February Favourites!

 

Hello everyone! I know it's a little late but I thought I'd share my February Favourites. I'd been stuck in a bit of a rut beauty-wise lately and so through-out February I made an effort to try different things in an attempt to freshen my routines.

 

 

Naturally a few Lush products had to make it's way into this post. I bought the Karma solid perfume (£5.00) as a birthday present to myself and have been wearing it every day since. It's such an uplifting, zingy, citrus scent and it puts me in such a good mood and I've received so many compliments about it! It's certainly not a subtle scent and it's a little on the spicy side, but it's vibrancy puts me in the mood for the summer months! Also featured is the Close To You massage bar. Sadly this was limited edition, but I got it for Valentines Day from my boyfriend! I have used this for it's intended purpose as a massage bar on my legs and my shoulders and it works amazingly, it gives just the right amount of slip and slide without being greasy or oily. I use this more often as a moisturiser on my legs, I simply sweep the bar along my skin and massage in to moisturise! Recently I've also started trying to make more of an effort with my eye make-up. I'm a lipstick kind of gal usually, but I got the Collection Eye Shadow Pencil in Vintage Blush (£3.19) for my birthday which is a creamy slightly shimmery pink shade. It's a cream eye shadow which is something I haven't tried before and it lasts for hours and is waterproof! A bit of a pain when trying to remove it, but it's long lasting trait makes it a favourite this month! Paired with this pencil I like to apply a little powdered eye shadow in the crease of my eye to create a little shadow. I've been using the MUA Undressed palette (£4.00) for this purpose and have been working the third colour on the bottom row into the crease with a fluffy brush to create a subtle smokey effect. Finally, beauty-wise, we have the Real Techniques Contour Brush (only available in the core collection) which I use to apply my highlighting pearls and a touch of peachy blusher. It's the perfect shape to apply specific highlight but also is great for blending blushes easily. Last of all I wanted to feature my new watch, it's face is patterned with a map and the strap is white faux leather. I picked this up for just £1.64 from eBay and am looking forward to pairing it with a white crop top and pale shorts in the summer! (Click here for the link)

 

xx



Health & Fitness Update #1

 

What do we have here? Another new feature on my blog? I know I said in the New Year that I would be trying to incorporate some more pieces of my life into my blog and so far I'm really happy with it! I hope you guys don't mind the change and are enjoying my new posts too :)

 

I've been trying to go on a bit of a fitness kick lately, not so much a massive diet and exercise binge but more of a gradual lifestyle change in general. I've been wanting to do this for a while after many failed attempts but the allure of Springtime and crop tops is pushing my forward. I'm going to try and stay as honest as possible when it comes to the exercise I manage to do and the food I eat, so if you spot a McDonalds on here once or twice you have been forewarned!

 

After that super long intro, let's just get onto the update.

 

To me, going back to college after the half-term break seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to indulge in some healthy eating. My college hours mean that I'm eating lunch at college twice a week, 'dinner' once a week and breakfast twice a week as I get up super early to get the bus. I used to be guilty of getting chips on two of those three days, a habit which I've now kicked completely.

 

My college lunches & snacks this week:

 

Monday:

Wholegrain pitta bread with roasted turkey breast chunks, with a few pieces of dark chocolate and a small stack of pretzels and a side of grapes. I had a bottle of water as a drink.

 

Tuesday:

Wholegrain pasta with sweet corn and broccoli, a Belvita breakfast bar (the chocolate and nuts one) and a bottle of orange juice for my drink.

 

Thursday:

Wholegrain pasta with sweet corn with a bottle of water and a small stack of crackers with cheese chunks.

 

As you can see from what I had, I've been replacing white bread and pasta with their wholegrain options. I honestly prefer brown bread to white anyway, but wholegrain pasta was a new experience for me and I can honestly say I'm converted. My boyfriend now calls me a pasta snob because I will only eat wholegrain pasta! It's much better for you as it contains more fibre and nutrients that the regular white pasta. The same goes for bread and I didn't realise how much sugar goes into regular white bread! It's insane. I still have a few treats packed such as pretzels and dark chocolate but only if I finish my fruit first (haha) as I find that if I crave chocolate at college, the prices are so expensive that I end up losing money and eating more of it than intended. If I pack myself a small amount, I can control the amount I'm eating whilst satisfying the craving.

 

Exercise-wise, I've subscribed to the Blogilates Youtube Channel which is amazing, scoured Pinterest for inspiration and routine ideas and downloaded some of my old Zumba songs and have been doing a few old routines I can remember from my classes last summer. I have also been taking part (kind of) in the 30-day Plank, which is basically where you do the plank movement daily but up your time by ten seconds each day. I'm not going to lie, I have been skipping days on this and have been stuck on 60 seconds for a while now but every time I work out I always add in the plank movement at least twice. Jogging is also on my work out list at the moment, as I'm working my way up to being able to run outdoors without becoming a tired mess within minutes.

 

I hope you guys liked this change of post, it's been a much longer one than I thought but now I've set down the basics I wont have to fill you in on as much next time!

 

xx

 

Review: Simple Kind To Eyes Eye Make Up Remover

For some reason, the one skincare product I have a love-hate relationship with is eye make-up remover. I've trialled many but they're just never up to scratch - they're always too oily, too drying, too sticky. And sadly, this is no exception. I'd had high hopes for my first Simple skincare product - they're well known for their suitability for sensitive skins and their natural-inspired ingredients list. And that part of this product is perfect - it doesn't irritate or sting my eyes and the fragrance-free, vitamin-enriched liquid doesn't dry out my skin at all. This is also a non-oil formula so it doesn't leave me greasy and is even good for use on waterproof make-up. However, it's the consistency that lets it down. I just find it far too sticky whilst in use and afterwards. My lashes become stuck together and my skin tacky to touch. It has a very smooth and very liquid consistency and yet it just doesn't glide over the skin very well. It does it's job as an eye make-up remover and it's bargain price is good but it just doesn't cut it as my product of choice when going through my skincare routine. This product retails for £3.25 from Boots for a 125ml bottle or if you opt for the tester size like I did it's priced at around £1.50.

xx

NEW IN: Dream Guide & Aroma Sleep Aids

Stress and sleep don't often go hand-in-hand in my life. If I'm feeling particularly nervous about something (an upcoming exam, meeting new people, ect) then I'll often find myself experiencing some pretty crazy dreams and a disjointed sleep pattern. In order to battle this pressing issue, I picked up a few aromatherapy sleep aids from Avon. I'm the sort of person who doesn't believe in medication of any kind and so I'd prefer to tackle my issues with a few home remedies rather than have to pop a pill and whilst flicking through the brochure a few weeks ago I came across these two items: the Pillow Mist and the Balm. Laced with the soothing scents of chamomile and lavender (both known relaxants), I'm keeping my fingers crossed with these two products. Paired with a calming bubble bath and a comfy pair of PJ's, hopefully the two will help with my insistent lack of sleep. The Pillow Mist retails for £4.50 and the Balm for £3, but they're regularly on sale so keep your eye out. Also, due to the crazy dreams, I picked up this A - Z Of Dreaming book in Asda. I know these things are sometimes a hoax - and after reading through some of the explanations, they're completely random - but I have had quite a few dreams that, once looked up in the guide, have made more sense to me. This book also features a 'Dream Diary' section at the back with pre-questioned columns to fill out to help you decipher your dreams.This was £3.

Do any of you guys suffer with sleepless nights? What are your favourite remedies?

xx

My Week #5

Photo Captions: Primark & Lush Haul // Pink bath using Lush's Candy Mountain Bubble Bar // My Valentines gift // Healthy Breakfast! Fruit Salad & Cranberry Juice // OOTD // Starbucks Vanilla Frappuchino

Product of the week: The product I've been really loving this week is the Lush Karma Solid Perfume. It's such a zingy, citrus scent that clings to my skin literally all day and puts me in such a good mood.

 

Purchases this week: Recent purchases can be seen in the above photo! I went to Primark with my boyfriend and picked up some fitness gear plus a pair of leather leggings and a pair of fur lined socks. From Lush I bought the Butterball bath bomb and the Karma solid perfume and The Fault In Our Stars arrived in the post that day so I included that as well.

 

Watched this week: If you follow me on twitter you will know that I have been so desperate to watch Lord Of The Rings but I can't find any of my DVDs so I'm on a massive downer about it. I haven't actually been to the cinema for a while as I've been so busy at college that by the time I leave I'm just too tired. I've mostly been reading this week, compared to watching movies and am currently reading (to satisfy my LOTR cravings) The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkein.

 

Highlight of the week: I had a lovely client on Monday for a full body massage, which also got me signed off completely for my massage unit in college. I also picked up two other Distinctions (the highest grade) in my Promoting and Client Care assessments. Yay!

 

Blog Posts this week: What I Wore: My Birthday Meal // My Lipsmacker Lip Balm Collection & Review // Review: Lush Big Blue Bath Bomb // Current Go-To Nail Shades // Review: Lush Karma Solid Perfume // Book Review: The Fault In Our Stars // Review: Rimmel Kate Moss 101 Lipstick // My New Jewellery & Perfume Storage

 

The Social Stuff: Bloglovin' // Twitter: @laaurenpiper // Instagram // Pinterest

 

xx

Bedroom Updates: Jewellery & Perfume Storage!

 

It's been a long time coming with many hours spent on Pinterest and a jewellery storage inspiration post here on my blog but I've finally took a step towards sorting out the storage for my bedroom. I wanted something that was pretty as well as practical, but also displayed my jewellery in such a way that I'd remember to wear it. In these two storage devices I have only a few pieces but they're certainly my favourites. My other pieces that require a home are more statement things such as chunky bracelets, collars and chains that couldn't fit in with the things I have now on display.

 

Let's start with my favourite: the photo frame (bought from The Range). I got this heart shaped photo frame for my birthday years ago, but as the little heart clips didn't meet together properly the photos just kept falling out and so I'd pushed it aside until I discovered it again earlier. The gaps between the clips are perfect for arranging chains inside without risk of them becoming caught or damaged and also make cute little hangers for earrings. Stored on here I have two necklaces, two pairs of earrings, a bracelet and a ring. I hang this on my wall next to my full-length mirror.

 

 

  Arrow Bracelet - Topshop

Bow Ring - Charity Shop

Gold Chain Earrings - Charity Shop

Chevron Feather Earrings - Primark

Eiffel Tower Necklace - Avon

Deathly Hallows Necklace - eBay

Secondly I have an adorable little breakfast tray that my mum bought me. I keep this on top of a chest of drawers in front of my books but it's in a patch of bad lighting so I just placed it on my bed to be photographed. The colours are a bit all over the place but I like that thrown together, eclectic feel. On the left hand side of the tray I have my cute little mint green and gold polka dot tea cup and saucer, where I store my River Island midi rings and my pearl bracelet. I don't wear a lot of rings as my fingers are so tiny it's hard to find any that fit me and my Crown Ring I keep stored by my bed in it's little case so I don't have much in here. On the right hand side of the tray I have a small variety of perfumes - Taylor Swift's Wonderstruck Enchanted, a mini Nina Ricci Nina and my boyfriend's Black Suede. I also have a chunk of natural Amethyst placed next to it for decoration.

 

I still have a long way to go with my bedroom but it's just finding the time (and the money) to do everything properly! I hope you like what I've done so far, let me know what you think!

 

xx

Review: Rimmel Kate Moss 101 Lipstick

 

 

I'm pretty sure there's not a girl alive who isn't somewhat familiar with the good old Kate Moss 107 lipstick. But I don't often hear enough about the other shades from the collection, which lead me to investigate in my local boots and emerge bearing the beautiful shade 101.

 

My tastes in lipsticks change very frequently depending on my mood or outfit choice for the day, but I have noticed my favouring of a pretty, dusty pink shade. Up until recently it had been Rimmel's Oxford St Fuchsia but after discovering this beauty it's been well and truly pushed aside.

 

The 101 lipstick is a matte-yet-glossy lipstick that sits beautifully upon the lips. The formula is so moisturising despite it's matte finish that I'm amazed and the scent, oh, the scent is a deliciously fruity kind of smell. I think it's very important for lip products to smell nice because they are so close to your nose that they're often unpleasant to wear otherwise. Anyway, the colour. It's somewhat similar to the MUA Matte Effect in Pouty Pink - a pretty, girly, bubble gum pink that's not too dark and not too light but this one contains more pigment and is much more flattering, I feel. It's wear time is impressive and maintains strength through eating and drinking.

 

 

Overall I'm really impressed with this lipstick. Whilst I'm not sure it will ever gain such a credibility as the infamous 107, I'm sharing this find with whoever will listen. This lipstick retails for £5.49 from Boots but is currently on offer for £3.99!

 

xx