Saturday, 31 January 2015

My Skincare Routine. -Out of date, new one coming.

First off I’m going to talk about my skin. I have dehydrated skin. It gets oily, but it’s still dry at the same time. For years I struggled, not really understanding what was wrong, or where I was going wrong. I always used oily moisturisers, believing that because my skin was dry it just needed moisturising, but it never worked. Then, about a year ago I discovered the perfect combination of products to suit my skin, and I’m going to share it with you. Hopefully if you, or anyone you know, is struggling with their skin, this will offer you some help. NB. My skin is also quite sensitive to strong and perfumed products.

I begin my skin care routine with the Clinique 7 Day Scrub. I only use this every other day. I’m not sure if this is supposed to be used every day, however it’s not too abrasive, and it says 7 days so I’m presuming it can be used every day. The only other thing that could mean is that you only need it once a week, however I personally think scrubs need to be used more often than that.

A lot of people don’t use a scrub in their routine and I want to challenge that. Not only does it remove any dry skin and patches, it also encourages cell renewal which in turn will help reduce black heads and spots.

This scrub is perfect because it’s gentle but effective, and a little bit goes a long way. I’ve used a lot of different scrubs over the years, and since discovering this one I’ve never looked back. At only £19 a tube (which I think is fairly cheap given the brand and quality) it’s something I would definitely recommend.

Once a week, with this scrub, I will also use a small facial loofah. As I said previously, my skin gets very dehydrated and so removing all evidence of dry skin is a must. These loofahs are not too rough, and they are quite cheap. They can be bough from superdrug or boots.

After this I will use the Clinique Liquid Facial Soap in Mild, for skin types 1&2 (Dry, Dry Combination), because I find that it is best for my skin. I love this face wash, it always makes my skin feel so clean, it’s amazing.

Then I will use the co-ordinating Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2 all over my face and neck. Used on a cotton pad it will remove any leftover bits of dry skin on the surface and clean away any left over product or dirt on the face. (not that there should be any after steps 1 and 2. This cleanser can be a little strong on my face, and if I have any spots or cuts it sting quite a little, but at least that means I know it’s really working. I imagine it like the anti-bacterial spray they put on cuts and grazes when you’re a kid. I need to know it’s definitely anti-bacterial and leaving me nice and clean.

After I’m done washing and cleansing my face, I like to use a water-based moisturiser, because as I’ve said, oily ones don’t work on my skin. The best one I’ve found is the Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief. This is incredible stuff. A little bit covers the entire face, and it dries in seconds. It eradicates any dry skin and leaves my face feeling supple and looking bright.

If my skin is feeling particularly dehydrated and dry, I’ll use Clarins HydraQuench Cream Mask. It says 'Specially designed for dehydrated skin', and it's not wrong. This is a light cream that goes on the face for 10 minutes after washing, and is then removed with your usual cleanser/clarifying lotion and you then apply your normal moisturiser after it. It just adds some deep moisture to the skin and makes my face feel rejuvenated.

If you want a cheaper product, The Body Shop do a mask called Aloe Protective Restoring Mask which is also for sensitive skin. It does a very similar job when used the same as the Clarins. I wouldn't recommend leaving it on like a moisturiser as it can be quite greasy.

I know that most of these products are slightly higher end, and aren't affordable on a budget, but I have to say they're really worth it and would be a great investment. Let me know in the comments if you've tried any of these products, and if you love them as much as I do!

Wednesday, 28 January 2015

Very Inspiring Blogger Award.

I've been nominated for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. It's a great way to connect with other bloggers and I'm very excited. I was nominated by Sally from 'and all that fairydust' and I'd like to thank her for the nomination :)


  • Thank the person who nominated you
  • List the award rules
  • State 7 things about yourself that others do not know
  • Nominate 15 other blogs
  • Tell your nominees and link them to your post
  • Display the award Logo on your side bar, about page or awards page

Seven things about me:
  1. My dog is one of the most important beings in my whole world.
  2. I went to an all-girls private school, and I miss it so much that I want to be a teacher there.
  3. I'm an introvert, and I need to spend time alone to re-charge after being around people too much.
  4. I spend my life in pain because I have a chronic health problem.
  5. It sounds silly but I feel like, if I never write a book and have it published, then I won't have succeeded in life.
  6. I have a really strong sense of smell, and so I'm very particular when it comes to bath products, candles, and even washing powder and fabric conditioner. I like the really subtle scents like the white fabric softener for babies, and candles that are scented like clean linen or fluffy towels.
  7. I over-think everything, and I have this uncontrollable need to know everything. I feel like I have to fully understand something so I'm constantly asking questions, and I spend hours reading about stuff on wikipedia and other slightly more reliable websites. I think it's just curiosity.


English Love Affair
An Abundance Of Ramblings
Liv Coley
A Winter Ponder
Vintage Curls
Two Thousand and Fifteen
Yasmin Louise
Blossoming Daydreams
Amy's Little Web
Natt Fashion

(I could only find 10!)

I can't wait to see what you all put as your 7 facts, and to find out more about you :)

Friday, 23 January 2015

YouTubers Interview President Barack Obama.

This is a spur of the moment post.

"Fox News’ Kurtz: Obama YouTube Interview Was BENEATH THE DIGNITY OF THE OFFICE"

I have a few things that I want to say.

Children, Teenagers, and Young Adults don't all take an interest in politics. They probably should, but they don't because it's too confusing or it's too in depth or they're simply not interested. It's always been that way and it always will be. When Obama is on tv, making speeches, or on the news, young people don't tune in to catch up with the latest in politics. By participating in this interview, Obama has opened the door to millions, LITERALLY MILLIONS of people to get involved and to understand what he's aiming for and what he wants. Those millions of people wouldn't normally have access to political information and through the internet, have managed to access it.

Young people might now have a growing interest in the running of their country, and that is all thanks to YouTube as a platform and the YouTubers as content creators and positive role models. It's such a positive thing that they have done and it's going to encourage so many people to get involved, have an opinion, and maybe even to vote.

I want to say thank you, to Hank Green, Glozell, Bethany Mota, YouTube, and of course Barack Obama for doing something so positive that might just change the country.

As a British Citizen it doesn't affect me directly, but the USA is such a huge part of every economy in the world and the fact that this has happened is insane, and brilliant.

The media reporting negatively only goes to show their narrow-mindedness and their lack of willingness for change. It says more about them that anything else.

You can watch the full video on 'The White House' YouTube channel HERE.

Thursday, 22 January 2015

2014 Favourites -Beauty.


My favourite discovery of this last year in terms of skincare was the Clinique 'Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief' moisturiser. I loved this so much for a few reasons. Firstly, it is water-based and so doesn't leave my skin greasy at all. Secondly, it's a really thick gel, and really deeply moisturises any dry patches of skin, and thirdly, its really fast-absorbing. It's completely soaked up by your skin in less than a minute and it's perfect for every day.

Other than this I've been using the same Clinique skin care system for the past 3 years. Only I've swapped out the usual moisturiser.


I've been loving quite a few products in 2014. I have really pale skin and its usually in fairly good condition so I don't wear a lot of foundations. Recently I've really been loving Benefit's POREfessional. It's a base/primer but it really smoothes out and evens the skin. Sometimes I wear it alone just to even my skin without a foundation.

In the way of Concealer, I had difficulty finding one that didn't dry out my skin under my eyes. In 2014 however, I purchased the Benefit Fake Up Concealer which comes with a moisturising balm around the stick so it stops my skin from getting too dry. Whilst I really do wish this was offered in a lighter colour, as I can't wear it without foundation because it stands out, it's a great concealer and I would definitely recommend.

If I decide I want to wear some coverage on my face, I've been loving Clinique's Supermoisture Makeup Foundation in 'Linen'. This is great for dryer skin and leaves my face looking dewy.

I'll use MAC's Creamblend Blush in 'Something Special'. I prefer a cream blush because I think that it looks more natural than a powder blush.

On top of this, I've been using MAC's Prep+Prime Transparent Finishing Powder. This powder is great because it's so fine and it doesn't dry out my face.

My 2 favourite mascaras last year were Benefit's they're real! for curly lashes, and Clarins Be Long mascara for long straight lashes. The Clarins mascara is so amazing it makes my lashes really long, and lessens my perpetual pain from having ridiculously short lashes.

I've also been loving MAC's Liquidlast Liner in Point Black. I was very conflicted about buying this, there were good reviews that it didn't smudge, but bad ones because it was hard to correct mistakes. For me the smudging was more of an issue so I bit the bullet and bought it in september and I'm SO glad that I did :)

Last year I got some of the 'Real Techniques' brushes from Boots. I have more than these four but these are my favourites and are the ones I use the most. These are great on a budget because they're actually brilliant brushes, much better than most synthetic brushes, and they're not very expensive!

For my eye makeup however, I used a MAC 239 for applying eye shadow and a MAC 217 for blending. These are the holy grail of eye makeup brushes. So many people would recommend the 217, it's just such an easy brush to use, and the perfect size and shape for blending colour in the crease. Unfortunately I couldn't link to it because it's disappeared from the website, although I'd go as far as to say there's no way they've discontinued it. And if they have I need to get my hands on a couple more, quickly!

Eye shadow wise I've been mainly using these three colours. I like to keep it pretty simple. These are MAC Eye Shadow in 'Blanc Type', 'Grain', and 'Brun'. I use Blanc Type allover the lid and use Brun to contour. They're both great matte shades, but if I want to add a little something extra I'll put Grain over the top of Blanc Type because it's got a nice shimmer to it.

I've also been loving the new Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette. I love the nude tones but also they're quite pinky and I love me some pink :) However the brush included isn't as good as I expected. It's quite dense and stiff so it's not the easiest to use.

In the way of eye primers I have had a hard time in 2014. I've used a few, and mostly they're waaaay too dark for my skin tone. I'm so pale and most of the primers only come in one shade. I tried the Benefit Stay Don't Stray, and whilst my eyeshadow didn't budge, it was so dark that it made my white eyeshadow look cream. I most recently tried the Too Faced Shadow Insurance in Candlelight. Whilst it gives a bit of a shimmer, it's not much and doesn't show through matte eyeshadow. It's also a yellow colour, and translucent, and it's not dark in shade so this has been my favourite.

These are all the products I've been loving through 2014 and in to 2015. I'd recommend all of them if you're looking for something new. Let me know your favourite products of 2014 in the comments, or let me know if you've tried any of these and loved them as much as I have!

Sunday, 18 January 2015

A-Z of me.

Age: 21

Bed Size: Double. With a king size duvet.

Chore you Hate: All of them. But washing the dishes.

Dogs: MY DOG. He’s a miniature Staffordshire Terrier, crossed with a Jack Russel. He’s so cute.


Essential start of your day: Cuddling my dog.

Favourite Colour: Pink

Gold or Silver: Colour? Silver. Jewellery? White gold ;)

Height: 5’9"

Instruments I play: Clarinet and guitar. But not very well, and not for a long time.

Job Title: Student. (&Support Worker temporarily).

Kids: None

Live: Lancashire/Manchester

Mum's name: Kathryn :)

Nickname: -

Pet Peeve: Ignorance. Everything that annoys me is usually directly or indirectly related to ignorance.

Quote from a movie: I’m more of a book-quote kinda girl. SO...

Right or left handed: Right.

Siblings: None.

Time you wake up: Different every day. Mostly when I can be bothered. 8:30/9 ish

Underwear: Oh god. Whatever is clean and comfy. Life's too short to wear a cheese-wire.

Vegetables you dislike: Onion. But only when they’re cooked. I like most veg.

What makes you run late: Not having a car :’)

X-rays you've had done: Arm twice (only broken once) and foot once (broken).

Yummy food you make: SWEET POTATO. I’m quite a good cook actually, I like making risotto and fried rice and stuff.

Zoo animal: PENGUINS!

Thursday, 15 January 2015

Liebster Award.

What is the Liebster Award?

The idea of the Liebster Award is to help spread the word of less well-known blogs and those who are just starting out in the world of blogging. 


1. Thank and link the person who nominated you.
2. Answer the questions given by the nominator.
4. Create 11 new questions for the nominees to answer. 
5. Notify all nominees via social media/blogs.

I was tagged my Rachel McLaughlinThank you for the nomination!

1. What is your current job/dream job?
Currently I’m a full time undergrad student. But I also have a job as a support worker.
My dream job would be an author. I just want a quiet life and I love writing.

2. What is your favourite thing to do?
I have a few. Reading, playing video games, writing my blog, watching tv shows, my current favourite is Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

3. Why did you start your blog?
Because I’d had blogs before and never stuck with them, and I want to have my own little corner of the internet to voice my feelings and opinions.

4. What is your favourite colour?
Pink. But I like all pastel colours. Blue, lilac, mint etc.

5. Describe yourself in three words.
Determined, introverted, bookworm.

6. Which is your favourite: fashion or make-up?
Makeup. I love makeup. I don’t wear it every day because I’m quite comfortable with my skin but I love experimenting and how makeup can make someone look and feel so different.

7. What is the best joke you know?
I don’t really tell jokes. I’m a sarcastic bugger but jokes aren’t my thing.
Two biscuits rolling down a hill. One gets run over, the other one says ‘Oh crumbs’.

8. What are you doing tomorrow?
Writing my assignments :(

9. What is your favourite microsoft word font? (I think this says a lot about people:p)
Georgia. I’m not sure why, I think it has character so isn’t plain, but it’s still very uniform.

10. What is your favourite song at the moment?
Blank Space. For the last 6 weeks or something. I can’t get enough.

11. What is the best advice you could give to somebody?
Read. That’s it. You can learn so much from any book. Fiction, or non fiction. A book can change the way you think and that’s so important.
Also, remember that your current problems and stress that seem so important, will in 2 years time, seem insignificant. Just remember that everything passes.

I nominate

(I couldn't find any more!)

My questions

1. What are 5 things that you couldn't live without?

2. Favourite brand of makeup?

3. One place you'd love to visit?

4. Favourite tv show?

5. The best book you've ever read?

6. What is the most expensive thing you've ever bought?

7. Do you have any pets?

8. Happiest memory?

9. What made you want to be a blogger?

10. Who is your favourite YouTuber?

11. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Can't wait to read your answers! x

Thursday, 8 January 2015

2015 Wish List.


So admittedly I already own quite a lot of makeup products, however, recently I've been re-discovering my love of Benefit products and there are a few that I want!

 Benefit Hello Flawless powder in 'Ivory (gee I'm swell)'.

♡ Benefit Dandelion brightening face powder.

♡ Benefit Boi-ing concealer in 01 light.

♡ Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara in Black.

There's nothing worse than applying mascara on your bottom lashes with an ordinary applicator and it just goes everywhere underneath. It's so frustrating, and I think this is brilliant.


♡ Foreo Luna for sensitive skin.

I've wanted to try this for so long! I struggle with clogged pores and getting dry skin and so I think this is exactly what I need, however it's a little on the expensive side.

After an extremely long time of wanting to get hold of the Bioderma cleansing water, and not being able to in england, I've read a lot of online reviews and it seems that this is almost the same, but much cheaper! I can't wait to give this a try.


♡ Barnes and Noble leather-bound classic 'Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales'.

I have 2 copies of each book already due to different covers, and I wasn't going to buy the new ones, but then I went in Sainsbury's and saw them and fell in love. Plus they were almost half retail price so I had to buy them. But they only had the first 4, so I need the rest!

♡ The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

Video games

♡ Sims 3 Supernatural for PC.

I have wanted this for about 2 years but only had an iPad. Now I have a laptop and I got the original game for Christmas. Time for an expansion pack I think!


♡ Angel The Complete Season 1-5.

Okay so I love Buffy, and I'm so in to it at the moment, I just feel like i'm missing out as I'm not also watching Angel! I believe Buffy series 4 and Angel series 1 line up, so I hope it all makes sense later when I've seen all of Buffy.

♡ Ghost Whisperer The Complete Season 1-5.

I was a massive fan of this show when I was younger, but I only saw about 2 series in the middle, and I think I need to watch the whole thing again.

This is something made by the BBC a while back and unfortunately I must have missed it, as I only found out it existed a couple of weeks ago. It sounds interesting and like it's worth a watch.

♡ If I Stay.

One of my favourite books. I mentioned it >here< in my last post. I can't wait to see the film, it comes out February 2nd!


♡ Marks and Spencer Chenille Throw in Blue.

Because my mum got the Plum one for Christmas and it's beautiful.

♡ Bobble Bottle in Lavender.

I've had one of these before in pink and it was so good I loved it, especially due to the filter. However the filters have to be replaced every few months and now I need a new bottle too.