Wishlist 6: affordable high end

1. Marc Jacobs Daisy, Eau SO Fresh 2. Essie, Where’s my chauffeur?  3. YSL Volupte Sheer Candy, Lush coconut 4. Seiko, automatic movement watch  5. Tom Ford Sunglasses 6. Zatchels, White quilted leather Barrel bag  7. Bohemia leather iPad case
I have been eyeing up so many high end items recently, how pretty are the items I’ve added to my wish list? I’m loving the colour teal at the moment too!
I have been seeing Marc Jacobs fragrances everywhere recently, more so because they have brought out their new Dreams fragrance. I haven’t tried any from the brand before so I thought it would be best to stick with this version of the classic. Eau So Fresh has been on my list for a while as it’s something that can be worn daily and isn’t to strong.
I love Essie nail polishes and own a good few of the pastel shades. I feel this blue shade is perfect for late Summer. I say late Summer because it seems like Autumn already here, so wearing a bright nail colour will instantly lift your mood.
The YSL lipsticks are another raved about product, the packaging is gorgeous and the shades are pretty. This is definitely the type of product you would leave out on display on your cabinet.
A watch just because I collect watches. I love this silver one, it’s so simple and will look great paired with any outfit. I don’t thin you can ever have too many watches.
Tom Ford isn’t a brand I have cared for much before but these sunglasses are a NEED. They are almost an ombre lilac and mint. So cute and perfect for this season. 
The Zatchels bag has been on my list of things to buy for the longest time too but I kept putting it off as it is white. I have seen so many bloggers rock white bags recently though so it’s persuading me to just buy it. I love quilted bags, this style of bag is so original and is perfect for those days when you don’t need to carry much.
Finally how bright is this iPad case, I love it! It’s real leather as well so it won’t ruin as easily and will protect your iPad well. They also have a gorgeous tan colour on the site.
Hope you enjoyed this post, some of you may remember Unineed; they kindly joined in on my 1000 follower giveaway. The site stocks beauty, designer bags and more. What makes them different is their items are priced lower than the recommended retail price- who doesn’t love saving money? Hello bargain! All the items listed above are from the Unineed site, they ship international too.
Unineed have kindly offered a discount code to my readers, if you enter ALEELILY10 you can get 10% off your order until the 30th of September. 
What are your high end favourites?
♡ *Sponsored post, my opinions are honest as always.

Confetti Popcorn

I came across ‘Confetti Popcorn’ on Pinterest. It’s basically sweet popcorn with colourful sprinkles over it with a few extra ingredients. I found I didn’t have half the ingredients listed on various sites as this is quite an american treat I believe. I substituted a few ingredients as per but it still tastes absolutely amazing!

To make this all you need is - popcorn kernels, white chocolate, peanut butter, food colouring, sprinkles, and chocolate treats of your choice (I opted for Pebbles for picture purposes, but I only eat white chocolate so took these out after - the things you do for blog photos.)

Melt the white chocolate and peanut butter together over a pot of hot water, I used a big 400g bar of chocolate and about 4 tbs of Peanut butter. Then add in a few drops of pink food colouring; take the heat off when you do this otherwise it might burn. The peanut butter makes the chocolate quite yellow so you will need a good few drops of food colouring. 

I opted for glass Sundae holders but whatever dish you use layer popcorn - white chocolate & peanut butter - sprinkles - chocolate of your choice and repeat, this way a majority of the popcorn will be flavoured and not just the few on the top. 

I’m so glad I came across this ‘invention’, a lot more fun and colourful than regular popcorn!

This is a submission for the Euphorium Bakery, ‘Cake That’ competition.

Let me know if you’ve already tried this, or what you think of it.

♡

Motivational Monday #1

I thought I would start a new series on my blog. Now that Autumn is around the corner we will be waking up when it’s dark and going home when its dark, this without a doubt affects peoples moods so I thought I would write a post every Monday just to motivate everyone a little. I made up this little image from a quote I came across recently.
I think we all have experience of this and we can all relate. I myself have a few projects I am currently pursuing and as the worlds biggest procrastinator I often look back on this quote. Success is quite universal, everyone wants to be the best they can be, everyone wants a sense of achievement. 
Success for most of us isn’t something handed on a plate. For some success is instant- I would class them as the lucky ones. For the rest, people like myself, success is something that requires hard work, a lot of time, having to put up with stressful situations, and the readiness to face and overcome obstacles. But when you have that end goal in sight and have the motivation and determination to succeed you will reach your goal, it will all be worth it, and then the next goal starts.
A way I have overcome my occasional lack of motivation is by making a list of short term and long term goals. I have completed a good few in the Summer which I am so happy about. If you are lacking motivation or need a little push then I would definitely recommend writing a list with your short and long term goals. Stick it on the wall, fold it up and pop it in your purse or even write it up at the back of your diary, a place you will see it often. The sense of achievement is like no other when you can tick a goal you have completed!
I hope you enjoyed this post, would you like to see more?
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Moroccan Oil must haves

Is it safe to say that Summer is officially over now? I am so excited for Autumn (I say this ALL the time). Anyways todays post is all about my love for Moroccanoil*. My hair has gotten so dry this Summer so I’ve been using a few products from Moroccanoil -  a brand that is forever talked about  in the blogging world. 
The sample/travel sizes are a great way to find what you do or don’t like. The Moroccanoil Moisture repair shampoo is potentially the best shampoo I have ever used. It lathers up so well and really gives your hair that clean fresh feeling. It feels light and doesn’t smell overly fragranced, it contains lavender and rosemary extracts as well as avocado oil. The best way I can describe it is that your hair feels nourished and swishy! You only need to smallest amount similar to the Moroccanoil Moisture repair Conditioner. Both products are targeted at chemically damaged hair and are colour safe. I use them anyway because of the amount of moisture they add to the hair. The conditioner reduces frizz and overall makes your hair feel so healthy and smooth, I also find it adds volume to the hair and prevents it from being limp. I have mixed feelings about the Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray, I have used many in the past so can say it is the best hairspray in terms of hold, but it leaves your hair feeling quite sticky for the first hour or so after initial application. So would I still use it? Well for the amount of hold you get, you could put up with it. Finally we have the Moroccanoil Treatment, this was their claim to fame. Literally every blogger and their mum purchased this 2 years ago when it first became the hype and I can see why. This oil is perfect for daily use as it doesn’t make your hair greasy or appear too shiny. It is perfect for the ends of your hair and provides a lot of nourishment to the tips. 
I purchased the full sized version of the shampoo and conditioner the other day that’s how much I love them. I would categorise this as a mid range brand in terms of affordability, they are worth the price for the results. As far as I’m aware, they are all sulphate, phosphate and paraben free. I’m sure you know me by now, and the fact I like affordable products. These are definitely worth the money, they repair your hair and add in a lot of moisture as advertised. These products are ideal not only for the Summer but also Autumn and Winter. I will be repurchasing the oil too soon once I’ve used up what I have. 
Have you ever tried anything from the Moroccanoil range? 
Also this question is a little unrelated but who has their thick knit jumpers out and wolly socks? I’m so excited for A/W fashion! 
♡

Wishlist 5: ebay edition

pink crop top | planner/journal |  celfie tee | ted baker phone case | satchel | white chic & mint candle
I’ve not posted a wish list in a while, I’m hoping to post one every month now because you seem to like them, plus I always have a list of things to buy - makes sense. 
The pink eyelash cardigan is something I’ve wanted for a while, Primark has a longer line one in store currently and I purchased that the other day, but I really want this one too. I’m so late on the bandwagon for these jumpers!  The planner/journal doesn’t look like much on this picture but on the listing it looks amazing! There are slots for you to store little papers in and it kind of doubles up as a scrapbook. I really need a new planner.  Celfie tee because why not. My ‘Celine’ t shirt is kind of overrated now.  I love this Ted Baker phone case, it’s pink and pretty.  Satchels are still big this season and theres something about this lilac colour and AW, I think it looks classy. It's in my basket.  I couldn’t not put a Yankee Candle in my basket. This white chocolate and mint candle is usually so hard to get a hold of. I remember burning this candle around this time last year. Nostalgia.
Hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know your favourites!
♡

Anna Sui eye and lip palette

 I love palettes, I just find they make makeup application a lot easier as the colours in them usually complement each other. These two beauties are on half price at Escentual.com so only £14 each. I was kindly sent some to review.  I was instantly drawn to the palettes because of the lovely packaging, there is so much detail on the casing it really is beautiful. They are also very lightweight and boast 10 shades each which makes them perfect to travel with.

The Anna Sui eye palette features 10 wearable shades which range from satin, shimmer and matte shades; all of which are highly pigmented. I absolutely love this palette and I can see myself using all the colours. The shades are quite warm so this would be perfect for autumn and winter. You have a ton of options with this palette, from a dark smokey eye to something more subtle and neutral for the day. The palette also includes a double sided brush, I don’t care too much for the sponge but the eyeshadow brush is actually really good. It is quite dense yet still soft and picks up a lot of colour. The longevity is around 10 hours for me, I haven’t experienced any creasing. The shades in this palette make me so excited for Autumn!

I have been on the hunt for a lip palette for a while now so was excited to try this out. This Anna Sui Lip palette literally has all the colours you would ever need and then some because you can mix shades together to create something new. I didn’t know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised, the formula is really creamy, like a cross between lipstick and a gloss. All the shades are very pigmented. They apply so nicely to lips and you only need to use the smallest amount. The only negative I would say is that it transfers really easily once on the lips, and that is due to their creamy consistency. A way I’ve come around that is to apply a thin tissue over the lips and then apply translucent powder over the top of it just to draw out the extra moisture. You are then left with a stain  on the lips but if you’d like it glossy just a apply a little of the clear shade over the top.

Overall I love these palettes and know I will get a lot of use out of them. At £14 each they are really affordable and the lip palette in particular is a staple everyone needs in their collection. Imagine travelling with just these two palettes, how light weight would your makeup bag be?
What are your thoughts on these palettes? Do you take individual items when traveling or a palette?
♡

Sweet Cecily’s Cocktail lip balms

As you may already know I have a slight lip balm obsession. I’ve purchased all the Maybelline Babylips and am working towards buying all of the Clinique Chubby Sticks too. Lip balm for me is definitely a desert Island kinda product.

Sweet Cecilys is a brand I came across a good few months ago on Zoella’s Instagram. I remember instantly thinking how beautiful the packaging was. The brand is known for their ‘cocktail inspired’ lip balms and with the current range doing so well they have introduced a new one which will be on general release soon.
I got to try out 2 of the best sellers along with one that is currently unreleased. The lip balms arrive packaged in paper and a branded ribbon. 10 points from me already! The balms contain Shea, Cocoa, Beeswax and Almond (varying in oils and butters) this provides a good amount of nourishment to the lips. The products are made without synthetic ingredients. All are packed  in a 10ml tin, which is the perfect size for travel as well as general daily use. They are priced at £2.95 each so are totally affordable.
Mojito flavour Lip Balm I love a good virgin Mojito, the freshness of it is what makes it so great. This lip balm smells identical to a Mojito or even Sprite, you can smell the mint as well as the zingy lime.
Pina Colada flavour Lip Balm This lip balm smells tropical, I instantly remember the sun and the sea when wearing it. Unlike the Mojito flavour lip balm, this one is a little more subtle but you can definitely smell sweet pineapple.
Espresso Martini flavour Lip Balm (to be released) I don’t drink coffee; never have, never will. The smell from this lip balm was evident even before I opened it up, it smelt identical to coffee, really strong. Seen as I wasn’t the best person to review this I asked someone who was and they said it smelt devine and as an avid coffee drinker they've already claimed it. 
When you initially apply the lip balm it doesn’t feel like it will blend in, but with the heat from your skin it melts into the lips and applies a good layer of moisture. For the amount of moisture it provides it doesn’t feel heavy on the lips at all. This lasts for a good few hours and your lips feel well nourished. You can leave as is or apply your normal lip product of choice over the top. If you normally stay away from these type of pots because of germs you can apply it directly from the pot! It really is a great size for traveling with.
Overall, the cocktail lip balm range from Sweet Cecily’s is really good. The packaging is gorgeous and the ingredients are of good quality. For £2.95 you can’t really go wrong. They also have other flavoured lip balm such as Banoffee, Strawberries and Cream, Chocolate and more!
Have you tried any of these products before? Thoughts on flavoured lip balms? 
♡