TAKING A BREAK

Some of you may have noticed I haven't been very active on my blog recently.  It's not just by chance, or that I have bloggers block, I simply don't have the time right now.
As you may know, I'm in my final year of school and am (hopefully) heading off to University next year.  That means I've got some massive exams coming up very soon so I've decided to take a bit of a break for now at least from my blogging life and focus on passing my exams.

Alongside exams, the (fairly new) boyfriend has been taking up a lot of my time too!  I will try to share him with you in future but for now I'm enjoying spending my spare time with him which has barely left me with a chance to update my little corner of the internet.

If you want to see what I'm up to in the meantime, make sure you follow me on instagram.

I will try to keep up my blogging in the summer and into the start of uni life!  But for now, I'm taking a break.
I hope you all understand!

Follow me on | bloglovin | instagram | twitter

MOLECULE 01

Is there a blogger who hasn't tried this perfume?  Probably not!  And I can see why it's such a cult product!

I have to say I bought this solely on it's great reviews and actually had no idea what it smelt like as I bought it online.  At first sniff I was disappointed, it was nice, but not as amazing as I expected.  But a few days and load of compliments later, I was convinced I loved it!

First of all, the science of this perfume is so cool!  It's created using a single ingredient called 'Iso E Super' which is often used as a base note to many perfumes which adds a sense of allure. To the wearer it has a subtle velvety-woody note which melds with your pheromones to create a different fragrance which is equally amazing on everyone.  The scent vanishes and then resurfaces after some time but I notice that other people detect it more than I do!  This perfume is definitely a people-pleaser!
The scent is very unisex which I love more because I'm not a fan of very sweet and girly fragrances.

The fact that this doesn't have a lid is inconvenient because it means it's hard to travel with.  I bought the travel version which comes with a aluminium case that prevents leaks and breakage but I find this is bulky and heavy to carry too!

Aside from that I absolutely love this perfume!  It's perfect for everyday and evening wear and will definitely be repurchasing!

Escentric molecules - Molecule 01 perfume

Follow me on | bloglovin | instagram | twitter 

SKIN PERFECTION?

Hellooo!  Sorry I've had a few weeks off but as I mentioned in my Fitness Fix post, I've been on holiday!  I jetted off to Lanzarote for a week and although I didn't take any photos you can take a look at my instagram here.

Next year I will hopefully be off to university and that means my budget for skincare will go from Liz Earle and Clarins to some cheaper alternatives.  So I've started early to try and find some great products at a uni-friendly price.

I was given this L'Oreal Skin Perfection gift set for my birthday and I have been giving it a go over the last month.

I was excited to try the micellar water as it has been compared a lot to Bioderma.  I have been using Bioderma for the past year but I am about half way through and I'm reluctant to use the rest so this makes a nice substitute.  It doesn't work quite as effectively as Bioderma and leaves a slightly sticky residue on the skin but that drys down in a matter of minutes.  Aside from that, this is a lovely alternative for a fraction of the price (currently only £3.33!)!  It removes makeup gently and doesn't irritate my skin.

The set also came with the day moisteriser and I was surprised at how much I loved this!  It's made for ladies in their 20s and 30s and although I'm not there yet it won't be long!  The cream is lightweight but still very hydrating and has a cooling effect on the skin.  But what I love most about this product is the primer-like quality it has.  It smooths out and reduces the size of pores and fine lines (should you have any) which saves me having to apply a primer in the morning too!  My only grudge is the very bulky and heavy packaging which is impossible to travel with and a bit excessive really.

Overall, L'Oreal have done a great job here!  These products are very affordable and have a high quality feel to them, I will be buying both products again!

Let me know if you have any great budget skincare buys!

Follow me on | bloglovin | instagram | twitter |

THE FITNESS FIX #1

It's typical for gym's to get busier with the start of the new year as half of the population have jotted 'get fitter' or something similar on their list of resolutions.  Last year I made a good start to getting fitter by joining the gym but I really want to push myself to work harder, every month I'm aiming to update you with what I've been up to and any progress I've made.

RUNNING

It was my aim at the start of the month to run a bit more, in the past my cardio has been limited to the cross trainer and rowing machine because running scares me slightly!  I get very red, sweaty and out of breath but I decided to face my fears and step up to the running machine!  I started off just doing 10 minutes running at a fairly slow pace and gradually built up the speed.  Next month I'm going to try running for a bit longer, maybe 20 minutes?  Baby steps!

ARMS

My arms have always been very weak and I thought it was about time I built them up!  I have been using exercises from this fitness blender video in my circuits to improve definition and strength.  I found this harder to add into my routine at the gym but I have been doing some of the excersises at home instead.

DO MORE
With the recent additions I'm quite happy with how my progress is going but I aimed to go to the gym more regularly.  Before Christmas I went about once a week when I could fit a session in but this month I have made sure I go every week if not twice!  That way I feel better in myself, see faster progress and make the most of my membership (save your pennies!).

Next month I'm heading to Lanzarote on holiday so I want to make sure I'm in decent shape for that.  Hopefully that will give me some extra motivation!

Follow me on | bloglovin | instagram | twitter |

THE SUNDAY FACE

Sundays are made for cosy jumpers, slipper socks and no makeup.  But if I find myself  going for a walk, visiting family or out for lunch and need something to make myself a little more presentable I grab four products and go.

My skin isn't exactly perfect and I need a bit of coverage so the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer helps to even things out a bit and brighten up my face.  I love this stuff!  I think I've gone through about five of these now, the coverage is so good for the tiny price!
Recently Iv'e been sporting a more defined brow and I've been loving the Soap & Glory Archery brow pencil and brush in 'hot chocolate'.  The quality of this is also great, it's precise and has a good spoolie (always a must!).
I rarely step out of the house without some mascara on!  I find that mascara makes the biggest difference to my makeup and really makes me look more awake.  Currently I've been loving the Benefit They're Real mascara, you can buy this cute mini mascara from Boots stores.
A lip product is optional, some people are fine with a lip balm but personally I like a bit more colour so I dabbed some of my Rimmel Apocolips Lip Lacquer in 'celestial' on the centre of my lips and blended it out a bit with my finger to create a stain.

What's your makeup choice for a lazy Sunday?

Follow me on | bloglovin | instagram | twitter |

ROSE GOLD GHD'S

I've never been into styling my hair much because I know how damaging it can be and I wanted to grow my hair.  Now its near enough the length I want it and I can start styling more!  So I decided it was about time I invested in some ghd's but my mum beat me to it and bought me these gorgeous rose gold ones for Christmas!

The rose gold set comes with the professional ghd V styler, roll bag (including heat resistant mat) and two clips.
Let's start with the styler!  It heats up so quickly which makes styling so much less of a chore and the results are so much better than my Babyliss straighteners that I have had for years!  It takes so much less time to straighten my stubborn hair!
You are also able to create curls and waves with the styler.  I've tried to achieve this and I'm improving but its not easy!  So if anyone has any tips about curling with straighteners please leave them in the comments!

The roll bag is a thing of beauty! I'm slightly in love with the rose gold hardware on this handy bag which just helps to keep everything neat and tidy (and stop me losing things).  The bag comes with a detachable heat resistant mat which is so practical!  I use this for my curling tong too!
The set includes two clips which is a lovely edition!  I haven't used these much because I don't usually have the time to section my hair but they have good grip and I'm sure they will be useful when I have more time!

What is your favourite styling tool?

Follow me on | bloglovin | instagram | twitter |

NARS NEWBIES

It's no secret that NARS is by all means my favourite makeup brand and I was lucky enough to receive a few items for my 18th birthday recently from friends and family.

One of my closest friends knows me far too well and bought me this gorgeous pure matte lipstick in the shade 'amsterdam' along with vodka!  I've never tried the pure matte lipsticks before and haven't heard much about them but I have been very impressed!  The colour is just beautiful, amsterdam is described as a garnet red (warm and deep) that's very wearable.  The formula is also lovely as expected!  The lipstick contains wild mango butter and vitamin E which prevent your lips from drying out and have antioxident benefits, whilst it's also long wearing due to the matte finish.

My mum bought me the hyped up sheer glow foundation which I have been longing to try for months now!  I have the shade 'mont blanc' which is the second lightest and it's a perfect match.  The shade is slightly yellow toned which helps to even out redness in my skin.  As I'm sure you will know, the sheer glow foundations have a dewy finish which brightens up the skin, I was concerned that this might not work well with my slightly oily skin but I've found that a bit of powder stops things from getting too shiny.
However, the fact that you need to buy the pump separately annoys me because my mornings seem to get a bit messy! I've also noticed the slightly odd scent, I can deal with it but it's got nothing on Rimmel's Wake Me Up!

What have you added to your makeup collection recently?

Follow me on | bloglovin | instagram | twitter |