Huge Update!

Hey dolls!

Long time no speak ey? ;) I'm a bad bad blogger, i know:( i have reasons!

• It was my birthday. Okay, so my birthday was 10th of April, but it was my 16th.. 
• Revision. I'm in the midst of my GCSE's, and revision started over a month ago, and it's pretty much taken up my time. 
• I've been trying to get fit, i'm doing Race For Life at the end of June and i've been out running and walking for any time i'm not at dance or revising!
• Relaxing. Well, you've got to have a bit of a chill out every once in a while don't you? (everyday shh)
• YouTube! I finally took the plunge and started YouTube. If you want to check out my channel, my name on there is the same as my blog: Laurasadaydreamer
• I got two new little fluffballs, another post on them :) 

There, all my excuses! I will be doing following posts with pictures about some of these things and maybe videos, so keep watch on my YouTube if you want to see that!

Laura x

Garnier Moisture Match Moisturiser 'Shine Be Gone' | Review

After my beloved Matiffying Day Cream from The Body Shop ran out, and the price had gone up, these new Moisture Match moisturisers from Garnier were released at the right time! I have oily skin so i bought 'Shine Be Gone' which is the green one.
It claims to be fast absorbing and oil free, to give 24 hour hydration and is suitable for sensitive skin. It also says on the box:

'Matiffying fresh texture- oil-free and easy to absorb. Enriched with green tea extract, well known for its anti-oxidant properties, it will leave your skin feeling beautifully smooth and mattified all day long. You can feel the difference instantly.
Shine be gone is enriched with a patented hydrating active and reinforces the skin's barrier function, helping your skin to maintain its level of hydration'.

I have been using this moisturiser for about a month, and i can honestly say it does just as good a job as the Body Shop Matiffying Day Cream, if not better. I can definitely tell the difference to using this and not using this, because although i have oily skin, if i don't moisturise my skin can feel quite tight and dehydrated. So not only is this a fantastic moisturiser, but this keeps all oil at bay for the whole day. If you have mega oily skin then powder top ups may be required, but for someone who just has regular oily skin, this moisturiser will mattify your skin for the whole day and as it claims, leaves it feeling hydrated for (nearly) 24 hours.

When i take my makeup off at night, my skin again feels a bit tight and de-hydrated, and Garnier suggests to use this morning and evening, although i must admit, I'm not really bothered about matiffying my skin just for bed, but if you want to, it would help to reduce oil production for the next day.

This moisturiser costs £5.99 in Boots, and with that you get 50ml. I've been using this everyday for a month and you wouldn't even be able to tell if I've used any, because it still feels full to the brim. I'm so glad I've found this moisturiser, as my body shop one was £10 for the same amount of product, plus i find the Garnier moisturiser to be much more beneficial for my skin and massively reduces shine and oil throughout the entire day without worrying about powdering, a winner if you ask me!

February and March | Apologies and Summary

I am back! I haven't blogged in so so long and i am finally here again on my little space on the Internet about to try and explain my reasons for absence.

I've been tres ill, i caught a flu thing THREE TIMES and was off school for a total of 7 days (bad for a year 11, whoops), but that couldn't be helped. I was feeling very under the weather and stressed so i just took some time to focus on getting my health better and relaxing, and really, i think that's a good enough reason for not blogging :)

I've also been using up my last little bits of energy i had after being ill towards dancing and homework, having 8 dance shows and 4 exams to prepare for, i've been a busy busy bee, but i'm back now!
I have to warn you though, i am taking my GCSE's over the next three months so posts may be slowed down, but don't worry, i haven't forgotten about you and i check in here everyday :)

I did a January summary, and i thought i would do a February and March one too, not because i feel you're all interested in what i do everyday, but because i think it's nice to look back on things like this and appreciate what i did that month because sometimes it's hard to remember off the top of your head.

February

In February i was rehearsing loads and loads for 6 dance shows (the same show, done 6 times) which i didn't mind at all because i just laaave dancing. I had two days of dance intensive for the other dance company i'm in which was so much fun but completely exhausted me!

Illness number one, i caught it mid February and i was in bed for 5 days, although i went in for an English speaking and listening exam where we had to do a speech about the future to our classmates and i got an A*, ooooh yeah ;)

I had my college interview, and was offered a conditional offer!

Let the dance shows begin! The last day of Feb saw the first of the 6 dance shows! :)

Looking Spiffing!

 

March

6 dance shows in 4 days, again very tiring but I LOVED IT SO MUCH!
The day after the last show i had a maths gcse paper, which fingers crossed i did alright in, maths isn't my strongest point:/

Illness number two. Unfortunately i hadn't had enough time to fully recover from being ill the first time, and after being close to many many people and children for 4 days, i got ill again. This time was worse than the first and third time, i literally couldn't walk 5 steps without needing to rest, flu is poopy:( I was off school for four days (friends didn't even bother asking if i was okay, but that's a different story).

This is extremely sad, but a highlight of the month for me was seeing Vicar of Dibley return to our screens on Comic Relief. I LOVE the Vicar of Dibley i have the boxset which i've watched about a thousand times (hear the clicking of people unfollowing, haha). No one really understands my love for it, it's brilliant! Ps, The actor who plays Jim lives in the village next to my town ;)

Illness number 3. I was very fed up by now and i hadn't felt completely healthy for nearly a month which sucked:( I wasn't allowed any more time off school because of exams, so i had to stick out feeling really crap for days, where all i could think about was being snuggly in bed, which is were i should've been really.
 
I then had two more dance shows, which weren't AS exciting because i was only doing one or two dances, but we had a great time in the dressing room!

I lost 10 pounds! I think i mentioned in my January post that i was losing weight and although i've done it as slow as a snail, i have lost 10 pounds and healthily too! Okay, so some of it may have been down to the fact that i was ill and didn't really have much of an appetite, but then again, i wasn't working out due to it, so it was kinda balanced out.

I have made a new blog for my weight loss: lauralosesweight.blogspot.com

Thanks for sticking with me!

Laura x

January Summary

January was a great start to 2013, nothing really bad happened and i was generally happy!
So i was really glad 2012 was over and done with, so i embraced the new year. On new years day i went on a lovely long countryside walk with my mum and the dog, you know how i love the country!
Three weeks of the month were taken over by Chemistry and English revision, i couldn't be glad that they're over! I'm not looking forward to all my exams in May and June :(
I went to see the pantomime which i really enjoyed, even though it was mostly little kids although they wouldn't of gotten half of the jokes.. It was hilarious!

I made a new Facebook.. i did a post a few months ago ranting about it, but i caved in because i felt left out since all my friends talked about what they saw on Facebook everyday, plus i speak to family on there that i don't see so much, which is probably the main reason i made a new Facebook.

January was great for dance, I've been rehearsing for a show at the end of this month, I've been working hard on choreography for our BTEC dance show in June, and the most exciting thing was probably a dancer who used to go to my school who's now in London dancing on the X Factor and has been in various music videos came in to our BTEC dance class and made a routine for us, I'm still excited about that now and it's finished and looking fierce!

I got a conditional offer from the college i want to go to! It's a bit out of my way as it's the closest college that does Dance, my interview is this month so wish me luck!

We got snow! I know snow can be controversial, but i personally love snow. Plus we got a day off school, i was a happy girlie!

I started my weight loss journey. I'm finally buckling down and going for it. I've been doing Scola's six month challenge which you can search on YouTube, it's a challenge which is getting us all hot for summer! I've only lost 3lbs so far and my aim is 30lbs, I've gotten off to a slow start but I'm picking up the pace now!

So i hope the new year has treated you all well and that February will continue to do the same!

Laura x

Primark Haul | January 2013

 

The other day i popped into Primark and ended up buying quite a few bits and bobs, as well as a few random things which I'll leave till the end. So, let's get to it!



Leggings: £6

White vest top: £2.50

 

PJ top: £1 in sale

PJ bottoms: £5

Print leggings: £7 in sale

Brown throw over: £10

White and mint striped jumper: £8

These last things are other bits and bobs that i bought

 

Umberto Giannini scrunching jelly: £2.50 Boots

Collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer: £4.19 Boots

Strawberries and cream candle: £1 Primark

Love ETC body butter: £2.50 The Body Shop

Vanilla shower gel: £1 The Body Shop

Simple toner: £2.99 Boots

Pen holder: £2.50 Wilkos

Calender: Wilkos £1

I hope everyone had a good look around the January sales and bought a few things!
Laura x

My New Fitness Routine

Hello everyone! I hope the new year is treating you well! The new year for me has gotten off to a brilliant start, I'm feeling very positive about many things in my life right now and the new year motivation is still going. Which leads me on to this post, my new fitness routine. I've only just begun, so it's sort of a bit rough and ready, but hopefully you'll get the idea, and it may motivate you to do the same :)


So i came across a website called My Fitness Pal, which is a website and app to help you keep track of how many calories you have in a day. You type in your weight and height and it gives you a goal calorie number, like mine is 1870 calories a day. You keep a diary of what you have eaten, and it adds up the calories for you and takes them off your daily allowance. If you exercise, it then gives you extra calories for how much you've burned off, which i don't see as very helpful as you're basically eating those calories you've just worked hard to burn off. It also helps you to keep on top of how many cups of water you've had, as it recommends 8 cups a day. I've recently started to drink more water, as i would only drink if i was really thirsty. I've seen many benefits to doing this, and i feel so much healthier.
Once you've completed your daily food diary, it tells you what you would weigh in 5 weeks if every day were like today. I find this useful as it gives you something to aim for, as if you didn't try that hard today, it would still pay off in a few weeks, and imagine what you could achieve if you tried even harder?
So far i haven't gone over my daily allowance of calories and hopefully i will see improvements in the next few weeks. I obviously have been starting to eat alot healthier, just because somethings not high in calories doesn't mean it's not bad for you. For example, i have stopped snacking on crisps and chocolate, and instead have been reaching for fruit (although a banana is a whole 200 calories, 200 calories?!).
I recommend My Fitness Pal to anyone, it's free to join and you can download it to iPhones, iPads, androids and windows phones.

 

 

What's a fitness routine without exercise? As many of you may know, I'm a dancer and during term time, i do several classes a week, and that's my exercise sorted. Whenever I'm not dancing, such as in the holidays and weekends, i stick on a workout DVD. These things are blooming brilliant, i could only do 10 minutes to start off with now I'm doing about 35 minutes of it, which is great progress and I'm obviously starting to get a bit fitter. I just use ones on YouTube as it's easier, and the one I'm loving doing at the moment is the Pump It Up workout, which is done by the same people as in the Call On Me video. It's such a fun workout to do, there are different sections like on all workout DVDs, and its really working so far. I find that if you love what you're doing, exercising doesn't seem like so much of a chore, i want to exercise now which is a real shocker, as i never used to feel like this. I love to dance, and obviously that's a workout in itself, so whilst I'm having fun exercising, before i noticed i got fitter and slightly more toned up, without even working too hard for it.

 

So there we have it, my new fitness routine for 2013. It may change as i go along, but i'm fairly happy with it, and i'm feeling very motivated. If anyone has any particular fitness, workout or diet tips then feel free to leave them below, all advice welcome! And if you've found a new routine, then do let me know

 

Laura x

 

My 2013 Bucket List

People normally make resolutions around the new year about things their goals, such as to lose a stone or to save money. I've tried with resolutions in the past, really i have, but i think i lack motivation towards these things, as I'm sure many people will agree with me, because i don't think i know anyone who has stuck to a new years resolution, and if you have, i salute you!
I came up with the idea the other day to make like a mini bucket list for this year, just of small things i want to do. Not alot of them are serious, i originally started writing this as a sort of summer bucket list, but i turned into a 2013 bucket list. Some of them sound really childish because i am essentially, a big child. I have written some more serious ones nearer the end, but i hope you enjoy reading my little bucket list and that it gives you some ideas :)

• Ride everything in a theme park
• Go to a music festival
• Get something pierced
• Go to the bingo and give my prize to an old person
• Get caught in the rain and dance in it
• Get kicked out of somewhere (silly but amusing)
• Have a movie marathon
• Volunteer at an animal shelter
• Go bowling
• Start a small garden and watch it grow
• Play crazy golf
• Have a water balloon fight
• Make a music video
• Prank call someone
• Visit the zoo or a safari
• Have fun photo shoots with friends
• Get a spray tan (questioning this one)
• Dye my hair a bright colour
• Go to the cinema and get the largest popcorn
• Go shopping outside of my town
• Take lots of funny pictures
• Go to the beach
• Watch the sun set
• Take part in Race For Life
• Take my dog on a mile long walk in the countryside
• Get a new pet
• Have a BBQ
• Do a whole workout DVD
• Bake cakes
• Get a free makeover in a makeup shop
• Post everything on Instagram (laurasadaydreamer)
• Do a bootsale
• Pick strawberries
• Sell my nail art on eBay
• Do the 365 project
• Make daisy chains and wear them
• Learn how to say hello/goodbye in 10 different languages
• Get to a size 10/12
• Make a summer playlist
• Choreograph and dance solo and post it on YouTube
• Film something funny and post it to You've Been Framed
• Meet 5 new people
• See Dirty Dancing in the West End
• Do the splits
• Have a Disney movie marathon
• Get a job
• Get into the College and course i want and enjoy it
• Do blindfold makeovers
• Go to a concert
• Buy something from an ice cream van
• Get at least 3 A's in my GCSE's
• Learn the whole Single Ladies dance
• 'Just say yes' (Zoe's post)
• Get to 100 followers on this blog!
• Give to charity
• Still talk to friends after school finishes
• Save at least £100
• Get a Distinction (A) in my BTEC Dance

First picture of me in 2013! I'm feeling very positive about this year, plus i have had a great two weeks off school, these holidays have just been brilliant! It's so refreshing to just have a nice time and to not have any worries. I may post a progress post at the end of the year so you can see what i have done in my ever-so exciting life! I know January is possibly the most depressing month of the year, so everyone keep smiling and just have a good time :)

 

Laura x

Raspberry NOTD

Happy new year! I hope everyone had an amazing new years eve and new years day!

Yesterday i painted my nails in a Barry M colour i received for Christmas called Raspberry.

I've never really worn a dark colours on my nails so this is new for me, and i really like it! I feel all elegant when i look at my nails, plus i don't think i did too much of a shoddy job painting them either!

 

 

 

I am currently doing some Chemistry revision for my exam in two weeks, oh the joys of being in Year 11! although i do only have 5-6 months left and my prom is in 7 months! I'm so excited!

 

Enjoy the rest of the holidays! :)

 

Laura x 

Favourites of 2012

Over the past 12 months i have found alot of products which i love using, i think since I've started blogging, I've found alot of really great products that I'm sure will remain to be staples in my makeup bag in 2013.

FACE:

Base: The base I've been using throughout this year is The Body Shop's Mattyifying Day Cream. It's essentially a moisturiser, but it works great as a primer for your skin before foundation. I have oily to combination skin, and i find using this every morning in my makeup routine definitely keeps the oil at bay throughout the day. If i don't use this, i find my skin to be very oily by the end of the day and my face looks a bit of a mess.

Foundation: The foundation I've been using for pretty much the entire year, is Collection 2000 Colour Match foundation, which has the pink packaging (bonus). It has a medium coverage and is just good for an everyday foundation. It doesn't go patchy with my oily skin, it stays in place for quite a few hours and i haven't felt the need to go looking for another foundation as this is all i need. I find the packaging doesn't last so well, i have a new bottle which already has cracks on the lid.
Another favourite that i discovered in the last 3months or so is the Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation which you all should know has been a bloggers favourite this year, so many people have raved about it. I picked it up when it was on offer in Boots and as soon as i tried it, i knew why everyone had gone a bit mad for it. The coverage is medium and buildable, and it lives up to it's name, it makes you look radiant and awake. I have been mixing the two foundations together as an everyday foundation and together they make my skin look glowing and radiant, and i don't have to top it up during the day!

Concealer: I don't think this will come as a shock to any of you, as my favourite concealer of this year and in fact of the past few years is the Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection concealer. This is the first and only concealer I've used since i was about 13, so i can't really compare it to any other concealer, but it does the job. I would say it's pretty much full coverage or definitely buildable coverage as it covers just about everything. I use it on blemishes and spots and under my eyes, and it does really cover a multitude of sins. I would recommend this to anyone so if you haven't tried it, please do, it will transform your makeup!

Powder: As i mentioned, i have oily to combination skin, so powder is a must have. I use the Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection powder which is cheap as chips, and again, it does the job. It stops shine throughout the day although i do need to top it up. A really good powder for a really good price, what more could you ask for?

Blush: I'm not really a big blush kinda gal, although there are a couple that i like that i will reach for when i feel like a splash of colour on my cheeks. The first is MUA Mosaic Blush in English Rose. This blush is sooo pretty, both in the pan and on my cheeks, the different colours work well with each other to create a really pretty blush and almost a highlight colour to the cheeks. The second is a Collection 2000 blush called So Pretty. It has a gold shimmer too it which i used alot in the summer, as you can't really use bronzer with it as well otherwise it will look too overkill and a bit dirty.


Bronzer: The bronzer i have been using all year is the Bourjois Delice de Poudre bronzer, or the chocolate bronzer as it's more commonly known in the beauty world.  I got this for Christmas last year and its been my go to bronzer all year. This bronzer ISN'T matte, I'm a bit confused as to why people think this, there is quite an obvious shimmer in it, so reviews saying its matte is rubbish. Yes the shimmer isn't in your face and it's not obvious on your face, but it's there. And bonus, it smells of chocolate! What more could want for something that you put on your face to smell of chocolate ey.

EYES:

Eyeshadow: The eyeshadows i have been using alot is the Heaven and Earth palette from MUA. I've only started getting into eyeshadows this year, i also received this for Christmas last year and have been pretty much using it everyday as part of my makeup routine. The neutral colours are easy to work with on a day to day basis, i think they go well with my blue eyes and some of the colours really make them stand out which is a bonus. I'm sure you've seen loads of reviews about this product as it was hyped about a little while ago, and it's really worth the hype.

Mascara: I love the look of long, voluminous lashes, and i have teamed together two mascaras which help me to achieve long thick lashes. So the two i have been using are the Maybelline  Colossal Volume Cat Eyes mascara and the Rimmel Scandal Eyes mascara. The maybelline one is curved and therefore grabs all my lashes and makes them really long, and then i go over that with the Rimmel mascara which has a big brush to add tons of volume. They both are bristle brushes and last for ages. I love the look they both give to my lashes which lasts all day without needed top ups, and they don't smudge or flake, they're great!

Eyeliner: I use kohl liners on my water line and this year i discovered white eyeliner, which makes your eyes look wider and more awake. I generally wear this on school days and the one i use is from Natural Collection in Boots. I have also recently bought a new black kohl pencil as the one i used previously was so old. I picked up the new Rimmel Scandal eyes eyeliner in black, which i have really been enjoying using for the last couple of months of this year. It has great staying power, is super pigmented and doesn't stray down your eyes. I might do a full review on it as it's fairly new and i need to work with it more.

LIPS:

Balm: I get dry lips quite easily, so using lip balms is a must before applying any kind of lip product. The balms i have really been enjoying this year are the Body Shop's Born Lippy's. They really condition your lips, whatever state they are in. They have a slight tint and flavour, and are super cheap to. I have a variety of flavours, and i really couldn't live without them in my makeup bag, they're brilliant.

Lipstick: I have definitely started wearing lipstick alot more this year. I have a few that i have enjoyed using, including Natural Collection Pink Mallow, MUA shade 16, and later in the year i discovered the Rimmel Kate Moss lipsticks in the matte collection and have been loving using 107 and 113, which are deep red and a nude colour. These are also fairly new so you may be seeing a blog post on them soon. These are all very different shades as you will see, but these are the main four i have been reaching for this year.

SKINCARE:

Face wipes: For a few months this year, i just used makeup wipes to remove my makeup and would do nothing else to my skin. I'm glad to say this has changed, but the face wipes i have been using are just the tesco's own brand and they do the job.

Moisturiser: I have been using moisturiser alot more this year as I'm much better with my skin care, and the moisturisers i have been using are the Boots moisturiser from the cucumber range which i have blogged about in more detail if you would like to take a little look. I apply this at night and it makes my skin feel refreshed and soft, and sinks in almost instantly. I have also been using the Body Shop's Mattifying Day Cream which i have mentioned.

Cleanser: I'd never really heard of or understood cleansers before this year, although they do what they say they are, cleanse your face. Again, i have been using a cleanser from the Boots cucumber range, the cleansing lotion. I have been a bit lazy with my whole skincare routine as it requires applying all sorts of different lotions and potions in the evening when i take my makeup off, and some days i just didn't have the energy. Another cleanser i have been loving using is from the Body Shop's seaweed range, which is for oily to combination skin, so perfect for me. The one i use is a deep cleanser, so i don't tend to use it everyday, more like 2 or 3 times a week. This works really well for me, it removes the oils from your face which have built up throughout the day, and leaves it feeling fresh and oil-free, like you have normal skin. I really like using this cleanser, and I'm really impressed by the seaweed range at The Body Shop.

Toner: Again, I'd never really understood toner therefore i didn't feel i needed it, but i have tried using toner in my skincare routine this year, and i think i finally get it! I use the Boots facial toner by the Cucumber range, like the rest of my skincare. It removes any last bits of makeup and tones my pores and makes them look smaller.

Exfoliator: I feel like using an exfoliator does alot of good for my skin, it gets rid of excess oils and bacteria on my face that cause spots. The one i have really been loving this year is the Soap and Glory Scrub Your Nose In It facial scrub. It's a mask and a scrub in one, it has a mint scent and is a green colour, which might put some people off, it does look a bit weird when it's on your face! It gets rid of excess oils and claims to minimise your pores, which it does.  

HAIR:

Dry Shampoo: I have long, thick hair, so washing my hair is such a chore, so i try and put it off as much as i can. And that's where dry shampoo comes in. I honestly couldn't live without dry shampoo. It's a saviour in the mornings when my hair needs a pick-me-up. My favourite has to be Batiste, i think I've pretty much tried all the flavours in my time. Some people complain about it leaving grey marks, but it doesn't need to be sprayed closer than 20cm from the roots. And make sure you rub it in after to make sure there aren't any marks. I have also been enjoying the dry shampoo from Tresemme', which isn't as heavy as Batiste and is more refreshing, but it pretty much does the same job.

Hairspray: If i want to keep any sort of style to my hair without it dropping in the first 5 minutes, i need hairspray. I've tried out quiet a few, and to my delight, the best I've found is actually the cheapest. And they are, the Boots Essentials hairsprays. They come in many different holds, such as firm hold, extra firm hold and maximum hold. They keep the style all day, you can feel in it your hair, although it's not sticky and doesn't go crispy, and it does brush out quite easily. And this is on my hair! They are often on offer for 2 for £3, which is a bargain.

Shampoo and Conditioner: I'm not loyal to one particular shampoo and conditioner, because that can be bad for your hair as it gets used to them, meaning the shampoo and conditioner won't work as well as they should. For most of the year i had dyed red hair, meaning i had to use a colour protect shampoo. The ones i have enjoyed using are the Herbal Essences Ignite my colour shampoo and conditioner, and the L'oreal Elvive colour protect shampoo and conditioner. I don't notice much from colour protecting shampoos, but i know they don't make my hair fade faster than it should. Although red fades pretty fast anyway. For the remainder of the year when i didn't have red hair, i have been enjoying using the L'oreal Elvive nutri-gloss sparkling shampoo and conditioner. Being a brunette again i feel like i should have glossy, shiny hair. The matte look isn't good on brown hair, so I've been doing everything i can to make it glossy. These two in conjunction make my hair soft a glossy, exactly what it says on the tin (or bottle..).

BODY:

Shower and bath: I'm definitely more of a shower person, although i do have the occasional bath when I'm feeling tired and achy. My favourite shower gel has to be the Soap and Glory Foam Call body wash. I'm rubbish at explaining smells, Soap and Glory have explained it as 'FRUITIGO FRAGRANCE with notes of frozen yuzu, orange oil, green fig, and jungle pomelo essence.' Believable, but the scent is so refreshing, it's great to use in the morning and you can still get hints of smell throughout the day, which is good as it smells great. Plus, you get  a whooping 500ml for about £6, bargain.

Body Scrub: I bought a body scrub to prepare my skin for fake tan, i have never fake tanned before and i just never got round to it this year. Hopefully i can try next year, and if i do, I'll be sure to blog about it. Anyway, that's the reason i bought this next product. The Soap and Glory Sugar Crush body scrub. I'm sure you've heard of this before, it's very well known for it's amazing smell. 'With smashed brown sugar and sweet lime, almond oil and macadama grains'. I think it almost smells like Skittles. This is a great scrub, it exfoliates the skin well, even areas such as your elbows and knees, and leaves your skin looking and feeling amazing. I try to ration this, and when it runs out, there won't be any other scrub I'm going to pick up other than this one.

Moisturiser: After the shower my skin can feel a bit dehydrated, so i always like to moisturise after a shower or a bath. I have been using a few, but my favourite has the be The Body Shop's coconut body butter. I got this free with a voucher, which I'm glad as they're very pricey. But they are totally worth the price tag. It has a real buttery consistency and is rich, it sinks into the skin quickly and makes your skin feel hydrated and looking and smelling amazing. You can get them in a smaller tub for cheaper but the bigger tubs are better value, and they last a long time. I've had mine since around May time and i still have about half left!

So if you've managed to read all of this post, firstly well done! This took over a week to write as i wanted to give every product the best review i could. I know this is alot, but i just chose different categories and ended up with alot to write about! If you've had any favourites throughout 2012 then I'll be interested to know, or if you have done a similar post, link it below and I'll go have a sneaky peek!

I hope everyone has a great night tonight as it's new years eve!
I'll see you all in 2013! (how weird is that?!)

Laura x

Januray Sales Haul | Beauty Edition

Yesterday i trotted round the sales with a friend to see what bargains we could pick up. I didn't get any clothes this time round, although i may pop back in to scooch round the clothes sales. I mostly got beauty things with a couple odd bits.

 

 

Sorry about the rubbish quality, the lighting in winter is pants!

From Left across:

•  Hairspray (Boots, 2 for £3)
• Gift Tags (80p each, 50% off so 40p, Wilko's)
• Neutrogena visibly clear pink grapefruit daily scrub (Boots, 2 for £5)
• Neutrogena visibly clear 2-in-1 wash and mask (Boots, 2 for £5)
• Strawberries and cream scented candle (Primark, £1)
• Vanilla Bliss body butter (The body shop, £6.50)
• Love Etc eau de toilette (The body shop, £7.50)
• Rimmel Wake me up foundation (Wilko's, £4.98)
• MUA blush perfectioncream blusher (Superdrug, £2)
• Barry M Nail paint Rasberry (Superdrug, £2.99)

 

Sales make me excited, i really want to go back and check out the clothing sales. If i do and get anything exciting, i'll be sure to do a haul!

I hope you liked this post and that you saw something you want from the sales!

 

Have a happy new year

Laura x

 

 



Empties | #1

So i thought i would save up my empties from the past few months to show you all what I've used up. Some things i really enjoy using take a long time to use up so they may be in future empties posts. I had a few of the same empties in there such a wipes and deodorant, which i though pointless to show you all of them so i only kept one in, so i do use them up more frequently than one every three or four months, obviously. I try to remember to put my empties in my empties bag but I'll try for my next empties!

Starting with the picture on the left:

Makeup wipes, there are only two here but I've used many more packets than this, but it would be very boring if it was mostly empty makeup wipes. I generally just pick up ones from tesco's, i think these ones were from wilko's.
Roll on deodorant. I use the pink one from soft and gentle, yes I'm calling it the pink one because i don't remember the scent and i can't really be bothered to get up and check (bad blogger, i know I'm sorry). I have used more than the three, but i thought that would be enough to show you! They basically do the job.
MUA mosaic blush in English Rose. I got this last Christmas and i used it up in the summer. It gives a radiant glow to the cheeks, maybe suited more to the summer than to the winter. The lilac blocks in it give the cheeks a subtle highlight and a slight shimmer of lilac, which i think makes this blush unique. I have already purchased another one.
Soap and Glory Righteous Butter. I bought the mini pot to try out and i loved it. It's very rich and sinks into the skin quickly. The scent isn't too overpowering and it moisturises the skin so well, no wonder everyone raves about it!
Another Soap and Glory product, it's the Scrub em' and leave em' body scrub. I enjoyed this as a body scrub, although the mini pot only lasted for two applications. It has pink beads in it which already floats my boat, and has a nice scent. I have since discovered the Sugar Crush body scrub which i rate very highly, so as long as i'm using the Sugar Crush, then i don't think I'll be repurchasing this one in a bigger tub.
Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection concealer. Yes, the infamous concealer is indeed my favourite ever concealer. I've been using it since i was about 12, and its the only concealer Ive used and have felt the need to use. Again, i must have used up at least two more of these, but didn't think to throw them in.
Directions hair dye in Poppy Red. This is from when i last dyed my hair red in August. I love these dyes, there is such a wide range of bright colours, they don't contain any nasty chemicals, they're conditioning so you can leave them on for however long you want, and they have a good staying power for a semi permanent dye. If i ever decide to go back red, this is the dye i will be using (i still have two pots somewhere).


Now onto the right picture:

Batiste dry shampoo. I have tried many of the flavours from Batiste and i don't have a particular favourite, i find they all work exactly the same just with different scents. I cannot live without this stuff, i am currently using up the new lace scented one.
Boots nail polish remover. Cheap and cheerful, this removes any nail polish without any trouble and removes everything.
L'oreal Elvive Nutri-gloss sparkling conditioner. I have started using this after i finished my colour protect conditioner as i had dyed my hair back from red to my natural dark brown colour. I find being a brunette again, i need to pay more attention to the style and look of it, and having glossy hair is what i have been going for. I have another one on the go in the bathroom along side the shampoo.
L'oreal Elvive colour protect shampoo and conditioner. I used these when i had my red hair. I haven't got anything to compare it to as i don't use other shampoo and conditioners that don't have colour protect in it. It does the job, and i'm finishing off one in the bathroom still.
Natural Collection vanilla spray. This is from Boots and i love just spraying it when i feel like smelling nice, it's not too strong and lasts a long time, i generally can smell it hours after.
Several sprays. I don't think i need to explain all of these, you get the idea.
I cut out the hairspray for some reason, but it's one of the huge cans you get from sally's. I wouldn't recommend it, it was rubbish!

I hope this wasn't too boring, let me know if you enjoyed it and i'll make sure i remember to collect my empties for another post!

Laura x

Christmas Haul 2012

I don't think i need to tell you how excited Christmas makes me, and one of the most exciting parts of Christmas is getting to see my family open all their presents and seeing what Father Christmas bought me! I am in no way bragging about what i bought, i did this last year and a few of you seemed to like it so i thought i would do the same this year. I love seeing what everyone got for Christmas as I'm a bit nosy, and it gives me ideas for my next Christmas/birthday lists or for presents for other people. So here we go!

 

This is all my non-beauty things :)

 

 From left: Pink foot spa, Babyliss curling wand, pink thermal mug, the infamous 'blogger bag', Little mix CD, Primark gift card, New Look gift card, pointe shoes, stationary clips, hair clips, Tulisa CD, deer gadget holder, Step up 4 DVD, pink bag, dance book and Streetdance 2

From left: nail art kit, country garden bath set, TOWIE perfume set, Models Own hedkandi Beach Party, Impulse sprays in very pink, very very pink and true love, love hearts set, Lavender soap bauble, Body Shop Vanilla mist, Soap and Glory foam call, smoothie star buttercream, mist you madly spray, Real Techniques blush brush and Real Techniques stippling brush.

 

 

I also got a pretty glitter lamp :)

 

I feel very lucky for all the goodies i got this year and i look forward to using them all. I hope everyone got what they wanted from Santa!

 

Laura x

Christmas

My favourite time of year is finally upon us! I love Christmas so much, i love the pretty lights and the festivities, i love buying presents for friends and family, i love the run up to Christmas and listening to Christmas music and watching Christmas films, and most of all, i love spending Christmas with my family. I know that sounds cliche, but i really do. We all go to my nans house and spend Christmas day and boxing day there. My nan lives in the countryside, which i absolutely LOVE, I'm such a country girl. And especially when it snows, we go on long walks in the afternoons and return with chilly cheeks (the cheeks on your face that is, tut tut) and ready to put our feet up and watch Christmas TV.
I always look forward to Christmas, it's just my favourite. Here's some pictures of the special day, i hope you all had a great Christmas!

Twas' the night before Christmas

Happy Christmas eve! Are you having a good day? I've spent most of the day pampering myself and watching Christmas films, I'm feeling pretty festive! I've just finished typing up a post about my festive nails which should be up now :)

I'm feeling very Christmassy, i love Christmas so much! It's by far the best time of the year. Not just the day, but the run up to Christmas which pretty much starts the day after Halloween. I love love love it. I love how much effort and passion goes into just one day which is spent with the ones you love the most. And as Wizzard once quoted, "i wish it could be Christmas everyday". But i guess Christmas is only meant to be for one day, and it's supposed to be treasured. I'm so sentimental!

 

My view right now!

I can't wait to see my family open their presents :)

 

 

 

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Laura x



Christmas NOTD

I love painting my nails for Christmas, i can't just have bare nails or a plain colour for Christmas Day, I'd feel naked and boring! It's the perfect time to get your glitter polishes out and make your nails all festive. This year I've used classic Christmas colours, red and gold. It's the first time I've tried to graduate my nails and i think I've done it pretty well.
I used Barry M's Bright Red and Models Own Hedkandi Disco Heaven.














I used two coats of Bright Red to make the colours opaque. Barry M lasts about a week on my nails. I then coated my nails 3/4 in the disco heaven. And when that had dried, i coated half, and then 1/4. This gives the graduated colour effect, and the finished nails look like this:

I know they look really messy but this was pre-clean up :) My camera didn't really pick up the glitter too well, the tips are alot more golden and opaque. I feel very festive when i look at my nails!

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
Laura x

Clothes Show Live 2012

On Tuesday 11th December, i went on a school trip to the Clothes Show Live in Birmingham. I'd never been before and i was very excited! The only downside to the day really was having to get up at the crack of dawn to take the 3 1/2 hour coach journey from South Somerset up to Birmingham (woo).

My first impressions: i must have looked a little bit like this - :o as i walked in, it was absolutely massive! Plus it was pink and glittery, what more could you ask for?!
I think i must agree with others when they say the makeup section was way better than the actual clothes section even though it was the CLOTHES show (although i did buy a summer dress for a tenner). By the time we got there at about half eleven, there was only a couple of hours to look around everything before the show. I must mention that we went on the last day, which i completely recommend as there are some amazing bargains! The end of show offers definitely floated my boat, for example, i have read on other blogs that on Friday, the Models on nail polished were 3 for £10, but on Saturday they went down to 2 for £10 (which is pointless as they are £5 each anyway), but on the last day they were 4 for £10! If that's not a bargain then i don't know what is!

The goody bags were pretty darn good too, which i shall go onto later on when i show you everything i bought (which isn't alot, but i think i need to take more money next year!). The most popular stalls were definitely the Models Own, Barry M and Rimmel, which there was a sickening long queue for a goody bag, which we gave a miss. There was also an extremely long queue for the Lee Stafford stall, which we also gave a miss. But i did pick up a Barry M goody bag, oooh the babies that were in there. I felt a little bit like Alice in wonderland in there, i shall definitely be going next year with more money to find more bargains!

Onto the fashion show! We were sat in block E, fairly near the front so we had a good view. The fashion didn't thrill me (although not complaining about buff men in small shorts..) i must say i was more excited about the dancing, which wasn't bad at all. I filmed the dancing as this pleased me. (For those of you who didn't know, I'm a dancer).

So overall, i think the Clothes Show Live's main focus kind of went out the window a bit, as the makeup stalls were better than the clothes stalls, and the dancers were better than the fashion modelling, in my opinion.

Now onto the things i bought! Yayyy!

So here's the dress i bought for £10, which was reduced from £15. I saw it as i was walking round and i liked it, so i picked it up (as you usually do when you like something in a shop...duhh). I think it would look really nice in the summer with maybe a small belt and sandals and some accessories.

I got a glitter tattoo, for no real reason other than its pretty and its pink and its glitter. Again, what more could you ask for? You could choose your colours, and the bigger ones were £3 and the small, simple ones were £1, pretty.

I only own one Models Own nail varnish, as they're not available at my local boots (boo). They are usually £5 each, and as i explained earlier, it was the last day so bargains were all over the place and this was no exception. It was 4 for £10, and i chose the shades Copper Pot, Bubblegum, Disco Heaven and Concrete Mixer. I liked them all and i don't really have any others like them.

The middle picture shows everything i bought makeup-wise. The best thing for me was the Barry M goody bag, which cost me £10, and i was very pleased with the amount of goodies in the goody bag. The total of everything in the goody bag is £47.97, which is pretty darn good in my opinion! Inside the goody bag i got:

• Face and body shimmer powder
• Turquoise mascara
• 3 kohl eyeliners
• A glitter eye crayon
• Lip Gloss
• 2 Dazzle Dusts and a fine glitter dust
• 3 Retro nail paints

I also went to the Bourjois stall, where all products were £5, or 2 for £9. I picked up the Healthy Mix foundation which i can't wait to try out, what a bargain!

Overall i thoroughly enjoyed the Clothes Show Live and i will hopefully be going again next year!

I hope you're all having a lovely run up to Christmas!
Laura x

Down in the dumps..

Hello!
I know i've been very very M.I.A for the past few weeks, i have excuses i promise :)

Reason 1: Year 11 is stressful!
Reason 2: I've not been feeling myself for a while.. For reasons which i cant say on the internet:(
Reason 3: I've not bought anything in a while.. Although its nearly Christmas so theres an excuse to go shopping!:)

I've also not had alot of inspiration lately, if anyone has any ideas for posts please do let me know!

I hope your all well
Laura x