The Autumn Tag 2016

The Autumn Tag 2016

Thursday, 27 October 2016

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Autumn is my favourite time of year. I'm all about Autumn, I love it. I love the leaves changing colour, I love Halloween, I love wrapping up warm and I'll take any excuse to wear my pyjamas all the time. October is nearly over (HOW?!), and the smell of Autumn is barely still in the air, so I figured I should probably do the Autumn Tag while it's still Autumn. (Sidenote I saw this tag on Makeupsavvy and I loved it. If you'd like to do the tag then I've left the questions at the end of the post for you to copy and paste.)

What signifies the start of Autumn for you?

I get really, really excited about Autumn really early on, like in the last week of August, and it frustrates me when it doesn't act like Autumn when it is Autumn, if you know what I mean. For me it really feels like Autumn when it's cold and crisp in the mornings, conkers are on the ground and the leaves are on the turn. That's when I'm happiest anyway.

What is your favourite Fall scent?

I really don't like anything pumpkin spiced, I don't get the hype at all. I find the smell of pumpkin really sickly. I'm more into woody scent. I have an Eadie and Wallace Opulent Sandalwood, Clove and Cinnamon candle which I'm obsessed with. It's really woody and spicy but in quite a subtle way, it's definitely noticeable, but it's not heady or cloying and it smells incredible. I also have an Apple Cinnamon Yankee Candle which I love burning, it's not too overpowering, it makes my room smell like a bakery and it just feels really nice and cosy. If we're talking about perfumes then my favourite Autumn scent is Tom Ford's Black Orchid. Painfully expensive but absolutely gorgeous. It's a very dark and sexy scent, very woody and spicy but with some floral notes to balance it. It lasts really well too.

What is your favourite Autumn colour?

If I'm wearing it then I'm really into burgundy or deep berry reds. If I'm not wearing it then I love the golden yellow that leaves go. It's a gorgeous, gorgeous colour and is the epitome of Autumn. I love it.

What is your favourite Fall drink?

Hot chocolate, preferably from Costa with a shot of caramel syrup, marshmallows and whipped cream. But for everyday I love Gingerbread Green Tea, Twinings does an incredible one (not sponsored, just a fan!), it tastes amazing! Really spicy and warming. I've been waiting all year for it to be cold enough so I can drink this, I love it so much. I also love Twining's Intensely Buttermint Tea, even though it's not available anymore... sob! It's sweet but refreshing as well.

What TV show, new or old, are you looking forward to this Fall?

I'm so excited for the third season of How to Get Away with Murder. It's addictive!And everyone should watch it. If you don't know HTGAW is a legal drama produced by Shonda Rimes AKA the Queen of all the Awesome TV. It's gripping and full of shocking twists and turns, I never ever know what's coming next. I've also been thinking about re-watching Stranger Things, I watched it so quickly that I feel like I definitely missed some things, and it is the best TV I have watched this year. If you haven't watched Stranger Things, you need to change that now, because it's incredible. Also Breaking Bad, I've just started Season 2 and I'm really enjoying it. I love Jesse.

What is your favourite Fall fashion trend?

Wearing pyjamas and my completely ridiculous and amazing unicorn slippers as much as I possibly can isn't exactly what I would call a fashion trend, but they're my favourite thing to wear throughout Autumn/Winter, and the rest of the year if I'm being honest. I just like to be both cosy and comfortable at all times, it's my natural state. When I have to leave the house, and be seen by and interact with other humans, I tend to wear a uniform of black ankle boots, opaque tights, skater dresses in Autumn-y colours (I have a lot of them!), my leather jacket and a blanket scarf that I can snuggle up in.

What is your favourite frugal Autumn activity?

Curling up with a good book or a film and a big mug of tea when it's cold and rainy outside there's just something really lovely about being all snuggled up and listening to the rain. I love walking the dogs on a crisp autumn afternoon. I love walking dogs anyway because I'm a crazy dog lady in the making, but there's something especially nice about walking a dog in the autumn. I think it's because seeing a dog, particularly a small dog, bounding through a pile of autumn leaves is life affirming. 

What is your favourite make up look come Autumn?

Autumnal make up is my favourite kind of make up! My go to make up look when the weather turns colder is always a warm toned, bronze smokey eye, winged liquid liner and a plum or berry lip. To be honest this is my favourite make up all year round but especially so in Autumn when it's seasonally appropriate.


The Autumn Tag questions:

What signifies the start of Autumn for you?
What is your favourite Fall scent?
What is your favourite Autumn colour?
What is your favourite Fall drink?
What TV show, new or old, are you looking forward to this Fall?
What is your favourite Fall fashion trend?
What is your favourite frugal Autumn activity?
What is your favourite make up look come autumnal weather?

What are your favourite things about Autumn? Let me know by commenting below - I always reply so check back -, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat -search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

Love love love xxx

My Favourite MAC Eyeshadows

My Favourite MAC Eyeshadows

Sunday, 23 October 2016

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After quite a heavy post yesterday, today I thought I would keep things light and tell you guys about my favourite MAC eyeshadows.  Be warned this post is gonna be a little on the long side, I tried to narrow down my favourites but I couldn't get lower than 10. I couldn't do it, I wasn't up to that challenge. Now everyone knows that when it comes to eyeshadow MAC is the undisputed king. Their colour selection is incredible, they have so many different finishes, and generally the overall quality is amazing. Buttery soft, blendable and pigmented to boot. Whenever I'm by a MAC counter I'm like a kid in a sweet shop, I can't keep my greedy hands to myself, I want to swatch everything!

Creative Copper has a lustre finish and is actually more of a metallic golden brown than a copper shade. The pigmentation is incredible and it applies smoothly and evenly with really good colour pay off. The texture is soft and smooth and it blends beautifully. I particularly like to use Creative Copper when I'm doing a bronze smokey eye and pack it onto the first two thirds of the lid with a flat brush.

Gingersnap is a deep rose gold shade with a frost finish. Again it's highly pigmented and applies really nicely. I've found that it can look a bit much when washed all over the lid but looks awesome when blended into the crease.

Honey Lust is one of my most used eyeshadows. I have Honey Lust in both my Warm Neutral and Burgundy Times Nine palettes and it is the most used in both palettes. A golden peachy bronze with a lustre finish, Honey Lust is glittery but not in a tacky in your face kind of way. It looks amazing with a tan, but works well on us paler peeps too. My favourite way to wear it is washed over the lid with winged eyeliner. There is a slight issue with fall out but it's nothing major and Honey Lust, in my opinion, is more than worth it.

Satin Taupe is one of the first MAC eyeshadows I ever bought and it still holds a very special place in my heart. Why? Because it is so dang versatile. Satin Taupe is a dark purple-grey taupe with a silver shimmer running through it, it has a frost finish and can be packed onto the lid for something super smokey, blended into the crease to add definition or simply patted on for something far more subtle. It's a MAC classic for a reason people.

Woodwinked is actually the first ever MAC eyeshadow I bought, in the MAC store in Times Square, and it is still my favourite. You can see from the dent I've made in it that I've used it an absolute ton. Woodwinked is an absolute babe of an eyeshadow, an antique golden bronze with a veluxe pearl finish, it looks amazing simply washed over the lid and when blended into the crease makes for one of the simplest smokey eyes ever. Personally I love to pack it on for something a bit more intense. It's my favourite MAC eyeshade ever. Yeah I said it.

Patina is another firm favourite of mine, a pale taupey bronze with a frost finish - can you tell that I have a thing for bronzes? - Patina is a good one to wear in the day time as it adds a really nice and subtle pop of colour to the lid.

All That Glitters is quite similar to Honey Lust as they're both peachy gold bronzes, however All That Glitters has a veluxe pearl finish so is more of a pearly shimmer than an actual glitter, it's also slightly more pink toned. Like Honey Lust it's a one wash wonder and works best blended all over the lid. It's super wearable and one I find myself reaching for when I want to make an effort but also really can't bothered. It's really effortless and adds a pretty pinky gold sheen to the lid. Lovely.

Haux - Damnit! I just realised I spelt this wrong in the photos, face palm!- anyway Haux is a muted dusky pink with a satin finish and is a fairly new favourite of mine. I've found myself reaching for it more and more lately, particularly on days when I want really natural looking make up. It's really good for adding a little something something to my lids when I'm not in the mood to go all out on my eyeshadow.

Quarry is another really pretty neutral shade and is quite similar to Haux. Like Haux, Quarry is a  pinky taupe, unlike Haux, it's more purple toned and has a matte finish. It is beautifully soft and pigmented with excellent colour pay off and, due to the buttery soft texture, blends in seamlessly. It's one that I like to use all over the lid on no make up make up days but it also works really well as a transition shade for super smokey eyes.

Poppy Seed is a mauve-y pink toned nude with a satin finish, and it seems to be exclusive to the MAC Burgundy Times 9 palette. It's in a similar vein to both Quarry and Haux, which makes sense as they all came in the same palette, and I love using them all together for a matte smokey eye, think Adele's eye make up on the 25 album cover.

MAC eyeshadows range from £10 for the Pro-Pan refills or £13 for the individual Eyeshadow pans and are available from MAC link

What are your favourite MAC eyeshadows? Let me know by commenting below - I always reply so check back -, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat -search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

Love love love xxx

Let's Get Real: Still Effin' Lost

Let's Get Real: Still Effin' Lost

Saturday, 22 October 2016

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11 months ago I wrote a post called Let's Get Real: I'm Lost (read it here). In that post I talked about how I was feeling after finishing university and that I really didn't know exactly what it is that I wanted to do with my life. I felt really lost, and if I'm honest, scared. Well it's been nearly a year since that post, a year I've spent thinking about nothing but what to do with my life, except now I'm a year older, I'm no closer to knowing what I want out of my life and now I'm terrified.

This is gonna sound really over dramatic but stick with me here, I'm painfully aware that I'm going to die one day, I'm also painfully aware that I have no idea when that will be and I'm really scared that I'm going to die before I've achieved all the things I want to. I think about that every single day.  But here's where things get really messed up and complicated because how can I possibly work towards anything if I don't know what I'm working towards? This is a question that has kept me up at night and still does. At this point it just feels like all I'm doing is wasting my own time and that's probably the scariest thing, because a year has just gone and I can't even tell you what I've achieved in that year. I don't know. I just feel that at 25 years old I should have my life together, at least a little bit, and I should have more of an idea of what I want and I just don't - Sidenote: should is a really horrible word! -  don't get me wrong I have taken some positive steps this year but it doesn't feel like enough.

Life is a scary old thing, and the scariest thing about it is that it ends, usually before we're ready for it. I'm really sorry that this post has been super depressing and moany. Talk about first world problems. It's something I've been thinking about for a while now, well nearly a year, and I just wanted to get it off my chest. If anyone else is going through something like this then please let me know, either by commenting below - I always reply so check back -, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat -search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

Love love love xxx

*Disclaimer* I do NOT own the featured image, image used for entertainment purposes only. Image via

My Top Nail Polish Picks for Autumn

My Top Nail Polish Picks for Autumn

Thursday, 20 October 2016

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It's safe to say that Autumn is really upon us now, with Summer  long since over. Gone are the pastel shades, bronzed goddess skin  (HA!) and no make up make up looks, now the fun can really begin. I'm talking deep berry lips, golden bronze eyeshadows and, most importantly, the autumnal nail polish. Here's a run down of just a few of my faves. 

Eve Snow London Nail Lacquer in Skyler - £14 from Net-a-Porter

Despite sharing a name with my least favourite character from Breaking Bad - seriously does anyone like Skyler?! - Eve Snow's Skyler is one of my all time favourite polishes. I can never resist a blue polish, so much so that I'll take any excuse to wear it year round. This is why Skyler is perfect, the cool icy blue shade has a touch of grey in it, that makes me think of the sky just before it snows, making it really appropriate for this time of year. The formulation is lovely; creamy, opaque after only two coats and it lasts about a week without chipping. Nice.

Revlon ColorStay Gel Envy in Up the Ante - £7.99 from Boots

The Revlon ColorStay Gel Envy formulation is the best on the high street and my absolute favourite formula out there. It has an amazing consistency, applying smoothly and evenly, it also acts as a base coat, meaning it lasts a really long time before needing to be re-applied. The colour is beautiful too, a warm pinky purple that looks good all year round but especially good in the Autumn.  

Butter London Nail Lacquer in Poole - £12 from lookfantastic

Like Skyler Butter London's Poole is a nail polish that would normally be considered more of a summer colour, a duck egg blue-green, (incidentally my absolute favourite nail polish shade), it has just a hint of grey in it that makes it more seasonally appropriate. It doesn't have the best formula, I've found that without a top coat it is prone to chip within a day or two, with a top coat the longevity lasts about a week, so fairly standard, but the colour more than makes up for the crappy wear time. It's worth reapplying.

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint in Watermelon, Blackberry & Chilli - £3.99 from Boots

I've been a fan girl of Barry M's Gelly Hi-Shine nail paint for ages, they make up more than half of my nail polish collection. They last really well and they leave a beautiful, plumped and glossy finish after only two coats, one for the darker colours, not to mention the incredibly cheap price point. Watermelon is a deep forest green, Blackberry a navy blue that reminds me of the Berol Handwriting Pens we had to use in primary school and Chilli a deep rusty orange red. All of them are stunning, but Blackberry is my favourite, even though I have no idea why it's called that when it's blue... weird.

Barry M Speedy Quick Dry Nail Paint in Sprint Finish - £3.99 from Boots

Autumn is the time for deep berry shades and this raspberry pink is stunning. The Speedy Quick Dry nail paints are amazing, almost as good as the Gelly Hi-Shine's, with a cuticle hugging brush that makes application a breeze and a formula that lasts reasonably well and dries in seconds. Blink and you'll miss it.

China Glaze Nail Lacquer in Tinsel Town - £4.99 from Amazon

I am not a fan of glitter nail polishes, because generally they're a nightmare to remove and really ain't nobody got time for that. This might be the exception to the rule because it comes off so easily. I only have a few China Glaze polishes but they're really good quality. Tinsel Town is a gun metal grey with fine hexagonal flecks of silver glitter running through it.  It looks really pretty as an accent nail or layered on over another colour as a full on glitter mani. It actually lasts quite well and doesn't chip or flake too badly. I like it a lot, for a glitter polish.

What will be gracing your nails this Autumn? Let me know by commenting below - I always reply so check back -, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat -search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

Love love love xxx

4 Youtube Channels I Love

4 Youtube Channels I Love

Tuesday, 18 October 2016

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Youtube is my favourite place on the internet. I find it inspiring, hilarious, ridiculous,  moving -  there are tons of adjectives I could use here -  and I can literally lose hours and hours of my life surfing the 'tube. Recently I've made a few new discoveries, although they're probably not that new,  and I've been binge watching like crazy! So who am I to keep these content creators to myself? That would be selfish.

Tom Fletcher

If you didn't know Tom Fletcher is the lead singer of McFly and Carrie Hope Fletcher's older brother. Now I've been a big fan of Carrie's youtube channel for over a year now, but I've only just started watching Tom's videos, with the exception of the one of him and his little boy with the dandelions - if you haven't seen it then you need to watch it, it is life affirming! Watch it here - but recently I've really got into his channel. I keep taking breaks from writing this post to go and watch his videos. He just seems like a really nice guy, his videos are good and anyone who celebrates the fact that the 25th June is halfway to Christmas is clearly someone I need to be best friends with. If that hasn't convinced you then I have 2 words for you: Crumpet Dinosaur. 

Giovanna's World

I'm a big fan of Giovanna's books and I started watching her channel after I read Billy and Me. I watch Giovanna's channel for the same reasons I watch Tom's. Being the Nosy Nelly that I am, I love it when couples vlog. I just like knowing what's going on. Giovanna seems really, really lovely and her and Tom give me all the relationship goals, plus they have two seriously adorable children. Now I'm not a mum, nor do I have any plans to change that, but I love watching her Mum Days videos, they're a total guilty pleasure, but I love them. 

TalkBeckyTalk

I've been watching Becky's channel for a good couple of years now. Becky is like the internet's bff, she is such a sweetheart, she's really funny and down to earth. I love her hacks videos, I could, and do, watch them for hours. 

Boho Berry

I've mentioned Kara's channel before, but she definitely deserves a mention because her videos are incredibly satisfying to watch. Kara specialises in planning, organisation and bullet journaling and she creates incredible videos, which make me want to plan and organise my entire life. I've been Bullet Journaling for a couple of months now, with varying degrees of success, and I love to watch her videos to get some inspiration. She's amazing. 

Who are your favourite Youtubers? Any recommendations? Let me know by commenting below - I always reply so check back -, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat -search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

Love love love xxx

October Goals 2016

October Goals 2016

Sunday, 16 October 2016

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It's a bit late in the month for me to be setting goals, life hasn't really slowed down quite as much as I wanted it too - I haven't even been going to the gym as much lately - but I thought I would do it anyway, we still have 15 days left of October for me to try and make a dent in them.  

Watch Breaking Bad

I started watching Breaking Bad last year and I got really into it and then I lost interest about half way through the third season. My sister's recently watched it and has been raving about it and I know loads of people who have watched and loved it, so I want give it another go to see what all the fuss is about. Now seems like the time to do it because it's cold out and the nights are getting longer.

Get some sleep!

Since I started working for myself my sleeping habits have gone to hell in a hand basket. I've never been a great sleeper. There've been a few times where I've completely reversed my sleeping pattern and was actually nocturnal for a while, and then there was the time I only got 12 hours sleep over 10 days. Struggling with sleep is nothing new for me, but I'm not 18 anymore and the days when I could function on 20 minutes sleep and 6 cans of full fat Coke are long since over, for one thing I try not to drink Coke anymore. In the last couple of weeks I have really effed up my sleeping habits and haven't been falling asleep until 4 in the morning which then means I accomplish basically nothing during the day which I then try to make it up for it at night and then the whole vicious cycle begins again. I need to sort this out, because it's not healthy and it's driving me insane.

Post all content on time

I tried to do this last month and it didn't exactly go to plan, so I'm gonna try again. Now I've had a bit of a break from blogging for the past two weeks, but from the day this post goes up (Sunday) I want to be on top of my blog and have all my content up on time. The lack of sleep is partly to blame but I do need to be more organised, like I said life has been manic but the break did me good and gave me time to think, so I have a load of ideas for posts all of which will be up on time. 

Drink more water 

Lately I've been getting a lot of headaches and I think it's because I haven't drunk enough water. The only time I drink water is when I'm at the gym, other that it's tea and Fanta Zero, which don't do much when it comes to actual hydration but taste soooo good. So I want to significantly increase my water intake. I have no idea how I'm gonna track this though, so if anyone has any suggestions please let me know. 

Read more

I've always really loved reading, ever since I was a tiny little girl and taught myself to read Dear Zoo, I still maintain it's the best picture book ever! That's why I studied English Literature in the first place because I've always loved reading and I've always loved books. But after 4 years of non-stop reading, some of which I loved - Art Spiegelman's Maus is incredible! - but most I hated - I'm looking at you Moby Dick! - it's kind of killed my love for reading. I used to go through a book a day easily, sometimes even two, and now it's rare for me to pick up a book unless I'm on holiday. I do still read but not nearly as much and that makes me really sad. So I'd like to be reading a book a week at least. A while back I put up  a post called 5 Books to Read on Holiday and I've read one of the books on that list and that's it so that's where I'm gonna start.

I've got a few other goals that I want to work on that are quite similar to the goals I had last month (read those here) I want to continue losing weight, I want to up my gym game, I want to be able to play Runaway Train by Soul Asylum on the guitar in it's entirety. There's quite a few but these are the main ones I will be focusing on. 

What are your October Goals? How are you getting on? Let me know by commenting below - I always reply so check back -, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat -search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

Love love love xxx

September Favourites 2016 & September Goals Update

September Favourites 2016 & September Goals Update

Tuesday, 4 October 2016

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l-r: MAC Powder Blush in Dame, MAC Warm Neutrals Palette: Creative Copper, Amber Lights, Honey Lust & Ginger Snap, Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Matte Revolution Lipstick in Secret Salma & Benefit's They're Real Push-Up Liner in Beyond Black

Another month, another favourites post. I don't have a ton of favourites this month, with me going to the gym so much - I know! I never thought I would be typing that sentence either! - I've been wearing considerably less make up than usual, although I do still wear make up at the gym... like who does that?! Well I do. I know it's ridiculous, but it's self preservation, it's a giant room full of mirrors! Anyway I don't have a ton of beauty favourites, so I thought that now would be a good time to catch you up on my September Goals and let you know how I got on. This post might get long and rambly, so if you want to make a cup of tea and grab some food I will wait for you. First things first though favourites!

O.P.I Nail Lacquer in The I's Have It - £9.50 from Beauty Bay

I'm so excited for Autumn to properly set in. I'm so ready for it. In the meantime I've been making the most of the last couple of days of sunshine with this soft powder blue nail polish. My nails are really weak and bitten down at the moment so I haven't been painting them much, but I have been using this on my toes pretty much constantly for the past 5 weeks. The I's Have It is part of O.P.I's Alice Through The Looking Glass collection and it's so pretty. You guys know I can never resist a blue nail polish and this one has a really nice formula. It's creamy, it applies easily, it has a glossy, plumped finish and really nice pigmentation. I like it a lot, and it will probably be my last chance to wear it this year. Sob! But also yay!

MAC Powder Blush in Dame - £18.50 from MAC

I hadn't used this beaut of a blusher in a really long time, my original pan got wet so I couldn't use it anymore, I then repurchased it a couple of weeks ago and have completely fallen back in love with it. It's a blue toned, ballerina pink, it matches my skin tone perfectly and adds a really pretty, natural flush of colour to my Caspar-like complexion. I can't believe I've gone so long without using it because I used it every single day for well over three years and I love it so much! It's beautiful! 

MAC Warm Neutrals Palette - £49.50 from MAC

I've been showing this palette a whole lot of love lately because it's really nice, especially for Autumnal smokey eye looks. I love it because the shadows themselves are amazing! They're pigmented, they blend beautifully and the shade range is on point. My favourite shadows in the palette are Honey Lust - a pale peachy bronze, Creative Copper - a yellow toned gold, Amber Lights - an orange toned bronze, and Ginger Snap - a rose gold, but I love the whole palette. I especially love that it's warm toned, my skin tone is very cool (read pale) so I don't use a lot of warm tones, except for on my eyes, warm toned neutrals work really well with lighter eyes. I have blue eyes and using warmer tones really makes them pop. It's a beautiful palette. 

Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Matte Revolution Lipstick in Secret Salma - £23 from Charlotte Tilbury

Secret Salma is a really recent purchase, I only bought it two weeks ago, but it's already scored major favourites points by being an absolute dream of a lipstick. It's a really, really beautiful plum colour,  which is my go to lipstick shade for Autumn, and the formulation is amazing. It's completely matte but not powdery or drying, it lasts a long time and due to the unique design of the bullet, it's so easy to apply. I've already used it a ton and I can definitely see that this will be making it's permanent home in my handbag and becoming my everyday lipstick. It's beautiful and the packaging is incredible! 

Benefit They're Real Mascara - £19.50 from Boots

Until recently I've never really been a massive fan of this mascara, despite it achieving cult status in the beauty community. But after running out of my favourite Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara I started using this and I actually really like it.  The rubber wand - despite the fact that it looks like a medieval torture device- really helps to define, lengthen and volumise the lashes, but the brush was never the problem. The problem I had was always with the formula, which felt really dry, it flaked and it made my lashes feel rubbery and almost like you could peel them off. Blerrgh!  It doesn't seem to have that problem anymore, maybe it's got better because it's dried out a bit, I don't know why it suddenly works for me but it does so I'm not gonna question it. 

Benefit They're Real Push-Up Liner in Beyond Black - £18.50 from Boots

I'm no slouch when it comes to winging my eyeliner, it took years of practice and trying every type of formulation that I could get my hands on, but I've pretty much nailed my technique now. When I'm feeling lazy with my wings - which is basically everyday... I want them but quickly! -  this is the eyeliner I reach for. It's the simplest eyeliner in the world to use, even if you're not a seasoned pro like myself. The slanted silicone tip is designed specifically for fuss free flicks and it works! You just stamp the nib on the outer edge of the lash line and then glide. Stamp and glide. That's it! It has a good formula too, pigmented and budge proof, it ain't going no where for no one until you want it too. The only downfall is that it's a twist up pen, which is definitely a good thing, but there's a bit of a knack to getting the right amount of product out, and things can get a bit messy. Other than that I have no complaints. 

Let's talk about my September Goals. We'll start with the negatives first because there are some, but luckily there are more positives. I'll admit I didn't quite live up to the challenge I set myself this month. To refresh your memory if you haven't read my September Goals post (you can here) my goals were to: 

1. Post all content on time

2. Learn to play a complete song on the guitar

3. Change stone bracket

4. Do interval training on the treadmill

5. Post my first youtube video

Now I haven't managed to post all my content on time, nor have I posted my first youtube video, although that is definitely in the pipeline. This past month has been really manic and my blog has had to take a bit of a back seat to everything else unfortunately, hopefully things will calm down a bit so I can make it my top priority again. It was a bit of a different story when it came to youtubing, I actually have spent a couple of days filming and I was really unhappy with the results. I think I filmed about 6 versions of the same video and I was really not happy to upload it, so I didn't. I've realised that there is so much I need to learn about making videos before I feel that I can actually post anything. I will work on it though and you guys will be the first people to know when that happens. I'm hoping that that will be before the end of this year. 

So that was the bad news now on to the good bit, everything else that I wanted to do in September, I have done and I'm over the moon. I'm so happy. Firstly guitar, I can actually play quite a few songs on my no longer neglected guitar, Maggie, but the first one I could play start to finish (and it actually sound like it!!!) is a song called Last Train Home by Ryan Star, which is a song I've loved since I was 16. Just to clarify I said I wanted to be able to play a song, I didn't say I had to be good at it. But I'm slowly getting there. Speaking of getting there I have changed my stone bracket. I now see a completely different number whenever I get on the scales. I've also gone down a dress size and, last time I checked I am due to check again, I have lost a total of 4.5 inches from all over my body. I'm so happy and feeling super motivated to stay on track. Last but not least interval training, this was the thing I was most worried about. I was convinced I wouldn't be able to do it, but I actually managed to achieve it quite early on in the month, and I now do it 3-4 times a week. I realised that my main problem was the way I approached it. I was so convinced that I couldn't do it that I couldn't do it. But once I started thinking that I could do it and I was gonna smash it that's when I did. The annoying thing is I'd tried to do it a few times previously, and I'd managed to do about 8 minutes of it, what I didn't know is that after 9 minutes it gets easy. So I'd already done the hard bit, I just didn't know. Even though I didn't achieve everything I wanted to I'm still really happy with my progress. I worked hard and it has paid off.  

What were your September Favourites? What were your September Goals and how did you get on? Let me know by commenting below - I always reply so check back -, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat -search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

Love love love xxx

The Ride or Die Beauty Tag

The Ride or Die Beauty Tag

Thursday, 29 September 2016

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The Ride or Die Beauty Tag has been making the rounds on the internet for the past couple of weeks now and I figured it was high time I joined the conversation. If I lost all my make up and skin care in a freak make up catastrophe, admittedly it's unlikely, but if I did then my debit card would take a walloping, because there are just some things that would need to be replaced immediately! These are the true beauty loves of my life, the things I cannot, nay refuse, to live without. We're not messing around here.

MAC Matte Lipstick in Mehr £15.50 from MAC

Mehr is my ultimate favourite lipstick. A rosy nude with plummy undertones, it's very flattering, it looks good on everyone and it's really low maintenance, due to the amazing formula and the long lasting matte finish. It's the best lipstick ever.

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner - £13 from Cult Beauty

For a long time I stopped wearing liquid eyeliner, I'm not really sure why, but then I fell in love with this incredible long lasting, pigmented, waterproof babe of an eyeliner. It's perfect! It has an impossibly fine nib that makes for really clean and precise lines so it applies beautifully. It doesn't drag the lid, it doesn't skip or smudge or flake or crumble, it stays in place all day. I love it!

MAC Powder Blush in Dame - £18.50 from MAC

Dame is the first MAC product I ever bought. I got it in the MAC store in Times Square 4 years ago, and to this day I've never found a blusher I like as much. It is stunning! A cool toned pink with a satin finish, it adds a subtle, but noticeable, healthy rosy glow to the skin, and is especially flattering on pale complexions. It's pigmented, it has amazing colour pay off, it's buttery soft and smooth and it applies like a dream. It's the perfect everyday blush, and I can say that as a fact because I did wear it everyday for 3 and a half years, and now I have a new one I'll probably do it again.

L'Oréal True Match Foundation in Rose Ivory - £9.99 from Boots

I haven't found a foundation, high end or high street, to match this one. Even after it's reformulation last year it's still my favourite and has been for nearly 10 years. It gives excellent coverage, has a natural skin-like finish and is basically a good skin day in a bottle. 'Nuff said.

Urban Decay's The Naked Palette - £38.50 from Urban Decay

I love a neutral eyeshadow palette, I have a lot of them, but nothing beats the original Naked palette. It's my most used eyeshadow palette ever,  I've used it pretty much everyday for the past year and it's still going strong. I really love it, it has an amazing shade range and the shadows themselves are really blendable and buttery soft, aside from a small amount of fall out and the hideous fuzzy packaging, I really can't fault it. It is gorgeous!

Maybelline Lash Sensational Lash Multiplying Mascara - £7.99 from Boots

After years and years of searching I've finally found the perfect mascara, and the best part is that it's only £7.99, well that and it is amazing! The formula is a true black, it's really long lasting but not a nightmare to remove, it doesn't flake or smudge and the curved rubber wand does everything. It lengthens, defines, volumises, separates, lifts and gives me lashes for days. You put this on and it's like BOOM! Lashes!

Beauty Blender - £16.00 from Beauty Blender

If I had to sacrifice all my make up brushes and keep only one tool for applying make up, this would be it. This humble, egg shaped sponge is a make up game changer and I would be lost without it. I have tried a ton of Beauty Blender dupes but they just don't compare. I've found them to be a lot denser and heavier, and no where near as soft or effective. The Beauty Blender is amazing, I use it every single day because it does everything. I use it for foundation, concealer, blusher, contouring, bronzer... the list goes on and on, but I particularly like it for sheering out make up where I've been a bit heavy handed and it's amazing for making everything look really natural and dewy.

Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel - £29.50 from Cult Beauty

Before this miracle bottle of epicness entered my life my skin was in a sorry state indeed. From the moment I started using this my skin has been on the upswing and the acne I was suffering from, for nearly two years, has all but disappeared. If I don't use this for a couple of days I instantly see the difference in my skin. My skin doesn't feel as clean, it feels really dry and a break out is inevitable. This just seems to keep my skin really balanced so I don't break out and it feels really nice. It also removes make up quickly and easily, with minimal effort. I love it, I love it so much.

Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil - £85 from Cult Beauty

Another skin care item that has helped to dramatically improve the appearance of my skin. It's a retinol oil so is excellent for treating acne and signs of ageing. I don't use Luna everyday, because another bottle will set me back £85, so I live in fear of the day I run out. But, again, if this was taken from me the first thing I would do is drop the best part of £100 on another bottle, because it is that darn good! Luna is reserved for days when my skin is congested, or breaking out, and needs a little love. I apply 2 drops of this to my face before going to sleep and wake up with a guaranteed good skin day. Obsessed!

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion - £13 from Beauty Bay

I forgot to put this in the photo! Argh! Anyway... let's get past it. I love Mario Badescu's skincare in general, the Rosewater Facial Spray is another firm favourite of mine, but this is definitely one a hero product and my favourite item of skin care ever! Because it actually works! When my skin was at its very worst I was using this every night to reduce the appearance of spots and cystic acne. You pop this on any spots before you go to sleep and then in the morning it's worked it's magic, and the appearance of spots is significantly reduced, if not gone completely. It's amazing.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in Medium Brown - £15 from Cult Beauty

We all have one eyebrow that is perfect and one that's letting the team down, and we all have a favourite brow product to fix this. ABH's Dipbrow Pomade is mine, it's brilliant. It's a waxy mousse that shapes and defines my brows and covers any sparseness while still looking really natural. I use it every single day and you only need the tiniest little bit to get perfect brows, so it lasts ages too. Love it.

So there were definitely a few more products than I thought, I've added it all up and I would need a spare £261.98 just in case all my faves go missing... eeep.

What are your Ride or Die Beauty favourites? Let me know by commenting below - I always reply so check back -, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat -search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

Love love love xxx

Photo Diary from Friends Fest or The One Where We Had The Best Day Ever!!!

Photo Diary from Friends Fest or The One Where We Had The Best Day Ever!!!

Sunday, 25 September 2016

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Me and my sister have been huge Friends fans for as long as I can remember. So when I got an email about Friends Fest tickets just a couple of weeks before her birthday it was a no brainer! We had to go! And yesterday, after a 10 week wait, we did! We had such a good time. 

Neither of us really knew what to expect because we'd never been before, but it was a proper festival. There was a main stage which had friends stuff going on, there was the Moonlight Diner where Monica worked in season 3, a gift shop,  a Mockolate stand, the Chick & the Duck bar, which did the most incredible cocktails (I know that because we had a lot of them!), a wedding chapel where you could try on Monica and Rachel's wedding dresses, a silent disco(!), the most amazing mac and cheese stand and, the best bit, tours of the sets. We had an amazing time. It was so cool and we even got a little bit emotional when we went round Monica's apartment. We had so much fun, it was the best day! And I will be definitely be going again next year! 

Did you get to Friends Fest? Let me know by commenting below - I always reply so check back -, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat -search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

Love love love xxx

P.S. Sorry about the quality of some of the photos, I ran out of space on my phone and we had to use my sister's which has a crack in the camera. Not ideal.