blogmas #7: The Christmas Tag

I wanted today's blogmas post to be super festive, and what better way to do that than to do the Christmas Tag! I've seen a few version of this floating around but I chose to do this one from Makeup Savvy (link here). At the bottom I've included the questions so you can easily copy & paste them onto your own blog if you want to do the tag!

1. What is your favourite Christmas Movie/s?
Elf! It's funny every time and I just can't get enough of it; I watch it at least 5 times every Christmas. For a Christmas lover I actually haven't seen that many festive films so this years I'm hoping to make up for it and watch loads.

2. Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
In my family we spread them throughout Christmas Day. When my parents wake up we open our main presents, and then we have a couple every few hours throughout the day. My parents also like to save one presents each for me and my brother for Boxing Day so that Christmas can go on a bit longer ahaah.

3. Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?
I don't remember a specific Christmas, but when I was younger I used to love going into my parents room early on Christmas morning and watching all the limited edition Christmas cartoons that used to be on TV. Then we would all go down together, check that Father Christmas had eaten his mince pie, and that Rudolph had eaten his carrot, and then excitedly open our presents!

4. Favourite festive food?
I'm not really a massive fan of most Christmas foods; I don't hate them, but I certainly don't love them. However, Terry's Chocolate Oranges are a huge favourite of mine. Although they're not strictly a festive food, I go a bit crazy with them over the festive period, and I especially love the variety boxes with the different types of segment!

5. Favourite Christmas gift?
It sounds very cliche, but when I look back at previous Christmas' I find it very hard to remember what I actually received as gifts. I don't know that it's my favourite gift, but I do recall once getting a Disney CD and spending the entire day playing it on repeat and absolutely loving life, so at the time that present was a firm favourite of mine.

6. Favourite Christmas scent?
This seems to change every year for me as I'm constantly trying new scents and loving them more than my previous favourite, but at the moment it's anything cranberry scented. I'm currently loving the Cranberry Ice Yankee Candle and The Body Shop's Frosted Cranberry Shower Gel. We also have a really nice smelling diffuser in our bathroom, I don't know what the scent is, but it basically just smells of Christmas haha.

7. Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?
We used to go to church in the evening but we've stopped that now. For the last few years, one of my friends has come round and we've done lots of Christmassy baking which always leaves the house smelling amazing! We basically spend the day being super festive and getting hyped for Christmas the next day.

8. What tops your tree?
We have a very traditional looking angel that I'm not overly keen on but my parents like it so there's not a lot I can do about it! Our entire tree is actually pretty crazy, which no matching baubles, and all sorts of random decorations. I prefer a nice traditional tree, with a nice colour scheme and evenly spaced decorations, and of course plenty of glitter and sparkle.

9. As a kid what was the one (crazy, wild, extravagant) gift you always asked for but never received?
A puppy! Every year since I was about 5 it's been at the very top of my wishlist, and it still is now! I just love dogs and want one so badly but my parents don't want a pet running around the house. As soon as I move out, I'm sure there will be a new fluffy addition to the family.

10. What's the best part about Christmas for you?
Definitely the build up to Christmas. I love everything about it, including the lovely decorations, late night shopping, the growing excitement, choosing presents for my friends and family, seeing people I haven't seen for ages and festive baking! I just love it all and am 100% one of those people that looks forward to Christmas all year round.

Hope you've enjoyed this tag! If you also do the tag make sure to let me know as I'd love to read your answers!

emma x

1. What is your favourite Christmas Movie/s?
2. Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
3. Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?
4. Favourite festive food?
5. Favourite Christmas gift?
6. Favourite Christmas scent?
7. Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?
8. What tops your tree?
9. As a kid what was the one (crazy, wild, extravagant) gift you always asked for but never received?
10. What's the best part about Christmas for you?

blogmas #6: The Perfect Hot Chocolate

Winter aka the season of daily hot chocolates in front of the telly. Okay so maybe not every day as I am trying to watch my weight, but every now and then I like to have a good hot chocolate at the end a cold, winters day.

This hot chocolate might not be the most photogenic as it isn't topped with whipped cream, marshmallows or any other decorations, but this drink just needs to be appreciated in its purest form hahah.

I prefer a milky hot chocolate to one made with water, so the first thing I do is heat the milk in the microwave. I only fill the mug two thirds of the way to leave room for the powder, and I heat it for 1 minute and 20 seconds as I've found that it's the perfect length of time.

Next I add 2 heaped teaspoon of Whittards Caramel Hot Chocolate and mix that in. I really like this hot chocolate as it's really luxurious and basically just all round amazing! Then comes the secret ingredient, Hazelnut Syrup! I picked up mine in Sainsbury's down the coffee aisle, but I'm sure most supermarkets stock it. I use 4 teaspoons of this and hey presto, you have the world's best hot chocolate! Of course, you can now add whipped cream if you're in need of a real treat, but generally I just leave mine as it is.

What's your favourite brand of hot chocolate?

emma x

A Mini Makeup Haul

This is my second post of the day for all you lucky people, and this time around I have a little haul. I've been trying to stay more restrained leading up to Christmas, so there's only a few items, but I thought I should share them with you.

Boots recently had one of their 3 for 2 mix and match across all makeup brands, so of course I had to take advantage of this. I needed a new foundation for the winter months, now that I'm paler. I chose the Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation Nude (£7.99) because I loved the Match Perefection, but wanted something slightly higher coverage this time around. I did decide to get the medium coverage nude one rather than the full coverage original as my skin is actually behaving itself at the moment (touch wood).

The next product I decided to get on the deal was this L'oreal Matte Bronzer (£7.99). It's less orange toned than some so I thought it was be good for contouring, but I have found that it still isn't grey toned enough so I may have to save up for Benefit's Hoola as I can't find any grey toned bronzers in the drugstore. However, this is still good for bronzing up my skin, and because it's matte, it still looks really natural.

The final product I got in this deal was the Maybelline Under Eye Concealer (£7.99), which silly old me forgot to photograph. It has a very unique applicator but so far I've been loving it. It has quite a thin consistency but it still has good coverage. I like to have a different concealer for my under eyes to my blemishes as it is much more hygienic so this is great for me.

Lastly, I bought this an Essie nail polish in the shade Toggle to the Top. I have had my eye on this for a while but at £8 I just couldn't justify it. Low and behold, I am browsing in TK Maxx and find it on sale for £3.99! Of course, at this price I just had to pick it up, and so far I am impressed. It is perfectly opaque in two coats, dries relatively quickly, and lasts well on the nails. The only negative is that it is very difficult to remove, but then that applies to all glitter polishes.

And that's it! I'm quite proud of myself because there's a lot on my wishlist at the moment but hopefully after Christmas I'll have a bit of money to spend on a few new beauty products.

emma x

blogmas #5: New Years Resolution Review

Today I will be looking back at the resolutions I made at the start of the year. I know the year hasn't quite finished yet, but it's close enough, and let's be honest, most of our regular schedules go out the window during the run up to Christmas.

1) Lose 10 Pounds - Well this is an interesting one to start with haha. I did actually manage to achieve this within the first few months of 2014, however unfortunately I have since put it back on. I did feel much more confident with my body when I was a bit lighter though, so I would like to lose it again and hopefully keep it off this time.

2) Drink a Glass of Water Everyday - This resolution has actually been a huge success. To begin with, I drank a glass of water with dinner every day, and eventually I actually grew to like it better, so now I drink it regularly as my usual drink and often have multiple glasses in a day.

3) Go to the Gym Once a Week - This failed miserably and lasted all of two weeks so lets quickly move on.

4) Do the 7 Minute Workout Everyday - I did manage to keep this going for a couple of months, but doing it everyday just became too much, especially when I was away from home.

5) Improve my Posture - I have been working on my posture and it has improved but it is something that will take a long time to fully correct, so I'm going to keep working on it into the new year.

6) Do a Blog Post Once a Week - To start with this didn't go too well, but from August I have been posting twice a week, and for blogmas I am posting daily, so I think I have made up for the bad start towards the end of the year.

7) Post on Instagram Twice a Week - I actually quit my themed instagram account a few months ago, so clearly I didn't achieve this one. However, if you do want to follow me, I still have my personal account @emmajolliffe.

8) Write down One Good Memory Everyday - I did do this for a couple of months and it did help me to be a lot more positive. I have since stopped writing it down, but I do like to spend a bit of time reflecting as the end of every day, and think about all the things that made me happy, and it's been working really well, so I'm hoping to continue this into the new year.

9) Get a Job - A big success here; I got my job at the end of August as a receptionist at a local Sports and Recreational Centre. So far I'm really enjoying it and am enjoying having a better of extra money to spend.

So overall, some resolutions went well and others didn't but I'm happy with what I've achieved this year, and am really looking forward to 2015.

emma x

blogmas #4: A Gift Guide for Guys

Buying gifts for the men in your life, be they boyfriends, dads, friends or brothers, is always a struggle. To help with this issue I've compiled a few ideas for what I'll be buying them this Christmas.

1) Jack Wills Duo (£12 - Boots) - This set includes a body wash and a deodorant, and is great for teenage boys that you don't know what to buy. It is a fairly universal gift so is suitable for people you don't know so well.

2) 'Evil Plans and Stuff' Notebook (£6 - Amazon) - This is the perfect gift for an older men as it is funny but also useful. Any funny notebook is a winner, but this is the best one I could find online. I would suggest looking in the department stores if you're looking for any smaller joke presents.

3) Topman Body Spray Trio (£10 - Boots) - A good value set here as you get three well sized ddeodorants. This is great for younger teenagers who are just getting into using products like this, and the brand makes is more attractive to boys just getting into Topman.

4) Whisky Selection Pack (£12 - Boots) - The perfect present for a dad or grandad here, and a great way for them to try out some new brands of alcohol. This is a very sophisticated gift that is reasonably priced too.

5) Remote Control Range Rover (£30 - Debenhams) - What guy doesn't love a nice new toy to play with at Christmas? No matter what their age, the males in your life will still love to receive a remote control car. It doesn't have to be this one, but the fact that it's a Range Rover makes it even better in my opinion.

6) No7 Hydrating Shave Kit (£18 - Boots) - Another good one for teenage boys here as many of them are just starting to shave regularly. This set includes everything they need to ease into this process and the high end packaging will make them feel very grown up too!

7) Blue Woolen Scarf - I love a scarf on a guy, and if you to do, this is the perfect gift for a partner. This particular one is very pricey at £42 but there are much more affordable versions available on the highstreet. I really like giving people clothing as I find that it's much more personal than other presents.

I hope this post helped if you were stuck for ideas, and I'll see you again tomorrow for blogmas #5.

emma x

blogmas #3: Party Perfect Brows

Okay so making an eyebrow tips post into a Christmas one may be pushing it a bit, but I have been waiting to do this post for ages, and everyone needs good brows for the party season, right?

1) Fill your eyebrows in before plucking them - This way it is much easier to pluck them to the shape that you want and avoid overplucking. It then makes it much quicker to fill them in because your brows already have the shape that you're aiming for.

2) Try a variety of products - Different things work for different people so be willing to try new ones. I've tried gels, pencils and powders, and although I've found some amazing products, I'm still not entirely happy with my brow routine, so next on my list of things to try is the Makeup Revolution Liquid Brow Tint, and the Tarte Brow Mousse.

3) Define that arch - Poker straight brows can give you an angry expression, so lift your arch a little to make you look happier and frame your face better. Don't go over the top and try and give yourself something you don't have, but a little extra around the arch can make all the difference.

4) Use concealer under your brows - Adding a touch of concealer once you're done gives your brows a really clean, sharp finish. It's best to use a really small concealer brush for this for added precision. Using a pale concealer can also act as a bit of a highlight to further enhance your brows and brighten your complexion a little.

5) Check the finished product in different mirrors around the house - In my bedroom mirror my brows can look totally on point but then I go in the bathroom and you can't even see that I've tamed them. I recommend doing them in one mirror, and then going to another to touch them up, to ensure you look picture perfect in all lighting.

My final tip is to embrace what you have! Be confident, rock those brows and enjoy the paarrtaayyy!

emma x

blogmas #2: A Gift Set Guide

This posts was so fun to make and I gained so much inspiration for items that I can add to my own Christmas list, and ones that I can buy for my friends and family. All of these are beauty based but there is a range of prices ranges and types of product. 

1) Nars Lip Pencil Set (£32 - Space NK) - This is clearly quite an expensive set, however it does offer great value for money. You get a wide range of shades, and although the pencils aren't full size, they are only a tiny bit smaller. Considering you couldn't even get two full size pencils for this price, it is a truly amazing offer, and the pencils are amazing quality so you know that they're worth spending your money on.

2) Aromatherapy Bath Oil Mini Collection (£35 - Space NK) - A very sophisticated option here, perfect for slightly older women that still love to indulge in a lovely relaxing bath. You don't get loads of product for your money here, but you do get to try 10 different oils, and the beautiful packaging proves to the receiver that it is a high end present.

3) Benefit Sweet Tintations (£20) - If I didn't already have so many lip products, I would definitely be purchasing this. For your money you get 2 full size lip products, and 2 medium sized tints, which is incredible value. The lip balms usually cost £14.50 each so you can easily see why this set has already been such a great seller this year. The lip and cheek tints are plenty big enough; I actually think that the full size ones are too big, and I know friends who have had them dry up before they finished them because they contain so much product.

4) Smashbox Primer Set (£13) - A slightly cheaper option here, but a great one for someone who wants to try out some higher end primers. Smashbox are well known for their amazing primers so this set is sure to be a hit with whoever you give it to, and the price means that someone who doesn't normally have the opportunity to buy try more expensive products can afford to give them a go.

5) Essie Nail Varnish Duo Kit (£12.99 - Boots) - This set is great for any nail lover as you get two full size Essie polishes. Although there is only one colour option available, the set includes Tart Deco which is one of Essie's most popular shades, so is sure to be a hit with whoever you gift this to. Of course, if you buy it for 3 people, you can take advantage of the Boots 3 for 2 offer, and it becomes even better value.

6) No7 Complete Cleansing Kit and Brush (£25 - Boots) - I am pretty sure that I'm going to end up buying this for myself at some point because I just can't get over the price point. The vast majority of cleansing brushes cost in excess of £100, but for just £25 you get a brush and two full size No7 products. This is a great choice for someone who wants to try a cleansing brush, but doesn't want to pay too much without knowing if it will benefit them significantly.

7) Benefit Beauty Bonbons Set (£40 - Boots) - A very expensive set here, but one that I think is totally worth it for someone special. You get a full size Hoola Bronzer and High Beam, which alone covers the cost of the set. Then you also get a mini They're Real Mascara and Porefessional Primer, another 2 of their best selling products, as well as a mini Hoola Lipgloss, all packaged beautifully in a little house.

8) No7 Skincare Collection (£16) - This is a really well priced set and the products are suitable for any skin type, making it very universal. You get 4 medium sized products, a muslin cloth and a headband. This is an ideal present for someone that you don't know what to buy because everyone takes care of their skin, whether they wear makeup or not.

Have you found any amazing sets this year? Let me know in the comments.

emma x

The Tuesday Review: Benefit Dandelion Box Blush

I've had this product for a good few months now, having kindly received it as a gift on my birthday, back in the summer. At first I was quite unimpressed with how little it showed up on my tanned skin, and ended up rarely using it, other than occassionally as a subtle highlight as it was so pale compared to my skin. Fast forward a few months, and my skin is a good few shades lighter and I can finally see why people give so much love to this product.

I have to say, I'm really not a fan of the scent of this powder, to me it smells very grannyish, but to be honest the scent of a product really doesn't have an overall effect on whether I like it or not. As with all of Benefit's boxed powders, the packaging isn't the most practical thing in the world, but I am impressed with the brush that it comes with. I don't keep it in the box as I find that it tends to chip bits off the powder, and I actually use the brush for a different product: bronzer. I find that its the perfect shaped brush to contour with, but more about that in a later post.

The blush itself is a pale pink colour with a hint of shimmer, and isn't overly pigmented. It gives you a really fresh and alive look when applied to pale skin, and helps to brighten up your complexion. You can never go over the top with this, and you don't have to be too precise with your application as it is quite sheer and looks good as a highlight. In fact, Benefit actually suggest applying a small amount over your whole face as a brightening finishing powder. I am yet to try this but I can imagine it will work very well for me as I have yellow toned skin so this should help to neutralise it a little.

As for wear time, I find that this does last me through most of the day, and when it does fade, the shimmer remains so my skin still looks lovely and glowing. Having tested the wear time in the colder months, I actually wouldn't consider trying to carry on using this in the summer as my skin needs something super long lasting to keep it in place throughout its oiler moments, however it is absolutely perfect for a light flush of colour in autumn and winter.

emma x

blogmas #1: An Introduction

I wanted to do something special on my blog this Christmas as it is my favourite time of year and I am super excited! I don't have too much going on college or work wise over the month of December, so I decided I should have time to blog EVERY day up until Christmas! This will be a big step up for me from my twice a week posts, and because I want the posts to be more up to date, I won't be able to write them weeks in advance, so it's going to be a manic blogging month for me but I'm so excited!

Many of the posts won't be as long as my current ones, but I'm going to try and make them more lifestyle related and personal based so that you can get to know me better. As many of the posts as possible will be Christmas related to share the festive spirit on my blog.

I'm going to try and do my Tuesday and Friday posts as well so that there is still some beauty posts going up, but I'm not sure how long that will last hahah. 

I think that's all there is to know, let me know in the comments if you're doing blogmas/vlogmas!

emma x