A Blog In The Life Of Beth

Hey guys!

I know it's nearly Christmas and I should be buying presents for other people but I couldn't resist having a little mooch around Primark today and I picked up a few bits and pieces so I decided to show you.

Black Glittery Ballet Pumps - £6

Hey guys!

So I know that my last post was a wishlist but lately I've been looking at beauty products so that I can ask for them at Christmas! A bit early I know but I can't help it! I thought I'd put together another wishlist so you can see what I've been loving.

1) Benefit They're Real Push Up Liner - £18.50

Most of you would have heard about this stuff seeing as nearly every beauty blogger in the world has mentioned it at some point! After testing it out at a Benefit counter recently, I can see why. It glides on so smoothly and doesn't smudge...for someone that wears winged eyeliner everyday, it's perfect! It's quite a pricey product but it's not too bad when you compare it to other high end brands and that is why I will be buying it after I get paid or putting it at the top of my Christmas list!

2) MAC Rocky Horror Pigment in It's Not Easy Having A Good Time - £18.50

This pigment is GORGEOUS. The colour is absolutely incredible and as is the packaging. I've never really used a pigment before but this colour would be the one to get me started...I can't get over how gorgeous it is! Unfortunately it's currently sold out online but I haven't checked any stores near me so hopefully somewhere will have it. It's too pretty not to have in my life.

3) Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge - £5.99

I only recently found out about this sponge in one of Pixiwoo's Halloween tutorials and as soon as I saw it, I fell in love. White face paint was being applied with it but even with that, you could see how flawlessly a foundation would go on. As someone with limited makeup skills, something like this is perfect so I will definitely be going out to grab this as soon as possible!

There you go guys, something a little bit different for you. Let me know if any of you have tried any of these products, I'd love to know what you think! Thanks for reading!

Hey guys!

1. Dark Grey Check Zip Pocket Slim Leg Trousers - £19.99

Tartan/check is my favourite Autumn trend and these trousers are gorgeous! I don't tend to wear trousers but I really want to start attempting to style some so patterns wouldn't really be the best start for beginners but the grey makes them a little bit easier.

2. Burgundy Zip Side Chunky Cleated Sole Block Heel Boots - £24.99

Burgundy is also another of my favourite Autumn trends and I really liked this brown-toned burgundy. The zips on the outside give a bit of extra detail, and the cleated sole is one of this year's biggest trends.

3. Burgundy Waffle Textured Balloon Midi Skirt

As I previously said, burgundy is a favourite. The skirt has a more of a red-tone which makes it stand out. As a bigger girl, I don't really like to have my legs out so this kind of length works perfectly for me!

So there it is, my October wishlist. New Look are really hitting the trends this year and I loved multiple items on the website! What do you guys think of these wishlists? Should it become a monthly thing? Let me know!

Hey guys!

In June, I was lucky enough to get to travel to the big apple...otherwise known as New York! I went on a trip with my college, and I was even luckier to get to spend my 17th birthday out there! As it was my birthday, I got extra spending money and this is how I ended up with the incredible Lock-It Tattoo Foundation.

I have always been a massive fan of Kat Von D and my dream is to get a tattoo done by her...but that's another story. I'd seen things about Kat's makeup range all over the internet, and when I happened to find myself in Sephora, I knew I had to buy something from it. My foundation had started to run out so I went for this, and as soon as I swatched it on my hand I fell in love. The formulation is creamy and feels so good on your skin. It also has fantastic coverage, which I was very happy about as I have pretty bad skin. It doesn't cling to dry patches, and it doesn't make you look too shiny. The box states it has; "full coverage, 24-hour wear, transfer resistant, matte finish, fragrance free, oil-free, for all skin types. Create the perfect canvas." I would agree with all of this apart from the fragrance free. To me it has a very strange smell, but as I don't buy foundation for the smell, this really doesn't bother me. I paid around $37, and for a high end foundation I didn't think this was a bad price, especially when you convert back to pounds which makes it around £22.

The packaging of this foundation is gorgeous. The box is a nude colour, with black roses all over it and the writing is as gothic and beautiful as Kat herself. The bottle itself has a pump, and is just as gorgeous as the box.

I wish you could get the collection in stores around the UK but so far I haven't seen it. Next time I get the chance, I will definitely be buying more from the collection! I highly recommend this to everyone so go and check it out! I will link the Sephora website here. Thanks for reading!

 Hey guys!

Sorry for the wall of silence you've been getting but things have been really tough for me and I've only just felt up to even thinking about writing a post. This is just a quick update post whilst I sort myself out but I thought I'd let you know what's coming up soon. First up will be a holiday haul, then a few more rambly posts so look forward to that! Speak to you soon, please forgive me for neglecting you guys!

Hey guys!

I'm back. For good this time. I've finally finished college for the summer and now I have a lot more time on my hands so I'm going to stick to posting on here a lot more, I promise!

It's no secret to anyone that knows me that I am a massive reader. I love reading and can easily finish a book in a day and do so often when given the opportunity. So today I wanted to do a few book reviews of books that aren't very well known. I've read most of the really popular book series like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, The Fault in Our Stars and I really love them, they're some of my favourites but I really feel like some books don't get as much attention as they should. I'm hoping these reviews will get some of you guys wanting to read these!

#1 - Nobody's Girl by Sara Manning

Nobody's Girl is about a teenage girl called Bea, who is picked up and dropped by the popular girls at her school within a matter of weeks. This happens to a lot of teenagers but the difference with Bea is, she feels the wrath of the popular girls in Spain and instead of going home, she ends up making her way to Paris. This book is funny and romantic, featuring problems that a lot of girls have to go through and problems that a very select few have to endure. Nobody's girl is just one of the books that started my love for Paris and travelling, and is one of those books that I reread over and over again.

#2 - Pretty Face by Mary Hogan

Hayley is overweight and she knows it. As do her family, so her mum sends her to Italy to stay with an old friend to try and slim down. Hayley thinks that it is a crazy idea, everyone knows Italians love food! But as soon as she gets there she realises it isn't just the food they love, it's the occasion of eating ad the time they get to spend as a family. Soon Hayley falls in love with the Italian lifestyle, and with a beautiful Italian boy! Again, Pretty Face is another book the I reread all the time and it has made increased my love for Italy.

#3 - Precious Time by Erica James

Clara Costello decides that life as a busy mum just isn't working for her or her little boy Ned. So she decides to buy an old camper van and travel around England before Ned has to start school. Secrets are unearthed on her travels and at home, but Clara hopes that her plans won't be ruined. Precious time showed me that my own country is just as beautiful and exciting as any other country, and it also taught me that it's the people that make a place great.

All of these books have a running theme of travelling but I promise that's not all I read! However these books have taught me a lot, as well as inspiring my travel ambitions. Let me know if you read these books, or if there are any more that you want me to review. Thanks for reading!

Hey guys,

I know I promised you a nail varnish review next but I've been so busy revising for my A Levels for the last few weeks. So instead I have a few exam tips for you, they're not brilliant but they might help you a little bit!

1) Revise. I know it sounds obvious but do not leave your revision until the last minute, it just doesn't work. Look through your notes, do the work your teachers set you and anything else you find useful.

2) Don't overload yourself. Telling yourself that you're going to sit down and work for six hours because it's impossible. Set yourself realistic goals and take breaks every now and then.

3) Don't stress. I know it's hard but it's really not worth getting yourself worked up. Exams are not the end of the world, you can still achieve the things you want even if they don't go so well. And after all, if you have tried your best no one can ask for much else.

So there you go, three tips on exams. As I said, they're not brilliant but if they help at least one of you then I'll be happy! The promised review will be coming soon, as well as a lot more exciting posts so make sure you keep checking back!

Hey guys!

I know, I've been rubbish. Again. But I am back for good this time and am going to start posting regularly, possibly every Friday? Or Sunday? Let me know which one you think is best.

Today I wanted to talk about body image. As previously mentioned, I am a "big girl". I am "curvy". I am a "larger lady" or whichever one of those terms that you want to use when you're trying to say overweight. And that's what I am, I know I am. You always get those friends that say "you're not overweight, you're lovely and curvy, I wish I was the same" whilst they're sitting there with the figure of a model, but do they really mean it?

The controversy around weight drives me mental. So what if someone is a size 16? That most definitely doesn't mean they're fat and it sickens me to see that a size 16 is considered to be "plus size". This week I've been trying to find some swimsuits for my holiday and I've never been more frustrated over something so trivial in my life. I'm a size 16 on my bottom half most of the time but occasionally I can fit into a 14, and I'm usually an 18 on top due to being a 38F bra size. And do you think I could find a nice swimsuit/bikini that would fit me? Of course not, that would be to easy! If I find nice bottoms, the top won't be in cup sizes so won't fit me and if I find a top that will fit, the bottoms won't fit me and it's the most frustrating thing! I did find a few that would fit but they were all so boring. I don't understand why you have to be in muted colours just because you're wearing "plus size" things! If I want to wear a tropical print bikini with tassels and sequins then I will...apart from the fact that I can't find any.

So if any of you lovely ladies know anywhere you can get nice swimwear then let me know, and if I find anywhere myself then I'll be sure to do a post on it to help anyone else out! Coming up next week, a Barry M nail varnish review so stay tuned for that!

Hey guys!

So I may have done something a little bit drastic yesterday, and bleached the whole of the underside of my hair before dying it purple. I have very dark brown hair so bleaching is hard, I tend to go more of a gingery yellow rather than blonde. This time however, the roots went a very light blonde and the rest was the ginger tinged yellow. To do this, I used Jerome Russell's Bblonde Maximum Lift and it does work pretty well. Anything that works on my hair is a pretty good product, and this didn't fail.

Hey guys,

So I know I've been promising different things for this blog and once again, I've been awful and not kept them. I do have an excuse though...

Do you ever get that feeling that you're so cut off from everyone and just feel lonely even though you're with a group of people constantly? Well I've had that feeling for the last few weeks and it's one of those things that you can't just shake off and carry on. It takes time to get over that feeling and it seems to take me longer than most.

Don't get me wrong, I have the most amazing group of friends and I love them all more than anything but sometimes live just gets you down slightly. So I've decided that I want this blog to be somewhere that you can come when you're feeling like that. Anyone can contact me by the email in the sidebar and I'd love to get to know anyone that reads this blog so that we can all be brilliant friends!

But honestly guys, I'm sorry for the absence but I'm hoping you all understand that I wasn't just being lazy! Let me know what posts you'd like to see in the next few weeks.

Hey guys!

So I had another review lined up for today, but when I sat down to write it...I realised I had forgotten to take the pictures. Yes I know, I'm so stupid. Hopefully that review will be coming in the next few days as the product is incredibly beautiful.

Instead my lovelies, I have a wishlist for you. I was planning on making it a February Wishlist but then thought it was too far into February but not close enough to March...so this is just a general wishlist.

Hey guys!

So yesterday I took a trip into good old London town to do some photography for my AS exam. I have chosen to create a series of pictures about culture and identity so headed to different spots in the capital to see what I could find. Stupidly, it seems that I've never noticed just how diverse and brilliant our world really is.

First up was Camden. I always knew that this would be a brilliant place to start, as this part of London is notorious for "Goth", "Emo" or "Punk" fashion. The first few stalls I looked at in one of the markets (I can't remember which one...there's a fair few!) was full of the usual tat you see at common markets but then I found a stall full of leather. Leather trousers, leather jackets, leather shorts, leather shoes...the lot. Then you turned the corner and there was a beautiful stall full of Indian/Asian material, incense and amazing jewellery. One of the other markets down the road was full of food stalls, ranging from Mexican to Italian and it was brilliant to see how diverse the whole area was. 

Next, was Chinatown and it's pretty obvious what was there. But apart from the usual Chinese restaurants and souvenir shops for the tourists, there's a gay club right in the middle. Now I don't know Chinese culture and if being gay is accepted but I found it sightly surreal to see this bar stand out from the rest of the shops and to be honest...it was brilliant.

Another thing that warms your heart is the coming together of skaters at Southbank Skate Park. Authorities are wanting to move the skate park a few meters down the road but understandably, the skaters and people that love the skate park don't want this to happen. To remove the current skate park, they would be removing years of graffiti that has culminated to create beautiful pieces of art work. To the people that know and love that area, this can't happen. Skating and that piece of land has created and built up people's identities and to remove this would quite frankly be a crime. Either head over to Southbank yourself or Google it to see what would be destroyed, and after that head over to http://www.savethesouthbank.com/ to find out more.

Overall, I think it's pretty amazing just how many cultures and customs are getting excepted in our world. Do you agree? Let me know!

Hey guys!

Yes, I know...I'm the world's most awful blogger. That's if I can even call myself a blogger? I haven't posted anything since September and to be honest, I don't actually have an excuse for that. The good news (or bad news, which ever way you look at it) is...I'm back! I'm going to attempt to post a lot more, and I'm planning on occasionally sharing some of my photography work which I'm hoping will encourage me to post more.

But on to today's post, I have a little review/minuscule haul for you. I recently purchased this top from SheInside after seeing it in the realms of the internet and had to have it. So I headed over to SheInside and found that it was £11.44 ($18.79). Yes, you read that right. £11.44. Naturally, I had to buy it right then and there...which lead me to finding out that it was free shipping!SheInside ships world wide and the delivery time is fantastic...this arrived in only a week.