Class of 2014 - Graduation

On Monday, after many many months of waiting, the day of my Graduation finally arrived!

For anyone who doesn't know, I finished studying at university after three amazing years in June and was awarded a 2:1 Bachelor or Arts Degree with Honours in Events Management from The University of Birmingham. This technically means I can put letters after my name now .. Samantha Brooks B.A (Hons) - but despite the temptation, I don't do this haha! 

Most of my friends had their graduation ceremonies a few months ago, so it felt like such a long wait having ours towards the end of September... However despite the wait, it's safe to say it was well worth it. 

The day was filled with celebrations with family and friends and was honest amazing.. To document this I  really wanted to write a post, so in a few months or years I have something to look back on. 

Cheeky photo of myself to start...  

And here are a few of my favourite photos from the day... 

My lovely house-mates / some of my best friends

 Family

Me and Ollie x

The classic cap through with one of my closets
course-mates

Walking across the stage - I saw my family and was meant
to wave, however I was so nervous and concentrating
on walking so much that I ended up clapping and
pulling this strange face haha...

Another one of my dearest best friends
(I love how happy the lady in the background looks)

Another classic cap throwing moment

Ahhh we look so happy! 

Just shaking hands with the dean.. Don't mind me

Cute cute cute 

These are just a few of my favourite photos... I had to limit myself otherwise I'd be posting photos all night! 

For anyone who's interested here's a better photo of the outfit I chose (without the gown and cap)...

Dress: Forever 21
Shoes: New Look
Nail Varnish: Barry M, Matte Nail Paint in shade Espresso

Although pretty scary at times (I've never been as nervous as I was walking across that stage, especially in heels!)... Graduation was honestly the BEST day ever! It was so lovely to see all my family, friends and friend's families so happy and proud of each other. 

After working so hard for three years this was the perfect way to finish and celebrate the time we spent at university. Well done Class of 2014. 

If anyone has written a post about graduation - let me know, I'd love to read it :) 

xxx

Family Gifts.

Wow... It feels like I haven't written a blog post in aaaaages! Well, in the blogging world 10 days is a long time, especially when some people write posts daily! 

I've been super busy with work this week as I was coming to the end of my probation period (which for those who don't know is basically a time where your employer tests to see if you're going to be good at the job and usually lasts for a couple of months) and I had to do a presentation in front of some of the bosses *eek* which was terrifying! So that was really taking up a lot of my time over the last week or so, but it was all worth it as I was informed after the presentation that they'd like to offer me a full time position within the company... *cheers happily*.

Anyway - less about my boring work life and back to the fun stuff.. Presents!

After my pay cheque came in last month I decided to treat my family to a few little gifts as they've always supported throughout university - so now I have a few pennies to my name, it seemed the perfect opportunity to say a little thank-you.


First things first.. My step-dad's gifts:

Now these are technically late Birthday presents as I couldn't get back for my step-dad's birthday a few weeks back. He's a big football fan, loves dark Chocolate and the odd beer after a long week at work so I made sure I incorporated each of these things into his presents. If you're interested in Football or know someone who is, I purchased the "The Football Pocket Bible" from eBay for around £4. This is a bargain considering it retails for around the £10 mark on Asos.

The beer came from Tesco for about £2, however you can also find it on the Hobgoblin website here (only if you're over 18 of course).... and finally the chocolate came from Poundland.. Now I was a little sceptical as cheap chocolate isn't nice tasting chocolate, however I purchased the milk chocolate version of this for myself *naughty* and it actually tasted really nice!

 Mum's gift:

Source

As my family live around an hours journey away from me, I speak with my mum regularly on the phone. Around a week ago she told me about a skirt she'd recently purchased from Marks and Spencers in red, however she'd also liked the yellow version. I had a look on the website whilst we were on the phone and described it to see if it was the same - as she said it was, without her knowing I ordered to my local store ready to surprise her with when she visits Monday.

This is a lovely high-waisted skirt which, as you can see from the photo, would be lovely with (or without) tights throughout the autumn and winter months. If this colour isn't for you, that's fine as the skirt comes in six colours including red, black and pink. This retails for £25 and as it's from Marks and Spencer's will undoubtedly be great quality.

If you want to have a look at the other colours or buy it for yourself click here to visit the M&S website.



A gift for my sister:

Source

Now my sister isn't the easiest person to shop for... However she is a huge fan of VW Camper vans, so when I saw this I couldn't resist buying it for her (Hopefully she isn't reading this post...). I

This blanket was a bargain at only £5 from ebay and is so soft and has lovely bright camper van pictures all over. It's also available with different prints ranging from leopard to flowers to a lovely pink tartan print (I promise it looks nicer than it sounds).

If you'd like to purchase this for yourself you can click here to be taken to an eBay site that currently has them in stock. I'm very tempted to buy a few of the designs ready for the chilly winter nights!


Last but not least.. My lovely Nan:

I'll admit that I struggled to think of something for my nan - I didn't want to get her the usual bath bits and bobs which (even though are lovely) is something my nan receives a lot and doesn't always use up.

This is a Baylis & Harding candle in the scent Peony, white tea and jasmine. I purchased this from Tesco for £6, which I think is pretty reasonable for a scented candle of this size. I've had a look on both the Tesco and Baylis & Harding website but unfortunately can't seem to find this anywhere. However if you want to see any other products from Baylis & Harding click here to go to their website, the hand wash is lovely - or I'm sure your local Tesco will stock this.

I decided to get my Nan this scented candle that would make her flat nice on cosy through the winter months - who doesn't love a good candle?!

I haven't been able to see my family in a few months (especially my nan *cries inside a little*) so I can't wait to give these gifts to them on Monday when they come to visit for my Graduation *eeeeek*. I'm planning to write a post about my Graduation ceremony and the day - so please all wish me luck that I don't trip in front of everyone whilst walking on stage! Haha.

xxx

University reminiscing

After work today I came home for some much needed lazy laptop time. 

As I was flicking through Facebook, seeing different photos and status' from people who are still at university and how their currently enjoy Freshers. 

Freshers for those of you who don't know, is usually a week or two (or three if you went to my university) where everyone goes on lots of nights out and spends time getting to know each other before lectures begin (yes it's as amazing as it sounds). 

This is when I realised that three years ago today - a Saturday to be precise - was the day I packed up my little bedroom and moved to the big city to start my university journey. This realisation made me feel very sentimental to say the least! Therefore I decided to put together a little of some of my university photos. 

Now I could write about this allll night if I let myself, but my aim was for this to just be short post as a little tribute to my student days.  It really made me happy seeing so many old photos I'd forgotten about and all the memories that came with them. 

Just a small snippet of three
amazing years! 

It's safe to say that if you're heading off to uni soon, or if you have time left - I'm incredibly jealous!

If you want to read more about my thoughts on university, you can ready my blog post about it all coming to an end here or have any questions about uni, feel free to ask!

xxx

Face Of The Day - Lazy Sunday Make-up

Whilst I was getting ready this morning *well I say this morning but it was really around midday, oops lazy* I decided to turn my little routine into a new blog post. 

This is the first time I've written anything like this so forgive me, it may not be perfect. But I personally love reading about people's make-up routines, so thought I would share one of mine along with showing  some of the different products I'm currently using. 

I'd say this routine is the base of my every-day look, then depending on my mood, time or the days activities, I'll either glam it up, or tone it down - think bright lipsticks for a night out and just a touch of concealer if a friend's coming over. 

This Sunday afternoon consisted of a wander into town so - as the title suggests - I opted for a lazy/natural make-up look.

Step 1: 

 How adorable!

So... First things first.. I grab one of my make-up bags. I usually keep my day-day bits and pieces in this bag, then other make-up bits in a bigger bag. I purchased this about a week ago from Primark and it was only £2.. Absolute bargain, plus it fits nicely into my hand-bag.

Step 2 - Face:

I really couldn't be bothered with a primer this morning, so opted to go straight for foundation. I am currently using the Max Factor "Whipped Creme Foundation" in the shade 40 (Light Ivory) *Super pale I know*.

I am loving this Foundation as I find it blends so well whilst providing lovely coverage - it also smells nice, bonus! I've been dying to try this Foundation since I received a sample a few months back, so when my old foundation started to come to an end, I finally decided to give it a go.

To blend this, I use the Real Techniques Stippling Brush - I know it needs a clean.. oops - To find out more about this, read my review post here *Spoiler - I love it*.

Once I've finished, I use a pressed powder to ensure my foundation is completely set and then stays in place throughout the day. I also use this product if I've been rushing around - e.g. a mad dash to work - to reduce any shine and signs of a sweaty face *beautiful*.

 I use a powder brush - yes I know this also needs a clean, don't judge me - which I believe is from Boots.. Maybe no.7? I've had this for so long now I can't really remember - sorry!

But back to the powder -  I'm using the pressed powder by MUA (aka Make-up Academy), which I bought a while back when I was a poor student for the absolute bargain of £1!

Now I didn't have the highest of expectations when I made this purchase, but I have to say I've been pleasantly surprised. As you can probably tell from the photo, I have used this loads - everyday to be precise -  and continue to be very happy with it.

This powder is very fine and provides a lovely matte finish to my skin. I personally have very dry skin but do not find this drying at all.

Unfortunately I've used this so much that the writing has pretty much vanished, but being so pale, I probably have this in shade 1 - maybe 2 at a push haha.

Obviously this powder may not be as effective as some other brands, but for £1 you really can't go wrong.

If you're interested in this powder, click here to be taken to the MUA website, or you can purchase it in Superdrug (and UK students can get that 10% off with those NUS cards).

The next step for today's make-up look is bronzer.
In my opinion bronzer is a saint of the make-up world. It works absolute wonders!

My current bronzer favourite comes from the Sleek Face Form contouring kit. As you can see from the photo, the compact comes in a set of 3 - a bronzer, blusher and highlighter.

For my lazy make-up look I simply used the bronzer, along with my fluffy cheek brush and apply the bronzer over my cheekbones up to brown bones (as if I was doing a full contour), dust a little on my forehead and finally some more along the sides of my jaw line.

The cheek brush I have used here is by a brand called Front Cover. I think it came from Boots - although it was a Christmas gift so I'm not 100% sure. Boots don't seem to have a link on their website so click here to go to the Front Cover site and maybe have a nose around. It's so soft and fluffy and does an excellent job of applying powdered make-up.

After this I blend the bronzer with my big powder brush to ensure I'm not streaky - not a good look!

Again, if you're interested in Sleek's contouring kit you can find it here on the Sleek website, or at Superdrug - which is where I personally purchased it from. Although my local Tesco also has a Sleek make-up counter *just a little head-up if you struggle to find it*.

This is also very affordable at only £9.99 and I personally love it. This kit is a staple in my make-up routine and I honestly don't think I could go without out it now!

Step 3 - Eyes: 

I kept it very simple today with just a few coats of Rimmel's Volume Flash x 10 Extreme Black mascara. Now I'm not too sure if this really gives my eyelashed 10x volume "in a flash" as the packaging and adverts state.

However, this is still a great mascara for the price and does lengthen my lashes along with creating a slightly more dramatic look. I've only used this product for day time wear so far, so admittedly haven't tried any look that is too dramatic - I feel my boss would have a slight fit if I walked into the office with a full on dramatic smokey eye look - but for my next night out, I may give it a go!

The only issue with this product - and I aim to be completely honest when writing about products - is that it can be a little clumpy at time. Clumpy eye-lashes are a pet hate of mine, so as soon as I notice it I'll do anything I can to un-clump.

Don't fear though - this issue can be easily fixed either with a clean mascara spoolie or an eyelash comb, which every you prefer. Personally I use an old mascara wand, which has been cleaned, and then just quickly run it through my lashes before the mascara dries... Clumpy eyelashes banished! *cheers happily*

This retails at around the £6.00 mark, so is very affordable and can be purchased from the Rimmel website here or from Superdrug *can you see a pattern forming here? Haha*.

Step 4 - Eyebrows: 

As most people know, eye-brows are such an important feature of the face. It's crazy the amount of power two little lines of hair can have! Therefore I like to make sure my eyebrows are nicely filled.

I tend to go back and forth between using powder with an eyebrow brush and an eyebrow pencil to fill in my eyebrows (don't think I could have said "eyebrow" any more throughout that sentence). For this lazy look though, I opted for the pencil.

I start by combing over my eyebrows with the little brush on the lid, then run over my eyebrows with the pencil in short, light strokes.

As my eyebrows are naturally darker then my hair (but I don't want them to look too dark as it just doesn't look right on me - think caterpillars) I find this technique helps to ensure they stay looking natural, yet in shape.

After this I quickly run back over the top of my eyebrows just to ensure any loose flakes from the pencil are removed and everything is perfectly blended.

The pencil I currently use is the Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil, in the shade Hazel, which is very purse friendly at just £2.99. You can view this product here on the Rimmel website or - of course - purchase it from Superdrug.

Step 5 - lips: 

There really wasn't a whole lot of effort put into my lip make-up today. But once everything else had been finished I applied a layer of The Body Shop's Born Lippy lip balm in the flavour Strawberry.

According to the website the Born Lippy lip balm range provides a slight lip tint. Now I don't have any of the other shades yet, but I wouldn't say this  provides any tint at all. However, I didn't want a balm that provided any colour, so I feel this is perfect for those days when you want a natural make-up look, but still have a little something on your lips.

The balm is also lovely and moisturising - without having that horrible sticky feeling to it - and adds a ever so slight shine to the lips. 

In addition to this, one of my favourite things about this product is the packaging -  which is a fun pop-art themed!

The only slight downside comes from the fragrance, which is a little on the "fake-strawberry" side. To be fair though this isn't over powering in the way that some Strawberry scented products are, and this isn't a scent that lingers around. 

I love this product and usually carry this around in my handbag every day! The Body Shop has a range of flavours, which include plum, pomegranate and toffee - so if Strawberry isn't your thing there are plenty of options!  

This retails for £3 which isn't too pricey and can be brought from The Body Shop website here, or in store. 

End result: 

What I believe to be a natural/lazy day make-up look!

What a poser!

xxx

*Disclaimer*

After reading back through this I mention the shop Superdrug around a million time. I promise this isn't sponsored or endorsed by the company in anyway... Apparently I just have a slight addiction with the shop. Haha!