Wednesday 30 November 2011

Cupcakes NOM!

Hey guys!
Now, i'm not in any way, shape or form a professional....but check these babies out!!! Not to brag but i think that are pretty darn attractive, and they were scrumptious too!






Basically, me and my friend that i live with at uni were a bit bored today, i know what you must be thinking..she's always bored, does she not go to uni or something? Trust me I'm not happy about paying over 3 grand a year but yet i still have time to bake cupcakes on a Wednesday afternoon, but i was very happy with how these turned out. I know there are hundreds of tried and tested recipes out there on't t'internet but this was pure guess work or the lazy mans cook book, i say. Basic ingredients; butter, sugar, flour, eggs and vanilla extract then butter cream frosting which consists of; icing sugar, butter and vanilla extract. We then lovingly decorated (LOL getting my Nigella on) with chocolate sprinkles and marshmallows on the top. Oh and i'll let you into another little secret....there's jam in the middle of them!!! I know, i like to be daring with my baking.


We got a bit messy with the flour *naughtyyy* and they do look like they've been made by a child but at the end of the day we had fun and they tasted great! Give them a go :) Pretttyyyyy!


xXx

Tuesday 29 November 2011

First YouTube video! eeeee!!

I am very excited to announce that i have just uploaded my first ever YouTube video. I can't understand why i'm so excited about this but i am, YIPEEE!! So head on over and check it out :) subscribe and leave comments too! 

http://www.youtube.com/user/BecciUpshall

xXx

My Fav Nail Varnishes

Morn'in all!


Again it's a horrible, grey, rainy day in Plymouth so i thought i would do a quick blog about my 'can't live without' nail varnishes. They vary in price and quality but these are the few that i reach for all the time. 

On the left we have George Yard by Nails Inc London
On the right we have Hans Crescent by Nails Inc London

  • Both polishes are £11, a bit pricey for a nail varnish compared to some of the others in this blog, however, you really do get what you pay for which is a long lasting, nice consistency and good quality polish.
  •  These two last for well into two weeks of wearing and glide on to your nails effortlessly. 
  • They have a good sized fan brush which almost hugs your nails which makes applying really easy. 
  • They come in 10ml bottles so you get a good amount, but honestly you don't need many coats because of the quality so they really do last a long time.
  • George Yard is a really pretty, high pigmented, gold shimmer polish. When i first saw this i was a bit nervous about how glittery it was but the glitter is extremely fine and when it's on the nail it looks more metallic than glittery. Great for the festive season.
  • Hans Crescent is more of a peachy colour than it looks in the photo (a bit orange) and is more something i would personally wear in summer. That being said, i am very into painting one nail on each hand different at the moment and this looks really nice paired with a taupe colour. 


On the left we have Big Smoke by Topshop
In the middle we have Poison Ivy by Topshop
On the right we have Ruthless by Topshop 

  • All of these polishes were £5 which i think is a greatly affordable price for the quality that they are.
  • Topshop states that these polishes are fast drying, long wearing and have a glossy finish. For this i can definitely vouch that they do. 
  • My only issue with these polishes is that they don't last as long as some of the more expensive brands and you do have to apply more than one coat but, for the  amazing colours that Topshop supply, i really do not care.
  • They come in 8ml bottles which i think is a generous size for the price.
  • Big Smoke, at first glance i thought this colour was a pale taupe colour and a really nice nude. However, when it's applied it is more of a lilac, grey colour which is beautiful for those 'barely there' days when you want to look more natural. Also i do a lot of placement in schools and this colour is great for that.
  • Poison Ivy, is my favourite colour this season. It's that deep green that seems to be everywhere at the moment and has a high pigment, dazzling shine in it. This is really appropriate for Christmas. *ooooo Christmas!* 
  • Ruthless, this is the ultimate find for me. At the moment i am OBSESSED with the dark wine, burgundy colours. If i had my way everything in my wardrobe would be this colour. It's funny how something such as a nail varnish can make your mood change but when i wear this polish i feel daring and sexy (LOL) and it goes with almost everything in my wardrobe. 

On the left we have Cherry by H&M
In the middle we have Grey by Barry M
On the right we have Thrill of Brazil by O.P.I

  • Cherry, is such an amazing colour for winter. It's a lighter shade of that burgundy colour i love and is a bit more pinky but i think that's really nice for all year round, kind of a raspberry colour. Now here comes the best bit....it was £1.99!!!! Now H&M are known for coming out with some cracking bargains but this is amazing. It comes in a 7ml bottle so very generous for the price. It has a really nice brush that doesn't shed all over your nail and i found that it was quite long lasting. Must have.
  • Grey, although this is a colour i reach for often, it is purely for the colour and nothing else. Barry M let me down on this one :( *boo hoo* I love Barry M Nail Paints normally but this one i find having to put like 500 coats on and then it chips off really easily. It was £2.99 for a 10ml bottle which is extremely good but in some ways i do feel that your getting what you paid for. Sorry Barry, great colour, not the best finish.
  • Thrill of Brazil, i love this polish and i'm sad i only have a mini size of 3.75ml because it's nearly run out :( I stole this from mother so i'm not sure how much she paid for it because it was only a mini but I've seen full sizes floating about for around £10. This is definitely at the higher end of the price range but i think it is absolutely worth it. I know you can find some exceptions where price isn't everything but in this case you really do get an amazing quality polish. I love it's matte finish and it lasts me a long time and has real staying power. Again this is a colour i would wear all year round!
I hope you have enjoyed this blog, that was a few of my ultimate polishes that i reach for regularly. They are from varying price ranges so there is something for everyone and i find a lot of cheaper brands do amazing dupes for more expensive ones so there's no need to break the bank, however, be weary that sometimes you do get what you pay for and you may end up picking something up that doesn't last long and doesn't have a nice finish, apart from the few exceptions. If i had to pick a favourite right now i would say anything from Topshop. 

Have a nice day! 
xXx

Monday 28 November 2011

Chelsea Boots

Hello Darlings,


I know I only did my first post today but I thought I would get the ball rolling with one of my staple fashion pieces! These are my new babies and i wear them with everything because they are SO versatile. The one. The only, Chelsea Boots. I feel that for winter these are such a good buy and even though I wear them with leggins or jeans I have also put them with tights and skirts or shorts.   


  


Now these ones are from Dorothy Perkins and they were £35. Personally I think they are great value for money because they are real leather and super comfortable. I prefer these specific ones more to some of the others out there because i like the creased effect on the front. Like many of us, i'm sure, I hate the size of my feet and I feel this effect means they don't look like flippers as some of the others I've tried on have been very stiff and smooth on the front. Another plus to these boots is the price. Being a student I can't always afford the best, most expensive pair, as much as i would like to, so for all you other students wanting a pair of Chelsea boots i think these could be for you. 


Other Chelsea boots i have seen and fallen in love with are the ABE Ultimate Chelsea Boots from Topshop which are being sold for £65, good for if your looking at the higher end of the high streets stores and have abit more to spend. All the rest i have seen have all been around the same price as mine so about £30-£35 so have a look around. If anybody knows of any cheaper feel free to comment below. 


                            x X x


                                                                                                 

First Blog

Well Hello!
It's a horrible, grey rainy day and one of the rare occasions that i have no work, oh how i love paying for uni then not having anything to do, so i thought..i'm going to start a blog! I have been an avid YouTube watcher for years and some of my most watched channels always mention blogs, so i went through some of there's and was quite excited! Here comes the issue of what to write in a first blog, so i thought I would tell you a bit about myself, not in a vein way. My name is Becci Upshall and i'm 19 from Dorset. I'm currently studying in my second year of a BEd Primary course at UCP Marjon's in Plymouth in the slim hopes that people will one day trust me to educate their children. I have a some what tolerable boyfriend, Nathan. I love him really.  People always say about hobbies and i feel somewhat insufficient when i draw a blank on the hobbies front but i guess blogging and the eventual YouTube video will be my new hobby :) Oh and the standard chilling with my friends and boyfriend and going out. Something I would call more of a lifestyle than a hobbie is my overwhelming addiction to shopping. Being a student my funds do NOT support this addiction which is very upsetting but i get by....just. 
With this being said the basis of my blogs will be about fashion and beauty and my general thoughts and feelings. I aim to write reviews on products and clothes, do some outfit of the days and my makeup routine and share some interesting bits of my life, which at the moment isn't very interesting and consists of watching back to back supernatural (mmmm Jenson Ackles) the rest i will leave up to you to request anything you want to see! 


I feel this is enough rambling from me, you'll notice a trend i'm sure. Watch this space..
BecciLou xo