Things to do when you're having a bad day

We all have bad days. Some more than others, but everyone has them. Those days where even dropping something on the floor will have you bursting into tears. I've had my fair share of bad days, and obviously they don't last very long but I've come up with a list of things that will help you feel like it's not so bad after all. 

1. Have a good old cry. I've found that crying will make me feel better, maybe even watch a sad film to set you off. It helps, trust me.

2. Eat all of the chocolate. Chocolate is actually scientifically proven to lift your mood, just don't think about the calories.

3. Nap if you can, I'm always napping and it makes me feel better and less stressed.

4. Have a long hot bubble bath with your favourite Lush bath bomb. You'll feel like a sparkly princess who can take on the world!

5. Cuddle your partner, you know they give the best hugs so why not make the most of it!

6. If you can't cuddle your partner/don't have one, cuddle your pet, apparently stroking your dog is likely to relieve stress and anxiety, and it makes the dog happy too.

7. Curl up on the sofa with the duvet and a nice hot chocolate, get snuggled up and enjoy the warmth.

8. Listen to some of your favourite music, I have a habit of screaming along to power ballads to let some of my emotions out and it works perfectly!

9. Rant on Twitter, because usually everyone on Twitter will give you a boost and make you feel loads better. Especially bloggers, because they're the nicest people ever!

10. Paint your nails. I love just sitting down and painting my nails, I find it so therapeutic.

 If you’re having a bad day, just remember this feeling isn't permanent and you'll get through this! Now go cuddle your dog, get a cup of tea and watch videos of cats doing stupid things 'cause you got this!

Glossybox July 2017

Hey everyone, I thought it might be easy to get back into the swing of blogging with an unboxing of this month's Glossybox. This month's box is Summer themed, to get everyone ready for the hot weather and holiday season. 

The first item in this month's box is a couple of spiral hair bands from the brand Papanga. I've never heard of this brand before but I have tried hair bands like these in the past. They're designed to keep your hair in place without breaking your hair. I've found that these hair bands work wonders for me since I use a lot of heat treatment on my hair quite often. They keep my hair exactly where I want it but don't pull and give me a headache. 

The next product is one that I'm super excited about, the A10 small fan brush from Spectrum Collections. I've been eyeing this brush up for a while and when it was announced for this month's box, I was over the moon. Fan brushes are perfect for applying highlighter, giving you an amazing glow!  The super soft bristles are synthetic which means it's cruelty-free (another bonus) I can't wait to use this brush and have a gorgeous glowing face!

Up next is a product that is absolutely adorable, a lip and cheek tinted balm shaped like a macaroon. It's scented with crushed berry and smells amazing. This balm is perfect for throwing into your handbag when you're in a hurry. It leaves a nice sheer finish that is perfect for the summer months! I've never used a cheek tint like this before but I will definitely be trying this out!

The next product is one I will definitely be getting a lot of use out of this summer and it is a soothing after sun lotion. I have quite sensitive skin so even 10 minutes in the sun will make me go a red as a tomato, so having after sun is very important. This lotion is infused with aloe vera and shea butter so not only is it great for your skin, it smells amazing too!

Last but not least is a banana setting powder from Bella Pierre Cosmetics. Banana powder was all the rage a few months ago as the perfect under-eye product. I'd say my skin is quite pale so usually banana powder is a little too yellow for me, and I just look a little bit daft so I probably won't be using this product. 

Overall I'm very happy with the products I received in this month's Glossybox. I'll definitely get lots of use out of the after sun lotion and the small fan brush. I can't wait to see what's in August's box!

Life Update: Where I've Been

Over the past month, I've definitely been a bit MIA from both my blog and all my social media. I don't want to be that person that tries to make excuses for themselves and I'm disappointed in myself that I've been away for so long. 

I don't have a specific reason of why I've not been blogging. I haven't been on holiday, I haven't been ill (except one day last week) I got stuck in a rut, with writers block being a massive problem for me. I tried everything I could to find inspiration for new posts, I tried changing up my desk area and clearing it out but nothing seemed to work.

Blogging has never been about the numbers or followers to me, but it was nice to see that people were reading what I was writing and actually liked my blog. I was so proud of how well my little blog was doing, and of course I had a long way to go to compete with the big names in the blogosphere, but I was happy with how well my blog was doing and it was something I enjoyed doing. 

I put a lot of pressure on myself to stick to a Monday/Thursday upload schedule, being very strict on myself with what posts to upload on certain days. There's obviously nothing wrong with having a schedule or a blog post planner and it was working for me to start with but then something went wrong and I just ended up forcing content, repeating the same kind of posts over and over. I've only been blogging since October of last year so I probably don't have any rights to be complaining about writers block or the struggles it comes with in such a short amount of time but it definitely affected me.

When I noticed I was struggling with my content, instead of announcing a break or just changing things up a bit, I dropped off the radar. There's so many bloggers out there who are absolutely killing it right now and I take my hat off to each and every one of you, you're doing a great job! I really wish I could be one of those people who is super organised with posts planned a month ahead, but I'm not. 

I really liked the schedule and structure I had with my blog but it was really getting me down, to the point where I thought about just stopping altogether. I've decided instead of sticking to a schedule that quite clearly wasn't working for me, I'm just going to write and upload whenever I feel like it. 

So from now on, you'll hear from me when I have something (half) decent to write about, but I won't restrict myself to certain days or a specific schedule.

Thanks for reading

Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette Review

For the past few weeks social media has been flooded with beauty bloggers and YouTubers talking about Urban Decay's new release; the Naked Heat eyeshadow palette. They did a reveal recently of the shade names and announced that they'd be doing a one day only flash sale of the palette before the general release later this month. I managed to get my hands on the palette (I'm not sure how) and I'm going to be reviewing it for you today!

The packaging is amazing, the box is basically just a really big matchbox, obviously tying in with the 'heat' theme of the palette. I did notice that the edges of the box weren't glued together like you'd expect, they just sort of folded over and one corner isn't really aligned right so it sticks out a little. I can't really complain though as the packaging itself is great never mind anything else!

Onto the palette itself, it's a hard plastic case with a 3D effect on the front which I think is supposed to be similar to the sun coming through a blind on a hot day *correct me if I'm wrong* Compared to the Naked 2 and 3, this palette is roughly the same size but is a little bit thicker, which makes sense with the 3D effect on the front. 

Inside the palette are 12 of the most gorgeous shades I've ever laid eyes on, I've always been a big fan of warm tones so this palette is perfect for me! There are 7 matte and 5 shimmer shades included in this palette and all of them have amazing colour payoff. I did a couple of swipes of each shadow when swatching them and they look gorgeous, especially the shimmer shades! 

The shadows have such a nice formula too, very creamy and glide onto the skin so easily! You hardly need any product to get a good opaque colour on the eye. I've used this palette a couple of times and I'm so impressed with the shadows, I had a bit of an issue with the Naked 2 with the shadows having a lot of fall out but the shadows in the Naked Heat have hardly any at all! 

I can already tell this is going to be my new favourite palette, especially now Summer is in full swing! If you're a fan of warm shadows then I'd definitely recommend you buy this palette. I think it's available to buy online from June 30th but I could be wrong *sorry if I am*

The £3 MAC Lipstick Dupe You Need

After recently having a little clear out of my makeup, I stumbled across a lipstick I bought a few months ago and seemingly forgot about (oops)

Makeup Revolution brought out a range of rose gold lippies a while ago in *I think* 5 shades, I picked up the shade Chauffeur just for the packaging, not really expecting anything of it since it was only £3. On closer inspection and a million swatches later, I realised how similar the shade was to a couple of MAC lipsticks I own.

The packaging itself does look very alike, besides the rose gold which I absolutely love! The MUR lipstick does feel 'cheap' but that's expected for the price, but it looks beautiful on any vanity/dressing table. I definitely think MUR have opened a lot of doors for bloggers who might be on a budget and can't afford to be spending £15 a pop on a lipstick. 

Chauffeur is such a wearable shade, perfect for everyday and suits most skin tones. The formula is described as being a high-gloss but I'd say it's more of a matte finish. I've compared it to MAC's Half n Half which is an amplified finish, and MAC's Velvet Teddy which has a matte finish. I'd definitely say MUR Chauffeur has a finish that sits in the middle of these two lipsticks, it isn't too glossy or matte so is perfect for everyday use!

To anyone blogging on a budget, I'd definitely recommend this lipstick. It has great staying power and while it swatches with quite a sheer finish, it is buildable so it's easy to achieve your desired look. It's an amazing lipstick that rivals the high-end brands and is only £3!!

The British Tag

Hey everyone, I hope you're all well! I'm not going to lie, I've hit a bit of a writers block so had a search on the good old internet and found The British Tag. I love doing these types of posts, and thought it would be a quick and easy way to see how British I really am.

How many cups of tea do you drink per day // how many sugars?

I don't drink tea very often, in fact I don't really like hot drinks at all.. You're more likely to see me drinking a hot chocolate than a tea or coffee. When I do have a tea, I'll usually have either 2/3 sugars because I have such a sweet tooth.

Favourite part of a roast?

It has to be the meat, or the stuffing If we're talking Christmas dinner then 100% pigs in blankets!! I actually fought with my brother a few years ago over the last one!

Favourite dunking biscuit?

Definitely a rich tea biscuit. They're the best for soaking up the tea!

Favourite quintessentially British past time?

It's not necessarily a British pastime but I love reading books!

What is your favourite word?

Incredible.

What is your favourite sweet?

Ummm, I'd have to say Haribo or those little cherry lips you used to get in a pick n mix that kinda tasted like soap but you ate them anyway!

What would your pub be called?

The Chinwag

Who is your number one British person?

The Queen, I think she's adorable! Princes William and Harry are close behind!

Favourite shop or restaurant?

While I know it's not British, I absolutely love Primark! You can find some bloody good bargains and just lately their makeup range has been amazing!

What British song pops into your head?

All I can think of right now is Spice Girls, Oasis and Blur. You can definitely tell I was born in the 90s!

Marmite?

HELL YES! If anyone reading this doesn't like Marmite, what is wrong with you!?

I know this post is short and sweet but I promise I will find my mojo over the weekend! Have a good one!

May Favourites 2017

Hey everyone, I hope you're well!

Since we've had so much nice weather here in the UK, I haven't really worn makeup that often but today I have a list of things I've been loving this month!

BEAUTY

 The first product I've been loving this month is a super shock shadow from Colourpop in the shade Nillionaire. It's a gorgeous bronze shade with pink and gold glitter undertones. I have a few Colourpop shadows and the formula is like nothing I've ever used before! They're not quite a cream, but not a powder either and it took me a while to get used to. This shadow is perfect all over the lid for a warm brown smoky eye. I will definitely be buying more of these shadows, and if you haven't already you need to get some!

 Up next is a product that barely looks used, but trust me a little goes a long way! This one of the newish Strobe highlighters from Makeup Revolution in the shade Flash. I couldn't get the shade to pick up right in natural light but it's a gorgeous icy white highlighter with an iridescent finish. It looks absolutely gorgeous on, and suits paler skin tones perfectly. I've been wearing this every time I do my makeup, and you hardly need any on your brush to get a blinding highlight!

 

Another product I've loved this month by Makeup Revolution is their take on the matte lip kit in the shade Echelon. It's a beautiful cool toned brown nude, although the brown tones didn't really pick up in the photo. This is the perfect nude for lighter skin tones, and is great for everyday. The lip liner is super creamy, and glides on like a dream! The liquid lipstick doesn't dry out your lips and applies really nicely without going patchy. 

The last beauty item I've absolutely loved this month is a fragrance mist from Victoria's Secret. I saw these in my local Superdrug when I was shopping for makeup, and noticed they were on offer at 2 for  £16. I had a browse through the different scents and opted for Pure Seduction which has a lovely mix of red plum and freesia. I'm not usually a fan of really fruity scents but with this being a mist, it's not as strong as others and smells lovely but lasts a long time. 

TV & FILM

Since the new season started, I have been hooked on Pretty Little Liars! I was a little late to the party, and only started watching it last year but I've binge watched it to high heaven and I've finally caught up. It took me a while to get into, because it just seemed a bit boring but it's got so good lately! This is the final ever season too so I know I'll probably cry at the last episode!

I haven't watched any new movies lately, but I've watched The Little Mermaid nearly everyday for the few weeks. I'd never watched it as a child and felt like I'd been missing out on something and now I think I'm obsessed with it haha! When I haven't been watching it, I've had the soundtrack on repeat and I'm pretty sure I know all the lyrics off by heart now!

MUSIC

Katy Perry ft Nicki Minaj - Swish Swish

Liam Payne - Strip That Down

Ariana Grande ft Future - Everyday

Harry Styles - Kiwi

Shawn Mendez - There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back

DJ Khaled ft Justin Bieber - I'm The One

So that's everything I've loved this month, I hope you enjoyed reading! If you want to see what other music I've been listening to, you can check out my Spotify here where I've made monthly playlists and a few other fun ones!

Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Blogging

As much as I love blogging, there are definitely some things I wish I knew before I started blogging. I always see people on social media saying stuff like 'bloggers have it easy' 'it can't be that hard' 'it's easy money' But I have to say, it's a lot harder and more time consuming than you think! It's basically a full time job! I spend most days blogging, whether it be actually writing a post or just scheduling tweets or taking part in Twitter chats with other bloggers. It might look like I spend my days doing nothing of substance, but I'm constantly planning new content on my blog, or taking photos for posts. I wish I could call this my job, but as of right now I don't get paid for it so it's only a hobby. These are just a few things that I wish I'd known when I started out.

How much time you actually need

I already touched on this but I wanted to talk about it a little more. When I first started blogging, I had no idea what I was doing and would just write a blog post to be uploaded that same evening. Then I learnt a few things about post promotion and put a bit more effort in, and realised I couldn't keep to my normal writing routine. No one told me that I'd spend most of my time planning posts, writing them and taking photos. I spend nearly every minute of my day thinking about blogging, even if its just finding post ideas. 

Your phone battery is literally the worst

I always thought iPhones had a pretty good battery life before I became a blogger, but that all changed when I started scheduling tweets and spending every waking minute on social media, either posting or catching up with other people's posts. I had to charge it atleast twice a day but now I have a portable charger and I wouldn't be without it!

The British weather is rubbish

We all know by now that the British weather is usually unpredictable. This obviously annoys most people, bloggers more so than others. If like me you rely on natural lighting for blog and Instagram photos, you're gonna have a hard time getting perfect photos if the weather decides to change randomly. I'm dreading when winter comes and the short nights are back because I'll probably never get any photos taken! I've been very tempted to invest in some studio lighting, just to make my life easier but I'm managing well so far with natural lighting.

Bloggers block happens more often than you think

I've only ever seen a handful of bloggers talk about it but I've suffered from bloggers block quite often. I very regularly read other blogs and get inspiration, but when I run out of ideas I feel useless. It was hard enough at school when I had to write an essay but couldn't find the words to write it, but this is something else! Sometimes it's easier to take a little break and get your mojo back instead of forcing content that people will see is not really what you want to write about. 

Bloggers can be bitches too

I'm sure most bloggers will know this but if you don't, there's bitches everywhere. I personally haven't had to deal with any, but I've seen plenty of arguments on Twitter over petty shit. At first glance the blogosphere looks like a wonderful place filled with unicorns and marble backgrounds with rose gold accessories. While it is filled with some amazing people, who create some amazing content and deserve more recognition for their hard work, there are the odd few who will get on your last nerve. 

As much as I've complained about these things, I wouldn't change it for the world! I absolutely love blogging, regardless of the rubbish things it brings because it also has so many great perks! 

Birchbox May 2017

Hey everyone, hope you're all feeling good even though it's Monday! Today I have an unboxing of this month's Birchbox, which can I just say is the best design ever! Marble and rose gold, it's the perfect box to match an Instagram theme!

 First up is this volume spray from Beauty Protector which I think is a brand exclusive to Birchbox, maybe even their own brand! This spray is used to increase volume and add shine without making it sticky or weighing it down. It has no parabens and is 100% vegan which is perfect for people that struggle to find products that aren't. I struggle quite a lot with my hair thinning after the first day of washing so this (hopefully) will be perfect for me.

 The next product is a liquid exfoliant from Paula's Choice. I've never heard of this brand before, admittedly because I don't buy a lot of different skincare products. This really intrigued me as all the exfoliators I've used before have been a really thick consistency whereas this is literally just like water! It contains 2% BHA liquid which works hard to unclog the skin leaving it clear and calm without damaging it! My skin doesn't usually get too bad but now that it's getting warmer out, I've had oilier skin which has caused a few breakouts. I'll definitely be trying this out to see if it helps!

 Up next is a firming body cream from Whish. I've received a lot of products from Whish in previous Birchboxes and I've loved all of them! This body cream is designed to smooth blemishes, soften and protect the skin. It contains shea butter, cocoa seed butter and green tea which not only work wonders for your skin, they also make the product smell amazing! I can't wait to use this and hopefully I love it as much as their other products!

 The next product I received is a mascara from Doucce. I've heard a few YouTubers talk about this brand, but they've never gone into a lot of detail. This mascara has the biggest I've ever seen!! I suppose that's the perfect way to add volume and thickness to your lashes! I really like mascaras that have 'proper' wands instead of those thin plastic ones. This looks like it will grab every single lash and lift it to high heaven! This is also the perfect size to just chuck in your handbag if you're travelling.

Last but not least is this really cute mineral eyeshadow from Marsk. I've not heard of this brand either but I will definitely be looking up some of their other stuff because this eyeshadow shade is beautiful!! I received the shade Vanilla Frosting but I believe you could also get Fifty Shades, but it was a random pick. This is the full size eyeshadow which seems a bit small at 1.2g, especially since it has a price tag of nearly £15! I swatched this on my hand and it is the most gorgeous icy white shade which would be perfect either in the centre of the lid, as an inner corner highlight or even as a face highlight! 

I wasn't overly excited by the contents of this box, as I don't do a lot in terms of skincare, but I suppose it might make me be more thoughtful of my skin. I absolutely love the Marsk eyeshadow and can't wait to try so many looks with it! I'm also looking forward to using the volume spray, hopefully it gives my hair a bit more oomph!

I hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts on this month's Birchbox, if you'd like to sign up click here to receive £5 off your first box!

ABH Modern Renaissance Palette Review

I might be a little late to the party, but today I have a review of the beautiful Modern Renaissance eyeshadow palette from Anastasia Beverly Hills. I am absolutely in love with this palette, it is filled with so many warm berry shades and a great selection of transition shades for all skin tones.

The packaging for this palette is a lovely dusky pink colour and it's actually a velvety material so super soft to touch. This has it's pros and cons while it might be easy on the eye, it collects dirt like a bitch and I haven't figured out how to clean it properly without ruining it yet. The palette definitely reflects the hefty price tag though 'cause it's beautiful!

Inside the palette are 14 of the most pigmented shadows I've ever used! It has a good variety of transition shades so is perfect for all skin tones, and those berry shades are to die for! If like me you love warm toned shadows, this is definitely a must have. I've only used this palette a few times, and as you can see it barely looks used.

All the shades have a great colour payoff and glide onto the skin like a dream! Most of the shades are matte, with only Tempera, Vermeer and Primavera being shimmer shades. This palette has such a great selection of colours, so it's easy to create a range of looks! The consistency of the shadows is nothing like I've ever used before, they are super creamy and a little definitely goes a long way!

I originally bought this palette from Beauty Bay which you can buy here. You can also get it on Cult Beauty by clicking here.

Glossybox May 2017

Hey everyone, I hope you're all well! 

I can't believe we're halfway through May already, it'll be Christmas before we know it!

Today I'm going to be unboxing this month's Glossybox and sharing my thoughts on the products I received.

The first item is this body scrub from Scrub Love, I've seen this brand so much on Instagram lately and I've been wanting to try their coffee body scrub for quite a while. The scrub I received is a detoxifying charcoal scrub. I've tried a few charcoal face masks and they've worked wonders for my skin so I can't wait to try this out! It's 100% natural meaning it's vegan friendly which is great! 

Up next is a body scrubber, which will pair perfectly with the Scrub Love body scrub! It has a soft side, and a scratchy side so you can get those hard to reach spots and keep your body silky smooth. I need to take care of my skin more, so getting this is one step closer to super smooth skin! It also has writing on it that will fade away when you need to replace your scrubber which I really like 'cause you never know when stuff like this is meant to be replaced.

The next product in my box is this balm from Dr PawPaw, a brand I've heard good things about. This balm can be used for almost everything, from lips and skin to hair! It contains aloe vera and olive oil which help nourish and soothe the skin. It's also cruelty and fragrance free, and vegan so it's perfect for everyone!

The next product is something I've tried before and it is the moisturizing sorbet from Caudalie. I absolutely love this stuff! It has quite a weird creamy gel texture, but leaves my skin feeling soft and really helps to calm my red patches on my cheeks. I would 100% recommend this to anyone that has sensitive skin that reacts to literally everything, you won't regret it!!

Last but not least is this blusher from Ruby, a brand I've never heard of before! I'm someone who doesn't normally wear a lot of blusher, so this is probably wasted on me but it is an absolutely gorgeous shade of coral! I think this would probably be too bright for me, but I might use it as an eyeshadow and see what I can do with it!

So that's everything in this month's Glossybox, I'd say I'm pretty happy with everything I got! I hope you enjoyed reading!