Eyebrow Game, Strong.

I never plucked my eyebrows when I was younger. I was always that kid who looked like a cave girl with her black, bushy caterpillars while all the other girls looked so feminine with their shaped, over plucked wisps. As much as I hated it then, now I am so so thankful to past-Leigh for not touching her brows as now they're pretty much my best asset.

I do have a love for thick, strong and dark eyebrows. I've become a fan of that 'too big for your face' look a lot of people have going on at the moment too. Except 'scouse brows', ooooooh I absolutely despise drawn-on, Sharpie eyebrows! I may be from Liverpool but one thing I can proudly say is that my brows are 100% mine. I do try to maintain my brows as best I can; as well as looking after them with a few products and potions, I also make the most of them when it comes to makeup looks and fashion choices.

Here are a few of my own personal tips and tricks to 'the eyebrow game':

1. Don't over-pluck

I can't stress this point enough, do not touch your eyebrows with tweezers or wax unless it's to tame the strays. Attempting to re-shape or thin out your brows yourself can result in a loss of hair growth and hair strength, meaning you'll find even gentle tasks like combing them through will cause them to molt and become sparse.
Just please, please, please try and leave them alone as much as you can. I know how tempting it may be to want to add a little shape to them, or how paranoid you may feel about how they look when they've not been plucked. But trust me, unless you have a big, thick mono brow going on, you'll be surprised how little people actually take notice of them.
Just let them grow and strengthen for a while and you'll be amazed with the outcome.

2. Use a cream cleanser to remove product build-up

Using makeup wipes, I noticed, pulls out hairs. It also doesn't remove every scrap of product from your eyebrows which is exactly what needs to be done. I began using Liz Earle cleanse and polish some time last year and I have never looked back! It's so gentle on the entire face, let alone the hairy parts. And it honestly does the job so, so well.

3. If you can afford to, invest in this

Revitalash is a brand that is known for strengthening eyelashes and making them visibly longer. They also do an eyebrow version which has absolute rave reviews; most being 5 out of 5 stars. It helps achieve thicker, fuller eyebrows whether you've overplucked, lost the hair or just didn't have it to start with. Although it is ridiculously expensive, it's a worthwhile investment because it really does work!

4. Try eye shadow, or a pencil with a more waxy texture

Filling your eyebrows with an eyebrow pen or pencil can make them look quite false and drawn-on. Pencil with a far too shiny finish shows up very obviously and can stick the hairs down under the product; damaging them and also leaving you looking like you have even less natural brow hair than you started off with! Go for a powder that seems a shade too light, as this will darken amongst your brows and be a lot gentler, allowing the hairs to stay lifted and present. Also, opting for a pencil that's a bit waxier will mean you apply less and it blends better with the natural brow.

5. Use a setting gel or clear mascara

After you've filled your eyebrows in, brushing them into place, whether it's sleek and neat or up and bushy, will mean they stay all day. I've been using brow drama from Maybelline at the moment and I'm loving it! However before that I used a clear mascara when I didn't want any extra colour, just an amazing finish.

6. Spoolies are your best friends

combing your eyebrows through before and after tampering with them is the best thing you can do. It removes access product and lifts the hairs, making them look thicker and more shapely.

I'm no expert, these are just my tips!

Leigh xo

                                                                                                                                                 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/leighbop
Instagram: leighgoodall

2013

Well the new year is officially upon us now, and what a year it's looking like its going to be! I'm not one for resolutions, and that's for the simple fact that I cannot keep them. But there's a lot I'm looking forward to this year and a lot I'm actually quite sad to see the back of. Which is very unusual for me.
I'm not going to start claiming that 2014 will bring about a new me. Because it won't. Let's face it, I'm going to be the exact same person I was last year, the only difference is that I'll be 21 by the end of this one. Scary!
I entered 2013 a very sad person; 2012 had been a really rough year, but it was also the year I finally began to let myself heal. By the time new year came around I was still very unhappy, and let me tell you, I was the last person to ever believe things could get better!

But they did.

On the 7th of January to be exact, Danielle and I went into town after handing in our uni assignments so I could get the other side of my nose pierced.

Which I did

As we walked around to the tattoo shop, we ran into two familiar faces: Declan and Kerry. We'd never spoken to either of them before, but we'd seen them around university, so instinctively we stopped and said hi. From this first meeting, we all began going drinking together almost immediately. Which slowly began to take up 3 or 4 nights out of our weeks, goodbye student loan, hello hungover in lectures :'( It was the most sociable I'd been in a long time and brought in the year on a really positive note.

Half of me, half of Kerry, all of Danielle.

Jazz got so drunk she fell asleep in a club

Love for this girl xxxxxx

Then at the beginning of February, Declan and I became an item. Cringeeeeee. But yes, After less than a month of knowing each other, I took the plunge and said yes to being Irish's girlfriend. I'd spent a very long time hung up on people who really did not deserve the attention, (maybe I'll write a blog post on that, I don't know) so finding myself liking someone who was actually worth it was... a good kind of strange. From that point onward my year got better and better. Trips away, family weddings, new babies, gigs, lots of parties, passing my first year of uni, finally getting a job and of course moving out, even if that one did only last a few months.

Having a good year has really made me look forward to what 2014 will bring. I have big plans; doing well in uni, going on more trips, celebrating a year together with Irish, going to more gigs, getting more tattoos, and hopefully actually moving out this time! This blog has become very lifestyle-ish which I never planned on. But I will definitely be writing about everything this year, hopefully I haven't jinxed myself by expecting good things!

2013 in Pictures

Leigh xo

                                                                                                                                                 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/leighbop

Instagram: leighgoodall

My Current Skincare Routine

I've seen a lot of people posting about their various beauty routines lately, so I thought I'd hop on that lovely little band wagon and do a post about my own current skincare routine. Before I start I'd just like to say that I am no skincare expert, nor am I telling anybody to use these particular products. They are simply what I've found work for me and my skin (which is extremely dry and dehydrated by the way).

Let's start with cleanser!

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish in Grapefruit and Patchouli 

I've been using this cleanser for maybe just over a month now? Usually I'm terribly lazy when it comes to makeup removal, but I made an effort to let myself run out of makeup wipes and not replace them so I had no choice but to start using this.

Usually a pump onto the back of my hand is plenty; I massage it all over my face and clean it off with a muslin cloth soaked in hot water. Not only does it take off every scrap of makeup and leave my skin feeling clean and fresh, but it also smells wonderful. (Unfortunately it was limited edition and I'm not sure if you can get it anymore!)

After cleansing I usually tone...

 Tea Tree Toner Water from Lush

I like to pull my hair back and spray a few spritzes of this straight onto my face. It's lovely and refreshing but also great when I have spots because of the tea tree (duh...) I've never bothered much to tone before, however since purchasing this I'd be lost without it. Plus it's 100% vegan which is always a plus.

My moisturiser of 2013

For Daily Youth from Soap and Glory

I apologise for the awful quality of these pictures by the way. But yes, I first used this moisturiser when I got a small one in a Christmas gift set last year and since then, I've not been without it. This is my second lot and it's just wonderful. I like to pop this on after I've cleansed/toned, bathed or just before I put my makeup on like a primer. I have really, really, really dry skin which just refuses to hydrate, however this keeps a nice little bit of moisture in my face which is a godsend. 

Onto the lips....

Popcorn lip scrub from Lush

Just as I have dry skin, I have dry lips too, especially with the colder months upon us! There's nothing worse than your lipstick going funny because of dry, flaky lips. So I like to give them a good scrub with this. I literally dip my finger in to the sugary goodness, give my lips a good exfoliate and lick off what's left. Though as fab as I find this product, I must admit 'popcorn' isn't how I'd describe the taste. It is still  yummy though.

Finally!

Burt's Bees lip balm in Honey

Of course, my well-loved lip balm had to make a return. It's super hydrating and lasts a long time on the lips which is great. It's the perfect finish to my lip scrub as it protects the soft, new surface.

 So, as quick and slapdash as this little post was, I really enjoyed sharing my skincare routine. And if anyone who manages to stumble upon this post would like to leave a comment with their own routine, or even just a skincare staple, that would be awesome!

Leigh xo

                                                                                                                                                 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/leighbop

Instagram: leighgoodall

Ten Autumn Favourites

I am definitely an autumn/winter person. I adore the early darkness and the freezing cold, and there’s just something about autumn that I've absolutely fallen in love with in the past couple of years. The romantic dreariness that comes with travelling on trains in the gloomy rain, the freezing cold but crisp and bright mornings, the maroons and dark greens and falling leaves, and my birthday, Halloween, bonfire night… I could go on forever.

So here’s ten things that remind me of this lovely season and that truly bring it to life for me:

10. My khaki green parka – I’ve had this coat for going on 3 years I think; it’s old and ruined but I cannot part with it. There’s something about this coat that makes me think of this time of year, whether it’s the colour or the memories I have wearing it, I don’t know.

the evolution of the parka

 9. Inhibition lipstick from Topshop – Like my coat, I’ve had this lipstick for a long while (perhaps too long for a lipstick, ew), it’s a blackcurrant colour with a slight fruity scent too and I love it. Like every beauty guru on the planet, we all know autumn brings out these lip colours in everyone’s collection.

8. Tartan – I am loving this trend at the moment. Especially when it’s in bright red or dark green. Tartan has never stood out as something I wanted to wear before, but as soon as autumn began to creep in, so did all the tartan. And now whenever I see it, I feel all cosy and autumnal inside.

7. Hot cider – Now I am 20, so I can be partial to a tipple every so often (very often actually baha). I love heating up cider at this time of year, it’s so sweet and spicy and it makes my cheeks go really rosy!

picture from gridsaver.com

6. Cinders bath bomb from Lush - These were limited edition for Halloween and Christmas last year, they're spicy yet sweet and have popping candy on top to resemble the crackle of a fire. I was addicted to these last year and was devastated when I couldn't get them anymore. But now they're back and I'm stocking up!

picture from www.lush.co.uk

5. Full Moon by The Black Ghosts – this song gives me those nostalgic little tummy flips you get, y’know when something reminds you of specific time in your life? I listened to this song nonstop for the first few months of uni last year, and as soon as the first word is sung, it takes me back. 

4. Eyes on Fire by Blue Foundation - Like Full Moon, this song reminds me of heavy rain and cold mornings waiting for the train. It's dreary-sounding but in a gorgeous, mystical sort of way. These songs are Autumn/Winter all over for me.

3. Green Tea by Elizabeth Arden - Everyone has that scent that people associate with them. This is one of mine. Whenever friends and family smell this, they automatically think of me. I stopped wearing it for a while and started again at the beginning of university last year. It's light and clean smelling, like falling leaves and cold mornings :)

picture from google

2. Bad weather - For me, wind, rain and dull skies = perfect weather! And we certainly get plenty of this around this time of year. Here's a picture from a spontaneous little road trip I took with Kristen, I think it sums everything up perfectly. 

1. Burts Bees lip balm in honey – The smell of this stuff just screams ‘autumn’ to me. I bought one around this time last year and wore it literally every day until at least February. Even just a whiff of it now reminds me of my first few months of university; train journeys, heavy rain and dull, grey skies. My stomach does little flips when I put it on now (in a good way).

my very well-loved lip balm

We all have those special things we love to rediscover at certain parts of the year, what are yours? And what’s your favourite season? :)

Leigh xo

                                                                                                                                                 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/leighbop

Instagram: leighgoodall

Skyping Irish

We may only be five minutes away from each other, but Declan and I still like to Skype and FaceTime each other some nights. Well, scratch that, I like to Skype or FaceTime him, he tends to have me there on the phone while he sits and does other things. See, Irish gets so involved in what he's doing sometimes that he completely forgets I'm there, and just to prove how oblivious he is to my existence, I've started pulling really disgusting faces down the camera at him.

He's yet to notice.

                                                                                                                                                 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/leighbop
Instagram: leighgoodall

Second Year Whirlwind

So at the beginning of October, literally on the 1st of the month, I started my second year of university. As soon as we got into our first lecture, the work started; we had lectures and presentations and readings and deadline dates and so much other scary stuff thrown at us before we could even say 'hello' to half the people we'd missed over summer.
For me and my friends, second year had started weeks before we actually started lectures. This was because three of my closest friends, Danielle, Jazz and Shannon moved into a house near the university a few weeks early which only meant one thing: parties. And lots of them.

 Beer Pong

 Danielle cutting her hair as the forfeit of a drinking game.

 Declan and his 'fat frog'

My poor liver. 

As well as partying and going out drinking constantly, exactly a week after going back to university it was my 20th Birthday! Yep, on the 8th of October I kissed my teenage years goodbye by... well, attending a 4 hour lecture (meh). I had nothing planned for my birthday, the only plan was for Declan to pick me up and for us to go home and chill for the night.

But everything kind of went downhill at the beginning of my lecture when I got a text from him saying he wasn't going to pick me up and that he'd 'see me later on'. I was not happy and spent the entire 4 hours worried about what could be wrong. In an attempt to cheer me up, Danielle and Shannon practically dragged me back to their house where, unbeknown to me, they'd put together the most slapdash birthday party I'd ever seen (students ey!). They had balloons scattered around and Stevie Wonder's 'Happy Birthday' playing on the laptop. It was the best and most thoughtful thing anyone had ever done for me. I couldn't stop laughing and had immediately put Declan's absence to the back of my mind when all of a sudden, yep, that's right, out he popped from the kitchen holding a home made birthday cake with lit candles and a bunch of 12 yellow roses (my favourite colour).

I had the nicest day, better than I ever imagined it would be. It showed me how honestly amazing my friends are and how wonderful my boyfriend is. I've only been back at uni for two weeks and already I can tell this is going to be a crazy year! 

Leigh xo 

                                                                                                                                                 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/leighbop
Instagram: leighgoodall

A New Trend? I Think So.

At the beginning of this year I predicted the return of 'jellybean' shoes when I bought these babies.

This is now a trend which is taking the fashion world by storm; with everyone jumping on the shiny, rubbery band wagon, from bold block colours to the clear glittery classics all of us 90's kids remember.

Shiny, clunky materials such as plastic and PVC
are bang on trend at the moment, whether it be shoes, panels on clothes, or bags. And if done right, it can be a super chic and stylish look. (Perfect example below)

So after predicting the rise of the jellybeans, I think I may have cottoned on to another winner with my latest purchase.


In keeping with the PVC trend, which I am loving might I add, I treated myself to a new satchel with an awesome, edgy, slightly daring(?) twist.

Clear bags have begun to crop up here and there around some of my favourite websites; clutches and backpacks with sheer, black plastic windows especially. However I've yet to see any bags made from completely clear PVC.

I hated the idea of see-through bags, 'why would I want everyone to see my crumpled up receipts, loose change and week-old mints that have fallen to the bottom of my bag?' I thought they were a completely un-wearable look; couture and editorial only. However, my mind was swiftly changed when I began to envision different outfits and looks I could achieve with something as 'love it or hate it' as a transparent bag.

I searched everywhere (be warned, searching 'clear plastic bag' comes up with a lot of food storage options, not the look I was going for) and I finally found a bag in the style of the classic Cambridge Satchel; completely clear PVC with black clasps and a black strap.

I love it. Of course I have to be a lot more careful about what I'm throwing in there now, but as an accessory itself, it's so cute and different and eye catching. Whether you love it or hate it, you've noticed it and you're talking about it and I honestly think that clear bags are due to be the next big craze.


                                                                                                                                                 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/leighbop
Instagram: leighgoodall