What I have Been Loving During The Month Of June.

June has been and gone. In a flash some people would say. Can you believe we have just been through another month of lockdown? It's crazy to fathom, once upon a time we enjoyed spending time in our homes and now at this point, we are just trying to break out the windows in a desperate attempt to seek some space. I've been really trying to find myself some routine but even saying the word attempting is hard to keep up with at this point. It is almost as if when my work furloughed me and my university cancelled our last exams all hope escaped with it. I'm not complaining, I am a very lucky person, I love where I live and it's given me chance to watch telly and start those hobbies and tasks I've been meaning to do, but I am starting to miss the outside world a little bit. 

However, on the subject of hobbies and telly shows I thought I would actually write a blog post documenting all the things I have loved this month. Although the idea is strikingly weird to think in a few years these words upon a computer screen are going to be read by people who don't remember the lockdown and global pandemic surrounding our lives right now. In fact, it feels so long ago I can not honestly remember a time before the word pandemic was spoken every day on the news. 

Amazon Prime's Marvelous Mrs Maisel. 

As I'm writing this, I've just finished the third series of this show, and let me tell you it is honestly brilliant. I love the female empowerment that the leading lady has throughout the series and how down to earth and realistic the show is on the topic's it tackles. I am also guilty of truly adoring the fashion choices that  Midge Maisel has. Comedy is something I love and paired with binge-worthy television dramas, I feel they can not go wrong. I really hope they bring out a series four soon because, without too many spoilers, the ending of series three left us with quite a cliff hanger in regards to what direction the show could be heading. I do also what to put here that I love the character Lenny Bruce and found the comedian a charming charismatic man from day one. Who couldn't like the guy?

Animal Crossing. 

I feel like everybody in this space of this lockdown has either purchased a switch or been playing Animal Crossing. It's definitely been the hobby that has made the time pass a lot quicker than without it. But, Animal crossing has been a game I've played for most of my childhood so it's been great not only playing it again but the community that's popped up around it. It's also been helping to contribute to socialising while we were in heavy lockdown. (While I am writing this, it is the Monday after the pubs opened during the weekend and people are allowed out properly to socialise and not just to buy groceries). My friend Emma and I have spent hours talking to each other while playing or visiting each other's islands. If you haven't played Animal Crossing before I do highly suggest it, It's a game everybody can play.

Knitting. 

I mentioned the word hobbies at the top of the blog post, and one of my favourite hobbies that I have started during these three months of lockdown has been knitting. Now I am not going to say it has been easy, I tried to learn once when I was a child and much to no one's surprise I ended up getting tangled up more in the wool than actually making anything, I'm surprised my parents honestly could teach me to tie my shoelaces with how clumsy my hands can end up being. So when I purchased a shiny new pair of needles and a bag of wool I was sure I did not want to make the same mistake. Knitting is all about patience and learning the basics. Once that is achieved you can speed up the process and it's actually satisfying when you see the wool coming together to form a pattern. But mostly, I've just been enjoying doing something while watching telly that isn't scrolling on my phone. 

Gardening. 

I've always loved gardening, and when my boyfriend and I were flat searching, a garden was on the top priority of it all. I feel incredibly lucky to have it as it's nice to be able to sit out on the patio and breathe in the fresh air when everything feels overwhelming. But during the lockdown, we've spent a lot of time in garden centres picking and planting flowers and veg in their devoted patches. The garden still has a few pieces of work to do, but it's crazy how much we have managed to get done during this time. it's helped me feel even slightly more productive and though we are achieving something. 

What things have you been loving during the month of June? I would love to know. Thank you so much for reading. 

My Thoughts And Feelings On Lockdown.

Hello. It feels weird to be sat writing here. It's been just over a month since I properly sat down and wrote something. Trust me, I've been trying but with the unpreceded times we are in, I haven't felt it was merely appropriate to do so. My University exams have been cancelled, I've been put on furlough from work and I've had some terribly horrible personal life problems to hand that everything has basically piled on top of one another. I've spent most of this lockdown being wildly unproductive, but I've managed to spend a lot of time playing video games and watching Netflix shows that one could argue that it was future research for a blog post but I won't put up much of a fight in that regards. 

In summary, this little blog post is just explaining my absence and basically saying I feel a little better in my adjusted life of living at home 24/7 and I hope I can find the energy to carry on writing, it's something that I love doing. Pouring words onto a page often helps also. I do also want to add onto the bottom of this that it is completely okay if you aren't being productive all the time during this. Right now, anxiety is at the max for a lot of us and it's hard to be able to find the time to relax and spend time not worrying about the world around us. It's extremely normal. 

I hope you and your families are all safe and well. 

Thank you for reading. 

Dyed Hair Tips And Tricks.

I've dyed my hair pink. I've actually gone out and done it. It's something I've been putting off for a while, I've been dying my hair blonde for a good couple of years now. But I've been reluctant to actually take the plunge to dye my hair fully pink. But now I've done it I didn't realise how high maintenance looking after brightly dyed hair actually is, so I've compelled a list of all the tips and tricks I've learnt along the way to hopefully be useful for anybody thinking of doing the same.

Wash Your Hair With Cold Water Instead Of Hot.

I know this sounds like a crazy one, and don't get me wrong I don't particularly enjoy the cold showering but, not only does it wake you up if you are showering in the morning, it also helps to lock in your colour. Hot water often makes the hair colour fade quicker and therefore turns the pink into a more peachy shade. 

Use Less Heat Styling Tools Where Possible. 

This isn't something a lot of us can just cut out completely, I for one love having my hair curled.  But what I am saying here is try and use them less. Especially on a day to day basis try not to straighten it all the time. Another tip I have learnt is to blowdry your hair on the cold setting, it may take slightly longer to dry although it helps reduce the colour fading. 

Make Your Hair Last Longer Between Washes. 

Learn to braid your hair. Trust me, it's a lifesaver at helping your hair last that couple more days between hair wash time. I mean who exactly likes actually washing your hair. I used to wash my hair every other day but now I've managed to get it down to only washing every four days!

Hair Masks Are Incredibly Important. 

Dying and bleaching your hair can take a lot out of it. It needs to recover and hair masks are the way to go. I have a few firm favourites that I love using with the likes of Garnier Ultimate Blends Hair Food range, I personally all five that Garnier does as they all have worked wonders on my hair.  I also, sometimes even simple coconut oil is super good for your hair and helping it retain moisture. 

Use Coloured Specific Shampoos and Conditioners.

On every other hair wash it's important to use a shampoo that will also help to maintain your colour. For me, I use the Bleach London Rose Shampoo and Conditioner as it helps revitalise the pink tones in my hair and makes them look as fresh as they did when my hair was just dyed. It has a little bit of dye within the products that helps keep the look without damaging the hair. 

If you've dyed your hair before is there any good tips and tricks you have learnt along the way? I hope this blogpost is helpful and provides a good source of information!

My Everyday Makeup Routine.

Makeup isn't something I wear often, and it's not something I particularly find something thinking I am good at, however, I've been trying to push myself out of my comfort zone a little more as I feel a lot more comfortable when wearing it. Not that I'm saying you have to wear makeup to look good or feel confident! Although, I don't know too much when it comes to this topic I thought I would share because I think I've found some good pieces that work for me!

Lacura Snapshot Ready Primer.

You may have heard me rave about the brand Lacura (Owned by Aldi), in my previous blogpost talking all about my favourite skincare pieces, however, they have done it again. This primer is one of the best ones I have tried at helping to keep my base makeup on my face. I have particularly oily skin so makeup tends to slip off my face easily. It's silicone feel on the skin makes your face feel intact without the added need of stickiness. Something I hate with makeup products if it feels sticky on my skin or I can feel it is there I hate wearing it!  

BareMinerals Original Powder Foundation. 

Now, foundations have always been a picky one for me, Whenever I liquid foundations they agitate my skin and spots to a crazily high amount So I had been on the hunt for a while for a good alternative. I was actually watching a Fashionmumblr youtube video where she was raving all about this powder foundation and how buildable the coverage is so you can choose how much you wear on each given day. Having purchased it I can see why her reviews were so high! It makes my skin look nice without completely blurring the imperfections out. For me, I prefer a much more natural look as it feels a more lightweight on my skin! Whenever I wear 'Heavy' makeup my skin tends to breakout! One thing I will add to this is it's not exactly budget-friendly and is classed as more of a high-end makeup product so do bear that in mind, however, it's lasted me a good while so far!

W7 Hollywood Bronze and Glow Palette. 

This has been an old stable within my make up routine for a while now! It's basically a budget dupe version of the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze without the hefty price tag attached to it! It makes my pale skin look a little bit more bronzed without causing a striking difference. I tend to use this bronzer within the winter months and often use my The Balm Betty Lou-manizer when I'm tanned or in the summer. The highlight is subtle and performs a natural glow without being in your face. I love unnatural and striking highlight, but I feel it never suits my face and I always look like a turtle in Moana singing 'Shiny'. 

The TooFaced Gingerbread Extra Spicy Palette And Urban Decay Naked Three Palette.

Eyeshadow. When deciding on what makeup palette to use and what look to go for, it can really change the look overall. For everyday, I love using my Urban Decay Naked Three A old classic from the depths of blogging and youtube itself. I love the classic and natural looks you can create with this, and looking from the photo there's one shade I love the most! Whereas, if I'm not using my naked three palette I tend to be wearing my new favourite, my toofaced Gingerbread Extra Spicy Palette. It has some beautiful browny shades and beautiful glitter that I love creating looks with if I'm feeling a bit more effort is needed to add to my makeup. Especially perfect for a Christmas party look!

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder. 

A stable, a classic, we've all used it, and we've all loved it. You really can NOT go wrong when it comes to this powder. It's lightweight it's undetectable, and it helps to keep your makeup in place and shine-free. There's not much more to add on this as I think I've covered it all. I love it. If there is one thing you HAVE to buy from this blog post it's this. 

Essence Matt Touch Blush. 

I don't tend to be incredibly picky when it comes to what blush I wear. I have quite red cheeks normally without wearing makeup so I tend to try and just sutbley recreate that kind of look in a cute way. But this one tends to be the one I grab the most at the moment and it's such a budget-friendly find! In fact one could call it a secret treasure gem I found! I have a few different shades that come from this makeup brand so do check it out!

Rimmel Brow This Way And Benefit Rollerlash.

For brows I only use a clear brow gel, my chosen choice is the Rimmel Brow This Way. I'm lucky in this department as I go and get my brows tinted at the salon when I get them waxed so I don't have to put a lot of product in them as one of the things I hate are thick heavy brows. I love the look of shaped brows that are all perfectly arched on other people but I often look silly with them. 

For Mascara, I tend to use my Benefit Rollerlash if I'm putting a lot of makeup on, as they make my lashes look incredible. Curled and volumized to the maximum. I'm very lucky to be blessed with quite long lashes, but the Rollerlash is definitely a product you would be able to buildup. Although, if I'm having a very simple makeup day, I tend to wear this mascara I got in a Glossybox from a brand called Mannkadar. I've never heard of it before trying it out from Glossybox but it gives my lashes a natural cute look without being a lot of product. 

Urban Decay Up All Nighter Setting Spray. 

Finishing products are something I have only really started testing out but I love this setting spray from Urban Decay and it's really good at keeping my makeup in place! It's quite expensive for what it really is but it does work.

Mac Lip Liner in Edge To Edge. 

I don't tend to wear lipstick or lip products in general, I often just stick a lip balm on but if I do wear something with a bit of colour I often end up lining my lips with this and popping a lip balm on top. It's basically your lips but better look!

What is one of your favourite staple makeup products in your routine? I hope you enjoyed reading this blogpost! 

My Favourite Face Masks!

 Face masks are something that I think is an essential part of any skincare routine or self-care pamper evening. However, because I use them on the regular I have quite a few firm favourites that I want to show you!

Loréal Pure Clay Glow Mask.

Unless you have been living under an actual rock, which let's be honest maybe likely, then you have not heard everybody and their mother rave about these face masks. Loréal has a selection to choose from Pictured is the Glow Mask Version, that caters to your every skin need! I love these masks as you can really see the effect after using on a regular basis. The acne skin version basically helped clear up my spots. Which I have sadly run out of. But this Glow mask version helps brighten up your complexion, making skin feel a lot more hydrated and at the same time, more awake looking. It is definitely a treat your skin needs during the cold weather still! I also found It really helps in calming down the red patches upon my cheeks that I have had for the longest time! You can purchase these Loréal face masks at either Superdrug or Boots. Both stores tend to have offers running on them so do keep looking out as you can bag yourself a good bargain! 

Lacura Pink Clay & Golden Glow Multi Mask.

Now isn't this a surprising one. Who knew that Aldi had their own beauty care section and who knew their products were actually good? It's crazy how cheap they are too! This one has two sections, the first being pink clay which helps cleanse your skin, exfoliating to help remove the dead skin cells, leaving the skin to feel soft and revitalised. While the second section, the Golden Glow part helps in enhancing your skin, with hydration. Although this product has an affordable price tag attached, I can't remember the exact pricing due to Aldi's rotation of stock but If I remember rightly it was under five pounds. It works wonders on my skin and perfect for all types of skin types, oily, dry combination and acne-prone. Although it doesn't directly get rid of the spots upon my skin it helps to improve the skin underneath and makes me feel confident when not wearing makeup. Perfect for a little pick me up during a pamper session.       

TeaTox Healing Face Mask.

Again, another random find but instead of Aldi, I found this face mask amongst the depths of the TKMaxx beauty aisle, somewhere if you have ever visited a TKMaxx store is quite hard to navigate. Again split with two numerous amounts of ingredients. I am starting to see a trend here. The White Tea part working on softening the skin, while balancing not only your complexion but reducing redness, something I have spoken about above that my skin struggles with. While the other Charcoal section absorbs excess oils, soothing irritated skin. My skin type is definitely acne-prone while borderline combination but heading towards more of the drier skin type during the winter months. And I find this face mask is perfect in helping my skin control the oil production and find my make up always looks better the morning after using this facemask. Again, I'm not sure about pricing but I think this facemask was around 7 to 8 pounds so a bit more expensive than the Aldi one that does similar things but It is certainly worth a try as I love it!

ASDA Tea Tree 3 In 1 Mask. 

Last but certainly not least we have this ASDA Tea Tree mask. However, it's not just a mask as it's a 3 in 1 and can be used as a scrub and a cleanser also, although I'm not the biggest fan of it for these two steps as I find the product's consistency to be on the sticky paint-like scale. Perfect for a mask I hear you say. I love using this product as a face mask for when my skin is really playing up spot wise! The tea tree inside helps clear up all the new and old blemishes on my skin, making it look as clear free as it can bar the scarring already on my face. And with a price tag of only two pounds! You really can not go wrong here I tell you. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this blogpost!

What are some of your favourite face masks that you have tried?

Mothers Day 2020 Gift Guide.

With the likes of Mothers Day fast approaching (it's the 22nd of March in case you had forgotten). I thought I would come together to showcase the perfect gifts, in my opinion, to spoil your mothers with this year! I know we are living in weird and unusual times but I think we still need to try and carry on as normal as we can, or at least that's exactly how I feel!

Afternoon Tea.

I know with the times that we are currently living in at the moment this seems like the most unrealistic gift giving experience, however, when I started writing this blogpost we were living in completely different times and felt it was still a lovely idea to include and something you could/would be able to buy a gift voucher basis for when times are a little better. 

Afternoon tea is a lovely idea to treat your mother or mother in law with. Who doesn't love a lovely little afternoon drinking tea and eating cake I wouldn't complain that's for sure! You can find all different kinds of afternoon teas that range from drinking tea and eating cake to even including a glass or two of prosecco into the mix, so be sure to shop around. Check out local deals in your area or head on down to Groupon where you can find lovely discounted deals all the time! I'm lucky to live quite near London so the possibilities are endless and match each and every budget!

A Bath Pamper Set.

Gift sets are my favourite part of any gift-giving season, and Mother's Day is no exception here! Soap and Glory are my favourites as well. They have the best selection in terms of the smell of products and the sugar crush ones are my favourite! The one I've linked here from boots is slightly different in terms of what I've put up above but the gift set is just as good! I find Soap and Glory products are so incredibly well priced before and after a sale!

Crafting Kits.

Embroidering is something I have been getting into for this year. Every year I create a new goal I want to focus on and it tends to be a skill to learn, last year it was hair braiding, and this year it is embroidering. I find embroidery just so relaxing and it's perfect for mindlessly do while watching telly. This kit from Amazon* (Aff Link). Is one of the most perfect starter kits if it is something you want to buy! Alternatively, Amazon does a collection of others like Knitting books*  or Cross Stitching* (These again are both Aff's Links). There is basically anything for your crafty hearts to fancy and all within different budget types. There really is something for everyone.

Who Doesn't Love A Good Bottle Of Gin?

Alcohol always goes down well and I don't know about you but Gin to me seems to be the most popular alcohol product at the moment. You can just go down the route of just purchasing a plain bottle with the likes of Tanqueray or Tanqueray 10 being popular products. However, because it's a gift for a special Mother or person on Mother's Day I prefer to go into the flavoured route. I work part-time on a bar and Sip Smith's Lemon Drizzle Gin which you can buy here * (Aff Link). Is a firm favourite amongst us all. One person described it to me as drinking a cake which I'm not sure is a positive or a negative compliment but you take it how you wish!

Pyjamas.

Buying new pyjamas either for yourself or for somebody else is something I love doing! Pyjamas are almost like a cosy comfort blanket that I love wearing. Whenever I have new pyjamas to wear everything feels right in the world. Surprisingly one of my favourite places to buy pyjamas is Tescos and these are cute for your Mum! They are dedicated to mums as a good Mother's day present and look really nice compared to the usual mummy pig Peppa pig themed pyjamas you tend to see!

Voucher Gift Card.

I know gift cards and vouchers are often seen as an 'escape goat' type of present for when you are REALLY stuck in what to buy someone, however, in not all cases should they be seen or taken in a bad way. I think gift cards are perfect for the person in your life that loves shopping and buying clothes but you don't want to go out and directly purchase a piece in case it doesn't suit them or follow the style they love. Or in other cases, it can be a payment towards going out for dinner or towards that item they have been saving up towards without giving direct cash.

Flower Delivery.

Last but not least, because Mother's Day is falling at a horrible time for a lot of us we won't be able to see family on this special day. Delivering something like flowers to their doorstep could be what brightens their day and shows you are still thinking about them. Bloom and wild have a great selection when it comes to flowers and you really see them bloom throughout the days of having the, ensuring you get to experience the beautifulness of them for a good while! They even have a selection that fit through the letterbox, ensuring no contact was made between the delivery driver and the person receiving them!

I hope you enjoyed reading this little blogpost and are all keeping safe. I'll be continuing to write during this time and hope you all will too, as I'm going to have plenty of time to be reading blog posts! What have you bought your mother for Mother's Day?

But for now,

Still Me By Jojo Moyes // A Book Review.

It was the book and movie everyone was watching or reading. Me Before You took the world or at least the UK by storm. What most people do not realise is Jojo Moyes has written three books within the Me Before you franchise, so here is a review for not the sequel (I've written a blog post that's mentioned that one before) but the sequel sequel.  In English, that means the third and last book.  

'Still Me' had that nostalgic feeling with it that reminded me a lot of the similarities of when I was reading 'Me Before You'. The writing flowed well and the story of Lou was brought back to life, her vintage love and craziness shining through; something I missed a lot when reading the second book 'After you'. 'Still Me' made sense to her characteristics and the events that happened through the novel, I loved every second of it but that may have been because it's setting was based in the big apple New York City. 

New York made sense for Lou to be there. it filled that empty gaping hole that the telly series of Gossip Girl left behind. It's been a few years but if you know, you know. Using New York as a new story location helped carry the third book in this series. It made the story interesting and I loved how the New York scenery entered the novel. It made it interesting and actually was filled with a lot of twists and turns. A lot of things you wouldn't have expected, and I felt terrible most of the time as I expected and predicted a few things to happen and it was the exact opposite of the outcome. I don't want to say too much in case I spoil too much of the novel, however, there is one part of it that I did expect the wife to be cheating as that tends to be the storyline most authors progress towards.

But with positives, sadly there is sometimes negatives. One negative I did not enjoy in regards to the story was the character of Paramedic Sam. He was introduced and presented within the second novel, and I honestly thought I would maybe he would grow on me. In fact, I sadly found an incredibly more insufferable within the third. I don't again want to spoil too much of the novel in case Jojo Moyes is an author you are interested in reading but the actions he participates in, are not something I would condemn in the slightest.

All in all, I would give this novel a 4/5. If chick flick novels are your way to go then definitely pick this one up.  

Have you read a Jojo Moyes novel before, If so what were you thoughts about them?

Until Next Time.

Reducing Our Plastic Usage.

Plastic is in our ocean, it's in our cupboards and it's in our fridge. But just because it's all around us, doesn't mean we need to use it or rely on it all the time. I know it's not possible to cut out plastic from our lives completely, but there are some options we can take to reduce our plastic bit by bit. I've selected a small collection of my favourite plastic-free items that I use in my everyday life.

Beeswax Wraps

These are just stable in the kitchen. Forget all about cling film as these beeswax wraps work just as well! It's great for transporting your lunch when you go to work! Or for just carrying snacks around when you go out because who doesn't get hungry throughout the day? What's so great about these is you can just keep reusing them again and again, all they need is a quick wash in cold water between uses are you are all good to go!

Metal Straws

Another handy plastic-free item you are able to carry around with you or use at home. Although if you are going out and about with it you are able to purchase collapse versions that pop in your handbag and save a little bit of room! Which saves waste overall when you head out for something to eat or a drink because even though most places have paper straws they end up just being a waste as they go all soggy in your drink!

One thing I will note here is if you are a keen smoothie drinker you'll have to buy extra-large straws otherwise the smoothie mixture gets caught up in the normal-sized ones and let me tell you this it is not a pleasant experience!  

Cotton Pads

These are so perfect for using on an everyday basis! It's crazy to think about how many cottons pads you throw away on a weekly basis so with these you use them and then pop them into a little drawstring wash bag and throw them in the washing machine along with the rest of your washing!

Reusable Water Bottles

Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate! Us as humans need a lot of pints of water so it's important to drink a lot! But when you are out and out you can fall to the bad habits of ending up of buying a water bottle everywhere you go! At the train station or just on the way to town. This could also apply for hot beverages as a reusable coffee cup is just as helpful! Carrying your own help reduce the waste bit by bit! Don't forget to wash it out though!! :) 

Method Cleaner

Now I won't lie to you, these can be a little pricey so I do tend to stock up when an offer is about but aside from that, method cleaners bottles are made from recycled used plastic, and the formulas are cruelty-free and non-harmful to the environment! I can hear what you are thinking, Yes. These do work just as well as the normal more well-known brands that Mr's Hinch often advertises! 

Vegetable Bags

Loose Vegetable in the supermarket is such a great idea. Why hasn't anymore ever thought about it before? Can you note my sarcasm here? But why do these loose vegetables offer plastic bags to store the fruit and veg in. Isn't it defeating the point of why they were used all that time before in greengrocers? In fact why someone ever thinks that fruit and veg needed to be stored in plastic anyway? But these vegetable bags are great at storing all the loose produce so you don't have to rely on plastic no more! 

Bamboo Toothbrushes

Every toothbrush you have used in your life is still out there here on earth. Isn't it crazy to think that? Toothbrush plastic is one of the hardest types of plastic to break down. So with these new bamboo toothbrushes once you have finished using them and it's time to get a new one it's not the same as throwing away old plastic ones are these are in fact bio-degradable. Giving a little helping hand to our earth! 

What are some plastic-free alternatives that you use in your everyday life? I would love to know! 

A Monthly Roundup // January 2020.

I've learnt a lot about myself in this new year already. It's been only a month but I've experienced quite a lot. It's often hard to reflect back on our lives because often we become so focused upon the bad things that have happened and not the happy moments. But I think that's because as humans we are just destined to be pessimistic. It's installed in our brains, much like procrastination is.

January started off with new years and our annual Christmas party. Often I look back at these with sadness, not because the nights were bad. I was surrounded by some people I can call my closest friends but because of a small percentage of people who deemed to bring negative energy. One thing I am taking from January is how easy it is to be dragged into people's drama. You don't have to be friends with everybody. It's incredibly important to live your life for yourself, and not on the terms of other people. If they've fallen out with somebody doesn't mean you have to follow in suit. While also, don't let people walk all over you. It's not worth it.

January made me realise who my true friends are. I'm so lucky to have the people I have in my life. The friends I surround myself with and my boyfriend Christopher who truly adores every part of me. Despite being an anxiety mess 24/7. (Something I actually started therapy for this month. Don't ever feel you can not ask for help, you can and asking for help makes you a stronger person). I'm so grateful for my Rainbows family and the volunteering I do there to help form part of a social circle for the girls.

January has made me realise how many times I say no because of my anxiety. I'm by all means not becoming a yes person all the time and climbing mount Everest, but I want to start working harder. Working smarter and enjoying my time off to the maximum capacity I can.

In summary, don't let others negativity rule your life. Don't let anxiety make you afraid to get help and leave your house. Love the people closest to you. Love your life. and don't forget to breathe.

Sundose* A Personalised Vitamin Supply Review.

*AD -This Blogpost contains gifted items*

Vitamins and supplements are an important addition to our lifestyles to ensure we are able to maintain our general well-being and health. They are something that most of us should be taking daily, but let's be honest it's something we often forget to do. It's kind of like exercising, we know the importance but we often lack the motivation to succeed. This is where Sundose comes into play and why I've loved using them.

So what is it?

Sundose is a Polish vitamin company that helps take out the stress of working out what vitamin and supplements we need to take. With a personalised formula that is based and focuses on the questionnaire, you provide answers too. The questions ranging from being based on your own lifestyle and well-being and also your health and dietary needs. For me, when answering the questionnaire it was very apparent my needs were to be focused on improving my energy levels, due to my struggle of getting out of bed in the morning that in turn is affecting my day to day concentration and productivity levels. 

Once the main 62-page questionnaire has been answered a nutritionist will message you to ask in regards to a few extra questioning in regards to if you have had a recent blood test in the last three months. What you want your supplements to focus the most on. Like I said above, my energy levels is what I picked here. Lastly, what flavour you want for the drink formula part of the vitamins. Importantly I picked Orange as you can never go wrong with orange flavoured products.

When your vitamin supply has arrived, It arrives in a small handy orange box that encloses your 30-day sachets. This orange box makes it incredibly easy to slot into your fridge as that is where these need to be kept. So make sure you have enough room to store them! (Making room was something I forgot to do and had to frantically rearrange my incredibly messy fridge. I am slightly envious of all the Mr's Hinch fans who have the perfect fridge layouts as mine never looks the same). 

But Really, What Does It Contain?

Depending on what supplements you are recommended, your supplements may consist of both tablets and a drink powder formula filled with a mix of vitamins, minerals, omega-3 acids probiotics and antioxidants. These change depending on how you answered the questionnaire and what are best to fitting your lifestyle and dietary requirements. A note to place here is that I found with the drink powder it's best when mixing it with water to let it stand for 5/10 minutes and mixing it every so often to make it taste the nicest. 

In Summary. 

Overall, I've been trying these vitamins for over a week and a half now and have seen some general improvements with my health. My productivity on a day to day basis has really improved and my ability to stay concentrated for longer means I'm getting a lot more done in regards to studying for my University degree. Although I haven't seen much help when it comes to getting up in the morning, I do find my energy levels are supplemented in regards to I'm having more energy in the day. This means I'm able to actually do a lot more after my workday has finished and I'm not just sat on the sofa struggling to stay awake past eight o'clock. This new burst of energy is so new to me and I just love how perfect Sundos is for if you are on the go and need something quick to drink on your way to work or with your breakfast in the morning. 

If supplements and vitamins are something you have been wanting to try out but been struggling where to start, Sundose is the perfect brand for you. With the code 'lucyjade' you are able to get 20 pounds off your first order!

Have you ever tried vitamins/supplements before or is it something you already do on a regular basis? Please do let me know! 

Is Endless Scrolling A Bad Habit Of Yours?

I know, I know. It's something we are all told, but it's also something we are all guilty of doing. How many times have you climbed into bed at half ten at night, told yourself you'll have a look on social media, a scroll on Instagram for five minutes and then it ends up being midnight by the time you next look at the clock. It's not good for us, the blue light is bad for our eyes and tricks our brain into alert mode. Making falling asleep much harder than it needs to be. So with all that said this is why I've decided to ban phones and screens in the bedroom.

Your bedroom needs to have that balance and divide of being the place you sleep in, and not the place you work or relax in. I know, it's hard but there are plenty of activities to do before bed that help us wind down and relax in a way that is better for us in the long run.

1. Read a Book. 

Reading is so good for us and our brains. It helps our creativity, it helps us wind down and it's almost like a telly show, just without the moving pictures. I am very aware reading isn't for everybody and I stand in a kind of unique situation here seeming I read books for University on the regular as part of my English Literature degree. I, however, also enjoy reading in my spare time also. Now the type of book really doesn't matter, as long as you are reading something you enjoy, it's not only stimulating your brain but it helps to wind you down from the day a lot better than any screen could do.

2. Journaling.

Journalling is something that is not for everyone. But journalling is also something that differs for every single person. For some filling out their to-do list for the next day is great as it means you don't have to think about it when you wake up the next morning. Or some take journalling as a more approach of writing down how their day went what happened and how they overcame whatever occurred. For me, I think both work equally as well so it's a personal choice of what you may want to do or try.

3. Colouring.

Although this is something I tend to do while watching telly, I know I'm one of those people who can't sit still. I've always got to have something in my hand, but I find colouring such a relaxing activity. It helps put my mind at rest especially after a busy day at work or just studying for university. You don't have to concentrate hard either so it's great if you suffer from regular headaches like I do.

4.  Practising gratitude. 

There is just something quite wonderful about the whole idea of just lighting a candle while sitting in bed and just closing your eyes as you let your thoughts drift through your mind as you remember the things that matter to you in life.

What is your go-to habit before bedtime that really helps you get to sleep better? I would love to know.

My Top Reading Picks of 2019.

2019 was a whirlwind of a year. It seemed to fly by and now we are already in a new year, and even a new decade. So as we reflect and look back on the previous year I wanted to talk about my favourite books I have read in 2019.

Reading is something relaxes me when I am highly anxious and I love being able to be transported into another world. I mean maybe that is why I am studying an English Degree. Talking about my degree the first book I want to mention is one I actually read because of my degree and writing an essay on it. An essay I am meant to writing right now but instead, I am writing this.

Hotel World by Ali Smith. 
Although I had to read this book for university it still holds a worthy mention in my top reading picks purely for the amazing style any of Ali Smiths books are written like. It throws many literacy features and 'rules' out of the window to accommodate the topics of political capitalism and dealing with grief and the grey area between life and death. For some, its a bit more of a heavy read but Ali Smith tackles these type of topics in a very comical basis that makes you forget how heavy the topic is. Even if you don't need to read this for an academic purpose like myself I think you would still very much enjoy it.

Another on my list that I read as more of a pleasure read that also deals with grief theming but in a more of a girly drama book compared to that of Ali Smiths contemporary novel is,

After You by Jojo Moyes.
The second in the well-known book series of 'Me Before You'. After you focus on the life Lou lives after the ending of the first one. I read this during the Christmas period and managed to finish it just after the new year so technically I wouldn't say I read this in 2019 however I felt it was worth the mention. I'm just going to put this out here and say It wasn't my favourite read out of this list and you may be thinking at this point why I've mentioned it in my best picks. But let me explain. If you are to read this as a stand-alone book, I feel it is not for you. The flow of writing and storytelling wouldn't make much sense, as it follows on from the previous book. On the other hand, if you have actually read 'Me Before You' or watched the movie.

Although this is not really a book I feel these are a worthy mention. I recently started a magazine subscription to Breathe.

Breathe Magazine. 
Breathe magazine is a magazine that is focused around health and well-being and self-care. Something I find incredibly important as these days there isn't enough hours in the day to get everything done so we always focus on the work we need to do and the tasks that need to be completed as opposed to actually taking care of ourselves. Like most things, a lot of things are easier said than done and we find giving advice to others easier than taking the advice ourselves actually.

We all a love good classic novel, or maybe that's just a thing for me as an English Literature student. But I couldn't write a list about my top collectable reads of the year without one. So this leads us to our next one.

Far From The Madding Crowd By Thomas Hardy. 
This one is very different from the others upon our list, so please stick with me as I know classics are not what everyone loves. But because of Far From The Madding Crowd being a realism novel, it has a sense of relative to our everyday life. It's also a rather easy read in regards to the language that is used in the text. Often I find when I have to read a classic book for my degree, a lot of them become a struggle to read as the language choice from the time they were written become almost like a blockage. In all, if an English degree is something you want to pursue or even briefly look into and the type of things you would study, I feel this is a good starting point.

What was your favourite read of 2019?

I hope you enjoyed reading this little blogpost!

A New Year But I'm Still The Same Me // Why You Should Never Change Yourself For anybody.

I'm a little bit late to the party here, seeming I am writing this on the 14th of January but the first two weeks of the new year have been a bit of a whirlwind time, to say the least, and I properly wanted to sit down and think about what I wanted to write about and where I think I am heading with this blog. A trend I have noticed from the likes of social media platforms and talking to people in my everyday life is a focus on goals and resolutions when a new year, (Or even a new decade) Is around the corner. Now don't get me wrong here, I'm not opposed to the aspect of setting ourselves goals and working on ourselves for the better because as humans I feel we are always able to improve ourselves. But my problem when it comes to this type of goals is that they are attached to something of a significance holiday so people are in turn somewhat 'expected' to make goals.

And a lot of the time these type of goals are centred around losing weight and improving fitness levels, a career change or a promotion or even just reading more or buying a car/learning to drive and this is because we pick these goals as we think it's what we have to do to become a better human being. We don't need to change ourselves for anybody. This is one of my main points I have really been focusing on for 2020. During 2019, I became far too consumed with what everybody around me was doing, focusing on how they, in turn, live their lives rather than focusing on my own and what I need to do. So just because people around you in your lives are doing all different types of things to do, there is no need to make it a competitive thing and compare yourself. Every person in life is on a very different track and no two people are the same.

I hope you are having a great start to the new year and the new decade, and I would love to hear your thoughts in regards to goals and the new year. 

Until next time, thank you so much for reading! 

Toodlepip Lovelies 

Lucy xox

Mary Poppins // A Theatre Review.

On a gloomy Saturday evening in the last week of November, my boyfriend and I headed up to London to see the wonderful Charlie Stemp and Zizi Strallen in Mary Poppins. Although you may have never heard of the musical production that is Mary Poppins, I am pretty sure you would know of the Disney movie version.

There isn't much that differs between the two, however, one of the key differences you will notice is the musical soundtracks, and let's be honest the songs make most of the west end performances, par the acting! The West End performance has had a lot more songs added to it, to enhance the story that unfolds on the stage while also creating some alternations and setting changes to the most iconic Mary Poppins songs there is, these being 'A Spoonful of Sugar' and 'Supercalifragilisticexplidocious'. I didn't have much of a problem with these alternations but was a little disappointed that Mary Poppins didn't wear the well know White holiday dress for Jolly Holiday and instead opted for a bright pink one.

But let's have a talk about the new additions that graced the stage. One of my firm favourites was the song 'Being Mr's Banks' and the reprised version also. There is something about listening to this song be performed upon the stage that really moved me. The lyrics and acting were both filled with so much emotion that makes you feel a sense of relation to how the actor is feeling and to everyday life. Something I love is how an actor or a song and plot line can make you feel invested more and more into the musical. 'Being Mrs Banks' makes you feel the emotions she has been torn between the woman she wants to be, and the woman her husband wants her to be.

Although I loved 'Being Mrs Banks' I was not the biggest fan of the 'Playing the Game' song. I felt that the entire scene was very uncomfortable to watch and terrified me slightly when the giant toy came to life. I don't want to spoil the show too much as there is a lot of magic that centres around the production and Mary Poppins itself. For a show like this, what more could you expect? The magic is a key piece to the show and adds an extra level of wonderfulness that any Disney production needs. I loved how magical Mary Poppins bag was without the movie tricks the original pursues. The set of Cherry Tree Lane house was also a firm favourite as I loved the way it unfolded and folded itself up almost like a giant dollhouse. The set being this way added that extra bit of specialness.

Overall, If you love Disney and Mary Poppins is your kind of thing I think you would extremely love this and Charlie Stemp as Burt and Zizi Strallen as Mary Poppins are the real icing on the cake for this version of Mary Poppins. Together they create the best dynamic of the two and mould themselves perfectl]y into the characters while acting. Making it such a pleasure to watch. I really enjoyed my time watching this show and would really recommend you go see it.

I hope you enjoyed reading this little theatre review and have a lovely Christmas!

Toodlepip lovelies

Lucy x

The Theatre Shows You Need To See!

Hello! I’ve seen quite a few musicals and plays in my time. Ranging from in West End it’s self and also within the theatre that’s local to me, that being the cliffs pavilion within Southend. So I comprised a list of theatre shows you absolutely have to see whether you are a seasoned theatre-goer or a new beginner.

The Phantom of the Opera. (Probably one of the most iconic theatre shows). You can not go wrong with a theatre classic and phantom of the opera is just that. Filled with classic opera ballads that really test the vocal cords of its cast it’s a story full of love and tragedy. You’ve probably heard or even seen the movie, although I feel it’s not up there as one of my favourites; You will not regret seeing the iconic chandelier scene in such an immersive version of theatre. Phantom of the Opera is a 9/10 for me.

Les Misérables. This show is another firm favourite of mine that I have actually watched the production twice now. The first being the London West End run and the second being the Les Misérables all-stars concert run. Both were amazing examples of how incredibly talented West end performers are, these being old well-known celebrities with the likes of Alfie Boe and Michael Ball, but also newcomers like Rob Houchen. It's a fine example of classic literature based upon history being turned into a stellar production. Les Misérables is a 10/10 for me and my favourite West End show ever. 

Come From Away. I'm not sure if you can see a theme following here but I enjoy shows that have a meaning behind them. Come from Away is a musical that's based upon the events of 9/11. This show means a lot to me due to I was alive when 9/11 unfolded. Come From Away documents the events in a respectful way and I ended up leaving the show as a crying and bumbling mess. Come from Away is a shorter performance compared to the others within this list but you don't tend to feel as though you are missing anything. I give this show an 8/10.

The Book of Mormon. Now I wasn't going to add this one, because I wasn't the biggest fan of this show. I loved the songs but felt the humour wasn't really there for me. However, my boyfriend loves this show with a passion and wanted to add his opinion on here. So beware it does contain a lot of dark/dry humour so if that's not really your thing then I wouldn't recommend. Nether the less my boyfriend rates it as an 8/10 as it is one of his favourite musicals. 

Heathers! Heather and Heather! I mean, the opportunity to make that joke was there... I just had to take it alright. Seeming Heathers is coming back to the theatre scene and embarking on a UK tour it is only right I mention this stellar production. Heathers reminds me very much of old fashioned Mean girls and is an old round fell good show. I saw it last November with Carrie Hope Fletcher as Veronica Sawyer and fell in love with the happy and the low parts. If you take anything from this post I would totally recommend you see Heathers the most. It's a 10/10 for me. 

What West End/ UK Tours have you seen and would recommend? 

I hope you enjoyed this little post and thank you for reading!

Toodlepip Lovelies 

Lucy x

A Primark Lip Liner and Crayon Duos Review.

As I was stumbling into Primark to look around while I was shopping in lakeside (for yes the c-word) Christmas presents. I noticed the array of new beauty items Primark has to offer.

Now I’ve heard many a mixed review when it comes to this but something I have heard just positive reviews about is the Primark lip products so I thought I would buy a few to try them out.

I decided to buy the lip liner and lip crayon duos that cost, yes only two pounds each with really is a steal seeming the product is a two in one. They had a few different shades but I decided to only pick up three as the others on the shelf were more of a dark browny and bright pink colours that I don’t really suit wearing. The colours showed above are labelled as seen.

The shade ‘red’ as the name suggests is a deep bright red that is an intense as you would expect a red to be.

The lip liners are easy to use as they are small and precise and make filling in the rest of your lips with the crayon end of the product great. The crayon side is not too big so you don’t end up getting lip product halfway up your cheek. But maybe, just maybe that’s just something that ends up happening to me. 

They are of a matte finishing texture and last a good while on my lips without needing to be topped up. However, they don’t stand the test if you are eating and drinking as they sadly rub off then.

What I love most about this product is you know that both the lip liner and the lip crayon are going to match. There is quite a lot of lip products in my collection that I struggle to wear due to not having a match lip liner, and vice versa. I hate the struggle of having to try and walk around a store with a lipstick in hand trying to find the matching lip liner to it.

The nude shades ‘toast’ and ‘barely there’ are my perfect nude shades that compliment my more simple everyday make up or if I’m going a bit heavier with my eye makeup. Not that I do that very often but I’m trying to experiment more than just wear the same three pink eyeshadows.

Although the packaging is something that doesn’t sell an item to me it is worth noting here that I enjoy the simplicity of the Matte black look. And the colour of the shades being the entire cap as opposed to just being a sticker on the bottom. I like being able to find exactly what I want when trying to find a lip product and hate having to search through my massive selection.

Overall, for the price of these lip products being 2 pounds each I really think they are worth purchasing. The shade range is a little limited however you can not complain as the shades they do, and the formulas within them are great.

Have you ever bought or tried any Primark make up before? 

Thank you for reading.
Toodlepip lovelies.

Lucy x

My November Goals.

This year been a weird one for me, in some ways I feel I’ve been very accomplished in what I’ve got out of this year. Passing my first year of university to name a few. However, with only two months left in this year, I really want to try and make more of an effort to be more productive and proactive. So I've compiled a list of things I want to get done.

Participate in many a holiday activity or tradition.

With November comes Christmas light switch on and fireworks. Pub quizzes and festive dinners. I wanna make more of an effort to make plans with friends. To go out and see and do things a lot more. I love surrounding myself with good energy and friends and this month I want to really engage.

Take up a new hobby.

This month and October I’ve really taken a personal reflection upon scheduling myself and making sure I’m not spending hours upon hours on the university to the put that the sheer amount of work I am doing is counterproductive and I end up getting less done than one had thought. So now I have a bunch of free time opened up for me that I really want to use this time to invest in doing things I love. Aside from getting back into reading for pleasure and not for my degree. I want to learn a new hobby whether that be learning to play the piano or getting back into yoga we shall see. Spend more time committing to my blog and writing in general. I’ve been a bit sporadic when it comes to writing on here, sometimes I’ve been able to write once a week others I’ve not posted in a few months. I really want to stick with posting regularly whether that be once a week or twice a week. I am yet to decide what I do but stick around for what comes next. Really look after my skin.
I suffer from spots quite badly. I eat sweets I get a spot. I don’t drink enough water that day, I get spots. So I really want to focus on what I’m putting in my body and making sure i get back on track with my healthy eating and working out. Something I’ve been neglecting during my bad mental health days. I see a real improvement in myself when I’m stretching and working out every other day.

Making more time for myself.
Alongside the hobby and scheduling my work//home life balance I want to make sure I have a lot more free time and what free time I do have I use for doing things I actually enjoy. A lot of the time I come home from work and I end up telling myself I’ll spend a bit of time working on my uni work which normally results in me spending hours and it’s already 8 o’clock in the evening and the time has just flown by. So for me, it’s really important that I manage my time more effectively.

I hope you enjoyed reading this little blog post today and I’ll for you to share some goals or things you need to tackle upon your to-do list for this month.

Toodlepip lovelies

Lucy x