Wordless Wednesday

EcoTools 5 Piece Brush Set from eBay

I bought the EcoTools 5 Piece Brush Set from here, for just £3.78, including P&P. Boots are selling it for £19.99, so that's a hefty saving. However, I'm not sure if they're authentic. You can never be too sure with eBay. They look and feel authentic, but there are people who go to great lengths to deceive their customers. It's hard to tell whether they're fake or not because even the real ones vary from brush to brush because of the natural materials they are made from. My little cosmetic bag is different from some photos I've seen, but some authentic sets also have the same bag, so I'm not sure. Regardless, I'm still going to use them. They're really soft and feel like good quality. I'll use the powder brush and baby kabuki the most. I don't apply concealer with a brush and I rarely wear eyeshadow, so the two smaller ones aren't of much use to me. I would never use fake make-up though - You don't know what it contains! An eyeshadow could be bulked up with some cheap powder. Overall, I like the set (and the price!).

Toothbrush holder!

Random, I know, but I just wanted to show you my new, and very cute, toothbrush holder! It's the little things, eh? Unlike the pot I was previously using, it will give me more shelf space. It will also keep my toothbrush head protected from dust and whatnot! I bought mine from this eBay seller for £2.50, including P&P. She also sells other animal variants, such as pandas and pigs :) Or, if you type in 'animal toothbrush holder' or 'children's toothbrush holder', other holders will come up :)

Outfit of the Day and Cuddly Cats

My camera really doesn't like taking photos of clothes!

Long sleeved top - H&M

Scarf - Tesco

Shorts - New Look

Tights - Primark

Dolly shoes - Shoe Zone

I'm wearing the shorts and tights again today, but with a different top. The top is thick and warm, so I feel comfortable. The weather is terrible, so I arrived home from uni soaked! The tights don't absorb water like jeans, so they're actually quite practical to wear in the rain.

After I took these photos, I went past my sister's room and found Puddin' and Mysti snuggled up together:

Aww! Mysti always uses Puddin' as a pillow haha. I don't blame her - Puddin' is fluffy and podgy!

Outfit of the Day

T-shirt - H&M

Cardigan - H&M

Necklace - Accessorize

Shorts - New Look

Tights - Primark

Dolly shoes - Shoe Zone

Today's outfit is out of my comfort zone. I wear jeans 99% of the time, so wearing shorts is a big deal for me! I like the outfit, but I have felt self conscious today. Hopefully, I should get used to wearing outfits like this. I love the Primark tights. They're not completely made out of cotton, so they don't go bobbly when washed, and they're really thick, so don't ladder easily. The shorts fit really well and were only £5 in New Look's sale, so I'm one happy chappy! The necklace is one that I wear quite a lot. The branch snapped off though, so now the bird is perched on a stump!

I hope you're having an enjoyable Tuesday,

Louise xo

Nails of the Week!

Natural light

Flash

ASOS Olivia, Barry M Coral, China Glaze Make Some Noise, Barry M Pink Flamingo and Barry M Bright Pink.

Whilst in bed last night, my mind wondered off to what my next manicure could be. I thought a gradient/ombre design would be fun and allow me to use many bright colours. I really like it and can't wait to try it with other shades!

Short Book Reviews: Unwind and Divergent

These are my short, but sweet, thoughts on the books. I thought I'd review them in one post to make it a worthwhile read. I've tried not to give any significant spoilers away. Hopefully, my attempts have worked!

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

What is it about? 'In a society where unwanted teens are salvaged for their body parts, three runaways fight the system that would unwind them. Brought together by chance, and kept together by desperation, these unlikely companions make a harrowing cross-country journey, knowing their lives hang in the balance. If they can survive until their eighteenth birthday, they can't be harmed - but when every piece of them, from their hands to their hearts, is wanted by a world gone mad, eighteen seems far, far away.'

This blurb sums up the book perfectly, so I don't need to explain it any further!

My thoughts: I liked it. It didn't leave me on the edge of my seat, holding my breath, but it was still a good read. As far as I'm aware, this book is not part of a series. Because of this, the ending was conclusive and answered most of the questions I had. I see this as both a good and bad aspect. Yes, it left me fairly satisfied, but it didn't leave me wanting more (I didn't mean to make that sound sexual, I promise). I read one review that said Unwind was too disturbing. I didn't find it disturbing at all! In fact, it could have done with a few more uneasy scenes, if you ask me. Some people are so fragile. So, yes, it gets a thumbs up from me.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

What is it about? 'When sixteen-year-old Tris makes her choice, she cannot foresee how drastically her life will change. Or that the perfect society in which she lives is about to unfold into a dystopian world of electrifying decisions, stunning consequences, heartbreaking betrayals and unexpected romance.' 

Within this future society, there are 'factions'. Factions are groups within the society which consist of people with the same characteristics. There are five factions: Abnegation (selfless), Dauntless (brave), Erudite (intelligent), Candor (honest) and Amity (peaceful). Once a teenager turns sixteen, they take a simulation test, which determines the faction best suited to them, and then they have to decide which faction they want to be apart of. Tris' test results show that she has characteristics suited for multiple factions. She's a Divergent. She has to decide how she would like to live her life. Once her decision is made, she is put through her paces to see if she can survive in the certain faction. Corruption then breaks out across society, and the decisions Tris makes from then on will determine who lives, and who doesn't.

My thoughts: I loved it. I loved it so much that as soon as I finished the book earlier, I ordered the second one, Insurgent, which was released two days ago. I thought that the majority of the book was going to be about Tris deciding which faction she would choose to be apart of, but the decision was made within a few chapters of the book. I could no longer predict what was going to happen, so curiosity engrossed me. Divergent contains romance, which I absolutely loved. In these moments, I felt like I was the one experiencing the intimacy of the story line. However, romance only makes up a small portion of the book. The majority of it is filled with action, so it's suited towards both genders. I thoroughly enjoyed it and cannot wait to read the next one.