My Naked Face!

Hiya Everyone!

Today is the day, I am starting my green tea and water diet on an attack for the spots to be gone before my graduation!

This is me, in the morning - nothing on and nothing to hide the blemishes.

Now I know some of my friends will want to kill me at this point because honestly my skin is never that bad. I have a few huge recurring spot prone places such as the middle of my lips under my nose, my huge forehead and my eyebrows for some reason. Now this is going to be a huge experiment for me. 

From today on, I only allow myself 2 cups of tea/coffee a day, from then on it must be water or green tea. Now the reasoning behind this is the fact that milk and sweetener or sugar in tea can clog pores and create blemishes. I hate spots and I want to make sure that now I have finished my degree and my life is starting again, I want a clear start in every sense!

Now guys, if you want to join this please keep me involved on your twitters or your blogs and let me know how you go!

Green Tea, The Spot Remover!

Hiya Guys!

Today after this long time away, I'm going to tell you about a miracle that has really helped my skin blossom from a winter of spots to a spring that actually isn't looking too bad. 

So winter was really a bad time for my skin, it got really dry for a while and then I started smothering it in moisturiser which made it all of a sudden break out. I panicked because I've been hugely lucky with skin that isn't hugely prone to break outs. So when this started, I practically stopped my skin care routine and went for a approach which didn't clog my skin. 

Then, I was speaking to my friend who lives in China and asked her about spots and asking if there was any Chinese brands she would recommend because their skin was always flawless when I visited! She told me her secret was very much down to drinking no fizzy drinks, not wearing loads of make up and letting her skin breath. Now this is not a scientific approach, this is just something she credits her absolutely flawless skin too!

I went off to Cambridge Market with another friend and bought a LOT of green tea, different variations which were herbal and fragrant. This is Chinese Black Tea and has a woody, strong taste which can easily be drank without milk or sugar. Not only is this completely calorie free BUT it hydrates you quicker than water because it's heated and has lots of healthy anti oxidants which are proven to help your skin.

I started this of two weeks before my graduation and my skin was completely changed! Now I'm not just saying this, it hasn't got rid of my spots all together but it has stopped redness and the huge breakouts which were noticeable. I had lumps and bumps but nothing like how bad it was. I've gone home recently (as you can tell by my absence) and have got rid of this habbit. Now I'm going to attempt this again and in two weeks - i'll give you the results. 

What about you guys? Have you never tried them? Do you enjoy green teas?

My sincere apologies.

Hi my beauties!

Firstly, I want to say sorry!

I have not been on my best behavior in the form of putting my posts out there. I have had many things going on such as moving away from my university house, finishing my degree and going to various events. 

I know this is a lame excuse and I should have let you guys know what's going on but at the time, things where just so hectic, that I could not get this done. 

Hopefully, you guys will accept these apologies and understand that now, I am back I will not be leaving again! I have a lot coming for you guys, such as many fat attack posts, ways to get better skin and reviews of many beauty products for you all.

I hope that now I am back, you guys will continue to read my blog and be as kind as you have always been.

Here for your amusement is my graduation ball photo for you all. My first blog back on Friday will be how I did my make-up for this amazing night. (Which was better than this rushed photo in a VERY hot house!)

Hope you guys are well! Let me know you are still with my you beautiful people.

The Nail Files #2 Magnetic Blue

Hiya guys!

The second case in The Nail Files is a beautiful little blue varnish from Barry M, called Metallic Blue. This gorgeous colour is part of the magnetic range they are doing now. 

If you have not heard of the magnetic colours, have you been living under a rock? These fancy effects are put on with two coats and then you put a magnetic strip over them and boom - they become a different pattern. This is the first of these kind of nail varnishes i've ever tried and I'm not hugely excited by it. 

The colour is absolutely gorgeous! With one coat it's a lighter blue but second coat makes it a dark twilight blue. Both colours of this are perfect on there own. When you then add the metallic that is where the issues happen.

With wide nails, I ended up with a strip of pattern, but plain sides which looked really weird. Secondly, when you put on the top coat: even when it was completely dry, it stripped the pattern from your nail. It made a real mess and ended up looking like tie dye colouring on my nails and i'm not hugely impressed with it's staying power.

I've never had a problem with Barry M but this hasn't been my favourite product - i'll stick to the non-fancy nail varnishes from now on. If you like tie dye though, these might make a pretty idea as they don't look horrific but aren't what I expected at all!

What about you? Have you tried the metallic strip varnishes? Has it gone better for you?

Prime yourself!

 Hiya everyone!

Today's been an odd one for me, 6.30am and I turned up at my sister's to babysit. I turned up to my Sisters flat in an aztec onesie, with cowboy boats, an owl hat and a leather coat - not one of my finest fashion moments but let's just ignore that one. I turned up like that to my brother in law being sick and me getting dropped straight back home, so now I get to update you little lot with a little secret in my make-up bag!

Primer is one of those cosmetics that was never shown to me, I didn't even know it existed until my best friend took me out to a huge boots and we got a lovely rep to help us with our make-up woes. 

Primer is an awesome little product that helps with any lumps and bumps to make sure your foundation coverage is doing everything it can for your skin. I have had a recent break out so stopped using a lot of make up but this is such a helpful tub of miracles. I put this all over my skin, in a circular motion and it just keeps my skin looking fabulous even though I know it really isn't at the moment.

I just bought some of this for my sisters box and it was £14.99 from Boots but it goes SUCH a long way. I've had mine (Pictured above) since beginning of last summer and it's still going strong with me using it every day. 

The only fault with this would be don't put it under your eye and use any of the lumi magic eye pen over the top. It seems to become crusty and it isn't a nice look. Even that isn't something that could put me off buying it.

The best part was, when i've shown ANYONE the first word they have said is WOW. It works.

What about you guys? Have you tried primer? Would you recommend any others?

My spring lipstick choice!

Hiya guys!

Today is a gorgeous day, with the sun shining and the snow falling -.- Seriously it's starting to get really annoying isn't it? I've been getting all my spring clothes out and keeping them in a box because I just can't wear them. It's heartbreaking :( Anyway, back to the matter at hand.

It's my sister's birthday next week so I went out and got her beauty products (Which will have to remain secret in case she reads this post hehe) for her little beauty bag. Whilst doing this, I couldn't resist something that could hopefully get rid of the STILL winter blues. So I bought this peachy lip butter to make my lips look all summery.

Revlon color burst lip butter is amazing! It comes in a tube that makes it look like a lipstick but in fact it feels a lot more like Vaseline on your lips. This is a nice spring change from the darker colours of winter, and it is a light coverage that doesn't come over to strong. (Mine is peach in case anyone is wondering)

There were MANY colours of this and it made me really smile because it's rare to get such a contrast in lip colour from such a moisturising lipstick. It goes from really vibrate oranges to light peachy coverage to darker purples and means no matter your skin colour you can get a good lipstick!

It does however need a lot of re application throughout the day because it just doesn't last. It's not a thing that would ever put me of buying it because the pros completely outweigh the cons in this. 

So girls, have any of you tried Revlons color burst? Would you recommend any other moisturising lip colors for the summer?

The Nail Files # 1 Double Duty

Hiya Guys!

Today's Nail Files is about how to set a perfect base for ANY nail colour. Sally Hansen is a nail make which specialises in different technique nail varnishes to add strength, length, durability, colour etc etc etc. She has become a big name in my house because me and my Mother are on huge resolution to get our nails back to perfect condition.

Today I'll be discussing her double duty nail varnish. This is a base and top coat which has strengthening abilities that are beyond belief! I would always recommend putting this underneath your nail varnish and then above. This can be used simply as a nail varnish as well when you don't want loads of colour. 

I was weary that this wouldn't work but it really does. From biting my nails for as long as I can remember this has gotten them back up to heavy duty strength in less than two months of use. It lasts a long time as well because you don't need to gloop it on thick for it to work. 

My only problem with this product is that if you use it on its own, it tends to like crumble? I don't know if that's the right word, but it comes of very patchy if you leave it too it's come off itself, which is never a good look. You just need to remember that you must take this off to change nail varnishes nicely and smoothly. 

I got this one in TK Maxx for £4.00 but I do know it is always in places like Boots and Super drug but tends to be more expensive. So if you can check in TK Maxx or places first, you might get lucky.

Have you guys tried Sally Hansen before? Do you bite your nails?

Test it Tuesday - Clarins Cleanser

Hiya Guys!

This is a brand new post called Test It Tuesdays! These posts will hopefully be fortnightly and be about a tester product that I have been lucky enough to get from my lovely friend. This first one was the most amazing product I could have hoped to start with.

I have been desperate to find a nice cleanser that does leave my skin feeling more hungry for moisture than ever! I've found many but none like this.

Clarins Paris have made an amazing gentle foaming cleanser that is so nice. It's for combination / oily skin so matches my skin perfectly, as I don't have excess grease but I don't have dry skin. 

The first point is that this cleanser is exactly as it says on the tin, it's gentle. This isn't a scrub, I know that but I like a feel of renewal and that new skin is coming from cleansers as well. With this, I put it on and felt the small bubbles of exfoliating goodness on my skin. It doesn't take five layers of my face OR make me feel like my face is on fire.

Secondly, it's beautiful when you take it off. You put moisturiser straight on and you're skin feels so smooth it's unreal. So unreal I did have to run to my house mate and ask her to feel my face, she did say oooo and stroke my face (They put up with so much!).

It does leave a little to be desired as it feels a bit like when you have used soap on your skin. It's not a huge issue though but with the amount in actually costs, it does make a difference. Topping your skin straight of with a heavy moisturiser means that you do feel very glam and smooth afterwards and it gets rid of the soapy feel. 

For the price of a full bottle being £18.00 from Boots - it is something a lot of people would umm and ahh with... I would however make one final point. This stuff LASTS, I had a normal sized tiny tester and I had 5 uses which completely covered my face each time. So it would be amazing to see how long this would last!

What do you guys think? Ever tried Clarins? Will you be trying now?

Feed your hands!

Hiya everyone!

Just a quick post today - I wanted to tell you about an amazing hand cream.
Now I know you are SICK to death of me doing posts about Soap and Glory like some sponsor but now - I do have to tell you about there Hand Food. This is all over the blogasphere but I got some this Christmas and fell TOTALLY in love. 

I'm not one to really care about nails or hands or creams, because I used to bite my nails and never take pride in them. Now, with the blog going strong, I have grown my nails and started to take huge priorities in getting my nails back to form.

This hand cream is amazing, it's so moisturising, goes a long way, is pretty in a pink tub and finally it smells amazing! I really enjoyed this and for the price in Boots of £5.00 for 125ml or £2.50 for the 50ml version you cannot go wrong. It looks nice when you get it out with your friends and also fits into a handbag in either size. 

Have you tried this miracle? Would you buy hand food?

Movie Mondays!

Hey Guys!

Today, I'm getting back into the normal swing of things and here we have another new Movie Monday post. This is on an absolute classic that will be overlooked by some younger readers, but to anyone roughly my age and a good ten years older and British will completely understand!

Bridget Jones Diary is a movie adaption of the great book with the same name written by Helen Fielding which was published in 1996. Now I only watched this movie recently because my friend is studying its adaption in Film Studies and I had overlooked it for so long. This 2001 movie is about a single, thirty something female who is looking to loose weight, drop cigarettes and find the love of her life. Being portrayed by Renee Zellweger, she isn't the most pristine woman but she is a funny as hell chick. 

It's a typical movie about waiting for love, when two come along at once and isn't that ALWAYS the way. It offers some amazing eye candy from Colin Firth and Hugh Grant and they also have some AMAZING one liners and scenes. The best being one of the most hysterical fight scenes ever which goes through a restaurant and is so pathetic it's very true to life. I absolutely love how typically British this movie is - even though Renee is the only NOT British thing about this movie, I LOVE her and I love it.

Now if you're not into romance, PLEASE don't rule this out. This movie is hilarious and even my male friends love watching it because Helen Fielding has done an amazing thing and made it relate-able to men as well. They laugh at the jokes, so if your partner says he wont watch it - beg him to reconsider! Also, it's an amazing lesson about love not always coming in the neatest package. Literally most hilarious movie and I would really recommend it to anyone who it has passed by!

What do you think? Have you read the book, would you recommend the movie?

To do list!

Hiya guys!

I'm so so so sorry that at the moment this blog has been neglected but I'm finally back to share with you my life. I've decided this time to pick something that has become my new best friend in my final few months of student hood. 

This journal is probably the BEST thing I've ever bought... EVER!

I picked it up first because of the front cover which intrigued me straight away but on closer inspection I realised that this could be the most helpful thing i've ever had in my handbag.

When you look in, it has different sections that you can easily flick to with the help of the tabs at the side and top. The top reads, NOTES, TO DO, IDEAS and THE BEST which leads onto the side which has MUSIC, BOOKS, FILMS, WEBSITES and then has three tabs which you can label yourself. 

Now at first I worried these would be very small sections, but they really aren't! They have a lot of room to add stuff in and because its so structured with the tabs there's no overlap of what you place where. For bloggers this is amazing, because you can put blog ideas down in the ideas section but then have the best of each section at the side tabs. It makes everything really easy, especially when you have very bad memory anyway.

Secondly, the colours are beautiful. It's a really richly pictured book, all in a pop art style. It makes a stylish talking point with friends but also allows you to feel like your not carrying around an older ladies diary. I love that the front also has raised velvet bits on the black sections, like eyelashes and hair, it just adds so much more to this book.

The final point is the size. This is not something that is slim and long, but is more square and allows for a lot of notes. For some people, this will be a big off putting point because it doesn't fit in a small bag. As i'm a lover of handbags that could hold the kitchen sink, this handy little book has become a staple in the bottom of it. It doesn't get lost like smaller diaries that I seem to find. So, maybe it's too big, but personally I don't think it is for anyone who is a large bag lover.

I hope that this will help any dreadfully unorganized people like me. I bought this particular piece in TKMAXX for £4.99 but a variation of styles can be purchased for £8 on this website - including my lovely one here.

What do you think guys, are you guys too organised? Or forgetful?

Scrub Your Nose In It

Hiya guys!

I know that I go on and on about Soap and Glory but today I'm gunna do a little review on a scrub that I absolutely adore. 

Scrub your nose in it is an amazing scrub for your face that doubles as a facial mask. Now I have been using this for a while, as a scrub once a week and as a scrub every other day with my shower with really good results. 

The scrub itself is good, it has a good abrasive feel but isn't too gritty as some salt scrubs are. It doesn't take off a thick later of skin like sand paper but is soft on your skin if you use it with water, which I would honestly recommend so that your using less but it is going further. It does amazing things and makes your skin super smooth. I use this after I've had a huge breakout and have dead skin and scabs that are coming off, as gross as it sounds - removing those scabs and bits of dead skin makes hiding the redness and spots easier because the foundation has more healthy tissue to attach itself too. 

The scrub shouldn't be used to much as it could be damaging to the skin. Also it can be quite harsh, it tingles a lot and can feel uncomfortable. If this happens, I honestly recommend targeting one area at a time and then washing it off and starting with another. This is something my friend does and it makes the tingling more manageable because she has sensitive skin. Obviously, if your skin is damaged or really sensitive please be careful because it is honestly a strong one. 

The mask, as you can see above is blue, it makes me laugh a lot because I look like a smurf and I always forget when i'm wearing it. It can be used thickly for a deep cleanse or lightly over the skin like mine for a regular clean off your face. I recommend this because it does wonders for your pores, removing the dirt that gets clogged after a long week. It makes your skin feel super smooth and I do it when I have some time because I let it dry then as I wash it off with circular motions to use the scrub as well.

It does sting like quite a bit as it's one of those that is a deep cleanse and it is a bit smelly. Otherwise my only problem is it has to be used in a decent about of her time as it can go stiff and dry out. When I say decent I mean don't rush it, but don't leave it for six months and come back expecting it to be fresh. 

Overall, for £7.50 in boots, I think it's a good value for money as it's a big tube which does last me a good few months because I rotate it. I really would recommend this if you really like your scrubs but aren't a huge fan of salt and sugar scrubs. 

Have you tried Soap and Glory? Scrub or no scrub?

Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker.

Hiya guys!

Sorry it's taken me a horrendous amount of time to get another blog to you guys. I've been trying but life has caught up with me.

This is about my favourite perfume in my box right now. I've been given this perfume every year for about 5 years now and I adore it. 

Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker is a beautiful scent which is really flowery and sweet. Now this might not appeal to everyone as I always feel a perfume should match someone's personality. This perfume is the one that my Mother, my Grandmother and even my sister all associate with me now, much like my sister and her Ghost perfume. It has sat well with my skin, because obviously sometimes perfumes can react with your natural scent and make it smell AWFUL and completely different to when someone else wears it.

I love this perfume because it also looks really feminine, which matches the scent inside and isn't misleading. The top makes it safe to put in a bag and looks lovely when you pick it up to use it at any time. I was always worried about perfume but this has really become a staple. I think if you are a very feminine person, this should be something you look for. 

The only downside would be that it is a very light perfume, so you have to use it often to make sure that you aren't completely missed. I don't mind spending more money on it just because it suits me so perfectly. 

Have you ever tried Lovely? What's your favourite perfume?

Movie Mondays!

Hi Guys!

Usually, I'd get my blog done ON a Monday but as it's been a hectic day this might just miss the usual midnight deadline.

Today for my Movie Monday I wanted to give you a musical. Please don't cry, when I say musical this might NOT be what you expect.

Repo! The Genetic Opera.

This is NOT your lovey dovey, romance musical that you were expecting of me HUH!?!?

Repo! is a rock opera based around a post apocalyptic world where organs and body parts can be bought and modified for a price. It follows a repo man, who is there to collect the organs by any means necessary when the debt is not repaid, then it follows his life, his family and how in the end the world continues.

I have to tell you now, this was NOT what I expected when an ex told me we were going to watch a rock opera. I will be honest it is mildly gory, so not for the faint hearted (MANY PEOPLE DIE IN DISGUSTING WAYS). However, it is good for fans of maybe Dredd and Hairspray? Yeah, weird mix but it works.

The cast is amazing, the main few for me being Anthony Head (From Buffy), Sarah Brightman and Paris Hilton (Say what you will but that girl makes an amazing crack head heiress). They can sing amazingly and really bring something to this movie, the songs always hit the right spot and I've found myself singing a lot!

The only thing is that it's just not known about. It does have something for everyone and I would really recommend it for something DIFFERENT!

Has anyone heard of this? Your favourite musical?

Nail File Wars!

Hi guys!

I'm pretty new to the whole nail scene, I bite my nails since I had teeth too and have literally only stopped in the past year, even then I relapse some times. So when my friend told me that a good way to rebuild strength in the actual nail is to keep them filed, I was really confused. I have bought two nail files and now I will let them battle it out for my affection. Only one will come out the winner!

In the blue corner there is...

The Elegant Touch pink crystal glass nail file!

This nail file is honestly.... mediocre. It's not going to file them down by miles, so if you want to keep your nails short and use a file to attack them - it's not for you. It's very soft in it's gritty texture and doesn't take off a lot of length. It's good for little nicks or when you snap a nail and have to soften the edge. It doesn't have a pointed edge which allows for an easy flow when filing, which I do like as it helps to keep under the nail just as clean. I love the style and colour of it because I adore pink but this for me is the only huge redeeming factor and it's not enough for the £5.99 I paid on amazon.

And in the red corner...

Stylfile!

This bad boy, firstly looks AWESOME! It's pretty wacky and has a good little pink edge on it - which obviously is a plus for me on the style side. 

So, now onto the practicality of this product. Honestly, it's ace! One side is a lot grittier, this allows for getting rid of length and even attacks acrylic nails. The other side is lighter so allows to softly brush over and sort any nicks or roughness in the nail, much like the overall product above. 

This nail file's most amazing quality is the shape. At first, when I saw this make on The Apprentice, like a year ago - I honestly laughed. I didn't understand the logic of this style and how it would help. It really does though as it's kind of like a rocking motion. It's also helpful for your hand where you aren't as quick because it just simply follows the line. The only problem with it is the stylish pink trim sometimes hinders you attaching your nail to the file because it barriers it a little. Other than that - this has really impressed me and is worth the  £4.39 I paid on amazon.

So now for the winner...

STYLFILE!

It simply is a product I don't think i'll be able to beat this. It's cheap but not cheerful and is hugely practical. Now... i'm off to buy the mini one for my keys! 

What do you think of the stylfile? Do you have a favourite nail file?

Volume Million Lashes

Hey everyone!

Today, I'm gunna give you a review of the amazing Volume Million Lashes by L'oreal Paris.

Firstly, the packaging is gorgeous right? I seriously think this sophisticated look adds something to this product!

Secondly, this mascara is new-ish from L'oreal and has a plastic bristled wand. Usually, I run for the hills whenever I see plastic bristles because they have always caused nothing but trouble. These bristles are spaced enough and have uneven length bristles too create some form off spacing. They allow all lashes to be completely covered without making them stick together like spiders legs. I really appreciated this as I absolutely despise girls who look like they only have four eyelashes.  

The formula for this mascara is pretty good. It allows a lot of length, but it doesn't add any volume to the lashes. So if you are looking for a full look, this might not be the mascara for you however, if long lashes do something for you it would be perfect. I also really want to talk about the fact that this formula is sparkly. Honest to God, I didn't believe it at first but on a really sunny day you see the sparkles as you bat your eyelashes at the cutie walking across the street. I don't know how helpful this is in the grand scheme of thing but it makes me feel a bit more pretty when this is the only eye make-up i'm wearing. 

I agree that this isn't a perfect mascara, it isn't to make your eyelashes really full, it isn't going to curl them but it will make them longer. I've been teaming this up with an older mascara, which is running out and is a  volumising formula. I've used a very soft brush stroke of this to separate the lashes out and then added this on top for length. It creates a good affect for nights out as this really is a nice one to wear out as it doesn't dry and flake. Also, on nights out it doesn't give you panda eyes which is a major bonus and it sparkles. It makes your feel that little bit more glam!

Have you tried this yet? What do you think of the sparkle effect?