High Street v High End: Blusher

 This month I'm comparing blushers - both of these are pink shimmery blushers - and as I'm sure you can tell they are both very well used!

High Street: Bourjois Little Round Pot Blusher in Rose D'or - RRP £7.99

This is a really lovely everyday shade and it's super pigmented so you only need a tiny bit. My only criticism of this product is that you don't actually get all that much product for your money! If you look at the size of it compared to the Benefit blush it really is quite tiny! It did come with a brush, but I don't really know why because I don't think anyone would use it because it was so small!

High End: Benefit Sugarbomb - RRP £23.50

As you can see, this is extremely well used and yes I will use it until the end! This is perfect for summer due to the peachy shimmer. The lasting power is pretty impressive and the product itself lasts ages - I've had this probably longer than I should have had! The only criticism I would have is that I don't like the brush it comes with - it's the perfect brush for a product like the Hoola bronzer, but I use a different one to apply this and the other Benefit blushers.

Winner: Benefit Sugarbomb. This was close because the effect is actually quite similar, but Benefit was my winner because of the staying power and the amount of product you get for your money - it's expensive but lasts forever!

Have you tried either of these blushers? What did you think?

Amy x

What's In My Bag? | Video

Hello! I posted another video on my YouTube channel - it's a What's In My Bag? with a bit of a stop motion twist! Hope you enjoy! Oh and this is actually what was in my bag I promise!

Amy x

Summer Favourites

I do seasonal favourites rather than monthly favourites (mainly because I don't own enough things...) so here are the products I've been loving the most this summer:

Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Pink Gold | I'm not a pink person. At all. But when I saw this in Boots I bought it for some reason and I've been wearing it quite a lot this summer. It is quite subtle and it's a perfect feminine summer colour for a relaxed make up look. I tend to wear this on its own just with mascara and it's so pretty! 

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint in Coconut | Nothing beats white nails in the summer - the colour makes me look more tanned (or at least my hands anyway!), it goes with everything and just instantly makes me feel that bit classier (I can dream). 

Makeup Revolution Amazing Makeup Fixing Spray | This is a lifesaver in summer to stop your makeup gradually sweating off your face (yum). I'm so bad at carrying makeup in my bag - as in I never do - so this product really is a favourite for me and I'm sure it'll continue to be even when it's not summer anymore!

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge | So I actually wrote a whole post on this product here because I love it so much. It just gives such a flawless base and makes you look like you're not wearing makeup while still giving you coverage. Who could ask for more? 

Palmers Cocoa Butter Natural Bronze Body Lotion | Another product that I wrote a whole post on! (here) This is the ultimate lazy girl tanning product as it leaves you with a glow after just one application even though it's gradual, it doesn't streak and it smells like cocoa butter!

What have been your favourite products this summer? Have you tried any of these?

Amy x

Pinterest Obsessed

Something rather exciting (and also incredibly stressful) seems to be happening in my life - me and Nick are buying a house! We've been looking for ages, but couldn't find anywhere that ticked all the boxes - until now! We've had an offer accepted on a bit of a 'doer upper' and I'm so excited to get decorating, but until all the contracts have been signed and everything is official I'm having to make do with Pinterest-ing my inspiration! Here are some of my favourite house pins:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 

Do you use Pinterest? If so leave your username in the comments and I'll have a nosey! If you want to follow me on Pinterest I'm @amyve64 (here). 

Amy x

How I Fake Thick and Voluminous Hair

If you follow my blog you may have noticed that I'm not blessed with the thickest hair in the world - in fact it's very thin, fine and flat. Boooooo. If I'm honest my hair is the thing I make the least effort with - I'll happily leave the house and go to work without doing a thing to my hair, but recently I've been trying to make more of an effort with styling and also with trying to thicken and volumise my hair in general. I still only do this when I have time though! Here's what I've been using:

Lush Roots Hair Treatment | This is a product developed to help those with thin and fine hair (thanks Lush!) I apply this to my roots (who would have guessed it?) about fifteen minutes before  washing my hair and massage in. On the instructions it says to continue massaging for the whole time, but my effort doesn't stretch that far so I just leave it. I did a more in depth review on this in my Spring Favourites post if you're interested to know more, but I really love this product!

L'Oreal Elvive Fibrology Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner | I love this shampoo and conditioner combo for volume - it really does lift my roots, but I don't use it every time I wash my hair because L'Oreal shampoos tend to make my hair go greasy quicker so for that reason I use them every other time I wash my hair. They are amazing though!

TRESemme Volume Styler | I love using this - it's like a hairdryer and rollers in one so really volumises your roots, plus I find it makes my hair look nicer in general than an ordinary hairdryer. I use a heat protection spray before this and then dry my hair in sections for the best volume.

Schwarzkopf Got2B Texturizing Salt Spray | This featured in my Everyday Favourites post because I use it pretty much everyday! It lasts me ages because I only use a little each time - don't use too much or you get year 8 crispy hair! I tend to spray a little onto each section once it's dried and it just gives the rest of my hair a bit more texture to match my roots!

And this is the result! It might not look like much volume, but trust me it is for me!

Let me know if you have any product recommendations in the comments! Have you tried any of these products? Do you suffer with the same problem or are you blessed with thick hair?

Amy x

The Beauty Tool I Should Have Bought Earlier

It took me a very long time to buy into the hype of the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. This and the similar (but much pricier) beauty blender are all over blogs and YouTube, but I never understood the attraction of applying make up with a sponge so I carried on with my fingers (on lazy days) and brushes (when I could be bothered). In the past few weeks however, I've really not been happy with my make up - I don't know if it's the weather or my skin, but base products just haven't been sitting right on my face. 

In desperation and quite on a whim, I bought the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. I really was not expecting much at all but now I'm hooked and haven't applied my base with anything else since buying it. It applies foundation flawlessly and also so quickly - the time I spend applying my make up has probably halved due to this product. I use the main body of the sponge to apply my foundation and the flat section to blend in my concealer. I've been using a face mist to dampen it as I find if you wet it with water it soaks up quite a lot of the product (meaning you have to apply more than usual) but that would be my only criticism of this product. It washes easily and also dries in time for you to use it again the next day. I just can't get over how flawless this makes my base look!

Have you tried this? What did you think? 

Amy x

What I Wore This Week #3

I realised that I hadn't done a 'What I Wore This Week' post during summer so I thought I'd do one this week to show you a bit more of my summer wardrobe! Here's what I wore:

Monday

Dress - H&M (old)

Top - Monki 

Shoes - Hoxton Chic at TK Maxx

Bag - Primark

Tuesday

Playsuit - Topshop 

Tights - M&S
Cardigan - Primark (old)

Shoes - Primark (old)

Wednesday

Trousers - New Look (old)
Jumper - Vintage
Shoes - F&F (current sale)


Thursday

Jeans - Topshop 
Top - H&M (current, not online)
Shoes - Primark


Friday

Trousers - Tu at Sainsbury's (old)
Top - F&F (current, not online)
Boots - Topshop (link)

Which outfit is your favourite?

Amy x

Off the Shoulder

New Look saves the day yet again - I've been searching for an off the shoulder style top that actually suits me for ages. I think I have sloping shoulders (attractive) so usually off the shoulder tops tend to just slide down , which is really rather indecent! This one, however, not only has handy little straps attached, but they're adjustable so they don't fall off my shoulders - win! I've paired this with my trusty H&M slacks and these new shoes that I adore, which were a bargain at Tesco! I love the pop of colour against all the black.

Top - New Look 

Trousers - H&M (link)

Shoes - F&F (current sale, not online)

Are you a fan of the off the shoulder trend?

Amy x

5 Easy Plaited Hairstyles | Video

Another video from me today, I'm really enjoying making them so I hope you're enjoying watching them! This one is about my favourite plaited hairstyles - I usually either wear my hair down or in a plait so I love getting creative with new ways to wear a plait all the time! This video actually has a bit of voiceover on it which is rather nerve wracking so I'll just go and hide in a corner while you all watch it and laugh at my whiny voice!

Amy x

The 100th Post | My Favourite Bloggers

This post marks my 100th post on Call Me Amy which has come round so quickly! Seeing as reading other blogs was the reason I started this one in the first place I thought for this little milestone on my blog I'd do a round up of my all time favourite bloggers! Hopefully you'll find some new reads! (Blog names are clickable links).

Hannah Gale
Hannah's blog was one of my earliest discoveries and it was her writing style more than anything else that drew me in. She's honest, witty and so down to earth all in one. Her blog really does have it all - her content is always on point, she's an amazing writer and her personality comes across wonderfully. Plus who doesn't love a good list?!

Holly Loves the Simple Things
I've only recently started reading Holly's blog, but it was so captivating that I had to go back and read all of her older posts too! Her style is amazing and her photography along with the whole aesthetic of her blog is just beautiful. Her posts tend to be short and sweet as she lets the photography do the talking which is really quite refreshing!

Style Sunrise
I've been reading Karen's blog for a while and hers is one that made me finally start my own - thanks Karen! I love that she covers a wide range of themes and it always seems like her posts are always really thought out. She comes across as so down to earth and her writing style somehow manages to make you feel like you're having a two way conversation rather than just reading a blog.

Fi's Little Blog
Fi's blog is another fairly recent discovery, but I instantly knew that it would be a long term read! Her posts are so easy to read and her photography is so clean (if that's a way to describe photography - it's a compliment I promise!). Also her blog layout and whole blog aesthetic is just beautiful, plus she seems so down to earth (can you see a theme running through the blogs I read?!).

So there you have it! I hope you've found some new reads - let me know if you have any recommendations of blogs I should be reading! 

Amy x

Pocahontas Vibes

I don't know why this dress makes me feel like Pocahontas because it's not the right colour or style but it just does! It's really see through so nude underwear is a must, but I love it - it's so comfy and I adore the fringing. I paired it with my new sandals that I am 100% in love with (sorry Nick) which are the lace up style that are everywhere this season. Now excuse me, I'm off to ask the grinning bobcat why he grins.

Dress - Asos (here)

Sandals - River Island via Asos

Amy x

Products I Repurchase

However much I love trying out new products there are a select few that I never stray from and always repurchase, without fail! I suppose you could call these my all time favourite products:

Batiste Dry Shampoo | I haven't actually ever tried a different dry shampoo because this one does the job perfectly! I try to only wash my hair every three days so this helps stop it looking flat and limp on that final day! I'm not actually mad keen on the scent of this one, but the tropical one smells divine!

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder | I've spoken about this product before and as with the dry shampoo, I've never felt the need to try a different powder because I can't imagine one doing a better job than this! I always feel like I'm airbrushing my face when I use this, plus it stays put!

Anna Sui Sui Dreams Perfume | I've been using this perfume since I was about 16 and when I say I repurchase it, what I really mean is I get a new one for christmas every year! It's my all time favourite scent and I can't see myself ever not having it seeing as I've stuck with it for 8 years already.

Vaseline | My obsession with Vaseline started when I was about 14 and my first love was the aloe vera version. I don't rely on it as much as I used to because the amount I was using probably wasn't good for me...but I always apply it to my lips once in the morning and once in the evening and it's just so good. 

Barry M Nail Paints | I own so many nail varnishes, but most of them are Barry M because they're just so cheap, the colour range is so vast and the formula is really good. Love!

Do you have any products that you always repurchase? Have you tried any of these?

Amy x

Wardrobe Staples | 5 Ways to Wear a Denim Jacket

This month in my wardrobe staples series I'm styling a denim jacket - I've chosen a cropped one because it's more summer appropriate - it's one of my favourite summer cover ups!

Beach

Denim jacket - Topshop (old)

Playsuit - H&M (link)

Sandals - Asos 

Daytime casual

Denim jacket - Topshop (old)

Midi dress - Topshop (old)

Sandals - Asos 

Daytime smart

Denim jacket - Topshop (old)

Dress - Topshop (old)

Shoes - Primark  (old)

Evening

Denim jacket - Topshop (old)

Top - Next (similar)

Trousers - H&M (link)

Shoes - Primark (old)

Double denim

Denim jacket - Topshop (old)

Top - Monki (similar)

Jeans - Topshop (link)

Shoes - Primark (current)

Which outfit is your favourite? How would you style a jacket like this?

Amy x