Nice nails!

One thing I love more than anything is buying nail polishes and painting my nails. I keep all my nail polishes by my computer desk, so I end up painting them every couple of days!

Two of my favourite nail polishes at the moment are the Barry M "Gelly Hi Shine" nail paint and the Rimmel "Sweetie Crush". The Barry M Gelly Hi Shine's are so shiny and glossy and once on they stay on for a really long time with no chips or anything! The Rimmel Sweetie Crush nail polishes I've blogged about before, but they're just so adorable and yummy! I love the texture and the bottle and the colour...and yeah. I just love nail polish

I have just painted my nails with the Barry M Gelly Hi Shine in "Greenberry" (odd name no?) with an accent nail on my pointer finger with the Rimmel Sweetie Crush in "Blueberry Whizz" (is that not the cutest nail polish name ever?!) and I really love them! 

What nail polish are you loving at the moment? xx

Author profile: Rainbow Rowell

This woman is not only one of my all time favourite authors but also favourite people. If you haven't already, check out her books, then her twitter/tumblr. She's so lovely and talented.

I first read "Eleanor and Park" because John Green recommended it, and I would recommend it for anyone who is or was a teenager. It's probably in the "Young Adult" genre but I really would recommend it to anyone. It's got so much heart and the characters are just so flawed and beautiful at the same time.I also read "Attachments" which is beautiful and lovely and gave me a warm feeling in my stomach. Rowell's latest book is "Fangirl" which I only read a few weeks ago and adored. It explores the world of fandom and fanfic and a young girl who goes away to college and has to find herself.

All of Rainbow's books are just so relatable and have so much heart behind them. I never see many people talking about her, especially in the UK and I don't know why because she's perfect and I know you'll love her books!

Apparently the film rights to "Eleanor and Park" have just been picked up so I'm sure you'll want to be reading it soon! 

Also how cool is her name?! Just looking at her books on my bookshelf makes me smile because of the lovely joyfulness that is radiated from "Rainbow". 

Also her book covers are all so beautiful.

I'm going to stop here before this turns into a document that Rainbow Rowell uses in court to get a restraining order. I just love her and her books so so much. 

I'm just going to leave these here. 

Author Profile: Mitch Albom

I first read "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" and absolutely loved it, and since then Mitch Albom has become one of my favourite writers.

Of his books, I have read "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" "The Timekeeper" (which was incredible) and "For One More Day". I have "Have A Little Faith" on my bookshelf so I will be reading that soon!

I study Philosophy and Ethics and Mitch Albom's books study topics which I find really interesting, such as the concept of time, religious faith and the afterlife. I also love that he doesn't try to force beliefs on people, and his attitude just seems to be "this is what I think, give it a read!"

I just think his books are really unique and always make me think, as well as teaching important values about family and friendship. They're always really easy to read and I find that I get through them really quickly, which I much prefer than slogging through a long book for weeks on end.


For more of me talking/clicking about books check out my goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/17677006-alexandra

Musicals

There is nothing I love more than a bit of musical theatre. If you flicked through my iTunes, you would mostly just see various musical playlists. Living in London, I go to the theatre quite a bit, and these are some of my favourites.

I've seen Les Miserables twice on the West End, most recently for my 17th birthday in August 2013. This time was particularly exciting, as Carrie Hope Fletcher was playing Eponine who went to my secondary school!

Favourite character- Enjorlas
Favourite song- On My Own/Turning/Do You Hear The People Sing?






Wicked I've also been lucky enough to see twice, the second time I was front row which was incredible. Also, Matt Willis was on as Fiyero (I adore Busted!)

Favourite character- Fiyero 

Favourite song- For Good/ Defying Gravity

I also saw the Sound of Music at the Open Air Theatre, having previously seen it at the Palladium. Sound of Music is an absolute classic!

Favourite character- Maria

Favourite song- My Favourite Things 

I know Ghost is a popular film, but having seen the musical I can't stand the film! The musical was absolutely incredible, and I sobbed and laughed simultaneously. I can't find my photos from this theatre visit sadly. 

Favourite character- Sam

Favourite song- Suspend My Disbelief/I Had A Life 

Benefit

Every month my Mum get's sent a box of freebies, and often I'm lucky enough to get the things she doesn't like! This month she got some things from Benefit, and I was desperate to get my hands on some of their products. Benefit is a tad too pricey for my budget, so the chance of free items to sample was incredibly exciting.


First, the "They're Real" mascara. This is in shops for around £20 so although I'm dying to try it, I haven't been able to afford it. I highly rate this mascara, it makes my lashes really long and look so thick. It also is easily removed with my regular make up remover wipes and stays on for a very long time without smudging. I know it's pricey, but if you're willing to splash the cash this is definitely worth it!


Secondly, the "It's Potent" eye cream. This is to help get rid of dark circles under your eyes (of which I have many, cheers A Levels). I apply this morning and evening, and I have already seen results! My dark circles are already fading, and when my tiny pot runs out I think I'll have to splurge on the full sized item. If you have dark circles and want them gone, try this. It's working for me!

Lovely lips

(I apologize for my carpet)

So if there's anything I hate, it's dry, cracked lips. Therefore I spent quite a lot of time (and money) searching out the best lip products to make my lips smooth and in top top condition!

From left to right- Lush Lip Scrub (Bubblegum), EOS (Strawberry), Fresh Sugar Lip Tint (Rose), Cath Kidston Lipbalm (Bluebell)

Lush Lip Scrub- This is absolutely perfect for getting rid of dry skin on your lips. Once used, apply your favourite lipbalm. It also tastes so sweet and delicious that I have to stop myself from eating it! Also, it's only about £5 a pot, and lasts forever. Seriously, I've had mine about five months, and I used regularly, and I've only made a dent in my pot. Definitely a must have in my make up bag

EOS- I was curious about these, as I have only heard good things. I got two, the Strawberry and Blueberry and I adore them both. I can't leave the house without one, and they are essential for anyone who wants smooth, moisturised lips! My friends are always stealing them, so I'll have to buy some more soon!

Sugar Tint- This not only smells and makes your lips super soft, but it is great at giving some colour. I use this as my regular "lipstick" as it is perfect at making my lips a soft pink, that's great for an everyday look.

Cath Kidston- I was a little sceptical about this at first, but oh my gosh it is probably one of the best lipbalms I've used. It makes your lips sooo soft it's unbelievable. It is such a handy size, and lasts a really long time.

So those are my highly recommended lip products. What are your favourites?

Capital cities

I've been lucky enough to travel quite a lot in my short time on this planet, and some of my favourite places are capital cities of Europe! So I thought I'd share some photos...enjoy! 

Berlin! I took these photos in August 2010, on an amazing trip to Berlin. This city has so much history, even walking around you can seem remnants of the events that happened here. There's so much culture and things to see, and I can't wait to go back soon!

Rome! I went to Rome in July 2013, and I fell in love with it. I adore Italian cuisine, and the food did not disappoint. I would walk back to Italy for some more ice cream or pasta, even the pasta from the supermarket tasted insane. Food aside, the place itself is so beautiful. Even walking around, every street and plaza looks like something from a postcard. I also love Latin (which I studied at GCSE) and seeing all the sights such as the Colosseum, Circus Maximus, and Pantheon was so incredible. Rome, ti amo.

  PARIS!!! By far my favourite city on earth. I've only been twice, but being in Paris literally makes me feel like I'm home, like a part of me has been away for so long and I was finally where I belonged. The city is so so gorgeous, and the architecture and culture is just insane. (Also, is there anything better than French food?) Paris is also home to Victor Hugo and Disneyland, two of my absolute favourite things!  

And finally...my hometown, London. How I adore my city. It's just so beautiful. It's the place that has inspired art, music, literature, drama, and of course, let's not forget the 2012 olympics! I feel so lucky to be able to travel into London frequently, and I pray there will never be a day that I don't love Trafalguar Square, Covent Garden, Waterloo, Westminster, and all the other beautiful places to go.

Latest beauty buys

So I recently did some online shopping and I was so pleased with everything that I got that I had to write a post! Also it seems fitting that my first post are products that I'm loving so much.

So firstly I was on the Barry M website, looking for another palette. I have the "glamour puss" palette which contains six beautiful, dark, glamorous eyeshadows that blend together so well and a blush which I use almost everyday. The "summer love" palette contains six light, neutral eyeshadow colours that are great for everyday make up. It also contains a highlighter which I haven't used because I rarely use highlighter anyway.

I also saw on the Barry M website their foundation, which I have never used before and because I was curious I brought one. It was only about £6 and I was surprised by how much I like it! It's very light and perfect for just a tad of coverage on days where you don't want to wear a full face of foundation. It goes on easily and the colour is a good match. The only criticism is that it's a bit oily, so I wouldn't recommend it for oily skin.

Next I was on the Boots website because I wanted a new Rimmel Matte foundation. The one I currently have is too orange for me! I love this foundation and have been wearing it most days. Its really easy to apply as well as giving a good coverage and a great base for make up.

Next I got Stay Matte powder by Rimmel. This I have seen recommended by a few people online so I thought I'd try it. This is great for setting foundation and concealer as well as taking away shine. I think I'd like to try the next colour up next.

Finally, I got Rimmel sweetie crush nail polishes. These are so cute! I love the bottles and the texture is exactly like crushed candy. The blue one is definitely my favourite, and if you buy any, buy this one. I also think they are great to use as an accent nail against a normal textured nail paint.