I am a bad blogger!

I have come to the conclusion that I should not make promises I can't keep, in my last update post I promised you I would put up a post on Friday but it didn't really happen. I haven't really had the motivation to write at the moment. I'm currently away but by next week I will hopefully be back to posting regularly. I really hope you understand.

I think sometimes we all need to take a step back.

Cole xx

#Ablogadayforthewholeofmay Day 25 - Mungle on High street shops

Pop into any high street store, or even the designer boutiques, today and you will find slogans splashed across nearly everything. Typographic prints, text speak, hashtags and selfie love hit the catwalks for spring/summer 14 and are finally making their way into a store near you.

I've browsed around my favorite clothing websites to bring you the best examples of this summers trend, keeping the costs low and the style points high. Embrace you inner Cara, find your message and shout it out loud.

Next

 go all out in sequins with this Fashion sequinned t-shirt in black or navy for £20.

New Look:

Another example of the love for fashion bloggers right now. Show the world that you know what you're writing about, and you practice what you preach:

Fashion blogger t-shirt, £7.99 from NewLook

Or try this inspirational quote splashed cross a cute cropped jumper, perfect for the early summer nights.

Life's Short Crop Sweater - £12.99 from New Look

French Collection

Adding some glamour to the slogan trend, FCUK present these simple yet elegant options:

Stay Young, Stay Foolish T-shirt £25

Get trending with this hashtag #selfie cotton top, just £20

The sheer panels on this French? T-shirt, £40, add an aspect of luxury to day wear.

Finally, for those who want to make a smaller splash in the land of slogans, try these cute purses at £3.99 each or this confident clutch at £9.99.

..or keep it really intimate with these fun slogan boypants from Topshop! Priced at just £4 each they are selling out fast!

 

#Ablogadayforthewholeofmay Day 24 - Jaq on Barry M summer offerings.

Barry M is a brand that I've long wandered past in Boots as I have bad memories of Dazzle Dust in my teenage years! Lately though they've been stepping up their game and today I'm reviewing the limited edition Summer Love Eyeshadow and Glow Palette.

For £6.49 you receive 6 shimmering eyeshadow shades and a creamy golden highlighter all packaged up in a mint green case. The shades are predominantly pastels which makes this a perfect pallete to change up your make up look for Spring and Summer although there is a darker shade too in case you feel like smoking it up.

Eyeshadow Shades 1 - 3

The above swatch makes the second and third shades look much the same although hopefully from the main picture you can see that one is more of a light taupe whereas the other is a nude shade perfect for a base colour.

Eyeshadow Shades 4 - 6

These 3 shades are by far my favourites, making a pretty trio of pink, blue and green that give a subtle pop of colour. All of the shades in the Barry M Palette are equally pigmented and so work well together. The shadows are also very soft and blendable and with a primer have been lasting me all day no trouble. I normally prefer a matte finish on my eyes during the day but these pastels are so lightly shimmering that I can wear them for work without having to worry that I look too made up.

Highlighter

I don't know about you but I have issues with highlighters due to my uber paleness! I need to get the shade and level of shimmer just right or I end up looking like a disco ball. That being said I don't know why I've never tried a cream highlighter before - well I do, I'm scared of cream blush and so I suppose a creamy highlighter goes hand and hand with that.

Well I have been missing out because this is now one of my most reached for products when I need a touch of glow that's not too in your face..um...on my face. Like the shadows it is blendable and doesn't crease or sit in my pores. The colour is a very subtle gold that highlights in a very natural way - it's almost a 'my skin but better' glow that I can't get enough of.

This multi use palette was the prize for my 100 followers giveaway - I like it that much I wanted to pass one on to one of my followers and the winner loved it too! The Barry M Summer Love Palette is now sold out on Boots.com but you can get it on the high street and on other online retailers.

I hope you've enjoyed this post and I'd like to give a huge thanks to Cole for giving me the opportunity to take part in the #ablogadayforthewholeofMay series! I post new content daily on my blog Lazy Days Beauty so why not head over or subsribe to me on Bloglovin so you don't miss out! I'm also currently running a giveaway for some Makeup Revolution goodies to celebrate hitting 250 followers so feel free to pop over and enter!

#Ablogadayforthewholeofmay Day 23 - Natalie on 5 spring/summer trends you need to know about.

1. Florals

Florals never really go out of Fashion, but this year they’re big, really big. Even big prints. Seen on the likes of Gwen Stefani with a bold dark lip, and on the catwalks of John Rocha and House of Holland, the Floral trend is very fitting for S/S14 and offer something fun, flirty and feminine for everyone.

Sources: John Rocha, Gwen Stefani, House of Holland

2. Pastels­

This has arguably been the biggest trend this season, and is set to be throughout Summer. A dash of pastel and a whole outfit is brightened. It was a huge hit at this year’s Oscars too, with Lupita Nyong’o dominating the red carpet looks in this beautiful pastel blue Prada dress. Burberry got it right with a pastel pink colour on this years SS14 catwalk, as did Matthew Williamson with three massive trends in one; Florals, Pastels and Yellow. If you want to look fabulous this summer, then shop for something like this!

Sources: Lupita Nyong’o, Burberry, Matthew Williamson

3. Mini-bags

Mini-bags are a trend that have been a little under the radar, but they are EVERYWHERE. Aren’t they cute too? Granted, you might have to downsize your handbag products, but you’ll look so good! Mini-bags made an appearance on Diane Von Frustenburg’s catwalk for Harrods, paired with a monochrome animal print (another huge trend) and Keira Knightley was seen sporting a Chanel one with her huge-news monochrome co-ord, looking fab as per! Atlanta de Cadenet Taylor, daughter of presenter and Photographer Amanda de Cadenet, absolutely rocks this Valentino Mimetic Minaudiere mini-bag with a lacy white dress – perfect SS14 style!

Sources: Diane Von Frustenburg, Keira Knightley, Atlanta de Cadenet Taylor

4. Neons

Neons are cropping up all over the place, only in flashes, but still, they’re there and they’re set to be a scream. Neon can be a daring trend to pull off, but they’ve been hitting all the high street shops and the catwalks. This neon green lace dress is a sure stand-out piece from Karen Millen, perfect for a night out. Katy Perry pulls off the green look perfectly with an all green outfit and throwing a patterned skater in to break it up. And to add a twist to the neon look, Indian actress and singer Priyanka Chopra looks show-stopping in this neon Sari, the flash of pink just makes the whole thing work. Bravo, girls!

Sources: Karen Millen, Katy Perry, Priyanka Chopra

5. Metallic

This is another brave fashion trend to master, but you don’t have to go full on metallic. Rucksacks are back and adding a silver or gold rucksack to an outfit will immediately add some street-style to your outfit, or to add a bit of glam, get some metallic shoes! This sparkly metallic number from the SS14 Christopher Kane catwalk is beautiful, it’s the right amount of glam for a whole outfit in one piece, but if you’re looking for something a little less full on you could go for a flash of metallic, as seen on Nicola Finetti’s catwalk. It’s a great look if you’re looking for a little bit of shimmer. Everyone’s favourite style icon, Fearne Cotton, looked absolutely smokin’ at this year’s Brits with a silver metallic dress complete with a mini-bag! You can’t not love anything about this outfit.

Sources: Christopher Kane, Fearne Cotton, Nicola Finetti

#Ablogadayforthewholeofmay Day 22 - Chloe on High end lipsticks

I'm not really into high end lipsticks but occasionally I like to treat myself. YSL is my favourite brand for lipsticks both for quality and the packaging.

Mac Creme'de nude

This is a typical skintone nude and was the first highend lipstick that I ever bought. I bought it after watching Tanya Burr's youtube video when she talked about it being one of her favourite lipsticks. I rarely wear this lipstick due to the fact that my lips are really pigmented and the colour doesn't look good on me. It's good for toning down redness, but it's best suited for those who don't have pigmented lips.

Mac Viva Glam Gaga

I have used this lipstick quite alot. The colour is really nice for summer. This can be worn sheer or build it up to be opaque. This is my favourite Mac lipstick that I own.

Mac Viva Glam Nicki

This lipstick is really bright and bold. It's perfect for summer and lasts along time on the lips. The only downside to this lipstick is that if you have any dry patches on your lips it will cling to them. So exfoliating your lips is a must before you wear this.

Chanel 41 Sahara Beige

This was my first ever Chanel purchase, I bought it as wanted a natural lipstick that made my lips appear better.  This lipstick glides on the lips and lasts along time. The Chanel lipsticks have the classic Chanel smell. This is ideal if you want to wear lipstick but you don't want it to look as if you are wearing lipstick.

Chanel 100 Aura

This lipstick is your lips but better colour. It applies smoothly on the lips and doesn't cling to dry patches. This is the ideal lipstick if you want a natural looking lipstick that adds colour slightly to your lips.

YSL Glossy Stain 9

This is the perfect glossy,long lasting red. It stains your lips and the finish is glossy. It doesn't cling to dry patches or feather. When I wore this a random lady stopped me in the street to ask me what I was wearing on my lips. This lasts along time before you need to reapply. 

YSL Glossy Stain 106

This is the perfect nude for me. It doesn't make me look washed out. Like with all YSL Glossy Stains it is glossy. This is my most used high end lipstick as I wear it everyday and I would defiantly repurchase it.

YSL Glossy Stain 104

I wanted a Barbie pink Glossy Stain and this was the one she recommended to me. I really like it. This is perfect for the summer and the intensity can be build up.

YSL Rouge Volupte 31

This is my newest highend lipstick. The reason why I purchased it was purely for the packaging and the fact I wanted to try out a lipstick by YSL. The colour is very similar to the Glossy Stain 104. This glides onto the lips and lasts well throughout the day.

From left to right, Mac - creme' de nude, Mac viva glam Gaga, Mac Viva glam Nicki, Chanel Sahara treasure, Chanel aura, YSL glossy stain 9, 106, 104, YSL rouge volupte 31

I hope you enjoyed this blogpost. Follow me on twitter @_chloehx_

#Ablogadayforthewholeofmay Day 21 - Kenzie on a possible skincare savior

Sometimes does your skin ever just look like you've deprived it of all moisture and love at all, because mine does all the time recently and its becoming the bane of my life. I have super strange skin its combination a bit but I have more dry skin and the occasional appearance of some oil. My nose, chin and between my brows are constantly craving more moisture (the places I get cystic spots) and no matter what I use it has no been cutting it recently and the last thing I want is a breakout on my sensitive skin. HealGel improved my scaring and redness but nothing left me feeling like my face was smooth and hydrated and as if my make-up would glide over my problem areas.

What I decided to do was head back to basics and I mean cheap, accessible and well known, not new on the market what so ever in fact this has been sat on the shelves for all our lives. So whilst on my last shopping tip at uni I found myself staring down the skincare isle in my local supermarket praying I would find a holy grail that would finally cut my face some slack.

Did I find the holy grail... no but I found something pretty close and that is a cream most people will of seen, used or just walked past at some point and that's the good old 'Nivea Creme' this cream came out in 1911 and has just beaten a competitor priced at £105 in a 4 week test to visibly hydrate and improve lines. I had used this way back when I was in secondary school and was burnt to a crisp on my nose thanks to skiing and the local shop only had this that I felt I could trust and I recall it literally working its magic in a moment on the burn, for some reason I never went back to it and I think that's maybe because of its texture.

To explain in a bit more detail my 14 year old self obviously was not to fussed about keeping my skin looking young or what not and found it rather heavy so passed it up probably saying how I cant use it on a daily basis because its heavy duty. This is thick and not my normal kind of thing but I needed something to sleep with on my face I use this in the evening at the end of my skincare routine. A con for some is it becomes slightly oily and your face feels a bit greasy but don't let it put you off because its not a day cream for me, I wake up in the morning wash my face and I feel so happy with the hydration and the look of my skin it somehow evens out my imperfections. The other thing is this was on offer at under £2 for a 200ml pot now they range in price but I've never seen it higher than £4 so I would say go get some if you have a constant 'Skin S.O.S' because its a firm favourite in my book and has been in a lot of women's for over 100 years.

To end I would like to thank the lovely Nicole who offered me the chance to guest post over here on her lovely blog even with all my mad crazy uni life drama ! So thank you to all of her readers who have read my post too...Mucho Love Kenzie xx

www.lemonaidlies.co.uk

#Ablogadayforthewholeofmay Day 20 - Anna on Her favourite band

I'll be introducing you to probably my favorite band at the moment. They are a five-piece, all female, English rock band. They recently featured in an MJ Delaney film Powder Room (which is great and worth a watch). The band appeared in the film, performing music they'd written, including some songs created specifically for the film. The band were also responsible for the selection of all other tracks used in the film. 

You can listen: on soundcloud-HERE, on spotify- HERE or on YouTube- HERE

They have a beautiful raw rock sound emphasized by the crazy crashing noisy drums that would sound amazing live and give a rounded shape to the music they play. But the heavy jumpy bass and jerky electric guitar add sharp rough edges that stick out with a grace and feminine confidence in themselves similar to Kate Nash. They convey a huge sense of confidence and assertiveness that comes across so strong it makes you want to shout out of a window along to the lyrics! The vocalist has an amazing tone that I've not heard anything like before, its raw and punchy. The raspy, throaty sounds are grungey and scuzzy with roughed up edges that fit perfectly with the grungey punk rock they play. The tone really makes this band unique and gives them their stamp. Their amazing lyrics also stand them apart from the rest and give them the originality that makes them what they are. They spit out inspirational, wonderful lyrics 10 a penny. 

These girls are just incredible!

#Ablogadayforthewholeofmay Day 19 - Zoe on How to make makeup trends to work for you.

Hi! It’s Zoë from www.zoewithumlauts.blogspot.ie. Nicole very kindly asked me to do a guest post for her which I was really excited about. With my blog I try to strike a healthy balance of mainstream beauty & fashion, along with stuff thats a little more quirky, alternative and “out there”, so I decided to a post that showcases this.

“Radiant Orchid” is the buzzword of the beauty world, the colour of the year, with new releases popping up everywhere in this colour. Easy enough to wear on the lips, but very difficult to wear on the eyes. I’ve created a relatively wearable look with this colour that would be great for summer, it provides the perfect pop of colour without looking like you have been punched in both eyes.

1. I started by priming my eyes using the Ofra Cosmetics Gel Eye Primer. I adore this primer, it cancels out all red tones in the eyelids and creates a matte, smooth base to work with.

2. I then swept Pout over the inner 2/3rds of my eyelid, followed by Sugarlite in the outer v and through the crease, both from the Sleek Ultra Matte Brights palette. This took a few goes to blend properly and build up some intensity. I also took both colours under my lid, avoiding my inner corner and waterline.

3. I took Foxy from the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette (any matte yellow shadow will do), on a fluffy blending brush to blend out the edges. Using a yellow toned shadow cancels out the pink tones being blended out, which is what can give that “bruised” appearance. The shadow still appears soft.

4. I used my NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk on my waterline. Any shadow with red tones will bring out the redness in your eye, so this acts as a barrier for that redness, as well as making your eyes look bigger.

5. I also used a yellow toned inner corner highlight. Specifically the lightest colour form the Clinique Eyeshadow Duo in Like Mink, but once again, any yellow toned highlight will do. Once again, this helps create a barrier to stop the shadow making your eyes look red.

6. I lined my eyes with the E.L.F Precision Liquid Eyeliner, as once again, the barrier creates a nice barrier from the rest of your eye to keep you from looking too tired or bruised.

7. I then curled my eyelashes, applied Clinique High Impact Mascara to my top and bottom lashes. I applied it quite heavily to balance how bright the eyeshadow is.

8. I made sure to cancel out my dark circles with a yellow corrective concealer to brighten my eyes up and prevent the shadow from emphasising my dark circles.

Do the rest of your makeup as normal, I find that just contour and highlight is best as blush can look quite intense. You have lots of options for lips, so go as subtle or as intense as you like!

Make sure to check out my blog over at www.zoewithumlauts.blogspot.ie

#Ablogadayforthewholeofmay Day 18 - Laura on What's in her makeup bag.

Hello my name is laura and I have a blog called louloubella you can pop over and say hello here. Nicole has invited me to do a guest post so thought I would do an updated what's in my make up bag. 

This is my make up bag. It's from cath kidston and I think it's their medium sized bag. It's a few years old but I still love it. 

This is one of my newest additions. This has replaced my benefit erase paste and in my opinion I much prefer it. I find it thicker than the erase paste meaning you barely have to use any and it covers any dark circles perfectly. Considering it's quite thick it doesn't look cakey or sit in any fine lines. The best bit is it's only £5.49! 

Next newest addition is maybellines baby lips. There has been so much hype surrounding this product and I can see why. I was expecting a bog standard lip balm, which this is far from. The product is so pigmentated it gives you a lovely baby pink wash of colour. I find them super moisturising as well. 

The last of my new additions is my nars illuminator. I was very excited as this is my first nars product I had such high hopes for it and it definitely hadnt disappointed.  This is a lovely pinky illuminator that I use on my cheek bones, it's not too shimmery but gives my skin a lovely healthy glow. It's slightly on the pricer side however you barely need any so I think it will last a while.

                              

I've been using these two for quite a while now. I use the porefessional every  day before applying my foundation. It helps give my skin a more even appearance. I don't wear foundation every day as I find my skin gets clogged and I end up breaking out. When I choose to wear foundation this is my first choice. It gives me a lovely flawless look.

                        

The good old collection concealer is making another appearance. I have no idea how many tubes of this I've used and I still love it. I use it on any redness or any blemishes I get. The brush is the foundation brush from jane iredale. I've used this brush for years now and it's still going strong. It helps blend my concealer and foundation lovely.

So this is my updated make up bag, thank you for reading. If you have any make up recommendations let me know!

A little exam update.

Oh hi,
You may remember me but then again it seems to have been so long you may not. As some of you may know I have exams this month and it's all been a little crazy really. My exams are actually on the 20th and 22nd of this month, so i'm currently getting some last minute revision in. I will be back to a posting schedule and I have decided I will post on a Monday, a Wednesday and a Friday as posting 4 times a week was getting a little bit to much for me and I feel like my posts were not as high quality as I want them to be. `I really hope you have been enjoying A blog a day for the whole of may.

I will see you on Friday the 23rd of may.

Cole
Xo

#Ablogadayforthewholeofmay Day 17 - Shelley on Getting spring and summer ready.

Hi everyone, I’m Shelley and I blog over at The Shelley Diaries (http://the-shelley-diaries.blogspot.co.uk/). Cole has let me do a gust post for her today.  As the weather has been pretty good of late and the shops are bursting with all of the new fashion and beauty releases, I thought I would share my top ten tips for getting spring and summer ready! Who knows you might even save yourself a bit of money!

1 - Spring Clean and Clear Out

A spring clean isn’t just something that bored housewives do, it is a great opportunity to get organised and the perfect time for a fresh start. By spring my wardrobe is looking a little cluttered so I love to have a massive clear out. It sounds easier said than down, but if you are strict and follow a couple of rules you could make yourself some cash. You need to ask yourself whether the item fits, whether it is still you and when you last wore it. If you haven’t worn it in forever, you should probably get rid of it! The same goes for make-up and home ware.

Set up and eBay or a Depop account and get selling!

2 - Bring Spring Inside

Nothing will make you feel happier and fresher than bringing spring indoors. It can be simple as throwing open the window in the morning to bring in the fresh air or buying a bunch of flowers to spruce the place up. My favourite thing to do is to burn a summery candle. Wilkinson’s do a good but purse friendly range and for those that like a scent that isn’t too strong opt for a Primark candle; they do a gorgeous Vanilla and Sweet coconut one that smells just like summer!

3 - Shop Your Make Up stash

It is so easy to get a little over excited with all the new beauty launches and the Boots 3 for 2’s. But do you really need them? The answer is probably not, as 9 times out of 10 you will own something pretty similar and you really don’t need 5 lipsticks the same shade!

The trick to this is to find a few items of make up in your drawer and move them to the top of the pile, vowing to use them. For inspiration hit up Tumblr or your favourite blogs.

4 - Summer Proof your make up

This may sound a little odd but come the super hot days (fingers crossed) you will want your make up to stay put.

-       If you’re an oily combo girl like me, invest in a good primer for the face and the eyes. I use a Kiko Primer (there’s one for everyone) and Rimmel Exaggerate Eye primer.

-      To set your make up a powder is a must have, and it is easy to slip into your handbag. I love Rimmel Clear Complexion Translucent powder.

-      Waterproof that mascara and stop it running! Barry M’s Lash Vegas waterproof is amazing!

5 - Switch up those bases

When the warmer weather arrives, the last thing you want your face caked in, is a thick, full coverage foundation that will probably slip down your face by the end of the day. The easiest switch to do is to swap a foundation for a CC cream. My personal favourite and a must have for us super pale girls is Max Factors CC Cream. If you need a little more coverage (we all have those days!) opt for a dewy foundation that gives you a little glow. The Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation is perfect for this and shade 010 is a perfect match for us ghostly gals!

6- Switch up those Dark and Vampy lipsticks for toned down or neutral shade

In the winter I am a vampy lip girl, there is nothing I love more than a good deep red or purple lip. I do still wear them occasionally in the spring and summer (rebel alert!) but lately I’ve been leaning towards a toned down version and nude lips.

-      If you’re a red lips girl, I’d recommend the Revlon Lip Butter in Red Velvet for SS14 as it is a gorgeous toned down shade that is super moisturising.

-      If you’re a purple girl switch up to Bourjois Colour Boost in Plum Russian, this is a gorgeous plummy colour that is super moisturising and gives a nice sheen to the lips.

-      Finally for those perfect nudes, I love the Seventeen Nude Lip Crayon and Rimmel Kate Lipstick in 08.

If you’re a gloss kind of girl, I’ve heard wonderful things about Tanya Burr’s line. Let’s face it; it is probably the launch of the season!

7- Invest in an SPF, or sun cream to you or me.

This goes without saying really, especially if you’re super pale. Make sure your moisturiser and foundations for the summer contain an SPF too, you’ll thank yourself when you’re older!

8 - Get your body summer ready - scrub and moisturise, fake tan too if that’s your cup of tea!

As it’s time to take off a few layers the rest of your body will need a spruce up and de-fuzz. I am in love with Sop & Glory’s ‘the scrub of your life.’ I use it before shaving and it makes such a difference, I can go twice as long without shaving than not using it!

Moisturise away that horrible dry winter skin. I love anything by Soap & Glory, their Hand Cream and Heel Genius are must haves too!

9 - Peel off those layers and show off those super cool tees you’ve been hiding under jumpers

After months of hiding under jumpers it’s time to break out your summer wardrobe, just don’t hide the jumpers yet, this is England!

10 - Have fun

The summertime is all about having fun, whether it is in life, fashion or beauty, it’s time for you to be who you want to be and wear what you want. Get out there and enjoy yourself!

XO