Living for the Good Life: 2015

I decided to share with you my main presents from L, as I'm so in love with them and they're too gorgeous not to share. I knew I was getting some things from Mulberry, but wasn't 100% sure what. I had an inkling it would be these items, and I was super pleased when I opened the bags to find it was.

The purse is made of the butteriest, softest leather, and has so much room for your things inside. I have a lot of loyalty cards and such, and so the extra spaces are brilliant.

I've been wanting a proper cardholder for some time now, and so I'm delighted to finally have one. My intention is to use it when I go out for a nice meal or drinks, kept inside my clutch to keep things organised. I'd like to use it on nights out but I don't trust myself to keep it in good condition, or to keep it at all!

They are both lovely neutral shades, but the camera is not showing the justice. The purse is showing up much more yellow toned in the pictures than it actually is, and the cardholder is much more of a soft, powdery pink, described as 'oatmeal' on the tag. I apologise for the poor picture quality, my camera seems to be getting worse by the day! I hope you all got as lovely presents, and enjoyed giving presents just as much as you enjoyed receiving them, because I sure know I did.

Merry Christmas everyone! I'm writing this from bed after a wonderful Christmas day. It was a day filled with presents, food, and lots of love - exactly how Christmas days should be. Here are some sneak peeks into my day, all of which are courtesy of my iPhone due to lack of camera here. I might do a post on my main presents and share them with you in the most not-bragging-but-they're-really-nice-and-I'm-super-chuffed-with-them way possible, if I fancy it, and get around to it. Sorry for lack of posts, life is kind of horribly crazy at the moment but the craziness is slowly but surely coming to an end in the near future so hopefully peace and happiness will return in the New Year. My Christmas day has for sure been a big step in the right direction.

Much love x

As you've seen, I'm seriously loving skincare at the moment, and so when I was browsing Marks and Spencers sometime around Black Friday and saw this set from REN for half price, I was ecstatic.

I've been eyeing up REN skincare for a while now, after using the little samples from Space NK, but could never decide which product I actually wanted to take the leap and buy a full size of. So, when I saw this trio set of full size products for the amazing price of £49 (RRP £100!), I jumped at the chance. The selection sounded ideal for what I was looking for and I decided there and then on the spot to buy it immediately.

As you can see, the products come in a cute box (which I've already recycled as a nail varnish container), and the set includes the Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask (50ml) - you know how much I love my glycolic!, the Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial (75ml), and the Keep Young and Beautiful Instant Firming Beauty Shot (30ml).

I've used all three products now and can easily say I love all of them. The glycolic mask is only to be used once or week or so, and leaves your skin feeling so cleansed, so long as you wash it off properly. The flash rinse facial is to be used every 3 days and is a rougher texture mask that leaves your skin feeling ever so exfoliated. I used the keep young serum every night and apply it as the first product, so the base layer. Even when my skin has been playing up because of bad eating, I can see the blemish-free areas are clear, bright and glowing.

Even for the full £100, this set isn't a bad deal, and I'd definitely recommend getting your hands on it if your skincare routine needs a refresh.

The set's exclusive to M&S and is currently unavailable to buy online, but definitely check your nearest large store.

As I said in my last post, I've recently fallen in love with Nars during my multiple Space NK trips. One of the things I had been eyeing up was the Steven Klein One Shocking Moment Cheek Studio Palette, swatching it and swooning over it time and time again, but never actually buying it. The perfect excuse/opportunity came up a week or so ago when I received an N.dulge N.centive via email, and on top of that I was feeling a little ill so L wanted to treat me, and I finally got my hands on it.

The box it comes in matches the actual packaging, and although I'm slightly unsure of the image, it's nowhere near as creepy as the Tearjerker eye set.

The packaging is beautiful though, and feels wonderfully luxurious - weighty, but not too heavy. When you open it up, it's even more of a beauty.

As you can see it comes with 7 products: A highlight, contour, bronzer and four blushes.

For some reason they don't name the highlighter on the back of the product, but the contour is Paloma and the bronzer Laguna. The blushes from left to right are Robotic, Blasphemy, Luster and Dolce Vita.

I've used all but two blushes so far, and can confidently say it is an amazing palette.

I'm particularly taken with the Dolce Vita blush, which gives a gorgeous deep flush to the cheeks, perfect for this time of year.

I have to say I am marginally disappointed with the highlight, having expected it to have some kind of sheen or shimmer. Instead it is more of a matte powder, which offers little highlighting properties, for me anyway. I've been using it to powder under my eyes so at least I've found another function for it I guess.

I tried to do swatches for you but they seemed to payoff lightly on my fingers and the lighting was poor to say the least, but here's my best efforts. Ever so inconveniently it's in reverse order, starting from Dolce Vita on the left and going backwards through the blushes and then through to the bronzer, contour and finally the highlight.

I'd highly recommend getting your hands on this palette if you're as much into face products as I am at the moment. It's brilliant value but it's also limited edition, so get it whilst you still can!

As a little late treat for graduating, L offered me up a budget to pick a goodie of my choosing. I've be in and out of Space NK like a mad woman recently and the sales assistants are starting to recognise me, which is equally embarrassing as it is comforting. Anyway, in my many visits I'd been eyeing up the Nars range, which in all honesty I'd never given any real scrutiny to before. I own the Orgasm blush, which I adore and have had for 3 years or so, but apart from that I've had nothing else. I was in the mood for both a new lipliner and a new eyeshadow, and turned to Nars to satisfy my cravings.

A lover of gold eyeshadows, I opted for one of the Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows in the shade Himalia. It's a gorgeously smooth applying eyeshadow, in a sort of antiqued gold. It looks lighter in the pan compared to how it applies, going on to the lid more antiqued and bronzed. I can imagine that this is incredible applied using a slightly damp brush to give a really impactful look. It's just passable for daytime wear, and I especially love it patted all the way around the eye to give an almost-but-not-quite smokey eye.

For lipliner, I wanted a sort of nude-but-more colour, one that was fine for daytime but a little but more noticeable than my usual Mac Subculture or my Kiko. I opted for the Patong Beach Velvet Lip Liner.

It's a slightly brick toned nude-red, that could be worn daytime for a bit more of a done-up look, or night time for a 'I've made an effort but not too in your face' vibe.

My only problem with this is that it definitely requires touch up. I'm used to more nude tones that I can just leave and eat and drink and not think about, but this one does need to be watched. I made the mistake of wearing it during a busy day at work and caught myself in the mirror towards the end of the day and it was all kinds of blotchy. Not good. Apart from that it's gorgeous, and I'm really pleased with both products.

May this be the official happy start to my love affair with Nars...

I'm a tesco girl, have been since I started uni, and it's rewarded me over the years. Whenever I get my clubcard points through I use the boost system and convert them into restaurant vouchers, and this time I managed to redeem £30 worth for Zizzi. Not bad I say!

So, me and L headed out for a dinner date, chuffed in the knowledge that the bill would be pretty much on Tesco.

We asked for our favourite table, the one by the window (because we're both nosey), and perused the menus.

It had been ages since we'd been to Zizzi and I was thoroughly craving their delicious offerings.

For drinks, L ordered the Passion Fruit Punch, and I the Sicilian still lemonade, as always.

After much deliberation from L, and little from me (I may or may not have already looked at the menu beforehand and chosen what I wanted...keeno), we placed our orders.

We opted for a starter and a main instead of a main and pudding, and were not disappointed with our choice.

I felt like something different, something other than my old faithful bruscetta, and opted for the fonduta formaggi, which consists of 'a melting pot of gorgonzola, gruyere and pecorino cheese with 'little soul' bread for dipping'.

I was equal parts delighted and horrified at how much bread came with it. Delighted because I am a unashamed bread fiend, but horrified for my waistline.

It was delicious and I completely devoured the bread, leaving a little cheese and instead using the last 'little soul' to mop up a dreamy mix of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic. Though I have to admit I kept offering up bits of bread to L to try and quell my bread-overdose guilt.

L went much healthier and decided on the calamari.

Which he said was good, but didn't have a notch on Piccolino's.

After we'd greedily polished off our starters, our mains arrived.

I chose the superfood salad, swapping the goats cheese for mozzarella, and adding a side of tuscan potatoes.

It tasted just as good as it looks. Though note the additions of MORE little soul bread - I simply felt obliged to leave these as I kind of felt that 6 rolls of bread was ever so slightly excessive, even by my standards.

Hilariously, due to his last minute decision-making on his main and being flustered by the waitress suddenly springing upon him, L mis-read the main dish he ordered.

Expecting a dish of baked pasta to arrive, he was very shocked to see the most ginormous calzone plumped in front of him. Especially as he'd never had calzone before and was bemused to what exactly it was that had been given to him for a minute or two.

Nevertheless, he thoroughly enjoyed the beast of a dish, and astonishingly managed to polish off the lot! I was impressed, and I think he was too - noting that it should have been an eating challenge it was that monstrously big!

We left feeling incredibly full and satisfied, got back home and immediately threw ourselves into bed, falling asleep in no time, knocked out in food comas.

Thanks Zizzi, and thanks Tesco!

On Friday it was my graduation for my undergraduate Sociology degree and of course, it was a brilliant day!

I started the day by getting my hair done at Andrew Collinge, with my favourite hairdresser Louise, so that already started the day off on a good note.

I got my hair cut slightly shorter than usual, but I love it as it's made it feel a lot healthier, thicker and fuller, which it really needed.

Anyway, after the hairdressers I went home and did my make-up, put on my new French Connection dress and new heels and was ready to be picked up by my mum and step-dad. They arrived and came up to my flat and surprised me with some lovely graduation gifts!

I knew I was getting a bracelet from Chlobo, my favourite jewellery brand, but the rest was a surprise.

The bracelet is so gorgeous and it matches loads of my other jewellery, as well as my new tattoo...which you'll be seeing shortly!

They also got me a bottle of Cava (they wanted champagne but didn't have time to buy it hahaha. Apparently it's a nice one though...)

As well as some lovely Decleor goodies.

Presented in a beautifully presented box.

The Hydra Floral BB Cream.

As well as the Aroma Confort Moisturising Body Milk.

I'm really excited to try both of them out as I've never used anything from the brand before.

On top of all this they also got me some fridge magnets from Stratford-Upon-Avon, which I'd specially requested because I'd lost some of my old ones.

I'm a big fan of Shakespeare and I think he's highly under-appreciated these days by my generation, which I think is mainly down to his use in English lessons in school, which makes people fed up with him, unfortunately. Luckily I was brought up with him and will forever hold a love and appreciation for his work.

I was so grateful for my gifts, and after opening these we all headed off to collect my graduation gown and get pictures taken.

After having our pictures taken, we all headed off to either the Student Union (my grandma and grandpa went here to watch a live stream of the graduation because unfortunately they couldn't get tickets), or to the Cathedral for the ceremony.

I met my course friends and we took our seats within the Cathedral, whilst my mum, step-dad and dad took theirs.

The cathedral looked magical, like something out of Hogwarts.

The ceremony took place in all its splendour, and I took to the stage to shake the Chancellor's hand and receive my certificate.

Afterwards, the obligatory pictures with family began.

And I proudly showed off my certificate.

Once the photoshoot was done we headed for a quick coffee to perk ourselves up and then it was off to Piccolino's for a celebratory meal - myself, the boyfriend, my grandma, grandpa, step-dad, mum and dad.

It was a perfect day and evening, and we all left feeling very merry and content, with bellies full of food and wine, and I was officially a First Class Bachelor of Science in Sociology.

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