2019... What a Year You've Been!

2019 has been a very crazy but exciting year, so much has happened.

Starting off with getting engaged on New Years Eve of 2018 not long after the clock struck twelve. It's crazy to think we've been engaged for a year already! 

January - February

I also bought a new car. After having my first little car for three years, I thought that it was about time I had an upgrade. 

After Liam and I sat down and properly worked out our finances, we decided to get married in 2020 instead of 2021. We figured, although it would be a challenge, we could get married and buy our first home in the same year. So, we had done a lot of venue hunting and found the perfect wedding venue which was also well under our budget too! We've had lots of meetings for the wedding - choosing our photographer, florist and hiring stuff.

March - July

We went to Essex for Liam's birthday in March and visited Colchester Zoo which was so much fun! I also drove to the O2 in London to see Olly Murs live for the third time.

I celebrated my 22nd birthday in June and a week later, Liam and I then went on holiday to Tenerife. We did both Siam Park and Loro Park which was so much fun! 

When we got back from holiday, I experienced my first wedding dress shop and I found the dress. I haven't been back for fittings yet, I need to book an appointment soon. I am still trying to lose a little bit of weight before I go for my first fitting. The same day I said yes to the dress, my nanny passed away. We were expecting it but definitely not on the same day as I picked out my wedding dress. So that day was full of emotions!

August - December

After Liam bought me a skydive voucher for my birthday, I actually did it. It's literally the most amazing thing to have ever experienced and if you have the chance to or are thinking about it, put your fears behind you and 100% do it! To end the Summer of 2019, we saw Ed Sheeran live. He's amazing live, I don't know why I haven't wanted to see him before. 

After having four years off ballet from spraining my ankle, I finally went back and I'm loving every minute of it! Me and a couple of the work girls drove up to Birmingham to see Christina Aguilera live. Hands down she is the best artist I have seen live. How she sings like that is beyond me. I had a little struggle with my anxiety and depression too but with supportive family and close friends and even work colleagues, I'm doing alright. I just have to remind myself that I now have so much to look forward to!

How was your 2019? Roll on 2020!

What I Got For Christmas 2019

I can't believe it's this time again, writing up the annual what I got for Christmas post. This Christmas has been a little different from the past. We've had to do it on a budget and spend a set amount on everyone because we're getting married next year as well as buying a house. Liam and I also set a budget for ourselves too, although I did go over his budget and bought him a little more than I should of.

Anyway, here's what I got for Christmas 2019!

I didn't ask for much this year because I really didn't need anything in particular. 

Of course I got my traditional bottle of Malibu for Christmas. If you've read my blog for a few years, you've probably seen it in each years post, which is quite funny. I also got the usual jumpers, underwear, socks, perfume, bath stuff and pyjamas.

I had pointed out these Barbie pyjamas from Primark that I wanted. I'm actually surprised my aunty got her hands on them because they were out of stock in smalls and mediums every time I looked in Primark as well as the one in Birmingham!

Liam's mum put together a Christmas Eve hamper full of pamper stuff, hair products and snacks which was really nice of her. I literally have so much bath and shower stuff, I won't need to buy anything throughout the year. I have some Christmas money to spend but I'm not sure what I'd like to spend it on yet, so I'll save it until I want something. 

What did you get for Christmas?

 

My Favourite Beauty Buys of 2019.

I have tried a lot of new and different beauty products throughout 2019 and as this year is coming to an end, I thought what better way to do a round-up of my faves!?

First off is the ABH brow pomade. I had been wanting to get my hands on an ABH pomade for years but never got round to it. I bought this in the shade 'soft brown' however, it is a couple of shades darker than I would like but I just love how it glides on, the consistency, a little goes a long way and I love how long wearing it is too. Until I order 1 or 2 shades lighter, I will carry on using this!

Another beauty product I've been meaning to buy sooner rather than later is the Nars luminous weightless foundation. Even though it gives you flawless full coverage, it's also super lightweight too. Nothing I hate more than feeling cakey.

This little Burts Bees lipbalm is a gem. I used to use Vaseline before, but I will never go back now! BB lipbalm has been perfect for the colder months recently too. I would love to try out more of their range!

Another beauty staple I discovered this year was this 'Honeylove' lipstick from MAC. I don't like too beigey or pinky nudes but honeylove is literally the perfect nude as it's in-between beige and pink. I use the MAC 'Stripdown' lipliner to go with it too and it's gorgeous.

Moving onto skincare, I have used a number of products from Skin Chemists before and I had got on so well with them, so when I needed a new under-eye serum, that's where I headed. This rose quartz mineral eye serum is pink, shimmery and light. It also absorbs into the skin quickly so you're not left with that annoying sticky residue, like you can get with some moisturisers and face serums.

A new brand for me this year is Nip+Fab. So many people have recommended Nip+Fab so I thought I'd give it a whirl. These two products are my faves. They're super gentle on the skin and you really can feel and notice a difference after using them. I think the prices of their products are fairly reasonable too considering how good they are. 

What are your beauty faves of this year?

A Christmas Beauty Gift Guide

I am so pleased to say that I have done pretty much all of my Christmas shopping. There are just a few things I need to pop out and get but apart from that I am done. I'm surprised that I've finished so early this year, I usually struggle and leave everything super last minute.

Eyeshadow palettes make such great gifts. I fell in love with this Precious Stone Rose Quartz palette from Makeup Revolution. First off, the lid of the palette is covered with a rose gold glitter and when you open it, you have a selection of twenty different shades - glitter and matte & neutral and warm tones. You can't go wrong with this palette because you have such a selection to suit different people. 

For all the Charlotte Tilbury lovers out there, this little gift is fab! The pillow talk lips gift includes their best seller nude-pink matte lipstick as well as a mini lip cheat lip liner. CT says the lipstick and liner is the perfect nude-pink shade to suit and flatter everyone.

Another fab makeup gift is this contour trio from Soap & Glory. Included is the contour shade, highlight and blush. This would also make a great stocking filler!

Sticking with the S&G brand, I came across this face mask kit in Boots. In the box, there are different masks for targeting different areas; a pore-refining mask, a miracle moisture mask, a radiance-boosting mask, two de-clog masks and three under-eye brightening hydrogel patches. I thought this would be lovely as an extra gift and this time of the year is perfect for a little pamper too.

Lastly is Lush goodies. Snow fairy makes a really good gift, I rarely come across anyone that doesn't like it. It's just that delightful, sweet, sugary, candyfloss smell which is perfect for this time of the year! Lush also puts together great little boxes of gifts too, I love this Sweet Christmas one, it includes a pud bath bomb and a candy cane bubble bar - perfect for Christmas!

A December To-Do List

December is here, it's time to finally go out and do all things festive. I worked so much around Christmas last year that I didn't really have much time to do festive bits and bobs. I did most all of my Christmas shopping online and watched two Christmas films. So, I have decided that this year, I am going to slow my crazy life down, take more time for myself, spend precious time with my family and make the most of the festivities.

Visit a Christmas market

I haven't done this very often as Christmas markets are always super busy and it makes me feel claustrophobic and sets my anxiety sky high. However, I would like to properly experience a Christmas market this year. I'll just take my time walking around the stalls with a hot chocolate and take in all the festivity.

Go Ice-Skating

Liam and I went ice skating in Cambridge last year and we had such a good time. I think it was very close to Christmas as well so we felt all festive. We both tried mulled wine for the first time, ya know, to get in the Christmas spirit and we both found it absolutely disgusting - we definitely won't be drinking that again after our skate this year. We will definitely go ice skating again this year, it's such fun!

Do some Christmas shopping in London

I have always wanted to spend a day Christmas shopping in London. London is an absolutely beautiful city anyway, but even more beautiful with all the Christmas lights up. Luckily we don't have too many people to buy for for Christmas. So, we have decided to do some Christmas shopping and go ice-skating in one day. How much more festive can you get?

Watch more festive films

Like I've already mentioned, I worked so much over Christmas last year that I didn't actually have time to de-stress, chill on the sofa and stick a movie on. So, this year, I will watch more Christmas films (particularly Home Alone) and get into the Christmas spirit. 

What are your plans this December?

A November To-Do List

Ok, so we're into the second week of November and this post is a little late than I expected. However, it's still early November so I still have time to tick off this to-do list. As you know, I absolutely love this time of the year to do lots of Autumnal things, so I have put together a list of stuff I'd like to accomplish this month. 

Dedicate one day of the month to pamper

I thought to myself the other day that I don't actually fully pamper myself. I just cleanse my face properly here and there and do the odd face mask whenever I find the time to. I've decided to dedicate one day this month to fully pamper myself. No makeup, a fresh face, hair mask, face mask, a chilled bath - you name it, I'll include it.

Go for more Autumnal walks

The only time of the year I enjoy going for walks is Autumn and Winter. I just love the feeling of the crisp air, wearing a coat wrapped up in a scarf and a bobble hat with a warm latte walking through the leaves. Does anyone think I'm crazy? I just love it.

Get back into reading

I haven't read a book properly for ages and I love this time of the year to be able to snuggle up on the sofa and do that. If anyone has any recommendations on a good read at the moment, let me know!

Make use of my gym membership

I swear I say that I'll do this every month, but I still haven't been for months! It's even harder this time of the year because it's colder and with Christmas coming up, I'd just rather eat everything. Seriously though, I need to get my arse back into that gym - I need my flat belly back!

Start a new series

Whether it's on TV or Netflix, I want to start a new series. We've recently started Peaky Blinders and I'm really enjoying it. However, I need a little something else to binge for when I don't feel like watching PB. Again, let me know of any series or TV shows you've been loving!

Bake festive treats

Baking is not my thing at all. But I'd really like to get in the kitchen and whip up something Autumnal. I bake shortbread, gingerbread men and sausage rolls on Christmas Eve, but I'd like to do something new. I'll carry on scrolling through Pinterest until I find something.

What's on your November to-do list?

Three From Lush.

It's been a while since I've taken a well deserved trip to Lush. Every time I go in there, I just want to buy everything, I literally have to control myself from spending my money on everything in sight.

My all time favourite lip scrub from Lush is the bubblegum one. However, I have recently discovered that they do a pumpkin spiced lip scrub and I couldn't wait to get myself into Lush to get my hands on it. As you can imagine, it smells absolutely gorgeous. It also tastes delicious too, it's not the same as a pumpkin spiced latte but it's still delish. It's just Autumn in a pot. If you know me, you know Autumn is my all time favourite season, so I can't wait to use this 365 days of the year to be honest.

Of course I had to pick up the sparkly pumpkin bubble bar. I've had this before and it is one of my favourite Lush products for this time of the year. It's autumnal and glittery, what more do I need? The scent of the sparkly pumpkin is divine. I love having a bath using this bubble bar with a good ol' autumnal yankee candle burning - so refreshing and relaxing for sure.

A new little number for me is this gorgeous purple, of course sparkly, goddess bath bomb. It smells beautiful, it's florally yet musky - so it's a very curious scent but it definitely works! A lot of people have said that they can't smell it once in the bathtub but I can't comment on that as I am yet to have used it. I love the coved and rounded design of this bath bomb, it's definitely unique.

Have you popped into Lush recently and bought any goodies?

Non-Halloween Makeup for Halloween

Halloween is just around the corner and the week of Halloween is when I usually like to change up my everyday makeup. I like to use deeper, darker colours around this time of the year now. As I don't do much for Halloween now, it always makes me feel better if I've made a bit of an effort.

For the eyes, I like to use Urban Decays Naked Smoky Palette. For obvious reasons, it's a great little palette to use to create the smoky eye look. I usually use neutral and brown shades on my eyes on an everyday basis but as it's Halloween, I tend to go for the more deeper shades of brown, blues and purples. I don't use liquid liner as I have individual lashes so I never really feel the need to apply eyeliner. But again, it's great to use for Halloween to give yourself a cat eye look.

For the lips, NYX soft matte lip cream in the shade 'Copenhagen' and Sleek's matte me in the shade 'Velvet Slipper' are my two absolute favourite go-to lippies for Autumn. They're both that gorgeous burgundy shade, although I find Copenhagen more of a deeper shade than Velvet Slipper but they're both perfect for Halloween.

Do you dress up for Halloween or switch up your everyday makeup?

My 5 Favourite Things About Autumn

My favourite time of the year is here. It's finally Autumn - the leaves have fallen, the mornings are colder and the evenings are darker. I just love everything about it, don't you?

Pumpkin Picking

I went pumpkin picking for the first time last year and I don't know why I hadn't experienced it sooner. It was so much fun and made me feel all Autumnal. I think Liam and I will go next weekend and pick a few out.

Halloween

I love Halloween, I always have done. The idea of getting dressed up and doing your makeup as a zombie or vampire etc is so exciting and fun. I'm actually going out for Halloween this year and I'm super excited about it, I hope it'll be a good night. I also love the Halloween movies. Along with the scary ones, I do love the old classics Hocus Pocus and Halloweentown.

Feeling Cosy

Autumnal candles burning whilst you're all cosied up on the sofa with blankets along with the fire going is everything. I love the good ol' Autumn Yankee Candles especially for this time of the year. Also, isn't the Lush Halloween/Autumn product range just the best?!

The Autumnal Fashion

The scarves, bobble hats, jumper dresses, boots - I could go on. I have a A/W fashion board on Pinterest constantly being updated with outfit ideas. Honestly, I could buy a whole new wardrobe dedicated to just A/W clothes. I couldn't count how many jumpers I own.

Pumpkin Spiced Lattes

I love a good latte but oh my god, the pumpkin spiced lattes are the absolute best for this time of year. I always pop into Starbucks to get one if I'm in the city centre. 

What are your favourite things about Autumn?

My Go-To Nude Lip Combo

As I am naturally pale, I have tried so many nude beiges, browns and pinks trying to find the perfect nude. I was actually recommended the shade 'Honeylove' by a friend. To be honest, I've always put off buying from MAC because they're quite pricey. But, I went into MAC to have a look and I actually loved this lipstick shade. Honeylove is a light beige with a rose toned shade. The pigmentation is amazing and it's such a creamy and smooth application. 

So, I then searched for a lipliner to go with it and I came across 'Stripdown'. Stripdown is a creamy brown beige lipliner, so it's a few shades darker than the lipstick but they really blend together beautifully and I like when you can see a little bit of a contrast. Again, like the lipstick, the lipliner is smooth and creamy and it glides on perfectly making outlining your lips so much easier.
If you follow me on social media, I will most probably be wearing this nude lip duo in all of my selfies because it's literally my everyday go-to.

What's your favourite nude lip combo? 

Lets Talk About My Previous Manipulative & Controlling Relationship

 

I haven't really spoken about this topic because it makes me so angry, agitated and just full of so many emotions. So many people have been in or currently going through this situation and I now feel like I need to talk about my personal experience of how I dealt with being in a manipulative and controlling relationship. I feel like this is going to be a bit of a long winded blog post, so grab your coffee and snacks!

I was with my ex for around four and a half years. We were 15 when we first got together, and he forced me to delete all of my male friends off of Facebook (including family members). He even took my phone off me, set my Instagram to private, deleted certain photos from my feed and changed my password so only he knew what it was. He went through all of my photos on Instagram and checked who had liked them. If there was anyone who was male that had liked a photo, he'd block them.
 However, this didn't last long, I made sure of it. I threatened him to change or I'd leave him. He listened and his excuse was that he could never trust his ex so he had trust issues with me. My ex eventually gave me the passwords for my social media accounts, and I changed them back.

Skip forward a year, my nan was really unwell in hospital and me and my family went to see her for the last time before she passed. I was distraught.
A week later, on a Saturday, I had already arranged to do my exes sisters nails and then we were going to his nan and grandads anniversary party. That morning, I was sitting in front of my mirror, doing my makeup and my dad came into my bedroom and broke the news to me that my nan had passed away early hours of that morning. It had been a tough week anyway, and I was surprised I had any tears left. I just broke down. My ex hugged me and said everything would be ok but we needed to get the bus soon to get to his house. Not believing what he just said, I just looked at him and started to pack all of my nail tech stuff. I said goodbye to my dad and left to get the bus. I wanted to stay at home with my dad and be there for him. But I had already arranged that I'd do his sisters nails and go to his nan and grandads anniversary party so of course, I weren't allowed to change those plans even though my nan had just died.

I was really upset when we were on the bus. I felt so bad for leaving my dad at home by himself to deal with losing his mum. When we got off the bus, my ex called me an attention seeker for crying because my nan had just died. It makes me so angry that I actually put up with that.

After my nan died, I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression and I was in a really dark place in my life. Again, my ex didn't help and wasn't supportive throughout any of it and the name calling continued. I felt like I couldn't talk to anyone about anything. That's when it really hit me. This relationship wasn't healthy. He wasn't normal. He wouldn't let me go out when I wanted to or see my friends. I weren't allowed to wear certain outfits. He wouldn't eat if I wasn't hungry. So I always ate, so he would eat. One time, he asked if I wanted a pizza. I said no as I wasn't hungry. He got really arsy at me and ordered one anyway without me knowing. When it got delivered, I obviously said I didn't want anything and he shouted at me and ended up binning it to make me feel bad. Yes, I felt bad but I was not going to force myself to eat something when I told him I wasn't hungry in the first place.

Throughout our relationship, as I stood up to him more, we just argued more. There were a few times when we were at his house and argued, he shut me in his room and wouldn't let me out. I actually considered escaping out of the window a couple of times but thought it wasn't actually a bright idea. When I tried to move him out of the way to get out of the door, he forcefully pushed me back and threw stuff at me. Even though I wanted to get in my car and get away as far as possible, he wouldn't let me out until I  had apologised and we had 'made up'.

When we were 17, I had doubts that he was up to something he shouldn't of been. He wasn't his usual self. He started taking his phone to the bathroom with him and he wouldn't leave it on display when he went to bed. One morning, I woke up whilst he was soundo and searched for his phone. I found it, and found loads of messages to a 15 year old girl he was cheating on me with! Of course I woke him up and confronted him. I was standing there with proof on his phone and he still denied it. Turns out he was messaging her for months, even whilst we were on holiday. Silly me, forgave him and stayed with him as he said he was going to kill himself if I left him.

Near the end of our relationship, he was at mine and I was getting ready to go out. I put on a playsuit and he literally screamed at me to take it off because 'I looked like a slut', 'who are you shagging tonight?' - endless accusations were made. Meanwhile, my mum was in her bedroom next door doing laundry and she couldn't believe what he was saying to me. A nice little fact for you, between getting in the taxi and getting to my friends house within the space of fifteen minutes, he called me around 120 times. Obviously, I didn't answer and turned my phone off for the whole night. I had a nice little message the next morning saying 'sorry' though.

I tried to split up with him numerous times and even told him that I had fallen out of love with him. He wouldn't have any of it. He kept saying that I needed to go and see someone for help and I wasn't normal. So, after weeks of that, I suggested that we go on a break for a week. Again, he weren't happy about it but he gave in. Within a couple of hours, he was texting me. I told him to just give me space. I was working full time at Boux Avenue at this point and just went to work as normal. He messaged my friends and my mum asking where I was and what I was up to. One morning, I was having a relaxing bath and there was someone banging on the front door. I got out in case it was the postman, and I had like 9 miss calls on my phone, I crept out of the bathroom and looked out of the front window and his car was outside. I just got back in the bath and ignored him.

When my ex finally accepted that we were over, he pinned everything on me and made me out to be the bad person and done everything he could to make me feel so shit about everything. Of course he did, because he done it throughout the whole relationship. Even though I have moved on, those four and a half years can still give me nightmares. I can't change the past but, he has made me who I am today. I'd never take any shit from anyone now. And if you or anyone you know is with someone controlling and manipulative, GET RID. I know better than anyone, it's harder said than done. But there's only so much you can take and you'll/they'll wake up one day and say "I'm done".

I really hope this blog post has helped somebody somewhere because I wouldn't wish going through this sort of relationship upon anyone!

One Year Til We Get Married! & Updates...

We get married one year today and we are so ridiculously excited! I feel like the year is now going to fly by!

Also, I can't believe I haven't updated you guys about my wedding plans since APRIL. The past five months have suddenly flown and we have done so much!

In May, we booked our Hen and Stag dos! Liam will be jetting off to Benidorm and I'm hitting Magaluf! The girls have already started buying little bits and pieces for the hen do and it seems so much more real now. Liam's stag is at the end of April/early May and my hen is the end of May. I'll also be having a hen night here in the UK too, for the girls that couldn't make it.

I've found THE DRESS. I went dress shopping for the first time on the 7th July and it was the best experience ever. Twenty dresses later and constantly going back to the first dress I tried on, I said yes to that very first dress. There was no point in looking anywhere else because everything about it was perfect. It had the right amount of lace and sparkle etc. I can't go into too much detail because Liam reads my blog. Sorry, no hints here. Also, I have my veil and hair accessory too which is super exciting!

We haven't yet booked our honeymoon but we have been never-endingly looking at possible destinations. Because we wanted to have our honeymoon sooner rather than later after our wedding, which is in September, we are limited on destinations.
We bought our wedding rings last month! After months of searching trying to find the perfect rings, we got both of ours from Fraser Hart.

We have been searching high and low for the perfect bridesmaid dresses on a budget. It doesn't help that my sister who is Maid of Honour is fussy. So if you have any recommendations for sites, hit me up! We have also very recently booked our florist, cake maker and hairstylist.
Liam knows what suit he would like for him and the groomsmen but he doesn't know whether to hire them or buy them. I think he is going to look around and try them on at some point between now and October.

Phew. That was a long winded post wasn't it. I hope I haven't bored you to death. So, we have done quite a lot and to be honest, we really haven't got too much left to do now. Luckily we have had help from both of our families to ease stress which has been super helpful.

Four Wedding Blogs To Bookmark.

I have been reading so many wedding related blog posts getting tips and learning things I didn't even know! So, I thought that I'd share with you my four all time favourite blogs for wedding related content.

 I have been reading Corrie's blog for years and when she started writing her wedding planning blog posts, I was so excited for her! I'm even more so excited now I'm actually planning my own wedding. From the engagement to the honeymoon, I have read every single post. Her wedding photos are stunning too and I will definitely be passing them onto my photographer!

Leanne's blog is a very recent one I'm addicted to, AND it's pink & white! Leanne is currently still planning her wedding and it's great that I can plan along with her and see how far we both are and if I've missed anything. Her blog itself is just gorgeous and I can relate to many of her posts.

Again, Katie's blog is another recent that's now my fave to read. Katie is actually getting married in October this year, so exciting! Which means, she has literally written about everything you can think of to do with planning a wedding. Every wedding related post Katie writes, she includes a checklist of what she's done. Again, like Leanne's, I like to compare what we've both done and see if I've missed anything.

Like Corries blog, I have also been reading Jodie Melissa's blog for a long time too. With wedding DIY, updates, hauls and bridal makeup blog posts, each one has inspired me and given me ideas. She also has a YouTube channel which includes wedding videos too.

Can you recommend any more wedding blogs that I'd like? I'm all for getting in the wedding mood at the minute!

New In My Skincare Drawer: Charlottes Magic Cream

I've never really found skincare exciting, but when it's Charlotte Tilbury and the packaging is a winner, I'm all for it! With its rose gold mirrored lid and octagonal design, it really lured me in.

The moisturiser itself is very thick, although it isn't at all heavy on the skin. You really don't need a lot of product to cover your face and neck as a little does go a long way. Also, considering the amount of product you get in 50ml, the price of £70 is pretty damn good! After using this magic cream for several months, I now use it as my everyday moisturiser. It's also a great base before applying makeup. 

People have said that this cream is more aimed towards those with dry and dehydrated skin rather than oily and combination skin types. However, Charlotte Tilbury herself, says that it can be used on all skin types. I have combination skin and I've found that it's been absolutely fine for me! Although, those of you more on the oilier side or with acne, maybe avoid this, just because it is such a rich cream.

Have you tried Charlottes magic cream before?

Lush Think Pink Bath Bomb Review

I was more excited than usual to try this particular bath bomb just because it's pink and covered in glitter. Apparently Lush has upped their game with the new and improved Think Pink bath bomb, and the old one is nothing compared to this one. 

Think Pink is fairly similar to Lush's Comforter bath bomb in the way it disperses in the water. Containing citric acid, tonka absolute, vanilla absolute and neroli oil, it definitely does smell insanely sweet! I am all for warm, sweet vanilla scents which is why I think this bath bomb is my favourite by far! Also, as Think Pink contains lavender oil, it's a great one to relax in the bath in too.

When popped into the water, it leaves trails of pink and white and then all of a sudden, the bath is MEGA glittery! I actually thought I would come out of the bath looking like a glitterball but it was actually alright. After draining the water out, the bottom of the bath was covered in silver glitter but it was surprisingly easy to wash away. This is definitely more of a luxurious and girly bath bomb from Lush and I'll definitely be purchasing it again.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation Review

I have recently been reaching for the more higher-end products instead of using the same ol' drugstore makeup. One foundation I've been meaning to try for ages is the Estee Lauder Double Wear which I got colour matched to as 2C2/pale almond. Firstly, this is the first ever foundation I've used without a pump - it's just so much easier with one isn't it! You probably could buy pumps separately but I'm not 100% sure on that. The frosted glass bottle is a very simple, yet luxurious design and it's definitely not lightweight. 

The product itself is very runny so you have to give it a good shake before pouring it onto your brush/beauty blender. Considering that it's such a runny consistency, it really does give that full coverage. It's so easy to blend and a little really does go a long way! I find that you have to be fairly quick to apply it as it dries quite quick, however I use my beauty blender instead of a brush for better application. 

As I have combination skin, my oily forehead and nose still tends to shine through the foundation half way throughout the day and because of that, it transfers a little but it's nothing horrendous. Nearer to the end of my day, I find that it fades a lot from the blemishes and dark under eye circles which I find a little annoying.  

So, I would only wear this foundation on a day to day basis. If I was going to an event or on a night out, I would stick with the Nars' weightless & luminous foundation. 

Have you tried double wear? What's it like with your skin type?

NEW Dr Botanicals Lemon Rescue Butter & Cocoa + Coconut Mask

 Since Dr Botanicals first reached out to me three years ago, I have loved using their products ever since. What I love most about this brand is that it's all 100% natural ingredients - so it doesn't upset your skin! It's vegan friendly and cruelty free! As you can imagine, I was so excited to try out their brand new products. First off, let's talk about how cool the packaging design is! It reminds me of the massive poster of the periodic table on the science lab wall back in school.

The Lemon Superfood All-In-One Rescue Butter* has recently been my skin saviour, I really have been using this non-stop. It's multi-use so you can literally use it anywhere and everywhere. I used it a lot when I was abroad, just because it was so much easier than packing a moisturiser, a hand cream, a lip balm, a body butter, etc separately. You've gotta have that extra space in your luggage for more tanning oils, am I right gals? 

The lemon butter is a very thick cream however, it absorbs into the skin very easily and doesn't feel at all heavy. Containing the ingredients, lemongrass oil, coconut oil, almond oil, grapeseed oil and sea buckthorn fruit oil which makes the butter insanely hydrating and it smells amazing!

It's perfect to just pop in your handbag and go about your day. 

Secondly is the Cocoa & Coconut Superfood Reviving Hydrating Mask*. Again, this little number is great for travelling as well due to the size. All you do is apply a thin layer of the mask and leave it on for around ten minutes. The texture of this mask is very thin and smooth so it's super easy to apply. Even though Dr Botanicals says it's recommended for all skin types, I don't use this very often because I have found it to make my combination skin even oilier after regular use. So I only now use it once or twice every couple of weeks. However, the many times I have used it, it really has worked wonders. 

Again, like all Dr Botanicals products, it smells divine! It contains the ingredients, cocoa butter and coconut oil. So your skin is definitely refreshed and restored after one use! I have also popped this into the fridge before using it as well and it's much nicer used cold. 

Use the code: GOCOCONUTS to get the mask for only £5.

*This post features products which I was sent in return for a review. As always, my reviews and opinions are completely honest and my own.

Life Update: Personal Training, Planning a Hen Do & More...

So much has happened within the last couple of months so, I thought I would write up a little life update.

I started personal training at the end of May and oh my gosh it's been hard work. I love my PT sessions though, I actually really enjoy them and feel like I've actually worked out properly. The issue I had was just giving up if something was too hard or too much effort. So it's nice to have that motivation and someone to push me. I feel so much better in myself since having the sessions too.

Liam and I jetted off to Tenerife for a week at the end of June which was amazing. Tenerife is such a beautiful place and I would definitely love to go back. I'm not going to ramble about it because my previous blog post is all to do with our week in Tenerife.

Only two weeks ago, my nanny passed away. It really has been a tough few years. After having several strokes and blackout spells, my nan was rushed to hospital and it has never been the same since. She developed a visual impairment in one eye and couldn't move the left side of her body. She could barely talk and couldn't drink, eat or walk. It was hard seeing her how she was but we had to be strong for her. Two weeks before my birthday and my holiday, we found out my nan had developed a tumour in her neck and there was nothing that could be done. Literally a week after coming back from Tenerife, we got the dreaded phone call saying that nan's tumour was bleeding. I'm not going into detail but I'm so glad she passed away peacefully and surrounded by her family.

On a positive note, that morning of my nan passing away, my mum, my sister and I went wedding dress shopping! I had booked it ages ago and I was so excited and nervous for this day to arrive. Everything about the experience was so special and after trying on twenty dresses, I'm so happy to say I found 'THE ONE'. It was the very first dress I tried on and we all fell in love with it. It was perfect and it had the right amount of lace and sparkle on it. I didn't want to go anywhere else and try on more dresses because this one was literally perfect. So, luckily my sister snapped some pictures and my nan actually saw the pictures of me in my wedding dress only a couple of hours before she passed away.

Still wedding related, I have been searching and searching for destinations to have my hen do. I really wanted it abroad as a girls party holiday. So, we've booked Magaluf for May 2020 and I am SO excited for it. I will also be having a hen do here in Norwich so the people that weren't able to make it can still be a part of it.

I feel like so much has happened recently! What have you all been up you? Has your life been as hectic as mine these past few months, haha?

A Week In Tenerife

It was two weeks yesterday since Liam and I have been back from Tenerife and we have major holiday blues! We only stayed in Tenerife for a week and it really was the quickest week ever.

We made a day of Siam park, if you love waterslides, you have to go!! And we also done Loro park which is a zoo and it was massive! I wish I packed trainers because wearing sandals to walk around a zoo all day wasn't the smartest idea I've ever had. We also had a beach day at Las Americas and went jet skiing. Whilst we were jet skiing, we literally had two dolphins swimming and diving in and out of the water next to us which was truly amazing! We were also allowed to jump off the jet ski's and swim around for a bit at hippy beach which was really cool.

Although we were all inclusive at our hotel, the food selection wasn't great and we got bored very quickly! So, we ate out a lot which really didn't bother us. The taxi's down to the strip were fairly cheap both ways which was good. If I ever visit Tenerife again, I would book a hotel closer to the beach. Because everything was near the beach, it was a good 20 minute walk from our hotel and there were SO many hills. Liam also took me to Hard Rock café which I have never been too. And because it was so good, we went twice!!

We didn't take many photos, but here's what we captured anyway...