Today the Beast from the East returns! Jared has been telling me all week that it was going to snow this weekend. I was listening but I was just like 'yeah that's nice, it's not really going to snow again'. 

Even when it started snowing yesterday and we had a small dusting I didn't think we were going to get anymore than that. So when I woke up this morning to a good couple of inches of snow I was pretty surprised!

When it snowed a few weeks ago, it was so cold and the wind so strong that it was a battle just to walk up to my parents house (through waist high drifts), look after the horses and wade back through the drifts home again. I didn't have the energy for enjoying the snow other than a brief snowball fight. 

So today we have actually had fun with it. I've been up to my parents house and we have done something we haven't done since we were kids. We went what we like to call Bonneting. Sounds mad? That's cos it is. 

We have the bonnet off of one of our old cars that we hitch up with a long piece of rope to whatever vehicle we have capable of towing it, take it out into the field and it makes an excellent sled. 

Then you basically go donuting in the 4x4 and swing the bonnet at high speed. It sounds crazy but its incredibly fun. The more you do it, the more you flatten the snow like an ice rink and the faster you go. 

So that's what we like to do when it snows, regular sledding is too dull. Gotta make the most of that farm life ;)

When we finally came back inside to warm up my sister made us hot chocolate (have I mentioned her hot chocolate is the stuff of legend?) and cookies to warm up with. Mmmmmnnn.

Now I plan to spend the rest of my Sunday relaxing while I get over the illness that has bugged me for the past few days ready to start the rest of the week. 

Hope you're also enjoying the snow! 

Thanks to my Mum and Tiggy for the pictures :)

Crete 2015

Hello everyone!

I'm sorry for my unexpected break from blogging but sometimes you just need to take a step back to regroup and feel refreshed with it.

I've recently come back from the trip of a lifetime to Crete with my boyfriend Jared and would love to share some of the pictures with you guys.

We started our trip by catching a late train to Gatwick in order to catch a 6am flight. The joy of being a poor student and getting cheap flights. After an hour delay of just sitting on the run way doing nothing we finally got going and 4 hours later we were arriving in Chania.

We were staying with my late Grandads fiance Audrey who kindly came to meet us at the air port. We collected our hire car and I had to learn very quickly how to drive on the wrong side of the road, on the wrong side of the car on absolutely INSANE roads.

Luckily I soon got to grips with it and we had an incredible time. We spent a day exploring Chania and enjoyed walking round the Venetian Harbour, eating lunch over looking the sea. We were staying in the mountains in the west of the island and I was a pro on the mountain roads by the time we left.
Other adventures included exploring the Aya Sofia church, spending lots of days at the idyllic Elafonisi beach snorkeling with loads of fish and relaxing with a book overlooking the mountains.

After an amazing 8 days living in a tiny undiscovered village where the rural way of live still survives it was sadly time to leave it behind. I drove our trusty car 300km to Heraklion which is the islands capital city. Here we spent two days visiting the archeological museum as well as Crete's most famous site: The Minoan Palace at Knossos. While not as pictursque as Chania the city was well worth the trip.

An 11.30pm flight meant we got back to the raining UK at an eyewatering 1.30am. Luckily I had managed to get a cheap deal at the Hilton hotel which is directly attached to the terminal so we were able to go straight to sleep.

Crete has totally captured my heart and I really hope I get to go back someday.

When is the right time to do something?

Now I'm in my third year at uni this question surrounds me constantly. I'm no longer a carefree freshers who's major concern is working out how much I can drink and still make it to my 9am lecture. And its not just me, its my friends too. We're no longer stressing about how we're going to do all the things we want but rather WHEN is the right time to do them.

I know one day I want to explore the world a bit more. But when should I do it? Do I get it all out the way in a year long trip after I graduate? Sounds amazing but I have no money to do that, so I guess I need to get a job. But once I have a job heading off on such an adventure would probably ruin my career. So just how am I going to make this dream work?

Another major goal of mine is to one day own a house. I've lived in rented housing for three years now and I don't see that situation changing anytime soon. Its ok, but I would like to have something that is actually mine. I want to be able to do things as simple as change the wall colour or hang a picture without having to ask first. But most of all I want to feel settled somewhere, to create my own home and to feel it is my own personal sanctuary. I'm desperate to unleash that nesting urge women seem to have and put my own personal stamp onto something. So I guess I am going to have to get a job and save damn hard if I want to make this one work. But when is the right time to actually say you want to put some roots down and start building your life?

Most difficult of all when is the right time to have children? If I'm being honest this is my only major life goal I have. But ask anyone and they all have different opinions on whens the right time in your life to embrace this enormous change and responsibility. I've got friends who already have children and those that are shocked at the thought of having kids before they are 30. I think I'm probably somewhere in the middle of those two but even so I have no idea if or when there will ever be a time when I'm ready. I don't think its fair to have children if you are not able to support them. But will I ever get to that stage before the biological clock has stopped altogether? With a family history of early onset menopause it is definitely something I need to be thinking about.

These worries keep me up at night sometimes. This is the big stuff that I actually really want. And it scares me that I have no idea if its even possible to achieve all of it. And because its what I want I think its worth giving it some thought. I'm starting to see that stressing about it endlessly won't help either. I have no idea what the future holds and my current situation might change dramatically. I might win the lottery or get some amazing job that will allow me to afford these things easily. I guess I just need to wait and see what happens and try to ignore the pressure society puts on us to 'have it all figured out'.

Also, in all honesty though I am not sure there is ever a 'right' time to do anything and if you are determined to wait for it then you might never achieve anything. Sometimes you just have to go with it and take the risk. That I guess is the tricky part and the point I am trying to make with this post. You just need to decide if you want it enough to try.

For now, I am going to focus on finishing my 3rd year at uni and going on holiday to Crete. These are all baby steps towards what I want in the long term. The rest of it will just have to work itself out.

Picture

My first ever pedicure

So a few days ago I had a pedicure for the first time ever. As a student this might sound like a ridiculous luxury and it is certainly not something I can afford to do all the time. However it was such a lovely treat and a really nice way to relax and pamper myself before the boat party that it was totally worth it.

I went to Maddisons Nail and Beauty in Southampton and I cannot believe I have been walking past this place for the last 2 years! Conveniently located on Portswood High Street and right between Costa and Sprinkles making it ideal for a catch up with your friends as you can go for an ice cream/coffee after. Plus they also offer a student discount (even better).


The whole trip was actually my friend Abbis idea and I am so glad she invited me. The interior is gorgeous in soft muted greys making the place feel really fresh and light. The girls who did our nails were lovely and gave the most incredible foot rub. My feet felt so soft and clean after I hardly wanted to put them back in my gross old Converse.

Apologies for the gross picture of my feet but I just wanted to show you how pretty and shiny the result was. I went for a shellac pedicure in a classic red so hopefully it will last a long time. I am thrilled with the result as my feet look so healthy and smooth.Afterwards Abbi and I went and had ice cream for breakfast (obvs) before heading off home to get ready for our night out.

Gonna have to start saving my money because I would love to treat myself again at some point in the future.

Are high end beauty products worth it?

Over the last year or so my love for make up has increased ten fold. I'm not sure when this change occurred exactly but I suddenly realised how creative you could be with it and its gradually become the best part of my morning routine.
Since becoming a blogger I read a fair few blogs and a lot of these feature make up reviews. While this is not an area I personally want to get into I do find other peoples opinions and experiences of products to be extremely helpful. I'm much more likely to try a product if someone else has already bought it and loved it.
However one thing I have noticed is a lot of bloggers tend to focus on very high end brands and this has lead me to question are these products worth the money?
Generally in life I would agree with the statement that you get what you pay for. Those Primark shoes you got for £4 will probably fall apart but a £60 pair from Zara probably won't. But is it the same with make up?

Does a higher price equal a better product?

In my experience a lot of the time the high end product ends up being of better quality than the cheaper option, but this should be a no brainer. After all you are paying a lot more money, the product SHOULD be better. The question is more whether there is a significant enough difference to justify the extra cash. This is a tricky thing to decide and much depends on the individual product in question.
This is where beauty blogs come in handy for make up newbies like myself as the people who write these blogs have a passion for make up. By writing their blog they try a wide range of products and are better equipped to make a good comparison than someone like me with limited experience. Sometimes there are really good alternatives out there and you could potentially save yourself loads of money. Like most things by doing a little research you can make an informed decision as to which product is best for you.

Are you buying the product or the brand?

Like with everything fashions and trends change endlessly and it can feel like there is endless pressure from social media (including blogs) to keep up. Are you buying the product just because the brand on the packaging will make you look cool? Or because its a 'cult classic'? I actually don't think there's much wrong with enjoying something that lots of other people like. After all, its popular for a reason so there is a strong chance you will like it too. If wearing your Ruby Woo lipsticks makes you feel fierce and strut your stuff like the badass bitch you are then you should definitely get it. But I don't think you should buy it purely because everyone else has. Buy it because YOU like it.

Are you paying for the packaging?

A lot of high end brands have gorgeous packaging, ranging from girly and adorable to chic and sophisticated (looking at you Chanel). But are you forking out the extra money for the pot in comes in? The packaging is there to try and suck you in and could potentially house a substandard product. Equally some of the less snazzy looking drugstore versions can be amazing. There's nothing worse than buying something you really like but it doesn't work. If you love the actual product itself then buy it regardless of how it looks. If it happens to look stunning as well (no matter what it costs) then consider that a bonus.

Are you actually going to use it?

When it comes to choosing whether to splurge or save I personally think it depends on the useage you will get out of the product. Is it only ever going to get the occasional use or will you wear it everyday? Items that you will use day in, day out are worth investing in as you get good value for money. Make up has a shelf life and theres no point spending £30 on a lipstick you only wear five times a year. However if you invest that in a shade you wear twice a week that lipstick only costs you 30p each time you wear it.
You could argue its too expensive to wear these things everyday but I think its better value to treat yourself to your best products and get the maximum use out of them. If you never wear it then the product was a waste of money regardless of how much it cost.

So how do you make a good decision?

Over the years I think I have actually wasted far more money on cheaper products that I don't like than I have ever spent on more expensive ones. The lower price encourages impulse buying and I am guilty of just thinking 'What the hell, its only £3.99'. But this adds up if you consistently purchase items that don't suit you and that you don't actually like.
Sometimes taking a risk is good but I would never spend loads of money on a product I am unsure of. I never thought I would like a dark vampy lipstick so I dipped my toe in with a £5 Rimmel one and I love it. But taking a risk style wise is not the same as just buying stuff without considering if its right for you.
So far I have never purchased a high end product I don't really love. When I know that I am about to spend a fair bit of cash I make careful decisions. I research the product, I read reviews, I watch videos and most importantly I always try it first. If it doesn't make me feel like a goddess then I don't buy it.
Respect the need to experiment in order to learn. But you will make better decisions if you take your time to think about it regardless of how much money your are spending.

So overall are they worth it?

I believe make up is all about how it makes us feel about ourselves. It helps us put on a the face we wish to present to the world regardless of how we feel inside. That extra confidence is priceless and can truly change the way we are perceived by others. Buy the one that suits you, works for you and makes you feel good. You have only wasted your money if you buy it to please others regardless of whether you spent £5 or £50.

Things that have made me happy this week

Its been a really busy week for me and I'm pretty tired from it. I'm currently working every weekend and its really starting to take its toll, particularly as I am not very well at the moment with a really bad chest and throat. Poor little me I know.
However because its been a busy week theres been a fair bit going on and theres plenty of stuff thats made me happy.

1. On Wednesday I headed off to London with my Dad for a family party. I hardly ever go to London and its actually been two years since I was last there! The party was for my Dads cousins (so my second cousin?) 50th birthday and we went with my Grandad, two of my Aunts and one of my cousins and it was really nice to spend some time with them. I've never really met much of my Irish family and it was nice to meet some new people.
Also I always enjoy an excuse to get dolled up and I wore a black pencil dress with flats because I couldn't be bothered to walk all over London in heels. It was so much fun and I am really glad I made the effort to go.

2. This party seemed like a great opportunity to try out some of my newest beauty buys. I was so impressed with them that they made me happy enough to warrant their own point on this list. However I had to get ready to leave Southampton at midday and the party was from 7pm to 11pm. Therefore I needed my make up to stay put all day.  For anyone who is interested here is a quick rundown of my #MOTD. It felt odd putting all this slap on my face in the middle of the day as I don't really wear much during the day normally. 
After my usual Clinique skincare routine I used Clinqiue Universal Superprimer followed by Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation and Concealer in Alabaster. Not entirely sure how my olive skin is considered Alabaster but this is a surprisingly good match for me.
Over the top of this I used Clinique Stay Matt in 101 Invisible Matt. For my cheeks I used Clinique All Over Bloom blush in Peony and Seventeens Shimmer Brick in Pink Bronze. For my eyes I used Urban Decays Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original, with my new Soap and Glory Supercat eyeliner alongside my Naked 3 eyeshadow palette. I finished this off with my Benefit Rollerlash mascara. Finishing touches were my eyebrows done in my Rimmel Pencil and my favorite Clinique Long Last Lipstick in So Sweet.
 Apart from lipstick touch ups and a quick repowder of my shiny nose my make up lasted ALL NIGHT. Yes thats right. I put it on at 12pm and and I took it off at 2am when I got home and it had not budged a bit. Thats 14 hours. Usually by the end of the night my make up is all over the place. I am crediting the two primers I used. You seriously need them in your life.
Excuse the poor quality of the selfie. There was wine involved by the time I thought to take a picture.

3. After this party on Wednesday I was feeling naughty and decided I couldn't be bothered to go back to uni. Yes I know, I'm a bad person. But I don't care. I spent Thursday just chilling on the sofa (nursing my hangover) and I've got to be at home for 4 lovely days with my crazy family. I literally love them so much.

4. Seeing our new kittens, they are just so cute! They've got their eyes open now and are just starting to try to walk around. Its impossible not to be happy while holding a newborn kitten in your hand. I've been taking so many pictures of them and sending them to my friends to make them jealous. Not feeling any guilt about it either, I mean can you even believe how CUTE they are?

5. Its Bonus time at Boots at the moment and I've grabbed myself some great Clinique Products. I love the chance bonus time gives you to try new products that you might not have necessarily chosen for yourself. I am loving the blusher and the Chubby stick eyeshadow and I think they make a great spring look. I wore them both to work on Friday and they made me feel so on it. I mean get me, coordinating my make up to the seasons. My only complaint is I wish Clinque would let you tailor the products to your skin type. The Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion is just too rich for my oily skin and I wish I had the option of exchanging it for the gel version (which I LOVE). But overall I love the bag that this came in and I was also really impressed with the mascara. Its the perfect size for my handbag too. Get yourself down to Boots and get one for yourself, you won't be dissapointed!

6. This weekend I managed to drive Jasper for the first time since Christmas and he was such a good boy. I think I should get extra dedication points as I was feeling really poorly and going outside in the cold was the last thing I wanted to do. This sport has been such a big part of my life over the last 13 years and its makes me sad that because of uni I can't devote as much time to it. It was so nice to get back to it though and I'm going to make a determined effort to try and squeeze it in around work and uni.

Things that have made me Happy this week.

Since I've started this blog I have found writing these posts on happiness to be particularly helpful. It gives me time to take stock of the week that has just passed and encourages me to be grateful for my life. It can be easy to get caught up in todays pressures from social media to be 'better than everyone else'. But really I am becoming happier to go my own path and to enjoy things just because I like them. Not because I've been told to by the media.
This self reflection is good for my overall happiness. Funny how writing about happiness is somehow making me happier, but there you go.

1. This week I decided to try out something called the Pink Parcel which is where they send you everything you need to make your period less of a torture each month. They have a great introductory offer as well, which was what persuaded me to give it a go. The website is easy to use and you get to choose your normal tampons/towels. The whole process took a few minutes and before I knew it I had an email to say my parcel was dispatched. The packaging is discreet and the box inside is a gorgeous muted grey with pink.
Inside you will find your tampons in little matching boxes and a small drawstring bag to put in your handbag. There is also some delightful goodies and this months box contained a face mask, nail file, lip balm, eyeshadow palette and brush.
There is also some chocolate and a herbal tea bag for you to relax with and pamper yourself. I am so impressed and I had a long bath with my facemask on. You should definitely give it a go!

2. Its Clinique Bonus time at John Lewis at the moment and I popped in to get some more Instant Foaming Cleanser. At the same time I picked up a new Chubby Stick Intense in Mightiest Maraschino which is a brilliant red colour. I've found this to be a great alternative to wearing lipstick as it has the same colour intensity but a lovely light feel.
With this came a little bag of bonus time goodies that you got to choose from a selection. I absolutely love this idea as sometimes the bonus time products aren't really suitable for me but this means you get real value out of your freebies.
As well as the Smart Serum (which I've wanted to try for ages!) and the new Aromatics in White fragrance (which is lovely) I also picked up the new Repairwear Sculpting face and eye creams. The face cream is a gel which is perfect for my oily skin and the eye cream glides on so smoothly. I also got a bright pink nail varnish and a chubby stick in whopping watermelon. Felt very smug and satisfied with my haul. Go me!

3. Made some progress on sorting out where I am going to live next year and the girls I am potentially going to live with seem really nice. Spent a nice afternoon with them chatting and eating cookies. Finding somewhere to live as a student is really stressful and it would be great if I could get this sorted.

4. My Mum has decided to pass down some of her rings to me and my sisters this week and my one is absolutely beautiful. Its an opal with sapphires and it has to be one of the nicest things anyone has ever given me. Big thanks to my Mummy! Maybe one day if I have a little girl I might give it to her as it is such a special gift. I will always treasure it.

5. Spent several evenings this week cuddled up on the sofa under the duvet with a cup of tea watching Harry Potter. I bloody love HP and its such a great way to unwind. It literally never fails to cheer me up. Yep I realise this made the list last week too. That's how much I love it.

6. I did something a bit different this week and went to watch my Unis 'Strictly Come Dancing' competition. I admit I only went because two of my friends were competing and I am so proud to say they won! I've never been to watch anything like this before and surprised myself by really enjoying it. Its encouraged to me to maybe check out some of the other events the uni puts on.

Things that have made me happy this week

 

I've got so behind on doing these posts I've ended up posting two back to back. Never mind, life gets busy sometimes. Its been a great week all in all and I've been pretty busy.

1. My sisters Ellie and Kiera came to stay (Sorry Tigs but you're too young) and we went out for a gorgeous dinner at Turtle Bay. This was then followed by sharing a sundae in Sprinkles which was just pure chocolate heaven.

2. Valentines Day. I had such a blissful day preparing a roast dinner from scratch with my boyfriend, playing music and getting drunker throughout the day. The recipes included honey roast carrots, lemon, thyme and garlic chicken, homemade meat stuffing and garlic and rosemary potatoes roasted in butter. So indulgent! I had then had a long shower and got myself ready just before the meal was ready. My boyfriend got some family recipes off his parents (thank you for that) and made us a very boozy trifle which was great. We followed this with yet more wine and a cheese board. Feeling so full I couldn't move we settled down with more wine to watch Harry Potter. It was literally the perfect day, thank you so much Jared <3

3. Taylor Swifts new album. I know I'm about 48659754 years late with the Taylor hype but my flatmate has been playing 1989 all week and I just had to get it too. Its making me so happy! If like me you were a sceptic then swallow your pride and just get on iTunes.

4. Painting my nails. I bloody love painting my nails and have done several times this week. Theres something so relaxing about it as you need to be zen else you will end up painting your whole hand.

5. Dior J'Adore perfume. I got bought this for Christmas by my extremely glamorous Nanny and it just smells like paradise. Until I found out how much it cost! Seriously Nan! So now I am using it very sparingly. I decided that Valentines Day was a worthy use of this delight and I just feel so elegant when I wear it.

6. Diet coke. Seriously, how does anyone even get through the day without this? I've been using this as a coping mechanism for a shit weeks lectures. Is it bad for me? Probably. Don't even care.

7. Continuing on the food theme, I've discovered that Doritos do a sour cream dip that goes perfectly with Sensations Chilli crisps. So effing good! It took me three films to get me through the whole lot and it enhanced the (shit) films I was watching immensely.

8. Watched 10 things I hate About You for the first time ever. One of those classics I've been meaning to watch and I was left alone with the boyfriends netflix... Such a great film! I absolutely loved it, my friends were right, I should have watched it sooner.

8 Things that have made me happy this week

Life is all about celebrating the little things as these are the moments that add up to make us happy.
It's been a busy week and I haven't done one of these posts in ages. Writing them really helps me appreciate my life and be grateful for what I have.

1. I actually knew the answer to a question in a lecture. Admittedly it was quite an easy question and I'm sure everyone else in the room also knew the answer but just couldn't be bothered to say it. But for the first time ever at uni I was confident enough to speak up. Which is weird really because at school I was pretty much Hermione Granger, leaping out of her seat with excitement every time a teacher asked a question. I think I made an effort to ditch my annoying teachers pet image at uni, but on reflection I think I've taken it too far the other way. So, I'm pleased with my small win there.

2. I've got myself a new jumper. Best thing about it is that it was free. And I just love free things. To make it even better its one of Jareds that I've had my eye on for a while and now it no longer fits him its become mine. Hehehehe. All girls love stealing their boyfriends clothes because everyone knows that oversize jumpers are the only way to survive winter.

3. Got myself some Converse which I snapped up for a bargain price online from someone who had bought the wrong size and just wanted to get rid of them. I've wanted some for ages after my old pair fell apart. Currently wearing them in so they stop being so blindingly new and shiny. Already in love with them.

4. Made a fantastic decision to purchase a new Thermos flask. Its a purple paperchase one and it has owls and unicorns on it. It is literally perfect. After looking at my bank statement and realising I am wasting so much money on tea in the canteen I've decided to curb my habit and bring the tea with me. Problem solved.

5. Try not to be too impressed but I've actually been to the gym a few times over the last week. I'm hardly claiming to be a fitness maniac but I am pleased with my small amount of progress.

6. I went home at the weekend and got to see my family. My sister is home from uni on a so called reading week and it was lovely to all be home together. Spent some time outside messing around with the horses and just generally chilling. I'm pretty tired from it though as I was also working so had to get up at 5am and probably only had about 6 hours over the whole weekend.

7. Last Friday I went for a lovely impromptu coffee date with my geology girls and we spent a few hours drinking hot chocolate and gossiping. The perfect way to spend a day off. #Sirens forever.

8. I've spent large amounts of time in my onsie watching TV and drinking tea. This is the ultimate way to distress. Jared and I also made a huge list of films to watch and have been slowly going through them. So far The Lego Movie has to be the best. I know everyone else says this but I genuinely thought it would be shit and was amazed by how good it was. Made me want to go play like a 6 year old again.

So there you have it. Got another busy week ahead yet.

Good Riddance to the Dissertation.

So today is the big hand in day! Finally I am free! I have now submitted it and finished my exams.
Now to have some fun! As I mentioned in a previous post I've got lots of fun stuff lined up as a reward for the hard work.

This dissertation is probably the hardest thing I've ever done and I'm not going to pretend to have enjoyed it. As per usual the huge task terrified me into starting it and as a result I started much later than most of my friends. However, I worked steadily and as a result I was the first to have it done.

Handing it was an emotional moment and I almost snatched it out of the receptionists hand. Then I realized how mental that was and walked away from the novel of pain.

I would like to take the opportunity to make a huge apology to pretty much everyone in my life for being a total bitch lately. I'm sorry, it was hard and it made me grumpy but thank you for sticking with me.

A massive thank you to my friends, who were the only people who truly understand as they are also in the same boat. Particularly big thanks to my mapping partner Abbi, mostly for just being prepared to map with me, but also for knowing I could always call on you during the report writing. You helped me so much.

Also massive thank you to my family, you put up with the horrible mood I was in and always encouraged me.

Along a similar line, another massive thank you to my boyfriend Jared. He heroically coped with a lot of stress crying and sat with me while I wrote about 6000 painful words of the report. Always willing to make me tea and a shoulder to cry on when it all became too much. You made me realise I could actually do it.

The biggest thanks of all has to go to my Mum. She put up with everything and refused to let me quit. I could never have done it without her. Mum, thank you and I love you.

Now, on to the celebrating and actually enjoying myself again! Lol JK got lectures 9-4 today and 9-5 tomorrow (cheers for that University of Southampton). Regardless, I plan on now having a lot of fun :D

Also just FYI, that's my first goal for the year achieved, GO ME!

The Clinique products I'm currently lusting after

Now first off, the work situation is currently dire. I am in the grip of a tortuous two week exam period and only a few days after my final exam is the hand in date for my dissertation. In case I hadn't gone on about it enough. I've been staring at a computer screen ALL DAY drawing lines in order to make my interpretive map. The good news is I've done one of my exams, submitted a deadline and my map is slowly but surely getting there. Also almost half way through the dissertation. BOOM.

Instead of revising tonight I am procrastinating by making this post. I am a top student.
I've already spent several hours watching Him & Her (rapidly becoming my favorite show of all time) and Orphan Black (only just discovered this, it is so darn gripping!). And I've had a ready meal. But I have spent 8 hours today making that fecking map so I think its only fair enough.

Just as a side note, Clinique have not bribed me in anyway to make this post (although if they want to I would be more than happy to accept aforementioned bribary). I am actually a genuine fan. Also a very poor fan, who would already own all the things on this list if I actually had any money. So please indulge me in another whiny post about all thing stuff I want. This really is way more fun than actually doing any form of work.

1. Turnaround Overnight Radiance Night Cream

I love a good night cream. There is something so luxurious about taking the time to pamper yourself before you go to sleep. Also I am a bit of a sucker for thinking I genuinely look like a model when I wake up after I use one. The reason why I've got my eye on this one is it is oil free and designed for my skin type (which is type 3 in case anyone is interested). I currently use Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask which is great but I think it is a teeeeeeny bit too rich for my shitty oily T-Zone. It also has 95% recommendation rate. Sounds pretty ace to me.

2. Turnaround Instant Facial

Another one from Clinque's turnaround range. I love their other cleansers but I am looking for something that can create a real at home treat. This product (according to the reviews) has sparkly bits in which sounds exciting! I need something that will repair damage done from a late night binge watching Breaking Bad or from too much wine. I feel like I could use this product and skip off to lectures with nobody having a clue how exhausted I am. I want people to be like "Amber's skin is always so radiant! I wish I knew how she did it!". I can dream.

3. Clinique Sonic Brush

I've mentioned this bad boy on here before. But its because I really REALLY WANT ONE. I tried one at my local Clinique counter when they first came out and it was so good. Felt so soft on my skin and I'm certain it could zap the greasy bits by my nose. I feel like it would boost my 3 Step to a whole other level but the expense is certainly holding me back on this one. The huge amount of positive reviews on the website promise I wont regret it, but I still just can't quite bring myself to part with the cash. Maybe I'll spend my birthday money on it... (By which I mean, I will.)

4. Smart Custom Serum

Now this is also a relatively new product from Clinique and I have a free sample of it somewhere. I'm desperate to try it but it has vanished into the depths of my room. This promises to address uneven skin tone and to improve radiance. Sounds pretty incredible to me. Again, this is quite pricy for a student budget so I think I'll have a good look for that free sample and see what I make of it. But serums are all the rage at the moment and I'm keen to see what all the fuss is about. This little beauty also has over 95% recommendation rate and I can't imagine all those people are wrong. I shall prepare for a trip to Boots in the near future.

5. Airbrush Concealer 

My flatmate has this and I find myself stealing it before every night out. I also tried it last time I was at a Clinique counter. Mostly cos I was looking like shit that day and wanted someone to patch me up. I haven't bought it yet because I am too poor. But I am going to. At some point. I need a concealer that will work perfectly with my foundation and I suspect that this is probably the answer. Also I just love that its a pen cos thats so handy for emergency spot hiding. I suspect when I eventually own one I will go though it pretty quickly and it will become a handbag staple.

6. True Bronze Pressed Powder

Another one that I've tried during a makeover at a counter and I loved it! I use bronzer all the time but I am always stressed my cheap one makes me look like an orange amateur. This gave me such a healthy glow and I got so many compliments that day on how great I was looking. I already own Cliniques Fresh Bloom All Over Colour and I think its incredible so hopefully I would love this one just as much.

7. Chubby Stick Cheek Colour Balm

This is not an essential purchase. I already have several blushers that are all great. This is purely something I want. As I already have 3 Chubby Sticks I am confident that this would be a flattering, long lasting colour. I've never owned a cream blush but I constantly read that they give a very natural flush which sounds good to me. I like to go for the natural look on a daily basis so anything that can help me achieve that has to be on my wishlist.

8. Long Last Lipstick

I already own two of these and they are by far my favourite lipsticks. They are soft, creamy and really do last for ages. Ive already mentioned my newer of the two called So Sweet here and I am devastated that Clinique decided to discontinue it. What will I do when it runs out!! There are several different colours that I like the look of available such as Black Violet, Watermelon, Pink Spice, Rose Shimmer, Violet Berry, Heather Moon, Dubonet... Basically all of them! I probably need to go into store and spend a delightful hour trying them all on. I highly recommend these lipsticks. You need one in your life. And for a high end lipstick they are very reasonably priced.

So in conclusion: I need to get saving. When I finish this exam hell I plan on going on a splurge to reward myself. What the hell.

Pictures all from Clinique,

Turtle Bay drinks for Immies Birthday

I have literally the most disgusting amount of work to do. And I've spent the past few days in a semi permanent state of tears about it. Hence why I have only just got back up to date with this blog. Apologies. But to distract myself from that I went out for drinks at probably my favorite venue in Southampton: Turtle Bay.

My friend Immie has her birthday in the Christmas holidays which are nearly here and we went for cocktails at the Caribbean rum bar.

Had such a lovely time and it was so great to chat to everyone. Got the chance to meet a few of Immies rowing friends and they were all so nice.

Plus the cocktails there are incredible. Discovered a new favorite called Passion Rum Punch which was DELICIOUS and probably had about a million calories in it because it was so yummy. But who cares. If you are ever in Southampton you have to go to Turtle Bay, make sure to get something to eat because the food is to die for.

A big Happy Birthday to Immie! Welcome to being 21 and having the time of your life xxx

Wild Lime Birthday Meal

Went out to Wild Lime Bar for my birthday meal. A massive thank you to all my friends who made the effort to attend. we had a lovely evening with yummy food and even tastier cocktails.

After the cocktail party the night before it was a great chance to catch up on what went down the night before!

Had myself a fantastic pizza and some scrummy cocktails. The others had really incredibly looking burgers, kebabs and hot dogs.

Everyone had a chance to sample the really great cocktails they do there.

If you ever get the chance to go to Wild Lime I would recommend it. The cocktails are two for one, the food is yummy but reasonably priced and they also have a great breakfast menu which is even better when hungover.

Just a few causal pictures of the evening. Had such a lovely time and so grateful to have such wonderful friends.

Winchester Christmas Market

Do I look like a tit? Probably.

Spent today exploring the quaint city of Winchester. Having only ever been there on a (stressful) trip to drop off my sister who was visiting a friend I was taken aback by how beautiful and quintessentially  English this little place is. The cathedral is simply breathtaking and the narrow, winding streets with historic buildings made me homesick for my own little city: Salisbury.

While I often rate Salisbury as one of the dullest places to live today I remembered why I love it so much. When visiting Winchester I looked at it through a visitors eyes and was immediately charmed by its comforting familiarity to home.

I visited with a group of friends from uni who mostly consisted of my housemates and after a quick 15min train journey (that only cost £4.50 for a return!) we arrived.

Our main reason for this trip was to visit the Christmas market as Southamptons is a bit shit and it did not disappoint. We've had such a lovely festive day browsing the little shops and admiring all the lovely things that we couldn't afford haha.

All the pretty things...

We've also had some festive food which for me included one of the creamiest hot chocolates I've ever had and doughnuts drowned in chocolate sauce and sprinkled with cinnamon. It was literally heaven. The others had everything from mulled wine to roasted chestnuts.

I meant it when I said they were drowned in chocolate!

I've also fallen slightly in love with the fur headband pictured above but can't decide it I look like a moron in it or not.

While we were there we decided it would be super cute for us to pose in the nativity scene and that we would look cool as opposed to ridiculous. But still, it was fun.

Looking like knobheads #whocares

Winchester, I will definitely be back. There are lots of delightfully preppy shops (ie. Joules) that scummy Southampton does not have and a wide variety of really nice looking cafes and bars to visit.
Also go to the market while its still there. It has an ice rink which we were all too poor to have a go on but it just doesn't get more Christmassy than this!