New Purchase: Pastel Nail Varnish!

Hello and welcome back! This is a shorter post to talk about two new nail varnishes which I've been loving! I was going through my nail varnish collection and realised that I didn't have many bright colours and had no pastel colours at all. One shade which I did have was Cyan Blue by Barry M (an amazing bright blue) which made me add a pastel blue to my collection.

Linked below // £2.99

Surprise, surprise I ended up with two shades rather than the one I went for, however I am very happy with the colours I got and would recommend them heavily! They’re both from the Rimmel London collection by Rita Ora and are both shades named after music festivals; Peachella and Bestival Blue. Peachella is a really easy to wear peach which is nice and summery without being too imposing if you worry about your nails clashing with your outfit. Bestival Blue is similar to a light cornflower blue shade and looks super pretty for spring/summer. Both lasted really well on my nails (I have short nails so they don’t chip as easily and had on this top coat/base coat) and were opaque with two coats.

I hope you enjoyed this post, feel free to comment below with your favourite summer nail varnishes! New posts go up on Sundays!

Stay Golden, Gracie xo

Eye Makeup Trilogy: Brows!

Hello and welcome back! This week is the third and final post in the eye make-up trilogy I've been doing and that means its brows time! I don’t do a great deal to my brows in the summer as I prefer and overall more natural look, however depending upon what I'm doing I switch between products. My brows are naturally in shape and require little maintenance, however they’re sparse through the arch which is where I focus on if I'm doing a fuller brow look. For more info, keep on reading!

£3.99 // £2.99 // £4.95

For a natural look - I go for the Rimmel Brow This Way tinted brow gel, this is really great to give some more colour and definition quickly and easily!

For a fuller look - I use a brow pencil, this one by Rimmel is a really great colour for me and lets me fill in my brows in the areas they're sparse without looking too drawn on

For a dramatic brow - I use the w7 brow twister, this is in the same style packaging and texture as the Anastasia Beverly Hills brow wiz but for a fraction of the price, this creates a full and more dramatic look and I use it on days when I'm feeling more brave with my brows!

I also use a clear brow gel/clear mascara to set my brows when I've used a pencil/brow twister, however mine has run out at the moment

I hope you liked my little trilogy! I use highstreet/drugstore products as they suit my student budget, let me know if you have any favourite eye make-up products you'd recommend! 

Stay Golden, Gracie xo

March Skincare Favourites

Hi all, welcome back! This week I wanted to share with you some constant skin care favourites which I have been using throughout March and which I have been loving! Some are new products and others are old favourites

These first two products are ones I have been using on and off since January (I've done a blog post on the body lotion here) however I really got into them in March. It’s been unseasonably warm recently which led to me being very pale and unprepared and getting slight sunburn on my shoulders, the Sanctuary body lotion really helped with this, not only does it smell lovely but it’s super lightweight and moisturising which helped with the sore skin 100%! The hand cream from Vaseline is one that I have again been using loads recently to keep my eczema at bay, it smells lovely and soaks quickly into the skin.

The next three products I have been using are face products, starting with these Simple Kind to Skin brightening face wipes. I use these on days when I've not been wearing make-up to clean my face before bed, they make my skin feel clean and are super sensitive. Next up is the Q10 face cream from Aldi, this is a really nice face cream which isn't too thick or thin and it also has SPF 15. Finally, my holy grail lip balm which is Vaseline, this is such a multi-purpose product and this conditioning version is especially great to heal your lips if you share my terrible habit of biting them!

I hope you liked my skin care favourites, check back next week for a new post!

Stay golden! Gracie xo

New Hair Products!

Hello all and welcome back! Today my post is going to be about some new hair products which I've bought recently and have been trying out.

I have used all of these 3/4 times so this is a first impressions type post which I hope is useful to some of you!

Working from left to right, the first product I have been trying out is the Colab dry shampoo in the scent London- I have done a haul which talked more about the product which you can read here. This scent is a really nice mix of more floral tones with a musk background which means that it's not too overpowering to use on your hair but gives a nice scent for while you're styling your hair. I like to use this when my hair is straight to add volume at the roots and make my hair less flat, a bonus of doing this with a dry shampoo is that of course it removes any signs of grease or build up too! This is the best dry shampoo I've used and is a really great price too.

The next product I've been using is the Garnier Fructis Style my curl perfecting mousse, the one I picked up is ultra strong and is 4/6 when it comes to hold. I've never used a mousse before on my hair but the more I started wearing my hair curly the more I learnt about styling curly hair and all the blogs I read said that a mousse was the way to go. This one I picked up from Superdrug not long ago and it's already made me into a mousse convert! I scrunch this into damp hair while my head is upside down which adds loads of volume at the roots where my hair is usually flat. After that I usually leave it to air dry or use a diffuser if I want it dry quickly. The only issue I have with this is the high amount of hold can make my hair feel slightly crunchy, so next time I would get a softer hold, but apart from that, it defines my curls and keeps them in shape for longer!

The third product is one which I've been wanting to try for ages and that's a cleansing conditioner! This one is Palmer's Olive Oil formula cleansing conditioner and is enriched with vitamin E and doesn't have the sulphates or parabens which are usually in shampoo and conditioner. The idea of a cleansing conditioner is that it cleans your hair without stripping it of natural oils and drying it out. This is an ideal way of washing your hair if it's naturally curly or gets dry easily. So far I'm really pleased with the results of using this product, my hair feels as clean as when I do both shampoo and conditioner but it takes less time and leaves my hair feeling softer and less dehydrated.

The final hair product I've been testing out is the L'Oreal Paris studio line salt spray, this has a rating of 4/10 in terms of how textured it will make your hair look which is perfect to add a tousled vibe to my hair when I want it to be a bit more gritty. I also like braiding sections of my hair and find that this is great to make the hair less clean and therefore makes the braids look better than when it's freshly washed. This was a really inexpensive product and is similar in some ways to the VO5 give me texture spray I used to swear by. The only difference being is that this is definitely more of a wet spray than the VO5 which was more like a mist. However, the little bottle it comes in barely takes up and room and could be put in your handbag easily if you like to add more texture throughout the day.

I hope you've enjoyed my mini reviews of the new hair products I've been trying out throughout the month of February and I hope you have found them useful! I hope you have a good week and stay golden!

Gracie xo 

Tea time!

Hello all, welcome back! I have a confession. I love tea, and recently my tea collection has been growing and growing and so I thought that it's long past time to share!

I currently have five types of tea in my room at uni (they no longer fit in the cupboard with my food) and they all have different health benefits, so I thought I would share with you which teas I have and what they're supposed to be good for. 

First things first, I don't like fruit tea. I'm not really sure why but I've tried many and disliked them all! Because of this I stick to more herbal teas, I also like sweet tea, and therefore add a squeeze of honey to sweeten them (bottom right, from Aldi).

The first tea on the top left is Peppermint and is from Tesco (20 tea bags for  75p). I normally dislike peppermint, this is because it is a trigger for migraines and nausea in me (unusual as mint is supposed to help with that!), therefore I tend to avoid it, but as I'm getting older I'm becoming more able to have stronger peppermint flavours and have really gotten into this tea in particular. Peppermint tea is supposed to aid with digestion, help with migraines and nausea (!) and help clear your skin.

The next tea in the middle on the top is jasmine green tea (from Aldi), I really love this and usually drink it in the morning, I find plain green tea slightly too bitter and therefore opt for jasmine green tea. This really makes me feel more awake and gets my morning off to a great start, everyone knows green tea is supposed to have loads of health benefits such as helping to boost your metabolism which aids in weight loss and reducing blood pressure. Jasmine tea is also known for helping with weight loss and relieving anxiety. 

The next tea is Twingings Everyday tea, this is a classic black tea which can have milk added to it or left plain and flavoured with lemon or honey. I either drink this with honey or with milk and two sugars! Black tea (without milk) is super good for you and improves your heart health and can also help your brain and nervous system.

The final two teas I drink are a combination of plants and flowers with the aim of helping a certain issue. The first is the Dr Stuart skin purify tea available from Holland and Barrett . This tea is a combination of red clover, dandelion and nettle which aims to help improve and clear your skin. I love the flavour of this tea and also love that it is caffeine free! I've been trying to cut down on my caffeine lately and therefore love this as a caffeine free alternative. The final tea is the Twinings sleep tea, this is a blend of flavours (camomile, lavender and vanilla) which are known for helping you relax and wind down in order to get a better nights sleep!

I hope you have enjoyed this post, if you have any tea recommendations for me, please comment below! I'm always looking to try out new flavours.

Have a good week, stay golden!

Gracie xo

How I style my hair... curly and straight!

Hello all, welcome back!

This week I wanted to share with you the two ways in which I style my hair; curly and straight. I had previously done a blog about my hair in October, however I wanted to replace that one with this, to add more detail and information on my styling routine. 

My hair is long, thick, frizzy, naturally curly and also stubborn! It dries out easily and therefore I always use products to protect it when I'm using heat, as well as using a curly cream/spray and a straightening spray to help keep the frizz and natural madness at bay!

80p each, ASDA

To start off I wash my hair every 3/4 days (curly hair tends to get greasier slower, usually mine can last a day longer). My hair doesn't get greasy very quickly at all, when I do wash it I vary on my shampoo/conditioner brands. At the moment I am using the Alberto Balsam mandarin shampoo and conditioner. These are great all round and leave your hair clean, moisturised and smelling great!

L-R: Boots, £6.99 // unknown

Curly hair first!

After washing my hair I brush it to remove any knots and apply argan oil to the ends. After doing this I do 5-8 sprays of the John Frieda Frizz Ease Go Curlier 48 hour curls throughout my hair and run my fingers through to spread the product. If I am going to let my hair air dry then I leave it here, if I'm using my hair dryer I'll apply a heat defence spray too. I diffuse my hair on a low setting so I don't use a lot of heat defence but I apply it to the ends to protect them from splitting and drying out. 

Hair dryer: Argos, £17.99

The brush I use is just a regular hair brush from my local chemist. The hair dryer is the Babyliss Curl and Dry 2100W. This is a great hair dryer and has speed and heat settings so you can control all aspects of your hair styling.

L-R: TRESemme, Tesco, £3.50// 3 day straight, Boots, £6.99// unknown

To straighten my hair I wash it in the same way and then apply argan oil throughout. Next I use the John Frieda Frizz Ease 3 day straight and spray liberally throughout my hair making sure it's distributed evenly.

Finally I use the TRESemme Heat Defence styling spray to protect my hair, concentrating on the ends.

Top-bottom: GHD's, £125, GHD.com// Haird dryer, Argos, £17.99// comb, poundland//
round brush, Boots, £9.99 

To straighten my hair and get it as smooth as possible I first use a widetooth comb to make sure there are no knots left in. After this, I rough dry my hair with no nozzle attached to get it to being damp. I now attach the nozzle and - starting at the front - use my Remington Keratin therapy round brush to blow dry it smooth. I am no expert at this and practice definitely makes perfect! After getting it thoroughly dried out and as smooth as I can I switch my hair dryer to its cold setting and blow my hair in a downward motion, this helps it keep its straightness. After this I use my GHD V gold max stylers to straighten it out, again in sections and starting at the front as this is where I have stubborn flicks and frizzy sections!

This is my final hair routine! It can take a long time to do, especially the straightening, however I love both finished looks. If I want to give my hair a break or just can't be bothered with using lots of product and heat, then I usually use a hair mask to deep condition it and then let my hair air dry or sleep with it in plaits/ a bun so that in the morning I wake up with curly hair without the fuss!

I hope this has given you some ideas! Hope your week is going great, stay golden

Gracie xo

P.S. all products are bought by me and the prices were right according to the store/store website at time of me writing this blog.

Edinburgh Beauty Haul!

Hello all, welcome back! I recently went into Edinburgh to pick up some new make up and I'm so excited to write this blog and share it with you! As well as the new stuff I got a couple of old faithful items which my make up bag is incomplete without!

The first thing I picked up is something I've been in need of for quite a while now, and that's dry shampoo! I've seen quite a few beauty gurus on Youtube gush about how great the Colab dry shampoo is, created by Ruth Crilly of A Model Recommends, and decided that I should try it out. I got the London scent and the sheer invisible formula, as I have dark hair, this 200ml can was £3.49 from Superdrug. Great price!

The other thing I got from Superdrug was the Maybelline New York, The Rocket volume express mascara in black (£7.99). I haven't had a Maybelline mascara in ages, despite them being the only ones I wore for a good 3 years of my teens. I've read great reviews about the rocket mascara and decided to bite the bullet and give it a go, I can be fussy about mascara but I will definitely let you know what I think!

The rest of my make up I got from Boots, starting with L'Oreal Paris. I've been wearing the Rimmel London 25 hour liquid foundation for ages now and I like it but I do find it slightly too heavy on the skin, so I stepped out of my comfort zone (away from the Rimmel stand!) and towards L'Oreal Paris. Now. This isn't a brand I would typically try but their True Match foundation does look great and sounds like just what I'm looking for, I got the shade Ivory (N1). While I was there I decided to make the most of their current offer, 2 for £12 across the brand. Considering the foundation is £9.99 on its own I couldn't resist trying something else and decided upon the glam bronzer in shade 00 Blond Sun. This looks like a great matte bronzer for someone pale like me and for £2 I couldn't resist!

The final two products I bought were both ones I've had before and always fall back on when I'm in need. These are the Boots Natural Collection corrector stick (£1.99) and the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer (shade 1 fair, £4.19). The corrector stick is the one make up item I find hardest to get hold of, as Natural Collection is Boots' own brand it's not available elsewhere and I tend to find it's sold out. When I can get hold of this however, I love it! The green cancels out any redness (of which I have loads) and creates a flawless finish, other correctors I find tend to 'match your skin tone', something which leaves me more oompa loompa than flawless! The concealer is much raved about and for good reason, it blends really well and covers blemishes and dark circles.

The final item I bought isn't beauty related but I couldn't resist it when I saw it and it's this notebook;

I got this for £5.99 from Waterstones and it is adorable! Bright pink on the outside with gold edged pages and flowers on the inside cover, this is right up my street, and you never know when you're going to need a notebook!

 I hope you've enjoyed seeing my recent purchases and I will definitely let you know what I think once I've tried them out, until next week, stay golden!

Gracie xo

Sanctuary spa review!

Hello all, welcome back! 

In the boxing day sales I managed to grab myself a deal with the Sanctuary Spa 'Love the Little Things' mini's tin and thought I would bring you a review. I got this tin because I love sanctuary products, they're one of a few products which are coloured and scented but don't irritate my skin. Sanctuary Spa is also a cruelty free brand which a huge bonus. 

I got this set for £5 (RRP £10) from Boots in store it's also available online, however it's currently sold out on the Boots website.

The set is made up of a body lotion (75ml), body scrub (50ml), body wash (75ml), bath soak (75ml) and body puff. I personally don't have access to a bath and therefore it's the only item from the tin which I haven't tried out.

I love Sanctuary as a brand as all of it's products work really well and the original products (with the orange packaging) have the most amazing scent which really does create a spa-like vibe. These mini sizes are great for travelling but also allow you to indulge in a luxury product without having to spend a lot of money, perfect for a treat on a budget!

Hope you like this review! Be sure to comment if you want me to do more product reviews in the future, and if you have any products in mind.

Stay golden! Gracie xo

New Year's Resolutions + 2015 Reading Challenge!

Hello all, and welcome back!

Today I am bringing you my New Year's resolutions, a bit late I know, but I wanted to wait until I was back at university before getting kick started with these. I have tried to keep my resolutions short and realistic, these are things I think I can achieve by 2016 and I've tried to take one from each category - you'll see what I mean!.

My first resolution is a physical one, meaning that I will be able to see a change in myself as the year progresses. I am aiming to maintain going to the gym for 1 hour, 3 times a week. This is what I currently do in terms of fitness and it fits in with my schedule at uni as well as being a realistic amount for me to be at the gym without getting bored or lazy.

Number two is an education based resolution. I aim to work towards getting a C in all of my assessments at university. So far I have been pleased with my results in essays, however there have been times when I've gotten a D and felt envious of my friends getting B's. A pass is 40% and I am aiming to keep above 50%.

Number three is a mental resolution, this may sound a bit weird but I am aiming to think more positively and banish negativity from my mind. I am very self conscious and tend to be a panickier and pessimistic so I am aiming to work on getting more positive. This includes spending little to no time around people who can be negative and judgemental and all round trying to think see the best parts of bad moments.

Number four - the last one - is a fun goal and that is to read as many books as possible! Since the beginning of my final year of school my reading has really decreased, I've always thought the best people are well-read and therefore I want to try and read as much as possible in 2015.

This is where the title fits in, I was on Pinterest around Christmas (I am addicted to Pinterest) and found a post which was attached to this link 

(http://www.popsugar.com/love/Reading-Challenge-2015-36071458?crlt.pid=camp.RTlcdYOWNcmE)

This is the 2015 Reading Challenge as posted by Popsugar. I have made a list of all the challenges and plan to read a book, then note it down next to whichever challenge it fits! 

So far I have read two books, Love Rosie by Ceceila Ahern and The disreputable history of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart. Both of these books have been added to my list and I will do a blog post update when I have three books I've read!

Have you guys got any resolutions and how well are you sticking to them 18 days in? Let me know! 

Good luck with 2015 and stay golden!
Gracie xo

Edinburgh at Christmas...

My favourite thing about living in Edinburgh is Christmas! It's my favourite time of the year and is especially amazing when you're surrounded by the festive delights that Edinburgh has on offer.

In Edinburgh there is loads going on at Christmas the European market and Scottish market are my two particular favourites, so many amazing Christmas gifts and of course the food! From Bratwurst sausages at the European market through to seafood chowder at the Scottish market there's everything you need to keep warm on a chilly December day!

I've been to both the markets quite a few times (I'm totally addicted to them) and thought i'd take the opportunity to show you guys what my Christmas so far has been made up of.

 Hope everyone has been having a great month, stay golden!
Gracie xo

 PS: all images in this blog post are my own and taken and edited by me

Top 5 books from my bookshelf!

Hello all and welcome back!

Today I'm going to do a countdown of my top 5 favourite books from my - rather compact - bookshelf. At uni I don't have a lot of room for books, however that doesn't mean I don't prefer some over others.

RRP £7.99

Number one is Divergent, the first in the Divergent trilogy written by Veronica Roth. 

For those who enjoy: The Hunger Games

Others in the series: Insurgent and Allegiant

RRP £7.99

Number two is We Were Liars written by E. Lockhart.

For those who enjoy: The Fault In Our Stars

Others by the author: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

RRP £8.99

Number three is One Day written by David Nicholls

For those who enjoy: romantic novels

Others by the author: Starter for Ten

RRP £7.99

Number four is Perks of Being a Wallflower from Stephen Chbosky.

For those who enjoy: coming of age teen novels, such as The Fault In Our Stars 

Othersby the author: unknown (sorry, this is the only one I've read)

RRP £7.99

Number five is The Ladies Paradise written by Emile Zola.
For those who enjoy: classic literature
Others by the author: Unknown

Those are my top five, they've all been read and enjoyed multiple times and they'll be read many more times in the future! Hope you enjoyed this post, as always stay golden!

Gracie xo

Disclaimer: all the prices are RRP prices from the Waterstones website, these books are probably available elsewhere for a lesser price.

My Make Up Wishlist

Hello all, welcome back!

In today's blog I'm going to share with you all my makeup wishlist, these are things that have really caught my eye, either because that type of item is missing from my collection or just because it's a product which has really shone out to me. Please comment with your own wishlists or let me know if you have tried anything on mine.

Starting with the face:

Boots, £5.99 / image from boots.com

Seventeen is a brand which is pretty new to me, however everything I've had from there so far has been of really great quality and price, the packaging is cute too! One product especially really jumped out to me last time I was in Boots and that's their Define & Conquer kit, this is made up of a highlight powder and a contour powder and comes in a choice of two shades to best suit your skin. I have really pale skin and therefore finding an affordable contour kit which isn't too dark is difficult, however this one really hits the spot.

Next up, eyes:

£7.99, sleekmakeup.com / image also sleekmakeup.com

I have two main eye shadow palettes in my collection, both neutral with a range of mattes and shimmer, this is great for an everyday look but now that autumn is in and my wardrobe is a bit more boring than usual I really want to experiment more with colour in my makeup. This is why I've included the Sleek i-Divine eye shadow palette in Ultra Matte V2. As you can see this palette includes many neutral beige and browns but also has the great pop of colour in the form of a few purples, blues and green. My eyes are a murky green colour which means that the colours in this palette would really help the nicer green tones pop, the slightly duller shades are also a great way to incorporate colour into a simple makeup look.

Lips:

£7.99 Superdrug / image from superdrug.com

I don't often wear a solid lipstick, even though I love the look, because usually when I go out I'll be eating or drinking and having to reapply is too much hassle for me! Therefore I prefer either a tinted lip balm or a stain and that's where my next product comes in. The Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon, this is a sheer lip product which gives great colour payoff and is also incredibly moisturising. 

Tool:

Boots £5.99 / image from boots.com

I'm probably the only beauty blogger out there not to own a single Real Techniques brush, I know, it's pretty tragic. However up until now I've not really experimented enough to need many kinds of the same brush, finally now I'm working on building up my collection and Real Techniques is where I would like to start. Their Miracle Complexion sponge looks really great, the pointed edge to help apply your make up in awkward areas and the flat and domed edge for a perfect finish. I just can't say enough good things about it, I've watched many a Youtuber apply their makeup with a damp beauty sponge and now it's at the top of my make up brush list!   

That is a rundown of my current make-up wishlist, hopefully I'll be ticking some things off my list soon! Once again, thank-you for reading, follow me on Twitter (@iprefergracie) and Instagram (forevergracie).

Stay golden! Gracie xo

Edinburgh shopping Haul!

Hello all, welcome back!

Yesterday I had a very busy day shopping in Edinburgh and thought I would share with you what I picked up! This haul will be very mixed and span across a couple of different shops, so here we go!

Minnie Mouse slipper socks, various designs, Primark, £4

One of the shops I went into while on Princes Street was Primark. Usually on a Saturday I would avoid Primark as best as possible as it gets really super busy, however I was in desperate need of new slippers and I'm so glad I went in. I used to have these 'slipper socks' in plain red with Minnie Mouse on the toe and these tartan ones are such an adorable purchase to highlight my recent move to Musselburgh. 

Plastic cup with straw, Primark, £2,50

 This next buy has been on my wishlist for ages. These cups recently became a new must have item and are a plastic version of the oh-so-famous fast food cups.

Burgundy finger-less gloves, Tiger, £1

The next shop I went into was Tiger, before moving to uni I'd never been into one as there aren't any near me and I'm so excited I've now found it. For those of you who also haven't got a nearby Tiger it sells a whole range of items - toys, food, stationery - for really great prices. I couldn't resist these gloves as they're such a great autumn colour and mean that I can still operate my phone etc. without having to take off my gloves.

Large black basket,Tiger £3; cotton wool pads,Primark, £1

The final item I got from Tiger is this large black woven basket. This basket is something I've been after for ages as I hate the look of bottles and tubes just stood on shelves or counters, my room looks so much more neat and tidy now with everything tucked away. Using baskets and boxes is also a great way to create more space.

(From Tiger I also bought 20 kitchen sponges in various colours for £1 and 5 orange wire coat hangers for £1)

Seventeen Doll'd Up mascara, £6.29; Seventeen concealer £4.49; Vaseline rosy lips £2.07. All from Boots

The final shop I went into was Boots (surprise, surprise), firstly I headed to the Seventeen booth as they are currently running a 3 for 2 offer on all of their products. Here I bought the Seventeen Doll'd Up mascara in black along with the Seventeen up to 18 hour stay time concealer in Extra Fair (as well as a gel nail polish for my flatmate). In return for letting her have my 3rd item in the 3 for 2, my flatmate bought me the Vaseline lip therapy + SPF 15 in rosy lips. This provides great protection against SPF as well as making them soft and providing a rosy tint. This lip balm isn't as tinted as the Nivea rosy lips however it's great for a healthy everyday hint of pink. 

That is all for my Edinburgh haul! I love going shopping in Edinburgh as there are so many places to go and everywhere is smothered in history and beautiful buildings. I'll be back on Wednesday with a review of the book We Were Liars by E Lockhart. 

Hope you enjoyed seeing my recent purchases, as always you can find me at twitter (@iprefergracie) & Instagram (forevergracie).

See you next time, stay golden!
Gracie xo

My Current Haircare Routine

Hello all, welcome back!

Today I'm here to let you know about what I do to my hair, and what products I use. 

A bit of background before we begin: my hair is currently just below my shoulders and is dark brown, in the summer it naturally lightens to a more ginger colour but I don't frequently have it dyed and therefore I don't use any specific colour protect products. Both fortunately and unfortunately my hair is naturally very curly, this means that it is also very frizzy, if anyone has any tips for frizzy hair, please send them this way. Controlling curly frizz is like fighting a losing battle!! As well as being curly, as if this wasn't enough, it is also super thick and that means lots and lots of volume! Now that you know more about my hair, let's get going!

My hair care routine consists of 4 products (depending on whether I'm going curly or straight) starting with shampoo and conditioner.

Boots, £3.99 each

When looking for shampoo/conditioner I always look for one which promises to give me moisture as like to have shiny hair, and these clearly naked products have the added bonus of being paraben and colourant free! The less chemicals the better in my book. I have only used these a couple of times and so far so good, my hair is shiny, soft and still as strong as ever.

Next up is Miracle Oil with argan oil. Nut oils (almond, macadamia, coconut) have been beauty must-haves recently and I've seen them in hair products, skin products and now even mascara, so you're bound to have tried one of them! My favourite to use is argan oil, usually I use this after washing my hair, simply towel drying it first then adding this to the ends. I also use an argan/coconut oil hair mask roughly once a month to boost the moisture and give my hair a deep condition. 

Argan oil, available at most beauty shops

My third and final products are those I use for styling. Which I use obviously depends on whether I want to go curly or straight and are both relatively new to the market. First up is the John Frieda Frizz Ease Go Curlier 48 hour heat activated spray. This spray helps to create soft and controlled curls for people with naturally wavy/curly hair and is applied to wet/damp hair and then blown dry with a diffuser attachment. I really love this to minimise frizz and make my curls more controlled, allowing me to have curly hair that lasts for 2/3 days.

The second product I use for styling is the John Frieda Frizz Ease 3 day straight semi permanent styling spray. This spray is again applied to wet/damp hair and then activates with heat when you blow dry and then straighten your hair. Because of the natural kink in my hair, products like this help to really control and straighten my hair, taming the frizz at the same time! I would recommend both of these to people like me who has hair which is stubborn to style.

Boots, £6.99 each

I hope you've enjoyed this post, let me know what hair products you're loving.

Stay golden! Gracie xo

mini haul

Hello all, welcome back!

Today I am going to share with you a few bits I've picked up recently when I've been out and about. I will admit it, it's mostly shoes, however there are one or two other pieces you might be interested in.

HOME

Spiderman tissues, Tesco, £1.20

I always like having a box of tissues in my bedroom and when I saw these I knew I had to have them. Usually I just buy the second cheapest tissues (sometimes the cheap ones can be just too thin for me) and these happened to be them! They had all sorts of designs but as a Spiderman lover myself they were too cool not to have.

Houndstooth cushion, Tesco, £2.50 (on clearance)

This cushion is something which caught my attention immediately, I just adore it. My ultimate home decor style is monochrome with one key colour, therefore this cushion ticked all the boxes - though you can't see it, the edging on this is a bright yellow.

Make-up

Maybelline Great Lash mascara - waterproof, Tesco, £5

When I have a long day ahead of me I like to have a waterproof mascara so that I can be sure that by lunch I'm not looking like a panda. Hence why I bought this, if you read one of my first blogs you would see the Blackest Black Great Lash featuring as one of my favourite everyday mascaras. It's not dramatic but adds enough length and volume to make me look more awake. This waterproof version however didn't live up to expectations, I had this on yesterday for a freshers week pub march and after 5 hours of wear I had black circles under my eyes and looked like I'd fallen asleep in my makeup, not good!

SHOES

Black leather riding boots, La Redoute, £52 (in sale)

I bought these boots in August ready for going to university, I knew that once I started living off my student loan I wouldn't be able to treat myself and got a bargain in the sales! La Redoute is an online shop which sells French style clothing for a range of prices, sometimes you get a bargain and other times it's more of a splurge, but no matter what you get it's always amazing quality and something no-one else has. I think that an item such as black leather boots is one worth spending money on, they're such a classic and a total Autumn/Winter staple for me.

Green ankle boots, £8 and black slip ons £4, both Primark

I know that some people can be snobby about the quality of Primark but for someone like me who always changes their mind, being able to pick up shoes for less than £10 is a godsend. I needed a new pair of casual shoes to replace my high-top trainers which have sadly come to the end of their life and these slip on shoes are perfect. They go with anything and are comfy enough to go long distances in, plus for only £4 (reduced) they were a steal! Next up my ankle boots, these are faux suede lace up boots which were available in a range of colours. I have a tendency to wear lots of grey and black in the winter and therefore got them in green to add a burst of jewel toned colour - right on trend for Autumn winter.

That's it for my recent purchases, I hope you enjoyed this mini haul! To keep up to date with all things me follow me on instagram (forevergracie) and Twitter (@iprefergracie). I'll be back with more on Wednesday, until then, stay golden!

Gracie xo