MEET A

Since I've been blogging regularly for a few months now, I thought it was about time you guys found out a little about me! For those of you that know me, you'll either agree with my answers to these questions, laugh at memories of me acting a certain way or cover your eyes in a cringe worthy manner, ooopsie.

I've compiled a list of 14 questions to answer which hopefully will give you an insight into the world of A, it's a strange one i'll tell you that but i'd like to say full of imagination and funnnn. I chose these questions from a random list of the best questions to get to know someone….according to some obscure webpage I stumbled across. Why 14? Well my favourite/lucky number is 4, and that's probably not enough questions for you to get to know me so the nearest number with a 4 in is.......14! Makes sense in my little head anyway. Let's begin shall we..

What is your favorite book to read?

Typical, first question is the most difficult. Hmmmm, I love all books too much to answer this, but if I really really have to choose I'm going to say Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K Rowling. Or a less mainstream book you might not have heard of is The Magpies by Mark Edwards, an extremely creepy...don't read before bed book!

What makes you laugh the most?

Sarcasm! It's the best form of humour in my opinion. Unless you don't get it then it just becomes really awkward which tickles me even more. Kevin Hart has the ability to make me laugh just by looking at him!

Aside from necessities, what's one thing could you not go a day without?

Hairgrips! They are my life. If you have met me you'll know I leave a trail of hairgrips everywhere I go. Since I now wear my hair curly 90% of the time, it simply cannot be tamed without them! I've broken washing machines because of them and caused foot injuries...oooops!

If you were a super-hero, what powers would you have?

Invisibility...duh! And the ability to fly. Zooming around the world and turning invisible when I decide to land in Chris Brown's back garden whilst he's casually sunbathing seems like a pretty good deal to me. 

If you could share a meal with any 4 individuals, living or dead, who would they be?

Barack Obama. Albus Dumbledore (I don't care if he's fictional thankyou) Angelina Jolie and Kevin Hart. Strange mix, but I think it would work. You've got power, fantasy, beauty and comedy right there. Amazing dinner party!

What's your favorite holiday?

When I was 10 I went to Florida for 3 weeks with my mum, partner at the time and grandparents. That place is a kid's dream, seriously..there isn't one section of Disneyland that didn't have me going rigid with excitement. I'm planning on going back before I get to an age where I can't run around with a magic wand in Universal Studios....so before i'm 70 then yeah!

Are you a clean or messy person?

Is this a trick question? CLEAN, I don't do well around mess. Organised mess is okay. Mess mess is not okay. It makes me nervous, even typing the word mess has me freaking out!

How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?

Depends where i'm going...on a normal day probably about an hour...that's if I have to be around people and socialize. If i'm just popping to the shop or going to the gym about 15 minutes i'd say. Nights out are a whole different story, there's too many distractions and when drinks are involved about 43593 hours. 

What's the most unusual thing you've ever eaten?

Kangaroo! I lived in Australia for sometime when I was younger and was tricked! They told me it was chickennnnn :(

Who was your favorite teacher in school and why?

My secondary school English teacher. She was a grandma type teacher, you know the kind who are so lovely and you love the lesson just because she's the teacher. She always made it so easy to learn and anything she said was instantly interesting. Me and my friend Laura would fall asleep sometimes in class and she'd tell the rest of the class to leave us alone to rest. What a cutie!

What was your first job?

I worked in a hotel serving Sunday lunches for about £2 an hour. At the time I thought i was rolling in dollar, leaving with £10 in my hand after a 6 hour shift. Baaallller.

What's the most interesting thing you can see out of your office or kitchen window?

At my current place of work I can see the skyscape of Leeds city centre which is such a nice view, HOWEVER...there is a field just outside the window too which contains three or so horses. I'm allergic to horses, I do not like them, they are too big and make weird shapes with their mouths and kick you if you get too close. So that makes me frown. 

What is your biggest fear?

OK...this one is strange. Please after I tell you do not make me face this fear. It's not so much a fear as a phobia to be honest. But small dots freak me out. Not just any small dot, they have to be organised and together and quite small. I think this stems from those weird bathroom mats that have little bits of material all close together and when i was younger i thought of them as maggots. I know...weird. But now people tend to try and annoy me by drawing loads of little dots all clustered on a page and it works. Looking at it makes me feel all funny.

Would you rather ride a bike, ride a horse, or drive a car?

Bloody horses again. That's immediately eliminated. I don't like driving but I do for convenience and I haven't ridden on a bike for at least 4 years. So i'll have to choose driving since it's the only realistic one. But if I could change it, i'd ride a unicorn! 

I told you they were random, but sometimes i think the most interesting bits about someone are the unusual or quirky traits they have. I’ll be doing some construction and editing of my blog over the next few weeks...watch this space, exciting things are happening so I apologise for the sporadic posts, but it shall all be worth it in the long run!

Hopefully you know a little more about me now, or if you already know me maybe there’s a few answers up there that you didn’t know!

Thanks for reading!

The City Girls UK Blogger Event

A week and a few days ago I attended a wonderful event set up by Lorna from Life by LDE and Holly from Tea and Blush called quite fittingly The City Girls UK. These two lovely ladies have brought together bloggers from the north in two fun filled events, their first event being in Sheffield last year and the second that I was lucky enough to attend, right here in Leeds.

The event took place at The Liquorist on Greek Street, which is a bar I hadn’t heard of until the event. The decor inside was astounding, seriously...so much dark wood, crystal chandeliers and beautiful velvet vintage style chairs, not to mention the mirrored staircase (see below...it’s a pleasure). After ordering a cocktail (Long Island Ice Tea...ah thankyou) I met some of the other lovely bloggers and we all had a chuckle over the rearranging of items that began for those much needed ‘perfect’ photographs. 

Before we started the afternoon of chattering and socializing we had a talk by a lady, Suzie from Leed’s Women Aid, which is a fantastic charity who help local women who have experienced domestic abuse and violence. It really was both shocking and inspiring to hear what they do for these women and how this kind of thing can tick over without anyone really knowing about it. Us women are strong and powerful, never should we be made to feel any less by anyone. Take a look at their website here to find out more about what they do and how you can help, even if just volunteering or donating a few pennies. It really is an amazing cause! 

The way then became clear for us bloggers to rush off to talk to some of the brands and get to know each other a little better. Piling through the archways we discovered some incredible brands had set up little tables with goodies for us to have and a chance to get to know the brand! Some of those were Benefit, The Bodyshop UK, Nails by Ivy, Manuka Dr and Kendelle Clothing. We got to talk to each brand about any new products that were coming out or tips on how to stay looking healthy. It was a fantastic opportunity for us to network and have some fun along the way. 

I immediately ran over to Benefit (sorry, not sorry) to try out their latest Licence To Blot stick which I’ve been lusting over for quite some time. What I didn’t expect was to come away with blue eyelashes and purple eyeliner. I kid you not! I’ve always been a little scared of colour on my eyes….but after having They’re Real Mascara in Blue and Eyeliner in purple...i’m hooked. 

Not to mention Voss Water, Twig & Dot, Virtue Ice Tea and Michael ‘OMara Books had also left us some of their products to take home! Could this day get any better I began to think after almost breaking my arm with the amount of goodies I had stuffed in my bag. Yes...yes it could. Along comes raffle time which the proceeds went towards a donation to Leeds Women’s Aid. We managed to raise over £200 which was then matched by Holly’s work, huge clap on the back to us bloggers!! I’m never one to win raffles or tombolas...seriously, NEVER! Buuuut, I only went and bloody won didn’t i. I was the lucky receiver of a set of any lingerie from their new SS catalog AND a swim set. I’ve just picked out my choices and may well do a blog post on them soon, probably not going to be pictures of me in the lingerie though…..just sayin. Then...my number is called again….and there comes along a bottle of yummy Henny & Joe’s Chai Syrup, delicious. I’m finally having a lucky streak, wooo!

After more cocktails, chatting, giggling, and having general girl time we were surprised with a box of brownies! From a choice of salted caramel, praline, hazelnut and a few others I obviously had to go for salted caramel, my fav!

As the event came to a close we were handed goodie bags filled with treats, it seriously felt like christmas! The bag itself even had a personalised logo on the front, with The City Girls brand. I’ve included a snippet of what was inside the bag, but will be doing individual posts soon on a few of my favourite items. Lorna and Holly really went all out for us and made this the best experience possible. So much hard work and time must have went into the organisation of this, and for girls who work full-time as well as blog they completely baffled me to how perfectly arranged everything turned out. But they are living proof that we can do it girls! Anything we set our minds to is achievable!

A fantastic day filled with new friends, inspiring stories, fun goodies, lots of laughter and a few cheeky cocktails. 

I can’t wait to see what The City Girls do next…
@TheCityGirlsUK


Thanks for reading!

HAIR | HAIRWORX HAIR VITAMIN TABLETS REVIEW

* I’ve always wanted long hair, I’ve always had (in my opinion) quite short hair. From years of straightening my hair and using a lot of heat, it’s never been at the length I want. I tried getting my hair trimmed every 6 weeks but with having extremely curly hair that never seemed to work as I would still continue to straighten it which was contradicting getting the damage cut off in the first place. I've tried countless 'your hair will grow 10 inches in one month' vitamins, which really are a waste of money considering I saw no change in my hair.

So two months ago I decided to completely stop using ANY heat on my hair and to start taking hair and nail vitamins. I’d heard that the majority of ‘hair growth’ vitamins contained about 60% Biotin, so down I popped to Holland and Barrett to fetch a bottle of Biotin. For the month of taking it I noticed my hair looking a little healthier but still not to the level I wanted or at the speed (i’m very impatient). Then the wonderful TN Healthcare approached me and asked if i would like to try their new Hairworx Hair Vitamins For Faster Hair Growth...uh HELL YEAH.

The tablets contain a blend of over 30 active vitamins and minerals which are essential for healthy hair and maintenance also helping to improve skin and nails, result! I won't list all of them or we'll be here for days, but they are all natural vitamins that our body already has, we're just upping that level or providing our bodies with vitamins we may not be getting enough of via food etc.

I’ve now been taking these vitamins once a day for approximately 33 days, the bottle contains 60 capsules which is a two month supply for £21.99 or £17 at the moment on Amazon and i can honestly say I will be taking them for the foreseeable future!

I’ve taken before and after pictures to show my one month progress. I chose to take the pictures with my hair wet because as you curly haired girls out there know, our hair shrinks a helluva lot when it’s dry, so to give an accurate view of my hair length wet hair it is!

As you can see in the left picture which is before I started taking the vitamins, my curl pattern is rather scattered and the ends are fine. The length is standing just on the 1 inch line, and the under section of my hair is quite separated. The right picture is my hair now, well about a day ago! Although at first glance the length looks to be the same, my layers around the sides of my hair have now grown to match the rest of my hair and the quality of my curls has improved tenfold! The curls are pronounced and the curls are held together more.

When my hair is wet I would normally have to use almost half a bottle of leave-in conditioner, creams, endless amounts of serum to tame the impending frizz, but now i can get away with a few spritzes of leave in conditioner, a pump of serum and honestly that’s it! My curls hold their shape, there’s no concern of rogue curls anywhereeee!

Another plus i’ve noticed is the amount of shedding. I’ve barely lost any hair whilst taking these supplements, no longer does my shower look like a hair murder scene and no longer do i have to de-hair my brushes. My hair seems to have a lot more strength at the root, and in time will hopefully grow thicker and with more density.

After about two weeks i also noticed the improvement of my nails. Now I’m ashamed to admit it but I used to be a nail-biter...yes I know, it’s an awful awful habit and I wore false nails to hide it...along comes Hairworx….my nails are healthy and no longer do I want to go anywhere near them with nail clippers let alone bite them off. Considering years of false nail wearing can cause quite a bit of damage to natural nails, my nails are now strong, hair and once filed/buffed have a natural sheen to them!

I’d like to thank you TN Healthcare for making my long hair dreams a reality, I’d honestly say these are the best hair/skin vitamins I've taken and believe me I've tried them all...well almost!

You can check out TN Healthcare and their other products over at...

• http://shop.tnhealth.co.uk
• www.facebook.com/tnhealthcare
• TN Healthcare Amazon

What are your tips for growing your hair long and healthy?

Thanks for reading!

LIFE | EYE OF THE WOLFE #3

Stay fit. Go to work. Do food shopping. Socialize. Write blog posts. Plan the following week. Go to work again. Get to the gym. See family. Pay bills. Have enough sleep. 

There’s so much we need to do whilst remembering to breathe too. Sometimes life can get a bit on top of you and you end up not doing what you needed to because something else cropped up along the way. Then you start to feel bad for not doing that thing you were meant to do the day before *sigh* We don’t have enough hours in the day it seems, and those of you with kids...I raise my glass to you because along with all of the above, you have another little person depending on you and taking up 110% of your time. Hail all mums and dads out there!

I’ve come up with 5 ways to manage your time or just some tips that I follow in order to make sure I've done what I need to when I need to whilst giving myself some time to relax!

PRIORITIZE

It’s easy to do the tasks that you like first...like socializing or sleeping! But i’ve found if you get the boring or annoying things out of the way first, you feel better for being productive and you know exactly what you need to do next. Personally i write lists, lots and lots of lists. Put the most important, must be done task at the top and work your way down. 

GOALS

Set yourself a goal, for example…

• I want to sit down and write 4 blog posts tonight so that I’m up to date for the next week.

• I’ll call that company before 12pm tomorrow.

Giving yourself a deadline, an attainable one by the way, there’s no point in setting yourself something you won’t stick to like getting to the gym before 6am every morning, if you do that again I raise my glass to you.  If it’s something that has to be done, like paying a bill, set yourself the deadline for a few days before so you know it WILL be done. 

DOWNTIME

When I say this I don’t mean your spare time that you should be relaxing, I mean those moments like when you're stuck in traffic or waiting for a train etc. Start thinking about your day ahead or prioritizing the things you need to do when you get to work or home. Then once you're where you need to be you already know how you're going to get stuff it done and how to make a start.

LIMIT MULTITASKING

Yes, it’s brilliant when you multi-task and it works. But more often than not, by splitting up your focus and concentration on two or more things means your probably not able to do them at the best ability you could. Of course certain things like writing and listening to music can happen simultaneously and it’s all good, but try writing, watching TV, talking on the phone and eating a sandwich...no, you’ll either have mayo on your top or you’ll drop your phone. Try and focus on one thing at a time!

REWARD YOURSELF

After all of that time managing and task completing you deserve a break. Grab a cuppa and watch some mindless TV or a film you’ve been dying to see. When you accomplish something that was difficult or time-consuming, celebrate! However you choose to do it make sure you're giving yourself credit each day for being productive and getting what you needed to done! Okay, okay, so maybe a Matilda sized chocolate cake after every accomplishment could end up being counter-productive….but, you get my gist right?

Even if these tips aren’t right for you or you have other ways of managing time, just make sure your not living life just going through the motions. Managing your time efficiently means you’ll have more time doing productive things and also more time to do the things you love. 

What's your favourite way of making sure you get stuff done?

Thanks for reading!

SISTERHOOD OF THE WORLD BLOGGERS AWARD 2015

So this was an unexpected and heartwarming surprise when I opened up my Twitter notifications. The lovely Lauren over at Lauren Selwood nominated my blog for the Sisterhood of the World Blogger Award! I think the idea of awards within the blogging community is a really nice way of acknowledging each and every one of us, be it an experienced blogger with 100k views per month or a beginner blogger just starting out (we’ve all been there). The ideas, opinions and writing can get a bit much at times and these little nominations just remind you that there’s a whole community behind you for support. 

This award aims to ‘recognize the unique voices of women bloggers around the world’ ….awwww yay bloggers! 

Now I did find a few variations of the rules regarding number of questions and nominations. So I've stuck with the basics and chosen 4 nominations, cuuuz that’s my lucky number!

Rules

1. Thank and link the blogger who nominated you.

2. Answer the 10 questions your nominator has provided.

3. Nominate other bloggers.

4. Create 10 questions for your nominees and notify them of their nomination.

Thanks Lauren for nominating me, here are my answers to your questions, got me thinking here you did!

1. WHY DID YOU START BLOGGING?

I’ve always loved to write, whether it’s random notes in a notebook or fictional stories. Combing that love and my obsession with beauty and hair, it seemed a no brainer. But the main reason is so that when I’m older older older I can look back at what I got up to, what I liked, what I didn't like and who I was.   The world is changing and fast! 

2. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE BEAUTY BRAND?

This is a tough one! I’m going to have to say MAC, probably based on the fact that it makes up 70% of my makeup collection. But a close second would have to be Sleek, their contour kit is a godsend!

3. WHAT'S YOUR DREAM JOB?

A free-lance arts fundraiser. Now you’re probably like...a what? It’s hard to explain without writing you a 4000 word dissertation on it, but I basically want to build up a reputation and clientele list in order to aid Arts companies to continue to run and entertain the population! My fantasy job (as in a job i’m never realistically going to do, not like a fantasy dragon trainer) would be…. an FBI agent! 

4. IF YOU COULD TRAVEL ANYWHERE WHERE WOULD IT BE?

Florence! I have some weird urge to go, the buildings, the culture, i must go one day! If i could travel anywhere right now, somewhere hot and sunny….BALI!

5. WHERE IS YOUR DREAM PLACE TO LIVE?

L.A or Amsterdam. Two very different places but they both have beautiful scenery.  The houses in Amsterdam are all so unique, the canals are never ending yet L.A has enormous properties with loads of land and sun. Both! I choose both!

6. WHO INSPIRES YOU TO BLOG?

Hmmmm, because I've always wrote, I don’t know if a particular person has inspired me so much as my love of reading and writing. 

7. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE MEAL?

Chicken and Riiiiiice.

8. WHAT IS YOUR GUILTY PLEASURE?

Most definitely The Sims 4. I’m 23 years old and still not ashamed to say i play it, it’s obsessive. Like i get to control people. Virtual. Not real. People.Without feelings. It’s a game okay!

9. MOVIES OR BOOKS?

BOOKS. I have a profile over on Goodreads (amazing website if you love books) and you can set up a reading challenge which records how many and which books you read that year. So far, my goal is 100 books and I've read almost 30 i think? Now that I’m done with uni I expect that will increase very quickly!

10. WHAT DO YOU SPEND MORE TIME DOING, HAIR OR MAKEUP?

Make-up for sure, I get distracted by trying out new looks and then remember that I actually have to get ready to be somewhere. Then again, when I wear my hair straight it can take about 2 hours from wet to finished!

Okay, so that’s all done and dusted. My 10 questions for my nominations are as follows…

1.What’s the most difficult part of blogging?

2.What’s your favourite part of blogging?

3.Who is your favourite celebrity and why?

4.What TV series are you watching at the moment?

5.Winter or Summer?

6.Tell us something weird and wonderful about yourself?

7.Best memory from 2014?

8.Do you plan things or let them happen spontaneously?

9.Which power couple; Beyonce & Jay-Z or Kim and Kanye?

10. Favourite city?

The beautiful bloggers i’m nominating are….*drum roll*

missjosiana at  www.missjosiana.com

xclaireabella at www.xclaireabella.blogspot.com

Tasmin at www.grandoisedays.blogspot.com

Sinead at www.daintydollmix.com

Anyone else agree that this a fun way to get us all connecting?

Thanks for reading!

BEAUTY | BENEFIT MINI TRAVEL SET

Everyone loves miniature beauty things don’t they? They're so cute and small and MINI. Not only are they perfect for travelling with that bloody 100ml rule for liquids on a plane (sorry Miss Liz Arden toner, you’ll have to travel down in da cargo) but they’re also ideal to fit in an already jam packed makeup bag! I’m sure some of you out there can relate.

I've recently just come back from a trip and whilst in duty free I picked up a Benefit travel set for £26, unfortunately I haven’t been able to find the actual set anywhere online, I’m starting to think it might just be an airport stand special?! But you can definitely buy all the full size versions from any Benefit counter. This little set has everything you need to get yourself feeling refreshed after you’ve been on a long flight or train journey or even if you just need to freshen up during the day. You can literally almost have a full makeup look from this set, all you’d need is a slick of your favourite mascara!

Onto the goodies! Also all of the below are the small 7.5 - 10ml sizes, but believe me you do get a good few uses from them.

The Porefessional Primer

This has been a firm staple in my makeup bag until recently I ran out and it’s not the cheapest primer out there, so when I reaquired this little one i was more than happy. The silicone balm gives you the smoothest complexion by hiding your pores and can be applied before makeup or as a quick fix halfway through your day. 

“That Gal” Brightening Face Primer

Before purchasing this kit, I’ll be honest this primer never stood out to me. It has a creamier texture than the Porefessional and is pink in colour, i presume to be the reason behind the ‘Brightening’ part of the name. I’ve used it a few times and it’s okay, but doesn’t give me the matte look I like. 

Watts Up Highlighter

Brilliant. Stick. Of. Gold. Seriously, it’s like a stick of magic shimmer you apply to your cheeks. A small swipe of this is all you need on your cheekbones and give it a little blend, you’ll look ethereal. It comes in a fun little container too that you can twist up’n’down. 

Benetint Lip and Cheek Stain

Unfortunately I’m not a lover of these at all. I feel like i’m rubbing food colouring on my face or lips and then it just bleeds into the outer line of your lip? No, I don’t understand. Then when applying it to my cheeks i end up rubbing off my foundation in the process. It might work for some, but that’s just not me. Cute bottle though!

Total Moisture Facial Cream

This lovely little jar holds quite a heavy but very very very moisturising facial cream. You don’t need a lot to cover your whole face either and it smells divine! If only there were moreeee. Thats the one issue about mini’s, they leave you wanting more and then when payday arrives your £100 down from buying the full size versions! Whoops, that’s a neccessity right? Right!

So are there any other beauty sets out there I can try and which mini’s do you love right now?

Thanks for reading!

LIFE | What's In My Gym Bag

I don't know about you, but I love reading blog posts where you get to have a bit of a nosey in other people's bags and homes. That woman sitting opposite you on the train with the beautiful Marc Jacobs bag resting on her lap...don't you ever wonder what is inside such a beautifully elegant bag? Well, I a few months ago I did a 'What's In My Bag' post which you can check out HERE.

And now I'm going to show you what's inside my not-so elegant gym bag! Why? Because it's a large part of my life. I'm probably in workout or dance gear 80% of the week due to university, rehearsing and generally going to the gym. So read on and be as nosey as you like! 

Sports Bra 

The most important item in here in my opinion. No-one wants to see me receiving a black eye mid run on the treadmill. This particular one has been in my gym wardrobe for a while, it has medium support, so does the job and is white which means it goes with any gym outfit I choose.

Leggings

This is the one part of my gym clothes I love to mix up. Rather than just get black leggings (of which I have in abundance) I instead tend to choose patterned or coloured leggings to add a bit of fun to my outfit. You can get some awesome galaxy and rainbow ones from Nike and Adidas, but for options a bit cheaper, Primark honestly do some brilliant workout wear. 

Low Armhole Vest

I always try to find these kinds of tips for the gym, they cover me up enough but then give me the large holes where I can get a breeze to my stomach, but no risk of side boobage thanks to my trusty sports bra!

Waist Shaper

Now this is a a new staple in my gym bag as of pre Summer gym sessions. I saw these workout waist shapers being raved about all over the net and due to my love of anything fitness related I snapped one up to see what all the fuss was about. It took a while to get used to, being sucked in and kept sucked in for an hour and a half of sweating and struggling to breath as it is, let me tell you, it's hard. After a few times wearing it whilst working out, it almost became enjoyable to know more improvement would come of it.  I picked up mine from WaistShaper UK which you can access HERE! 

Adidas Originals Jacket 

The walk to the car and then into the gym is cold okay? Yes, I drive to the gym, it's like 4 miles and with our temperamental English weather, I ain't being stuck in no thunder/rain/snow storm! This jacket is warm yet thin enough to wear at the start of my gym workout until I warm up properly and can then tie it round my waist until I'm finished. 

Nike Reflective Running Shoes 

Now, before we start, pink is not my best colour. It just so happens these were the last in my size and had all the qualities I wanted in a running shoe. The reflective side means IF, and I repeat, IF I walked or ran to the gym, I'm being safe if it happens to be dark. The grip is amazing on these too, no risk of flying off the treadmill or slipping on the stepper. 

Wooly Scarf and Gloves. 

Obviously these two items vary depending on the weather and my ability to remember to put them in, oops. However since we're still dealing with those super windy and rainy days they definitely come in handy and I can bury my face in my scarf and protect my hands from frostbite pre and post-gym workout. 

Powerade Water Bottle

Hydration is key. Simple as that, and it's large so I don't have to worry about running back and forward to the water fountain every 20 mins. I drink a lot of water which helps with avoiding inevitable headaches I seem to get but also does my skin a world of good.

Headphones

Because no one wants to listen to 20 other workout grunts and breath. Plus when the right song comes on, my motivation level increases tenfold. Who else almost sings out loud whilst pedalling like your in a race on the bike? Just me? 

Michael Kors Perfume 

'Gym' is not a scent I'd like to wear today thankyou! A quick spray of this beauty means I can still run any odd errands before off home for long shower, it smells so good and although yes the bottle is slightly inconvenient for my gym bag, I can't help myself.

So there we have it, the contents of my gym bag revealed for everyone to see. I won't lie and say there isn't a packet of chewing gum, apartment keys, a scrunched up receipt, a hair grip and my phone rattling around in there. But I'm guessing they may be pretty standard in any girls bag.

What's the item you couldn't live without in your gym bag? 

Thanks for reading!

LIFE | EYE OF THE WOLFE #2

Fresh out of university, the main thing on our minds is probably finding a job....or as I may have mentioned last week, deciding what to watch on Netflix! Sidenote: OMFG Orange Is The New Black Season 3 XD.

So you’ve found a job, you're waiting in anticipation to start, probably nervous and excited all at the same time. Am I right? Well that’s definitely how i’m feeling as I’m due to start a new job soon. There’s a few little things I’ve been doing to help me prepare and stem those unwanted feelings that i thought i’d share with you career gals out there!

RESEARCH YOUR COMPANY

Obviously, I presume you know who your working for! If not, that's probably NUMBER ONE on your priority list. Type their name into Google and have a good read of their goals, motto etc or if you know anyone who used to work there or who still does, ask for a bit of information so you can go in knowing your stuff! No doubt you’ll get trained but it makes you look inquisitive and motivated if you have a bit of background knowledge on the role and company.

PLAN THE JOURNEY TO WORK

Getting to work can be the worst part of the day, the hustle and bustle, the early morning, the travel... so find a way to work you can enjoy. If there’s a scenic route from your house, take that...providing it doesn’t turn into a cross country marathon! You’ll feel better getting to work having seen some beautiful sights on the way. If you live in the city like myself, make yourself a great playlist that gets you psyched up for the day, you can annoy/impress your colleagues with your constant humming of that song you’ve had stuck in your head all day, happens alllll the time. Travelling on a bus, train or driving can get very samey...music and/or some nice sights can help you start of your day right.

VAMP UP YOUR WARDROBE

An excuse to buy new clothes! Yaaaay. Honestly, it’s a very brilliant, very valid excuse! Since I used to juggle university and a part-time job, my wardrobe was primarily workout wear and dance gear. In serious need of some new business formal items! Buying a few pencil skirts, nice shirts and some work trousers can help you to feel fresh and sassy when you walk through the door everyday. Mix and matching some of your more casual clothes with business wear is always fun too. Just make sure you check your company's dress code! No bikini’s in an office, no suits on the beach.

IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS

There may be a few things you can brush up on if you have some spare time before you start. Sales jobs, why not explore some new ways to build up rapport with customers or if your working in a more office based setting, what about looking up some Excel or Word tips and tricks. Being on top of your skill set and knowing what you're good at when you start a new job will give you an inner confidence boost that will shine out to your new employers.

FIRST DAY

It’s finally here and guess what...you’re going to be fine. The first day of anything is daunting, school, college, university, jobs. You’ve had loads of first days, and did you make it through them. HELL YEAH! Although your at work to...yep, work! Your also there to enjoy your job, you chose this job for a reason, look at it as yet another chapter in your life. Don’t take yourself too seriously but commit yourself 100% and you will succeed!

Thanks for reading!

BEAUTY | Nude Nails: OPI & Barry M

Without my nails painted I feel undone, incomplete. I’m serious. Even when a nail is chipped or the polish isn’t perfect on each nail I have a mini freakout in my head and discreetly look for the nearest nail bar. Okay, maybe I don’t do the latter but you get the picture.

Lately, I’ve been loving pastel colours and even more so nude! Normally I wouldn’t opt for browns or nudes as I think they blend with my skin tone too much and I end up with never ending fingertips, however that all changed when I came across the Barry M Nail Paint in Lychee and it seems to have won me over! The polish is in their Gelly Hi Shine range which I’ve been an avid fan of since they launched (collected over 15 colours, ooo make that 16 with the new addition) and took £3.99 from my pocket, not bad not bad. This beautiful creation is non-gloopy and gives such a brilliant shine once it’s dry, bringing me to my next high-five to Barry M..it literally dries within a minute or so meaning your next coat can be applied and dried within 5 minutes total! Winning! Especially since I always always try to do something just after painting my nails and it becomes smudge central for my fingernails then out comes the nail varnish remover for a redo, sigh!








Once i’d painted my nails the lurrrrvely nude I decided to give one special member of my finger family a bit of glitz 'n' glam! Thanks to OPI's Make Light Of The Situation from their new 2015 Soft Shades collection, coming in at £9.95, my ring (no...only using the name..no ring in sight) finger got a little shimmery! This polish is down right stunning, when I first saw the bottle, the first word that sprung to mind was ‘princess’...oh how I wish one slick of polish would give me a castle and a tiara, oooo and a moat, everyone who's anyone should have a moat! It looks almost iridescent in the bottle, but applied over any colour definitely adds an element of ‘WOW’ to your nails. As far as i’m concerned OPI and Barry M are the go to brands for nail polish, yes the price tag’s are a little bit of a stretch from each other, but well worth it in my opinion.

What nail colours make you feel like a princess? Or even a little villanous if you prefer the darker shades?

Thanks for reading!

BEAUTY | Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes & Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer Review

Fabulous, fluttery, flirtatious. That’s what we want from our eyelashes right? I have the smallest, like almost microscopic eyelashes! Back in the day, i remember piling on layer after layer of Rimmel’s Voluminous mascara, and then using a needle to separate my eyelashes. I’d strut out thinking my eyelashes were being admired, little did i know it just looked like i had spiders on my eyes and people were probably looking in horror! To compliment our eyelashes, sometimes we have days when we want to cover up our dark circles too, after that long night working or playing. Which is where concealer comes in oh so handy in faking that wide awake, i certainly wasn't out last night look. I picked up the Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes mascara and Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Harvey Nichols, and now that i'm coming to time when i need to re-stock, i thought what a perfect time to do a review!

Nowadays, there are so so many different wands, combs, and formula’s for mascara it’s difficult to know which one will work for you without actually testing it. And unfortunately, that’s one make-up piece you can’t test out, conjunctivitis…. no thanks!

With describing words such as…

CURL 

VOLUME

3D-EFFECT

FLUTTERING

There's even a mascara out there called…..*whispers* Better Than Sex

It’s hard to not be enticed by the expansive choice we have. I do tend to try out a new mascara every time i’m running low. I'd heard so much about Full Fat Lashes and even watched a video of Charlotte herself applying it to a model, and hell I was sold! I purchased it for approximately £32 from the desk at Harvey Nichols, but it's available on Amazon too for a little more including delivery, which I've linked above if you want to take a look. The mascara itself when applied gives your eyelashes separation but not so much length. I found that after applying maybe three coats I got the length and volume I kind of wanted, not what I expected unfortunately. If you already have long lashes, it's probably perfect for you as I think it would have more effect. There's no fallout from this mascara which I love, who wants flecks of black all over their face halfway through the day! Removal is fairly easy too, although go easy on your eyes if you've triple layered like I do!

Concealer time! My usual concealer brand is MAC, but I wanted to explore other brands as a bit of a change up, a friend recommended the Nars Radiant to me and it's a product i'll definitely be picking up again. Priced at £27, again approximate as I've seen it a few different places at different prices. As I tend to use my concealer as the highlight of my contour routine, it's not too heavy to do so, but still gives a good coverage for those dark circles. The applicator is like a lipgloss sponge, acquiring just the right amount of product, one dunk for each eye and easy to draw a straight line down the nose for those no-surgery nose job contours!

Have you tried either of these products? What are your next purchases in the eye department?

Thanks for reading!