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Monday, 27 February 2017

Real Techniques Miracle Mini Eraser Sponges


Hey guys, just a short one from me today as I have been super busy, but really wanted to get this post up for you all as it's a positive one! 

I am the biggest fan of the original Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge, so when I saw these little babies had been released I had to grab them. I'd read some not so great things online about them, but I'd just like to say that I think they are fantastic. 


I have been using them in a similar way to that of the full sized sponge, making sure it is damp before I use it. I've found it blends in concealer, especially under the eye, perfectly, and really meshes the product with your skin. The different shaped sides do however mean it can pretty much blend product anywhere, as the flat side gives a larger blending surface whereas the point allows you to be much more precise. I'm yet to use this sponge dry but I prefer a more dewy finish so using it damp suits me better.

You can get them for £4.75 from Look Fantastic, which for two is pretty decent. Let me know if you've tried these out and what you think of them.  

Friday, 24 February 2017

My Trip To: Budapest

What can I say about Budapest....? It was very different to what I expected I'll tell you that. 
We stayed in Budapest for 4 nights, and in terms of travel, we flew from London Stansted with Ryanair pretty early in the morning. I'd never flown with Ryanair before, and as a pretty anxious flier I was petrified, but surprisingly the flight there was one of the best I have ever had. The flights, return, only cost £129.30 for two of us, not including baggage.










Our hotel was absolutely gorgeous, and the only fault I had with it was the wifi being a bit dodgy, but I had intended for this to be a relaxing break anyway so I guess it was a blessing in disguise. We had breakfast every morning which was a buffet style, and we were given a free hot drink of choice, naturally I went for a soy latte. The breakfast buffet was so unique, with foods such as Chia Pudding, Homemade Granola and Smoked Salmon on offer, as well as the usual cooked eggs and bacon etc. The interiors of the hotel were what attracted me initially, and I can honestly say in person they were just as impressive. I would highly recommend staying at the Hotel Rum Budapest if you want to grab a couple cheeky instagrams!






On our first day we walked along the Danube just to get an idea of our surroundings, and on our way home stumbled across our first restaurant, Good Bar Good Burger, one I would highly recommend to any of you going. It's just a general burger restaurant, a bit like GBK, but the staff were insanely friendly and the cocktails were amazing, and cheap! Day two was a bit more action packed, with us hitting the famous Citadel, a fortress at the top of Gellért Hill. The view over the city was amazing, and well worth the massive uphill climb. For some reason we wanted to do a bit more walking and went to investigate Budapest Palace, which was stunning. We only saw the outside as the inside was closed on the day we went, but I got some lovely photos and it looks even more beautiful up close. We discovered a local italian for dinner called Perfetto, which served homemade pasta, I highly recommend the Pesto Pasta if anyone goes. 



The Szechenyi Thermal Baths did not disappoint either, even offering an old school gym, which was handy as we were feeling extremely lazy. The baths were really relaxing, and although some of them were a bit stinky, and it was 4 degrees outside, the two thermal baths outside made the trip worth it. This was probably the highlight of the trip for me and I highly recommend going. On a less positive note, I wouldn't bother going to Margaret Island unless you are going in the Spring/Summer, it was just a shabby park, but we did see the Shoes along the Danube memorial on the walk there.












Fisherman's Bastion is something I would definitely go to see if you are in Budapest. Another place for amazing views, and we climbed up at sunset and it was stunning. As well as this, St Stephen's Basilica is a must see for those of you who appreciate amazing architecture and beautiful stained glass windows. On our last night we decided to treat ourselves to a more upmarket dinner at a Lebanese restaurant called Baalbek, where we shared a mixed grill. Compared to what you would pay in England, this was great value for money, and made us feel a little less stodgy after all the carbs we'd eaten. How could I almost forget to mention The Donut Library?! It was possibly my favourite thing about Budapest, is that bad...? I'll leave the pictures to explain, but the donuts were incredibly cheap, and better than any Krispy Kreme I've ever had.








Overall, I'd say it's not the sort of city I feel that I need to return to, unlike Paris, but nonetheless it is an absolutely stunning city, especially in terms of its architecture and old fashioned trams. I would highly recommend going at some point, especially if you love a drink or two!

Friday, 17 February 2017

My 21st Birthday Outfit

Happy Birthday to me!

So funny story, my Birthday outfit was actually bought on Black Friday 2016...yes you can all laugh, my Birthday isn't until today. I just wanted the most perfect outfit as you're only 21 once, and I wanted to make a big deal out of this years birthday as I've never really done that before. 


This gorgeous outfit is from MyBandageDress, I blame Sarah Ashcroft and Hannah for my obsession with all things Bandage. It was a bargain though as they had an insane discount which made the whole outfit £40 instead of £60! 





 Bianca Blush Skirt


Have you ever picked anything up from MyBandageDress? Is there anything I need to get my hands on?!

Monday, 13 February 2017

Should We Bash Cardio?

I watch a hella lot of fitness videos on YouTube and read a lot of fitness blogs, and one common opinion I find everywhere is that cardio is 'a waste of time'/not necessary. Now...since starting my fitness journey, I wanted to discuss this on my blog because the gym and general fitness is something I am quite passionate about and I don't believe anything should be bashed, as such, because everything will work differently for different people and different body types.


I personally try to do 10-20 minutes of cardio every session when I go to the gym, and that's just because I feel much happier when I do it, and that's the routine I've been doing and have seen working. I also do one or two cardio sessions a week, which I really feel the benefit of, as I always leave sweating like a pig. Generally I will do 20-30 minutes on the StairMaster which is an absolute killer (watching Netflix helps!),  a 10 minute intense cycle, and 10 minutes on the little stepper machine, which I have no idea the name of. I don't necessarily do this to see a physical change in my body, but more to change myself on the inside. Doing cardio is great for the health of your heart, and looking after your insides is just as important, if not more, than looking after the outside. Saying all this however, without weight training, I wouldn't have seen the changes in my body that I have, going from a size 14 to a 10 in just under two years, and also getting stronger.

Casual Armpit Vagina....
I'm by no means saying that cardio is the main thing you should be doing in the gym, but I believe it is a good way to keep a healthy and balanced lifestyle and a good way to achieve weight loss and toning, in combination with weight training. I've spoken to a lot of my friends who have told me all they do in the gym is cardio, an hour of it almost 4 times a week. It works for them in terms of weight loss, but it's not the best long term solution if you want to change your body permanently. 

Can we appreciate the awkward stretching photo....I thought it would be obligatory to have me doing something fitness related LOL.
On a final note, if it makes you feel good, then do it! You don't have to listen to what other people say and think. But, if you are trying to seek a permanent change in your body, rather than a quick fix, it really is best to trial out different workout styles, and also talk to a personal trainer to figure out the best way to achieve your goals. Also if you, like most people, don't find cardio the most enjoyable, I really recommend hitting up a gym class such as Zumba, or my new favourite which is Metafit, a high intensity class which I always feel the burn of the next day.

Let me know what your favourite day in the gym is, or if 2017 is the year you are starting to go to the gym, I'd love to know!

Monday, 6 February 2017

NAKED Smokey Review & Minimal Look



High - Champagne colour with small glitter
Dirtysweet - A light bronze shade
Radar - Taupe shade with small glitter
Amor - Silvery Taupe metallic shade 
Slanted - Light metallic grey
Dagger - Charcoal shade with shimmer
Black Market - Super dark black with satin finish
Smoulder - Deep plum shade with shimmer
Password - Taupe shade, completely matte
Whiskey - Matte rich brown, cool undertone
Combust - Matte soft pink
Thirteen - Light beige with satin finish



I just wanted to prove how versatile this palette is despite the name "Smokey", so I created this super natural look which just enhances your eyes. I used the shade High in the inner corner and as a brow bone highlight, Thirteen all over the lid, and Whisky in the outer third, crease, and lower lash line. It's a super wearable look, but I cannot wait to try out a darker, smokey look with all the other colours.
All of the shadows I used were super blendable and highly pigmented, and I cannot fault any of them.

Soz the cold weather is making my nose peel, how unattractive.


What is your favourite Urban Decay Palette? I am so tempted to buy the Ultimate Basics now that I own a palette by Urban Decay.

Friday, 3 February 2017

The M&S Jumper of Dreams

I promised more outfit posts in 2017, so here's my first, and it's dedicated to my new favourite, softest ever, jumper from M&S.








Jumper: M&S 
Jacket: Topshop
Jeans: Topshop
Bag: H&M (similar)
Shoes: New Look (similar
Scarf: H&M

This jumper has actually made me reconsider laughing at my Mum for buying clothes in M&S, they're seriously dreamy and have massively up-ed their fashion game recently. I adore the bell sleeve trend, and although this jumper isn't the most flattering for my shape, it's super snuggly so I really don't care. I hope you guys liked this post, I absolutely loved putting it all together. 
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