Blurb: “Pippa Fitz-Amobi is not looking forward to her friend’s 1920s-themed murder mystery party. But when the game begins, Pip finds herself drawn into the make-believe world of intrigue, deception and murder.

As Pip plays detective, teasing out the identity of the killer clue by clue, the murder of the fictional Reginald Remy isn’t the only case on her mind…”

Cherishing Memories with Printiki

Sometimes we forget about all the amazing things we’ve done in life so we like to take pictures to treasure those memories. I have an Instax Mini Polaroid camera however it’s quite chunky and I don’t always like to carry it around with me wherever I go, instead I tend to just take pictures on my iPhone. Polaroid style pictures are everywhere right now, they have never gone out of fashion. Ever since I could remember I’ve been wanting to create a scrapbook full of all my favourite memories and life events which I can happily look back on through pictures. When the lovely lady Beatriz over at Printiki* contacted me, I jumped at the chance to work with them after seeing all the amazing reviews and the gorgeous prints.

If you haven’t guessed already, Printiki is a photo printing service which can link straight to your social media accounts so that you can print off some of your favourite pictures. Printiki offers many fashionable print styles to choose from such as:

• Retro Square M (4x4”)
• Retro Regular M (6x4”)
• Retro Square L (5x5”)
• Retro Regular L (7x5”)
• Retro Regular XL (8x6”)
• Square M (4x4”)
• Regular M (6x4”)
• Square L (5x5”)
• Regular L (7x5”)
• Regular XL (8x6”) 

As well as being able to create a variety of posters and photo books. The retro prints are more of a polaroid style whereas the square prints have a thin white boarder around them, making it a perfect fit for your Instagram photos.

I am very fussy when it comes down to the cost of prints which is why I don’t tend to use photo printing companies that much as I can find some to be very overpriced for what they are. Printiki is a service that I will never stop using as it’s only £5.50 for 20 M prints and you can add an extra 10 for just £2.75… such a huge bargain! Not to mention that my prints arrived just 3 days after I ordered them. This is such a great price point especially as the quality of the pictures are insanely good. You have the option to choose either a matte or glossy finish, I optioned for the gloss and it gave my photos a more professional look to them with the beautiful added shine.

There’s so much that you can do with your prints. I went for a scrapbook as I’ve always been a very creative person therefore I enjoy decorating and adding to a scrapbook but it also gives me a chance to constantly look back on some of my favourite moments. You could make DIY wall art, photo bunting or a photo collage, the options are endless.

If you’d like to have a look around and buy some prints for yourself or even as a gift to someone special then head straight over to the Printiki website. As a special little treat for you guys, I have an exclusive voucher code that first time buyers can use at the checkout to receive FREE SHIPPING which means you get 20 medium prints for just the price of £5.50!

Voucher Code: X77JNFE8

Also, don’t forget to follow Printiki on their social media platforms for some photo print inspiration:

• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Instagram
• Faceook

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I hope you have tons of fun creating some super cute prints for yourself! 

8 Things That Happen When You Get Engaged

If you follow me on social media then you would’ve seen that I got engaged on Monday and yes, it still feels super weird to say that however it was honestly one of the best days of my life. What I thought was a normal day off work ended up being completely different, Alex surprised me with breakfast at the shard and then tickets to London Zoo to feed the cute little monkeys. After a walk around Regents Park, he got on one knee to propose and I cried so many happy tears. I feel like nobody talks about the things that happen right after you get engaged, even though we’re a newly engaged couple these are some of the things that happen after you get engaged (well, at least these are the things that have happened to me):

       1.      You over-use the word fiancé - An hour after he proposed, I couldn’t help but say ‘Oh hey Fiancé!’ multiple times until it got very annoying (but I secretly loved every minute of it). You find yourself constantly using this word all the time just because you can! I wake up every morning with a ‘Morning fiancé’ in the most girliest voice possible and he laughs at it and replies back but you can tell on his face that it gets a bit annoying after a while lol.

      2.      You want to tell EVERYONE – Yes, even strangers. I couldn’t stop showing off my ring to the whole world afterwards. I was paying in Primark and I handed over my money whilst showing off my ring as if to say “Yep. He put a ring on it”. You will want to put the news out there on everything whether that’s Twitter, Facebook or Instagram with the most amount of engagement hashtags as possible. EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW.

      3.      You will become super over-protective of the ring – It’s gotten to the point where I’ll take my ring off before bed and put it back into its perfect little box because I’m too scared in case it falls off whilst I’m asleep (even though it probably won’t). You will also get very paranoid if anyone wants to hold the ring, in the back of your mind you’ll be saying ‘omg please don’t drop it, ok that’s enough. Okay give it back now’ haha!

      4.      You will immediately start planning your wedding – Even though we don’t plan on getting married until a good few more years yet, I instantly took to Pinterest and made a wedding board so I could pin all the cute and quirky wedding ideas. Then you’ll share all your marvelous ideas with your fiancé to the point where he’ll get so bored and fed up of looking at wedding stuff when you’re nowhere near getting married yet lol. It’s just fun to do and omg let’s not forget about how many wedding dresses you’ll end up looking at.

      5.      You’ll tell the engagement story over and over again – At first, it’ll be fun and exciting to tell all your family and friends the famous story of how he proposed, but once you get asked for the thousandth time, it will start to get a tad annoying.

      6.      You will get excited every time you hear Beyoncé’s song – All the single ladies will start playing and you’ll end up doing some crazy dance whilst pointing to your ring with that hand flip move to show everyone that he did put a ring on it.

      7.      You’ll constantly keep up with painting your nails – I’m the type of girl who hates painting my nails and if you know me then you’d know that I always have chipped, ugly nails. Not anymore. I feel like a changed women and I constantly want to buy prettier nail varnish so I can get those perfect nails for when I show everyone the ring.

      8.      You will feel so overwhelmed yet super happy – At one point you will actually realise that you’re going to be marrying the person you love the most and spending the rest of your life with them. It’s such an overwhelming feeling of happiness and excitement. 

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The Best Highlighter For Pale Skin ft. Jeffree Star Ice Cold

If you know me then you’d know that I am a huge fan of Jeffree Star Cosmetics, his liquid lipsticks are one of my favourites in terms of formula, pigmentation and the whole colour range. Ever since his Skin Frost collections came out last year I have had my eye on the Ice Cold shade for what seems like F O R E V E R. I was super undecided about this product as I didn’t want to spend £25.50 for a highlighter however it’s so worth it and I’m very happy that I did.

When I received this product, I was surprised with how heavy and large the packaging was. It comes in a beautiful vibrant pink plastic container with the Jeffree Star logo printed on the lid in a kind of duo-chrome colour. It has a generously sized mirror which you can see your whole face in making it easy to apply the highlighter. You get 15g of product in this bad boy! Which immediately makes me think I’ve got my money’s worth already considering if we compare it to Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector for example, you only get 8g of product in that for a whopping £32.

In terms of the formula, it’s amazing. Just as I expected it to be. Its super pigmented and blends out beautifully on my skin as it has a buttery smooth feel to it. The formula reminds be a bit of Makeup Geek Foiled Eyeshadows as it’s has a super metallic look to it. You only need the tiniest amount of product for that beautiful glow, a little goes a very long way with this. I bought mine off of Beauty Bay where they have a wide range of 12 shades, I opted for Ice Cold as I’m more on the pale side and I find that this would work perfectly for those with a more fair skin tone. I struggled to find a highlighter that suits my pale skin until now.

(excuse the burn marks on my hand, i accidentally burn myself at work a lot lol)

Did anyone else own a fan brush but never knew what it was for? I only recently discovered the wonderful world of highlighting at the beginning of last year and realised that fan brushes are the one when it comes down to highlighter. I understand that some people hate using fan brushes as they feel like it doesn’t pick up enough product however my fan brush picks up the perfect amount for an everyday glow. If you’re wanting a more dramatic highlight then I’d suggest using Morphe E30 for a more precise application too.

I will most definitely be purchasing his products in the future, I actually have my eye on his Peach Goddess shade and I want to try to get my hands on the Jeffree Star and Manny MUA Collab products. Have you tried any of Jeffree’s products yet?

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Is Batiste 2 In 1 Dry Shampoo Really Worth It?

I went out on a hunt for a new dry shampoo, I wanted something a bit different as I tend to re-purchase the original Batiste dry shampoo although I’ve never liked the fact that it leaves a white cast through my hair yet it manages to make my hair feel super clean. I was very intrigued when I saw the newest from Batiste with their 2 in 1 dry shampoo and conditioner.

I want to start by saying that I love the scent of this. I opted for the Orange and Passion fruit as I tend to lean towards fruity and tropical scents. I believe there are 2 more flavours in this range: Vanilla and Passionflower or Cocoa and Cashmere.

The one key word which interested me the most was “invisible”. Yep that’s right, the product leaves no white residue through your hair but does it actually work as well as the original Batiste when it comes down to cleaning my hair?

The product claims to refresh roots and nourish the ends of your hair with their new 18 hour conditioning properties. It specifically targets dryness and conditions the areas where it’s needed. It also says that it doesn’t leave any excess oil and claims no more dryness leaving your hair smooth and hydrated. I’m quite lucky as my hair doesn’t get greasy until the 3^rd/4^th day, I shook the can really well beforehand and then sprayed a little amount through my roots whilst massaging it in. It left no white cast which I was really happy about however I’m not too sure as to what it did for my oily roots. Although my hair felt soft and a lot smoother than before, it made my roots look shiny and if anything, more greasier. Saying that, I prefer using it on the mid lengths and ends of my hair where it’s the most driest to give it a bit more of a healthy shine.

Considering how much I love Batiste as a brand and how I have been using their products for years, I have never been let down. I am a bit disappointed in this particular product though. I don’t hate it, but it’s not the best. It doesn’t work for me and I kind of feel like I’ve wasted my money a little bit. I wouldn’t recommend this for anyone that gets greasy hair pretty quickly, I feel like this may be targeted for those who are on the dry side. For now on, I’ll most likely stick to the original Batiste.

Have you tried the newest from Batiste yet?

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Things That Made Me Happy This Week

I usually think to myself what a long week it’s been and moan about all the crappy days I’ve had when instead, I should be reflecting on those little things that made me a little bit happier. I’ve decided to make a ‘series’ if you wish on this little blog of mine, writing about all the things that made my week a tad brighter. So, without any further ado here are five things that made me happy this week:

A DATE NIGHT

Saturday was one of the most perfect days I’ve had in a while. I usually work pretty much every single Saturday however I wasn’t this weekend so myself and Alex (the boyfriend) decided to have a well-deserved date day/night and it was wonderful. We spent the morning down in Brighton which is one of my favourite places to visit. We did a bit of shopping, walked hand in hand along the pier and scoffed our faces with donuts which I don’t regret in the slightest. We took the car ride back down to our town and went to cinema then spent the evening at one of our favourite restaurants for dinner. It was an awesome day.

DISCOVERED A NEW BOOK

After seeing so many wonderful reviews about “The Life-Changing Magic of not Giving a F*”k” I purchased a copy for myself and finished it within a few days. I felt like a brand new women. That book gave me so many feels and honestly changed my whole perspective on life. It taught me on how to get rid of the things in life that shouldn’t matter and to focus on the things that you should give a f*^k about.

CHOPPED OFF MY HAIR

All my life I have had long hair and I have always been too afraid to even cut the split ends off with fear that my hair will look ‘too short’ let alone chop off 10 inches of it. I cut my hair a few weeks back but this week I decided to go even shorter and I really love it. It’s just about shoulder length and I honestly don’t understand why I didn’t do it any sooner to be honest. My hair is so healthy looking and it feels super thick since going short.

ED SHEERAN

As everyone knows by now that Ed Sheerans new album got released at the beginning of this month (if you didn’t know, where the heck have you been?!) It wasn’t until this week that I started to listen to the album properly over and over again. I have loved Ed for as long as I can remember and this album of his literally gave me all the feels. He really does have a way with words and all of his songs are just perfect.

TALE AS OLD AS TIME

Yep that’s right. I went to see Beauty and the Beast. It was everything I wanted and more. Took us absolutely ages to try and book the cinema as it was constantly all bloody sold out on most of the screenings but we got there in the end. From the visual effects to the characters and the songs – it was stunning.

“There are so many beautiful reasons to be happy”

What has had you smiling this week?

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Double Cleansing With PIXI + Caroline Hirons

I have been following Caroline Hirons for a good year and a half now. When it comes down to skincare tips and advice, her blog is my go to place. Caroline and a few other influencers have teamed up with Pixi to create a bunch of fabulous collaborations which you can find over here on their “what’s new” section. As soon as I heard that Caroline was bringing out a double cleanser I was shook and so frickin’ excited to say the least.

What is double cleansing?

I found out about double cleansing through Caroline’s blog and it’s something that I have been using in my skincare routine a lot more often. I use cleansers anyways as I don’t like the feel of makeup wipes, they seem to be harsh and rough on my sensitive skin and it just doesn’t work out well for me. You start off with your first cleanser, preferably something oil based to help remove the bulk of your makeup and to help get rid of any sweat and dirt. Oil based cleansers are becoming very popular recently and they’re also generally safe and gentle to use around your eyes. After rinsing that away, you move onto the second step which is cleansing your face again but with a cream cleanser to actually cleanse your skin. Caroline recommends to massage a cream cleanser into your skin for a good few minutes and I believe she has a post on how to massage your face properly.

“If you’ve spent time putting it on, then take time taking it off”

-         Caroline Hirons

       My initial thoughts about this product was ‘what a flipping great idea’ I’m surprised that no one thought of doing a double cleanser in one tub before?! Genius. The packaging is absolutely beautiful. The plastic tub feels sturdy yet not too heavy and the design is simple yet tells you exactly what the product is all about from the first glance. Inside the tub contains two separate compartments: one for the oil cleanser and then one for the cream cleanser. Both sides contain 50ml of product each. I immediately noticed how this product doesn’t have any scent to it, which is perfect for me as I suffer with sensitive skin. Too much fragrance can actually break me out more and my skin can become very irritated. The product claims to be suitable for ALL skin types which is great!

The solid cleansing oil instantly melted into my fingers from the warmth of my hands, making it easier to apply to my skin. I massaged this into my dry, makeup caked face and simply watched the magic happen as it dissolved and melted all of my makeup away within seconds. I’m talking the stubborn mascara, the matte liquid lipstick and those layers of foundation, cream contour and powder – literally the whole ‘shebang’. I mean, I looked ridiculous afterwards with all this melted makeup on my face but after rinsing it away with a cloth and some warm water, my skin felt tremendously soft. Moving onto the cleansing cream side of things, this was definitely my favourite part mainly because I prefer using creams rather than oil cleansers. Whilst massaging this cream into my skin, it felt very luxurious and silky smooth. I like to massage it into my skin for a good few minutes so that the product has enough time to sink into my skin before rinsing away.

I can honestly say that my skin has never felt so soft and clean in its entire 20 years of life. The cream didn’t leave any leftover residue on my skin and I felt like I didn’t need to moisturise afterwards because my skin already felt super hydrated. I believe having a good skincare regime helps massively with how your makeup applies and looks on the skin, I would 100% recommend everyone to try out double cleansing at least once in their lifetime and see how it works out. I am certainly never going to stop it.

This product retails for £24 online at Cult Beauty or in stores at Marks and Spencer.

Have you tried out this product yet?

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My Current Go-To Makeup Removers

Back in the day I was a disgusting little human and never took my makeup off before bed. I would apply makeup before school, sleep with it on and apply more over the top the next morning. I know, I’m cringing at the thought of it too. Nowadays I cannot go a day without taking my makeup off at the end of the day (except for those nights where I go out clubbing and completely forget to oops). I switch and change when it comes to makeup removers, there’s so many different ones out there on the markets now, and I just love trying a bunch out. I have rounded up a few of my go-to makeup removers that I’ve been reaching for more often recently.

GARNIER SKIN ACTIVE MICELLER CLEANSING WATER

I have never been a great fan of makeup wipes and I tend to stick to the micellar waters/oil based cleansers as I feel they are much gentler for my sensitive skin. Garnier have a massive selection of Micellar Waters available in Boots and Superdrug, I can say that I have tried every single one from the collection and I love them all. I mainly go for the oil infused micellar water however if I’m honest, it wasn’t in my local shops so I just picked this one up instead. It works just as well as the others and it leaves your skin feeling hydrated and free from any makeup residue.

SIMPLE KIND TO SKIN HYDRATING CLEANSING OIL

For someone who has normal to dry skin, I like to use products that will help to hydrate my dry patches. Oil based cleansers have been one of my favourites to use on those days where my skin needs a bit of a ‘pick me up’. Before trying this cleanser, I was very skeptical about it as I thought it was just going to leave me looking like a huge greasy mess but I was wrong. Once you rinse this off, your skin is left feeling soft, smooth and hydrated without any greasy residue left. It breaks down and dissolves your makeup nicely and it’s gentle to use on and around your eye area.

CLINIQUE TAKE THE DAY OFF CLEANSING MILK

Clinique have always been one of my favourite high end skincare brands. I tend to get a fair few of allergic reactions when trying out some new products however this has never happened with a Clinique product. This product is a gentle, milky cleanser which can be used with or without water to dissolve makeup. I would say that I don’t like using this for removing eye makeup as such because it doesn’t seem to get rid of that stubborn mascara very well. For face makeup though? Works like a dream. Massaging this over dry skin gives and rinsing off with warm water gives the best results.

GARNIER MICELLAR CLEANSING GEL WASH

Can you tell I love Garnier skincare? This was a recent purchase of mine and when I say recent, I mean I bought it 2 days ago however I feel like it needs to have its own little mention as I adore this product. It’s basically the exact same as the original micellar water but in a gel wash form and I actually think it works a lot better when it comes down to removing makeup. I have been using this for the past two days since I bought it, and so far it hasn’t broke me out which is always a good sign. I cannot explain how easy and quick it is to take my makeup off with this. It dissolved my makeup within seconds and rinsed off easily with warm water. The one thing I would say is that it stung my eyes a tad but I think that was purely down to the fact I used way too much. I felt like there was no need to moisturise afterwards either as it left me with the perfect amount of hydration for my skin.

What are your favourite makeup removers?

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All Time Favourite Shows on Netflix

There's nothing I like doing more than chilling out and binge watching some good Netflix shows. When I'm not working or going out for the day, I pretty much spend the majority of my time in bed with a cup of tea and my laptop. Life goals. Here are some of my all-time favourite shows to binge watch on Netflix… 

Pretty Little Liars
I'm sure everyone and their mother has seen this show by now. If not, where have you been? Without giving anything away, the show is based around 5 best friends who have coped with anonymous texts and unsuspected deaths. “A” watches there every move and continues to mentally torture the girls. This is one of those shows that always seems to make you want more especially seeing as each episode seems to end on a cliff-hanger. 

Black Mirror
I have only recently just started watching this and I am becoming slightly obsessed. This is a British science fiction series created by the talented Charlie Brooker (who is just an absolute genius). ‘The show is centred around dark themes that examine modern society, particularly with regard to the unanticipated consequences of new technologies’ I literally had to quote that off of the internet as I had no idea how to describe this show, it's so unique and it's one of those shows that you have to watch for yourself to understand. It doesn't matter what order you watch it in, as each episode is a completely different storyline with different actors. Some of my favourite episodes are: Playtest, Shut up And Dance and White Bear. 

Series of Unfortunate Events 
I am a massive fan of the film starring Jim Carey therefore when I found out late last year that they were realising a Netflix show to this, I was buzzing. The film only showed 3 out of the 13 novels, however the first season to this show adapts the first four books of the series. I have seen whilst browsing through social media and the internet in general that the second season will adapt books five through nine of the novel series and then the third season is adapting the rest. The show is based on the Baudelaire children whose parents were mysteriously killed in a fire. They are placed into the care of Count Olaf (played by Neil Patrick Harris) an actor who is determined to claim the family fortune all for himself. The children set out to uncover the mystery behind a secret society from their parents past.

Stranger Things
I'm not usually a huge fan of sci-fi shows or movies therefore I put off watching this for a while. After hearing a bunch of good reviews I thought I'd give it a chance and I'm so glad that I did. It's based in a small Indiana town set in the year 1983 - when Joyce’s 12 year old son, Will goes missing, she launches a investigation into his disappearance, they started to unravel a series of extraordinary mysteries involving secret government experiments and a unusual little girl. This show is very gripping and a bit scary at some points. I am a bit of a wimp though. 

So… I am always on the lookout for more Netflix shows. These are just a few of my all-time favourite shows that I always go back to and I can binge watch over & over again. 

What are your favourite Netflix shows?

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Milani Conceal + Perfect Foundation Review

 I’m pretty sure I’m a bit late to join the hype when it comes down to this foundation. Everybody has been raving about it so I finally decided to pick one up for myself. I’ve been using this Milani Conceal + Perfect 2 in 1 Foundation and Concealer (that’s a mouthful) for about a week or so as my daily foundation. I like trying out new foundations however I always seem to go back to my trusty Bourjois Healthy Mix as I feel as if nothing can ever beat that in my opinion.

When choosing a shade I must admit, I was pretty disappointed as the selection was minimal. I’m as pale as anything so I immediately went straight for 01 Creamy Vanilla which is the lightest shade however it’s still too dark for my skin. Slightly annoying. I found myself having to blend the foundation down the whole of my neck and even on the top of my chest to make sure it matched. It didn’t help that the product immediately oxidizes on my skin, which made me look even darker. That being said, I still managed to work with it and I found that once my concealer and powder are applied over the tip, it doesn’t look too bad.

The consistency threw me off a bit at first as I didn’t expect it to be so thick. I used one & a half pumps and I found that to be the perfect amount to cover my whole face with. It blended out nicely and didn’t feel too heavy on my skin which was something I was worrying about considering it’s a thick, full coverage product. It managed to cover any little blemish and redness that I had and it gave me a flawless satin finish. The foundation lasted on my skin throughout the whole day without any fading however I found that it had the tendency to cling onto some of my dry patches around my nose and mount, there I’d recommend using a good moisturiser and a hydrating primer before application.

I haven’t used this as a under eye concealer just because I feel like it’ll be too thick around my eyes  will most likely create creasing. I’ll just stick to the foundation side of things! The foundation retails for £11 and you can purchase it on Beauty Bay. I honestly do like this foundation and I would re-purchase again in the future however I would love to see Milani expand on their foundation shades.  

Have you tried this foundation yet?