FAVOURITES | January 2014

January was a bit of weird month for me, blogging wise. I just could not get into a proper rhythm - not good. I'm pledging to be better in the coming months, finding a new routine and sticking to it! This month's favourites is seriously lacking beauty-wise, but I've been loving the minimalistic look this month!

My first favourite this month is Sleek's Brow Kit in Dark. This was a late Christmas gift that I received, and I just cannot get enough of it! The kit includes a pigmented wax, a setting powder, a mini blending brush, a mini angled brush and a mini tweezers all in a sleek (geddit?!) compact. Ace! I've taken to using the wax on the angled brush to sculpt my brows, then filling in any sparseness with the powder. I am seriously in love with how it makes my brows look! The kit retails at €9.99. Sleek can be found online here and Cloud 10 Beauty, or if you live in Waterford, you can find Sleek at the Waterford Health Park Pharmacy.

Next up is the Essence 2 in 1 Eyeliner Pen. This is a double ended felt liner pen, with a thin and thick nib. Recently, I've been forgoing eyeshadow completely and sticking to a sweep of liner across my lid! I love Essence's liners anyway, they're all I've used for years, but this particular pen is fantastic. Whether you want a thin line, or a full-on cat eye, this product has got you covered! If like me, you love channeling your inner Alexa (Chung, that is!), then I highly recommend this product! It retails at around €3.80 and can be found in most pharmacies and Primark stores!

I've been spoiled for choice in TV land this month. With the return of my two favourites; Revenge and Grey's Anatomy, and the discovery of my new guilty pleasure show; Made in Chelsea, I feel like all I've done this month is watch TV! Revenge has totally drawn me back in, I had forgotten about it until it was being advertised on TV! I love the plot, the locations, the fashion, the BOYS - Amazing! Grey's Anatomy is always an old favourite, and this current season is so good. Made in Chelsea snuck up on me! It's replaced the Kardashians as my guilty pleasure show, it's so beyond extravagant that you just have to watch! Revenge is on RTE Two Tuesday's at 10, Grey's Anatomy is on Sky Living Wednesday's at 10, and re-runs of Made in Chelsea are on e4 every day at 3, or on 4oD!

Fashion wise, I treated myself to these gorgeous River Island boots. They aren't to everybody's taste, believe me, they were a step outside my comfort zone (see the post my purchase inspired here), but there was something rather compelling about them! I had my eye on the Jeffrey Campbell Mulder-esque boots in RI for a while, but once these came in stock, I needed them. Honestly, I have worn them so much that cost-per-wear isn't even an issue! The boots sell for €55 and can be found in store and online!

I loved the two movies that I saw in the cinema this month; Wolf of Wall Street and That Awkward Moment. Wolf of Wall Street, while 3 hours long, is incredible. To think it's based on a true story is mind-blowing! I loved the casting too, Leo DiCaprio (my long time fave!) and Jonah Hill are great together on screen (Have you seen their skit from Jonah's SNL opening monologue? Hilarious!), and Margot Robbie was a stunning addition! That Awkward Moment starring Zac Efron (another long-time fave) was a everything I love in a rom-com! Adorable story line, good comedy, and attractive boys - what's not to love?! Both are in cinemas now.

That's it for this month's favourites! What have you been loving this month?

Until next time,
Elle. 

Find me on:

Twitter - Tumblr - Instagram @ellebolger - Bloglovin' 

MUSIC | Monthly Playlist #3

This month's playlist is, as always, some throwbacks, some new songs, just a peek into what I've been listening to this month! Let's dive in!

1. Drunk In Love - Beyoncé ft. Jay-Z 

2. All That Matters - Justin Bieber
3. Nightcall - Kavinsky
4. Otis - Kanye West & Jay-Z
5. Hard Out Here - Lily Allen
6. I Lay My Love On You - Westlife
7. Talk! - The 1975
8. The Wire - Haim
9. Bigmouth Strikes Again - The Smiths

10. Murder to Excellence - Kanye West & Jay-Z
11. Chained - The xx 

12. What Makes A Man - Westlife
13. Real To Me - Brian McFadden
14. Dream A Little Dream - Robbie Williams ft. Lily Allen
15. One For The Road - Arctic Monkeys
16. Manhattan - Kings Of Leon
17. Sleep Alone - Two Door Cinema Club
18. This House Is Not For Sale - Ryan Adams
19. Wake Me Up - Ed Sheeran
20. Little Black Dress - One Direction

What's been on your playlist this month?!

Until next time,
Elle.

Find me on:

Twitter - Tumblr - Instagram @ellebolger - Bloglovin' 

TAG | My Beauty Urges

When I saw that Lily Melrose had created this tag, I HAD to do it! While I am quite adventurous when it comes to beauty, there are just some things I can't wrap my head around. Most involve horror stories from my younger years, if only I'd known then what I know now! I tag you all to do this, leave links in the comments if you do!

Snip Happy
I will admit that I get a little scissor happy when trimming my fringe, but there are times I've been tempted to just cut it all off! I did it once before, aged 7/8 -  it was at this point, scissors were banned from my possession! When cutting myself a fringe, I cut a bit too much off, and had to have a bob cut in. If I'm being honest, I resembled Patty & Selma from The Simpsons. Not good! So, I'm not sure if it's the fear of looking like that again, or the dreaded feeling of cutting my long locks that stops me from taking the plunge.

Dare To Go Nude
I tend to steer more towards bright, bold lipsticks. I love vibrant pinks, reds, purples, but one of my biggest beauty desires is to be able to pull of the perfect nude! The 'Your-Lips-But-Better' perfect nude. When it comes to nudes, I don't think the suit my skin tone. It turns out looking like a bad case of concealer lips. Uh oh! Could be that I just haven't found the right shade yet?

Bad To The Bronze 
My very first foray into the world of bronzer was all wrong. I had used my mother's bronzer, so it was the wrong match for my foundation/skin, and I was way too heavy handed with the application. I think I may still be scarred from it, which explains why I tend to shy away from bronzers. There is nothing I want more than to be a bronzing queen, contouring to my hearts content. Maybe I could be hypnotized to forget the horrid trauma in the past!

What are some of your beauty urges? 

Until next time,
Elle. 

Find me on:

Twitter - Tumblr - Instagram @ellebolger - Bloglovin' 

Manicure Monday #12

After some recent humming and hawing, I decided to reevaluate Manicure Mondays here on my blog! Not only was a weekly nail post becoming tedious, but my nails were paying the price too! While I still plan to post every Wednesday and Friday, Monday posts will either be bi-weekly or monthly. For the moment, I'm leaning more towards the last Monday of the month. What do you think?! Also, would you prefer to see a round up of all the polishes and nail things I've been loving or just a standard, run-of-the-mill mani post?

This week, I went for a nude polish, and it's Rimmel London's Lycra PRO in the shade 365 Beige Style. I'm quite sure if this range has been discontinued or not, but Rimmel's Salon Pro in Get a Nail Tan or Beige Babe would be similar! They retail at around the €6 mark, and can be found on Rimmel stands.

At the minute, I'm really drawn to neutral nail colours, lots of white, nudes, grey and black. I love how they look on the nail, and are perfect for the dreary winter months! Beige Style is a very subtle, glossy nude.Like all the Lycra PRO polishes, it's easy to apply and fast drying. This colour is quite sheer, but it works well oddly enough! Of course, if you want it to be more opaque, the colour is definitely buildable!

What are your thoughts on neutral nails? Let me know in the comments! 

Until next time, 

Elle. 

Find me on:

Twitter - Tumblr - Instagram @ellebolger - Bloglovin' 

LIFESTYLE | What's In My Bag?

At the beginning of every New Year, I like to buy myself new handbag! Nothing extravagant, just a little treat, to start the year off on a good note. When I saw this bag in the Primark sale, I fell in love. Everything from the colour and size to the structure and finish drew me in, and at just €5, I COULDN'T leave it there!

I tend to over pack my bags. It's why I adore big bags, I can have everything I need for every eventuality/weather condition. It can get quite weighty! So this year, I am going to try keep my bag clutter, and junk, free! Let's see how long I last! Here's what I think are handbag essentials at any time of the year..

(Clockwise from top left) 
Umbrella. It's Ireland, chances are I'll need it at some point in my day!
Purse. Never leave home without it! I like to choose funky purses, especially if my bag is plain.
Perfume. You never know when you'll need to respray. I find perfumes nowadays have no staying power anyway, so they need to be reapplied! I always carry a deodorant with me too! The American brand Secret has been my favourite roll on for years now!
Notebook. I love making lists, whether it's shopping, packing, to do! This one is from Target, it's quite streamline, so it doesn't take up too much space! A notebook is also great if you get any ideas for blog posts, you can just jot them down! Which is why I always have several pens to hand!
Headphones. I love listening to music on the go, so headphones are essential in my handbag at all times!
Keys. Well.. for obvious reasons!
Compact Mirror. I got this mirror as a gift years ago, and I never leave home without it. It's great for on the go touch-ups, and saves me from using my front facing camera!
Lip Products. I never leave home without at least one lip balm in my bag. I am loving the Rosy Lips Vaseline and Maybelline's Baby Lips in Quenched at the minute! There's usually a lipstick or gloss floating around too!
Glasses. I don't need my glasses all the time, but it is good to have them to hand if I ever need them!

What are your handbag essentials? Let me know in the comments! 

Until next time,

Elle. 

Find me on:

Twitter - Tumblr - Instagram @ellebolger - Bloglovin' 

Manicure Monday #11

For this week's mani, I decided to leave my nails au natural!

After weeks of wearing falsies and having my nails painted, I thought I should give them a little breather! I like to do this every now and again, just to get my nails back to a strong, healthy condition!

                                    

Do you dare to go bare? Or do you need a constant pop of colour?! 

Until next time, 

Elle. 

Find me on:

Twitter - Tumblr - Instagram @ellebolger - Bloglovin'

FASHION | Taking A Walk On The Wildside

Like I said in yesterday's resolutions post (see here), one of my "resolutions" is to be more adventurous with my fashion choices. While I like to think that my style is far superior, I do play it safe, more often than not. Whether it's a fear of standing out, or a severe lack of motivation to actually put effort into my outfits, maybe a mixture of both, I tend to stay in my comfort zone. BUT, not anymore! I've begun my journey into previously undiscovered fashion territory. Eek!

I first spotted these gorgeous boots in River Island while browsing what the sale had to offer (unfortunately, the boots weren't on sale - just my luck!), and wanted them instantly, for reasons unknown to myself. They are completely out of character for me. I tend to stay away from chunky and large shoes. As I am a larger shoes size (a 7 for those interested!), I find they make my feet look bigger than necessary... Or so I thought! I bit the bullet this past week, and parted begrudgingly with the €55 without even trying them on. Had I gone mad? Maybe!

Brave, impulsive decisions like this are what I need to get me out of my fashion rut. At the end of the day, I can always return it!

Are you a fashion risk-taker? Or do you prefer comfort over couture?  

Until next time, 

Elle 

Find me on:

Twitter - Tumblr - Instagram @ellebolger - Bloglovin'

LIFESTYLE | New Year, New Me?

Before you roll your eyes at yet another post about how things WILL be different this year, don't.

In all the years that I've been able to consciously make resolutions, I've not stuck to them. Which led me to ask the question: Why? Were my resolutions just that inconceivable? Or am I that bad at committing to them?

After spending the week, sitting over my notebook, I decided to create a list of simple, achievable goals for 2014. My thought process with this one is, that if I can achieve these small milestones, as the years progress, they'll get that much bigger and better. Because let's face it, travelling the world, unleashing my true potential AND meeting the man of my dreams, whilst ignoring any and all chocolate seems like an overestimation for one year!

Take better care of my skin/hair/nails: I have all these wonderful products to give me glowing skin, luscious hair, and perfect nails, yet never take the time to use them. Taking those extra few minutes, adding those extra steps to my routines could change my life, and I wouldn't even know it. But not anymore, it's been written in stone (kinda), so it shall be! 2014 will be the year of dewy skin, flowing locks and nails to die for!

Be more adventurous with my wardrobe: I like to think of myself as a fashion risk taker, but in reality, I do tend to play it safe. There's a lot of black/grey/white in my life.. My goal for 2014 is to try and incorporate at least one 'out there' wardrobe item a month. Whether it's a pair of shoes, jeans, a crazy shirt, I'm going to try and rock it, and by doing this, it'll help me be more confident with my fashion choices!

Blog up a storm: 2014 is going to be about better content, better layout, just all round better blogging. After the trial run last year, I've decided to give this blog the time and attention it needs. I've got real big plans for this site, and I hope you'll all stick around for what's in-store! In the coming weeks, I'm hoping to change the layout, and other technical mumbo-jumbo (bless me, technical Gods), and I'm constantly thinking about new content. I think I'm going to stick with 3 weekly posts, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

More. More. More.: There's a couple of things I want to do more of, or be more of in the coming year. Be more tidy. Take more pictures. Spend more time with my loved ones. Explore more. Experience more. Love more. Watch more. Read more. Write more. Listen more. Hopefully, with all the more, I'll need less!

And who knows? While I'm off completing all those tiny goals, I could travel the world, unleash my true potential, meet the man of my dreams, and kick that chocolate habit. All because I didn't force myself into thinking I needed to.

What are your thoughts on resolutions? Have you any for 2014?

Until next time, 

Elle.

Find me on:

Twitter - Tumblr - Instagram @ellebolger - Bloglovin'

FAVOURITES | December 2013

Ah! It's my last favourites post of 2013. I actually started working on this post before Christmas, and then got so overwhelmed in the festive period, that I forgot to finish. Oops! I feel like this year has just gone by so fast! Crazy! I don't have many favourites this month, but let's jump right in!

My first favourite this month is the Rimmel London Scandal Eyes Eye Shadow Stick in the shade 008 Blackmail. All of the Scandal Eyes range is fantastic, but I am especially loving this crayon lately! I've been using it to create quite a grunge-y, smokey eye. Blackmail works as the perfect base, as it's super pigmented and blendable! The pigmentation is buildable, which is ideal, because you can always add, but you can't take away without having to start from scratch! The Scandal Eyes Shadow Sticks retail at €5.95.

 Next item in my December Favourites may have won a place my all time favourites. It is MAC's Candy Yum-Yum. Candy Yum-Yum is a neon, blue-based pink with a matte finish - surprise, surprise! Having seen a couple of my nearest and dearest wearing this lipstick, I had to have it. It's everything I love in a lipstick; pink, bold, and most importantly MATTE! While it's not hydrating, it's not drying in the least! Definitely might be my number one MAC lippy! Candy Yum Yum retails for €19, and can be purchased from Brown Thomas or MAC's flagship Irish store at BT2 on Henry Street in Dublin. A handy tidbit; if you sign up for a BT Loyalty Card, you can collect points that can be used for money off purchases in MAC. Ace!

For a fashion-y favourite, these Primark leggings are just the most comfortable things EVER, and they're in my favourite print right now: TARTAN! These retail at €8, and come in two different colours! I originally bought the red pair, but ended going back a week later to buy the other colour. Primark also stock a woollier version of the blue/green ones!

My last favourite for this month is One Direction's Our Moment fragrance. While I wasn't entirely sold on the band bringing out a fragrance (it seemed sort of.. gimmicky), my opinion changed as soon as I smelled it! It's described as a "sparkling, juicy and feminine fragrance" that is "made up of splashes of fresh fruit and seasonal flowers infused with undertones of warm musk." I fell in love at first whiff, it was right up my street. Even my mother said it was a 'me perfume'! I was only too happy to discover it under the Christmas tree! It ranges in price, from €27 for a 30ml bottle to €49 for a 100ml bottle, and can be found in most pharmacies and department stores.

What are your favourites of December, and 2013? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time, and Happy New Year!,

Elle

Find me on:

Twitter - Tumblr - Instagram @ellebolger - Bloglovin'

Manicure Monday #10

Already almost a week into 2014, and I'm slacking in the blogging department. Sorry! It's time to pull up my socks and get down to business! I'm really excited about what this new year could bring, and I can't wait to bring you all along with me!

This week's manicure is a combination of things really! Like last week's post, I still have the Primark false nails on, as well as Elf's Nail Polish in White! This retails for around €2.96, and can be found on the Elf website, and selected stores in the US.

I wanted a clean, neutral colour to brighten up my week, as I'm battling a cold, and I just love how white looks on the nail! To add a touch of sparkle, I left two of the nails their original glitter selves! I do have some issues with the Elf polish though. For starters, it does take more than a few coats to become opaque. It's not quick drying, which makes build the colour difficult. It can also become very, very messy if you accidentally bump your nail(s) into anything, before it's fully dry.

How do you feel about white nails? Let me know if you have a favourite white polish, I'd love to try a new brand/formula!

Until next time, and Happy New Year!,

Elle

Find me on:

Twitter - Tumblr - Instagram @ellebolger - Bloglovin'