What To Take To University

I might be a bit late with this post as I know many of you will have already started university however, I know some universities haven't started yet or are about to start. As a second year student, I have gone through the madness that is freshers, and to help you through that I wrote a post about how to survive your first year at uni. Before you go to uni, you need to figure out what you want to take and how much you're going to need. I'm the worst person for buying homeware stuff, if I see a cute mug I like I'll put it straight in my basket. I thought I'd make a list of things that you might need for your kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. However, I must say that this is mainly aimed at self-catered accommodations (particularly the kitchen list) however, it can apply to everyone, even those who are returning to university!

Kitchen:
Plates
Bowls
Pasta Bowls
Mugs (If you're a tea/coffee lover)
Glasses
Frying Pan
Wok
Saucepans
Cutlery: Forks, Spoons, Knives, Scissors, Chopping Knives, Ladle, Fish Slice, Pizza Cutter, Tin/Bottle Opener, Ladle, Whisk, Tong, Wooden Spoons
Chopping Boards
Baking Trays
Pizza Tray
Measuring Jug
Cheese Grater (particularly the ones with the box on the bottom so you can store your grated cheese. I LOVE THEM)
Casserole Dish
Tuppaware Boxes
Toastie Maker (AN ESSENTIAL)

Bedroom:
Duvet
Pillows
Mattress Protector
Sheets
Duvet and Pillow Covers
Throw
Television (Not a necessity)
Extension Cables
Storage (For make up, beauty bits etc)
Hangers
Fairy Lights (If you wanna be cute)
Laundry Basket
Clothes Dryer (Saves so much tumble drying money)
Lamp
Photo Frames (Filled with photos from home of family and friends)
Mirror (If you don't have one already)
Cleaning Kit
Over the Door Hooks
Bin

Bathroom:
Toothbrush Holder
Soap Dish
Shower Holder (To hold your shampoo etc)
Towels
Bath Mats
Bin
Set of Drawers (To hold all your bits and bobs)
Over the Door Hooks

I hope you have an amazing time at university for whoever is starting and like in the picture above, don't take as much stuff as me because you really don't need it. Well, I can't really say that because even though this was my second car load, I still need everything in it...

Charlotte xxx

Bloglovin | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Review: Ardell Fashion Lash Demi Wispies False Eyelashes

I've never been a false eyelashes kinda girl, purely because I was so useless at applying them. But recently, I've been starting to wear them more, particularly on nights out and I've really been loving them. I have a few sets of falsies already but my recent purchase were these little beauties: Ardell's Demi Wispies lashes, the most well know lashes on the internet, if I'm honest. I'm not the type of person to go all out, I prefer people to not be staring at my eyes trying to figure out if my eyelashes are real or not so I opt for the more natural look. I have worn these a few times and people thought they were my natural lashes so that's a bonus!

I hate it when my lashes irritate the inner corner of my eyes so when I first tried them on, I ended up trimming the left eyelash (which now makes them look a bit odd but never mind) as I could feel it and I knew it would bug me all night. I love how natural these lashes look, don't look too over the top but add extra length and volume to your own lashes. I really like eyelashes that have more volume towards the outer corner as I think that is very flattering on the eye and makes the eyes look bigger than they are. I'm always a bit weary about wearing eyelashes, particularly on a night out, as I worry incase they fall off in the middle of the club. The half eyelash look doesn't really suit me, I must admit. But, they do last all night which is perfect! There is eyelash glue in the box but I tend to use the glue that comes with the Eylure lashes because I find that works best and I can easily take it out with me if I need to fix things up. 

They're so easy to apply, and that's good for a useless eyelash applier like me. I swear down I just make names up on my blog. They're so affordable as well at only £5.49 and you can buy them at either Superdrug or Boots. 

Have you tried the Demi Wispies?

Charlotte xxx

Bloglovin | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Autumn...

I LOVE AUTUMN. As it's now September, I can say that it is officially Autumn. Don't get me wrong, I love Summer, but once my birthday is over I just want Christmas, jumpers and berry lips. 

Here's what I'm excited for and love about Autumn:

1. Dark nights. I love light nights in the Summer but when the dark nights start to creep in, it makes me excited for Christmas (16 Fridays!!) I always love the cosy feel that they bring and especially when you're wrapped up in bed and not going anywhere, it's the perfect feeling.

2. Candles. Oh my goodness gracious me, I love candles. What's not to love?! I light candles all year round but it doesn't get as serious as it does from September. I light a candle nearly everyday, just for a few hours, and it makes my room smell so Autumnal, particularly when the cinnamon and pumpkin scents come out to play. 

3. Rain. This is funny because I hate rain when I'm out in it but when I'm all warm and cosy inside and I can hear the rain hitting off my window, I'm in heaven. And what's better than that? Thunderstorms.

4. Jumpers. I love a good woolly jumper and what is a better time to get them out than in Autumn. In England, it's always cold, but we're still in the transition from Summer to Autumn so it's still not quite woolly jumper weather. Still wear them though...

5. Bonfire night. Fireworks are one of my favourite things and when the 5th November comes, I can't wait to put on my hat, scarf, gloves and wellies and trail through a muddy field and watch the firework display with my favourite people.

6. Onesies. Need I say more?

7. Fires. Since I'm at uni, we don't have a fire. So I love going home and sitting in the living room with my parents whilst we have the log burner on. There's something so relaxing about the sound of the logs burning and watching the flames. And it keeps me warm too of course.

8. Berry lips. As a beauty lover, I had to include something make up related. I love whipping out my trusty Rimmel 107, a beautiful dark berry toned red, perfect for Autumn/Winter

9. Autumn colours. Khaki, burgundy, black, grey and white. I love wearing these type of colours. I feel like they're the perfect Autumnal combination and match the leaves on the trees. Because who doesn't love to coordinate with trees ey?

10. Baths. I have baths all year round and there is no secret in that. But there's something about a bath in Autumn/Winter when it's cold outside that makes them much more special. Using a bath bomb that smells just like Autumn would smell, if it had a smell (SMELL SMELL SMELL), puts the icing on the cake.

11. Fairy lights. Since moving into my new house at uni, I decided I wanted to make my room cosy. I decorated my bed with fairy lights and when they're on at nighttime, it makes the room a lot warmer. Is that possible? I think they're an essential for Autumn.

12. Christmas is coming. Well this is obvious. Like I said, once my birthday is over in August, I get so excited for Christmas. It's my favourite time of year and I am SO excited.

What's your favourite thing about Autumn?

Charlotte xxx

Bloglovin | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Review: Topshop 'Rio Rio' Lipstick

A red lip is a must have for every girl. I just think there's something so sassy about a girl when she wears red (cue sassy girl emoji). Summer is the perfect time to be wearing a bright red lip, particularly and orange-toned red, however as the transition into my favourite month, Autumn, is upon us, the deep berry reds will begin to come. But I don't see what is stopping us from wearing our bright reds, hey girls? I've never really been the type of person to give into the hype of Topshop make up and ever since they released their own make up line in 2010, I didn't really seem to bother much about it. To this day I own 5 products: 2 nail varnishes, 2 lipsticks and 1 lip pencil in the shade 'Coy' (which Corrie from Dizzybrunette3 made me buy way back. Yes Corrie, you did). I also had an eyeliner which I absolutely loved but sadly I had to part ways a few months ago.  

This year, Topshop celebrated their 5th birthday for their make up line and for this, they brought out their 5 best selling lipsticks, nail polishes, black liquid liner, 'Head Over Heels' blush and their 'Glow' highlighter in a stunning new packaging. I love the Topshop packaging already however changing the original black detail to rose gold just topped it off for me. I love a bit of rose gold me, and Topshop just pushes all my rose gold loving buttons. At the beginning of Summer, I took a trip to Westfield in London. Being a Northern girl, I don't go here often and had actually only been once before my recent trip but having a Southern boyfriend means I can take a few more trips I guess. I decided to add 'Rio Rio' to my Topshop collection, a bright orange-toned, matte red perfect for Summer but also the upcoming Autumn months. As well as deep reds, orange reds are one of my favourite kind of reds. Say red again? Red.

This lipstick is super long lasting. I am so impressed with the longevity of this lipstick, this is particularly down to the fact that it is matte but still, it is most definitely a positive. I love matte lips. I love my shiny lips but I have never been a fan of lipglosses, just creamy and glossy looking lipsticks. Matte lips are all in at the minute, particulary in Autumn and Winter. Unlike some matte lipsticks, this one is not drying which is great because as the colder weather draws in, the dry lips come out. It is defintiely a bright colour, however it would suit every skin tone. I love it because it makes my teeth look super white, especially if I have a tan going on. BONUS. This shade is perfect for the transition of Summer into Autumn and is one of my go-to lips at the moment.

Charlotte xxx

Bloglovin | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

My Favourite Ever Nail Polish - Essie's Fiji

Could this be my favourite EVER nail polish? I think so. Essie's 'Fiji' has always been a firm favourite of mine. Yes, I know, it is one of the most talked about nail polishes out there but I can completely understand why. This is the perfect pinky nude and one of those colours that always makes your nails look like they have been professionally done. If I don't know what colour to wear I always seem to be drawn to this colour. It is so wearable and suits every skin colour. I particularly adore this in the summer when I have a tan because I think there is nothing more polished and pretty than tanned skin with pink, white or nude nails, and this nail varnish fits in all of those categories. It is very much a milky pink and only needs two coats to create a solid colour. It lasts a long time too, I always find Essie nail polishes to be the most long lasting polishes I've worn. This colour isn't just a summer colour either, it is wearable all year round and I love it so much that I've had to repurchase this product because I wear it CONSTANTLY!

Have you tried Essie's 'Fiji'?

Charlotte xxx

Bloglovin | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Maybelline Master Sculpt Contouring Set

First things first, I'm very sorry for my absence. In the past month I've been on holiday and then I've just been plain lazy even though I had a whole list of blog post ideas to write. Secondly, I love contouring, like, I've really been into my contouring recently and I'm loving it. This product came out a couple of months or so a go and I really liked the look of it but did not know whether to buy it not. I think the fact the Mollie King was the face of Maybelline and this product I knew it had to be part of my collection because I love love LOVE her. I thought to myself, as I was going on holiday I thought I'd treat myself to some new make up bits and so I did. Plus, the 3 for 2 offer at the time really helped so thank you Boots (love ya). 

I got the shade 02 Medium/Dark as I thought it would go better once I had a tan and I quite like a defined contour. The contour shade is quite warm toned and most definitely matte. I prefer matte contour shades as I think it makes the look more defined whereas I like a bit of shimmer in my bronzer to give a more sunkissed look. I always feel like my contour looks its best when I use this product and I don't know why but it's pretty damn good. The highlight shade is a very gold/champagne kind of colour and gives a very subtle glow. I have to admit, and I hate to be the odd one out, but I'm not a massive fan of the highlighter. I did use it in holiday quite a bit but that's only because I didn't really have another highlighter with me of this colour so I stuck to this one, plus I wanted to give it a go cause you never know until you try don't you? I'm not hating on this highlighter because I do love my highlighters but I just don't think it gives off a great deal of shimmer and it's not the most pigmented highlighter I've used. But don't worry, it doesn't mean I'm gonna abandon it. it's still part of my life. The colour from both of these shades, however, does last all day and I've found that it's one of the better contour sets I've used!

You can get this set in a light/medium shade which will suit paler skin tones wheres as the medium/dark will suit a more darker complexion. However, saying that, I'm not exactly dark, I just have a tan at the minute from being on holiday but I think the darker shade will suit most skin tones, especially if you love a contoured look and blend the product out well! You can buy this from any drugstore for only £6.99 which I think is a complete bargain!

What do you think of this product?

Charlotte xxx

Bloglovin | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

What's In My Hand Luggage?

Summer is my favourite season. I think the sun and hot weather (lol jk I live in England) just make me a lot happier and carefree. summer has always been a favourite of mine and I think it's mainly due to the fact my birthday is in August and I would always be on my summer holiday for it and I used to sit and laugh at people who had to spend their birthdays in school. I'm not a horrible person by the way, I realise that makes me sound mean but come on, Summer babies out there you know how smug you can feel. ANYWAY, Summer brings holidays and that means getting a tan, enjoying the sun and getting away from rainy England which is always a plus. One thing I love the most about holidays is the packing and preparation beforehand and that might make me sound quite sad but hey ho I frikin love it. I always make lists for everything holiday related: what goes in my suitcase, my toiletries, my make up and what goes in my hand luggage (wow, if that doesn't make me sound like I have too much time on my hands I don't know what does.) 

I love seeing what people pack to go on their holidays as it helps me to kind of know what to pack for all kinds of situations. My hand luggage has everything I need for the flight ahead and it's kind of one of my favourite parts of packing. Whether it's a long haul or short haul flight I'll usually pack the same things (usually a bit more for a long haul flight) but I wanted to share with you what I pack for my flight. I'm going on holiday soon and I'm so excited. I can't wait to just lie in the sun, get a tan and not worry about anything. So for travelling, I'm using a pretty new(ish) bag that I recently purchased and it's from New Look and was pretty inexpensive. The colour is a gorgeous tan colour with one huge pocket and a little zip pocket inside for "important" stuff. This bag fits so much which is good but also pretty bad as I use this nearly everyday and the amount of crap that builds up is just ridiculous. I do love this bag but the only problem I have is that it doesn't zip shut which I always worry about, especially when I go on holiday as I have quite a lot of important stuff in there! So here is a list of what I'm going to take in my hand luggage, I don't know whether this is too much or too little but either way I hope it helps any of you who are going on holiday this summer!

Here's what I'll be taking:

1) Phone - OBVS - I have an iPhone 5C and like anyone else these days could not live without. Do you have wonder what you did before smartphones came about? Like what did I do with my life?

2) Purse - for all the money I have - lol jk I don't. I received these purse as a birthday present for my 18th birthday and I absolutely adore it. I had been wanting a Michael Kors purse for ages and was over the moon when I was given this!

3) Ipad - I love taking my iPad away on holiday with me, especially for the flight. I don't have a lot of games on there but there's some that will do to keep me entertained. I also love writing notes on my iPad if I magically think of a list to write. I bloody love lists.

4) Camera - This has been my baby ever since I got it for Christmas a few years ago. I really want to get into my photography and take much better photos and I feel like this has helped. I'm not saying you need a camera like this to take photos because you don't at all! I love taking pictures on holiday because they're memories that you want to keep forever. When I was little we would constantly take photos and videos then create photo albums which is what I would love to do to look back on when I'm older.

5) Mirror - for those touch ups you know.

6) Sunglasses - A MUST! Stepping off the plane into a country that actually has a lot of sunlight (take note England) calls for sunglasses. They're just a necessity.

7) Notebook and pen - CAUSE I LOVE LISTS.

8) Book - I always read the most when I'm on holiday and it's usually the time that I love to read a book. I've been reading Girl Online recently and I want to take that away with me but I feel like it's going to be too heavy and bulky but I don't want to start a new book because I can't read two books at the same time. Do you get my problem?! Anyway, I feel like a book is a must for holiday!

9) Headphones - I don't know what I'd do if I forgot these. I just use the Apple headphones that you get with iPhones and they do for me. I feel like listening to music, especially in the sun, really makes me happy so I love doing that when I'm sunbathing. I also love listening to music when travelling but we're hopefully going to watch a film on the plane and you know, headphones are handy I guess.

10) That plastic bag thing - You all know what I mean by the plastic bag that you have to fill with 100ml items yeah? I bought this toiletry bag from Primark in a set of 3 and I feel like it fits perfectly in my bag and holds the stuff that I need. I only take a few things as I'm going on a short haul flight so what I'm taking is vaseline, hand sanitizer, paracetamol, mascara, concealer, powder and tissues because to be honest, that's all I need! P.s. I would highly recommend taking a lip balm, planes can really dry your lips out and you don't want to start a holiday with cracked lips!

11) Important Documents - Boarding pass, booking references etc.

12) Passport - Because I'm not going to get anywhere without it am I?

Things I'm going to buy at the airport:

- Magazines - I always buy my magazines at the airport as it's just easier. I love having magazines on holiday, especially for lying round the pool and catching up on the latest celeb news. I do love a bit of celebrity gossip.

- Food and Drink - Because I am constantly hungry and that' the only reason.

Let me know if you're going away this summer and if you are hope you have a lovely time!

Charlotte xxx

Bloglovin | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest