No.7 Advent Calendar

If you read my last post you’ll have seen I got the No.7 advent calendar for my birthday last week! No7 products are a staple of my make up bag, I don’t think I could live without seeing that gold, sparkly mascara tub sat waiting to make my lashes pop. After week one of opening the many doors I thought I’d share with you what lovely goodies I have gotten so far!

On day one I got Protect and Perfect Intense advanced serum. So for anyone who doesn’t know what this is, it’s an anti-aging product. Now again, if you read my last post you’ll understand the irony of this, if not, go have a read! I’ve never actually used a product like this so I didn’t quite know what to expect but I will say I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. It is a really light serum, which I expected to be really greasy but in fact it’s the opposite. It spreads really well and almost instantly sinks into the skin and because its so light and spreadable you only need the smallest blob.
As I’d never used this product before I had to ask a few people how best to use it, all over like a face cream or target specific areas. The verdict I came to was to use it on specific areas that are likely to develop wrinkles over the years. This means I’ve been using it around the eyes and on my forehead for 7 days now and I think I’m starting to see a difference. The skin around my eyes seems a lot brighter over the past few days which is great.

Moving on to day two now here I got the day cream from the same product range. I decided to use this every morning after cleansing my face but before applying my make up. This product, again, is super light and spreads so well. It has made my skin less oily through out the day, I’ve found my makeup has needed less touch ups from oily skin. I’ve found a blob the size of a pea on each cheek really is enough to cover the entire face. It has UV protection and SPF 15 which are amazing tools against skin damage. It also smells amazing, well slightly like sun cream but I love that smell!

Day three came and this was a mascara. People who know me will confirm I give people lash envy in the era of lash extensions, I regularly ask where I get them done (compliment right, people would pay for lashes like mine!) This means that I do have to spend a considerable amount of time on my mascara when putting on make up, it takes a good few layers and sometimes several mascaras to get the look I like so I am very fussy when it comes to mascara. I was so excited to try this out that I decided to just go with however it turned out and to only use that mascara. I have to say, personally I was disappointed with the results. It got the lengths and the colour was perfect but it seemed to make my lashes clump together and no matter what I did I couldn’t seem to get them to separate once they were together. This mascara is called exceptional definition and I feel like if I already had my staple mascara on as a base it would very much live up to this name. I’m thinking of getting my mum to test this mascara as she has more naturally spaced out lashes, lets see if she has any better results!

Behind door number four lay the gift of the perfect base, a primer. When it comes to primer I swear by Porefessional by Benefit and I didn’t really want to try this product in case it was better. After giving it a go however I found it worked just as well, its thicker than I’m used too and I found I needed a little more that I would with my regular primer but I liked it. Dare I even say I preferred it on the day or a rather bad outbreak. As its thicker it helped conceal the spots better than my usual primer does.  

Day five always makes me sing FIVE GOLD RINGS (in my head) even though I’m fully aware that it is the fifth day of advent not the fifth day of Christmas! Once I’d had my little outburst of misplaced festive cheer I opened door five to find a new lip cream which is the perfect fix for the dry lips winter gives you. I’ve only been using it for a few days and already my lips feel more moisturised and less chapped which is fabulous. Where’s the mistletoe?!

Day six was a tad disappointing to start off with, after the range of skin products I’d had so far, but once I got it out I was so impressed. What is ‘it’ you ask? A new eye-shadow brush. The handle is a tad short but the brush itself is so soft and blends out product so well. Perfect for blending out that glittery smoky eye look at the Christmas doo, #InstaReady!

Last but certainly not least came a lovely eye-shadow, in the colour of Matte Mocha. Its fairly dark and has the slightest shimmer. When I saw the shimmer I wasn’t too sure how I felt, eye-shadows that aren’t meant to be a glitter shadow can sometimes be a bit too much when they have a shimmer but it really makes the colour stand out. I was pleasantly surprised by how pigmented it was when I tried it (with my new brush of course). It worked well as a stand alone shadow or mixed with other products for a fuller eye-shadow look.  

So after week one I must say I’m so happy with everything so far! Lets see what the next week brings!

21 and feeling good!

Your 21st birthday is one of the biggest birthdays you'll see before reaching the ripe 'old' age of 30. It's a time to get drunk and celebrate your youth before people expect you to buck up your ideas and become a fully functioning adult in society.

Lets face it, no one actually knows what they're doing in life, when things go wrong you look for a slightly older adult to take on the burden of the situation.

Is there enough Prosecco to deal with this yet?

Now as if there aren't enough rules you have to follow as a now functioning adult, people are about to start telling you to use this product or that product, invest in weekly facials, use a mega expensive eye cream and start doing some weird exercise like Hot Yoga in order to preserve your youth.

Um what? Anti wrinkle cream was not and should not be on my radar yet, well at least that's my take on it.

Knowing this you can imagine my delight at getting the No.7 advent calendar as a present from mum. Seeing what makeup and beauty products lay behind each door is almost too much excitement to handle, even more so now I know my beauty routine needs to be stepped up!

The temptation of opening all the doors like a kid at Christmas is quite big but in the spirit of being traditional, I have decided to open each door day by day and review each product as they come.
Watch this space for reviews and to see what comes out as my favourite product.

ASOS launches a same day delivery service

We’ve all been there, hating every outfit we put on our bodies before any night out or event of importance. Finding that perfect outfit can be hard and it’s even harder to resist the temptation to look for online inspiration. We do it anyway of course then hate ourselves that little bit more from the torture of finding the perfect outfit that simply won’t arrive in time.

It would seem the genius guys at ASOS also know this struggle, they may be fashion gods but they’re all still human. This means they’ve now released their same day delivery service! Yes, you can now order clothes from the online shop and receive them the very same day, how thoughtful.

via GIPHY

This all sounds way too good to be true, right? Well yes, it is, this service isn’t available to the entire UK yet. ASOS are trialling this new service through out London’s 122 post code areas. If all goes to plan they say the rest of the country will be added to the service.

For those in London who can receive the service it’s handy to note the terms of getting next day delivery and the cost. You will have to place your order before 10am (yawn) Sunday to Friday. You will then get your bag of presents from you to you between 6 – 10pm that day. Saturday isn’t on the agenda right now, meaning that outfit disaster will have to stay that way.

The price tag is also not the most exciting prospect, coming in at £12.95. This is steep but in a fashion emergency totally worth it. I think this will soon become a service any shopaholic simply wont be able to live without. Let’s just hope it comes to Cardiff soon!

Always be you.

This year, like every year, I told myself was going to be my year. I was going to lose two stone, start a celeb inspired skin care routine, revamp my style and write more posts. "2017 is this time to make a start on my future", and this was true for the majority of the new year. Until April, when life took an unexpected turn.

A few years ago, back in my sixth form days, I had knee reconstruction surgery, which fixed one problem but seemed to cause several more. Unexplained pain and swelling means my crutches have never been far from reach and are never out of action for long. Painkillers become my best friend and my bed becomes a prison, instead of a place of refuge. But these ‘flare ups’ only seemed to last a few weeks before all the issues vanished. It was a mystery, so when I started to get a flare up in April I thought nothing of it, carried on and tried to ride it out! After all I thought it would be over soon.

Now its August and the pain is worse, the crutches are constant and using a wheelchair outside of the house is a necessity. A pretty crap thing to have to come to terms with when you had a summer of adventure and travel planned. I was forced to wave three of my best friends off interrailing, a trip I so desperately wanted to still be able to go on. I had to watch as people carried on with life, working, going on amazing work experience placements and having a normal social life, while I lay in bed, lonely and depressed. My life had been put on hold.

Glitter and festival ready. Wheelchair selfie but you cant see it! 

Coming to terms with the fact you’re becoming disabled is one of the hardest experiences, possibly the hardest emotional strain I’ve faced. I didn’t want to be different, I didn’t want to face people who knew the person I was, I didn’t want anyone to see my struggle. People don’t understand that I don’t seem to be getting better this time. People don't understand I can go from having a ‘good’ day to a ‘bad’ day very quickly, this makes it harder. It is true, ignorance truly is bliss, while people don’t see me struggle, if I don’t have pictures taken with my crutches in them, if I don’t make it obvious to people, I’m not disabled to them, but this choice isolated me more.

With my third year of university around the corner, I considered deferring a year, or transferring to a university at home, until one day something clicked. Can I take being away from home? Can I cope? I rely on my mum for so much, can I manage alone? This summer I had plans to travel, eat, have new experiences, gain work experience in an industry I love. I had no choice but to put these plans on hold but why should I put my life, my future on hold? I started thinking I can be a television presenter, no matter what happens with my leg, so why shouldn’t I start living again. Becoming disabled, losing the independence you’ve always had is a barrier, but it isn’t a barrier that can’t be overcome, or completely smashed.

“If your legs don’t work please don’t contact me for work experience again” – I was told this by someone I’d arranged work experience with this summer, it knocked my confidence to the point I haven’t written or filmed for months. This sentence now motivates me to keep going, smash the barriers and not let anyone tell me no. I will carry on and be the best version of myself I can be. I will present music festivals. I will still admire my idols, watching Phil and Holly on this morning, wanting their jobs, becoming a big of a star-struck fan girl when I get the chance to meet people like Fearne Cotton at Glastonbury.

Always be the best person you can be, lift people up, don’t knock them down. be understanding of peoples struggles and admire their determination.

‘Be the girl who helps someone glue their eyelashes back on in the club toilet, instead of the one who walks away laughing.’ 

The hidden side to the party island of Crete

What do you think of when you think of Greece? Some would say idyllic landscapes, wonderful people and amazing food. Others however would say hot weather, cheap alcohol and great night life. Two ends of a very varied scale. Given this outlook it is unsurprising that many brits don’t know about hidden tourist destinations across the country and its many beautiful islands. Places that offer everything you need in a quieter and more relaxed environment.

Crete, the Greek island that most British holiday makers know for all the wrong reasons. Malia, one of the many locations on this island, is notoriously known amongst the party people of the UK. Its reputation is high on the list with other European ‘party places’ along with Magaluf on the Spanish island of Mallorca and many locations across Zante, another Greek Island. Malia sees thousands upon thousands of young British tourists flock to its sandy beaches, lovely weather and constant party atmosphere, filled with excitement for the fun they have laying ahead.

What about the people who don’t want to go and party? The people who want to relax, have a few meals, enjoy authentic Greek life for a week or two? Crete seems like one of the most undesirable of the islands for someone looking for this kind of experience. This is wrong. On the Opposite side of the island to Malia and the party nightlife lay beautiful mountains and breath taking scenery. Land which has remained almost untouched, within reach of ancient cities with so much to see and do.

Agia Marina, a quaint, traditional town with a multicultural, cosmopolitan feel. People from all around the world seem to come here to relax and forget all their worries. It truly is the place to go that no one in Britain seems to think about, the place every brit looking for a self-indulging holiday should go. This side of the island is completely overshadowed by the reputation of Malia, but it is one of the most amazing places you will ever see. Only thirty minutes from the thriving, ancient city of Chania. A city filled with history, things to do and people to meet. Everything has a story.

The small town is hidden towards the mountains of the island, they’re clearly visible in the distance wherever you look. The best food on the island is also thought to be here. The traditional tavernas all scream tradition. Manolis Taverna for example. Run by three generations of one family. The food is regarded as the best traditional cuisine the island can offer. The small, outdoor restaurant has a comfortable and peaceful vibe to it and being surrounded by a family truly makes you feel like you are surrounded by family. You make friends for life here.

Agia Marina isn’t a flat area however. As it is located so close to the mountains the terrain is rather varied. From flat ground to hills, in the heat walking this area can be quite tiring. Although when you reach the beach or make it back to your hotel it is definitely worth the walk. Who knows ladies and gents, you might not even gain that holiday weight everyone dreads.

All it takes is a little bit of kindness

Yesterday, my faith in humanity was shattered and remade in a matter of minutes.
I fell, in the middle of Cardiff city centre, at lunch time. As you can imagine, it was busy, people walking around, grabbing lunch, doing their shopping and so you can now start to imagine how embarrassing it was to fall in front of them all.
I have metal in my knee which causes it to give way, usually I just look like I've bent one knee too fast, but occasionally it's worse. Today it was worse.
My knee gave out, my ankle rolled and I fell flat on my face. At first the only thing I noticed was how mortified I was that everyone around me had noticed. One woman asked if I was okay, but had walked away before I was able to reply...
Then I felt the pain, in my foot and all the way up my leg, unlike anything I've felt for a long time, so I sat, sobbing, waiting for my mum to come and save me. All the while people just watched as they walked by. Apart from one man and his wife. Right as my mum reached me, trying to figure out the best thing to do an older man, pushing his wife in a wheelchair stopped in his tracks. I didn't really notice him at first, until I heard 'are you okay my darling'. He then insisted his wife was to sit on the bench next to me and I was to get into her wheelchair so he could take me to a taxi to get me home safe...
Because of the kindness of one man I was able to get home in a taxi and wait for one of my parents to finish work and take me to A&E.
It really is true what they say, one act of kindness can change someone's day. To those who walked past me, ignoring me as I lay crying on the floor or sat sobbing on the bench, I hope one day someone is this kind to you and you find your way to showing someone the kindness I was shown by a man who's name I don't even know.

The new lipsticks that will make you feel like a princess

To start, SORRY! Sorry for not posting for so long. I was always told coming to uni that January (technically the end of December and start of February too) is the month made by the devil and I now understand why, snowed in by assignments. But I’m back! (You don’t understand how many emoji’s I want to finish that sentence with.)

On with the post!

As anyone who has ever known me or will ever know me knows, I am a massive fan of Beauty and the Beast. From the story, to the animation and the whitty banter of the characters it certainly is and forever will be my favourite Princess film. Belle is my role model, the girl I dreamed of becoming. I did in fact, when I thought I had failed my a-levels, convince myself I could forget journalism and just become Belle in Disneyland.

You can now imagine my excitement when I learnt there was a new film coming out (or as you will have read in previous post.) Now imagine my excitement at discovering a Beauty and the Beast themed make-up range is coming out. A set of lipsticks and nail varnishes thought up by the clever people over at L’Oréal. The set includes 7 different shades of lipstick with matching coloured nail varnishes. Even if you’re not a fan of Beauty and the Beast you can’t help but admire the amazing colours.

The dynamic duos all come with individual casings, which are beautifully designed to represent the character they are names after. Even more excitingly the seven shades can not only be bought as a set but as ‘standalone duos’. From Instagram the box/boxes also stick to the overall fairytale theme.

The colours and the character matchings have clearly been carefully thought through. Belle and the Beast have both been assigned nothing less than a classic, passionate red. Both different shades of a powerful colour. Rose has been assigned to … (can you tell what’s coming?)  the Enchanted Rose. The deep pink colour is eye-catchingly beautiful. Mrs Potts has none other than a light pink, the subtle elegance is perfectly fitting. Even Lumiere and Cogsworth. The laid back candle stick has been paired with a light-tan, whereas the hot headed clock has been paired with a red which has an orange tint, somewhat showing a resemblance to a fire-y complexion. Finally a deep plum colour represents Plumette.

As much as I would die to get my hands on these products they aren’t as easily available as you would hope. They were released yesterday to the world with a catch. They were only made available on Italian Amazon. If you’re willing to pay the shipping they can be sent to the UK but the set alone will set you back over €100! I truly am crying inside!

I truly wish for this set to be released in the UK, we’ll just have to cross everything and see!