February Favourites!

The end of another month... Where in the world is 2015 going!?

I haven't quite been on top of my game with monthly favourite posts since, well, April... Each month I mean to sit down and talk about the products I've been loving, but for one reason or another I never get round to it... 
Although I could ramble on about many many products that have made their way into my make-up collection, I'll try and restrain myself from making this into the longest post ever, and stick with the most-loved additions.

 Starting with skincare, I've fallen head over heels in love with the Nivea Regenerating Night Cream, and have seen a great improvement in the quality of my skin since using it. It leaves my skin feeling soft and replenished, and I never go to sleep without applying it!

Foundation is pretty much the basis for all makeup, and is what sets disaster apart from perfection. Having a good foundation that matches my skin-tone, doesn't make my face look 'caked', but also provides decent coverage is a rarity to find, unless of course it's way over my budget... Thankfully, those days are over! My go-to foundation this month has been the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation, in the shade Rose Pearl. After seeing an improvement in both the weather and my complexion recently, I didn't feel the need for a matte foundation or something that had great coverage. I'm in awe of the dewy effect this foundation has on my skin, yet also conceals most of any blemishes I do have... All in all, I love it!

Normally I'm not much of a blusher girl, but since recently buying the Milani Baked Blush in the shade Luminoso, my opinions have changed! It's a shimmery peach-toned colour, which I've found perfect to add a sense of warmth to my face, without looking like a circus clown... It's quickly become a staple in not only my collection, but also my everyday routine...

I'm all for smokey eyes, but it's very easy to over-do it for a typical day at school or work... I've found that using the matte colours in the Zoeva Naturally Yours palette is great for dimension and looking like you've made that little extra effort, when in reality, you've simply swept some neutral colours on your eyelids! 

From top to bottom - Timeless Chic, Soft
and Sexy, Pure

The look I've been sporting this month consists of three of the four matte shadows as shown above, using the lighter one Pure on the whole eyelid, Soft and Sexy in the outer corner to middle area as well as in the crease, and if I'm feeling a little daring, I'll add some Timeless Chic to the very outer corner and blend it for that extra smokey feel...

Lastly in regards to makeup, is a long-loved product which has been re-discovered. I've been using The Body Shop Honey Bronzer a lot this month, and after taking a break from it to try out some alternatives, I've found myself always going back to it... It's been a product I couldn't live without!

After feeling like my hair had been lacking in softness and was looking slightly dull, I incorporated the Philip Kingsley Daily Damage Defence spray into my haircare routine. By simply spritzing some of the gorgeously smelling spray on my hair before drying, any split ends I had have been banished, and my hair has never looked better. One of the downsides to having dyed hair is the damage it can cause, not to mention damage done by heat... However, I've found this product to be a god-send, and use it every time after I shower!

What have your February favourites been? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Chloe

In A Nutshell | Half Term Shenanigans

I've been a little slacking on the blog front this week, but by no means due to a lack of inspiration... In fact, I've come up with a few ideas for upcoming posts recently, but simply haven't had the time... With mocks next week, I've spent most of my half term revising, and boy has it killed me... I don't think I've been this mentally drained in a long time, and I'll be more than relieved once I've seen the back of them... This massive influx of work has really knocked me sideways, so I've been favouring trying to get it done as opposed to blogging, forgive me...

Despite my best efforts to spend the vast majority of my time being prepared for mocks, I've found myself going out quite a lot over the short break; a decision I'll most likely regret when I get my mock results...

Last Sunday I found myself at Emma's house, along with Alex and Cat for a "pizza and movie night" - I briefly mentioned this in last Sunday's post... We, being the indecisive people we are, didn't actually end up watching any films, but instead spent several hours chatting (gossiping mostly) and playing board games (basically channeling the noughties and our childhood selves).

Tuesday was a slight change from the norm... I had my first driving lesson! 

I'm not going to lie, I've put off taking my driving lessons since last summer, and I really don't know why... I think a part of me was slightly terrified of the idea, but it was mainly due to the fact I'm an extreme procrastinator and simply never got round to booking any lessons... The whole experience of driving a car was, as I'd predicted, quite scary, although I'm sure after a few more lessons (with my next one being tomorrow!) I'll get the hang of it and can get past third gear! Side note - I only stalled once, wahoo! 

After deciding we were all feeling stressed and needed a break from the seemingly never-ending revision, my aforementioned friends and I took a few hours on Thursday afternoon to go and watch Kingsman... It was such a funny film, and despite the frequent and unnecessary swearing every thirty seconds, I throughly enjoyed it! Although we were all pretty stuffed from the popcorn, Doritos and maltesers we'd eaten, we still found ourselves in Pizza Express... Myself and Alex shared a Carbonara pizza - which I would highly recommend! While Catherine, despite how much she told us she wasn't that hungry, had a chicken salad, and then proceeded to eat the remains of her sweets from the cinema during the car ride home...

On Friday, I took another "break" from revision... Whoopsies... And went to see Jupiter Ascending with my Mum and sister... Although the film itself wasn't that great, despite having the potential to be, we watched it in 3D which made it slightly better... Normally I'm not a fan of films in 3D, I find the glasses to be annoying, jump out of my skin when something appears like it's going to hit me in the face, and sometimes find the whole experience makes me feel a bit dizzy... I can happily report that those days are long gone, and I have a feeling I'll be seeing a lot more films in 3D in the near future...

Regardless of being sick and tired of schoolwork (even on my supposed week off) I've had a fun-filled half term, and being able to have lie-ins each day of the week was a godsend! 

What have you done this week? Have you had a half term like me, or is there simply anything that's made you happy recently? As always, leave a comment and let me know! 

Chloe

In A Nutshell | Finally Half Term!

Wahoo! After what's felt like a lifetime, half term has finally arrived! I can barely contain my excitement about having a week off sixth form, but then again with mocks just around the corner waiting for when I go back to school, I'm going to be spending a lot of my days locked away in my bedroom revising...

The last week of school before a holiday always drags, and this was no exception... Despite having Wednesday off for a "home study day" (yeah right... more like a "watch Pretty Little Liars and stay in pyjamas day"), the week seemed never-ending... Friday saw the end to my week from hell, and I think I just came home and went to bed straight away... Shattered doesn't even begin to describe how I felt...

I kicked half term off with a bang, with yesterday being Valentine's Day... No, I didn't go on a romantic lovey-dovey Valentines date, I'd kind of need a boyfriend for that... But instead, spent my day with some far better people, (who needs boys anyway!?) and went bowling... I have to admit, I didn't win a single game... But I didn't lose either which is a massive achievement in itself for someone who's ridiculously awful at bowling! We also used the "handicap points" to give ourselves extremely high scores! After three hours, and three games, we called it quits, but were far from prepared to let the night draw to an end... We ended up back at Emma's house, where the party continued with playing Twister, doing pencil rolls on the floor (yep... that happened) and dancing to some classic noughties tunes... Wild Saturday nights, guys!

Me, Cat, Emma, Val

Emma, Joe & Me

Group selfie!

Me, Emma, Charlotte & Cat

Cat, Me & Alex

Me & Cat

Yep... I got 230 points (as if...)

Today, was recovery day... Although I'd told myself I was going to do some revision this afternoon, that was not the case... Instead I've watched two episodes of The Following (slowly catching up!) and have literally done nothing else... I am, however, just on my way out back to Emma's house for a movie night with Cat and Alex, which I'm beyond excited for! Not to mention the fact we're also ordering pizza... (Yes!). You'd think we were all joined at the hips with the amount of time we spend with each other... 
Seeing as I'm halfway out the door already, I can't talk about that on this post, but I'll most likely include any pictures taken in next week's weekly post.

As always, leave a comment letting me know what you've been up to this week, or something that's made you happy recently!

Chloe

The Motivation Post...

Self-motivation is something I struggle with... Whether it's motivating myself to work (which nearly always leads to intense procrastination), to learn the guitar (update... I still haven't picked it up...), or even just to step out of my comfort zone, I can never do it... Why? I don't know.

If I can take one thing from the past year, it's that risks are okay... It takes a heck of a lot of motivation to get there, but sometimes, they're worth taking...
Granted, not all the time... Risks are, well... risky... that's kind of the point, but they're nothing to be afraid of... 

I think I would give almost anything to have someone from the future tell me what to do... Should I text that guy first? Would it be disastrous if I spoke my mind? But we will never be certain of the consequences of our actions... That's the scary part...

I guess what I'm trying to get across, is that although it's petrifying for some people (especially me) to take a chance, chances are worth taking... Find the motivation deep down within you to just go for it! Text that guy first, speak your mind! (within reason) and most importantly, do not be afraid of change... Some chances are bigger than others, and in some cases it may be necessary to sit down and weigh up the pros and cons before jumping right in there and doing something you'll later regret... 
The way I like to think about is asking myself "will this matter in 5 years?" if the answer is yes, then STOP and think about what you're about to risk... If no, then do it... You'll never know what you may find behind doors you never knew were open...

Now this is slightly contradicting, but thanks to society, we're lead to believe that being a quitter makes you a failure. No, it doesn't. It's perfectly okay to quit... Despite our best efforts to find the motivation to do something, sometimes it's simply not right, and not worth the time... I'm not saying go out on a whim and quit everything, but there are some things that you're more than entitled to stop doing, and shouldn't be criticised for doing so! One of the things I hate most is being judged for quitting something that makes me unhappy, and being told I should have stuck it out and persevered...

So these are just a couple of thoughts in the "never silent brain of Chloe", and writing them down has certainly reinforced them in my head, I hope reading them has done the same for you! 

Chloe

The Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award

After being nominated for the Liebster Award a few weeks ago, I wasn't expecting another award nomination so soon! Massive thank you's go to Brittany from Living In June for nominating me for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award!

Similarly to the Liebster Award, there are a few rules that go along with this...
1. Thank and link the blogger who nominated you
2. Answer the ten questions your nominator has provided
3. Nominate ten other bloggers and share the love!
4. Finally, create ten questions of your own to ask your nominees and notify them of their nomination! 

My answers to the questions Brittany provided... 

1. If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Starting off on a tough question! This is actually impossible as the music I listen to literally varies from day to day... There's not much point in naming a song that I know I'll be bored of in six months time, so let's just leave this as an undecided answer...

2. What's the best thing that someone has given you?
Oh gosh... I'd have to say the unconditional love from my family and closest friends... It's extremely comforting knowing that someone will always be there for you, and it's something that I try my hardest to never take for granted. Cliché, I know, but true nonetheless.

3. If you could choose your last words, what would they be?
This is so hard!! I guess I'd have to say that I'd tell my friends and family that I love them for one last time, and how grateful I am for everything they've given me... I'm getting emotional now. Next question!

4. What's the best compliment you've been given?
I don't think there are any stand-out compliments, as I'm equally grateful for each and every one received! However, it may have been when one of my best friends, Catherine, told me I made her day by making her laugh and cheering her up... I try...

5. If you could only use one social media site for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Twitter, or Instagram! I don't think I can choose between them, but it would definitely be one of the two!

6. If the person you were meant to be were in front of you, would you know it?
I doubt it... Being only 17, I'm still growing as a person, and am yet to truly find myself... I obviously have aspirations of who I want to be, but whether they'll become reality is a matter of something else entirely!

7. If your life were a movie, what movie would it be?
No idea! Literally, no clue...

8. Can you honestly say you are happy right now?
Am I happy? Yes! Could I be happier? Yeah, but I think most people could, right? Sixth form is a pretty big stress, but overall is going pretty well. I have an amazing set of friends and family who make me insanely happy, and although I have my down days, (which is okay, and everyone is entitled to them) I'm happy.

9. What would make you happier?
Nicely linking in with the previous question... My life is full of uncertainty at the minute... Will I get the grades I need for Uni? What will happen if I don't? Will everything turn out okay in the end? I guess having a bit more security regarding my future would make me happier, but other than that, I don't think I'd change anything!

10. What's the biggest lesson you learned in 2014?
Things change... And that's okay! Relationships end, chapters close, nothing is constant, but you can't control it... 2014 was a year of change for me, and 2015 is certainly going to throw me in the deep end with it... I learned to just embrace the change that will inevitably arrive, and make it work for you.

My ten questions for my nominees...
1. If you could meet any three celebs, or influential people, who would they be?
2. What's your quirkiest quality? (everyone has them!)
3. Any secret (or not so secret) talents?
4. Favourite quote?
5. Favourite make-up brand?
6. What would you do if you won £1million?
7. Do you believe in fate, or that we should make our own?
8. How do you deal with change?
9. What's one thing you couldn't live without?
10. What is your favourite childhood memory?

I nominate the following lovely blogs, have fun with it everyone! (also, apologies if you've already done it!)
Ria Dee
Beth's Honest Ramblings
Mexican Lime
Where She Goes
Love, Laura Bora
Emma Withers
The Homely Chic
The Glitter Chic
Lauren Loves Laughter
Ciara's Little Corner

Again, thank you to Brittany! I hope you enjoyed reading this post, I must say I did enjoy writing it, as I guess it's always nice to know a little bit more about the person behind the blog...

Chloe

In A Nutshell | Simple Week...

Yet again, this week has been pretty uneventful... We all have those quiet weeks, where we don't get up to much, or simply stick to our usual routine, and that has definitely been the case for me. 

One thing I realised this week, and that has been playing on my mind a lot recently, is just how little time I have left in school... And it's scary. This time in fifteen weeks, I'll be sitting exams, which will determine my future... I know fifteen weeks is still a while off, but nevertheless, I feel extremely unprepared. Not necessarily unprepared in the "oh my goodness I have so much revision to do, so much to learn, so little time" sense, although that has got me slightly worried, but more in the sense that I don't want it to be over... Yes, a new chapter in Autumn is something I am unbelievably excited for, but it's going to be hard to close this one...
How about we all just fail and have another year?... If only...

Something that has surprisingly cheered me up this week, is the weather... Typically British, Chloe... It's gotten somewhat warmer this week, Monday and Friday being the exceptions... But when I've woken up in the morning, it's actually been light outside... 
Waking up to the dark kind of sets me up for a more stressful morning, and it's actually a little depressing... Waking up to light however, that's a different story... It's the little things...

Yesterday I made a colossal mistake in deciding to re-organise my bedroom... I try and keep my room as tidy and organised as I can, but there comes a point where everything needs tipping out of drawers and putting back in again... Surely most of you know the struggle... 
If I say so myself, I did a pretty good job... It took me around five hours to sort out my entire room, and I feel much more comfortable knowing that everything is in its rightful place. 

Hopefully next week will be a more exciting one, with a day off school on Wednesday (hallelujah!) and a lovely little day on Saturday... (it's not what you think, I promise!)
Let me know what you've been up to this week! As always, I'd love to know!

Chloe

Spontaneous Shopping Haul

I went a bit mental this time... As soon as I step into Boots and Superdrug, I'm immediately drawn to everything... Some things are re-purchases, others, what can I say, a girl can never have too much make-up!

The first thing I picked up was the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, a product I couldn't live without! This was a repurchase after coming to the end of my previous bottle, and I have a feeling I'll be buying many more in the near future... It effortlessly removes all of my makeup, and leaves my face feeling fresh and simply lovely!

The Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Pads, again another repurchase, are the ultimate savior when it comes to breakouts, and generally help keep my skin exfoliated. The fact they had 40% off at the time was a huge bonus, but I'd definitely pay the full price any day! 

Oh, Nivea... This was slightly more of an impulse buy, but after loving Nivea products in the past, I decided to give the Regenerating Night Cream a whirl... I've been wanting a slight change in my skincare routine lately, and after using this product for a week now, I've been absolutely loving! My skin is unbelievably soft after use, and I can definitely see it being a well-loved favourite...

I'm not going to lie, but it was simply the gorgeous rose gold packaging that drew me to the L'Oreal Paris Lumi Magique foundation, as well as the concealer by the same range (plus the fact they were 2 for £14!). I always love trying out new foundations and concealers in hope that I'll find one that I simply love, plus a little change from the norm is always nice! 
I love the dewy, illuminated finish this foundation gives, although I'd say it was light to medium coverage; something I'm not overly keen on... Personally, especially during the winter months, I prefer a foundation with medium to full coverage, although the great thing about lighter foundations is the custom coverage you can eventually build up.

I also picked up the Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara, after hearing some great reviews I decided to try it out... I'm a bit of a hoarder when it comes to mascaras, and I'm always looking out for new ones to try... I think I've found a new favourite... The formula is amazing, and separates my eyelashes perfectly, leaving them long, voluminous, and well, sensational!

A highlighter is something I've been in need of for a while, and stumbling across the Makeup Academy Undress Your Skin  shimmer highlighter may have just answered my prayers... I got it in the shade "Pink shimmer", as after swatching it, I could not put it down! I love the fact that light hits the reflecting particles in a way that instantly makes your skin look healthier and brighter, but without looking like a six year old with glitter all over her cheeks... Plus, with the tiny price of just £3 that is far from bank-breaking, it's definitely one to try...

My impromptu shopping spree was extremely successful, although I think I need to take a break from shopping for a little while if I don't want an empty purse! (she says after just placing an Amazon order...)

Chloe

Ambivalence...

Does anyone else have arguments with themselves in their head, or is it just me? I feel like my mind is always in a constant conflict with itself, and it's a problem...

I don't mean trivial things like deciding what to eat or what to wear in the morning, but those more serious matters, like whether I should move out in September for Uni, or deciding what I want to do with my life afterwards... After conversing with Alice tonight, I realised that I don't actually have a plan for after Uni... I have no clue what I want to do as a career, and that has me terrified... I mean, I shouldn't worry too much, hardly anybody knows what they actually want to do in the future, and the best thing is that you can change your mind at any given moment. Your life is just that; yours. 
Regardless, it's still pretty scary...

As if having continuous arguments with yourself isn't bad enough, throw someone else into the mix, and it gets a whole lot more complicated...
I'm pretty much always conflicted when it comes to the whole "put yourself first" thing... What does that even mean!? If you put someone else first, you're a pushover, if you put yourself first, you're selfish... There's absolutely no winning... The whole thing just confuses me, to the point where I curl up into a ball and avoid the situation altogether. 
I think its worth noting that it's okay to put yourself first... If you're not going to, then who will? Being caught in a situation where I had to choose between my own happiness or sparing someone else's feelings was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make... And after feeling completely stuck for weeks, I realised that allowing myself to be unhappy was not okay. In retrospect, I made the right choice, although at the time I was driving myself insane constantly, yep you guessed it, arguing with myself...

I'm such an indecisive person, but I think that's purely because I'm terrified of outcomes... What if I make the wrong decision, and end up in a worse situation than before? What if I hurt someone else? Or even worse, what if I lose out on something amazing by taking the other path? Basically... I suck at making life decisions... 

Someone please invent something that makes decisions easier? Thanks...

Chloe

In A Nutshell | Wind Down Week...

After being busy for every single week since mid-October, having a chilled week is something that was well overdue, and something well-appreciated!

Don't get me wrong, I haven't exactly been lying in bed watching Gossip Girl every day, but in comparison to previous weeks, this one has been way more calm...

Sixth form is still a major stress, the stakes are even higher now with mocks around the corner and exams getting closer with every passing day, but there's still time (that's what I keep telling myself anyway!). I've spent the majority of the week catching up on work and typically revising... Wow Chloe, you lead such an exciting life...

Although school is the main stress in my life, it's also the best thing about it... And no, I don't mean the constant pressure, having to get up at 7am and carrying two heavy folders around all day, but rather being surrounded by many of the people who make me happy... They brighten up my day immensely, and make the oh-so stressful things just a little less stressful... Okay I'm getting soppy and emotional now, let's move on...

Some retail therapy was definitely needed (any excuse, Chloe) and oh, how I took advantage of that! My purse however, is not so happy... Going for a spot of lunch and shopping with my Mum was the perfect de-stresser on Saturday... And that means I can do a haul soon - yay! 

I can't believe it's February already! This year is going so quickly, I almost wish it would slow down...

A pretty boring week, I know, but sometimes the chilled ones are the best, right?

What have you been up to this week? Was it a busy one, a relaxed one like mine, or somewhere in between? Leave a comment and let me know!

Chloe