This is going to be my first ever book review, which actually feels quite bizarre since I've had a deep love for books since I was a little girl. I recently finished The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and I must say I fell in love with it. To give a short and non spoilered summary it is about a young girl from Nazi Germany who moves in with her adoptive parents and the story of her life. The great twist behind it is that the book is not narrated by her, but by death.

The book has made me both laugh out loud and had me close to tears, I especially enjoyed the way it was laid out every now and then there would be a small interjection be it a thought, a small poem or a word definition to think about. I found that they would never distract you from the story but they were very cleverly written in a way that added a certain depth to the story.

This book often made me stop and think about many things such as love and war, warning as you would probably expect from any book set in Nazi Germany this is not too happy a read. If you're looking for something quick, light and carefree then I'd say maybe save this book for another day. Nonetheless I would hugely recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Other than the occasional swear word, and of course the fact the main themes are war and death the book could be considered family suitable, my 13 year old sister has read it too.

LUSH Skincare Haul:

A while ago I bought an almost entirely new skincare routine from LUSH, as always the experience was amazing and all the lovely ladies in there had us chatting away about everything and anything while giving us the chance to try out products and see which would work best for us. My friend and I were in there for well over an hour and had amazing time. As well as some free samples and a free Butterball bath bomb that they really didn't have to give us I wanted to show you what else I added to my basket.

The Jasmine and Henna Fluff-Ease hair treatment is to be used before washing and was recommended to me because of my curly hair. As you can see I've made my way almost entirely through the giant tub already! I honestly don't think I've ever used a product that's made such a noticeable difference on my hair. Not only does it look much healthier and shinier but my curls look much more bouncy and defined too as well as it being much easier to manage and feeling much softer. I can definitely see myself going to pick up another tub of this very very soon. 

For evening cleansing I picked up the Ultrabland Cleanser, and I enjoy this one too but I'm not 100% sold on this one. It does leave my skin feeling nourished since it's packed full of almond oil and bees wax but I also find that I still wake up with mascara round my eyes and I'm left with an oily residue that leaves my skin feeling a little oily and heavy before bed.

In terms of the morning  I asked for something that was both soothing but would also help remove dead skin. The Angels on Bare Skin Face and Body Cleanser was added to my basket. It's a solid concoction of rose, lavender and camomile that needs to be mixed with water and rubbed over the face, the ingredients soothe the skin and even out skin tone (something that I have definitely noticed in my face) and the lavender gently removes any dead skin without your face feeling too harshly scrubbed. This is definitely a product I would recommend to a friend.

The Enzymion moisturiser I've been using both mornings and nights and has fast become my top moisturiser. It's extremely hydrating and refreshing since it has a citrus scent to it, but it sinks in so fast that other than the soothed feeling you could never tell you've just moisturised something I really enjoy as it means I can go straight in with my makeup if I ever need to. 

Last, but by no means least, is the Eau Roma Water. Again this is lavender based and so really soothes the skin. I love the feel of using this and genuinely look forward to using it before bed to soothe me. I prefer to spritz it over my face as it is so much more refreshing that way. Again this is a product I can see myself adding to my basket again very soon. 

As you can see I ended up picking up a lot of things but I honestly feel like my skin has been given an entirely new lease of life. Other than the cleanser I am head over heels with every product and my skin has never been happier. 

xxx

The Netflix Tag:

Netflix has essentially taken the world by storm, and if you follow me on Instagram then you'll certainly know that since University broke up for Summer then it has taken up the majority of my days. Now that I'm getting back in to regular blogging I thought what better than the Netflix Tag to be my next post:

1. What are your favourite series to watch on Netflix?

I binge watched Gossip Girl a few months ago and since finishing that I've also managed to got myself all caught up with Pretty Little Liars which aren't usually my kind of shows but I really enjoyed watching them. I'm also a huge fan of Orange is the New Black and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

2. What are you currently watching on Netflix?

At the moment I've got quite into The Trip with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it as a series yet but I still can't seem to stop clicking "next episode". I'm also rewatching the Doctor Who series at the moment.

3. If you could have any series, old or new on Netflix what would it be?

I would absolutely love to have The Ricky Gervais Show up on there, I'm a huge fan. I love the animation and the stuff that Karl Pilkington comes out with but I don't really have anyway to watch it.

4. What is one pet peeve about Netflix?

I don't like the fact that some programmes seem to just randomly stop at the end of a season, for example last year I got really into the show Gavin and Stacey but there are only the first two seasons up there.

5. Recommend one series/film for someone else to watch:

I would say that everyone should definitely watch Orange is the New Black but I don't know anyone who hasn't seen it so in addition to that I'd say Adventure Time is a great weirdly wonderful guilty pleasure (although hand in hand with my pet peeve there are only a few seasons up there, starting at season 2 weirdly enough!).

xxx

Olivia Burton Tan Big Dial Watch:

I've been a huge admirer of Olivia Burton's stunning watches for a very long time now. I follow both their Twitter and Instagram accounts and every time a photo pops up I find myself practically drooling over the beauty of their stunning pieces. I'm particularly a fan of big dial watches, and although I've previously mentioned that I'm not a huge fan of gold this watch has stood out to me for months.

The only thing putting me off was the £75 price tag, I know that's actually a really good price for a watch like this but at the end of the day I am only a 19 year old student so whether or not I could bring myself to spend so much on one thing was something I really debated about. In the end my heart won out over my head and as soon as payday came I was placing my order. 

I went for the Tan Big Dial Watch, which was always the one I checked was in stock first when online browsing. I think it's absolutely stunning and would suit near enough any outfit and can be worn year round. Let me know if you have any watches from the brand because I must admit that although I'm head over heels for this one and can't stop looking at my wrist when I wear it I do still like the look of some of their other pieces. 

xxx

10 Things I Learnt in my First Year of University:

Last month I finished my first year of University and it was hands down the best year of my life! I've really changed as a person and I like the person I am so much more now. With that in mind I've put together a list of all the things I've learnt so far. 

1. Drinking an entire bottle of vodka in half an hour is never a good idea (seriously don't do it)
2. A takeaway doesn't count if you eat it between the hours of 12-5 am
3. You won't have fun experiences unless you make yourself
4. The friends you make in freshers will probably not be the closest friends you make, don't become too cliquey straight away
5. Sometimes a nap is the only answer
6. Don't save all your deadlines until the last minute
7. Keep up with your reading throughout the year, it will make life much much easier come revision time
8. Do NOT wear heels on a night out. It's all fun and games for about half an hour but the rest of the night is just a world of pain!
9. The friends you make will be the best friends ever!
10. You won't miss other people as much as you think you will

An Apology:

Well well well, long time no see hey guys. I want to start with a huge apology I've been absent from my little corner of the internet for over a month now! I've missed you all so much and I've hugely missed blogging too. My head has been buzzing with ideas and although I have enjoyed my break to an extent I really do love my blog and I'm glad to be finally back. I want to do a big catch up video letting you all know what's been going on in my life so I wont go into too much detail just now. I just wanted to let you guys know that I'm still here and I fully intend to get right back into my regular blogging now I'm back!

I'll see you all again soon!
Lots of love,
Erika.
xxx

Smokey Gold FOTD:

I'd say this is about as grunge as my looks get. I really love the look on other people but I think I have a bit of a fear of looking dirty.  Lately I've been really enjoying smudging some black or grey shadow across the lash lines to add some depth. It's much less harsh than using an eyeliner but still gives you a smokey look.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation - True Ivory

Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot

The Body Shop Honey Bronze - Medium

No7 Brow Pencil - Brown

Naked Palette (Half Baked & Creep)

Bourjois - 1 Seconde Volume

Urban Decay Lipstick - Native

Review: Zoeva Rose Gold Brushes:

I had been wanting to buy this set for so long and a month or so ago I finally convinced myself to buy them! I've waited a while to review them so I could get used to working with them and really give an honest review. 

First things first the packaging, now I know every beauty blogger under the sun has already raved about it so I'll try not to go on too much but isn't it pretty! The luxury set comes with a beautiful makeup bag and the brushes themselves are stunning. 

I'll go brush by brush...

106 Powder: This is a perfect mix between a big fluffy brush but a dense structured brush too, I've been using it to apply my face powder and it distributes the perfect amount of powder over the face without making you look cakey.

102 Silk Finish: This is much denser than the RealTechniques Buffing brush, it can be used to buff well though. I've found that it needs washing much more often than other buffing brushes I've used too. The brush really helps when you're doing a full coverage look.

110 Face Shape: This has been described as the perfect brush for cream contouring which sadly means I've not been able to try since I don't have any cream contour products but what contouring I have used it for has been great.

127 Luxe Sheer Cheek: I honestly thing the description is perfect for this one. This brush sweeps the perfect amount of product over the cheeks and seems to perfectly fit my face making it so easy to do my cheek makeup in just a few sweeps.

142 Concealer Buffer: Again this one needs washing  quite often, it's super dense and almost a little stumpy so you can really buff in your concealer in a way that will make sure it lasts all day.

227 Luxe Soft Definer: There's really not much to say about this one other than it's an almost perfect dupe for the MAC 217. If anything it's a little fluffier but other than that they're identical.

231 Luxe Petit Crease: I love using this one for a darker colour through the crease. The tapered tip lets me use the very tip to apply the colour and the rest of the brush to blend it out perfectly. It fits in the crease beautifully too.

317 Wing Liner: This brush creates the absolute perfect wing. It's a little longer than most slanted brushes which really helps it glide along the eye. The brush itself is very thin which allows you to have a really thin and defined line too. I'd say it's a drawer between this one and the 110 to be my favourite brushes of the set!

xxx

Currently Coveting (Festival Edition):

I'm sure the most of you know already but just in case you didn't I am ridiculously excited to tell you all that I'll be going to Reading Festival this year! I officially cannot wait, and though it may be months away yet a girl can dream can't she?

With this in mind I've put together some very pretty pieces that I'd love to be wearing this year, now I've already been told that by the end of the few days your clothes are destroyed anyway and you should chose comfort over fashion, but where's the fun in imagining that?!

BooHoo Katy Tassel Rucksack:

You're at a festival you need to carry some stuff with you, this looks nice and light weight and tassels are bang on trend when it comes to a festival. What more could you ask for I guess there's not really much else to say about this one but I really do like the look of it and when it comes to boohoo it's going to be a great price.

TopShop MOTO Vintage Ripped Mom Shorts:

These are a little more on the pricey side but they're so pretty! Hopefully it'll be nice and hot this Summer and I can add these to my shopping basket sometime soon. I've never been to a festival before but I can imagine nothing worse than being stuck in too hot trousers all day when all you really want to do is enjoy the music and be free to move around.

TopShop Floral Plastic Mac:

Let's face it when it comes to an English Summer you're going to need a rain mac! And why not make it a nice pretty one when it comes to  our English Summers you might as well have a nice one because you'll have to wear it a lot!

Accessorize Feather Statement Bando:

Flower crowns are a festival must-have! This is a nice big one with feathers too! What more could a girly girl ask for in life? I love the fact it's big and pink and fun, I'm becoming so much more confident lately and now I'd be more than happy to wear some thing like this.

Accessorize Simple Rose Flower Crown:

If you're not feeling too confident, or just don't want to be wearing something so out there then accessorize also has something a little smaller and more delicate for you. This one is super cute too, I think it would look really nice with wavy, second day hair.

Barry M Kohl Pencil in Kingfisher Blue:

For some reason I feel as though Summer and festivals are the one time of year you can get away with wearing bright blue eye liner, but at the same time you're likely to lose them in the back of a tent somewhere or something so a nice cheap one from the drugstore is just perfect.

TopShop Bindi & Temporary Tattoos: 

This is another thing that seems like a must for me when it comes to festivals. I really want to buy a big pack so that me and the girls I'm going with can have some fun with them. Again there's really not much more to say about them other than I think they'd be a bit of fun and a good idea.

Hunter Wellies:

Again, it's a British Summer you need wellies. Again, with the amount you'll need them in Summer you may as well treat yourself and get some nicer ones. I doubt very much I'll be buying these because they really are quite expensive but this is a wishlist after all!

Review: La Roche - Posay Effaclar Duo:

Moisturiser has never been anything I've been overwhelmed by, don't get me wrong I've certainly been impressed by one or two and even repurchased a couple but never have I had one that has left me genuinely looking forward to using it again the next day, until now that is.

 La Roche-Posay is a brand that I've heard of before from many a bloggers review for their wide range of skin care benefits. I heard wonderful things about the good they do to blemish prone skin which sadly before now I have never had to deal with. A few months a go now I picked up the Effaclar Duo on nothing more than a whim in Boots and I couldn't have been more pleased with the results.

The products is mainly focused on acne prone skin so it really does pack a punch when beating spots, but I haven't found it to be too harsh because of this. My skin isn't so bad to call it acne just a few spots here and there that leave bad red marks. The formula claims to be unclogging so no only does it help remove spot but prevents new ones breaking out too. It also contains an anti-irritant which helps remove redness, as well as boasting benzoyl peroxide amoung it's ingredients meaning it really does remove spots. You may think that all of this would really strip your skin but that is so far from the truth. I find that it sinks in super fast but still leaves your skin feeling well moisturized and light. Not like you never used a product in the first place.

I found that in the long run the constant use of this product has given me the confidence to bare my skin to the world much more often. I feel much more confident in my own skin now and I really would say it's thanks to this product.

Have you used this product before? Let me know your thought, good or bad!

xxx

The Phase: Musicals:

I've always been a big fan of musicals, I mean how can someone not be? They're fun (even if only ever so slightly in Les Miserables case), and take you on an emotional journey. I was raised on the likes of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Calamity Jane and of course Annie and Oliver. In my teen years I found Chicago, Burlesque, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Grease and Fame.

In terms of stage shows I've only ever seen Wicked and the Lion King, this is something I am desperate to change! Lately my obsession has been steadily increasing. I have soundtracks on all the time whilst I'm working and I have to admit part of me gets genuinely sad when I have to turn my music off when filming.

For my younger sisters birthday I'm going to be taking her to see a stage production of Calamity Jane but the next Broadway shows on my list are to actually see Les Miserables on stage as opposed to watching recordings and Miss Saigon! What about you guys though? Are there any shows you think I should see? Please let me know because I have a real love for them and want to expand my horizons.

Monthly Favourites March 2015 | EJEbeauty

It's Monthly Favourites time again! I really like filming these videos so I hop you like watching them! 

xxx

Announcing the new Beauty Bask Box & FREE giveaway for EJEbeauty readers:

A few days a go an email dropped in to my inbox giving me the opportunity to be the first to tell all of you lovely readers about an new up and coming beauty box! The BeautyBask offers a home spa experience. The boxes are yet to be officially launched but once they do they will be shipped worldwide.


The first box will be free, and not only this but you will also have the chance to gain free boxes by introducing the boxes to your friends! The first box will include:

- A face cleansing brush (similar to a clarisoinc)
- A Turban Towel
- A Candle
- Bath Salts
- A Natural Soap
- A Face Mask

Just to let you guys know I haven't been payed to talk about this box I just thought it would be something you guys would be interested in. I've turned down companies asking me to write similar posts to this and hopefully you guys trust my opinion!

Here's the BeautyBask website if you guys want to sign up for your free first box!

Fitness Update: March:

I'm not too sure about how I feel about this month fitness wise. My excersize has gone up and the healthy eating has improved without a doubt. I've been having a lot more water and green tea's too which I have to say isn't something I ever imagined myself enjoying drinking! My main issue this month has been going on night outs! I'm sure any of you who follow me on instagram will agree the level of drunk selfies with friends has definitely gone up. What with the amount of alcohol in my system and the four in the morning pizza runs that my stomach is hardly the most toned it's ever been!

One thing  I have been enjoying more and more is going through excersize videos. I think it's because the person you're watching is doing it with you and it's almost as if you're doing it with a friend. This so called "warm up" nearly killed me though! I really enjoyed it and I think in the future I'll be branching out into a bit more cardio!

This month I'm proud of the fact I kept going even through I've had so many nights out and the definition I'm beginning to see in my legs, next month I want to have less nights out and cut down th alcohol!

We'll see what happens next month let me know how you're doing if you're on a fitness journey?

xxx

Empties #1 | EJEbeauty

I've done plenty of empties blogposts over the years, but here's my first one in video form! 

xxx

DollyBowBow Purchases:

I'm sure you've all already heard of Kate from DollyBowBow whether through the stunning pieces on her website or through her super cute Youtube channel. I've been a huge fan of hers for years now we seem to have the exact same tastes and styles so not only is her online store DollyBowBow a dream come true when it comes to shopping for me but her channel has added up to many happy hours of viewing on my part.

The first thing I picked up was the Libby Flower Crown, I have to say that when it arrived I didn't realise just how large the flowers would be nonetheless I love it! I'm gaining confidence lately so the fact the flowers were quite large means I had to give myself the push needed to wear it! I love the colour I chose it's such a dainty and pretty pink. The band itself is wrapped in a brown twine like material that makes it look almost branch like and I love that about it! The flowers rest in leaves too, all of this helps blend the band together brilliantly as opposed to just some flowers stuck on a band which can be what you get from some stores.

The necklace I picked up was the Evie Statement one. It is just stunning! I've wanted a statement piece like this for years but I'm very fussy. I love everything about this piece including the chain which as you can see is very different from just a plain chain. All of the colours used throughout the necklace compliment each other perfectly, also I'm a huge fan of pastels so that's an added bonus! 

I hope you enjoyed this post, let me know if you did and if you've bought any jewellery lately.

xxx

My Sister Stole My Camera...

As I'm sure many of you know by now my sister has a huge thing about photography (something which comes in very handy when you're a blogger and need help with photos). A few days a go she was helping me out with some blogging and started snapping away through my bedroom window because she was bored while I tried to plan out how I wanted the photos and posts I was writing staged. I don't really have much to say about these photos I just think that she's extremely talented especially considering she's only 13 and hasn't ever even been taught how to work with cameras. She acts entirely on instinct and wherever we go she'll ask to borrow my camera once she seems something she thinks would look good. Lately nature is her thing to capture and I didn't want these ones to go to waste...

Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot:

This powder wasn't actually supposed to be used for a few months yet since I was still working through my old one, however on a recent (drunken I might add) night out it fell out of my bag and smashed into tiny little pieces. The silver lining to that heartbreaking moment was that when I got home this little beauty was there waiting to be opened up.

The packaging is beautiful, retro just my style and the way they've thought it all through is so clever too. The mirror is the size of the whole lid which means you don't have to worry about carrying a mirror around with you too.  

I love the POWder print on the product itself too. This is something I really like about the brand as a whole they always add little thoughtful details which make you smile and enjoy using it just that little bit more. It comes with a puff too which may not be ideal for all but for taking it out during the day this is a dream come true. 

The powder itself is beautiful. I've fallen well and truly in love with it already! It's a super fine powder which has just the right consistency to be lightly dusted over your face with a brush or packed on a little thicker with a puff. It seems to last almost all day so far although it's not been too hot and sunny lately so I'll have to update you as to how it deals with heat. It mattes out the face but not in a way where you look dead it allows some dewiness to shine through, but at the same time it's not so light that you're left constantly reapplying through out the day. 

At £12 it's not dirt cheap but hardly pricey either. If you're looking for a new powder I'd recommend giving this a go. 

xxx

The Best Friend Tag! | EJEbeauty

She's back! My video with Charlotte seemed to go down so well, I thought why not get her in to do the best friend tag? We've wanted to do it for a while anyway so here it is! 

xxx

Review: Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Range:

I finished these products all at different times and so one by one they added themselves to my empties pile (video should be coming soon) until I saw the three of them together and thought why not write up a review of the range as a whole. I hope you enjoy the review and who knows it may lead to you enjoying the range yourself.

The first thing I'll say about the range overall is that if you want to buy it then you should do so now whilst it's getting warmer because the lime infused sugary sweet smell is a Summer's dream! 

As for each of the products themselves I'll start with the body wash. This claimed to be "fresh and foamy" and it certainly didn't disappoint. The formula created lots and lots of fresh almost cool feeling bubbles and the smell of limes really helped wake up the senses. This often left my skin feeling so smooth that I almost didn't feel the need to moisturize afterwards. The 500 ml was enough product to last me a good few months so you get great value for money too. All in all I'd say that as long as you're a fan of sweet citrus scents this is an absolute dream of a body wash.

An alternative to the wash was the scrub, this was sugar based so it could be quite harsh at times. The sugar was held together in what almost seemed like a gel consistency. I do quite like the fact it felt a little harsh though because every so often I like to really give my skin a hard scrub to remove any dead skin cells and get me blood circulating. I find it really helps you wake up, also this would be the perfect type of scrub to use if you're about to fake tan because there's no way any scaly bits would survive.

Last in the trio of goodies comes the Body Buttercream. This I found was different to the brands usual body butters as it was a little lighter (both in consistency and scent). It left my skin feeling very well moisturised but at the same time it sank in super quick so you got the best of both worlds really. The scent was the same throughout the range which I really liked. Personally I think it smells exactly like lime Starburst sweets but most people tell me it smells like Drumstick sweets (apologies if you're not a British reader and have no idea what these sweets are!).

All in all I really enjoyed the range, if you've used it before let me know what you thought and if you haven't would you like to?

xxx