Holy Grail Moisturiser - L'Occitane Angelica Hydra Vital Cream

This is by far the best moisturiser I have used in a long while and I feel like it definitely deserves its time in the spotlight! I've been using this for four months now and it hasn't disappointed. 

My skin is beyond sensitive and one thing that aggravates it more than anything is a change in weather. I live in grey Leeds and often it is humid and rainy, although you'd expect the humidity to help with dry skin, for me it does the exact opposite, but thankfully this cream has helped massively. 

I recently went on a European tour in which we visited five different countries in the space of three weeks, although it was an amazing opportunity I'd be lying if I said I wasn't stressing about dehydration! But I had nothing to worry about! I didn't once notice those horrible flaky patches around my forehead or nose that always crop up at the most inappropriate times, nor did I feel after a day in the sun like my skin was made of old wrinkly leather. Whether you're spending long days in the heat or sat in front of the air-conditioning (which is SO drying) I can't recommend this product enough.

As you can see it is a creamy consistency, yet it feels extremely cooling on the skin. After a hot shower, putting this all over your face honestly feels heavenly. The scent is completely unobtrusive, think expensive spas, cucumbers and all things fresh and you won't be far off. 

This product claims to not only nourish your skin after application but also to enhance the skins ability 'self-hydrate'. Obviously hydration is the key to softer, plumper and more radiant skin so helping your skin to hydrate itself is a massive plus.

The name 'Angelica Hydra Vital Cream' comes from the Angelica plant which is sourced in France, I feel it's similar to Bamboo in the instance that it grows in an extremely short space of time, this is thanks to its ability to self-hydrate. Now, at first, all of these facts spilling out of the shop assistants mouth sounded to me like a bit of a myth, but true or not this product really follows through on its promises. 

At £32 it's far from cheap, yet if you're like me and would be willing to pay more than your rent for something that will get rid of that horrible tight feeling, then I would absolutely recommend this skin saviour. 

Benefit and Bourjois Battle It Out!

 (Benefit 'They're Real' & Bourjois 'Volume Glamour Ultra Curl')

Since I can remember I have been in LOVE with the Benefit 'They're Real' mascara, since first purchasing it I haven't found a better mascara, or even one that comes close...until now! Being a student I find it hard to justify spending so much money on a product that runs out after a month or so. But luckily I seem to have found a cheaper alternative that I want to share!

This is the magical Bourjois 'Volume Glamour Ultra Curl' (bit of a mouthful) Now I can't take complete credit...or maybe not even any at all, I am merely the messenger! I had that usual debate with myself whilst standing in the makeup section of boots wondering what mascara to buy. I always feel nervous when choosing as if you make the wrong mistake thats a tenner down the drain, especially as there's so much rubbish out there. After spending an unacceptable amount of time making up my mind, my friend suggested this little beauty. At first I turned my nose up as I thought the wand looked pretty pathetic and when I took it out of the tube the product looked gloopy. But she assured me it was great so I went ahead and bought it. I'm so glad I did. (Thank you Lily!)

(Here's the Bourjois product on the lashes)

I don't have very thick lashes and as I'm naturally blonde they're rather light, so I like a product that will lengthen, thicken and is nice and dark (not much to ask hey!) and I feel like this mascara does just that. It holds the curl really nicely and completely opens up the look of my eyes, just like the benefit one. As you can see it separates the lashes well and so far I haven't had any fall out which is great. I can't recommend this product enough! 

I think price wise it's a much better alternative, in an ideal world I would love to be able to repurchase the 'They're Real' but unfortunately I cannot do so. But I am very pleased with this find...my 'Drugstore Dupe' if you will. One thing I cannot say yet is how long the tube lasts, I feel like for the money the Benefit one doesn't seem to last long enough, but as I haven't finished the Bourjois yet I can't compare the two. However at £7.99 from Boots compared with £18.50 I can't really complain if it doesn't last beyond 6 weeks or so. I hope you take my recommendation and check this mascara out and let me know if you have any good dupes! Enjoy! 

My Must Have Hair Product

(Seanik Shampoo Bar - Lush)

A very kind friend of mine bought me this as a birthday present and this is my second repurchase. Before this I'd never tried a shampoo bar before and if I'm honest I've always been quite sceptical. 

I didn't really get the concept, it felt a bit alien to put what looked like a bar of soap on my hair.

The bar contains solid seaweed, sea salt and lemon giving the hair great shine and volume and has a lovely summery scent. The featured ingredient in this shampoo bar is Japanese Nori Seaweed, it possesses a quality of deep colour and brilliant lustre. The Sea Salt claims to give the hair texture and volume and I can honestly say it does! The Lemon Oil makes the hair SO shiny, better than any shine spray I've used. Rather than using a shine spray and volumising mousse like I normally do, I can just wash my hair with this and it does the job for me. Although there are little specks of seaweed in the bar, these don't get stuck in your hair and you can't feel them when you're using it, obviously it is bright blue in colour but don't worry theres no colour pay off. 

The thing I was most concerned about when using this product was whether it would make a satisfying amount of lather. I like my shampoo to be super frothy so I can feel like I'm getting my hair properly clean, I really didn't think this product would create enough, but its incredibly foamy, more than any I've used before. Because it's in solid form you're able to scrub it directly onto your roots meaning no strand of hair is left unclean.

I can honestly say I've never used a shampoo that has made my hair so volumized and shiny, I noticed the difference after the first wash, my hair seemed thicker and had a lovely gloss to it. It lasts around a month, so at £5.50 and on a student budget I find that a little pricey, however not having to use as many other products means I'm saving money elsewhere. I have to say no matter what hair type you have I would recommend this product, it ticks all the boxes for me!

Dealing with A-N-X-I-E-T-Y

For anyone who's suffered from anxiety you'll understand it's one of the most difficult challenges a person can deal with. Day to day things become a struggle when you're consumed by something that's making you feel as though you're looking through life with a hazey grey filter. Everything ends up being a challenge, even just walking to the shops. You feel jumpy, scared, paranoid, stressed, tired, grumpy, irritable, sad, alone, worried, tearful...and that's just to name a few.

Personally I've struggled with anxiety for most of my life, but it's something I've learnt to deal with. I don't think it ever really goes away, but there are certainly times where it's lurking around in the background rather than being at the forefront of my mind. I'm not saying there aren't times where all I want to do is crawl into my bed and never go outside again, but I promise you it gets better. There are so many ways you can help yourself. What some people don't realise is anxiety is not just something that makes you feel a 'little bit stressed or worried', it's very closely linked to depression. It's difficult to sleep, hard to concentrate on anything other than all the negative things in your life/around you, and it's especially hard to feel confident in yourself; to put yourself out there for people to see. Which can mean making new friends and meeting new people is extremely daunting.
I find when I'm at my most anxious it's so hard to get myself out of bed in the mornings, the thought of facing the day terrifies me. But I've come up with ways that make me feel that bit better about taking those first steps into the morning. 

Surround yourself with the people you love.
Sounds like an obvious one, but seriously, spending time with the people in your life who care about you and who you can trust makes a big difference. A long time ago I decided I was only going to spend time with the individuals who made me a better person, the ones who are there for me and the ones who are good honest people. Surrounding yourself with people that make you feel inferior or intimidated is only going to make you feel a whole lot worse.


Be honest with yourself and talk about what scares you.
If you suffer from anxiety be honest with yourself and accept it, it makes it easier to move onto the next steps of getting help. Being honest with the people in your life helps too, I often forget to give people the benefit of the doubt, but you'll be pleasantly surprised about how human we all are.  Fortunately I have a supporting family and partner who help me through everything I throw at them. Although unfortunately I know that not everyone is as lucky, but there are still people out there who want to help. Websites such as anxiety UK have a huge support system in place ready to help anyone who needs it.

Look after YOU!
I've spent a lot of time looking after other people and it's only as I near my mid 20's that I realise I am important too! Looking after yourself if so important for your own welfare, making sure you find the time to do the things you enjoy makes a huge difference to your mood. I find pampering myself and looking after me helps me to focus on things other than the way I'm feeling. Keeping your mind focused and busy just brings a sort of peace that I can't explain.

I'm not going to sit here and preach that you should be eating organic healthy tasteless junk, but you do need to eat. Your body is a machine and without fuel it won't run. Especially if like a lot of people that suffer from anxiety you're not sleeping. Don't stress about what you're eating, when you're feeling the way you are the last thing you need to be worrying about is counting calories! Eat what tastes good and concentrate on your mental state instead.

One thing I would insist on is that alcohol is a no no! It's depressant and in no way will help the way you're feeling. Granted I'm as partial to an alcoholic beverage as much as the next person but certainly in large quantities when I know my anxiety is lurking. It may make you feel warm and fuzzy on the night, but trust me the next week will be so much worse, it's just not worth it.

Focus on the things you enjoy.
When my anxiety is at it's peak, I personally like to be in the safety of my flat, I don't like going out particularly and often I just want to try to relax. I think in moderation this is okay, it's what makes me happy and what makes me feel calm. Finding your 'safe place' is a really good way of controlling your anxiety, it's somewhere you can go where you feel comfortable and able to unwind.

However I also find it important to make sure that when I'm feeling especially awful I don't slip into a routine of never leaving the house. It's what makes you feel isolated and can often lead to depression. I'm not by any means saying it's easy, I know first hand it's not and often I find myself needing to sit and realise I'm not even taking my own advice. But sometimes it's crucial to push yourself, just baby steps at first, perhaps just trying to do one new thing a month, or meeting one new person, trust me it will help, don't let anxiety consume you! Slowly but surely you start to feel more confident and when that grey hazey filter starts to clear, doing these baby steps feels a lot less daunting.

The tiny things like painting my nails, writing a blog post, watching a new series on tv, spending time with my family and friends are what help me day to day. They may seem small but they're what I enjoy and focusing on these things help to take my mind off what I'm feeling.

Find out what's making you feel this way.
It's often hard to establish why it is we feel the way we do. But writing it down is very therapeutic. When all your stresses and worries are swirling around in your head filling you with white noise, it's hard to concentrate on anything else. Writing everything that's on your mind clearly for you to see helps so much. Think of it as taking them out of your mind and throwing them onto a piece of paper instead. It also helps to rationalise the things you're worried about, looking at them in one sentence is far less intimidating that having them float around in your head. I like to make a tick list of all the things that I know are contributing to the way I'm feeling and slowly work through getting rid of them, or taming them at least.

Obviously all of these things are what work for me but I would be overjoyed if I could help at least one person with being honest about what helps me. 

Remember to be proud of who you are; this will not define you. I promise (:
 

Ever so Subtle with Sleek!

Sleek Blush 

(Rose Gold 926)

Sleek is a brand I am totally in love with. I find their products so affordable, yet everything from the packaging to the product itself screams luxury. I don't feel as though I'm buying a 'drugstore' beauty product whatsoever.

I have a couple of the eyeshadow pallets which have been almost used up now, but I purchased this blush recently and felt I had to talk about how beautiful it is! Typically the shade (a dusty pale pink) suggests to me a spring or summer colour. However the rose gold shimmer that is laced throughout is perfect for the Christmas party season.

I find blush buying a bit of a challenge as my skin is SO pale, no matter what time of year it is I always struggle to find shades that are light enough. I've found that with this blush I can give my cheeks a lovely rosy glow without looking liked I've been slapped round the face. However although this is a light pastel shade the colour is buildable if you want a bolder look.

As you can see in this photo, the blush is so subtle, that's what I love most about it, what I want from my blush is just a slight touch of colour. Whats great about this product is the rose gold shimmer running throughout acts as a stunning highlight too. It's basically two products for the price of one! The shimmer isn't too overbearing either which makes it a great daytime product as well as one for parties. Priced at just £4.49 from Boots this little blush really is a steal! As its 3 for 2 in Boots stores right now I would recommend purchasing two beauty products you've been lusting after and throwing this one in as the freebie, you won't regret it!

Skincare Saviours!

These three little gems are my saviours when it comes to dry skin. Unfortunately my skin HATES the winter. With the freezing winter creeping its way in, heating gets cranked up at home/shops/on the bus, practically everywhere we set foot, obviously this is extremely drying for the skin. Not to mention the wind and cold weather, all of these factors send my skin crazy. I also find myself wanting a cup of hot chocolate rather than a pint of water, so I end up drinking less fluid, but lets face it who actually has time to drink enough water to keep their skin fully hydrated? After years of trying to find a combination of products that work, I've finally found 3 that go hand in hand.

Dermalogica 'Daily Microfoliant'

I start with the Dermalogica 'Daily Microfoliant', I keep this in my shower and use it around twice a week depending on how often I feel I need it. I love this stuff because its not the same as your average exfoliant. It actually comes out the tube as a powder, sort of like a salt shaker. The powder then reacts upon contact with water, so be careful if you keep it in your shower that you don't get any water into the bottle as this will mess up the whole product. All you need is about half a teaspoons worth in the palm of your hand, add a few drops of water to the powder and mix it into a paste, then exfoliate as usual.

The paste is a million times more gentle than other products that claim to do the same thing. It doesn't have any grit, which effectively makes tiny abrasions in the skin - break out alert! By causing these tiny scratches on the skin it leaves a golden opportunity for any bacteria to creep in. I know a chemical exfoliant sounds scary but I have extremely sensitive skin and have had absolutely no reactions to this product. It's left my skin feeling softer, brighter and smoother. It even includes Grapefruit and Licorice which helps to balance uneven skin pigmentation as well as Green Tea, Ginkgo and Colloidal Oatmeal to help calm the skin, leaving it feeling clear and refreshed. I can honestly say I haven't found a product that does the job better!

 Origins 'Make a Difference'

 (Skin rejuvenating treatment lotion)

This product works as a skin rejuvenating treatment lotion, it reminds me of a toner. I find this is a great way to add some extra moisture to the skin, it also feels really refreshing on the face and helps to remove any makeup that a cleanser may have missed. As it's a very light liquid I would recommend using a cotton pad to apply it to the face. Its a nice way to prep the skin before putting on a daily moisturiser. Unfortunately it is a little on the pricey side, so although I would like to use it everyday I normally restrict myself to about 4 times a week.

 

 Origins 'Drink Up Intensive' 

 (An overnight mask to quench skin's thirst)

This little beauty is my favourite by far! A miracle product! As it's an overnight moisture mask, the consistency is thicker than the average moisturiser, although it doesn't feel heavy at all. I like it as it's incredibly easy and non time consuming. All you have to do is apply a thin layer before you go to bed, when you wake up your skin feels gorgeous and rehydrated, there's no messing around with having to wash it off again. I find this is especially lovely at this time of year, often face masks irritate my skin but this one has been a dream. 

I would highly recommend these products to anyone that suffers from dry skin. However this last product can feel ever so slightly greasy so I wouldn't recommend it to anyone that is prone to very oily skin.

Adventures in America

(Yosemite National Park)

Finally the time has come where have been able to sit for longer than 5 minutes to start something I have wanted to do for while. An important person in my life taught me that passion is exciting, inspiring and absolutely everywhere. Whether it's Music, Fashion, Art...or even Maths, if it's what gets you out of bed in the morning then it's got to count for something. So, I figured, what better way to share these things than on the ever expanding, ever terrifying, internet.

I thought I'd go with something lighthearted and to be honest pretty b-e-a-utiful. I was lucky enough to travel to America with my wonderful partner in crime this summer and we saw some truly spectacular things. We travelled from San Diego to LA, San Fran, Monterey, Yosemite and Vegas. All of this in just over 3 weeks, it was honestly one of the best things I have ever done, I'm so appreciative that I had the opportunity to go.

(Yosemite National Park)

This view we happened to stumble across by accident, Yosemite is like a maze to drive, especially if you're used to driving on the other side of the road and your sat nav is having a melt down. We ended up driving past this spot purely by accident, but I'm SO glad we did. The picture doesn't do it justice, it was mountains for miles and miles. Unfortunately due to the awful forest fires (cry) we were unable to do as much exploring as we'd have liked. But it was beautiful nonetheless.

(En route to Big Sur)

 We were lucky enough to hire a car for most of the trip, which meant listening to Disco and actively trying to avoid veering into the wrong lane. Some of the best parts of the adventure were spontaneous pit stops, I always think its the little things that make a trip memorable. For example...

(Elephant Seals)

We came across these ridiculous idiots on our way to Monterey (one of my favourite places we visited). I genuinely thought they were rocks when we walked over to them. Although they were all cuddled up which was a little heart warming. Even if they do just look like big jelly monsters. (Also they always look as though they're really content. Maybe being a jelly monster wouldn't be so bad?)

There were so many other fantastic things we got to see and do, but some memories are better just left in your head I think. 

That same special person who has inspired me throughout my life also shared my love of this poem by Emily Dickinson. Unfortunately neither are with us anymore, but what should crop up in an aquarium in America of all places? The phrase that always has and always will remind me of his influence forever, they're always there. Even if you can't bring yourself to believe it.

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.