The great return...

This is going to be a very relaxed blog post.  Here is a photo of me as I'm writing it.  It's a crappy webcam photo, but it just felt right OKAY.  Also I changed my blog URL, and will be changing the top banner thing -  bare with, bare with.

Wow, okay.  It's been a while.  University is pretty hectic, but I do love it.  Obviously blogging has had to take a backseat, and it's taken me a little while to get my head around time management and all that jazz, but now I'm attempting to make a comeback to my blog, and hope you will welcome me back with the kindness you welcomed me with in the beginning. 

So what have I actually been doing?  Well I'm studying religion, which I may have previously mentioned.  I won't go into huge detail about what I'm studying on the course, since I doubt anyone is massively interested - but so far I can confirm Hinduism is really cool and the Goddess is kind of my hero.  She rides a lion.  Goals.

I'm also working a Christmas temp at Lush, which I very much enjoy, and prefer to my old job at a D.I.Y and homeware store.  It's a lot more 'me', although I do need to get my product knowledge up to scratch!  Remembering the ingredients to the different products is a bit of a challenge!  

And now, what does the future hold for ella-mink?  I'm annoyed at myself for stopping when I did, because my blog was growing and more and more people were having a read, and I could have made the most of that.  I'm going to hopefully be blogging twice a week, and I'd like to do more lifestyle-y posts.  Since I'm not living with my parents anymore I'm getting to grips with budgeting and being an adult.  Like today I rang an estate agent.  What the hell.  How did I get so old?!

Also I kind of actually have a social life now, which is a bit weird, like I do actually leave the house on Saturday nights.  And sometimes other nights too!  (hahaha I'm introducing my terrible jokes to m blog - please don't leave)  And another exciting thing that happened in my life - my boyfriend let me have some of his Sharpie pens, so I took all the pink and purples ones.  Obviously. 

I know this post is kind of different to what I started out doing on this blog, but I will still be doing beauty things!  Seriously, I am still as obsessed with make up as ever, if not more.  But I'd just like to throw in a few more "this me and this is what's happening in my life" posts.  Like what I thought a blog should be when I was 13.  Considering I still act 13 most of the time, that seems like an appropriate format.  

Here is a photo of me with a real camera to make me seem like a real blogger.

I'll chat to you again soon, and I really do hope you'll stick with me as I attempt to switch things up a bit on my blog.  I just want to be a bit more fun for the both of us.

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FOTD: First Day of Lectures ♡

Back to beauty posts it is!  Thought it'd kick it off with a simple face of the day.  Since it's my first day of attending lectures, I wanted to wear a look that feel light on the skin - nothing too heavy!  Here's how it looks and what I used to create it!

Excuse the mega close up... welcome to my personal bubble?

• Bourjois Happy Light Primer (buy here)
• Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation in 1 Warm Ivory (buy here)
• Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick SAMPLE (buy full size here)
• Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer in Light (buy here)
• Revlon ColorStay Concealer in 01 Fair (buy here)
• Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder in 01 Fair (buy here)
• Body Shop Honey Bronzer in 01 Light Matte (buy here)
• Benefit Benetint (buy here)
• Benefit High Beam (buy here)
• Benefit Gimme Brow in Light/Medium (buy here)
• Soap & Glory Supercat Liner (buy here)
• L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes Waterproof Mascara (buy here)
• Mac Lipstick in Plumful (buy here)

A lot of these products are new to me, so I'm still testing them out.  I've been having to use a million concealers because my skin is a mess at the moment! Thanks to the stress of moving.  If you'd like to see any reviews of products here do let me know and I will post them asap!

What's your favourite base products for everyday?

See you soon!

I Moved! ♡

Long time no post... twenty days.  Talk about a terrible blogger!  But I have a valid excuse, and I have mentioned it before - but I was getting ready for university!  There's a lot more to do than you'd think!  But anyway, I made it, and I do hope to make more time for blogging, but I haven't actually got my full timetable yet so I don't know how many classes I have what the work load will be like.  I'm studying religion at the University of Kent if you were wondering.  I do also plan to juggle a part time job with my degree, but I love blogging, and it's not something I want to give up!

I'm super nosey, so I thought it'd be nice for you all to have a look round my room, since I know that's what I'd want to see!  I'm in a new block, sharing a house with eight others.  I've just finished organising all my stuff and getting my room looking like a place I can actually live in for the next year!  

I know I'm very spoiled getting such lovely accommodation for university, and our kitchen/living area is also very modern and spacious!  Also I have a window seat!!  Life is full of thrills right now.  

I'll be back to beauty posting very soon - plenty of parties and events to go to means plenty of new make up looks to try out and share with you all!  It's safe to say I won't be purchasing any new high end make up any time soon though - I'm a student!

Have you been to university? How did you find it?

Less Glam Girl: The Party Dress Edit ♡

I am not a very glamorous person - there isn't a sparkle or sequin to be seen in my wardrobe, and although my wardrobe is full of dresses, not one of them is really party attire.  Then I find out there is a Freshers Ball at the university I'm going to.  I look at my wardrobe in a huge panic as there is nothing in my wardrobe that says "ball".  There was a lot of talk on how formal people were dressing for this, and my understanding is that it's general party outfits - nothing too dressy.  But still, my clothing collection has nothing to offer.

After scrolling through all the dress retailers I could think of, I came across a few that seemed occasion appropriate and that wouldn't have me feeling super self-conscious the whole night.  I still want to feel like me!  I thought I'd put together a little list of dresses that might be ideal for people like me - wanting to dress up, but not wanting to look super dressy!

1 - £15.00 - Boohoo.com (buy here)

Chiffon always says formal.  I love this super cute floaty number, and it would look great with a pair of white or cream heels, or flats if you're not up for heels!  At only fifteen pounds it's an absolute steal for a party dress!  It says party without being to 'in your face'.  Sometimes simple is best!

2 - £62.00 - Oasis at ASOS (buy here)

If you're not feeling something typically 'partyish', go for a classy, more sophisticated cut.  This is a bit of a sixties chic look, and paired with a pair of bright heels and a matching clutch would be a killer look!

3 - £14.99 - New Look (buy here)

Another bargain at under fifteen pounds!  This is ideal for a pop of colour.  Pair with stacks of gold bangles for a stand out look!

4 - £50.00 - Topshop (buy here)

A slightly edgier take on the LBD - from afar this looks like your average black dress, but close up, the pleather pleated skirt gives it a whole new look.  The cut outs on the side are also a great way of showing some skin without going too OTT!

5 - £39.00 - Miss Selfridge (buy here)

Personally I don't really go for bodycon dresses, but this print is so cool!  If you want to make a statement, then a printed dress is the way to go.  You needn't even accessorise with this - this dress does all the work for you!

Hope this helped any of you reluctant part go-ers!

Sorry for the lack in posts lately - everything is very chaotic at the moment!

First Timers: Buying High End ♡

I can't put my finger on what it is, but there's something so daunting about the first time you go to a high end beauty counter intending to buy something.  Buying high end make up seems to be a bit scary at first.  Obviously high end make up is a little pricey, so before making your first purchase, there are a few things you can do to make sure you won't regret splurging on cosmetics!

I feel like so many of us start blogging with a 'drugstore only' mindset, then it turns out every single beauty blogger is a huge enabler, and before we know it, we're all toying with the idea of maybe just spending that little bit more.  There's nothing wrong with treating yourself, after all!

Do some research!

For example, if you want to invest in a high end foundation, look at your options.  We're lucky that beauty blogging exists, as it's so easy to find people with similar skin types and tones, and what works for them.  Look at different brands, what kind of coverage you want, and how much you really want to spend.  There are plenty of YoutTube videos that review and show you exactly how a product works, for millions of products.  Thank god for beauty gurus!

Don't trust eBay!

I know eBay might offer some mega beauty bargains, but the chances are these aren't genuine products.  Most of the time it's just not worth the risk, as the rip-off versions are likely to be bad quality, and may even cause bad reactions with your skin!  High quality products unfortunately come with high prices, but if a product works really well, it's worth the extra pennies!

It's best to buy in person!

This kind of links to my last point, but even if you trust a website, I still think it's best to go to a counter and see the product before the splash out on it.  Sometimes colours might not be what you're expecting, or the size may be totally different.  Especially if you're going for a base product, go to a counter and get colour matched!  It doesn't cost any extra, and in all my experiences, staff have been happy to answer questions and see if the product is right for me.

Test products out!

If you're going out for a day of shopping, and are after a high end foundation, for example, go to the counter at the beginning of the day!  This way you can get colour matched and then test out the foundation for a couple of hours.  The staff on the counter will be happy for you to do this!  If it gets to the end of your day out and you're happy with how your face looks, go back and treat yourself to the product!  I've also found a lot of counters are happy to give samples if you ask, and if you buy something they may throw in a few samples.  

Hope this leaves you feeling a little more confident on your next trip to beauty counters!  Happy shopping!

    

New In: Beauty ♡

You're going to have to bare with me for the next few weeks - everything is a bit chaotic!  I'm moving in about a month, so I'm busy getting ready for that!  I did have my birthday last Sunday, which meant a few new beauty treats, and I thought I'd share with you what I got.

I've really been bitten by the MAC Lipstick bug, so I added two more to my collection.  This time I got Vegas Volt and Plumful. Here are some swatches!

Vegas Volt is an orange coral kind of colour - not something I'd usually go for as I'm all about a pink lip, but I actually love it, and I think it suits me really well.  It's definitely one for the summer!

I'd wanted Plumful for a very long time, but had struggled to seem to find it.  My mum actually managed to find it on a duty-free counter for me, and I'm so thrilled to finally have it!  It's a perfect everyday berry lip - nothing too dramatic, but still noticeable.  

Finally comes an adorable lip and cheek set from Benefit!  I'm a huge fan of Benefit cosmetics, they're probably my favourite high-end brand, so when I received this gift set for my birthday I was super happy!  It's a collection called Sugarlicious, and has the perfect combination of products to create a natural glowy look.

At the moment I'm loving using the Sugarbomb blush and the High Bleam highlighter to give my face a natural glow.  I could not recommend Benefit products enough, especially their powder boxes!

I'll be back soon with some different posts!  See you then,

Instagram Diary ♡

My blog has been a little slow over the past week, but it's truly been a hectic time for me.  I thought I'd get you up to speed by sharing my instagram photos.  You can follow me on instagram here!

From left to right: An outfit post from London  

A touristy snap from London 

Me and my mum on the train

My favourite bargain brush set!

Treated myself to some MAC lipsticks

Me and my youngest sister Connie

Photo from my post about blonde hair

Sunbathing with Sam on Felixstowe beach

A weird painting in the window of a charity shop in Kesgrave

A super friendly cat that I fell in love with

There are a lot of amazing childhood photos at my boyfriends house

I tried to do something cute with my hair!  (A little more practise and a tutorial may be coming up!)

Me and Man Yee enjoy the iPad photobooth

Man Yee got super buff

A nice view from the top of the hill in Felixstowe

My family are a lot more tanned than me!

My parents literally got me a bucket of Nutella for getting into uni!!

An outfit photo taken at Southsea Coffee

I hope you've enjoyed catching up with my life!  If you don't already follow me on instagram, you can search for me at 'ellajean'.

My blog may be a little slow for the next few weeks - choas is ahead!  I actually got into the University of Kent to study religion and I honestly couldn't be more excited.  Bare with me, I'll be back to normal soon enough!  I'll probably do a room tour post once I've moved, I love organising new spaces.  Sad - I know.

It's also my birthday on Sunday, so I'll probably be back with a brithday outfit and make up look!

Did you get any A Level results? How did you do?

Lots of love