Getting Bikini Body Ready

Afternoon lovely readers! So as I mentioned in my previous post, I've brought a new bikini and it's got me so excited for my holiday (which I'm still yet to book, *sigh*). It's given me that push I needed to start getting bikini body ready. I don't want to loose much weight, only what I put on during revision snacking. I do however, want to tone up. For that, I've come up with a diet/exercise plan to get me bikini body ready. So, what better than to blog about it and share with you everything i'm going to be doing and tips and tricks to get started yourself.

Diet
So obviously, the first thing to address when you're trying to loose weight is to change your diet. For me, the biggest problem has been breaking my bad snacking habits. Following my evening meal, I used to snack despite probably snacking throughout the day. So, rather than deprive myself of all those naughty yet delicious foods, I've allowed myself one cheat food per day. I can have a guilt free chocolate after tea or maybe a bowl of rice pudding after lunch, but I'm neither depriving myself nor over-eating. I've found doing this has worked wonders already because I'm not snacking throughout the day, I look forwards to my evening snack and most importantly, I don't feel guilty for having it.

I've also swapped calorie loaded cheese on toast for healthier meals, my current favorite being carrot and coriander soup. Mainly, I've been following tips given by Brett Capp over on You tube such as the one above. He gives great advice and workout tips which I'll talk about a little more later on.

Exercise 
Exercise is often the part that most people skip, in the old days myself included. But, it's truly the best part. I started jogging once a week during university when I started finding myself unable to sleep. I'd go when it would just get dark, run to the same spot, nearly pass out (at first) then run back. But, as the weeks went by I noticed I got to the same spot faster and was in a better state when I did. Every so often I'd fall off the wagon and stop but I'd always start up again (eventually).

This time around, I'm doing exercise every other day and alternating between jogging one day and then a random workout the next. The random workout is often skip roping (is that even what you call it?) and then following the workout above by Brett Capp and Carli Bybel (my #1 girl crush). It's simple to follow but I've only done it twice and i've already begun to see results. My main tip is to stay motivated, if you don't feel like going for a jog, go for a walk instead or half an hour on the trampoline here or there.

So those are my diet and exercise plans and a few tips (and I mean a few), hope they work for you! Here's to putting on your favorite bikini somewhere hot and feeling a million dollars!

Bikini Fever

Hello all, just quick blog post from me today (I can hear you breathing a sigh of relief). Apologies for the bad photo quality but I just had to blog about the little beauty I picked up today. Currently visiting the boyfriend and we'd decided to have a tootle round the shops in Leamington, the weather was gorgeous and our upcoming holiday had gotten me in the summer mood.

I'd already tried on a few bikinis, but after putting this stunner on, I knew it was the one. Never usually one to splash out on bikinis, the £19 price tag nearly put me off but I just couldn't leave with it. It's one of the only bikinis that actually gives the boobalas some support (hehe).

Anyway, I'm sticking to it and making sure this post is a short one! If nothing else this little beauty has motivated me to start my bikini body preparations, better late than never right? Stay tuned for a bikini motivation post!

Surviving University on a Budget

All images: Google image search Edited: By me

Hello all, I had been planning on doing this post for ages because I think that surviving university on a budget is a fine art. We all know that among the essential purchases such as food and toiletries, us fashionistas need clothes and pretty things too, but they're usually the first to go when a budget gets it's hold. I've recently finished university and I think i've got this whole living on a budget thing down, so I'm going to share my tips and tricks with all you lovely people who have just got your A-level results and are attending uni in september, or you just want to make your money go that bit further.

1. Student Discounts
Student discounts are something you have to make use of while you have the chance. I purchased my NUS card in my final year of university and I've been kicking myself that I haven't brought one sooner. They are currently £12.00 for the bog standard NUS, but they pay for themselves in what they save. When you attend uni you are usually issued with a student card, and this may suffice many stores to get you a discount. However, NUS takes it one step further in places like Superdrug, allowing you to save on toiletries and makeup and the Co-operative even allowing you to save 10% on your shopping. This is often the only form of student discount allowed on online retailers too so definitely pick one up from here.

2. Ebay
I adoreeee Ebay, and if you haven't tried it yet you should. Whilst at uni, I'd often sell clothes on Ebay to make a little money but more importantly, you are open to buying clothes at really discounted prices. Sometimes, I would buy a plain dress or skirt and then match it with heels and accessories that are in fashion, the result is a reasonably priced outfit that is still in fashion and on trend. Setting it up takes a little bit of time but once you have you're open to a whole world of fashion at your fingertips. Try it here.

3. Sales
This is a fairly obvious point, but no savvy student would overlook them. Some people say that if you care about fashion, you'll avoid sales because they are old stock. I can't help but disagree, especially when it comes to key pieces such as leather jackets and jeans. My favourite spring jeans are a pair of light blue ripped skinnies that I purchased in the sale for under £10, but I can guarantee they make an appearance every summer. Sales are also a good time to make use of discounted costume jewelery, as they say "It's all in the accessories!".

4. Cheap Clothing Websites
When discussing ideas for this post with a friend, we agreed that of all the pointers, this one was the most crucial. Sometimes, it just isn't enough to save money, every now and then we just want a new outfit for a nigh out that's on point. That being said, I did some serious hunting to find some half decent clothing websites that are reasonable. The best among them were: Boohoo, Hidden Fashion and the Everything 5 Pounds shop. Boohoo is great if you have a certain style in mind and you want it slighty cheaper than Asos. Hidden fashion is great for finding key pieces and simple tops for reasonable prices, they also have some nice dresses and their service is good. I will admit that the Everything 5 Pounds store has some clothes that look cheap, but the heels are beyond amazing for the money and perfect if you're picking up a pair of heels to specifically go with an outfit.

5. "Thrift Shopping"
Thrift shopping, made more well known by Macklemore's catchy song, is buying second hand, pre-used clothes. Some people find the idea horrific, and to those people I say each to their own. But for me, I have found some absolute gems in "Thift stores" or to English readers charity shops. Obviously, you may have to rummage to find something you like, but it's all part of the fun. I can tell you there's nothing more rewarding than finding a gorgeous Topshop dress and seeing that on the label it's only £3. In places such as London, Liverpool and Manchester, the quality of charity shops increases, not sure why, but they just do. Also, and probably most importantly, you're giving money to a good cause, what's not to love?

So those are my five main tips for surviving university on a budget. Other tips may include avoiding buying magazines, I found I was spending £10 a week on them only for them to be left around the house or filling my rubbish bin or waiting to go food shopping in the evenings when things start to go on offer. But just remember, living on a budget not only teaches you the value of money, but how to make it go that much further. Good luck and feel free to leave your tips in the comments below!

Real Techniques Starter Kit

Being the beauty addict that I am, when I bought the core collection kit (reviewed here) I knew I couldn't just stop there. Seeing the Starter Kit, I just had to pick up that too, naughty naughty. Anywho, I'm so glad I did because just like the Core collection kit, this little set is fantastic. The brushes are oh so soft and they get the job done. The kit comes with five brushes, all of which focus around applying eyeshadows to the eyes.

Deluxe Crease Brush
"A deluxe crease brush which helps to blend colour through the crease"
Of all the brushes in this collection, this one is my favourite. It's actually reasonably big for a eyeshadow brush, but it means applying shadow to the crease is effortless and saves me time blending. It picks up just the right amount of shadow too, so you're never at risk of applying too much. Overall, I'm really happy with it and the super blended result is worth splashing out on brushes that are a little more expensive.

Base Shadow Brush
"A base shadow brush which can be used to apply a base eyeshadow colour"
Once I've finished applying my crease shadow, I use this little beauty to add a wash of colour to my lids. It picks up just the right amount of product and the pointed shape means you can apply it closer to the lash line than anything else I've used. 

Brow Brush
"A brow brush which helps to add colour and create definition through the eyebrows."
I have to admit, of all the brushes, this is the one I use the least. It is a little larger than majority of eyebrow brushes I've used but I'm trying out a new eyebrow pencil so haven't needed it. That being said, I have found that by putting a small amount of foundation on the brush, I can use it to neaten up the eyeshadow at the corners of my eyes.

  
Accent Brush
"An accent brush which can be used to add hightlight colour to specific areas"
This little cutie has been a welcome addition to my makeup box (yes it's a box now, my addiction is getting out of hand). My pictures don't show it, but this brush is absolutely diddy, so cute! It's main purpose, as mentioned above, is to add highlight to the corners of the eyes but I also find it's great in blending shadows under the eye.

Pixel Point Liner Brush
"A pixel point eyeliner brush for the application of liquid eyeliner" 
When I bought this little kit, I was convinced I'd find no use for this brush, as I use liquid eyeliner on a day to day basis. However, I recently tried just applying a small amount of matte black eyeshadow and the effect was amazing. It's much softer but still frames the eyes, so much so that I've stopped using my liquid eyeliner altogether (except for nights out). I imagine that it would also be great with the eyeliners in pots (I need the proper name?!)

Unsurprisingly, I am absolutely chuffed with this purchase. The brushes are great quality and I think the standard of my eyeshadow application has greatly been improved. If you fancy picking a set up for yourself (which I highly recommend) they're currently on sale on Amazon here, down from £20.99 to £13.50 so definelty snap one up!

Real Techniques Core Collection Kit

 

The Real Tecniques brushes have set the beauty world a twitter for a while now, and I knew I had to get my hands on them. If you haven't heard of them before now, they were created by beauty vloggers Sam and Nic Chapman and this kit contains four brushes: The buffing brush, Pointed Foundation Brush, Contour Brush and the Detailer Brush. They retail at £20.99 but are currently on offer at Amazon for £14.65 here, so snap them up quick!

The quality of these brushes is something to behold. They are oh so soft and make applying makeup a fun experience (no exaggeration). I don't know about anyone else, but for me I feel so much more professional applying my makeup with the right tools and these are it.

 

 Buffing Brush

"Buffing brush which can be used to set your foundation with a translucent powder or just to buff the edges of your foundation to avoid any tell tale signs around the hairline" 

 I have found myself reaching for this every single day, though not completely for the use it was intended for. I dot foundation all over my face, spread it with the foundation brush and then blend blend blend with this little beauty. The finish on my foundation is literally flawless and it also means that I use considerably less product. The fact that this brush is oh so soft makes the whole experience heavenly. 

 

  

Contour Brush

"A contour brush which helps to create definition with bronzer or blush on the cheeks."

 Again, another brush I reach for every single day. I am an avid fan of anything that makes contouring easier, anything to get closer to that all perfect 'Kim K' contour effect.  This brush is actually a great deal smaller than it appears in my photos, as with all the brushes, but the size makes it perfect to line underneath my cheekbones. It gives a strong line that, when blended with the buffing brush, makes a flawless contoured cheek.

 

 Pointed Foundation Brush

"A pointed foundation brush which helps to build up liquid foundation coverage."

 As mentioned earlier, I dab foundation all over my face, then spread it with this bursh before blending in with the buffing brush. I think using this brush to apply your foundation would take ages because as I mentioned before, this brush is actually a lot smaller than it appears. Nonetheless, I love this little bursh, it can also be used to apply concealer and the like. 

Detailer Brush
"A detailer brush which can be used to apply concealer"

This detailer brush is absolutely diddy (it's so cute!) but I have to be honest and say it's the brush I reach for the least. Nonetheless, I do occasionally use it to apply concealer under the eyes and on pesky blemishes. I have found that it's usefull to neaten up eyeshadow too.

Overall, I am absolutely over the moon with this little kit. so much so that I went and picked up the starter kit too! I can be honest and tell you that if you decide to take the plunge, you wont regret it. they're high quality, apply makeup flawlessly and make me feel like a bona fide makeup artist! Keep your eyes peeled for my review on the starter kit!

Naked Three Palate Dupe Review

 

Hello lovely readers, I'm back! I can tell you that in the last few weeks I have been busier than I've ever been in my life. But, I've finished my degree! I'm sad to have left because there are so many friends that I won't see again (some are off to exotic places the lucky buggers!) but I'm happy for the memories and will cherish them forever (cheesy I know). I am, however, really excited for the future! I begin learning to drive soon, I have holiday plans with the boyfriend and I'm in the process of applying for some pretty exciting job opportunities, the future is looking up!

Any who, back to what this blog is intended for, the makeup! I wrote in a blog post here that I had my beady little eyes on the Naked 3 palate, but as a poor student my dreams of owning one were long off. Then, I spotted a review video on Youtube that compared the Naked 3 palate to this little beauty. You can imagine my excitement and quickly logged onto the Revolution website and ordered one. As I don't own the Naked 3 palate, I can't comment on how good a dupe it is, but the review of Miss Budget beauty is linked below, definitely give it a look if you're interested.

The look of this palate is very sleek and neat for the price and one of the nicest looking palates on the highstreet. Similar to those by MUA, who apparently own the Revolution brand. The shades available range from champagne shades to dark greys and browns. I've had some fun creating some gorgeous eye looks, perhaps I'll share and do some tutorials on them soon? They last reasonably well, although you can increase the longevity by dipping your eyeshadow brushes into Mac Fix plus or spraying some Urban Decay All Nighter spray. Overall, I am very happy with it. 

So, considering the Naked 3 palate is £37 in some stores, how much is this little beauty. Just £4. Yes, you read it correctly, only £4!. Even with postage this little beauty didn't break £7. If you're interested, I'd definelty recommed investing in one, you can order one from here. As always it's been a pleasure!

A Goodbye For Now

Image sources (besides top middle) goodle image search: Studying tumblr

Don't panic (or breathe a sigh of relief), I'm not going anywhere! I'm just taking a short break from blogging to focus on my studies. I saw another blogger have to do this and really did not want to do it myself however, I think it is better to pause when you find a good time to stop. During the past few months where my degree has been getting ever so difficult, the quality of my posts have declined. I don't want the the hard work I'm doing for my degree taint my blog! So apologies for my absence for (probably) the next month but I will be back, I promise! In the mean time, I have lots of ideas for future blog posts, so please don't forget about me! I just thought it would be nice to give you a heads up because I care about you all so much, my lovely readers!

As for what's going on with me right now, I have to prepare for a dissertation presentation on Friday and I'm terrified. You would think someone with such a big mouth would have no trouble talking in front of people, but no such luck! A cruel trick of fate I guess! Alongside talk preparations, I'm revising all day everyday. So much in fact that the tip of my index finger has lost a bit of sensation from all the writing (not good), but I guess it means I'm working hard. I'm missing my lovely family, friends and boyfriend but I keep thinking that this is the last four weeks of my university experience, so I'm going to (try) and enjoy every minute of it!

As for all you lovely lot who are going through the same thing (or maybe have just finished) good luck for your exams and I'm sure if you work as hard as you can, you'll do amazingly! Until then, I bid you adieu you lovely lot, stay safe and happy!