Barry M Nail Polish

I am IN LOVE with Barry M Nail Polish since I discovered it last summer (yes..it took me that long to discover these great polishes). I have to admit, I'm not an avid nail painter because I almost never have the time to bother to look after my nails. Luckily, my nails are very healthy by themselves and don't need much maintenance. However, in the summer painting my nails is a must to match my bright fashion pieces. In winter, I only use nail polish for special occasions. As you can guess, my summer nail polish collection is much larger.

Anyway, I'm waffling! Let's get to the business of these amazing nail polishes. First of all, these are SUPER cheap at only £2.99 for the normal polish, to £3.99 for the gelly, matte, glitter etc. Because I don't paint my nails too much, I don't want to spend ridiculous amounts on nail paint. Besides, I'd rather save that money for clothes!! Being so cheap, I've also built up a nice nail collection which suits my needs. If you too are not overly crazy about nails but would like something to match your outfit, I'd definitely recommend these affordable nail paints. 

Although these nail polishes are cheap, they are not of very poor quality. They stay on my nails for at least 3 DAYS, which is remarkable seeing as I'm always fiddling, trying to find my favourite pen in my pencil case. When I'm not at school, the colour stays on a lot longer. Most of the nail paints need at least TWO coats, with the lighter colours needing THREE. However, and this is really impressive, the gelly nails only need ONE coats. I was amazed when I first tried it!

If I am to be constructive, the nail polished can take some time to dry, but this isn't a painful wait. I also don't think the 'gelly' collection offers a high shine any more than their normal range. However, you only need one coat so hey! Plus, you wouldn't want to miss out on the great colour range. 

Here is a list of my collection, displayed in the order seen in the picture:

Lemon

Strawberry

Mint Green

Elderberry 'Gelly'

Blueberry

Berry

Bright Pink

Cyan Blue

Coral

Amethyst 'Glitter'
-with elderberry 'gelly' undercoat

I overly recommend you buying some summer shades this season. Barry M have so many more shades than the ones I've listed. But be warned, you will get addicted and keep buying more. I definitely did not plan owning all these shades! Enjoy ^.^

Tangled iPhone Case

I ordered a beautiful iPhone case from eBay the other day. Tangled is my favourite Disney movie so I really wanted something personal, other than the movie itself. 

The image of the case is of my favourite scene from the movie; when Rapunzel and Eugene are on the boat together, watching the lanterns in the sky. 

The colours are beautiful with deep purple, blue and pink, with lanterns glittering on the lake. The actual case itself looks far more beautiful than this picture can reveal.

This is my favourite case I've ever had and I know I'll have it for a very long time. ^.^ 

YouTube

YouTube is definitely a necessary for me in my daily life and I can't go a day without watching any sort of vlog. YouTube has great beauty tips, but my favourite thing about it are the vlogs. These are peoples' genuine daily lives and they are just so interesting to watch. I've just had to dedicate a blog post talking about my favourite YouTubers and why I love them so much..so here we gooo:

1- WatchUsLiveAndStuff: My favourite YouTube channel without a doubt! Anthony and Kalel are my favourite couple in the world and just really funny. These guys vlog about their wacky, daily lives and they get into so much fun. They both share similar personalities to me (video games, disney, Japan, anime) that how could I not love them?! They are so fun to watch and they have a true love for their audience. I would literally do anything to be friends with these guys..sell my soul to the devil (Black Butler?!)

2- Frilly + Fancy: Kalel has to personally be included in this list too. She has just started another YouTube channel with all the stuff that we both love. There's only a few videos but they're all rich and sweet in content. She also inspired to start this very blog.

3- SACCONEJOLYs: Another vlog channel by a cute Irish family. These guys really show you what's the most important things in life; family. Their daughter Emilia is the sweetest little child and they've also just has a cute little baby boy names Eduardo. They never fail to make you laugh, especially with six maltese puppies around.

4- essiebutton: A beauty blogger who knows her stuff! This girl has made me and my Mum buy so much stuff and visit so many places, it's crazy! She always looks flawless and her tutorials are extremely helpful. She also has a vlog channel which has inspired me to move to London for university. There seems to be so many endless opportunities.

5- grav3yardgirl: A beauty blogger with a difference and possibly one the funniest YouTuber you'll come across. You'll never fail to laugh when watching one of her videos. She does so many interesting stuff for her audience, including 'following me arounds' and testing products seen on TV. She is the first person that got me interested in YouTube, so she just has to be included in this list.

6- CutiePieMarzia: Another YouTuber who has similar interests to me which is why I adore her videos. She is so light hearted and sweet. All her videos are very pretty and girly and I adore her sense of style.

This was really hard to compile in just a few YouTube channels when I am subscribed to so many. Most of these channels are ones which I have followed from the start and inspire me in everyday life. Of course there are many more wonderful channels out there, and some I still have yet to venture upon. I would love to get involved in YouTube one day and hope I can gain the courage to do so. ^.^ 

Beauty Review: Soap & Glory Orangeasm Body Wash

Your rushed morning shower or the relaxed evening shower..either way you want a body wash that smells luxurious and feels good. Soup & Glory's new body wash does both, whatever time of day you take your shower. 

This body wash has a zesty smell of oranges, but is not overwhelming that it makes you squint >.< your eyes and run away (though, that's probably just me!). I personally do not citrus smells, but this is so subtle that I guarantee anyone will like it. 

This body wash is very moisturising, and I honestly feel no need to moisturise my body after my shower. My skin still feels perfectly smooth from this morning's rushed shower. The label doesn't lie when it says this body wash has "skin softening, moisture boosting properties".

The bottle is HUGE and lasts for ever..at just £6.50, this product is a steal. The packaging is also pretty cute and that's a clever play on words. You should definitely treat yourself to this body wash next time you're out shopping. ^.^

Univerisity Open Days: Royal Holloway

This is the first of a mini series featuring my visits to universities. I apply to university this September and I'm both super scared and super excited. I would like to study Politics and International Relations because it is so relevant to the world and offers a huge impact on what happens wherever one lives. You may find this blog post useful if you aren't able to attend an open day yourself or if you're just generally interested.

As soon as I set my eyes on this university, I instantly fell in love. The Founder's building is so beautiful and just what you would expect from your traditional university. The building itself was built by Thomas Hollaway, and it was the UK's first higher education college for women. The building is set in two quads, both with statues in the middle; one of Queen Victoria (who allowed the use of 'Royal' in its name) and of Thomas Holloway and his wife. It seems like the perfect place to hang out in the summer with your friends.

The accommodation is lovely and I can easily see myself living there. You can stay in the Founder's building, or my personal favourite, the more modern Gower and Wedderburn. This accommodation has eight flats in each floor with a shared kitchen, which looked very sociable. There is more accommodation available but these are the ones that stood out to me the most.

All the student ambassadors were very friendly and genuinely interested in your aspirations and passions. They were also very insightful on the 'Study Abroad' option, which I hope to take part in. One of the best features of Royal Holloway was their careers advice which they emphasised all throughout the day. I'm not thinking much about my job prospects at the moment (though I have a rough idea of what I would like to pursue), but it's great to know they will offer me specialist advice.

The Politics and International Relations talk was very inspiring. It made me want to find out more, read more and know more about this subject. The teacher was so passionate about his subject that it reflected back on you. He didn't feel like his job was work because he loved it so much. I just think you can't get a better teacher and lecturer who's just passionate for their subject. The department seems very committed to their students, so what more can you ask for? 

I still have many more universities to visit, but I know Royal Holloway will remain at the top of the list, if not the firm favourite. I really didn't want to leave because it felt like the perfect place to study. It also has a great reputation and remains consistently high in the league tables.

#OOTD - For my visit I wanted to wear something presentable, but also comfortable. This outfit was perfect for the hot weather but also quite cute. Apologies for my dull face, as you can tell I was very tired after the day!!

Top: River Island

Skirt: Hollister

Vest: Marks & Spencer

Cardigan: Banana Republic

Belt: Tommy Hilfiger (came as part of a skirt)

I hope you look forward to the posts on the rest of my university visits! ^.^

Onigiri

Onigiri are Japanese rice balls, a substitute to the Western sandwich. They are the white blobs you always see anime characters eating, and sometimes decorated elaborately. You only have to search 'onigiri' on Pinterest to bestow yourself in an array of cute onigiri. Although these images look like a recipe for disaster for amateur cooks, you can easily make simple, tasty onigiri yourself. Here is my personal recipe to making scrumptious onigiri:

Ingredients:

- Haruka/Sushi Rice
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Seaweed
- Fillings (tuna, mayonnaise, salmon)
- Soy Sauce

1. Place 500g of rice in 750ml of water in a saucepan. Then, leave the water to boil on a high temperature and then turn the heat down to a low simmer. Wait till all the water is fully absorbed by the rice before turning the oven off and leaving to stand.

2. It is very important to leave your rice stand for at least 30 minutes. This will make sure you don't burn yourself, as I did in the process of moulding the rice balls (oopsie!) Add 2-3 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and mix with a wooden spoon in the meantime.

3. Whilst leaving to stand, you can make your fillings. To make the tuna mayonnaise filling simply add 2-3 tablespoons to a bowl of tuna - of course after emptying the tuna from its can and draining it from the oil - and mix together. You can do the same with the salmon. You can also experiment with various other fillings!

4. After the rice has cooled, take some rice and mould this flat into a circle or triangle (whatever your preference). Make sure you have a bowl of water next to you because wet hands help in the process of moulding.

5. Add the filling to the middle of the mould. Get some more rice and place this on top. Secure the rice ball by rolling it between your hands. You can then shape this back into a triangle.

6. You can simply leave your onigiri as need be or add some decoration. You can cut a strip of seaweed and place in the middle of your onigiri all the way round - this can act as somewhere to grip your rice ball whilst eating. If you're feeling creative you can make faces! Cut various strips into eyes and mouths and place on your onigiri. I also cut small pieces of ham to make cute blushed cheeks for mine.

7. You're all finished and ready to eat your onigiri. Dip into soy sauce for extra pleasure :D

I am not Japanese but incorporated this recipe from different sites and knowledge from my local oriental store. There are more traditional ways to make your onigiri and this recipe is just to get you started.

Cooking food from different cultures can really broaden your horizons and helps you learn extra facts along the way. I've been immersed in the Japanese culture for a very long time and I enjoy all their food and learning to cook it myself.  Don't be afraid of trying something new to cook, even if it's from a different culture, you'll enjoy the end result and progress regardless. ^.^

Pokémon League Champion

I finished Pokémon X and enjoyed the gameplay very much. The game is graphically amazing and exceeds the boundaries. It has definitely been the best 3D game experienced on my console. 

I did buy this game on release day but it has taken me a while to complete it due to my other responsibilities. However, I'm proud to say I am now finished, even though it has taken this long. 

I believe this is one of Pokémon's best in-game stories. I thought it was very beautiful and touching. I'm going admit that I did start tearing up at the end. 

One disadvantage however, even though it did take me a while to complete it, is that I thought the gameplay itself was very easy and didn't offer much of a challenge. I believe I only lost 1-3 battles during the course and the legendary pokémon was far too easy to capture. It only took me one shot, whereas in previous games I found myself restarting the game and using many pokéballs. Fortunately, the elite four was a bit of a challenge and their battles were graphically impressive. 

It's sad to see an end to another Pokémon game, but now we can look forward to the next one; Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby. ^.^

Beauty Review: The Body Shop Body Mists

We all like to pamper ourselves and smell nice and these The Body Shop body mists definitely do the trick. I own three of these sweet-smelling scents because I cannot resist. They're great value for money at just £7.50 each and are 100ml each. 

Madagascan Vanilla Flower: This is the strongest smell out of all three of the body mists I own. It's very sweet which is why I only use it on bright summer days. However, it has also got this slight musky scent after spraying which works really well. I love the packaging because it has got a cute little giraffe.

Amazonian Wild Lily: This is such a nice, fresh scent which makes you feel so good after coming out of the shower. The fragrance is so light so it can easily pair up well with your favourite body butter or moisturiser. Lily fragrances are one of my favourite scents because they're so fresh and have that ever so slight sweetness to them. This is my most used body mist because it's just so simple, and sometimes simple is just what you need. 

White Musk Smoky Rose: This is my favourite body mist because it pairs up a beautiful musky scent with the slight sweetness of rose. I usually wear this before I get ready when going out for something special. The white musk scent is my favourite range from The Body Shop because I do prefer a musky smell compared to a sweet one. I feel this scent is tailored more towards my personality and goes perfect with my favourite perfume: L.I.L.Y by Stella McCartney. The packaging is a deep, rich purple colour which is just telling you it's perfect for special occasions.

The Amazonian and Madagascan body mists are made with natural and organic ingredients, adding to their freshness. All products are cruelty free, so you're safe knowing no animals were harmed in the making. ^.^

Easy Way to Control Your Curls

Kérastase Oléo-Curl. I cannot stop raving about this product to everyone I know. This is a miracle worker sent from the heavens.

My natural curly hair can tend to get quite frizzy, turning my curls lifeless. The bottle is labelled as a curl definition cream, but they're totally underrating themselves. 

This miracle cream gets rid of your frizz and leaves your hair so fresh and shiny, without looking oily or greasy. It also defines each curl and makes sure they aren't clumped together. I feel so confident with my curly hair now that I don't even need to bother to straighten it anymore. 

The best thing about this product is that I can apply it at the roots (where I suffer from the most frizz) and it doesn't turn oily in the slightest, or needs an earlier wash.

This cream can be applied straight after your hair wash (I combine it with moroccanoil), and I also apply it further once a day, in the mornings or evenings..whenever I feel it needs a perk up. Honestly, it works in an instant.

 

I am so thankful to have came across this product, at a decent price as well. I strongly recommend it to anyone who wants to tame their curls! ^.^ 

What's On My Desk

My desk needed a good tidying up after finishing my exams. I thought I'd dedicate this blog post to everything that's on my desk

I'll first start up with my little friends that help me through my studies. As you can see I have cute little rainbow lamb. This was an Easter present from my grandparents when I was about 5 years old and I just love him so much. He's gone a bit grey over the years but he's still great company. I also have a cute little tortoise with glasses. I bought this myself when on holiday to Malta and he just gives me the wise vibes (sorry what?!). Anyway, my Mum also has a similar large one, but instead it sports a hat instead of these top range glasses. 

I've also got some cute cat clips which hold the photo of my grandma and great-grandmother. My friend recently went to Japan and got me this cute pink origami peace dove. The people that survived the horrific atomic bombing make these origami to promote peace. After the tragic incident that happened there during World War II, it is incredible to know that they carry on striving for peace. I can't help but wonder the story of the person who made my origami. I would really love to visit Nagasaki myself one day to witness the horror but also the hope in people's faces. 

I love my mug which holds the gulp of my stationary supplies. It is a red dragon which I bought from Wales, sporting the dragon of the Welsh flag. Inside I have two rulers (because one just isn't enough), two pens (including an adorable Rilakkuma bear), a fluffy sheep pencil, scissors and quite a few highlighters. I love highlighters because I just need some colour to brighten up my revision notes. 

I also own a little green storage container from Hawaii. My auntie bought this for me from Hawaii and it comes in very useful. Inside I store some paint tubes of various colours. In the outside pockets I have even more highlighters, some cool tinc felt-tip pens which I never use, paintbrushes, and some artificial flowers. 

Scattered across my desk include some boring stationary supplies which include: a rubber, stapler, hole-punch, correcting fluid, a box of pins, another box of clips to keep my separate revision cards in place, revision/index cards, post-it notes and of course my laptop. I do have a lava lamp, but sadly I need to replace the bulb..so that doesn't work at the moment.  I also have some super cute tissues my Mum got me from London which I have never opened, and probably never will. Last but not least, my roll of stabilo pens. These are great! The colours are beautiful and some are very unique. They're perfect for note taking and brighten up any gloomy revision day. I definitely recommend these to anyone who loves stationary. 

In the picture you have probably notices my wall. Yep, that big, colourful wacky thing. I like to brighten up the ambiance with this collection of keep-sakes. Each postcard, or whatever else I can stick on this wall, tells its own story. I call it the inspiration wall because I often just daze into it, recalling ideas and new challenges. It is possibly my favourite thing about my room because it's very personal to me. I do hope to fill the entire wall someday, but we'll see how that will turn out. ^.^ 

 

Summer Lovin'

I love this new dress I bought from Oasis. I feel like an anime character wearing this dress because it's super cute. The colours are beautiful and the floral patterns are very detailed, adding to the amazing quality. The material is quite thick, perfect for the British weather. This dress is really comfortable and I believe it really suits my style. ^.^

Hades

I feel this year is all about Disney Villains with the release of Malificent and the new limited edition Disney Villain artwork. To me,this is the perfect excuse to go buy another Disney movie to help complete my collection. The one Disney classics film from the artwork collection I haven't got is Hercules; perfect for me because Hades is one of my favourite Disney villains. 

I have got to admit, when I was younger this movie didn't appeal to me as much as the other Disney movies. However, now I'm older I can see the true marvel of this fantastic movie. The songs are catchy (they'll be stuck in your head for days on end) and the movie is very funny. Since taking A level Classical Civilisation, and visiting Greece myself, I am now able to get all the jokes which seemed oblivious to me as a six year old. My favourite definitely happen to be the Jason and the Trojan Horse references. The movie also has a great moral to it, telling its audience to never give up hope and to keep striving for the best. 

But now, here are five reasons why I love Hades and why he makes an awesome villian:

1. He is very, very funny

2. He knows when it is time to have a nice sit back and relax. After all, he has been working pretty hard for 18 years trying to take over the whole planet.

3. He is very realistic. Do you recall the conversation he had with Meg about guys..yep xD

4. He kept to his word, even though he didn't intentionally mean to do so

5. His hair is made out of fire (is this a good enough reason? I do love his hair though)

The new Disney sleeves are very nice and the Hades one happens to have his demonic eyes glaring at you at certain angles. All Disney Villain sleeves have a green background and the Disney Villains logo at the bottom. The case inside the sleeve is the normal edition of movie so you get the best of both worlds. ^.^ 

File Storage

Exams are done and dusted (phew!) and I've packed all my AS level papers away. However, I needed a handy file storage to store the ridiculous amount of paper I owned. Throwing them away wasn't an option because they could come in useful one day as a reference. So I decided this was the time to visit my favourite stationary shop: Paperchase

I adore this store because of its ambiance of bright colours and cute illustrations. Most of my stationary antics already come from this store, so I knew they would have exactly what I need. I came across this beautiful fabric parrot themed storage holder, which would be perfect to store my sheets of paper. It's very colourful (perfect for my room) with the main colour scheme being a dark pink. I love the parrots because they make this storage so unique. 

Apart from being super stylish, this storage holder holds an impressive amount. It is 17cm in depth and holds A4 sheets nice and snug. However, what I found most surprising is that my school work filled the ENTIRE storage holder. I had no idea how much paper I had altogether because I stored them in separate folders throughout the year. I'm glad I went for this larger option than the other smaller storage options they also had in store (though not of the same design).

This storage holder is perfect for anyone who likes to keep their office or bedroom space tidy, but also loves a bit of colour. You can also experiment with it because it can be used for multiple things, such as a bin. The website even advertises it as a magazine holder. Fortunately, the price for this storage holder isn't too high for its quality at £12.00 and I also got a discount because I'm student. Nice! ^.^