A slightly vast collection of beauty products!

Hi everyone!

So in this post I thought that I would cover a few recent items I have bought over the last few weeks and haven’t had chance to review yet, so with this in mind I thought I would squish a few in one post to make it more digestible! 🙂

Bioré Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser – 

This was a good buy although rather pricey for a cleanser in my opinion as I tend to go for cheaper ones and I think this was like £4-5, although I am super happy with it because it does clean my face well and leaves it fresh and doesn’t dry it out. As for the blemish fighting/complexion clearing side to it, I believe this actually has worked! I have noticed my skin has been a lot better recently after using this for just over a week or so. This is also my first Bioré experience and product as I haven’t ever bought anything from the range before but I can say I will be certainly looking for other products within the range to use after this one!

Good Things Manuka Honey Daily Moisturiser Youth Protect –

This little moisturiser was a impulse buy from boots, it contains royal jelly and bee venom apparently and is free from parabens, sodium laureth sulphate and mineral oils. I primarily bought it because I needed a new moisturiser and I had products before that have contained bee venom and they’ve been really wonderful so I thought this would be the same and it is. It smells like a bit pot of honey and milk and leaves my skin feeling really soft and fresh, which is great!

Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Serum –

So this was probably one of the most pricey things I have bought, I have been looking for a serum for a long time that works really well and is effective however in today’s market mostly all serums are above £10 at least which is a little bit of pain considering most of them come in tiny tubs or tubes! However I really like this serum, you only need a little tiny bit in my opinion to cover the whole face generously and it smells like fruit as well which is a bonus. This and the Bioré face cleanser could be the reason my skin is looking so much better recently because before using these two products my skin looked and felt dry and dull but now I can safely say it is spot free (touch-wood no jinxing!) and soft. Again I’ve never used any of the Nip + Fab products but they’re definitely something I am going to look into long term.

Boots Essentials Cucumber Moisturising Lotion – 

I already mentioned one moisturiser however I bought this one when I realised my other moisturisers haven’t got any sun protection in! I have been going jogging a lot lately and the sun has made its return, so I thought that it was best to maybe get a moisturiser with some protection in it and this one has UVA & UVB protection of all skins types and it was mega cheap so win win!

Uni, fashion journalism & blogging!

Hello, Bonjour, Konnichiwa, nǐ hǎo, Guten Tag, Hallo! 

So I have been gone a long time and haven’t posted in a while, however I am back and I am hoping that this summer I will get time to blog quite a bit so fingers crossed! Since I haven’t blogged in a while, I think you all deserve a reasonable explanation and that is because last month I had an incredibly difficult amount of university work due in the same week and it meant a lot of hours staying up till the morning, barely eating and being overly tired 😦 Luckily however now I have finished my university work and my second year at university and I am home for summer!

Before I broke up for summer I was planning on doing quite a lot of things this year and I am still hoping to do them at some point like first aid and learning to drive but something which I have been thinking about more lately is my old dream of becoming a fashion journalist. For those of you who were with me from the beginning, you’ll remember I wanted to be a fashion journalist and I put all my time and effort into juggling my university work and writing for various magazines, in total I wrote over 30 articles published both online and in print format so that was successful for me however eventually it all got a bit much and I couldn’t juggle the two much longer, so I gave up writing for magazines and at this point I was writing for at least 6 or 7 different upcoming or amateur magazines so it was a lot to give up after working so hard on it but it had to be done. After a long long long break of not writing, lately I have been looking into getting back into the fashion world! I want to write articles again, so I went and started writing for some of the ones I use to write for but now I am looking into other areas of fashion as well which might be interesting like photography and styling (I don’t know if I’d be any good but that’s why you learn and try!).

I’m not completely sure which direction I want to go into for my future career but there is three different industries I am thinking about which is fashion, teaching or health care and I have routes planned for all of them – so we will all have to wait and see what next year holds 🙂

Other than that, I’ve been worrying a lot about various things like finances and health, but I am still smiling so that’s good! 🙂

Well I hope you’re all well and I am back now!

 

(Source) 

 

Manuka Doctor Purified Bee Venom & Manuka Honey Skincare Review!*

So the lovely people over at Manuka Doctor were kind enough to send me some samples of some of their amazing products! I was super excited as I have had Manuka cream before but never with purified bee venom! (Sounds scary but it’s not!). I know that Manuka honey has a wide range of health benefits for skin and body and I love to try things that will make my skin feel healthier, so I waited patiently for the post to bring these exciting little samples for me to review and when I got them I was over the moon with joy! 🙂

I got two little boxes with three sachets in one and three mini tubes in the other, the first box with sachets contained apiclear Skin Treatment Serum, apinourish Rejuvenating Face Mask and apirefine Targeted Wrinkle Filler. The front of the little box states that the apiclear Skin Treatment serum is clinically proven to significantly improve blemish prone skin in just three weeks whilst the apinourish Rejuvenation Face Mask states purified bee venom is clinically proven to help skin’s elasticity and lastly the apirefine Targeted Wrinkle Filler mentions that it is clinically proven to reduce wrinkles in just 30 minutes! The second little box was slightly different to the first as it contained three mini tubes, one Rejuvenating Face Mask, one Age-Defying Serum and one Restoring night cream all containing Manuka honey and purified bee venom.

Firstly I tried the apiclear Skin Treatment Serum as I have had terrible skin in the past and a week or so ago I had a spot or two (Eeek!) on top of that my skin easily scars after spots vanish so I thought that this would be a good serum to try first. The little sachet lasted me a good few days and the serum is not at all greasy or sticky and dries relatively quickly which is excellent! It smells rather nice as well which is always a bonus when buying beauty products and creams. After a few days using the apiclear Skin Treatment Serum I did notice that my there was something different about my skin, I wasn’t sure what it was to be exact but my skin just looked healthier and a lot better!

I went on to try the Rejuvenating Face Mask both in the tube form and the sachet, I loved this sample especially as the face mask was easily applicable to the face and was refreshing as well. I used the face mask nearly every day or so and eventually I did indeed run out of this one the quickest out of all the samples because I was using it often, but it did leave my skin feeling soft and also really clean – which I love when I buy face washes!

As for the Restoring Night Cream I used this frequently every night as well since the sample arrived in the post and it has been such a nice cream to put on before bed. I usually hate night creams, I hate how they’re mostly all greasy or smell strange but this one is different, it smells beautiful and it’s thin and applies easily and also dries quickly which are all factors I love about any sort of cream especially night cream! 🙂

The Targeted Wrinkle Filler and Age Defying Serum are both products I have never tried before, I am young still (I’m 20) and wrinkles are something I don’t have to worry about for a while however judging by the quality and efficiency of the other samples I bet this would also be a great buy! But I will keep them and at some point in the future when I need them most I shall try them also.

On top of all this I am super happy that all these products do not harm the bee’s in anyway, shape or form as mentioned on their website here: http://www.manukadoctor.co.uk/purified-bee-venom 🙂

I’d love to thank Manuka Doctor for sending me some excellent samples and I am definitely going to be buying some of their skincare range in the future!

If you’d love to check out Manuka Doctor then check out these links:

Website: http://www.manukadoctor.co.uk/about-us

Twitter: https://twitter.com/manukadr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manukadoctor

Hope you enjoyed reading this little review guys! 🙂

 

30 Day Photo Challenge – DAY 16 A BOOK

So day 16 is a book and I thought that I would take a little picture of my first aid book because like I said in a previous post I want to be able to learn first aid by the end of this year, I’m hoping to do a course later on this year to gain a certificate to say I know first aid properly but reading this book helps and gives me a head start. Further to this my dad actually loaned it to me so it means a lot in some senses 🙂

 

5 Things I Want To Learn By End Of This Year!

So I thought I would do a little post about 5 things I want to learn/do by the end of this year & I thought this would make a good post because we all have goals and such in life and completing them makes us happy right? Well the things I am about to list are things that if I accomplished this year I would feel super happy about doing! 🙂

1. Learn and gain a certificate in general first aid.
2. Learn and gain a certificate in paediatric (children’s) first aid.
3. Take my theory test.
4. Start learning to drive.
5. Gain and complete work experience.

Well hopefully by the end of this year all five of these things will be ticked off and I will be putting posts up if I get round to completing and doing any of them to let you all know! 🙂

Is there any goals you have to complete before the end of this year?

 

Saturday Blogger Interviews – Tara Joy

Name: Tara Joy

Location: Florida

Age: 19

Blog link: http://beausandbows.wordpress.com/

Facebook/Twitter: https://twitter.com/t_beausandbows

What sort of things do you blog about most: I mostly blog about product reviews, outfit posts, and some personal stuff here and there. It’s a big combination of anything and everything I feel like talking about.

Name three words to describe your blog: Relaxed, chatty, and of course, bow-filled.

When did you first start blogging: I first started blogging in May of 2012.

Why did you begin to blog: I started blogging because I needed someone to chat with about clothes, makeup, and skincare. I was definitely talking off my beau’s ear and there was only so much talk about different lipstick finishes he could handle. It was a fun idea I had toyed around with and I’m so glad I did it.

What’s one blogging tip that you would share with other potential bloggers: Don’t pay attention to the numbers. The #1 thing I couldn’t care less about is how many people follow or read what I have to say. Of course, without followers there isn’t a lot of interaction, but I don’t understand the big deal. I loved my blog at 3 followers and I still loved my blog the same at 300 followers. If you’re doing it for the numbers maybe that’s the wrong reason to.

Do you see yourself still blogging in three/five years time: Absolutely. It’s something that is more than a hobby to me. It makes me feel really connected to my girly side. I love being able to talk to people about the things that make me happy and blogging is one great way to do it.

What’s one of the best things about being a blogger: I just love the fact that we are all into talking about the same things. It’s so nice to be able to look to tons of awesome people for opinions on anything and everything you could possibly imagine. It’s a cool thing.

Has blogging helped you significantly in any other way: Blogging has helped me stay glued to the camera. I grew up wanting to be a photographer and to go to art school. Even though I’m not in art school, I like having reasons to get behind the camera and be artistic.

Name one thing that inspires you: My friends are a huge inspiration to me. Honestly, they’re all so fun loving and goofy. All of us have very different distinct senses of style and I love to mix up my own style with some add ins of theirs like graphic tees and trainers.

Share one of your favourite quotes: “Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” – Earl Nightingale

Saturday Blogger Interviews – Louise

Name: Louise

Location: North West England

Age: 20

Blog link: www.littlethings.org.uk

Facebook/Twitter: @louisejoyb

What sort of things do you blog about most: fashion, lifestyle, travel, and recipes.

Name three words to describe your blog: personal, realistic, and colourful!

When did you first start blogging: three years ago

Why did you begin to blog: I was inspired by reading others, so thought I would give it a go myself!

What’s one blogging tip that you would share with other potential bloggers: all good things come to those who wait. There’s

no rush, nor a race, so be yourself and just enjoy it.

Do you see yourself still blogging in three/five years time: yes, but as I mature as a person, I think my blog will also mature with time too.

What’s one of the best things about being a blogger: the support you get from the blogging community, it’s made me a lot more confident in myself.

Has blogging helped you significantly in any other way: it’s helped me step out if my comfort zone and find my voice. It’s also a fantastic added bonus to add to your CV!

Name one thing that inspires you: design. I am a design junkie, studying it at university I am constantly inspired by patterns, colours, and typography.

Share one of your favourite quotes: true happiness can often be found in the simplest of moments.

Saturday Blogger Interviews – Georgia Hathaway

Name: Georgia Hathaway

Location: South Wales but I visit London quite often.

Age: 23 (24 in September!)

Blog link: www.fashionoysteruk.com

Facebook/Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/georgia.hathaway.71

Twitter: @GeorgiaHathaway

What sort of things do you blog about most:

I concentrate on fashion: news, culture, supermodels, style icons, trends, looks, outfits, brands I like…there’s always lots to post about!

Name three words to describe your blog:

Informative, light-hearted

When did you first start blogging: November 2012

Why did you begin to blog:  After years of writing my own fashion articles for fun, working in retail, style spotting everywhere I go, writing fashion features for my college/university magazines, interning at any newspaper/magazine who would have me, contributing blog posts to a local online fashion boutique and yearning to write about clothes for a living, I decided to take the plunge and create Fashion Oyster!

What’s one blogging tip that you would share with other potential bloggers: Don’t compare your blog to anyone else’s!

Do you see yourself still blogging in three/five years time: Definitely! I love writing- I can’t imagine not doing it!

What’s one of the best things about being a blogger: The freedom to write what you want and being recognised for your writing!

Has blogging helped you significantly in any other way: It’s certainly opened doors for me- I was shortlisted for a Company Magazine Style Blogger Award earlier this year and I get several invites for fashion events/press days, which is a nice bonus.

Name one thing that inspires you: Magazine interns who work hard and get where they want to be- they give me so much hope for the future!

Share one of your favourite quotes: “Behind every success is effort, behind every effort is passion, behind every passion is someone with the courage to try.”- Victoria Beckham

The Entrepreneurial Side Of Fashion, Being Ambitious In Life & Success

Something that really intrigues me is people within the fashion industry who do not just follow suit with everyone else but decide to be different and those are the ones who want the bigger picture. Usually I am on Twitter looking for new bloggers, journalists and businesses to follow and sometimes I come across a person with an essence of entrepreneurial ambition that really stands out and I hope to be one of those people soon.

I love ambition, it keeps me motivated when it feels like nothing is going right and it also gives me a buzz to know I am appreciated for doing something or being apart of something big at the end of the day. I have seen a lot of bloggers who have bigger ambitions, ones who perhaps want to be authors, fashion designers, journalists, chefs and this is really something quite great to see that they are working towards there futures using social media as a platform as it’s is one of the easiest and most helpful tools you can use.

Ambition is a word thrown around a lot by all sorts of people and it can mean different things to certain people. To some ambition is to lose weight, to others it is to get that promotion but at the end of the day it all leaves us with the same feeling, the feeling of being invincible and head strong and that’s a great mind set to have with any aspect with your life. So if you are someone who has targets, goals or ambitions then I hope you will always carry them on and succeed 🙂

 

 

My 5 Most Favourite Shampoos you must try!

Okay so I never use to really care about my hair until a certain stage in my life when I really enjoyed styling and spending time on my hair looking nice. Now it is a constant regime and I need to always make sure I find some really good shampoos and conditioners to use on my hair, ones which will not make them greasy or to fine.
So I thought I would share my top 5 favourite shampoos I have tried and love still and see what you think!

1. Aussie Colour Mate/Beach Mate/Miracle Moist
   This brand has always allured me to it! If it wasn’t so expensive I would buy the whole range…I love this brand because all of the shampoos I have tried all smell so delightful and beautiful. Not only do these products by Aussie smell good the shampoos really work and they make my hair feel so much more clean and nicer afterwards as well as using quality ingredients!
2. VO5 Plump It Up
   Well if you saw my blog post about a week ago it was on the VO5 Plump Me Up shampoo I purchased. I love it because it feels like my hair actually has some volume to it (I have fine hair!) and its weightless as well meaning it doesn’t feel overly bulky or leave residue in your hair afterwards.
3. Lee Stafford Poker Straight
   Now this was one of the first ‘designer’ salon sort of shampoos I tried in my teenage years, the bottle was party pink and everything lured me towards it the description, the colour and definitely the smell! There’s many reasons why this is on my list, for starters it’s not as expensive as you may believe and it is reasonably cheap for a salon designer shampoo, secondly it smells amazing! and thirdly it makes your hair less frizzy – so a definite win!
4. Herbal Essences Uplifting Volume
   Like I said I have fine hair which can be a pain sometimes, however very rarely I come across a shampoo which actually does what it says and gives an uplifting weightless look, till I tried this one!
5. Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil And Creamy Aloe
   When I was at university I couldn’t afford the good stuff 😦 So after some looking around in some other beauty and hair shops I found this, it was different and I thought it would give my hair a boost and revitalize it a little! The formula is not too thick, smells good and cleans hair thoroughly not to mention it always made my hair soft as well which I loved! Also great if you want to try and grow your hair as well 🙂

Let me know what you think! 🙂