Currently Listening in April

I posted my monthly favourites on Monday and now it's time for my currently listening's I'm going to start with my new favourite song from Florence and the Machine she released her new single this month Ship To Wreck and it's everything that you love about Florence and the Machine. Soaring vocals, a catchy chorus and a great sound, unlike the previous two releases (which are great btw) from Florence and the Machines upcoming third album 'How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful' this is the most FATM sounding song. I hope they release UK tour dates alongside the new album because I'd love to see Florence live again and I think this song will sound brilliant live. 

I've been listening a lot to James Bay 'Chaos And The Calm'. The album flows effortlessly from one track to the next between catchy songs, ballads and rockier sounds, James Bays mix of soft rock and pop makes 'Chaos And The Calm' a solid debut album. It might not break the mould but it really is a good album and I hope to catch him at T in the Park this year. I've been listening to Marina and the Diamonds a lot this month too her songs are so catchy and sassy, you can't help but sing and dance along and I'm back loving Taylor Swifts 1989 album I mean it's just so good you can't not like it! Next month I've got a couple of gigs I'm going to see Twin Atlantic play the Hydro in Glasgow and I'm also going to see Hozier play the Barrowland in Glasgow.

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April Favourites

Aprils been a funny old month gorgeous and spring like one minute then freezing cold another with the odd mix of April showers. I've been loving the lighter nights and the pretty spring days, flowers blossoming and sunny afternoons.

photo credit

After finishing PLL and The U.S. Office I had a pretty large Netflix shaped hole in my life which I quickly filled with Once Upon A Time and I mean quickly, I watched about 3 seasons in a week! OUAT if you don't already know about it is set in the fictional town of Storybrooke where all the characters from your best loved fairy tales live after being transported into a real world. You get to see different sides and story's for the characters and I really enjoyed it, it's hard to explain but stick with it if you love Disney and fairy tales you'll probably like this. I've also got a slight crush on captain hook weird.

 

 

This month I've been loving Primark Fake Nails you get lots of different styles and designs and what's better is they are only £1! They are the perfect length for an everyday nail and my nails but better look. I wore these striped ones for a week and a bit and they lasted really well, one nail popped off on the second day but when I reapplied it they stayed put for the rest of the time. I'm so impressed with these nails that I went back and bought three more styles.

 

 

I've been trying out the L'Oreal Infallible 24 Hour Matte Foundation £6.99 this month and I love it, it's been the foundation I've reached for most days because it feel lightweight while offering a medium to high coverage. The foundation blends like a dream leaving a luminous matte finish that I really like and it's only £6.99 which is really affordable.

 

This month I've also been loving these H&M Skater Shoes £14.99 that I got a couple of weeks ago, they were an absolute bugger to break in but once they had been broken in they are so comfy. I wasn't sure if I'd wear these a it as they aren't really my style my feet are normally always in boots no matter what the season but I really like these. My only little niggle is with the sizing H&M jump straight from a 6.5 to a 7.5? No 7! Strange and a bit annoying if you're a 7 I've notice this on a few pairs off H&M shoes I wonder if it's like that with them all, it worked out ok for me as the 6.5 fit perfectly. Because they are monochrome they work well with lots of casual outfits and will be great for through spring and summer.
 

I've also been loving Muller Light yoghurts this month, they are so nice! The size of the tub is perfect not too much but just enough and they taste delicious, I've been really liking the strawberry and vanilla flavours but there are loads to choose from. I know it seems strange raving about yoghurts but these are blooming brilliant and if you're watching your calories these are only 99 a pot!

That's my favourites for the month, what have you been loving this month? Lets hope May continues to be nice and spring like with sunny days and blue skies. Check back on Wednesday to see what I've been listening to this month.

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L'Oreal Infallible 24 Hour Matte Foundation

 

L'Oreal Infallible 24 Hour Matte Foundation £6.99

You might have seen in my mini beauty haul post that I picked up the new L'orèal Infallible 24 Hour Matte Foundation while browsing in Boots recently. I'd been wanting to try it for a while and finally got round to buying it and have been trying it out since. The packaging isn't like many foundations instead of coming in a bottle it comes in a squeezy tube with a nozzle, there's also a handy guide on the back of the tube that tells you about the foundation, the texture, coverage and finish. The foundation claims to be medium in texture that provides high coverage and a matte finish.

 

The squeezy tube makes it easy to squeeze out the amount you want cutting out the waste/left over foundation you can get with a pump. The foundation is easy to blend and it blends into the skin really well giving an even coverage while feeling lightweight. I'd say the foundation offers a medium to high coverage that can be built up and the finish is matte but still luminous. I've been reaching for this foundation most days because I like it so much and what's more it's only £7.99! I already know this is going to be a staple in my makeup collection, I like the matte yet satin finish that feels very light weight. Well done L'Oreal!

 

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Spring Shades // Lips





Last week I posted my favourite nails polishes for spring and today it's all about lips. Today I've got six lipsticks that will work through spring all at a range of prices, starting at £1 so keep reading for a mix of orange, coral and pink shades perfect for spring.

We'll start with the cheapest MUA Lipstick in shade 11 £1 from Superdrug it's an orangey brown nude that leaves a satiny glossy finish on the lips but looks even better if you blot it off. The colour payoff is great for a £1 lipstick it goes opaque in one swipe. Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm £7.99 chubby lip pencils are a great way of giving your lips a pop of colour this shade is Audacious, it's a vibrant red toned coraly orange shade with a moisturising matte finish. I've included two Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipsticks £8.99 because I love them formula, if you're looking for a long lasting matte vibrant lipstick these are great. These two shades are great all rounders' and also great for spring, Don't Pink Of It is a cool toned pink and Peach Club is a warm orange based peachy nude. These lipsticks are lightweight with a velvety matte finish and feel that doesn't feel drying,  they are super long lasting once there on and set they don't budge.

Another Bourjois Lipstick I've included it the Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick £7.99 in the shade Peche Cosy (can you tell I love orange yet?) this is a pale matte orange that gives a nice subtle hint  of colour to the lips but it can be built up if you want a stronger colour. Next up is one of my favourite my lips but better shades its Pink Truffle from Revlons Colourburst Lip Butters £7.99 its a super moisturising browny pink shade with a gentle sheen. Lastly is the most expensive lipstick featured its £15.50 and is MAC Please Me this is very matte so its best your lips are in tip top condition before you use it or it might cling to dry patches. Please Me is a medium dirty pink, slightly mauve with a hint of a brown undertone. I'll be reaching for these shades through spring, what shades will you be reaching for?

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Drip Drip Drop Little April Showers



 Coat - Marks and Spencer

Top - Primark

Jeans - Topshop 'Joni' Jeans

Bag - H&M

Boots - New Look

Necklace - H&M

Ring - New Look

 

These photos were taken very early on a rainy April morning and one way to combat the rainy morning blues? Chuck on the brightest coat you have. I bought this coat last winter from Marks and Spencer and I think it was £60 but I got it £48 on a 20% off event. I instantly loved the coat the minute I saw it, I loved the bright yellow colour and the collarless detail but was a little bit intimidated by it because it's not exactly subtle is it!

 

I teamed it up with a fairly simple black and stripe outfit now I think about it it's got a hint of a bumblebee about it. There are two bargains about this outfit the first one is the boots I picked these up from New Look at the start of the month for just £7 I like the half zip detail and the heel is a great high for everyday. The second bargain is the ring that I got from New Look for £1.99 its gorgeous, I love the teardrop shape, it's a great fit for the top of my finger and sits comfortably all day.

 

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FOTD // Spring Time

 

Sorry about the background of these photos but it was the only place to get good lighting, oh the struggle! I thought I'd share with you what makeup I used to create this look as its very spring like, I went for fresh looking skin with a pale orange lip. I started with Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation as my base to give my skin a healthy dewy glow then I used the Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer to cover up the bags under my eye and for the pesky spot on my forehead fivehead I used SEVENTEEN Phwoarr Paint. To see it all and take of the excess shine I used Bourjois Healthy Mix Pressed Powder.

For my brows I used my go to brow product of the moment Soap & Glory Archery Brow Tint and Pencil in the shade brownie points using the crayon side first to shape and fill out my brows then the tint side to define them, I like the result this gives it leaves my brows fuller, more defined but not overly looking drawn on. Then I used my Urban Decay Naked 2 Basics Palette, over my lid I used Frisk, then Cover in the crease and I used Skimp in the inner corners and on my brow bone to highlight. To line my eyes I used Soap & Glory Supercat Eyeliner to get right into the lash line and then thicken the line out, for my lashes I used Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara to give my lashes volume and length.

To finish I used The Body Shop Honey Bronzer to give my face some definition and Max Factors Crème Puff Blush in Alluring Rose over the apple of my cheeks for a hint of shimmer and colour. On my lips I used Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick in the shade Peche Cosy to give my lips a pale orange finish. My make up might look spring like but my outfit was not, all black everything!

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Rimmel Lasting Perfection Primer

 

P



A Picnic In The Park



Spring sprung into step last week with super sunny warm days for most of the day queue me panicking that I have no spring/summer clothes and raiding my wardrobe for something that isn't black! I found an old pastel mint floaty top from Topshop and my chunky black sandals from New Look so that I looked sort of spring like. On my day off my sister and I decided to pop into town for a look around and go to the park for a little picnic and it was lovely.  The sun was shining, it was warm and we were armed with Marks and Spencer's goodies.

We sat down eager to delve into our treats when out of no where our grandparents dog came bounding over full of excitement to see us so we had a chat with our Papa for a bit and a very excited mad dog running circle around us before we could finally tuck into our sandwiches, we also got a yummy piece of Victoria sponge cake each. The park was looking so nice, filled with dog walkers and people taking in the sun, there were lots of daffodils and the view of the river is always gorgeous. It was such a gorgeous afternoon!

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Spring Shades // Nails

 

Ahh spring has sprung so it's time to inject some daily spring shades and what better way to do it than on your nails. The high street is filled with some gorgeous spring shades out there and I've narrowed it down to some of my favourites all of which you can get for under a fiver!

 

I'll start with the cheapest one the Make Up Gallery Time To Shine Nails in Parma Violet £1 from Poundland yup you read that right Poundland! This nail polish is a gorgeous deep pastel purple once applied it leaves a gorgeous flush of colour and a lot of shine on your nails. Next is Barry M Nail Paint in shade 304 Mint Green £3.99 I always think that Barry M nail polishes are great value for money and this is a gorgeous pale mint green that is perfect for spring. The next one is part of Rimmel London 60 Seconds Super Shine range by Rita Ora inspired by festivals and it's only £2.99, the shade is number 860 Bestival Blue it's a lovely powder blue colour. I love the brush that comes with this polish it fits the nail nicely and makes it easy to apply the polish. The formula for this polish is chip resistant and gives the finish a high shine. Another shade that's great for spring and summer is Orange Soda from SEVENTEEN Lasting Fix Nail Polish £2.99 it's an orangey coral shade that's not quite pastel but not bright. The colour reminds me of the sun set, I've had this bottle in my collection for years so the bottle I have is really old so it's changed slightly and so has the names the closest shade to this is Tropical Island. The next one is a very pale pink that leaves a pearl satin finish on the nail, it's part of Rita Oras older Rimmel 60 Second Nail Polish and the shade is 203 Lose Your Lingerie. Lastly is another of Rita Oras shades part of Rimmel London 60 Seconds Super Shine £2.99, the shade is 450 Daisy Days and its a beautiful pale pastel yellow that leaves the nail with a gorgeous shine. Yellow is one of my favourite colours and this looks beautiful on the nails.

 

These are some of my favourite nail shades for spring, all are very budget friendly and great quality. What are yours? Do you have a go to spring colour?

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Primark Fake Nails

 



On a recent trip to Primark I picked up a pack of fake nails for only £1, Primark had lots of different kinds mostly plain self coloured nails and classic French nails but I really liked the stripes so I thought for £1 they were worth a try. In the pack you get a set of 24 fake nails and the glue for the applying them.

I was surprised by how short the nails were they really don't have much length and are about the size of my nails normally before I let them grow. They are a my nails but better style and surprisingly strong for only being £1 I thought they were going to be rather flimsy but they aren't. When it came to putting the nails on I found the right size for each nail and found the smaller size was the best fit then I used my Elegant Touch Brush On Nail Glue to set the nails in place. The reason I didn't use the glue provided is because they usually are rubbish and because of the nib it can get clogged up unlike the Elegant Touch one as you just brush that on like a nail polish.

Overall they are great I really like the nails they fit well, feel good on and look really nice, I wish they were slightly longer but I think they are great for everyday wear. I got about 1 - 2 days wear out of them before one pung off but it was easily reapplied and I've had them on for a week since and painted over them, they really are great.  I'd definitely be using more of Primarks fake nails in the future, have you ever used Primarks fake nails?

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Lets Stay Connected

Hello and happy Sunday! Thanks for stopping by my blog, todays post is about staying connected and never missing a post. I post every other day on my blog a mix of personal style, music, beauty, fashion, lifestyle and so on. Here's the ways that you can stay connected;

TWITTER  you can follow me on Twitter at @TerriSwan for my daily ramblings, retweets and updates on blog posts.

 INSTAGRAM if you don't already follow me on Instagram why not? You can follow me on Instagram here @terriswan I instagram OOTDs, food, my cats and fun things I get up too. You'll often find photos on my Instagram that don't make it onto my blog. I'm a self confessed Instagram addict, it's one of my favourite apps.

Lastly you can follow my blog on BLOGLOVIN' here so that you never miss a post and you'll help me make my next Bloglovin' milestone. Bloglovin' is a great way of keeping up to date with all your favourite blogs, I have the app on my phone and it's a quick and easy place to store all the blogs I read.

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