Trying out the Zoella x Colourpop range

Until about a month ago now I'd never ordered any makeup from the US. I skipped out on the Kylie phase because wow the customs fees people got hit with and also wow the prices and also wow I just wasn't into the Kardashians enough for that. But the Zoella x Colourpop collab just got me. I've been wanting to try something from Colourpop for roughly forever and I got the chance to do so with free shipping and no chance of getting hit with extra customs charges.

A First Look at My Zoella Christmas Lifestyle Picks

Zoella has been releasing a wave of new products recently, and whilst it's been seen with a backlash of anger at pricing and the sheer volume of ranges, this is one range that I really wanted to try. I agree that some of the products were overpriced, and I'm not sure why her marketing team thought it was a good idea to release summer beauty, general lifestyle, Christmas lifestyle and Christmas beauty in a matter of weeks (SURELY sales would have been better if it was spread out?!), but I'm totally feeling the hype for this range. This is the one I was genuinely excited for, and I've picked out some fab products which don't bear a shocking price tag.
I've been SO excited to share this post with you, and these pictures have got me feeling all the Autumn vibes. For real though, the cosy vibes mug is something that I already know I'm going to use all the time. I'm ready to fill it with hot chocolate and hundreds of mini marshmallows on chilly evenings. It's such a nice size, and the design of it feels so me. Cosy vibes are what I'm allll about, and I've got a feeling you might see this used as a blog prop all over my Insta over the next few months. 
Candles are kinda my thing (says me and every other blogger ever). I've got a cute little collection of them and I find lighting a couple around my office the best thing for getting a happy, productive vibe going. Zoella's Festive Cookie candle smells incredible. It reminds me a little of Yankee Candle's Snowflake cookie (which I LOVE), but just less sweet. If you've got any of the last lifestyle collection candles from Zoe, then this one is a bit bigger than them, and has a bit of a stronger scent. I'm kinda in love with the packaging - there's nothing cuter than tiny little gingerbread men - and the gold design makes it feel fairly luxe. 
On the candles front I HAD to get the cosy Christmas sock and candle set. And this time it wasn't particularly for the candle. These socks are one of my favourite things I own. Seriously. They're the same ones that she released last year and I've honestly never put anything more comfy and cosy on my feet. So much so that I genuinely save them for days when my mental health is low as a kind of 'treat yourself' moment. They're soft and warm and just trump any other bed socks I've ever tried. FYI, the candle in this set is fab too. It smells like a Christmas tree and the design reminds me of a Christmas jumper, which is hella cute. 
My final pick was my only stationery one. I've got so many notebooks and cute stationery bits at the moment that I didn't need anything else from this part of the range. But, now that I've got my new job I wanted a desk calendar, and the 'This is Your Year' Zoella one has motivational quotes for each month. It's exactly the kind of calendar I had in mind, and I love the fact that you can pop each card in and out easily, so it's perfect for using as an Insta prop at the start of the month! 
I've filmed a first look at/unboxing of my picks from the range over on my Youtube if you fancy a watch:

Have you bought anything from the range?
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Zoella Sweet Inspirations Range picks

I know I'm about three years behind on this one, but these little goodies have been sat in my cupboard, gradually being used since about August. My bad. This is one of those posts that got pushed further and further back, but today I'm FINALLY sharing my thoughts on this Zoella beauty range. 

Brownie Skewers and Pineapple Mimosas | Summer Treats

I am a snacker. There's no two ways about it really: I'd rather graze all day on small meals than *shock horror* be confined to only eating real meals a couple of times a day. It's probably down to my hatred for routine, but also has a lot to do with my general love of all things food. 
As summer started to hit in the UK (I say that now mid torrential downpour, but it did happen for a week or so, I promise), I really got the urge to try my hand at making some cocktails. If you've read my final cocktail night post, you'll know that I love the idea of making my own cocktails! Plus, I'd seen some really cute brownie skewer recipes on Pinterest, and just HAD to give them a whirl.
So, I set about to baking and creating to bring you these goodies, which, btw, pair perfectly for when you have guests over. Not only are they the perfect sweet nibbles, put this cocktail is remarkably easy to make. Before y'all cocktail buffs get all aggressive on my butt, these are only 'sort of' mimosas, as they contain sparkling wine rather than champagne #sorrynotsorry. 
The brownies
 I used Zoella's white chocolate brownie recipe for the brownies, which is fast become my favourite brownie recipe of all time. Seriously, you need to give them a try. My housemates devoured them, and I practically had to elbow my way through to get a peek. 
So, once you've got all of your brownies whipped up, ready and cut into squares, you can get started on the skewers. Be very careful when skewering the brownies; they're a little fragile and it took me three or four heavy handed attempts before I was careful enough to get one on without it crumbling. Then chop some strawberries in half and get your marshmallows ready. I used a pattern of marshmallow - brownie - strawberry - marshmallow - brownie - strawberry. You can arrange it in any way you desire. 
Then you're good to go. If you're feeling super fancy, drizzle the skewers with a compote or melted chocolate.
The mimosas (ish)
What you'll need: - Sparkling wine - Pineapple juice - Lemonade
You're totally welcome to use homemade lemonade or pineapple juice for this, and it would be totally #culinarygoals, but I just wanted a quick and simple cocktail making session, so went for the shop bought varieties. 
Traditionally the cocktails would be served in champagne glasses, but you can use whatever kind you want! You basically fill the glass up one third with sparkling wine, then one third with pineapple juice, and finally one third with lemonade. We garnished ours with a piece of kiwi fruit (going for a tropical vibe naturally), but why not experiment?
I really hope you enjoyed this post - let me know if you give either recipe a go! 
What's your favourite snack to make for guests?
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