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! 

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.

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

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

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

A October Round Up // Laughter, Tears and Friends.

I'm an extrovert by nature, but my anxiety causes me to be an introvert. Anxiety is something I have been living with for many years, but it never really gets any easier. My anxiety causes many a controlling tendency and fills me with a lot of self-doubts. Self-doubt is something I very struggle to deal with. I spend a lot of my time focused upon my University degree and going to work I don't leave a lot of time for my friends or any free time for myself in general. During October, I decided to try and change that nagging voice within my head and create some sort of balance. I call this my 'Zen'  Mindset.

This month I've tackled with building a built-in wardrobe with my boyfriend, unblocking our drain twice, a lot of crying, a hyperventilating panic attack, planing a Halloween party and celebrating my 21st Birthday. Things have gone wrong for sure, I've not managed to control my excessive mood swings or the anxiety funky feeling I get when I'm on my own but I've accomplished a hell of a lot. I've managed to throw a Halloween party, work towards my university deadlines and slowly start feeling more not only body confident but confident in the person I am growing up to become.

I'm not saying i'm totally happy with where I am. There is a lot more I need to do, and there is a lot more I need to work out with inside of myself but I'm certainly going in the right direction. I'm so happy to be surrounded around the people I' have and I'm lucky to call them my friends. I especially am grateful for the man I lucky to call my boyfriend who sticks with me through many tears and crying and also all the happy memories I'm lucky to share with him. 

The future looks bright my friends.

Thank you for reading this little spontaneous blogpost! 

Toodlepip lovelies! 

Lucy x 

What To Do When You Are Feeling Funky.

We all get that feeling every now and again. Sometimes it's just pure waves of sadness and we are not entirely sure why. Sometimes it's just a mixture of all of those types of emotions and they just make you sort of feel as I call it, Funky. It's not the nicest of feelings so I thought I would create and share this list with you all that help me during my time of need.

Listen to a certain song or playlist that you know boosts your mood and productivity. 

Music is the key to emotions. Some genres of music can increase productivity and staying focus, while others can create an ambience that relaxes you. I find listening to music that makes you feel happy and/or is tied with happy memories, helps in slowly getting you out of the funk you are feeling. It's not an instant fix, as sometimes funks can last for a while. For me, I find listening to the ABBA soundtrack boosts my mood and makes me feel productive to do the tasks on my to-do list.

Get up go out and breathe.

Studies have shown that leaving the place where you are feeling stressed or anxious and going outside even if it’s just for five minutes or going on a walk makes you feel at peace and calmer within your surroundings. For me, I find walking helps clear my mind and understand a situation and how to deal with it to reduce the amount of stress I was experiencing. I’m very much known as a stress head in my everyday life and a bit (my friends would say more like a lot) as a worrier. So anything I can do to help ground myself instead of running around like a headless chicken is appreciated.

Exercise. Move your body around.

Exercising for half an hour to an hour a day it really beneficial not only for your physical well-being but your mental health also. Exercising releases endorphins, the happy drug and gets your blood pumping inside your body. Whenever my head is in a weird headspace I find exercising helps clear my head. Tidy mind tidy workspace is a quote I’ve stuck towards for most of my life. Dancing is something I enjoy doing on the regular but stretching//Yoga or Pilates is another two forms of exercise that I find I really enjoy. Exercise and the words happy and enjoy are not what a lot of people associate with each other.

Relax. Light a candle and have a soak or just have a quick shower.

Whenever I'm feeling down, I find relaxing and taking a bath also helps if I don't have any prompting tasks to complete. I find giving myself the time to be able to really think over what I need to do and sort it out in the near future helps put things into perspective. However, an option, if I have a lot of prompting tasks that need to be done that day, is to take a quick shower to make you feel refreshed and clear your mind and be ready to reduce your mood funk.

Read a book and I'm not talking about an academic one for your University. 
Taking time to enjoy things you love, like for me reading can help reduce the mood funk you are in. When I don't take time out for myself and I'm just constantly working working working, has a massive damaging impact on my mental health and mood. So I like to take a step back every now and again and really look at my work/life/social/hobbies life balance.

I hope you enjoyed reading this week's blogpost! What are your tips/ what do you feel when you are in a bit of a 'funk'?

Toodlepip lovelies! 

Lucy 

x

A Glossybox Review // October 'Devil' Themed.

A Glossybox delivery day is the favourite day of the month right? I know it's been literal MONTHS since I have shared one with you but I felt like this October themed Glossybox was too good to not I love how every monthly is packaged with a little bow and tissue paper with the goodies wrapped inside of them. It's like a little present and I wish my wrapping skills were just as good. 

This October's box came in two different styles of either A Angel themed box or the one I received the Devil themed box. The content inside of course matches the outside packaging style. So let's get into the goodies! 
                                                                                                                           

 A Sweet Treat - Whittard's Sticky Toffee Pudding Hot Chocolate.
I will say this now and to be honest, it will come to no surprise to anyone but I never say no to a sweet treat, whether that be a hot chocolate that came within this month's Glossybox or a bar of chocolate in the previous month's box. However, I didn't even get a look in as my boyfriend's hands went straight to pulling the hot chocolate out of the box as soon as I had just about lifted the lid off it. Despite this, I asked for his verdict on the chocolately goodness and he says it is one of the best Whittard hot chocolate flavours they have made! I think adding an edible/ drinkable treat within the box every month is a massive hit.

Lord And Berry Lip Crayon in 'Devil's Red'.
 I love a good lip product, and something which I love the most about a good lip product is how easy it is to apply. I tend to find crayons and lip liners are the easiest application as opposed to an actual lipstick so you can imagine my excitement when I found this within my Glossybox this month. I've not heard much about Lord and Berry before and it's a brand I've not really bought anything from before however, I loved this lipstick and how intense the colour red it is. I don't tend to wear red lipsticks which is a shame due to it reflecting well against my pale skin. But I get incredibly worried about smearing it when it's on! It is something I do want to get more confident within my life.

Stylondon Eyeshadow Pallette.
There are two things I love the most about this palette, the colours are obviously a statement and a favourite the other being that this palette is a mineral-based, a product that is filled with Vitamin E and Vegan-friendly. Ever since my skin has been breaking out quite a lot (at the age of 21 I thought it would have calmed down now) I have been preferring applying mineral-based products to my skin more. Although let's go back to talking about the colours before in the pan they look so gorgeous especially the orange and pink glitters in the top row. Although when I swatched them on my skin they looked worse out of the pan than in. Which is a shame due to the colours are perfect for autumn. I am yet to try them out on my eyelids but expect a more in-depth look at this palette in a future blog post soon. 

MCoBeauty Crayon EyeLiner. 
Again, like my comment previously I have never heard of the brand MCoBeauty. But that's a thing I love about Glossybox in general. You are able to try out new brands you have never heard of before while also enjoying brands you already love. I don't wear eyeliner often, simply because I'm not very good at it or makeup in general but I love the effect black liner has against red or orange eyeshadow. For me, I just do a simple line on my lid as opposed to a wing. Whenever I do a winged eyeliner they come out super wonky! I get incredibly jealous of people who can.

Bubble T Devil Dust Foaming Bath Powder. 
There isn't often a bath product that I do not love. Ranging from Lush bath bombs to bubble bars.
However, this was the first product I have tried from Bubble T, and I'm sad to say I was rather disappointed with the outcome of this. I felt it didn't produce as many bubbles as I expected compared to some bath powders // bubble baths I have used before, which kind of ruined my entire bath situation. There wasn't an overall powerful fragrance to the bath powder which I was grateful for as often I find a fragrance heavy product irritates my skin too much. The colour that was in the water as soon as you put the bath powder disappeared as the bath filled up.

Que Bella Professional Plumping Gold Peel Off Mask.
When it comes to facemasks I'm incredibly picky, I have sensitive spot prone skin so often I have to be to avoid a bad flare-up. I also don't often like single-use masks as well as I am very much an advocate for helping out the planet whenever I can. However, seeming this came within my Glossybox I thought it was something I'll try and see if my mind was changed. It's not too many people's surprise I didn't enjoy it much. I found it took forever to peel off and came off in small chunks. I find the whole concept of a peel-off mask frustrating and didn't see many after-effects to my skin to warrant using this.

I hoped you enjoyed this week's blog post. 

What was your favourite part of this month's Glossybox? Are there any products you have//haven't tried? 

Until next week lovelies.

Toodlepip 

Lucy x

A Monthly Round Up // August.

I've never really done anything like this before. I've not sat back and reflected the month that just went past and all of the events that were in it. Although, I thought I would change that and reflect. Reflection is always good when you are trying to really make yourself and present the best version of yourself you can. I think these monthly round-ups will be more for me though as opposed to you readers. I want to see it as a way I can look back in years to come.  I would love to start a scrapbook of some relation to this and maybe that can be a goal for me in the New year.

August for me started off with a firework amount of shows, I took my boyfriend to watch Rocky Horror Picture Show. Which is unlike any theatre show he's seen before. I won't lie to you I was very nervous but it was an amazing performance and a show like I have never seen before. We saw it in Southend as well, which is amazing and wonderful that we have this venue where west end performances grace the stage.

The summer days were hot and filled with friends and laughter and little trips to the pub. I feel really blessed to have the people I do around me and really felt happy in myself for the first time in a while. I spent less time at work due to it not being very busy as it's the summer and we don't tend to have a lot of shows on which meant I had a lot of time to spend with myself.

It was then Christopher my boyfriend's birthday week. It was a very hectic week filled with fun, shows and friends. We had a game and cake night the day before his birthday and sang songs until we couldn't guess them anymore. I love that Chris and I share our special group of friends together as when we do spend time together it's better. We then spent his actual birthday in the pouring rain watching Evita at the Open Air Theatre in London. The only show I saw this month that I didn't write a review for My rocky horror show review and Les Mis is up on my blog already! This is simply for the fact of I was very disappointed with the theatre performance. I'm not one to talk negatively when it comes to shows and theatres, and I've never been to a show I have openly disliked apart from Evita. I really hope it was just the performance night we saw it, as with the rain pouring it is hard for your best foot to put across the stage. Especially when they have to stop the performance every 5 minutes to wipe the stage, it can put anybody off. 

On a more positive note, at the end of the week, we met up with my brother and his mother to watch the Les Mis concert. As said earlier my review for this is already up on my blog if you wish to check it out. 

The month ended a lot of admin and personal bits I wanted to tick off my list. Going to the hairdressers and having my hair completely transformed into a gorgeous shade of blonde really helped boost my confidence and make me feel like a new girl. This especially was very much needed for me as throughout the month I suffered a lot with losing a sense of myself and feeling huge amounts of burn out. But I feel I'm on the more positive side of that matter now luckily!

I would love to hear how your August went and what you got up too.

Thank you so much for reading!

Toodlepip lovelies

Lucy x

A Round Up Of My First Year Of University.

University for me was an experience full of ups and downs that differed majorly depending on the circumstances. It was filled with everything I thought it would be (and everything I didn't expect). If you take at least one thing away from this post; it's okay to feel stress in any given situation and that feeling is extremely normal. But please and I stress this part, talk to somebody about it when it gets too bad for you to handle yourself. I encourage you to talk about it, I promise it'll make you feel better as the saying goes, 'A problem shared is a problem halved'. 

Towards the end of my first year of university, I was really struggling. My life at this stage university was trying to write my last essay before the summer break, revise for my end of module exam and trying to balance moving house as well.  It was a lot, I'll be honest here. I struggled, I neglected my own self-care and any kind of balance in my life that it started affecting my social and work lives. I was highly emotional and I honestly hand on heart can say it was probably the lowest I have felt. I'm still going through the waves of emotions right now, but slowly,  I eventually started speaking to someone and asked for help. I'll admit I asked a little too late in my circumstances and I feel if I had sought help sooner I wouldn't have felt so bad on a daily basis. But that's the great thing about sharing things personal reflection can be seen. So I guess with me sharing this on to my little blog and talking about this subject, I hope you can learn from my experiences to ensure that If you or somebody you know is going through a similar situation to me they'll have even the tiniest bit of advice to go with. 

However, my first year of university wasn't all doom of gloom, with rain comes sunshine and I enjoyed several parts of it. One of them is getting back into education. I don't shy away from talking about the fact that my academic life growing up wasn't easy but slipping into university life after taking a gap year was easier than I thought. I found that English was definitely my niché, and something I wanted to pursue after graduation. I don't know exactly what type of job I want to do, I mean I don't need to know until at least my third year, or at least that is what I am reassuring myself with. I loved being able to read books and analyse them for my degree. In some ways, it honestly feels like I'm not doing it for university, (the only time it feels like it's work is when I've been so busy with other things and I'm writing my essay way to close to the deadline). But I guess what my point here that I am trying to say is University isn't for everyone it's a struggle, but if you are studying something you love or working towards something that'll benefit you in terms of gaining a job after graduation. It feels you with motivation to do better.

I finished my first year with a 2:1. Something I didn't expect myself to get. At the start of the year, I wasn't even expecting to gain a pass let alone a good score. I hope my second year goes just as well. 

For any of my readers out there that have been to university or are in university now, how did your academic year go? 

I hope you enjoyed reading this different style of blogpost. 

Until next time.

Toodlepip Lovelies

Lucy x

Staples for Summer.

Now that it is officially Summertime, although June's weather has been very hit and miss over the past few weeks I thought I would share my summer staples for this season. Let's hope that this good weather streak we have going on is here to stay.

Something I can absolutely not live without when it comes to the hotter months, that is either on holiday or at home is a maxi skirt. This floral maxi skirt is beautiful. I love the yellow patterned detail and it would match perfectly with a simple white tee. Although is patterned pieces are a little bit out of your comfort zone, plain coloured maxi skirts in either a grey or khaki colour go well with a lot of t-shirts. Maxi skirts are just perfect for those effortless outfit choices.

Also on the trend of effortless style, a simple casual dress that you can just throw on is perfect. I like this from New Look and at a bargain of a price, you really can not go wrong. It is perfect for those effortless casual days that involves running errands or going to the beach. Paired with some brown open toe sandals you'll look effortlessly stylish. Although pictured above is the dress in blue it does come in a selection of different colours also. My favourite is, of course, the light blue but also the whit, though I really do not need any more white/cream coloured dresses or items in my wardrobe.

Playsuits, playsuits playsuits. Who doesn't love a good playsuit when it comes to the hotter summer months. They are simply cute and come in many different styles and patterns, perfect for wearing while you are on holiday on top of your bikini or going to a BBQ party when the British summer decides to be on our side. Although the only thing I don't love about playsuits is how whenever you use the bathroom especially out in public you become exposed, you can ignore that for how pretty they are. H&M is my favourite place to shop for them.

Although Levi's is on the more expensive side of fashion. I love their denim, especially their denim skirts. My favourite tends to the washed dark denim style, mostly because I feel it goes with a lot more in my wardrobe as opposed to lighter washed denim. Pairing this skirt with a white t-shirt and my favourite yellow cardigan from Asos is my go-to outfit for the summer.

White cotton top that goes with anything and is paired with frilly sleeves, what more could a girl want? Perfect for that more dressier option within the sporadic hot periods of our summer, it's a great alternative if dresses are not your kind of thing. I do not tend to shop at River Island however I couldn't help myself. Imagine how stylish and put together you'll look with this and a pair of denim jeans.

When it comes to tee dresses I tend to sway towards the more floral side of the fashion style. However, I found out a new love for things that are pink and this Pretty Little Thing one ticks all of those kinds of boxes. Frill tree dresses for me are the perfect outfits for picnics and afternoon tea spent weekends and shows the feminine side of my wardrobe choices.

Accessories are any key for a good outfit, and these season straw bags are the perfect addition. However, straw bags can range in terms of pricing so this New Look alternative is a bargain. It also comes in a range of different colours though, so if you are the type of person who loves to add a pop of colour to a plain outfit it's a good addition to your wardrobe.

I hope you enjoy these top seven staples I have shared with you all today,and I hope you are enjoying this lovely streak of hot weather we are having at the moment. 

Thank you for reading.

Toodlepip lovelies.

Lucy x