Midweek Rant #1

Hey guys, this post has been a long time coming for me. In this day and age there are still some people who are ignorant to eating disorders and mental illnesses and try and dismiss these illnesses which other people have. A common thing I've seen is people using the word 'anorexic' to describe people who are very skinny. Now, as most of us know, anorexia is a mental illness, simply being 'skinny' does not make someone anorexic. Anorexia is quite often accompanied by Body Dysmorphia (which is an illness in itself.) This Body Dysmorphia makes the person perceive defects which aren't there (such as being fat when you aren't.) Anorexia stems from low self esteem and an inability to cope, it often involves under eating, skipping meals and over-exercising. Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.

Now, most of us will know that anorexia is a very serious illness which the sufferer can not help, and being 'skinny' is simply a symptom of this disease. Some people can be very slender but perfectly healthy, as we are all different shapes and sizes and our bodies work differently.
Something that recently made my blood boil was seeing this image posted on a companies twitter.

As you can see this image is highly offensive and unsympathetic to those suffering with Anorexia, and compares Anorexia to having breast implants. In my opinion, a company should make sure that whoever is working on their social media pages does not post idiotic, offensive drivel like this image onto their twitter. I tweeted them stating how offensive this image was and they deleted it, but I received no response or apology. It's safe to say I will not be buying any of their products!

I think I've managed to get my opinion across in this post, but I thought that it was an important post to make. It's important to think before we post pictures or say something on social media which may be offensive to others, especially those struggling with illnesses.

Shona xx

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation - worth the hype?

Hi guys! Today I'm going to be talking about the Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation. Now I know this product has a lot of hype surrounding it, however I have only had this foundation for the last month or so because the lightest shade (51) is just too dark for me for most of the year. Now that the summer has arrived and my skin has darkened, shade 51 is a good match for me and I've been able to wear this foundation. The foundation itself smells of apricot which is a lovely scent, however this is something to watch out for if you don't like using scented make-up.

Bare Skin

                                                                  
First of all, the packaging is very nice for a drug store foundation, it has a nice glass bottle and a handy pump which means that it's easy to get the right amount of product out of the bottle. The foundation has a medium - build able coverage which I agree with.

With Foundation

                                                                 
Quite a lot of foundations tend to cling to the dry patches that I have around my nose however this one doesn't, I use my fingers to apply this foundation and it glides over the skin beautifully. This foundation claims to last for 16 hours wear which I have my doubts about, however I usually wear this foundation for 6-8 hours (set with powder) and it doesn't slide around or fade, it wears nicely throughout the day with a good lasting power. I have combination skin, and as I said this foundation doesn't accentuate dry patches and doesn't get oily throughout the day.

With Full Make-up

                                                             
This foundation claims to leave the skin luminous however I would say that the finish is more satin than dewy, leaving the skin with a natural glow.

A downside of this foundation is the colour range. There aren't many shades available in this foundation, pale girls (like me in winter) aren't catered for, and there are no shades suitable for anyone who is darker than a medium tan skin tone. This is a problem which comes with all of the foundations by Bourjois, not just the Healthy Mix. However, if your shade is available in this foundation then I would highly recommend that you go out and buy this product! What more can you ask for for £9.99!

Please comment down below and let me know if you've tried this foundation!

You can buy Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation here

Shona xxx

Sunday Chit Chat #1

Hi guys :)
I'm having a very lazy sunday today (as usual) just chilling out watching youtube videos, reading blogs and drinking Pepsi Max.
I have recently started Weight Watchers online in order to lose those few pounds that I've put on since September. With me being at uni and living with my pesky friends who don't like many veggies and love chips and fish fingers it can be quite easy to put weight on! I've used weight Watchers online before and it honestly works wonders. Weight watchers allows you to eat a variety of foods, you just need to stick to your pro points allowance and hey presto - you'll lose weight. I did try juice plus but I really don't recommend this method of losing weight. I was starving all of the time, which led to me craving snacks so I didn't lose any weight for the weeks that I used Juice Plus. In contrast, I've only been on weight watchers a week and a half and I've already lost weight. Losing weight in a natural and healthy way is always a better idea and helps you to keep the weight off long term.
I've been home from Uni since the 27th of June and I'm still living out of suitcases, I always find it such a chore to unpack all of my bits and bobs when I return home from uni - i'll only have to pack them all up again in September! haha.
I'm going to pop up a few beauty posts this week so please keep an eye out for those!

Shona xxx

The Perfect Nude Lip

Okay guys, as you may or may not know, I am a huge lover of the bright lip; reds, purples, oranges you name it. But recently I've been using two products to create this nude lip in the picture below.

The products in question are the L'oreal Paris Colour Riche Collecetion Privee Lipstick by Cheryl (what a mouthful) (buy here) and the Tanya Burr Lip Gloss in Chic (buy here). I've been wearing the L'oreal lipstick all over my lips and then dabbing a bit of the Tanya Burr Lip Gloss over the top. Personally I've really been loving this combo and I think the nude lip is growing on me.

Let me know of any nude lipsticks that you guys are loving so that I can try them out!

Shona xxx

Mac Wishlist - June 2014

Hey guys! As you may or may not know, Mac is one of my favourite cosmetics companies and I absolutely love their products. Mac was one of the first 'high end' companies that I tried and I have to say, everything that I've bought from there so far has been great - especially their lipsticks and eyeshadows.
I've recently been craving a few products from Mac and I thought I'd put together a Mac wishlist so I could share my product cravings with you guys.

1. Lipstick in Morange - Mac lipsticks are well known for being lovely and pigmented and coming in a wide range of colours. I personally am really into bright reds, and although I have a couple of lipsticks which are on the orange side of red, Morange is quite a true orange and is a shade which I do not have. I think this shade would be especially great for spring & summer.
Buy Here

2. Eye shadow in Sumptuous Olive - This eye shadow is described as a khaki with pearl and it is a really gorgeous colour - unlike anything else that I have. This colour would look perfect on hazel and brown eyes, however even though I'm a blue eyed girl I'm sure this colour will look great on me too.
Buy Here

3. Pro longwear paint pot in Painterly - The Mac paint pots are cream products which can be used alone all over the lid or can be used under powder eye-shadows to increase longevity. Painterly is a nude beige colour which can be used to block out the natural discolouration on the eyelids of people with light to medium skintones.
Buy Here

4. Pro longwear concealer in NC15 -  This concealer is medium to full coverage and works well at covering dark under-eye circles which I suffer from. I've heard lots of people rave about this concealer so I'm really interested in trying this.
Buy Here

5. Mineralize skinfinish in soft & gentle - This is a much raved about product in the bloggersphere, the Mac mineralize skinfinishes are well loved and I think the shade soft & gentle is the most raved about of these products. The colour is described as a gilded peach bronze and would give a beautiful highlight to the skin.
Buy Here

6. Strobe Cream - This is actually sold under skincare by mac and is quite a multi-purpose product. Strobe cream can be used as a moisturiser under make-up, can be mixed in with foundation and can be used as a liquid highlight. I recently received a sample of this and I am enjoying mixing this in with my foundation to give a subtle glow.
Buy Here

7. 208 Angled Brow brush - I don't currently have a good brush in my collection to use on my brows and I love using powder products on my brows.This brush would give a lovely defined shape to the brows when used with powder.
Buy Here

8. Eye Brows in Brunette - I love buying lots of different products to use on my brows as I think that a lovely defined brow can bring a make-up look together. I've been looking at this product for ages and I think I might have to give this product a try.
Buy Here

Please comment down below guys and let me know which Mac items you are lusting after!

Shona xxx

Hair Update!

HI guys! Long time no see. So recently I decided to have a massive change with my hair. I love blonde hair but the maintenance is annoying (those pesky roots) and a couple of weeks after my hair appointments my colour just wouldn't look as fresh and would become very yellow which I hated. Another massive problem is the damage which comes with having very light bleached blonde hair - not good. 

So I decided that I would go darker and go for ombre hair - just so I could keep some of my beloved blonde with me - lol. I've been darker before and not really liked it but I thought that this time I might prefer the darker hair with an ombre. At the same time I also had around an inch cut from my hair and I had my hair cut really bluntly - and this has made my hair feel loads thicker - before the ends were quite thin and straggly. 

Here you go! My new ombre long bob. I actually really like the colour and I'm loving the fresh cut- however I don't know how long it will be until I have some more lovely extensions applied - I can't resist the princess hair!

Let me know what you think about the change guys - but please be kind!

Shona xxx

Micro Ring Hair Extension Review

Hey guys! So today's post is all about my experience with my micro-ring extensions. As you can probably tell my hair is very light blonde (not natural) so due to this my hair is damaged and isn't able to grow long and luscious like I want it to. In the past I've tried a weave (don't go there!) and used clip in extensions from both Foxy Locks & Dirty Looks. Now these sets of clip in extensions were gorgeous - the hair was great quality but I don't really think that clip ins are the right option for me. Even though the clips were nice and secure I always had this paranoid fear in my head that the hair was going to fall out whilst I was out and about (lol) so after a lot of thought and deliberation I decided to try out micro-ring extensions.
So I went for a consultation and was told that micro-rings would definitely be the right option for me - due to my hair being very fine and light micro-rings would be the easiest extensions to hide in my hair. I have my hair done at the Salon & the hair I have put in is the celebrity choice extensions by Beauty Works - many salon across the UK use this hair for professional extensions due to it being really good quality. The hair will last between 6-12 months so when your micro-rings need re-doing you can have the same hair put back in.

   

These photos above are me directly before and after having my micro-rings re-fitted. As you can see the colour match is perfect and having the extensions blended in with my own hair makes it look much healthier and in better condition. The initial cost of the hair and fitting is around £270 (this gets you 200 bonds of hair) and the cost of re-fitting the extensions is around £70, the price is so worth it though to have lovely long hair.

With these extensions fitted you must use an oil on your hair to keep the extensions nice and moisturised and to stop the hair tangling. You also need to sleep with the hair tied back or plaited to keep the hair in good condition. The first couple of nights you can feel the rings in your head but after this you honestly can't feel the extensions at all.

I've had these extensions since January and I will continue to have micro-ring extensions because I love them!

Shona xx

FOTD & Mermaid Hair

Hey guys! Today I've decided to write a quick post about the make-up I'm wearing today and I thought I'd just inform you about my new hair! As you guys probably know I have very light blonde hair - I was feeling a little bored this morning so I decided to dig through my cupboards for the Bleach London colours which I had bought ages ago. I found 'washed up mermaid' which is a lovely turquoise colour. I used my hands to apply the dye onto the ends of my hair and left it on for 15 minutes. Now, on the bottle of the dye it says to use gloves - I didn't do this and now I have blue hands! So make sure that you wear gloves. Anyway, after washing the dye off and drying my hair I am so impressed with how its gone - the colour is lovely and vibrant and I think I applied it really well. Normally when applying colour at home I have my mum's help but today's colour was a solo endeavour
Anyway, onto today's face...

.
 Okay, so as a base I'm wearing Mac face and body in C1. I always go back to this foundation in the warmer months because it provides a lovely sheer, dewy coverage. Under my eyes & on my chin I applied the Collection concealer in fair. I then applied my Mac cream blush in 'optimistic orange' which looks really daring in the pan but I find that it really brightens up my complexion Then I applied the sleek bronzer from the light contour palette to contour my face and applied Mac's mineralize skinfinish in Porcelain Pink.
On my eyes I'm wearing the 'satin taupe' eyeshadow by Mac, and I've just taken that onto the lower lashline too. I blended a little bit of hustle from the Naked 1 palette in the outer corner of my eye. I also applied Mac's kohl liner in 'teddy' to my waterline. I then finished off the eyes by applying L'oreal's telescopic mascara in 'carbon black.' On my lips I'm wearing Mac's 'rebel'.

Shona xxx

Spring Wishlist 2014

Hey guys! Today I'm going to be talking about my spring wishlist. We all know that the dull dreary UK weather is starting to disappear and the days are becoming light and sunny! Of course all of us know that this is the perfect excuse to go on a splurge in order to brighten up our wardrobes. I don't know if it's just me, but every time the next season comes round I look at my wardrobe and I can hardly find any clothes from the previous year. Like where are my clothes from Spring/Summer 13! Ah well, this is yet another justification for my future spending sprees.

In this post I've picked out six items from the high street that I am seriously lusting over and NEED - yes need - for my spring & summer wardrobe. I've not included any Primark items in this wishlist because Primark doesn't have an option to shop online - so on the website we can't really see all they have to offer. I am pretty sure I will end up wandering into Primark and picking up a few pieces anyway.

1. Light pink mini structured tote bag - I saw this lovely bag when I was in River Island with my mum. The lovely baby pink colour made the bag stand out to me and when I saw it I was instantly sold. The bag is also quite small - but large enough to fit in all of your essentials. For me this is a really nice size, if I'm spending long summer days out and about I don't really want to drag around a massive bag.
Buy Here

2. White all star dainty canvas trainers - I'm pretty sure that we all need a pair of Converse in our lives and these little beauties will be perfect for those casual Spring/Summer outfits, especially if you're like me and prefer to wear comfy footwear. I think the white is a perfect choice of colour because that means that these shoes will go perfectly with all colours including those pretty pastel hues that we all go crazy over during the warmer months!
Buy Here

3. Stand out flower prom dress - This dress is absolutely gorgeous! I think this dress would look amazing dressed up for a special occasion or a nice meal during this season. The mint colour is bang on trend and contrasts perfectly with the grey rose print on the dress. I think this colour would look really nice on my super pale skin but I also think it would probably look pretty fierce on those ladies with very dark skin.
Buy Here

4. Pretty lace vest - During the warmer months I love to wear white on my top half, I think it's because white is super easy to style and can basically be teamed up with almost anything. This lace vest is typically 'me' and I think it's a super cute little top that every girl should have in their wardrobe this Spring.
Buy Here

5. Mint contrast neon print wrap skort - Ok, so when I was little I remember being dressed in Skorts and now they've made a huge come back I just have to have one! I prefer the look of the patterned skorts because I think they look a little more 'fun' and casual than the plain ones. This one is a lovely pastel mint colour with a contrasting floral pattern which I think looks really cute and girly.
Buy Here

6. Green crochet trim ditsy floral cami - In the hot weather camis are the perfect thing to wear due to them being so lightweight. This one has such a pretty print and would look gorgeous paired with some denim shorts and converse. It can also be dressed up if you need to transition your outfit for an evening look.
Buy Here

Okay guys so that's my Spring 2014 wishlist done! Please comment below and tell me what you think of these pieces & also tell me if you've found any amazing buys for Spring.

Shona xxx
One

Happy New Year!

Hey Guys,
I thought I'd write a quick post today about my resolutions for 2014! The picture above is my African Pygmy Hedgehog (Timothy) who I got in late 2013, he's a wonderful new addition to my family and getting him is definitely a highlight of 2013. I just thought I'd share him with you guys since he is so adorable!

2014 Resolutions

• Get into a healthy eating and exercise routine. - This is something that I've always wanted to crack, I've managed to do it for periods of time but always slip back into having spells of 'bad eating' again! It would be great to see if I could incorporate healthy eating and exercise into my everyday life.
• Plan my week - I have a really big problem with spending my days accomplishing less than half of what I needed to do, this isn't really helpful when I have lots of coursework and reading to do for uni. I need to plan my days so that I have time for uni work, blogging and relaxing.
• Don't let anything stop me doing what I want to do - I have BDD and Anxiety which I have been receiving therapy for during 2013. Many times these conditions have stopped me from leaving the house and doing things that I want to do - Even going to uni. 2014 is the year that I am going to take control and do what I want.

Those are my resolutions, I'd really like to achieve them this year because they are three things which are really important for my success and happiness. I Hope all of you have a fantastic year this year, and let me know if you have any resolutions for this year!

Shona xx