My month in pictures- March

Just a little collage of my month. 
I felt march was a very long month and I managed to fit an insane amount of things in. I made so many memories, and thanks to these pictures, I wont forget them :')

One Direction 

(One Direction and an LBD)

Sweet 16th Birthday Party 

(I'm Bringing Gucci Back)

Paris 

(Paris Haul) ("Paris is always a good idea" - Audrey Hepburn)

Spring Makeup

(Spring Ombre Eyes)

Easter baking

So there's a quick summary of my month in images, how was yours?

Don't forget to follow me on-

Instagram- http://instagram.com/elerihall

Twitter- https://twitter.com/justmeEleri

Friday Feelings! - Is It Worth It?

Friday Feelings?- Well, basically, 'Friday Feelings' is going to be a weekly post about my feelings of the past week. I thought I'd try something new that I could make perminant in my blog.

So, this past week, I've spent my time revising for my GCSE exams. eeek!
As I've been looking over my notes, one thought has crossed my mind over and over again; "When will I ever need this?"
Now, I understand that the work you do and qualifications you get prove you can learn efficiently to future employers, but surely it would be more valuable to learn things that will benefit us in our future, as well as proving we're capable of learning and taking in information. 
Its just something I don't really understand. I mean, when am I ever going to need to recite the cell theory? 

As I've been revising, I've been asking my sister for help. She's in university studying Law and Criminology, a course that requires a lot of understanding.
Now, she had many A*, A and B's in her GCSE's. But, when I do ask for help, whether it be in Science, Maths or English, she cant remember a thing! 
Surely this proves that the majority of things we learn during our Comprehensive school education, are useless in everyday life. (Unless you want to be a scientist or whatever)

Well, there you have it, my feelings for the week.
I hope you've enjoyed this post. 
I'm actually really excited about these blog posts and think they could spark up quite a lot of conversation.

So, I'd love if you could comment giving me your opinion, telling me if you agree or disagree.

Don't forget to follow me on
Instagram- http://instagram.com/elerihall
Twitter- https://twitter.com/justmeEleri

Spring Ombre Eyes!

I love makeup, as if you couldn't tell! I love experimenting with it and trying out different ways of changing my look.
Today, I got bored and as I usually do, I reached out and opened my makeup draw and began creating a new look. (Just a little warning, Its quite colourful!)

The Face-

I began by priming my face with the 'Rimmel Fix and Perfect Primer' and then setting it with my 'Urban Decay De Slick Setting Spray'. 
I wanted a light base so picked up my 'Maybelline BB Cream' in light and used my 'Real Techniques Buffing Brush' to work it into my skin. This BB Cream is great for sunnier days because it has SPF (Not that I need it in Wales, It's currently snowing!) I then applied my 'Maybelline Fit Me Concealer' in shade 15 and applied this under my eyes and around my nose, then blended it in with my fingers. To set my base, I used the 'Natural Collection Pressed Powder' in cool, using my 'Real Techniques Blush Brush'.
I lightly contoured under my cheekbones and jaw line, around my temples and down the sides of my nose using my 'Avon  Glow Bronzing Powder' in Light Bronze, with my 'Real Techniques Contour Brush'.
For blush, I used a cream blusher from Topshop in 'Prime Time'. It looks extremely bright in the container, but gives a gorgeous peachy pink flush to the cheeks. To apply this, I used a synthetic blush brush from 'Dirty Works'. This was a cheap brush I picked up from TK Maxx a while ago.
Finally, I didn't apply any colour to my eyebrows as I wanted them to be natural and not overpowering, so I just used the 'Natural Collection Clear Mascara' to set the shape. 

The Eyes-

Priming is everything! As I was using quite a lot of product on my eyes, I made sure I primed!

I used my trusty 'ArtDeco Eyeshadow Base' to prime the eyelids and just below my eyes in preparation for eye liner and shadow.

Using my 'Maybelline Gel Eye liner' in black (and the brush that comes with it), I drew quite a think line from the centre of my eyelid, to the outer corner and then winged it out. I then lined my lower lash line using the 'Barry M Eye Pencil' in white and continued the line under the wing. This white line acts as a base and makes eyes shadow a lot more vibrant.

Now for the fun part! I took an electric blue eye shadow from the above palette (I'm not sure where it's from as it used to be my mothers for dancing), and using the 'Real Techniques Pixel Point Eye Liner Brush', I placed this on top of the white liner at the very outer corner, blending it in towards the centre. 

Next, I took a lighter, turquoise shade and placed this in the centre of the lash line, blending it into the electric blue, and in towards the inner corners of my eye. 

I then took the lightest green/blue shade and applied this to the inner corners of my eyes, leaving a little more space for another colour, and blended it in with the turquoise.

Finally, I took the white colour and placed this in the very inner corner to brighten the eyes.

I added more off each colour to make them more vibrant until I was happy with the intensity of the colours. I also made sure I had blended them into each other seamlessly, to create the ombre effect. 

Lastly for the eyes, I applied my 'Avon Super Shock Max Mascara' and the eyes were complete!

The Lips-

As the eyes were so bright, I wanted a natural, understated lip. 

I applied my light pink 'Kiko Lip Gloss Pencil' and then layered an 'Avon Glazewear Sparkle Lip Gloss' in Shimmering Amethyst over the top. It created a really nice natural pink colour and worked gorgeously with the eyes. 

The Final Look-

I spritzed my face with the setting spray and voila, all done.

I really hope you like the look, of course you can change the colours if you like, maybe trying the opposite colours to you eyes to bring them out.

I had a lot of fun doing this and really liked the outcome. I think the eyes are really pretty and add a bit of fun and flirtatiousness to an everyday look. 

Don't forget to follow me on

Instagram- http://instagram.com/elerihall
Twitter- https://twitter.com/justmeEleri

25 Facts About Me!

Todays post is going to be a little different compared to my normal ones. 
I thought I'd tell you a little about myself, so you get to know more about the person behind the blog.

1. I attend an all girls school.
2. I'm obsessed with all things French.
3. I LOVE 'Despicable Me'. A Lot!
4. I'm a qualified singing teacher.
5. I have an older sister and a little doggy.
6. My favourite colour is pink.
7. I have been dancing since I was 7 years old.
8. When I was in my Junior School Choir, I sang for Prince Charles.
9. Sunday dinner is my least favourite meal. Yuck!
10. Cucumber is my favourite vegetable. (I used to take chunks of it to school)
11. I love Niall Horan.
12. My favourite place to be is a caravan site by the beach in New Gale, West Wales.
13. I have a phobia of cats. I don't know why, but they really really scare me.
14. I drink tea, ALL the time.
15. My favourite song is Dakota- Stereophonics.
16. I cry at everything. I cry when I'm happy and when I'm sad.
17. I am extremely pale.
18. I get too hot and too cold very easily, and when I do, I find it very hard to function.
19. Lillies are my favourite flower, my dog's even called Lili.
20. I've been to see Westlife, 5, Mcfly, X-Factor, One Direction, Jessie J, Olly Murs, Pixie Lott, Stereophonics, The Saturdays and JLS in concert.
21. I think skittles are the best sweets ever.
22. I'm a worrier.
23. Summer is my favourite time of the year.
24. I hate horror films. I get scared very easily.
25. It goes through me when people click their knuckles!

So, I hope you know a little more about me now. I thought this would be a fun little post telling you a little about my self :)

Dont forget to follow me on 

Instagram- http://instagram.com/elerihall

Twitter- https://twitter.com/justmeEleri

"Paris is always a good idea" - Audrey Hepburn

I've always imagined myself wandering around the little cobbled streets of Paris, peeking in through the windows of Chanel and Dior, snacking on macaroons and croissants, listening as street performers play their beautiful music. 
From a young age, I'd heard amazing things about the city from friends and family members. I knew about all the famous landmarks, beautiful shops and bakeries, dreamt about looking at Paris from the Eiffel Tower and living life as a typical Parisian. 
I'd built up such a perfect image. An image that I'd never even thought Paris itself could surpass. 

On the Thursday the 14th of March 2013, I waved good bye to my parents as I set off with my school to the place of my dreams.

Day1-
Our first stop was the Fragonard Perfumery. We had a tour and I learnt so many things about how perfumes are made. Did you know that there's only 50 Perfumers in the world? Its extremely hard to become one too, you have to smell and name over 2,000 scents. Something I'm definitely incapable of!
We then went straight to a department store called "Le Gallery Lafayette". I don't really know how to describe it. It was beautiful! A one stop shop to designer bags, makeup, clothes, tourist novelties and pretty much everything you'll ever need. It also had a giant stained glass dome roof. It was so extravagant and slightly overwhelming.
We then took a trip to "Le Louvre", the museum that displays some of the worlds most famous painting, statues and tapestry, including the MonnaLisa. I found the Egyptian displays extremely interesting, there was even a real mummy to look at! I'd definitely recommend a trip to the Louvre, its just so interesting and amazing to see all of the different arts and figures around the museum.
We finished off the day with a trip to the Eiffel Tower. I was 100% gobsmaked! The Eiffel Tower was definitely the highlight of the trip. Its such an amazing landmark and was so much better than I expected. The structure is so detailed and it's bizzare to think about the amount of work and effort that went into it, to make it such a well known figure. We could only go up to the first level as it was so windy, all other levels were closed! However, the view from the first level was amazing. I could see the whole of Paris from a whole new perspective, I was speechless.

Day 2-

We went to visit the Château de Versailles. It contained several art pieces and again, was really interesting. Its amazing how big it is! Personally, it's too big for me. As we walked through, we entered the glass room. A room containing uncountable amounts of chandeliers and a wall coated with mirrors, opposite several large windows. As the sun moves throughout the day, it hits the windows at different angles, creating unique streams of light and rainbows, it's truly remarkable. I don't a picture as we weren't allowed to take pictures inside. But here's a picture of my friends and I outside the Golden Gates of Château Versailles. 

We then went on a boat tour around Paris, again passing several landmarks such as the Love Lock bridge, The Eiffel Tower and Notre-dam. 

Funnily enough, Notre-dam was the next stop. We were so lucky to even get into Notre-dam Cathedral as it's always full. We were even luckier to get in as a service was being held in honour of the new Pope. The interior is beautiful and overall, it's a lot bigger than I anticipated. I was in awe as people walked down the isle burning incense and singing hymns, an experience I'll never forget.

Finally, before stopping for dinner, we walked over to love lock bridge. This may be the sweetest thing I've ever seen. Basically, People engrave messages to their lovers or their names onto locks, lock them onto the bridge and then throw away the key. I saw several marriage proposals and even messages to lost love ones. Reading all the messages was heart warming and such a beautiful thing.

Day 3-

On our last day, we visited the Arc de Triomphe and walked down the Champs Elesees. Finally, we walked up to the Sacre Coeur. From the top, you could see the whole of Paris, a beautiful sight. We also walked around the little village and went into some typical Parisian shops. It was an amazing end to the perfect weekend. 

So, there you have it. A little diary of my time in Paris.

I can honestly say, Paris completely surpassed all my expectations. It's the most beautiful place I personally have ever visited. It may not have been the sunniest of holidays but the people and culture most definitely made up for that. 

I cannot wait to go again in the future as Paris has definitely become one of my favourite places, giving me a lifetime of memories.

Dont forget to follow me on

Instagram-http://instagram.com/elerihall

Twitter-https://twitter.com/justmeEleri 

Paris haul!

Some of you may know that I went on a little trip to Paris this weekend. I went with my school for three days and managed to do a little shopping. YAY! I bought quite a lot considering the small amount of time I went for. 
Just a quick warning, This may be an extremely long post :)
Anyway, without further ado, lets get into the haul.

I'll start with make-up products, as for me, its the most exciting part.

On the first day, we ventured in to Gallery Lafayette, A huge department store full of designer brands such as Dior, Channel, Gucci and Burberry. The store really was manic, so I only purchased one thing, A MAC eye shadow in Expensive Pink. Being pale, I normally wouldn't go for pink eye shadows, as they make me look washed out, However, Expensive Pink has coppery/gold shimmer in, which warms up my complexion. Its a really beautiful colour and brings out the blue in my eyes, always a plus. 
Next, we took a trip into Carrefour, one of my favourite shops in France! As I wondered down the isle, I spotted Bioderma. Now, what type of beauty obsessed girl passes up the opportunity to buy one of the beauty worlds most hyped up products. Not me! I'm sure you've all heard of Bioderma so I wont go into to much detail. Basically, Its a make up remover that can be used for your face and eyes. Its insanely pricey to get in the UK, but in Paris, I managed to pick up two bottles for 15 euros! Bargain.
On the same day, I walked into Kiko, An Italian Make up brand. I've heard a lot about Kiko and have always wanted to try their make up, however, It's unavailable to me in Wales, so I made sure I spend time finding products that I really liked.
 First of all, I bought a "Long Lasting Colour lip marker" in shade 102. Its a really vibrant coral orange and the wear time is AMAZING. I tested it on my hands on Saturday. Since then, I've showered and scrubbed my hands numerous times. It's now Monday and I still cant get it off! Also from Kiko, I purchased the "Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow" in 07. Its a really creamy crayon eyeshadow in a beautiful pearly, muted gold. It claims to have 8 hour, no transfer performance, hopefully it will.
 And finally from Kiko, I bought a Pencil Lip Gloss in a light baby pink colour. It doesn't seem to have a name or number? Basically, It's a very glossy lip balm/colour in pencil form. Its really creamy, a lovely texture on the lips and comfortable to wear. The pigment is also better than I expected. The Kiko products are really cheap but the quality is amazing, I'm so excited to try them out.
Last but not least, I went into Sephora. We don't have a Sephora in Wales, so I was super super excited! I ended up buying Urban Decay's "DeSlick oil control makeup setting spray" as I have a problem with my make-up sliding off my face. Also, I've heard great things about this product, so cant wait to give it a go.
I would've loved to buy more from Sephora, but I was slightly overwhelmed by everything there. Oh well.

Next up, we have non-beauty purchases. a-woo-hoo!

FOOD! You cannot go to France without buying some typical French treats.
First of all, I bout sugared Madelines. Their basically just delicious cakes with rock sugar on top, yummy.
I also bought Macaroons which I'm super excited about. My sister brought home macaroons from her trip to Paris just before Christmas and once they were gone, I'm sure I had some sort of withdrawal symptoms. Macaroons are simply delicious, I bought raspberry and chocolate ones and cant wait to eat them.
Finally for food, I bought Haribo Schtroumpfs. In English, that means Haribo Smurfs. My sister and I have a slight obsession with smurfs so I couldnt resist.
On the last day, we went into a gorgeous Parisian shop and I bought a little eiffel tower for my table in my room. My room is quite Parisian itself, so this goes perfectly. 
I also purchased a little door sign made from wood and hand painted with flowers and landmarks. Its adorable and perfect for my bedroom door as it says "Chambre" at the bottom, meaning bedroom. 
Finally from this shop, I bout a thermal mug/flask. I love tea and up until now, didn't have a portable flask that I could take around with me.

I only bought one clothing item, and I'm wearing it as we speak. Its a Paris hoodie and its super comfortable. Lovely.

So that's it for today. Soon I will post about my experience in Paris, so keep your eyes peeled.

Dont forget to follow me on 

Instagram- http://instagram.com/elerihall

Twitter- https://twitter.com/justmeEleri

Procrastinating Beauty Blogger TAG!

I'm in a really good mood tonight, partly due to the fact that I'm going to Paris on Wednesday, so I thought I'd treat you to a little bonus blog!

I was tagged to do this post by the lovely Megan from The Beauty Pier. Go follow her blog, I love it!

Rules-

1. You must copy and paste these rules onto your post when you write it. It doesn't take too long!
2. You must state that the tag was created by 'The Beauty Bow' and link http://www.thebeaubow.blogspot.co.uk/
3. You must thank the person who tagged you at the start of your post (link their blog as well) -follow them if you're feeling nice!, and then at the end of your post state who you tag, and then comment on their blog on their latest post to let them know you tagged them, and link your post so they can see what to do.
4. Title your post 'Procrastinating Beauty Blogger TAG!' so everyone knows what it is about.
5. HAVE FUN :)

Name a beauty routine that you rarely do-

I always forget to moisturise my body; something that I really need to change! I know I should do it but I just cant be bothered after having a bath or shower. However, if my skin feels super dry, especially on my elbows, I will occasionally apply some moisturiser. tut tut

Is washing your make-up brushes something you regularly do?

I'm currently in year 11 of my Comprehensive school and rarely wear make-up during the week. So, as I only wear make-up on the weekends or for special events, I tend to wash my brushes once every 2 weeks as they don't build up too much make-up. Also, Being a teenager, I need to clean all bacteria off my brushes as often as I can. I don't want to add a risk of spots.

How long will you last with chipped nail polish?

My school does not allow nail polish :( Therefore, I only apply it during the weekends. Applied on Friday night, removed Sunday night. It doesn't usually have the chance to chip. 

How long do you put off buying/replacing a beauty or nail polish product even if you need it? (i.e purchasing a new topcoat, or a new foundation etc.)

I generally am quite an organised person, so when it comes to make-up products, I tend to have a spare ready. I'm always prepared.

What is your worst beauty habit?

This is a tough one, as I feel I'm quite a perfectionist when it comes to beauty. I guess I'll have to say body moisturising. hm....

Name something non-beauty related that you put off doing all the time?

Definitely making my bed in the morning. Why do it, if your just going to sleep in it. It just doesn't make sense to me.

When going out somewhere, do you leave getting ready until the last minute or not?

I love love love getting ready so do begin quite early. However, I never seem to be ready on time. I don't have good time keeping skills I guess.

Can you commit to spending bans?

I'd say I can. Recently, I've been saving for my trip to Paris. I have spent some money, but no where near as much as I would have if I could.

How organised are your make-up and nail polish collections?

VERY organised. I've recently cleared a draw so I can store my make-up tidily. I have many different sections and its made getting ready so much easier! I also have my nail polishes split into tubs containing the different colours. Everything's so much easier to find! (Blog post about my storage coming up soon)

What is the longest amount of time you have gone without writing a blog post?

Because I'm new, I feel it's super important to be frequent with my posts. So far, I've managed a post a week, and this sneaky little post too!

I TAG YOU!

EllyBeans

RosyChicc

(Im new, I dont know many people yet)

And also anyone who's reading!

Feel free to follow me on-

Twitter- https://twitter.com/justmeEleri

Instagram- http://instagram.com/elerihall

I'm bringing Gucci back.

Sorry about the title, I just couldn't resist! Bonus points if you understand the reference woo! 

Last Tuesday, I decided to go through the files on my laptop and organise them. As I was rummaging, I came across a file I'd made containing several images of beauty looks I loved. 
A look that definitely stood out for me was the 'Gucci 2011/12 Winter Beauty trend'; A make-up look that consisted of a flawless, yet fresh looking base, lightly contoured cheekbones, thick spider lashes and a bold lip.

On Friday, I had a 16th Birthday party, the perfect opportunity to try out the look.
Yet again, I wore a black dress, however, this one was made up of several different materials including velvet, mesh and chiffon. As this was a barn party, I was also required to wear wellies (in case you were wondering why I'm wearing them in the following images).

Now, on to the make-up.

First, I applied a primer to my t-zone to prevent my make-up moving throughout the night. The primer I used was 'Rimmel Fix and Perfect Pro Primer'. I then used a very thin layer of my 'Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation' in shade 51 to even out my complexion but keep my skin fairly bare. 
To keep my concealer on, I primed my eye lids and under my eyes using the 'ArtDeco Eyeshadow Base'. I concealed my under eye area using my 'Maybelline Fit Me Concealer' in shade 15. I also used this over my eyelids to make them all one colour, then powdered through my t-zone and under my eyes using the 'Natural Collection Pressed Powder' in Warm. The look required my skin to be quite pale and one toned. However, If you weren't a fan of the skin look, you could use your regular foundation routine.
I used my 'Avon Glow Bronzing Powder' in light bronze (a matt bronzer), to lightly contour my cheekbones, jawline, forehead and nose to add slight dimension back into my face. I then highlighted using my new favourite product; 'Soap and Glory Love at First Blush'. A beautiful blush/highlight that adds the most subtle yet amazing glow to the face.
On to the lashes- Using my 'Avon Supershock Mascara' in Black, I applied coat after coat to my top and bottom lashes to build them up. The spider lash look isn't for everyone, but personally, I think it looks great with a statement lip and when the base is kept minimal. 
My brows were kept natural using my 'Benefit Brow Zings Kit' in medium to fill in any sparse area's. The brow colour was then set with a clear mascara. 
And finally, The lips. I wanted to make a statement and thought the red lips were perfect. I applied to layers of 'Vivo Lipstick' in Red Red, blotting between each application. I then added shine to the lips using a red lipstick out of the 'Fearne Cotton Lip Gloss Set'.

Tools Used- 

Foundation- Real Techniques Buffing Brush

Concealer- Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush

Powder, Contour, Highlight- Real Techniques Blush Brush

I think this is a fun, flirty look that allows your natural beauty to shine through. I also think that it would transition well into spring, just by altering the lip colour. Right now, I cant wait to use my 'Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain' in Love sick; A bright fuchsia pink!
Also feel free to follow me on-
Twitter- https://twitter.com/justmeEleri
Instagram- http://instagram.com/elerihall

One Direction and an LBD

Last night, I was lucky enough to go to the One Direction: Take Me Home concert in the Cardiff Motorpoint Arena. It was an amazing show and that's most definitely reflected in the fact that I am struggling to talk this morning. 

I went to the concert with three of my friends and we had the most amazing time.
To begin with, I was really surprised at the quality of the support acts, especially '5 Seconds of Summer'. They're an Australian Band and reminded me a little of Mcfly during the early stages of their career. And as for One Direction, they were amazing! They put on such a good show and their voices were phenomenal.

Now, On to the outfit. My friends and I went for food before the concert, so when planning an outfit, I made it quite casual, but also made small changes in order for the outfit to be appropriate for lunch and the concert.
I began with a staple piece in my wardrobe; and LBD. The dress is quite a casual skater style; made out of black Jersey material, but the lace detail at the top really adds interest.
For a casual outer-layer, I added a chunky knitted cardigan. The neon print brought an aspect of youthfulness and fun to my outfit. 
To keep my legs warm, I wore simple suspender tights as I wanted a subtle break in between my black dress and the black on the tights, as opposed to opaque black tights, which would just blend in. 
On my feet, I wore frilly socks and simple black wedges, again to bring in a youthful feel to the look.

Dress- Local Charity Shop

Cardigen- Newlook

Tights- River Island

Socks- Topshop

Shoes- Newlook (Unfortunately, I'm not wearing my shoes. I'm not too sure why.)

Overall, I had the most amazing night with my friends. The concert was amazing and I'd recommend it to anyone!
Also, feel free to follow me on-
Twitter- https://twitter.com/justmeEleri
Instagram- http://instagram.com/elerihall

A Little Introduction

Hi, My name is Eleri and I am 15 years old. I live currently live in Wales, but would love to travel and live within different cultures when I'm older.

Over the past few months, I have really gotten into reading several blogs. Reading reviews on products, seeing how other people have styled outfits and generally, reading about the aspects of their life that they share throughout their blogs. As I've gotten into other peoples blogs, and reading their stories and posts about the experiences and opportunities they've gained, I have finally decided to start my own blog -Buttons and Bows.

Buttons and Bows will be a blog mainly about Beauty, Fashion and some other aspects of my life.

I will try to blog at least once a week, maybe more depending on my commitments that week.

Basically, My blog is a space where I can share my opinions and write about things I love and am interested in. I hope you have fun reading my future posts as I know I’ll love writing them.

Also, It would be amazing if you were to follow my twitter or instagram-

https://twitter.com/justmeEleri

http://instagram.com/elerihall