many YouTubers from across the Atlantic, I often find myself thinking 'I wish we had that here' but TK Maxx meets that wish, stocking brands like elf and NYX. 

I can say, without doubt, that it is my favourite high street shop at the moment because of its huge variety and affordability.

Where is your one stop Christmas-shopping store?

Wishlist | Winter Woollies

There's nothing better than snuggling into cosy knits on cold mornings. I'm loving fair isle at the moment- its so pretty and seasonal. In my book, the key ingredients of winter (which is probably my favourite season) are amazing tv, hot chocolate (yep, still addicted) and woollies like these.

I absolutely love the studded pink cardigan from Topshop- ooh if only I had the £48 (ouch) to pay for it. I also really like the cushion- I've been looking for ways to winter-ify my room but so far I've only put a winter Me to You teddy on my shelf!

What's on your winter wishlist?

P.S Is it just me that thinks 'woollies' looks weird with a double l? Blame chrome spell check!

Instagram | The Last Fortnight In Pictures #12

This was meant to go up last night as usual but I forgot to publish it- I'm so silly :P

Hey Everyone!

How has your week been? I kind of lost motivation to study this week which is bad, but starting tomorrow I will go back to my crazy busy girl again :) I have been absolutely loving I'm a Celebrity- I might have mentioned (many times) that it is my favourite program ever! I'm quite liking The X Factor too even though this year I've watched less than I ever have- tonight's result was crazy! 

From left to right and down:

all cosy in my onesie | yummy chocolate muffin | yea I collect starburst wrappers | my library set up- of course a cup of the best hot chocolate in the world | there was a spiders web outside my window- found it amazing to watch haha | bonfire night | red nails | not the best firework picture in the world | olympic 50p collection complete | burgundy love | curled my hair last night | Pizza Hut cookie dough yuum!

Its Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas...

Hey Everyone!

Well what do you know- winter is upon us already and its exactly 6 weeks today till Christmas day (eek where has this year went?). I love this time of year- getting all cosy in my onesie at night, lighting candles, the influx of Christmas adverts, I'm a celebrity is back (favourite tv program ever woo!) and becoming dangerously addicted to hot chocolate. 

Talking of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here, isn't it just the most entertaining programme of the year? I absolutely love Ant and Dec, they are utterly hilarious and I'm enjoying getting nightly fashion inspiration from Get Me Out of Here Now's Laura Whitmore. I'm sad to see that Russell Kane isn't back though- I thought he made the after show. Any thoughts?

On another note, I had a burst of inspiration for posts last night, and I am so excited to share all my winter wishlists and themed posts with you in the coming weeks. I feel like this year, because I'm so busy Christmas will just kind of by pass me, but I'm determined not to let that happen by marking the occasion with festive posts and of course the usual Christmas preparation (I've usually got my shopping done by now but I haven't even started!)

Also, on the blogging front, I'm thinking of a slight change of direction- I want to make posts a bit shorter, with more good quality pictures, not so categorised and hopefully more flowing. I'm quite an organised, structured person but I want my blog to be a bit more arty, a kind of creative outlet, rather than an extension of study.  So yep that's the plan- we'll see how it goes!

I'm looking forward to the Coca Cola advert- that's when you know its Christmas!

What's you're favourite thing about this festive season?

Review | NYC Showtime Waterproof Mascara

I picked up NYC Showtime Waterproof Mascara in Superdrug for £1.99 as a kind of 'you will do until I find something better product' after my L'Oreal Telescopic ended smudging to the top of my cheekbones after only a few hours wear. I thought either it had a very short prime time or I needed something a little (or a lot) more long wearing. Without the £10.99 price tag (ouch!)

I was pretty much bang on the money with my first impression. This mascara is pretty much your average, not bad, not great product. The packaging is admittedly quite nice for how much it was. So far the writing has stayed intact and everything has stuck where it should be (classic signs of cheap packaging). The wand is pretty standard; straight, strong and brush-like without much flexibility or movement (which isn't necessarily a bad thing). The formula is quite dry which I like as I don't end up with mascara on my lid from blinking too quickly, yet it isn't too dry that it flakes. It definitely lives up to it claim of being waterproof, as it doesn't budge from my lashes even after a day at school (the ultimate test) and, what is most impressive, is that it is actually just as easy as a normal mascara to remove! No red eyes or endless scrubbing. 

However, it really doesn't do anything amazing for my lashes. It gives them a bit of definition, and can look decent if you apply 3 or so coats (I'm sorry, but who has time for that?) but it doesn't volumize or lengthen. For a natural, day to day, long wearing, affordable mascara, this is good. But, if you are looking for a bit of oomph- this isn't the product for you. 

I am still searching for a mascara that ticks all the boxes, and I now wonder whether I will need to wear a waterproof one all the time or whether there was just some weird smudging thing going on with my Telescopic.

Have you tried this mascara? Which one would you recommend?

Review | ELF Eyelid Primer

As you may know, I love a smokey eye, but what is insufferably annoying is when your eye makeup rubs off in the course of a few hours. There are a great many high end eyelid primers available which I have heard raved about constantly (hello Urban Decay Primer Potion) but for a lot of us that is way out of budget. At that point I turned to ELF and found the Eyelid Primer in Sheer for a tiny £1.50.

The packaging is fairly simple yet durable- so far no leakages or faded writing. It has a really nice formula; I apply one 'swipe' onto my crease and blend all over the lid and up to the brow. I love how it gives a very even surface and colour to my eyelid and provides a great base for shadow. It sounds weird, but it actually feels soft on my eye- like a blanket or something, and is therefore really smoothing. It slightly enhances the usual colours of the eye shadow and reduces creasing, though doesn't prevent it all together. Although it doesn't work exactly as I'd hoped, this product has still become part of my everyday routine because it provides a beautiful base for eye shadow.

Have you tried this? Can you recommend any other drugstore eye primers?