Beauty · Lifestyle

My March Favourites

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Hey M’lovelies,

As March has officially come to an end, I thought it would be appropriate to put up a favourites post.

As always, money is not my friend so there is not going to be many items on this list but the items that are on there, are my ride or die at this point
Too Faced HangoverRX Primer

The description of the product says “Hangover Primer is the ultimate quick face fix, soothing, smoothing and brightening skin to create a dewy, healthy-looking finish”. I have never agreed with a products claims more than I have this. As a sufferer of dry skin, I personally feel like this has transformed my make up game and powder sits so much better on it. After applying this, I feel like my skin has had a huge drink and its health has been restored.

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ABH Matte Lipstick – Kiss

Imagine my happiness when I walked into TKmaxx and found an Anastasia Beverly Hills lipstick for £9.99 and then … found out that it is a pinky nude. It has an absolutely gorgeous formula that applies incredibly evenly but I have very dry lips so it can be drying on me, I always make sure to use a lip balm beforehand.


Douwe Egberts Pure Gold Coffee

Need I say anymore?. This has become my favourite instant coffee because it is such a smooth taste that it goes down a treat. I am not the biggest fan of really strong coffee because it tastes too much like tar but this one is a perfect balance of rich and smooth. I chuck teaspoon in a mug with 2 sugars and milk … then call it a day.


E45 Moisturiser

As anyone who has followed my blog knows, my skin had been feeling the effects of moving to a less humid area and has been incredibly dry. My problem area has been around my nose, chin and forehead but I simply have not been able to get it under control. However, the E45 has been the only thing that has really made any difference and has made my skin feel incredibly smooth. It is £7 and you get 500ml of product but a pea sized blob is enough to cover my face and neck. A little goes a very long way.


Woodland Warmer

I never used to suffer from any period pain at all but the last year or so I have been. My Woodland Warmer really helps to ease it and makes it so much more manageable. All you do is remove the wheat bag from the back, pop it in the microwave for a minute and then put it back into the animal. They’re incredibly helpful … and incredibly cute.

I hope you guys have enjoyed this post. What have you been loving in the month of March … Let me know below.

Lifestyle

This is not okay – Relationship style.

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Hey M’lovelies

So today I felt the need to rant about what seems to be becoming ‘the norm’ in today’s society because it is starting to get out of hand.

People are starting to think that possessive bevaiour of your partner is okay. It’s not. The worst thing is, people think it’s completely normal.

It seems to be acceptable in today’s society to stop your partner being friends with somebody because you consider them to be a threat. If you feel the need to do that then you don’t have enough trust in them. You can say you do but that doesn’t make it true. If you trusted them enough, it wouldn’t matter that you were weary of the other person because you’d trust your partner to push them away.

Checking their messages to see if they’re talking to other people is not okay. That’s a violation of their privacy and if you are doing that … You need to stop. You have no right to be doing that and it’s incredibly controlling behaviour, boardering abuse.

There is nothing wrong with your partner not replying to you straight away. They are allowed to be busy and have a life outside of you and that sometimes means not talking for a few hours. There is no point getting angry when they take their time because at the end of the day, they will reply when they see it.

Let your partner go out with the guys or play that playstation game. They are doing no harm. Hell, I love seeing my boyfriend on the playstation because he is having a good time.

If you have an issue with your partner then talk to them because those passive aggressive comments are going to get you nowhere.

Trust your partner. Be open with your partner and you’ll see things become so much better. Healthier.

Anyways, sorry it’s a very ranty post but I felt it was needed. I hope you guys have enjoyed. Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Beauty

Let’s talk concealer

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Hey M’lovelies

Today I am wanted tackle the topic of concealer because I know it’s been the biggest pain in my ass since I started make up. I’m going to cover as much as I can on this post so it may be a long one. So, grab a coffee and relax.

I’m going to start by telling you that I have very dry undereyes and so the concealers and powers that I recommend will be catered towards those who have dry skin.

The first thing I notcited improved my concealer application was not putting it right into the corner of my eye but a bit below the eye and blending up. I initially thought this would reduce the coverage but it didn’t and it meant there was less product in the corner of my eye to cake up.

To follow on with that, I want to say that the worst thing you can do is over apply. One swipe of the applicator is all you need to start then you can add a bit more once that is blended if you fell you need it.

I always recommend blending your undereye out with a damp beauty sponge as it help to add moisture back into the skin and stops over applying. However, if you are using concealer to cover a spot then I recommend using a densely packed brush to really focus the coverage in one area then go over with a sponge to smooth it out.

Finding the right concealer shade is paramount and that Includes for highlighting. I love when my undereyes look bright and awake but I have seen some people wearing a shade 3 shades too light which is not a good look as its way too bright. You only need to go a shade (2 max!) lighter than your skin tone to get the highlighted affect. For spots, make sure concealer matches your skin because you don’t want to draw attention to them.

Shade is important but so is formula. I need a very hydrating formula which is why I use ‘Maybelline fit me’. It’s no use me using something like the collection 200 under my eyes because it is just too drying for me but it could work for those with oily skin. A dry formula for my eyes is just a recipe for cakeiness and not the good kind.

Finally, it’s time to talk about setting the concealer. Baking needs to stop, all it does is suck the moisture from your skin and leaves you looking 10 years older when you’ve got dry skin. To set my eyes I take my ‘RMCA no colour powder’ and place a small amount on the damp beauty blender and pressing it under my eyes. I sometimes take a small fluffy brush and lightly dust it over the undereye.

I hope you guys have enjoy and found this post useful. Please let me know if you have any concealer tips in the comments below.

Beauty · Lifestyle

Are there really any benefits to make-up?

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Hey M’lovelies,

Today I wanted to discuss wether or not make-up truly has any benefits for us.

Anybody who knows me knows that I love my make-up and if you know me really well … Then you know why. I do wear a full face almost everyday but I always keep it quite simple and don’t go very dramatic.

I personally wear make-up because it helps me to feel more confident about what I see in the mirror. I love that it can help me feel more like myself and ready to face the day.

However, for the longest of time I noticed my self confidence drop to an all time low because I wished I could look like do with it, without it. My make up kept getting heavier and heavier until I no longer recognised myself when it was on. I decided it was time to cut down on what I was wearing bit by bit and my confidence slowly grew back.

“Less is more” is something that I do truly believe and think wearing make-up that enhances your natural beauty can actually improve your confidence without it. You’ll eventually see that you don’t look as drastically different without it and you will learn to appreciate your natural self.

I do however think that it can almost become an addiction if you are not careful. It is very very easy to become dependent on it because we all love to feel like we look amazing. Just remember that make-up is hella expensive these days.

I asked my friend Sarah what she thought of make-up and she said ‘make up is a way of expressing yourself. In my opinion, I enjoy applying makeup whether it’s minimal or a full coverage. It allows me to be who I am. If you were to ask me that question two years ago, I would’ve completely disagreed with that statement mainly due to the fact that I wasn’t sure what make up was applied where or the fact that it was covering the natural beauty. However, I’ve learnt now that it’s a way to express yourself and adds on to the beauty that someone already has.’

To conclude, I think there are many benefits to make-up including the fact it can help bring your confidence. Your wallet won’t thank you for it and your skin may get the odd spot because of it but if you feel it works for you then rock the confidence it brings you.

I hope you guys have enjoy this post. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Lifestyle

5 Things I Can’t Live Without

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1. coffee

It is no secret that I am addicted to coffee. I will not start my day properly until the kettle has been boiled and I have my life essence in my hands.  My days are generally quite busy and coffee just keeps me going which means that I can get everything done. I do drink too much and the likelihood is that will never change.

2. My animals

Nothing feels as good as walking in through the front door to be greeted by cuddles of your pets. My dog Hugo doesn’t even allow you to sit down before he is jumping on you and giving you kisses, which just fills me with unexplainable amounts of happiness. My cat, Snowy,  is a lot calmer when greeting people but she is an incredibly affectionate little girl who loves to be cuddled and will often meow for me to pick her up. We recently got a new dog named Honey who I have met briefly as I had to come back to uni but she was such a sweetie and I can’t wait to get to spend more time with her.

3. My Bullet Journal

I am personally obsessed with organization and so my bullet journal is my baby as it allows me to get my life in order. I don’t go all crazy arty with it because drawing is just not my strong point but it is certainly incredibly useful which is what I wanted it for. It has helped me to get into better habits and keep a record of the tasks I have to do.

4. My Hardrive

As a writer, having somewhere to save all your work is essential. Every single one of my posts and ideas are on there, which means that I would be totally lost without it. I never delete or throw anything away so I need somewhere to store it, just in case I go back to it at a later date.

5. TV Shows

I am that person who needs something playing in the background but can’t quite handle music all the time. I like to hear talking. That is exactly why I always have a TV Show playing in the background and end up binge watching way more than I ever intended to do. My show count is currently 64 … yes, I have a problem. One Tree Hill will always be my favourite show and the fact that Sophia Bush is joining the final season of Jane The Virgin made me so happy.

I hope you guys have enjoyed this post. I just wanted to apologise for my lack of posting over the past few weeks. I have been incredibly busy and not in the best mindset but things are on the up now and posting will resume as normal.

Have a good evening xx

Lifestyle

Meet the blogger Q and A

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Hey M’lovelies,

So, I saw this post over on http://www.thetullytales.com (full link at the bottom) and I though thought it would be fun to give it a go.

What’s your Favourite Book?

The perks of being a wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. I feel in love with this book from the first chapter and have read it so many times now. I’ve never been able to pin point why but I always gravitate towards it.

What’s your favourite ice cream flavor?

I am very very boring and love vanilla. My local ice cream shop from back home,Crecies, has the best vanilla ice cream and nothing will ever beat it.

What’s your most embarrassing childhood memory?

This sounds like a copout but I actually can’t remember. I have an awful memory both long term and short term.

What are your 3 Favourite Movies?

1. Dirty Dancing
2. Labyrinth
3. The Great Gatsby

What’s the most beautiful place you’ve ever been?

There is a lake not too far from my in wales and it is just gorgeous too look as on a sunny day and it’s surrounded by trees as well which just makes the scenery even more beautiful.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

This blog!

Who would you like to live like for a day?

My step mother! That women is the most hard working, non stop person I know and I’m so grateful for her. I’d love to change places with her just for one day to give her a break.

If you could ask your pet 3 questions, what would they be?

1. Hugo – Why are you so bonkers?
2. Honey – How are you settling in?
3. Snowy – Where do you wonder off when you’re let outside?

When you’re having a bad day, what do you do to make yourself feel better?

I generally do some blog planning or crochet (I’ve recently learnt how).

Using one word, how would you describe your family?

There is none.

Who is the kindest person you know?

I know so many lovely and kind people. In fact … I don’t think I’m friends with anyone who isn’t just fantastically kind. But, when I think of kind my mind always goes to Mairead, my boyfriends mother. She has been so lovely to me from day one and has really made me feel like a part of the family. You’d struggle to meet a kinder or more supportive person and her partner Keith has been amazing too!

What is the scariest movie you’ve ever seen?

I avoid them like the plague so none!

Who’s your celebrity crush?

Ryan Reynolds or Zac Efron for sure

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Rio. I’ve always wanted to go there but I don’t know why!

If you could shop for free at one store, which would you choose?

Debenhams. So I can try out all the over hyped products.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A pediatric nurse but I knew I could never watch a child die which is why I didn’t persue it.

What’s your favourite day of the week?

Saturday. It’s my day off.

Who would play you in a movie about your life?

Jessica Stroup. I adore her.

What’s the one food you could never bring yourself to eat?

Tomatoes a nope. No thank you

What’s your pet peeve?

Loud eating. It goes through me!

I hope you guys have enjoyed and learnt a bit more about me. Head over to http://www.thetullytales.com/q-a/ to read the post that inspired this one.

Writing

Creating an effective setting

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Hey M’lovelies,

Today I wanted to talk to you about creating effective setting in your writing.

Setting is so incredibly important when it comes writing a story because it can really draw the reader in. However, it has to be done right or it can completely ruin it.

The first thing you need to ask yourself is ‘why is this relevant to my story?’ because a setting should always serve a purpose. For example, a characters bedroom should tell us something about them or where they live should tell us something about their upbringing. Is your character part of a specific culture? Can the setting be used to tell us more about that culture?

If it adds nothing, then it doesn’t need to be there.

Include the 5 senses. Our senses are the most powerful tools and all serve a very important purpose. If we lose one sense, the others heighten which goes to show how key they are to human survival. Using the senses creates a strong visual image in the readers mind and pulls them in.

Use pathetic fallecy to aid the setting. It’s all well and good having a creepy house at the end of the street or a beach, but the weather will help the setting to serve its purpose. A dark stormy night will make a creepy house a lot scarier than a sunny day. But remember, it’s okay to do the unexpected and juxtapose the two as well.

I hope you guys have found this useful and I’m sorry it’s short but I didn’t want to make it a long and boring read. Please let me know any ideas or feedback you have in the comments below.