How To Contour & Highlight Using Drugstore Products

My recent upload onto my YouTube Channel was a "How To" video about contouring and highlighting using drugstore products, which is my absolute favourite thing to do when using makeup! I have found a way to do it that suits me so well now and i get amazing results from it, it's easy to do whether you're a beginner or a pro (if you're pro you probably won't be taking advice from me haha) and i show you step by step what products I'm using, brushes I'm applying products with and how to apply it. I will link the video below i'd love for you to go and check it out!  

Product review: 'Yes to grapefruit' facial wipes

Being a lover of the more natural products i just had to pick these up when i saw them on offer in Waitrose, i do love a good offer! They claim to be 98% natural with no parabens, SLS and cruelty free. I have been using these as a quick initial cleanse to remove the majority of my makeup before using an actual cleanser and they certainly do the job, i also love using these just to freshen up when not wearing makeup during the day or as i wake up. I absolutely love the fresh grapefruit scent which really helps to wake your skin up in the morning, the slightly tougher wipe aims to exfoliate your skin which really does help to make my skin feel 10x softer. Although, be ware not to exfoliate too harshly as you'll end up looking the colour of the packet!

So, these wipes are more on the slightly pricey side at £3.99 but i would honestly say they are worth that much money because at the end of the day you definitely get what you pay for, which is no nasty chemicals! (you will thank yourself when you're older) Having said that they seem to be on offer quite often in different shops as i picked these up for around £2.00 so make sure to shop around!

What's your favourite natural skin care products?

Product review: Garnier Ultimate Blends Marvellous Transformer range

So, the weather here in the UK is changing as i'm sure everyone is aware of.. especially women as it plays havoc on our hair! But thankfully we have amazing products out that can help us through this tough time. Garnier have brought out a new Ultimate Blends Marvellous Transformer range and i noticed Tesco had it on offer so decided to give them a go! The range aims to restore shine to dry, lifeless and dull hair containing organ and camellia oils to deeply restore life and glow, with no parabens which sounds amazing! 

The Marvellous Transformer Shampoo comes out as a clear colour and doesn't feel too heavy when massaging into the hair, it also felt best to shampoo my hair twice as after just one wash my hair still felt slightly oily from the rich oils in the shampoo. Once rinsed out thoroughly i had a very squeaky clean feeling. Also, the scent is to die for!

The Marvellous Transformer conditioner was very nice to use it comes out as a creamy white colour and again feels very light on the hair, it also feels very luxurious to use. You could choose to occasionally use slightly more and leave it on for up too 5 minutes for a mini hair mask! When rinsing out my hair I instantly noticed how amazingly soft and tangle free my hair felt, something I normally struggle with!

After using both the shampoo and conditioner from the range for a little while my hair has felt a lot softer, sleeker, glossier, and cleaner for longer which means i don't have to use as much heat and can go longer in between washes. I love that they are paragon free as i always try to steer clear from them nasties. I noticed quite a considerable improvement in my hair condition and growth rate so i feel this will be an essential in my bathroom from now on! 

The scent to the range is divine and it's not too overpowering which is great as it doesn't smell sickly. It's just the right amount of loveliness and once every moment you catch a delightful wiff of it from your hair!

The products are available in most shops now including boots, superdrug and tesco ranging between £2.79 to £9.99. 

This review is NOT sponsored.

YouTube Update

Little fish in a huge ocean

After briefly telling you all yesterday that i had started a YouTube Channel i thought i'd talk a little more in depth about it and update you. So today is my third day and i have just uploaded my third video, pretty good going i think! Even though i only have a mere following of 3 subscribers (one being my boyfriend) i am loving it, to be completely honest with you even if i never reached over 10 subs (which i am expecting) i don't think i'd stop because i really love the process and creativity of being able to film something and share it with the universe on the interwebs ( technical term.. right?;) )

I have a passion for the creativity and it makes me so happy to be able to work on these "little videos" and i hope it can also make someone else happy, you never know! It has also massively helped my confidence, i am in fact a very shy person as i have mentioned in one of my earlier posts but for some reason, talking to a camera is different.. and WEIRD but its so much fun, there's no restrictions! (apart from the obvious) 

Anyway, i will continue to make these videos and, being the "little fish in the big ocean" i would love a little help along my way so if this is anyones thing i would love you to check my channel out, i will link it below :) Thank you loves <3 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOI_kjuyWizxxHZy8z9Awyw/videos

I started a YouTube channel!

I started a YouTube channel

So, i finally did something that i've wanted to do for years but never had the confidence too, says it all in the title.. I STARTED A YOUTUBE CHANNEL! yaay. I have posted a video each day since i started which is 2 but i've worked really hard on them considering i have never done anything like this before, i'm writing a post about this because i want to be genuine and not shove it down everyone throats to try and gain views/subscribers or be beggy in any way but it is hard to start out from scratch and i would LOVE you all soo much if you could take a little bit of time to go and watch them, like or subscribe.. whichever you wish to do :) i will link my channel down below..

Thank you loves! <3 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOI_kjuyWizxxHZy8z9Awyw

Gluten free lemon drizzle cake recipe

Gluten free lemon and poppy seed cake 

If you don't already know, i'm coeliac which means that i cannot consume any wheat or gluten which explains why this is a gluten free recipe! To me it tastes just as good but if you are not avoiding gluten and choose to eat normal flour then all you will need to do is swap the flour in the recipe, everything else stays the same. 

what you will need:

125g/5oz gluten free self raising flour blend

100g/4oz butter

125g/5oz caster sugar

2 eggs 

3 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp grated lemon rind

1tbsp poppy seeds

1tbsp icing sugar

How to:

1. Place flour, softened butter, sugar, eggs, lemon juice, rind and poppy seeds into a bowl and beat really well (either using a mixer such as a kitchen aid or your own arm strength with a spoon)

2. When your mixture is ready and has been mixed well enough it should look something like this.

3. Pour into an oiled and greaseproof lined 500g/1lb baking tin. 

4. Bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes. 

5. turn out onto a wire rack to cool. 

6. When cold dust with icing sugar, lemon rind and also any lemon juice or icing that you may want to add.

7. Serve and enjoy! :) 

Motivational Monday

Hey you!

I had one of probably the worst nights sleeps i've ever had last night and woke up feeling pretty groggy and unmotivated but i thought, no you're not just going to mope around feeling sorry for yourself you're going to get up and go to the gym then carry on with your jobs for the day and i'm so glad i did. Otherwise, i'd probably still be in my quilt cover cocoon nest watching videos of puppies on youtube and eating my sorrows away (how dramatic). I also made the most delicious breakfast that was bright purple, it's the little things that please me so!

I heard this quote a little while ago and since then i have heard a couple more people say it and it has just stuck in my head as if i was meant to be told it. I have never been the most confident person in the world and i'm sure everyone can relate to this in some way or another whether it is in your appearance, personality, career or just your overall self being. Until recent i have always just accepted that this was who i am, i am the quiet girl who doesn't talk much in groups of people and who will bow her head when walking into a busy setting but something clicked when i heard this quote and i thought.. " why does this have to be me? who said this is who i am? i'm just basing my personality on how other people see me but really, it isn't me at all and it's not how i want to carry on living my life. " 

I am so thankful for this to have happened as since then i have done nothing but take control of my life, become more confident and reach a point in my life where i am so happy that i feel nothing can drag me down, it's only up from here!

Whilst i don't agree with being a "fake" person, there is so much truth in the quote. If you pretend that you are the most confident person in the room people will believe you and start seeing you as this happy, confident bundle of joy that brightens the room when you enter it. Your mood rubs off onto others around you extremely quickly but if you become this positive energy then you will begin to draw more positive things towards you and trust me your life will begin to just get better and better! I'm not in any way some sort of life coach or positive speaker but i have made the changes in my life that i've talked about and they have worked so well that i just have to share them tips with you, sharing is caring after all.. right?!

I apologise if this is a bit too deep for a Monday morning but i had to get that off my chest, is there anyone dealing with low confidence at the moment? if so, make this day, week, month and year the time to change that, take hold of your life, go after what you want and make the world yours!

Happy Monday :) 

Evening outfit | lookbook

Date night lookbook | Style Sunday

Can't find anything to wear? starting to stress? your whole wardrobe is basically emptied onto your bedroom floor? We've all been there before and if you haven't then PLEASE tell me your secrets! 

I often have this problem and no matter how much i plan or organise my outfit i will most probably end up putting it on and the deciding there's something about it that is horrible and changing it then stressing out at the last minute because apparently "i have nothing to wear!!" when this is far from the truth. But what girl doesn't do this, it's like a passage of life.. right? 

I have found that the one piece of advice that has always helped me out is, "less is more" and it's so true so i try to go by this when choosing an outfit for an occasion. I wanted to pick something that was classy but not too sophisticated, something that was a little more fun. I love the way that my chest is nicely covered but when i turn round my back is on show, i think sometimes showing more back than chest is so much more flattering. The dress i chose is also a really nice length but has slight slits at the side so it shows a little more leg either side. My shoes are absolute killers but i love them too much not to show them off! they are definitely "car too bar" shoes. I accessorised my outfit with a rose gold bracelet and watch, rose gold earrings and of course, some red lippy! I will list where i brought everything at the end of my post, hope you enjoy! :) 

Earrings - asos 

Dress - h&m

Shoes - asos 

Bag - urban outfitters 

Bracelet - asos

Watch - tayroc 

Courgetti healthy recipe

Courgetti | Recipe

Nope, that's not a spelling mistake! i have found a new love and i thought i'd share it with you. Not only is it really healthy but it tastes SO good, i even managed to get my boyfriend to eat (and enjoy it) which is a huge step for someone who won't normal touch a vegetable let alone eat one! Courgettes are very cheap i think you can grab about 4 for £1.50 in Tesco

which is a bargain so this is also a very affordable meal for anyone who finds it difficult to eat healthily on a budget. There is a tonne of different ways in which you can incorporate courgetti into your meals but this is just one way that i made up and really love. It's a good way to cut any pasta cravings if you're trying to avoid any sort of carb or if you're like me and are allergic to wheat and gluten and want to try different ways rather than just gluten free or alternative pasta, this is because when the courgette is cooked it goes softer than normal and doesn't really taste of vegetable especially with a sauce so you almost feel like you actually are eating spaghetti. Now, here's the important stuff! 

to cater for 2 people

2 courgettes 

1 tin of chopped tomatoes

2 chicken breasts (which you can substitute for any other vegetable if you're vegetarian/vegan etc..)

1 carrot 

mozzarella (optional)

juice of half a lemon

coconut oil

Basil

Chilli flakes

Garlic 

salt and pepper to taste

A spiralizer

1. Put a wok/pan onto a medium to low heat and heat up a tablespoon of coconut oil.

2. Cut up 2 chicken breasts into bitesize pieces and cook until they start to turn golden brown and add the spices that you want.

3. Whilst your chicken is cooking then start to spiralize a whole courgette and 1 carrot. 

4. When your chicken is cooked then add your tinned chopped tomatoes, lemon juice and your spiralized veggies.

5. cook until your vegetables have turned soft and turn off the heat. 

6. Empty the contents of your wok/pan into a large serving bowl and add your mozzarella in random places on top of your dish. 

7. Grill on a low heat until mozzarella is all melted.

8. Serve hot and enjoy!

thoughts about life

  I wanted this post to be a bit more relaxed and "journal like" i guess, starting a blog is one of the best things i have ever done even though i haven't had it long. I'm not sure how many people actually read/follow it but it's nice to think that someone somewhere might be, not only that but it helps me to reflect on my life and actually sit down and think about how lucky i am to have the people that i do in my life, objects aren't a great deal to me, i mean.. obviously it's amazing to have nice things and who doesn't love a new car or piece of clothing ( i'm a sucker for a sale! )  but to me deep down it's much more important to be rich in love and friendships. When i was younger my mum used to tell me, if something is making you unhappy then do something about it, life's too short to let things such as a job, partner or friend etc.. stop you from being you or being happy, because that is all that really matters! if you are happy then you're doing something right. I have always lived by this wisdom, as cliché as it may sound it is the best advice i was ever given. 

The reason i am writing this is because i am in a bit of a crossroads in my life at the moment, if any of you have read my very first post then you will know that i was working up London in an amazing law firm and i will be forever grateful for the wonderful opportunity it has given me all sorts of new experiences and when my contract ended about a month ago  i was given the chance to carry on working there.. i turned it down. Now some may say i'm stupid or selfish but my happiness comes first in life and i wasn't happy working in the rush of the "big city", the mind numbing long train journeys twice a day 5 times a week with every one bustling onto a hot train and looking miserable and lifeless, then the walk to work and back with big business men and their huge briefcases knocking you out of the way, not one please, thank you or sorry. I mean don't get me wrong i met some lovely people during my time in London but to me everyone just looked unhappy and it was dragging me down, i started experiencing anxiety and becoming depressed, i stopped doing things i loved doing such as going to the gym and socialising. So, rant over.. currently i am sat in my garden with the sun beaming down, my dog laid by my side chewing on a bit of old wood writing a blog post and i am so happy! Obviously i can't be jobless for long and i am actively looking for work, hopefully something part time so i can pursue my goal of becoming a holistic massage therapist. The message i wanted to get across to anyone who is reading is that if you are unhappy with something in your life then change it, work on improving it or just completely get rid of it because whatever it is is not worth taking your happiness away!  

   Don't worry, Don't hurry and 

smell the flowers along the way!

25 Questions: Facts about me!

25 Questions | Facts about me

What's your middle name?: Ellis, after my dad's old best friend (yes i'm named after a man, you can laugh.. haha)

What was your favourite subject at school?: Art was definitely one of my favourites and english, i've always loved reading!

What is your favourite drink?: I am a green tea lover but if i was to pick a cold (not so healthy) drink it would be Ribena for sure 

What is your favourite song at the moment?: Probably Wiz Khalifa - See You Again ft. Charlie Puth ( comment if you also cried in this film )': ) 

What is your favourite food?: I absolutely love advocado's and could live off them without a doubt but if i had to choose something unhealthy it would be pizza with no hesitation mmm..

What is the last thing you brought?: The last thing i brought was a cheese toastie at the airport.. fascinating huh? :D 

Favourite film of all time?: I am a huge horror film fanatic but I'm also a secret Lord of The Rings fan (don't judge me)

Favourite colour?: PURPLE!

Do you have any pets?: I have a little hamster called Bernard who spends most of his time sleeping and a black labrador called baxter, i will probably do a post about him soon:)

Favourite perfume?: Prada Milano

Favourite Holiday?: Would have to be my most recent which is Dubai, check out my post on it (especially if you're sitting wrapped up in a blanket freezing.. mwuhaha (; )

Are you married?: Nope but i hope i one day am! 

Have you ever been out of the country, if so how many times?: Yes, i would try and count but i don't have a clue!

Do you speak any other languages?: unfortunately not :( maybe one day i will learn!

How many siblings do you have?: I have an older brother name Lewis :)

What is your favourite shop?: at the moment my favourite shop is Urban Outfitters.

Favourite restaurant?: A local Italian near me called Padrinos!

When was the last time you cried?: when i saw the film 'The longest ride' (i'm a massive wet flannel when it comes to films)

Favourite Blog?: would have to be Niomi Smart 

Favourite TV Show?: Currently it is Orphan Black on Netflix, highly addictive!

PC or Mac?: Always been Mac.

What phone do you have?: white iPhone 5s

How tall are you?: 5ft 8"

How much do you weigh?: 119lbs 

Can you cook?: yes, i love cooking! i am coeliac so cooking my own gluten free foods is a big part of my life :) 

If you're still reading at this point i hope you feel like you know me a little better, thank you for popping by

the most surreal week

The most surreal week | Dubai

  So, where do i even start!? i have just come back from the most amazing 9 days in one of the most surreal countries i have ever had the pleasure to visit. Me and my boyfriend (Matt) were kindly given the opportunity to visit Dubai for 9 days, we stayed at the Al Murooj Rotana which cannot be faulted the staff were all so lovely and friendly, our room was wonderful and we had housekeeping come in about 3 times daily to tidy and clean, they even folded our clothes.. i felt quite embarrassed to have gone out on the first day leaving the room like a teenagers bedroom to come back and find they had tidied up after us haha! 

One of my favourite things about our hotel was the fact that the worlds largest shopping mall was about 3 minutes across the road (HEAVEN!) which was home to an aquarium, ice rink, indoor theme park, and 1300 shops including the likes of Gucci, Prada, Cartier, Jimmy Choo, Versace, Louboutin, Sephora and oh so many more, a shopaholics dream! 

The only regret i have is that i didn't take just a half empty suitcase so that i could fill it up with new purchases! i quite literally had to sit on my suitcase to close it on the way home.. i'm sure we've all been there at some point in our lives haha

Overall our week away was SO lovely, i am currently suffering major holiday blues! I hope you enjoyed flicking through some of the photos, let me know in the comments if any of you have ever been here!