A Glossybox Review // October 'Devil' Themed.

A Glossybox delivery day is the favourite day of the month right? I know it's been literal MONTHS since I have shared one with you but I felt like this October themed Glossybox was too good to not I love how every monthly is packaged with a little bow and tissue paper with the goodies wrapped inside of them. It's like a little present and I wish my wrapping skills were just as good. 

This October's box came in two different styles of either A Angel themed box or the one I received the Devil themed box. The content inside of course matches the outside packaging style. So let's get into the goodies! 
                                                                                                                           

 A Sweet Treat - Whittard's Sticky Toffee Pudding Hot Chocolate.
I will say this now and to be honest, it will come to no surprise to anyone but I never say no to a sweet treat, whether that be a hot chocolate that came within this month's Glossybox or a bar of chocolate in the previous month's box. However, I didn't even get a look in as my boyfriend's hands went straight to pulling the hot chocolate out of the box as soon as I had just about lifted the lid off it. Despite this, I asked for his verdict on the chocolately goodness and he says it is one of the best Whittard hot chocolate flavours they have made! I think adding an edible/ drinkable treat within the box every month is a massive hit.

Lord And Berry Lip Crayon in 'Devil's Red'.
 I love a good lip product, and something which I love the most about a good lip product is how easy it is to apply. I tend to find crayons and lip liners are the easiest application as opposed to an actual lipstick so you can imagine my excitement when I found this within my Glossybox this month. I've not heard much about Lord and Berry before and it's a brand I've not really bought anything from before however, I loved this lipstick and how intense the colour red it is. I don't tend to wear red lipsticks which is a shame due to it reflecting well against my pale skin. But I get incredibly worried about smearing it when it's on! It is something I do want to get more confident within my life.

Stylondon Eyeshadow Pallette.
There are two things I love the most about this palette, the colours are obviously a statement and a favourite the other being that this palette is a mineral-based, a product that is filled with Vitamin E and Vegan-friendly. Ever since my skin has been breaking out quite a lot (at the age of 21 I thought it would have calmed down now) I have been preferring applying mineral-based products to my skin more. Although let's go back to talking about the colours before in the pan they look so gorgeous especially the orange and pink glitters in the top row. Although when I swatched them on my skin they looked worse out of the pan than in. Which is a shame due to the colours are perfect for autumn. I am yet to try them out on my eyelids but expect a more in-depth look at this palette in a future blog post soon. 

MCoBeauty Crayon EyeLiner. 
Again, like my comment previously I have never heard of the brand MCoBeauty. But that's a thing I love about Glossybox in general. You are able to try out new brands you have never heard of before while also enjoying brands you already love. I don't wear eyeliner often, simply because I'm not very good at it or makeup in general but I love the effect black liner has against red or orange eyeshadow. For me, I just do a simple line on my lid as opposed to a wing. Whenever I do a winged eyeliner they come out super wonky! I get incredibly jealous of people who can.

Bubble T Devil Dust Foaming Bath Powder. 
There isn't often a bath product that I do not love. Ranging from Lush bath bombs to bubble bars.
However, this was the first product I have tried from Bubble T, and I'm sad to say I was rather disappointed with the outcome of this. I felt it didn't produce as many bubbles as I expected compared to some bath powders // bubble baths I have used before, which kind of ruined my entire bath situation. There wasn't an overall powerful fragrance to the bath powder which I was grateful for as often I find a fragrance heavy product irritates my skin too much. The colour that was in the water as soon as you put the bath powder disappeared as the bath filled up.

Que Bella Professional Plumping Gold Peel Off Mask.
When it comes to facemasks I'm incredibly picky, I have sensitive spot prone skin so often I have to be to avoid a bad flare-up. I also don't often like single-use masks as well as I am very much an advocate for helping out the planet whenever I can. However, seeming this came within my Glossybox I thought it was something I'll try and see if my mind was changed. It's not too many people's surprise I didn't enjoy it much. I found it took forever to peel off and came off in small chunks. I find the whole concept of a peel-off mask frustrating and didn't see many after-effects to my skin to warrant using this.

I hoped you enjoyed this week's blog post. 

What was your favourite part of this month's Glossybox? Are there any products you have//haven't tried? 

Until next week lovelies.

Toodlepip 

Lucy x

Autumn Fashion Pieces.

October is one of my favourites months of the year, not just simply because my birthday falls within this month but because of it being included in the season of Autumn. Autumn for me means pumpkins cosy nights in and candles, but while not forgetting the best part of autumn. Fashion. Do not misunderstand me here I love fashion all year round (and that's including you there summer I have not left you out). However, there is just something special about being able to wrap yourself up in jumpers coats neatly wrapped with scarfs and cosy patterned tights. So without further ado, I decided to share with you pretties my favourites for this time of year. I do not in any means call myself a fashion guru or 'stylish' like some YouTubers and bloggers that live on this side of the internet. But none of the less it won't stop me sharing what pieces I do love even if I can't tell you how to style them in a cool way. 

Firstly, Patterned Trousers. Who doesn't love a good pair of trousers? Stylish, much more comfortable than a pair of jeans, styling these with a good old plain white T-shirt or a cosy jumper, I feel like these checked trousers specifically from Collectif. A vintage-inspired store who I love for their retro clothes feel will make you look like a actual walking pumpkin. But I'm here for that and it's exactly the vibe I am loving in Autumn. These checked trousers tick all of my autumnal boxes. 

Now for my second fashion choice is a blouse. I feel blouses dress up any type of outfit that being underneath a jumper for a day time look or paired with some high waisted jeans and chunked under a coat for the evening time. Blouses are effortlessly stylish. The one I have picked out today to show is this black silked polka-dotted blouse from Topshop. I actually stumbled upon this fashion gem while watching Eve Bennett's youtube video she made in collaboration with Topshop and just had to buy it. 

Now don't get me wrong I love dressing up, but being comfortable is where it's at for me and cardigans are the perfect middle man between being chic and comfortable at the very same time. I'm currently loving this boohoo number and who says pink can not be an autumnal colour? For me, it's a yearly trend. You can not beat a pink number within your wardrobe, especially when it is something as cozy as this. You can even pair it with a cute pair of high waisted black jeans and some white converses or black Chelsea boots for a cute 'just running some errands' outfit. 

Now, Bags can either make or break an outfit. They tie the outfit all together with their matching tones of colour or in some cases of it being a full black on black outfit adding a pop of colour. While browsing the Cath Kidston I spotted this adorable autumnal inspired handbag which I just instantly fell in love with. Patterned with floral accents and burgundy mustard and navy colour trends. This bag literally just screams autumn to me.

To pair with the mustard accents of the Cath Kidston handbag, these ASOS mustard tights are an autumn trend for me. Who doesn't think of Blair Waldorf in Gossip girl whenever they see patterned or coloured tights though? She made them iconic and I'm very much following in her footsteps with these as they are certainly something that she would wear. I can not wait to wear these with every outfit that I wear in Autumn now. 

Lastly, we can not forget the jackets. It would not be a proper autumn fashion blogpost without the mention of either a  jacket or a coat. I could not decide what one I wanted to mention this so I decided to add in both because the more the merrier is what they always say. The first being my most recent purchase and maybe my favourite purchase of all time, A Aviator jacket. I've been searching for one for quite a while and I actually found mine on Depop from a lovely seller! Although I tried searching for the exact one I had purchased It was the last season jacket and I couldn't find it, however, I found this one of the Hollister website that looked very similar. The second coat being this lovely teddy bear coat from New Look. I love how warm and cosy this coat is and I love layering jumpers underneath coats so sometimes it's best to go up a size!

I hope you enjoyed this little blog post and what is your favourite autumn fashion piece for the colder months? 

Toodlepip lovelies 

Lucy x

A Monthly Round Up // August.

I've never really done anything like this before. I've not sat back and reflected the month that just went past and all of the events that were in it. Although, I thought I would change that and reflect. Reflection is always good when you are trying to really make yourself and present the best version of yourself you can. I think these monthly round-ups will be more for me though as opposed to you readers. I want to see it as a way I can look back in years to come.  I would love to start a scrapbook of some relation to this and maybe that can be a goal for me in the New year.

August for me started off with a firework amount of shows, I took my boyfriend to watch Rocky Horror Picture Show. Which is unlike any theatre show he's seen before. I won't lie to you I was very nervous but it was an amazing performance and a show like I have never seen before. We saw it in Southend as well, which is amazing and wonderful that we have this venue where west end performances grace the stage.

The summer days were hot and filled with friends and laughter and little trips to the pub. I feel really blessed to have the people I do around me and really felt happy in myself for the first time in a while. I spent less time at work due to it not being very busy as it's the summer and we don't tend to have a lot of shows on which meant I had a lot of time to spend with myself.

It was then Christopher my boyfriend's birthday week. It was a very hectic week filled with fun, shows and friends. We had a game and cake night the day before his birthday and sang songs until we couldn't guess them anymore. I love that Chris and I share our special group of friends together as when we do spend time together it's better. We then spent his actual birthday in the pouring rain watching Evita at the Open Air Theatre in London. The only show I saw this month that I didn't write a review for My rocky horror show review and Les Mis is up on my blog already! This is simply for the fact of I was very disappointed with the theatre performance. I'm not one to talk negatively when it comes to shows and theatres, and I've never been to a show I have openly disliked apart from Evita. I really hope it was just the performance night we saw it, as with the rain pouring it is hard for your best foot to put across the stage. Especially when they have to stop the performance every 5 minutes to wipe the stage, it can put anybody off. 

On a more positive note, at the end of the week, we met up with my brother and his mother to watch the Les Mis concert. As said earlier my review for this is already up on my blog if you wish to check it out. 

The month ended a lot of admin and personal bits I wanted to tick off my list. Going to the hairdressers and having my hair completely transformed into a gorgeous shade of blonde really helped boost my confidence and make me feel like a new girl. This especially was very much needed for me as throughout the month I suffered a lot with losing a sense of myself and feeling huge amounts of burn out. But I feel I'm on the more positive side of that matter now luckily!

I would love to hear how your August went and what you got up too.

Thank you so much for reading!

Toodlepip lovelies

Lucy x

A Les Miserables Stage Concert // Theatre Review.

It's the most talked-about show of the summer. A classic well-known piece of theatre that's been changed into an all-star staged concert for only 16 weeks! This is due to the Queens Theatre which is now being called the Sodieum theatre is being refurbished. Performances for Les Miserables The All Staged Concert is at the Gielguld Theatre just next door!

I mean let's just take a moment to talk about the casting for a second. The casting within this musical is probably the best, and I hold myself to this now and forevermore I have ever been lucky to have a chance to see. With the likes of Michael Ball, Alfie Boe, Matt Lucas, and Carrie Hope Fletcher There is certainly no room for complaints. This casting choice did not disappoint in the slightest, as soon as Alfie Boe came out to sing the crowd was already cheering. Although I'm a huge fangirl for my big named West end stars, Matt Lucas personally stole the show for me. With his hilariously witty remarks both in and out of a script. Including his singing had us all within fits of laughter whenever his presence graced the stage.

Although the show was titled as Les Miserables. The atmosphere that filled the theatre was of a totally different level of vibe.  With it being an all-star staged concert, the production differed to the normal style Les Mis is normally seen as. The show was filled with the cast singing songs from the show and acting was kept to a minimum. Although like in much Les Mis tradition, the marching during 'Do You Hear The People Sing' had to be kept in. So, in this case, the stage production was of such a lower-end scale as compared to the previous version of the show itself.

Special mentions had to definitely go to Carrie Hope Fletcher singing 'I Dreamed A Dream'. I wasn't very sure of how Carrie would fit into the role of Fantine. But a casting choice here was so right. It felt like the emotion her character was feeling at that particular time was pouring through every word she sang. Let's just say I got very emotional. Another special mention has to go to Alfie Boe during 'Bring Him Home' because again just like Carrie, the singing took me away with emotions and I am pretty sure every single person felt the same as the cheering he received after was out of this world.

Another thing I would like to add is Shan Ako playing Éponine, was a phenomenal choice. Her voice was just as strong as the Éponine's before her. She's a real hidden gem. Much like her co-star Lily Kerhoas playing Cossette. Her innocent and sweet singing voice and acting really helped her make the role her own.

I have never seen a crowd react in such a way after the performance had finished. If anything it was such a blessing to be able to see such a star-studded cast, from new performers to older performers. This performance was one to definitely last a life time in my memories and I wish I could do it all again.

Have you seen this particular version of Les Miserables or seen it before? I would love to know!

Until next time. Thank you for reading!

Toodlepip lovelies

Lucy x

A Round Up Of My First Year Of University.

University for me was an experience full of ups and downs that differed majorly depending on the circumstances. It was filled with everything I thought it would be (and everything I didn't expect). If you take at least one thing away from this post; it's okay to feel stress in any given situation and that feeling is extremely normal. But please and I stress this part, talk to somebody about it when it gets too bad for you to handle yourself. I encourage you to talk about it, I promise it'll make you feel better as the saying goes, 'A problem shared is a problem halved'. 

Towards the end of my first year of university, I was really struggling. My life at this stage university was trying to write my last essay before the summer break, revise for my end of module exam and trying to balance moving house as well.  It was a lot, I'll be honest here. I struggled, I neglected my own self-care and any kind of balance in my life that it started affecting my social and work lives. I was highly emotional and I honestly hand on heart can say it was probably the lowest I have felt. I'm still going through the waves of emotions right now, but slowly,  I eventually started speaking to someone and asked for help. I'll admit I asked a little too late in my circumstances and I feel if I had sought help sooner I wouldn't have felt so bad on a daily basis. But that's the great thing about sharing things personal reflection can be seen. So I guess with me sharing this on to my little blog and talking about this subject, I hope you can learn from my experiences to ensure that If you or somebody you know is going through a similar situation to me they'll have even the tiniest bit of advice to go with. 

However, my first year of university wasn't all doom of gloom, with rain comes sunshine and I enjoyed several parts of it. One of them is getting back into education. I don't shy away from talking about the fact that my academic life growing up wasn't easy but slipping into university life after taking a gap year was easier than I thought. I found that English was definitely my niché, and something I wanted to pursue after graduation. I don't know exactly what type of job I want to do, I mean I don't need to know until at least my third year, or at least that is what I am reassuring myself with. I loved being able to read books and analyse them for my degree. In some ways, it honestly feels like I'm not doing it for university, (the only time it feels like it's work is when I've been so busy with other things and I'm writing my essay way to close to the deadline). But I guess what my point here that I am trying to say is University isn't for everyone it's a struggle, but if you are studying something you love or working towards something that'll benefit you in terms of gaining a job after graduation. It feels you with motivation to do better.

I finished my first year with a 2:1. Something I didn't expect myself to get. At the start of the year, I wasn't even expecting to gain a pass let alone a good score. I hope my second year goes just as well. 

For any of my readers out there that have been to university or are in university now, how did your academic year go? 

I hope you enjoyed reading this different style of blogpost. 

Until next time.

Toodlepip Lovelies

Lucy x

A Rocky Horror Theatre Review.

The iconic Rocky Horror show took a jump to the left as it arrived into my local theatre. Growing up I watched the movie quite a lot due to it is not only a cult classic but one of my mum's favourite movies. Although watching the movie and my many years of dipping my toe in different styles of the theatre realm, I was not prepared for this.

Now, in case you have never heard of the Rocky Horror Show. (Although you must have been living under a rock for most of your life). The show starts with Brad and his wife to be Janet, are stranded during a storm as their car breaks downs two miles from a castle. Home to Dr frank n Furter the star of the show himself. Played by Stephen Webb in the show I saw, who was exceptional from start to finish. the story unravels itself from there with the craziness of aliens, forbidden planets, sexual adventures and the epic 'Time Warp' that'll get you up and dancing on your two feet in no time.

I feel the most appropriate way to categorize my thoughts on the show and addressing all the good (and bad) parts is in the midst of a bullet point list. I mean who doesn't love a list?

Audience Participation. 
During the 5:30 show I watched on a Friday evening the crowd were as rowdy as ever but in a controlled way. Heckling with perfect timing and with the correct wording that was greeted with laughter all around. They were no match for Steve Punt who's witty remarks were also matched with laughter. Him playing the narrator made the show, and in some regards it makes you wonder if Steve is actually given a script or if the hecklers are his script. In my eyes, Steve is the best fit for the role. (The role of the narrator changes as the tour travels and relocates theatres). 

Although the audience was hesitated at first, which is always surprising seeming eighty percent of the audience were dressed up in their finest rocky horror outfits or should I say dressed down. They were up and dancing in no time during the time warp and waving their lights during 'there's a light'. (Which is my favourite song of the entire performance). 

Casting Choice. 
Joanne Clifton's butter wouldn't melt Janet, (slut) really showed that footwork wasn't the only thing she was talented for. Often known in relation to her brother Kevin Clifton. Joanne's vocals and acting really stole the show for me. Don't get me wrong I love the theatre in all premises but I'm often hesitant and in some cases reluctant to view a show when a 'big name' is put up. And her pairing with James Darch's boy next door approach to Brad (asshole) gave the knight in shining armor pantomime effect to the overall show.

Most loved and recognized for his muscles when playing Rocky is Calum Evans. Don't get me wrong he is a fine specimen of a man (that's mostly due to the reason of his creation). His acrobatic moves resulted in adding another level of madness into the show.  Although at one point it made me laugh when he proceeded to leave the stage doing a handstand as Dr. Frank sang his second solo of the show about going home.

Sound, Set, and Lighting.
With many a touring show, space is limited as compared to that of West End production. However, is this version of Rocky horror the set was not compromised in the slightest and with the aid of the lighting worked really well. Although one thing to be noted here is if you or anybody that you know suffers from epilepsy beware of the flashing lights as they are repeated throughout the show.

In terms of song performances, the best eruption of wolf whistles and cheering from the crowd was as Dr. Frank stepped on in his own opening number. The first notes of 'Sweet transvestite' had been played and everyone went crazy. This was very much rightly so as Stephen Webb's voice and acting were next to nothing I had seen before. He embodied the character beautifully and played to everyone in the fantasies of the audience!

I thoroughly enjoyed watching every minute of the performance and applaud the hard work each performer put into every show they did, not just the week they were down at the Cliffs but for all of the tours. If you haven't seen Rocky Horror yourself you really need to check it out.

Until next time. Toodlepip lovelies 

Lucy x

Staples for Summer.

Now that it is officially Summertime, although June's weather has been very hit and miss over the past few weeks I thought I would share my summer staples for this season. Let's hope that this good weather streak we have going on is here to stay.

Something I can absolutely not live without when it comes to the hotter months, that is either on holiday or at home is a maxi skirt. This floral maxi skirt is beautiful. I love the yellow patterned detail and it would match perfectly with a simple white tee. Although is patterned pieces are a little bit out of your comfort zone, plain coloured maxi skirts in either a grey or khaki colour go well with a lot of t-shirts. Maxi skirts are just perfect for those effortless outfit choices.

Also on the trend of effortless style, a simple casual dress that you can just throw on is perfect. I like this from New Look and at a bargain of a price, you really can not go wrong. It is perfect for those effortless casual days that involves running errands or going to the beach. Paired with some brown open toe sandals you'll look effortlessly stylish. Although pictured above is the dress in blue it does come in a selection of different colours also. My favourite is, of course, the light blue but also the whit, though I really do not need any more white/cream coloured dresses or items in my wardrobe.

Playsuits, playsuits playsuits. Who doesn't love a good playsuit when it comes to the hotter summer months. They are simply cute and come in many different styles and patterns, perfect for wearing while you are on holiday on top of your bikini or going to a BBQ party when the British summer decides to be on our side. Although the only thing I don't love about playsuits is how whenever you use the bathroom especially out in public you become exposed, you can ignore that for how pretty they are. H&M is my favourite place to shop for them.

Although Levi's is on the more expensive side of fashion. I love their denim, especially their denim skirts. My favourite tends to the washed dark denim style, mostly because I feel it goes with a lot more in my wardrobe as opposed to lighter washed denim. Pairing this skirt with a white t-shirt and my favourite yellow cardigan from Asos is my go-to outfit for the summer.

White cotton top that goes with anything and is paired with frilly sleeves, what more could a girl want? Perfect for that more dressier option within the sporadic hot periods of our summer, it's a great alternative if dresses are not your kind of thing. I do not tend to shop at River Island however I couldn't help myself. Imagine how stylish and put together you'll look with this and a pair of denim jeans.

When it comes to tee dresses I tend to sway towards the more floral side of the fashion style. However, I found out a new love for things that are pink and this Pretty Little Thing one ticks all of those kinds of boxes. Frill tree dresses for me are the perfect outfits for picnics and afternoon tea spent weekends and shows the feminine side of my wardrobe choices.

Accessories are any key for a good outfit, and these season straw bags are the perfect addition. However, straw bags can range in terms of pricing so this New Look alternative is a bargain. It also comes in a range of different colours though, so if you are the type of person who loves to add a pop of colour to a plain outfit it's a good addition to your wardrobe.

I hope you enjoy these top seven staples I have shared with you all today,and I hope you are enjoying this lovely streak of hot weather we are having at the moment. 

Thank you for reading.

Toodlepip lovelies.

Lucy x