Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone! Thank you for your continued support throughout 2016. It's been a crazy year, so much has changed and my blog has brought amazing things thanks to all of you. 

I'll be back in January 2017 to celebrate Annie Writes Beauty's 3rd birthday!! 

Dining at Carluccio's West Quay

Six months ago, I'd never heard of Carluccio's. We didn't have one in Southampton and I wasn't entirely sure where the nearest one was but my Italian needs were answered when they opened in West Quay a couple of months ago. Arran and I have been making sure we have at least one date night a month and our latest one was spent at the new Carluccio's.

Winchester Christmas Market Photo Diary

 

The Robin Hood Pantomime at The Mayflower

The panto is a Christmas tradition for many so when the opportunity arose to have a Southampton Bloggers event with The Mayflower, ten of us went along to the showing of Robin Hood The Panto starring Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace. The pantomime will be running at The Mayflower until January 8th 2017 and is the perfect family show for this Christmas. I can't wait to tell you what I thought...

Merry & Bright Birchbox

What is Christmas without a festive Birchbox? This December, they bring you the Merry & Bright Birchbox full with five beauty samples and the opportunity to win a Prada bag with SecretSales.com. Take a peek at what I found inside mine...

A Very Merry Christmas with Regis

Christmas really is my favourite time of year, I love the lights, the pigs in blankets and the warm fuzzy feeling you get from making memories with friends and family. I also love the gift giving, seeing peoples faces light up is such a warming feeling, so you can imagine how I felt when I opened my personalised sack from Regis Salons. I'm going to give you a peek at what was inside mine...

A Baileys Blend Christmas

What is Christmas without Baileys? Not a Christmas I want to be involved in! Baileys has forever been my festive tipple of choice from as long as I could legally drink it and I've made sure I'm stocked up for Christmas. My other one true love is coffee so when Baileys told me about their new Baileys Blend in partnership with Pact Coffee, I couldn't say no, I had to try it.

Glitz the Season with ghd

The festive season is well and truly upon us and ghd have us all covered with their #GlitzTheSeason campaign. If you search the hashtag, you'll find so many inspiring hairstyles that even if you're rubbish at hair, like me, there is bound to be one you can master.

Giftwrapping with the Wrapper Snapper

Ever since working in Clinton Cards when I was younger, I've had a love of wrapping presents. I'd buy matching wrap, bows, ribbon, you name it, I bought it. I was a gift wrapping shops perfect customer. Since leaving my card job, I've still enjoyed every moment of giving the gift of perfectly wrapped presents so getting to meet The Wrapper Snapper was ideal for me. West Quay is my go to for all my shopping as they have so much under one roof so after picking something up for me, for him and the home, I was excited to get wrapping.

Fabulously Festive with The Body Shop

The Christmas party season is upon us, think office parties, after work drinks and walks around the Christmas markets with mulled wine. I love this time of year but I find myself very busy, usually jumping from one event to the next after work so I need reliable makeup looks that I can quickly transform ready for my evening events. Thankfully The Body Shop have everything I need to do just that.

The Primer Potion with a Heart

Urban Decay are famously known for their much loved Primer Potions so with that in mind, Urban Decay have just released something very special to help raise funds for Crisis. This special product will help homeless people across the UK and is an official non-profit partner of The Ultraviolet Edge global initiative to empower women.

Christmas Stocking Memories

Christmas is all around us at the moment and I'm feeling particularly festive this year. WoolOvers recently sent me a beautiful, personalised stocking made from pure merino wool with a cashmere surprise inside as well as lots of other little gifts. They specialise in all natural knitwear which is stylish and affordable, so with my polar bear pyjamas on, I dived in...

Christmas Hats with a Heart

Once again F&F have teamed up with charities to help support people in need this Christmas. The campaign touched both of our hearts, so Arran and I both decided to share all you need to know about it as well as our cool Christmas hats we'll be rocking this year.

Photo Fun with Cue Camera

Over the last week, two shipping containers have found their way into Guildhall Square in Southampton, gold with twinkling lights, you can't miss them and they've definitely peaked interest from anyone walking past. The shipping containers are actually a photo studio filled full of outfits for adults, children and even pets and it's the brainchild of Cue Camera, an exciting new venture taking place in Southampton from now until New Year, although I kinda hope they just stay there forever.

Festive Favourites from Pixi by Petra

Pixi by Petra have been a makeup brand I've really taken notice of this year. They sell incredible skincare, fun and innovative makeup and have the sweetest, green packaging. I had a box of Pixi Favourites sent through a couple of weeks ago containing some beauty gifts to make the holiday season that little bit easier for me. The gift of beauty keeps on giving all year round so have a read of what I thought about the products. 

Christmas Gifts from Seventeen

I have spoken about my love of Seventeen products so many times on Annie Writes Beauty, I've used them for years, the products really are incredible and they're a bargain so it was only right I shared two amazing products that would satisfy any beauty addict this Christmas.

I Completed My Autumn Bucket List!

When I decided to create an Autumn Bucket List I kinda thought I'd fail at it a little, like miss one or two off or just give up after I had finally visited a pumpkin patch. I said in that post that I'd do an update so as I sieved through my Instagram photos it turned out that I checked almost every damn thing on my list! So if you missed my original post, here is a re-cap for you.

In My Mailbox

So you guys are really liking my In My Mailbox series so I'm going to keep it going for a while. I really love watching unboxings on Snapchat and Youtube and seeing as I don't have a channel, I'm giving you a blog post instead. I do unbox all my parcels on Snapchat (Alicea89) so make sure you're following me there too. This isn't me showing off, I want this to be more like a quick, informative post so please do let me know your thoughts in the comments. I've received everything in this post the last couple of weeks so stay put and grab a cuppa...

Christmas Decoration Haul

I am obsessed with Christmas and I think Arran has finally reached the point of not caring and just lets me crack on with it. Every year I find a way to squirrel more decorations into our home and this year has been no exception, I've even bought more since taking the photos for this post. 

A Day on Princess Cruises Emerald Princess

Being from Southampton, I'm used to the comings and goings of huge cruise ships and it always puts a smile on my face when I hear the ship horn before they leave the dock especially at New Year when the clock strikes midnight. I come from a merchant navy family so cruise ships have always been very present in my life so being able to work with Princess Cruises and experience the behind the scenes of some of their most luxurious ships allows the cruise ship geek in me to become all excited.

Vice Lipstick Palette in Blackmail by Urban Decay

Urban Decay is knocking out banger after banger at the moment and hot on the release of the Full Spectrum palette is Blackmail, the Vice Lipstick Palette filled with twelve tantalising lip shades. It's the most incredible lip palette for lipstick junkies everywhere and if you've tried the Vice Lipstick range already, you'll know what to expect with this beauty.

The Best Japanese Food Outside London

It's not often you come across an incredible and authentic Japanese restaurant in the South that isn't in London so when Kyoto Kitchen first emailed me about coming to try out their food, I was more than intrigued. Rachel & I headed to Kyoto Kitchen which is in Winchester a few weeks ago to sample the menu and it tied in nicely as it was her birthday the same day.

Bring Home the Magic of Christmas

Oh what a wonderful time of year! The Christmas lights have gone up, Michael Buble is singing softly in the background and we can't down our Bailey's hot chocolates quick enough which means it's almost Christmas! My mum has always been crazy on Christmas and has subsequently passed it on to me, so when the decorations come out in shops, I will find an excuse to buy everything. I will be sharing a Christmas decoration haul next week so keep an eye out as there are some real gems. I've also discovered a Christmas grotto of things in Ideal World so grab your credit card...

The Rockstars Collection by Sleek Makeup

There's a few different things that make you realise Christmas is finally upon us, the coca cola truck, the John Lewis advert and of course the Christmas collection from Sleek Makeup. This year they've unleashed The Rockstar Collection, a mix of baked nudes and vibrant jewel toned shadows, souffle highlighters and metallic lipsticks. It's pretty, festive and you'll definitely want to treat yourself.

Auda[CITY] in London by Lancôme

Christmas is my favourite time of year because the makeup palette addict in me has the excuse to buy everything limited edition and pretty. You can never have enough makeup palette options in my opinion. Auda[City] in London is the new palette by Lancôme which pays homage to the ever fabulous Lisa Eldridge, the brand's makeup creative director. London is a city like no other and Lisa captures this in the Auda[City] in London palette beautifully.

The So Eco Stippling Brush

Using makeup brushes have completely revolutionised the way I apply my makeup and I own quite the collection now. Gone are the days of applying my foundation with my fingers because we all did that at one point. I've recently discovered So Eco, a company that makes brushes from recycled and sustainable materials that are compostable, recyclable and bio-degradable.

My Top 5 Merumaya Products

I've been using Merumaya products for almost three years after discovering the brand at a Southampton Bloggers event. One of their PR girls attended the event to introduce us to the brand, the products and the message behind them and I haven't looked back. I've tried a lot of their products and have loved every single one as they just make my skin feel incredible but as with any brand there are always some products that stick out more and so today I'm sharing my top five Merumaya products.

Eyeshadow Primer - Worth the Hype?

As much as I love makeup I am also very lazy so when it comes to applying it, I like simple and easy steps. I started loving face primer way after everyone else because I felt like it was just another step until I found one I really loved. When I first discovered eye shadow primer, I felt exactly the same until one afternoon I pulled out all my makeup and had a play around, turns out I totally loved that too and I haven't looked back.

Urban Decay Full Spectrum Eyeshadow Palette

If there is one thing Urban Decay know how to do, it's colour and boy have they nailed it with the Full Spectrum palette. Thought you didn't need any more colours after the Electric Palette? You were wrong. Full Spectrum launched the beginning of November in a flurry of bright shades, intense shimmers and even a matte white I never knew I needed. If you're not already writing this down on your Christmas wishlist, you're about to...

The Ultimate Winter Hair Treat

If there is one thing that suffers due to the colder weather, it's my hair so I have to really up the hair care routine once the clocks go back. Kérastase hair care is my expensive guilty pleasure and I've recently been using the perfect treatment for my locks that does what is says on the pot while taking no time at all. Let me introduce you to my hairs new BFF...

Wind in the Willows at The Mayflower

The Wind in the Willows is one of those classic stories we all read as kids so when it was announced, The Mayflower in Southampton would be one of the theatres for its world premiere to the stage I was a little more than excited. Southampton Bloggers have recently teamed up with The Mayflower to bring shows and productions to a wider audience through the power of blogging and it's a collaboration I'm really looking forward to. Wind in the Willows was our first collaboration and I have the low down on the show, the evening and what to look forward to when it hits the London Palladium in 2017.

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks

Kat Von D... This has been a long time coming and with the launch of the famed beauty range launching on our side of the Atlantic last month, it was only right I bought something to try when I was in London recently. Shopping with bloggers can always be a little spendy but I feel I was very well behaved on my latest excursion to Debenhams Oxford Street with Megan & Laura. Read on to find out what shades I bought...

Birchbox X Tatler

How beautiful is this months Birchbox? You can always count on the Tatler collaboration to be pretty spectacular and anything with a peacock feather gets my vote. For November, Birchbox have teamed up with the fab team at Tatler for a party perfect box of treats for all subscribers with products guaranteed to turn heads is what you'll find this November.

Three Moisturisers Worth the Splurge

I'm a moisturiser collector which isn't always a good thing. I get to try out lots of different moisturisers for the purpose of this blog, some I love, some I hate but because I always have a mountain as back up, I don't always repurchase my favourites. I decided earlier on this year that I'd scale it back and only use what I really want to and I have found some skincare gems. As I've hit my late twenties, my skin cries out for different creams and I have three I think are worth the splurge.

Build Your Own Birchbox at Selfridges

I was in London last week for a couple of different events, one of them being to create my own Birchbox in Selfridges on Oxford Street. I met with Beth from Birchbox UK in the Beauty Hall of Selfridges where you'll find the Birchbox pop up shop. This year the pop up shop will be open until the 28th December, so you have plenty of time to go and create your own. 

Wrapping up with Cosy Scarves & Fox Bags

I hope you love Autumn because this post is Autumnal AF. From the background to the outfit, I practically ate Autumn and threw it up in this post. Delightful aren't I? Arran and I had a rare week day off together recently so we set a very early alarm and went to a beautiful, vintage tearoom for breakfast. It gets so busy and we weren't risking not getting a seat and our morning pancake fix. If you haven't tried Halladay's Tearooms in Bedford Place, Southampton then you really must.

In My Mailbox

So you guys are really liking my In My Mailbox series so I'm going to keep it going for a while. I really love watching unboxings on Snapchat and Youtube and seeing as I don't have a channel, I'm giving you a blog post instead. I do unbox all my parcels on Snapchat (Alicea89) so make sure you're following me there too. This isn't me showing off, I want this to be more like a quick, informative post so please do let me know your thoughts in the comments. I've received everything in this post the last couple of weeks so stay put and grab a cuppa...

Ultra Nourished Hair for Winter with Umberto Giannini

I don't know about you but my hair really feels the effects of the changing seasons so I need something incredibly nourishing for the winter months. Thankfully for my locks, Umberto Giannini have covered all my worries in the form of the Umberto Giannini Indulge range plus all their products have been completely repackaged in a glamorous new style. They're currently sitting pretty in my bathroom. Mix sleek white tubes with rose gold metallic writing and you're on to a blogging favourite.

The Lee Stafford Chopstick Styler

It's not often I'll curl my own hair, I usually head into GHD in Southampton and get it done for me to save me time and the anguish of messing it up but I have discovered the perfect little tool to help me over come how crap I am at curling my hair. Disclaimer - the end result is the best I've been able to do in years and I'm bloody proud of it. 

The £5.50 MAC Cosmetics Diva Dupe

Diva is one of the most popular lipsticks to wear when it comes to your perfect berry toned shade but we don't all have nearly £16 to drop on a lipstick and it appeared I had a Diva dupe sitting in my collection all along. After having a rummage, I found one that you can buy in Boots and still have change for a meal deal from a tenner.

The Perfect Night In

*Sponsored post*

If there is one thing I like doing as the evenings get colder, it's getting cosy and watching films with the mister. We're both fans of streaming movies or tv boxsets and have subscriptions to Netflix and Now TV to make it easier for us to do so. 

Autumn Home Refresh

If there is one thing I love doing with each passing season, it's giving our home a quick refresh. I'm a huge Homesense fan because they stock a wide variety of one off pieces that give your home a sense of uniqueness so it's always my first place to shop. When it comes to Autumn, my top priority is making our home as cosy as possible with lots of blankets, throws and of course candles. Pinterest is the perfect place to browse inspiration and that's exactly what I did before I went off to my local mega store in Southampton.

The Essentials Palette by Clarins

Christmas is fast approaching and with that comes this years beauty offering from Clarins. Every year, Clarins release a new Christmas eye palette full of wearable shades for the season ahead and I have the 2016 version to show you today. This is the fourth essentials palette from Clarins with a mix of mineral based, neutral tones that can be used wet or dry. This is the first palette I've tried from Clarins and when I unboxed it on my Snapchat my first impressions were not great but since I've had the chance to read more about it my opinion has changed.

Pinterest Inspired Painted Pumpkins

With just eight days to go until Halloween and everything frightful I thought I'd share what I've been doing with my pumpkins this year. As you may have seen, I went to a pumpkin patch with friends recently to pick up various sized pumpkins to paint after seeing some beautifully designed ones on Pinterest. I'm so happy with the results and that they're not an absolute fail that I'm showing you exactly what to use so you can have a go yourself at home.

Pumpkin Patch Fun

In my Autumn Bucket List post I said about how I really wanted to visit a pumpkin patch as I'd never been to one before and last weekend I finally did. I've been hunting for a local one in Southampton and it turns out there's one just ten minutes up the road so on a gloriously sunny, Sunday morning, that is exactly where we went.

The Ultimate Basics by Urban Decay

You should all know my love of Urban Decay Cosmetics by now so you can imagine the happy tears when the Naked Ultimate Basics (RRP £38.50) dropped this month. This is the palette we've all been waiting for, twelve beautiful shades set in the most stunning, rose gold packaging. If you already have the Naked Basics 1 and 2 and think you don't need this then you're mistaken. It really is the ultimate basics and it deserves pride of place on every beauty addicts dresser.

Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Oil

Dermalogica have been very present in my skincare routine this year and I couldn't wait to add their newest product to the mix. The Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Oil is their breakthrough treatment for giving skin the ultimate luminosity. It aims to strengthen and restore a natural barrier to skin while also smoothing visible lines and leaving a dewy finish.

A Day at the Farfetch Retreat

A couple of weeks ago, I caught a very early coach up to London for a day of fashion, food and pampering with Farfetch. There was a group of fifteen bloggers including myself and some fabulous girls representing Farfetch who met us at Victoria Station before we were transported to sunny Berkshire. Debs, Eleasha, Josie, Laura, Lolita and I found ourselves at the back of our coach to Berkshire in what we dubbed the penthouse thanks to its leather seats, table, surround sound and kitchen facilities. Read on for more...