Switching Up My Eyebrows with Anastasia

I have always, constantly heard make-up artists and beauty gurus going on about how actually it's your eyebrows that are the window to your soul. How we should all be filling them correctly, creating the perfect arch and keeping everything in place. Now, up until a couple of months ago I really did think that was all rubbish. I kept my brow hairs in place with a gel but that was about it. It wasn't until I got sick of hearing all about this Anastasia and her Brow Wiz that i thought maybe there could be something to all of it.

I purchased the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Taupe, which is the lightest shade aimed for blondes, from BeautyBay. It's a dual-ended contraption with the, what do we call it, the pencil(?) on one end and a spoolie on the other. The spoolie is actually really good, it's long with shorter bristles making it super easy to brush your brows into place and to shape them with the end. I also love that the pencil part is very, very small. It makes it much easier to almost feather on and stops me from using too much product and getting the shape exactly how I want it. It's a waxy consistency meaning that it stays in place all day, especially in the John Lewis recycled warm air.

It's still definitely no pro, they never look the same twice but i'm almost always happy with them and practice makes perfect! However, that is all me and none of the product's fault. Sometimes i do get about brow happy and they become more of a Scouse brow than a Cambridge brow but I feel much more confident now. When i look back on pictures I can see what a difference they make to my face and my look.

K|xo

Getting Summer Ready

Up until a couple of years ago I never really got the fad of exfoliating and moisturising your body to within an inch of it's life. Now when it comes to my face, I do everything in my power to look after my skin whether it be serums, scrubs, oils, moisturiser, the lot but i probably did neglect my body somewhat.  Now, however, it is a whole new story.

Now, it definitely happens more in the Spring and Summer than the other seasons, because frankly who's going to see it the other six months of the year? But there is little I love more than having a full-on pamper session with body scrubs, moisturisers, shaving my legs, face masks, the whole shebang. I remember posting on Instagram years ago when I discovered the Vaseline Spray on Moisturiser and saying that i would never use anything else, and i really do still love that product. However, since then I have discovered a new product that I feel as though I literally cannot live without, dramatic I know. The Garnier Intensive 7 Day Daily Body Lotion is my new obsession when it comes to moisturisation. I buy the one directed at very dry skin, although the skin on my body is probably only moderately dry but this one just leaves me feeling ultra soft, smooth and hydrated. I love what it does for the texture and feel of my skin, and another definite plus is that it leaves me feeling soft for days. Although it imparts intense hydration it is not a really thick formula, not at all like the Body Shop Body Butters but more of just your usual body lotion consistency. However, it feels as though you've used an insanely rich product. How I love to use this product is to slather it on before bed and let it soak in all night. It also has a lovely smell, very natural and almost spa like. It really works a treat and I cannot harp on about how much I love this product enough.

When it also comes to the Summer months there is one thing I cannot bare but that, frankly, needs doing and needs doing far more often this time of year than any other. That would be shaving, and any girl who says they enjoy performing this task is most definitely lying. I love the results, don't get me wrong, but spending that extra ten minutes in the bath shaving my legs is not how I would like to be spending my time. Anyway, I like to make things as quick and easy as possible and my favourite combination, of pretty much all time, is the Gilette Satin Care Pure and Delicate Shaving Gel paired with the Gilette Venus Embrace Sensitive Women's Disposable Razors. I actually wrote a post about this combo last Summer and honestly nothing has changed, I still love them both and am able to shave with minimal irritation and resulting in a really close shave.

K|xo

I Turned 24, So I Got a Lava Lamp

On April 3rd I turned 24 years old which, i suppose, means that i'm becoming a grown up, if not already am one. Frankly, I don't like the thought of that and am in total denial about everything that comes along with it. Although what gets me even worse is that in one, short year i will be hitting the next milestone age. 25 in less than a year, now that is scary. Anyway, so what does one ask for on their 24th birthday? Perhaps something practical like a hairdryer or a frying pan? Something useful maybe like a lunchbox for work, or some new bedding - which i actually did get? Actually, this year I asked for a lava lamp.

Yes, a lava lamp - none other than the nineties classic. They were all the rage when I was at school, I actually even owned one at the time and can remember it clear as day. It was a silver base, and top, with clear liquid and hot red lava bubbling up inside. It was absolutely one of my favourite possessions at the time, and many times since then have I thought about it, wondering at what age i decided that it wasn't 'cool enough' to grace the four walls of my bedroom anymore. I actually cannot remember the time between it sitting atop my bedside table and it no longer being there. Anyway, i really did think it was the bee's knees, so much so obviously that i chose to request one for my birthday.

Luckily, now, i work in a national department store called John Lewis, just incase you haven't heard of it, and we happen to sell a few lava lamps. I must say there was a glitter lamp that seriously caught my attention but, honestly, I felt like I should really go for the classic but this time with a twist. The one I got for my birthday is the John Lewis Rainbow Lava Lamp and i wasn't really sure how that was going to work when I ordered it. I had visions of it getting tossed around in the courier and ending up being a mixd up mess by the time it got here, but actually it's the glass that's coloured. I thought that would be a bit rubbish when I realised, honestly, but it really isn't. It's so, so effective when it's bubbling away. You can watch them going up and down, turning from red to blue and back again. I actually find it very therapeutic actually, and honestly I just think they're a nice, quirky edition to home decor. I also think they'd be amazing for children's night lights, not that I have any need for that but it's not super bright, it just glows which is very comforting.

Honestly, if you've never had one I would highly recommend picking one up, because they're just pretty cool. They're only £25 from John Lewis and if not for you then they'd make a really cool gift too.

K|xo

Dior's Illuminating Powder in Glowing Pink

I have loved make-up for a very long time but really only over the last couple of years have a really gotten into it; improving my application technique, buying high end and branching out into new products. I'm not quite at the blush and bronzer stage yet, i just feel too pale for all that, but my most recent obsession is definitely highlighter. There is so many different shades out there, different ways to apply it and it just looks so beautiful. I love that you can either go in pretty heavy handed, ending up looking like a disco ball, or just add a touch for some glow.

The one i've acquired most recently is the Dior Nude Air Glowing Gardens Illuminating Powder in Glowing Pink. Now, when i went to find a link for this it's not showing availability anywhere online so i hope that doesn't meant it was a limited thing or that it's been discontinued already because i will definitely be repurchasing after i've used it up, i love it that much. I bought it on the Dior counter at work - i work in a branch of John Lewis - so hopefully it'll still be available to buy on counter.

Anyway, when i swatched this product i instantly knew i had to have it. It's the most beautiful glistening, icey pink colour that can be blended out into just a touch of shimmer or layered up for some serious glamour. The packaging is also beautiful as it comes in a lovely navy, velvet pouch embossed with the Christian Dior logo and inside you have the beautiful, almost quilted, mirrored container with the product inside.

Now, firstly i really wish i'd photographed this before i started using it because it looked absolutely beautiful as it had embossed flowers and and the Christian Dior logo. As you can see, anyway, it's a beautiful icey pink shade but one thing i would say is that it does look really finely milled, however i find when i get my brush in there i really have to get in there and wipe my brush around to get product on the brush. However, i love how it looks too much to let that stop me because it really is an absolutely beautiful product.

As you can see, it really is just super shimmery and so pretty. I usually run it along the tops of my cheek bones, up to my temples and i also usually use it as a brow bone highlight and to blend my eyeshadow too. I also love that i can apply it and then blend it out for a much more subtle glow or i can pack it on and really pump up the glam.

If you can get your hands on it then i highly recommend you give this a go, especially if you're pale skinned, like me, because a lot of highlighters are a bit too dark for me. So even if you can, give it a swatch. It won't be for everyone but it is certainly for me.

K|xo

Top 10 Snacks for Trying to be Good

Following on from my Fitness Journey post, i thought i'd share with you a couple of snacks that i've been choosing when i want something easy but not super bad for you. Now, i'm not on a diet and i'm not cutting out all sugar or all carbs, i'm just trying to make healthier choices so these are just some alternatives to maybe things that i would normally go for.

For crisp options i've been really enjoying the Walkers Sea Salted Sunbites. They're not the healthiest crisp option out there but they're multigrain and are low in fats, which is great. They're much better for you than your usual Walkers Ready Salted crisps that's for sure. Another alternative are these Yushoi Snapea Rice Sticks which i found in my local Tesco, but i know M&S do something similar. They're a baked snack, which is always a great place to start, and are made from green peas and rice. For those of you with allergies too they're free from sesame, peanuts, nuts, milk, dairy and much, much more.

I eat plenty more fruit than i ever have before; bananas, red grapes and jazz apples being my current favourites, but if you fancy something a little different or just want something for your bag then i would perhaps try dried fruit. The Urban Fruit Cheeky Cherries are really yummy, they're almost like eating a gummy sweet. They're sugar free and contain no preservatives, and all they contain is cherries. There's also banana chips, the ones i buy are from Whitworths and they're sweet without being too much and make you almost feel like you're having a treat. They're full of fibre and are a great way to increase your fibre intake, and are cooked in coconut oil which is much better for you and adds to the flavour.

Another easy on-the-go snack, whether it's for work or for a hotel room, etc, is tinned fruit. Fruit often goes off quite quickly so sometimes it's just easier, and i really enjoy these tinned mandarins. I love the juice they come in and they're really tasty, plus they're healthy too.

Lastly, if you're really craving that sweet treat but are trying to be good, then always go for dark chocolate. It's proven to be much better for you and if you pick the right one it doesn't have to taste like dirt. I've tried a lot and if you go too dark, they really do taste like mud but this Tesco Finest Peruvian 70% Dark Chocolate is just right. It's sweet without being too sweet and feels like you're having a treat without being too bad.

Something that's not pictured here but that i highly recommend are the Yoomoo Frozen Yoghurt Lollies. They come in three flavours and are so low in calories, but are a delicious, fruity, sweet treat to have after dinner.

K|xo