Tuesday 28 October 2014

THE 'NO FRILLS' ME.

23:52pm: cup of tea, laptop, blogger open, *begins writing*...

So it's been about two months since I last posted anything on my blog. I know, right? I did have a lot of good intentions to write during that time but to be honest, I just wasn't feeling it. Don't get me wrong, I still love blogging, but a lot of things have been changing for me recently and I just had to take a minute to figure everything out.

Firstly, I moved out of the family home and now have my own little flat. That's right folks, I flocked the nest and now live on my own. Scary stuff, eh? I've actually wanted to live on my own for quite some time now *cue Destiny's Child's 'Independent Woman'* but things just ended up falling into place quite nicely this year in order to make that happen. I absolutely love my flat, and having my own space, ever since I can remember i've been keen to get out there on my own. In addition to moving house, I got a little flatmate in the form of a kitten last month, Marvin, and he's quite the little troublemaker, but he's so cute and fun to have around.

Secondly, work work work. I think I mentioned in a previous post much earlier this year about how I was changing jobs to work in fashion retail. Well it's been around 7 months i've been working there now and it has to be said, the girls I have met during my time there are some of the funniest, hardworking, and inspiring girls i've ever met. Those girls have me in stitches all day. Long story short, I decided to hand in my notice recently as i'm currently working on a couple of my own things, in addition to university (and we'll get to that shortly *sigh*).

Truth be told, the girls I work with have so much potential to do great things. One girl just aced her masters degree in Victorian Literature - a subject I can only ever dream to get my head around. Another girl, well, we all think she is really a Colombian goddess who should be walking the runways at LFW. Another girl, is just starting out at university, and she's so bubbly and positive that you can't help but smile and laugh around her. Another one of the girls is like my second mum, and one of the most genuine, and caring people i've ever met. Another girl and I share a running joke that if we were in the Harry Potter films we'd both belong to Slytherin (and no, we're not evil or scheming world domination) she is simply a master of sarcasm and wit, and has me in stitches every time i'm at work. Never has there been a better bunch of girls to work with. If you can't tell, I love them and even after I leave later this month I hope they all continue to be good friends of mine. Who else am I going to share spanish delicacies with after work?!

Thirdly, my struggle with university. This is something that has been playing on my mind for a long time, probably since before I even started university. I was never one of those kids who had big academic dreams of going to university, to be quite honest I dreaded the entire idea of going. I've always thought I was a creative person trying to be an academic. However, despite that I am currently continuing my studies at university, but it's just become another box to tick off to me. I know it would make my family happy if I came out with a degree. Now, you may think that is a very reckless statement to make, but if ever there was a time I felt trapped in a place that I wasn't thriving in - it's university. On the flip side, i've also met some awesome people at university, and I will complete it as the final hurdle of my education.

There's something very liberating about being brutally honest with yourself. It makes you question what your next moves are going to be, and I suppose that's why i've turned my attention more to my own ideas and plans over the past few months. There really is no time to be unhappy in your life, in whatever you are doing. We get a very short time on this wonderful planet we call home, and you should experience as many things as you can during that time. I feel like every time I turn on the news theres countless tragic stories about young lives being lost, and for me that only reinforces the idea that none of us can really say for sure that we're going to be here tomorrow, next week or next year so why aren't you doing what you want to do today?

Have a little more trust in your own mind, don't settle for less, strive for the best, make the most of now, and don't let the small stuff get you down. 


"You've always had the power my dear... you had it all along." - The Wizard of Oz

Friday 8 August 2014

BENEFIT WORLD FAMOUS NEUTRALS: MOST GLAMOROUS NUDES EVER


I'm such a sucker for a neutral eyeshadow palette. It's my go-to makeup look every day. I'm the type of person who would rather spend those extra 10 minutes in bed every morning rather than applying my make up, so for me it's got to be quick and easy so that I can rush out the door! I hadn't actually heard too much about this particular palette before I bought it but I convinced myself that I had no other neutrals like it and that I simply couldn't leave the shop without it (I know, that's what we all say every time right?).

The palette includes 6 shadows: 2 creaseless cream shadows (Birthday Suit & My Two Cents), and 4 longwear powder shadows (Call My Buff, It's Complicated, Gilt-y Pleasure & Kiss Me, I'm Tipsy). This palette is lovely for anybody with blue/green eyes since the golden/copper tones that run through all of the shadows really compliment the colour of the eyes making them pop. Take a look at the swatches of the longwear powder shadows (shown below), I was happy with the pigmentation and texture of all of the shadows apart from one, the lightest shade Call My Buff was a little chalky for my liking and the colour pay-off wasn't as good as the other shadows.

L-R: Call My Buff, It's Complicated, Gilt-y Pleasure, & Kiss Me I'm Tipsy

Now, my favourite part of this palette is the two creaseless cream shadows (shown below). Birthday Suit for me is the perfect eyeshadow base for a dramatic smokey eye. It's also the perfect taupe-y brown shade to quickly apply to the eyelids for a pop of colour if you're in a rush. It blends effortlessly and looks lovely on its own. My Two Cents is the other creaseless cream shadow in the palette and it is more of a bronzey/warm toned neutral. Again, it can be used on it's own or as a base for applying other shadows. It's perfect for those with blue/green eyes and really helps you to achieve more of a "Golden Goddess" look.

Top: My Two Cents
Bottom: Birthday Suit

Top: My Two Cents
Bottom: Birthday Suit

I have been loving this palette this summer. It's so versatile and the mixture of neutral shades allows you to create endless looks for both daytime and night time. Smokey eyes have never been so easy to achieve! The lid of the palette also folds out to reveal a mirror and a mini-tutorial showing you exactly how to create the perfect neutral eye, making this ideal for anyone just starting out in makeup.

Whilst I wouldn't say this World Famous Neutrals palette replaces my Naked palettes, it is a great (slightly cheaper) alternative especially for those of you who go for a light, subtle everyday makeup look.

Have you tried out this or any other Benefit eyeshadow palette? Let me know in the comments!

Friday 25 July 2014

THE TMI TAG


Grab a cup of tea, it's the TMI Tag! A lot of people do this tag on Youtube but I just thought this would be something a little different and fun to do so that you can get to know me a little better! I love reading/watching this tag so here goes...

1: What are you wearing? 
i've got on my black skinny Joni jeans from Topshop and an orange/pink fade out top from Mango.

2: Ever been in love? 
Yes, currently!

3: Ever had a terrible breakup? 
Not really, no.

4: How tall are you? 
I think i'm around 5"5/5"6

5: How much do you weigh? 
Giiiiirl, that ish don't matter. Next question.

6: Any tattoos? 
I have a classic red rose on my left wrist. I really want to get more tattoos. 

7: Any piercings? 
No, i'm not really a piercing person.

8: OTP? 
What?

9: Favourite show? 
I LOVE Pretty Little Liars, it's actually becoming a problem. Alison is my favourite character.
I also have a tendency to marathon-watch shows like Extreme Couponers, My Strange Addiction at some ungodly hour of the night.

10: Favourite bands? 
I could list hundreds but the ones that come to mind right now are: The 1975, Coldplay, David Gray, Noel Gallachers High Flying Birds... you know, that kind of stuff.

11: Something you miss? .
My early school years. Those really were the good old days. Some of my greatest memories are from school.

12: Favourite song?
Right now? Probably The 1975 - You

13: How old are you? 
I recently turned 21.

14: Zodiac sign? 
I'm an Aries, I'm not really into the whole "Zodiac signs" shizz but the typical traits of Aries is actually a pretty accurate description of me.

15: Quality you look for in a partner? 
Good sense of humour. Great, actually. I like to laugh a lot.

16: Favourite Quote? 
I have quite a few. Most of which have left my brain space right now though... 

"Memory lane becomes a very important place when you get older." - Mary Hall Leicester

17: Favourite actor? 
Leonardo DiCaprio. How has that man not won an Oscar yet?

18: Favourite color? 
I feel like this changes quite often for me, but let's say red. 

19: Loud music or soft? 
As loud as possible. I like to drown everything else out while i'm listening to music.

20: Where do you go when you're sad? 
My room I suppose, or out for a long walk.

21: How long does it take you to shower? 
Too long. I am incapable of getting showered in under 10 minutes.

22: How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? 
Again, too long. I feel like I need an hour and 15 minutes minimum when i'm washing my hair. If i'm not washing my hair, maybe 45 minutes. Including breakfast, obv.

23: Ever been in a physical fight? 
No, although I could totally kick some ass.

24: Turn on?

Good teeth, smell nice.

25: Turn off? 
Arrogance.

26: The reason I joined Youtube? 
I didn't! I can't actually remember the reason I started blogging either... I was most likely inspired by one of my favourite Youtubers actually.

27: Fears? 
I have a terrible fear of falling from a height. My biggest fear in life is embarrassment.

28: Last thing that made you cry? 
I cry at everything. Movies, songs etc etc. Stuart always laughs at me for it.

29: Last time you said you loved someone? 
Probably last night when I said goodnight to my boyfriend Stuart!

30: Meaning behind your Youtube Name? 
Blog name? I literally sat down one night and started scribbling down ideas. Beauty and the Blank came from the idea that I wanted my blog to be predominantly beauty-related but "and the Blank" leaves it open so that I can incorporate whatever else I fancy talking about.

31: Last book you read? 
Probably a textbook from University. I know, pretty boring eh?

32: The book you're currently reading?
I am about to read #Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso. I've heard some good reviews about this book but I will report back with a blog post when i've finished reading it.

33: Last show you watched? 
Pretty Little Liars. I power-watch random episodes even though I've seen them all before...I told you it was a problem.

34: Last person you talked to? 
Stuart

35: The relationship between you and the person you last texted? 
Boyfriend!

36: Favourite food? 
Oh lord. I love food. Seriously, you don't understand. I couldn't possibly narrow it down to one favourite. I don't understand how i'm not insanely overweight because all I think about is food. The struggle is real not to stuff my face with Reese's peanut buttercups every day.

37: Place you want to visit?
I would love to travel up the West Coast of America. That's up there on my bucket list. I also want to go back to New York. Other places include: Toronto, Vancouver, Washington, Texas, Rio de Janeiro, New Zealand, the list could go on and on. I want to see a lot of the world. 

38: Last place you were? 
I was in St Andrews a few weeks ago.

39: Do you have a crush?
Yep, Stuart!

40: Last time you kissed someone? 
When I last saw Stuart.

41: Last time you were insulted? 
Hmm, probably quite recently (jokingly by one of my friends of course!)

42: Favourite flavour of sweet? 
Everyone who knows me, knows I have the biggest sweet tooth on the planet. I especially love Kinder Buenos, that is the key to my heart right there.

43: What instruments do you play?
I wish I played piano. That's on my life bucket list to learn to play classical piano.

44: Favourite piece of jewellery?
I got a couple of pieces of jewellery for my 21st birthday that I will keep forever. I also got given my Great Grans ring a few years ago. It's gold with a red ruby in the middle. I am mesmerised every time I look at it.

45: Last sport you played? 
Hmm since leaving school I don't tend to play any kind of competitive sports anymore (although I wish I did!). I go to the gym if that counts?

46: Last song you sang? 
This morning I was singing Sunset by Kid Ink, like a boss I might add.

47: Favourite chat up line?
All of them make me cringe.

48: Have you ever used it?
No.

49: Last time you hung out with anyone? 
The night before last.

50: Who should answer these questions next?
Anyone and everyone! :)

Phew, that's it guys! Hopefully you learned something new about me. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments, and I tag all of you to do this on your own blogs or Youtube channels!  

Thursday 17 July 2014

THE HYNDLAND FOX REVIEW: GLASGOW




So, it finally happened. After a busy few weeks I finally made it down to The Hyndland Fox, a highly anticipated new eating spot in Hyndland in the heart of Glasgow's West End. In the short time The Fox has been open I have already heard countless good reviews from family and friends, and since I live locally I was even more intrigued. Word spreads fast around here! It is exactly what the area needed as most of the bars, cafe's, and restaurants in the West End are located more towards the bustling Byres Road, so this is perfectly placed for those a little further into Hyndland and Broomhill. 

As soon as we walked in we were greeted by a lovely member of staff who showed us upstairs to a seat in the upstairs mezzanine-style seating area. It was actually much larger than I had imagined, and I loved the simple yet modern interior design. As soon as we sat down I knew this was a place I could come for a quick breakfast, lazy brunch, or a lovely dinner. I spent a good 7-8 minutes just wondering how I was going to narrow down such a delicious sounding menu! I eventually settled on the steak burger and Stuart had a smoked salmon salad, both were fantastic! The coffee tasted incredible, so much so that we both had to get two Americanos each...



I loved the little touches at The Fox. A little later I had a pot of green tea, which had a piece of fudge on the side and it's own little tea cosy in the form of a jumper to keep the tea warm - so cute! Whilst we were inside I completely forgot about the miserable, rainy Monday outside. It was a very warm, relaxed and inviting atmosphere and the staff were lovely and helpful. A problem we often have when eating out is finding places that offer gluten free options - that's not a problem at The Fox! If you are gluten intolerant like us, there are a number of options on the menu that will make your mouth salivate just by reading them out! I have to say I was tempted by the gluten free homemade cheesecake but I thought i'd save that for my next visit.

The Fox is a great addition to the West End, there's nothing else like it.





Thursday 29 May 2014

GENERAL UPDATE & LIFE


Hello lovelies! It's been a while so grab a cup of tea, and here's the update!

So, it's been a while since my last blog post, April 1st to be exact but there have been a few reasons for that. I started a new job at the beginning of April, and i'm now working in fashion retail. In addition to starting a new job I finally turned 21 a few days later, so things got a bit hectic for a while. After I settled in to my new job and my 21st birthday celebrations were coming to an end, I had my next big hurdle to get over before Summer... EXAMS!

I think i've mentioned this before but I'm currently studying Psychology at university, and not only did I have my own exams to worry about, I was also tutoring and working at the same time so that didn't leave much time to blog. As much as I love blogging, it had to take a back-seat throughout April and May whilst all that craziness was going on. To be honest i've felt a bit 'meh' about my blog recently because every time I sit down to write, nothing comes to me or it doesn't flow as I would like it too. I haven't gone completely off the radar and I have been updating my Instagram and Twitter regularly but now that Summer is finally upon us I can finally get back into some kind of blogging routine. I've had some really cool feedback about my Instagram posts about juicing, smoothies and recipes so I will be incorporating that into my blog a lot more over the coming months!






















I have wanted to take my blog in a new direction for a while now, don't get me wrong I love writing about the latest beauty and makeup products but there are other aspects of beauty I want to talk about more such as food and exercise. My new job in fashion retail has also brought out quite the fashion blogger in me, and has inspired me to do more fashion posts, OOTD's and so on. I'm excited to incorporate these changes over the next couple of weeks, and I think it will make my blog more personal and rounded. I even bought a diary (I know, blogging pro right here) to plan out my posts and jot down ideas as they come - hopefully that will combat the bloggers block that I have been plagued with recently!

I'm also working on my camera technique, and taking the best pictures possible for my blog so i'll be experimenting with some different backgrounds and lighting over the next few weeks. Unfortunately the weather here in Scotland doesn't generate the best lighting for pictures but i'm working on it! I hope you can bare with me until things settle down again. Sometimes life just takes over like that and gets a bit hectic, but I'm so glad university is over for this year and that things are starting to settle down because I can't wait to share my new ideas and posts with you.




Tuesday 1 April 2014

'HEALTHY SEXY HAIR' SOY TRI-WHEAT LEAVE IN CONDITIONER


I first heard about the 'Healthy Sexy Hair' Soy Tri-Wheat Leave In Conditioner (£12.70) from a couple of You-tubers last year. I don't recall ever hearing or reading a bad review about this product so I was keen to test it out for myself.

Firstly, I have a confession... My name is Zoe, and I am a haircare hoarder. Yup, that's right! The main reason it took me so long to actually purchase this product is because I already had a drawer full of hair lotions and potions waiting to be used up first. However, this month was the month I finally made the order...

My hair is naturally very fine, so when I use regular conditioners in the shower it just makes my hair flat, limp, and lifeless. I never put conditioner near the roots of my hair yet they always weigh my hair down. I have tried countless in-shower conditioners over the years but none have worked for me. That's when I started to explore the world of leave-in conditioners.

The Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat Leave In Conditioner not only gives my hair a moisturise boost but it's lightweight enough that it doesn't weigh down my hair. It is a very fine, lightweight and protein-rich formula that helps to rebuild and protect the hair. I've definitely noticed that my hair is a lot smoother and softer since i've included this in my hair care routine. All I need to do is give my hair a light spritz while it's still slightly damp, and it takes care of the rest! The bottle contains 250ml of product which is good because as far as I am aware this product is only available to purchase online if you live in the UK. I've been using this product every single day for almost a month now and I'm only about a fifth of the way through the bottle. It smells lovely

Whilst this product isn't necessarily a replacement for an in-shower conditioner, it has been working wonders for me. If you have fine, thin or limp hair I would definitely recommend this product to you. If you are someone with very thick hair, I would still recommend this product but you would most likely still need to use an in-shower conditioner for that extra moisture boost. If your hair is dry, damaged, brittle, frizzy, unmanageable, or all of the above... this may be your answer!


Sunday 30 March 2014

SEVENTEEN PHWOARR PAINT HEAVY DUTY UNDER EYE CONCEALER


If you're like me, and quite often stay up too late - you will know that it ain't a pretty sight the next morning. My skin is very pale and around my eyes I have blue undertones that can cast a noticeable shadow under my eyes if I haven't had enough sleep, so a good under eye concealer is essential for me.

My favourite one of the moment is by Seventeen and it's their Phwoarr Paint, a "heavy duty under eye concealer". They aren't kidding. I've tried under eye products like this in the past, and to be honest i've never found one stand-out product that i've been impressed with. Plus, whenever I see a product labelled as "heavy duty" all I immediately think is "cakey". However, I was pleasantly surprised by this little gem.

I'm in the shade fair, which does match my skin tone but I do wish it was just a touch lighter. Personally I just prefer under eye concealers to be slightly lighter than my foundation, but I can overlook this because the product itself is fantastic. It covers the discolouration under my eyes in seconds and stays put all day. On my skin is has an almost-matte finish and doesn't crease at all, so I don't have to worry about touching it up during the day. I also use it around my nose area and it completely covers any redness there too. 

This product is under £6 and if you struggle with discolouration or dark circles under the eyes, you might find this to be worth a try!