What I Got For Christmas 2016!

Hey lovelies,

Can you believe Christmas is over already? Cause I sure can't. To be honest, I'm pretty sure I've been in an eternal food coma ever since I consumed three times my bodyweight in prosecco and the infamous Christmas roast...

Regardless I hope you all had a wonderful day with your friends or family, whatever it is you got up to. I wasn't actually planning on doing a 'What I got For Christmas' post, but I've been bed-bound with flu this past week and having binge watched a few a lot of YouTube videos, I decided, screw it, there must be some other nosy buggars out there as well as little, sickly old me. Seriously considering setting myself a P.O box up for the masses of Get Well soon cards/letters/care-packages I expect to receive. Think Harry Potter and his Hogwarts acceptance letters. I jest.

Colourpop Haul with MyMallbox*

Hey loves!

As you may or may not know, I have a serious obsession with Colourpop make-up. I first ordered from them back in March ahead of a family trip to New York and had it delivered to our hotel, as at the time they didn't deliver to the UK. They do now provide UK shipping with a very hefty price tag plus there's the issue of being caught out by customs and paying a zillion pounds in order to receive your order from the post office. (And let's be real, I have NOT got time for that). I use a shipping company called MyMallbox for my Colourpop orders and I've only ever had a great experience with them. (There's also a discount code at the bottom) But more on that later...

Love a good cheese pun

Hydrated hair with Salon Science*

Hey my loves!

Sorry I've been away for a few weeks, working in retail during Black Friday sales is beyond torturous. Also slight life update: I've been on Roaccutane for 2 months now and my skin is DRYER THAN THE SAHARA! If you don't know, Roaccutane/Accutane is a dermatologist-prescribed drug that can cure acne. It's got an amazing success rate but comes with a list down to your elbow and back up again, of side effects. So far mine have been fairly manageable, the most obvious one being dry lips, skin and hair; SO I'm focusing on giving my hair as much moisture and nourishment as possible. (Roaccutane can make it prone to thinning, breakages, and dry scalps... not so pleasant)

Gin Festival Leicester 2016*

Hey guys!

You'll notice I titled this post 'Gin Festival 2016', because I intend to go back to this event every single year. Yes it was that good. The majority of you will have probably cottoned on to the fact that I like gin. Love it. Dreeeeam about it. So when I got asked to attend and cover this event, you bet your bottom dollar I said yes! And of course I took along the beautiful Tiffany, (Frost In Space) AKA my number one gin-loving gal pal.

EDIT: On a final read through of this post, there's a certain word I've used rather a lot. So I challenge you to take a sip of an alcoholic beverage of your choice every time you see the word "Gin". Obviously I don't recommend this if you're reading this on the morning commute, I'm not that irresponsible.. See ya in the comments!

My First Giveaway!

Hey gals,

This post is gonna be a fairly short and sweet one, for once.

I've been gathering a few things together from here there and everywhere so I could do a giveaway for you all, featuring some of my favourite brands and products. I'm still waiting on one beauty related item - ooh so secretive - to arrive from America, (thanks for that USPS) but partly because it was taking so long and partly because I wanted more than one person to win, I've decided to split it into two smaller giveaways. The first is now live on my Twitter, and the second will be on my Instagram in the next couple of weeks.

If you want to see what you can win in giveaway numero uno, keep on reading!

Winter warmers and tasty treats with Brü | #ItsBrümas*

Hey guys,

On Tuesday I attended possibly my favourite event to date at Brü Coffee and Gelato, which is on Granby Street (number 22 to be exact) in Leicester. Along with a few of my favourite blogging buds, I sampled some of the insanely delicious food and drink offerings Brü has on their winter menu this year - which launches on the 14th November. If you follow me on Snapchat, you might have seen a few of the treats being unveiled, but I didn't go into too much detail on there as I was otherwise engaged.. (AKA stuffing my face.)

So sit back, relax, and be prepared for some serious food envy. Don't say I didn't warn you!

The most aesthetically pleasing and Instagram appropriate beverages EVER!

Poolside Essentials

Hey loves,

If you didn't already know, you should if you follow me on Instagram, I've been in Orlando for the past few weeks, meeting Mickey and Minnie and whatnot. Now I know it isn't particularly swimming-appropriate weather in England, but I thought I'd share my Poolside Essentials with you all, as I've been reaching for these products constantly during my holiday! So if any of you were planning a little escape from the ever delightful British weather, then I hope this comes of some use!

I'm also working on a post on how to eat Vegan in Orlando, as part of my 'Easy Vegan' series, so keep an eye out for that too!

Halloween Lust List!*

Hey girls and ghouls,

Don't you just love Autumn? The trees turn to beautiful shades of amber and brown, the Chelsea boots come back out of hiding, everything comes in a pumpkin flavour, and oh yeah... HALLOWEEN!

It's arguably the best night of the year, with girls spending hours upon hours getting dressed up into the coolest costumes and makeup. I personally like to go out several times during Halloween week (having a fangtastic time doing so). I've put together a little witchlist - see what I did there? - so you can show some love to the spooky season!

I've teamed up with the lovely folks at Johnny Loves Rosie to offer you some outfit inspiration. Those of you that like subtle and pretty accessories will LOVE the luxe pieces they have to offer, and if you weren't tempted enough already, if you order before October 31st you'll get 15% off with my code IZZY15 <3 (Don't say I don't love ya!)

AW16 Preview Night with Intu

Hey gals,

Last week I was kindly invited to the Autumn/Winter VIP Preview event at the Intu Victoria Centre in Nottingham. It was such a cute and creative event, and there was everything, from an arts and crafts table to a Benefit Brow Bar, not to mention the main event, a fashion show with some of the most gorgeous models I've ever seen! - I'd grab a cup of tea (or gin) if I were you, this is gonna be a long one!

Flower fairies assemble!

Rush Hair Opening & Pixie Lott Paint Review

Hey guys,

A few weeks back, I was invited to the opening of Rush Hair and Beauty Salon in Leicester, thanks to the lovely Claire from Tank PR. It was such a cute event, and it was so nice to finally put some blog names to faces and whatnot (as I'm kind of a newbie at all these blogger event thingies).

OOTD | Evening in Copenhagen

Hey lovelies,

Last week I visited the beautiful city of Copenhagen with one of my absolute besties, Hemma.
Why Copenhagen, you ask? Well when you find £35 flights on Skyscanner, I think the question is more, "Why the hell not?"

It wasn't a place I knew much about so before our trip we did a little research - I did a little, Hemma did a lot - but we had the most fun and saw some incredible sights, without spending an absolute fortune; which is very easy to do in Denmark's capital, trust me! I was thinking of doing a post on my tips for exploring Copenhagen on a budget, so let me know if that's something you'd like to see.

 Satin Bomber Jacket - Primark

Blush Crop - Topshop

Leather-look Skirt - Missguided

Heeled Gladiator Sandals - New Look

Clutch Bag - Katie Loxton

I'd checked weather reports online and whilst it was sunny and warm for the majority of our trip, Denmark can get a bit chilly at night, so I headed to Primark for a thin jacket of some kind that I could wear in the evenings and tie around my middle when I didn't need it. I walked out with this beautiful silk bomber jacket, and I was pretty darn chuffed with myself, I must say.

Just sniffing my hair, obvs

I absolutely adore the look of this jacket, how the black and white collar and cuffs give it a Varsity edge, contrasted with the girlie feel of the applique flowers. Hemma loved it so much she's off to buy her own! (Don't blame her one bit!)

"Accidentally" matched my nails to my clutch too!

 I paired my jacket with my faithful leather-look Missguided skirt, and a cute blush top from Topshop, (picked out by my bestie/ personal shopper/ shopping addicts anonymous partner, Megan). As we were heading on to a bar crawl straight after dinner, I wanted a top that was fairly versatile, and this crop worked perfectly as the high neck made it conservative enough for dinner, but the cool twisted section at the front transitioned it to girls night out material!

Giving Nearly Headless Nick a run for his money..

 These Gladiator sandals have been my absolute summer staple this year. They cost £16 and I've wandered through cobbled streets in Portugal, monasteries in Prague and alongside Copenhagen's canals in these babies and I have zero complaints. Super comfy, cheap and CHIC. 

Finally I have to give a little mention to this adorable Katie Loxton clutch bag I found in a sweet boutique store in Kibworth. (The name escapes me but you can find some of their gorgeous products online) These little pouches are the perfect size for evenings and they come in all sorts of colours and slogans. Mine says 'In the Bag' and I'm forever getting compliments on it!

I hope you enjoyed this post, and as always let me know if there's something you'd like to see more of on this page.

Thanks for reading your Dose Of Copenhagen

7 Facts about me TAG!

 Hey guys,

I've been nominated by the lovely Amy Elizabeth Porter to do the '7 Facts About Me' tag, and as part of it I've chosen 5 bloggers to keep the tag going. (I'll list their pages at the bottom!) Now for the facts; if you've been following this blog for a while you'll probably already know that I'm a Disney obsessed Vegan/Veggie who's massively into beauty and fashion etc SOOOO I've racked my brain to come up with some facts that you hopefully won't know about me! <3

1. I'm utterly and completely obsessed with Pomeranians, (still not got one yet though). Even talking about them can get me so excited I might burn into tears. One of my neighbours has a friend with two beautiful Pom's and she recently let me walk them - probably the most majestic day of my life.

JUST LOOK AT HIM!

Scents of Summer

Hey girlies,

So summer is slowly coming to an end, I know I know, it barely lasted a week, but I thought I would share with you some of my favourite fragrances for this time of year. A couple of these hold really distinct memories for me, which is probably why I love wearing them so much!

I have to say a little thank you to Kirstie, who runs a beautiful blog called Behind the Scent, as I went to her in a bit of a panic, and she was so lovely and gave me some great tips on how best to describe perfumes. So here goes!

(Clockwise from bottom right)

1. Jo Malone Mimosa and Cardamom Cologne 30ml - £43

2. MAC Turquatic 20ml - £20

3. VS Pink Sweet and Flirty 75ml - $75

4. Origins Ginger Essence Sensous Skinscent 100ml - £45

5. Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Eau Fraiche 100ml - £50

Easy Vegan | Junk Food

Hey guys and gals,

A few months ago I did a post on some yummy Vegan breakfast options as part of a series I've called 'Easy Vegan', to show you all how easy and accessible a plant-based diet can be. I've since had several requests to do another post, and so, well here it is! Now contrary to popular belief, Vegan's don't munch purely on leaves for lunch and bananas for pudding - else I would have given up at this a looooong time ago. There are actually a lot of rather tasty snacks on the market that haven't been anywhere near any animals, I promise!

First things first, I'm not saying any of these things are healthy, I'm just saying they are vegan, and hella delicious. Now lets continue...

(Products listed clockwise from bottom)

1. Freedom Vegetarian Mini Vanilla Mallows - £2.49

2. NatureCrops Quinoa Chocolate and Almond bar - £1.49

3. Rainbow Drops - 50p

4. M&S Red and Black Gums - £1.50

5. Jolly Jelly Cones - £1.20

6. Henry Goode's Strawberry Liquorice - £1

7. M&S Single Origin Dark Chocolate - £1.20

8. Tesco Free From Choc N Crispie bar - 40p

9. Humdinger Dairy Free Choccy Buttons - 79p

Blogger Meet Up | Goodies, girlies & gin!

Hey honeys,

So I attended two amazing events this week, the first being the Rush Hair Salon opening on Leicester High Street, (more on that in next week's post!) The second event was the much anticipated East Midlands Blogger Meet Up at Manhattan 34 in Leicester.

I have to start off by saying what an amazing job the organisers did with everything. It was so much fun, everything was so well thought out and we all absolutely loved it :) (So thank you Emma of Carpe Diem Emmie, Kirsty of Behind the Scent, Leanne of The Brunette Says and Kirsty of Kirsty Ralph

PS: I'll be linking everyone's blogs as I go, so click on people's names and have a cheeky peek of their page, I dare you.

OOTD | Boa Noite from Portugal

Hey my loves,

So I just got back from Portugal last weekend, and had the most relaxing eight days away, thank you to those that asked. (Also #sorrynotsorry for the holiday spam on my Insta page)

I enlisted the help of my brother and dad to get a few Outfit of the Day photos for my blog, so here you go!

White Bralette - Urban Outfitters

Midi Skirt - Zara

 Gladiator Heels - Aldo

Clutch Bag - Aldo

Embrace the Grey! | Tips for Maintaining Silver Hair

Hey guys,

Firstly, I want to apologise for being MIA on here this past couple of months. Without going into too much detail, we had a serious illness in the family and as much as I usually find blogging to be therapeutic during stressful periods, I've instead put all of my free time into visiting my family member at the hospital. Things are slowly looking a lot more positive now so I thought it was about time to get back on here and start blabbering on about beauty and fashion again!

Now that's out of the way; if you follow me on Instagram then you probably already know this, but just over a month ago I had a silver/grey balayage on my hair and I loved it! I'd been toying with the idea for quite a while, and had previously coloured my ends a nice silvery-blonde a few months back, but I was still desperately pining after full on granny-chic grey.

 

Couldn't leave the salon without a cheeky selfie...

Breakout Busters

So the other day I was planning out my next few blog posts, (trying to get organised, I know) and I felt something itching on my face so I grabbed a mirror and discovered a delightful spot trying to make its way to the surface. How wonderful. Now I've suffered from acne on and off for the past 5 years. I'll go through a few months of pretty darn perfect skin after a course of antibiotics, and then suddenly I'll wake up to an army of spots trying to take over my face and I'm back to square one.

My skin at the moment has been pretty good for a while now, but like everyone else on the planet - except Victoria's Secret models and the Kardashians - I still get the odd, very annoying breakout. So I thought I'd do a post on my favourite breakout-busting products, or those that just keep my skin nice and clear. I'm hoping this will be useful for anyone else that suffers with annoying acne too.

(Products listed clockwise from left)

 1. Lush Catastrophe Cosmetic Fresh Face Mask - £6.75

2. Nip and Fab Glycolic Scrub Fix - £9.95

3. Benefit Total Moisture Face Cream - £29.50

4. Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer in 3 - £21

5. Mario Badescu Drying Lotion - £12.50

6. Kiehls Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution - £36

Easy Vegan | Breakfast

Hey cuties!

I went completely Vegan for the month of February, (and loved it by the way), but the number one question people were asking me throughout was 'Isn't it really hard to be Vegan?' Short answer: Not really! It just takes a well stocked fridge and a bit of preparation. I decided it would be fun to do a little series on my blog called Easy Vegan, with simple meal ideas and recipes for people that needed some food inspo. First up is Breakfast.

So before I begin, I just wanted to put a little disclaimer out there. I'm not 100% Vegan yet, I'm probably Vegan for 4-5 days of the week, and Vegetarian for the rest of the time. I personally find that this diet works the best for my body, and definitely my complexion, and Veganism is obviously the most humane and animal friendly diet. But if you, (yes you reading this) are a meat eater, pescatarian, veggie, celiac, or space monkey; that's completely fine. Meaning;

Don't judge me and I wont judge you.

Now lets Brunch!

Tea-totally!

Hey cuties!

Have I mentioned before that I like tea? Because I most definitely do. To be honest, I'm tea-totally obsessed with the stuff! I pretty much drink it by the bucket load - not exaggerating one bit - and I think it's hereditary, my Nana usually has two pints of it before starting her day, she even fed me luke-warm tea in my baby bottle when I was a little tot as I preferred it to milk!

Anyway, cute anecdotes aside, I figured as I'm quite the connoisseur I would share all my favourites of the moment for anyone that is equally as obsessed as me. (Also if there are any brands or flavours you love, let me know in the comments!)

NYC Sephora Haul

Hey lovelies!

So I just got back from New York, which was absolutely amazing. I went with my family and we were really lucky with the weather, so we got to do loads of sightseeing, exploring and of course shopping. I was posting every day on my Instagram and Snapchat (@izzymariehill) cause I didn't have my laptop with me!

So I went a little crazy with the shopping, (big surprise I know) but I'm really happy with everything I bought, as the majority of my purchases were from brands that we just can't get in the UK, or are simply way cheaper in the US! Side note: MAC single eyeshadow refill pans have been permanently reduced to $6 in the US compared to £10 here in the UK, so I'm kicking myself that I didn't buy a couple of the shades I'd had my eye on whilst on holiday cause they work out at double the price in England now. MAC WHY YOU DO DIS TO ME?

It all just fell out like that I swear...

Juicytox Premium Cleanse - Review!*

Juicing is a really popular trend, loved amongst celebs and us mere mortals. The aim? To rid the body of toxins whilst losing a few pounds in the process. I've previously tried to DIY it with my smoothie maker, but sadly never had the willpower to see it through. (Because, lets be honest, I love food too much). There are several companies on the market offering juice cleanses; one of these being Juicytox - who's cleanses I've been eyeing up for a while I might add.

Rob from JuicyTox was kind enough to send me their Premium Cleanse to review, and so here I am to tell you how I got on!

Jet Set Essentials

Hey guys! So as a few of you may know, I'm gong to New York next week, and I am little kid in a candy store excited. I have been once before, around three years ago, but I've been so desperate to go back ever since. Can you blame me?

I really enjoy reading travel-related blog posts and videos, so figured this was the perfect opportunity to do one for myself! So without any further waffle, here are my in-flight essentials. (Mmmm waffle)

Skincare

So with it being a long haul flight, (around seven and a half hours), I usually take my makeup off a couple of hours into the journey, re-apply it just before landing and do a bit of a treatment somewhere in the middle. I find this just helps to keep my skin feeling healthier and prevents breakouts, otherwise the recycled air on planes turns my skin drier than the Sahara desert. Plus I'm far too attached to my makeup bag to put it in the hold. Anyone else surgically attached to their makeup?

(Products Clockwise from Left)

March Lust List

Hey guys!

A friend of mine asked if I was going to do another 'Lust List' post, so I thought, why not! I had hoped that blogging about things I was lusting after might curb my shopping appetite ever so slightly, but sadly, I don't think my plan worked all that well.

I am trying to shop less. Do I at least get points for effort? - Flashback to my primary school years where I finished last in the obstacle race and got the 'Good Try' sticker along with a pitiful pat on the head..

Life Box (Cleanse/Vegan Edition) - Review

I decided to go Vegan for the whole of February as part of the 'University Vegan Month Challenge' hosted by Animal Aid. They sent out a little information pack with a few vegan meal ideas and basic information about the foods I could and couldn't eat, which was super useful! I'm mildly lactose intolerant so I try to avoid dairy where I can anyway, but this was a really fun experiment and I made it through the whole month as a Vegan. And I had no naughty cravings either! Result.

Side Note: I will be doing a post on 'Simple Vegan Eating' for those of you that are interested, so keep looking out for that one!

Now, one of the reasons I didn't suffer from any cravings, was because I tried my very first Lifebox this month, which had SO many yummy Vegan treats in it, which brings me on to the subject of this blog post. Review time!!

The Eyeshadow Edit

From day one of my makeup-loving life, eyeshadow has always been the thing that excited me most. The colour possibilities, the formulas, whether it was a shimmer, glitter or matte finish, I was obsessed with covering my eyelids in the stuff. Obviously, little eight year old Izzy didn't know any better than to run for the bright pink glitter, (I blame Sabrina's Secret and Mizz magazine for that!)

Anyway, History lesson over.

I'd like to think I have refined my taste in eyeshadow ever so slightly since then; so I thought I would show you my absolute favourites of the moment, as well as a more in-depth review and explanation of the Makeup Geek shadows at the end!

Winter Skin Saviours

Hey everyone!

Having a good skin care routine is obviously a necessity for anyone, whether you suffer from acne prone skin (like myself) or simply to keep you looking as gorgeous and glowing as possible. With it being so bloody cold at the moment, products need to be extra hydrating to make up for the sub-zero temperatures we Brits have to put up with. (Ok maybe sub-zero is a slight exaggeration but you get my point.)

So, here are my Winter Skin Saviours; 5 products that my skin and I simply could not have lived without these past few months!

 

My 2016 "Non Resolution" Resolutions

Hey guys!

So around this time every year, both Facebook and Twitter become full to the brim of those 'New Year, New Me' claims, with people making lists of unrealistic goals that they simply wont stick to. Now I have no shame in admitting that I have been slightly guilty of just that in the past, however it's not something I'm planning on doing again. Instead, I've put together a few things I'd like to achieve this year, as well as things I could refine about myself, and I thought I would share it with you!

New Year, Same Me - With a few minor improvements