Plans for 2015!

I'm super excited for 2015 because I have so much planned. This is sort of my to do list for 2015 that I'm going to share with you guys. Obviously, nothing on this list is certain, some things may happen, some things may not but I'd like to stay positive and hope that it all does.

1. Write a post four times a week.

I tried to do this this year but I wasn't aware that I could queue posts and it was difficult to find the time between education, family, socialising and everything in-between to get into the mind zone of writing.

2. Start filming videos.

Once again, I attempted to do this this year but was so nervous that my videos were not of a good enough quality for people to want to watch them so I stopped but hopefully, in 2015, I'll be getting a better camera.

3. Review more products.

It seems that this year, all I've really reviewed were films and as much as some of you may like that, a lot of my traffic comes from beauty bloggers so hopefully, next year I'll be able to review more beauty products and books along with movies.

4. Do more tags.

I'm constantly seeing blogger tags that I feel I can't join in because my blog isn't specifically for beauty/fashion etc. but next year, I plan on joining in with a lot more tags.

5. Talk to more bloggers.

I have spoke to a few bloggers this year but none of them continuously however, in 2015, I'm planning on turning that around and speaking to as many bloggers as possible, communication is key.

These are my five things that I plan on doing with my blog for 2015, hopefully i'll get some more ideas, tell me what you think I should do on Twitter or Facebook!

Laroc Eye Shadow Palette - Review

Don't you just love payday? As soon as I got my wages, I went straight onto Amazon and ordered this amazing eye shadow palette by Laroc. There are 88 different shades in this palette and every single one of them is incredibly pigmented.

 I got this palette for £5 and there are colours, both matte and shimmering, that mimic the shades in the Naked palettes which is really handy for student bloggers or low budget make up shoppers. Personally, I'm not overly keen on spending £25 plus on an eye shadow palette, it seems like a waste of money on seven different shades when you can get 88 that are just as pigmented.

 This is now my favourite selection of shadows in my collection, I just think they're all great, especially if you're going for a classy and subtle smokey eye and there is a matte version of almost all the shimmering colours which is helpful because other than bright luminous colours, I posses practically no matte colours and I don't want sparkly lids all of the time, it's nice to go for a natural look every now and then. Also, it comes with two eye sponge brushes are longer than the ones you get in most cheap palettes and I'm a big fan of the long brushes because I feel like there is less chance of messing up. Here's the link to this product, if you buy it, don't forget to tell me what you think on Twitter or Facebook.

Being a Big Sister

 

If someone asked me what the most important thing in my life was, I'd have to say my youngest sister, Lacey Mae.

Before I delve into how much she changed my life and made me see the world from a different perspective and how much I love her, I'd like to tell you a short story about this little girl.

She wasn't planned. In fact, she was one of the biggest shocks in my family's life because my parents were not expecting anymore children as my mum was on a permanent contraception. Obviously it wasn't that permanent because she's now four, almost five. When my mum first told us, me, my brother and my other sister, I was positive that I did not want another sibling, that I would not like the new comer and that I didn't want anything to change because there was a baby in my house. I was thirteen and in my eyes, having a new sister or brother just wasn't something I wanted to think about, no friends round because it disturbed the baby, no peace because it was always screaming, my mum constantly yelling at us because she's stressed due to the baby, none of this at all appealed to me what so ever. I hated the idea with a passion. Not only this but i'm a daddy's girl, I always have been and my fear of losing his attention to a crying, pooping, eating machine was not a thought I was keen on.

No matter how much I raged and stropped, It was clear that this baby was coming and I was just going to have to accept it. During this period, me and my mum were on rocky ground and I felt like having a young child around would only have a bad impact on this. More on that later.

9 months down the road, on the 25th of October, 2009, Lacey Mae was born weighing 5.6 pounds at around five in the morning. Asleep. My dad panicked and my mum rolled her eyes, having experienced child birth three times already, she knew that little Lacey was okay. The night she was born, I'd been staying at my Nan's and I woke up to find out that I now had two younger sisters. As if one wasn't annoying me enough.



 

Around a week after Lacey was born, my mum started to suffer really badly with post natal depression. All I remember was coming home from school every day and she was upstairs in bed, She wouldn't eat, talk, she told me that she was fully prepared to die. This was scary and I didn't want the stress of having to look after a baby to make her worse. For the next few months I looked after Lacey Mae as much as possible and I developed a very strong bond with this tiny little person that couldn't feed herself or change herself, she relied entirely upon me to do everything for her when mum wasn't around and I planned to make a good job of it. There was something comforting about helping someone that couldn't help themselves, to feel needed. Every night I would take her upstairs to mum for bath time and as she got older, we played this game that my hands were sharks and they were coming after her feet and she'd giggle and splash her legs around. I felt guilty for the thoughts that I had had before she was here, how could I not have wanted this little angel in my life?



 

Eventually, I got a little carried away. It was almost as if in my head, a new mindset had developed, Lacey was my responsibility, I had to look after her and protect her from everything bad in the world. I got into arguments with my Nan about how to change, feed and hold her when she came round to babysit. I got nervous  every time someone else held her, I even vaguely remember my mum having a go at me because she wanted Lacey upstairs with her and I wanted to look after her downstairs so she told me that I couldn't take her baby away from her. So I took her upstairs.

In a thirteen year old mind, you don't exactly understand what post natal depression is and you're not really sure how it can affect someone so in my eyes, my mum was being irresponsible and selfish, not getting out of bed and eating when her four children needed her. I thought that the fact that she all of a sudden wanted Lacey upstairs wasn't fair. This is perhaps were mine and my mum's relationship spiraled out of control. She got through the post natal depression and we argued, a lot. I planned to run away and had a bag constantly packed shoved to the back of my wardrobe, I wasn't happy that suddenly my little bundle of joy had been taken back. I wanted to continue looking after her as much as I could but it was pressurizing, having my mum breathing down my neck about how I held the bottle when I fed her and we were constantly on the brink of an offensive shouting match with each other. She didn't seem to want me around and I didn't want to be around her.

It got to the point where I wanted to run, that or cause serious harm to myself. Lacey was around two years old and this stage and she could talk. She could talk very well for a two year old but that was down to having three older siblings. She used to waddle into my room, dummy in her mouth and climb on my bed. Something about having her around made me want to be happy, to show her that sadness isn't a thing, I didn't want to see her upset because she didn't understand why I was crying, she was two, I didn't want her knowing that bad things happened, I wanted to paint this wonderful false picture of the world for her. So I started trying. Me and mum had a few talks and we started to get along, albeit there were still a few arguments but  none that made an impact for more than a few hours. In my eyes, Lacey is the reason that happened, she was the reason I decided to bother getting along with my mum. She's the reason I didn't run away or seriously harm myself. I know that she isn't my child but she is the most important thing in the world to me and we're a lot closer than I am with my other sister. She'll sit with me and watch me write posts and ask me to do her make up and she'll do mine. We'll take pictures together and i'll take her out for lunch or to jungle gyms. I don't think it's possible to love anything more than I love Lacey Mae.

THRIVE review #2

I know I said this post would be up on Saturday but I completely forgot that it wasn't scheduled so I'm giving it to you now.

Second day of the THRIVE experience and I am still loving it, however, I have noticed that I've been a lot hungrier lately. Now I'm not pinning this on THRIVE solely because your hunger patterns change due to all types of reasons but the fact that i'm testing a new product and the stomach growls are going off during class makes me think that maybe because I'm consuming things in the morning, my body wants to take in more throughout the day which can be a good thing and a bad thing. It's a good thing because if it is THRIVE making me hungry then it's promoting a healthy lifestyle and encouraging me to have three meals a day, however, it's a bad thing because all I'm craving is sugar. I'm currently trying to satisfy this sugar craving with pineapple.

The caffeine capsules are still working and I still feel full of energy, it's not often that the same product has the same effect two days in a row with me, my body seems to adjust to changes rapidly but THRIVE is so different, I love this product.

Final THRIVE review update tomorrow!

What it means to me to be a writer

Whoa, it's been a while since I've made a post. I'm sorry guys, I've been really busy but i'm back now!

Since I was young, I've loved reading and writing, English has and always will be my most favourite subject, I find the achievements of words amazing from the likes of Martin Luther Kings speech to the literature of Mark Twain, I truly believe that words can change the world. It takes once sentence to break a heart and a handful to make someones day, they possess so much power and I feel like many people fail to realise that. However, I do and I want my words in my writing to possess that power as well.

From writing novels to plays to sitcoms and movie scripts, articles and blog posts, writing never gets boring and if I go a day without writing, it's like a stick of lead weighing me down because I haven't been productive. Being able to write, to create new worlds and ideas with nothing more than a couple of paragraphs, to me, is an astounding thing to be able to do, the limits of words are endless and I find this both terrifying and incredible at the same time.

One day, I crave that feeling of being able to write down on application forms that i'm a writer, not a waitress or a student or a blogger, I want to be a writer. I can't go a day without the clogs turning in my head, constructing thoughts of what to write next, it's impossible not to think about writing for me. No matter what i'm doing, if it's not writing then I feel like I'm wasting my time and as a professional procrastinator, feeling like i'm wasting my time is saying something.

I wish to be a writer one day but for now, it's just  me and my blog.

Chanel Chance Moisturiser - Review

Chanel is known worldwide for being pricey and worth it and they certainly don't disappoint when it comes to their moisturiser. Surprisingly enough, I bought this product by accident, I actually meant to buy the perfume but I wasn't concentrating and I picked this up instead BUT I do not regret it because in ways, I think it is actually much better than the perfume.

I've used up my Chanel perfume and I'm glad that I bought this instead because not only is it around £15 less expensive at £38, the fragrance also has more staying power. Now, I don't mean when you walk past someone whilst wearing it that they'll get a waft of Coco, I mean because it gets absorbed into the skin, it also rubs on your clothes making them smell as well without causing your skin to irritate like some people when they apply perfume and it clings to your body.

The moisturiser smells exactly like the perfume which is good because I think out of all the perfumes I own, Chanel is by far my favourite, it just smells like class... If class had a scent at least. When I go out wearing Chanel I feel very sophisticated and independent, it's amazing how a smell can change your day.

In regards to how well it actually moisturises your skin, I use it at night  after I shower or bath because I like to go to bed smelling fresh and soft but with a majority of my other moisturisers, it's rare that I wake up still feeling soft as a baby's bottom, instead, I usually feel greasy. Fortunately, you get what you pay for and Chanel has me feeling soft throughout the day right up until I shower again, along with keeping it's fragrance. I would definitely buy this again once I've used it all up  and I may even keep the cute bottle.

That Time Of The Month

It's a pain in the backside, or the uterus if you want to be specific, but there are plenty of things that can boost your mood and ease the pain.

From four and a half years of personal experience, I have collected a few habits that are carried out during that time of month.

Number one is watching a ton of chick flicks. It's completely normal to be over emotional whilst menstruating whether you're angrier than normal or more sensitive than you are on the average day so watching sad soppy chick flicks is a great way to release these emotions and then it's less likely that you'll take them out on someone else and feel guilty at the end of your cycle. My favourite chick flicks to watch are The Devil Wears Prada, Confessions of a Shopaholic, Valentine's Day or just watch the entire collection of Sex And The City.

Number two is eating. Now, pretty much everyone loves food but that love is one thousand times stronger when you're on so a supply of sugary goods generally will make you happy and these sweet things range from chocolate to cake to cookies to jelly and it's common to consume well over your body weight in them during the five days you're on so treat yourself and head on over to your bakery or sweet shop and stock up when you know you're due.

The third thing on my list is to exercise. I know this is without a doubt one of the last things you're going to want to do whilst you're tired and in pain but honestly, it helps. You know when you get growing pains in your legs and arms? Well stretching them out helps to ease the ache and stretching and exercising whilst you have period pains will do the same.

Four, pamper. Most of us feel bloated and horrible during them long five days so I suggest that you take a day or two out to just look after and concentrate on yourself, cut your hair, paint your nails, soak in the bath so your confidence stays at a nice level and you don't get upset looking in the mirror because you feel fat or something because that's normal too.

Fifth and final, heat is key. The warmth of a bath or resting a cup of tea or hot chocolate or a hot water bottle over your cramps soothes the unbearable contracting of your uterus muscles and you'll be able to get a better nights rest.

That's all the help I can give you guys, keep coming back for more posts and get in touch on Twitter!

I hate my mum.

Being a teenager, these words have escaped my mouth countless times but I can honestly say, not once have I meant them. Sure, there have been moments where I've really disliked my mum due to the explosive arguments but the anger blows over and the subject of argument is dropped.

It has taken me seventeen years to realise that I only have one mum and she's not going to be around forever which is a shame because now that this unfortunate truth has come to light in my life, I feel like we've wasted a lot of time arguing rather than appreciating each other while we can.

During an argument, the fact that my mum is the woman who carried me for nine months, dealt with restless nights and illness, the pain of child birth then tended to me in the early hours of the morning, soothed me when I cried, put clothes on my back and a roof over my head, dealt with break ups, make up stains on new carpets, driving me to parties, making me soup when I was ill in bed, helped me with homework. bought me my Christmas and birthday presents and told me she'd be proud of me no matter what I achieved in life, slips my mind and I've said hurtful things that I cannot take back regardless of all the things my mum has done for me. I am at the age now where this has hit me like a ton of bricks and there have been times where I'm so scared that I've gone too far and the mother-daughter relationship we have is beyond restoration but I was wrong. The love of a mother is unconditional and I will forever be grateful for this. My mum has endured hearing me say hurtful things, telling her I don't want to live with her anymore and I'm happier when I'm not home and yet, she still allows me to cry on her shoulder when I need to.

No matter where I go, be it America or Australia or the North Pole, my mum has done a good job raising me and loving me in order to give me assurance that, even if she kicks me out because she's sick of me not following house rules or the arguments, with her is my home and I will always be welcome back to it with open arms and to me, this is really important.

When I sit back to look at it, I have a very good mum who has brought up four children and none of us make it easy all the time, we can be very difficult and for her to be a mum to all of us can't be the simplest job on Earth. Me and my mum have clashed, flipped, turned and burned but she's still my mum and she's the only mum I'm ever going to get. She is the role model I'll be following when I raise my own children and she will continue to be the woman I run to for advice and I can only hope that in a year or so, when I've grown up, that we can go out into town and on shopping trips and put all of the arguments behind us as now I have realised that not everyone is as lucky to have a mum like mine.

I dare say that a few of you are probably the same with your parents, arguing all the time and telling them you hate them or not saying thank you if your mum has tidied your room or refusing to put your clothes away because you're busy doing your own thing but I beg you to remember that you only get one dad, one mum and they will not be around forever so start appreciating everything they do for you now and you will not have to regret the time you wasted being angry or upset with them. Be grateful for what they give you, the world is a difficult place to survive and your parents have managed to do it and at the same time, bring up a child to the best of their ability so do not throw away the time you have with them.

 

If any of you ever want to talk about your relationship with your parents, carers and so on, I'm no agony aunt but I will try and give you the best honest advice that I possibly can so  talk to me on Twitter or E-mail me or chat on Facebook

Holiday? More like Hell.

I hate hate hate being away from Ryan for longer than a few days so sweating in a separate country from him for 14 days was more hell than holiday. There are few things I have good to say about my recent journey out of England and over the North Atlantic.

First off, I hate heat and I am madly in love with the rude citizens that walk on English ground and the miserable weather that matches every one's mood. It's a lot easier to keep warm than it is to cool down and my holiday only emphasized this fact. So, as you can see, flying off to a sunny island where everyone smiles and says hello is not my ideal getaway. And I had to endure all of this without the one person that keeps me sane.

My family are not people that take part in many activities so a majority of the holiday was spent poolside, burning because I barely go outside so my skin isn't used to the killer rays shooting down from the burning fire ball in the sky. Why anyone would choose to lay directly under it is beyond me. Not only this, I spent plenty of time, uncomfortable, red and peeved in the merciless heat, my legs look as brown as they would after a fifteen minute application of St Tropez.

Honesty, they had to be the worst two weeks of my life and I refuse to go back to that island. Apparently, Fuerteventura is Spanish for "Windy Island", well, let me tell you something, there was hardly a breeze during the day but at night, I thought the palm trees were going to come crashing through our apartment roof it was so strong, talk about bad timing for a cooling gush.

However, the food was a whole other story. I do not eat meat, like chicken and steak and so on, therefore, I cannot tell you anything about how juicy their medium rare is BUT Fuerteventura's fish dishes are to die for! I did my best to try all of the sea food they had on the menu, from swordfish too muscles to smoked salmon to a white fish that just falls apart in your mouth that I can't for the life of me remember the name of. I impatiently waited every day for half six when we went to the Retro Restaurant where they played live rock music from back in the day like Guns and Roses and Joan Jett or we would go into the old town and dine at one of the expensive restaurant's where I tasted the divine white boneless fish. The things that went into my stomach were the highlight of this holiday.

If you're into sun, sea, swimming and budget entertainment such as a lousy Blues Brothers tribute act and a five minute parrot show then Fuerteventura is a great place for you to visit and I wholeheartedly encourage you to board a plane for a four hour flight from England and dive straight into their crystal clear sea but if you're like me and prefer the hustle and bustle of English streets and the unnecessary downpours then I suggest you just take a trip to London or your closest capital.

Tell me about your bad holiday experiences on Twitter and/or Facebook, it'd be comforting to know I'm not the only one that put up with sticky weather and people trying to sell me bongos on every street corner.

A year of blogging: The Lessons

I say a year of blogging and yet that isn't quite true. Although I've had my blog for a year, it was only last October or so that I starter taking it seriously and wrote my first post. Oh, the memories. Any who, these past ten months have taught me some valuable lessons when it comes to blogging and I may not be famous or well known just yet but I have confidence that the things I have learnt will help me reach my goal by the end of next year.

Lesson 1. Persistence and consistence is key.

As annoying as it can be to continuously shove your URL into people's direct messages on twitter and share your Facebook pages and any other social media network site you have linked with your blog, it is necessary if you want them views to bump up. Once they're flowing in daily, you need to keep your readers attention by uploading posts, videos, pictures and so on as much as possible. Stay in touch with them. ask questions, request feedback, all of these things will help you build a community with dedicated readers who come by every couple of days, or, if you're lucky, every day.

Lesson 2. Don't expect too much.

I still average around only thirty readers a day and that's if I've posted but I know that I have to be grateful for that because I started with none and I remained view-less for quite a few weeks before I started  the Misssophiablog twitter account. You can't expect to blow up straight away, or even get lucky. There are thousands of great blogs and great writers out there, you have to do something different in order to stand out.

Lesson 3. Organisation.

Since my first e-mail from someone asking me to write for them, I have kept a sort of diary of when I'm going to write, what I'm going to write about and whether it will fit into one of the pages I already have on my page. Staying on top of things can be difficult, especially if you're juggling your blog around work, education and a social life. My best advice is queue, queue, queue! Most blog hosting websites have the option to post your article on separate days so I suggest you spend a few hours every other night writing a post or two and then queuing it so you don't have to stress so much about time keeping.

Lesson 4. Aim for a big audience.

Whether you have five readers or ten readers, write like you have thousands, it comes across as confident and professional. Also, do not limit yourself to one topic. Not everyone wants to read about just fashion or just make up or  just sports. Try and add a variety to your blog, even if it's just two subjects, that is better than one and that way, you'll get different kinds of readers and as a result, learn more from each other.

Lesson 5. Connect with people.

The more people you talk to, the more doors you open. Networking is key if you want your blog to be found and read, the right people can get you places so talk. For all you know, one of your reader's grandmothers best friend's nephew is the editor-in-chief for some huge magazine in the heart of New York. Stay in touch via e-mail and social media accounts.

Lesson 6. Write to inspire and interest.

You're probably thinking that I don't really write to inspire or interest when it comes to my Wreck This Journey's or favourites but if you think that then you haven't looked  into it enough. The reason I purchased a Wreck This Journal was because it was all over Tumblr, people were decorating these amazing pages and I figured I would give it a go. I was inspired to get creative. With my favourites, they could be seen as encouraging people to try new things after hearing good word about it. What I'm trying to say is, don't focus on just something that interests you that you don't think would interest others, try and answer the important questions, infuse your opinion in your posts because this is an invite for people who agree or disagree to add their input.

Lesson 7. Grow.

You're not going to be great straight away, you need to accept any mistakes you make and ask why if someone says they do not like your blog, one of the worst mistakes you could make is rejecting constructive criticism completely.

Lesson 8. Scratch backs.

A follow for follow? Give someone else a shout out rather than hoping someone is going to give you one. You never know, maybe they'll return it, maybe they'll suggest your website to their friends and maybe you'll get somewhere. Be kind and you'll be rewarded. Make sure you help others in the way you'd want to be helped and it could end up in collaborative blogging or a joint youtube video or them retweeting a few of your links.

Lesson 9. Your readers are your friends, treat them like it.

Don't talk down to them, that's a pet hate of my own. When I read posts rather than wrote posts, I instantly lost interest if the writer took on a patronising tone throughout their article. It made me feel inferior and it isn't going to boost your ratings. Keep it friendly and chatty, that way, your readers feel like they have a sort of personal connection with you.

Lesson 10. Catchy headlines.

It's the first thing everyone will see and if it doesn't sound interesting, quirky or dramatic, then no one is going to want to read it, that's just common knowledge. It isn't hard to find a fun and enticing headline, try using a metaphor, simile or even some simple alliteration might do the trick.

 

I hope the lessons I've learnt will help you with your blogging as well and I wish you the best of luck.

I'd love to hear your feedback on Twitter and/or Facebook or even just chat!

Lets Talk Tea!

Everyone enjoys a cup of Rosie-lee every now and then (for those of you unfamiliar with cockney rhyming slang, that’s tea) but are the health benefits of different types of tea often dismissed when people settle for the average cup with milk and two sugars?

There are over 30 different flavours of tea, each with their own variety of health perks. After testing out a few different teas, I’ve decided Peppermint is my favourite to wake up to. The minty freshness definitely gets my buds buzzing, ready for the day ahead. It temporarily rids the smell of bad breath, brilliant in the mornings for the period before brushing your teeth and is great for a warm and delicious winter drink but, that’s not all it’s good for, Peppermint tea is also known as a stomach healer and stress reliever which is helpful for those of you who struggle with sleep. Speaking of a delicious winter drink, t’is the season to catch a cold and this tea is proven to relieve symptoms of cold and flu as well as containing vitamin B, calcium and potassium to keep your bones healthy and your brain working. Most tea’s help for you to lose weight but peppermint is amongst the most healthiest to help you do it. It suppresses your appetite, keeping you feeling full and fed for hours on end. That’s not all though, for any young mummy’s, it can get rid of baby colic and ease any pains of headaches and migraines so you and your little one can get a quiet night sleep.

Of course peppermint tea isn’t the only one I researched, here are some examples of different teas and their own profits to your health.

Green Tea

This tea is believed to reduce your risks of cancer as it helps the body to protect cells against the damage linked to cancer and the antioxidants it contains are 100 times more effective than vitamin C and 24 times more effective than vitamin E. This also contributes to preventing heart disease and strokes by lowering cholesterol levels. Green tea is known to be one of the healthiest teas around and it has plenty of reasons to be, it fights anti-ageing and promotes longevity and it can burn up to 70 calories a day! As well as boosting your metabolism so it’ll eat up the fat quicker and stopping the movement of glucose in fat cells to prevent obesity. It isn’t just your organs and weight that green tea benefits, the high level of fluoride makes your bones stronger and boosts memory which in the long run, slows the process of Alzheimer’s. You don’t even have to drink it in order to experience its power, it can be used to clean an infected ear with a cotton ball.

Lemon, Ginger and Ginseng Tea

 

Not only does the infusion of flavours make your taste buds go wild, this tea will also help prevent a whole list of health problems:

Diabetes

High blood pressure

Strokes

Heart disease

Kidney disease

Retinopathy

Eye disease

It can relieve the pains of indigestion and heart burn due to its anti-inflammatory characteristics which will also help sooth menstrual cramps and headaches. Not only does this tea make you feel good on the inside, it makes you look good on the outside thanks to being rich in antioxidants, it helps to clear the skin and reduce itchy scalps and hair loss.

Camomile tea

 

This tea is best known for its ability to cure insomnia due to its aroma helping people to relax but that isn’t all it’s capable of. It contains an antioxidant that acts as a skin cleanser and moisturizer as well as being an all-natural skin bleach,   tightening complexions and rendering a natural glow. It also fights breakouts and is known to eliminate acne scars. This property means that it can also accelerate the process of healing small wounds. Being an appearance benefiting tea, by placing cool camomile tea bags under the eyes will reduce dark circles and puffiness. On top of these, if rinsed in camomile tea, it will cause blonde hair to brighten up and it banishes dandruff.

I can’t see why I’d ever drink black tea again after knowing all of this!

Twenty Top Tips

Here's a few tips to give you a helping hand with your hair, make up and fashion.

 

1. Tight squeeze into your new heels? Spray deodorant/Batiste Dry Shampoo or powder onto your feet and they'll slip in without any trouble.


2. If you're not great at winged eyeliner then create a stencil on your eyelid with masking tape/sellotape and peel it off once you've filled in the wing.


3. Leave conditioner in the ends of your hair over night for dry and split ends then wash it off in the morning, you'll notice the difference after a week or so!


4. Head massages help your hair grow, treat yourself every now and then.


5. For dry and chapped lips, take a toothbrush, put a little bit of Vaseline on the bristles and exfoliate your lips to remove all of the dead skin cells.


6. To make it look as though your eyes aren't so close-set, concentrate on the outer eye make up and if you have wide-set eyes, concentrate on the inner eye.


7. In order to make your lips seem fuller, apply lip gloss in a downward motion.


8. If you get acne on one side of your face, it might be down to your mobile, so don't just clean your face, clean your phone.


9. To make your nail varnish last even longer, dip your nails in vinegar and let them air dry before coating them with varnish. *Do not do this if you have any open sores around your nails*


10. Keep eye drops handy, not  just for dry eyes but as an emergency spot treatment, it reduces both swelling and redness.


11. Olive Oil is the answer to many women's prayers; it's a make up remover, hair conditioner, facial cleanser and strengthens nails all in one!


12. Having a cactus in your room will soak up the toxins in the air so that your skin doesn't.


13. Whilst wearing bright and colourful make up, wear a nude lipstick so it doesn't look like there's too much going on on such a small canvas.


14. Shave after standing under warm water for a few minutes, this will soften the hair and open the follicles so that the razor doesn't pull.


15. Don't brush curls with a brush, comb through them with your fingers. This will give your hair an added lift without removing the curls.


16. To prevent your skin from drying and cracking, apply a moisturizer as soon as you get out of the shower, bath, sea or pool.


17. Instead of applying a self tanning lotion straight onto your skin, mix it with a few drops of moisturizer then proceed to tan, this will stop your knees and ankles looking darker than the rest of your leg as well as blend the colour more evenly.


18. Lookout for foundations with SPF. This will protect you from the sun but be careful, it can also make you appear very ghost like in pictures.


19. Dab toothpaste onto a pimple in order to dry it out.


20. CLEAN YOUR MAKE UP BRUSHES! Dirty brushes are a breeding ground for bacteria and they can often cause breakouts on your skin.

 

There's a Difference Between Greasy and Glowing

Being a sufferer of oily skin myself, Summer isn't exactly my favourite time of year.
Summer is a time for beach days, barbeques and birthday parties, but you don't want to attend any of these looking like you've been washing your face with "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter". Along with this, oily skin is prone to breaking out in spots and we all know how stressful that can be when we need to look our best the next day!

Alas, ladies, I have found a few simple and affordable solutions. For those of you who struggle with the daily greasiness of oily skin then read on because no longer will your face be seeping oils ten minutes after you shower once you've purchased "Simple Oil Balancing Exfoliating Wash". This product alone will change your facial texture from dewy shine to cleansed natural glow. "Simple" is definitely my go-to brand when I need to stock up on my face wash.

Now that we've sorted the scrub situation, it's time to go from the girl at the party who's "sticky as sweets" to the Cinderella who's make up lasts well after midnight. Every girl deserves to look good whilst they dance the night away at house parties, birthdays or even weddings, therefore, it is a necessity to have a good 24 hour foundation. Once again, this means the girls with oily skin as well.

The answer to all of your problems is "FashionistA Secret Mattifying Matte Primer". Okay, so £10 just for a primer may be a little steep for some but it is well worth it for more than one reason. Suitable for oily to combination skin types, this primer helps your foundation cling to your face and last longer than most as well as giving it that smooth, natural matte finish.

Now, to top off the dilemma of having unfortunately oily skin, I suggest you get your hands on "Revlon Colourstay Foundation", I've tried a lot of foundations over the years to try and hide my dewy facial texture and out of all the products i've colllected throughout my teenage years, Revlon's formula comes out on top every time.

If none of these work on your skin then browse for differnet products, always keep your eyes open for products that state they're for "Oily to Combination skin types" as these are the products you'll make the most progress with.

Good luck cuties,

Courtney.

Simple Oil Balancing Facial Wash

FashionistA Secret Mattifying Matte Primer

Revlon Colourstay Foundation