Recent Boots Buys

Seeing as there is the 3 for 2 offer on currently in Boots, I thought I would pop along and see if there was anything new to pick up. I have had quite a few bits that I have been wanting to try out. The only problem is the store near me is rather small and lacks the amount of variety in brands and products that it sells. For instant I have been wanting to get my hands on the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, but my store sells barely any products from the range. However, on this instance I did manage to pick up some new pieces and I am very happy with my picks.

Soap & Glory The Ultimelt - This product has been raved about massively across the beauty industry in recent months and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. This is a deep purifying hot cloth cleanser, and it is suitable for all skin types. When I first saw the product I thought that the packaging really cheapens the product, it just resembles a giant tube of toothpaste to me. Anyway, I plan on using this at night before I go to bed to completely cleanse all of the makeup off my face. I am wondering if I will be able to use it as a kind of cleansing balm, as the first part to my nighttime routine to remove my makeup from my face and eyes. It says to use a grape-size splodge and massage over the face and neck for at least 2 minutes, then press off with a warm, wet washcloth. I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that inside the box, there is a washcloth provided. I am very excited to try this and see if it is a new must have to my skincare routine, for £10 I am hoping it is a drugstore miracle.

Maxfactor False Lash Effect Fusion - Now, I have been using Maxfactor False Lash Effect mascaras literally since I was about 13 when I first saw it in a magazine and I have never looked back. Many people are constantly on the look out for a new mascara and they take pride of place in many peoples collections. However, for me mascara takes the least space in my makeup drawer. I think I own 5 mascaras maximum and I only ever use one. The one which I have been using for the last few months is the Maxfactor Clump Defy, this is part of the False Lash Effect range. I absolutely adore this mascara, and people can not convince me to convert. When the Maybelline Falsies came out and everyone was telling me how amazing it was, I thought I would just try it as I do still like to test out new products and maybe I was missing out on using an amazing product. It was inexpensive which I was glad about, because I just cannot find a way for me to use it effectively, and create the look which I can create so easy with my Maxfactor mascara. Whilst I was in Boots on this trip, I decided that I would not venture away from my beloved False Lash Effect range but would try another mascara from the range. The one which I choose was the Maxfactor False Lash Effect Fusion Volume & Length, I bought this is brown/black as I am very fair. The only negative to this mascara in comparison to the other one is that it is not waterproof, but I am hoping that it is worth the risk! This was £11.99 which is not extremely cheap for drugstore products, but if it is as good as my Clump Defy I will be extremely happy.

Pearl Drops Instant White - I wrote a post about this last week, so you can go read all about it here, and see all of the products details. But, I will let you know again that it is currently on offer for a third of the price so works out at £2.66, and I am really loving the results.

Boots Cotton Wool Double Faced Oval Pads - I simply adore these! I use these for any occasion where I need to apply a liquid product whether it be my cleanser, toner or removing my nail varnish. You get two different texture surfaces to the pad. The light textures side is ideal for applying lotions and creams. On the other side is a more compact surface which can be used for nail varnish remover. The best thing about this is they do not leave fluff like average cotton wool does. At just £1.89 these are such amazing value and you get 50 pads in the pack.

You may be thinking where is the third product to the 3 for 2 offer. Well, I also picked up the Soap & Glory Kick Ass Concealer as I have been wanting to try it for ages, and my current concealer is quickly running out. When I went over to the stand there was just one left in my colour which was light, which I was very delighted about. I swatched the sample on my hand and I instantly loved the creamy texture and it seemed to give really great coverage. So I popped it in my basket, as I had now been in Boots for over half an hour and I was in a rush to get to work. The product comes in a box so I did not really think to check the product before I bought it, which was a bit silly of me. When I got home I discovered some lovely person had dug their finger into the product and left their fingerprints in it. I did not want to keep it as it is so unhygienic and when I went back to Boots the lady was very apologetic. However, she said with the promotion being on they had sold out completely of the concealer, and the one which I had picked up was actually the last one in the store. So I sadly had to get a refund on it, but I am definitely going to pick it up again when it is back on stock.

With all the offers, coupons from the Boots machine and the £10 refund on the concealer it ended up costing me £14 for everything, which was actually really amazing value. The 3 for 2 offer finishes this coming Tuesday on the 18th March, so hurry down to your Boots this weekend to pick up your favourite things!

This weeks posts: The Drop Waist Dress / Spending Ban / February Favourites / Contents Of My Going Out Handbag

Lucy
xoxo

Fashion Friday's - The Drop Waist Dress

                           

This was the outfit which I wore on Saturday night. The dress is from Topshop and costs £20 which I thought was a really good price. I have found that Topshop has increased its prices quite dramatically over the past few months, and they have targeted all of the items including there basics. So I was nicely surprised when I saw the price tag attached to this dress. The style is drop waist which is really in this season, I was worried that this would make me look wider on my thighs but it actually flattered me really well and I like dresses that are not too tight. It really fitted me well and considering I am only 5 foot it was a really nice length on me. The colour of my dress is a navy blue; the range comes in many colours including some pastels for spring and summer. I was a bit worried it was not very dressy for a night out, but I think with the accessories and my chelsea boots the outfit all pulled together nicely. The great thing about this dress is it is very versatile you can wear it easily on a day to day basis, I have already worn it to uni with thick black tights, ankle boots and my leather jacket. Alternatively as I have shown, you can wear it to a more dressy occasion whether it be having dinner somewhere nice, casual cocktails with the girls or a night out.

Lucy 

xoxo

Spending Ban - Clothes & Makeup

I mentioned in a post last week called Make It Happen March that Lent has inspired me to get fitter and eat a more healthier diet. As me and my mum debated what to give up, as I do try to do it for the full 40 days and 40 nights each year she suggested something extraordinary. The suggestion was to give up buying clothes. My initial reaction was that it is the craziest thing I have ever heard. After about a minute of convincing myself that it was impossible, I started to think if I could actually do it. Now I do not think that I a manic spender compared to others, especially now I am a uni student. But on payday I do like to take a trip to my favourite shops and pick up a few nice new pieces. I do have a real interest in fashion, and going shopping and buying new clothes does definitely make me happy. I then continued to contemplate for a few minutes and thought if I could actually do it. 40 days is not an excessive amount of time and I am currently saving up so I can go on holidays with my girlfriends over the summer, so I thought it would be a good way to save a nice little sum of money. I sent a text back and told her it was on! I honestly think that she does think I can do this, because I do have good willpower and I like to achieve goals which I set myself. I then had an even bigger thought that I would put a complete ban on buying any clothes and makeup. My mum surprising text back saying that she thought it was a bit excessive and she was challenging me on the clothes part. But I am challenging myself to the makeup part of the deal. 

One week in, I had to face my first obstacle on Saturday as I was going out with the girls from uni and I has not actually bought a new going out dress for ages.I have not been out in over a month as I have been so busy so I was excited to go out and have a really good night out. I was discussing the ban at work on Saturday and my supervisor told me to just give up now and just go and buy myself something as it will make me happy. She also stated that it would help me get through the 8 hour shift knowing that I have a nice, new dress to wear that night. Having an hour break, I set off with the idea of giving up and heading to Topshop. I sent an emergency text to my mum and she told me it was up to me, but she was sure that there was something in my wardrobe to wear without having to buy something new. I then started debating this thought whilst eating my sandwich, I did decide on something I did have that I could potentially wear. I have had my eye on a white skirt in Topshop for a few weeks now and I tried it on but it comes with a pricey tag of £36. I really loved it and I planned on buying it on payday in February. Stupidly I decided not to go shopping for the first time ever on February payday, so I did not even buy anything new before Lent started except one dress from Topshop for £18. So from my entire wage I have bought one dress as I was not planning on delving on this spending ban. Bad decision from me! However, I did resist the trip to Topshop and literally just glued myself to the chair for my entire dinner hour. I also think the fact I did not going shopping before Lent started has added a little extra pressure to the entire mission.

It is now Wednesday and I have stayed away from the shops, I not finding it that difficult it is only a very short period of time and I am able to experiment more with my wardrobe. The hardest thing is going to be March payday and unfortunately I am at home when I get paid, and Manchester is is amazing for shopping for both clothes and makeup. A lot of people are saying that there is no point in doing this little mission as, as soon as the day for lent ends I am just going to go crazy and buy everything so I won't have actually of saved any money. But I really don't think I will, I will definitely be going shopping and buying the pieces I want badly but I do not think I will excessively shop. In terms of the makeup side of the ban this has definitely not been hard yet, but like I say its only been one week and 40 days is not a long time.

So I am interested in knowing what you have all given up for lent, and if anyone has ventured on a similar task to me?!

March Post's: February Favourites / Contents Of My Going Out Handbag / Pastel Satchel

Lucy

xoxo

February Favourites

I know that it is quite a few days into March, but it took me a while to gather everything together, and decide what I have been absolutely loving in February.

MAC Bronzer: This month's rediscovery is this bronzer from MAC. My Nars Laguna has been my staple since Christmas, but whilst I was at home I found this and brought it back to uni with me and I have really been loving it. It is a studio careblend/pressed and the colour is Lush Light Bronze. If you have pale skin like me it gives a lovely all over glow, and I think it is a little bit lighter and has a more orange undertone in comparison with Laguna which I really like.

Rimmel Nail Varnish: I did a review on this nail varnish last month, and I am still loving it. The colour is a lovely dark pink with a subtle purple within it. It is glittery and is an overall very girly colour. I love the brush on this, it is thick and makes application super easy. The varnish is long lasting and you can build it up to create a more intense colour.

MAC Eyeshadow: Arghh another rediscovery MAC's Retrospeck. This is such a beautiful colour and is a favourite amongst many. This was the first ever MAC eyeshadow that I bought and I definitely did well for a first pick! It is a great gold colour with glitter running throughout it. For an everyday look it is perfect to create a base on the lid, or some days I simply cover the entire lid in this and just pop on a few layers of mascara. For a more intense look I put this all over the eyelid and then put my all time favourite Wookwinked in the crease and on the outer edges, it is the perfect combination.

Revlon Matte Balm: Definitely my best discovery of February. Revlon has launched a new range of Colorburst Balm's, it consists of lacquer and matte balms. I picked up two of the lacquer balms and then one matte balm. In the past I have not been a fan of matte balms as I find they can look quite dry on the lips, and I do usually go for a more glossy look day to day. However, I was so surprised at how much I loved this matte balm. I think it is partly due to how much I love the colour which is Unapologetic, it is a lovely bright coral and I do not feel like it is too bright for a daytime look. I have been wearing it with a subtle base and eye combination, and then the vibrant pop of colour on the lips looks great for spring. It is also great for the night time and appeared in my Contents Of My Going Out Handbag post. Another great thing to this product is its easy application, it is so, so simple to put on with the crayon nib and it is so easy to just top up on the go. I recommend these to anyone wanting to try something new and for £7.99 they are a great dupe for the Clinque Chubby Sticks.

MAC Powder: The MAC Mineralise Skinfinish Natural has been a staple powder for me for a long time. I wear this in Medium which is the perfect colour to match my complexion. I love how sheer the powder is but it provides great coverage, and does not look too cakey on the skin. I have not found another powder as good as this and I will continue to use it as I just cannot get enough of it. As you can see I have not got much of this left, and I am torn with whether to break a habit and try something new. But I love it so much, I will be so disappointed if I try something new and it is not as good.

Tanya Burr Lipgloss: I am still loving the lipglosses from Tanya Burr's recent launch, I did a blog post on this and reviewed the two lipglosses which I picked up. I had been using Picnic In The Park the most out of the two which I bought, but for the last few weeks I have been wearing Aurora on a daily basis. It is a great gloss to go over practically any lipstick; I have kept it in handbag all month and it is great as it is so easy to reapply as it has a great wand for application. I find that with just one application you have created a lovely glossy look to the the lips. It is a highly pigmented pink shade and has a slight shimmer running through it.

Bobbi Brown Lipstick: This has been on my lips with rotation of my Revlon Balms all month. I simply adore it, I mentioned buying this product in my Selfridge's Haul. It comes from Bobbi Brown's new Amnesia Rose Collection and the colour of this beauty is Cosmic Lily. I am going to do an individual post on this later this week because it is simply stunning. It costs £22 which is very expensive, but in this instance money really did buy quality. The colour is dark pink but with purple undertones, it is a great colour for spring and I do not find it too intense to wear during the day. Putting this on and then Aurora on top, it is simply the perfect combination.

March Posts: Contents Of My Going Out Handbag / Pastel Satchel / Make It Happen March / Pearl Drops

Lucy
xoxo

Contents Of My Going Out Handbag

This is the contents of my handbag which I took out with my on Saturday night. My handbag is from H&M and has panel of black faux fur covering the front side, and the rest of the bag is made out of faux black leather. It comes with a thick, long gold chain and has a matching gold zip.

Purse - The most important piece in anyone's handbag. This lovely Ness purse was a gift form my parents for Christmas as I love the brand, and the tartan is pink and green. The pocket on the front is real leather and really adds a nice detail to the purse. It is also a great size for a night out as you can easily fit all of the essentials in it. I find that you need to carry quite a few cards around with you, I have my key card to my house, my bank card, my ID and  my uni card. Then you also need to fit your money in your purse and I find I can fit all of this is quite easily, my normal purse is big and it never fits in my handbags when I am going out. This cute pocket purse is such a handy size and takes barely any room up in your handbag.

Deodorant - Absolute essential for a night out, you can get so hot whilst dancing, it is nice to pop to the bathroom and freshen up. This is my favourite deodorant as it lasts a long time and has a nice floral scent. The great thing about this though is the size of the of the canister. It is one of Sure's new compressed canisters where you get the same amount of product it is just much smaller, meaning you can carry it around easily and it easily fitted into my bag.

Lipstick - I decided to test run the Revlon Colorburst. Unapologetic was the colour which I choose to go with. It is a lovely bright coral colour and looks nice and vibrant and definitely made my outfit stand out more. It did have a good lasting power and the colour did say on, however it did get quite dry on my lips so a fresh layer was needed. But I really love this, and I overall love the Colorbursts they are great and so, so easy to apply. I loved this aspect on my night out as with one swish you had topped up the colour instantly and the crayon nib makes the application as simple as possible.

Powder and Brush - I like to take my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish out with me on a night out, as it can get quite hot and sweaty on a crowded dancefloor. Apply a fresh application of powder can instantly mattify your face and make you look refreshed in an instant. Brush - simple to apply the powder.

Eyeliner - My new favourite eyeliner got its first outing on Saturday night. It comes from Rimmels new line and it has a micro tip which makes application very easy. I only carried this with me in case of a watery eye emergency, but I did actually reapply very lightly to the corner of my eyes as I found it got a little dry on the edges of my eye.

Comb - Everyone always ask me for a comb, so this is one of the main reasons it gets a spot in my handbag. But also because I like to quickly comb my hair through just to add a bit of life and make sure nothings flying out of place.

Lipbalm - I have had dried lips recently and I have been trying to keep on top of keeping them hydrated. This is the best lipbalm I own and it is very moisturising and instantly gives my lips the boost that they need.

I think compared to some people my handbag is pretty light on a night out, I hate having loads of things in my handbag on a night out as I just constantly worry that I have lost something and also you do not want an overflowing handbag.

Lucy
xoxo

Fashion Friday's - The Pastel Satchel

I recently took a little visit to my local Primark store and in the depths of the handbag department, I came across an absolute little gem in this pastel pink satchel. It was an absolute bargain of a price at just £6. The colour is perfect for the current spring/summer trend, as pastels is a key theme throughout this season. I love satchels as I think they can make an outfit really stand out. Pink is my favourite colour, but this pale pink makes it easy to wear as it is not bright and does not stand out too much. It is an excellent size although it is quite small, you can easily fit all of your daily essentials in the bag with ease. The bag also comes in black and white, which you might prefer if pink is a vibrant for you.

If you fancy getting your hands on this, I suggest you head to down to your Primark this weekend and snap this beauty up!

Lucy
xoxo

Make It Happen March

I have been feeling a little bit deflated about myself recently, as I feel like I somehow managed to gain weight all at once. Whenever I put on a few pounds it never goes to anywhere but to my stomach area for some reason, which is the area which most bothers me. I know all girls have body hangups and with summer on the way and holidays and festivals being booked I want to look good. It really boosts my self esteem and makes me feel good about myself. I have definitely piled on the pounds since starting uni in September, I am not sure why maybe its having the freedom to buy whatever I want, whenever I want. I haven't started to eat that much different to what I would eat at home, I think the problem is I now snack more. I have been going to the gym regularly since before Christmas, but I haven't seen much difference. Previous to starting uni I went dancing for 2 hours once a week where I did ballet, tap and jazz. I started going when I was 3, so I was really sad when I had to leave to come to uni as it is an excellent way to exercise. I have always been quite lucky in that I have always been able to eat quite freely before and not gained much weight. But, I have definitely managed to somehow gather a few pounds recently. As I am 5 foot tall it is easy for me to monitor my weight, I if I put on any weight I can tell straight away. You know your body better than anyone, and even though people tell you that you do not not look any different you can tell in yourself.

So as lent started yesterday, I have embarked on a little mission for March to really get fit and get rid of those few pounds. I have called it - Make It Happen March. I am planning to up my outings to the gym to five times a week, which I don't think will be to hard for me as I always go at least three times a week at the moment, usually four. It is just finding the time to fit in the session in between my everyday life. I am not wanting to do anything to big or set out on some huge fitness regime and diet, as I know I will stick to it for two days and then I will want to eat everything and anything in site. For lent I have given up takeaways, hot chocolate and hobnobs. Hot chocolates are a major downfall for me I adore them, but I like the full works with cream and marshmallows. I recently had the shock of my life on my weekly pre work trip to Costa, discovering that my medium hot chocolate with the trimmings has over 500 calories in it. When I make hot chocolates at home, I always have to have two hobnobs with it, its just a routine which I am in. I am going to find this so hard, but I think after a few weeks I will be fine. I have given things up many times before for lent and have managed to do it until lent finishes. I have also decided to add takeaways to the list, as I do not have many really probably one every two weeks, but they are sooo bad for you and I just want to completely get rid of them all together from my diet. I am just going to try and eat all round healthier, as I said I do not think I eat badly I like to eat a wide range of different food. I have a few things in my cupboard that I am either going to eat, nothing major just like crisps, or I may donate to my friends at uni. I will then properly start this at the end of the week, as I do not want to waste any food that I have in my fridge or cupboard. When I do my weekly shop later this week, I have come up with the easy idea that if I don't buy it, it is not there to eat. Fruit is so expensive these days especially at this time of year, but I have decided that without those sneaky snacks here and there, it should not cost me too much more. I am not in anyway going to go on some crazy crash diet or stop eating. I am simply sprucing up my food intake to make it healthier. I am going to eat lots of vegetables, soups and chicken, and try and cut down my pasta intake. Pasta is my favourite food, and there was no way I was giving it up for lent or cutting it out of my diet. If you do this, you end up being in a rut of just eating for the sake of it and you do still need carbs in your diet. I am going to try and only eat one portion of carbs a day, but like I say if I have two portions I am not going to make a big deal of it. I have not weighed my self as I will feel more inclined to loose the pounds more quickly. I want to do this throughout the weeks of lent, and do it properly. I don't think this is going to be to hard as it is nothing dramatic, I am just cutting out the more fatty foods. The main outcome of this is to have achieved tonned abs, so if I loose a few pounds and go the gym hopefully it will come naturally. I have been considering joining Results With Lucy, which if you don't know Lucy Mecklenburgh who used to be on The Only Way is Essex has turned into a bit of a fitness fanatic and has created a fitness programme. She has started this regime where she has created lots of videos which you watch online, and there is a lot of different types of videos depending on what you want to achieve, and you simply follow them. I was a bit skeptical about the whole programme, but there does seem to be a lot of people out there who has followed this regime and have noticeably lost a few pounds. The only problem is I am not sure how dedicated to it I will be, and it is £35 for 3 months which is not bad value, but I do not want to pay for something if I am not going to use it effectively. I do think though for those days when I am too busy to go to the gym, or simply can not be bothered to go, I could do this instead and still be sticking to my little plan. I will have to see how I get on for a few weeks with the gym and healthier food before I decide whether to join or not.

I hope this has been in no way a negative post, I want it to be a positive post of trying to improve my all round health and improve my self esteem. I am doing this for me, and me only. As I have said many times throughout the post, this is nothing dramatic just a little health boost I want to embark on. I think getting healthy can be fun, and as long as you don't emphasis it too much in your life, then it is a simple switch. If anyone else has decided to get healthier and fitter recently I have called this post Make It Happen March, as a bit of inspiration and positivity that you can achieve what you want with a bit of a hard work.

Other recent posts: H&M Haul / Selfridge's Haul / Weekly Round Up / Pearl Drops Instant White
Lucy
xoxo

Pearl Drops Instant White

I am about to start using my first ever teeth whitening product, and I thought I would blog about it to see how I get on, and if I see any real results. I was in Boot's over the weekend, when I noticed all of the Pearl Drops range on offer. I have been wanting to try a teeth whitening system for a while now as after getting my braces off last summer, I think my teeth have a slight tinge of yellow, and are not as white as I would like them to be. I know lots of people who have tried many different types of whitening products from many different companies, and most people seem to have had positive results. However, I have always been a bit reluctant to try them just in case it goes a bit too bright, or it damages my teeth in some way. It took me forever to decide which one I wanted, there was so many available by Pearl Drops. I finally decided to go with the Instant White - up to 2 shades whiter in 1 week. It claims to be a 4D whitening system that cleans, whitens, shines and protects, this all sounds very positive to me.When reading the instructions it is a very basic and easy process, which I was glad about as I did not want anything complicated or time consuming. The directions simply says to brush 3 times daily for 1 week, then continue to use twice daily to maintain teeth whiteness and shine. It is simply just a toothpaste which is bright pink and the scent is minty and fresh. I was surprised at the size of the product which is 50ml, as it will definitely last me quite a few weeks, so hopefully I will be able to see some real results. It was on a special offer for 2.66 as there is currently an offer of a third off on selected dental products, the whole Pearl Drops range is included. I then printed off a 25% coupon from the Boot's machine which you could use as well, so it ended up costing me just over £2. I was so surprised at how cheap it was and even if I do not see real results, I have not wasted any real amounts of money. I started using it yesterday, so I will do another blog in a weeks time letting you know how I get on, and then probably another one within a month. My sister said she has used this before and she did notice them looking a little whiter, but they really looked brighter and shiner after a week.

I am excited to see if my teeth do look noticeably whiter over the week. I think I am expecting miracles to be fair as I am expecting that I will have a Hollywood smile by this time next week. You never know!

Lucy
xoxo

Getting Lost, Selfridge's and a Pizza Fail

Today I thought I would do a little round up of what I got up to this week, as I have had quite a jam packed week compared to most of the time.

On Monday, I travelled to Lancaster with some of the girls from uni as we had some specialised lectures at the Lancaster campus of our university. As we were there Monday and Tuesday, it was cheaper for us to stay over, and it was also a little adventure for us. We set off early Monday morning as we lectures at 10am, we have been once before so we were determined not to get lost. But, my friend's Google maps took us the wrong way again, and Lancaster is quite a rural area so we ended up exactly where it took us last time, which was literally the middle of knowhere. Anyway, we made it after it a few laughs and wrong turnings. We then had a full day of lectures, then headed to our travelodge for our overnight stay. I had one of those moments where I literally cried with laughter, I will try to explain. So on the way to the travelodge another one of the girls got a lift with us as she was staying in our room. There was four of us in a mini all with suitcases, I was in the back with my friend piled up with two suitcases on us as only one suitcase would fit in the boot! We knew where the travelodge was as we had already pre prepared and been to see where it was. We found a car park right in front of the hotel, but it was a short stay one, so we said to the girl in the front to go and ask the receptionist if there was a long stay one, so we could park for longer. She came out telling us there was another one round the back just to go out follow it round, and turn right. Lancaster is all a one way system, so it can be hard to get around if you are not familiar with the roads - like us. The first time we followed it round and took a right turn and ended up on a backstreet. So we went round again, this was li the city centre though so each time took about 15 minutes to get round. The second time we wanted to get to this road but we was on the wrong side, and my friend in the front shouts go right. Well it was a one way street, we were going up this street the wrong way, then we pass this huge police station and we end up in town centre going the wrong way. Me being the sensible one, just tells everyone to relax, to pull over and we can do a quick three point turn. So the third time we are determined to find it, there was only four streets it could have been on and we had been down two of them. The third time I am loosing the will to live and it is now 30 minutes since we went in and asked, and I was wondering where the hell this car park was. We once again took a wrong turn and literally ended up back where we started. From process of elimination there was only one road left, so we said it has to be that road that the car park is on. Me, thinking sensible once again says, why don't we just ring the other girls that are staying in the same hotel and ask them where they parked, and ask them for directions. We ring them up and she says we are parked right in front of the travelodge and we reply with saying that we cant find the long stay one, only the short stay one. She then says oh we are on the short stay one you can just pay for overnight on there! I have never laughed so loud in my life, the girl that is driving is in absolute hysterics, I am saying to the girl who went in for directions you said to go out said and turn right. She just replied with her saying that she didn't really understand what the receptionist was saying and she was just nodding along. Thinking about it the hotel was right outside - a bit of miscommunication right there. Nearly 55 minutes, we are finally checking in. I needed my bed at this point! So we decided it was now teatime after unpacking and finding the other girls. We decided as we are students we wanted to each somewhere cheap, and conveniently there was a Weatherspoons next door to the hotel. I was starving, I ordered a chicken burger and chips and then we all ordered pitchers of cocktails to share. We stayed in there for a while having a few drinks, and then decided to meet the other girls who said there were in Yates which was the other side of town. We dragged ourselves across town and the girls weren't there, we texted them and they had left to meet us in Weatherspoons. This just summed up our day, we walked back and just spent the rest of the night in the Weatherspoons.

Tuesday morning we all went to Weatherspoons for a traditional english breakfast. The lectures were okay, but all I could think about was going home to see my family as I hadn't seen them since Christmas. As soon as the day was done I went to the train station. I was being a bit risky and thought I could maybe catch an earlier train, when I got to the station the train I needed was running five minutes late. I sprinted through the station with my little suitcase, ran downstairs and I saw the doors close as I got on the platform. Just my luck! I took the opportunity to get a hot chocolate from Costa and buy some magazines for the journey home. I was so happy to see my mum when she met me at the train station, I felt a bit emotional. That night my mum made me her chicken dinner, and my god have I missed it, she makes such great food and I miss it so much when I am away. That night I went to my nana and grandad's to watch football, which was nice to see them. My mum had also bought me a few presents since being away, she got me two jackets and a pair of yoga pants from Victoria Secret's and a pair of Finding Nemo pyjamas form Topshop. She is the best.

Wednesday, I had plans to see two of my friends from high school for a catch up as I did not get to see them over Christmas. But as I had a bit of time before they finished uni, I thought I should embrace the fact of all the shops in front of me. So I took a trip to Selfridge's, you can see everything I bought in yesterday's post. I also nipped into Primark for a few bits as the one in Manchester is huge. I then met my friends and had a lovely catch up. My mum also made potato hash which if you don't know what it is, it has corned beef, carrots, potatoes, onions and gravy, it's a bit like a stew. It is so delicious!

On Thursday - I did absolutely nothing. I watched about 10 hours of TV. Mum made spaghetti bolognese for dinner which was rather yum.

Friday I had to unfortunately leave home to be back for work. My lovely sister kindly dropped me off at the station, my train was at 7.59 so we had to get up pretty early. The train was really busy and I had my little suitcase and handbag, there was also no room left on the luggage rack. As I am so small I can never reach the overhead racks, I would literally have to stand on the seat to be able to reach - which would be kind of embarassing on such a busy train. At least I had a seat reserved, but it meant I spent have the journey with my suitcase at my feet. I got back to the student village and went to sleep for an hour, because I was so tired. I then had to get up for work which I did, did my four hour shift, walked to uni collected some books and went to Asda as my fridge was empty. I was making my pizza in the oven when this happened...

Not my greatest moment I have to say, but I just scooped it all back on a carried cooking it. I was not wasting the pizza the lovely lady in Asda had made especially for me!

Saturday, I went to the gym before work as I haven't been in over a week. Then went to work again. Had my healthy chicken chow mein, watched TV all night because I am a very boring student and cannot be bothered to go out these days.

Today, I was planning on going to the gym, but I am instead doing my exercise by planning to take a trip to Boots and Topshop as there is a few bits which I have seen which I want. I then have work for five hours then I plan to come home, make tea and go to bed! I also have no uni tomorrow which will be lovely, but I have an essay that is due in soon which needs starting.

So there is my round up of my week. Previous to this week, my life consisted of placement, work and the gym and literally nothing else. So it has been nice to be able to get back to normal again, and have a few days off. I hope I haven't babbled on to much and you found my story from the start of the week as funny as I did!

The posts from the past week:  Monthly Payday Shopping Trips / Charlotte Tilsbury / Maybelline Express Remover / H&M Haul / Selfridge's Haul

Lucy
xoxo

Selfridge's Haul

I may have taken a cheeky trip to Selfridge's when I was back in Manchester this week. I had ordered two products from the click and collect service, and I also picked up two other products which have been at the top of my wish list for a while.

To start of the bits which I had pre-ordered online-  the Rihanna Viva Glam Lipstick and EOS Lipbalm. I have been dying to try the Rihanna Viva Glam Lipstick for ages. She has been the face of a previous MAC lipstick, but it has always sold out by the time I have managed to make a trip to the shops. However, this time I was determined not to miss out so I pre-ordered it online knowing that I would be going home and taking a visit to Selfridges. It is part of the Viva Glam range, which MAC brings out each season and all the profits go directly to charity to help fight AIDs/HIV. So, not only is it for a great cause it is also a great product to have. Rihanna is known for wearing iconic red lips, so it was only natural for the lipstick to be a red shade. I was so excited when I picked this up as I do not own any MAC red lipsticks so I was happy to finally have my hands on one. The lipstick and costs £15 and the collection also includes a matching tinted lip glass which costs £14.

The other beauty piece which I ordered online comes from EOS. EOS is an american company which has been released in Selfridges not to long ago. I have seen many bloggers talking about this lip balms, and how hydrating and good these little balms were. I had never seen them in store, so I thought as I was ordering the MAC lipstick I would order this as well, as I would have been annoyed if they did not have them in store. Funnily enough, when I got to the click and collect counter there was a big dish containing all the different flavours of these lip balms. They are just £5.99 which I think is excellent value, I am so happy to have my hands on this and cannot wait to try it out, as I do have chapped and dehydrated lips at the moment. I picked up Strawberry Sorbet as I love the scent of strawberries and the packaging was also bright pink!

Now, you can never go into Selfridge's without having to have a little look at whats on offer and recent releases. I think I am a shoppers dream, as I get drawn into all the displays. The click and collect desk is conveniently placed in the middle of the beauty hall, so you have to walk past all the stands to get back to the escalator. I had a little look in MAC and I have had on my wish list to buy a new blusher, as my current one is on its last legs and will soon be all used up. I have read on Lily Pebbles blog that Stereo Rose was being re released as part of the new Fantasy of Flowers Collection, and was due to go in store on the 6th March. The collection is split into two - a pink collection and a green collection. When I went over to MAC the Fantasy of Flowers display was already up and the products were avaliable to buy. The display looked so nice and I was instantly attracted, Stereo Rose was practically staring at me, in the pink side of the collection. I felt like that moment in Confessions of a Shopaholic when she sees the green scarf! I started swatching it and then the lovely sales asssistant said did I want to try it on, she popped a little bit along my cheeks and the colour looked perfectly matched to me. It was a little more peachy than I thought, but it gave me instantly a nice, natural glow. I was also intrigued by the other two blushes that are part of this collection they looked so nice when I swatched them also, but I finally went with Stereo Rose. It cost £22, I know it will last me a while and it is the perfect blush for spring. If you fancy getting your hands on it, I say go get it quick as the line is said to sell out.

Lastly, if you have been reading my posts you will know I have been lusting over the new Bobbi Brown Amnesia Rose Collection. I saw this lipstick and was also in awe. The packaging is so beautiful its a pinky/ purple colour and is all shiny and looks so expensive. Then I looked at the lipstick in Cosmic Lily which is a gorgeous pink colour and I just had to have it! I swatched it and the colour was so pigmented and being fair I knew it would look lovely with my complexion. So that was bought without even thinking twice about it, at £22 it is very expensive and it hurt me to put it on my debit card. But it was nearing payday, and I wouldn't be coming home again for a while.

That beauty hall is so god dam lethal, I had to literally get my friend to drag me out of the store, especially past the Nars stand. I got home and showed my mum everything and she surprising told me that as long as I use it, its a good buy, so I felt even better about my purchases. I have been dying to get this post up so I get unpackage everything and start using it!

Other posts from the week:  Tortilla Pizza / Monthly Payday Shopping Trips / Charlotte Tilsbury / Maybelline Express Remover / H&M Haul

Lucy
xoxo

Fashion Friday's - H&M Haul

So last weeks Fashion Friday talked about the H&M Knitted Jumper, this week the H&M theme continues with a few more items which I recently picked up.

I was never a huge fan of H&M over my teenage years, I have always been a Topshop girl. I have popped into H&M and picked up a few bits over the years, but I have never thought 'I must go to H&M' when looking for something new to add to my wardrobe. I think I started to discover it more when my best friend got a job at our local store when we was at college. Although, I was always working at the weekend when she was as well so I still never really got the opportunity to go in very much. When we both took our gap years last year we both worked full time in the same town. The Debenhams I worked in was opposite the H&M she worked in, so in breaks and before and after we finished our shifts we would pop into each other shops to catch up. Whenever her manager saw us chatting I would pretend I was browsing, I think this is how I started to discover the brand. When we would go on our payday shopping trip - which was our monthly shopping trips we would take religiously the weekend we got paid. We would actually schedule it so we would both have the same day off around payday in order to go on this trip. We would literally just go and buy everything we had been swooning over other the past month, as we would have barely any other time in the month to go and get whatever we wanted. We would always tell ourselves that we had worked hard and long hours, so we deserved to spoil ourselves!

Anyway, long story cut short, on these monthly trips she would want to go into the H&M store in town as it was a lot bigger and had a lot more stock than her store and she also got a swifty 25% off as a staff member. She would be an excellent best friend and anything I wanted she would let me use her discount, as H&M don't even offer student discount for some bizarre reason. As she is now living in London these shopping trips unfortunately do not take place anymore, but I have still continued to nip into my new local H&M to check out what they have on offer every now and again.

I nipped in last week as I had seen a really lovely leather asymmetric skirt in one of my magazines which I really liked the look of. I saw an offer advertised that students could get 20% for a limited time, and as mentioned before they never usually do student discount so I thought I should take advantage whilst I could. think Unfortunately they did not have my skirt in store and it was unable to order online, so I went for an alternative the leather skirt which is more a straight length but has the lovely zips to add detail to it. I will wear this with very thick black tights and some cute black boots. I will team it with a brighter jumper or a shirt on and a nice chunky necklace to finish the full look off.

I feel in love with the shirt when I first saw it, the print is so cute and girly and as it is still very cold here in the UK sleeves are still are most on a daily basis. The shirt was £14.99, which is a very reasonable price and I know I am going to get a lot of use out of this. I am going to pair it with either my leather skirt, any colour of jeans or my trusty black leggings. I tried it on and it was the perfect length in body and arms and it was just meant to be!

 Talking of trusty black leggings, I love thick leggings I can not stand the thin ones as I like to be able to wear them with jumpers. The ones I go for are the ones which are more like the thickness of pants also to keep me warm in this arctic winter that we seemed to have had. I have had a trusty pair which I bought from the Topshop Petite range at the start of Autumn in 2012 and I have worn them a lot. However, I find that leggings especially black ones somehow manage to go dirty very easily, so they have been through the washer quite a few times. I remember I would wear them all the time to college and a lot of people owned them as they were just so comfortable and they came in a lot of different colours. I also owned them in a khaki colour, I must dig them back out actually I forgot I had them in the khaki! So after the amount of washes they had been through they unfortunately think they had ended up in the dryer a few times as well meaning they had gained the inevitable bobbly effect on them. It was therefore time to replace them and H&M had the perfect offering.The leggings which I bought have been worn so much already, they have already been through and survived their first wash. They are the usual cosy thick legging material and they have an elastic waistband at the top which is a nice extra touch if you want to tuck anything into them. They also have black quilted faux leather panels at the top on each side which adds that nice extra touch. The leggings have a line running down the middle of the leg which is the same faux leather material which is featured on the panels. These were also £14.99 which is a lot cheaper than my original Topshop ones as I think they were about £25.

So all three products added up to £45 but with the 20% off that they were offering as a one off it came to a nice £36.

I feel like I have really rambled today - hopefully not to much.

Latest Posts: Tortilla Pizza / Monthly Payday Shopping Trips / H&M Knitted Jumper / Charlotte Tilsbury / Maybelline Express Remover

Lucy
xoxo

Maybelline Nail Express Remover

On this bright, Thursday morning today's post is about a little treasure I recently discovered in Boot's. It featured in my January Drugstore post, and it is fast becoming a favourite of mine. It cost £4.99 and is from Maybelline, the product is their Express Remover. Basically, it is a much more convienent, faster and easy way to remove your nail varnish when your in a hurry. Inside the tub is a black sponge with a hole in the centre for you to place your nail into, you twist your finger round as the remover inside the sponge takes the varnish off. Simple as that! It takes a few twists on each nail and the varnish is quickly removed leaving behind no traces, its so quick for when you need to quickly need to change the colour of your nails. It is also really helpful for when you chip just one nail as you just put the nail in and within 10 seconds the chipped varnish is off and you can reapply instantly.

Before discovering this I was just a normal cotton pad and nail varnish remover girl, but what I used to hate about this is having to hold it on your nail, then sometimes bits of the cotton wool pad would get stuck to your nail and it was such a pain. Also, I used to find that around my nail bed it would be stained the colour of the varnish I had been wearing, and I would have to use lots of applications of remover to be erase it completely. Such a fuss and a pain! This just makes the whole process so much easier, and I am more inclined to change my varnish colour more often now, as it is just so much less time consuming. I think I am late to jump on this bandwaggon as I think quite a few beauty company's have released their own versions of these, but I think it is such an excellent product. All in all, I have been very happy with this from Maybelline and I think it should last me a while as it is quite a big tube, and for the price you just can not complain. 

Other posts from the week: Tortilla Pizza / Monthly Payday Shopping Trips / H&M Knitted Jumper / Charlotte Tilsbury

Lucy

xoxo

Tortilla Pizza

After you all enjoying my pollo pesto pasta recipe, I have decided to share with you something I recently tried for the first time. I this recipe within the Hairy Bikers cook book and was very intrigued as I have never thought about making pizza in this way. As I am trying to be healthy, pizza has not really been on my shopping list later, although those Dominoes texts that I seem to be getting daily have been killing me to resist! When I read through how to make it, I was surprised at how simple, quick and easy this alternative recipe was. On Friday night I thought I would make the pizza and see how it turned out and if it was as good and as simple as it says.

The difference and healthier alternative to this recipe is using tortilla wraps instead of a pizza base. If your thinking tortillas what?!, that is the exact response which I had. But I thought about it and tortilla wraps are a lot thinner and a lot less stodgy compared to pizza bases so it is sure to be healthier. The great thing about this is like you can with normal pizzas you can just adapt to your favourite pizza, and put whatever toppings you like on top. I did not use any of the ingredients that were suggested in the cook book as they were far to exotic for me - olives, oregano and basil. The planned toppings for my pizza were ham, mushroom, onion and pesto.

Ingredients:

1 Tortilla wrap
Italian Seasoning
Half a chopped onion
4 mushrooms - chopped
3 pieces of ham
Tomato puree
Grated cheese
Pesto (optional)

So here's how I got on and how you can make it:

1. Pre heat the grill to its hottest setting. I started by frying my onions and mushrooms through as they need a longer cooking time in comparison with the other ingredients. I added a little oil to the pan and popped the hob on the highest heat and cooked until golden.




2. Whilst you are waiting for the mushrooms and onions to fry off. Place the tortilla on your board and spread with tomato puree leaving a small gap approx. 2cm around the edging. (Mines a little messy!)
Sprinkle cheese all over the the puree (as much or as little as you like)

3.Rip your ham into shreds and put onto tortilla.

  4. Take mushrooms and onions off heat and add italian seasoning for extra flavouring.

 5. Pop all your toppings on top of the pizza and add a splash of pesto. At this point I would add a little more cheese on top!

6. The cookbook says to place the pizza under the grill and cook for approx 1 and a half minutes, but I popped it in the oven at 200 degrees for about 3 minutes. I kept an eye on the oven until the cheese had melted and the edges of the wrap were a little crispy.

7. Ta da! Ready it was a little messy for the first attempt but it tasted sooo good!

That's it pizza made in 3 minutes, bet you it could be made and ready to eat by the time you haven't even finished your phone call to Dominoes and trying to explain all the extras and alternatives that you want! Also it probably costs about a third of the price of a takeaway pizza and its just so quick and convenient to make. I will definitely be making this again and switching up my toppings to see what else works well. It honestly tasted so good and I loved having the thin base, as I hate deep pan pizzas and there stodgy bases. In the cookbook the pizza they made was 500 calorie, I think with all my toppings mine came to just under 700, which is still a lot healthier than a lot of the pizzas you pick up in supermarkets, takeaways and restaurants

Happy healthy pizza eating.

Lucy
xoxo

Other posts from this week: Neutrogena Duo / Morning Freshness / Wishlist Update / The Lighter Options / The Knitted Black Jumper

Discovering Charlotte Tilbury

Remember me ranting on about wanting a new contour brush for when I am using my Nars Laguna Bronzer? Well I think I may have finally discovered the perfect one.

                   


It comes from Charlotte Tilbury's collection which has had the beauty industry and bloggers in a frenzy since its release late last year. The makeup collection is simply stunning, but the brushes are out of this world. The one I have my eye on is the powder and sculpt brush which just looks so expensive, but it is a money grabbing £35! It is just so beautiful with the rose quartz coating. I think this will be great for sculpting the face as well as highlighting cheekbones. The brush had this beautiful tapered end which allows the makeup your using to be perfectly applied to the hollow of your cheeks, down the nose and to the forehead. I truly fell in love with this, it really was love at first sight! It was the same feeling as what I got when I first saw the MAC 217 for the first time, and I knew I had to have it, and now that is my favourite brush which I own. I am always a bit careful splashing out a lot of money on really high end makeup especially products like foundation as I know how fast I will use them up. But with a brush if you treat it well it can last you years, and having the right tools is this basis to creating that flawless finish. To me this is a 3 in 1 brush, I think it would be perfect for applying bronzer to contour my cheeks, to highlight above my cheeks and I think you could use the tip of the brush for blusher.

This is going straight to the top of my wishlist for sure, I am definitely purchasing this at some point in March. You are able to purchase it online from the Charlotte Tilsbury website and Selfridge's online. You can also buy her collection on Net-a-Porter, but I can't seem to be able to find any of the brushes from the collection on this site. If you live in London they sell this range exclusively in Selfridge's, but unfortunately not in any other Selfridge's within the UK.

Other posts from the week: Tortilla Pizza / Monthly Payday Shopping Trips / H&M Knitted Jumper

Lucy
xoxo

Monthly Payday Shopping Trips

I get paid next Friday and I already have a list of what I want to buy, I was wondering if anyone else does this. If I see something which I have been drooling over at the start of the month, and I am still obsessed with the idea of owning it by payday I simply have to have it. This month for some reason I have the biggest list known to man kind of things that I want. You can see the beauty bits in my updated wish list post. I am still wanting everything and more! So, I start to properly think about what I exactly need and what I am definitely going to get my use out of. This month I want a variety of widespread bits from lipsticks and eyeshadows, gym trainers and a bag, Beyonce's album and uni books.

In my gap year last year, every month me and my best friends would go to town and have a huge shopping trip buying everything we wanted and come back half of our wage down which we needed to live off for the entire month. Although, we would be so excited and so happy with all of our purchases from the day. Since starting uni I have had to start being a bit more careful with my money, and plan what I will need for throughout the month. But, I still get very excellent at the prospect of the looming of payday even though it is about a third of what I got when I was working full time. I think having to budget makes you more appreciative when you buy things knowing you have worked hard and saved for them. Although payday shopping trips are still as much fun now especially when your conveniently going to be at home in a big city where there some amazing shops the day you get paid.

However, buying that huge amount all in one go on payday means that for the rest of the month you are left waiting for the next month to arrive, so you can once again stock up. I am currently waiting on that money to hit my bank account next week so  the monthly shopping trip can take place. But this month I am setting myself and all the readers a challenge, which is to split up buying the items you want throughout the month. The plan is to split up buying everything I want so I will buy one thing I want one weekend, and then the next weekend I will buy something else. My theory is this will give me the prolonged pleasure of shopping more often. I love that feeling of coming home with tonnes of shopping bags, but I am going to test if splitting up the buying process helps prolong the pleasure. I think if I split up the shopping trip, I won't have the massive urge to buy something else half way through the month, I will still have something on my list left to buy, and I still have some money because I have budgeted for it. It sounds like a decent plan to me even if I say so myself, so I going to test run this and see how it goes!

Other posts from this week: Neutrogena Duo / The Lighter Options  / The Knitted Jumper

Lucy
xoxo

Fashion Friday's - The Knitted Jumper

So last weeks Fashion Friday's talked about  Chelsea Boots, this week it is all about one black knitted jumper which I ordered from +H&M online.

I had kind of forgotten I had ordered this, I ordered it way back in the January sales and when I ordered it it said it would be 2 to 3 weeks before it would be out for delivery. I had so many problems actually receiving this jumper, first they had to ring me to confirm my address because I live in student accommodation. Then I got an email saying there was even more delays and it would be with me in 4-6 days, a week later it still had not arrived. It finally arrived at the end of last week and if I had not loved the jumper as much as I do I would of been way more angry. I will never order from H&M online again though - it was way too stressful.

It was in the sale for £6.99 which I thought was a real bargain. I have been wanting a fine, loose black textured jumper for a while now to wear over top top of shirts. I love the look when the collar of shirts peep through over the top of a jumper - it is cute and preppy. The texture is quite fine, but it is cosy and comfy and one of them jumpers you can just throw on when your in a rush to finish and complete a daily outfit. It has a pocket to add a little detail and has a slightly longer back. I have come up with two outfit ideas as to what I would wear the jumper with.

Outfit One:

Shirt: H&M
Necklace: New Look

Outfit Two:

Shirt: H&M
Necklace: Julian MacDonald at Debenhams

Coincidentally both shirts are from H&M and both cost £14.99. The pink one I picked up last week and it is actually featuring in next week's Fashion Friday's, so you have a sneak peek at next week's post. The black and white striped one I bought last year, and I have worn it a huge amount this season as I it just gives that edgy look to an outfit and it is so easy to wear.

Even though I bought this black knitted jumper in the sale, I bizarrely saw a practically identical one on the 'New In' table in H&M last week which they feature at the front door. It is £14.99 and if you want a closer look heres the link for online: http://www.hm.com/gb/product/21946?article=21946-B#article=21946-A

Other posts from this week: Neutrogena Duo / Morning Freshness / Wishlist Update / The Lighter Options 

Lucy
xoxo

Choosing the Lighter Options

As I have been on a bit of health kick recently and whilst shopping I decided I would put the lighter options of my favourite foods to the taste test. I wanted to see if there is really that much difference in the full fat option compared to the lighter options in terms of taste and texture.

My favourite from the entire lot is the Elmlea double light, I use this when I am making my pollo pesto pasta which is a twice weekly ritual for me as I just adore it! Cream can be really fattening and you need a thick cream for this recipe, a single cream just does not create the same texture as it needs to be thick. The double light option is so much better for you and makes eating cream that little bit less calorific and it tastes exactly the same. The shelf life is also three days longer than the double cream, so you don't have to rush to use it before it goes off. It works just as well when you are cooking with it, and I am converted to this for life now! Win, win situation I think.The lighter version contains 40 calories per 15ml serving and contains 50% less fat than the full fat version.

When you have a hot chocolate, you just have to have squishy cream it is just an essential. It also doesn't make my feel as bad to pile it up into a mountain on the top of my drink knowing that it has that few less calories and fat in it. The calorie content of this is 24 calories and 2g of fat per 12.5g serving. Whereas, the full dairy cream contains 43 calories and 4g of fat.

I am not a huge butter fan, its just one of those things I have in the fridge as you will need to use it whilst cooking but I do not really use it massively and on a daily basis. I am not a toast and butter lover, I can't actually remember the last time I had toast! Although, I have used it on sandwiches and I have not noticed a change in anything about the taste of the butter, its still smooth and has that silky texture. Maybe I am not being as fair as the other products putting this to the taste but I can safely say it tastes identical to me. The lighter Flora version calorie content is 40 calories per 10g serving, compared to the original version containing 65 calories per serving. Also in terms of fat content differences the original contains 2.5 more grams of fat in each serving.

Now, I am a huge fan of toasted bagels and philadelphia, it is a recurrent breakfast and supper favourite. I was reluctant to change my favourite little combo which I love so much and eat so often. Philadelphia is expensive at the best of times in my Tesco Metro is £1.85 for all the different types of philadephia, which I think is really expensive. So being tight, I chose to go for the Tesco's cream cheese lighter. Now, the boat is still out on this product and I think it is the only product I think might not be as good as the full fat version. Although I think this may be due to the brand change as its just not as smooth in texture, but its still nice and creamy. This Tesco version of philadelphia of each 30g serving contains 49 calories. The original Kraft philadelphia contains 97 calories in the same serving size, the difference in fat content is huge in the original it is 10g in the lighter version its 3.3g.

As well as these products I have been putting the Hellmann's lighter mayonnaise to the taste as mayonnaise is seriously so bad for you, but I love the taste so much and eat it very frequently. It actually tastes nicer if I am honest its a bit less stodgy and feels a bit more creamier when I mix it with my sandwich fillings.

If you just think about the amount of calories you will save when eating your favourite foods it is definitely worth taking the lighter option. The 'lighter option' quest has proven very worthwhile and will definitely be taking the lighter options on this food products in the future. Go try and see if you see much of a difference between the full fat and lighter options to food products you love. We all hate to see that god dam nutritional information packaging that they stick for all eyes to see, this could make that just a little bit easier!

Other posts from this week: Neutrogena Duo / Morning Freshness / Wishlist Update

Lucy
xoxo

Neutrogena Duo

I was rushing into Boots over the weekend to pick up a sandwich before work, when my eyes got attracted to a display. I had seen this display last time I was in Boots, and I thought it was an excellent offer but just walked by as I probably had a basket full of other products already. However, this time I stopped and had a good look at the display, I saw the Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Daily Scrub which funnily enough, I had used the last squirt of it that very morning. Sitting alongside it on the shelf, with it was the Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Oil Free Moisturiser which intrigued me very much, after my current issues with dry skin and being in need of as much re-hydration physically possible!

The Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Daily Scrub is something which I used constantly throughout 2013, this is now my third tube of this scrub. I only was not repurchasing it this time as I was wanting to try something new, but then I thought if you really love a product and it is working why change?! The texture is nice and gritty but not too abrasive on the skin, the scent is seriously delicious and not too overpowering either - the perfect balance. It leaves my skin feeling very refreshed and smooth when I use it first thing in the morning, it also creates that clean blank canvas before applying moisturiser and makeup.

The Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Oil Free Moisturiser came in nice, basic packaging. It is advertised as being hydrating and refreshing, keeping skin care and soft and not clogging pores - sounds pretty perfect to me. I have used this for five days on the row now morning and night, and my first impressions are that I like it. It does leave your skin smooth as the texture is light, and I do feel like it has added some hydration back into my skin. I do once again like the scent of the product as it matches the scrub meaning that it is a lovely combination together. I am going to continue to use these products together to see if it helps to clear and prevent blemishes on my skin.

As I said before it was the offer which intrigued me to the stand when I rushing around in Boots, the products are usually £4.99 each which I think is good value for money anyway. I have never had second thoughts about paying that price before, as I have always liked the results and smoothness that the scrub has previously given to my skin. However, the offer was 2 for £5, you are able to mix and match from a variety of products from the different Neutrogena Visibly Clear ranges. The other ranges included in the offer from Neutrogena are the Blackhead, Spot Stress and Pore & Shine products. I was intrigued to try the Pore & Shine range, the purpose of this range is to mattify the skin and help tighten pores with tangerine and lime. As my skin is dry at the moment, I thought adding a mattifying effect  product could result in it being even more dry, and the tangerine and lime scent did not smell as nice and refreshing as the pink grapefruit.

Latest Posts: Chelsea Boots/Quinoderm/Lipstick Storage/Monday Morning Freshness

Lucy
xoxo