Friday Shopping Trip

Hi Everyone!

So to make the most of the week me and Ollie had off together, we decided to get up early yesterday morning and go for a mooch around town. I love going shopping during the week as town is so much quieter, even during half term. I feel that working weekends in a shop for four years has traumatised me and I do my utmost to avoid the place mid-day Saturday, so being able to go during the week was a real luxury. (How easily pleased am I?!) 

I've had a River Island gift card burning a hole in my purse now for months, so that was the first place I went to. Ollie is a man of many talents, and was able to pick out the perfect little bag for me and after using my £10 gift card it only cost me £14, so winner winner chicken dinner!

After River Island we then went over to Primark. Unusually, I wasn't wowed by anything in there today which is a surprise as I was expecting to fall in love with loads of winter clothes in there. However, I do often find that Primarks in other places usually have better things in than ours so I guess I'll have to just keep looking. I did find a really cute beanie in there which only cost me £2. It came in a range of colours so I may have to go back and get some more as I love a good beanie.

After looking around a few more shops we ended up in Sports Direct. The only thing I ended up buying was an Ab Roller, which i genuinely think may have the power to kill me off. I've only tried using it once and it failed miserably, so I'll update if I ever get better at it!

As always guys, thanks for reading! Any comments or feedback is much appreciated xxx

My thoughts on: On and Off the Wagon

Hi guys! 

So it's been a while since I last wrote a blog post, life has just been hectic and I felt like I've been really struggling to write anything from a beauty perspective.. I guess I've been stuck in a bit of a rut with my make-up routines and the products I used so I felt like I lacked the ability to write any meaningful content. However, I started this blog with the intention of discussing my (slightly boring) life as well as one of my main passions, so I decided to just start typing and see where I ended up!

The thing I want to talk about today is something I briefly spoke about in a previous post- my weight loss story. At that point when the blog post went up, I was in a really good place with my health and the direction it was heading. Shortly after that post, I went on a holiday for a week and allowed myself to relax a bit more whilst down there. When I came back home I only had a day to settle back into a normal routine before returning to work and then working a very busy seven week term. Through all this, I let my healthy eating habits completely slip- I was back to only eating one really unhealthy meal a day, I was back drinking energy drinks again. The gym got sidelined all together and during that time the only thing I carried on with was my clubbersize classes as I absolutely love going to those. Whilst during all of this I only put 3 pounds back on, I ended up feeling so tired and lethargic and I missed the feeling I had when I was on track.

Fast forward to just over a week ago when I realised that payday fell on the wrong side of half-term and I was facing a week of having a good week off with very limited funds. It was at this point that me and my partner decided it was time to get back into the gym seeing as we pay for it monthly, and to focus on our nutrition. To say we went hard is an understatement. We have been going to the gym every day, as well as also going swimming (sometimes on the same day) and both been sticking to strict calorie limits. The results of this have been amazing, and although I haven't weighed myself since the start of the week, I can already feel the benefits of regular exercise and ensuring my body has the right nutrition.

However, I feel like it is important to say here that it's not always perfect. As previously mentioned, I have a history of unhealthy eating patterns, and when I'm calorie counting I can very easily become too obsessed with tracking what I eat and overly restricting myself to the point where my body isn't getting enough fuel. This led to a moment of slight panic today when I sat having a family meal that had been planned for a while, I glanced at the menu and had to decide between my favourite foods and food I don't like as much of the 'lighter' menu just to fit in with my calorie limit. This was when my lovely partner stepped in and reminded me that enjoying myself is more important that constantly obsessing over calories and not enjoying food. So I opted for the smothered chicken and I can honestly say I don't regret my decision one bit. I even let myself be talked into having a pudding I'd been dying to try for ages and yet again, I 100% do not regret having the cake. I just think that sometimes I need a gentle reminder to enjoy things as a treat, and not then eat far too much or too little.

This is said cake. Did this cake take me over my calorie allowance for the day? Absolutely. Did I enjoy eating it? Definitely. Do I care that it took over my calorie allowance for the day? Absolutely not. Yum.

So this actually turned out to be a massively long post! If you made it this far, honestly well done for reading my waffle! I just feel like this is such an important topic to discuss as there are so many people like myself in the world who have a distorted view of food and healthiness and if I can help just one person overcome this then that makes it worthwhile. 

So as always lovelies, thank you so much for reading!xxx

Why I Took a Break

Hello lovely readers!

As the title would suggest, I took a break away from blogging and Instagram for a while. I genuinely felt that I needed a break away from being online so much as it had become a slight obsession for me, and I found myself starting to compare myself to other people online and wondering why my life didn't seem as fun and interesting as theirs. I then starting to stress about the way I looked, so once I reached that stage I knew it was time to take a step back and re-evaluate where I was. However, I'm back now with a whole new mindset and I'm really excited about getting stuck in again! 

So while I was away the first big change I made to my life was that I finally quit smoking! I'd smoked solidly since my early teens, so by the age of 21 the addiction was well and truly set. However, during that time the price of tobacco has steadily increased to the point where I simply didn't want to pay it any more, and I was ready to start living a healthier lifestyle. I started my journey by using a small vape pen and lasted for three weeks using that alone, but I felt that it wasn't enough to kill the cravings, so I went out and bought a SMOK Stick and I've never looked back! I can honestly say quitting has made me feel so much better in myself and having the extra money has really made a difference. If you are considering quitting, all I can say is just go for it,you won't regret it!

The second big change I made in my life was to overhaul my eating patterns. I don't really want to call it a diet as to me it is the way I intend to eat for the rest of my life now, whereas a diet is a short term fix. My background with dieting and my eating pattern is a very messy one, for years I have had an incredibly unhealthy relationship with food. At one point in my life I would consume roughly 800 calories a day and would weigh myself at least twice a day, and another point in  my life saw me bingeing  massively in one day and then restricting myself for days afterwards. Years of yo-yo dieting and an unhealthy lifestyle have now lead to me being overweight and not happy at all with my body.About four weeks ago I decided enough was enough and set myself the task of eating at least two meals every single day and ensuring they were healthy meals. To help me with this I use My Fitness Pal to track my calorie intake and make sure I stay under my calorie limit. I've also started going to the gym most nights a week and I go to a Clubbersize session once a week. After four weeks of hard work I've lost nearly a stone and my mindset towards weight loss and exercise has completely changed and now I love it!

So this turned out to be a really long post! If you've made it this far then thank you sooooo much for reading this post. I have a tendency to waffle but I really wanted to explain a bit more about my life and why sometimes you have to take some time for yourself. 
Love you all xxxxx

ColourPop Order/ First Impressions

Hi guys! 

So today I'm going to be discussing my first ColourPop order. As I live in the UK, Colourpop is a hard brand to get hold off as you can only order it off their website, meaning you have to pay for shipping and customs. However, they recently held a free international shipping event and because I spent under $19, I didn't get hit with a custom charge, wooo! I ordered my items on the 6th of May, they were dispatched on the 10th of May and they arrived on the 18th of May, meaning the whole process took just under two weeks which considering the amount of orders they will have received is really good. 

I ordered three products which totalled $18. At the time I ordered ColourPop had an offer where you could buy three liquid lipsticks for about $12 (I think), so I saw a few people order these and then another item to bring their total to the $19. However, these people were still stung with a customs charge as the total declared is the products value, not the price you paid, meaning people were being charged for a $20+ order. I was unaware of this at the time so I'm so glad the other lipstick shade I wanted was out of stock! 

Instead I chose to get two liquid lipsticks and a gel eyeliner. I ordered the Ultra Satin Lip in the shade 'Alyssa' which is a collab with Kathleen Lights, and the Ultra Matte Lip in 'Saigon', which is a collab with Karrueche. They eyeliner is a simple black gel eyeliner in the shade 'Swerve'.

Since they arrived, I've tried both the liquid lipsticks and can say that I honestly love them both. I'm always really worried about ordering make-up online as I haven't been able to swatch the products, so I never know if the shade actually suits me. However, I love both of these products. Alyssa ($6) is a gorgeous nude colour that I imagine would go with pretty much anything. Saigon ($6) is a true red and I feel that it suits my skin tone and it compliments my eye colour, something I struggle with when choosing a red normally. I've only worn them for a few hours a day just to test them out so I can't comment on the longevity of the products, but they did feel really comfy to wear and I didn't experience any uncomfortable or tightening sensations.

I have also tried the eyeliner once. However, I've not got too much to say about the eyeliner yet as when I used it, it honestly didn't go too well. However, I'm putting that down to my poor application as opposed to the product, as it's been such a long time since I used a gel eyeliner and brush that I had sort of forgotten how to do it, which has nothing to do with the product or the brand!

Swatches- Saigon on top, Alyssa underneath

Also, as a sidenote Saigon is hard to remove. I tried to do a  pretty, Instagram-worthy swatch on my wrist but I cocked up on the edges., When i went to use my wipes to remove it the product just did not budge. Four hours and a lot of wiping and oils later and there is still a trace of the product on my arm. I'm kind of dreading removing it off my lips now!

Thanks for reading guys, let me know what your favourite ColourPop products are as I'm so down for trying more things from them! Any feedback is appreciated as always xxx

Boots/ Soap and Glory Haul

Hi Guys! 

So today I'm going to be discussing my latest Boots/Soap and Glory buys. I bought these a few weeks ago, when Boots had offers on most of the Soap and Glory products. Anyone who knows me will know how much I love this brand. It's my go to brand for good moisturisers and skincare products, and for every birthday and Christmas present I was end up with some form of Soap and Glory Product, so I was so excited when this arrived!

I'm so awful and didn't write down how much I paid for everything, and I can't get back to the emails from when I ordered it (thanks technology), so I wont be able to list how much I paid. Sorry! 

So as well as there being offers on the products, I do remember at the time there was a special offer where if you spent £15(?) on make-up, you received a free gift which I was so down for. I already knew I loved the Thick and Fast Mascara and the Supercat Eyeliner, and was so excited to try the Pillow Plumper XL. I can honestly say I love everything that came in this gift and I use the products nearly every day.

Who doesn't love a free gift?

For skincare I bought the Speed Plump All Day Moisturiser. I received a Soap and Glory gift set for Christmas just gone, and this moisturiser was in the set so I knew I liked using this product based on past experience. I'd used it for a while before it ran out, and after I stopped using it I definitely noticed a different to my skin and the reappearance of dry patches, which has since gone away since using it again. Also, this product works really well as a primer as it makes your face feel quite tacky after application, making your foundation stick to it which I found very interesting! 

I also bought the One Heck of a Blot Primer after hearing good things about it. When I first started using this primer, I was impressed with how my foundation looked when applied. However, part of me is now thinking that I wanted this product to work so much I fooled myself into believing it was amazing, as after a few hours my oils are breaking through my foundation. This primer would probably work a lot better for someone who's skin isn't as oily as mine!

And finally, I bought the Smoulder Kohl Waterproof eyeliner in a dark brown. Again I had high hopes for this as I'm a big fan of the Supercat eyeliner as was expecting another great eyeliner. While it is a really nice shade of brown, nothing about this eyeliner wows me as it is literally just an eyeliner. However, I can'r fault it and maybe I should just lower my expectations. 

Oh and lovely lovely Boots sent a free sample of the Black Opium perfume from Yves Saint Laurent. I had never tried this perfume before, but now I'm absolutely in love with this and I will treasure the sample forever as there is no way I'd be able to afford a full bottle for myself :(

So there was my Boots/ Soap and Glory Haul. Thank you guys so much for reading if you made it this far, and as always any comments are appreciated. I would absolutely love to know what your favourite Soap and Glory products are! Thanks xxx

Review: Collection Primed and Ready Correct and Conceal

 Hi Guys, me again 😊 

Today I'm reviewing the Collection Primed and Ready Correct and Conceal Palette. I purchased this palette a while back in Boots, but I wanted to give it a decent amount of time to test it before I reviewed it.

This product claims to be "an easy to blend cream to powder colour correcting" concealer. The instructions state to use the green concealer to hide redness, the lilac concealer to disguise yellow tones and to then follow up with the tube concealer and setting powder.

I found that this palette is the sort that does what it says on the tin- the green concealer shows up as green, the purple concealer shows up as a nice lilac and the setting powder sets product well. When using them to colour correct on my skin, I notice some difference in how my skin tone looks after applying my foundation and I feel that my skin does look more even. Personally, I feel that the absolute winner in this palette is the Primed and Ready concealer tube. I use this daily, even when I'm not using the whole palette on my face, and I really do love it. 

Winner winner, chicken dinner 

So while I may love the tube of concealer, my overall feelings towards the palette are a bit meh. The colour correcters do work, but I don't feel that they have enough of an impact on my face to make them an essential for everyday wear. I'd much rather build up my foundation in certain places and only use one product than digging around finding this and then having to go over the top afterwards with my foundation, but on full face days I do make the effort to do so. 

Overall, for the price its a great easy to use colour correcting palette and in my opinion the tube concealer is totally worth buying! 
Thanks for reading guys and as usual any feedback is greatly appreciated! xxx 

Review: Milani Conceal and Perfect Foundation

Hi Guys!
 So today I'm going to be reviewing my current foundation, the Milani Conceal and Perfect 2 in 1 Foundation and Concealer. So if that is something that interests you, buckle up and enjoy! 

I purchased this foundation from the Beauty Bay website (here)  for £13.00. The website claims that the foundation is a "A full coverage concealer and liquid foundation in one ideal for creating an even, faultless base". I ordered the shade 00- Light Natural as all the reviews I had seen mentioned how the colour was off and orange, so I felt that ordering the lightest shade would be my best bet. 

Let me just say now that me and this foundation had a very rocky start. This was the first time I'd ordered a foundation online, as normally I prefer to go out into the shops and test out different shades. When it arrived, I realised that it was actually a shade too light for me so I'd have been better off ordering the next shade up. The first few times I used this, it went on okay but I wasn't wowed by it. Going of other reviews I had read/watched I was honestly expecting miracles, but this product seemed to go from average to awful very quickly, It clung to dry patches I didn't even know I had and it would separate in weird places around my face. Throw in the fact that it was a shade too light for me and you'd think I would hate this foundation. 

However...
I now love it. I changed the moisturiser and  primer I was using at the time as I felt that they were having a negative impact on my skin. I also started mixing in my W7 Genius Featherlight Foundation in the shade True Beige, as this was a shade or two too dark for me. I stuck to using a damp beauty sponge and straight away I noticed the foundation looked so much better on my skin. It's got decent coverage but I do still use concealer to cover my under eyes, as they are dark. I do find that 
I have to touch up with power throughout the day, but that could be because my skin is so oily anyway. Overall, after a rocky start and a lot of perseverance, this foundation has now become my favourite foundation and one that I use both daily and for nights out.  

My W7 foundation- I use this to match the Milani Foundation to my own skin tone (Apparently I'm darker than I tonight I was)

And here's the foundation spread out! 
Please let me know your thoughts and views on this product as I'd love the hear them! Thank you so much as always xxx