I am often asked how exactly I manage my time, what with currently studying 4 A-Levels at college (and art, a typically time-consuming subject, being one of them), and having a blog too. As a hobby, blogging can definitely be a time consuming one, a lot more so than people may realise. So I thought I would compile some tips as to how to balance your time between blogging and studying, or work, because it is so important to find the right balance if you want to make blogging work for you!

Have a schedule:

Although it may decrease your flexibility, having a schedule is so important because you get into a routine of posting on certain days. Personally, I post on a Wednesday and a Saturday, and I picked these because they are the most manageable days for me that work with my timetable. Whether you post once, twice, or several times a week, if you have specific days to stick to, you will actually be motivated to get something up for that day. However...

Don't put too much pressure on yourself:

If you miss publishing a post on a certain day, don't beat yourself up about it too much! For whatever reason, you may not get a post up and that's okay! Occasionally I have missed by Wednesday upload and ended up posting it a day late, or even not at all. It's more important to post content you're happy with rather than one you have rushed for the sake of posting, and your readers will understand that.

Schedule Time To Take Blog Photos:

I mentioned in my recent post about taking the perfect flatlay that I like to take blog photos in bulk, taking about two weeks worth in one go, and I seriously recommend this! Schedule some time one Sunday afternoon after you've got work done and then you're prepared - it always feels like the post is half done when I've got the photos already taken and edited!

Put Your Work First When Necessary:

Things such as revising for exams are understandably a priority - blogging shouldn't come in the way of that! If you need to take a week, or a few, off blogging while you revise for or take your exams, I really recommend it. Don't feel bad for neglecting your blog when you have something so important going on - there will be plenty of time to update your readers once you're done!

Write To Do Lists:

In general, to make sure I have enough time to do both my homework and any blogging I have to do on a weekend, I write up a To-Do list so I can clearly see everything that needs to be done. It can make everything a little less overwhelming so it gets done and dusted without all that crazy procrastination I inevitably seem to do.

Use Blogging As A Break From Studying:

It can be so easy when you're at times of the year when revision is important, to end up devoting your whole life to it, but blogging can be a distraction and stop you from overworking yourself. Of course, this is in moderation, of course, as I mentioned earlier - don't neglect all your work for blogging, but when you're on a half-term break like I am now, it's a good idea to catch up your blog while taking a break from the masses of homework you somehow have.

When it comes to lipsticks, I really am a high-end girl. At the end of the day, if I am on the hunt for an amazing new lipstick, I know I can count on the likes of MAC, Too Faced and Urban Decay while feeling luxurious and treated with my new lipstick find.

I actually couldn't think of the last time I bought a drugstore lipstick, apart from a liquid formula when all the drugstore brands started banging them out - and that was probably about a year ago now. It was only when I was browsing the NYX counter lately that my friend and I noticed their £4 Extra Creamy collection, thought 'why not?' and opted for the shade 'Thalia'.


Again, not only am I a high-end lover, I also love a good matte, so it is surprising I would end up picking an 'extra creamy' lipstick up. I definitely think every once in a while you need a break from a matte, and although I was unsure I really like the change of formula. Speaking of the formula, I was really impressed - the lipstick is really pigmented for a creamy shade and feels really nice on the lips, I certainly can't complain about drying which is something I like about a cream formula!


Of course, it isn't the longest lasting of lipsticks in the world, but that is to be expected with its creamy formula. I don't think it matters too much though, as it's affordable so I don't mind chucking it in my bag so I can reapply it throughout the day.  

The packaging isn't the most exciting in the world, but it's sleek and durable so for an affordable lipstick I think that is all that matters! The shape of the bullet makes it super easy to apply, too, which is always a plus.


Something I was really impressed by is the amount of shades there were in this range, I was certainly spoilt for choice! The shade 'Thalia' I picked up is a pinky nude I knew I could rely on, but their range is incredible, from every sort of nude you can think of to the boldest purples and reds. An unfiltered swatch of my shade is below.

As I have been attempting to get better at Instagram lately, I'm often asked how I take my blog photos, so I have decided to compile all the tips I have learnt over the years for you. Now, I don't consider my photos perfect at all, far from it! I'm no expert, however, I'm always trying out new ways to improve my photography, especially as lately I have started to feel a bit more confident about my blog photos.

Natural Lighting Is The Key -

Starting with the basic point - natural lighting will always do your blog photos wonders. I always take my photos next to a big window, anywhere like this where you're getting natural lighting onto your surface is essential. Don't put pressure on yourself to take perfect blog photos when the sky is particularly dark and gloomy - it just won't happen! I also find my blog photos can look too shadowy if it's a really sunny day, so I'll wait a few hours until the sun inevitably hides away again. A clear, whiteish sky is what I find actually works best - typical British conditions too!

Nothing Fancy Is Necessary -

I have always used my phone (iPhone 6S, if you're wondering) for blog photography, and if I had the chance to upgrade to a fancy camera, I probably would stick with my phone anyway! It is just so convenient to take the photo and be able to edit it straight away on my phone. Plus I love how your phone camera is just so simple to use - features on iPhones nowadays make focusing on the tiniest details such as a mascara wand an easy enough task! I also love how I can quickly switch into the square mode to take a couple perfect for Instagram.

Edit all the photos the same way -

It may be called having a 'theme', which can often be viewed as a bit of a chore, but simply using the same filter on every single photo can make all the difference. I use a filter called 'Fade', which used to be one of the iPhone filters until they all changed with an update, so I now use the app ProShot to apply it! I have used it consistently for over a year now and I just feel it makes my photos come together nicely, and also adds a touch of me.

Take Photos In Bulk -

I've learnt, particularly after doing Blogmas, that it's so much easier taking a couple of post's worth in advance because not only does it mean the posts will look a bit more cohesive and match on your Instagram as you promote each one, it gets it over with while the lighting is good and you feel organised!

Play Around With Angles -

I like to take several photos, each of the exact same flatlay, but with a slightly different angle, then go through them and decide which one is best! It can sometimes make a lot of difference if the angle is slightly different.

Get Yourself In The Photo -

I love doing this when I'm writing a review about something such as a lipstick - pick it up with one hand and then photograph with the other! I just feel like there's something a bit more personal with myself holding up the product and it also means you can get a really good view of the product in your photo!

Magazines are a perfect prop -

To add texture, I can't live without magazines in my blog photos now! They're so affordable as you can reuse them again and again and I'm often buying them anyway - being able to use them in my photos is an added bonus! They not only add a bit of texture but add some colour, which if you match the colour scheme of the page to your products, it can really make a photo come together.

Rings Fill Dead Space -

Another prop I swear by is adding a couple of rings here and there to fill up some empty space in your photo. Again, you can pick these up really cheap, they don't have to be anything fancy at all, and just help to fill up your photo.

If you're bored, change up your style -

After taking so many blog photos for blogmas in the exact same style, I was fed up of my usual way of taking photos, so in the new year I changed them up a bit, taking them next to a wall, using more magazines and sometimes making them a bit more minimal. If you feel like you're stuck in a rut with your photos, changing them up the slightest bit can make the hugest difference.

Practice makes perfect!

I can't stress this point enough! If you look back to your photos from a year ago, or maybe even your very first flatlays, you will be able to tell how much you have improved! Likewise, in a years time, you will be able to look back at the photos you take today and spot huge improvements. Taking blog photos is a constant learning game and you must remember that. Don't get disheartened, it has taken me such a long time to finally feel somewhat happy with my photos, and even now I have days when I think they look a complete mess and have to reshoot! Practice taking photos and over time you will improve loads.

The Sephora I visited had the hugest selection of their own Sephora Collection products, so much so it definitely would have been wrong to not pick up an item! Their Long Wear lipsticks caught my eye, especially as for €10.99 ($14 at a US Sephora) they were really affordable. I picked up the shade 4 'Brown Is Back!' as when I swatched it, it looked truly gorgeous - it's also a really flattering shade on the lips!


The product claims to have 10 hour wear and I was excited to put it to the test. Ten hours? Perhaps not quite, but it certainly lasted longer than most lipsticks I've tried and I was really impressed. It also feels amazing - like you're wearing absolutely nothing, so I definitely want to pick up a couple more next time I get to go to a Sephora.


I have wanted to try an Anastasia Beverly Hills brow product for the longest time, but I never bought one online because I really wanted to wait to swatch the shades instead of guessing. The shade Ebony ended up being the perfect shade for my brows, which couldn't get much darker, but I didn't want to get their darkest shade, Graphite, incase it was too ashy and unnatural. 


I fell in love with the pencil as soon as I began using it, which was really exciting. I had never tried any brow pencils before but found the twistable design super easy to use. The reason I went for their brow wiz, instead of the dip brow pomade, was because I prefer a natural brow look that is quick and easy to apply in the mornings, and this does the trick perfectly! The spoolie on the other end is amazing too and really helps to set everything in place.


The final item I picked up was a Kat Von D liquid lipstick in the shade Lolita. After I left the shop I realised I wasn't sure if I picked up the right shade, whether it was the original Lolita or Lolita II I was after, but I am so glad I got the one I did, because it's much more different than everything I own. The second shade is a real warm toned brown and I have plenty of them already!


The shade Lolita is more pink toned, really a burgundy on me and it is really pretty. I actually applied it for the first time on the day I am writing this post, and have been really impressed by how long it lasts, while it hasn't made my lips dry at all! I am so impressed with that as loads of my lip products seem to be making my lips feel quite dry at the moment. I always find it difficult to get used to a new liquid lipstick applicator so I wasn't too great at applying it today, but I am sure it will get easier, as it has with my other liquid lipsticks!


Unfiltered swatches of the products above - Sephora Collection lipstick, Kat Von D Liquid Lipstick (Lolita), ABH Brow Wiz in Ebony. I feel like it's been a while since I've done some swatches on here! Something I always find tells a lot about the product is how long the swatch lasts on my arm after - the brow wiz was gone straight away, but the Sephora lipstick took absolutely forever to take off!

As this post is published I am on my way to France to take part in my college's French exchange which is really exciting! Of course, one of the most important parts of planning my luggage was deciding what to put in my travel makeup bag - because how do you manage to choose? So today I decided to sum up everything I have decided to take with me for the week.


B A S E /

When it comes to base products, I'm taking the usual products that I always rely on - L'Oreal True Match Foundation, L'Oreal Touche Magique concealer and Rimmel Stay Matte powder. All three are super affordable drugstore items for under £10, and I honestly don't know what I would do without them. I really want to change up my base routine every now and again but these are my holy grail products so of course, I am taking them.


F A C E /

When it came to choosing a bronzer and highlighter, I ended up opting for the Makeup Revolution Iconic Contour palette. It may be a bit bulky for travel but really it includes all the necessities - I love how some of the contour shades could be used as eyeshadow too - multi-use! I have had mine for a while now and you can certainly tell from the photo - my most used shades, the white highlight on the top left and the bronzer third from the left on the bottom row have just about hit pan I've used them so much, so I know I can rely on them.


E Y E S /

One thing I completely forgot to photograph was my Technic matte eyeshadow palette, of which I use the darkest two shades for my brows! However, they have hit pan pretty bad so it's a good job I didn't decide to photograph them in all honesty - I am planning on getting a proper brow product in France though! The eyeshadows of choice simply had to be the Naked Heat - all the other palettes I like to mix with others but the Heat is the only one I like to create a look just using that one palette. Plus I'm still not bored of it at all! My mascara is the L'Oreal Baby Roll mascara as this is just the current one I'm using and it works pretty well.


L I P S /

Finally onto lips, always for me the most difficult part to decide on! MAC's Velvet Teddy was an obvious choice, along with the Too Faced Melted Matte in Child Star. Both are super stunning, flattering shades that suit any eye look. I also went for a current favourite, Stark Naked from Urban Decay. I realised that all of these shades are really nude and matte, but that is what works for me!