Beauty Edit ~ Rimmel 9 in 1 Skin Perfecting Super Make up BB Cream

So far, I have found this product to have light coverage (but it is only a BB cream so I wasn't expecting much).  I usually use it to even out my skin before I apply concealer on areas I feel I need more coverage

It feels light on the skin, and blends easily. It smells nicely of vanilla and the shade blends well to my skin tone even though it does look quite dark to begin with. I have found it to tick most of the 9 boxes it details on the back of the tube, it lacks slightly with mattifying, but that is easily solved with a powder.

Overall, I quite like this BB cream and it's small price label makes it just that much better. However, I'm not sure if I would buy it again though, I may explore some other brands instead.

As usual, please comment suggestions on how I could improve my reviews and which products I should review next xXx

Beauty Edit ~ NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams

These are possibly a new favourite of mine. At only £5.50 per tube, they are an absolute bargain for the quality you get. They smell like vanilla/cake and apply really smothly. They are small so are easy to skip into your handbag or to simply store them.

The colour payoff that they have is amazing, and there is also a fantastic colour selection all named after different cities, which I love!

I was so impressed with these and I'm really excited to try the other ranges!

Top to bottom: Athens, Budapest, Istanbul and Rome

As usual, please comment suggestions on how I could improve my reviews or which products I should review next xXx

To All The Boys I've Loved Before ~ Jenny Han

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.


I can't tell you just how much I loved this books. It exceeded my high expectations.

Lara- Jean Song is one of three sisters, who live alone with their dad after their mother died. For a long time now, Lara Jean has kept her box of love letters to her old crushes. She writes them as her way of letting the boy go and moving on. They have been her secret, until the day she finds the box gone... Events unfurl and she finds herself in a fake relation ship with an old love, Peter.

I find this book well written and funny. Kitty is just so cute and adorable, and Lara Jean is incredibly relatable. I was left wanting more, and I found I hard to put the book down. I enjoyed how it focused on sisters and family, as well as the main love story.
Lara Jean is happy to simply be herself, she doesn't want to go to all the parties, or raid all the shops. She enjoys being quiet, reading and scrap booking. With that being said, she was interesting and witty, unlike many similar characters I have read before. She developed over the book, and her love and enjoyment of baking/food, just made the book that much better.

  Chris was another character whom I liked because she was different. She is Lara Jean's best friend, but not the sort that is normally stereotyped. She has a completely different personality, and yet their friendship is really strong. Chris is witty, confident, and a bit of a rebel.

I seriously recommend you try this book, even if it is just for he pretty cover. I loved it and I can't wait to read the sequel.

As usual, please comment suggestions on how I could improve my reviews, or which books I should review next xXx

Beauty Edit ~ Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer

A favourite among many, I really enjoyed using this concealer. It brightened, concealed and stayed put for a long time.

I found it blended well so it illuminated my skin whilst still looking natural. It has a faint iridescent shimmer running through it which reflects light nicely and is what gives the wide awake look to your eyes. Even with the shimmer, I have found it to be good even on blemishes. They are covered, and I haven't noticed that it makes blemishes and spots stand out more because of the shimmer.

All in all, I think it is a lovely, creamy product and I really recommend it. I use it all the time.

As usual, please comment suggestion on how I could improve my reviews, or which products I should review next xXx

Resisting the Rebel ~ Lisa Brow Roberts

This book contains a villain pretending to be a hero, a hero pretending to be a villain, a disco-dancing heroine, two overprotective sidekicks, a little bit of bad language, and a whole lot of swoony kissing.

Spirit committee leader Mandy Pennington is secretly in love with her best friend, Gus, but when he hooks up with her archenemy at a party, she decides to win him over once and for all. She just doesn’t know how. But who better to help than hot loner Caleb Torrs?

Caleb’s got his own problems, but when he sees Mandy pining over Gus at a party, he thinks she’s finally smoked the spirit stick and lost her mind. Maybe he has, too, because he just asked Mandy to be his fake girlfriend. She’ll get her loser friend’s attention, and he’ll get his stalker ex off his back. It’s a win-win.

But soon one fake date blends into the next and before he knows it, he actually wants to kiss Mandy. For real. Too bad their plan is working, and Gus is finally noticing the one girl Caleb just might be falling for…

The first word that comes to mind is strange (but in a really good way).

 Mandy is an unconventional, disco dancing protagonist. She is a friend to everyone, and loves a good Mantra.

He is a dark, brooding young man with secrets of his own. 

Sometimes the scariest villains look the most innocent. And heroes don't always wear white. 

 I loved Mandy's overprotective posse but I just did not understand her obsession with creepy Gus. Although her relationship with her brother isn't the best, I enjoyed reading about how they grew closer in the end. 

I really loved Caleb's character because he isn't as stone-hearted as he seems. He has a soft spot for his house keeper, and he just couldn't resist Mandy no matter how crazy he thought she was. He is confident, tender, mysterious and darkly handsome. I also really enjoyed his more sentimental side like when he shows Mandy his notebook, tells her his secret desires and even reengaging in his Power Rangers obsession with J.T. 

Honestly, I found the plot pretty weak in terms of how much action there was/the pace, but it was easy to read and Caleb and Mandy had some cute moments. It surprised me slightly that Mandy was the 'strange' character where as it is usually the love interest who has something different about them. It wasn't a major part, and maybe I'm the only one who thought it/ felt that way, but I found it an interesting 'twist'. I'm not sure if I would read this again but I'm glad I experienced something new.

As usual, please comment suggestions on how I could improve my reviews, or which books I should review next. xXx

🇲🇼 Malawi ~ The Warm Heart of Africa- 🇲🇼

A month away from my family friends home and comforts. A month in the heart of Africa. A month of unforgettable experiences!

Thantwe Primary School, Blantyre

Molly

Dressed in the colours of Snow White

Mt. Mulanje

At the peak, almost 3000m high!

Lake Malawi, Cape MaClear, Thumbi View Lodge

Muvu Camp; On safari

Beauty Edit ~ Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in 54 - Rock and Roll Nude

This colour is my absolute perfect nude. Ever. It is a subtle, 'your lips but better' pink and slightly brown/peachy toned, so it has just a hint of a classic 90s look. It goes on really nicely and has the Kate Moss for Rimmel scent- lovely. It is a very wearable colour and so will go with everything, and it's versatile so it is suitable for daytime and evening wear. I really cannot fault it! It is such a beautiful colour.

It is part of the new 15 Year collection so comes in the pretty metallic rose gold packaging which looks beautiful in my make up collection. It really stands out. It is such a pretty product to just pull out of your handbag if you need to reapply. There are also five other beautiful shades in the collection. Go and check them out!

As usual, please comment suggestions on how I could improve my reviews or which products I should review next xXx

Fangirl ~ Rainbow Rowell

Cath and Wren are identical twins and until recently they did absolutely everything together. Now they're off to university and Wren's decided she doesn't want to be one half of a pair anymore - she wants to dance, meet boys, go to parties and let loose. It's not so easy for Cath. She would rather bury herself in the fanfiction she writes where there's romance far more intense than anything she's ever experienced in real life.

Now Cath has to decide whether she's ready to open up her heart to new people and new experiences, and she's realising that there's more to learn about love than she ever thought possible...

I wasn't a fangirl for Fangirl.

The plot disappointed me -I didn't see a point to it- and the writing itself sounds childish and unsophisticated. It made me feel like I could have written it better myself. I felt bored at the parts when I was supposed to be hooked to the story. The romance between Cath and Levi did nothing for me, at all. I found it dull, monotonous and unmoving. My heart didn't beat faster in anticipation, and I didn't get a squirmy feeling in my stomach when they touch. Nothing. Nothing at all. I had high hopes for this book, but it didn't live up to my expectations.

Don't get me wrong, I liked the characters themselves. They were well built up and very real. Surprisingly, I found my favourite character to be Reagan due to her sense of humour and the caring personality she has hidden behind layers of attitude. I found Cath a bit pathetic, but that too I found to be relatable, especially her social anxiety. I liked the relationship between Cath and her family. It was tender and caring and it just makes you feel good inside when you read it, which can't be said for all books when the family relationship has problems.

All in all, I probably wouldn't read it again, although it looks nice in my bookshelf. I found it dull and I wasn't a fan of the writing style. I haven't decided yet if I should give Eleanor and Park a try, or if I should steer clear of Rainbow Rowell's books in the future. Let me know what you think in the comments.

As usual, please comment suggestions on how I could improve my reviews or which books I should review next. My posts should be returning back to normal now that a new school year is beginning. I will also do a post about my trip to Malawi the other week! xXx

Beauty Edit ~ Rimmel Lasting Finish Colour Rush Intense Colour Balm

It is certainly true what it says on the packet, this product is extremely long lasting and it remains intensely pigmented the entire time. I have shade 100: Give Me A Cuddle, which is a bright pink shade, but not as bright as a bubblegum pink.

All of these colour balms smell like vanilla, they apply smoothly and also have a really good colour pay off. They are moisturizing and also comfortable to wear.

I'm looking forward to trying out more of the shades!

As usual, please comment suggestions on how I could improve my reviews or which products I should review next xXx

The Nightingale Girls ~ Donna Douglas

Once again, ... is another new author to me. I borrowed this book of my nan, who has the same reading taste.

I loved the storyline of this book and how it is narrated by multiple people so you can see what makes the make the choices the make, or just read a situation from a different perspective. The characters are well written and have depth which helps to immerse yourself into their wold and lives. Each of the main three girls were from different backgrounds and were each unique in the Nightingale Hospital, which resulted in making their individual, as well as the group story more interesting.

I think my favourite character was either Nick because of his sentimental, protective and caring side which he would only show to those he trusts (he was written to be 'dark and mysterious') or Charlie, who was Nick's polar opposite when it came to personality. Charlie was kind, full of energy and very romantic.

I've mentioned it before, but my absolute favourite thing about a historical fiction is how much you can learn about a time period because you feel like you are actually there. A well written historical novel will allow you to hear, smell and see everything the character can, but from your own room. This book, for me, definitely qualified as well written and immersive. 

I would highly recommend this book if you enjoy historical fiction or you love a light but revealing (for want of a better word) romantic story. Douglas doesn't cower from the truth London's East end, but embrace it.

As always, please comment suggestions on how I could improve my reviews or which books I should review next xXx

Beauty Edit ~ L'Oreal True Match Foundation

I wear shade 1.C ROSE IVORY

I've been wanting a new foundation for prom which was natural looking, but had good coverage and also applied well. For a while now, everyone on YouTube send to be raving about L'Oreal's True Match. I first heard about it on Lauren Curtis' channel - she swore by the old formula and was even more impressed with the new. 

I have to admit, I have now joined the group of True Match lovers. The formula is light, non-sticky and has good coverage. I'd say probably medium to high coverage because the foundation is build-able. It is made of a micro powder so it goes on smoothly and looks natural. It is also easily blendable. 
It had quite a matte finish, I found, and it lasted a really long time. I will definitely use it on the night of my prom.

I found an app via Pinterest -Findation- which I found so helpful for choosing the right shade in store. They have so many in the True Match range and I'm never entirely sure if I'm doing it right. Anyway, this app takes in all the foundation brands and shade of that foundation in and it matches it to the correct shade you would be in your chosen foundation. The more matches you put in, the more accurate the result will be. Using this app, I found that my colour would be C1 Rose Ivory, so in store I tried that first, as well as  few others, but I came to find that the app had been right. It just makes choosing a foundation so much simpler and faster. It was a life saver for me!!

I'd recommend that you try this foundation if you haven't already.

As usual, please comment suggestions on how I could improve my reviews, or which products I should review next xXx

The Duff ~ Kody Keplinger

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone. 

 

Words cannot describe how much I love this book. It carries such a good message (I've simplified it to "Don't judge a book by its cover") and it has a strong cast of fantastic characters.

Bianca Piper is cynical about love as well as a strong feminist. She abhors the handsome Wesley Rush, or as she calls him, the 'man-whore'. He tells her that she is the DUFF in her group of friends and it bugs her. Over the course of the novel, events things in her life take a turn for the worst and she ends up turning to Wesley more and more for their 'enemies with benefits' relationship which develops into something more. However, Bianca soon realises that she can't run from her problems forever...

One of my favourite characters in the book was Bianca's best friend Casey because of how consistent and dedicated she is to her friends and her caring personality. She is always there to talk to, which was a welcomed contrast in the 'girl eat girl' world of Hamilton High.

Bianca is relatable and opinionated with a well expanded swear vocabulary -"language". She has a biting wit but a tendency to conceal/bury her problems which is what leads her into swoon worthy Wesley's arms. He is arrogant, rich and tends to sleep with anything that moves but has a kind heart and problems of his own. There is much more to him than I thought that there would be, and for that I am glad. By the end, he became one of my favourite characters, and not just for his letter writing abilities.
The one line, when read in context, gave me butterflies even though I wasn't the intended recipient of it "Wesley Rush doesn't chase girls. But I'm chasing you."

The relationship between Bianca and Wesley wasn't as bad the second time I read the book- and by bad I mean explicit/inappropriate for a younger audience but was actually tamer than I remembered. Of course there were a few scenes which focused on the details, but many were more about their emotional connection rather than the physical.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed 'The DUFF' and I think it is a must read if you like a light hearted but romantic YA. But as mentioned, it maybe slightly better suited to slightly older teens, and I would recommend you don't read it when your grandma is visiting unless you want to be squirming and blushing at certain scenes. I made that mistake so you don't have to.

As usual, please comment suggestions on how I could improve my reviews or which books I should review next. And don't forget to follow me here, as well as on Instagam: janaotaylor, and Pinterest: janaOlivia2 xXx

Beauty Edit ~ Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

It really is as good as everyone says it is.

It is one of the most beautiful eye shadow palettes I have ever seen in my life. No lie. Each colour is really pigmented so the colour comes out vibrant and exactly how it looks in the pan. The packaging is a gorgeous rose metal with a pretty wavy detail on the front. It feels sturdy, but not heavy so would be good to take with you when travelling
. The name of the product is written in swirly gold writing. It looks really expensive and luxury, I love it!

 The colours all blend well so perfect make up is super easy to achieve and it doesn't take long to get a stunning eye look for both day and night. The colours also last a really, really long time and it takes a lot for them to crease on the lid.

The Naked 3 palette comes with four sample primers, also from Urban Decay: the original Primer Potion, Eden, Anti-aging and Sin. Although I haven't yet tried them (I'm saving them for a rainy day/prom) I have heard raving reviews about them from a lot of people and judging by the brand, I can safely assume that they are really good.

 Let me know in the comments if you have this palette or if you know any good dupes for the colours which you could share. I know not everyone could afford this palette at £38.50 at Debenhams, so cheaper alternatives would be appreciated. I know the Maybelline Blushed Nudes and the W7 In The Nude come extremely close.

As usual, please comment suggestions on how I could improve my reviews or which products I should review next xXx