Ellie's Ramblings: February 2015

Friday, 27 February 2015

Review | Benefit Roller Lash Mascara

Benefit Roller Lash Masacra* £19.50

I think we are all well aware that Benefit are good at mascara. They're Real is the UK's no 1 selling mascara, I always have a back up in my stash! So when Benefit announced the launch of a new mascara to join their line up I was very excited.
Roller Lash is described as being a 'curl's best friend', if you want a mascara to really lift your lashes from the root to give a defined curl then this may just be the product for you.

As I do with all Benefit packaging, I love the theme of Roller Lash. The packaging has a retro vibe and the tube is designed to mimic the look of a classic hair roller. It's cute, fun and everything I think Benefit is about!

Roller Lash promises that you will no longer need to curl your lashes as the mascara will do the job for you. Personally I've never bothered with lash curlers as the curl never holds and there is always a risk you could pull of your lashes of end up prodding yourself in the eye. Yep, I've done it.

On first look I thought the brush looked pretty standard but when I looked close I realised how wrong I was! Roller Lash has tiny little 'hooks' on the wand which grip onto your lashes to lift and curl. It's like a very gentle tugging that you can really feel gripping on to your lashes to curl them into place.

Pair this magic brush with a great formula that works to lock your lashes in place and hold curled for around 8-10 hours and you are onto a winner. The mascara formula is jet black and also apparently has special lash conditioning ingredients. If you've got short or straight lashes, or smaller eyes then I definitely think you need to give this a try.

I honestly cannot even count the amount of compliments I've had when I've been wearing Roller Lash. Even my Dad (who is completely clueless, sorry Dad) has noticed something different when I've used this!
I can't really compare this to They're Real as the have different purposes but I've been wearing them together and I have to say it's a perfect combination.
Put Roller Lash on first to get the uplifted curl look then go in with a coat or two of They're Real to get thick and voluminous lashes that people will think are false!

Benefit's Roller Lash is out now and retails for £19.50.
Have you tried it?

This post contains a pr sample, however the review is 100% genuine as always.

Wednesday, 25 February 2015

Review | Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Spring Polishes 2015

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Polishes Spring 2015* £3.99 each

I've raved about the Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Polishes more than enough times, they are my favourite drugstore/high street polishes. These three new and fresh Spring additions are perfect for the hopefully warmer and brighter season to come!

Sky Blue- A lovely pale blue with a hint of mint green. It's a unique and fun shade for Spring. This applies best with three thin coats for an opaque finish as the formula is the thinnest of the bunch.

Fondant- This is similar to other Gellies like Prickly Pear but is still a lovely Spring shade. In some lights it's a lilac with a hint of pink and in other lights it's more lavender. It is lighter in person than the picture above. Two coats gives an opaque finish.

Cotton- It's the thickest formula of the three so slightly harder to apply. But you do get a completely opaque finish in two coats, which is great for a white shade. It's a pure white shade that is very fresh and bright for Spring.

The formulas are different between each of these three polishes so it's best to start with thin coats to get a feel for how they best apply. All three have the glossy and gel like finish that the Barry M Gelly Polishes are loved for!

These are out now in both Boots and Superdrug costing £3.99 each.
Check out the whole Gelly range here.

*pr sample, review 100% honest as always

Monday, 23 February 2015

Room Tour

When I moved into my Nan's house everything was an 'interesting' lilac shade. I wish I had before pictures because the room now looks very different!
George at Asda recently gave me a voucher to help update my room and I am so chuffed with the bits I picked. They've made a huge improvement and I'm so impressed with the quality for the prices.

My bed is so snug that it's a daily battle to get out of it. I love the super soft faux fur throw and white bedding, I like to keep my bed minimal so that it doesn't distract from my wallpaper that I absolutely love. I think the grey cushions contrast well and of course my personalised Mickey Mouse, a present from one of my closest friends Sophie, has pride of place between them!

My dressing table is a blogger favourite. On top I have MUJI acrylic drawers where I keep my most used make up. I keep my high end lipsticks in this bargain lipstick holder that everyone should own.
My no7 mirror is essential for putting on make up and I love my huge vintage looking mirror, it makes the room look much bigger. I draped rose fairy lights around it, which look cute whether they are on or off. Under my dressing table I keep beauty products I need to photograph and review in two cream boxes.

The drawers unit is another blogger favourite and perfect for organising beauty products. I love plants but I'm rubbish at looking after them so the white vase with fake flowers is great. I ldisplay my perfumes on this cute heart shaped plate and keep all my pens from Disney World in a glass jar here too.
I keep my Minnie Mouse Moleskine on my bedside table so I can keep track of work, blog posts, videos etc. I keep essential beauty bits like hand cream, lip balm and hair bands in this bronze dish which keeps everything together in one place.

My Disney corner is one of my favourite parts of my room. I love my Beauty and the Beast print from Spineless Classics, it's a beautiful piece that adds a bit more Disney to my room. I'll be wearing my gold tiara to Paris along with my sparkly Minnie Ears, both from ASOS. One of the most special things in my room is my Belle & Chip figurine that my best friend Chelsea gave me for my birthday. I absolutely love it!

On top of my chest of drawers I have two Yankee candles, Grapefruit and Vanilla Frosting. Both are strong enough that I only need to burn them for 15 mins to fill my room with the scent. I hang my necklaces on a jewellery holder, my special bracelets and watches are kept in a glass box next to two glass jars that hold rings and earrings. The copper lantern holds a tea light and looks cute at night lit with a candle and my fairy lights on.

On my shelf my castle print takes centre stage, my oldest and best friend Amber gave me this for Christmas and it blew me away. It's absolutely stunning. I also have two cacti from IKEA and my Minnie Ears from Disney World. I spent ages last year collecting Disney Princesses from Kinder Eggs, would rather not know how much I spent, they stand infront of one of my favourite pictures of my Mum and I.

It's a work in progress and there are a few things I hope to change when I have the money to. I want to replace some of the furniture so that it's all white as I prefer it to pine. I also really want to get a black out blind as I'm not a fan of the curtains as they don't keep the sun out at 5am but the window is so big I need to get one specially made.

For now I am really happy with how my room looks, I think it shows off my personality and favourite things well (and it may just give away my love of Disney a tiny bit!)

I also recently took part in a really fun Blogger Predictions survey with Hillary's blinds about what I think is going to be on trend this year. You can read all about it here!

Thursday, 19 February 2015

Ellie's Ramblings 3rd Birthday!

Today marks three years since I sat at my laptop and wrote my first blog post. It's scary to think it's been three years since I first put my heart into something I was convinced nobody would read! I remember my boyfriend at the time, friends and family being quite confused as to what on earth I was doing but I knew it was something I felt passionate about.

I was the girl who would sit and watch her Mum apply makeup and long for my own beauty stash. (Eventually I remember my Mum taking me to Boots to get a few things in the hope it would stop me using hers!) My love for all things beauty has grown since starting my blog, it opened my eyes to a community of like minded people that are more than happy to read about a lipstick or talk about the newest makeup launch.

I started my blog at a truly crap time in my life where things were very unstable. Having a blog to focus on was great as it was the only thing I felt I had control over. I used blogging as a way to destress and channel my emotions, talking about beauty became a kind of therapy for me. When I went through a horrible time my blog was an escape and my source of happiness. Now life is much more settled and I'm proud that three years on I'm still hear rambling on about things I love and want to share with you!

Not only has my personal life changed a lot in the past three years but the blogging community has shot to a whole new level! Most of my friends blog in some way now whereas back in 2012 it was unusual to put yourself online. The standard of blogging now is incredible. Bloggers are achieving amazing things and it's lovely to be a teeny part of the community.

Ellie's Ramblings is a massive part of my life, it's been constant and something that's purely mine. The love I have for my tiny little internet space is huge and although nowadays I sometimes feel not up to standard it's not something I can imagine myself ever giving up. If anything it makes me want to work to make my blog better and more diverse.

Blogging has created some wonderful opportunities for me that I'll forever be grateful for, it's helped boost my confidence and it's led to me making some amazing friends both online and in the real world. I've attended incredible events, worked with some amazing brands, been nominated for an awards and experienced things I never thought possible!
If you ever wonder if you should start your own blog then just do it! You won't ever regret it.

So I want to say a massive thank you, whether you've never read my blog before or are a regular reader it truly means so much to know that you have had a peek at my rambles. When I get a new comment or tweet etc from someone it makes my day, your support honestly means the world.
Thank you!

I'm sorry for the utter rambling mess of this post but it's how I started and probably how I'll always be!

Monday, 16 February 2015

Review | Chloe Love Story Perfume

Chloe Love Story Perfume* £47-£82

Like most beauty lovers, perfume is something I can't go without. It instantly lifts my mood and leaves me feeling ready to face the day. The original Chloe perfume has become my signature scent since I received it as a gift for my birthday in July last year, I'm pretty much completely addicted to it so when I heard there was a new fragrance launch from Chloe I knew it was going to be the start of a new obsession!

Love Story is inspired by Paris, it's romantic atmosphere and it's well known love lock bridges. Love Story's bottle is reminiscent of the original Chloe fragrance and in my opinion is absolutely stunning. It's taken the original bottle and added the padlock inspiration to create a bottle that is beautiful, elegant and romantic. I really love the packaging and the way it looks on my dressing table!

Love Story has notes of orange blossom, jasmine, cedar and neroli. It smells very clean and fresh with a slight fruity sweetness. It's not overpowering and is youthful but still sophisticated and classy. It definitely has that romantic and flirty feel that would be perfect for either day or night time. It lasts around 6 hours before I feel the need to top up.

If you are a fan of Chloe fragrances I'm sure you are going to fall for Love Story. It is definitely my new favourite perfume and something I will 100% be repurchasing again and again.
You have to go and try this out, it's absolutely beautiful!

Love Story starts at £47 available at Feel Unique.

*pr sample, review 100% honest as always

Saturday, 14 February 2015

Disney Primark Haul & Giveaway

You are probably all aware of my Disney love/obsession/addiction etc. When I go into Primark it's pretty much guaranteed that I'm going to come out with a bag filled with Disney things.

One of my latest YouTube videos is a Disney filled Primark haul with a special giveaway that should interest you if you also love Disney!

I don't think I've ever said Disney so many times in such a short paragraph.

You can watch the haul and enter the giveaway here.

Monday, 9 February 2015

Q&A | Jobs, Boyfriends and Disney Memories

I asked for questions and you guys delivered! I absolutely loved filming a Q&A answering your questions.
I'll hopefully be doing them regularly so if there is anything you'd like to know then please feel free to leave me a question in the comments! :)

You can watch the video online here and it would be amazing if you subscribed to my YouTube Channel here.