The Eden Project

Not long ago i visited The Eden Project as part of my coursework for college and had such a great time i thought i should share it with all of you. I love seeing these types of post and i really love sharing them too. Visiting The Eden Project was such a great experience and I'm so glad i was lucky enough to go! 

The Eden Project is all about sustainability for the future with facts and figures all dotted around, but this definitely isn't a high school geography type of thing, the displays art thought provoking and really do inspire you to do something about it. I mainly visited for the plants and colours as thats what my course is about but there was so much more to see than that, the biomes were so interesting and unique and a once in a lifetime experience, unless you go there again that is. The biomes are the largest in Europe too so you're definitely not going to find better elsewhere! 

All of the staff at The Eden Project were so lovely and helpful with an upbeat spirit and can-do attitude, they really went the extra mile to help you out and keep you happy! The food as well was also to die for, it all looked amazing and tasted so yummy as well as being sustainably sourced! I really loved my trip to The Eden Project and i really want to go back again! Have any of you ever visited?

Carmex Strawberry Lip Balm

During the past couple of weeks i was incredibly ill and as a result ended up with very dry, brittle and cracked lips. This lead me on my mission to find something which could help me restore them and i ended up purchasing a Carmex Strawberry Lip Balm. Ill let the following speak for itself.

Im hugely fussy when it comes to lip balms and the results i want to see from them, but i am willing to try many different types to see if i get the desired effect and this is when Carmex came into my life. I chose the strawberry flavoured one as i felt it would be better than the original but even this had a weird chemical smell to it. The texture of this again, weird. Its thick, it looks solid when you squeeze it out of the tube and takes a little bit of working in to get it to spread evenly over the lips, this is when you notice the scent the most. Its not a very pleasant scent but you could probably put up with it if it was actually any good at looking after your lips. After about half an hour of wearing this i noticed that my lips were feeling very dry so i applied some more. Then after a further hour of waiting my lips were flaking, dry and sore. Definitely not something you want from a moisturising lip balm. 

Overall i think this is not really worth purchasing, its a disappointing product and doesnt do what it says either. It may just be that my lips dont work well with this product but I'm not going to purchase this again, nor am i going to continue using this! Sorry for the negative review but i hadn't seen many reviews of this out there and i thought this needed to be said before anyone else had the same problem as me! 

Wish You Were Here

Apologies for the lack of posts last week, i had an incredibly busy schedule and just couldnt find any time to write them up, I'm aiming for that not to happen again though! Im just really loving wearing pink on my nails at the moment so when i popped into topshop and saw this, i knew i simply just had to have it. Im dont own many Topshop nail polishes but this looked so pretty that it wouldn't matter if i liked it or not. Luckily for me its brilliant!

Topshop // Wish You Were Here Nail Polish // £6

First of all i have to say that the formula of this an absolute dream to work with, I'm fairly fussy with how i like the formula to be but this hits the nail on the head. It doesnt apply streaky but its fairly sheer although a second coat completely solves this. The little white flecks spread evenly throughout so theres no fussing about trying to get a nice coverage. While the brush isn't the biggest or of the best quality its easy to use and doesnt hold too much polish so you dont end up with too much polish on your nails.

The colour of this is absolutely gorgeous once applied, its such a pretty, pastel pink with a slight shine to it and the white flecks add a really lovely touch to them. Its definitely going to be my new everyday shade as its just such an easy colour to wear and so complimentary on the nails and to the skin. 

Overall i really love this nail polish and its definitely one of the better ones from the topshop range!

The Fault In Our Stars

When i was little i used to read all the time. I'd always have a book in my arms and would frequently stay up till the early hours of the morning finishing off books. When i went to high school though this all changed as i found myself having far less time to read and far more work than i knew what to do with. Since leaving school and attending college i set it upon myself to start reading more than i had while i was at high school which was one book in four years so it's not particularly hard to beat.

I picked up The Fault In Our Stars last summer when it was still a very much hyped over book but never really got around to reading it until the christmas holidays and even then it was only in short bursts. Recently though, over the past few weeks I've been finding that i haven't been sleeping well so instead of scrolling through twitter before bed i turned my phone off and picked up the John Green book that we all know and love.

This book isn't the kind of book i would typically go for, I'm more into murder mysteries and suspense books but this for whatever reason really got to me. John Green is an effective author who uses flawless techniques to create a sense of realism within the book, making it more of a diary of a friend than a book by an author. The story while sad and inevitable is gripping until the very last page and leaves you feeling slightly lost without having anything more to read.

I really enjoyed reading this book and its something id recommend to anyone, even if you're not an avid reader. It really is a heart warming, easy going book thats sure to catch a few hearts along the way. 

Mini Topshop & Primark Haul

I recently picked up a few things on my trip to to town and i thought some of them were too pretty to not share with you! I also got a really pretty piercing which I'm so excited to share with you all, but that won't be for a little while yet. Anyway, I'm only going to show you the things i bought from Topshop and Primark as they're the only things i bought for myself, hence it only being a mini haul! 

Topshop // Nail Polish // Wish You Were Here // £6

I first popped into Topshop as id heard about their 20% student discount which i believe has now ended, none of the clothing in there really took my fancy but i couldn't resist heading over to the makeup section where i found this really gorgeous pastel pink glitter polish. The shade is called Wish You Were Here and has little white hexagonal glitter pieces in it which makes it really lovely and unique. Im loving wearing pink on my nails at the moment so this is the perfect addition to my collection. 

Next i visited Primark as a shopping trip isn't complete with a little browse in there! I first picked up this earring set for £2. I love Primark earring as they're so cheap and they have so many different designs. Im the type of girl who when they take a pair of studs out they tend to never be seen again, so sets like this are great for me. The second thing i bought in here was this gorgeous daisy print bikini for £4, i really loved the pattern and colours and thought it would be good for lazy days at the beach. This bikini fits so nicely too and is such a bargain! 

I didn't buy too much but i hope you liked seeing what i got! 

The Beauty Cards

I think everybody knows about loyalty cards now but does everybody really know how to make the most of them. I've been using loyalty cards for a good few years now and found some of the best ways to get benefits from them. Im sure everyone will at least one of these in their but i hope i can provide some handy tips on getting the most out of them! 

The Boots Advantage Card: This is my favourite card and the card i use the most as it is so rewarding. Like any other point card when you spend in store you earn points back and with Boots you get 4 points for every £1 spent but they regularly have offers where you can gain more! They also have a Treat Street option where when you spend online you can earn points back at a reduced rate, this is great if like me you shop online a lot or buy a lot of tickets through The Trainline! The only downside to this is that you have to have the full amount of the product you're buying in points to buy it, which is a bit of a pain for those more expensive items! But hey, its still better than nothing..

The Superdrug Beauty Card: This is probably one of the least rewarding cards but is still useful to have as you do still earn points on it. When you use this card you earn 1 point per full pound spent meaning to get £1 back you'll have to spend £100. If you do shop there a lot though or if you find yourself in there buying lunch every day like i do then the points do begin to stack up just not as quickly as you'd like! 

The Body Shop Love Your Body Card: I only recently signed up to this card as i was in The Body Shop looking for gifts for various friends and family members. As i was spending rather a lot the girl behind the counter started telling me about the Love Your Body card and how if i signed up to it today then I'd get 10% off this and all future purchases, the card did cost £5 but i saved over £10 anyway so it was a worthwhile investment. It is a huge enabler to spend in The Body Shop though! With a Love Your Body card you get 10% off every transaction and if you register your card online you can use it there as well, you also get a £5 off voucher when its your birthday month, how lovely. With every purchase over £10 you can collect a stamp and with 4 stamps you get a free product worth up to £5 and with 8 stamps you get a free product worth up to £10, certainly a useful idea if you tend to spend a lot in there!

The Debenhams Beauty Club Card: This is one of my least used cards but it can come in handy at times! It lets you collect points when you spend in store on beauty or fragrance. It also allows you to get free makeovers and consultations at skincare counters as well as getting free gifts and samples and a free brow wax with Benefit for your birthday! The only downside to this is that if you dont use your Beauty Club Card for 24 months then you lose your points balance completely and you have to start again. A bit of an incentive to shop there methinks! 

The House Of Fraser Recognition Reward Card: Although its not so much a beauty card, its still a reward card and a useful one at that! You only get 1 point per pound spent but with some of the prices in House Of Fraser these quickly add up as you can earn them on anything in the store, not just beauty! 

So this is the list of my beauty cards and i hope this has been useful to some of you, after all, whats better than being able to spend your points and getting something absolutely free? 

Pamper Evening Routine

Every so often I feel like i need a little break where i can just pamper myself and have a lovely relaxing evening in without any other disturbances from the world. I find it really beneficial when I've had a long week at college and work and think its just a really lovely way to end the day. My routine is a little long winded but it covers a lot of things that i dont normally do due to either lack of time or energy so here we go!

To start my evening, like many others I run myself a hot bath and light a few candles; i have a habit of knocking over my candles into the bath so I've settled for just keeping little tea lights in the corners and along the window sill. The tea lights i bought were from Primark and came in a pack with three colours for £1.50, they were such a bargain and smell so good! I then use the Flake Shake Cocoa Swirl from bath and body works, in the bath and just let it fizzle until its done, this is so nice on the skin and smells lovely too. While this is all happening i sit at the edge of my bath and take off all my makeup and nail polish using the Simple Kind To Skin Exfoliating Wipes and the Sally Hansen Strengthening Nail Polish Remover; I use these because they both prepare me for a nice relaxing bath after doing the strenuous removing before hand.

For my bath I've got a few products which I find myself reaching for more and more often due to either the amazing smell or the gorgeous packaging. If I'm feeling really motivated I use the I Love Shower Smoothie in Coconut & Cream all over my body as its a nice soft exfoliator which isn't too harsh on the skin, i also use the Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash as its really gentle and soothing on the skin, leaving it feeling so fresh and soft. On my face i use the Soap & Glory Peaches And Clean Purifying Cleanser as i find it to be gentle enough to not harm my skin yet still have results. On my hair i don't have a specific shampoo and conditioner set but at the moment I'm really loving the Alberto Balsam Sun Kissed Raspberry Shampoo and Conditioner pair, they smell so fruity and just leave me feeling lovely and refreshed.

Once I'm out of the shower i put my hair up in a towel and chuck on a dressing gown, my white fluffy one is my favourite, and settle down on my bed with my fluffy blanket. I like to keep it simple from here and use the Body Shops Chocomania Body Butter this has the most gorgeous smell and makes my skin feel so soft and nourished. Whilst this sinks in i apply the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm and start prepping my nails by using the LUSH Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter and shaping my nails. I then paint them with a nail polish and in this instance i used the Barry M Textured Nail Effect Polish in Lady, its so gorgeous and makes my nails feel all pretty and delicate! When I'm done with all this is like to change into my pyjamas and tuck myself into bed with a hot chocolate with marshmallows and cream and watching TV, I'm really loving 90210 at the moment!

Girlz Only Dry Shampoo

Im a huge lover of dry shampoos but lately Batiste just hasn't been cutting it, i found my hair looking limp and lifeless and it was less hassle to just wash it instead of faffing around with the Batiste. When I was shopping in Tesco with my dad i spotted the Girlz Only Dry Shampoo and thought it would be a cheap alternative to Batiste, and if it didn't work i wasn't exactly wasting much money. 

Girlz Only Dry Shampoo // Hazy Days // Tesco // £1.50

I  didn't really have high hopes for this dry shampoo because of how annoyingly childish the name is and how cheap it was, but i was pleasantly surprised! I tend to use dry shampoo on second and third day hair, if i ever go three days without washing my hair that is, but it worked whenever i needed it. I generally do a light spritz all over my roots and massage it in with my fingers and find that thats enough for me to walk out of the house with fresh looking hair.

This sprays on really well and doesn't leave the white residue that some others can and has a lovely refreshing aroma to it, almost like deodorant for your hair.. what a lovely image Anya. Its super light and refreshing for your hair leaving it with a lovely shine and a lot of volume, perfect for such a tiny price tag!

Overall this is a really good product at a great price and well worth trying out. Its replaced all my other dry shampoos and is definitely going to be my new go to dry shampoo! have you tried anything from the Girlz Only range yet? Id love to know your thoughts!

Whats In My: Everyday Bag

Its safe to say that I've been wanting to do this post for a while but I've never really gotten round to doing it, or I've left something somewhere that i normally have so i couldnt possibly have done it, but on this lovely sunny afternoon i thought i'd take the plunge and go ahead and document it. I'm the type of girl who carries their life in their handbag as i want to be prepared for everything and as the title says, this is my everyday bag and includes everything that i could possibly need on a daily basis. Hope you enjoy!

The Bag // Matalan // I bought this bag about 7 months ago now because i thought the mottled effect was gorgeous and I've just fallen completely in love with it since! It holds all my stuff and has a handy zip on it too so it keeps all my stuff safe.

2014 Planner // Paperchase // Ive already featured this on my blog before but without it i would be utterly lost. I owe my life to this planner as without it i'd be useless!

Art Deco Cut Out Purse // River Island // This was a treat from my dad for passing my assessments, i fell in love with this when i saw it online in cream but i couldnt find it again when i had the money so i waited and this gorgeous one came up instead.

Sunglasses & Case // Matalan // These were cheap and pretty, i needed something for my walk home from work and these were my favourite Matalan had to offer!

Lucozade // Strawberry Tic Tacs // We all need some pink food and drink in our life right?!

Raspberry Born Lippy // The Body Shop // This smells so lovely and just lives in the bottom of my bag, i somehow haven't managed to lose this one yet! 

Makeup Bag // Boots // I know its dirty but its well used and I'm far too lazy to hand wash it, after all it does the job. The floral pattern is just too pretty.

 Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse // Boots // I use this as a concealer because i find it covers so well but is just too thick for foundation. 

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder // Boots // I dont think i really need to justify this one.. my holy grail powder! 

17 Back Lash Mascara // Boots // A brilliant mascara for quick touch ups when I'm on the go and the packaging is gorgeous! 

Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeliner // Boots // Having such great pigment this is perfect for topping up my eyeliner if it ever starts to fade or gets smudged.

Black Sketchbook // The Range // Im an art student.. What can i say?

Learning Journal // Handmade // Im a poor art student too.. 

Paintbrush // Pencil // Rubber

Floral Pens // Paperchase // My favourite pens in existence, so good for drawing and the come with such lovely designs. Ill never do back to using normal BIC Biros again! 

So this is just what i keep in my bag on a daily basis, minus all the food wrappers. I hope you've enjoyed this post! Leave me a link to yours if you've done one similar id love to check it out!

Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter

Im not sure if anybody else is noticing but lately the LUSH posts on my blog have been increasing in frequency and quite frankly I'm loving it! Im always sceptical of LUSH due to their prices but everything i've tried has worked miracles and this is no different. Don't get me wrong I'm not completely selling out for the sake of a blog post and i still think their bath bombs are ridiculously overpriced compared to other similar shops, but their other products are absolutely fabulous!

Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter // LUSH // £6.50

Let me start by saying this product smells amazing, i was previously a bit worried about this as i had seen some people saying it smelled a bit chemically but mine certainly isn't like that. Think Refreshers crossed with Lemon Sherbet; its absolutely gorgeous. I find myself just sitting here smelling it on a regular basis.. Thats not weird, i promise. 

I tend to apply this before i go to bed as its quite thick and takes a while to sink in so it works best this way for me. To use this i simply put a bit on the end of my finger and rub it into and around my cuticles until theres no more visible residue left over. It still feels a little oily for a while but after it sinks in I'm left with the softest, almost respectable looking cuticles. If you've ever seen any of my Nail Of The Day posts then you'll know how bad they normally are! This has taken my cuticles from looking dry, cracked and unloved to something i should be proud of. This has made such a huge difference and is definitely going to be a staple within my skincare routine.

Have you ever tried this from LUSH? What did you think of it? Id love to know!