// NEW BLOG NAME \\ TEST POST PLEASE IGNORE

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Hey guys! So I've changed the name of my blog and so I have some new social media links:

http://www.twitter.com/beemoreotter
http://www.instagram.com/beemoreotter
http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/12602899

// DELILAH DUST NECKLACE \\

Isn't this so pretty? 

So back in February I did a wishlist as part of the #2014BloggerChallenge saying that I loved this necklace and I was thinking about buying it. Finally, a week or two later I got round to it and I've had it for about a month now - I have to say that I love it. It's small and delicate, but it's pretty strong. It's not too big and clunky, but I was initially surprised at how small it was when it arrived because I was expecting it to be a lot bigger. It was pretty price-reasonable at £4, however I found a discount code online so it only cost me £3.75 including delivery! It was well packaged inside a small cardboard box and wrapped delicately with a business card inside pink tissue paper. The only problem that I had was that I bought this at the time they were moving offices so it took a few weeks to arrive, but it was worth the wait. 

Sadly this necklace is no longer available but you can find deer antler necklaces on etsy and ebay pretty easily!

Again, I cannot reinforce how much I love this necklace and I'm super happy with it.

Have any of you guys bought a necklace like this? What do you think? Leave a comment below!

Beth xxx

twitter: @bethssecret

instagram: @bethssecret

tumblr: www.littl-musician.tumblr.com

// MINI BEAUTY HAUL //

When I was in Asia I popped into what appeared to be their version of Boots (I went in a few times... okay, a lot of times) and these are the make up products I bought. I also bought some sachets of shampoo (I know right?! Such a good idea instead of having a massive bottle for when you're travelling) and other bits and bobs but this is the beauty related products which aren't completely boring.

Some of these products aren't available in the UK but I thought that I would include them anyway as I love them.

First up is the Essence 'Stays No Matter What' felt tip eyeliner. This was only 100PHP (roughly £1.25) and it's great! It's super long lasting as well as giving off a solid colour. The pen is just the right thickness for me, which means that it isn't too thick but still draws a decent line. If you see this when you're abroad I strongly recommend picking it up as I prefer it over my Collection Extreme 24hr Felt Tip Liner.

Another Essence product that I picked up was this get BIG! lashes Volume Boost Waterproof Mascara which is pretty good given that it was only £2.50. It does add volume and is very waterproof, but it takes ages to get off and I remember now why I never buy waterproof mascaras. When I bought this, I actually didn't really mean to. The shop assistants in the Philippines follow you around and make you try on the make up which is very very painful for someone as socially awkward as me so I just bought this as I felt really awkward. Weird kid.

Next up is something that we have in the UK only mine is in different packaging - it's the Maybelline Baby Skin Pore Eraser Primer It's still has the same amount of product in (22ml), it's just that mine is in a longer tube. I love this to wear by itself. I can't seem to wear it under foundation without my makeup melting off my face super quickly and going weird and patchy. However, if I wear it without wearing any make up over it, I really like the finish it leaves on my skin. My skin looks poreless (so it does it's job) and feels super smooth. 

Another Maybelline thing I picked up was one of the Maybelline Baby Lips which has some colour in it. I'm not sure which one it is because I stupidly got rid of the packaging whilst I was over there as I wanted to use it. However, I really like this one. It moisturises my lips but also leaves them with a sheer neon pink tint. It was really inexpensive at 80PHP and it's become a constant in my bag.

Finally from Maybelline is a BB cream which isn't available in the UK which thoroughly breaks my heart. It cost me 200PHP and it's so lovely I prefer it over my foundations! It has a decent amount of coverage, really improved my skin as I was using it every day when I was away and also moisturises my skin! I genuinely love this and will be heartbroken when it finishes but I think that it's brought me round to finally trying out the world of BB creams.

I also picked up a China Glaze polish for the equivalent of £5 in "Bling It On". I won't go into this as I did do a review and swatch of it here: http://beths-secrets.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/nail-of-day-china-glaze-bling-it-on.html

Finally, I bought an ELF Blending Eyes Brush. I like this, not love. But like. It gets the job done however the bristles aren't as soft as my Real Techniques brushes which I suppose is evident in the price difference. However, it hasn't seem to shed and also blends reasonably nicely with some time. If you're looking for a cheap brush you might as well pick it up!

Those are the things that I picked up whilst I was away! I really do like them and I wish that they were available in the UK. I know this was only a small haul but I thought you guys might like to see! Hope you enjoyed.

Beth xxx

twitter: @bethssecret

instagram: @bethssecret

tumblr: www.littl-musician.tumblr.com

pinterest: @beth1562

// NAIL OF THE DAY // CHINA GLAZE BLING IT ON //

I'M BACK!

So you may (probably not) have noticed that I haven't posted in a month and that is because I have been away! I spent some time in the Philippines, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macau. Anyway, whilst I was in Asia I bought a lot of bits and pieces, make up and clothing which will pop up on here eventually!

One of the products that I bought was this beautiful China Glaze nail polish that I picked up for the equivalent of £5 compared to it's UK price of £6.95! 

I expected this to be a dark polish with glitter running through it so I was a little disappointed when I tried it and realised that it's actually clear with flecks of glitter and sequins in. However, I do love it regardless.

I found the wear to be reasonably long lasting even when using a cheap MUA polish underneath and it lasted four days without any chipping. I also thought that it was blue but looking at it in closer detail it appears to be purple - whoops!

This shoddy attempt of me trying to make my nails look good was attempted by only using one layer of this polish, but I'm sure using more layers would give it a deeper effect!

I like this nail polish, but I just can't justify paying £5 for a nail polish, but I suppose that it is a massive bottle!

What do you guys think? Have you tried this polish - leave a comment below!

China Glaze Bling It On £6.63

MUA Nail Polish in Lush Lilac £1.00

Beth xxx

twitter: @bethssecret

instagram: @bethssecret

tumblr: www.littl-musician.tumblr.com

// WHERE ARE YOU? //

I know I haven't posted in a while and I'm really sorry about that! I've been ill recently which has made me ridiculously tired and I haven't been able to update my blog and I'm sorry to say that this isn't going to improve over the next few weeks!

On Monday night I'm flying to the Philippines with my mum for 3 and a half weeks! I'll try and get out a blogpost or two but I don't think I'm going to have a lot of access to the internet so my blog, twitter etc is going to die for the next few weeks so I apologise for that. I promise that I will pick it up when I get back mid-April but until that time - "Paalam!"

Chop it all off?

I've been unintentionally growing my hair for almost two years now, but due to a binge session of Parks and Recreation I've been tempted to chop it all off. I think that I need to think about it for a little while to make sure that it isn't just 'a passing fancy' but I have been considering it for a while due to the ridiculous amount of time and effort that I have to put into my haircare routine. Don't get me wrong, I do love having long hair, but if I could have it without all of the fuss that would be a thousand times better!

I've been scouring the internet to try and find pictures of bob length/medium length hairstyles that I like, but I'm still no closer to choosing. I thought that I would do a blogpost on my favourite hairstyles and see what you guys think!

Aubrey Plaza as April Ludgate in Parks and Recreation

Okay, so I recently sat down and worked my way through Parks and Rec in a few days. I'd started watching it last year because my History teacher told me that Aubrey Plaza reminded her of me, so I thought that I would check it out. I got halfway through season two last year and decided to start watching it again last week. If you haven't seen it, I really do recommend it, I genuinely think that it is one of the funniest shows out there. Anyway, I love April's style throughout the series, she always wears colours which really suit her complexion and I also love her hair. I think that if I was to go back to short hair, I probably would go for something like this.

I love Emma Stone's sweeping fringe (as well as her new hair colour but I could never pull that off) and I love the length of her hair!

Source: http://www.patriciabright.co.uk 

I loved it when Patricia Bright cut her hair! She did a whole video on her new haircare routine (link here) and I loved the way that her hair looked! I've had my hair bob-length short before when I was younger and I did like it but I'm not sure if I want to go back to it.

Source: http://www.katiesbeautyblog.com/

I'm thinking that if I get my hair cut, I might for for this fringe, but with the length of the Aubrey Plaza haircut above. I'm not sure though! I do miss having a big fringe but having second day hair was always a greasy nightmare.

I'm so undecided! Do you guys like these styles? Leave a comment below!

Thanks for reading!
Beth xxx

instagram: @bethssecret
twitter: @bethssecret
e-mail: beths-secret@live.co.uk

#2014BloggerChallenge Nail Favourites

The theme of the #2014BloggerChallenge this week is nails! Now, I'm awful with nails. I can't grow them long because then it makes it difficult to play my violin (plus long nails really creep me out) and I've only recently started painting my nails often and taking an interest in nail polish. Today, I wasn't sure what to do with this topic as I'm not very good at nail art and I can barely paint my nails as it is, so I thought that I would do a post on my favourite nail related things. Some of these polishes are no longer available however I will try and find similar products. Hope that you enjoy!

1. Boots Essentials Cotton Wool Pads £1.39
2. (similar) MUA Nail Polish in Bold Blue £1.00
3. Barry M Matte Nail Paint in Black Espresso £3.99
4. Collection Gothic Glam in Deadly £3.19
5. Barry M Nail Paint in Clear £2.99
6. (Marks and Spencers Polish in Dark red - similar) Essie Winter Collection in Shearling Darling £5.99
7. Superdrug Beauty Essentials Nail Polish Remover £1.09

I always use the Boots Baby cotton wool pads as you they're quite soft but still remove makeup and nail polish effectively, I prefer using the cotton wool pads to remove my nail polish as I find that with cotton wool balls the fibres tend to come apart and so easily stick to other bits of nail polish which make it a pain.

I am a BIG fan of the MUA range which you can purchase in Superdrug, I have several of their products and even though admittedly some of the products are a bit hit and miss, a good majority of them are good quality at a great price. I love this bright blue colour in Spring and Summer and seeing as it's coming up to those seasons, I wapped it out again in eager anticipation. I find that the polish doesn't chip too easily and with two coats it does provide a solid colour. Strongly recommend checking out their polishes!

The Barry M Matte Nails are all that I wore throughout December and January, I did a blogpost on another shade of this polish (available here) and soon after I picked up the shade in Black and I honestly love it. They're not ridiculously expensive, especially as there's normally 3 for 2 deals at Boots and Superdrug and they don't chip for a few days. I also feel just a little bit cooler wearing black polish.

Another of my favourite polishes is the Collection Gothic Glam in Revenge. I did a blogpost on this here so  I won't ramble on too much, but I do still love this. It's perfect for a more formal occasion and adds a little bit of 'glam' to a look!

I used to use a Sally Hansen base and top coat, which was very good however it was quite expensive so I started using the Barry M base and top coat instead and it does almost as good a job but at much less of a price. It adds a high shine to a polish and does increase the amount of time that the polish stays on the nails for! I really like this product and if you're looking for a new top and base coat, try this!

Finally in the polish picks is this nail polish that I actually received in a gift set so I linked a similar one. It's just a deep red that is perfect for winter-y days. I like the whole burgundy trend, especially in terms of makeup. I also feel pretty hot when I have painted red nails, I'm a loser, right?

My final favourite is the Superdrug Nail polish remover. I know that MammafulZo uses the acetone-free version of this remover, however I find that this one is great. It's a large bottle and lasts a really long time and removes nail polishes really effectively. It doesn't dry out my nails and it's super super cheap. I definitely recommend trying it out!

Those are my nail favourites, thanks for reading! Have you tried any of these products? Leave a commend below!

Beth xxx

instagram: @bethssecret
twitter: @bethssecret
e-mail: beths-secret@live.co.uk

February Favourites

Anyone else struggle with the spelling of February? No? Just me? Aw. 

February has been a short month, however for me it's gone pretty quickly! I've been ill for the month with glandular fever and a throat infection so I haven't really been doing that much so my favourites for this month are quite boring and there's not very many! I'm going away at the end of next month for about 3/4 weeks so blogposts will probably not be that frequent, but I should have a lot more favourites!

My first favourite is the Intensive Hand Cream from Superdrug that I picked up for £1.49 a few months ago. I kept this in my bag because as it was cold, my hands were pretty awful! I actually lost this for about 2 months and found it when I switched up my room out of boredom a few weeks ago and I've realised how good it actually is! It's perfect for winter and chapped, dry hands and it's an absolute lifesaver. As well as this, it's also only £1.49 which is an absolute steal.

My second favourite would have to be the Umberto Giannini Backcomb in a Bottle at £6 (quite often on 3 for 2). I've heard mixed reviews on this product but I picked it up in December and have pretty much used it every time I've washed my hair since. I just use this after blowdrying my hair dry to give it some volume in the roots and finds that it does the job! However, I have found that I've used up a lot of this product and I find it quite expensive so I'm not sure if it's something that I will repurchase. I hate the overpowering smell that comes with dry shampoo so I need to try and find an alternative to get some volume into my hair!

I have been absolutely loving the Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation that I picked up from Boots last month for £8.99 and I've started using it as my everyday foundation. I love this, it's not too heavy but still provides a good amount of coverage. I picked it up in the shade 'Shell' however I think I would go lighter if I was to purchase it again as I think it's a tiny bit too dark and it does cling to dry patches, but other than that I love it. It leaves a glow-y sort of finish and isn't shimmery like the Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation which I reviewed back at the end of November. I love this foundation and want to try out the powder from the same range!

Now, a programme that I literally could not stop watching was Game of Thrones. I know I'm late to the game what with Season four about to start, but I finally sat down and watched it and I absolutely loved it. I got through 3 seasons in under 4 days and it was time well spent. If you're a fan of dramas or things like Lord of the Rings I would definitely checking out the series. I thought it was the perfect mix of drama, love, sadness and humour. I did the heathen thing of watching the series before picking up the books but I've just started reading the books (no thanks to play.com for severely messing up several of my orders) and I'm addicted, it's ridiculous. Go check it out!

My final favourite is a YouTuber who you will have heard of who goes by the name Essie Button! I started watching her about a year or two ago and regrettably stopped until recently and I'm hooked! She does her make-up perfectly and is absolutely hilarious, I love her vlogs as well as her beauty videos and she's absolutely gorgeous. If you haven't ever watched her videos, I would thoroughly recommend pressing that subscribe button!

So, those were my favourites from the past few months. What have been your favourites in the past month? Have you tried any of my favourites? Leave a comment below!

Thanks for reading,

Beth xxx

instagram: @bethssecret

twitter: @bethssecret

e-mail: beths-secret@live.co.uk

Primark Satchel Update

A few months ago you may have seen my review of the Primark Satchel (link here) and seeing as I've been using it as my go-to bag for the past few months that I should do a review of it!

So, I purchased this back in November for £9 which is a huge difference in price to the Cambridge Satchels at roughly £120 a bag. I do quite like this bag, it's comfortable to wear and carries a fair amount of stuff, the colour goes with a lot of my clothing and it hasn't completely died. Emphasis on the word "completely there." 

Most of the bag is in good nick, however the straps aren't in the best condition. The left strap completely snapped off (at a really inconvenient time, the train doors got jammed at my stop, my bag strap snapped and I had to run down the length of the train trying to find a door that worked - wasn't ideal) however with a bit of superglue, I've managed to fix it. Bear in mind that I do carry a lot of weight in this bag, I used it everyday in December for work carrying big thick hardback books and then have used it the rest of the time to carry my books and clothes in if I'm going somewhere. The right strap is completely fine and doesn't show any sign of fraying.

As you can see, the inside lining of the bag (excuse the mess and mass of train tickets) is pretty much fine. One or two scuff marks and the odd thread hanging out but it's pretty much perfect condition on the inside. As well as the inside of the bag, the actual handle on top of the bag is also in perfect condition. I rarely actually use the handle, so it would be a bit worrying if it was fraying.

Finally, the buckle that adjusts the length of the strap is starting to show signs of wear and the little metal prong bit has slightly torn the material, however I think it still has a fair amount of usage left in it before it's utterly broken.

In conclusion, I do still recommend purchasing this bag! It's cheap, the quality isn't horrendous and I've had a lot of use out of it! Yes, admittedly it is a bit battered but if you don't mind getting creative with some superglue then this bag is fully worth the £9!

Have you tried the Primark satchel? What did you think? Leave a comment below!

Thanks for reading! Beth xxx

instagram: @bethssecret

twitter: @bethssecret

e-mail: beths-secret@live.co.uk

17 Metallic Eyes Review

Another quick little review for you guys on the 17 Wild Metallic Cream Eyeshadow in Green from Boots. I found this in my local Boots shop, however I can't seem to find it online so I don't know if it has been discontinued. I bought mine in this Golden/Green sort of colour and because I bought this at the same time I bought the SEVENTEEN Phwoarr Paint and I had spent a certain amount of money on SEVENTEEN products, it meant that I got a free eyebrow kit so it's not all doom and gloom!

Pros:

- Reasonably priced at roughly the same price as the Maybelline Colour Tattoo.

- Pretty decent sized pot.

- Lovely colour, love the green/gold thing.

- Packaging is alright, however I'm not a big fan of the whole cheetah print thing.

- Easily available in lots of Boots stores.

- Application is easy, dip your finger in and swipe it over your lids, or use a brush.

Cons:

- Way too creamy. Almost a mousse like texture.

- Does not last and creases almost instantly.

- Not very pigmented on application.

- Due to the lack of staying power, it's pretty much unusable.

- If it's the same price as the Famous Colour Tattoo, why not just buy that as it's a thousand times better.

Now, I don't know whether or not it's just my particular product which is this mousse like texture and it's a fault or what, but I genuinely can't use it as it just doesn't last. It's too thin and doesn't set after any amount of time so just sits there on your lids until it rubs or melts off which is ridiculous. Thoroughly disappointed in this product and would not encourage you to go out and purchase it! Such a shame as it could be such a beautiful eyeshadow :(

Without Flash

With Flash

So sad about this product, have you tried it? Did you like it? Let me know in the comments!

Beth xxx

instagram: @bethssecret

twitter: @bethssecret

e-mail: beths-secret@live.co.uk

#2014BloggerChallenge High Street VS. High End

I'm very much a high street girl, even if I do have money for once, I shop on the high street out of habit. I think that the high street is seriously underrated and you can get some great steals, but that doesn't stop me from lusting after some high end bits and bobs. 

I've created my selection of perfect high street items - clothing and makeup, and then my high end wishlist! 

1. Revlon Nearly Naked £8.99
2. Seek Makeup I-Divine Eyeshadow Palette in Storm £7.99
3. Primark Rose Printed Shorts £10
4. Umberto Giannini Frizzi Rebel Without a Course Styling Spray £6
5. Sleek Lipstick True Colour in Vixen £4.99
6. New Look Gold Geo Cut Out Necklace £5.99
7. Delilah Dust Silver Sideways Deer Antler £4

1. MAC 217 Blending Brush £18
2. Cambridge Satchel The Batchel £140
3. NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in Club Mix £17.50
4. Yves Saint Laurent Forever Foundation £36
5. MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo £15
6. Michael Kors Round Watch in Golden £150

I'm so in love with the Cambridge satchel and since the strap started to break on my Primark one, I've been lusting after it more and more but I just can't bring myself to spend that much on a bag (even if it's relatively cheap for a high end bag!) I'm also completely in love with the Delilah Dust necklace and I think that I'm going to go ahead and buy that soon as it's an absolute steal at only £4. As well as that, the Revlon Nearly Naked foundation shown is something that I use everyday, it's not too sheer but it leaves the skin looking fantastic, I thoroughly recommend it! I think with the Michael Kors watch I'm going to get a high street dupe, admittedly it won't be nearly as good quality as the Michael Kors but it'll be a hell of a lot cheaper!
So, those are my high street favourite and my high end lusts! I hope that enjoyed this post, leave a comment below telling me what your high street favourite or high end lust is!
Beth xxx
twitter: @bethssecret
instagram: @bethssecret
e-mail: beths-secret@live.co.uk

Date Night Essentials

As it's Valentine's Day tomorrow, I thought I should do something along the theme of the day. I'm not really one to celebrate the day and I'm currently ill and single so I plan to spend the day in my onesie watching Game of Thrones.

However, I thought that I would do a post on what I take out with me if I go out on a date. I don't tend to take too much as I don't want to be lugging around everything but the kitchen sink, but I do like to be reasonably prepared. 

I like to take a reasonably small bag that still fits everything but also has a long strap so that I don't find that it gets in my way if I'm walking. I tend to like bags that I'm able to forget if they're there or not and doesn't take up any of my hands, otherwise I get irritated. 

Anyway, the first thing I like to take is a long lasting lip colour such as the Rimmel Apocolips. It stays on the lips and isn't too glossy so it doesn't just slide off, I like to bring this with me for a quick lip top up. I prefer bolder colours to more nude colours and I always think that it looks nice. 

The next thing I bring along is a lip balm, I like this Nivea one as I find that it actually does the job and softens my lips a lot. As well as that it smells quite nice and almost vanilla like and is quite cheap so it doesn't matter if I lose it.

As well as this, I also bring along a packet of mints. I get hungry nervous so mints are perfect and this little tin is exactly the right size. 

I also like to bring a mini pack of tissues where ever I go because I always find that when I really need a tissue, there's never any around. I'm also a food spiller so they're useful for cleaning up my messy eating.

Finally, I bring my purse because strong independant woman and all.

So that's what I take out with me if I'm going on a date! What do you take with you? Leave a comment below!

Beth xxx

twitter: @bethssecret

instagram: @bethssecret

e-mail: beths-secret@live.co.uk

Liebster Award no.3

Okay, so I've done this award a few times before however Uggynog nominated me and I think that it's always nice to honour that and you can learn some other things about me! 

If you haven't already, go and check out her blog! It's genuinely one of my favourite blogs and she's such a lovely person :)

To qualify for the Liebster Award you need to have under 200 followers and someone needs to nominate you. They then give you 11 questions to answer, so you answer those, nominate 11 people and then give them 11 questions to answer! It sounds complicated but it's not too bad!

So my 11 questions from Uggynog were:

1. Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging because I'd been reading them for a while and I don't have the balls to start a YouTube channel!

2. Define your style in one sentence!
Eclectic try-hard.

3. Where would you love to travel one day?

I really would love to go to New York and Japan, they seem like incredible cities with a lot going on.

4. Favorite place to shop?
I really like H&M for clothing as their clothing is always decent quality, quite pretty and not ridiculously expensive.

5. Who's your style icon?
I really love Alexa Chung's style but I also really love Becca Rose's style from http://www.youtube.com/user/voussontbeauetbelle as she always looks lovely!

6. One movie and one TV show you can't live without?
One of my favourite shows is How I Met Your Mother, but I've recently gotten into Game of Thrones and I love it. In terms of films, I'd have to say Easy A or An Education. If you haven't seen them I thoroughly recommend them!

7. Least favorite fashion trend?
Neon or sports luxe. Or neon sports luxe.

8. One beauty product staple in your life?
Concealer, I'm very tired looking!

9. Favorite book/magazine/website?
My favourite book... difficult question. Maybe Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote - I really enjoyed that. My favourite magazine is Company as it features a lot of affordable items. And my favourite website is YouTube!

10. Who inspires you? {in any way, shape or form}
I look up to a lot of bloggers, such as Zoe Ldn, ViviannaDoesMakeup and Essie Button as they seem like genuine people who have remained grounded and are good to their fans! 

11. What do you want to achieve with your blog and yourself this year?
I'm hoping to grow my audience a bit! As well as improve the quality of the blogposts and my photography. I'm also considering starting YouTube but I'm really not sure! As well as that, I'm going to be starting university this September so I'm hoping to settle in well and cope with the workload!

Okay, so that's my Liebster award blogpost!

I'm not going to nominate anyone as I'm going to nominate whoever reads this blogpost with the questions that I was asked!

Cheating? Yes, but my excuse is that I have glandular fever and I'm reaaaaaalllyy tired right now! Sorry!

And go and check out http://uggynog.blogspot.co.uk/ !!

Beth xxx

instagram: @bethssecret

twitter: @bethssecret

tumblr: http://www.littl-musician.tumblr.com

e-mail: beths-secret@live.co.uk

Collectif

I recently received an e-mail asking if Collectif were any interest to me and if I would like to write a blogpost on them. I had a look at their site and I absolutely love their clothing! It's not unrealistically expensive and the clothes look great.

In the next few weeks, Collectif are set to release their SS14 collection at London EDGE and London Pure which are two fashion trade shows. They are a vintage clothing company whose main inspiration comes from the 1940s and 1950s and the pieces that they are showing are set to hit shops and their online site this month. As well as showing what is in their main collection, they are also going to be showing clothes which are vintage, but with a modern edge which I am especially interested in seeing. London EDGE took place on the 2nd-4th of February but London Pure is scheduled for this weekend (9th-11th February) so if you're in London pop along to check out the show! What I love is that they have a wide range of sizes, from size 6 to size 22 so it's refreshing to see that!

I've picked out some of my favourite pieces from the website to show you guys, so enjoy!

1. Helga Skirt Swallow Embroidery £35

2. Pearl Stud Earrings £4.50

3. Claudette Velvet Dress £40 (on sale)

4. Patricia Cherry Floral Chiffon Blouse £35

5. Violet Skull Print Dress £59.50

So those are my picks from the Collectif website (isn't the green velvet dress beautiful?). I just thought that I would share this site with you guys as I thought it was interesting and I absolutely love the vintage style! Hope you enjoyed this post :) 

Beth xxx

instagram: @bethssecret

twitter: @bethssecret

tumblr: http://www.littl-musician.tumblr.com

e-mail: beths-secret@live.co.uk

*Even though I was asked if I wanted to write this blog post, all opinions are my own and I was not paid.

Once Upon A Time... #2014BloggerChallenge Week 3

So, it's that time of the month again (no, not that time) and it's another #2014BloggerChallenge post! This week's theme is about books! I loved books as a child, up until the age of about 16 and then for some reason I lost my love for them. I was miserable and I just never read anymore, so when I worked in a bookshop over Christmas and I was surrounded by books I found hundreds that I wanted to read. So, I finally picked up some books (a lot of books...) and started reading again recreationally. I've missed it so much and I've found some amazing books recently, such as one of my recent favourites which is "The Universe Versus Alex Woods" by Gavin Extence.

“If you had to relive your life exactly as it was – same successes and failures, same happiness, same miseries, same mixture of comedy and tragedy – would you want to? Was it worth it?” 

This is the most well-known quotation from the book and one of the most thought-provoking. I found that this book made me think a lot and question my values.

Admittedly, it's quite a slow moving book. The prologue starts with, the protagonist, Alex,  in a 

car at the crossing at Dover where he is arrested. I liked this as it left me wondering how the rest of the novel would develop in such a way that he would end up in this situation. The author then has Alex recount his life to the reader, starting with the strange incident with the meteor, to his slightly odd mother then to the first time he met Mr. Peterson due to a misunderstanding about the vandalism of his greenhouse. 

"...not all scars are bad, Alex. Some are worth hanging on to ...” 

There are several lines in this book that are very quotable, and I loved it. I loved the writing style of Extence, it was very easy to read however it still was incredibly interesting. It made me laugh at the right moments, and cry at the right moments. I think that if you're looking for a Young Adult book, this is definitely something that you should check out. 

It's currently £3.85 over at http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Universe-Versus-Alex-Woods/dp/1444765892/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391530488&sr=8-1&keywords=the+universe+versus+alex+woods

Also, follow/friend me on GoodReads! https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/18386272-beth-farrell

Beth xxx

instagram: @bethssecret

twitter: @bethssecret

tumblr:http://www.littl-musician.tumblr.com

Myleene Klass My Palette Review

I received this palette from my mum at Christmas, and though I'd never heard of it before and never knew that Myleene Klass had released a palette, I was interested. I have no idea how much this palette cost, obviously, as it was a gift but I really do quite like it and was glad to have received it!

It features two blush shades, two lip gloss shades, 6 eyeshadow shades and two applicators. I'm going to do a quick rundown of pros and cons and whether or not this product is worth purchasing if you come across it.

Pros:

- Very pigmented shadows and blushes.

- A nice range of shadows, I use the cranberry and gold a lot.

- Large mirror which makes it useful for travelling.

- Smooth, sleek black packaging.

- One matte blush and one blush with shimmer, a nice range.

- The colours are actually usable and varied.

Cons:

- Might be difficult to travel with as it's so large.

- I find that fallout from the shadows and blushes fall into the lipglosses which is a little bit icky.

- The applicators aren't really of any use.

- It's quite heavy.

- The glosses aren't very pigmented, but still provide a nice wash of colour.

Overall, I think that this palette is great. I use it almost everyday. The shadows and blushes are very pigmented and the lip glosses, although they weren't really needed, are quite nice for a neutral look. The only downside to this product is the size.

I might do a Face of the Day with this as I do really like it. Hope this review was useful! 

Beth xxx

twitter: @bethssecret

instagram: @beth1562

tumblr: http://www.littl-musician.tumblr.com

Tone Up

Over summer, I was pretty happy with my body but over the course of winter I may have turned into a bear and gone slightly into hibernation and lost the muscle in my body. These past few weeks I've been working on improving the tone of my body and I'm starting to feel happier with my body, especially my thighs which have always been my problem area. Because I'm too lazy to get up extra early in the mornings and I always feel too tired at night, I don't run that often. Maybe once a fortnight, so instead I use a lot of YouTube videos and one or two infographics. I find them quite effective, but that's  just what works for me! Anyway, I thought that I would share what I use, just incase your interested.

This video claims to be a full body workout - it lies. It mainly focuses on your legs but I thought that it was really good and really did work after about a fortnight. At first it absolutely destroyed me and I was ridiculously tired, but after doing it every night I started to notice I wasn't getting as tired within about 2 weeks.

This infographic focuses on the abs and it really worked for me. Granted, it hurts a hell  of a lot, but it's pretty effective.

I love Blogilates, she's ridiculously upbeat and her videos are genuinely useful. I recommend this video in particular, but pretty much all of hers are great to be honest. She always has meal plans and fitness routines you should follow, personally I don't as I'm not looking to lose weight, only to tone up.

And finally, planking. I only recently started doing this, but I was surprised by a. how much it hurt and b. how much it actually made a difference. I'm trying out the 30 day plank challenge, I'm only day 2 but I'll keep you updated on how it progresses!

So, that's how I'm toning up at the moment. If you have any tips, please leave them in the comments section below! I'd love to hear your thoughts!

instagram: @beth1562

twitter: @bethssecret

Beth xxx

#2014BloggerChallenge Week 2 - Skincare

So, this weeks theme for the #2014BloggerChallenge is skincare! As I've told you about both my Morning Skincare routine: http://beths-secrets.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/my-morning-skincare-routine.html and nighttime skincare routine: http://beths-secrets.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/my-night-time-skincare-routine.html recently I thought that I would tell you about my shower routine that I have to try and get the rest of my body in as good a condition as I can. 

I tend to have long showers, I don't mean to I just get distracted thinking about the world and end up in there for normally at least 30 minutes. So, in terms of skincare or bodycare (?) the first product that I'll use is the Dirty Works Buttery Salt Scrub which is probably a dupe of a Soap & Glory scrub, however at a much lower price. I think I purchased this in Sainsbury's for a mere £2.50 which for the quantity is insane. It's a good product providing a decent amount of exfoliation and it smells lovely!

The second product I use in my routine is the Dove Bodywash Silk which I got on offer in Boots for £2.50. I love this product, I used it a lot a few years back but recently rediscovered it and therefore rediscovered my love for this. I find that it leaves my skin with quite a lovely glow and it's not hugely expensive for the amount that you get. It smells great and it moisturises my skin a little!

If I'm shaving my legs, I'll use a cheap conditioner because it leaves my legs feeling softer and less dry than if I used a shaving gel. I just use a reasonably cheap razor, one of the Bic Pure 3 Lady Pack 4 Triple Razor that are like £2.20 for for four. I don't really see the point in buying expensive razors because I use so many other products that leave my legs just as soft, however I would like to try one of the electric razors some day!

The final product that I use in the shower on my body is the Palmolive Naturals Nourishing Shower Milk in Honey which is ridiculously cheap at £1.99 for 250ml. I absolutely love this. After I've shaved my legs I use this and leave it on for a few minutes and it makes such a difference. I really do recommend that you try this product, it smells lovely and does such a good job.

After my shower I tend to use the Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Firming Butter which aims to improve the firmness of your skin. I use this as my weight fluctuates a lot and I use this to try and prevent stretch marks. Some people really don't like the smell of this however I really like it, it is quite sickly though. It's a very thick consistency, like a butter but it comes out of a pump. I find that two pumps are enough to cover my legs in a thick layer. In terms of moisturising this is really great and leaves my legs feeling nourished.

So that's my bodycare routine! It's not technically a skincare post however as I had already done two I didn't see much of a point in doing another one as my routine hasn't changed very much. Hope you enjoyed! If you have any suggestions or recommendations leave them in the comment section below!

Beth xxx

twitter: @bethssecret

instagram: @beth1562