April Favourites 2015

This month I have been obsessed with a few new things...

I recently did a review of The Sephora Collection Nano Lip Liners (€5.00/0.025oz). I bought it when I went to Paris earlier this month and I cannot stop wearing it! What I love about it is that it's a creamy formula so the application is very smooth on the lips, but it dries to a matte finish which ensures that it stays in place. I love how tiny it is too! It's perfect for travel and to touch up in the day! I have the colour '06 Pretty Praline'.

.

My next favourite is the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (30ml) which I got  in this months BirchBox and I really do love it, it comes with a muslin cloth which is amazing for taking off make-up while exfoilating at the same time. The texture of the product is like a cream so it's really easy to massage it in, but then the texture changes into a balm so you can really tell it's doing some heavy duty cleansing. The only negative I have to say is that I think I am going through this quite fast but I'll let you know on Twitter how it fairs!

My next skincare favourite is Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentreate (£36.00/30ml) which is my total skin saviour, if you haven't tried it you really need to. It's an oil which you put on at night and while you sleep it calms your skin and makes your face look so much better in the morning. It really is a miracle in a bottle. This is my second bottle so far, I know that it might seem expensive but the first one lasted me just under a year so I really think this is worth investing in. The reason why it's in my favourites is because I have been applying a bit of this in the morning because my skin is getting dry and it doesn't interfere at all my make-up. For more information click here.

My last beauty favourite is the Laura Mercier Kohl Eye Pencil (0.8g) in the colour Violet - I love this eyeliner, the colour is so unique and wearable, it is as the name suggests Violet, a dark purple and blue! I got this in the BirchBox too and it's just amazing. I have to say that the formula isn't that creamy, so it can be a tiny bit hard to apply but the lasting power is completely worth it. I love wearing coloured eyeliner around this time of year because it just adds something special to your look. I think it's well worth investing in Laura Mercier eyeliners if they have the same quality as this one! 

Like I said earlier I went to Paris this month and one of the things I picked up is this super dinky little Paris Tray from one of those touristy shops, and there has been something in it every day. I chuck my keys, pens and mini notepad into it, sometimes even spare change. It's so useful to have a place to keep all my bits and bobs so they aren't scattered around my room and desk. It's a total favourite of mine because it's a really nice reminder of my trip and for the price (which was around €3-5), it's well worth it. 

What has been your favourites this month? I would love to know :) 

Anjna x

Review: Sephora Collection Nano Lip Liner

As soon as I tried this product, I knew I had to tell people about it. The Sephora Collection Nano Lip Liners (€5.00/0.025oz) are so cute that I just has to buy one when I was in Paris earlier this month!

What I love about this is that it's pigmented and but also more of a creamy matte formula - as opposed to the Rimmel London Exaggerate that I spoke about a while back (which is also good but way more matte). This basically means that it glides on really nicely, it doesn't feel too drying on the lips and also you can wear this product by itself (or make it more of a lipstick by adding some clear lipbalm to it, which is another way I wear this). 

I have worn this like crazy already, I only bought it two weeks ago and I have already sharpened it, so I feel like I will use this up really quickly, even more so because it is so small! I am glad I got to try it, cause it is awesome and I just feel like this would be great for people just getting into lip liners as it is really not much of an investment or if you wear a statement lip colour every now and again. Although their colour range is quite limited, the colours that they do have are really nice. The colour I have is called '06 Pretty Praline' which is more of a  'my lips but better colour' and that's the reason why I have been wearing it so much!

The only semi negative thing I have to say about it is that it doesn't last all day on me, it lasts for around 4 hours nicely and then starts to fade away, but that's probably due to it being a more creamy formula on application. Underneath lipstick it lasts slightly longer but that's because there is an additional layer to get through. I still like this as a product and I know this will be one of the make-up products that I will finish. I think if you generally suffer from dry lips then this will be the perfect product because it won't cling to those dry patches awakwardly :)
I've heard that MAC do the best lip liners - what do you think?
Anjna x

April Birchbox!

Hey guys :) 

So one of my lovely friends got me a Birchbox as a birthday present which I think is an amazing present, so I really wanted to show you what was in this months edition. Firstly if you don't know Birchbox is a sort of surprise beauty box that you can subscribe to monthly or have as a one time thing. 

I received the pink Royally Good box (in celebration of the second royal baby), which is a super cute box and totally reusable and also a bag in which all the items are stored. I love bags like this, when you are travelling it's nice to store all your toiletries together in a pouch like this. Inside I got 6 items, and what I loved most is that had heard of the majority of the brands and items before and so I knew I was getting some really good stuff. 

Inside I received the legendary Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (30ml) which is amazing, I love it already, it comes with a muslin cloth which is great for exfoliating the skin without being too harsh. I also got a Laura Mercier Kohl Eye Pencil (0.8g) in the colour Black Violet, which is such a unique shade, it's a dark purple almost to the point where it looks navy, it's so wearable, i've wore it for the past two days already! The next thing in there was the Korres Bergamot Pear Showergel (40ml), which smells great and a little does go a long way. I also got a LOLA Barcelona (8ml) nail polish in the shade 'Rambla' which is in a brilliant coral shade, it would look amazing with a tan, I would never pick this shade for myself but I'm so happy I received it! I also got a really cool Percy and Reed Sealed and Sensational Volumising No Oil Oil (30ml), which I tried today and so far so good, like the name suggests it doesn't feel like an oil, and it's great for adding that bit of texture! The last thing I received was a sample of the Inner Me 'Beauty and the Green Coffee Bean'  which is a supplement to help the skin and nails which is well worth a try!

As you can see you get a heck of a lot with this! The box retails at £10, with an extra £2.95 for delivery which is really good value considering the amount of samples you get and some would last a fair while too! I can't wait to review these items in more depth! If you want to subscribe to Birchbox see here, this box was amazing to receive. 

Thank you for reading, 

Anjna x

Staple Pieces: River Island

Hey guys!
So today I wanted to share two of the items I have been loving from River Island. I absolutely love jewellery and always have staples pieces for a period of time rather than mixing and matching all the time. I feel like River Island has just been on point with their releases recently, I find myself loving everything - from their necklaces to their earrings to their rings, which for me is uncommon - I'm usually one of those people who can never find anything. Let me show you what I got!

The first thing I purchased was these midi rings! I love midi rings, I feel like they can look both casual and elegant at the same time, I got them in gold because I already have a gold ring which I wear all the time so wearing these both won't clash. What I love about these is that you can wear them separately or together. I feel like wearing both stacked together makes more of a statement so depending on the occasion I will mix this up. For £3 for both it was such a good deal I couldn't not buy them! If you want to take a look at them on the website then see here.

The next thing I purchased was some ear cuffs, for the past few months I have been hunting down the perfect pair, and when River Island had these in store again I couldn't help myself. I like that they gave you two again, one is slightly bigger but they are both adjustable, for £3 again I can't complain. I have been loving wearing ear cuffs with certain outfits, I feel like they make my style look more edgy, they add something...badass that I can't get from any other pieces I wear. If I want to go all out I wear two on the same ear, like in the picture below (flyaways are my enemy). But again it's all about how it meshes with the outfit. See here for link to website.

I really wanted to show you guys these two pieces because I have become absolutely obsessed with them both! I think it's because the colour of the gold doesn't look totally fake, and I could notice that as soon as I wore them. My mom actually believed that I got my ears pierced again!
I hope you have enjoyed my two picks :) Is there any jewellery that you have been loving?
Thanks for reading,
Anjna

10 Studying Tips

Hey guys,

So it's that horrid time again - exams are approaching and I have already started to study for them. I thought I would share my tips and tricks on how to study and also the lifestyle changes that you should implement to fully absorb all that new information.

1) Keep Hydrated

Studying is mentally draining and so, just like when you work out, your body needs to keep hydrated. They say that you should drink two litres of water a day and when you are studying it's easier to get to that amount if the water is accessible to you and keeping a glass or a bottle near you will help you to reach for it whenever you feel thirsty and even when you don't. Just remember that more water = happier brain =  fully absorbing information.

2) Exercise

I bet I am not the only one who has fallen off this bandwagon, but recently I have been trying to climb back on. The reason why exercise is so important is because it helps to get rid of stress which is needed if an exam is approaching. Not only this, but studying usually consists of sitting down a lot which means that we are being way less active than we usually are. I know that when I haven't exercised I feel sluggish and lazy, which can carry-over to how I study and so I really try to incorporate some form of exercise into my day. Also exercising, at least for me, makes me want to eat healthier so that's another plus.

3) Food

When studying, snacking isn't ideal because you aren't aware of how much you are eating due to your attention being (hopefully) elsewhere. I know for me that snacking actually distracts me from my work so what I tend to do now is eat properly before I study, this way I am already full and won't need to snack anyway. If I want to have a break later on then I will grab some fruit, eat it, and then carry on. So my advice is to eat beforehand, and to perhaps plan out what you are eating so you are sure that you are eating a nice mix of things.

4) Music

Music helps me concentrate. If you are like me and find it weird to study in complete silence then I recommend playing classical music. Instrumentals, such as classical music are the best because anything with lyrics will definitely be the opposite of helpful. Also, if you can try to get long pieces of music because fiddling around with songs gets distracting too, or just stick it on repeat. My personal favourite pieces to listen to is Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy and Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven.

5) Write, write and write again

So for paper based exams where you have to write, I make sure that I have personally handwritten all the information again and again, I do this because I find that I will know how to express things easier...it just flows nicer and quicker too. Also reciting things again and again is the best way to remember things even if it kills my hand. I love these record cards from Ryman! They come in four different colours so I can colour code my modules.

6) What person are you?

I'm a morning worker, I study the best in the early hours so I try to be working by 9am and because I know this I can utilise this. Try to find out what works for you and try to study in that period of time, I know a few of my friends are night workers and they get a lot done when other people are sleeping. Once you figure this out, try to build your routine around it so you can know exactly how much time you will spend studying - this is my next point. 

7) Time, and I mean a lot of time.

When it gets closer to the exam, you really need to dedicate a lot of your time to studying (and not just rewriting notes). I usually find that I can't get a lot done if I have just an hour, so really plan out your time well, if you have some errands to do then plan when you will take care of them. Because I am a morning worker, I will usually take care of other things in the late afternoon depending on how big of a job it is. Sometimes I like to get the other stuff out of the way first so I can truly spend the rest of my time on work. As long as you plan your time and know that you have spent enough time studying then that's all that matters.

8) Goals

So this goes hand in hand with my last point, I like to set myself daily goals on what I would like to get done - whether I want to rewrite three lectures in that day or just one. This is really good, at least for me, because you feel happy when each goal is completed. This doesn't have to be just for studying, I do this for my daily life too, today's goal is to put up this blog post for example. I find by doing this things do actually get done  and because things get done it also means you have some time to spare!

9) Motivation

So sometimes studying is something that you do not want to be doing. I get like this sometimes - all I want to do is sleep or read a book and do anything else but study. But you need to remind yourself why you are even studying at all. What gets my butt in gear is thinking about the grade I want to get at the end of my degree. You know what you are working towards - just remind yourself of what that is. Heck, even stick it on anything you look at daily - like your mirror or phone. If you lose motivation then think of the consequences of that. Another good way of maintaining that motivation is to reward yourself, this is something that I do constantly - If I think I deserve it then I will go ahead and buy it whether it be make-up, clothes, books or food. It doesn't have to be about buying stuff but just taking the time out to do something that you enjoy, for example if I finish everything before 5pm then I can read my favourite book or watch a movie with my friends. If you complete your goals then you feel better about yourself and can enjoy yourself much more knowing that you are done for the day.

10) Relax

Working 24/7 isn't going to help you. You need to make sure that you relax in order to perform as backwards as that sounds. Give yourself breaks in between studying. If I rewrite a lecture (my life at the moment), then after I have completed it I'll go watch one or two YouTube videos before starting the next lecture. Taking these breaks just means that my brain can concentrate for longer, it's like that whole Turtle and Hare race. Just take whatever breaks you need in order to perform and you'll find that you pay attention and digest the information better than someone who is rushing. 

Studying seems to be all I have been doing lately and I know people wonder how I have enough steam to get on with it and this post is basically it. I hope that this helps you guys, even if it is just keeping a glass of water next to you or going on an evening run after a long day. If you do have exams approaching then I wish you good luck :)

Do you have any more tips to share?

Thanks for reading,

Anjna

My Favourite Nail Polish - BarryM Textured Effect Nail Paint 'Duchess'

Hey guys :)
Spring is, in my opinion, really here now (the weather may beg to differ though) and so today I wanted to share with you guys my all time favourite nail polish, and yes it is a true favourite. I've been wearing this shade for on and off for two years and I always come back to it. Let me tell you why.

Let me introduce you to BarryM Textured Effect Nail Paint (£3.99/10ml) in the shade 'Duchess'. Firstly, lets all admire the shade, it's just...swoon-worthy! It''s a lovely dusty pink which has flecks of silver and it is definitely a shade which will suit everyone. It also goes with everything, with black it makes you look feminine, with red it looks complementary, with grey it look totally chic...I can go on and on about this...

It's a textured nail polish - although this means that taking it off will be hell, it also means that the staying power is amazing, like no joke, it's phenomenal -as in it lasts more than 5 days. It's actually what I wear when I have an exam as weird as that sounds, because I know I wouldn't need to fuss around with taking off nail polish and reapplying the day before so this it saves me a lot of time. Talking about time - this formula dries impeccably fast, like within 10 minutes it will be dry to the touch and you can start doing things, heck even if you did fidget in the first few minutes it doesn't matter because it's textured and you wouldn't even notice. Because of this, I always take this colour when I travel home on the train, it's foolproof. The price is the most amazing thing, like all BarryM polishes you get such a good standard while paying such affordable prices and that's why I have so many, they just do the job well.

I'm actually gushing over this polish - I never thought I would use that word to describe myself but there you go. I think everyone needs this polish, I'm totally serious about this - once you try it, I know you will be converted. Honestly.

I hope you guys try it, if you do be sure to tweet me!

What's your favourite spring shade? I think you can tell this is mine :)

Thanks for reading,

Anjna