GRWM: Halloween Daytime Appropriate Look

Happy Halloween! Today's post was supposed to be an easy Jack Skellington look but because of some skin issues I've been having over the last few weeks I've had to change this post. So today I'm showing you my take on a daytime appropriate Halloween themed look that I'll be rocking alongside my favourite Halloween t-shirt.

Once all of my skincare is done, I've brush my teeth and dampened my beauty blender, I start of with primer. I'm going to point out now that this look is not going to be groundbreaking but I think it is a good look for daytime on Halloween. For primer I'm going in with my usual go to combination of the Barry M Hydro Fix Primer Water, followed by the Maybelline SuperStay Primer. I love the combination because it hydrates my skin whilst simultaneously preparing it for make up. The SuperStay has a somewhat tacky finish which means that my foundation of choice adheres to my skin for a longer period of time without being heavy or pore clogging.

Before I go in with my foundation I'm going to try and conceal some of my sore, inflamed looking blemishes. The best thing I've used for this lately is the Collection Lasting Perfection Colour Concealer in Green. I dab this around the blemishes and around any other redness I have before blending it in with a clean finger. I find a finger is the best tool to blend this in with as it seems to melt the product and blends it seamlessly into the skin. It does leave behind a slight green hue but foundation, concealer or powder will cover that.

Foundation time and I have two choices for base. The first is the only I actually used and the other is the one I'd have used if my skin was in a better place. The foundation I went with was the Maxfactor Facefinity Foundation. It's lightweight on the skin but gives good coverage and can last all day long. A couple of pumps of this is enough to cover my face without it looking like a mask or cake face. I use my damp beauty blender to blend this all in, I love how a beauty blender makes my foundation looks, I can't believe how long I waited before trying it. The foundation I would have preferred to have used is the Loreal Total Cover Foundation. It has a brillaint coverage but doesn't weight skin down and still let's it breathe. It's my go to foundation when I want my make up to last all day but because of it's matte finish and my horrendous blemishes I'm giving it a miss. Nobody likes to see foundation clinging grossly to a spot.

For concealer it's my normal duo, the Maybelline The Eraser Eye to conceal my dark circles whilst I dot Collection's Lasting Perfection Concealer in 01 Fair to cover any excess redness or blemishes. I find I don't need a lot of either once I've applied my foundation but I still need a little something under my eyes. I love the sponge applicator on the Eraser Eye as it distributes just the right amount of product where you want it. Today I've applied the Eraser Eye over what's visible of my dark circles and the Lasting Perfection I've popped over where I applied the colour corrector to make sure no green tinge can be seen. It's also applied over any redness I have and everything is blended in with a damp beauty blender.

I used the MUA Transparent Setting Powder to set everything in place. For under the eyes I used the Real Techniques Setting Brush and using a tip I saw in a Lisa Eldridge video, applied it under the eye to set concealer except for in the very inner corner. It helps the inner corner from looking dry or powdery as the day goes on and the rest of you concealer is still set in place. For the rest of my face I used the B Powder Brush to dust it along my forehead and along the sides of my face. I never take powder into the centre of my face as I find it doesn't help prolong my make up and just gathers together to make my skin look really powdery. Instead I rely on a setting spray to set that part of my make up into place.

The tint on my brows is starting to wear off so I went in with a little bit of Benefit's Gimme Brow to add a little colour to my brows. I like how small and precise the brush is, compared to other brow gels I've tried.

I really wanted my lashes to stand out so I after I curled them I went in with my Maybelline Lash Sensationl Lash Primer. I like how this nourishes my lashes whilst I wear it whilst also helping keeping the curl and definiton at the same time. A coat of that was followed by a healthy dose of Benefit's Roller Lash Mascara. I love the brush on Roller Lash, it coats every lash, even the tiny ones in the inner corner that a lot of other mascaras don't. I was going to add liner to this look, along the water line but when I tried it at the weekend it went tits up. I think I'm coming down with a cold and have been sneezing so much which causes my eyes to stream and I know you can all imagine what liner would look like after that. However if you don't have watery eyes like I do, liner would also give this look a darker, more gothic theme especially if you went it a dark purple or burgundy shade instead of your usualy black.

For lips I couldn't decide what colour I wanted to go for. There were three colours that really stood out to me so I decided to share all three with you. The first is this Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in, I've never worn this shade before but couldn't help but reach for it this Halloween. I wore this with the look at the weekend and adored it. It has a brighter purple tone than I'd normally wear but it worked well with my pale complexion, dark hair and all black uniform. It made everything pop and whilst it did fade over time, I forgot I had it on as it was that comfortable. I paired it with this deep purple liner from PS... to keep everything look defined as well as to give it that extra pop.

The next lip look that would work well with this look is an all time favourite of mine and it was the first that popped into my head when I was putting this GRWM together in my head. The Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick in Out Loud has been one of my go to shades this Autumn. It's deep pumpkin orange shade has not only made me long for Halloween but has reminded me of everything that Autumn embodies. Paired again with another PS... lip liner, this is a real stand out lip, a great alternative to a red. It's lightweight formula will make you forget you're wearing it but if lips aren't in a great condition to begin with then it could feel slightly dry and uncomfortable after a while.

And the last lip look is more centered around the liner more than anything. Another PS... liner, this time in a deep burgundy shade would look stunning on it's own but could also be paired with it's matching PS.. Velvet Matte Crayon or the New Look Pure Colour Liquid Lipstick in Burgundy. Both are matte so it's always a good idea to prep lips beforehand. The liquid lipstick can be a bit harder to work with and could go streaky if too much is applied in one area but a little patience and it does create a stuning look. The Velvet Matte Lip Crayon isn't as hard work but once the nib dulls it can create feathering around the edges of lips so it's always wise to back around with the lip liner once you're happy with the shape of it. I think it's a toss up between these and the Smashbox if I recreate this look again tomorrow (Tuesday).

Once the lips were done I went in with my setting spray of choice. It was a toss up between the Maybelline SuperStay Setting Spray or this one the Collection Primed and Ready Fixing Mist. In the end I went with the Collection as I prefer the finish it gives with this foundation. I generously spritzed my face, giving it a few seconds to set before moving, just in case it disrupted any of my make up. Then it was onto my hair and I threw it up into my usual messy bun, this time making sure it looked a little messier than normal. I don't usually like my hair looking like that but I think it suited this look well.

Time to get dressed and I've been dying to wear this t-shirt since it arrived through my letterbox last week. It's from Boohoo and when I saw it, I just had to get it. I love the cheeky side to it, having seen a lot of these kinds of shirts in the past. I'm a larger chested girl so it makes it slightly more obvious and makes the cheeky side just that little bit cheekier. And my favourite part is that it's a great quality t-shirt and it only cost me a tenner. I'm pairing with my favourite black super high waisted skinny jeans from Primark. I brought them in a shorter leg length recently and I've been really enjoying how they've elongated my leg and made me look a little more slimline than I usually feel.

And to finish my outfit off I paired it all with these Givenchy inspired boots from Primark. Back when I brought these in August (yes August), they were totally out of my comfort zone. But now they're the only boot I wear and I love pairing them with oversized jumpers. They super comfy and I can easily wear them for hours out and about. I can't wear a proper sock with them but a cute little footlet is just enough so that you don't ruin the inside with your enevitably sweaty feet. One look at these and you wouldn't be able to tell they were only £16.

Bag packed, lipstick on teeth check (thankfully none) and I'm ready to go. I can't leave without perfume though so I of course reached for my one and only at the moment. The Rosie For Autograph Rose Gold EDP is my go to fragrance of the moment. It's like a gorgeous combination of her three permanent fragrances with added notes of freesia and bergamot. It's light enough for daytime but can transition you through to evening, it's lasting power making sure you smell fresh all day long. Once I've doused myself in this I'm ready to go and spend some hard earned cash. All that leaves me to say is I hope you all have a great Halloween and once that clock hits midnight tonight, let the countdown to Christmas begin.

Monthly Favourites: October

 

Where on earth has October gone? This month has just flown by. A lot of it's probably to do with the amount of overtime I've been doing at work this month but time just seems to have passed without me realising. And because October's been such a whirlwind I've not got a large selection of favourites for you all this month. A lot of products I've used are ones that I've used, loved and featured before but there are a couple of non beauty favourites I wanted to share with you.

The first favourite of the month is one that I didn't hesistate to buy even though my bank balance was crying out for me to stop spending. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley released a new limited edition fragrance to celebrate five years of her collaboration with Marks and Spencer's. Rose Gold is a mixture of her three previous scents, including notes of musk, rose centifolia and bergamot and vanilla. I haven't stopped wearing this since I brought it. It's my go to, favourite scent of the moment. It's like I'm wearing all of her fragrances at once and I love how it smells on my skin. It lasts for absolutely ages which is something I adore about her fragrances.I think I may need to alternate this with her other fragrances so I don't end up with an empty bottle sooner than I'd like.

The other Rosie For Autograph product I've been loving is her lipstick in Silk Cami. It's not a shade I expected to get a lot of wear out of now that fall/winter is well and truly upon us but when I had my week off work I found I wore this more than any other colour in my collection. It's a neutral shade that has a peach twist to it that doesn't take away from the brown tones, just adds a little something extra to them. It's a sheen finish but doesn't look too glossy and doesn't slip or slide on the lips. And if I've been wanting to tone it down a little bit, I've just dabbed a bit of Silk Rose over top to give it a more pink tone. Definitely one that's more suited for spring/summer but it's been perfect for those surprisngly mild days we've been having lately.

My skin has been absolutely horrendous month. I've had breakout after breakout and as it seems like I've gotten one under control then another pops up. So I haven't been playing with my skincare a lot this month as I don't want to aggravate my skin even more. Something I have rediscovered this month is the Naturally Radiant Hot Cloth Cleanser. It's very remniscent of the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, it's very thick cream consistency and natural ingredient formula works to soothe as well a brighten without irritating or stripping skin. And that's something I've really needed this month. I've been having a lot of skin issues and I've found that some of my usual favourite cleansers are just a bit too much for my skin. This though has been comforting, soothing yet cleansing all at once and has helped keep my skin looking as good as it can at the moment.

Another product I've been using to help with the battle I'm having with my skin is the B Essence Lotion. It feels like water on the skin and really helps to soothe and nourish my skin at the same time. It's lightweight in feel so it doesn't block pores and cause even more problems for my skin. I've been layering this under my skincare both morning and evening so my skin gets that extra nourishment for a longer period of time.

Now all that's left to talk to you about is my non beauty favourites. And I can't do an October Favourites post with talking about the one thing I've been looking forward to all month. Halloween. Now I know it's not here until tomorrow but I've been looking forward to it all month. I've baked Halloween recipes, decorated the house, watched Nightmare Before Christmas and Hocus Pocus a million times and I'm preparing for tomorrow with a scary mask to make any trick or treaters jump.

This next non beauty favourite of mine only came out on Friday and seems a little like cheating putting it in this post but I haven't been able to stop listening to it and I think that's enough to earn it a place in my monthly favourites. Kelly Clarkson's new album Meaning of Life was released on Friday and I can not get enough of it. I've had it on repeat since Friday; I'm actually listening to it as I write this, and I can tell it's going to be played a lot even after this post goes live. Move You, Whole Lotta Woman, Heat, Slow Dance and Meaning of Life are just a few of my favourites from the fourteen track album. Clarkson's vocals are beyond perfection and reminds me of her earlier hits such as Because Of You and Breakaway. There has only been a few albums that have caught me from the first beat and this is one of them. I can guarantee everyone will be sick of me talking about this is a few weeks time. If you haven't heard it, go give it a listen on Spotify, you won't be disappointed.

Another singer that I haven't been able to get enough of this month is Andie Case. Once a week every week she uploads a cover of a recent or old school song. This month she has done amazing covers of If I Ain't Got You by Alicia Keys, Good at Goodbyes by Sam Smith, New Rules by Dua Lipa and Ready For You By Taylor Swift. Case brings something unique to every cover and I find myself loving her covers more than the originals. Subscribe to her on Youtube or find her on Spotify, if there's one thing I suggest it's giving her a listen, she has an amazing amount of talent.

And my last favourite of the month is the night out me and my mum had a couple of weeks ago. Back in June we booked tickets to see a show called Thank You For The Music. It's a ABBA and Bee Gees tribute show and it's fantastic. I've seen the show a few times now and everytime I'm still in awe as I watch. I grew up listening to the music of both ABBA and the Bee Gees so I may have sang along all night long, probably deafening the poor gentleman in the seat next to me. It was a nice carefree evening spent with my mum, where we had a good laugh, a sing along and excuse to put on our glad rags. I think if it comes around again next year I'll definitely be buying tickets.

Recipe: Easy Halloween Cupcakes

When I was planning out what Halloween bakes I wanted to feature a surprise center spiderweb cupcake. I had a picture of them in my head and baked them a good four times. The cupcakes themself turned out brilliantly and even the surprise center worked out well. It was just the decoration. I couldn't get the buttercream to work, it was splodgy and hard to work with. And even when I managed to get the buttercream to work, the spiderweb design was an absolute disaster so I gave up on that and turned my hands to an easy and quick cupcake recipe that you could whip up in 20 minutes and still have time for a cuppa.

These cupcakes are very simple but they're great for a quick sugar fix and are even better as a recipe to make with the kids. For the decorations I went with Nightmare Before Christmas themed rice paper wafers, because it's my favourite film ever and didn't cost the earth. I got these off of Amazon and there were plenty of other Halloween designs to choose from if Nightmare Before Christmas isn't your thing.

Ingredients
- 110g Butter/Stork (softened)
- 110g Caster Sugar
- 110g Plain Flour
- 2 Tsp Baking Powder
- 2 Medium Eggs (beaten)
- 3 Tsp Cocoa Powder
- 2 Tsp Orange Extract
- 1 Sachet of Dr Oetker Ready To Use Easy Chocolate Icing
- Rice Paper Wafer Decorations

Method

1. Pre heat your oven to 180C. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases. I used Halloween themed ones from Lakeland.
2. Place the softened butter and sugar into a bowl. Using a stand mixer, hand mixer or silicone spatula, beat together until pale and fluffy. I used a silicone spatula as that's all I had to hand and would recommend a spatula over a wooden spoon as it gives a better results and requires less work. 
3. Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder into the bowl. 
4. Beat the eggs if you haven't beat them already and add to the mixture. 
5. Add your flavouring of choice. I went for orange but you could try something else such as coconut, salted caramel or coffee. 
6. Beat together until the mix is well combined, making sure to scrape the edges of the bowl. It's another reason I prefer using a spatula to beat everything together. You can just swipe it along the sides of the bowl and it combines everything together seamlessly. 
7. Once mixed, spoon into your cases and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Keep an eye on them, especially towards the end as you don't want the cakes to dry out, a problem I've found when using cocoa powder in my recipes. 
8. Once cooked, leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 
9. For the icing I used a sachet of Dr Oetker Ready To Use Icing. You could easily do buttercream to ice these but I was feeling lazy so chose this sachet instead. Following the instructions on the back of the sachet, I placed a dollop of icing in the middle of each cupcake. I tried spreading this to cover the entire top but it wasn't the best at spreading, so I kept it to the middle so the rice paper wafers would have something to stick to.
10. Once you're happy with your icing/buttercream decorate with your rice paper wafers or halloween themed decorations of choice. Leave to set, then enjoy.

Halloween Decorating Tips

It's that time of the year again! It's my second favourite holiday of the year! Halloween is nearly here and now I've finished boring you with my Halloween themed bakes, I thought I'd share a few ways that I Halloween up my house. And may I just point out, yes I'm 25 in 3 weeks but I still have a Spideman Plush Toy hanging in my window.

 Windows gels are probably my favourite way to make Halloween known in my house. I collect new ones each year and this year my favourite addition has to be this blood drip and beware sign. It's a bit more gruesome than I'd normally go for but this year I'm feeling like stepping away from the cutest stuff I normally do. I planned on having more gels like this in the window but for the life of me, I can not find them anywhere in my house. A little annoying but I can live with it.

 Another new addition this year is this witch, moon and star gel. I really liked how this looked in the packet but obviously I wouldn't be able to recreate that on the window. However I am really happy with how this turned out. And that's why I love window gels so much. You can put them anywhere you want, you don't need no fancy tools and if you're not happy with their positioning you can just peel them off the window and reposition them where you want them.

 If you were around last Halloween then you probably saw the three ghosts I put in the window. One of them this year is slightly decapitated but it just adds to the whole Halloween vibe. These remind me of the three uncles from Casper and I just can't resist putting them in my window.

 The same goes for these skeletons. I like this because instead of a whole gel, you can build this part by part. It makes them great for getting the kids involved in making them up and it's not going to end up in a complete mess. I can never remember exactly which gel matches with part but I just pop them on and hope they look somewhat decent.

And the last new addition this year is this haunted house. I got this from Aldi for 99p and absolutely love it. It claims to glow in the dark but with the strenght of the street lights in front of my house means I never get to see it. I liked how the scene was set out with the rising ghosts and the bats around the moon. The pumpkin however I'm not to sure where that comes in and it just sort of displaces everything else.

 Fairy lights are another great way of adding a subtle hint of Halloween around the house. There are so many different designs around, it's getting hard for me not to buy more. And a lot of time people say less is more but when it comes to Halloween themed fairy lights, I go a little batshit crazy. Out of the eight sets I've accumlated over the last couple of years, I think thee is only one set I haven't hung up somewhere. That being said I am very tempted to find a home for them somewhere. This trio of ghost lights is one of my favourites. There are only three of them but they shine bright and this year just add something to a boring looking mantelpiece. (Pls excuse the cat treats)

Something my mum did with a set of lights is string them through a couple of little potted plants we had. These are little pumpkins which give a tremendous amount of light for their size. These alongside two other sets I've purchased are possibly my favourites this year. Only a £1 a set and yet they shine so bright.

 These skulls are another of the new sets I've picked up this year. Look how bright they shine. The string isn't massive but it's enough to string along a shelf or wrap around a jewellery stand/stem of a lamp. I've sellotaped these to my bookcase shelf (pls excuse the excessive amount of beauty products) to give it a bit of a boost. I do this even when it's not times like Halloween or Christmas as I really like how it livens up my otherwise bookcase.

 And these miniature ghosts are the last of the three I purchased this year. I just love them. They're small but bright, fun but still subtle and not overly gruesome or tacky looking. Again I've sellotaped them along one of my bookcase shelves. At first it was because I didn't know where else to put them but now I just really like how they look.

 So having such a large bookcase means I may have stuck quite a few sets of lights along the shelves. A set from last year that I forgot how much I loved were these pumpkins. Now these have more of a cheese factor to them but I couldn't resist having a bit of cheese amongst the more subtle lights I'd already strung up.

These ghost lights are from last year but I couldn't leave them on their own in the box so I strung them somewhat haphazardly from a canvas I have hanging in my room. They're seriously bright for a little light and whilst there isn't many on the string, it's enough to add a little something, something to a framed canvas or picture.

And the last set of lights I've strung up in my house are again draped over a canvas I have. These are also from last year but still work and shine brighter than any of them. I'd say these are brilliant for putting in kids rooms as they've got more of an animated character look to them. Again there wasn't enough length in the string to hang them over two pictures but it looks good doubled back over one.

If you've got children in the house but still want to add a touch of Halloween throughout, hanging door ornaments are perfect. This Frankenstein is adorable, with an animated touch to it that will take away any scary connotations that could scard little ones. I have this hanging in the back room whilst a slightly scarier one hangs in my living room. Luckily we don't have little people over often so it's not going to cause any upset.

And the last way to add a little bit of Halloween to your home are these cute little figures. They're solar paneled and don't cost the earth to buy. They don't go all day and can be placed anywhere in the house. These are perfect for children as there is no need to turn on or off and they're pretty much as fuss free as a decoration could be. I have a pumpkin in laderhosen on my bookcase but forgot to take a picture for the post. These are some of my favourite decorations to put out, they're cute, kitschy and have just the right amount of cheese to them.

Recipe: Halloween Themed Surprise Loaf

Today's post is yet another Halloween recipe. Ever since I started baking again in the Summer I've been thinking of what Halloween bakes I could make. Sure I'd seen a ton of recipes on Pinterest and other baking blogs but none of them appealed to me. Then I found a picture on google as I googled Halloween bakes that caught my eye. It was off a 'Surprise Loaf'. I couldn't find the exact recipe to match the picture so attempted to make it with a simple victoria sponge recipe. It didn't work, the cakes were both flat and there was no way it would have worked. So I changed the self raising flour to plain flour and added baking powder. From there, it worked like a dream and whilst it didn't exactly turn out like I wanted it to, I'm still happy with how it turned out.

Ingredients
- 250g Margarine (Not Stork)
- 250g Caster Sugar
- 5 Eggs
- 25g Cocoa Powder
- 2 Tsp Baking Powder
- 3-4 Tsp Orange Extract
- 2 Tsp Orange Food Colouring
- 225g Plain Flour

Method

1. Pre heat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a 7 inch square tin and a 2lb loaf tin with parchment/baking paper.
2. To make the inner cake you'll need to put 100g margarine, 100g caster sugar and 2 eggs into a bowl. Over top of that you'll need to sieve 100g plain flour and a teaspoon of baking powder. Mix together all the ingredients with either a stand mixer, hand mixer or a silicone spatula. I'd also advise softening the butter for 10 seconds in the microwave so it's easy to beat into the mixture. 
3. Once that's well blended add in your 3 teaspoons of orange extract and mix until well combined. Then add in your 2 teaspoons of orange food colouring and mix until well combined. You can add more depending on how bright you want it to be or you could even choose a different colour completely. 
4. Spoon the mixture into the square tin and smooth over with a spatula or pallet knife so the top is smooth. Then bake for 25 minutes or until it's lightly risen and firm to touch. Leave to cool in the tin for five minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Whilst you wait for that cake to cool, in a clean mixing bowl place the remaining margarine, eggs, caster sugar, plain flour and baking powder. Add the cocoa powder and mix until well combined, adding more cocoa powder if you think it's necessary. Once you have your mixture, place to one side. 
6. Place your now cooled cake on a board and with a cutter of your choice (I went with a bat) cut out a minimum of six shapes. You may have to cut them out diagonally across the cake to get enough to fit inside the loaf tin. Also make sure your cutter of choice fits both width and height wise inside your loaf tin. 
7. Now they're cut out, spoon a third of your chocolate cake mix into your loaf tin. Smooth over with a pallet knife or spatula so everything's even. Arrange your shapes upright down the length of your tin. They should fit snugly together and cover the mixture at the base. 
8. Carefully spoon the rest of the mixture on top, smoothing gently over with a pallet knife as not to disrupt cake shapes. Once everything is covered, shake the tin gently from side to side so everything is smooth and settled inside the tin. 
9. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until lightly risen and firm to touch. Because this cake contains cocoa powder, keep an eye on it towards the end as cocoa powder can tend to dry a cake out if cooked for too long. 
10. Once it's cooked, leave to cook in the tin for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. 
11. Once cooled, slice and enjoy the hidden surprise. 

As you can see my inner cake did get squashed ever so slightly by the weight of the loaf so I could have done with using a bit more mixture on the bottom of the loaf. However baking like everything takes practice and patience. I'd probably also use a different shape cutter if I made this again before Halloween just to see how well it worked within the loaf. You could even make this for other occasions including Christmas, Easter, Valentines Day and Birthdays. It's all about the surprise inside.

Recipe: Frankenstein Rice Krispie Treats

Halloween is quickly approaching and ever since I was bitten by the baking bug back in August, I've been trawling through Pinterest looking for Halloween themed bakes I can try my hand at. And the first of a several that I've made are these adorable and easy Frankenstein Rice Krispie Treats. This recipe comes from cleanandscentsible.com but I stopped following the recipe when it came to decorating them as I couldn't get everything they recommended for decorating.

Quick disclaimer: Whilst I'm posting this recipe, I'm not trying to take credit for it and have credited the blog/website I found it on. I've also added a clickable link that'll take you to the original blog/website where this recipe is featured. I'm not claiming to have come up with this idea on my own, I just thought it was a good recipe and treat idea for Halloween and thought I'd share my attempt at making a Halloween themed treat. 

Ingredients
- 4tbsp Butter
- 5 Cups Of Mini Marshmallows
- 7 Cups Of Rice Krispies
- Green Food Colouring (I used Dr Oetker Extra Strong Green)
- 200g Milk Chocolate
- 1 Tube of Writing Chocolate

As I couldn't get all the decorations that the recipe recommended, I decorated them my way. However if you wanted to follow the original recipe you'd need;
- Candy Eyes
-  Green Mini Marshmallows
- Melting Chocolate
- Paper Straws


Method

1. Over a low heat, melt the butter in a large saucepan. It'll have to be large as it's what you'll be making the whole mix in. Once the butter has melted slightly add in the marshmallows and mix continuously until everything has melted together.I'd advise to not take your eyes off it for a second because that's when it's like to burn, especially towards the end when it's only a small amount left to melt. 
2. Once the marshmallows and butter are melted and combined, it's time to add in your food colouring. I used an extra strong gel food colouring as I wanted to make them really pop. Add it in gradually and mix thoroughly between each addition. It'll stop the colour sinking to the bottom of the pan and will give an overall colour later on.
3. When you have the colour you desired, it's time to add the Rice Krispies. It's best to do it gradually, one cup at a time, so you can easily mix them in and make sure that they're all covered evenly. Make sure to mix from the bottom as well so any of the marshmallow mix isn't left stuck to the bottom.
4. With a buttered spatula, press the mixture into your prepared tin and smooth over until the top is even. Don't forget the corners so you get a precise square edge. Cool and cut into rectangles. I cooled mine over night but you can pop it in the fridge for a couple of hours. This is where I stopped following the original recipe. However if you click the link in the introduction, it'll take you to the original recipe where you can decorate it exactly as the recipe depicts. 
5. To decorate I melted 200g of Milk Chocolate in a glass bowl over a pan of boiling water, it takes a while but it's worth it the long while. Chocolate melted over a bain marie always has a glossier finish than chocolate melted in the microwave. 
6. Once I took the melted chocolate off the heat, I used the boiling to activate my Writing Chocolate Tube as per the instructions on the back. 
7. Then making sure I had plenty of room to let them set, I dipped one end of each rectangle into the melted chocolate to create his hair/top of his head. I let them rest on a clean piece of baking parchment and made sure they were evenly spaced apart so there was no chance of ruining them. 
8. Once all of them are dipped in chocolate, the writing tube should be ready to go. As per the instructions, knead the tube gently and then snip off the end. With a steady hand; mine was uber shaky which is why mine looks a little uneven,  draw a straight horizontal near the bottom of the square. And then draw three of four evenly spaced vertical lines through it to create the mouth. Repeat for each rectangle and then in the space left between the hair and the mouth, dot the writing icing to create eyes.
9. Leave them to set and then store in an airtight container to keep fresh or pop them into a Halloween themed bowl and serve at your Halloween party or gathering. 

 This is what they look like when they were finished and were being left to set. They look slightly uneven but because they're a Halloween treat I don't think they have to be particuarly precise or perfect. These are a perfect treat to make with the kids and are bound to go down a storm with all ages at parties and gatherings.

Top Tips For Hormonal Skin

Today's post isn't what I originally scheduled for today but I couldn't just get this subject off my mind. Hormonal skin is a pain in the ass. It messes with our routines, knocks our confidence and makes us lose our spark. I should know as I've been in a constant battle with my skin for the last few days, yet today as I write this, I've had a breakthrough and thought I'd share a few tips to help anyone who is struggling with hormonal skin.

Now everyone's skin reacts differently around that time of the month. For some their skin may become more reactive to products they've used for an age, whilst others could find that their skin becomes oilier the closer to their period they get. For me my skin get oilier, my pores become more visible and I'm more likely to have a cluster of break outs around my mouth and chin.

Some people instead of getting oilier go in the complete opposite direction and become dry and rough to the touch. And that's where a good acid based toner or skin treatment comes in. Now I personally use a acid based toner once a day, my skin loves them. And I find they work even better when it's coming up to that time of the month. And if you suffer from excess amounts of texture during the build up to your period or during it, then these two products are perfect for you. Alpha H's Liquid Gold and Pixi's Glow Tonic are both 5% Glycolic Acid solutions that weaken and remove dead skin cell, effectively reducing and retexturising skin's feel as well as it's radiance. Glow Tonic can be used everyday after a morning cleanse, make up removal or evening cleanse whereas the Liquid Gold is more suited as a twice a week treatment, mainly in the evenings so your skin benefits more from it.

Now I've found through talking to customers, friends and family that no matter what your skin does during that time of the month, it always needs soothing. Skin is such a fickle thing and can flare up at any time, no matter what time of the month it is but generally it always becomes more irritable and fickle around your period. And that's where this two products come in, in my routine. The Botanics Roswater Toning Spritz is the perfect toning mist to soothe and replenish skin. It's lightweight so it's not going to clog pores and it absorbs quickly and easily into the skin so it's not going to create excess sebum and make you look oilier than you may be. It's also brilliant at reducing redness which will not only make applying the rest of your skincare a dream but also make up and will give you a confidence boost. The B Essence Lotion does exactly the same as the Rosewater Spritz but it's also great at reducing the appearence of blemishes, including any redness that may be surronding it. It's lightweight enough to be layered underneath the rest of your skincare and whilst it's working to soothe skin and fight blemishes, it's also giving skin a deeper burst of hydration that'll last longer and leave skin feeling softer for longer. I really enjoying layering it under a sheet mask so it absorbs some of the product on the mask and allows it to work longer on the skin.

Masks are a god send for hormonal skin. There is one out there for everyone and I've got three that I think have really helped me with my skin. The first is a brand new mask that I tried today and for the purpose of this post. The B, B Detoxed Clay Face Mask is a charcoal based clay mask that works to open pores and pull any blemishes and crap out. It's also aims to reduce both the size and appearence of any exsisting blemishes. I've had two spots that just won't bugger off and they've been driving me crazy. And their both to do with hormones. So today I slathered myself in this and I'm so glad I did. After the allotted fifteen minutes, after I'd rinsed it, both blemishes looked reduced in size and looked less inflamed and visible on my skin. They're still not completely gone but this has really helped them on their way out. It's not just this mask that's good for it, any charcoal based mask will work wonders, especially if your skin is feeling a big clogged up and in need of a detox.

The second is a skin saviour. As I said, my skin tends to get oilier during my period and it drives me wild. On the off chance I tried the Soap and Glory Fab Pore Sheet Mask. It's aimed at combination/oily skins and contains Witch Hazel and Tea Tree to mattify and reduce the appearence and production of excess sebum. And it worked wonders, my skin felt less oily, looked more like it would normally and the combination of ingredients closed any open pores I had. It's a sheet mask so it's a lot less fuss than your standard mask and can be worn whilst you're watching TV so they're a great choice for giving your skin a bit of TLC.

And the last mask is from GlamGlow. Their Thirstymud mask is the perfect hydration boost for skin without having to wash it off or walk around with a bit of wet tissue stuck to your face. I can never remember what's in this mask but applying this leave on mask feels like you've splashed your face with water. It can be used as a night moisturiser or just as a pick me up throughout the day but no matter what, skin will hydrated from deep within and will have a radiance that'll definitely boost your confidence. Plus it smells like an exotic holiday and can deny that doesn't give them a boost.

Under eye patches are a necessity during the lead up to your period. Crying. That's all I'm going to say. A lot of people get emotional and have a good cry during the lead up to their periods. I'm the worst, the slightest thing and I'm crying like a baby. And that's where under eye patches come in. Not only do they hydrate the under area and help with the appearence of dark circles (lack of sleep, another thing to thank your hormones for) but they also reduce puffiness, especially if you've had a good cry. My favourites are the Rodial Dragon's Blood Under Eye Patches but I had none in the house so I went with my second favourite which comes from Soap and Glory. Their Puffy Eye Attack Hydrogel Patches work wonders at cooling, soothing and reducing puffiness from the under eye area. Because of the material they're made of they don't flap, fall off or become a general pain in the ass when you wear them. I love popping a pair on in the morning, especially if I've had a good cry the night before and let them work their magic. Concealer and any other make up I apply over top always applies better after using these and I always make sure to have two or three packs in the house at all times.

Now the last tip isn't skincare related but it is make up related. I know it may seem tempting to slap on the highest coverage foundation you have when you're skin is feeling crap and all you want to do is eat all the junk. But in fact that will actually make skin worse, especially in the long run. Trust me I know it seems daunting to go nowhere near a full coverage foundation when your skin is looking it's best but your skin will thank you in the end. Lightweight coverages that can be built with light layers are the better way to go. Cushion foundations and BB Creams are a good way of covering any imperfections you may not want the world to see, not only because they provide coverage but they also allow your skin to breathe. One of my favourite light coverages is the Rosie For Autograph Sheer Finish Complexion Enhancer. It's got the coverage of a lightweight foundation but feels like a BB Cream on the skin. It covers what I want it to cover but still allows my skin to look and feel like skin. It's a favourite of mine both during hormonal times and the rest of the month.

Cushion foundations are another option if you want coverage but don't want to overload skin. Maybelline's Dream Cushion foundation is a brilliant option. Not only is it travel friendly, easy to do touch ups with but it's lightweight, a buildable medium coverage that allows skin to breathe and it won't cling to any imperfections that you'd like to minimise. I tend to go for this when my skin's at it's worst, otherwise I reach for my Rosie For Autograph to do what I need it to do.

GRWM: Night Out At ABBA

This past Saturday (the 14th) me and my mum had a night out. We went to see Thank You For The Music, a show that had tribute acts that sang the songs of both the Bee Gees and ABBA. I'm a huge fan of both and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I'd happily see it again and again, it's amazing.So I thought that because I was dolling myself up a bit after nearly a week of being make up free, I thought I'd share with you my make up and outfit.

Once I've done all my skincare and have run my beauty blender under a tap, I prime my face. And for this I used a combination of primers. First I off I went in with the Barry M Hydro Fix Primer Water. This is really hydrating on the skin and also soothes skin as well. Once I'd patted it in I went in with the Maybelline SuperStay Primer. It's lightweight consistency makes you thik it won't work but in fact it's better than thicker formula primers. This leaves behind a tacky finish that really makes foundation or any base product you lay over top stick in place. Once I'd rubbed this in my skin looked perfected and felt hydrated, refreshed and soothed.

Because this was the first night out me and my mum had had in a long time, I wanted to look that little bit more polished than I would on the everyday basis. So I dug out the Collection Lasting Perfection Colour Correctors to make my base that little bit more flawless. I started off with the Lemon shade under my eyes where the dark circles were darkest and blended it out with my finger. I find blending these out with a finger works better than with a sponge or a brush as it really melts the product into the skin. Then I took the Green shade to reduce the redness I had around a couple of blemishes and places such as around my nose. Again I blended it out with my finger and then dusted my Real Techniques Setting Brush over the places I'd placed them, using any excess product that was left on the brush from any previous uses to set them in place.

Foundation time and I just managed to squeeze out enough of the Loreal Total Cover Foundation to do my face. I love this foundation, it's go a ridiculously high coverage that covers blemishes, redness and uneven skintone. I dotted this all over my face then took my damp beauty blender and bopped it until it was blended in. It doesn't take a lot of work because a little bit of this foundation goes a long way and it's full coverage finish means you don't necessarily need a lot.

Now it's onto concealer and because I used the colour correctors and a full coverage foundation, I didn't need a lot of concealer. I dabbed a small bit of the Maybelline The Eraser Eye Concealer under my eyes and blended it in with my beauty blender. Then on my forehead mainly I popped a little bit o the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair to give a little bit more coverage and brighten my skin. This is a high coverage foundation but it doesn't look too heavy on the skin or sink into pores. Again I blended it in with my beauty blender and then went in to make sure everything was perfectly blended.

For powder I went in with the MUA Transparent Pressed Setting Powder. I didn't need a lot of this because the foundation was a matte finish so there wasn't a lot of shine or radiance on my face. I did take a bit under my eyes to make sure nothing wore away or creased as the night went on. And for that I used my Real Techniques Setting Brush which is just the right size for under the eye. Then I took my B Powder Brush which is absolutely massive and dusted it over my forehead and along the edges of my face to essentially lock everything into place.

I gave my brows a quick brush through with a spoolie and then ran a little bit of Benefit's Gimme Brow through them to add a little color and texture to them.

After a quick curl with my lash curlers I went in with a coat of the Maybelline Lash Sensational Primer. I absolutely adore this lash primer. It not only conditions my lashes but also helps maintain the volume and curl of my lashes after I've applied mascara. Then for mascara I went for a tried and tested one that I knew I'd get a good lash look from. And the mascara for that job was the Loreal Miss Hippie Mascara. It's full barrel shaped bristle brush really works to lift lashes and give them a stunning defined look everytime I use it. And this time it didn't disappoint either and the finished effect made my eyes look wide awake and almost doll like which is something I didn't know I liked the look of.

Lip colour was something I debated over for a while. I wanted to go bold but my outfit wouldn't work with a bold and then I had to find the right pinkish nude that would look too much with it. In the end I went for a combination I've worn countless times. I started off with the Barry M Lip Liner in Blowout. It has enough of a brown pink undertone to match this lipstick perfectly. It's creamy, opaque in one swipe and so easy to apply. I lined my lips with this but kept it handy for any touch up I needed once the lipstick was on. Then I went in with my trusty Rosie For Autograph Lipstick in Lady Rose. As you can see I adore this lipstick so it was really the only choice for me when it come to choosing out of the Rosie For Autograph Lipsticks I own. This has a sheen finish but doesn't transfer ridiculously easily and feels comfortable on lips, even after long periods of time.

For my outfit I went with my trusty super high waisted skinny jeans that make my legs look longer and suck everything in, giving me a little more confidence. I paired it with this top from Primark which I've only had chance to wear once since I brought it and it's just too pretty to leave it in my wardrobe. It's thick enough to keep me from getting cold but wasn't too thick so I overheated. And I absolutely adore the white lace bottom that gives it a more expensive feel than it actually was.

For shoes I broke out a pair I'd brought especially for the night out. I actually brought these back in July when I first saw them, even though the weather was anything but Autumnal. These are made of a suede like material which makes a bit problematic if it rains but last night we were lucky. They have a slight block heel which is manageable to walk in and I didn't feel like Bambi on Ice in these. They hurt a little towards the end of the night but I think that was a combination of continuous dancing and having not worn them a lot. I can't wait to wear these for any other nights out I have, including the work Christmas Party.

Once I was dressed it was time to pack up my bag. I intially nearly brought this bag when I first saw it but my bestest Jasmin told me I didn't need it as I'd already brought a bag for this particular night out. However when I was shopping a few weeks later and I couldn't keep it out of my mind, I caved and brought it. It was the embellished detail that really sold it to me and I loved the little addition it gave to my outfit. I didn't take a lot with me, just a small purse with some cash in it , a compact mirror, my lip liner and lipstick.

I'm ready to head out the door but before I do, I've got to spritz some perfume. And the only perfume I'm reaching for at the moment is the Limited Edition Rosie For Autograph Rose Gold EDP. I've not had this for two weeks yet and I've already worn it a ton. I can't get enough of it. It's got the original Rose Centifolia notes that her original EDP had but this time it has added Bergamot, Amber and Freesia. It's got a spice to it that makes it perfect for evenings but it's not too overpowering for everyday wear. I sprayed this liberally and could still smell it when I got home, a good six hours later.

And here's the final look. I know the lighting isn't the best but it was a quickly taken selfie which was followed by a picture of me and mum together; it's our little tradition. I'm really happy with how this look turned out, especially since I've been having some skin complaints these last couple of weeks. I had a great night out and would definitely recommend seeing it/booking tickets again.