Reflecting on my 2018 Goals

In January this year, I wrote up a few goals that I wanted to achieve in 2018. You can read them here. I haven't achieved all of them, but I have tried my best and taken 2018 as it came. 

I wanted to eat healthier, start up a fitness routine and start dance classes again...

I joined the gym with Liam, there's no way I would go by myself! And, I actually stuck to a fitness routine until July. Since I came back from Mexico, I just couldn't be arsed. I've only been to the gym a couple of times since. But, I am so determined to get back into it in the new year and get my body back to how I want it. 

I never got round to start dance classes again, just because I had hardly no money at the start of the year and I was more focused on going to the gym instead. Also, now I work full time, I've struggled to find a dance class on a certain day and time. I'm sure I'll find one though.

I wanted to blog more...

So, this happened for the first few months of this year. But then it all went downhill haha. I love blogging and wish I could find more time for it, I always have so many ideas! I'm going to try and do it in 2019. 

I wanted to get another job alongside being a mobile nail technician...

 This time last year, I was a self employed nail technician and as I had only just started out being mobile, I weren't earning much money. So, I wanted a part time job along side it, and got a job at Bannatyne as a receptionist. However, that didn't work out for very long and I ended up getting a part time job as a beauty therapist in a little salon in the centre of Norwich.

 I had passed all my beauty therapy qualifications by May 2018. Since September, I have been working full time as a beauty therapist in a new, bigger and more popular salon and I am loving every minute of it!

I never started YouTube...

I wanted to get back into filming videos and vlogging for YouTube, but I have had a lot going on this year so I never got round to it. Also, considering that I'm now working full time, I literally wouldn't have the time to film anyway. 

I wanted to save up...

After paying for my beauty therapy course and paying monthly for my holiday, I literally had no money left. But, I'm now back on track! Me and Liam have opened a savings account together and hopefully we can put a deposit down on a house this time next year. 

Some of these goals will be entering 2019 with me, I will achieve them! Did you achieve your goals?

A Luxury Christmas Gift Guide: For Her

Don't you agree with me that women are so much easier to buy for than men!? I could've included loads more gift ideas. The trouble is, when I shop around for gifts for the women in my life, I find a ridiculous amount of things to add to my own wishlist and spend even more money than I was hoping to.

You can't go wrong with Urban Decay at Christmas. I don't know about you but I'm a sucker for Urban Decay products. They have such a wide range of colours and different products, you can't really go wrong. I have pretty much most of their palettes and I have really grown to love their lipsticks. Which is why I've included their new born to run vice lipstick and their fab ultimate naked basics palette which is great for creating both day and evening looks.

How gorgeous is this pink and rose gold Ted Baker water bottle? I wanted to buy one for myself SO badly but I managed to somehow stop myself. I've also included the silver glittery compact mirror from Boux Avenue, which could actually be more of a stocking filler but it's just so cute for an extra little present. It's perfect for those girly girls in your life. Also, who doesn't need a compact mirror? 

Coconut Lane has some lovely phone cases on their site at the minute. This rose gold marble one is so pretty and most girls would adore it. A little more on the expensive side is Pandora. Again, you can't really go wrong with Pandora. This ring has been super popular this year. The diamond isn't too big or too small so it's a perfect size, which is so handy if you're a little unsure on what that certain person likes.

This NUIT perfume from Hugo Boss is lush. It smells gorgeous and even better, I got an amazing offer on it on Black Friday. I love this little over the shoulder bag from River Island. It's black, so it goes with everything. It's the perfect sized bag for a day out shopping when you don't want to lug your big bag around with you.

I hope this guide has helped you if you have been struggling with ideas. How is your Christmas shopping going? Have you started or finished?

A Christmas Gift Guide: For the Parents & In-Laws

I always say that my boyfriend is the hardest person to buy for. But I think that parents and in-laws are actually impossible to buy for at Christmas. I seem to buy them the usual same gift every year. My parents never need or want anything and neither do my in-laws. So, I've searched the web for different and affordable bits and pieces for this Christmas.

For Him

Heated Slippers - So, slippers are usually on the top of my 'to buy' list for my dad every single year. But, I've found these heated slippers! Yes, heated! They have a little switch on the side of them so you can turn them off and on whenever. And for £20, I think it's an absolute bargain! Buy here.

Aftershave - Again, another popular present to buy men every year for Christmas. I always struggle with what scent to go for. How do I know if they'll like it or not? I usually raid the bathroom cupboard and search what they already use and see what notes the fragrance has in it and find another one similar. It seems to have worked and its not the same aftershave bottle every year.

 For Her

Ted Baker Floral Dressing Gown - Let's not argue that women are so much easier to buy for than men. Although, I find it difficult to think of gift ideas for my mother in-law. I found this gorgeous dressing gown for sale at Debenhams. Oh, and it's Ted Baker. Ted Baker is always a winner for the ladies. Buy here.

Perfume - Like mens aftershave, perfume is a popular and easy gift to give at Christmas. One of my faves is the Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb. 

For Both

Matching Luggage - It's amazing how affordable it is for a set of suitcases. I had never thought of this gift idea before and it's different to the usual 'same gift every year' gift.

Canvas Print - I love this gift idea, it's always appreciated. Who doesn't like photos? And you can get a personalised canvas print pretty much anywhere nowadays and compare prices.

Bosch Tassimo - I weren't going to include this as its original price is £100 and that's waaaay out of my budget for my parents and in-laws. However, this is currently on sale at only £40 in Debenhams. Yes forty quid! I love a good bargain. Buy here.

Personalised Gift Box - Putting together some favourite items for the person you're buying for in a gift box is such a cool and unique idea. It could be some sort of alcohol, socks, a candle, a scarf etc. It could be anything and it'll work nicely.

Photobook / Digital Photo Frame - A bit more of a fun idea than a picture in a frame or a canvas on the wall. A photobook to flick through or a digital photo frame with a slideshow of pictures on is great for a Christmas gift. You can roundup memories of 2018 or maybe there was a wedding or a newborn. Or you could even put together old memories to look back on.

Couples Spa Break - This is an obvious one. Who doesn't like a spa break? Wowcher has all sorts of deals on spa breaks in and around areas in the UK. It's perfect for couples to spend quality time together - especially if they have kids. 

Amazon Echo Dot - If your parents and in-laws like technology, or even if they don't, this is a new fun little gadget to add to the household. It can also be great fun for the family on Christmas Day! Buy here.

Four Products I've Used Up & Wouldn't Repurchase

I love trying out new makeup, hair and skincare products but it also means that I either may or may not get on with them. I have bought and tried out quite a few products throughout this year, and there are four that I wouldn't buy again.

Got2b Dry Shampoo

I usually stick to using Batiste dry shampoos as I like the way they work on my hair. However, I had run out of my usual fave Batiste spray, so I headed to a local shop and picked this up in desperate needs. I swear by Got2be's hairspray, so I thought this would be pretty amazing too. It's not great and it was also pretty cheap compared to Batiste. 

When I spray it in my hair, it seems like nothing comes out and it takes a lot of the product to hide my greasy hair. On the other hand, I spray Batistes around 3-4 times and I'm ready for the day. Fair enough, Got2b's dry shampoo does stay put throughout the day but I've used this up pretty damn quick. 

L'Oréal Magic Retouch

I had been wanting to try this product out for ages, so when I finally got my hands on it, I was very disappointed. You spray this on your roots when they come through to match the rest of your hair. It did absolutely nothing for me. To be honest, it was a waste of nine quid and the can is bloody tiny for the price!!! I have heard that the darker retouches are better than the lighter ones, so maybe that's something L'Oréal can work on? I'm also going to add that I didn't even use this up. I tried it out twice and gave up. 

Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation

Some of you may be surprised about this one because a lot of bloggers have given it the thumbs up. I have been using all sorts of drugstore foundations for years and last year, I decided to give in and buy a high end foundation - the Urban Decay All Nighter. I absolutely love Urban Decay and probably forever will, but this foundation just didn't work with my skin. A little goes a really long way with this foundation and it lasted me ages!

 It applied and blended really easily and it looked nice on my skin and matched my skin colour perfectly. However, it didn't control my oily skin for very long and  it ended up going patchy throughout the day. Even when I fixed the patchiness by going over it with a beauty blender, an hour later, it's patchy again. I love the way this foundation looks, feels and applies. But it just doesn't last long enough for me and it doesn't do the job for my oily skin.

Max Factor Brow Shaper Pencil

I use an eyebrow pomade to fill in my brows but I like having a pencil as well. The pencil was a lovely colour and matched perfectly with my brow pomade. It was great for neat and precise lines and it also brushes out easily without taking much of the colour out. The downfall to this is that the pencil is super thin and fragile, if you pressed too hard, it would break. If you dropped it, it would break. But, if you didn't apply a bit of pressure, the colour of the pencil weren't very vibrant on the brows. It just constantly broke and there weren't much of the pencil there to begin with anyway. 

Do you agree with me about any of these products? What products wouldn't you repurchase?

Accepting But Letting Go Of The Past

I am one of those people that gets on with their daily life and moments from the past very randomly pop into my head. 99% of the time, they're not good memories and they can really get me down. I then start questioning 'what if?' and brainstorm many ways on how I could've done things differently. 

Why didn't I break up with my ex sooner? Why didn't I listen to my best friends and families advice? What if I stayed in that job? I would've had my new car by now. 

I wish I saw my nan again before she passed.
What if I stayed at college?

I wish I never done that, what if I would've done this instead?
Honestly, it's ridiculous what kind of things run through my head. It has taken me so bloody long to actually accept the past and I'm sure so many other people can relate. Some things are harder to let go than others and that's completely normal.

The most important part of letting go of the past is understanding your past. You need to answer those questions and what ifs. It won't happen overnight but every time these thoughts pop into your head, answer them. Eventually, you'll understand your past, and then you can accept to let go.
What happened in the past were experiences and a part of life. Basically, you wouldn't be where you are now if it weren't for your past.

You can then start looking forward to your future. Write down your achievements and set goals for yourself and just focus on these. The new year is coming up really soon which is perfect for this.
The most important thing I've understood is that I've lived to experience these adventures. Nobodys perfect and I won't let my past define me. I've set goals for the near future which I'm very much looking forward to. And most of all, I'm grateful.

btw, this pumpkin was super heavy! 

I've Gained Weight and I Feel Pretty Shit About It

I was 50/50 on whether I wanted to write this blog post or not. I don't know where to start, or what to say. I didn't know if it would make me feel worse writing about it or make me feel better and more determined to make some changes in my life. 

So, yeah, I've gained weight... and I'm the biggest I've ever been. 

When I went on holiday back in August, I packed all of my shorts and I couldn't fit in any of them. What a waste of luggage space that was and I had to wear the same ol' outfits again and again, bore. I used to go to the gym two or three times a week to get that holiday bod ready for Mexico. 

That obvs didn't work did it?

I've no longer been able to fit into my clothes, my tummy sticks out looking like I'm six months pregnant, I have a huge ass and massive hips. My thighs rub together when I walk causing chub rub which is fucking sore.

 I feel so uncomfortable. I literally live in my leggings and stretchy vest tops.

It has been affecting my life. I had four outfit posts planned for my blog, Liam had taken the photos for me for one outfit post and when we got back home and I looked through the photos, I cried my eyes out. I felt disgusting. I don't want to go to the gym anymore because I'm self conscious. I don't want to go on nights out or out with my friends because I have nothing nice to wear.

I've gained weight because I have had a really shit and stressful year and my depression has hit me like a tonne of bricks. When I'm depressed, I eat. And as I've been eating, the bigger I get. The more I put on weight, the more it depresses me and I turn back to comfort food. It's like going round in a vicious circle.

But do you know what? It's no ones business how much weight I've put on because I've learnt to accept that it's pretty fucking normal. I still feel shit about it, but it's normal! I will go to the gym and work my arse off to get my body back. I will go out with my friends and live my life rather than sitting around at home, crying and eating comfort food. 

I'm human and I have to accept that.

LUSH Halloween Goodies 2018

Yes, I know it's early but when Lush's Halloween range came out, I had to pop into my local store and check it out. I have only ever tried the sparkly pumpkin from their Halloween range and I loved it so much that I wanted to get it again this year, but I wanted to try new stuff instead.

The first thing I picked up was the Ectoplasm shower scream, I just love the fact that it's bright green. It smells even better than it looks too, it smells very citrusy and actually reminds me of the smell of marzipan. Like all of Lush's shower creams, it leaves your skin super soft and you can literally smell it on yourself for the rest of the day.
I was also going to get the Ectoplasm jelly bomb but I never did in the end, it was either I buy one or the other. I didn't wanna spend too much dollar because yano, Christmas is coming and Lush have now also released their Christmas range. Soz bank account.

When I was in store, I couldn't work out if I liked the scent of Monsters Ball or not. It seems insanely popular every year so I thought I'd give it a go. It smells richly sweet, you can definitely smell the citrus in it. I am yet to pop it into a bath so I can't really tell you whether I definitely like it or not. But after reading five star reviews and blog posts, I think I'll be happy about this purchase. Also, look how bloody cute it is!

One thing I knew I was already going to buy was the Bewitched bubble bar. This little kitty cat smells so fresh, it's got such an Autumnal smell to it. I have already had a bath using some of this and it made me feel so relaxed and cosy. It also turned my bath a greyish/black colour. I will try and make this last until the end of Autumn, otherwise I will probably have to buy another one. It's so good!

Do you ever buy anything from Lush's Halloween range? What are your favourites?

A/W 2018 Wardrobe Wishlist

My favourite time of the year is here! Call me crazy, but I love the colder, darker mornings and evenings. There are so many cute pieces about in stores for this season so I had to make a wishlist because I want everything!

You can't not have a thick knitted jumper this time of the year. This one from River Island particularly caught my eye. I just love the quality of the material and how big the roll neck is. Buy it here for £36. Another staple I'm loving this season is leopard print, it's everywhere you go. I love the style of this tie front top, you can style it both down and up. Buy it here for £18. Keeping along the lines of leopard print, I saw these heeled boots on MissPap, aren't they just gorgeous!? They're perfect to add a little something else to an outfit. Buy them here for £25.

I had a black poncho like this grey one last year and I basically lived in it, get it here for £17.99.
I wanted another basic jumper in my wardrobe and I found this gorgeous grey off the shoulder one from Pretty Little Thing, buy it here for £15. Yellow is everywhere this season and I love it, I don't know why because I don't really wear yellow but I saw this kimono on Boohoo and added it straight to my wishlist. Get it here for £12. Whilst I was on the Boohoo site, I saw this fur hooded cream coat for £45 which is so good! I have been on the lookout for a white/cream coat for ages as I always stick to wearing black. Buy it here.

Since writing this wishlist, I have already went out and bought this mustard skirt. It's amazing quality and fits so nice. Plus, it gives me aaall the Clueless vibes. Get it here for £9.99. Staying along the lines of the checked patterns, because I always wear white, grey and black, this jacket would be perfect! I'd most probably wear it all the time. It looks so cosy too. Get it here for £85. I love the look of this monochrome twisted jumper, it would look lush with a pair of high waisted jeans and some boots. Buy it here for £20.

I really don't need anymore ankle boots but River Island stocks the best Winter boots! I saw these suede Chelsea boots with the black patent and gold detailing and I fell in love. Buy them here for £40. Burgundy is always a must have colour for this time of the year, and this cropped striped hoody would be perfect with some high waisted jeans and trainers. Buy it here for £15.

What have you had your eye on ready for the new season?

Riviera Maya - Mexico Diary 2018

It's been almost three weeks since I've returned from Mexico and I can honestly say that I've got the holiday blues. Mexico was such a beautiful place, I'd go back tomorrow if I could. We flew with Thomas Cook from Gatwick and it was such a great flight. They were always coming round with meals, snacks and drinks. Even the movies and music were great on the plane too! And the movies were different on return, so you don't have to worry about watching the same movies twice. After around six hours on the plane, I started getting a bit restless, bored and frustrated. I got about 10 minutes of sleep and just wanted to get off. Flying doesn't bother me at all, but after a 10 hour flight, you just wanna get off haha. 

When we got to the hotel, we queued up to check in and got served with drinks, which were so refreshing after a super long day of travelling. The hotel itself was just so beautiful, it was huge. We stayed in the Grand Bahia Principe Tulum which was all inclusive. Being in the rainforest, all we saw were animals, monkeys and iguanas especially. Even using my jungle formula, I still got bitten a few times from mosquitos but it's expected. 

As we were there in their hurricane and rain season, the weather for us was amazing most of the time. Luckily, we never experienced being in a hurricane. But, when it rained, it rained. Their rainy spells only lasted for about 10-20 minutes and then it got out hot and sunny again. When the heavens opened, most of the time I stayed in the pool and chilled on the sunbeds because it was still hot and it was so refreshing. 

I never got bored of the hotel food until the last week of the holiday. Believe me, they had loads of options to choose from. But after two weeks of having the same breakfast, it gets boring. Oh, if you haven't tried Canadian bacon, TRY IT. As well as eating from the hotel buffet, we also ate out at different restaurants on the resort which was really nice as they were all different. 

The beach was beautiful but unfortunately the ridiculous amount of seaweed made it a bit of a let down. Apparently, the whole of the Caribbean has had problems with seaweed within the last couple of months which is really sad. There are people all day and night clearing the beach, they worked so hard bless them. Mexico also has nesting patches for baby sea turtles ready to hatch. Unfortunately we didn't see any hatch but it was still amazing seeing their little nests all along the beach.

We didn't really watch much evening entertainment because there was just so much to see and do. But when we did, they put on great little shows. We watched a circus one night at their theatre in the hotel and then we went to a Mexican night in the Hacienda where they put on a big show and had candyfloss, popcorn and little games - it felt like I was at a carnival.

When we went out to Fifth Avenue, we found it most places quite expensive. Everywhere take both US dollars and Mexican pesos which is handy if you don't know which to take. I took a bit of both and spent it all. The Mexicans also love their money, they love to be tipped and they always greet you in every store you walk into. 

We done quite a few excursions. I wish I done more but we just didn't have the time or money! At Emotions Native Park, we done zip lining over the jungle which really didn't seem that high at all which was a shame. We jumped into cenotes and explored caves as well as quad biking around the jungle. 

When we went to Xel-ha, we jumped off of cliffs into the water and I paid extra to scuba dive down in the cenotes. We swam and communicated with dolphins which I've always wanted to do since I was little so I was such a big kid when I got the chance to do that. We also looked around the Tulum ruins which were amazing to see. We weren't allowed to go up many because they were so fragile. Liam also took me jet skiing in the sea which was so fun. I was too much of a wimp to go on one by myself so I hopped on the back of his.

 

I made so many memories in Mexico that I'll forever cherish. I just wish I had an extra week out there to explore Mexico a little bit more and do a few more excursions. Have you ever been to Mexico? I want to go back :(