Wednesday, 29 January 2014

new love: topshop make-up ..

happy wednesday beauties..

i did it. i caved. 
after months of lusting after swatches and watching every review out there, i finally gave in and bought some 
topshop make-up.

£9.00
topshop glow
recently i've become a massive fan of contouring, but have struggled to find a highligher i love. however this creamy highlighter is beautiful. it blends evenly leaving a faint golden pink glow that catches the light perfectly. slightly different to normal but i like to apply it after my primer {MAC prep + prime skin}.
 i find it blends best on freshly primed skin rather than over my foundation {MAC studio fix fluid in NW15}. glow, leaves my skin with a beautiful dewy finish without producing shine.
 my only wish... the pot should be bigger! 
4/5

£5.00
topshop lipliner
i'd never been one to bother lining my lips but i thought i'd give this one ago.
this creamy, dark red liner is easy to apply and blends brilliantly with most reds.
i use it with MAC viva glam and MAC ruby woo, works perfectly with both! 
creamy and easy to use, well worth a buy!
5/5

i have well and truely fallen in love with these products and will certainly be buying more!
i adore the white and grey packaging with the glass pots. 


next products i want to try:
and 

any other products i should try next?

kisses,
Gabs.x



Monday, 27 January 2014

Blogger guilt..

hello strangers..

well my blog is definitely been feeling unloved in the new year and i have a serious case of blogger guilt.
 i have many excuses for not writing and posting. but excuses will not get any new posts up so instead i'll fill you in on a few things from the end of 2013 and whats been keeping me busy... 

1. university. so mid december i finished the first half of my second year at aru. it was a fun semester with new friends, too much jager and way too many assignments (in my opinion anyway). this break means i am now half way through my time as an undergraduate which is a little scary but i am excited to dive into the beginnings of my dissertation!

its amazing the people you meet in cambs
my gorgeous housemates! 

2. christmas. i spent the holidays with my family and we kept it relatively low key this year, hanging out at home with a full fridge.
 it was amazing to catch up and spend some quality time with my parents and best friends, with me being away for such a long chunk of the year. 
toodlepip 2013...
catching up and being silly with the girls on christmas eve x

3. so with the new year, came the thing i had been dreading most... exams. these were my first set of university exams and i do worry that i was under prepared and my nerves got the better of me. but what will be, will be. or so i keep telling myself. 

well doesn't really seem like i've been up to a great deal, but the photos tell another story. 
right now i'm back at home having a lazy week before semester two starts and life gets all serious again. it is an extended visit after my dad & i got into a little mishap on the motorway trying to get back to cambs on satuday, but we're all dandy now. shame the same cannot be said for the car :( 

so its back to university on monday and time to start figuring what i want the next year and half of my education to be about... exciting times! 
any tips for dissertation planning and organisation would be amazing...!

from today, my blogging schedule will be new posts every monday, wednesday and sunday! 
hope you're all making the most of the new year with some exciting plans!


kisses,

gabs.




Monday, 9 December 2013

Getting chilly in here...

good morning my little elves!

well i've woken up feeling particularly bah-humbug this morning, with the citypretty household in the grips of a cold and my beautiful Cambridge looking, well, grey at the moment.

its not a good recipe for christmas cheer. add to that, two weeks of deadlines and working like crazy and all i want to do is hole up and hibernate! 

so i thought i'd share a few loves of mine for snuggling up and fetching your own sparkle to the city,
enjoy darlings...

*all product links can be found at the end*

1. an awesome hat!
don't do it! don't bring out the good old 'but i don't suit hats'. everyone suits hats! have you tried every type? for this kind of weather i'd be going for a good old beanie! beanies have been making waves this fall. its all about the embellishment and i've found a couple of cuties...

this little gem is from
 blingstar jewellery Liverpool.
this was the first embellished hat i bought back in the fall. and i'm completely in love with it. the caramel color means it goes with so much and the studs add a tough edge. i must have worn this hat more times than i can count and not a single stud has budged.  
i love pairing this with a simple scarf and a leather jacket. 


for the more girly of us, i found this beanie in primark, Cambridge.
I love how the large pale pink, blue and silver gems stand out against the white.
perfect for any snowflake wannabe. 
add a little glitter to a tartan dress + a peter pan collar. 


2. hand warmers!
everyone knows what a hand warmer is but check out these super cute ones
 (perfect little stocking fillers - hint hint familia) 

these beautiful hearts are covered in super soft cashmere and thanks to their  reusable filling, they don't break the bank. these are from etsy, an amazing site for cute presents. 


or if you're seeking a more country manor feel check out these
Harris Tweed hand warmers
from notonthehighstreet. 
whilst a little more costly, they are reusable and would make a beautiful gift. 


3. slipper boots!
banish those cold little piggys with some super snuggly slippers, perfect for that hot cocoa in front of the fire!
now i'm more than just a little fussy about my slippers. 
they have to involve pink.
 they have to be furry (inside or out)
and they have to be from accessorize.

so here are my two faves from their current line...


the bright heart fairisle boots (left) are the ones that i have myself and they are so so soft. filled with soft fur all down to the toes, and a lovely aztec style pattern, they are a definite fave.
 and for the animal lover, the purrfect fairisle boots (right) are awesome. with a black and white cat pattern and fur inside and out, they only thing that could make the boots any cuter would be pompoms. oh wait. 

so now your all cosy from head to toe; make a brew, stick a film on (christmas themed of course) and get your snuggle on.

kisses
Gabs. 



Links: 
Blingstar jewellery: http://www.blingstarjewellery.com/
Primark: Hat in store only.

Sunday, 8 December 2013

a little hello...

finally a new little home for my blog. as a vlogger for the last year bellarose1809 has had a little revamp to City Pretty

as a self confessed city-lover and beauty addict i thought it might be time to have a little spot to share my loves with you all.

all about the sparkles and shambles of city life in Cambridge,
 the fashion that catches my eye and the newest products i just can't keep my hands off hehe. 
shan't ramble all about myself but all you need to know is i'm a lipstickoholic and a little ditsy.

kisses 
Gabs.