My Christmas Day OOTD

Hi! Happy holidays - I hope you had a merry Christmas, I stayed at home with my family, and even though it was just a casual family Christmas I did dress up a bit!  So here's what I wore on Christmas day - maybe it'll give you some inspiration if you've any more festive parties or celebrations to attend this festive season.

My dress is from Primark, it only cost £15.  Its a really nice red tartan, which I'm sure you know is back yet again this winter, and its pretty fitting for me to wear in Scotland! 

The dress also has the cutest little white collar with a black bow, and you know I love my collars! I'm also wearing a necklace which I actually got for Christmas: a little Alice in Wonderland inspired piece, which I think is so quirky and adorable!

I also teamed the dress with some plain black leggings (and black socks) rather than tights just for the warmth, because its quite cold here! And furthermore, they're also a bit more comfortable than tights.

Here's a picture of me and my sister - her dress is so pretty, the pattern is little white flowers!

The aftermath of our Christmas dinner...

Goodnight! :) I got these pyjamas for Christmas, how adorable are they?!  I hope you had a good Christmas, or likewise if you celebrate something else this time of year.  Be thankful for everything you have, and spare a thought for those in need this time of year.  

Have a Happy New Year! :)

xxx   Bexx

What I Wore: Panic! At The Disco Concert

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Hi! On Monday I was lucky enough to see one of my favourite bands, Panic! At The Disco, in Edinburgh!  The gig itself was totally amazing, I went with my twin sister and three of my friends and we all loved it - there's just something awesome about seeing a band that you've been a fan of for so long!

Anyway, I thought I'd show you my outfit, because when you go to a concert or a gig its important to be comfy, but you might want to look stylish as well!

Here's my whole outfit:  black disco pants (for those not in the know, think: really shiny high-waisted leggings), a tank top, jacket and boots.  I can tell you that Edinburgh in November is really freaking cold - I was ok because it was only a short walk from the car to Starbucks, and then to the Picturehouse, and my jacket was quite cosy, but if you do have to walk for a while to be somewhere, layer up!

This is the print of the top I was wearing (which I actually picked up at a clothes-swap!) and I think these little monkey faces are adorable!  (if a little freaky...they kinda look like sugar skulls!)

This is a close-up of the print on my jacket (from a charity shop), its kind of an Aztec-print which I really love, but I also think that the black and white stops it from being too crazy - even though its definitely a loud piece of clothing anyway!

I turned the sleeves up just a tiny bit so that the edges were white - as well as preventing my sleeves from being too long, I like the little detail.

My boots are my trusty old favourites - if you go back through all my blog posts these will definitely make a few appearances!  They're from Next, and since I've had them for about 3 years now they don't sell them any more, but Next is great for boots like these, and if you're looking for durability its definitely the place to go! There hasn't been any substantial wear on the soles or heels at all, and even though they're a little more roughed up than they were when I first got them, I think it adds to the slightly grungy look of them!  (when I got these they retailed at about £60-70)

Er, yeah, I'm sorry for my slightly scary fluorescent glowing eyes here...blame camera flash!

And lets not forget one very important accessory - the wristband I bought at the concert!!

Finishing with a few arty photos - the last two are me and my sister, check out her hairstyle, isn't it pretty?!

I hope that you enjoyed this post, some of the photos have been edited differently to normal, but since I was wearing black and white, it didn't really matter!

Have a fantabulous day! :)  <3

  xxxxx

My Halloween OOTD

Hi!  Today I have a (late!) Halloween post for you - unfortunately, I didn't have any time to do any actual Halloween posts, but I thought that I would show you what I wore, as it is actually quite a cute outfit!  

First off, my makeup.  I really like how this turned out - all I did was use a pale foundation (since its Halloween and all) and then filled in my eyebrows (they're actually quite dark, but the light washes the out in the picture a little - I made them darker so that they didn't get lost with my strong eye makeup, but never too dark or they'll just be fighting with all that black eyeshadow!).  My lips were simple - line with black eyeliner (or a black lipliner...do those exist?) smudge towards the centre of your mouth, and fill the centre with a dark red lip colour, it looks really awesome!  My eyes were kind of Black Swan inspired - I was going to tie my hair into a tight ballet bun to match, but didn't have the time!  I covered my lids in black eyeshadow (do this before your foundation...I didn't.  Stupidly.  It got all over my face.) then blended out the edges, and after that I drew on massive cat-eye flicks!  The rest is easy: loads of little feathery lines pointing side-ways, and even a few little lines underneath my lash line at the corner of my eye to give a feather -like effect (it also makes you look like you have giant eyelashes!).  Finally, set the majority of the liner (I used gel eyeliner, by the way) with black eyeshadow (not the little feathery bits, because then you'll cover them and have to start again!).

Here are some more picture of my full outfit - of course, the pink socks are optional, but I was having a movie-night-in with some friends, so heels just didn't cut it!  Continuing with my Black Swan theme, I chose this black gauzy skirt which is kind of like a casual tutu!?!  In any case, its puffy and sparkly and I love it!  Underneath the skirt I wore my black disco pants (its a VERY short skirt) which I like better than regular black leggings because they're a bit sheeny-shiny and put a little twist on the outfit.

I ended up going for this very cool little tank top - it has little monkey/sugar-skull designs all over it, which I thought was appropriate for Halloween!  I then completed the look with a little black bracelet and my current favourite blue Gelly nailpolish from Barry M - adding in one gold nail for a bit of glam!

Here you can see my makeup more clearly - I also blended in some browns to the inner half of my eye for a little more dimension.

I'll leave you with this picture of my little brother - my sister did his Halloween makeup and I think its fab (and terrifying!).

Hope you enjoyed this little post - leave a comment or give me a follow if you did - I really do appreciate it!

Have a fantabulous day! :)  <3

  

   xxx

First Impressions: 'Beautiful Ends' Hair Mask by Herbal Essences

Hi!  Now I don't know about you, but one problem I've always had with my hair, is split ends. So when a product comes along promising to make them "beautiful", then I have to try it!  

The product in question is Herbal Essences' 'Beautiful Ends', a five-minute "intensive mask" which promises to "leave your hair strong against damage to carry on...and on...and on".  Almost sounds too good to be true, and I even snapped it up half price in Boots this week (it normally retails at around £4.79, which is bargainous enough anyway, but I nabbed it for a thrifty £2.39!).  To be perfectly honest, I have been meaning to pick it up for quite a while, its not Herbal Essences' newest product by any means, but for some reason I can never justify spending on hair products (however much makeup I buy!), so the cut-price deal was the perfect excuse!

So, first impressions: Packaging is pretty, and I always like something which looks good and does good!  Its in a tub with a screw-on lid as opposed to one which snaps on, which prevents leakage if you have the product in a bag or something, and even though bottles tend to be less messy and easier to use in the shower (less slippery!), I prefer it when hair product comes in tubs, because - unlike squeezy tubes or pump-tops - you can make sure that you scrape out every last scrap of product!

As with most Herbal Essences products, it smells divine: very fresh and fruity, as its meant to be raspberry, but also a little perfumey which I like, as it gives the smell a little more of a salon feel.  The product itself is a creamy conditioner consistency, nothing much to be said there, although perhaps it is a little thicker than regular conditioner, as you can see from the picture of my hand.

When I actually smoothed it on in the shower (after shampooing my hair), the mask felt really velvety and soft, although I wasn't sure how much of it to use at first, but now I'd say just a little more than your usual conditioner.  The instruction recommend to put on the mask "from root to tip" with extra concentration on the tips - personally, I wouldn't put too much of it near the roots as this can weigh your hair down, but the mask is actually surprisingly light, and afterwards I didn't feel that it had weighed my hair down at all.

I left my hair to dry naturally, and it dried into nice curls without any frizz, which doesn't happen often!  Even when I combed my hair out, it stayed in soft waves, and the ends didn't look frazzled and my hair wasn't frizzy at all - result!  However, even though my hair is still lovely and soft, and doesn't have any frizz, if you are looking for a product to give you very smooth,perfect hair this might not be for you - it is rather lightweight for a hair mask,so it may not be for you if you have very thick hair (although it could work as a conditioner).  But for wavy-haired girls prone to a bit of frizz like me, its fab, as it eliminates frizz whilst still allowing your hair to bounce into its natural waves without weighing you down.  

As for helping out with my split ends, maybe it will, maybe it won't.  After my first use they look pretty good, but I'll have to use it a little longer before I give you a solid opinion on it.  But since it smells great, and only costs a few quid, I'd say to give it a go!

Have a fantabulous day!

  xxx

Autumn Lookbook: Video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1lYHFLp03s

Hi!  Today I have my second Youtube video - an Autumn Lookbook!  I hope you enjoy it, as I've had a lot of fun creating the looks and making the video - enjoy!

xxxx

PS - I apologise, I couldn't get a thumbnail of the video to upload to my blog, so you can just click the link!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1lYHFLp03s

Everyday Makeup Products

Hi! I was wondering what to do for a post today, and I thought "my makeup looks pretty decent today!".  So I'm going to tell you about the makeup products that I use for everyday looks, like this one.  Keep in mind that I'm no expert - makeup's really just about trial and error, and finding out about what works best for you - so experiment! :)

Here are all the products - I've counted and there are nine in total.  Seems like a lot for just one face of makeup!  I should also point out that I've chosen not to include a mascara - I could tell you that its because everyone likes different mascaras, so I couldn't pick the best one.  Or...I could tell you the truth that I forgot to include it in the picture!  (for everyday makeup I use Avon Superextend mascara - its very subtle, more lengthening than volumising, so if you're into more natural mascara's its one for you!)

Here's my makeup for today - I've taken two different pictures so that you can see what it looks like in different lighting, so I can tell you that there was no crafty editing involved - these are what the products really look like on my face!

After using a moisturiser and primer, I usually start with concealer.  First I have Collection's Lasting Perfection concealer to cover up blemishes ('blemishes' being a the less gruesome word for spots and redness) which I'm sure you've already heard great things about in the blogosphere - its got a good, full coverage and fab staying power, and dries very matt which is a lifesaver when you have oily skin like me!  However, I personally prefer not to use this under my eyes, it creases like crazy one me!  So instead, I'm currently using this Mac Moisturecover concealer to cover dark circles.  Until recently, I had never actually used any Mac products (WHAAAT?! I hear you cry) and this concealer was given to me by a friend who it was a shade to dark for - and I love it, its great, buildable coverage, and doesn't crease under my eyes (and I've been looking for a long time for a concealer which doesn't do that!).  Maybe I'll save up for some more Mac products in the future..!  I've found the best way to apply both of these is with clean fingers, using a gentle blending motion under the eyes and on redness, and a mixture of tapping and blending on blemishes.

Moving on to foundation - and a very special one at that.  Guess how much it costs? Guess! Guess! No?  I'll tell you then: £2.49. For a FOUNDATION.  How crazy is that?  Its from NYC, (New York Colour) and its their All Day Long liquid foundation - you get 27.3 ml, which isn't too bad (most foundations are 30 ml).  And of course, I would not be raving to you about it if I didn't think that it was a worthwhile product. Now, it doesn't have spf, but that's not a big problem this time of year (at least not in Scotland, where the sky is permanently purple in autumn!).  I wouldn't say it exactly stays 'all day long', but if you help it a little with a primer and set with a powder, it lasts me all day at school (which is at least six or seven hours) and into the afternoon.  I wouldn't recommend that you apply this with your fingers, but instead I use a big brush making gentle stippling motions over the skin - this way you get the best coverage from the product, but its coverge is pretty great anyway, as I only need one pump for my whole face.  The stippling motion also prevents you from messing up your concealer, and covers raised blemishes much easier than swirling motions - if you find a foundation doesn't apply so well one way, don't give up immediately: some apply better with fingers, some with brushes, some with sponges.

The then go on to powder and blush - this powder is Rimmel London's Stay Matt powder, and I find that it basically does what it says on the tin!  My blush is from Sleek, in the shade Rose Gold, which is completely gorgeous - it has a subtle gold shimmer through it which you can see in the light, so I like to brush it up onto my cheekbones so that it also acts as a highlighter!  It doesn't show up in the pictures of my face, but it s a beautiful warm pink, great for the autumn season, and the pigmentation (as with all Sleek blushes!) is just fantastic.

On my eyes I love to use my Naked 2 palette from Urban Decay - I chose to get the Naked 2 because the colour range has more cool tones (the first Naked palette is a bit warmer), which suit my colouring better.  Today I decided to wear the shade Suspect (a very shimmery beige-gold colour) all over the lid, with the shimmery whitish-pink colour as a highlight on my brow bone and tear duct.  I then shot a bit of Tease (a matt light brown) from the palette through my crease - this colour is also perfect for filling in my eyebrows, I'd recommend it for pale brunettes like me, as its not too dark or too light either.  I then winged out my eyeliner, which is Rimmel London's Waterproof Gel Eyeliner, my favourite as it never smudges or creases, and comes with a perfect little brush to put it on!  After my, um, forgotten mascara, I then ran Rimmel's Scandaleyes Kohl Kajal pencil onto my waterline - these pencils are amazing, they're smudge-free, waterproof, and really highly pigmented. 

After finsihing my eyes, I then went onto lips, where I only used one product: Maybeline's Baby Lips lipbalm.  I have the shade Cherry Me, which is a really pretty sheer reddish-pink colour.  I really do think that Baby Lips are worth the hype, as they're very inexpensive and work brilliantly - it leaves my lips so soft and smooth, and the smell is amazing! (Cherry Me is smells not only like cherries, but also really fruity and tropical!).

I hope that you enjoyed this post - more fashion will be on its way soon, but I've been so busy lately, and school uniform and comfy clothes aren't the most interesting of outfits!  But now that I've got some free time, there will be more, and I'm even going to make another Youtube video since I enjoyed making my last one so much! (if you haven't seen it, click here to go to my London Haul post)  If you want to find me other places online, my Instagram is @rebekharhia, which I've been using a lot lately!

Have a fantabulous day! :P

  xxxx

Escaping the Sleepy Zone (aka: PROCRASTINATION)

Hi!  So...I haven't written a blog post in ages, and for that, I apologise!  Since starting back at school, I've entered something I like to call the Sleepy Zone (original title, huh?).  The Sleepy Zone is basically when you come home, and feel like you can do NOTHING.  Nada.  Zilch.  Zero.  You just feel like you want to fall into bed and, well, go to sleep.

The thing is, when you are actually out doing something, or when you sit down and make yourself do something, the Sleepy Zone goes away.  Completely.  But the difficulty with the Sleepy Zone is that you don't want to do anything, therefore making yourself do it is very, very hard.  Take this blog post, for example: I feel good writing it, its something I love to do, yet its taken me from 4.00pm (when I got home) until 7.00pm (now) to actually start writing.  WHASUPWITHAT??!

So when I'm at school, or out with friends or something, working is very easy for me.  And don't get me wrong, there are people with much harder jobs, much harder lives, than me, so I feel like a whiny little bitch writing this.  Honestly.

But fear not!  If you can see what I'm talking about, if you can empathise (er, please say you can?), then I am here to tell you a way out of the Sleepy Zone!  And its not caffeine.  Promise.

The way out is your mindset.  See, what I've done is name the Sleepy Zone, which has helped me to figure out what it is.  The Sleepy Zone is, in fact, PROCRASTINATION.    Procrastination is a word which is often flung around on the Internet, as the Internet is mainly where we go to procrastinate.  Us Internet geeks almost take pride in our abilities to procrastinate.  Don't lie - I know that its the one thing we all have in common, its probably why you're reading this!  On the Internet, procrastination can make you fit in, and you can feel like part of some sort of group.  But in real life?  Well, lets just say that procrastination is possibly one of the worst things that you can encounter.  (well, maybe not the worst.  #firstworldproblems)

Now, I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm almost seventeen years old (Novemeber 15th, put it in your diary! That is, if people actually use diaries any more.  You kids probably just use your phones.), I'm in my last year of school,  I'm snowed under by coursework and university applications and 'extra-curricular' activities, and I JUST DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.  Because, truth be told, I'm scared.  Bloody, frickin' terrified.  I'm scared I won't be accepted into university, I'm scared I'll fail my exams this year, I'm scared about almost everything in my future because I'veneverbeenawayfromhomeIdon'tknowexactlyhowmylifeisgoingtoturnoutandARGH!!!

So I'm procrastinating - I've entered the Sleepy Zone because my fear is making me tired, but mainly because I hope that everything will go away if I don't do it.  Which is freaking ridiculous.

Lets just look at my worries, one by one, and see what we can do about them:

1) Not being accepted into university.  Well, that's the worst that can happen, isn't it?  Not being accepted.  The worst comes to the worst and I don't I go to college, take a gap year, or get a job.  That's it. And if I quit procrastinating and actually fill out my application, do my personal statement, then the chances are that everything will be fine.  So why the big worry?

2) Failing my exams.  Its not the end of the world.  There's always a way outside the system, and even if there isn't, there's always something else you can do - you're life may not go excactly the way you planned, but so what?  All I have to do is put my all into the coursework, do the best that I can, and that's it.

3)  Being scared about the future.  Nobody know what the future holds.  You can't predict how your life will turn out.  So stop trying.  Every kid has to move away from home.  Everyone has to find out what they want to do with their lives - if you don't get it right the first time, there's always a second chance.  Or if you end up doing something you don't like and you feel that it really is inescapable, then find something on the side that just makes you that little bit happier.  A bit of happy is all you need to make your life feel just that little bit more OK, to make you hope a bit more.  As for no knowing what you want to do, I recently read a book where one of the characters says something like this:  Imagine now, when you're thirty, and someone brings this eighteen-year-old kid up to you and says 'Hey, this is Kevin, and he's going to make all your life decisions for you'.  Its not a direct quote, (from 'Girlfriend in a Coma' by Douglas Coupland) its just from memory, but you get the drift.  Little old teenage you can't decide your life for you.  You can always change it when you grow up.

So, this is how to get out of the Sleepy Zone:  take your problems, however small, and just look at them, do they really need that much to sort them out?  I'm not going to pretend that I'm still not totally scared and confused, but I am a little bit calmer, and in the midst of all the drama, I'm really excited for my future, I hope that I can do everything that I want to, or even just one, little thing that will make me happy.  Once you know that your problems aren't so big, you can see past them to the future, and maybe get a little bit excited about stepping into the unknown.  And this isn't just for kids like me, just try it, wherever you are in your life if you ever feel a little bit lost.

Sorry for the long, rambling post today - I'm sorry it wasn't a fashion one, but more soon!!
Have a fantabulous day!

  xxxx

PS - gold star for you if you read this far down!  xx

PPS - I changed the font, as the old one was a little hard to read. Thoughts?! ;) xx