Harry Potter Studio Tour // Lifestyle

Hello,

Normally don't start a post with loads of photos but I thought it would be more fitting, I know it's been a bit random of post's recently but I just felt like there are so many things I want to blog about and well whats to say I can't and well who doesn't like Harry Potter eh? So a few weeks ago after many attempts me and my dad set down towards Watford to the Warner Brothers studio to go and finally experience the Harry Potter Studio Tour. Now I know everyone has beat me to the post and have already been to see the tour however if you haven't I really recommend you do. For those who don't know to keep it fresh and to keep people coming back and different points in the year different events and exhibitions are shown to reflect the certain period in the films. Basically at Christmas there is snow and all the Christmas props and the same for most seasons. When we went it was just towards the end of the summer season so they had a lot to do with Quiditch on. It was interesting to see how the managed to so many of the effects and how much time and effort went into each set design. My pictures really don't give it the justice it deserves there is so much to look at and see. My only regret is that we chose not to use the audio tour but if I was to do it again I certainly would. You can sense an essence of magic in the air and for an vivid fan this is just a must. Have you been or are just a big fan of Harry Potter? 

Alisha

xoxo

V Festival // Lifestyle

Hello,

Today's post is something a little different but I thought I'd share with you. This time last weekend me and 2 of my friends were wondering the arena of V festival all hyped for tomorrow to see some of the biggest names in music at the moment. 

On the Friday night there wasn't that much on at all and after trying and failing at all the things on we finally found the arena open that had all the 16-25 year old's partying to well known dance songs. My favourite kind of scene. So we spent the rest of the night in there with a lovely group of lad's who were very lovely and seemed to think we were 20/21! This ended at 11pm and we made our way back to the tent to prepare for what the next day had ahead for us. 

The Saturday was where it all began, when I sit and think about how many people we saw that day I really do question how we fitted it all in along with a toastie and rissotto break! From what I can remember we saw, Matt Richardson, Jess Glynne, Sam Smith, Nina Nesbitt,Train, Chic (Nile Rodgers), Rudimental, Tinie Tempah, Lily Allen, Jason Derulo and to finish off the night, that semi-famous band from the other side of the pond, The Killers. All I can say was you haven't experienced Mr Brightside until you've heard a crowd of 1000's scream it, trust.  Yep that was just in one day. I have to say for some reason this night we were so so tired and just clocked out straight away, apart from when Hope thought someone was in the tent, false alarm.

The finally day of action, Sunday, was another jam packed day of music goodness and maybe a small bit of food. This day we saw, Fuse ODG, All Saints, George Ezra, Tom Odell, Kaiser Chiefs, The Strypes, Miles Kane, Blondie, Bastille, Ed Sheeran and for me the whole reason to put V Festival above all overs, Mr Justin Timberlake. This night however I feel the Vodka kicked in a bit more as we made some more males friends and attempted to do shots with them but sadly ended up on our own doing shots. Have to say good way to end off the weekend. I shall leave you with a few photos including what I have to say is the most hideous selfie of me  have ever seen. I promise I looked better than that throughout the weekend. I shall re-join you at the end.

So you made it, you may have already seen this photos on Instagram if you follow me @alishaleighb_ cheeky plug). Personal highlights for me were of course Tinie tempah along with Rudimental ( no surprises there) also the Kaiser Chiefs were just amazing really hit it out of the park. Another two to watch are Jess Glynne and George Ezra all I can say is they are both bloody brilliant. The headliner that stole the show for me was definitely Justin Timberlake I mean that man can just do it all and back, honestly an incredible singer/musician and all round performer. 

I have to say this past weekend I so got in the festival vibe and can not wait to do it again next year, maybe attempt a few more or try and work at some. If you are considering doing it then do because it has been one of the best weekends and even though the sun wasn't shinning don't think I have ever laughed/smiled so much in my life. But that may also be down to the two lovely girls I got to spend it with so shoutout's to them @hopepurcell13 and @smithface02 (go follow them on twitter). And that's the end, if you'd like me to put a few posts up about festival fashion or makeup or even hair then comment below! Along with your experiences of festivals and who you've seen! 

Alisha

xoxo

A haul from boots more recently // Haul

Hello,

I realise the title suggests this haul is recent, for a normal person yes it is, however the fact I'm a massive shopaholic means there is a massive haul to come that well is going to take some time to prepare. But today is focused on this  boot's haul where I did go a little cray and felt the need to buy a lot of stuff that was on the never ending lust list from the drugstore. I just went with the motto, want it buy it. Never a good one trust me on that after feeling my much lighter purse. Yolo, ouch the worst phrase ever but sometimes too true.

L'Oreal is just the devil for me because it's defiaitly my one true love and want it all however it ceratinly is at the higher end of the drugstore and is a bit more splurge. Yolo. So the first thing I picked up is this bronzer/highlighter that can be used as a contour or just to warm up the face lightly. I also picked up two hyped up products the first being the l'extraordinaire liquid lipsticks,  I picked up the shade rouge soprano, a cute red. I also picked up one of the mono eyed shadows that everyone has been going crazy for however I am struggling to see why maybe I just picked up a duff colour.

Next is two essie polishes. I adore the formula, brush and colour selection of essie polishes trust me if I could own the whole stand I think I would. I always seem to buy nail polish even though I honestly do not need anymore! But these two colours I just couldn't say no, on the left is Splash of grenadine and on the right is Cute as a button. Both of which are beautiful and are perfect for the summer season I can really see why splash of grenadine is a cult favourite so so good.

Oh collection always such a gem in boots, I have brought so many lasting perfection concealer it's shameful however it is so worth the money provides such a high coverage and well it's a must for anyone. The only thing I will say is it can be slightly drying so make sure you put on a good moisturiser underneath. Secondly is another repurchase my favourite felt tip eyeliner, gives such an intense black eyeliner and is so easy to apply if you are new to the whole eyeliner scene a strong recommend from me. It's also dirt cheap!

I'm not quite sure why everything is in duo's in this post but hey ho. So another two products that have received some very loving reviews and have been strongly recommended. First is the Revlon highlighting palette in rose glow, looks a bit like a Bobbi Brown shimmer brick right? I do love this and have found it to work either just as a conventional highlight or can work all over to provided a natural glow. I also made a cheeky purchase from Soap and Glory and I can say I am in love, I can not get enough of this eyebrow pencil/felt tip. It gives such a natural look but can be built up to give such a strong brow game, all I can say is just go and buy one.

Finally is a fab product from Bourjois, these rouge edition velvet's are something created by the heavens. They stay on all day, they are matte, they don't dry your lips out and come in such good shades (since I have also purchased hot pepper). The two above are Frambourjois and Peach club, I have included swatches to prove that they are indeed different colours and look different on, please trust me!

Wow some money was spent and I'm still not satisfied, there is still more I feel I need. This is bad very bad however it makes me happy so I suppose it can be acceptable. What have you been buying from the drugstore recently? 

Alisha 

xoxo

July Birchbox // Beauty Box

Hello,

So by now I will have seen the Killers and now be getting excited about seeing the man himself, yep Justin Timberlake. That man is heaven. However more importantly it's a sleepy Sunday and we are sadly on our last day of our Birchbox week. Yep this is July ... 

 LIFESTYLE EXTRA Vita Coco - Natural Coconut Water In Lemonade

First thing actually doesn't count towards the products in the box just a cute little extra and its this coconut water with a splash of lemonade in. I tried a bit of this and just couldn't work out whether I really like it or not, defiantly an odd taste but worth giving a go as it is very refreshing.

 Gilchrist & Soames - English Spa Sea Kelp Extract Mineral Bath

So the first actual product is from that high end brand again. I love baths as many of you may know so getting anything to put in my bath from these boxes is such a perk for me and when it smells as fancy and good as this then well no one can complain. Bit of advice for those of you that don't have baths, you can put this on the floor of your shower as its ruining for well a heavenly experience! 

 Whish - Three Whishes Lavender Body Butter

Right they say don't judge a book by it's cover however I find it hard not to with this product I really thing the purple tube looks cheap and like something I would have used when I was 9. Moving that aside it does have a relaxing lavender smell that doesn't smell too grannyish but I feel this may go to my mum instead. Body lotion in a box doesn't quite do it for me.

 Balance Me - Wonder Eye Cream

Oh balance me I don't I've ever payed for one of your products however that pleases me a lot as they are always so good to use and have such great results! A full or near full size of eye cream is always welcome by me as I am the queen of dark circles under my eyes as I never seem to get that much sleep. So please eye cream do wonders for me!

 Weleda - Millet Nourishing Shampoo

Is it just me that feels like this box is full of brands that pop up in beauty boxes a heck of a lot. However weleda is a brilliant German brand that some top notch celebrities swear by and I mean if it's good for them and their perfect hair,skin and face well it's good enough for me. I'm actually quite excited to give this ago and well shampoo normally doesn't get me that excited.

Laqa & Co. - Sheer Lip Lube Pencil In Menatour

Finally product and I just wish I got the other colour so badly because I LOVE the product, being a huge fan of the glossy stick concept it isn't hard to win me over the whole crayon thing. However this purple is just so pigmented that I just can not pull it off to my disappointment and this is coming from the girl that wears bright red casually. Oh well i'm sure I shall find a way!

So that's it, the week is done and boy has it been hard writing a post everyday. I can not promise that this will continue however I am aiming to get 2/3 post up a week as well as focusing on my A2 studies so it might be a tight squeeze. But hopefully I will be more organised like this week and just keep a lot of posts in draft so I can get them up more regularly! Thank you to anyone that has been reading my small space on the internet and I hope to really get stuck back into the blogging community!

Alisha

xoxo

June Birchbox // Beauty Box

Hello,

It's the weekend!!!!!!! Tonight I get to see THE FREACKIN KILLERS, so but I can not play that cool, far far to excited for it! However that is not what we are hear to discuss. June's Birchbox was a sort of special edition with the bag that resembles the Brazil flag because of the world cup. I think the aim of the box was to incorporate brands from around the world. Hmm ... ( also an FYI a product is missing because at the time I took the photo's it was in my shower, its a silk and honey hair mask)

 Embryolisse - Lait-Creme Concentre

So first product is from a brand I have very good things about and it originates in France however I'm sure it is stocked in boots these days. Basically it is meant to be a good moisturizer and having dry skin means that anything that says moisturizing makes me want to layer it on my skin so good start.

 Naobay - Body Radiance Lotion

Next product is from Spain and a natural & organic brand, Birchbox you do me good. A body lotion however is neither a hit nor a miss, I mean it's nice to have however it's nothing special or exciting to try especially when there is no scent at all to it. I mean it all does the same job.

 Yves Rocher - Sheer Botanical Lipstick

Next is another French brand that I see circulating the beauty boxes often however I have used products from them and have enjoyed them so I keep an open mind. When I opened this lipstick I was so excited to see a beautiful coral shade, however I re-read the card to see it was sheer. I love a pigmented lipstick however I have worn this a few times and it does give a natural coral colour to the lip's and has changed my mind slightly on sheer lipsticks.

OPI - Nail Lacquer

Final product is from the USA and is a brand I'm sure we've all heard of yep OPI. I have done a post a year ago or maybe 2 about OPI's and I do have to say I like them however they do carry a price tag that maybe I'm not so fond of however this pink is a cute colour and I can deffo see me wearing it!

That wraps up the June box, I found it okay, I mean there was nothing wrong with it at all however I just didn't get as excited as maybe some other boxes I had received in the past. Do you see where I'm coming from?

Alisha

xoxo

May Birchbox // Beauty Box

Hello,

One more day to the weekend and by now I shall be at V Festival with my girlies eek so exciting! So yes all these posts are scheduled but hey that's fine just means I've had more time to perfect them! So Friday gives us a very exciting box from May that was a collab with Bazaar. Can we just take a moment for how pretty this box is, please, anyways we should focus on the more important things ie what's inside!

 Beauty Protector - Protect & Shampoo / Protect & Condition

We have seen the brand beauty protector before and if i'm correct some of their products are Birchbox exclusive so I have a feeling we might see a few more pop up again. However they are a nice brand and this set is suitable for all hair types and I mean everyone washes their hair right? 

 Benefit - They're Real! Mascara

Again we've seen Benefit before however I am not complaining because this mascara is out of this world and that't not just me following the blogger hype. It genuinely deserves it, after winning award after award this really does wonders to everyone lashes the only problem is getting the thing off! However I do feel everyone should give this mascara ago and this is defiantly the perfect way to do so!

 Soigne - Nail Lacquer

A brand I haven't heard much about but after being in this box I suddenly seem to hear loads and loads about. It's a lovely nail polish and I saw some other colour's floating around that would have been so much better however it's still good and I will find a way to embrace the sheer nail polish a little more.

 Liz Earle Beauty Co. - Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

Yep you saw that correctly. A sample size of that cleanser that even people on Mars are using and writting outstanding review about. I have to admit I squeled a little bit when I saw this. I've been dying to get on this hype and see truly what all the fuss is about over this cleanser. I think it's so good as well that they included a muslin cloth with it so you can get the full experience. 

Aromatherapy Associates - Revive Morning Bath & Shower Oil

Final product is so little and cute! I'm so happy to get this because at first when I saw it I was annoyed at yet another perfume sample however I was surprised to Aromatherapy in a Birchbox. I can't wait to the colder winter months to pour this into my bath and well have the bath of my life and all that  stress leave my muscles. Ooo.

I'm so chuffed that this collab was a success and wasn't just an excuse to send petty sizes of crap no one has heard of yes I'm looking at you Glossybox. But honestly I think at this point it might be fair to say this has been my favorite box so far. Bold statement to end on there. 

Alisha 

xoxo

April Birchbox // Beauty Box

Hello,

Today we make it into the beginning of spring with April's Birchbox, I also make it over half way through the week. Time flies ay, today's my results day so fingers crossed to future me on those, I'm sure we shall be able to judge what  got from my tweets @takecarealisha (cheeky plug there). However back to the box, no theme this month as such so lets just get cracking ... 

 Tommyguns - Pomegranate & Orange Flower Shampoo 

First product and if I'm honest when I first grabbed it I honestly thought it was a another bottle of shower gel. However fear not for the first time in beauty box history we have got a full sized shampoo! I think full size's of things like this are just better because something like a shampoo you need to try for a long period of time to begin to see results. This smells so lovely and like I would want to put it through my hair. Also well done Birchbox for including a product suitable for all hair types!

One Love Organics - Skin Savior Waterless Beauty Balm

Next product I'm a little puzzled by, first of all I will say how chuffed I am that it is organic I always love very natural products. But I just have no clue how to use this, I've read some things that say use this to cleanse and some to moisturize and some even say it's a healing balm. However in all honesty I really don't have a clue. So I feel maybe a little experimentation maybe needed to find the best purpose of this for me.

 TheBalm - How 'Bout Them Apples Cheek & Lip Cream

Love love love this. Such a clever idea of a sample, the full size is a pallet of size so they sent out a small size of one that would be suitable for most skin tones so people can test the formula and well fall in love. The balm has such quirky packaging and some amazing products for pretty reasonable prices, I'm always so happy to see them in boxes and especially in the Birchbox store for me to buy with my points *insert smirk face emoij*

 Lord & Berry - Couture Kohl Kajal Eye Pencil

Another make-up product, so defiantly a thumb's up from me. I've started to hear quite a lot about Lord & Berry and have been intrigued to try their products so I'm glad to receive an item that I know a lot about and will be able to put to the test. Again a nice black eyeliner would be great for any gal or maybe guy.

Color Club - Gala's Gems Nail Polish

Final product of this box is such a pretty nail polish, you got given the choice at the beginning of the month which colour you would like and obviously I choice this stunning shimmery baby blue. Such a pretty colour and just apply's nicely, 2 coats and you're ready to go.

I was so impressed with this months box and just was excited to try everything out. I guess the best thing was it was all things I could use with a strong mixture of brands and products to make a strong box.

Alisha 

xoxo

March Birchbox // Beauty Box

Hello,

It's day 3 and we've managed to trot into the month of March. The most exciting thing about this box was that it was created with the huge designer Lulu Guinness. The products them selves where choices of her's and the box had a cute slip cover over it. I love when Birchbox does these collab's because in all honesty they are normally the best of the boxes! Now lets have a good ox what is inside shall we ... 

 Molton Brown - Hand Cream

Every girl always needs a handy bit of hand cream on the go and well this is just the cutest little one. The smell is divine, I've never smelt anything like this or as good to go on my hands. Not just having pretty pink packaging and a beautiful scent this product also performs well by sinking into your hands quickly not leaving you with a greasy feeling.  It's a well known and top notch brand so it's just a great sample to receive. 

 Benefit - Stay Don't Stray

Another time seeing benefit but I am not complaining. It such a good brand which is high end but still within an affordable bracket. The best thing is their samples, I feel unlike some other brands they do really represent the product you'll receive. This is no exception, such a good make-up product to include because it appeals to a lot of people and you can't be disappointed with the shade you get. It's a great eye primer leaving your eye make up in place for a good chunk of the day. A bit of advice, a small bit goes a long way.

 Korres - Citrus Body Milk

Yay, another brand  have heard of, I really do like receiving brands I've at least heard of because I feel like its worth the money of the box. Korres is such a lovely brand and if you've never tried or used any of the products then it is a serious must. Using natural ingredients and the Greek background makes for some luxurious goodness. Again the smell of this is just on point and I can't wait to try this product out but if it's like any other Korres products then wow.

English Laundry - No7

The final product (apart from the stick of rock) is this perfume sample from English Laundry. I'm not the hugest fan of perfume samples but I suppose I can let this one slide as the rest of the box is so on point. My mum adored this scent however I found it very old womany, however it must appeal to some people.

So that's the end of this months box and after tomorrow we shall be half way through this week.  All  all it's going very well lets just hope there is more goodness to come. I just hope you are all enjoying my little series.

Alisha

xoxo