Louise Kaitlin

Hello again!

Today's post is something quite different from my usual posts and i have never done anything like this before on my blog, which is super exciting but also super nerve-racking!! Today's post is a collaboration with the beautiful Estelle, who i met on instagram a couple of years ago, and shared a love of pretty much everything, we are so so similar which is appropriate for this collaboration. You can find Estelle on instagram with the handle @velvetteddyblogs and also you can read her post by clicking here! - make sure to leave a nice comment & let her know you've come from my blog too!

* not my photo. full credit to the rightful owner.

Well, first things first i should probably introduce what this post is about. When Estelle approached me about collabing, she mentioned the idea of something food related, which if you know me is right up my street! We decided to each do a post on a place to eat from our local areas.

Choosing 1 place to eat was so so difficult because i am such a huge lunch bunny and love to eat out in all different places with my friends, but on thursday i adventured into Southampton with my uni friends and stumbled across this place called Cosmo. Basically, it's an all you can eat buffet which if those 5 little words don't bring you in then i don't know what will.


Food
Cosmo as mentioned, is an all you can eat buffet and therefore, the food selection and choice is huge! There is everything from Asian to Chinese, French, Indian, English, Italian and so so much more! All the food is set out into different sections labelled by their country or 'genre'. You can grab a plate and make your way round each section or simply start at one, eat and return for more! The quality of the food itself was way better than i thought it would be. I was slightly cautious knowing its a buffet, the assumption that the food would be sub par due to the fact the restaurant is catering for large quantities. But boy was i wrong, the food was restaurant quality, piping hot and full of seasoning.

There buffet also includes a desert section, which things such as cheesecake, cakes, donuts, ice-cream, fruit, sweeties and so much more!

* not my photo. full credit to the rightful owner.

* not my photo. full credit to the rightful owner.

Cost
Cost wise, you'll love this! especially if you're a student on a budget like me. For the buffet it cost only £8.99! For you to eat as much as you want, endless amounts, how amazing?!

Drinks cost £3 for a bottomless glass, which means like the buffet you can refill until your heart is content!

Now, if i don't say so myself that's a pretty good, cheap meal out with friends and family.


It's safe to say, I will 100% be returning to Cosmo very very soon! Ohh, and a bonus... if it's your birthday you can go to Cosmo and your meal will be FREE! Just make sure you take some ID to prove it is actually your birthday haha ;)

I hope you enjoyed this post, and i'll see you (or well talk to you) very soon!

Love From,
Lou X

Changing my makeup bag over from winter to summer is the most exciting thing ever! I love having a revamp with my everyday makeup look to suit the season. I usually do one of these every year and so here is 2018's "What's in my summer makeup bag?".

First things first, I want to clarify that i do not wear makeup everyday and recently i've been battling with my skin which you can read about in my post about coming off the contraceptive pill. So, i am trying my hardest to not coat myself in makeup when i don't need to.

Base:
Foundation is a hard one because when its boiling hot the last thing i want to do is apply a foundation that's bound to melt off half way through the day but when I'm having a bad skin day, i feel like i need some coverage to make myself look some what presentable. I usually opt for the L'oreal True Match Foundation in the shade 1N as its super light and runny and therefore, it's not too cakey and thick for a summers day.

Concealer is a must whatever time of year. Once again the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer has made its way into my makeup bag. If you've never heard of this product then where have you been? It's probably one of the most raved about concealers of all time. I use the shade Light as its perfect for my pale complexion. What's also great about this is the coverage it gives! My oh my! It can literally cover ANYTHING! And to top it off, its so cheap and can be brought in Superdrug or Boots.

Bronzer is also a must in order to look like a bronzed goddess. This W7 Honolulu bronzer is b e a u t i f u l... honestly such a gorgeous warm toned shade that brings shape and definition to your face. I usually go a bit crazy with this and put it everywhere because you can't be too tanned can you?

Again, another staple in my summer makeup bag is a good highlighter and the one i've chosen is actually part of a palette. This palette is the Makeup Revolution Good as Gold palette that comes with 4 different highlighter shades (the big square pans) and 8 eyeshadow shades (the smaller pans in the middle). My favourite highlighter shade is the two you can see in the photo. A beautiful champagne white colour which is blinding! and a gold which is slightly warmer and adds to that bronzed goddess look ;)

Eyes:
For eyes, i keep it very simple and very natural during the summer. I tend to head towards my Urban Decay Naked 3 palette as the shades are all light pinks, golds and browns which are extremely complimentary during the summer season. Love love love love!

Keeping with the simple natural theme, i tend to next only apply mascara. My all time fave through thick and thin (if that's the saying) is the Maybelline Lash Sensational. OMG! Again, another product that is highlight raved about online. This mascara is not only thickening, its lengthening and bold. It really brings my makeup together!

Lips:
Lips change a lot of the time too. I have so many different gorgeous nude shades but i've chosen this deeper pink colour to share with you because of its formula. Its the Maybelline Lipstick in 630 "Velvet Beige". Its formula is super hydrating and smooth, it's not glossy but its not matte. Its a nice in between consistency and that's why i've been drawn to it so much this summer.

I've also included a lip balm because i think it's super important to keep your lips hydrated and protected from the sun during the hot months. This one is the Nivea lip balm, super simple and super cheap. It has added SPF which is also a bonus because who wants burnt lips?

Last note... I know a lot of you will ask, my makeup bag is from Primark and was £5. Its a beautiful white with little flowers and gold accents on the front and it's the perfect size. If you want a better picture of it, there's bound to be one on one of my instagrams (linked all over my blog, literally!)

I really hope you enjoyed reading this blog post, as always leave a comment and i'll reply to everyone! See you next time.

Love From,
Lou X

When I look back on my blog, over the years there has always been 1 specific topic post that seems to do the best in terms of views, comments and interactions. The original post was titled 'Organisation Tips for Blogging' which I believe I posted back in 2015. In 2016, I did an updated version where I discussed some new ideas on how I keep up to date with blogging. A lot has changed in a year and previously 3 years from the original post, so I thought I would do an updated updated blogging organisation tips (that's not a great title but you get the idea).

Being a full time undergraduate student at university is stressful in itself, but combine that with working part time, volunteering and trying to maintain some kind of social life (note i said some kind) makes life even more hectic. With assignment dates here and there, I must admit i do find it very difficult to make time for blogging. But i've come up with the best way for me, to at least help maintain some kind of clear direction when it comes to sitting down and writing something.

Notebooks
What can i say? Who doesn't like buying cute new stationary? I know I do! With university being 99% computer and online based, it makes it very difficult to have a good excuse to buy some cute supplies. But... blogging gives me that little bit of justification i need ;)

I usually have 2 notebooks to use. The biggest A4 one is kept at home ALWAYS. It does not leave the house purely for the reason it holds many a secret for my blog and i know if i lost it or left it somewhere i'd be devastated. The smaller A5 notebook is the complete opposite. It comes EVERYWHERE with me. For those days where i'm sitting on the train to uni and a blog post idea pops into my head and i immediately want to start planning. Weirdly enough, this little notebook has become very useful in the car too. It's weird but when i'm driving i get all these great ideas and must write them down before i forget. (Don't worry, i always pull over somewhere safe before i whip the little book out!)

Phone/Apps
Living in 2018, its safe to say pretty much every single person has access to a mobile phone on the go. I mean if you're like me, you will not leave the house without it in your hand. This little handy device is great for when you really are stuck with writing a spur of the moment idea down. Also, there are many many apps you can download that are targeted to bloggers, helping you keep all your ideas in one place.

I also use my phone for scheduling what days and times i will upload my blog posts. I must admit sometimes i don't stick to a schedule because some days i want to just sit and write and upload all in one go regardless of whether it fits into a particular time slot. But keeping up to date with days you have time to upload is very important when it comes to maintaining a continuous upload.

All my university assignments, lecture times and volunteering slots are all stored in my phone calendar, so adding when i want to or more importantly when i have time to write a blog post is important. Whip out your phone ladies and gents and start scheduling your life.

Similar to phones, why not schedule and plan on your laptop. At the end of the day most of us probably use a computer or laptop to upload photos and actually write blog posts, so find an app to download to help keep it all in one place.

*

I hope you guys enjoyed this little spur of the moment blog post. You all seemed to really love my other one so i really hope you enjoy this one too!

Let me know of any other blogging organisation ideas you have by commenting below this post as i love love love hearing what you guys have to say and maybe one of your guys' ideas might make its way into my little schedule.

Love From,
Lou X

Lipsticks, Lipgloss, Lip balm, Liquid Lippy, Matte Lippy... there's so many to choose from. So where do we start? Well, nude for me is the best way (not sure that sounded as good as it did in my head) but you can't go wrong with a nude colour.

Here are my top 5 nude lipsticks from the drugstore (aka Superdrug and Boots):

1. Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream in the shade "Abu Dhabi" (Cost: £6) - love love love this lip colour. Its a muted nude, with an orange and brown undertone. The creamy formula dries matte on the lips and lasts for hours. Nyx have a wide range of colours ranging from reds to pinks to purples and nudes. Head to boots and check them out, I highly highly recommend.

2. Maybelline Lipstick in the shade "630 Velvet Beige" (Cost: £6.99) - this lippy has a sheen finish, not glossy nor matte but rather a moisturising creamy feel. This colour as a little deeper and of a purple undertone compared to the Nyx lip cream. Again, I really love this one for an everyday look when I don't want a matte finish.

3. MUA Velvet Lip Lacquer in the shade "Tranquillity" - (Cost: £3) - this comes in the form of a liquid lipstick. The colour is a little more peachy than it appears in the tube. Nevertheless, the lipstick applies wet to start with and within seconds starts to dry fully into a matte finish. The one critique I would have of this lipstick is how dry it really does set, it almost flakes and sinks into the lines on your lips. But you can't complain seeing as how cheap this really was.

4. L'oreal Exclusive Collection Lipstick in the shade "JLOs Nude" (Cost: £7) - This is the most expensive one out of my top 5 picks. However, the quality and colour of this lippy is my all time fave. The colour is a really light natural nude, perfect for everyday. The finish of the lipstick is a light sheen, very moisturising on the lips. Perfect perfect p e r f e c t!!!!!

5. Tanya Burr Liquid Lip in the shade "Martha Moo" (Cost: £5.99) - This one is the brightest shade, probably not a true nude colour but nevertheless I really wanted to include it in this post. Again, as a liquid lipstick it is applies quire runny onto the lips but dries into a gorgeous matte deep pink shade. Unlike the MUA liquid lipstick, this one does not dry flaky or clingy to the lips. It leaves a matte finish without the drying element which to me sounds like the perfect matte finish.

Overall what can I say? There's such a massive range of nude lipsticks in the drugstore, each of which come with different applications and different finishes. All you have to do is find the right one for you!

Leave a comment to your favourite lipstick brand as i'm intrigued to find a new fave lippy!

Love From,

Lou X

I still cannot believe I took one of these pills everyday for 4 whole years...

This quote has become such a significant part of my life.

2017 has been a strange year for me, so many ups but also so many downs.

I've accomplished so much this year but I've also struggled more than ever, both physically and mentally.

This year, I have made it half way through my degree, quit my job, strengthened my friendships and most importantly i've become happier. But don't get me wrong there have been so many negative moments in 2017, so many hard times but guess what? I made it through and so have you.

This post was very impromptu but I wanted to share with you guys, how I managed to kick anxiety in the ass and start to re-build my life. Some of you may have read my previous post, around this time last year about understanding and admitting to social anxiety. With my first year at university and living in halls being a nightmare, and making the massive decision to move home and travel to and fro university. At first I had initial regret and was extremely hard on myself because I missed so much by living at home, but as time went on I learned to accept my decisions and make the best out of every situation. 2017 has definitely been the year where I've learnt to let go and live, stop worrying about little things and just be free. This is something i've definitely come along way with but I'm still learning (just like you).

Moral of this post, is to show you that YOU CAN DO IT. Stop worrying and enjoy life, as cliche as it sounds, life really is too short and unpredictable. Let go and try it, you never know you may like it ;)

Let's make 2018 another year full of happiness and joy, spread love and positivity. Leave the negative, horrid thoughts behind.

Happy New Year my lovelies.

Lou xxx

How on Earth are we in June already? I feel as though the New Year has sped by in the blink of an eye. Quick changing seasons means my everyday makeup routine has been all over the place, with new products surfacing that I never thought I would ever come to use. Today's post is simply that... my everyday makeup routine that is appropriate for this hot sunny weather we are having (ps, as I'm writing this it's currently 32C outside).

Around a year ago, I wrote a blog posted titled 'Organisation Tips for Blogging' and to this day it is still one of my most viewed and commented blog post. As we approach 2017, I think I need to take a leaf out of my own book and organise my blogging life. If you're like me and find it hard to fit in some time to write a blog post, then maybe these tips will motivate you to reorganise and plan your blogging life.

A notebook for me is the best way of motivating myself to plan out new and interesting blog posts in detail so when it comes to the time of writing, I know exactly what I'm writing and including. A visually interesting to look at notebook always helps me stay motivated and the one included in these images is the Zoella 'Once Upon a Time' notebook which can be brought from Superdrug. It was £14 and was the best purchase I've made for a notebook. Within the lined pages there are inspirational quotes which help me keep going through those bloggers block moments.

Similarly, a diary of some kind is always helpful to keep up to date with when you're going to post, in terms of both times and dates. Having a diary also allows me to see if I'm posting too many of one type of blog post too often such as too many beauty/makeup posts next to each other. I use the same diary for blogging as I do for my university assignments and lecture dates and times, as I find having everything in one place is best for me.

Lastly, it's the 21st century and everyone under the age of 20 has some kind of mobile device with them. So why not use your phone to set reminders/make notes on the go? Its easy and I'm guessing you always have your phone in your hand, just like I do? (haha). Make use of this and download apps for notes and blogging, its so simple yet so obvious.

I hope i've inspired or given you fellow bloggers or busy bee's like me to keep organised and prepared for 2017.

lou xx

Hello Everyone! Long time no speak and all, how's everyone doing? I hope you're all well. A lot has changed for me over the past few months, I've sat my exams and guess what? I got into university! I am studying Early Childhood Education Studies at my first choice University. Although I was excited to come and emerge myself into the lifestyle of a university student, it hasn't come without its ups and downs. As I'm writing this I'm currently wishing I was at home (yes it's got that bad).

Living in halls, is quite possibly the biggest and most difficult thing I've ever had to do... EVER! I was never really one for wanting to live in halls, but my mum told me I had to give it a try before I can make a judgement on it. So that's what I've done. I moved in on Sunday 18th September (2016) at around 10am, the day had only just started but I had already been an emotional wreck the night before and all morning before I left the house. We did the usual playing tetris with the car to fit all the bags and boxes in, which we did! We took the 40 minute journey (roughly), where I picked up my keys and headed down to the accommodation to unload my stuff (at this point I was feeling physically sick, and shaking). Long story short, I unloaded and unpacked and my mum said she was leaving, this is where I became truly upset, I burst out crying uncontrollably (like a toddler does). I couldn't bring myself to accept that I wasn't going to be living at home anymore:(

Anyway, the days went on and since Sunday, I have been on the phone to my mum every night crying about how much I want to come home. Living in halls is just not for me, I want to study for a degree but I don't want to live here! It has nothing to do with my flat mates (so if you're reading 'hello' it has nothing to do with you, you're all so so so lovely), its to do with my personality and suffering with social anxiety. I'm trying to fit in but its hard when the first week is freshers which involves clubbing and partying which is another thing I HATE. I've made some lovely friends on my course and just around the uni and I am very thankful for that.

Needless to say, i'm not entirely sure what this blog post was or what it was for, but I needed time to fill and somewhere to express my feelings. I'm hoping that if you're reading this and are currently at university and are feeling just like me, then this may help in you knowing you're not alone! Or if you're reading this in 2020, then 'hey' from the past, you're not alone either!

If you are struggling with the decision to go to university or you're at university and aren't enjoying yourself, then please do feel free to message me via my instagram @hiyaimlouu as I'm happy to help in the best way I can. I'll keep you all up to date with how my life is going but for now i'm off to burn some toast like a typical university student, goodbyeeeeeee! xxx


*photos are not my own, full ownership goes to the rightful owner*

The next present I received was a pandora voucher from my little brother, this was really sweet of him because he never normally gets people presents because he's young and doesn't earn any money. I was extremely surprised and i will be using it on a charm for my bracelet.

I also received the Naked 3 Palette by Urban Decay from my big sister, which i was again no way expecting as i was surprised she knew i wanted one. Thank you Bex for getting me this and i will be using it religiously over the upcoming months. (ps this is my first ever 'high end' makeup, which is super exciting).

My mum also got me some of the novelty's that we receive every year, which included a big badge to wear out;) and a keyring and champagne glass with '18' on it, which is really sweet and will be one of those things i treasure.

The last present I received, was the most unexpected and amazing thing ever! My dad surprised me with the new Macbook 12" in Rose Gold. This was unbelievable when i opened it because my dad used to always tell me he couldn't afford a Macbook because they are overpriced. For him to get me the NEW one that has just come out is amazing and i absolutely love it! THANK YOU DAD XX

That is everything i received, it isn't much but to me it is perfect. As we get older the presents get smaller and less and that is completely understandable. Thank you to all my family for everything you got me, i am ever so grateful!

Louise xxx

The other day, I was kindly gifted some items from 'Benecos Cosmetics'. Benecos are a natural brand of makeup who thrive on the element of their products being natural. I think it' a really cool idea to have natural products and Benecos are one of the only brands I have seen that are completely natural.


I've been trying these products sent to me for the past few days and I thought I would share with you what I thought of them. I was kindly gifted 4 items which I was allowed to choose myself, which was incredible. I chose the 'Natural BB Cream', 'Natural Blush', 'Natural Highlighting powder' and the 'Natural Lip Shine'. Below I will talk through what I loved and didn't love about each product.


Natural BB Cream
The BB Cream comes in a tube bottle which is of a medium size. When I first opened the product I was unsure of the colour as it appeared rather dark in liquid form. However, I tried it on my skin and it matched pretty well and blended nicely, the only thing I didn't really like was the smell of it. I mean its a natural product so there is obviously going to be a slightly different smell from other brands. The smell to me isn't that important though. Overall, I love the product to a point, I don't think I would purchase myself just because I don't really wear Matte BB Creams.


Natural Blush
I was sent the blush in the shade Mallow Rose which is a soft, deep mauve pink colour. It's such a pretty and flattering colour especially on my pale skin. The only fault I could find with this product is the pigmentation is a little weak and the product does have to be built up. This isn't bad for me though because it means I can work the colour to suit my pale skin. Overall, I really like this blush and I think it will become part of my everyday makeup routine.


Natural Highlighting Powder
The highlighting powder is gorgeous! I cannot believe how pretty the iridescent champagne colour is. It's super flattering for my skin and its perfect for adding that extra glow and shimmer to the tops of the cheeks, bridge of the nose and cupid's bow. The powder doesn't have a shade but if I were to name it I would go for pearl or something with that description because its perfect for paler skin.


Natural Lip Shine
I got the natural lip shine in Rusty Rose which is a lovely peach/pink shade which is perfect for an everyday look. I love the shine it has to it as its super moisturising and glossy for the lips. I love the shade as a your lips but better look and I know all of you would love this shade as much as I do. I highly recommend for those of you who like the natural looking lip colour.


Overall, I am super happy with everything I received, so thankyou Benecos.




Louise xxxx

Hello Everyone! it's day 4 of Blogmas! Today's post is my Christmas wish list, and before I start I just want to point out that no way do I expect to receive all or any of these products, I am completely grateful for everything I will receive on Christmas, these are just items that I have seen over the past year and have wanted, whether that be by my own account or by others.


ITEMS:
Firstly, after seeing all over tumblr the light up letters, I have decided I would love to have one in the letter 'L' for my room, I think they are really quirky and individual and would tie my room nicely together. The next thing is the naked 3 palette, which I have been loving for ages, I love the pink shades as I feel they really suit my look and would be perfect for the summer. The next item is an acrylic makeup holder, as I do much prefer these to the drawer separators, they are easier to get to as it would be placed on my dressing table.


I have also been drawn to the zoella beauty range this year and have had my eye on a few things including the huge makeup holder, and some of the bath fizz bars as I do love a good bubble bath, every time I go into Superdrug I give them a sniff:) Again, staying with the theme of youtuber products, Tanya Burr's range has drawn my attention especially the lip gloss in 'picnic in the park' and the bambi eyes eyelashes. I don't usually use eye lashes but I'd love to give them a try and I've heard good things from beginners using these. Something I have had my eye on for a while is the Rimmel London lipstick in 107, my sister has this shade and every time she has it on, I envy so bad, its a gorgeous pink/purple shade and its perfect for winter time.


Time for fashion now, and I haven't got much to do with fashion here, the only things I have are the Adidas superstars which are so over rated now but I love them so much, and I need new trainers, well at least that's what I keep telling myself. Alongside, I would love the central perk t-shirt which is sold almost every where, I see this top all over tumblr and we heart it and its made me want it super bad. I have also added a bobble hat to the mix, because my ears are forever getting cold in the winter, I'm not much of a hat person but I think I can pull it off.


Lastly, I know I will never ever receive this as a present and I am in no way expecting to ever in my life. I have included a MacBook into my wish list. I know, I know but I do have a good reason for wanting this. I am starting uni in September and I will need a decent laptop to do my work on, now I visited a uni the other day and when I was walking around I noticed everyone had a MacBook in their hands, I asked why that was and someone told me its because its so easy to use in lectures rather than a big clumpy laptop, it has great charge and is compatible with uni lecturers work. I could just be saying this in my head over and over, but I know I will never receive this so its just a dream for me.


I hope you guys enjoyed this post, I will see you tomorrow!


Louise xxx

Hello everyone, I have decided to participate in blogmas this year, even though I am I few days late! I will be posting a new blog post throughout this moth until the 31st of December, mixing from beauty, fashion and lifestyle.