250 FOLLOWER GIVEAWAY *CLOSED*

Hey everyone, Caramella has reached 250 followers on Bloglovin! As I reached this milestone I decided to do a giveaway to say thank you. I couldn't be happier, thank you to everyone who has followed, commented or liked my posts on my blog. I did not expect my blog to take off as well as it has. As part of my giveaway I am giving away one Tanya Burr Exclusive collection Nail Polish in the colour Little Duck, the gorgeous pastil blue colour.

I haven't tried any of the Tanya Burr collection yet myself but I am ordering the same colour polish so I will do a review post of what I think of it soon. I have linked it above so you can view it online yourself. To enter this giveaway all you have to do is use the form below. The giveaway starts tomorrow (Saturday 1st March 2014) and the winner will be announced on Tuesday 1st April 2014. The winner will emailed by me soon after to discuss delivery. I'll make a separate post to announce the winner but this post will also be updated. So keep your eyes peeled! Good luck to everyone who enters and again thank you very much for following and reading my blog. 

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photograph source - feelunique (Available from)

MAYBELLINE FIT ME PRESSED POWDER

Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't posted anything in a few days. I have been trying to sort out the layout of my blog as I wasn't 100% happy with it. So sorry if it has looked a bit all over the place the last couple of days but I have now completely changed the layout and I hope you appreciate & like the change. Anyway, the main part of this post is reviewing the Maybelline Fit me! Pressed powder in 220 Natural Beige. I've been trying to find an alternative powder to the MAC mineralise skinfinish Natural (post HERE) since I've completely used it all up again!

It's is definitely my favourite pressed powder but I can't afford to replace it right now. Damn my student budget. So when I was in Boots I picked up this product. I have always heard good things about the 'Fit me' brand so I decided to see what it was like. Although, I couldn't see it in the store, this product comes in a large range of shades which is always a plus as you can always find your shade. Like I said, I bought 220 Natural beige and it is perfect for skin. It costs £5.99 which is a fraction of MAC price & it comes with a free application pad although I use my Real Techniques buffing brush to apply it. I really like the packaging with the shiny black square casing.

I have been using this product everyday for a the last couple of weeks and I really like it. It claims to give natural looking flawless coverage whilst mattifying the skin and setting base makeup. I would completely agree with this. I have noticed that my makeup has lasted through the day and it doesn't move across my face. My skin can sometimes look quite shiny and oily and this powder really does mattify my skin. It is perfect to have in your bag for touch ups when you need. It also comes with a helpful mirror underneath. I would say that it is definitely a cheaper alternative and I really like it. I would 100% recommend it. This makes me want to try more products in the range such as the foundation. Have you tried any other products from this range? 

PRETTY IN PINK

I haven't done an outfit post in a while so I thought I would do one today as I liked my outfit. I have had this blazer for a while now and I absolutely love it. It is this gorgeous bright pink colour, and I love the neon statement. It is actually surprisingly versatile which means I've got a lot of use out of it. I remember when I bought it, I wasn't sure how much I would wear it but now it's definitely got it's money's worth. It cost me around £25 and it is not online anymore, however there is a similar alternative HERE but it's not as vibrant and it's fitted.

Top - Topshop*

Disco Pants - Miss Guided*

Blazer - H&M 
Bag - Primark

Nails - Barry M Coral 296

I wear this blazer for both nights out and in the day time. Here I have dressed it down with this shoulder bag for Primark and a pair of dollies (which you can't see), but you can dress it up again with a pair of heels and a clutch bag. It fits really nicely and it's a good length. I prefer blazers that are a little bit longer. I paired this outfit with my ever so famous disco pants which you have all seen in previous outfit posts. I then wore this sheer white cami from Topshop underneath. I can't get enough of these tops and I like to change this outfit up by wearing different colour tops underneath such as a black one. I haven't really accessorised with this outfit as I wanted to keep it quite casual but you can add a big statement necklace to dress it up even more for a formal evening occasion.

(*) Similar alternative to what I am wearing. Original no longer online.

SUN-KISSED READY

It's getting to that time of year when everyone is fed up of the cold rainy weather and the anticipation for summer is well and truly over us. I for one, can't wait to get my tan back that has been missing for far too long now. I guess I will have to stick to faking it while I still have too. I'm not really one for fake tanning instantly all the time, only when I am going out or nearly need too, but I do like to use gradual tans often as they can look a little more subtle. I thought I would show you a couple of my favourites. Again, I thought I would show you one that's a little

more expensive and one affordable option. My two picks are the St Tropez Gradual Tan and Garnier Body Summer body Moisturising lotion. Garnier body moisturisers have always been raved about and I love them. I think it is just as important to keep your body fully moisturised as well as your face. I really like this product as it does keep my skin moisturised all day and makes my legs feel nice and smooth. It's really affordable at around £3-£5 depending and I love the result. I apply it like a normal moisturiser and it sinks into the skin quickly. It takes a couple of applications more than the St Tropez gradual tan to see a result but you are still left with a sun-kissed look. 

St Tropez is more expensive at around £15 a bottle but I really like it. It has a weirdly nice scent to it, not like the normal horrible scent that comes with other fake tans. It applies nicely and it is moisturising. I have it in the shade 'Light/medium' and I love the result and the colour you turn. From the swatches above, you can see that the formula looks quite similar (St Tropez left and Garnier Body right), looking like a standard moisturiser. Considering the price difference, there is not much between these two products and I don't know which I prefer. I really like both and the result they give! Have you tried these products? I would love to hear your thoughts!

MY GO-TO PERFUMES

Hey everyone, first off I wanted to say a massive thankyou and hello to all my new followers, as Caramella has hit 100 followers on Bloglovin. I couldn't be happier! It's so nice to think that people are reading and liking your posts. Anyway, today I thought I would share with you my favourite perfumes at the moment. These are my top 3 picks at the moment. I have been been one to collect lots of perfumes, once I find ones I like, I tend to stick with them. My three favourites are as shown Ghost Sweetheart, Beyonce Heat and Dolce & Gabbana L'eau The One. 

These all range in prices from 'Heat' being the lowest price to 'The One' being the most expensive. I think it's good to show a big price range when it comes to perfume. I got 'Ghost Sweetheart' for christmas after always loving the scent and I usually wear this as my everyday perfume. It is quite a sweet floral scent which I know isn't everyones cup of tea but I love it. I could smell it all day! It isn't too expensive (£25 for 30ml) which is good for an everyday scent. I wear it nearly everyday and it still hasn't gone down the bottle that much. Because 'The One' perfume was quite an expensive buy, I tend to only wear it on special occasions or when I am going out. It has more of a sophisticated smell which is perfect for when you are all dressed up. I am nearly all out though, which makes me sad! I tend to wear 'Heat' whenever I want a bit of a change or to mix it up a bit. Again it is quite a sweet scent but I absolutely love it. I'm not really all for the "celebrity scents" but this one I could repurchase over and over! 

THE LIEBSTER AWARD

I was nominated for the Liebster award by Lipstick-Affair, Mursblogs and Life of Beauty. Thankyou for the nomination, I thought I would give it a go and do it myself. First off here are the rules:

1. You must link back to the person who nominated you.
2. You must state 11 facts about yourself
3. You must pick 11 nominees and create a set of 11 questions that they must answer.
4. You can't nominate the person that nominated you
5. You have to tell the nominees that they have been nominated

I have posted facts about me HERE which you can read. I know it's cheating but it saves me writing them all out again and plus you get a couple more! Because I was nominated by a few people I decided to answer a combination from all three sets:

1. What is your Favourite Make-up Brand? High end - MAC Low end - Rimmel
1. Are you a tea lover or hater? I love tea! I never really liked it a few years ago, but now I can't get enough!

3. What is your current favourite song? Beyonce XO 

4. What are you most scared of? Hights. I have a weird phobia of bridges 
5. Whats your dream job and are you on your way to getting it? Working in the magazine industry - Particularly in fashion or beauty. Creating/designing or working in the advertising sector. I am studying advertising and Marketing at uni at the moment so hopefully I am on my way!
6. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be? I would make my hair thicker and longer. It's pretty boring really. I would also make my nose smaller.
7. What are your most used apps on your phone? whatsapp, Instagram and other social networking apps. 
8. Who is your favourite blogger? I have a list of my favourite bloggers HERE.
9. Where do you see yourself this time next year? Passing first year of uni, continuing to build my blog and hopefully still enjoying life as a student! 
10. Where have you travelled in the world? Not anywhere very exciting but Lots of places in Europe such as France, Italy, Germany and Spain. I have also be to Kavos in Corfu. I am planning to travel more after uni.

11. What can't you live without? My phone. Sad and predictable, but true!

Here are my questions for my nominees:                                                                                     My nominees: 

1. Where id your favourite place to shop?                                                                                        Rose Tinted
2. Do you prefer high end or Low end products?                                                                                      Loujay
3. What is your all time favourite song?                                                                                  Vintage and Vans
4. Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?                                                                       Stephanie's Look
5. What is your favourite makeup brand?                                                                                   Blonde Tea Pot

6. If you had one wish what would it be?                                                                                      JustineeLucyy

7. Who is your celebrity role model?                                                                                            Oodles of Rae
8. Why did you decide to start blogging?                                                                              My sweet Valentine
9. What is your dream job?                                                                                               Beauty with Sammie
10. Where is the best place you have travelled too?                                                                       Mary Bloomy
11. If you could do anywhere in the world, where would it be?                                                      Snow Princess

LILAC JUMPER

Opps, I did it again (excuse the pun). I bought yet another jumper from Primark. I am a sucker for pastel coloured jumpers so I was drawn to this as soon as I saw it. They come in a range of colours but I really liked this purple / lilac colour as I don't really own anything in that colour. This jumper is not shown online, but it is still available in the stores. I think it cost me £12 but I can't quite remember. I bought in in a size 8 and it fits really nicely. Sometimes I buy jumpers in a bigger size so they are a bit more "baggy" but this one I didn't need too.

The reason I like this jumper is because the shape and design is slightly different to the other jumpers I own such as this one and this one. It has a nice neck line and it is a lot more fitted. I usually don't like fitted jumpers as much as I think they don't suit my figure as much, but this one does. It is perfect for a winters day as it is thick and will keep you warm. This style of jumper looks great with a statement necklace, to draw attention to the neck line - and everyone knows how much I love a statement necklace. I think I need to stop buying so many jumpers now but I they are perfect for the cold weather that we have been having. This jumper will no doubt come up in a outfit post that I will do in posts to come. Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend! Let me know what you think.

RITUALS T'AI CHI

First of all I thought I would mention that I have had a little play around with the layout of my blog. I have added a couple of things and moved things around, so I hope you like the change. For the main part of the post, I am going to talk about Rituals Foaming shower gel. I first heard about this brand waaay back when I was receiving Glossy Box. I was given a full size bottle (same as the picture below) but in a different scent (Yogi Flow). I really liked the product and decided to re-purchase it again but in the scent T'ai Chi White Lotus and Green Tea.

For a shower gel they are quite expensive for £8.50 a bottle but they last a very long time so they are worth the money. They are different to any ordinary shower gel as like it states in the title it is a foaming gel. It pumps out foam and you only need a little bit to cover your body. It has quite a strong scent which some people may or may not like, but I don't mind it. I think I prefer the other scent as it was less overpowering but I still like this one. 

As you can see from the swatch above, the tiniest of pump can produce a lot of foam which means you don't need you use a lot and it will last you a long time. You therefore definitely get your money's worth. I  use this shower as a little 'treat', for a bit of a pick me up or if I am having a pamper evening. I think it is quite a luxurious product and is nicer than using just any old shower gel. I'm not sure if I would purchase this particular scent again but I do like the product and would spend that amount of money on it again. Has anyone else tried it?

PERFECT VALENTINES LIP

Whether you are single or taken, I am sure you are all aware that tomorrow is Valentines day! I hope that what ever you decide to do, you have a lovely day. I thought I would share with you some of my favourite girly lip colours that I think will be perfect for valentines day. My three picks this year is Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayon in Fuschia Libre, MAC Lipstick in Morning Rose and Topshop Lips in Hazard. All really lovely girly shades. 

My favourite of the three lipsticks is 'Hazard' by Topshop. It is a gorgeous deep red shade and I think it is perfect for valentines if you are out for the evening or on a singles girls night out. It isn't as vibrant as a traditional red shade but I think I prefer this deeper tone. Being blonde, I didn't think it would suit me as it was quite dark but I actually really like it. I think Topshop lipsticks are not raved about enough. They are a really good price and they so pigmented and last a long time. This is definitely my 'go to' choice of red lipstick when I go on a night out. 

The other two shades are a lot more subtle and more suitable for the day time. The Bourjois Lip Crayon in Fuschia Libre is this lovely bright pink shade. It is slightly shimmery and I think it is perfect for a day time Valentines date. It isn't too bright and vibrant but does give a little burst of colour to any outfit. MAC Morning rose is a lot softer pink and is more subtle. I like to wear this when I want to make my natural lip colour stand out more. It is perfect if you want something a little more natural but still wanting to empathise your lips. The swatches above are shown in order that they are shown in the first photograph. Hope everyone has a lovely Valentines day! 

A WEEKEND AT HOME

I decided to take a weekend at home after a busy January and have a relaxing few days with my friends and family. It was exactly what I needed and I had a great time jam-packing the whole weekend as best as I could. Best of all, the rain seemed to hold off for the whole weekend. The outfit shown below, is the one I wore on the train home from Uni. I wanted to wear something comfy (as I was sitting down for three hours) and I wanted to travel as light as I could - and for a girl this is not easy. Planning outfits for just three days proves very difficult.

Jumper - Primark

Black leggings - H&M
Necklace - Dorothy Perkins
Ring - Tiffany and Co
Shopper Bag - Zara

I bought this jumper from Primark a couple of months back. It is so comfy and I love the pattern and texture. It isn't see through which is another bonus but you can also put tops underneath if you want to build up warmth. I then paired this jumper with a pair of simple black leggings from H&M. Not the most creative of outfits but as I was only sitting on a train, I didn't really need to make an effort. For accessories I just wore this simple long necklace from Dorothy Perkins which I got a life time ago. I got my Zara Shopper Bag for Christmas a couple of years back and I love it for travelling. It fits a lot in but stops you over packing. I love this bag and it was perfect for my weekend away. You can still find this bag online even though it is not being sold on the website anymore.

HOW I CLEAN MY MAKEUP BRUSHES

Today I thought I would share with you all a quick and cheap way to clean your makeup brushes. I think it is very important to clean your brushes on a regular basis (maybe once every week/fortnight) to prevent the spread of germs and dirt which could be spread onto your face. It is also another way to prevent the appearance of impurities and spots.  I know this  process is a massive chore and it can easily be avoided but it does need to be done and the result after is always a great feeling. Here's how I clean my brushes & some of the products I use.To start of with, I rinse all my dirty brushes under warm water just to get them ready to wash. I then squeeze a tiny a amount of cleaning product on the end of the brush and using my the palm of my hand, I swirl the brush around to start removing all the product that is in it. I also push down on the bristles with my thumb (under the warm water) to help squeeze out any more excess product. I don't use anything "fancy" or expensive to clean my brushes, usually just a cheap shampoo or baby shampoo. It leaves my brushes clean and soft and it is easy to get hold off. Once I think most of the product and dirt has been removed, I usually pat them down using a clean towel and then leave them to dry naturally. I do this process in the evening so they have time to try and are ready for use in the morning. Some brushes are harder to clean such as my foundation brush (Real technique Buffer brush) as there's more product on it to clean.

FELLOW BLOGGER #3

Today I thought I would do another Fellow Blogger post. Another blog that I have been loving at the moment is Rebecca over at from roses. I have followed this blog near enough from the beginning and it just seems to grow bigger and get better as it goes along. I love her photography and her comprehensive thoughts and opinions on products and reviews. I also love how she talks about a wide range of high street products as well as high end products. If you haven't checked out her blog before, make sure to do so now! (Links are above.) Also click HERE to view more of my favourite blogs that I read on a daily basis. Hope everyone is having a lovely day. 

Photograph - fromroses.co.uk (Source)

CELEBRATORY NIGHT OUT

As I'm sure a few of you are aware, I have just finished my first set of university exams. This called for a big celebratory night out. This was the outfit I wore. I didn't want to go too dressy as the  place we went to wasn't really a formal place. and it was freeezing outside so I wanted to cover my legs. I bought this top a couple of days prior from Primark (so it should still be in store) for £10. It is a plain white, polyester top with this gorgeous statement piece attached at the top. Everyone knows how much I love statement necklaces which is why I love it.

Top - Primark

Black Jeans - Newlook
Clutch Bag - River Island

I paired this outfit with just some simply black jeans from Newlook. The top is quite short (but not quite cropped) so I wore it with some high waisted jeans. For my clutch, I used this mint green bag from River Island. Although I love the design and it's really spacious, it's is only secured with one little buckle which after a couple of drinks isn't ideal if you are good at losing things (like me), as things can easily fall out. I didn't really accessorise much with this outfit as the piece at the top was a statement enough. Another good thing is that the piece is detachable which makes it easier to wash. I just wore this outfit with my purple pumps from Primark that I talked about in this outfit post here. Hope everyone has a lovely week.

MICELLAR WATER REVIEW: L'OREAL

I have always used the Johnson's Facial Cleansing wipes to take off my makeup for as long as I can remember and it has always worked for me but recently I have found that using wipes can be quite harsh and rough on my skin especially when trying to remove my eye makeup. I wanted to try something that was a little bit more gentle and would remove mascara easier. The L'oreal 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution is something I've heard a lot about recently and I wanted to try it out myself and see what it was like as it only costs around £3, which is good.

This product is always being compared to the Bioderma Sensibio H20 Solution which is another product I've always wanted to try but I just haven't got my hands on it yet. Although I can't compare the two products, I thought I would tell you want I thought of this solution. To apply this product, I pour a bit of the solution on to a cotton pad and then simply wipe it around my face, removing the makeup. The first thing I would say is that it comes out the bottle very quickly so you have to be careful that you don't waste too much of the product at once.

It claims to "dissolve make-up" and I would definitely agree with it. After a couple of whips across my face my makeup has dissolved and has been removed. It takes a couple of cotton wool pads to remove my mascara but it does the job and it feel gentler on my skin than a makeup wipe. Although I like this product, I wouldn't just use this product on it's own. Although it claims to "unclog pores, and remove impurities", I would still use a cleanser or face wash (such as the Clinique liquid skin formula) after to make sure everything was completely removed & there was no residue left on my face. I do like this product and I would recommend it. However from what I've read, Bioderma has got better reviews but for me, this product is a cheaper alternative and still does the job well.