The Fall Tag

I have been tagged by the lovely Maddie to the the Fall tag she has done in collaboration with Cara.   

Favorite thing about fall? Getting cosy infront of the fire with a blanket and my boyfriend - how sickening!

Favorite fall colors? Oxblood.

Favorite fall songs? Obviously "I put a spell on you" from Hocus Pocus!

Candles or cuddles? Cuddles with candles! - Not actually cuddling the candle that would be dangerous and slightly odd!

Favorite Netflix show for fall? I dont have anyfavourite TV shows that are Autumn related, but my favourite Autumnal film is Hocus Pocus.

Favorite fall snack? Mr Kipling Fiendish Fancies. I know you can get french fancies any time of year but I like the Halloween ones. 

Which youtuber's vlogmas are you most excited about watching? Zoella, all day err day!

Favorite piece of fall clothing? Hats or boots.

Fluffy socks or beanies? Fluffy socks!

Favorite sweets for fall? Mr Kipling Fiendish Fancies.

Favorite fall lip? MAC - SIN

Best part about fall? Dark Nights.

Favorite youtuber to watch in fall? Zoella and I love Nicole Guerriero's Halloween tutorials.

Ugg boots - yay or nay? Yay and Nay. if its a lazy day then yeah but other than that im all about the chelsea boot life.

Favorite sweater you own? I dont really wear sweaters.

Tea, coffee or hot chocolate? Green Tea.

Favorite hairstyle for fall? Same as always. Loose curls.

Number one back to school tip? Im far to old for school - sob.

How does the perfect fall day look like to you? Pouring down with rain outside and im snug inside with a green tea, the fire on and a good book!

Will you be dressing up for halloween, if so, as what? If i am in work I will be but if im not then no. I wanted to recreate Shaaanxo's deer look but I have to be something scary for work - boooo.

I tag Aaron and anyone else who wants to do it!

Catch up soon

With Love A ... x
♥

BOOTEA 28 Day Teatox

BOOTEA 28 Day Teatox | £37.99 (currently on offer for £34.99)

Firstly, let me start off by apologizing for being MIA for the past few weeks. I have been busy with work, applying for uni and I'm not going to lie, I have had a hefty case of writers block. 

In the time I have been away, I have started on a quest to be more healthy and maybe shift a few pounds before my little trip to Rome next month. As well as watching my calories, I have joined a gym and have been doing some research into healthy ways to aid weight loss. I have seen different "Teatox" companies for a while now doing the rounds on Instagram and other social media platforms and decided to give it a whirl. I will just point out now that although a lot of the "results" do show weightloss as one of the benefits of doing a teatox, I suffer from a lot of tummy troubles which cause me severe pain and bloating and after doing plenty of research on herbal teatox's, I found that many people who suffer from the same problems as me, said their symptoms disappeared  just a few days into the teatox. That was me sold ..

As I said previously there are so many teatox's on the market that its quite overwhelming trying to pick the right one. I chose BOOTEA simply because unlike some of the other companies, the tea doesn't have to be drank 30 minutes before eating and is only 1 to 2 cups a day so fits more conveniently into my day to day life.  You have the option to do a 14 day teatox or a 28 day teatox, and not one to do things by half I opted for the 28 plan to get the best results for my holiday. 

The Science-y Stuff

In the 28 day kit you get 28 'Daytime Detox' teabags and 14 'Bedtime Cleanse' teabags. The daytime teabags are supposed to be drank every morning for the duration of the detox and work to kickstart and speed up the motabolism,  this helps your body convert food into energy to burn fat and calories whilst also supressing your appetite. As a result you should begin to notice that you have more energy and more motivation to exercise. The appetite suppressing ingredients will mean you find yourself feeling less hungry and make you less prone to snacking. 

The Bedtime cleanse teabags are to be drank before bed every other night starting on the first day of the detox and do exactly what it says on the tin, cleansing out the body and digestive system helping to prevent excess calories from being absorbed and stored as fat. These do have a laxative effect which occurs 6-8 hours after consumption, meaning you drink it before you go to sleep you wake up and do your business in the morning, delicious. 

This detox is never going to work if you go out and eat your body weight in cakes everyday, so BOOTEA also provide a free eating plan designed to achieve the best results from the detox. I am going to use a few meals from this but will mainly be sticking to my normal healthy eating routine. The plan is to update you every 2 weeks to let you know how my teatox is going and whether it really works. At the minute I am reluctant to put any before/progress pictures up but who knows, if I look like Daphne Joy when this is all over I may put some up. 

See you on the other side

With Love A ... x

♥

Night Out Makeup

For this makeup I didn't want anything to dark on the eyes or the lips so decided to make fluttery lashes the focus. 

Face

Long lasting makeup is vital for any night out, nobody wants there makeup to be worn off after a few vigorous dance moves do they? In order to keep my foundation from going to oily and completely wearing away, I primed my skin using MAC Prep & Prime Skin Base Visage. As I Like a full coverage foundation, I opted for Estee Lauder Double Wear in the shade #1N2 Ecru, not only does this provide a full coverage, but the staying power is second to none. In fact I didn't take my makeup off before I fell asleep last night and my makeup was near on perfect when I woke up this morning - naughty Ashlie. Sticking to the long lasting makeup theme, I used MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in the shade NC15 to highlight under my eyes, down my nose, the centre of my forehead, my cupids bow and chin. To set these highlighted areas in place I used MAC Pro Shaping Powder in the shade Emphasize and set the rest of my face with MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural in the shade light. Before contouring I bronzed up my skin using another MSF Natural, this time in the shade medium deep and to contour I used MAC Pro Sculpting Powder in bone beige. I find that bronzing adds a nice transition colour so that the contour doesn't look to harsh. I love mixing blushers to achieve the perfect shade, this time I combined MAC Powder Blushes in the shades pink swoon and immortal flower, to create a beautiful peach shade. Finally to highlight my cheek bones, down my nose and cupids bow I used MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in soft & gentle and set everything in place with a quick spritz of MAC Fix+.

Eyes

First off I primed my eyes using the sin Urban Decay Primer Potion. I then blended MAC Pro Sculpting Powder in bone beige throughout the crease of my as a transition colour, using a smaller blending brush I blended a small amount of Urban Decay eye shadow in the shade twice baked to add a bit more depth to the crease. Next, I dampened a shader brush with MAC Fix+ and packed on Urban Decay eye shadow in the shade midnight cowboy rides again. Applying this eye shadow damp made it a lot more vibrant and pigmented. After lining my upper lash line, water line and tight line with Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner in the shade intense black I further deepened the crease by added a tiny bit of MAC embark eye shadow to the very outer corners I also blended this across my lower lash line and filled in my brows with this shade. I Highlighted my inner corners and brown bone with MAC brule eyeshadow. Over all this was quite a natural eye shadow look, so to make my eyes the focal point of this look I added long wispy strip lashes to my upper lashes and also added some short individual lashes to my lower lashes. This is the first time I have ever used false lashes on my lower lashes and i absolutely love it! Its such a good way of making the eyes look dramatic with out doing a heavy smokey eye. 

Lips

I first lined my lips using Barry M lip liner in the shade 5 and topped it off with my cherished Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Lipstick in the shade #1 nude beige. I instantly feel more special when I'm wearing a posh lippy!

                                               Catch up soon

With Love ... A x

♥

FOTD 09|09|14

Face

Foundation - Estee Lauder Double Wear | 1N2 Ecru

Concealer - MAC Pro Longwear | NC15

Setting Powder (concealer) - MAC Pro Shaping Powder | Emphasize

Setting Powder (Foundation) - MAC MSF Natural | Light

Contour - MAC Pro Sculpting Powder | Bone Beige

Blush - MAC Powder Blush | Immortal Flower

Highlight - MAC MSF | Soft & Gentle

Eyes

Primer - MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot | Painterly

Lid & Brow Bone - MAC Eye shadow | Brule

Crease - MAC Pro Sculpting Powder | Bone Beige

Mascara - Maybelline The Falsies | Blackest Black & MAC Zoom Fast Black Lash

Brows - Maybelline Brow Drama | Dark Brown

Lips

Lipstick - Bobbi Brown Lipstick | 7 Orange 

Catch up soon.

With Love ... A x
♥

MAC Haul

Its the start of a new month which can only mean one thing, I spent more than I should on the MAC website. I initially went online to snap up some beauties from their new collections, but as per I was too late all the lovely things I wanted had sold out. So to cheer myself up, I went a bit cray ...

Large Duo Pro Palette - £14 | Pro Palette Blush Insert - £2.50 | Pro Palette Eyeshadow Insert - £2.50 | Matte Lipstick | Sin - £15.50 | Lip Pencil | Nightmoth - £12.50 | Pro Longwear Concealer | NC15 - £17 | Eyeshadow | Brule - £10 | Eyeshadow | Coppering - £10 | Shaping Powder | Emphasize - £16.50 | Sculpting Powder | Bone Beige - £16.50 | Sheertone Shimmer Blush | Plum Foolery - £15 | Zoom Fast Black Lash Mascara £14.50

Large Duo Pro Palette | Pro Palette Blush Insert | Pro Palette Eyeshadow Insert

Its pretty self explanatory why I bought these. It makes more sense to buy the palettes, and the eye shadow and blush refills than having them all in their individual packaging. Not only does this work out cheaper in the long run, it also saves a hell of a lot of space in my makeup storage. I already had a single pro palette that I used for my blushes, but I decided to turn that into an eye shadow palette, and buy the duo palette for my blush and contour palette (say palette one more time!)

Matte Lipstick | Sin

If you read my Burgundy Wishlist, you will know that I have been wanting to treat myself to this lippy. Its a beautiful cranberry shade, perfect for Autumn and Winter. The colour looks a lot darker in the photo but as you can see in the swatch it is  a shade that can easily be worn in the day time, or darkened with a lip liner for a super vampy look.

Lip Pencil | Nightmoth

And this is the perfect lip liner to darken Sin. The MAC site describes it as a blackened plum and it is just that. Its so beautiful and could even be worn with a red lipstick to create an ombre lip.

Pro Longwear Concealer | NC15

This is my all time favourite concealer. Its perfect for highlighting under the eyes as its very full coverage and doesn't crease. I ran out a month or two ago so its about time I finally repurchased it!

Eyeshadow | Brule

Although this colour doesn't look very exciting, its a staple in any palette. Its a matte off white/bone colour that works perfect as a matte highlight on the brow bone, or all over the lid. I always feel disappointed having to buy colours that seem boring, but they are vital for most everyday makeup looks.

Eyeshadow | Coppering

You could never call this eye shadow boring could you? Its a beautiful bright copper shade with a satin finish. I bought this as I have blue eyes and copper shades really make them pop. I think it will be such a versatile shade to have throughout Autumn and Winter and I cant wait to get creative with it!

Shaping Powder | Emphasize | Sculpting Powder | Bone Beige

I have wanted to try these contour and highlighting powders for so long but the website never seems to have Emphasize in stock, so when I saw that it was available I snapped it up. Its an off white shade with a pearl finish so it sets and brightens under eye concealer beautifully. Bone Beige is described as a soft warm brown powder with a matte finish. It creates such a natural contour that even looks good on my pale skin tone. The powders are really soft and buttery and lovely to apply.

Sheertone Shimmer Blush | Plum Foolery

You have probably noticed a theme with this haul, Autumnal tones. I am so ready for the colder weather! One thing my collection lacked was a deep purplish blush and out of the vast array of purples MAC has to offer, this is the one i opted for. I love the formula of sheertone blushes and the added shimmer is a bonus for me as I love glowy skin. It isn't as purple as I thought it would be, but the colour is beautiful and goes perfectly with the Coppering eye shadow.

Zoom Fast Black Lash Mascara

I am yet to try a mascara from MAC but I have heard so many good reviews about this one that I decided to pick it up whilst I was on my little spending spree. I am definitely a drug store mascara kinda gal so I am intrigued to see whether this is any better than my trusty Maybelline The Falsies. I'll be sure to let you know when I have tried it out!

If you would like reviews on any of these products then just let me know in the comments or on my social media! 

Catch up soon.

With Love ... A x
♥

August Favourites

100% Castor Oil - £2.99 | MAC Cremesheen Lipstick | Creme Cup - £15.50 | L'Oreal True Match | N1 Ivory - £9.99 | L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oils Nourishing Mask Balm - £3.99

I know everyone says it, but how quick did August go? Its already time to compile a list of my favourite bits and bobs from the past month and I cant quite believe it. August was a bit of a lazy month for me, I spent the majority of it recovering from a small operation, so beauty products weren't very high on the agenda unfortunately. Being on bed rest did mean I had a lot of time for online shopping though, so I do have a number of new products that are fast becoming everyday staples! And a few random things that I have also been loving! Lets crack on with it ...

Beauty

100% Pure Cold Pressed Castor Oil

I have been wearing false lashes everyday for as long as I can remember. I have ended up getting to the point were I feel really self conscious unless I am wearing them. Not only is this ridiculous, its also causing damage to my natural lashes, and therefore making it harder for me to break the habit of hiding behind my falsies. So in a bid to try and improve the condition of my lashes I took to the interwebs to see what natural remedies I could try. I found out that using 100% pure castor oil is amazing for strengthening hair and stimulating hair growth, so I thought I would give it a whirl. After using it every night, my lashes have grew so much! I wish I would have taken a before photo, the difference in my lashes is amazing and I have now ditched the false lashes (except a sneaky half lash from time to time). Castor Oil can also be used as a cleanser, moisturiser and as a hair treatment, and is now a staple in my night time routine. I thoroughly recommend it if you are wanting to grow your brows, lashes or hair it works wonders. It is important to get 100% pure cold pressed oil though, as the natural ingredients and pressing process make it safe to use on the skin and eyes.

MAC Creme Sheen Lipstick | Creme cup

What a shocker. I am sure you are all sick to death of hearing me harp on about this lipstick now, so I wont go on for too long. But this is pretty much the only lipstick I have wore throughout August, give or take a few days. It is the most perfect nude that will more than likely work for every skin tone. Its a pink toned nude and is lovely and moisturising on the lips. Like every other MAC lipstick it smells delicious and the colour pay off is incredible. There that's it I'll shut up about it now!

Hair

L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oils Nourishing Mask Balm

If you read my "All About My Hair" post, you will know that I use this mask instead of using conditioner. I am obsessed with how soft it makes my hair and how shiny my hair is after using it. No matter how much product I use, my hair never feels weighed down by this mask, unlike others I have tried and it doesn't leave my hair greasy if i over do it! The mask has tiny specks of glitter in it which leave my hair looking super shiny and healthy once the product has been washed out and it smells amazing! I would definitely recommend this product if your hair is in need of some TLC! 

Random

Breaking Bad

I know I'm quite late at jumping on the ole' Breaking Bad band wagon. I used my time recovering from my operation to watch it and see what all the fuss was about. I've got to admit i wasn't as blown away by it as I expected to be, but I did enjoy it and it kept me entertained during long days of bed rest!

Blogging

My favourite, favourite of August has to be blogging. I started With Love A at the end of July for a bit of fun and have completely fallen in love with it. There is nothing I enjoy more than getting comfortable and writing about the things I feel passionate about. I feel so much pride when i click to publish a post. I started With Love A purely for my own entertainment and honestly never expected anyone to be interested in what I have to say so I am so thankful for every single person who reads my blog and follows me on Bloglovin', Twitter and instagram. <3

What is your August favourite?

Catch up soon.

With Love ... A x

♥

Autumn Wishlist | Burgundy

1 MAC Matte Lipstick | Sin - £15.50 | 2 Leather Look Mini Skirt - £25 | 3 Felt Boater Hat - £12.50 | 4 Essie Nail Polish | Wicked - £7.99

 I don't know about you, but I am itching for the start of Autumn. I am so over summer and cannot wait for cosy nights filled with hot chocolate, fluffy socks and big blankets. My colour crush for Autumn this year is definitely Burgundy. I have seen so many beautiful clothing pieces and beauty products in the shops that I thought I would compile a little list of my favorites. 

MAC Matte Lipstick | Sin

If you are a regular on With Love A, you will know I am a lipstick addict. So its only natural for me to "need" a new colour to transition through the seasons. Red lips for me are the epitome of glamour, as we move into Autumn I tend to shy away from bright orange toned reds, favouring berry hues instead. Sin is described as a deep blue red and is the perfect colour to rock through out the Autumn and Winter. I like the finish of this lipstick, as I think a dark statement lips suit me better if it is matte. This could very well be my next makeup purchase.

Leather Look Mini Skirt

I love the simplicity of this mini skirt from River Island and how easily in can be dressed up with heels and statement jewelry, or worn casual with thick black tights and ankle boots. The leather adds an edge feel and I think the shape will flatter my body shape. There is so many ways to style this skirt and I think it is a staple for any Autum/Winter wardrobe.

Felt Boater Hat

I've recently bought a fedora and become slightly obsessed with it. I love how more put together adding a hat can make an outfit look. This burgundy boater from ASOS is ideal for Autumn and Winter, the colour can add a twist to an all black outfit. I would pair it with the skirt I mentioned above, for a effortless casual look that is still smart enough to look like you made an effort.

 Essie Nail Polish

As much as I love bright coloured talons, a dark shiny manicure is definitely my favorite if I am going for a glamorous look. This deep blood red shade from Essie is my high on my hitlist for next time I go shopping. I like the fact is a cream formula so although it is still super shiny it has no shimmer in it. Perfect to wear on its own or also rock with a glitter top coat on a statement nail. Just google image it if you think it looks a tad boring, it is soo stunning on.

What colour do you like wearing though out the Autumn?

 Catch up soon.

With Love ... A x

♥

Face of the Day

Face

• Foundation - L'Oreal True Match | N1 Ivory
• Concealer - Collection Lasting Perfection | Fair
• Setting Powder - MAC MSF Natural | Light
• Bronzer - MAC MSF Natural | Medium Deep
• Contour - Benefit Hoola
• Blush - MAC Powder Blush | Warm Soul
• Highlight - MAC MSF | Soft & Gentle
• Setting Spray - MAC Fix+

Eyes

• Primer - MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot | Painterly
• Lid - MAC Eyeshadow | Woodwinked
• Crease - MAC Eyeshadow | Woodwinked & Embark
• Brow bone Highlight - MAC MSF | Soft & Gentle
• Liquid Liner - Soap & Glory Supercat
• Pencil Liner - Inika Organic Eyeliner | 10 Green Lagoon (Waterline & Lower Lash Line
• Mascara - Maybelline The Flasies | Blackest Black
• (Half lashes on outer edge)
•  Brows - Maybelline Brow Drama | Dark Brown

Lips

• Lip Liner - Barry M | #5
• Lipstick - Ysl Rouge Volupte | 1 Nude Beige 

Catch up soon.

With Love ... A x

♥

Love At First Swipe

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Lipstick | #1 Nude Beige | #13 Peach Passion - £25

Lets just put it out there, I've been a bit naughty on the ol' spending front. But just LOOK AT THEM. I am a sucker for packaging and any thing gold, shiny and with YSL written all over it is right up my street. I have been eyeing these beauties up for longer than I can remember and finally decided it was time to reward myself for .. well for nothing really I just caved. I could have easily bought all thirteen shades that are up for grabs on the YSL site, but I settled on two and at £25 a pop that was definitely the sensible option. The majority of the shades are quite vibrant and I was so tempted to get a pink, but I already have a fair few bright pink lipsticks so I opted for #13 Peach Passion. And obviously, because its me and this wouldn't a post on my blog if there wasn't a nude lipstick in there somewhere, I got #1 Nude Beige too.

I only received these in the post this morning so I cant do a full review on them just yet, but on first impressions, these lipsticks are really nice. They are both very pigmented and a little bit goes such a long way, so the £25 price tag seems feasible if they last a fairly long time - I go through lippies like nobodies business. They do have quite a strong perfumed scent that can get a bit over powering and also leave a taste in the mouth. Its not a scent or taste I am fond of (if I had my way, all lip products would smell like MAC lipsticks) but that is down to personal preference rather than a flaw in the product. The lasting power isn't too great, I did have to reapply at least three times during a short shift in work, but like I said previously, the colour is opaque in one swipe so you are not using up much product on each application. And obviously the packaging is a winner. Who wouldn't want these lipsticks sitting on their dressing table? That's all I can really comment on so far, but if you are interested in a full review, just let me know the in comments or on my social media.

#13 Peach Passion

I am in love with this colour. Its a perfect, vibrant peach which I know I'll be wearing day in day out for the remainder of summer.

#1 Nude Beige

This is literally the most perfect nude I am yet to find, not too pink, not too brown and not a hint of concealer lips! Love it.

I am so impressed with these lipsticks so far and keen to try more colours. Let me know in the comments if there is any you recommend.

Catch up soon.

With Love ... A x

♥

Face Of The Day

Face

• Primer - MAC Prep & Prime Skin Base Visage 
• Foundation - L'Oreal True Match | N1 Ivory
• Concealer - Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer | 1 Fair
• Under eye highlight - MAC Prep & Prime Highlighter | Light Boost
• Setting powder - MAC MSF Natural | Light
• Bronzer - MAC MSF Natural | Medium Deep
• Contour - Benefit Hoola Bronzer 
• Blush - MAC Powder Blush | Pink Swoon
• Highlight - MAC MSF | Soft & Gentle
• Setting Spray - MAC Fix+

Eyes

• Primer - MAC Prolong Wear Paint Pot | Painterly
• Lid - MAC Pigment | Vanilla ( applied using a brush sprayed with Fix+)
• Transition Colour - Naked 3 Palette | Limit 
• Crease - Naked 3 Palette | Nooner, Factory & Darkside
• Brow bone & inner corner highlight  - MAC MSF | Soft & Gentle
• Liquid liner - Soap & Glory Supercat
• Mascara - Maybelline The Falsies | Blackest Black
• Waterline - Rimmel Scandaleyes | Nude
• Strip lashes cut in half and applies to out edge.
• Brows - Maybelline Brow Drama Dark Brown

Lips

• Lip Liner - George @ Asda Red Liner
• Lipstick - Revlon Colorburst Lipstick | 010 Plum & MAC Matte Lipstick | Ruby Woo

Catch up soon.

With Love ... A x
♥