MAC Devilishly Dark Palette Review

Hi guys,

The other day I was shopping at Bicester Village ( an outlet where they sell end of line, high end clothing for a much cheaper price) when I went into one of my favourite stores-The Cosmetics Company.

I always wonder in admiring all the high end brands such as Bobbi Brown, MAC, Origins, Estee Lauder and Smashbox. I love having a browse and swatching all the lipsticks and eyeshadows. Whilst I was in the MAC section I saw this MAC palette which had some lovely colours which were nice and neutral with a yellow colour aswell. I bought it for £21 instead of £30 which made me very happy as eyeshadow pan's are £10 each as it is, let alone the case itself. This is something I had not seen before so I knew I needed to snap it up quick!

Top To Bottom: Manila Paper, Goldmine, Honey Lust & Devilishly Dark

I love how these swatch. They are so beautifully pigmented and the colour payoff is amazing! Here is the look I cam up with using these 4 colours:

I would highly recommend a palette like this if you are interested in a palette which can be used on a regular basis.I find that MAC eyeshadows really easy to blend and know that I will be purchasing more in the near future.

I hope you enjoy this blogpost!

Emily x x x

My Expedition To Nicaragua!

Hello everyone!

So I am finally back from the most incredible and most challenging experience of my life! I can honestly say that it was the most amazing month of my life. It was an experience that I will keep with me forever. It is very hard for me to put into words just how much I learnt and what we actually did out there because everyday we did something different. But lets start from the begining...

About 2 years ago our school had an assembly where one of our teachers talked about an expedition to Nicaragua in 2014. At the time I was in year 10 and hearing about this country and what we would be doing out there really made me think 'Wow, this is something I never usually would do but it sounds like a once in a life time opportunity'. After talking to my parents at home we decided to go to the after school evening where the company who we would be going with (Outlook Expeditions) gave a talk in detail about the expedition. After seeing the slideshow and video with people raving about their expedition I was sold.

After lots of fundraising, monday meetings (for literally years) Monday the 7th eleven of us left for our expedition to Nicaragua.

If I wrote about every single day I would be here forever. So instead I am going to show you pictures of my trip. I warn you now that they are not the best quality which is down to the fact that I took my old Fuji camera (fuchsia pink-I got it for my 13th birthday).I won't include group photos as some people may not want them to be posted on here. Here are some of my best photos of my expedition..

A Cathedral/ Bell Tower In Granada (first place we went to)

The View From The Top Of The Bell Tower

A Beautiful Cathedral In Granada

Volcano Conception (We Climbed For 6 1/2 hours and reached 1000 metres!)

Just To Put It Into Perspective

My First Homestay (We Slept In The Room On The Right)

At Our Homestay 30 Chickens Slept In Their Tree " Pollo In A Tree! "

We Worked On An Environmental Farm 'Bona Fide Project' For 6 Days (Link Will Be Below)

Beautiful Volcanoes

Leon

Leon Looking Beautiful

The Streets Of Leon

After Hiking For 7 Hours We Set Up Camp On Telica (Live Volcano)

On Top Of Telica

Sunset On Telica

Sunrise On Telica ( We Woke Up At 5 AM)

Telica

We Ran Down This Volcano

We Trekked 9 Hours To Get To This View

We Had Some R & R Time At This Beach

Sunset

Beautiful Sunset On The Beach

Boat Ride

We Camped At The Top Of This Canyon- Somoto

The Canyon

More Beautiful Sunsets

Here are just some of the pictures from my trip! I hope you enjoyed looking at them. If you ever get the opportunity to go on an expedition please please please do it! I honestly can't express how much I learnt and how much it improved me as a person. I learnt many things from this experience and created memories which will stay with me for life.

I have a beauty related post coming later this week!

Emily x x x

Blog Your Heart Out TAG!

So recently I was tagged by my lovely best friend Tabitha (Tabitha West) to do the 'Blog Your Heart Out Tag). I have never done a tag before however, I was really excited to be tagged! So thanks Tabs!
So here goes.....

 

1. Who/what encouraged you to start blogging? Before I set up my own blog I had been ( still have been) watching YouTubers on a daily basis and loved reading their blogs. This idea that you could have your own little corner of the internet and be creative seemed really fun. I am more creative than academic and am quite arty ( I took GCSE Art and took Drama for GCSE and currently A-Level). My friend Tabitha-who tagged me- started her own blog last year and she encouraged me to start my own. She was very lovely helping me set up my own blog and we would be on skype for hours as it is quite a long process, so thanks Tabs!

2. How did you choose what topics to blog about? When deciding what to write about I usually think if something interesting has happend or 'would other people enjoy reading this?'. I personally just like to blog about things that I would find interesting. Beauty related posts are what I usually post about as I really enjoy blogging about them and I like taking pictures of all the different products.

3. What is something most people don't know about you? I sleep with a face mask on every single night. It all started when I went to Kenya on safari with my mum and we were told to bring one. Now 3 years later and I have got in the habit of not being able to sleep without one! Don't ask me why but I love them. 

4. What three words describe your style? Going to have to say 1- 'Monochrome' as I wear way too much black and white clothing. 2- 'Girly' due to the fact that I love pretty dresses and the colour pink. And finally 3- 'Preppy' ( to be honest I could not think of another word )

5. What do you love doing when you're not blogging? I am usually working as I am currently doing my A-Levels however, I do have a YouTube channel and so I film for that. I love singing, shopping going to parties and watching lots of rubbish TV :) 

I really hope you enjoyed this post. I know it is a bit different to what I usually do. Thank you so much to Tabitha for tagging me!

See you all soon! 

Lots of Love 

Emily xxx

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Perfume Review

Hello Everybody!

I am sorry that I have not written a post for a while but I hope to write more now :)

At the start of this month I found out that the perfume that I saw last year and regretted on not buying had come back in season/stock! This made me very excited because of the limited edition packaging which I was very excited to see aswell as smelling that lovely perfume.

I stumbled across this perfume last year whilst browsing at the Estee Lauder counter and smelt this perfume and instantly fell in love. I was instantly drawn to the packaging which was gold and beautiful. As soon as I smelt it it reminded me of holidays and coconuts! Now, it is not often that I smell a perfum and LOVE it quite as much as this one.

This year has again, is in a lovely bronze bottle which is so stylish and perfect. I also love the ombre style packaging as it reflects the tropical scent of this incredible perfume.I can't give this product enough praise and honestly can say that I will be wearing it constantly this summer!

This perfume retails at I believe, £47 however I was lucky enough to buy it for £37 as the Debenhams where I live had £10 off off! I was so happy and completely suprised as I was not expecting it and then realized that I could not leave the shop without buying it. I had been looking this Bronze Goddess up online (Ebay) and it had still been going for £47 + so I knew that this was something I needed to buy. I had wanted it for so long and perfume is something I love collecting and so I though "why not?!".

This is perfect for somone who wants a perfume that is going to last a long time yet is very summery.It is very light and literally has the best staying power! I have used some of it at the start of the day and people have still commented on it at the end of the day which just proves how amazing this perfume is! It is defiently a product which is targeted for the sumer time however I will probably wear this all year round as it smells SOOO GOOD!

So if you are near an Estee Lauder counter then I can't recommend going and giving this a sniff enough! I can't wait to carry on wearing this and hope that it lasts till the end of the summer as I can't stop spraying it :)

I hope you liked this post! I have some more planned and will post them shortly!

Lots of Love

Emily xxx

I started a YouTube Channel!- Emily Steele

Yes, I finally started something which I had wanted to do for a very long time but never had the guts to do. I started a YouTube Channel.

This was very daunting however I knew that it was something which I really wanted to do. I have been watching YouTube videos for at least 2 years now on a regular basis and seen how much fun filming looks, watching people talk about anything and everything beauty related- something that I am passionate about.

No, I am not a professional, far from it. I am a 17 year old girl who enjoys talking to a camera about makeup.

My first video was uploaded 2 weeks ago and honestly I was terrified. I panicked about whether people would laugh or leave nasty comments, would anybody listen to me waffling about makeup products? However the responce has been really positive. I told a few of my closest friends that I was planning to start a channel and wanted to keep it a secret until I had a few subscribers. However, someone overheard and told everyone. Yes, I did have that sinking feeling. This was something I did not want to happen as I knew people would laugh as lots of people don't understand the whole 'YouTube' thing.

It is very easy for people to say nasty things to people who have a YouTube channel however, they don't realize how hard it is to click the 'Upload' button. You put yourself out there and it makes you feel very vulnerable.

I know that I have only posted three videos on my channel- Emily Steele. But I have enjoyed filming, editing, everything about creating those videos. I hope to continue with my channel and want to upload once a week.

Even though I have only just started filming YouTube videos I have learnt not to care about what people think. Yes, some people were not very nice but the majority of people who now know about my channel are very lovely about it.

When I recieved negative comments I just ignored them as I thought:
1) Am I doing anything wrong? - No.
2) Do I enjoy making videos?- Yes.
3) Am I hurting anyone?-No.

Then why should I stop when they are the minority?

If I could give one piece of advice to someone contemplating starting a channel I would say DO IT! When people watch my videos,leave me a comment, thumbs up or subscribe it literally makes me sooo happy!

So if you would like to check out my channel here is the link:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTqKB34ZvAsEdRZo1h6mnBQ/featured

Here is a picture of my latest video's thumbnail!

 

Sorry for not doing a blogpost sooner. If you have read my last post you would know that I currently have lots of exams so very stressed! But as soon as they end I will be posting more videos on my channel and doing a lot more blogposts! So keep your eyes peeled!

Lots of love

Emily xxx

My Non-Beauty April Favourites

Hello Everyone, I just thought that I would share my non-beauty favourites this month!

1) 90210- This is something which I have watched in the past from series 3 onwards. However I found it quite hard to understand what happend previously. I was scrolling through Netflix the other day and stumbled across 90210 and immediatly wanted to rewatch the series (even better they have the three series which I have been missing). This is a series which I have loved for so long and is perfect for a rainy day here in the UK. I love 90210 for a number of reasons but especilly for the drama and romance involved. One thing that I never realised about 90210 is that the characters have so many relations with each other which now looking back makes it even more intresting. It also has some rather attractive people which is another plus as it makes it even easier to watch. I would recommend this to every teenage girl!

2) The Vamps- If you have not heard of this band,then where have you been?! This is a band which came together through the powers of YouTube and are now very successful. In the band there is: Bradley Simpson, Tristan Evans, James McVey and Connor Ball. I have been following these boys for some time now and I remember watching their first every video and thinking a) They are so talented and can really sing b) They are very attractive and seem like such nice guys. I would be lying if I said that none of their fame is down to their looks but really, who can blame us?! This month they released their first ever album called 'Meet The Vamps' which is amazing! I love the fact that they have not stuck with the typical boyband genre of 'Pop' and instead have lots of different songs which they have all written themselves. This is what I think plays a huge part in their success. I was lucky enough to get tickets to their first ever headline tour in October. Not only this but I managed to get a pair of front row seats for me and my bestfriend Fran and I literally can't wait! If you get a chance,check out their album! I will link down below.

3) Bear Yo Yo's- Now you may be thinking, what is that?! Well, this year I have been wanting to be a more healthier person and cut out the rubbish food as much as I can. This is hard for me because I like to snack and so finding an alternative has been quite fun. I found these things called Bear Yo Yo's which are rolls of 'pure fruit' (dried fruit basically) which are really delicious and healthy. They come in lots of different flavours which is also a plus as it is nice to be able to mix and match (my current favourite is raspberry!). I have a feeling that these are children's snacks because of the packaging, however I dont really mind. Inside the packet contains two fruit rolls and a card (hense why I think these are aimed at children) with a country on the front. My friends like reading these and seeing what country I get. These snacks are very fruity and low calorie so I don't feel guilty when snacking.

4) Pastels- I have been really into pastel colours since the weather here in the UK is brightening up with the occasional sunny day. I have been doing lots of online shopping recently and have been loving the pastel colours which is good because I tend to wear lots of black and white (however they still seem to end their way up into the basket). I think that these colours are really girly and pretty. I hope to be stocking up for the summer very soon!

I hope you enjoyed reading my non-beauty favourites! I recently made a YouTube channel where I talked about my beauty related April Favourites and would love for you to check it out! Link will be below :) I am currently very busy with exams but I will try to post as much as possible! As Miranda Hart would say please 'Bear with, bear with'.

Lots of Love

Emily xxx

Meet The Vamps: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/meet-the-vamps-deluxe-version/id840135155

My Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTqKB34ZvAsEdRZo1h6mnBQ/feed 

Tanya Burr-Little Duck- Nail Varnish Review

Hello! I hope you all had a good Easter break! In the middle of revising and relaxing I found in my nail varnish collection Tanya Burr's 'Little Duck' nail varnish which I bought a while back. I have worn this nail varnish lots and just wanted to share with you my love for this beautiful nail varnish.

'Little Duck' is a beautiful mint green colour which is perfect for spring/summer. I have found that it looks really lovely on my hands and really suits my pale skin tone. As soon as I saw this as one of the colours in her collection I knew that it was one that I needed it in my life.

 

I love this colour on my nails

 I am in LOVE with the packaging-I know some people don't like it but I love it. I think that it looks very stylish and looks a lot like the NARS packaging. I think that the font is really pretty with the little heart attached as It makes the packaging even more cuter. I also think the heart on the top of the lid is very cute and such a nice touch as It shows that Tanya has really thought about every detail of the way she wants her products to look. I have found that the consistency of the nail varnish is really smooth and easy to use. It is not very thick which I think is nice because it allows you to only add one or two coats,depending on how bright you want the colour. Once applied, it gives a very shiny effect which I think it really lovely. I have also found that it does not chip that easily which for me is a HUGE plus because I usually chip nail varnish really quickly! This is such a nice colour which I think is perfect for spring or summer and can brighten up an outfit. I know that this will be on my nails constantly this summer and I will probably have to repurchase this again because I love it so so much!

So, if you are looking for a reliable mint green nail varnish then I would definitely purchase this one. I can't wait to pick up some more of Tanya's products! I have got her 'Aurora' lipgloss which I will be doing a review on soon, so keep your eyes peeled!

I hope you enjoyed this review!

Lots of Love

Emily xxx