Wednesday 30 April 2014

Dieting & Me : #5 #ChocolateFreeMay

I will happily admit and hold my hands up - I am totally and utterly addicted to chocolate (and sugar in general) and it is my MAJOR downfall when it comes to dieting and sticking to a healthy diet.

I've tried for the last few months to cut back on the devil in brown but as much as I try I just always come crawling back no matter how good the rest of my diet has been!
Having given up meat for 6 weeks recently and finding it a breeze I decided that I needed to give myself a proper challenge.
 Something that will take willpower and something that will be tough for me to stick to.
So here it is - Chocolate Free May (#ChocolateFreeMay). I am going to give up chocolate for the month of May. 
I will be having nothing chocolate related -not even a bowl of coco-pops!

I can tell you now - this will be hard for me, I haven't even started yet and I am already doubting myself BUT I am determined to complete it and prove to myself (and my boyfriend) that I can control my intake!

I tweeted about this recently and I had lots of you replying saying you'd love to join me (especially after the Easter pig-out) let me know if you want to join in, it will be great to have people to go through this with me!  

So tomorrow and for the next 30 days after that .... wish me luck! Hopefully this will help me loose a bit of weight aswell... seeing as chocolate is my major downfall when it comes to that balanced diet, having none of it should help my shift a few unflattering lbs! 

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OOTD : Spring Denim

 Now I haven't done an outfit post in a long while and this post has me super nervous for some reason! 
This year I said to myself I wanted to do more fashion and outfit posts but it's May tomorrow and I have been seriously slacking!
So here is a quick outfit of the day! Not too keen on how I look here but hoping you guys can see past the thighs and bingo wings on display!
I have only just started wearing blue jeans again, for years I have relied on black but I plucked up the courage recently and bought a new pair from New Look ready for spring/summer.



Cannot believe my puppy  marked my top with his paws!!! Ruined top & photo right there! Naughty dog! 

Top : New Look
Jeans : New Look
Shoes : Primark
Scarf : Local Store - Splash
Necklace : New Look
Hair : Dirty Looks Quad Piece (from my HK Extensions(*))

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Tuesday 29 April 2014

Wishlist : New Beauty Products

I've been seeing alot of new releases lately and my wishlist has been growing and growing and well... growing! 
There are so many products I am hearing about which I definitely need in my life right now or as soon as they are available! 

Have you tried any of these yet? If so... let me know!

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Boots Essentials Cucumber Eye Gel Review

Since trying out Boots Essentials for the first time recently with the 3 minute mask I knew it wasn't going to be long before I invested in something else from the range!
Being only £1.50 an item and more often than not their being some form of deal or offer on it's not like I could say no!
I'd heard so much about this eye gel and I'm always looking for anything to help bring down those puffy eyes so this was on my list to pick up.
I feel like I don't own enough eye-based products! I don't have any eye creams and only rarely use my Garnier caffeine eye roll-on ... even though I love the stuff!
Saying this - I moan about my under-bags constantly so why I don't use products to help more often is beyond me!

This gel comes in a small, handy 15ml tube and like I said before retails for just £1.50! I like this range as the scent isn't too overpowering but still has a soothing quality. 
For the price this stuff is fab! Really soothing and you only need a small pea sized amount to cover both under-eyes.
It's for all skin types so even if you have sensitive skin - have no fear!

 I've been using this stuff a fair amount since buying it and I've found it's helped give some life back to my eye area! Not as puffy and sleepy-looking - wahooo!
I've decided to start keeping this in the fridge too - extra cooling and soothing that way! Another beauty bargain added to my collection!

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Monday 28 April 2014

Wishlist : Disneystore


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My Childhood Female Icons

I was having a little daydream the other day .... I live in a dreamworld probably 68% of the time..... and for some reason my thoughts traveled back to the 90's and early 00's when I was growing up (aka loving life without a care in the world) and I was thinking about all the girls/women/characters I looked up to and wanted to be admired.

With this in mind I thought why not do a little post about it - share with you lovely lot who, when I was younger, I thought was the bee's knee's and would have done anything to grow up and be like them! (and too be fair... my feelings haven't changed!)
1. Cher Horowitz 
A total 90s icon - I was obsessed with Clueless and Cher from a young age! I will always remember seeing that computerized wardrobe for the first time and being green with envy - so so cool! I loved her self-assured attitude, total confidence and super sassy preppy style. I definitely bought a few fluffy pens because of her as a kid! 

2. The Spice Girls 
That's right, all of them. 90's girls I know you are all with me on this one, The Spice Girls were god.
I was one of those little girl's you didn't have a firm favourite throughout the years but slowly went through them all at some point claiming the were my favourite.
 I had the ginger phase... the baby phase.. the sporty phase - well you see where I'm going with this! There was a part of all of them I loved and I wanted to be a Spice Girl more than anything - truly imprinted Girl Power into my mind forever!
3. Belle
I clearly couldn't do a post about all those girls I looked upto as a kid without mentioning a Disney princess! Belle has always been my favourite Disney character and growing up I was totally in awe of her. Being a fellow bookworm (I read so so much as a kid) she showed me it was okay to love reading and to give everyone a chance. Kind, caring and pretty much perfect - she is still my favourite Princess.
4. Buffy 
Of course I've saved the best for last. My ultimate female icon as a kid (and still now) was none other than Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
You all probably know already (if you know me, read this blog or follow me on twitter) that Buffy is my favourite TV show of all time. Growing up I would be so so excited every weekday when it was on BBC2 after The Simpsons and I just wanted to BE her.
Gorgeous, funny, sporty and umm hello a vampire slayer Sarah Michelle Gellar made me want to get fit and kick ass! I don't know how anyone would not want to be Buffy!

I would love to know who your female icons were when you were a kid - comment below or join in and do your own blog post!!

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Sunday 27 April 2014

20 Awful Fashion Trends We All Loved Growing Up

Fashion has always been a part of my life, weather it was wanting the newest top from Tammy Girl or my beloved Spice Girls trainers (yes, I know amazing right?).
As a kid I always wanted to look "cool" and therefore fell total victim to some of the most stylish hilarious trends which I look back on now and cringe/giggle.
(Saying this maybe they'll come back into fashion one day and we'll be gutted we never kept it all.....maybe....)

Now... I can't of been the only one to wear these hip and groovy pieces as otherwise, well they wouldn't have been what we classed as 'trendy' or 'fashionable' a the time would they? So here they are the 20 hilarious trends that we all must have rocked at some point.
(I was born in 1990, so these are things I rocked wore from probably the age of 8-14 ..aka 1998-2004!)
1. Trouser-Skirts 
I'm not sure where these came from or who decided that they were a thing but really.... trousers + a skirt (attached) = no no no. I definitely had a fair few of these and one that really sticks out in my mind was back with a silver floral pattern over the skirt - I definitely whipped it out for a school disco or two!
2. Slouch Boots
Not as awful as the rest but you MUST of had some.
Holy moly the year I started high school (03-04) if you didn't have a pair or these you and your feet might as well not have existed. These boots were sold out EVERYWHERE where I lived and literally every single female aged between 13-16 owned a pair I'm sure of it. 
Now black was the main choice I'd say, not many people were brave enough to rock the brown.... but I definitely saw a few pink pairs floating around I'm sure of it - those girls were sassy with a capital S!

3. 'Ra-ra' Skirts
Close behind slouch boots (and from that same fashoinable time period) are ra-ra skirts - which funnily enough were the perfect duo back then. Weather you were meeting your friends in town, popping down to the beach or going to a party - a ra-ra skirt was your best friend and yes... any sort of footwear was considered okay with them. 
The amount of colour available was just a dream, I remember LOVING my pastel yellow beauty.

4. The 'I Don't Any Do Sport' Sweatbands
We all went through that "pop-punk" stage - I blame Avril L, Blink 182, Sum41 and all those other bands who had angry but very upbeat and catchy songs!
Sweatbands were just ONE of the stylish monstrosities that we wore on a daily basis.
Made for sportsman and women around the round - we wore these with pride even though the only exercise we were doing was arguing with our parents or running for the bus. I had a really cool checkprint one.... Why why why?

4. Ridiculously Oversized Flared Jeans
Keeping on that Avril  vibe - flared jeans were da bomb. The bigger the better, if you we seen in bootcut you might as well have been wearing skin-tight leggings! I was victim to MANY a pair and lived in them. Tammy Girl was my port of call (for most things at that age) and I had, in my eyes, the coolest black pair with an attached pink chain for extra punk points. The worst thing about this trend - when it rained. Those buggers soaked up water like there was no tomorrow, wet jeans up to your knees anyone?

5. The Chav Jewellery (Hangs head in shame)
To this day I still can't believe how much I was into this.
 The pop-punk "skater" days were so last week and being a "Townie" was totes in. Drawstring bags, nike trainers and of course the GOLD bling. 
Multiple hoops, multipe necklaces at different lengths and knuckles full of rings! 
The doll necklace is one that sticks out in my mind - I begged my Mum for the one from Argos (cringe) and she point-blank refused to buy it for me - that woman had the right idea. Please tell me someone else wanted this? I so so highly influenced by my fellow peers it is shameful!

6. Quiksilver Backpacks
Again not horifically awful but these played a major part in my educational life growing up.
These were THE backpack to have when I was about 12/13 - I spent long and hard convincing my Mum that it was a good idea to splash out on this and that my social life/reputation would be over if I rocked up at school with my books and lunch in anything else. Mine was purple floral and clearly the coolest out of all of my friends (I liked to think).

7. The Half Shoe Flip-Flop
Another high school era trend now. The flip-flop which was a closed shoe at the front. (I'm sorry if I offend anyone who still wears these) - I remember the girls in the years above me at school having them so clearly at the time I knew it was a must-have. 
White were the most popular colour and the amount of people who tried to get away with the black pairs as 'school shoes' was hilarious!

8. Adidas 3-Stripe Everything 
Weather it was the classic trainers or the infamous poppered jogging bottoms - wearing things with 3 stripes instantly made you hip and trendy, duh!
Also trainers and denim skirts were super cool.

9. Gypsy Tops
Britney Spears and the last scenes of Crossroads I blame you for this. 
All I want was a pretty gypsy top with the biggest flared arms like she had - of course I had to settle for New Look and their options. Everyone had one of these 'gypsy'/'peasant' tops - it was the key ingredient to my oufit for my year 8 leavers disco, paired with a denim skirt (of course) and some of those 3 stripe adidas trainers, I was the bee's knee's.

10. Tops With Chinese Writing On
Where did they all come from? They were everywhere.

11. Surfing Board Shorts 
Absolutely no intention of ever going surfing these were purely for fashion purposes only. Animal, Quiksilver, Billabong, shorts down to our knees with some form of surfing reference or Hawaiian flowers on them were totes cool. (Did everyone like these or was it just because I live near a beach?)

12. 'Shag' Bands
These always seem to pop up every few years or so. Thin plastic bands which came in many colour with many terrifying consequences if you broke one. The more up your arm the better and don't forget.... they're great to chew on too!

13. Wide (Half the size of your skirt) Belts 
Big big belts with every outfit. Sat on your hips and holding up absolutely nothing like a belt should, I had lots of them. 

14. Parachute/Octopus Trousers (With Velcro & Without)
A staple wardrobe piece in the early 00s. These were trendy with a capital T. Every store had them and every girlband wannabe with them. Mine were pink and the octopus material things were actually detachable - snazzy huh?!

15. Ties For Multiple Uses
Another point for trend-setting Avril - you go Avril - ties were cool... and for the weirdest reasons! Just wearing a top and jeans today? Why not add a completely random tie as a cool necklace or belt? Perfect!


16. Pedal Pushers 
The funniest name for an item of clothing. knee length - 3/4 jeans/trousers - normally skin-tight. I lived in these for years and years! 

17. 30,000 Bracelets on one wrist
This includes numbers 4 and 12. So many bracelets to choose from, so many styles - but don't worry about choosing - oh no don't be silly - just wear them all, even if they are nearly hitting your elbows it doesn't matter, you want to be able to show everyone the cool and unique styles you have picked up.

18. Inflatable Backpacks
No words needed here. We are all guilty of this one. (Is it bad I kind of think they are a bit cool again?)

19. The Lonely 2 Strands
Hahaha I actually did this... everyday. The slicked back gel drenched hair with 2 tiny strands left out at the front - they don't call me a beauty blogger for nothing! Also remember when everyone just had the two front sections of their hair blonde? Yup, I did that too!

19.5. Talking of hair too..... who remembers BUTTERFLY CLIPS. I wore about 20 a day!

20. Tops That Were Just A Little Bit Too Short
Not a crop top and not a t-shirt we all had those tops that revealed that cheeky bit of midriff/muffin top. 
Britney, Christina, Pink .... and the rest of those female teens/early 20s gods of the time with their washboard abs and perfectt hips are firmly to blame for us thinking it was okay.

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Montagne Jeunesse Creamy Coconut Face Mask Review

Night in on my own, Eastenders & The Kardashians on TV, Easter eggs and a cup of tea by my side ..... the perfect time for me sit back, relax, grab a cup of tea and try out a new face mask!

So, I've had this sat on my dresser for the last week or so and it's just been whispering my name... "Kirstie, try me. I smell good, check out my hydrating power" - so as soon as the boyfriend ventured out for the night I knew it was time to cleanse, tone and go coco-nutty on my face!
I picked this up when it was on offer in Boots - it was only 66p!! That's right 66 British pence, if that's not a bargain I don't know what is! When it's not on offer aswell it is only £1 so is not going to break the beauty blogger bank!
I saw the words coconut and shea butter and was sold - I am such a huge fan of both and new it wouldn't be too harsh on my skin.

I cleansed my face good and proper, getting rid of all my make-up from my boring work day and giving myself a nice clean base to work with!
Sachet opened the application progress begun. 
This stuff feels just like a moisturising cream, normally you can feel that a mask is a mask and it can be quite heavy but this stuff felt lovely and light just like I was putting lots of my Nivea cream on!
I love love love the smell of this mask, if you aren't a coconut fan then give up now - you will not like this. 
The scent is really soothing and it definitely made me feel nice and relaxed.
I probably could have got 2 uses out of the sachet but I always make such a mess using these so once my face was covered I did chuck the excess in the packet away - I'm sure they'd be enough if there was 2 of you sharing it!
Once my face was covered with a fairly thick, even layer I sat back, relaxed and left it for a good 20 minutes - on the packet it says 10-15 but clearly I was highly distracted by the Kardashian's and that special place that is the internet.... so I left it a little longer!

Face washed and mask removed I was delighted with the results.  My skin felt so smooth and soft and it didn't leave my skin looking red or blotchy at all. (this sometimes happens with my skin when using masks that are a little harsher.)
Hydration is what it offers and hydration is what I got, my skin feels plump and has been giving a lovely healthy glow!

I will definitely be re-purchasing this, for the bargain price it is a perfect calming mask to use every fortnight or so! 
There are lots of other Montagne Jeunesse masks I've been checking out so I think it's time I bought some more - do you have any favourites?

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Saturday 26 April 2014

Bargain Beauty : MUA Pistachio Ice Cream Nail Polish

Another bargain beauty post today! I love discovering and picking up cheap products! Recently I was having a browse arounf Superdrug for a new pastel nail polish colour when I stumbled across the MUA stand.
I saw the price tag and the name and was sold - Pistachio Ice Cream Nail Polish for just£1 , my sort of price!
Now for the price I wasn't looking for something incredible and I knew it wasn't going to be the greatest nail polish ever made, I just wanted a nice shade which is easy to apply and doesn't take to long to create an opaque colour. (not much to ask!)

The packaging I have noticed has been given alot of flak online - it's clearly similar to Essie's classic design. My opinion..... oh well! If I can get a cute nail polish for just £1 I don't really care who they've copied!
Now of course.. this isn't the greatest polish in the world but I love the colour - it is perfect for spring/summer - I am obsessing with pastels. (I know I'm not the only one!)

It doesn't give the greatest application, very streaky - although I'm not the greatest nail painter in the world (I'm very good at painting my fingers though...) and it does need a good few coats to get a good opaque look.
Overall for £1 you can't really go wrong - it's better than the Sinful colours polish I previously tried (another bargain brand!) ...and I think this is cheaper!

Have you tried MUA polishes before? I think I'm definitely going to purchase a few more colours!

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Current Hair Crushes

Oh man, I get such incredible hair envy that I just had to write a post about it.
I'd say hair is probably the first thing I notice about a person and being on the internet sometimes alot, the amount of hair envy I have for certain people grows and grows on a daily basis.

Twitter, Instagram, even The Daily Mail (don't judge me) I'm always on them and aswell as checking out the news, style and everything else that's going on - I am a super guilty at pining over celebrity's hair/hairstyles. (why can't mine be like that? *cries into extensions and dead ends*)
So here are the girls who's hair, for me, is just on point at the moment, so cute, so hot - I want! Half of them make me want to go and get some $5000 extensions and the rest a cute short bob again... what to choose!


Pia Mia - If you don't know who this girl is then get googling/youtube searching. She is going to be big! A pal of those Jenner girls, but a total star in her own right down to an incredible singing voice! I am obsessed with this girl's look - her style is so laid back and cool and her hair is always looking awesome! Love these blonde bouncy curls with an added bit of edge. 

Emma Stone - *Hair make-over alert* Emma Stone has just had a fringe cut in and some gorgeous ombre put in her hair and it is looking gooood. I'm such an Emma fan and always thinks she looks gorgeous. Major hair and fringe envy here - especially as I could never rock this style!

Emma Roberts - I have been loving Emma Roberts new look. She's always been know for her long hair wehter it blonde or brunette and this new bob just looks so amazing on her. It makes her look alot more mature (in a good way) the cut and the colour are fab and seriously suit her face shape... she makes me want to get my bob back again.......
Kylie Jenner - I have loved slowly watching Kylie Jenner's style transformation online - I think it's great she knows what she likes and has her own look which is totally different from any of her sisters! 
The short hair looks so great on her and I loved the dip-dye she's got going on! Seriously though - how is she only 16.... it pains me how stunning she is! (At 16 I was a mousey brown haired brace-face, who was a total make-up beginner!)

Ariana Grande - My girl Ariana, she is just amazing in everyway! I feel so creepy writing that as she is younger than me... but she's so talented I feel like I can say it?! Right?! 
Ariana has been known throughout the past year or so for the half up-half down extension ponytail - which though being super cute she got alot of slack for because she never changed or switched it up (*Leave Ariana Alone*).
Saying this over the last couple of months she really seems to have come out of her shell and has been seen with lots of other hairstyles! I'm loving her new straightened look - gorgeous darling! (A total Cheryl Cole mini-me don't you think?!)

Shay Mitchell - The PLL with possibly the best hair? What do we reckon? I'm a huge Ashley Benson fan when it comes to hair and make-up (maybe because I'm blonde) but recently I have been in awe of Shay's locks both on the show and off! I love the new lighter tones she has had added! Her hair always looks so effortlessly perfect - you go Shay!

So there's my current hair crushes - what do you reckon? Who's hair are you loving at the moment?

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Friday 25 April 2014

POTW #12 : Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayon - Peach On The Beach

Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayon - Peach On The Beach .... I am well and truely in love with you.

Now I know I'm a bit late on the colour boost love bandwagon here but at least I'm on it right?
I've been eyeing these beauts up or months and months (since the likes of fellow beauty lovers such as Tanya & Zoe starting bigging them up) but with my endless supply of lip products at home I've always mananged to talk myself out of splashing out buying one!

That was until I have a bit of a mental breakdown in Boots recently and thought "why not spend some points" and had a little spend up - and I am so glad I did! (Haul here.)
I choose the peach shade as it's not the type of colour that I have lots and lots of! 
These lip crayons as super hydrating and glossy and I'm totally and utterly addicted to applying it!
I have worn this day after day since buying it and am actually gutted I hadn't bought it sooner, I have been majorly missing out!
The colour is a fab peachy pink and even though it is just a lip crayon these are so pigmented! I am now desperate for more and am so tempted to head back to Boots and abuse the 3 for 2 offer!

Have you tried the Colour Boost lip crayons yet? What's your favourite shade?

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