EcoTools Day to Night Set Brush Review

Hello and welcome back to my blog! This week I am going to be speaking to you about my EcoTools brush set that I bought from Boots.

The brush set, named the 'Six Piece Day to Night Set' contains what I would class as everyday make-up brushes. It includes: an angled face brush, a pointed concealer brush, a highlighting fan brush, an eye shadow brush and a detailed lip/liner brush. All brushes come in their own neat cosmetic case, which they advertise as being multi-functional and able to hold evening basics.

The bag itself has an elastic brush holder inside so that the brushes are nice and secure and will hopefully get less wear and tear from not rubbing against each other, ruining the bamboo wood handles. The base is covered in a really nice, soft cork which gives an extra quirk to it, making it feel very tropical, in conjunction with the tropical green gradient sides. The bag feels sturdy which would make it possible to be used for different purposes as described however it might be a little too small for today's 'essentials' e.g: my phone. 

All brushes are really soft and I love the added detail on the end of each brush which gives each brush their usage name. The three larger brushes are the softest brushes, which allows things like contour, highlight and eye shadow application to be nicer and easier. The other two brushes (liner and pointed concealer) are more rigid, which works for the liner brush, but I personally would prefer if the pointed concealer brush was a bit more flexible. I feel like if this change was made, the concealer brush would be better suited for its use as the structure of the brush makes it less practical for blending. 

The Brushes

The pointed concealer brush is a little odd. I often use a stick concealer, so this brush doesn't work well for its designed use. However, I sometimes use this for inner corner highlight or for general under-eye smoking/blending. 

Pointed Concealer Brush

The contour brush has a great angled top, making it perfect for creating a natural shadow at your cheek bone hollows. This is one of my favourite brushes in this set, as I like to use bronzer. I'm not a heavy contour-applier, so I generally use it all over my face which works well too.

Contour Brush

The thinnest brush is the liner brush. This is best for the lips in my opinion, although it can also be used to apply eye liner under the lower lash line. I often like to use the brush to line my lips or to use it just to make sure I have a neat line of lipstick. 

Lip Liner

Finally is the highlighter brush. I'd say this is great for the cheeks, but probably steer away from using it on the cupids bow and nose. It could be the highlighter I use but I find the brush often makes my product very dusty and so fall out occurs, making me look a little like a disco ball. However, this doesn't mean the brush isn't great! And quite honestly, I'm a beginner at make up.

Fanned Highlighter

Following on from my last point, I am a beginner in make-up. You could say this is my first proper set of brushes so I am finding what they're best used for and experimenting. However I would say my favourite brush is the eye shadow brush because I love a good smokey eye and so this brush is great for blending. It's also good for initially packing on the product. 

Eye shadow

Overall I think this is a set for beginners and the brushes themselves would also fit perfectly in someones bigger collection who uses make-up more often. I bought these from Boots and they cost £16.99, which was a very good price in comparison to other brushes available. They wipe clean really easily and don't shed. 

I hope this post has helped anyone decide on which make-up brushes to buy. If you don't wear make-up I hope you had a laugh at me sharing my opinions anyway. 

Thank you for reading my blog. If you haven't already, go back and check some of my other posts including a Stranger Things review. Please share, follow and comment below and let me know your best brush or make-up buys.

See you again soon

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Stranger Things Season One Review- No Spoilers

Hello. So I'm back with another blog post today about something I have been obsessed with. That 'something' is the Netflix series 'Stranger Things'.

This tv series aims to thrill, excite and intrigue. The show, released in the UK 15th July 2016, was created by Matt and Ross Duffer. The brothers tapped into nostalgic 1980's America, with a similar production style to the likes of Stephen King. It is as though the makers of this series took Alien, IT, and a little of E.T and stuck them all together.

Here's the series trailer, take a look!

Plot Opening

Without giving away any plot spoilers, the story follows the mystery disappearance of  Will Byers, a young boy who lives with his Mum, Joyce and his elder brother Jonathon. With another blast from the past, Joyce is played by the brilliant Winona Ryder, who has famously acted in Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands.

She plays an amazing part of a grief stricken mother, who against all odds, is fighting to find her son. The chemistry that is then left between her and her other son is made unstable, with both relatives feeling devastated by their loss. They also have to deal with a low-life Father who doesn't seem to care about the old family that he has left behind.

The cast is all-star excellence. The main group of characters in the series are; Will, Mike, Dustin and Lucas are all school friends. Eleven is also a main character within this group, but you'll find out more about her lower down.

After playing a long anticipated and thought out game of 'Dungeons and Dragons' the boys leave Mike's house in the dark. I loved this scene as it introduced each character well, without showing us too much depth of character. You could see which character got most annoyed, who was the problem solver and which one was most openly emotional. The iconography definitely sets the scene, especially the well renowned chopper bike.

Once the boys part ways, Will skids off road....This is where I shall leave the story. However, my reasoning for mentioning this part, is the funny comparisons the rest of the group then relate to their home town. The road where Will goes missing is called Mirkwood, tac-tics to find Will are also compared to moves in their games and there's plenty more, so watch out for those geeky inputs.

The town of Hawkins then experiences other strange goings-on, featuring E.T. style; extra-terrestrial, sci-fi in the form of Eleven, who appears to be a normal girl upon first meeting her. That is really all I can say, without giving away too much information. However, I would recommend this show to everyone who enjoys this genre and more- I was hooked from the off.

The Analysis

Even celebrities make time to watch it! Here's Zac Efron.

What makes this show so good? Why should you watch it? What's all the hype about? 

People love nostalgia, but not too much of it. This show has the right amount of a flashback feel, whilst using more up-to-date technology, special FX and better quality filming. It makes the show easy to watch and is therefore more immersible. I was hooked within the first 20mins so seriously not long at all. The next positive for this show, would be the story arc. Yes, some of the plot is a little predictable, but I quite enjoy that. It allows you to follow the story easily whilst still being shocked by some of the unexpected twists in there. Predictability isn't always bad. If we know there's someone or something on the loose taking people and a character is by themselves, the likelihood of them being killed/ injured is pretty high. The plot is so perfect for the target audience and even I was often lulled into a false sense of security, especially about some of the relationships in the show.  

So before I even begin to talk about stereotypes, you can already see the likability of the show from it's traditional sci-fi roots, to a more relevant production now. One analysis that I can make about the characters are the great dynamics of them all. There isn't really one main stereotypical hero. I feel that all characters gain equal chance to appear; brave, scared, upset and logical. Some stereotypes can be seen, as that is how it would have been at the time the show is set, but the present day input is also great. Winona Ryder aka Joyce Byers appears mad and crazy through grief, so do many other female characters who are often stereotyped as being emotional. Yet throughout the show, you can see Joyce's strength and intellect, her open mindedness and understanding is what ultimately gets her through day-to-day. Another female character that I haven't mentioned yet is Nancy Wheeler, who at first seems shallow. On the other hand, her high schools struggles are very relatable, where popularity can often seem a priority. Originally an A grade student, she becomes mixed with the wrong crowd, due to wanting to please 'hard guy' Steve. Steve and the rest of the group are your average, slacking, skiving teenagers who almost change Nancy. However, as the show progresses, Nancy too becomes strong, overcomes a sense of 'evil' and challenges the traditional damsel in distress stereotype. 

My favourite character has to be Eleven. I am blown away by Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven, and her level of acting and believability. One of my favourite story themes is the chemistry between her and character Mike especially. She challenges traditional female stereotypes. Trying not to spoil the plot too much (this is however, shown in the trailer), Eleven is strong. She holds some incredible talents (as you can see, trying very hard not to reveal spoilers) which enable her to become practically an unconventional heroine in my eyes. The show features some bullies that the boys have trouble with,  often targeting Dustin's speech impediment. Once Eleven comes along, things appear to change...I'll let your imagination think about what might happen there. You'll just have to go and watch it to find out. Her short hair, which originally makes her appear ill, gives her a rough edge to her, which is a complete contrast to what a 'normal' young girl would look like. Her dependency on an elder male role/ her want for a family is evident and so the depth of her character is revealed, yet I don't feel that this is just entirely because she's a girl...I think it shows her vulnerability through being young. This is reflected in other characters, which shows a base theme of the importance of a strong family unit.

You also know it's a good series when it receives 95% on  'Rotten Tomatoes' so go an check it out.

I hope you enjoyed this spoiler free tv series review. If you want more film or tv reviews let me know in the comments. 

See you soon!

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Recent Primark Purchases

Hello and welcome back to my blog! Today's post is about a recent visit to Primark.


The intentions of this trip were to do some holiday/summer shopping, however, I ended up getting general, everyday clothing for typical British weather.
I love Primark. As a bargain lover and cheapskate, I appreciate a shop that provides low budget clothing.

Blue striped shirt and dark, navy jeans

Firstly, I shall mention the shirt. The fabric is really nice and soft, so I'm looking forward to wearing this. I would team it with some dark navy jeans like the ones in the pictures above, or some black trousers for a smarter look. I like that the collar isn't too structured as I feel it gives the shirt a softer appearance. The roll up sleeve option also makes this shirt very wearable for both smart and casual occasions. I love this style of clothing, where the block white colour makes the cuffs really stand out. Secondly are the jeans. I really like Primark jeans as they always fit me well. I opt for the skinny fit style, but they do loads of others. I have now got a few pairs of jeans, many of which are in this high-waisted style. I think the two items in the picture complement each other and the high-waist jeans would create a nice silhouette with the shirt tucked in. 

Dark pink pinafore

Next I bought a pinafore (£10), my second from Primark. I like pinafores because I think they're really versatile, add a quirky edge to a normal dress style and I find them super comfy, which is high priority for my clothing choices. The material is suedette I believe, which makes this item also nice and soft. It's a great fit for me and is paired nicely with either a block colour top underneath or, my other go-to is my stripey knit, cropped, short sleeved top, also from Primark. I think an Autumn inspired outfit would look great with this- think white knitted bobble hat, brown boots and big scarf.

Grey NYPD t-shirt

My final item of clothing I'm going to show, is this NYPD top. A classic slogan t-shirt makes it easily pair-able with some high-waisted jeans or a high waisted skirt....As you can tell, I do like my high waisted clothing. Again, this is made out of a lovely, soft material and fits really nicely. It's not super tight or clingy, but allows for the shape of your body to be seen, if that makes any sense. It was only £6 so I thought it would be a worthy investment and addition to my wardrobe. 

I bought some other bits and pieces, including; a new make-up bag in a nautical theme, some blue slip-on pumps, a 4 pack of ordinary black socks and a foldable, reusable shopping bag for a great price of £1. Hopefully, I will be able to grab some last minute holiday bits, although to be honest, I think I need a whole wardrobe revamp!  

I hope you enjoyed this post, comment down below your favourite item or anywhere you'd recommend for me to go and shop for some wardrobe inspiration. 

                             
                             

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An Evening Boat Trip

So a few weeks ago I went on a boat trip with my Mum's work colleagues. This took place from Gunthorpe, along the River Trent. The river is opposite both Tom Browns Brassiere and The Unicorn pub. There is a small car park so the access is really great. We got there about 5:45, as the boat was set to go at 6pm sharp. After paying for my trip, I'd rather the boat didn't leave without me! We got there and the friendly boat driver/skipper welcomed us on board. The boat is big enough for a small kitchen area, a patio area and a seating room. Most importantly for me, there was also a toilet, which gave me comfort on what would be a three hour round trip.

The bow of the boat. Grey skies didn't bother us!

Looking back along the boat.

The amount of time we spent on the boat allowed us to enjoy; the wildlife, scenery and calming setting of Gunthorpe and the eventual arrival in Burton Joyce (near to the Ferry Boat pub). We all organised to bring some food and drink....not least forgetting a lovely chocolate cake made by one member. After taking a few pictures of the surrounding fields and animals, I was given the chance to steer the boat. I am able to drive a car, I have driven a speed boat with a wheel, but this was a traditional 'steering pole' (not sure of the official term). This meant that if you wanted to turn right, you point the pole left....Confusing right?

The happiness I gained from being in control

You can see the confusion.

I managed to do an okay job at it as I'm quite hands on. Other members of the group also had a go, with some better than others. This made the trip entertaining and it was a good chance to ask the skipper some questions about the river, his time working the river and about the job itself. The three hours flew by, although as stereotypes suggest, women can talk and we sure did! I would recommend this boat trip for work groups, small party groups or look into using a smaller boat and just enjoying what boating has to offer!

I hope you've enjoyed reading this blog post and leave a comment about your times on water! 

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A Trip to Wales

A challenging year at university calls for a holiday!

After finishing what had been an extremely tough year at university for me, it was time for a break. During my break, I was fortunate enough to have a trip away to Wales.

I had never been to Wales before, or at least, never a time that I could remember. The drive down wasn't actually that long from where I live, so I managed to entertain myself for the journey. It was good to have a change of scenery, pester my boyfriend for conversation and sing along to some oldies but goldies with my parents.

I would recommend going for walks if you can. We did two long walks, with the longest being 7.5 miles. A lot of car parks and beach parking is free, so for a few days, we explored nearby areas. The places I enjoyed visiting will be listed below, along with some of the best attractions and restaurants from the trip.

On one of the walks 

We walked all the way to that point. This was also where we saw a seal, which explains the grainy, zoomed photo

A meal with a view

On our first full day we walked along the seafront. We discovered on that journey, a very nice restaurant called Bryan Williams at Porth Eirias, so we decided to make a reservation for the following night. Once we got there, we were welcomed by a really friendly waiter. The service he gave was first class and it made our experience even better. The restaurant was placed on the beach front and so when the sun set, everyone was getting out their cameras. I had the fish fingers, which was simply a posh version of the traditional. The food was cooked to perfection. My boyfriend had the lobster to start and that was one of the meals that stood out for me. Therefore, if you enjoy posh nosh and excellent service I'd go there for a meal out.

The view out of the window of the restaurant

Trams, tourists and taste buds

Llandudno was another nice seaside spot. And when at the seaside, ice cream and chips are a must (not at the same time obviously). I was very happy just scoffing those to be honest. Before this treat however, we went on the Great Orme Tramway, that takes you to the top of the Great Orme summit. Once we were at the top, the wind was immense, the rain hailed down and yet, this seemed to add to the character of the place. It's full of history as its tower has had many uses over the years, including a ww2 radar tower. There is also a small nature reserve and educational cove with lots of interactive things to look at.

That looming grey cloud didn't stay for long. This was the view on the tram from Great Orme

Llangollen Explorations

The aqueduct at Llangollen was a bit scary- if heights aren't for you, then maybe skip the walk along the top. If you aren't phased by heights or the narrow walkway next to the canal, then you'll definitely enjoy the views. However, once over the bridge, there is an interesting information centre and I'd say the experience was worthwhile. Llangollen itself was nice to walk around and we ended up having a tea break at the Cottage Tearooms. The cuisine in Wales allowed me to discover some new dishes that I hadn't had before, such as Welsh cakes and something that resembles a Cornish pastie called an oggie.

The viaduct (the train version of the aqueduct) 

You see why I felt a bit scared? Great views though

Conwy Castle, Knights and Chips

Conwy is the final place I would recommend on my North Wales tour. On the outskirts of Conwy lies Conwy Castle. It's castle walls stretch and encircle the small sea-boarded town. The castle has seen its fair share of fights, captures and seizures and so the history here is also vast. For me, I was more interested in exploring the towers, to gaze on the views of Conwy harbour and beyond. The castle offers student discount which is always a positive for me, however, I felt the pricing was a little steep for what you can see and for how long you spend there; however, it's about the experience isn't it. After this we explored the harbour which allowed us some relaxation time; to look at the boats, the sea and enjoy a mouthful of fish and chips at the same time. There is also fresh fish sold on the front in small cups, which I always enjoy. The town is host to a knight shop, the the smallest house in Great Britain and a selection of lovely cafes.

Conwy Castle

I hope you enjoyed this blog post

Comment and let me know if you've been to Wales or where you'd recommend to visit. 

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2016 Goals

Happy New Year! Welcome back to my blog! So this one is about my goals for this year

I purposely didn't call this my 'new year's resolutions'. Why? Well I'm not one of those people that can stick to resolutions. I don't feel guilty by not sticking to them and so I think that 'resolutions' would be the wrong word to use. My second reason is that we're already past the first week of January 2016 so I'm a little late on the whole new year thing. 

Firework Show at Nottingham Castle

I would say I've had a tough year in reflection. University has presented me with a few difficult challenges and its often been stressful. I know I need to focus on my achievements and my strengths and simply work on things I'm not as good at. I'd recommend this to anyone, as it allows me to set realistic expectations for myself. 

My first goal is to take more pictures. 

I find photography both relaxing and entertaining and I don't think I'd get bored of taking pictures very quickly. Over the last few years, I've taken more and more pictures. The rest of my family doesn't and that's sort of what started my passion. I looked back through family albums and pictures on the computer and found gaps. I'd suddenly jump from one picture of me in January at my brothers birthday meal, to Christmas at the end of the year! Looking back at pictures is so important to me and so it's probably one of the reasons I love it so much, because I know the end result will provide me with memories that I can save and cherish-sorry for the yucky sentimentality, I'm very emotional :'). 

This year I want to spend more time taking pictures and go to different places specifically to take pictures. My favourite shots are of landscapes and nature, because they're just so amazing. My parents love long countryside walks and as much as I don't like the walking, the views have often been breathtaking. I also need to think about the different settings I can use whilst taking the picture, even before I think about editing. I often don't add filters to my natural shots because the landscapes speak for themselves, but recently at university, I sat through a seminar about the controls of their hefty, ridiculously clunky video cameras. I took the opportunity to ask a few questions about shutter speeds and gain etc and tried to tailor it to photography and not filming. So that's what I shall think about doing whilst out enjoying myself taking snaps of the world, my family and myself. Not to be vain, but I would like to see how I change through the year and by the way my stress levels are, I'll probably have some greys coming through! 

Goal number two is to express myself more. 

I love my colouring book. Sounds mad I know, but it has really helped in the past week. I have a deadline coming up with university, in a module I don't really enjoy and it doesn't help that I'm rubbish at it. I needed to get out and felt like running away from everything. Music helped a bit, but I still felt like I was listening to music whilst feeling unhappy. Instead I got out my colouring book and completed a whole pattern. It sounds childish but the book does have the word 'adult' on the front, just to prove to those who find it funny that I have been colouring. I also wrote a bit of poetry/ story as English has always been something I've loved, poetry especially. I'm not planning on being an author or a poet, but I'm just doing it because it lets me release all the mess in my head and put it down on a page. 

Organisation

At the start of this year, I used a notebook for all my to-do lists and kept note of upcoming dates on a calendar that Uni gave me for free. However, I think in the next few days, I will go on the search for the perfect diary, to do list, notes, goals...anything I want to write down. It must be the right size to be carried everywhere. The one I was using was a little too big to carry around with me everyday but I loved it regardless. It really helped me with anxiety and stress because I could put down everything I needed to do and it gave me great satisfaction to cross out the ones I had completed. The one thing I didn't like about that, was that it left crosses and mess in the book, which made me feel cluttered and confused.....When you get in a flustered state of mind it's easy for the smallest thing to annoy you and the mess in my notebook does that for me. 

To have accomplished something 

I would love it, if at the end of the year or throughout it, I could think wow, well done Charlotte. I want to be able to be proud, and I mean really proud, of something I have done. I'd love it, if I could finish this year at university with an amazing grade, I wish to pass my driving test and my biggest task I'm setting myself for this year is to get myself sorted. I might do a blog about it, but since starting university, I've realised how much of a big step it has been and how it has narrowed down my learning so much. In sixth form, I chose four subjects to learn; Drama, Media, English Language and Psychology and realising that they were just subjects and not career choices has come as a surprise to me, as I now have no idea what to do once my degree is over. At the end of the academic year/this year, I want to have narrowed down my career choices, as it has been one of the factors giving me anxiety. 

One of my funnier achievements of last year

I hope you've enjoyed reading this post and that it may have inspired you. 

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My Winter Nights Routine

Hello!

I am definitely a summer girl. I love being able to wear shorts and a top and feel comfortable and uplifted. Unfortunately, it is freezing now so I thought I'd write a blog about how I keep calm, pampered and winter ready.

Firstly, I like to get in from wherever I  have been, throw my coat over the stairs and relax on the sofa with a cup of tea. That sigh of relief that you get when walking into your home is the best!

Then, once I've eaten I will start my routine. I will go and take a shower. During the winter months I like to use moisture rich shower gels. I have this Nivea in-shower moisturiser that helps to soothe dry skin. A lot of people would have thought that a bath would have featured in this blog post, but personally I find having a bath very boring. I like to get in the shower, have a soak and then get back out again so that I can relax in my pyjamas.

My slippers from Marks and Spencer 

Nivea in shower moisturiser 

Christmas scented candles (not the spicy ones)

Dressing Gown also from M&S

For my showers I use:

• A regular shampoo (non-expensive) such as Alberto Balsam 
• A conditioner for medium to dry hair/dry hair
• Shower gel of choice with a shower lily/shower scrub

I find that gently using a shower puff helps to exfoliate my skin and prep it ready for moisturising which I do about once a week using a Bodyshop body butter. 

I get out the shower, quickly dry and put on my dressing gown. That's the other bad thing about winter- getting out of a nice warm shower, into the frozen bathroom.

I don't often do this step and I do it even less in the Summer, but if I've had bad skin, I will give my skin a full treatment using my No7 skincare.

Firstly I take the hot cloth cleanser and place onto my face. I then run the cloth under a warm tap and put onto my face for a few minutes as guided (the reason I don't do this much, is because you have to wait for the cleanser to work...I find it difficult to sit still).

Then once I have wiped and washed off the cleanser it's onto my face mask. This No7 moisturising mask helps to soften the face and treat any dry spots on the skin. My only reservation is that these products can sometimes sting, depending on how sore your face is feeling.

Then after this I moisturise using a Boots own moisturiser #studentlife. I find it's really gentle and it just really works for me. On a normal day however, I'd skip out the hot cloth cleanser and mask, and just use my other boots cleanser and toner, as they both work really well.

Before jumping into bed, I make sure to moisturise my legs, arms and elbows, as I find that these are my trouble spots. I use a different moisturiser for my hands, as the body butter is very oily. I have almost used up all of my Ted Baker one, which smells really nice.

Then, I can settle down with my drink, my fairy lights and enjoy a movie. Recently they have been Christmas themed, like The Santa Claus featuring Tim Allen who is the voice of Buzz Lightyear in
the Toy Story films.

I hope you've enjoyed my blog post and I hope it has reminded you to pamper your skin every once in a while!

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