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| 125ml - £1 in Boots Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water |
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| Holland & Barrets - £2.99 Manuka Doctor Blemish Cream |
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| Waterstons - £7.99 Devil Wears Prada - Lauren Weisberger |
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| Ann Summers - Bra £22 / Underwear £10 Montana Underwear set |
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| itunes Send My Love - Adele |
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| shout out to Benjy for letting me use his Netflix House M.D |
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| Waterstones - £7.99 Pretty Girls - Karen Slaughter |
What have you been loving in July? x
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| makeup bag - Ted Baker I was gifted the bag for christmas so price unknown |
Now that I finally have my laptop back I can finally write a proper post without having to go back every 3 words to correct a spelling mistake. I love watching makeup collections on youtube and whilst I have gathered quite the collection, I keep it down to my must-haves for travelling and topping up throughout the day. My collection in this post is more my everyday makeup collection, if I was to be going out I wouldn't necessarily bring everything in this post.
First of is my brushes;
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| FROM LEFT TO RIGHT; Beau Belle fan , Real Techniques 100 Arched Powder, Real Techniques Powder Brush, Sephora Airbrush Crease, Sephora Airbrush Shadow, Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge & Primark mini blending sponges.
One thing I am yet to understand is the appeal of the beauty blender - the real techniques one to me is perfection. It helps me apply my foundation evenly and is great for helping keep concealer in place. Whilst the majority of my brushes are either Real Techniques or Sephora, if you are just getting into makeup or don't want to spend a lot of money on brushes all at once I would definitely recommend the Beau Belle which you can buy on Amazon, here. With you being able to purchase sets of 24 brushes, it can be handy for figuring out what style of brushes you want to purchase before moving onto a more expensive brand.
Having only just started using Urban Decay foundation, I'm still getting to grips with it as I sometimes find myself having to build it up a bit more than I would like. After blending the foundation on, I use my holy grail Wake Me Up concealer on my blemishes before placing my NYX one underneath my eyes - using my mini blenders from Primark to avoid any creases. As much as I love trying new makeup items, I always find myself going back to my trusted MAC studio fix to help control my combination skin. It does give good enough coverage that if I am feeling confident enough about my skin that I can just use the powder and concealer on my own and I'm good to go.
Upon first trying out this blush I have fallen in love and I would like every single shade of it please, thank you. The pigmentation is amazing, it is long lasting, it blends beautifully and despite initially being disappointed with how little there was in the bottle, a lot goes a long way. As soon as I have the chance whilst in Singapore, I am hitting up a Sephora to grab some more of these beauties. Another Sephora goodie is the bronzer, a deep natural looking bronzer with just enough shimmer to make me look like I live somewhere a lot more exotic than Scotland. Since I do like to make it look as though I am reasonably tanned, I do prefer BECCA'S Opal over Champagne Pop, this might change as the year goes on and I get paler but for now I am loving the more golden peach tone of Opal.
One of my issues is that I feel bald if I don't wear eyeliner and yet I am absolutely crap at applying it, however Supercat is super easy to use with its felt tip nib. My Stila palette comes with such diverse shades it is perfect for travelling with especially if you're planning on lots of different eye makeup looks. My old holy grail mascara used to be They're Real by Benefit however I found it an absolute nightmare to remove at the end of the day. Seeing as my eyes are particularly sensitive, I needed something a lot easier to remove and thankfully Roller Lash provides the same volume and curl that They're Real did but with non of the stubborness.
Leave me a comment with your favourite everyday makeup item x
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I will put my hands up now and say I am extremely lucky to have been to so many amazing places. Due to my dad's job I ever spent a portion of my childhood living in Texas, USA. One of my favorite things to do is to look back on old photos and reminisce about some of my favorite holidays. With one holiday down already this year, I am already counting down until I head off to Spain at the end of August, before heading back to Scotland for a brief 2 weeks and then I'm back off to Singapore.
1. Bintan, Indonesia
A gorgeous little island located just an hours ferry from Singapore, I've been fortunate enough to visit here twice in the past couple of years.
The first time we visited we stayed at a little hotel that was located right on the beach front, where we were able to eat our meals whilst being graced with the choice between a beautiful ornate pool or the beach itself.
Seeing as we all loved Bintan so much, we ended up going back the following year - this time renting a villa complete with butler service and our own golf buggy to drive around the 'village'. The infinity pool at the villa overlooked the beach and it was yet another weekend spent just relaxing in one of my favorite little places.
2. Paris, France
The idea of going to Paris had always thrilled me and so with my standard grade French skills at hand off we went - and I fell in love instantly. Paris has always been somewhere that I would love to back to however Benjy isn't so keen. The culture, art and mainly food quickly caputered my heart and what girl with a penchant for chick flicks doesn't have her mind set on at least one romantic moment occurring by the Eiffel Tower? We also stayed in a hotel right on the Champs-Élysées meaning we were right in the city center and the hustle and bustle of it all. We did go a couple of years back so unfortunately the pictures are rather grainy and don't fully capture the beauty of the city but alas they will have to do.
3. New York, USA
I have both fond and sad memories of my trip to New York - the sad being we were there when Cory Monteith passed away and so my glee fan girl brain unfortunately always associates this holiday with that moment. However, it was New York where I discovered and fell in love with my favorite musical, Once, which I was lucky enough to catch on Broadway during Arthur Darvill's run. Phenomenal. To say that I am a city girl would be an understatement as yet again I thrived off the constant chaos that seems to encapsulate New York (also the shopping is insane). As I had not yet watched Gossip Girl before going on my trip I feel I'll probably have to go back some day even if I am a 38 year old woman sitting on the MET steps.
4. Rome, Italy
As I've already done a blog post all about my trip to Rome (which I will link) I probably don't have to explain why I love the city so much. The history and architecture was breathtaking, the food was insane and I would go back in an instant. this blog post here
5. London, United Kingdom
It has been a tradition over the years to go for a weekend in London just after Christmas - a tradition Benj and I stole last year. Whilst I'm not a diehard musical fan, I love going to see shows and over the years I've been lucky enough to see ones such as; Matilda, Phantom of the Opera, Shrek, Book of Mormon and yet again Once. Whilst I love all the other places I have visited, London is the one that has a special place in my heart. Maybe I might even end up living there once I've finished my degree, due to (hopefully) my line of work having more opperutnities im big cities.
X
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| my first attempt at a flat lay
I am naturally a very nosy person (I get it from my mum) and so one of my personal favourite blogs/videos are ones revolving around what is in peoples bags. Starting off with the main item - the bag. Since I am currently commuting back and forth to Edinburgh just now for work, this little bag pack is great for just shoving food and all my day to day rubbish in. If you ever see me when I'm not in my work uniform then there is a pretty big chance that I will be wearing either navy or stripes - sometimes both if I'm feeling very nautical that day.
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| A primark special costing a whole £10 |
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| Bought in the boxing day sales for about £67 |
One of the major downsides of the purse is the lack of space for coins, which means the bottom of my bag is often littered with random 5p's that the ticket machine at Waverley seem to enjoy giving me my change in. However the limited amount of card holders helps me limit the amount of times I will agree to sign up for store cards so it is kind of a win - win situation.
One of my current reads
Always a bit of a bookworm, there is nothing I love more than a good crime thriller/mystery. Since I'm travelling back and forward to work I always have a book ready to read in an attempt to save my phones pathetic battery.
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| that posed photo though |
Another key item in my life is my 16-25 railcard without which I would be a lot poorer. Free with a student Santander account, I managed to get a £25 train ticket down to London at christmas. Lifesaver.
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| purchased from Scribbler |
One thing I've inherited from my mum is her way of constantly having a notebook in her bag. Whether it's to do lists, shopping lists or just random scribbles this little notebook is perfect for just popping in my bag.
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| pretty self explanatory |
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| Topshop - £14 |
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| Body shop - £8.50 |
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| Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lipstick in 'Seduction' - £8.99 |
Working 6 hours + means I need a lipstick that will stay on for at least the duration of my shift, and this lipstick has became a holy grail in my makeup bag. Without drying out your lips, the lipstick provides a soft matte finish that doesn't rub within 5 minutes. The shade 'seduction' is also a great everyday nude which goes with pretty much any makeup look you're going for.
Also not pictured but kicking about in my bag; £1.71 in loose change, 9 receipts and an empty Starbuck's bag.
x
Top tips for shopping in Ann Summers
Following the success of Tupperware parties, Ann Summers rose to popularity (with the help of Sex and the City's Charlotte famously using her rabbit - a toy many customers still reference to). Embracing female sexual empowerment, many still find the store to be embarrassing highlighting the stigmatism still present in the 21st Century against both feminism and sex.
A lot of friends or people I speak to ask "isn't it embarrassing working there?" and honestly it's only embarrassing if people choose to make it so. Whether you are a loyal customer or a newbie, here is some handy tips for if you wish to wander on in.
A lot of friends or people I speak to ask "isn't it embarrassing working there?" and honestly it's only embarrassing if people choose to make it so. Whether you are a loyal customer or a newbie, here is some handy tips for if you wish to wander on in.
- Don't make any assumptions - One thing that anybody working in customer service quickly realises is that people can just be down right rude. Working in a shop that sells lingerie and sex toys often results in a lot of people believing its okay to make judgments, and this has left us all being called names from "slut", "easy" and, my personal favourite that was yelled into our shop door, "stripper c*nts".
- Please don't be shy to ask us any questions - Honestly, it helps our shift pass quicker and its what we are employed to do. It doesn't matter if you want us to help you find a bra size, explain the benefits of a toy to you, or even just point you in the direction of the fitting rooms - we will happily help you. Obviously, we've been subjected to the creepy men that think its okay to cross the boundaries between professional and personal questions, but more times than not we are happy to spend those extra couple of minutes explaining things in more detail (particularly if we can tell the customer is nervous).
- Don't treat the shop like your personal sex parlour - Its all well and good bringing along your partner to get their opinions, but if we are having to stop you going for a quickie in the changing rooms or interrupting your grinding to ask if you want a carrier bag, you will quickly become a work tale that we pass around our friends.
- Buy what you want, we honestly won't judge you - Applying across pretty much every retail job, the chances of us actually remembering what you bought 5 minutes later is very slim. Whilst we may spend a good 15 minutes talking with you, once you've left the shop we probably won't remember if you bought a plain white bra or an intro to bondage kit - and honestly we don't care. Of course if you're a 5'4 women buying a 38G bra we will occasionally marvel at your ability to remain upright, but later on that night you are a distant memory to us. Sorry x
- If you have time then take us up on our free bra fitting - It is free, takes 5 minutes and we get to escape off the shop floor for a while. It is honestly baffling seeing the women coming in with highly ill-fitting bras- one woman having to come in after her doctor spotted her bra being the main contributor to her crippling back pain. Also, a properly fitting bra equals better looking boobs and what is the point on spending money on bras if they aren't going to do their job?
However failing all this we do a delivery service to your home which, contrary to somewhat popular belief, doesn't arrive with ANN SUMMERS SEX TOY splashed across the box X
Rigevidon
Since starting puberty my skin, to be blunt, has been bloody horrific. No matter how much water I drank, how healthy I ate and how many different facial washes I tried nothing would budge the painful red lumps that would cover my body. With the doctors putting me on various different skin treatments including both oral medications and topical creams, I was eventually referred to the hospital where I was given my options - going on the pill or starting a treatment referred to as Roaccutane. Having to sign a waiver to go onto Roaccutane as well as the monthly hospital visits were big enough reasons for me to go on the pill and I've never looked back.
Recently contraceptive pill Rigevidon has came under critical view due to an online petition discriminating against it due to the increased risk of blood clots.
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| the online petition which currently has 7,785 supporters |
With side effects ranging from migraines, mood swings and nausea, a main problem with the pill is finding one that suits your body and your needs. Whilst one brand of pill might have cleared your acne in a matter of months, it might not be the one to help your friend manage her crippling period pains.
One of the benefits of the NHS is having the freedom to try different medications to discover what works with you - both mentally and physically. With this petition, it is taking away the chance for females to have the option of using a pill that agrees and caters to their needs. Whilst many people will argue that they have only heard horror stories with Rigevidon it begs to differ that many of the success stories aren't published. As modern medicine develops a larger range of contraception is becoming more readily available - whether its in the form of the pill, condoms, the coil, the implant or even the monthly injection. By sitting down and discussing both family history and what you are aiming to get out of your chosen method, the doctor will be able to advise you on a method suitable for your body, with side effects being a given for every method. If we were to eliminate every brand of pill that has resulted in blood clots for people, then the price of condoms, painkillers, and spot cream will sure as hell be increasing.
Obviously, you chose to sign what you want to sign, but before you do just take a moment to think if your feelings are that strongly against Rigevidon that you want to stop the estimated 2.5 million women in the UK receiving the hormones and treatment that they chose to take.
Rome 2016
Rather than annoying my Facebook friends with my persistent posting of holiday pictures, I decided the best way to avoid losing any friends was to get all my ramblings out on one single blog post.
Ever the thoughtful person, I booked the flight to Rome at 6am two days after my boyfriend finished his college for the year - this resulted in one sleep deprived/hungover boyfriend in tow for the 4am taxi ride.
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| waiting at the airport for our flight |
Whilst we were immediately blown away by the beauty of Italy, we also feared for our lives after seeing 2 accidents within the first 20 minutes of being in the city centre. A top tip for travelling with your partner of the first time is 100% to make sure that neither of you have the opportunity to get hangry.
First Stop - Colosseo/ 'the Colosseum'
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| the first taste of Italian pizza |
The largest amphitheatre ever to be built, the Colosseum was once used to host gladiatorial battles and executions. Nowadays however, the building now plays host to thousands of tourists a day and a handful of sunburnt men yelling 'ice cold water' and convincing tourists to spend 2 euros on a 50 cent bottle of water. I would recommend pre-booking tickets to help skip the bulk of the queue however it does move quite quickly should you find yourselves making up your route as you go along.
Second stop - The Roman Forums
One of the places I wasn't too fussed about seeing before we went, the entry was included in our colosseum ticket so we thought why the hell not. We then ended up getting lost inside for almost an hour and a half. When your boyfriend is convinced that "this way is the definitely the way to the exit" for the fourth time, the best thing to do is to just shut up and pick your battles. Whilst the grounds were stunning, if you are planning on being there for a while it is probably best to bring some snacks.
Third Stop - Fontana Di
Trevi / 'The Trevi Fountain'
The place. The magical place. The place where Lizzie McGuire met Palo all those years ago. After bugging Benj to go there straight away, we finally made it our last stop of the first day. Hidden away behind side streets, you are immediately hit by the fountain the second you walk round a corner and straight away the sheer beauty of the fountain almost blinds you. One of the most famous fountains in the world it felt indescribable to just sit by the fountain and take in the surroundings. Upon a recommendation from a friend, we visited the gelato shop right beside the fountain and were treated to gelato so good we revisited the shop the next day.
Second Day
The next day was spent visiting an island that features in Assassin's Creed (Benj's choice), and other landmarks that were a bit further down on our priority list. Despite neither of us being religious we still decided to take a visit to the Vatican, with a pit stop at Castel Sant'Angelo.
Despite initially throwing a slight strop about walking to the island, once we were there and I was fed an ice cream I did start the see the appeal of the place. A gorgeous little hideaway from the bustle of the city, there were less crowds to fight through and less of a worry of pickpockets or getting ran over by a rouge taxi driver.
Finishing off the day with a bus round the centre of Rome, it was nice just sitting back and watching the sunset with my favourite person. My top 3 tips for travelling with your partner (particularly one as hyper as Benjy) is; Always have food/water ready to prevent grumpiness, pick your battles, and make them carry your bag when its too warm
Ciao x
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