Battle of the Liners. Liquid V Gel.

For a long time now I have been the ultimate lover of the Benefit They're Real Push up liner. I really really do love it, there is not denying that. But I think I have just met it's match.

After using liquid liner for a long time the They're Real Push Up Liner from Benefit was released and I immediately knew it was the liner for me, it's blacker than black, stays on all day and glides on beautifully, and I swore I would never go back to a liquid. I admit I have never tried any other gel liner, never gone for a pot and a brush instead, the idea of that intimidates me slightly, but a couple of months ago I found myself buying the Soap&Glory Supercat Eyeliner Pen.

Now this is a liquid liner in pen form and holy moly I love it. I do have this in the original size, not the fat or skinny pen. But it stays in place all day, and is super black, the only thing that makes this budge is if my eye has been super watery that day, or I'm crying, I am a crier, and cry at most things! But I am super impressed with this liner, and a bonus is that it is a lot easier to remove at the end of the day compared to the "They're Real". Also, the They're Real liner I feel ends up wasting a lot of product as the top bit dries out, so you have to wipe that off before using it. Now lets put it to the test, and see a swatch.

If anything I now feel like I get a cleaner line with the liquid and with the felt tip style I am able to vary the thickness. Think I'm going to have to re-purchase my "Supercat" when it eventually runs out!  

Are you a liquid or a gel lover?!

Recommend me some other liners to try! 

Charlotte Rose 

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Monthly Book: February

This month I have re-read the amazing book 'The Curious Incident of the dog in the night time' written by Mark Haddon and it is truly incredible. I first read this book for my literature A-Level in a matter of days. If I'd had theme I probably could have done it in a day, it's a really easy read, and the writing style is very simple due to the nature of the story itself.

Now, as much as this a story about a curious incident of the dog in the night time, the back story and the true meaning of this book is learning about the protagonist, Christopher, a young, 15 year old boy with Asperger's Syndrome. This is a truly breathtaking story and written from Christopher's perspective we can get a true feel for what it's like to live a life with Asperger's and we are able to find out so much about Christopher due to this curious incident where Christopher pushes the boundaries of his home life and comforts and travels way pass the end of his road by his own, making the terrifying journey to London by his own in search for something he once thought was lost. I say this as I don't want to reveal what it was that he began to uncover through the story.

We see life through Christopher's eyes throughout this book, showing his love of math with his diagrams and equations, and how he can't really understand people and their emotions because there is no factuality behind them. He also hates to be touched, so those small moments where he actually accepts someone reaching out to him are truly amazing and you feel proud to be a part of that moment.

This book will truly make you feel the most amazing feelings and I really really can not recommend it enough, when I was first told to read this book I wasn't overly interested, but now I have lost count of the amount of people I have told "Borrow my copy. You have to read this." and every single one of those people have come away with a different outlook and complete happiness and awe for this story.

I really do hope you will take my recommendation,

it's a life changer.

Have any of you read this story? Leave me a comment below!

Charlotte Rose

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February Favourites...

This month has gone pretty god damn slow, don’t get me wrong, I have loved some of it, Valentines with Will was really nice, just a shame we only had the evening together. I have been pretty hands on in the making of my sister’s wedding invitations, she has designed them all herself we just spend a couple of nights putting them all together and ready to be mailed out so that was super fun! The downside of this month has been constantly working, I am still working two jobs and that means I have only had one day off this entire month, and it wasn’t even a weekend so I spent it by myself! 

I am still loving the ‘Game Of Thrones’ books, I featured the first one in my monthly book series, and am currently reading the second one, I am featuring a different book in the 2nd part of that series this month though, but keep an eye out for ‘Clash of Kings’ in my March monthly book. It’s really keeping my attention and I don’t want to put it down, but everything else has taken over this month and I haven't had chance to pick it up as much as I would have liked! 

I picked up the Nyx ‘Cannes’ soft Matte Lip cream early this month and I really really love the colour, a deep pink I would describe it as, you can see the colour in the photo below. But I’m not a fan of the formula at all, it’s very thick and pastey. I much prefer their liquid suede formula, so if any of you have suggestions on a good dupe of the colour of this one it would be amazing if you could leave it in a comment below! I don’t care if it’s a liquid lipstick or just a normal lipstick I just want that colour! 

Oh my goodness, Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Lashes Mascara is amazing. Definitely my holy grail mascara, I was gifted this mini for my birthday and I have been trying to keep hold of it as long as I can. I have never ever had a mascara that after one coat looks this beautiful. I will add a second coat just because I do really love my eyelashes thick but you wouldn't need to if you didn't want them extra clumpy. This mascara makes my lashes look full and long and separated in one sweep. It’s super black and I would say a fairly wet mascara so if you are not into that let it dry out a bit and it will still work wonders for your lashes. Beautiful. 

New season of ‘Call the Midwife’. Now this may not be everyones cup of tea, or you may not of even considered watching it. But you should seriously reconsider if that is the case. This show has got me hooked,  and I disappoint myself when I think about the fact that I didn't watch the first and maybe the second series, I think thats all I missed. I stumbled across my mum watching it one day and you know what its like, you’ll sit on the sofa for just 5 minutes an then realised you have watched the whole show and you couldn’t walk away. Now I will pre-warn you, this show is a tear jerker, but I love that, it is a happy show though, don’t get me wrong, there are sad moments, but overall I think but the end of each episode you’ll defo be in a feel good mood! 

Do you have any things you are loving this month? 

Charlotte Rose 

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Benefit Triple Performing Facial Emulsion Review

A few years ago I used to use the Benefit Triple Performing Facial Emulsion religiously. And I did love it, but I will admit that I had only used really cheap moisturisers before and thought that this new more high end moisturiser I found to be amazing. I would class it is as a mid market/high end product pricing at £27.00, though it can still be found in some drugstores such as boots.

The scent of this product is really pretty and not too overpowering, the product definitely has a scent but it's not very light, but equally not strong enough to give you a headache. It is a really great moisturiser for dry skin as it gives your skin a real boost! I personally have normal to dry skin, I suffer with eczema and sometimes this affected my face and it helped to clear that up. The only thing I would say is I wouldn't recommend putting anywhere near you eyes, it really does sting!

I also think it's really really good that the moisturiser contains SPF15, a lot of various make-up products have SPF in these days and I would suggest especially in the summer months to always have   some sort of SPF based product to protect your skin from the sun. The sun can cause a lot of damage that is invisible to the naked eye but could have long term effects!

I am now using the Liz Earle moisturiser that goes with my skincare routine using the cleanse and polish set, but I would still recommend the Benefit Triple Performing Facial Emulsion as it really does what it says on the tin, just find something else for your eye area!

Do you have any moisturisers you swear by?

Charlotte Rose 

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Monthly favourites!!

How has your January been? As dull, dreary and dragging as mine? I thought so!

January is the worst, no-one has any money, the festivities are all over and everyone is holding out for pay-day, but don't worry it's all over now! It's 324 days until the next January..... scratch that I don't want to think about it.

What have I been loving this month?! Aren't you all dying to know? Lets start with my new found love. 'Etsy' planner stickers oh my christ  these have made my life, better, organised, and cute! I bought quite a few as the clock struck 12 on NYE and pay day came in! I have work ones and cleaning ones and gym ones. You should really check them out and I don't go all out mad and have a full weekly spread like you see in YouTube videos, no no no, I just have them stuck in my little 'Paperchase' diary that I bought towards the end of last year. I'm thinking of doing a post on my fave 'Etsy' planner shops soon? What do you guys think?

Okay, okay, moving on before I get obsessive. My super duper cute River Island double pom pom hat I got for christmas, it's that perfect cutesy pink and I know you are probably thinking, "Charlotte, you knit, make one yourself!" But I saw this online back in November and asked for it for Christmas, and I didn't take it off all day after I took it out from under the tree!

I am absolutely loving my Urban Decay Ultimate Basics palette for a matte neutral eye and then adding a pop of colour under my waterline with MAC 'Stars n' Rockets' or 'Aquadisiac' really adds something else to a simple day look I think! Pair it with MAC's Whirl or Velvet Teddy Lipstick and you are good to go!

And my final love which has only been the last two weeks of the month is getting back into the gym and having a personal trainer, my PT is really helping me to push myself a lot further than I have been doing before and I am really feeling that muscle ache still a few days after each session now rather than just a little for the next day! I really hope I am going to tone up quickly and lose those bits of weight that appeared during that last year of uni from all those take-aways and lack of exercise. I have two amazing hen-do's this year, one which I will defo need a bikini for and then two equally amazing weddings to follow them and I want to be feeling my best. Plus I have some really hot skirts that either can't fit into or don't feel good in anymore! I want them back in my wardrobe!

Have you kick-started January with a BANG?!

Charlotte Rose

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Monthly Book Series: January

So I wanted to start something new on my blog this year, something that I really love and can commit to on a regular basis and something that really ties in with what I am doing everyday anyway.

One of my New Years Resolutions is to read at least one book a month. I have chosen to do this as I want to fall back in love with reading, I am such a huge book worm but over the past couple of years life has taken over and I just haven't picked up a book in a long time that I have really gotten stuck into!

So what is my first book you ask? A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin.

So, lets start. This book is part of a series, 'A Song of Ice and Fire' there is currently 5 books in the series but Martin has said he plans to write 7. It falls into the political strategy and epic fantasy genre. The main theme running throughout the book is family, honour, the throne/royalty and treachery, andI think these are going to be key things that continue throughout all the books.

Tyrion Lannister is probably my fave character. He's a dwarf who is part of a well respected family. He is seen as the outsider because of his disability, rejected by his father because of this very reason, which I think gives him a very different perspective on life, he's pretty straight up and forward in his attitude which can be pretty dang funny. Basically, he won't take no shit. He has a big effect on Jon Snow's attitude, Eddard Stark's bastard son, due to being an outsider also, he makes Jon realise that he must decide his own way in life and not be held back his fathers family name and being a bastard child. I equally love Arya Stark, even as one of the younger children of Eddard I feel she doesn't act the innocent or the child, she tries to break the boundaries that being a women would mean for her and she's not afraid to say no to anything that would be against her views and values, she holds family close, and see's herself closer to Jon her half brother, than her full sister Sansa, who could not be more opposite to Arya.

At first I really struggled to get into this book, I have a very busy lifestyle so I can't sit down and read for a couple of hours unless I do that at like 10pm which isn't ideal, so I just get half an hour here and there, so I think that's part of the reason. What I struggled with is being introduced to A LOT of characters straight away. Which if you have previously followed the TV show, shouldn't be a problem. But I haven't followed the show at all so it was getting a little confusing for me as the names of characters are pretty similar to one another an I had no face to give those names to, but you get used to it and learn the personality traits etc etc which differentiate each of them.

I loved seeing the book unfold and how the different characters and families and events all tied to one another, it was a really interesting book and quickly became something I didn't want to put down and would reach for at any possible moment!

I would highly recommend this book to any of you that love a challenge, love something that's a little different, and includes not only the drama of war and conflict but having some romance in there as well! But holy crap there is so much graphic detail, whether that be someone being murdered or good, old-fashioned sex. Just a little pre-warning for ya there!

Have you read this one already? What are your thoughts? 

Happy reading my lovelies!

Charlotte Rose

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My Beauty Essentials

Every girl has a bunch of essentials in her make-up bag that she's as a necessity. And these are just a few that I always reach for and think every beauty lover needs.

Face

Rimmel Lasting Finish Primer - £6.99

Rimmel Wake me up Foundation - £8.99

Clinique Superbalanced Foundation - £23.00

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer - £4.19

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish - £24.00

MAC All the right angles - £35.00

MAC Dame Blusher - £18.50

Eyes

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion - £16

Urban Decay Ultimate Basics Palette - £38.50

MAC Naked Lunch and Mystery - £13.00

Barry M Kohl Liner  - £2.99

Benefit They're Real Gel Liner - £18.50

Benefit Brow Zings - £24.50 

Lips

MAC Modesty, Honeylove, Velvet Teddy - £15.50

 Are there any products that you swear by?!

Something New: 3ina

A few months ago I made a trip to London with my boyfriend, Will, and whilst in Covent Garden I saw a store I had never heard of, 3ina. Walking into the store, I loved it. It's really clean-cut, everything is white and black and super organised and I wish I had a photo to show what I mean but it was lush!



Anyway I did pick up two chubby lipsticks, but the pink one I had went through the washing machine!! :( But moving on, I love the deep red colour I have, it stays on really nicely, super smooth, lovely stuff.

The product I use the most though is the blush! Really pigmented and applies nicely, matte, so there is no shimmer, I would actually preferred it to have a slight shimmer to it, but I can cope with this! The prices are really really reasonable! £7.95 for the chubby sticks which comes in a variety of 10 colours, I have shade 104, (I think) annoyingly it doesn't say the shade on the packaging, and the shades don't seem to match up to the right colour image on the website! Also, the blusher isn't on the website either.

I'm sorry to say that it doesn't look like you can buy online yet! But I would definitely recommend going in store if you get the chance! They have so many products and I am just waiting to get my hands on some more!!

Are there any brands you have stumbled upon and loving right now? 

Charlotte Rose

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Garnier Micellar Water

There is a lot of hype over this product over the past 6 months or so, and I quickly got hooked onto this 'Micellar trend'. And I'm just not sure how much I love it anymore. 

Yes, it's quick. Yes, it's easy and simple. Yes, it gets your make-up off. BUT only to a certain extent. I had to buy the oil-infused water after realising that the original green topped micellar water will not remove that stubborn mascara, and doesn't remove black eyeliner particularly well either. Okay my skin does feel fairly cleansed after using, but I still don't feel like I am particularly squeaky clean. 

The oil-infused water has a really nice fresh smell, but it really really stings my eyes, so where I have to use this one to remove my eye make-up properly it hurts too. Not great. As you can see from the photos above, you shake the bottle to activate the oil. I really really want to love this product due to the ease of use but I just... don't. I have to say it's not a bad product. And I have continued to use it, and the green topped bottle is my 2nd bottle. I also have a mini which I take for weekend breaks, so I don't have to take my entire Liz Earle skin routine products.

But it's just not something I reach for as much as I used to. And as much as it does have some pro's, I feel the con's outweigh that. 

What do you guys think of the Micellar trend? 

Charlotte Rose

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The beauty of NYX

My local boots store has just got it's first ever NYX counter, now, I am a newbie to NYX, I have known about them for a long time of course, anyone who has watched beauty videos on youtube will have. But it's not something I have ever purchased, I am not a big online shopper, I don't hunt the internet for new things, I just buy what is right there in front of me. So as soon as I heard there was to be a NYX counter I had to jump right on board the bandwagon.

Within a few days of opening I made my first ever purchase and I was pleasantly surprised by the prices, I anticipated paying a lot more than I did that day. I feel like for the high quality of product, now I have a had around a month to try them before writing this post, they are cheaper than other brands would charge.

First, the lip product. I have been dying to pick up the Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick in Sandstorm, £6.50, ever since I saw Zoella share it in a video. The colour is a pretty true brown once on, with the slightest hint of pink if any! With a wand application I was unsure at first but the product is of high quality and only one coat is needed! It quickly dries to give you that Matte lip look and I haven't found it to be at all drying.

The other colour I picked up in the Liquid Suede was Vintage, and I love this one just as much, that perfect darker colour for the oncoming Autumn Winter. I tend to wear a lipliner with this colour purely because it is a lot darker but they don't really need it, it's just personal preference.

I also picked up the Matte Lipstick in MLS19 - Euro Trash, also £6.50! I have to say I have only reached for this a couple of times! But again is a really good product!

Euro Trash  - Sandstorm - Vintage

I have been on the hunt for a good primer lately, and so thought I'd try the Pore Filler, £11.00, I really like it, it is very silicone-y and makes your face super smooth, I think I would use it just concentrated in those areas you need it though as it doesn't go very far and it's not the largest product either. 

I have also picked up the Colour Correcting Liquid Primer in Green, £9.00, I am unsure how I feel about this one, I don't feel it makes that much difference to any redness, but it is a good primer, my makeup always lasts a long time so it does have it's pro's! 

Are there any NYX Products you swear by? 

Charlotte Rose 

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OOTD - Crochet and Cream

Seeing as it's been remaining sunny a little later this year I have found a little crochet crop top to still be wearable, with a pair of jeans and a blazer you can't go wrong for a nice evening meal!

I am wearing some cute River Island Boots, nude/pink in colour with gold zips. Crochet crop top from Abercrombie&Fitch, Jeans are New Look, Super High-waisted which I looooove! And my blazer is a few years old now but was a H&M one! and lastly my bag is Oasis.

I kept with a nude, pink, cream, colour scheme and I just love the slightly different tones together. and this crochet top is super cute, it's taken me a year to brave it and I have managed to wear it a few times this summer, now I just need to get great abs for it to come out again next Summer......

I have also been loving my hair like this, I will be uploading a post on this hair soon...ish!

I want to make my own little tops like this next year!

Charlotte Rose 

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Everyday Make-up Routine.

Over the past month or so I have been going back to the same make-up look everyday and I thought I would share it with you guys, I have a few good drug store buys in here along with some high end items.

Step 1 : Base. 

Rimmel London Lasting Finish Primer - £6.99

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer - Cool Medium 2 - £4.19 - For blemishes.

Rimmel London Wake Me Up Foundation - 100 Ivory - £10.00

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer - Fair 1 - £4.19 - For under eyes.

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish - Medium - £24.00

Step 2: 

Actually before I apply my skin finish powder I have been using the...

Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour - 01 Curvy Contour - £19.00

Then I continue with ...

MAC All the right angles Contour Palette - Light - £35.00

Urban Decay Flushed palette - Naked - For Highlight - £23.50

Step 3:

MAC Powder Blush - Dame - £18.50

Step 4: 

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion - £16.50

Urban Decay Naked - £38.50 - Sidecar - Lid

                                                            - Buck - Outer Crease 

                                                                     - Half Baked - Inner Corner 

Mac Eyeshadow - Mystery - Crease - £10.00 (For Pan)

                                - Yoghurt - Highlight - £10.00 (Singular)

Step 5:

Benefit They're Real Push-Up Liner - Beyond Black - £18.50

Barry M kohl Liner - 1 Black - £2.99

Benefit Brow Zings - Light - £24.50

Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Lash multiplying Mascara - Waterproof - £7.99

Step 6:

MAC Lipstick - Honey Love - £15.50

Enjoy this array of beautiful products for yourself!!

Charlotte Rose

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cee rose designs.

Over the past year or so I have really enjoyed knitting, this a skill I learnt during my first year of University and something that I incorporated into pretty much every project, I have enjoyed making myself scarves, and snoods as well as people around me, around this time last year I decided I wanted this to become a little business. So over the past couple of months I have been setting this all up and trying to get my name out there. I have a Facebook page (cee rose designs), Twitter page (@ceerosedesigns), and an Etsy store (ceerosedesigns) at the moment and I plan to start an instagram too, I have a personal one but want one to solely focus on my knitting journey.

I currently have five designs up on my Etsy store, all I really love and I am already working on a few more projects and have something exciting to reveal closer to christmas too! I want to keep my blog updated with whats happening with my shop and would love it if you guys would head over to my social media pages as well as the Etsy store to check them out!

My sister, abbzw, did all my business logo design, which I have been incredibly grateful for and absolutely love the design! I love the clean and fresh colour as well as the design, with the little 'O' as a knit design I think makes it super cute too! This is now the header of blog too and I have followed the design through all my pages for consistency and you will always know it's me!

All my packages will be wrapped in cute tissue paper and have a business card with them too! I ship worldwide so wherever you are in the world you can still get your hands on one of these lovely items! (If I do say so myself!! Not modest or anything!)

 Now to show you what I have so far! These all come in a variety of colours and made to order, all colour ways are shown on the Etsy page for them!

Premium Ribbed Snood - £42

The Abby Snood - £35

Three Tonal Snood - £32

The Simple Snood - £28

The Block Snood - £35

Autumn/Winter is coming!!

Charlotte Rose

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Wedding Outfit.

So earlier in the summer (sorry this is so delayed) my boyfriend, Will, and I took a trip to York for a friends wedding, we stayed for a few days as it's the first time the both of us had been there, separately as well as together. I was pleasantly surprised, I don't now what I really expected, I had never really thought about it but York is a beautiful city, and I think, perfect for a weekend break.

Anyway moving onto why we're really here, I had a few months prep of what I wanted to wear for this wedding, which all changed after Will had seen me in this dress and said how lovely it looked on, this swayed my decision slightly as I wasn't completely set on the outfit I had previously thought of so here lies option 2, that I am so happy I went with and felt so comfortable in!

My dress is a Winter 2014 Oasis dress, a beautiful baroque lace style pattern with a jewelled collar (No necklace decision making, perfect!) My shoes are just little black wedges from New Look.

Bag is an old Warehouse clutch. All my jewellery is very special too me, the bangle on my right wrist is a gift from my dad for my 21st, from Sophie Jones Jewellery. Swarovski Charm bracelet on my left wrist. And just two rings, a Tiffany's one as well as my little flowery Pandora! I am also wearing Swarovski style earrings from a cute little store, Little Black Dress, in Saltash.

Now for a couple of photos at the wedding of Will and I, and our friend Leanne too! I didn't get many photos whilst there, just enjoyed the evening! 

It's sad, the end of Wedding season, isn't it?

Charlotte Rose

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My Skincare Routine Update.

Over the past year or so I have become more and more fascinated with having a good skincare routine. I am on the verge of obsessed with YouTube, and the constant update of seeing others routines has made me want to change/start mine. I have never been one for skincare, I can be very lazy when it comes to my skin, and I feared this would come back to bite me. I think the reason for my previous laziness is the fact that I have very good skin. I would say I fall in the category of normal to dry skin type, I suffer with quite mild eczema, though it's rarely on my face (except that annoying patch on the end of my nose that just won't budge!). So I have never really suffered from spots, don't get me wrong, a few pop up here and there every now and again but I'm talking once in a blue moon.

But nevertheless I though it was time to kick myself into a good routine that I like and will enjoy carrying out. I love my exfoliator I started using a few years ago, Lush's 'Let the good times roll', so I already had the exfoliator covered. In terms of makeup removal I was always the girl with the endless amounts of makeup wipes that had become used to the fact that there would always still be a little mascara left after repeatedly rubbing my eyes for 10 minutes. Over the past couple of weeks I have added Garnier's Micellar Oil-infused Cleansing Water to my routine so I will let you know in another post how I have been getting on with that, I want to use it for a bit longer and see how I feel about it, make an informed decision y'know?

But onto the real deal, the reason we are all here. Liz Earle. I love these products. I saw Gabriella of Velvet Ghost rave about the Liz Earle range and I thought I'd give it a whirl. In all honesty these products are beautiful, the smell is clean and just divine, they leave your skin feeling fresh and revived like you never knew they could ever feel.

Each night I take my eye makeup off with the Garnier Micellar water and then use the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, slowly rubbing in circular motions all over my face and neck, then using either the wash cloth provided or the Muslin cloths I bought from mothercare, I put the cloth in hot water, rinse, and wipe the cleanser off my face, using the cloth in hot water is really soothing to the skin and feels lovely. I then take the Instant Boost Skin Tonic onto a cotton wool pad and rub all over my face. And the last step is moisturiser. I take a small amount of the Skin Repair moisturiser and apply this to my whole face. I love this moisturiser as it's un-perfumed so doesn't sting or irritate my skin in anyway and i can happily apply it on my under eyes as well as all over the lid.

And that's all for my skincare routine. 4 simple steps each day, with exfoliator every few days.

Enjoy looking after your skin!

Charlotte Rose

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Hot Spice.

I was recently taking my daily moment of perusing through Pinterest when I stumbled across a pin about this beautiful palette. I feel I am always really limited with blushers and not something I really reach out for when shopping, and more of just a purchase when my current one is running low, with only 3 blushers in my collection I saw this palette and felt it was a necessary buy for me. Once I had clicked through and found the item on Superdrug and saw the 'oh so wonderful' price of just £6 I immediately clicked add to basket. For the price you pay I think the pigmentation of these shades are more than you would expected and in no way does the packaging look cheap or tacky, with a lovely big mirror there's nothing more you could want!

With a beautiful selection of 8 warm shades I feel that my collection has warmly welcomed this Makeup Revolution Hot Spice Blush Palette. This palette includes 6 matte shades and 2 shimmer, the top right shade would be a perfect highlight whilst the top left would make a cute, warm contour! 

Stay Hot and Spicy!

Charlotte Rose

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Pastels gives way to Deep Blue.

I have been craving a dark nail lately, getting bored of all the pretty pastels with hints of sparkle and whatnot. No, it's time to get back into the deep dark nails that I just adore. I want those long, dark and cold winter nights to come rolling back in, and what better way to get ready for the autumn/winter season than with a deep nail colour. 

My chosen colour is a really deep blue, almost black, I would say it's a grey blue but it's really hard to tell it's not black in photos other than that it is a visibly softer colour compared to a harsh black. This is Essie's Bobbing for Baubles, which makes me seem as though I am ready to get into the christmas spirit, definitely not, just want to embrace winter for now thanks! I am definitely an Essie lover though, the quality of polish is high and I love the brush application, you can cover your nail in one clean sweep with the wide dense brush! (that's clean if you have a steady hand!) 

Can I just add to this, this is the first time I have ever visited the Essie website and oh my gosh was I in for a surprise, I knew they had a big colour range, just popping into your local Boots will tell you that, but the array of colours that you are welcomed with is beyond incredible, and how anyone manages to choose a colour on that site I will never know! 

Embrace the oncoming end of summer! 

Charlotte Rose

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Breville Blend Active

This is a relatively new buy for me, purchased at the beginning of July, with all the intentions of really kick starting a healthier lifestyle. I am a big smoothie lover, making frequent trips to our 'Fuel Juice' in town, I love it as an after gym boost, to fill me up before for my next meal so I don't unnecessarily snack, and just giving me back a little of the energy I used whilst at the gym and to keep me going for the day ahead! 

I picked up my 'Breville Blend Active Personal Blender 600ml' in Green at Debenhams, at a retail price of £29.99, it was on sale and I managed to pick this up for £18! As you can see it comes with a spare bottle also. It was such a bargain that I just couldn't walk away from, a blender was something I had been thinking about for a few months and felt that this was a sign to finally grab one! I have considered a 'nutri-bullet' but at this point I think I want to start out with something cheaper before I splash out! 

I have found this to be my favourite recipe so far but I will keep you updated on my smoothie and healthy lifestyle journey.

You will need: 

2 banana's 

Raspberries (I went for frozen as they keep longer)

Mango (Also frozen)

Orange Juice

Slice your bananas and all your ingredients to your blender, I added the juice last until it looked as though it was half way and began to blend, due to the thickness of everything you may need to take off the bottle give it a good shake and continue blending! This was such a lush smoothie and something that I have been having a few times a week! I just can't get enough! 

If you want to ensure that your smoothie is super cold, add a few ice cubes to the mix! 

Happy blending!

Charlotte Rose 

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