A Little Trip to Bournemouth

Last Tuesday I went on a little trip to Bournemouth with my family. The main reason for this was to visit the university as I didn't want to decide on my final choices without visiting each of the universities i've picked first. We stayed there for 3 days as it takes around 4 hours to get there so it's easier to stay over for a couple of nights rather than drive all that time in one day. 

We stopped at the services in Oxford on the way and I picked up More Magazine and my favourite Vanilla & Maple Syrup Smoothie from M&S. Pretty sure it's almost the same recipe as the Innocent Vanilla Thickie only a lot cheaper, especially if you get a huge bottle like me ;)

We stayed in a little hotel just outside the centre of Bournemouth; it wasn't anything special but my room was nice although i'm not sure about all the crazy colour combinations going on with the cushion and the wallpaper! The breakfast tasted good; Pain Au Chocolat and Croissants make a nice change from Special K!

I seriously love the little coffee biscuits they leave in the rooms! I've already been and bought myself a bigger packet from ASDA because i'm greedy like that ;)

On Tuesday evening we went out for a meal at Ask which is a chain of Italian restaurants that you're probably familiar with. I've been to Ask in a couple of other places so we thought it would be a good place to opt for as the food is always nice and there are often discount vouchers to get the food a bit cheaper. 

We shared a Tropical and a Margherita pizza which both tasted lovely; I wish I knew their recipe as i'd love to make one at home as the base is perfect!

For dessert I opted for their Lemon Tart which i've had before as I love it's zesty flavour! I prefer to have something fruity for dessert as I always feel really full if I have something chocolatey although my brother's 'Chocolate Nemesis' did smell good!

I didn't get the chance to take any photos of Bournemouth itself as it rained all day on Wednesday which was the only time I could have taken any! On Thursday it was sunny which is typical as I spent half of the day sat in the car travelling home instead of enjoying it!

It was really nice to have a little break and spend some time away from home as I haven't been on holiday for about 2 years! I liked Bournemouth and I could see myself living there for uni; I just need to decide whether I would be happy living so far away from home and if I can get the grades to get in.

People Say That Your Dreams Are The Only Things That Save You

[Picture from Tumblr; i'm thinking of going shopping tomorrow as i'm in need of some retail therapy!]

.1. Firstly I want to say a massive thanks to everyone who commented on Tuesday's post. I honestly wasn't expecting the support you all gave me and it's nice to know everyone would be happy to read a little bit of everything. You all really put a smile on my face and I can't wait to write some new posts for you to read!

.2. I've found myself another reality TV show to fix my addiction! Junior Doctors: Your Life in Their Hands is on BBC3 and i've just watched the first episode. It's definitely my kind of show although it's a bit gruesome at times but it's real life so it can't all be made to look pretty! I think i'd really enjoy being a doctor as having something new and different to deal with everyday would make it interesting, it's just a shame I don't have the brains to do the medical side of things!

.3. I've changed my layout and given by blog a little facelift to go with the new posts i'm planning. It's not completely finished as i'm a perfectionist and I want to change the background but i'm happy with it so far. I've also added a 'Blogs I Love' page which has a very long list of blogs i'm loving at the minute so feel free to have a look if you're looking for some new blogs to read :)

.4. I finally made myself a LastFM profile but i'm feeling a little bit lonely over there; if you have an account feel free to add me as a friend or leave your link below!

♥ A few to follow: Jess, Leanne and Phoebe

♫ I'm currently listening to: Benjamin Francis Leftwich - Rebellion (Arcade Fire Cover)

I Hate To Turn Up Out Of The Blue, Uninvited

Before I start this properly I want to say that this is one massive ramble and I have no idea where it's going. I'm a firm believer in doing whatever makes you happy and over the past couple of weeks i've realised that my heart just isn't in beauty blogging anymore. I wanted to be honest with you all as there's no point in hiding the truth is there?

Last week I decided I was going to start a new blog where I could write whatever I wanted with no restrictions and this would also give me a group of loyal followers who enjoy what I write. I've now changed my mind and decided to stay where I am and keep the memories of this blog but still write about anything I want. I felt like I had to blog regularly and stick specifically to beauty and because of this I had no inspiration. I've also realised that the number of times I post is up to me and people can enjoy my blog regardless of if I post everyday or once a month. At the end of the day this is my blog and I should be myself, write whatever I want and just enjoy it. If people don't like the things I blog about then that's their choice and they're more then welcome to unfollow me.

I think part of the reason behind stepping down from beauty blogging is that i've become a little bit less materialistic. I recently sorted out all the makeup I have and I feel like I have enough and I should appreciate what I have rather than buy any more. I thought I wanted the Urban Decay Naked Palette but do I really need it? No, because I have the Sleek Storm Palette which has similar colours as well as some other Urban Decay shadows which would create the same effect. Another thing is that once you're wearing a product people don't know where it's from and that's one of the reasons why I own so little high end make-up. My foundation is Maybelline but people aren't going to look at me in the street and know that are they? They might think i'm wearing MAC or maybe Natural Collection but for me make-up is how you wear it, not what the name is on the packaging. I'm not saying I hate high end brands because I don't; there are a few key staples that are probably worth every penny but if I can buy something that carries the same effect for a lot cheaper then I will.

My interests are changing and this is something i'm accepting and really enjoying. I'm now reading more fashion blogs than I did before and i'm finding that post after post of the same beauty product review just isn't appealing. I've lost a bit of weight and that's given me the confidence to feel like I can wear more of what I want to rather than hiding behind jeans and a faded t-shirt which has definitely influenced what I want to write about. I won't be blogging much about fashion simply because I don't have the money to spend lots on clothes but i'll probably write a bit about the things that are on my wishlist as we can all dream! I suppose I see the community as a bit of a jigsaw and we all fit into it in our own ways. Where I was once firmly in the beauty side of things I now feel like i'm connected to fashion, life and food blogs just as much and I want this to be reflected in what i'm writing.

I also feel like another reason behind my lack of inspiration was that I was taking my blog too seriously. I'm really passionate about writing and I don't think I could ever completely stop blogging. I think about my blog a lot more than i'd like to think I do and this is something I want to change. This year is a big year for me; I have my A-Level exams and i'll hopefully be starting uni in September. I want to prioritise my work for 6th Form and for my blog to come second. My blog is important but I can't risk doing badly in my exams and messing up my future can I? I think what i'm trying to say is i'm putting my foot down and getting my priorities right. I've been blogging for 2 years now and I feel like it's time for beauty blogging to take a back seat and allow me to write about other things. I'm not sure if i've really shown it in my other posts but i'm also really passionate about food, music and just blogging about life in general. If I think back over the past few months the posts i've honestly loved writing are my Sunday ones. I read back through a few of them before I wrote this and the memories they brought back were really special. I want that feeling when I read through my whole blog and I want it to be something I can look back and reflect on through everything i've experienced. I already have lots of posts i'd like to write and I think with a little bit of luck I can turn this blog into a true representation of me.

If you've read this far then thank you! I love the support from everyone in this community and without it I would have made the wrong decision about the future of this blog. I'm not normally the kind of blogger to pour my heart out into a blog post but I think being honest about your feelings is always the right thing to do.

♥

Oh This Has Gotta Be The Good Life

.1. After 18 years without them, on Thursday I found out I needed glasses. I knew I needed them so it wasn't a surprise but it has meant that I spent yesterday trying out countless pairs of glasses in the hope of finding some I liked. I still haven't chosen a specific pair but I know what styles I like so it shouldn't be too difficult although they're all really expensive!

.2. It's Parsley's 3rd Birthday today, I can't believe she's 3 already! It only seems like a few months since we got her as a tiny fluffy bunny! She's still as grumpy as ever but she did let me hold her the other day so I know she loves me really ;)

.3. I'm so happy to finally have a week off 6th Form so I can just relax for a bit! I don't have a lot planned but i'm going away for a couple of days and then i'd like to fill the other days with lots of baking, shopping and nice things to make the most of my time. I've been inspired by this blog to set a goal for each day which i'm hoping will make me a bit more productive. Today's goal was to clean out the fish tank which is something i've been putting off for far too long! I'm pleased to say i've done it though and the fish are enjoying their clean tank too :)

♥ A few to follow: I want to thank Georgie, Emma and Honey for their support on Twitter on Wednesday. I'm currently writing a very honest post about it which will be up in the next couple of days.

♫ I'm currently listening to: Adele's beautiful performance at The Brits and One Republic - Good Life

I'm Perfectly Lonely, Yeah I Don't Belong To Anyone, Nobody Belongs To Me

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope you all have a good night whether you're single or not!

Here's how i'm spending mine...

Proof you can still be happy when you're single on Valentines Day ;)

♥

x

So, I Might've Made A Few Mistakes, But That Was Back When You Would Smile

.1. This week i've spammed you all with a few reviews, I hope you don't mind! I've been a bit stuck on what to blog about and i've decided i'm going to be making a few changes blogging wise. I'm not going to reveal all yet as i'm still undecided about them but i'm hoping they'll be for the better :)

.2. Yesterday I had a big clear out of makeup and beauty products. I threw away lots of cheap makeup that i'm never going to use and lots of old nail polishes. I was gutted when I came across my Eyeko Disco Polish as it had gone white and didn't look glittery at all! I have a similar polish my Model's Own so I can still create some sparkly nails but I did love the milk bottle shaped bottle! I suppose it was just a hint that some of my nail polishes needed throwing away! At least I have plenty of room to add some new shades to my collection ;)

.3. I'm not doing anything for Valentine's Day tomorrow but that's what you get for being single ;) I might treat myself to a Malteaser Bunny as a treat as they taste lush! I hope you all have a good Valentine's Day, no matter what you're doing :)

.4. ♥ A few to follow: Lily, Laura and Angie

.5. ♫ I'm currently listening to: Daniel Powter - Love You Lately and Lawson - Firework (cover)

Free £5 Body Shop Voucher

Just a quick heads up that if you buy The Telegraph newspaper tomorrow (Feb 12th) or on Sunday (Feb 13th) you can get a free £5 Body Shop voucher to spend on anything. You could even buy both papers and get yourself 2 vouchers ;) There isn't a minimum spend so if you can find something £5 or under then you won't pay a penny! I'm hoping to pick up the 50ml Sweet Lemon Body Butter.

The voucher is valid for a week until February 20th so you don't need to worry about spending it straight away.

For more details click here.

You can also get some free Barry M products if you pick up tomorrow's copy of The Sun. For more details of this offer have a read of Katy's post here.

I hope everyone has a fab weekend! 

x

Little Lush Valentines Reviews

As it's Valentine's Day on Monday I thought it was time I reviewed a couple of the products from this year's Lush Valentines range.

The Ex Factor

The little blue man will fill up your bath with blue fizziness. He'll cost you £1.99 which isn't cheap but his sweet scent and cute shape are worth every penny. I love that my bath went blue and the room was filled with the scent of vanilla which is beautiful! The only thing I don't like is the lack of bubbles but I suppose the fact he fizzes makes up for this!

Magic Mushroom 

I love the shape and colour of these bubble bars; the scent is fruity strawberry and creamy vanilla which really does smell Lush! Bubble bars are my favourite as the bubbles they create are always really soft and make my bath so much more relaxing! I bought this last year and had to get my fix again especially as it has such a cute shape and gorgeous scent. My little mushroom cost me £2.30 and i'm going to be buying a few more to last me through the year!

I'm hoping to get to Lush soon and pick up It's Raining Men as I love my Honey I Washed The Kids solid perfume so a shower gel which smells the same sounds amazing! If you've tried any of Lush's Valentines range i'd love to hear what you think :)

That Golden Rule

A few weeks ago I picked up this pretty eyeshadow trio by Collection 2000 and was asked to do a review and show swatches of it.

Out of the three shades I really like the taupe one on the right but I think they all go nicely together.

When I swatched these for the first time I wasn't that impressed. The pigmentation is quite poor and they all looked relatively similar and were all the same shimmery colours. My favourite eyeshadows are Sleek and Urban Decay ones and in comparison the Collection 2000 ones aren't really up to much. 

I didn't want to completely give up on it though so I swatched it again over Urban Decay Primer Potion. This definitely made a difference as the colours were a lot bolder and the shimmeryness of them really stood out so a primer is a must have if you want to make these colours work for you.

There are quite a few different colours in the range including 'Cookie Dough' which has a slightly darker array of colours compared to 'Sandcastle'. You can find them all on the Collection 2000 website here.

I actually got this trio for free as Collection 2000 products were on 3 for 2 (you can see the 'haul' post here) but it usually retails at £2.99 from Boots which I think is affordable for what you're getting. To be honest i'd recommend paying £3 more for the Sleek Storm Palette which offers a wider range of pigmented shades.

And I Feel Like I'm Breaking Up, And I Wanted To Stay

.1. I went out on Tuesday for a a few games of bowling and a Chinese buffet with my bests and had a lovely night. We've all finished our exams until the summer so it was a nice way to celebrate and spend time together as we haven't seen much of each other thanks to revision! I ate so much food as I can't get enough of their lemon chicken but it was worth it as it tasted so good and I wanted to get my money's worth ;)

.2. On Friday I went to give blood for the 4th time. I didn't manage to give a full donation this time which was so frustrating but there was nothing I could do as my vein didn't want to give much blood! I'm still happy I managed to donate a little bit and there's still the chance I might have saved a life. 

.3. I bought a gorgeous pair of boots from Aldo yesterday. I've been wanting them since before Christmas but at £50 I thought they were a bit expensive. I've been checking the website religiously hoping they would go into the sale and they finally did last week so I quickly snapped up a pair! I might have to dedicate a post to them as they're so comfy!

.4. ♥ A few to follow: Aoife, Stefany and Abby

.5. ♫ I'm currently listening to: White Lies - Bigger Than Us, Fenech Soler - Demons and Train - If It's Love

Free Hello Kitty Nail Art Plate

I thought i'd share a little bargain with you all that I got today. Laura posted about Born Pretty offering free Hello Kitty Nail Art plates for free so I thought i'd order one and see if it came. I was really surprised when it arrived all the way from Singapore as I didn't pay anything for it and it only took just over a week to arrive! 

The plate also has a few other designs as well as the Hello Kitty one so it's a nice addition to the plates I already have and i'm looking forward to trying it out.

As far as I know the offer is still available so head over to BornPretty add the plate to your basket and enter the code BP299 for your free plate. You just have to fill in your details, you don't have to enter any card numbers so it's really quick and easy to do. 

I hope you all have a good weekend :)

x

Sample Selections #1

I've decided it's about time I got round to using up all the samples that i've got. I always seem to get a couple with magazines and they never get used and are just sitting in an old perfume box. I have quite a selection so i'm going to pick 3 and do a post once a month and review them as I think it's a nice way of finding out about lots of different products. Obviously the reviews won't be really in depth and some samples aren't big enough to give the product a true test on my skin but hopefully they'll still be useful :)

Neutrogena Multi-Defence Daily Moisturiser for Dry & Sensitive Skin

I got this with the March edition of Glamour and thought i'd give it a try; this sample was for dry and sensitive skin and is supposed to help defend your skin from the daily environment. I managed to get 2 uses out of this, once at night and once in the morning. I wouldn't normally say that my skin is sensitive but after using this product i've changed my mind. I loved the scent and creamy formula of this moisturiser and it seemed nice when I applied it. I woke up in the morning and found that my eyes were a bit puffy but I just thought it was because I hadn't had much sleep! I then used it in the morning and I thought it made the skin on my jawline a bit itchy but I didn't really think much of it. I then found later in the day that my skin was bright red, really hot and itchy. I took all my makeup off and it stung quite a bit so it's safe to say i'm allergic to something in it. I've only ever had an allergic reaction to one other moisturiser - the Dermalogica Welcome Matte (mentioned here). My skin is a bit better today but i'm going to try and work out what it could be that i'm allergic to as I really don't want it to happen again! At £7.95 this isn't the cheapest moisturiser in the world but I would be willing to give it a try if I was confident my skin wouldn't react badly to it.

DKNY Delicious Night Body Lotion
I've recently been using a gentle Dove body lotion so I was looking forward to comparing this one with it which is more expensive. I was expecting it to be quite heavily scented with the familiar apple scent that the perfumes have but it was a little different as it was quite strong. Overall I wasn't too impressed with this product as it was really thin and didn't moisturise well; instead I was left with really greasy skin as it didn't sink in very well. I think this product is mainly marketed around the brand and the scent rather than it's purpose of a body lotion so it doesn't have many moisturising properties. If you love the Delicious Night scent then this might be for you but I wouldn't recommend it as a body lotion at all. It retails at £24.99 for 150ml which I think is really overpriced, especially as you get so little product.

L'Oréal Elvive Full Restore Replenishing Masque
Out of the three samples I think I saved the best till last! I don't give my hair a treat very often but this worked wonders and made it so much softer and sleeker than using a normal conditioner. I still haven't completed my New Years Resolution of getting my hair cut so my hair thanked me for using the mask! I like the consistency of it as it's quite thin so a little bit goes a long way and it smells lovely and sweet too. It's also really affordable at £4.99 for a 300ml tub so i'll definitely be on the look out for it next time i'm in Boots.

I hope these reviews weren't too boring; I didn't plan on writing as much as I did! Let me know if you'd like to see more of this type of post too :)