Megan Goodier: autumn

9 October 2018

Perfect Autumnal Eyes

Eye make up has never been my strong point but I'd like to think that I've upped my game over the past year. I've been watching tutorials, practising every day and it's now a favourite part of my make up routine. As my technique has improved, I've been treating myself to more high-end palettes including Urban Decay, Anastasia Beverly Hills and Too Faced.

My most recent purchase was the Anastasia Beverly Hills 'Soft Glam' palette and, teamed with the Urban Decay Naked Heat palette, it's the perfect autumnal combo.

When the Naked Heat Palette was released I didn't understand the hype. That is until it arrived on my doorstep, beautifully packaged, and I fell in love. I'm all about burnt oranges and shimmering bronze shades in the autumn months and this palette is a perfect combination of both. It's very versatile, sporting a wide variety of colours meaning that a look can be created for every event.

I only need a small amount of the shadow on my brush as the colour pops immediately. I've only ever used the original Urban Decay Naked Palette which was never very pigmented, so this came as a very pleasant surprise.

The Naked Heat Palette is my go-to for an everyday autumnal makeup look. I don't think you can beat Low Blow (brown matte) in the crease, Cayenne (terracotta matte) in the outer corner and Ounce (ivory shimmer) in the inner corner. It's the perfect natural autumnal blend. If you want to add a slight shimmer then add Scorched (metallic deep red) or Lumbre (copper shimmer).

In all honesty, there isn't a shade in this palette that I don't love and that's very rare for me to say. It's my holy grail palette for the autumn-winter months and I'm especially looking forward to using the darker, burgundy shades for Halloween.

If you follow me on Twitter then you'll know how long I've had my eye on the Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Palette. I was going to wait until Christmas to expand my collection but a 20% discount on Beauty Bay finally tempted me to add it to my basket.

I still can't get over how beautiful it is, both on and off the eyes. If you love natural shades with a slight shimmer then this is the palette for you. There's a shade for everyone and it's the perfect palette to create a glamorous, glittery smokey eye. In my opinion, it's a combination of the Naked palette and Naked Heat - what more could you want?

As the shades are so pigmented, you only need a very small amount on your brush. The glitter shades really make your eyes pop and can transform your look from natural to glam in the dab of a brush. As this is the newest addition to my collection, I'm yet to use all the shades however my current favourites are Sultry, Rustic, Dusty Rose and Tempera. Sultry is perfect for any occasion and Dusty Rose is the prettiest shade of pink.

Give me an eyeshadow palette full of matte brown, burnt orange and a shimmering gold, team it with a bold berry lip (Charlotte Tilbury's Glastonberry is a must have!), a mustard jumper and you've got my perfect autumn combination. Oh, and can't forget the pumpkin spice latte!

What are your holy grail products for autumn?

Lots of Love,
Meg

xxx

Mustard Jumpers & Autumn Leaves

I used to hate Autumn when I was younger, I don't know what it was but it just seemed such a sad season. However, now that I'm 20, it just so happens to be one of my favourite seasons. I love taking the dog for a walk around the park, walking on crunchy leaves and the beautiful colours of the trees but my favourite thing is the fashion. Autumn colours are so aesthetically pleasing so I thought I'd show you one of my go-to autumnal outfits.

I've been searching for a mustard coloured jumper for months - I wanted the perfect autumn shade but it seemed impossible to find. I think it's important to add a bit of colour to your autumn wardrobe. It's so easy for people to reach for the black clothes and it's a common misconception that bright colours are for summer only but I'm here to change that. A mustard jumper is a staple for your wardrobe and a really popular trend this season. If a mustard jumper just isn't your style, try a mustard scarf instead - anything mustard will do. I picked up this jumper in H&M and it was one of those last minute buys. I was just about to give up my search when I spotted this little gem hiding at the back of the rack. It was exactly what I'd been looking for.

New Look has some lovely pieces in for autumn and I especially love their scarfs. I have an obsession with scarfs - I think they're the perfect accessory to jazz up an outfit for the colder seasons (you'll never see me without a scarf in autumn/winter). I picked up this beige checked scarf in August as I fell in love with the colours and knew it would be the perfect match to my camel coat. I'm also wearing my New Look ripped Hallie jeans - you all think Topshop do the best jeans but New Look is the place to be, I'm telling ya. On my feet I'm wearing my trusty black ankle boots from Dorothy Perkins, I don't think they sell them anymore but there are plenty of similar items available. An outfit is never complete without a watch and mine is from NY London, their watches are super pretty and I always get compliments when I wear mine.

The thing I love the most about this outfit is that it's the perfect combination of casual and smart, plus it can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion or your mood. You'll be seeing a lot of me in this jumper - are you a fan of the mustard trend?

A massive thank you to my lovely friend Emma who was the best photographer and the loveliest gal.

Lots of Love,

Meg

xox

My Autumn/Winter Goals 2016

Autumn; the season of pumpkin spice lattes and walks along paths carpeted with leaves. Is there anything that shouts Autumn more than cosy woolly jumpers and burgundy beanie hats? I think not. In all honesty, I've never been a big fan of Autumn until it gets super cold and the build up to Christmas starts, but this year has been different. I've just been so excited to wrap up warm and take Buster for a long walk in the woods. As someone who set New Years Resolutions and didn't stick to them, I thought I would set myself some more goals for Autumn/Winter. I really love the feeling of accomplishment, so I thought I'd share with you some of my goals for the end of this year!

1. Make more friends

I want to meet more people and socialise with everyone on my course at Uni. I feel very distant from a lot of the people on my course because everyone is extremely cliquey. Putting myself out there more and talking to different people is something that is extremely daunting for me but something that will hopefully make me happier in the long term.

2. Start writing my book

I've always wanted to see what it would be like to start writing a book but I can never seem to get around to doing it. I've decided that I'm going to take some time out each week to make some notes and do some writing. I don't know if anything will ever happen with this potential book but it'll hopefully get me back into loving writing again.

3. Read more Blogs

I'm a big part of the blogging community but I feel like I watch YouTube videos too much. I think it's completely taken over from blogging and that sometimes blogs just aren't recognised or appreciated anymore. I really need to read some more blogs and find new bloggers to be friends with so be sure to leave your links in the comments because I'd love to read what you've been writing about!

4. Spend less time on my phone

Like everyone in the modern day, I spend 90% of my life on my phone, the other 10% being when I'm sleeping. I read a quote the other day that really made me emotional and it said that one day when you look up from your phone, your family wont be there anymore. I spend way too much time on my phone when I'm around my family so I've decided that when I'm out with people and socialising, unless I'm on a night out or feeling awkward, then I will definitely not be going on my phone. I need to appreciate the amazing people I have around me whilst they're still here.

5. Get my Anxiety under control.

I'm determined not to let my anxiety take over my life anymore, and as it has caused me to lose a lot of friends, I don't want to risk losing anyone else. I'm promising myself that by Christmas I will be able to go out on a night out without having an anxiety attack and have an amazing Christmas with my family.

6. Visit Coffee Shops and Read

I love going to different places, going into the coffee shops and spending the day reading. I say that I love going to these places but I really don't do this enough even though it's something that relaxes me and makes me so happy. I've decided I'm going to use this as my relaxation time and take a day after lecture each week to go and sit somewhere and read for a little while. I always seem to be too tired to read now that I'm back at Uni.

7. Read my work out at an Open Mic Night

Yep, I'm a Creative Writer and the whole purpose of my degree is to be able to share my writing with others. However, this is the thing I hate the most about my course and if I can avoid sharing my work with other people then I will. As soon as my lecturer says that we are all going to share our work, I make an excuse to leave (normally going to the loo) and then come back when he's moved on to another topic and forgot that I even left the room. However, at some point I am going to have to share my work with other people whether I like it or not. When I attend the open mic nights hosted by my Uni, I always say that I'm going to read out next time but 'next time' never comes. If I'm going to share my writing with other people why not throw myself in at the deep end and read it out at an open mic night!?

8. Don't be so hard on myself

I've come to realise how much I put myself down; whether that be because of my appearance, personality or the work that I do. I'm always talking about the fact that we shouldn't compare ourselves to other people but yet still find myself doing that exact thing. Just because you think someones work is amazing doesn't mean that yours isn't just as good, just because you think someone is pretty doesn't mean that you aren't pretty too! I just need to stop comparing myself and start working with what I have.

What are you Autumn/Winter Goals? I think they really motivate me to achieve something by the end of the year!

Lots of Love,

Meg

xox

Lighting up Blackpool

Hello Everyone!

One of the main highlights of my year is going to see the Blackpool Illuminations. I've been going to see them since I was a little girl, so much so, it's become a tradition that we go every year. I'm not going to lie to you, every year, the lights are exactly the same: the same design; the same order; the same colours; everything. Okay maybe I'm over exaggerating there a little, there are some tiny little changes from time to time, but mostly, they are always the same. I guess that's what makes it fun to visit.

There's always been something about going to see the lights that has fascinated me. I think I just really like all the pretty colours and the way everything changes. I love the way families always look so happy when they walk through the lights together, and as I have grown up, I love seeing how happy the kids are walking through in bewilderment. I remember when I used to be like that as a child. In my family, it's tradition that we have some fish and chips (it's something northern people have to do) and then walk through the big lights, get back into the car and then drive through the little overhead lights. If you've ever been to see the illuminations, then you'll know what I mean.

When the lights switch on at the beginning of September, you know that Autumn is approaching. There's nothing I love more than walking along the promenade at Blackpool, wrapped up in my woolly scarf with my bobble hat and gloves. I love the smell of the sea and how spectacular the lights look when you actually get to see them up close. I always prefer to walk through the lights, one day, I'd like to walk through all of them. I don't think it'd be possible to do it in one night, but I'd love to do it in two halves. It's a dream of mine. However, the highlight of my year is seeing the teddy bears picnic. This is my favourite attraction at the lights every year and it has been since I was a little girl. It's basically a lot of teddy bears who play in a park; they swing on their swings, spin on a roundabout and slide down the slide. I know it sounds quite creepy but I promise it's not, it's the cutest thing ever. I would also like to speak about the house that sings. Yep. A house that sings. If you think I'm joking then you'll just have to go and see for yourself.

Yesterday, I went to see the illuminations with my family, and being the dedicated blogger that I am, I thought I'd bring along my camera (or my phone) and take a couple of lovely photos to upload on here. Enjoy!