emmalanglands: February 2017

As you guys know I recently visited York and Copenhagen, doing a bit of shopping in each. I pick up a few things that I was excited about, so I thought I would do a simple haul for you! Enjoy :)

First up, my York purchases, as you can see it is all books!! I do love buying books, to read and to make my dresser looks pretty ;)
The Passive Aggressive Colouring Book is one of my favourite things!! I picked this in the Imaginarium whilst walking around The Shambles! I love 'adult' colouring books but this one is slightly different. This has quirky drawings, sayings and things that make life 'not perfect'.
I enjoy colouring this in more as it is just so fun!
I have linked the book on Amazon if you wanna check it out!

I then went into Oliver Bonas, which is one of my favourite homeware shops, however, I came out with two 'self-help' books.
'L'art de la Simplicite' which translates onto 'How to Live More with Less'. I have been eying this book up for a while, I like to hoard a lot of items, so this is slowly helping me reduce my 'clutter'.

I also bought 'How to be Parisian', I have seen this floating about, whether it was on Pinterest or Instagram and I really wanted to get my hands on it. I didn't really know what to expect, but it is just full of quirky 'Love, Style and Bad Habits' information. It's one of those books that is perfect to read on chill days and when you need a laugh. Not to mention it looks gorgeous beside my bed ;)

Next up we have Sephora, we found a shopping center in Copenhagen and to my surprise, we found a Sephora. Now I do love a Sephora shop don't get me wrong, however, Copenhagen prices are high ( as you will see) and I have kinda gone off buying expensive makeup when you can get it so much cheaper elsewhere. (I say in all my wisdom). However, one thing I do love in Sephora is their facemasks. The few times I have been in I have always picked up their masks! I just think they are great! I picked up an Avocado face mask and a Green Tea face mask as well as something I can't wait to try the Charcoal nose strips!!

In the same shopping center, they had discounted makeup and beauty! This would be fab if you lived there, but I think it just worked out the same, apart from these Essie Nail Polish steals!
One is in the shade 'Coconut Cave' and it's a white with a very slight pink undertone and the other 'Naughty Nautical' which is a gorgeous sparkly turquoise shade. Both worked out to be just under £10!!

I also picked up a cute little Danish keyring, I am saving my keyrings up from the places I have been so it was only fitting to pick up another! I picked the bike as we all had a hard time trying not to get run over by them LOL

AND Lastly, the big one! If you have read my blog before then you may know that I have a slight obsession with Victoria's Secret, I just love everything! Their underwear, bras, clothes, PINK, and sprays, so when I spotted the black and pink writing whilst in Copenhagen, I legit ran!!
I did, however, get far too excited and got the currency converter wrong so let's just say I ended up spending a small fortune on two items! One being this cute mini set of all their perfumes, I honestly love their scents so I thought this would be perfect to take traveling with me! It comes with six so it will be perfect to do me the whole time I am away!
This last item was a complete splurge and it's this gorgeous Passport holder, I got a PINK backpack for my Christmas so I thought it would go so well and match! It also has a place for tickets which will be super handy and the VS logo is beautiful!
They both cost me more money than I had but hey I was on holiday! (Have a justified it yet?).

Let me know in the comments of you have any of these items?

Hope you are having a fab Sunday!

1:00 pm 19 comments

First of all sorry for this post being so late, with all my travelling I just never got the chance to upload. It's now halfway through February and I don't know where the year has gone ;o

Nevertheless, 2016 went by so quick, like I went to New York in March and that feels like yesterday.... so crazy! With a new year comes new products and new discoveries, I couldn't let the year slide without rounding up The best of 2016. Enjoy :)

The whole year for me was all about Kyle Jenner's Lip kits. I caved into the hype and ended up loving them. The formula is incredible, a little drying but gives such a great outcome. I ended up buying 6 last year and I am not even sorry. My fav has to be Koko K for sure. Good job Kylie.

Next, has to be my Urban Decay Gwen Stefani palette, I received this as a gift from my parents for my Christmas 2015 and have loved it ever since. The shades are just perfect for an everyday look but also can be made for going out. Anaheim and Zone are my go-to shades for a subtle look but they also work well as an eyebrow shade too. Blonde and Skimp are super pretty for highlight under the eyebrow and in the tear duct area.

Lastly, I loved the Anatasia Beverley Hills Contour Kit, I purchased this whilst I was in Soho and fell in love. I was a bit sceptical about using cream products but it just gives an extra depth to the face and gives the perfect contour. I use a mix of Fair and Neutral for highlight and a mix of Java and Light Sculpt for contour. I will say that I only use this when I am going out as I find it quite heavy but overall I am obsessed with this.

I stepped out my comfort zone this year when it came to skincare, I tried new things and ended up loving Dermalogica. I was given this free at the National Television Awards and have been obsessed. I think I featured each thing in one of my favourites through the year, my go-to's have been the Multi-active Toner and Active Moist.

Next, up has to be my love for Liz Earle, I don't know why I never went near her products before but I am so glad I did. They have been a complete life changer, they have become a firm favourite in my skincare routine. I got both the Instant Boost Skin Tonic and Soothing Eye Lotion for my Christmas and I am in love.

I obviously have to mention Zoe's products, whether it was her Sweet Inspirations, Lifestyle or Christmas range, she basically killed it!! I was lucky enough to get my hands on most of each range and loved every one. My favourite has to be the Christmas range, I am still using the hand cream and it is making me miss Christmas so much! Also, I have to love it as can we thrown it back to when Zoella Beauty used my pic, complete fan girl and claim to fame!!

I went full on with reading, I love reading but I just don't find the time. However, last year I think I was a lot better. I crammed a lot more books in and even did a blog post about it!!

My top books where the Divergent Series, I was a bit sceptical but it kept me going through my holiday and I love them. I just watched the movies and I don't think they give the book justice!!

All The Bright Places has to be my favourite, this was in Zoe's book club and I am so glad I read it! It was amazingly written and gives you a wave of emotions throughout!! Highly recommended!

Next, up has to be my Bath and Body Work candles, I love candles but nothing will compete with the scents I bought at Christmas! Pumpkin Pecan Waffle was heavenly and Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin was Christmas in a jar! I will have to try to pick some more up when I go to America in summer!!!

Accessories!!
I stepped up my game when it came to adding some accessories to my outfits.
I jumped onto the choker bandwagon and actually fell in love with wearing them, this one I picked up in Matalan and I just think it is the cutest! I never wore them as much as I wanted to as I have a lot of high neck tops but when I did I loved it!! Throwing back to 90s/00s!!
Is it acceptable to still wear them?? I hope so!!

Scrunchies are also something I fell in love with! I had seen so many people rocking them but I just never brought myself to buy some, however, I found this cute set of two on Amazon and I had to buy them! One is a black velvet which was perfect for Christmas and a red tartan one which was great for the whole of Winter! I found it great to add a little more to my hair after I got it all chopped off!
I may have to buy more 'Spring' coloured ones!!! Again major throwback to when I was younger!!

Last but not least Earrings!! Fun fact, I thought I had a bad nickel allergy so I have never worn earrings that were not gold since was like 8/9! But last year I decided to chance my luck and try out a pair of hooped earrings I got last Christmas!! I saw hoops everywhere so I wanted to join the trend, thankful my ears were fine, after 13 years of boring earrings I could finally wear 'normal' earrings.
I popped on Asos and found these bigger rose gold hoops, they are quite thin, however, I love them!! Firm fav of January 2017!!

Let me know what you loved in 2016 and what you have been loving this month?
Sorry for this being so late, but I was so happy with this post I didn't want to scrap it!!
Have a good Sunday!!

1:00 pm 29 comments

Over the last few weeks as you can tell I have been on a few weekend travels, with traveling so close together I left my toiletry bag ready to go each time. I thought it would be fun to show you what I pack and take with me on weekends away. Kinda like a What's in My bag, but my toilery bag instead. I find these post so interesting, to have a nosy into what people take! Prepare for a lot of mini products, I do love a mini sample of a product ;)

I have to mention first off my Irresistible Me Jade Brush,* like I said in my review a few posts ago it is a ceramic straightening brush. Trying to pack light is so hard when you have to pack a brush and straighteners so this is perfect. You can read my full review but it is so easy to use and so lightweight, it will and is a travel essential!

To help keep my straighten hair in place I take this mini Tony & Guy Hairspray, it is amazing to set my hair and keep it in place, but it is a perfect size. I just love picking up minis for my holidays, I am nearly finished this so I might have to pick the full version up!

Sticking with hair products, I have to take these mini bottles of my favourite shampoo and conditioner. I have talked about my love for OGX hair products before, they work wonders on my hair. The few times I have been away I haven't used them but they don't weigh much and it's always handy to keep both in my bag!

Skin-wise, I take the cutest minis of the Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm and the Liz Earle Instant Skin Tonic! Just look at how cute they are tho, they are just replicas of the big thing and that makes me happy! I actually keep filling up my Emma Hardie tub (not sure how hygienic that is) as the full-size tub is pretty big and would weigh a lot.
These are both a staple in my skin care routine so I have to take them with me!!

Lastly, mini perfumes! I think this is what gets me excited the most, I just love mini perfumes/mists! I obviously have to take my Zoella Beauty minis with me, I have been loving 'Let's Spritz' lately. I also bought mini YSL perfumes last year at Duty-Free so they are just perfect if I want a stronger scent! Black Opium has to be my favourite!! I lastly take, my mini Victoria Secret perfumes, I have a slight obsessed with VS and I love the scents they have so (sneak peak at my haul) I had to buy them when I popped into VS in Copenhagen. I am gonna save them and take them to America with me!!

Let me know what you take with you on your holidays?? Do you love minis as much as me? ;)
Hope you are having a great day!

*This product was sent to me, but I have given my honest options*

1:00 pm 29 comments

Like I mentioned in my last post I have caught the travel bug, so when my dad asked if I wanted to go to Copenhagen, I jumped at the chance. He and my sister Sarah were getting tickets for Metallica and my mum and I were coming along for the ride :)

Again, I thought I would show you some of my holiday snaps, this post will be picture heavy so just a warning lol

Our flight got in late on Thursday, we took a train from the airport into the centre the after getting lost coming out the train station (a theme of the holiday) we eventually dropped our bags off at our hotel (The Savoy). I loved the designs in the hotel, they were so quirky! We did a bit of wandering around Copenhagen, sat in Starbucks and did some planning for the next few days!

The Friday we got up relatively early so we could be ready for the day, we decided to hit the National Museum. It was something simple but interesting at the same time! We may or may not have got lost again and took the long way round the Museum but nevertheless, we found it and got in.

There were so many sections of the museum, it was massive. I actually love walking round museums, so I did really enjoy myself.

After the museum, we had lunch, walked around a bit more and then went back to out hotel. Sarah and my dad wanted to get ready for the concert and I just wanted a nap!

They headed off to Metallica while myself and my mum had dinner and went to see Chicago.

I have never seen Chicago, so I was very excited, however, yes, it was in Danish haha. I had a look online and got the summary of the plot, so there my mum and I reading the plot of my phone and not laughing at the jokes.

I still enjoyed it although they could have sung 'All That Jazz' or 'Razzle Dazzle' in English.. how selfish ;)

Next day was meant to be all about the touristy stuff, we left pretty early again and made our way to Nyhaven. Once again we got lost and went the longest way possible, but made a 40/50 minute walk we made it.

I loved it, it was so cute with all the different coloured buildings, I could of spend most of my trip there. I will say I think it would look a lot prettier if it was sunny or blue skies. However, it was a great walk and it still looked pretty.

We then made our way up to 'The Little Mermaid', we walked another good 40 minutes to get to the point where it should be. We walked through Churchhill Park trying to find it... could we no LOL.

I think as it was so foggy and rainy they had closed it off, so, unfortunately, we never got to see it! It was a great walk and burnt a good amount of cals.

We then decided (or me) to hit some shops, we stumbled across a department store where there was a Sephora (WOO) and a few other shops! We had lunch at Joe and The Juice (my new obsession) and walked back. After getting semi-lost again (told you it was a theme) we found the best shop ever Victoria's Secret. I want to say I spent a few pounds in there, but with my obsession and the exchange rate I came out with a very light pocket!

We had dinner at Hard Rock Cafe and the with 13 miles on my FitBit it was time for a long nap.

The weather was pretty miserable on the last day so we headed to Ripley's Believe It or Not and the Hans Christian Anderson exhibition. The HC Anderson house was very interesting showing stories that he wrote, like The Little Mermaid and Thumbelina. It was so cute, it reminded me of Disney!

The Ripley's Beleive It or Not was also interesting but so weird. I never knew what I was expecting but it was so good. My face in the pic with the shark is real fear as my hair actually got caught in its teeth aha ha

My dad and I then went for the last walk around the centre, all the way to the church, through all the shops. I loved the centre, and of course seeing my dream shop Louis Vuitton.

We spent the last few hours in the airport before leaving to go home!

I really enjoyed myself, I do love a good trip away!

Thanks for my mum, dad and Sarah for the great trip away!

I have a haul coming up with the few bits that I bought so stay tuned for that!

Let me know if you have been to Copenhagen?

12:00 pm 31 comments

As I mentioned in my Hello 2017.... post I met an amazing group of people whilst getting placed for Americamp in Manchester, we got on so well that we decided to meet up again, this time in York.

I thought I would share what we got up to whilst on our trip away, I also want to point out that I have added a travel section to my blog, so if you want to have a nosey at where I have been, it is now all in one place.

I travelled down from Edinburgh and met Robyn at the station, we had lunch and then met the rest of the gang. We went for pizza and then got ready to go out. We went to All Bar One and then headed to Salvation nightclub, the cocktails and the atmosphere were amazing and it's safe to say we all had a good night!

Not going to lie the next day I was slightly hungover and as I stupidly ate a piece of gluten, I was so ill, so the Saturday consisted of me walking around The Shambles doing a spot of shopping whilst the others went to the Dungeons! I bought a few bits and bobs that should feature in my posts in the next couple months! We decided to stay in that night and just chill, we played board games and Heads Up and just had a good laugh.

Next day was all about The Shambles, I could have spent all day there, it has so many cute quirky shops as well as some well-known shops too. I absolutely loved the cobbled streets and the agriculture of the buildings. It felt like I was walking into the Harry Potter set, in fact, one of the shops has Harry Potter jewellery, as well as a few Harry Potter wanted signs outside, which gave it a special touch! I believe that Diagon alley inspiration was taken from The Shambles which is amazing!

One of my favourite shops was The Imaginarium, It was this cute little shop that had so many unique adorable pieces (the animal heads below), I could have bought the whole shop if I had the money!

We then got a few pictures at York Minister and then for brunch at a quirky pub/cafe, the pictures are on the wall where so interesting to look at! I never actually caught the name of the place it was super cute!