L'Occitane Shea Vanilla Bouquet Hand Cream Review

A good hand cream is an essential in the colder months, to try and keep our hands soft, supple and looking good. The richer ones will have to include different moisturising butters, and as this promised to contain 20% Shea butter I was curious to try it out. Likewise,vanilla scent is one of my favourites but it can be really hard to come across one that isn't too overpowering in a product. 

While the butter helps to soften the hands, the coconut oil, and various other plant extracts create a barrier to protect the skin from the different elements and make sure long lasting moisture is provided. I spend a lot of time outside so any cream that manages to keep my hands moisturised all day is good! Once applied, the vanilla scent is very slight and disappears quite soon (sadly :( ).

I don't need to use much as the consistency is quite thick but it still manages to absorb quickly not leaving any residue. The tube is only 30ml, but I think it will last a long time as only a bit is needed each time.

I actually got this cream on an offer for only £1, but it is currently sold on their website for a more expensive £8.  Overall I think the ingredients do justify the price, as they are good quality and the hand cream works wonders!


xx

River Island White Shirt Collar Bib

Isn't this such a good idea?

 I have never seen this in shops before but when I walked into River Island and saw it I was taken aback. 

The collar was £10 and the size of it is big enough to cover even the deepest of shirt necks, successfully covering up to your shoulders. 

The material is a good quality, thick white cotton, and has gold spiked stud buttons to decorate. Luckily it is one size fits all! 

I have found it to be a great use under all types of tight jumpers were wearing blouses or shirts underneath would be too uncomfortable.

Under a jumper it looks exactly like a plain white shirt- no one will be able to tell it is just a collar!

What do you think of it?

The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People

By starting sixth form this year I have had so much more work to do, and have had to learn manage my spare time better, in order to get everything done.
Whilst reading different blogs I recently came across a post that summaries the key points behind 'The 7 Habits of Highly effective people' book- I was instantly interested.

This book most importantly talks about how to get the right things done, and that our greater goal should be in our minds everyday. 

Summarised here are the 7 key points of the book:

1)Be Proactive

Take responsibility for you choices and stop blaming everything else in your life. You can control your reaction to the events in your life.

2)Begin With The End In Mind

Think about how you want to be remembered by people- honest, courageous, caring- 

and keep them in mind

3)Put First Things First

Don't get caught up by urgent dramas happening day by day and do things that are important to you

4)Think Win/Win

Real success does not happen at the expense of others. A win for everyone is definitely better than a win for one person.Think karma!

5)First Try To Understand, Then To Be Understood

Listen and be genuinely interested in people. This will make people listen and be interested to you.

6)Synergise

When you work with other people to create win/win situations, you will be able to achieve greater goals you wouldn't have been able to achieve on your own.

7)Sharpen The Saw

We need to stay 'sharp' by being physically and mentally fit, taking time to rest and to look after ourselves.

It is now on my must read list, but sadly I don't think I will be able to get round to it for a while. I have to finish all my work first.

One must prioritise after all.

Have you heard of, or read this book before? Let me know in the comments below!

xx

Shhh...10 Beauty hacks

Hack- A clever solution to a tricky problem

1) Use lemon juice to get rid of discolouration on nails by brushing it on with a nail brush, and then rinsing with water.

2) To fix a broken powder or eye shadow, put some rubbing alcohol on it and tap the mixture down with a spatula. Let it dry overnight and it will look like new in the morning!

3) To help remove surface stains on teeth, brush them with baking soda.

4) Apply Vaseline to eyelashes to condition and even lengthen them! Some swear by it to make lashes fuller, and thicker.

5) Before applying mascara dip a Q-tip in baby powder and run across your lashes. The mascara will then attach to the lashes, making them thicker and longer.

6) Use white eyeliner to accentuate your cupid's brow by drawing a 'V' above the centre of your lips. You can also use it in the inner rim of your eye to make you look more awake, and your eyes bigger.

7) Put Vaseline on pulse points before applying perfume to make the scent last longer

8) Massage almond oil into cuticles and nails to help battle brittle nails and flaky hands.

9) Run out of shaving cream? Just use your conditioner to shave instead!

10) To remove excess lipstick and avoid getting it on your teeth, stick your finger in your mouth and pull it out.

xx

Superdrug's Mud theraphy Mud Mask review

A good clay mask is perfect for detoxing the skin, so I've recently gotten in the habit of applying one at least once a week. After trying quite a few, I've finally settled on my favourite- Supredrug's own branded one.

The ingredients in this product should be sensitive enough for all skin types, even if there is a slight fragrance when you apply it. I think it is perfect for oily skin, or blemished prone ones as the ingredients do not dry excessively but leave my face soft.

The consistency is quite thick, so goes on very nicely on the skin. Apply it  to the face avoiding sensitive areas, and then leave for 10-15 minutes, even if I recommend removing it as soon as it begins to feel drier.

 I find that the best way to apply this is while in the bath or shower, so the steam will open up you pores and make sure that the product sinks in deep into the skin.

The cheap price of £2.59 and it being Superdrug's own brand product makes it a budget friendly spend so I definitely recommend it :)

xx

Make-up Staples

So- what should everyone's starter kit contain? I have put together a basic beginners guide as I don't think you need that many products, just enough to enhance your natural beauty.

Lip colour

Tinted lip balms moisture, condition, protect, but at the same time offer a slight bit of colour to make your lips pop. They are so much easier to upkeep than lipstick, and less sticky than lip gloss while offering the same shine, therefore I think it is the perfect compromise.

MUA Power Pout- £3.00 

My personal recommendation as they are nice and cheap but moisturise like a dream!

Concealer

If I only had time to wear 1 make-up product it would definitely be concealer! No spots and dark shadows under your eyes makes such a big difference- with the added advantage that it blends in seamlessly with your skin and goes undetected.

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer- £4.19

Been using this for years and it has never failed me, I only wish they would add more shades!

Mascara

Application of mascara is always one of the final touches, what brings the whole look together. Just this on your eyes makes you instantly look more polished.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Retro Glam- £6.99

Check out my recent review on this mascara- the results where great!

Eyeliner

If you want your eyes to look bigger, rounder or more defined you can just draw a simple line above your eyes. Personally, I think a pen eye liner is the best to begin with as they don't smudge easily like pencil ones, and are much less fiddly than gel.

Bourjois Intuitive Liner- £6.99

My personal favourite as it has three different nibs placed next to each other which makes it so much easier to draw a winged liner.

Neutral eye shadow

A full palette, or quad is great as you can experiment with some basic colours and become comfortable with them They are wearable to anywhere, and using the darker colours in the crease, and brighter ones on brow bone and inner corner to highlight, you can go from day to night.

MUA Eyeshadow Palette Undressed- £4.00

I particularly love the MUA palettes as they are direct dupes of the more famous NAKED ones and so are a cheap alternative.

Hope this guide was helpful, please comment with your advice!

x

Rimmel Scandaleyes retro glam mascara Review

After hearing a lot of positive things on this mascara I decided to give it a go, and I definitely don't regret it!

I'm extremely picky when it comes to mascaras as the brush needs to be not too big but not too small. When I noticed this had a hourglass shaped one, it interested me straight away. It really can get even to the smaller corner lashes, unlike straight shaped ones. 

The formula is a bit wet, so it can smudge quite easily, especially on lower lashes. When applying on them I use a tissue underneath to not ruin the rest of my make-up. It can also go clumpy if you apply too much of it at one time- however the results are really good!

without mascara

with 1 coat!

It volumises and thickens so well, false lashes aren't needed anymore!The wand must be one of the best shapes I have tried as it really fans the lashes out well, in a shape that lasts. I find that it is a really long lasting formulation that is suitable for the daytime but also evening.
Plus it comes as 12ml instead of the usual 9ml, what a bonus!

xx

Sixth Form Autumn Haul

Never thought I'd say this but, oh how I miss those days were I got to have a school uniform. I just started sixth form a couple of weeks ago and having to think of something to wear everyday was initially a challenge. Luckily, at my school the dress code isn't too 'formal' but not 'causal' either, more of an inbetween, so I can get away with wearing quite a bit of things I already owned. However I went browsing in shops lately and found some lovely new season items I couldn't resist buying......
WARNING: This haul may contain a bit too many berry shades so beware!

One of the very first things I bought was this Dorothy Perkins dress that costs £18 and that I instantly loved because of the sweetheart neckline, it is so flattering and the slightly flared skirt creates a lovely shape. I don't know how Dorothy Perkins do it but I've noticed all their dresses try to create a hourglass shape- it's like a signature for them. 

I have been wanting a necklace like this for ages. It took me so long to find one, but in the end I settled for this River Island oversized pearl necklace that is £10. More than what I'd usually spend for a necklace but oh well.

 Also at River Island I picked up these thick grey leggings that I know are going to be so cosy when the colder weather begins. I think they fit soo well and can be dresses up or down according to the occassion. They were £22.

This other top is from Dorohty Perkins and is made from a surprisingly thick material. This enables me to easily wear it now but even in the winter and is such a lovely colour. The fit is boxy but also formal, and just an overall versatile wear.It was £16.

I've been looking for a smart pair of shoes and I think these ones tick all of the boxes. On the tag it said they were an 'Oxblood' colour even if they nearly look black in normal daylight. However you can see it has warm undertones and as soon as you turn the flash on they go a dark red colour. Great buy,they were £14 from Dorothy Perkins.

I am aware that this is the 4th item I have bought in this shade, but I can't help myself! I think it just screams Autumn when you look at it. This jumper is supersoft, slightly loose fitting and was £19.99 from New Look.

Lastly this belt is from Primark and was £1.50. The owls on it look very cute and you could wear this to accessorise many things.

Comment on what you like best! xx

OOTD: Wedding guest

Dress-New Look  Shoes-New Look  Clutch and Jewellery-Old

 This weekend I had one of the best of times at my friend's wedding, and luckily for us it was a really nice day with the sun shining brightly. I had bought everything I was planning to wear before the Summer-with all the new prom dresses out I just couldn't resist!- but you could definitely still find similar items for sale now. My dress was a feminine shell pink and had a lace overlay, and the shoulders were embellished with pearls and white sequins. My shoes were a slightly paler shade of pink and the 3" heel made them perfect to dance in for most of the night, even though in the end I had to give up and wear the flip flops or "dancing shoes" the bride so nicely provided for us (thank you!).

The venue was at a golf club in Essex, so it was the perfect place to have a ceremony outside. 

xx

D.I.Y. Sugar Wax! When life gives you lemons.....

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

Now this is something I've been meaning to make for a while, but never got round to. It has been praised by many for being less painful than normal wax, easier to use and that it leaves your skin feeling beautiful. The best bit is that you can use it anywhere on your body, as it is formulated especially for sensitive skin. :)

You need: 
6 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 cup lemon juice

Put all ingredients in a non-stick pan and turn on the medium heat. Let it boil and keep mixing with a metal spoon until it turns a bright amber colour (took me about 10 minutes). At this point it should be done and so pour it in your preferred container.

How do you use it? You could either use it like hot wax, heating it first and then spreading it on your skin, or if it is soft enough take some of it from the container and just use it as if it were a strip.

Hope you get on well! xx

Summer Berries and White Chocolate cake

Hi, I'm back!

After the long break I took for my summer holiday, I'm so happy to be posting on my blog again!
One of the things I love the most of this season must be the bright colours of nature, and especially of forest fruits. There is a particular recipe I have enjoyed the most, which is adapted from a Lorraine Pascale recipe, and is sure to please everyone. I find that the light taste of white chocolate and lemon complements the sweetness of the fruits perfectly, and the yoghurt keeps the cake nice and moist- enjoy!

Ingredients:
300g self-raising flour
3 eggs
180g sugar
3tbsp oil
1tbsp milk
Lemon zest from 2 lemons
3tsp baking powder
150g white chocolate
200g greek yoghurt
150g frozen berries- plus extra for the topping
Icing sugar for the topping

1) Preheat the oven to 170C and line the bottom of a baking tin with baking parchment.
2) Melt the white chocolate in the microwave with the milk.
3) Separately, mix the sugar, oil, yoghurt and lemon zest, gradually add the eggs while mixing.
4) Add the melted chocolate with the flour and baking powder, lastly adding the frozen fruit.
5)Pour everything in the baking tin and bake for 30-40 minutes.
6) When cool, top the cake with berries and add icing sugar.

Doesn't it look lovely and summery? Sure to uplift any mood!!

 xx