BEWARE OF DODGY EBAY SELLERS!!!

Ebay can be great, you can get some amazing bargins and save a lot of money but very rarely you do unfortunately get the horror story product on there. This is one of those stories, I've had a very bad experience with Ebay this week... Can you guess what product this is meant to be?

I bought myself the Naked 2 palette off Ebay for about £8 cheaper due to it apparently "not including primer" so when I saw the listing I thought result! As I already have an Urban Decay primer so  I would be saving myself a bit of money and getting the palette I've been lusting over for so long!

I got home from work yesterday all excited knowing it had been delivered and I opened it to be covered with black dust (which went everywhere!) the palette had broken in the post due to the awful way they'd posted it, it was just simply wrapped in an A4 bit of paper! No wonder the eye shadow broke. I was very upset.

I messaged the seller letting them know it had broken in the post to see if I could get my money back then I proceeded to clean up the palette... which is when I then noticed that it is of course a fake as well. Brilliant. I was absolutely pissed off. 

The Urban Decay on the back should be upside down...

I then went on to leave bad feedback (which is obvs what you do when you're pissed off with an Ebay seller) I thought this may limit any chances I have of getting my money back but I couldn't exactly care at that moment in time.

However this horror story turned good when I received this email this morning.. Even though this ended well I have really learnt my lesson to be cautious with Ebay, especially with things that can easily be faked.

Just please don't make the same mistake I did. I've bought the real Naked 2 off Feel Unique now like I should have the first time around now, I would just hate if this happened to anyone else as well and it possibly not ending the same way for them as it did for me!

Emma xo

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Style Icon: Blake Lively

I thought I would write a little post about my favorite actress... That is of course Blake Lively (Or Serena van der Woodsen, xoxo Gossip Girl) she is a gorgeous blonde bombshell with a killer smile, how couldn't she be my style icon?

Firstly, she has been my hair idol for years (yes years!) and she always will be. Has she ever had a bad hair day? I think not. Her blonde locks are absolutely stunning and if I could ever get mine to look as gorgeous as hers my life would be complete. 

Secondly I don't think I've ever seen her sporting any shoes other than heels? I respect a lady that can do that because those things hurt! I really wish I had heel resistant feet... however with those Louboutins who would complain?

She can also pull off both simple and bold looks yet still looks impeccable either way. Like with this Zuhair Murad dress, there's so much going on with the dress however this doesn't draw attention away from the dazzling smile she is flaunting...

Plus both her and Ryan Reynolds are one of the most stylish celebrity couples around. Imagine the children... (soon we won't have to!!)

And the last (but not least) reason of all is that even now she is pregnant she still looks absolutely gorgeous!!! She is rocking that Gucci dress well and is literally glowing. If I could be even half as flawless when or if I fall pregnant I would be over the moon!

So I think I may have a bit of a woman crush on Blake but oh well (who can blame me!?) who is your style icon? Is yours the same as mine?

Emma xo

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Makeup Revolution Iconic Palettes a.k.a Urban Decay Naked 1, 2 & 3 Dupes!?

So last time I brought you a dupe of just Naked 2, however after doing some shopping around I have stumbled across these beauties in Superdrug at just £4 each! They're the Makeup Revolution Iconic palettes - which seem to be the most popular products by them as I only just managed to pinch myself all three of the palettes!

There is Iconic 1... which is a dupe for the Naked 1 Palette.

Then there is Iconic 2... which is a dupe for the Naked 2 Palette.

Then last of all there's the Iconic 3... which you probably will have guessed is a dupe for the Naked 3 Palette.

Again I can't believe how similar these colours are to the actual Naked palettes! How do make up companies get away with doing stuff like that? Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to get a bargain but it literally stuns me how clear of a dupe these palettes are (excluding the very few off shades) and that there happens to just be 3 Iconic palettes just like there is just 3 Naked palettes.

Either way I was pleasantly surprised at how pigmented these palettes were! Even the matte shades were well pigmented, or at least better than the W7 which I reviewed last time. With some cheap eye shadows it can be a nightmare to use, but these have very little dust left over. The metallic shades are very pigmented and you don't need to use a lot to really make them stand out. I've also tried and tested these eyeshadows, not just swatched them. I've used a mixture of different shades from each palettes and each time I wore them they were still visable at the end of a long day at uni without having used any primer... Result!

Iconic 1 at the top, Iconic 2 in the middle
and Iconic 3 at the end.

Now there's only 2 things I dislike about these palettes, but it's the exact same issue I had with the W7 palette, the packaging is a bit naff and the brush that comes with the palettes is just as equally naff... Stick to higher quality brushes, they are your best friend especially with eye shadow.

Have you tried Makeup Revolution yet? They seem to be the best bargain brand about! I definitely recommend you check them out in your local Superdrug!

Emma xo

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Zoella Beauty GIVEAWAY! *closed*

So some of you will have read my haul on the new Zoella Beauty Range, so I thought to celebrate reaching 600 followers on Bloglovin I'm going to give one of you lovely people some of the products from the range! Continue reading to find out how to enter!

Up for grabs: 3 Zoella Beauty products of your choice!
(Remember to leave a comment as to which three you want)

Blistful Mistful (Body Mist)
Let's Glow (Candle)
Fizz Bar (Bath Fizzer)
Creamy Madly Dreamy (Body Lotion)
Soak Opera (Bath and Shower Cream)

Simply enter via Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

T&Cs: UK residents only
Good luck!
Emma xo

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Zoella Beauty Haul & Review!

I know I'm not alone when I say that I have been so excited for the launch of Zoella Beauty! It's definitely one of the most anticipated beauty launches of the year. I find it so inspiring to see a fellow blogger doing so well with their career and I can't help but to support the line as I've been reading Zoella's blog for what feels like forever, plus the products look and smell absolutely gorgeous! 

However, getting these products weren't easy as I'm sure some of you have found out for yourselves, I couldn't find any Zoella Beauty in my local Superdrug, some products were also sold out online on both Superdrug and Feel Unique... it's just so crazy how popular the line has gotten! But once you get your hands on the line you will understand as to why.

Blissful Mistful (Fragranced Body Mist) £8
I liked the mist a lot more than I thought I was going to, the scent is absolutely gorgeous! It's hard to describe the smell really but it's quite floral and fresh smelling meaning you can wear it day to day without being too over powering. The only downfall is how long the fragrance lasts, you will need to top this up now and then through out the day but for only £8 that's not that big of a problem as it is a body mist not a perfume!

Creamy Madly Dreamy (Body Lotion) £5
This is currently my favourite product in the line, I've been using this as my main body lotion since I bought it as it leaves my skin feeling so smooth and soft, plus it smells just like the body mist, which in my eyes is a win win!

Soak Opera (Bath and Shower Cream) £5 
This body wash lathers really well and it also smells just as gorgeous as the lotion and mist. I like that Zoella has been consistent with the range using the same notes throughout her products which means you can use everything in the range without smelling like you've rolled in every perfume possible!

Fizz Bar (Bath Fizzer) £5

I haven't had a chance to use this as of yet but I am definitely really excited to over the weekend! The product is shaped like a chocolate bar, so you can break off a chunk and use the chunks individually whilst having your bath - even the packing is very chocolate bar-esque, it reminds me of the packing you get on Galaxy chocolate bars! The pink banner also says "do not eat" haha!

Let's Glow (Candle) £5 
The candle has the same floral scents as the rest of the products, so I'm assuming that when it's used the smell will enhance making your house smell just as floral and fresh as the other products however I really like the candles packaging so I haven't used it as of yet but it has definitely made my bedroom that bit more prettier.

Zoella Eyes (Beauty Bag) £8

I also got myself one of the makeup bags! Both designs available are absolutely adorable but I preferred this one with Zoellas eyes on as I think the greeny/blue of the bag is such a gorgeous colour. The material of the bag feels like it is high quality and as you can see it's quite shiney - meaning it will be easier to clean make up off the bag than it is with fabric bags.

Last but not least, the packaging is so, so pretty! With the lace pattern at the edges and the pink polka dots, the products definitely have brightened up my shelf. I really can't wait for the line to hopefully expand, I would love to see more Zoella Beauty products such as nail varnishes or face masks - the possibilities are endless!

What do you guys think? Have you tried Zoella Beauty yet?

Emma xo

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Review of: W7 - In The Buff Palette (Urban Decay Naked 2 Dupe!)

Today I'm bringing you a rather thrifty post! Unless you've been living under a rock you will most likely have stumbled across the gorgeous Urban Decay Naked Palettes. But if you're like me you probably don't want to spend £40 for the palette to just end up at the bottom of your make-up bag, or you just simply want to save your pennies... But fear not as there are some affordable alternatives, one of them being W7 In The Buff!

Looking at the two palettes next to each other, I really can't believe just how much of a dupe palette In The Buff clearly is!! Are they even allowed to copy the shades so closely!? They're even in the same order! Haha. Both palettes offer very similar neutral shades - 3 being matte shades and 9 metallic shades... The only very big difference here is that Naked 2 costs £37 and W7 is only £5.49, meaning that Naked 2 costs nearly 7 times as much as In The Buff!

 Buff, Camel, Sand, Dust, Chocolate, Topaz, Earth, Storm, Silk, Wave, Thunder & Onyx.

I must say I was very impressed with how pigmented the eye shadows are. I honestly didn't have very high expectations for this palettes quality because of the price but I was pleasantly surprised! Particularly more with the metallic, shimmery shades in the palette - I absolutely love the metallic shades!! The matte shades seem a bit chalky in comparison.

One massive benefit with this palette is that you can get away with wearing the eye shadows daily as they're all very neutral colours which are perfect now the fall is upon us - definitely going to be using the palette a lot over autumn and winter.

I absolutely adore the palette! This is definitely a really good purchase if you're unsure about purchasing a Naked 2 Palette or even as a "starter kit" perhaps if you're new to eye shadow as it's really good quality for the price. For me it has definitely confirmed that a Naked palette wouldn't go to waste! 

Emma xo

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Brand Focus: Rimmel London

Don't get me wrong, I want many, many high-end make up products as much as the next girl but at the end of the day I live in drugstores! I have stated in so many of my past posts about how much I loveee Rimmel London, the brands image is so patriotic and for me living on a student budget they are absolutely perfect in both price and quality. Here's the Rimmel products you will find in my make up bag...

What I have:
Clear Complexion Powder (Transparent)

This is a really bad one to start on, I bought this on a whim as there was a 3 for 2 on Rimmel so I grabbed it as I already had 2 other things but it had already broke in the bag before I'd gotten home so I've never had the chance to use it properly, in all honesty I've kept it purely for a back up if I ever run out of my other powders!

(made a bit of a mess, whoops!)

Stay Matte Powder (Transparent)

This powder however, has been dropped, chucked into my bag (you name it) and it hasn't even slightly broke, it still remains intact! It gives you a lovely matte finish reducing any shine without leaving you with a caked face! Perfect.

Stay Matte Foundation (Ivory)

I'm not a massive fan of this foundation, the slogan is "Cake No More" but I personally feel it does give me a very cakey finish. The foundation is really thick on the skin and just looks so unrealistic in a way, you really can't use this without contouring your face as you will just look like the moon out of The Might Boosh. But this is the only Rimmel product I've come across that I don't like to date!

Wake Me Up Foundation (Ivory)

I'm going to be repeating myself here as I've written so much about this in past posts! But my favorite thing about this foundation is the very subtle shimmer! It's so gorgeous, not too in your face and leaves you feeling all fabulous and if make-up doesn't make you feel fabulous, then it's not doing it's job properly!

Eyebrow Pencil (Black Brown)

This is my go to product for my eyebrows - you can tell I use them a lot by how grubby they are, haha! It's so cheap at only £2.99 RRP and it lasts all day long - without your eyebrows looking sharpied on or melted off! I have probably about 4 or 5 pencils of these pencils floating about, I honestly cannot get enough of these.

Scandaleyes Rockin Curves Mascara
I bought this mascara when it first came out as it was on a special deal, I didn't really know what to expect as it'd only just come out and I hadn't really pined over it so I was trying this with a complete blank mind on the product. I must say I do really like this  Mascara, it eliminates needing to put hundreds of applications on to get to the desired thick eyelashes look as you would with a smaller brush. The packing is also pretty cool, in a snake skin esque with it actually going bumpy like an actual snake skin.

Glam'Eyes Quad Eye Shadow (002 Smokey Brun)

This is a fabulous little quad palette, the colours are all very neutral making them perfect for creating a stunning subtle smokey eye which you can rock day to day. It blends effortlessly together, making application very simple! If you want an effortless smokey eye on a budget this is definitely the product for you!

Keep Calm Lip Balm (010 Clear - Keep Calm and Shop)

These lip balms are pretty much Rimmel's take on Maybelline's Baby Lips, you can even purchase them at the exact same price! The only difference I can really pick up on is the packaging and the shape. Rimmel has gone for different variations of the "Keep Calm" slogans and is shaped in the standard lipstick shape making them easier to use. I purchased the clear one, it smells so nice and makes my lips feel amazing!

Kate Moss Lasting Finish Matte Lipsticks

If I am honest, I am not a very big lipstick person and these are actually the only lipsticks I have ever owned to date. I feel that my lips are too small to rock colours such as a nice deep shade of red (which I think is absolutely gorgeous) so I haven't braved trying bolder colours, but I definitely hope to do so in future.  With these series of lipsticks from Rimmel being matte, I feel you need to have perfectly smooth lips to begin with or the lipstick actually enhightens how cracked your lips may be, so I apply some lip balm before putting on the colour. 

113

This is a pale nude shade which is perfect for if you have small lips like me! I absolutely love this colour on my self it's not too in-your-face.

101
This is a soft pink colour. I am not too hot on the colour just on it's self so when I decide to have pinker lips I apply 101 as the base then top it off with 113 to reduce the pinkiness into a more neutral shade of pink. 

Rita Ora Nail Varnishes

These nail varnishes I have spoke about before in my first ever blog post here. You don't even need to like Rita Ora to like the nail varnishes, besides they (sort of) dry in 60 seconds, they come in such great colours and they all have sex related names... WHAT IS NOT TO LOVE?

Emma xo

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Happiness is beautiful!

Now I'm sure you're all familiar with all the inspirational "love your body" stuff that floats around the internet, I do agree with most of what they say - as everyone should love their body and we are all beautiful in our own way. But what really annoys me about them is a lot of the time its normally a larger girl slagging off skinny girls or vice versa. What's wrong with being skinny? What's wrong with being fat? You can say one or the other is unattractive, but that's not true, people still love other people of all sizes - it's a preference thing as beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

So why do people strive for a tiny body size so badly if it makes them unhappy? Love the body you have, it's your body, nobody elses! I personally think people should be striving more for their happiness than their looks - because if getting your desired body isn't making you happy, then what is the point? You could be the most beautiful looking person in the world yet still be the unhappiest, so again - what is the point? As long as you're happy, who cares about if you can fit into a size 10 pair of jeans or a size 12? I may sound hypocritical as I care about my hair, make up and clothes BUT I do those things because they make me happy, not so people will like me or because I feel I need too.

I'll never forget a day in school (like 4 years ago now) that me and Abi (Meet me in Mayfair) got called "Supersize vs Superskinny" by this girl that we really didn't get on with. Like come on, why would you say that to someone? That is the most horrible comment you could ever say to two people, what on Earth made her think it was a good idea to say that? It just makes her look like the most horrible human being. If we were really insecure about our weight, that could have set either of us off and possibly result in an eating disorder and she would have been entirely to blame. If you really feel the need to comment on someone else's weight in a malicious way you clearly have issues with your own that you need to sort out as you're clearly unhappy. I really believe in the saying "treat others how you wish to be treated" especially now I'm older and it is so, so true - if you're a dick to someone expect them to be a dick back, but if you're kind to someone they're going to repay your kindness with some of their own (unless they're a dick).

I find that really sad that people feel the need to slate other people for their size, that is a part of that person there is no right and wrong in how people look - we all look different, you could weigh the exact same as someone but still look completely different as we are all different. This is why people should be striving for happiness because let's be honest, with relationships people come around at the beginning for your looks, not always in a shallow way but you're going to be attracted to the person for their looks when you start pursuing your interest, then you go on to find out about who they really are - and at the end of the day what makes them stay is your personality, as in 50 years you both are not going to be attractive as you are right now but you would still be together regardless of what they look like as you love your significant other not because what they look like, but because of who they are. 

I don't let my size control my life. Too many people do though. But unless it effects your health (as you can be too skinny or too fat) who cares? You shouldn't let your weight define your happiness. I personally don't care about what everyone thinks of me - I'd be lying if I said anyone because I do. I care what my boyfriend, friends and family think, but if they're worth having around they would love me for who I am, not if I could fit into a size 6 or a size 16.

My main goal in life is to achieve happiness if that means I'm fat, thin, poor or rich. I will do all I can to say I lived a happy life as I feel that is something to be proud of and I would like to be remembered as a happy person. 

(sorry about the rant)

Emma xo

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What's in my bag: University Edition

So this week I finally begun University! Eee exciting stuff. I have had the same fears as everyone else. Will I make friends? Where the eff am I going? Why is Google maps so crap when you're in the middle of a crisis? So to mark the occasion I thought I would do a "what's in my bag?" tag but a University edition!

I'm starting off with notebooks! I've bought myself three (I'm a bit of a stationary nut, don't judge me) I've taken an A4 Nu: Era Notebook to be practical so I can take notes in lectures, a novelty "Pugs not Drugs" notebook - just because I love pugs and a small butterfly notebook as I like to make a lot of "to do lists" with what I've got to complete on assignments and ofc shopping lists! 

(nu:era and butterfly notebooks are from Asda and the pug one's from Tesco!)

To carry my pens I have packed a bright colourful pencil case! Who doesn't like a neon coloured pencil case? At least it's very distinguished, meaning I most probably won't lose it. I also have my favourite leopard print pen to make notes with (it came in a pack of 3 along with a zebra and a tiger pen). It is so snazzy! I'm a massive fan of leopard print!

(Both are from Asda #supermarketsavvy)

I also took both my iPod and the latest issue of Elle for entertainment whilst travelling to and from University, I've actually decided to live at home and will be commuting to the local Uni via both train and taxi! We actually have a taxi service that does anywhere within the area for £3.50 so for first thing in the morning that is absolutely perfect. I love reading magazines on long train journeys, I should probably buy the travel size as it takes up soooo much room in my bag, but I prefer the full sized copies... I can't be the only one?

(the leopard print earphones are from Accessorize)

At the bottom of my bag you will also find Baby Lips lip balm, Keep Calm lip balm, Vera Wang Pink Princess perfume, a small hair brush and a pocket mirror floating about so I can remaining feeling fabulous all day long *sassy emoji*

(skull pocket mirror is from New Look)

Then last but not least there's the essentials like my phone, keys and purse!

(purse is from H&M, phone case is off Amazon)

So what is in your College/University bag? Is your bag similar to mine? Let me know down in the comments!

Emma xo

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