Q&A // Get to know me

Q&A //

So today's blog post is going to be a quick Q&A. I love getting to know new people and think Q&A's are the perfect way to get to know someone :)

Q1:Why is my name spelt differently?My name is pronounced like Neve, but spelt N-I-A-M-H. My dad is Irish, so I'm half Irish. Niamh is the Irish spelling and comes from the Irish story of Niamh the Princess.

Q2:What do you want to do with your life?Ever since I was around 5, I loved reading. I've always wanted to be an author and write fiction books for kids or teens. I was always ahead in English and had a high reading age since I was 7. Writing is my passion, but I also love acting.

Q3:What's your favourite subject at school?I really love drama at my college. I didn't have the opputunity to do drama at high school and love it at college. My teacher is incredible, funny and so laid back for a teacher. I also love my drama group. we're a small group and all very close.

Q4:Favourite app?I love Instagram. I love sharing photos with people and documenting what I've been up to, so Instagram is the perfect place :)

Q5:What are your three favourite hobbies?I love taking photos. I have a busy life and a bad memory. I love taking photos, as they document all the fun things I've done, especially over the holidays, when I do more, because I'm not at school. My second favourite hobby is watching YouTube or films. I'm a big movie fan and love watching them to pass an hour or two. I like all the typical YouTubers, like Zoella, PointlessBlog, PlanetGabby, ThatcherJoe. And my final hobby is some sort of art. I love drawing most of all and always grab a pencil and some paper when I'm bored.

Q6:What is your favorite TV series?Pretty Little Liars for sure. The show is incredible, full of talented people and I'm absolutely in love with it! The story line is fast paced, action packed and very mysterious. The show has me on edge all the time! I also love watching Suits and when its on each year I adore I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here.

Q7:Who is your role model?I have so many people that I look up to. Keegan Allen from PLL inspires me through photography. Amanda Seyfried is one of my favorite actress', as is Meryl Streep. My music inspiration is Ed Sheeran. I love Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgeons from my childhood memories. There's so many to choose, but all of the above are in the mix. A lot of people inspire me and to be quite honest it depends what show or reality thing I have been loving. For example, because I've just watched Pretty Little Liars, my mind is saying my role model is currently Troian Bellisario.

Q8:What do you look for in a person? As a friend or someone you like?I think laughter is the best thing in the world. A good laugh makes everyone feel better, so probably laughter. Obviously, only as long as the laughter isn't at someone else's expense.

Q9:What is your favourite time of the year and why?CHRISTMAS!I love all things Christmas, from the cheesy music to the tree. But the main reason I love it is the atmosphere. Everyone's in a great mood, shopping around town and just being happy. I find more people are happy around Christmas time.

Q10:What do you hate a lot?Bullying or racism. I really don't understand how someone can tell someone to kill themselves whilst sat behind a phone. And discriminating someone in any way because they are a different colour to you is pathetic. To be honest, I find anything like racism or bullying sickening.Oh, and I also hate parents that pressurize teens to do well at school. Well, that and I hate mushrooms...

So I hope you likes this little Q&A and maybe now you know me a bit better :) Thanks for reading, see you soon, Niamh x

Beauty and Clothes Haul

Beauty and Clothes Haul // Recent Buys

So recently I went shopping with two friends, Megan and Kenzie, at Fosse Shopping Park Leicester. If you live in Leicester, you'll know a lot of people use Fosse Park for a quick shop or somewhere to stop and eat, due to it's huge Food Hall.

So one of my favourite shops is New Look. From here I brought two tops, each on sale, priced at £5 each. A great bargain. I've mentioned one of the tops in a previous blog. Its a long sleeved, black top, thats floaty and loose fitting.

 The second top was in the same kind of style, but dark blue with a black lace hem at the bottom. This one is three qauter length sleeved and cost the same amount. Personally I prefer the first one, as I like having my arms covered, but the second one has a nice hem.

My next purchases were from Asda. I have to say, one of the main reasons I love Fosse park is due to Asda. It's just the perfect place to get everything you need, from books to DVDs, make up to sweets. It's exceptionally cheap too. The first thing I picked up was this glass jar. I fell in love with the cute heart on the front and the baby blue screw lid. It was only £2.50 and the perfect size. It started on my desk, containing nail polishes. Not liking how it looked, I replaced the polishes with fairy lights. This looked really cute and is the perfect way to add a bit of decoration to a room. Another way would be to store money or savings in the jar.

The final two things I brought were cotton pads and make up remover. The cotton pads were Asda's own and cost me 79p. I needed a new pack, and decided to go with the bigger versions, so I would not use more than one cotton pad every time I took off my make up. And finally, the micellar water. This is the best make up remover I have discovered. It removes dirt and make up, has no smell and is great for your skin. As if that wasn't enough, it only cost me £2.50.

Until next time,

Niamh x

A Cosy Night In

A Cosy Night //

Everybody loves having time to relax and let off some stress. I find the perfect way to do so, is to have a cosy night in. By this I mean making yourself feel better, if you've had a down day or just generally letting yourself relax.

My cosy nights consists of doing something I love. Suiting it to your needs/likes is important, as it makes you feel happy. I often find I have cosy nights quite often, as they're fun and nothing is better than just letting yourself go for a night and not worrying about anything.

STEP 1:

Grab yourself a nice, calorie high snack ;)

My favorite thing to grab would probably be a bag of sweets, such as Tangfastics. But anything will do and it doesn't have to be calorie high! I just find something full of sugar makes me feel better. I was recently given this box of Thorntons Winter chocolates and they went pretty quick!

STEP 2: 

Put on our favorite film

My next step would be to get together a running of films I want to watch. My favourite is a good, heart warming musical or Disney film. My favourites are things like Mamma Mia, Tangled, Hoodwinked.
If you're not a film fanatic like me, put on a series or log onto your laptop to watch You Tube. Watching something that entertains you, is good for you. No matter what people say, a good film helps you unwind.

Niamh x

Recent favourite song

So I'm a big music fan and listen to everything from High School Musical to Jess Glynn. My favourite song is always changing, but my most recent one was a song I discovered through a TV show. I'm sure you've had that moment when your watching your favourite show and an incredible song comes on. That happened to me during an episode of Pretty Little Liars not long ago. A song came on, and I fell in love with it.Now its a slightly strange song. Its by Hozier, who's voice is incredible. I was surprised, as his music isn't really to my taste. But his latest single 'Take Me to Church' certainly is.The song is powerful, good length and Hozier's voice is so strong.The lyrics have such a special message and the kind of lyrics you instantly love, because they're so clever.

My lovers got humour
She's the giggle at a funeral
Knows everybody's disapproval
I should have worshiped her sooner
If the heavens ever did speak
She is the last true mouthpiece
Every Sundays getting more bleak
A fresh poison each week
We were born sick, you heard them say it

My church offers no absolutes
She tells me worship in the bedroom
The only heaven I'll be sent to
Is when I'm alone with you
I was born sick, but I love it
Command me to be well
Amen, amen, amen

Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good god, let me give you my life

Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good god, let me give you my life

If i'm a pagan of the good time
My lovers the sunlight 
To keep the goddess on my side
She demands a sacrifice
To drain the whole sea
Get something shiny
Something meaty for the main course
That's a fine looking high horse
What you got in the stable?
We've got a lot of starving faithful
That looks tasty
That looks plenty
This is hungry work

Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good god, let me give you my life


Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good god, let me give you my life

No master or kings when the ritual begins
There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin
In the madness and soil of that sad earthly scene
Only then I am human
Only then I am clean
Amen, Amen, Amen

Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good god, let me give you my life

Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good god, let me give you my life

Niamh x

This months recommendations

This Months Recommendations //

So today's post is about my recent  favourites. I'm a shopoholic, but what teenage girl isn't? I must admit, my favourite shops vary. My friends know how odd my shopping choices are; I go from New Look to Asda in the space of two minutes!
Being a teenage girl on a budget, I tend to stick to cheaper shops like New Look and Primark. In fact New Look led me to my first favourite:

1. Long Sleeve Black Top
I've been looking for a long sleeve black top for a while now. They're comfy for winter and look good with anything and everything. Until I went into New Look , the only ones I had seen were tight to the body. I wanted one that was loose and floaty and that's exactly what I found in New Look! It cost a fiver and is currently my go to outfit

2. The Morganville Vampires
My second recommendation is a book series. The Morganville Vampires were written by Rachel Caine and is 15 books long. Sounds rubbish right? Who has the effort to read 15 books all about the un original idea of vampires?
But you'll be pleasantly surprised. The books are fast paced and keep you hooked for hours. Sure, its about vampires. But its nothing like Twilight. There's no time consuming love story between vampires and the whole series is based around a ton of different things, all leading up to the grand ending.
The series was recently made into a YouTube series. The first book was split into 6 episodes, each lasting 10 minutes. I didn't have high hopes, knowing the series was on a budget and I have to say I was right. The acting isn't terrible, but its worth improving. The book series is better, but that's just one girls opinion ;)
I would read the books first then have a crack at the series and see how you find it.

3. Pretty Little Liars

My next recommendation is something I've been loving for over a month now. It's the hit US series, Pretty Little Liars. My friends must be getting annoyed with me; I don't stop talking abut it! The show follows four girls, who try to unravel what happened to their missing friend. During the midst of all this, they start to get texts. Someone is pretending to be their missing friends, taunting the four girls with all their dirty secrets (hence the secret). The show is massively known, action packed, mysterious and perfect length, With 25 episodes per season, each episode runs for 40 minutes. The newest episode of Season 5 airs 9th December and I'm so excited for it! I am ridiculously hooked to this show. The actors are incredible and every episode is interesting. The plot thickens and just when you think it's over, something else happens! 

Oh and the number one rule of Pretty Little Liars? Nobody's ever really dead. Even after you attend their funeral.

Everyday Make Up Routine

Everyday Make Up Routine //

Any girl who says she's not had those days when she doesn't put effort into how she looks is lying. But any girl who says she also doesn't have days when she wants to turn heads is also lying! This make up look I use is quick and easy, and what I do everyday for College. It's the perfect middle point between going overboard and not making any effort!
STEP 1:
I take my Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in the lightest colour Porcelain. I have very pale skin and this matches perfectly, so would really recommend this same colour for pale, red haired people. I use a pea sized pump on my hand and apply onto my face using the Real Techniques Pointed Foundation Brush. It's a flat brush and good for applying face make up. I find this brush too flat and small to use to blend my foundation in, so use the Real Techniques Contour Brush to blend. The brushes are labelled, but you can choose how you use them to suit you. The labels are just suggestions. 

STEP 2: I then use my Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in the colour Light. Using the applicator I dab it under eyes. I then use my ring finger to begin blending it in. The ring finger is the best to use, as it moves less, so does not pull the sensitive skin underneath your eyes. I use my Real Techniques Contour Brush to finish the job off. I'm devoted to this concealer and everyone i know recommends it. It's thick, but not cakey and covers dark circles/blueness quite well.

STEP 3:
After I have the base of my face, I head in with my eye make up. For this I use w7 LashTastic Mascara. I brought this mascara from a drugstore around a year ago for £1.99 and have gone through at least 3 bottles since then. One coat makes your lashes look 10 times longer and darker. It's cheap, comes in a cool, bright yellow bottle, easy to use and does a great job for everyday and night use. 

I have very light eyebrows, so found it  hard deciding how to darken them. I settled on using NYC Eye/Brow Pencil in their lightest colour Taupe. This colour just really suites me eyebrows. The pencil is very long, so lasts a while. It does the job and was so cheap, I didn't bother searching round to see if there was anything better, I just stroke the pencil lightly over my brows, till they are the colour I want them to be.

I sometimes use eyeliner and the one I have found the nicest is the Collection Extreme Felt Tip Liner. The black colour comes out dark, unlike some eyeliners that say they are black and then come out like brown :/ It lasts so long, which was the most important thing for me when buying it. I wanted an eye liner that lasted through out the school day and this one does the job.

STEP 4:
Finally I apply Sleek Blusher in  Rose Gold. This colour is very subtle and perfect for Autumn and Winter. It's a middle tone pink with gold flecks, hence the name. Sleek blushers are very pigmented and the perfect size for price. Granted, they are slightly more expensive than some other blushers, but I feel they're worth it. To go on top of my face make up I then apply Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Pink Blossom. I originally wanted the Transparent one, as I just wanted a powder to hold my make up. Unfortunately that one was out of stock, so I went for the next colour, that is slightly pink toned. It is still a lovely powder, makes your finished make up look matte and holds make up in place for the day/night. I know most people use this powder and I've never heard any bad reviews.

So there you have it guys, my everyday make up routine! I hope you enjoyed it! Check out my last post, as I talk about my morning routine. Have a great end to the weekend and I'll be back soon :) Bye, Niamh x

My Morning Routine

My Morning Routine //

After struggling out of bed in the morning I pull on my dressing gown and head downstairs. My usual breakfast isn't the healthiest but it's my favourite. I grab a bowl and fill it with Kellogs Krave cereal. I mean who doesn't love melted chocolate, coated in crunchy cereal shells!?
After eating, I go straight into my room. My college doesn't have uniform, which is obviously great! So I choose my outfit for the day and get changed. At this time of year, I love the combination of over sized jumpers and leggings. My favourites boots are from New Look and so warm and comfy! I love jewellery so usually throw on around 5 bracelets, most of which don't match and pull on a necklace.
After adding jewellery I rush to que for the bathroom. One bathroom between 6 people is not fun. When I finally get hold of the bathroom I do my teeth and head back to my room. I usually do hair before make up, so my make up lasts longer. I'm not the kind of girl who does the same hairstyle each day and I like to experiment. But more often than not, I wear my hair down, straight or curly. I just like it covering my ears. They're not particularly big or small, I just find it weird having them out and they get so cold in Winter!
The final thing I do is my make up and double check my bag. I'm a worrier when it comes to school and homework, so check my bag at least three times. I run downstairs, as I'm usually slower than I think and start to worry I'll be late. I spend a few minutes getting everything together, like food and drink for the day, before hopping in the car with my family. The drive to my college is short, but still a steady drive, so I put my headphones in and watch the world slip away.

Recent Favourites // Product Review

Recent Favourites // Product Review

Since i started watching the likes of Zoella, Sprinkle of Glitter and Tanya Burr, I've really gotten into make up and taken inspiration from their videos. That's why today's blog post is all about my recent favourites in make up.

My first recent favourite is the MUA Heaven and Earth Palette. I'm not the biggest fan of eyeshadow, finding them pricey and hard to apply. I struggle putting any kind of make up on my left eye, as when I close it, the strongest part of my vision disappears. My left eye is stronger than my right, which makes everything so much harder. Still, I like how eyeshadow brings the focus to your eyes, so try to use it when possible. This palette contains 12 different shades of gold, burgundy and brown. Some are matt and others glittery, but they all leave a gorgeous look. This palette is easy to apply, long lasting and has a wide range of shades :) More than anything else, this is a great dupe for a more expensive palette. It cost only £3 from my local Superdrug.

Another thing I have been loving is the Collection, Long Lasting Perfection Concealer. This cost £4, a hefty price for such a small bottle. Non the less, this concealer is one of the most popular and one bottle can last up to 4 months! I don't break out often, having quite dry skin. So I use this concealer under my eyes, every time I do my full make up. It covers blueness and dark circles well, without looking cakey. For a concealer, this blends in very well and they have 4 colours to choose from, 1 being the lightest. So far, this is the best high street concealer I've come across.

The next thing i'm recommending is the AVON Super Extend Liquid eye liner. It has a pen nib and applies very easily. It's long lasting and doesn't rub off after a long 6 hours at school. I often find that liquid eye liners off the high street, don't last. This one lasts until you remove your make up and is priced at a decent amount of £6.

By far, my favourtie beauty related things I own are my Real Technique brushes. They're soft, don't loose shape when washed and usable for pretty much anything. The four brushes I own are from the core starter kit and are named. The great thing is, you can adapt and use the brushes how you want to. I use the contour brush to buff in my foundation. This set cost £15 from Amazon, but you can buy from many places, such as Boots or ASDA.

Another eyeshadow I have been loving is a Calvin Klein one. It was relatively cheap, and is very pigmented. For a cheap, not so bold eyeshadow it was definitely worth it. The colour is subtle and good for every day wear. It is easy to apply, long lasting and has a nice gold highlight in certain light.

My final favourite is the Revlon matte lipstick. This is in the colour Oh So Mauve, number 3. It is possibly the nicest lipstick I own and so easy to apply. The colour is quite natural and adds a slight boost to your lips. Even though it is a matte lipstick, it is very moisturising and suits a very natural make up look.

That's my review for today. I'll be back soon, at some point this week, quite possibly with a film review. Niamh x

7th November

Saturday 7th November 2014, 23:00

I can't believe how long it's been since i last posted. I'd like to say i haven't posted due to being busy. I have been busy, but I've had spare time when i could have wrote a post. More than anything I wasn't too sure if blogging was for me. I tried making You Tuber videos for a while and found they weren't getting anywhere. I understand that you have to be patient, but that's just not me.
So i'm back to blogging and i'm going to try my hardest to stick with it. I've finally, after a good hours work, got my blog looking how I like it and fixed the layout to suit me better.
I'm not planning a schedule for blogging. It's gonna be more of a upload when i can/want to.
It's still not hit home that i'm in college and I think it will be a while till I realize that everything i'm learning at the minute, really does count in the long run. Every teen knows school is stressful and I think writing blog post's is going to help me so much.
So let's get down to it. I have a review today, of the book and film Maze Runner. I originally brought the book from Asda: http://direct.asda.com/The-Maze-Runner---James-Dashner---Paperback/008278408,default,pd.html
But it's pretty much available anywhere and I know for sure it's currently on Amazon. I brought the book and saved it to read when i went on holiday to Alcudia, Spain. A few days into my holiday and I was hooked. As a huge book worm, I read often and fast. The Maze Runner is one of the best books I've read in a long time. I fell in love with the characters and the author. The way James Dashner writes is purely talented and every page revealed something new and thrilling. You might look at the blurb and presumes it's a boys book. But I really enjoyed it and do think other girls will too.
Because a film was released, the book became more well known and this is how I discovered it. I was desperate to see the film, and went to the cinema the week after I got home from my holiday, so excited.
The film wasn't as good for me, although others have said they prefer the film. Undoubtedly, i still enjoyed the film and the main character is played by Dylan O'Brien, which is a huge bonus ;) Most films cut out huge parts of the book, which is a huge pet peeve of mine, There was only one slight change in the film and it was minor. I can see why both the film and book are popular and would recommend them.

I'll be back soon with another book, film or beauty related review. Until next time, Niamh x

LUSH // Products Review

LUSH review

I was only introduced to LUSH last year by some friends. The closest LUSH shop to me is in town. The first thing you notice when you walk in is the overpowering, but absolutely gorgeous smell! It's very strong and some people can't stand it. I on the other hand, happen to love it! The most raved about products include the Sex Bath bomb and the Comforter bath bar.

In fact the first LUSH product I brought was the Comforter :) Like most LUSH products this one had it's own smell. I'ts priced at £4.50, which seems like a lot but it goes a long way, because the Comforter is reusable. It breaks into chunks really easily and you only need a 6th/quarter of the bar per bath. It turns the bath water pink and creates lots of bubbles. It's very moisturising and you can feel it relaxing your muscles almost straight away. 

Comforter Bath Bar

LUSH packaging is cute and suitable 

I also recently purchased the Robot bath bomb, Think Pink bath bomb and Creamy Candy bath bar. I have used half of the Creamy Candy bar in one bath and I can now say that because it's a smaller bar, you do need to use the whole bar for one bath, instead of splitting it. But it does only cost £2.50 :) The smell of the Creamy Candy bar is amazing, it reminds me of candyfloss! It's also very moisturising //

I have not yet used the Robot bath bomb, but it is LUSH's cheapest bath bomb, costing £1.95. It hasn't got a distinct smell, but it just reminds me of freshness or being outside. Because it's a bath bomb and not a bar, it's more likely to fizz and turn the bath a different color, rather than moisturise you.

The Think Pink bath bomb was lovely to use as it fizzed and turned my bath pink! The flowers on top are just for decoration, as they don't do anything in the water, they don't disappear.

Overall I love LUSH and will never go anywhere else for bath/shower products. As well as doing bath products they do soaps, shampoos, conditioners, skin care, make up and presents for people. Everything is good price as well :)

Niamh x

Real Techniques brushes // Review

Real Techniques

Sorry I've not posted for a while, I've had a busy two months. My birthday was near the start of March and one of my Favourite presents was my Real techniques Brushes. The brushes are made by you tubers Sam & Nic Chapman, two lovely girls who are excellent advice givers for make up tips!
The brushes came in a rectangular, plastic box. the packaging was pretty simple, pictures of the Chapman sisters, info about them and a few website links. Next to the girls were 4 pictures of the brushes, with a decription of how they advise you use each brush. But the beauty of them is they can all work for several peices of make up, so you can use them however you like!

The first brush is the detailer brush, which is one of their smallest brushes. I use it for blending in concealer under the eye and over spots (my concealer is Lasting perfection by Collection). I also use it for eye shadow when needed!
The second brush is the pointed foundation brush. This brush is my favourite, and most commonly used if I'm honest ;) I use it as it says, to blend foundation into my face. I take my foundation from a pump (It's Match Perfection, in case anyone is wondering) and squeeze some onto my hand. I then take the brush and work it into my face. its a slightly smaller brush than you'd expect for foundation but it works fantastically!
The third brush is the contour brush. I've only just turned 14, so i still tend to use as little make up as i can get away with. After all I don't want to plaster my face each day, my skin would be terrible! Because of this I don't use contour so this blush is used for my blush (Sleek blush in Rose Gold).
The final brush is the Buffing brush. I use this for my powder (Stay Matte by Rimmel). Lots of people have told me they feel this brush is too small for their face, but I feel it's perfect for me, because it doesn't overdo it. But the Buffing Brush can be used for other things.

Personally I love the Real Techniques Brushes and can't wait to expand my collection. The bristles are so soft and fine, but never come out like some cheap brushes. I use Johnsons baby shampoo, mixed with water to wash the brushes the occasional time and none of the bristles disappear. The brushes always return to their original shape when used, even after they're washed.
The brushes are slightly pricey for teens my age, especially if you don't get pocket money, but they are well worth it! The lot i have been talking about are called the Starter Kit and are priced at £15 on Amazon, £20 in Boots and similar drugstores.
I'd definitely recommend you go out and buy them! if you do, comment below and let me know if you liked them :)


Niamh x