Announcement: My New Blog!

This is just a quick post to say that I have decided to launch a new blog! As I'm sure you've noticed, I have abandoned missbeautyblogger for the past while because my heart just wasn't in it anymore. I don't think there's any point in forcing yourself to do something you're not really interested in anymore. This blog started out as a hobby and that's exactly what I wanted it to remain. In the past year or so my interests have veered away from beauty and more so into travel and lifestyle, which is exactly why I have created The Whimsical Wanderluster. This is my new blog which focuses around my travel adventures, interrailing and general life bits! It's all very new at the moment so there isn't much content but I'd love if you could give my latest post a read and leave me some feedback.

My new blog banner!

I'm not saying I will never return to this blog again, but right now I am focusing my efforts on my new blog and I'd love if you would give me a visit! Thank you for being such lovely readers and supporting this blog for the past number of years, I am forever grateful.

You can check out my new blog here.

Update!

Okay, so it's been a while. 

I know I've been a little (ahem, a lot) MIA for the past few months but I just needed a break from the blog. I am currently in my final year of school and unfortunately that has to be the priority in my life right now. That being said, I do miss blogging so I will by trying to post every now and again! Blogging is a hobby of mine and I do not want it to become a chore so I can't make any promising regarding regular posts. 

I would love to know what types of posts you'd all like to see from me though! I was lucky enough to visit Santorini, Greece over the Summer and it was fabulous. I may do a little post on that soon as the photos are just too pretty not to share! So keep checking up on my little section of the web because some life is being restored. Also let me know what you've all been up to as I'd love to hear.

Current Favourite & Review | FujiFilm Instax Mini 8

So we're officially right in the middle of January. Not the best month of the year as it signifies the end of Christmas and a lot of dreary weather (on my side of the world anyway!). However, it also means new starts, how are your resolutions going? Anyway, that's all beside the point. I'm here to tell you about my latest love, the FujiFilm Instax Mini 8. I received this hipster beauty for my birthday back in November and have noticed lots of people purchasing it since then. 

The camera is essentially a take on the classic polaroid camera. It's not all that high tech but it's so fun! You put the film in yourself at the back and click the button under the lens to turn it on. This pops out the lens also. Now for a few of the technical details, but no fear, this camera is very basic and can be operated by even the most non technical folk! 

There are four options to take photos with; indoors/night F12.7, cloudy/shade F16, sunny/slightly cloudy F22 and Sunny/bright F32. The camera automatically determines the best option but you can also adjust this to your preference. The light indicates which option has been selected. The shutter speed is 1/60 seconds and the flash always fires. You can also set it the dial to the 'Hi-key" mode which allows you to take photos with a softer impression. 

Once you take the photo it immediately prints from the top of the camera, which can be seen below. It prints quite quickly, however the image does take some time to show up. For the full image to show you need to leave it for about 30 minutes-1 hour. The photos it produces are very old-school but in the best possible way! They look vintage and make a gorgeous souvenir. There's a white space at the bottom which is perfect for writing memories,dates etc. 

Although it is a very cute and cool camera, there are a few cons. The biggest con for me is that the film is extremely expensive (€25 for 2 packs) . Each pack only contains 10 shots and there is no room for error. Once you take a photo, you can't delete it! The images aren't brilliant quality either and do take a while to fully develop.

You can make your own judgement on the product but I personally think it's a gorgeous, fun camera for anyone! If you are looking for a high tech camera to take beautiful photos with, this isn't your guy. However if you're looking for an easy-to-use novelty camera to make lots of memories with, you won't be disappointed!

Available in 5 colours (pink,blue,white,black,yellow) for €99.99 here 

How I Style: Occasion Dresses with Fanny Crown!

What girl doesn't like to get glammed up every once in a while? I know sometimes it can be a big effort, but for special occasions all the little things matter. Now in terms of events like Prom or Debs, every detail is very important. The most important detail of course being the dress. Fanny Crown is an online formal dress retailer than contacted me about a little competition they're running (check it out here). I'm here to tell you all about my favourite dress from their website and how I'd style it! I decided to chose a Debs dress as it's the most relevant to me. Better yet, they provided me with a 15% off code for all you lovely people, so stay tuned till the end of the post for that!

I love white dresses as I think they're very classy and never tacky. This style is very simple and elegant. The jewelled neck adds an essential bit of sparkle which I love! I styled this look with rhinestone platforms from Dune (£49) and a gorgeous clutch by Michael Kors (€190). The look is finished off with a pretty dainty bracelet from Ti Siento (€63). The dress is available here for €148.

Enter the code MISSBEAUTYB14 at the checkout for a 15% discount off your order. The code is valid from now until the 28th February so get shopping!

What do you think of this look?

Review + Swatches | Ciaté Caviar Manicure Luxe

Ciaté are the people I consider to be the original "Caviar" nail people. Not the most well put together sentence, but you see what I mean! My lovely mum bought this kit for me, which is a luxe twist on the original caviar manicure. This kit is in the shade "gleam" which is a gorgeous, slightly rose, gold colour.

The kit comes with a nail polish, beads, a how-to booklet and a small gold funnel that helps you return any unused beads back into the container. Ciaté most definitely succeed in adding a very luxurious feel to this kit. The bottles are glass and are very sturdy. I love the packaging, the bottle are so pretty they could even be used as decoration in my opinion.

The quality of the nail polish is lovely. It applies like liquid gold and has gorgeous, smooth consistency.  Two coats of this polish is all you need for a flawless opaque look. The beads are also easy to apply as you can just pour them over the nail and carefully press them on. Apply some topcoat for longer wear time.

 Overall this is a great product and would make a lovely gift for anyone. The beads can be a bit of a hassle as they gradually fall off but it's a nice look for a special occasion. This is by no means a necessity product, but if you're looking for a little piece of luxury, this is great!

Ciaté caviar manicure luxe €21.92 from ASOS

My New Year's Resolutions for 2014!

Let me start by wishing you all a very Happy New Year! It is officially 2014 (scary, I know) and I'm being oh so original by making a few "resolutions". Now I'm not the biggest fan of that word because I believe it is often associated with things that never end up actually happening. I'm going to call them 'my little promises to myself that I will try my best to do', but that doesn't have quite the same ring to it does it? I guess "resolutions" will do for now. 

1. Healthy Eating/Fitness

I'm pretty sure this one is a general resolution with the majority of the world! No crazy diets here, but I have been getting into some healthy habits recently, however those went out the window during Christmas. I play basketball and attend Zumba classes and hope to start Pilates for this year. I'm also going to make a greater effort to go to the gym. As far as healthy eating goes, I am really into juicing lately and have a few recipes coming soon for you (check out my DIY Lean & Green juice here). I'm also going to try and make myself some healthy lunches for school.

2. Reading

With all the technology in the world, reading is something I don't tend to prioritise. I hope to rediscover my inner bookworm for 2014! Any book recommendations are very welcome and appreciated.

3. Study

Now I'm a pretty good studier, but I need to make sure I keep up to date with all my schoolwork and really put my head down for this year. 

4. Drink Water

This is an ongoing resolution for me. I'm always making an effort to drink more water as it's benefits are endless!

5. Be kind

Perhaps the most important resolution and quite a cheesy one nonetheless! Kindness is something that is often lacking and I hope to just be kind to everyone I meet and hopefully make more people smile. This includes being charitable and showing my appreciation for everyone in my life.

6. Just Say Yes

I tend to freak myself out over things and over-analyse situations. This often ends up in me turning things down and not going places. I want to teach myself to get over this and just say yes! What's the worst that can happen?

7. Sleep

I'm a total night owl and could easily go the entire night without sleeping. I need to gain some sort of a sleeping pattern! I can't see this really happening but it's worth a shot anyway. 

They are my resolutions for 2014, let me know what yours are in the comments and if we share any in common!

Health Series | DIY Lean & Green Juice Recipe

Now that Christmas is over, it's time to put down the tin of Roses (they're chocolates for those of you unfamiliar with the product!) and get your body back into shape! Something that I'm really getting into lately, are homemade juices. Shop bought juices can be dodgy as they often have extra bits thrown into them and often contain a ton of sugar. If you make your own juice, you can control exactly what goes into the drink so it is often a lot healthier. Today's juice is what I have called a "Lean & Green" juice drink. It's packed with fruits, veggies and tons of vitamins and antioxidants. Plus it tastes good!

Makes: 1 glass of juice

What You Need:

• 1 whole (green) apple
• 1/2 a cucumber 
• 3 kale leaves
• 1 cup of grapes (about 28)
• 1/2 cup of water

Method:

1. Core and chop up your apple.

2. Slice cucumber into thick slices.

3. Throw in all your ingredients into your juicer.

4. Taste your juice and add more of any of the ingredients you like including watering it down to taste.

5. Enjoy your yummy and healthy juice!

Health Benefits:

There's loads of brilliant benefits to this juice. Cucumber contains vitamin K, calcium and copper which helps with things such as blood clotting and boosting your immune system. Of course we know that 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away' but did you know they also cleanse your liver and can prevent cancer? Flavonoids and phenolic acids are proven to prevent the development of cancerous tumour cells. Kale can also help prevent cancer, in particular cervical cancer. It also contains lots of vitamins and minerals including K, C, B, magnesium and calcium. Finally, grape juice is great for lowering cholesterol and surprisingly, it's also great for your brain. Apparently, it can help you retain knowledge better. I guess I'll be downing some grape juice before exams from now on!

The end product- add a slice of cucumber for extra style points!

As you can see, juicing has so many great health benefits. It's a really easy way to get in the majority of your 5 a day, in one glass! There are so many different juices, and if you like this one stay tuned for lots more healthy and delicious recipes soon.