- JANUARY WISHLIST

1. 'Big Floppy Hat' £28.00 - Topshop

2. 'Ceris Laundry Check Shift Dress' £22.00 - Boohoo

3. 'Faux Ostrich Black Chain Shoulder Bag' £22.00 - Oh My Love London

4. 'Gold Tone Leopard Head Draped Necklace' £25.00 - River Island

5. 'Boxy Fur Gilet' £40.00 (sale price) - Topshop

6. 'Ark Bordeaux Claret Cut Out Patent Boots' £44.99 - Ark

So I've recently been saving up my pennies (for once) and now I have a sufficient amount, why not do a little online shopping? With January nearly over and exams basically around the corner, a little retail therapy is just what I need. The platform boots are a favorite pick of mine. They are from 'Ark', a clothing shop that I found in York when I went for a day visit- now I LOVE the place! The weather in January is a little temperamental, so opting for a dress may be a no-go. However, the stunning tartan print dress is amazingly priced. My love for fur is ever-growing and I may need to calm down a little...but a fur gilet? Who knew that they would actually pull off? The accessories that I've placed with the outfit are just a few wonderful gems that I found online. I tend to go for gold necklaces for jewellery but a fur scarf would look just as amazing.

Let me know what your favorite items are above♥

- MAKEUP FRENZY

Real Techniques Brush set by Samantha Chapman £20.99 rrp

Rimmel London 'Wake Me Up' Foundation £6.99 

(I also use the WMU concealer £3.49)

MAC 'Pink Swoon' blusher £18.00

Naked Palette £37.00

 MAC 'Deep Dark Brunette' Brow Pencil £15.50

Rimmel London 'Scandal Eyes' Liquid Liner £3.49

Benefit 'They're Real' Mascara £19.50

Above are images of my everyday makeup wear. Whether it be for college or a day out shopping, I personally don't feel the need to use more than a few products. Here is a little mini-guide to my makeup application of my favorite products. 

1. The Real Techniques brushes are my Mother's greatest buy yet! (Christmas present, of course) The set of 4 brushes together includes:

♥ Detailer Brush: I use this brush to conceal areas on my face, or, to use for my lipstick to enhance definition

♥ Pointed Foundation Brush: I don't tend use this brush for its main use, instead I prefer to use it to blend my foundation and concealer.

♥ Buffing Brush: Aka my foundation brush! It's chunky and I'd much rather use a larger brush to apply my overall coverage.

♥ Contour Brush: This delicately applies my blush/bronzer giving it a sheer, soft finish on my skin

2. The Wake Me Up Foundation is a new-found favorite of mine. After using MAC and Benefit 'Hello Flawless' for years, I decided to mix things up a bit. I was drawn into buying this product after hearing Tanya Burr's opinion on YouTube of her top 5 Drugstore Foundations.The product gives my skin a fabulous glow and highlight. I personally recommend it for anyone. 

Find Tanya Burr's video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-i9kW6qd1I

3. I only ever use my MAC blusher when I give myself more than 5 minutes to get myself ready on a morning (which isn't often). However when I do, the subtle pink tone lightens up my cheekbones and adds extra highlight. For night's out, I wear a bronzer by Natural Collection and use the contour brush with this also.

4. The Naked Palette. What more can I say? Other than I must invest in the second and third edition! Before application, I place the Urban Decay Primer that came free with the palette onto my eye-lids for long-lasting wear. The shades that I use for everyday are 'Sin' 'Naked' and 'Sidecar'. They give a natural tone and blend with my skin colour. Nights out, I blend either 'Toasted' 'Smog' and 'Hustle' with one another. I love dark brown eyes with a shimmer! I deffo recommend this look for girls with green eyes. 

5. I have natural shaped eyebrows with a dark tint so I rarely use my MAC brow pencil. When in need of shading or defining edges, I would lightly cover my brows. 

6. Usually, I never wear liquid eyeliner. However recently, I've found an easy application by using a liquid liner pen. I don't have a steady hand at all but investing in this product has made applying liner a breeze! For a mere amount, I recommend Rimmel London's Scandal Eyes for anyone who isn't the artistic type.

7. 'They're Real' by Benefit is top in the UK for women's mascara, and I agree! I have quite natural long eyelashes so I don't tend to put a large amount on for everyday. But even without a lot, this product certainly makes your eyes seem wider and fresh.

- THE 'U' WORD

Yes, I am indeed talking about University! It's been a bumpy road and last minute decision for me to apply for a degree in the past few months. I've always had a certain idea of taking a gap year out and hoping to find a full-time job. However, looking at a range of courses has driven me to take a leap of faith. The thought of UCAS daunted me. Who could be bothered to spend their time filling in silly details and then writing a full-on essay about themselves? Haha, certainly not me. But with a bit of motivation and guidance, I got it done.

I was torn between studying Fashion Journalism, Fashion Communication and Public Relations. However, Public Relations seemed the most broadened subject. It includes Event Management, Journalism and Mass Communications. It's a brilliant tool for entering into the ever-growing social empire! Say in a few years time I could be interning for a large fashion brand, talking to clients, presenting ideas and making the brand fresh and exciting as a PR. A job like this has never fascinated me so much!

It's right to say that I'm looking forward to the future ahead. I hope to study this degree at Sunderland University and find my feet along the way. 2014 has never been so exciting!

What are your plans for the future?