Hey everyone,

Last year, I did a post on 10 songs that were stuck in my head and you all enjoyed it so much that I thought I'd do another!

Roses - Shawn Mendes - Illuminate Deluxe

"I'm not trying to start a fire with this flame"

Say You Won't Let Go - James Arthur

"I met you in the dark, you lit me up"

Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now - Hairspray Live (NBC Event)

"You're the one that taught me how to Twist and Shout, because you shout non-stop and you're twisted to"

You Gotta Not - Little Mix - Glory Days

"So hear me now, I don't get paid to babysit no one"

Just Hold On - Louis Tomlinson and Steve Aoki

"Do you close a book and never read it again"

So Good - Louisa Johnson

"Angel on my shoulder is giving up on me"

Shape of You - Ed Sheeran

"Trust me I'll give it a chance now"

City of Stars - Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone - La La Land

"City of stars, you've never shined so brightly"

Nothing Else Matters - Little Mis - Glory Days

"You've just got to believe, if it leaves then it's coming back around"

No Promises - Shawn Mendes - Illuminate Deluxe

"I've been living only for this moment"

I hope you all enjoyed this post, thank you so much for reading, and I will see you all soon,

Love Lou
xxxxx

Hey everyone,

Today I thought I'd share with you my top drugstore lip products for those of you who are on a slightly tighter budget!

The first product is the Collection DeLuxe lipstick in Tallulah (02). On paper, this isn't my typical colour, it's a baby pink that is a bit nude as well which is completely different to my normal darker pink shades but nevertheless, it is absolutely gorgeous! It feels really creamy and luxurious on the lips but retails at only £3.99.

Next up is the gorgeous shade that is Pink Cocoa by Tanya Burr Cosmetics. This is a brown toned pink nude that - depending on the rest of your make up - can be perfect for day or night! It's just such a classic shade that I feel everyone should have in their make up bags! This is available at FeelUnique and Superdrug (the link above will take you directly to the product on the superdrug site)  and retails at just £6.99 which is a complete bargain!


Another fail-safe shade for me is the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Istanbul. As I mentioned in my last post, it's a vibrant pink but it also has a slightly nude edge to it as well which looks really nice and different to most other lipsticks! The formula is gorgeous and not drying in any way shape or form! If your local Boots store has a NYX counter be sure to check this or you can order it online from Boots for just £5.50!

A slightly less vibrant shade is the Collection Lip Butter in the shade Vintage Rose (03). This just gives a really pretty rose shine to the lips that looks perfect during the day is you don't want to go too heavy on the make up (especially in summer). This lasts all day and doesn't fade much at all which I was really pleased with and didn't expect at all as most other lip butters don't last very long at all! This is available at every high street make up stores and it retails at £2.99 so it's perfect for if you're shopping on a budget!

The final product is also from Tanya Burr and it's the matte lip in the shade Martha Moo (£5.99). This is the most sort after shade from Tanya's Soft Luxe collection so if you ever see it in stock instore on online definitely pick it up as it's the perfect year round shade. The formula of this liquid lipstick isn't a velvety as the soft matte lip creams so I do recommend to put on some lip balm on underneath it! However, it's by no stretch of the imagination drying, it's up there with my all time favourite lip products!

So, thank you so much for reading and I will see you all again on Monday,

Love Lou
xxxx

Hey everyone,

Today I thought I'd try a post that I've never done before and share with you the products that I will repurchase again, again and again!



The first product is the Soap and Glory Supercat Skinny Liquid Liner. This is my favourite eyeliner ever, ever, ever! It's the perfect shape to create the most gorgeous cat eye - whether it is a small flick or dramatic winged liner. This is a felt tip type tip (say that ten times fast! haha) and it's quite flexible which is quite different to other eyeliners but I actually really like it! This retails at £6.50 which makes it probably the most affordable eyeliner of the quality that it is.



Another eye product is the Tanya Burr Hollywood Eye Palette. This is a gorgeous quad that has a matte-ish nude shade (Nude Delight), a shimmery gold (Gold Coin), a very glittery bronze (Enchantment) and a warm matte brown (Bookworm). I have already hit pan on nude delight and gold coin and bookworm are getting pretty close. I know I will definitely repurchasing this because the formula and longevity is probably the best I have seen in drugstore shadows. This palette is only available on FeelUnique and retails at £6.


A lip product that I am bound to repurchase again and again is the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Istanbul. This is a vibrant pink but it has a slightly nude side to it as well - it's so hard to describe! This feels really soft and velvety on the lips as well as it being incredibly long lasting! These retail at £5.50 and for those of you interested NYX is a completely cruelty free brand!


On the slightly pricier side is the MAC Matte Lipstick in the shade Mehr (£15.50). This a blue toned pink-nude so it makes your teeth look really white! This isn't drying at all, and on the lips it feels like any ordinary lipstick but it look matte! It's incredible - I absolutely love the formula and I am definitely going to be buying more matte MAC lipsticks!


The final product is the Seventeen Stay Time Concealer in the shade Extra Fair. This shade is the absolute perfect match for my skin. I'm currently on my second tube of it which is the most I've ever bought of a concealer (as you probably already know I like to chop and change a bit). The formula is my favourite as well - it just feels really light weight but is still quite full coverage! This is only £4.49 as well is a steal compared to other drugstore and high-end concealers!

So, thank you so much for reading, and I will see you all again soon,

Love Lou
xxxxx

Hey everyone,

I haven't done an everyday make up post recently and my routine has changed quite a bit, so today I thought I'd share with you the make up look I love doing on a day-to-day basis!



First of all, I primer my eyes with the trusty Smashbox 24 hour photo finish shadow primer. This stuff is amazing - you here me babble on about it all the time but it's just so good!!! I then you my Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush in the shade Chandelier by NYX and blend that all over my lid. I then use the NYX eyebrush in the number 17 and the shade Over the Taupe which is also by NYX in my crease. I got this brush pretty recently but I am already in love - it's the perfect shape for blending shadow into the crease.



Finally, I do a tiny cat eye flick using my Soap and Glory Supercat Skinny and finish off with my Maybelline the Colossal Go Extreme volum'.

I then fill in my brows using the shade Naked from the Urban Decay Naked Palette and the Real Techniques Brow Brush.

I then conceal under my eyes and on the bridge of my nose using the Seventeen Stay Time concealer in the shade extra fair. Then, I conceal around my nose and any other blemishes using the Soap and Glory Kick Ass Blur and Brighten Concealer in the shade light. I love using my miracle complexion sponge from Real Techniques for these for absolutely flawless application.

I then highlight the inner corner of my eyes and brow bone with the shade virgin from my Naked palette. Then I add the Soap and Glory Glow-all-out luminising powder onto the top of my cheek bones, the tip of my nose, and cupids bow.



Finally, I use the Tanya Burr Matte Lip in Martha Moo - which is a gorgeous pinky nude!

So, thank you all so much for reading, and I will see you all very, very soon,

Love Lou
xxxxx

Prices:

Smashbox eye primer - £20
Base Shadow Brush - Set is £21.99
Chandelier - Pans for create a palette - £2.50
                  - Solo shadows - £3.50
NYX 17 Brush - £8.50
Over the Taupe - Pans for create a palette - £2.50
                          - Solo Shadows - £3.50
Supercat Skinny - £6.50
Maybelline the Colossal Go Extreme volum' - £6.99
Naked Palette - £38.50
Brow Brush - Set is £21.99
Stay Time Concealer - £4.49
Kick Ass Blur and Brighten Concealer - £6
Miracle Complexion Sponge - £5.99
Glow All Out Luminising powder - £11
Martha Moo - £5.99

Hey everyone,

I feel like I haven't done many baking posts this year, so here's a recipe for Nigella's cookie dough pots!!

Ingredients (makes 6) :

6 7cm ramekins
110g of softened Unsalted Butter
85g of Light Brown Caster Sugar
1 Large Egg
1 tsp. of Vanilla Extract
150g of Plain Flour
1/2 tsp. of Bicarbonate of Soda
1/2 tsp. of Flaked Sea Salt
80g of White Chocolate Chips
80g of Milk Chocolate Chips

Cream or Ice Cream - to serve

Preheat the oven to 180 C/350 Fan/Gas Mark 4 and grease the six ramekins.

In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar, until light and creamy, then mix in the egg and vanilla. Fold in the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt until well combined, then mix through the chocolate chips,

Divide the mixture between the ramekins and bake for 10 minutes - until the tops are nice and golden. Serve immediately with cream or ice cream.

Thank you so much for reading, and if you recreate this recipe make sure to tag me in a photo on Instagram. I'll see you all again very soon,

Love Lou
xxxxx

Hey everyone,

I got 3 sets of the Zoella Beauty sets for Christmas, so today I thought I would do a little review of each for you all!



Bake my Day

This set has the Bake my Day body mist as well as the Ginger Cream body lotion. The body mist is the most perfect scent for winter - it's really sweet but has that added spiciness from the ginger. I have loved all of the other 3 of Zoe's body sprays and this one is no exception. The packaging of it is absolutely gorgeous as well - the coppery gold lid makes it look really sleek and chic. The ginger cream is Christmas in a tube - it smells divine! It sinks into the skin and makes your skin feel amazing - it's like no other body lotion/butter I've tried.


Spa in a Jar

This is comes with a mini of the ginger cream, a mini shower glaze and a super soft flannel with "Zoella" embroidered onto it. This shower glaze is the same scent as the mist but somehow it smells even nicer! As these products are both mini they would be perfect to take travelling as they are still a really good quality. The products come in a tall container that's actually going to be really handy once I've used up the body lotion and glaze.


Gingerbread Fizz

This set is probably the cutest! This set has 3 big gingerbread man fizzers that all break in half so you can get 6 baths out of the set. These create gorgeous ginger and warm vanilla scented water and they are probably my favourite product from Zoe ever!! They are like the fizz bars - but so much cuter!

So, thank you so much for reading, and I will see you all very soon,

Love Lou
xxxxx

Hey everyone,

It's been a while since I last did a Q and A, so I asked from some questions from you on my instagram (@louloves01). So here's what you asked...

@xmma.stxvo asked : Who is your celebrity crush?

I don't know to be honest ... I don't really have one but it used to be Niall and Zayn from One Direction! hahaha

@lifeofkatiex asked : What is your favourite make up brand?

Oooh, this is a hard one... I'd have to say the my favourite high street brand is probably Tanya Burr Cosmetics and my favourite high end brands are either Urban Decay or MAC.

@perksoflauz asked : If you were only allowed to wear one makeup item what would it be and why?

It would have to be mascara as I feel like my look doesn't feel complete without it!!

@somegirltalking asked : If you could only shop in one clothes store for the rest of your life, where would it be?

Wow, this is really hard! I didn't realise how many places I shopped at - but it would probably have to be New Look!

@elizabethcoyle and @xmma.stxvo asked : What inspired you to start your blog?

It was a combination of things I think... Mainly, that when I was really little I absolutely loved writing stories and I wanted to convert that passion into something that I enjoy know. So, after reading a lot of other blogs I decided to start up my little corner of the internet and I have never looked back!

So thank you so much reading, and I will see you all again very soon,

Love Lou
xxxxx

Hey everyone,

Last year, me and my sister shared a Tanya Burr advent calendar, so today I thought that I would share with you my thoughts on my 6 products!



The final product is the eye shimmer pot in the shade Champagne Sparkle. As this is a loose glitter, there is a lot of fall out but that happens with every loose pigment so you can't really blame that on the product itself. Apart from that, this adds just a nice sparkle to the eyes that you don't get as much with pressed pigment eye shadows!

So, thank you all so much for reading, and I will see you all again very soon,

Love Lou
xxxxx

Other products included:

Lip Gloss in Candy Cane (Deep pink/red)
Glitter Liner in Ice Crystals (Silver)
Eye Shimmer Pot in Snow Day (Pure sparkle glitter)
Nail Varnish in Sleigh Bells (red glitter)
Mirror
Nail File

Hey everyone,

I'm back with another baking post as you all seem to love them!! If you do recreate any of the recipes that I post, make sure you tag me in a photo on instagram! (My instagram is @louloves01)

Hey everyone,

Today I thought I'd do a slightly different post from my usual beauty posts and talk about my hopes for my little corner of the internet for 2017!

Now, before I get into this post, I just want to say that, if like me you have a blog and are setting yourself some goals too, don't be disappointed if you don't reach them. And also, so you aren't disappointed, try to set yourself reasonable goals. For example, if you have got 100 followers, don't expect to have thousands of followers by the end of the year, because the chances are you're not going to reach your goal.

1- Try and reach 40,000 page views

At the time of writing this, I have just over 22,000 page views, so this one is quite an ambitious one for me (Just under double my current views!!)... But, I'm going to work really hard to get there and hopefully I will reach it by the end of the year!

2- 500 instagram followers

Instagram has always been a difficult one for me... I sometimes struggle with choosing the right photos for my audience - so that often ends up with a lot of unfollows and deleting of pictures! But, this year I am going to post what interests me and attract the audience that enjoys the same things as me :)

3- Reply to all of my comments

This one goes for both Instagram and on here. I am usually better at replying to comments on my instagram. I absolutely love getting comments from you all and hearing your thoughts on my posts, but I need to get better at replying to them!!!

4- Have every single post go up on time

This is something that I was pretty slack with last year so this year, I am determined to up my game and get my posts out to you when they are supposed to be uploaded! I'm going to for this by prewriting all of my posts the weeken before - a cheeky tip for bloggers who feel like they lack some punctuality like me!

So, I hope you all enjoyed this post. I'm thinking about maybe doing quarterly updates for you to let you know how far I'm getting with my goals. Thank you all so much for reading, and I will see you all very soon,

Love Lou
xxxxxxx

Hey everyone,

I'm back with a review of the Glamorama set from Soap and Glory that one of my lovely friends got me for Christmas!

This set has in it :

• Supercat Eyeliner
• Thick and Fast Mascara
• Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss in Charm Offensive
• 3 Eye Shadows in : Okey Smokey, What a Night and Foil in Love
• Glow-All-Out Illuminating Face Powder
• An eye shadow brush
• A brush for the Glow-All-Out
• One really big mirror!!!

This set is literally perfect I has nearly everything you need to create a day or night look!

Lets start with the eyeliner... My regular eyeliner is the Supercat Skinny and I honestly can't tell much difference between the two. The only slight difference is the tip of the regular Supercat is slightly less flexible which I actually prefer! The other day, I used Supercat Skinny to draw the liner across my lash line and then the regular Supercat to do the wing. Personally, I think they are a winged eyeliner dream team!!The quality of the product itself is also incredible! I lasts all day without flaking or fading over time.

The next thing is the Thick and Fast Mascara. This is the High Definition Collagen one but I don't really know what the rest of the thick and fast range is like, so I can't compare it to them, but to me it is just like most other good high street mascaras I've tried. But, I absolutely love this mascara. It makes you lashes so long and fluttery but without making them too fake and clumpy!! The brush is also pretty thin so it's perfect for doing both top and bottom lashes.

The lip product in the set is the Sexy Mother Pucker gloss in the shade Charm Offensive. This is a dark pink, almost berry shade that isn't really pigmented but it does add a nice tint and gloss to the lips. It also has a slight shimmer running through it which is a nice change to my regular matte lipsticks.

The eye shadows in this palette are some of the best drugstore shades I've tried. The shade Okey Smokey is a matte silver/grey that is the perfect base for a gorgeous smoky eye. The shade What a Night is more blue toned and looks really nice in the crease with Okey Smokey over the lid. The final shade, Foil in Love, is a really glittery version of the shade Okey Smokey but it also has a slightly blue-ish side to as well. The pigmentation of these shades is amazing, within just a few minutes you can create the perfect smoky eye because they are just so easily blendable and they apply perfectly.

The brush for these shadows is double ended, but to me both ends look identical, so it don't real see why it needs to be double sided.. Anyway, the brush itself is pretty small, but it's nice for inner corner highlight, and blending out under eye shadow. However, it is a perfect size for travelling.

The last product in this set is the Glow All Out luminising face powder. I have been using this as a highlight recently, and it is so gorgeous! It adds a gorgeous shimmer, but as the product itself looks pink in the pan, it adds a sort of pink-y glow as well, so that's a really nice extra. When applied with the brush in the set, it does look very pink, so I do have to blend it out with another brush, but it doesn't take much to blend it out.

And lastly, there's the mirror. The mirror is the whole top part of the set so it's pretty huge.

Overall, this set is perfect for any make up lover, especially if they love travelling as it has nearly everything you need for a gorgeous polished look but it's still really thin and easy to pack.

So, I hope you all enjoyed this post, thank you so much for reading, and I will see you all very soon,

Love Lou
xxxxxx

Hey everyone,

This is my first baking post of 2017 - I can't believe I'm saying that already! Today I thought I'd share with you a recipe for the best chocolate fudge cheesecake ever.

Ingredients:

1x 9inch cake tin

Cake:

75g of Plain Flour
25g of Cocoa Powder
40g of Ground Almonds
50g of Caster Sugar
50g of Golden Caster Sugar
85g of Melted Unsalted Butter

Filling:

850g of Cream Cheese
270g of Golden Caster Sugar
2 Medium Eggs
1 extra Egg Yolk
420ml of Whipping Cream
1 and 1/2 tsp. of Vanilla Extract
50g of Plain Flour
75g of Cocoa Powder

Glaze:

50g of Milk Chocolate
100g of Dark Chocolate
2 tsp. of Salted Butter
2 tbsp. of Golden Syrup
150ml of Double Cream
Cocoa Powder to dust

Preheat the oven to 170C/150 Fan/Gas Mark 3.

Combine all of the ingredients for cake in a bowl and spread evenly along the base of the tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes and then remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Turn up the oven to 200C/180 Fan/Gas Mark 6. To make the filling, whiz together the cream cheese and sugar in a food processor. Then add the eggs, yolk, cream and vanilla extract, then sift in and fold the flour and cocoa. Carefully pour the mixture into the tin, on top of the base.

Bake the cheesecake in the oven for one hour, until slightly puffy around the edges. Turn off the oven, let out some of the air and prop open the oven door using a large spoon and leave the cheesecake to cool in the oven. This should prevent cracks but don't worry if any do appear, the glaze will fill them anyway. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Run a knife around the  edge of the tin. Wrap the cheesecake in foil (DON'T USE CLINGFILM!!) and chill overnight.

To finish, break up and gently melt the chocolate with the butter and syrup in a large bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Gradually stir in the cream a third at a time. Dust the rim of the cheesecake with cocoa powder. Pour the chocolate glaze into the crater in the middle of the cheesecake, then smooth into until an even layer within the rim. Return to the fridge for a few hours until set.

*Not my own recipe. This recipe was found in YOU magazine from the Mail on Sunday - Issue released 20th March 2016. Recipe by Annie Bell*

So, I hoped you enjoyed this post and if you recreate this recipe, make sure to let me know! Thank you so much for reading and I will see you very soon,

Love Lou
xxxxxx

Hey everyone,

I hope you all had a brilliant new year!! I back today with my 2016 favourites - I did this last year and you loved it some much I thought I'd do it again!



This first thing that I obsessed over was the Urban Decay Naked Palette. I got this for my birthday back in July and I could not be happier with it. The pigmentation and longevity of the shades is amazing. Before I had the palette, I never really understood why there was a massive difference between this palette and many high street palettes. After using both and comparing them side by side, I think the extra £10 or so is definitely worth paying - the quality in general is just so much better!


Smashbox 24 hour Photo Finish Shadow Primer is the one product that I think has been with me through the whole year. I have used this every single time I have worn either eye shadow or eyeliner and it locks in the product and it literally doesn't move all day! This is quite pricey however and I have seen good reviews of cheaper high street primers which I might give a whirl, but if you're looking for a slightly more high end primer - this ones for you.

I have worn the Seventeen Stay Time Concealer in Extra Fair basically every single day this year and I still haven't finished my first bottle! This is quite high coverage so little definitely goes a long way - if you apply a normal amount you would it can look cakey. I have fairly pale skin so I sometimes struggle with concealers too orange - the Collection Lasting Perfection for example - but this one matches me perfectly.

Tanya Burr's lipstick in Pink Cocoa is a product that I have never mentioned on here before but I feel like it definitely deserves a spot in my 2016 favourites. I managed to get my hands on this very sort after shade at the beginning of December and I have worn it nearly every single day since. It's the perfect slightly brown toned pink nude that looks gorgeous within and everyday look as well as a night-time look.


You lot are going to probably be really bored of me mentioning this product, but I'm going to include it anyway! My next favourite of 2016 is the NYX soft matte lip cream in the shade Istanbul. This is a vibrant pink shade that is the perfect lip colour in spring and summer. Unlike other matte lip products this is not drying at all and (hence the name) feels really soft and velvety on the lips.


A brush that has been my absolute holy grail throughout 2016 has been the Real Techniques base shadow brush. This is THE best brush for applying a seamless base shade over the lid. It works in cream products, pressed shadows and even loose pigments. I think it's the perfect all rounder brush, but the only downside is that you can only get it in the Starter Set which is really sad as if this was sold on it's own I would 100% buy more of them.


A skincare favourite of mine was the Garnier Skin Active Micellar Cleansing Water. I first tried this in about September when I couldn't find my regular cleanser in any high street stores. I'd seen a lot of good things about this so I thought I'd give a shot. From my first use of this, I fell in love with it. It gets rid of all my make up but is still really gentle on my skin.


Nivea Daily Essentials Rich Regenerating Night Cream... where do I start. I have been using this moisturiser every single night for nearly the whole year and I can honestly say that it's definitely my favourite moisturiser ever!!! It's really moisturising but not so much that your skin feels really greasy and oily when you put it on.

So, I hope you all enjoyed my 2016 favourites, let me kno your favourites in the comments! I'll see you all very soon,

Love Lou
xxxx

p.s. Sorry for all the different photo backgrounds, I'm really struggling with lighting as it gets dark so quickly so I had to use some old photos. I hope you don't mind!!!