Jasmine McRae | UK Beauty, Fashion and Lifestyle

INSTAGRAM CATCH-UP | JUNE '17

SO OVERDUE SO LATE SO DISORGANISED I’M A USELESS BLOGGER! The last couple of weeks have been pretty hectic for me. My life has been busy, stressful, full-on and a bit chaotic so I really apologise for the lack of posts lately. I really struggle with ‘blogger’s guilt’, like I know many of my fellow bloggers do, but it’s been so important for me to take this time to look after myself and those close to me. What better way to kick myself up the bum than with a June Instagram catch up?

VENICE was completely amazing and was part of my birthday celebrations! My mum came over from Australia and whisked me off on a 5-day trip to Venice, somewhere I’d never been before. We left on Thursday and had an incredible long weekend soaking up the culture, sun, food and drinks, and even had a couple of spa treatments each at the hotel. The full blog post can be read HERE!

PINK HAIR I had a sort of mid-life crisis after turning 22 and went immediately to Boots and bought a load of pink hair dye, and then booked myself a spray tan to top it all off. I’ve always been notoriously pale, so a spray tan was pretty hilarious (and I’m not sure I was 100% a fan) and the pink hair transformed me into another human being for a couple of weeks. My Insta theme is always a million times prettier when my hair is pink, though…

DATE NIGHTS have been coming thick and fast lately, since me and Chris are both working and we’ve got more time to actually go out for romantic dates. We went to see Pirates of the Caribbean, we’ve been for steaks, we have been doing lunches and picnics, and it’s been so lovely. The next few things on my wishlist is a cocktail bar crawl in Soho, a comedy club evening and maybe a trip to the zoo.

What were your Junes like? Although mine was busy, I'm so enjoying being away from university for the summer and making the most of having time to myself. I’m also going to set myself a one-post-a-week goal to make sure I’m avoiding the blogger guilt and so there’s always new stuff coming up on my blog. I hope you enjoyed my instagram catch up!

Lots of love,

Jasmine x

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THE H&M WRAP DRESS

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VENICE

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I am so unbelievably lucky, so grateful and so excited to be able to share my recent trip to Venice with you. My mum flew over from Australia to spend my birthday with me, and even booked us a five day trip to Venice. I’ve been backpacking round Italy before, but never went to Venice, so I was really excited to see it. We spent four nights and five days there, and it was magic. I wanted to share some pictures and some bits and bobs about what we got up to on our beautiful, relaxing trip.

On day one, we landed at about midday, and got the airport shuttle-boat thingy over to Lido, the island we were staying on. Hotels in Venice are often really full over the summer months, and often extreeeemely pricey. So instead, we stayed on Lido which has a white sandy beach, restaurants, shops and a regular vaporetto over to the main city. In true Jasmine-form, I kicked things off with a carbonara before heading to our hotel, checking in, and then getting the waterbus over to the city for a little walk around.

Mum’s been to Venice about three or four times already, so she knows her stuff (thank god), because the streets are very windy and complicated to explore. The alleyways are long and dark and some are just dead ends. If I’d gone there alone, I’d still be wandering around in some piazza or another now. After another Italian feast of Pizza di tonno, we just went back to the hotel early-ish for a good sleep.

We woke up on day two and headed out on the vaporetto into the city, but not before eating double my bodyweight in cheese, sliced meats, eggs and bacon AND melon AND yoghurt. We headed to the Doge’s Palace for a nosey round, and it was aaaamazing. They’ve still got access to the prisons downstairs so it was amazing to see all the old cells and chambers. I wrote Chris a quick postcard which STILL HASN’T ARRIVED and we went for lunch (carbonara, obv) and then we went back to our hotel for a spa treatment each, followed by some dinner nearby. I had a full body scrub. I died at how incredibly silky and dolphin-like I was afterwards. Swoon!

On day three our alarm went off hella early so we could go and take pictures in the city before all the tourists showed up. We got a few good pictures but apparently, Venice is the busiest city on planet earth and even arriving at 7am couldn’t save us. We got breakfast next to the Rialto Bridge and then headed off for some culture at Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia. I tried an Aperol spritz with my lunch and to all ye Italians who may be reading this: you are nasty and Aperol spritzes have a special place in hell reserved for them. Then we went back to Lido and headed to the beach to laze around all afternoon.

Day four saw us have a little lie in, and then catch the vaporetto over to Murano where they make all the pretty coloured glass. Unfortunately, we went on a Sunday so not many of the factories were open, and we timed it poorly by ending up there on some sort of boating festival day. We walked around a bit anyway, and then gave up and went off for the highlight of my trip, the Isola di San Michele which is the graveyard island. Oooo spooky! Then we went back to the spa, this time for a full-body massage and a facial. Blisssss.

On day five we realised we’d literally bought no-one anything to take back with us, so we caught the vaporetto into Venice, bought some souvenirs. Chris got a t-shirt and a leather bracelet, Mum bought my sister an Italian leather bag (I got one too!) and an Italian leather belt for Mum’s partner. Then we went for my final carbonara (I was crying inside) and headed back for the airport.

Venice is seriously one of the most amazing and beautiful places. The city has such richness and literally every single building is instagram-worthy. It’s the kind of place I’d absolutely love to visit again, and I feel I could have walked for hours through the city streets. Well, I think I did to be honest. We averaged 8 miles a day. A negative to the trip was that it is literally the most tourist-ridden place on earth. I know I’m saying that AS a tourist so it’s a bit ironic, but I certainly prefer visiting new places where the tourist population doesn’t outweigh the local population. But it’s definitely one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen, and I’m so incredibly lucky and thankful that my mum took me to see it (and probably spent her pension in doing so).

Lots of love,

Jasmine x

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DATE NIGHT MAKEUP

beauty 8:00 AM

Something really strange happened last week. I left the house and DIDN’T have to go in to work. I know, what?? On my days off, you can usually find me sprawled on the sofa binge-watching something and eating cheese straight from the block, but not last week. With my mum being over from Australia, and having been away to Venice, Chris and I hadn’t had a chance to celebrate my birthday, just us two. So we booked in for a swanky-ish evening at Cote Brasserie and I layered on the slap, and we had a really lovely, really boozy, really don’t-remember-getting-home evening. I also learned to overdraw my lips this week, which is beyond exciting. As a result, I was well and truly feeling myself, so that’s why a mountain of selfies will have been plaguing your instafeed. Soz not soz.

The makeup I used was:

For the base I primed with Benefit’s PoreFessional Primer, then buffed in a generous amount of my new favourite Too Faced Born This Way Foundation. Then I concealed using the Too Faced Born This Way Concealer, and set it all using my trusty MAC Studio Fix Powder + Foundation.

For my cheeks, and because I’ve been on the spray tans, I needed to add a heck-load of colour to my face so I blended a load of NARS Laguna Bronzer on to my jawline, under my cheekbones, on my temples and around my chin. Then I used MAC Powder Blush in Blushbaby, but only a little bit.

My Brows are literally just a swipe or two of the Soap & Glory Brow Voluboost in Talk Of The Brown, which is fool-proof and so quick to apply.

My eyes were done using the NAKED Palette by Urban Decay using the shades Smog, Darkhorse and Buck. I finished that off with a small wing using the Soap & Glory Supercat eyeliner pen, and a good few coats of my ultimate love Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara, which literally is the best mascara ever, seriously.

I chose the best, most wonderful liquid lipstick to finish of my face with. My lips were slathered in a layer of Kat Von D’s Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Bow ’n’ Arrow, which is my ultimate favourite nude at the moment. And I’ve even learned to use it to overdraw my lips (finally!), and this lippie makes it so easy. The finish is very natural and it doesn’t look obvious (I bloody hope), and I think it compliments the new pink hair.

My hair colour is an unholy concoction of Crazy Colour in Candyfloss, BLACH London Rose semi-permanent dye, and a truckload of silver toning shampoo, but I’m completely in love with the pinkness of it all.

I wore this dress for the first time, which is from the Missguided store in Stratford. It was only £18 and is a burgundy velvet deep v-neck skater dress which you can't really see in the pictures, so you’ll just have to trust me that it was luuurvely. Well, after a lot of boob tape and having to stick plasters over my nipples, it was luuuurvely.

Half of my makeup was ruined by the time we’d drank copious amounts of wine and dribbled steak down my chin in what I imagine was the single most attractive move I’ve ever made in a nice restaurant. All in all, we had a gorgeous time and I’m thoroughly looking forward to the next date night.

Lots of love,

Jasmine x

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SCOTT CORNWALL ULTIMATE HAIR COLOURING PACKAGE*

beauty 8:00 AM

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to be contacted by Scott Cornwall’s team about reviewing a ‘box of hair goodies’, and I was obviously HELLA excited and grateful to be asked. What I didn't know was that the box that turned up was going to be so huge and full of some really cool products. Included in the set was 4 new products that I’d not yet heard of or tried, and now I’ve received them, I can give you my first impressions.

Scott Cornwall PreColour Protein Spray

The lil’ booklet that came in the package tried to make sense of all this new haircare mumbo jumbo, but I must admit that it is still a bit confusing for me (someone who can barely even brush her hair on a regular basis, never mind preen it with protein spray). The instructions basically say that this spray can be used like a leave-in conditioner, something I’m a big fan of having bleached my hair into oblivion over the course of 7 years. It’s also recommended that you use it before colouring as it prevents damage to the hair and also helps you get a fuller coverage. How it works, I don’t flipping know, but it’s on offer at Boots at the moment and so far, my hair does feel slightly more manageable.

Scott Cornwall PreColour Clarifying Treatment

I actually gave this to my friend when I received the package because I had LITERALLY just put a fresh load of pink dye onto my hair, and there was nooooo waaaay I was going to be stripping it out so soon. So my buddy took it off my hands as she proceeded to conduct her own risky experimentation on her hair in her bathroom; going from dyed dark brown to rose gold. She said it worked quite well to remove the dye on her hair before and prepare it for the new lot, and her hair is looking really gorgeous now as a mid-blonde with a rosy pink tint, so this treatment probably helped her out. The booklet said that this treatment actually lifts the hair cuticles so that colour can penetrate the hair better, and therefore stay on longer. Hmmm, scientific stuff.

Scott Cornwall Colour Restore in Silver Blonde + Scott Cornwall Colour Restore in Lilac Grey

So AGAIN, I have recently popped a load of pink onto my hair, and I’m loving it, so these have both been placed lovingly into the bathroom cupboard and I’m going to give these a go when I’m next feeling like a change. Both of these shades are from the newer collection, and both shades speak to me. Greys, silvers, cool chromes and lilacs are my favourite hair colours to have during the cooler months and makes me feel so wintery, so these are going to be saved up for when the weather drops down a bit. Both shades are beautiful and I’m hoping I can just mix them both for a silver-violet effect. Exciting!

Lots of love,

Jasmine x

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*Disclaimer - While I have been sent these products for review on my blog, this has not affected the review I have given. All products reviewed are still done so with 100% my honest opinion.

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VEGAN COMFORT FOOD HAUL

food 8:00 AM

I wanted to save this blog post until I’d had a chance to scoff my way through all of these tasty treats, so that I could give the best review I could. See? I’m such a giving blogger; I eat the contents of Sainsbury’s freezer ailse because I’m just SO committed to my blog (not because I’m addicted to food, no).

I’m not a vegan, but I do practise a ‘flexitarian’ diet; I eat vegan and vegetarian meals mostly, but I still enjoy a steak or a Five Guys here and there. So, I’ve been branching out into the world of vegan and vegetarian foods. I’ve discovered a few new brands recently that I’ve fallen in love with, so I wanted to share with you all the new foods I’ve been trying and loving.

Quorn Vegan Nuggets | £2.50 | Sainsbury’s

The world became obsessed with chicken nuggets earlier this year, even to the point that they became a meme. I’ve always been a massive fan of those little golden nuggets of heaven, so when I saw Quorn’s new vegan versions, I grabbed a bag and ran. These are great for after a night out, instead of a greasy kebab, and you still feel like you’re getting that fast-food fix. They’re also really low in calories and taste so similar to the real thing, just without the guilt that some of us meat-eaters get.

Spiced Tomato & Lentil Soup | 50p | Sainsbury’s

Soooup glorious soooup! I’ve got a soup problem, I might have to check into some sort of soup-based rehab. I found these vegan soups in the Be Good To Yourself range at Sainsbury’s. There are a few flavours that are vegan, but some do contain chicken or other animal products, so do check first. Again, these contain minimal calories and fill you up. I’ve included this in my ‘Comfort Food Haul’ because this flavour in particular is so warming, homely and delicious.

Sweet Potato Fries | £2.40 | Sainsbury’s

YAAAAAY FOR FRIES! I’ve chosen these Sweet Potato Fries because there are SOME oven chips or home fries that do contain animal products. These fries, however, are clearly marked with that big ol’ green vegan symbol. Sweet potato fries are high in fiber, vitamin A and potassium, and are generally much better for you than normal chips. They’re also really yummy, and make you feel like you’re getting those much-craved fast-food carbs.

Vegetarian Chicken and Leek Pies | £2 | Linda McCartney

Annoyingly, I read this box wrong, and these pies are just vegetarian, not vegan. Still, they’re delicious and I’ll still include them in this haul. Linda McCartney is the reigning queen of veggie and vegan food; I’ve not tried anything of her range that I haven’t enjoyed. Even you meat-lovers won’t be able to resist her vegan sausages or her burgers. These pies embody comfort-food; they’re creamy, steamy and downright dreamy. I had mine with mash and vegan gravy, and it felt like I was in a pub on a chilly afternoon.

What’s really incredible about this haul is that it was so afforable. It literally cost me less than a tenner to grab all of these bits, some vegan gravy and some vegetables. There’s some vegan mayo at home in the fridge (because I cannot survive without mayo) for dipping the fries and nuggets in. For my meat-loving friends, there really ARE little changes that you can make to your diet that you simply won’t realise. It’s definitely worth looking into if you want to help make a difference. I promise I’m not preaching here, I just love the fluffy bunnies (but I also love KFC, help me I’m such a contradiction).

Have you ever tried a vegan meal? Would you try any of these comfort foods?

Lots of love,

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MAC AMBER X 9 PALETTE | REVIEW + SWATCHES

beauty 8:00 AM

I’ve been meaning to write this review for bloody months. Like, about 6 months. I’ve been putting it off because I’ve been trying to give this palette more of a chance. I absolutely LOVE MAC Cosmetics; I own a million (actual figure) of their lipsticks, their concealers are a dream, and their blushes bring me more happiness than my first born child ever could. So, I’ve been really wanting to like this palette more than I have been. It was my first MAC eyeshadow palette, and I splurged £25 on the little bugger. And I honestly have barely touched it.

I’ll start off with the positives, because there really are plenty of them. You get nine shades of beautiful amber, copper, taupe and beige hues. MAC eyeshadows cost £13.50 each, usually, so you’re getting a great deal for just £25 for all nine shadoes. The compact is smaller than I expected, but it’s very sturdy, sleek, and fits into my makeup bag much better than my h u u u g e Urban Decay palettes. The quality of the shadows are good; they apply evenly; not a patch in sight.

Also, it might seem a little irrelevent, but the shade names bring me great happiness. There’s something really important to me about names of shades in palettes; they’re so much more appealing. That might be me being strange, but it’s a big big part of marketing a product to me.

Now for the negatives. These eyeshadows seem very…well…sheer. They’re quite thin. They seem to lack pigmentation which is really disappointing from makeup giant MAC. Finger swatches, like the ones shown above, are supposed to be the most pigmented and opaque swatches you can do. But these swatches still look quite lack-lustre. I’ve used the palette on just a few occassions, and the shades ARE buildable. But why woud I spend more time building the colours when I can just whip out my super-pigmented UD Naked Palette and get out the door quicker?

It’s a bit of a shame because I really am in love with the colours included in this palette. I can see why MAC eyeshadows have such a cult following. My favourite shades are Cozy Grey, Kitties, Aromatic and Pepper Please. This is definitely a palette I’d like to experiment more with, and I’ll have to dig it out and give it more of a chance. The shades are stunning, I just wish they were more pigmented when applied!

What are your tips on making eyeshadows appear more pigmented? Are there any wonder-products I should try that will help?

Lots of love,

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INSTAGRAM CATCH-UP | JUNE '17

THE H&M WRAP DRESS

VENICE

DATE NIGHT MAKEUP

SCOTT CORNWALL ULTIMATE HAIR COLOURING PACKAGE*

VEGAN COMFORT FOOD HAUL

MAC AMBER X 9 PALETTE | REVIEW + SWATCHES

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