The Video | First Impressions #1

Another day, another video! Today is the first, First Impressions post I've every done and I actually really enjoyed doing it. I have a habit of posting a few too soon and then changing my mind the more I use it so this way it will stop me making the same mistake! Click here to watch and don't forget to subscribe!

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amie, bayliss and harding, espa, first impressions, kiehls, lip stick, Origins, ponds, skin care, topshop, video

The Top 5 | Space NK Wishlist

I have become a little bit obsessed with Space NK lately, the fact that my new office has one literally a one minute walk away from it probably has something to do with it. I've snapped up a rewards card and whoops - made my first visit this week. I thought, to help get it out of my system a little, I would do a wishlist of my top five products... Sure, that will make me not want to spend money - naaaaaht!

#1 DIPTYQUE FEUILLE DE LAVANDE SCENTED CANDLE
I really didn't get the whole hype around Diptyque candles - why would you pay £40 for a candle?! Isn't it basically burning money? That was before I went and sniffed and fell head over heels, totally in love with this particular scent. Our garden is full of english and french lavender (my mum is a little obsessed) and that scent is just home for me. I have a feeling this will make an appearance when I move out and get a little homesick...

#2 KIEHLS CREAMY EYE TREATMENT WITH AVOCADO
Since commuting two hours in, two hours out every day I have a feeling it's taking its toll on my eyes (and my sleep pattern). Since trying my first Kiehl's product recently I'm desperate to try more from the brand and this is definitely number one on my Kiehl's wishlist. It comes highly recommended through the blogging community and I can't wait to get my mits on it... When I can justify the price.

#3 NARS VELVET MATTE LIP PENCIL
I really do love a good lip crayon and this one comes highly recommened from Suzie at Hello October - in particular in the colour Red Square. A beautiful classic red lip that stays put all day? Erm, yes please! Easy application, tick, long lasting, tick, beautiful colour, tick! Well, what is there left to say? There are many any amazing colours and I love the idea of a velvet matte finish. Matte always lasts longer but velvet makes it a little softer. Yay.

#4 KIEHLS SKIN RESCUER
Another Kiehl's beauty and blogger favourite. My skin is all over the place at the moment, it's usual oiliness is getting mixed up with dehydrating trains and underground, factor is exhausting and boom - confused skin. This little pot is pretty much guarenteed to sort it out according to multiple sources and I really really want to give it a go. I am giving some other new skincare bits a go at the moment so this has to take a back seat... At least for a couple of weeks anyway.

#5 BY TERRY OMBRE BLACKSTAR
If you don't know about this then where on earth have you been? The shadow sticks of the moment, pricey yes, but apparently absolutely worth it. I'm currently coveting Bronze Moon or Misty Rock. I have seen No7 do some good dupes so I may give them a go first as £28 each is a lot of one eyeshadow. But I cannot deny the beauty of these, the packaging, the branding, just pure beauty.

What's on your Space NK wishlist?

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The Life Post | My First Tattoo

So, just over two weeks ago I went, bit the bullet and got my first tattoo. Eek! I've wanted one for years and I finally got up the courage to go and get it done. Before I start I just want to say I know there are some people who just don't get the point of tattoos, don't like them and completely against them (my boyf being one of them) and I respect their opinions - however I ask that they respect mine but not leaving negative comments etc about it. Thanks!

Basically I just wanted to talk about my experience getting my first one and the healing process etc. I will just say it's not completely healed - still a little dry skin around it - but it is getting there. I had loads of "oh my gosh is that normal" moments and luckily I had people I could ask which was incredibly helpful so... let's go!

Why I wanted one...

Originally I wanted to get one when I left uni as a symbolic gesture, however I went to Australia just after and you can't get it wet, soaked or in direct sunlight for a while so it just wasn't a good time. Then it was just never a good time. Not only that but I had voices in my ears telling me it was a bad idea and there wasn't a point in getting one. The past month has been one big massive change in terms of job and lifestyle so it finally seemed like the right time to go and get one. 

Design choice...

This was quite easy. For me I always wanted a butterfly - i love them. I have them dotted all around my room, wardrobe, just life in general so it was a no brainer. CHoosing the butterfly was a bit tougher. I wanted something simple but pretty. Thank god for google is all I'm saying. I fell in love with mine as soon as I found it and I absolutely love it.

Choosing where to go...

I was very lucky and went with someone who had had a couple before. She did all the legwork in finding somewhere as she wanted me to be comfortable where I was and who was doing it. She found this fab place local to us with great reviews. Make sure you look at customer reviews as they will tell you everything you need to know.

The deed being done...

To say I was nervous was a bit of an understatement. Before I went I picked up some chocolate for afterwards and a bottle of full fat coke for the duration. The guy who did it was amazing, he put me at ease really quickly, joking around and just being super nice. He took my design and traced it, popping it at a smaller size as I asked and then transferred the design onto me. Next came the needle part... When I saw the needle being put together I got very "ARGH!" in my head. Luckily the woman I went with told me to concentrate on her and made me talk to her the entire time. The first few minutes were a bit painful but honestly not as bad as I thought it would be - it was like a cat scratching you. My friend talked to me the entire time, distracting me which was a complete blessing. I would definitely recommend going with someone else to distract you. 

The aftermath...

Afterwards I was wrapped in clingfilm, given care instructions and sent on my way - a very happy girl! I loved it and couldn't wait to show it off. An hour after it's done you need to take the clingfilm off, clean and rewrap. There was a bit of blood, of course, but just be careful. I kept mine wrapped all the first day and all through the night. When I woke the next morning there was ink all over my ankle - scary! Totally normal though. Over the next few days pop some Bepanthem nappy cream on around twice a day. Just be warned - the itching - oh my god. It's worse with clothing over it, I was lucky it was on the ankle so I could leave it uncovered - but when it was covered, itchy itchy unbareable itchy! Showerwise - I was a bit worried around this, however as long as you don't scrub it, or rub it dry you are fine. 

Like I said - it's not completely healed yet, but it is getting there. Everyone heals differently so everyones experience will be different. Just remember that above everything else. Also, don't be influence by anyone else. I heard 100 reasons why I shouldn't have one from various people (mostly the boyf) but at the end of the day, get it for you, no one else. Choose the design yourself, choose the location yourself, do it for you.

I hope this has been of some help if you are thinking of getting one or just curious! Like I said, it's a personal choice. I completely respect those who don't want them or like them, that's your choice so I just hope you respect my decision to have one.

Do you have any tips for first time tattoo goers?

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The Comparison | Chubby Stick v Sexy Mother Pucker

So, I know there are countless versions of these crayon lip products around now - probably one for every brand out there now. However, when I think of them I always think of the Clinique Chubby Stick as being the game starter, the one I compare them all too. Although there are some lovely ones on the market (my favourites being Revlon and Bourjois's offerings) the closest I have found to the Chubby Stick is Soap & Glory's Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick. 

I've done a full review on the S&G offering here and the Chubby Stick here if you want to take a peek but I thought I would do a quick comparison for you here. 

I've found with a lot of the other sticks that are glossy the formula is quite thick and a little heavy in places, whereas the Chubby Stick and Sexy Mother Pucker have quite a thin formula so it's lovely and light and incredibly comfortable to wear. I would however say that Chubby Stick is a lot more balm like then the Sexy Mother Pucker. It's a lot more nourishing whereas the Sexy Mother Pucker is definitely more of a gloss. They give a very similar level of gloss - not too shiny and slippery, but not subtle either. They give them a healthy shine. 

Longevity wise I do have to hand it to the Chubby Stick - it lasts for a good couple of hours longer then the Sexy Mother Pucker, I think this is because of its more balm like qualities, it grips the lips a bit better than a gloss product usually does. In terms of pigmentation they are very similar, its a touch of sheer, buildable colour. More colour than a normal gloss, more of a tinted balm. 

Then we move onto price... Obviously the Clinique Chubby Stick is a bit more pricey, coming in at £17.00 whereas the Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker is at more then half the price at just £8. It's definitely more purse friendly and considering the products are so similar it's definitely more of a bargain. The only thing I would say though is that there is a much wider range of colours in terms of the Chubby Stick. Overall I'm torn! I do love the Sexy Mother Puckers, but the Chubby Stick just pips it to the post for longevity.

What's your favourite crayon lip product?

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The Video | Work Clothing Haul and Extras...

Over the past week or so I've managed to acquire some new bits and pieces through shopping - strange that?! Anywho, a lot of it is mostly to wear for work so I decided to call it a work haul... with a few extras! If you pop through to the video you can see all the links for everything I purchased and I will love it if you could subscribe. Click here to view and lemme know if there are any videos you'd like to see me do! Enjoy!

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The Life Post | Forest of Dean Day 4&5

Last lot of photos I promise - I don't want to bore you all!

Day 4

Our last full day at the site we decided to make the most of it. Dad went off on a bike ride, then he took me and Mum to a nearby stable where we got to go pony (cough) trekking. Not going to lie, I am petrified of horses so this was a big step for me and those were not ponies... full on bloody great big horses. I did really enjoy it though and it was nice to do something different with my Mum. After that we had a bit of lunch, then the dogs went for a walk about the site.

Si and Willow stayed at the cabin for some quality time while we headed up to Symonds Yat Rock. We went last year in the morning when everything was covered in mist so it was nice to actually see what was below the rock. It was gorgeous, hot and sunny - just beautiful. We then headed off for dinner at the Royal Lodge which was amazing. Lovely food!

Day 5

We were all zonked out and sad to leave. We packed all our bits and bobs and went out for one last lunch down at Symonds Yat east. Willow was ready to drive her and Si back to Cardiff! Was so sad to leave as it's beautiful scenery but it is always nice to come back home!

If you're thinking of somewhere to go to escape everything I would definitely recommend the Forest of Dean, take a look and just go! It's beautiful.

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The Life Post | Forest of Day Day 3

If you haven't seen all the pics from Day 2 (none really from Day 1) click here to see the post. This follows on from that so again be warned, a bit photo heavy...

Day 3 was definitely more of a chilled out day for me. While the dogs went for a walk Adam and I stayed behind to chill out and I went for a little explore around the site playing with my camera focus and taking pictures of the beautiful forest.

That evening we all went off to have a go at the "Family Fun Quiz" at the main club house - it was a lot of fun and we ended up 2nd, woop! We came third last year so next week we are aiming for number 1! When we got back we broke out the Jenga... Last year I managed to loose every single time - however this year I became... JENGA BITCH! Yup, I was the last one without knocking it over, woop! It made my night anyway... 

Come back tomorrow for the last installment from the FoD (I will stop bothering you with it then) and back on Friday with a new video!

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The How To | A Glowing Base

For someone who deals with oily skin on a regular basis I usually have to put up with either having an incredibly shiny face or a very matte face due to products I'm using to combat the oil. As much as I do like have a matte face I've always wanted to be able to achieve a nice glowy complexion - one that doesn't make me look oily or sweaty. I think I've finally found the perfect duo to do this.

It's a complete mix of higher end and drugstore (which I love) but they work together so beautifully to create such a nice glowy complexion and they are the perfect product for oilier skinned gals like myself. The Seventeen Skin Wow Primer is basically a highlighting primer, you can use it under your foundation, on top of it on your cheek bones to lighten or mix it with your foundation (clever little thing isn't it). I've used it all three of these way but the way I want to talk about today is mixing it with my foundation. I basically squeeze a little blob on this onto the back of my hand, then I squeeze a little blob of foundation - in this case the Benefit Hello Flawless foundation - on the back of my hand next to it. I then take my Real Techniques Buffing Brush, mix them together on the back of my hand (like a paint palette obvs) and the buff into my face. By the time I put it on my face I do usually have another primer already in place ready so this goes on top of my primer, in the middle of my base sandwich.

The effect I've found is that not only does my foundation stay in place longer thanks to it's priming properties, but it adds an extra healthy glow to my face that doesn't look horrible and shiny and oily - just plain healthy and lovely. Even when I complete my base sandwich by adding transluscent powder (not illuminating powder) I still have a lovely glow. I'm in love with this combo. The Benefit foundation is basically made with oily skin in mind so it's perfect at keeping the oil at bay whilst the Wow Primer is busy making me look like I've had multiple days of sleep. Beaut.

Just FYI, the other products I use in terms of primer and powder for this is currently Kiehls Micro Blur Skin Perfector (primer) and Collection Sheer Loose Powder. If you don't want to go for a more pricey foundation then the Revlon Nearly Naked foundation also works amazingly for this if you have oily skin like me.

How do you achieve your perfect glowing base?

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The Life Post | Forest of Dean Days 1&2

Last week me and the fam set off for the Forest of Dean for 5 days - we did this last year as well in February (see post here) and we loved it so much we went back. It was lovely this year as Adam could only go for three days last year whereas he was there for the whole week this time (yay!). I took so many pics I thought I'd break this out over three posts, this being the first! So be warned - these are a bit photo heavy!

Day One

There wasn't really any photos from this day as it was spent travelling up and really everyone just chilling. Me and Adam drove up in his car, my Mum and Dad took my little brother Will and Arthur up, and my big bro Simon went from Cardiff (where he lives) with his collie Willow. We literally got there, I become instantly obsessed with the Disney Princess Kinder Eggs and managed to get 3 Jasmines in my first 3 eggs... Then we settled into the cabin, watched Kick Ass 2 with pizza and drink. Good start!

Day Two

A lot more photos here... Dad, Si and Adam went for a bike ride first thing - rather them then me! Me and Mum stayed back watching TV and dog sitting the pooches. Then we all set off down to Symonds Yat for a walk along the river Wye (?) and then lunch at the Saracens Inn. The walk was so beautiful, I couldn't help but take a ridiculous amount of photos, and set the ole camera up for some group piccies (well, it is a family holiday after all...)

In the evening me and Adam got out some picture boards we'd made at home which we all played, then whilst the boys went in the hot tub we chilled playing with the dogs. 

The day was obviously too much for Dad as he finished it by snoozing on the sofa... Bless!

Check back on Wednesday for day 3 - more photos so I hope you like it!

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The Video | Top Spring Make Up

New video is up and on my channel! Taking a look at my Spring Make Up Products - I love how fresh and clean my make up gets in Spring so I wanted to share my favourite pieces with you. Please excuse the weird photo bit at the beginning - not entierly sure what happened there opps! I would love it if you subscribed, if you love the blog please do so. Also please let me know what videos you'd like to see me do! 

You can watch my video here!

What's your Spring Make Up?

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The Mani | Rimmel Breakfast in Bed

RIMMEL 60 SECONDS RITA ORA NAIL POLISH IN BREAKFAST IN BED

Oh my, let's just all sigh at the prettiness of this shade. IT'S SO PRETTYYYYYYY. Moving on... I picked this up on a total whim in my local Sainsbury's where I was supposed to be buying food for our trip to the Forest of Dean... Whoops. It was something like £2 reduced so I couldn't not - it just called to me.

So, Rita Ora has done a little collection for Rimmel which includes nails and lip crayons - this is my first from either collection and I am super impressed by the range of colours. The names are incredibly sexual (Orgasm, Blindfold Me Blue, Lose Your Lingerie etc) so they don't really have anything to do with the colours. I did have a bit of a chat with the guy doing my tattoo about the name of this I must admit. Anywho... I was so impressed by the quality of this polish. I've not used any of their 60 second stuff before so I'm so mad at myself cause I've been missing out big time. It's a big thick brush and the solution is really nice and thick so you get amazing colour with just one coat. I applied a second literally just for continiuity sake, and just to make sure it was all even but to be honest you really don't need to.

Longevity wise this has lasted a good four days without chipping yet so I'm super impressed. For just under £4 usually this is a seriously good quality little polish and I will definitely be picking up some more shades from this range. 

Which colour would you pick from this range?

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The Outfit Post | The Red Tartan Pencil

Yes, I am aware that I look slightly pregnant in the top pics - I am not! Just a little bloated obviously..! Anywho, let's move onto the simplicity yet beauty of this outfit. I absolutely love it. A simple pencil skirt is perfect for me as it's comfy, long and (most of the time) incredibly flattering for my curvier figure. I've kept it really simple here styled with a plain black vest and this gorgeous kimono from New Look which just adds a little something extra with the crochet. 

Now let us swoon over this necklace. It's incredible and I haven't stopped wearing it since it landed on my doorstep. I love statement necklaces at the moment but this has to be up there with my ultimate faves - the colours go with everything and ah, just beaut! 

This was also my little tatts first outing so its quite nice for me to see how it looks all styled up nicely - check out the ankle and meet my beaut little flutterby!

Items worn:

heels: new look | skirt: topshop | kimono: new look | vest: primark | necklace, earrings and bracelet: rings and tings

How would you style this skirt?

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fashion, new look, outfit, rings and tings, topshop