Friday 18 November 2016

What Im watching on Netflicks and my vegan snack reccomendation

Hi everyone

I spend a lot of time on Netflicks there are so many good series that I end up watching 4 or 5 at once so here are my recommendations and if you are feeling a bit peckish I am in love with this Sainsbury's vegan chocolate pudding.


 1. Pretty Little LiarsSo I am very much obsessed with this show I've just started Series 3. I love the outfits, the hairstyles and the drama. It follows 4 friends as they try and find out what happened to there friend who went missing.

2. Z Nation - not normally my kind of thing but I really like this. Think The Walking Dead but the storey line is much quicker and keeps you hooked.

3. Falling Skies - I've seen this before and it's really good, it is about an alien invesion on planet earth. Again not normally mind kind of thing but I really liked it. Lots of aliens, the good people always winning and lots of action. 

4. Luther - if you like Idris Alba then you will like this. He plays a slight off the wall detective who is very good at his job. It keeps you hooked throughout, I would reccomend this.

5. The Do over - this is a really funny film with Adam Sandler. A normal ordinary guy gets conned into helping am old friend and his life gets turned up side down. I won't say more as I might spoil it but it's a good watch.



So that's what I'm watching, what have you been watching do you have any reccomendations.

Thanks for reading.

AKL

Sunday 28 August 2016

Supermarket finds - cruelty free beauty

Hi

I am constantly in pursuit of cheap but good quality cruelty free beauty products. I think there are loads of good high end finds out there that those of us that believe in buying cruelty free will pay for. However until cruelty free becomes the norm and I can walk into a shop a buy something without reading the label then it will still be a problem.

So when I visited my local supermarket Morrisons I picked up there own brand products to try out. It's a bit of a double edged sword as there is always the argument that if the supermarkets start to really sell EVERYTHING then we will stop buying local or being forced to look further afield, however for the moment the fact that they are selling these products that are cruelty free I'm going to be happy about.

So let's dive in....


The first products I picked up where the shower gels and I got Oriental Fusion, Nourish and Moisture Bliss. I love the names first of all, they contour up different senarios for each one. 

They are all very different smells so the Oriental Fusion is very fruity, the Nourish smells a bit like a pudding with the honey and the Moisture Bliss smells like fresh washing. 

So far I would say that I do like them, they are a little runnier than some more expensive brands do I will end up using them faster however they are very creamy and still good enough to use got shaving my legs. Given the cost I would reccomend these, they were very inexpensive at 75p each.


Next I've got face wipes which if you have read any of my blogs before you will know I'm still not sure how good wipes are for my skin but I do like to try different ones and they are very convenient. These stand up well to the more expensive brands and even some of the Miceller water wipes. I did get the sensitive ones to be sure. All in all I would buy these again.


It is a bit of a debate - to supermarket or not to supermarket and I have to be honest and say that on the surface I am a fan of supermarkets to shop in but I am trying to make an effort (butchers for my boyfriend, local grocers) but there's still a long way to go.

I hope you enjoyed reading.

AKL

Saturday 13 August 2016

You Tubers I'm loving right now

Hi everyone

I love watching You Tube, I spend most evening doing this before getting in bed. My main taste is make up and beauty videos and I thought I would share my favourites. Get some snacks and some tea  and settle in.



1. Juliaxbabee - I really like her videos, she does loads of make up tips and styles. She is a make up artist by trade as well I believe and her looks are very wearable.

2. Lauralee - she is so funny, I love her videos. She does great make up looks but I think my favourite are the life hacks she does. She has been using more drugstore stuff as well so this is really good.

3. Fashion Mumblr - I love her cruelty free videos, I love anyone doing cruelty free videos. She has a good way of describing products and styles and I also really like the name.

 4. Karrisa Mukas - I like that she is or was sort if a Tomboy but she has do many different styles. I also like her Creeping On Karrisa Vlog channel

5. Carli Bybel - she us just so pretty. I like the hints and tips she does and I love her clothing hauls. She did a video about following her dreams I really like that.


Who do you watch on You Tube, any reccomendations?

Thanks for reading.

AKL


Collection Illuminating Touch Foundation

Hi everyone

I've been in the look out for a new foundation for a little while. I normally use the Barry M matte finish which I do like but I have found recently that it cakes around my chin often leaving my make up a bit patchy so I decided to change brands. I saw this one on offer in Superdrug so thought I would give it a go, it's the Illuminating Touch Foundation.


I would say it's a very light coverage, lighter than I would normally use but does go on the skin very smoothly. I would say that it is a good base for powder as it does go on very smoothly and when my skin is clear I am happy with the coverage however when I get blemishes I need a higher coverage. I've found myself using concealor as well which I don't normally do for work.



I do like the feel of this foundation it goes on really smooth, almost like a moisturiser and so it doesn't drag the skin. Also because it is lighter coverage it doesn't cake anywhere.


If you are looking for a light summer make up then this is a good one for you.

Thanks for reading.

AKL

Review of the Revolution Oil Control Fixing Spray

Hi everyone

One thing I have more recently added to my make up bag is a fixing spray. I often find that my make can slip or smudge particularly when I'm at work because I'm running around so much and don't really have time to reapply. I've tried a couple of sprays before but this one particularly stood out to me due to the Oil Control element.


Basically I use it to set my foundation, powder and blusher, I spray it accross my face paying attention to my chin and head as that is where my make up slips the most and then let it dry. So far I have been very pleased with this product, I do believe it has made a difference to the length of time my make up looks fresh. It is not greasy, non sticky, drys quickly and doesn't smell chemically. 


It is a really inexpensive brand and I have brought a few things from this brand as well as the fixing spray. I've been using it about 2 weeks now and I think it will last me about another month even using it every day so I would reccomend this product.

Do you use a cruelty free fixing spray, any reccomendations?

Thanks for reading

AKL








Essential oils and rescue remedies

Hi everyone

Over the last year or so I have found work quite stressful it's been a mixture of good and bad stress but stress is stress and has a negative effect on me.

Stress can affect your sleep pattern, your appearance and all in all your health. So I started to look for things that may help, it had to be quite quick fixes, something that I could carry in my bag or keep in my bedside table. So here is what I found...

The first thing is the Tisserand Lavender Essential oil.


Lavender is really good at calming you down and relieving the thoughts that can run through your head when stressed. Lavender can also reduce anxiety and emotional stress, it can improve sleep which in itself relieves stress or at least gives you a fighting chance at facing the day, it can also help with stress headaches. 

I use this in my wrists when I get in bed and it's not overwhelming but I can smell Lavender and I do think this helps me sleep better.

Lavender also works really well on pimples (not as an essential oil itself but in creams) and Lush do some amazing moisturisers contains Lavender.


Next I gave the Tisserand De stress Aromatherpy roller ball. As you can see it says it is perfect for hectic moments.


It contains jojoba oil and smells lovely, slightly stronger than the Lavender but lovely still. I use this one in the day such as before interviews or big meetings or even just on busy days. It is very slightly greasy and takes a little longer to soak in that the Lavender so I think if I got it again I would chose a dropper mabye.


Last but not least is Bach Rescue Remedy. This is a massive life saver for times when you really need to calm down and be at your best. The ingredients are thing I hadn't really heard of before so here is a bit of an explanation off the website:

Impatiens: For those who act and think quickly, and have no patience for what they see as the slowness of others. They often prefer to work alone. Teaches empathy and understanding of and patience with others. Very fast-acting in alleviating an impatient attitude and lowering stress.

Star of Bethlehem: For trauma and shock, whether experienced recently or in the past. Teaches the ability to recover from traumas and to integrate them into the present life.

Cherry Plum: For those who fear losing control of their thoughts and actions and doing things they know are bad for them or which they consider wrong. Teaches trust in one’s spontaneous wisdom and the courage to follow one’s path.

Rock Rose: For situations in which one experiences panic or terror.

Clematis: For those who find their lives unhappy and withdraw into fantasy worlds. They are ungrounded and indifferent to the details of everyday life. Teaches one to establish a bridge between the physical world and the world of ideas; may foster great creativity. Is also used to bring clarity and alertness to the present moment.


I have used this a number of times for interviews or even funerals. I would highly reccomend this.

If you google stress it advises you to do this like exercise, eat well, get plenty of sleep and avoid caffeine. These above product certain don't replace any of those good tips but can work alongside as an aid.

Thanks for reading.

AKL

Monday 8 August 2016

Review of the Superdrug Refreshing Hydrogel Eye Patches

Hi everyone

I'm a massive fan of face masks and I've tried a lot of face masks from Superdrug so when I saw this I thought I would give it a go. I've never tried an eye mask before but I see a lot of them on Instagram and blogs. So this is the Superdrug Refreshing Hydrogel Eye Patches.

 
As you can see from the picture they come in 2 curved patches that sit under your eyes. They come in a plastic package and the eye patches have a film over them to ensure they are clean.


The patches cool the surface of your under eye and the idea is that they will tighten and refresh the surface under the eye. I've used these twice now and I really do feel that they made my eyes look smoother. I think it's a short lived effect but if you need a boost (or you are hungover) they work really well. 

I tend to use them with another mask at the same time as I do try and leave these on for about 10 minutes. I would recommend these as a short term fix if you need a boost but I would prefer a eye mask that had a cream or gel on also mabye with anti ageing affects.

However I will be using eye masks again as I really like the idea of them.

Have you every tried eye masks, what do you think and fo you have any reccomendations?

Thanks for reading

AKL




ELF Haul

Hi everyone

I have huge amount of ELF goods to talk about, I love ELF it's become a bit of an addiction. I haven't found a product I didn't like so far and it's seems the only way to test is to buy then all!!!


The first thing I got was the ELF HD powder. I've heard that this is the same as the Charlotte Tilbury powder. I really like this powder I normally go for a beige powder so this is the first white powder in have used. It's very fine and blends in really well. I would recommend this powder if you have oily skin but potentially drying if you already have dry skin.


Next I got the stipple brush, it's the travel size which is perfect as I have a holiday coming up in October. It's really good for foundation and gives me a really even coverage. I think I might purchase the normal size version also.


Next I have eyelashes, it's been a long time since I wore eyelashes as they can irritate my eyes sometimes, If you have read some of my posts you will know I have sensitive eyes. However I thought I would give this a go as I do love anything ELF.


I love this next product it was actually a free gift that came with my purchases it's the Baked Trio eyeshadows. Its in my perfect colours in gold, light brown and dark brown and they work really well alone or all at once. I've only worn it a few times but it last really well and there is very little fall out.


Next it's my new eyelash curlers, they are quite firm compared to my original ones which were Rimmel. They do the job though, no complaints.


Love, love, love this product. I'm always up for trying a new primer and always in the search of a good one. This one is really good, it is really smooth and goes on the skin really well. It keeps my make up on for much longer and I only need a really small pump each day. It also doesn't have a chemical smell which I great!


Next I have the Shadow lock eyelid primer, I've not had a primer for my eyelids quite a while but this one is really good so far. I really like glittery eyeshadows but they can come off quite quick so this is really good to keep a hold of that glitter.


Mascara is one of my favourite ELF products, this is the Lash Extending Mascara. This mascar is very fine, it does make my eyelashes longer but if you like thick lashes this proberley isn't the one for you. 


I literally absolutely love this product it's just so glittery and I literally want to wear it every day. Is there anything more to say?!?!


So that is my ELF haul, I'm sure it won't be a lone haul I'm sure it will be joined by many other soon. What is your favourite ELF product?

Thanks for reading

AKL

Sunday 24 July 2016

Time for tea - pukka womenkind and love tea

Hi everyone

I was taking a little shop around Boots yesterday and I spotted these pretty little boxes of tea. I'm a big fan of tea and since I stopped drinking milk I'm always on the look out for new and different tea.

So after I managed to stop fussing over how cute the boxes are I looked at what type of tea this is. I have the Pukka Love and the Pukka Womenkind.


So Womenkind first of all. This contains cranberry, rose and vanilla and it taste lovely. It's very subtle in term of flavour and there isn't one ingredient that is the strongest. It is a little bit early but sweet also from the cranberry. 


It says on the box that this cup of tea will bring you back to full bloom, now I tried it on a non work day watching Pretty Little Liars so I was feeling great anyway but the big test will be on a Monday after a stressful day.


Next we have Love and the box is even pinker. This one has rose, chamomile and lavender. This is slightly earthier that Womanhood but still tastes really good.  


This one is more of a bedtime drink to send you off into a soothing sleep with the chamomile and lavender. I am a big fan of lavender basically in everything, particularly for skincare so I figure if it's good for me on the outside it is proberley even better in the inside.


There were quite a few other teas from Pukka that I want to try, there is a bedtime one and a detox one I am particularly interested in but I couldn't help myself buying the pinkest ones first.

Have you tried any of the other Pukka teas? Let me know.

Thanks for reading.

AKL


Saturday 25 June 2016

Hair care empties

Hi everyone

Once again I've left my empties post for too long and I have A LOT. So I've broken it down into nice easy bite size posts and I thought haircare seemed like a good place to start. When I comes to haircare I'm a bit predictable now so I branched out a little bit (not too far but if it's not broken).


So the first empties I have are my shampoos and conditioners, I literally had about 10 empty bottles when I looked in my empties box but I've photoed the 2 different fragrances and they are Coconut and Sweet Almond and Raspberry and Macadamia. My preference is the Coconut ones as they seem creamier and more moisturising but the smell on the Raspberry ones is lovely. I have actually brought 2 new fragrances recently.


Next is my hair care and if you have read my blog before you will know that I love the Hair Therapy Oil with Argon so of course I have been using that but as I was going on holiday I wanted to make sure I had a few different hair oils as the sun drys my hair. So I went for the oil with Macadamia and the oil with coconut. They have also joined my love list. The Argon is my favourite smell still but I will be repurchasing the other 2 oils.


That's it for my haircare but look out for my body care and face empties. I told you I had a lot.

Thanks for reading.

AK

My Lush loves - Wishlist

Hi everyone

Before I went on holiday I did a whole load of shopping at Lush and I loved every bit of it but now my holiday is over and my Lush purchases have all been used it so it's time to look at what I Lush has to offer to get rid of my post holiday blues.

So this first product is categorised under the 'fun' section the Lush website which says it all to me. It's the Rainbow bar. It will apparently turn your bath a different colour each time and can also be mounded into different shapes which is great but actually also contained lemon oil which is really soothing on your skin and great for skin conditions. It just looks so good and would really brighten up the rainy it's of days.

Next I think this body scrub has the potential to do the job of getting rid of the holiday blues, it's such a lovely colour and as my skin is a little dry after holiday it's  just what I need. It contains black pepper and vanilla so a very interesting mix of fragrances but vanilla is one of my favourites. This would be perfect to scrub away the holiday blues.
Now don't recoil in horror but I've never tried a face mask from Lush, I don't know why I just haven't but I would like that to change. I've got my eye on the Love Lettuce. I mainly love the name but it also has some great ingredients including seaweed and almond however for me it's the Lavender content that added it to my list. I've used a number of face products before containing Lavender and they have really suited my skin.

Now please ignore the photo on this next product as it really doesn't do it justice but it's a hot oil treatment called Tangled. I dye my hair, straighten my hair and basically mistreat it (sorry hair) which leaves it weak and prone to tangles, this treatment is specifically designed for this, with oils to calms and strengthen the hair. This might rush straight to the top of my list.
The last one on my list I find a little weird but I'm really curious. It's the Beautiful wash sheet. These are quite expensive compared to the other bath and shower products but they really interest me. It's basically like a small towel that contains the products to wash with, this one is a melon fragrance and is used just like a normal soap or gel. I think I may buy this one just out of pure curiosity.


What is on your Lush Wishlist?

Thanks for reading

AKL

My fashion wishlist - what I'm loving this month

Hi everyone

So unless your a duck you might be finding that the weather is letting you down a bit and it very tempting as I sit her under a blanket (IN JUNE) to write summer off all together but that hasn't stopped me from lusting after a whole heap of summer clothes and here are my favourites.

The first place I looked is ASOS I don't actually do much internet shopping I love to actually go and walk around and see clothes in real life but when I do need inspiration I do like ASOS.

The first thing I found was this dress, I really like the denim look and I like the length on this dress as its not too short. It's a really easy wear as well not too fussy and will go with any shoes.



New look is another favourite of mine and they have some beautiful dresses at the moment. I love the colours of this one and the sleeves are beautiful. I genuinely don't know which colour I prefer.

 


I am also in love with this skirt it's soooooooo beautiful. If they had this in black I would buy it immediately for work as well.


Next I did a little look around Dorothy Perkins and seen as I had to dresses and a skirt decided to browse there tops. I thought this was really pretty, it's pink lace with a slim black bow. I really like that the lace details carries on to the bottom.


Next I got a little more extravagant and went to Ted Baker. I actually found this in the work wear section but it is far to pretty to be cooped up in an office, these colours should be seen surely.



What's fashion bits are you loving right now? Do you have any good reccomendations or bargains?

Thanks for reading.

AKL

My top 5 beauty You Tubers

Hi everyone 

I've not talked about my favourite you tubers for a little while and seen as I get most of my favourites from other people favourites I wanted to share mine with you.



1. Inthefrow - this channel is actually focused on fashion but with an element of beauty but the videos she does are beauty I love. It is all high end products and as I tend to buy mostly high street I love to indulge in someone else's expensive purchases.

2. Babsbeauty - I really enjoy this channel as it is a little different from other channels as it really does focus solely on beauty and make up tutorials. I love the effort she goes in to for her looks and all the different colours she uses. It give me lots of inspiration.

3.Sharon Farrell - I find this channel really useful, she breaks down the looks really well and does specific looks for example small eye make up or oily skins make up.

4. Laura Lee - I love her personality, it just bubbles through in every video. I love her life hacks for beauty especially. There's also a lot of drug store make up looks which I love.

5. Manny MUA - love his looks so much. My most recently favourite one was the all over highlighter challange. I love the confidence and personality that comes through in his videos. 

I would 100% reccomend all of my top 5 favourite You Tubers, what are your favourite videos and You Tubers? 

Thanks for reading.

AKL

My top 10 Instagram accounts

Hi everyone

I am still very much addicted to Instagram and I spend most of my bus rides to work trawling through my favourite accounts. So I thought I would share my favourite ones with you.


1. Queenofsheba82 - I actually would put this at my top 1 for both Instagram and You Tube. Queen of sheba82 is Angela Ceberano a PR business women who loves all this fashion and beauty. She runs her own business is all about inspiring women, achieving your goals and being a girlboss.

2. Girltricity - this is actually also Angela Ceberano and its girl + electricity = girl trinity. It is full of inspirational quotes, work wardrobe ideas, work spaces ideas and life goals.

3. Sugermumma - she's all about the money - saving and investing the money. Again another of my favourite instragram accounts and you tubers. She breaks down financial matters such as investing, dividends and savings. She also talks about beauty and lifestyle and has the cutest doggies.

4. It's little lauren - this is such a pretty account, it's so girly. It also makes me a little hungry as she makes some amazing cakes. I love her blog also.

5. Drop some sparkle - the cutest account ever made, it is so pink and fluffy. She has a envy inducing bedroom and such a lovely style. I really admire anyone who has a real sense of who they are and what they like. 

6. TT_mirror - it's the photos on this account which stand out so much, that sounds silly as Instagram is always pictures but somehow these pictures just stand out. 

7. Chloemorello - I love Chloe on her Instagram she has some great photos from events and some great looks. Her life makes me very jealous and I love to be nosy on where she is and what events she is attending. I love her you tube account as well.

8. Plant Based_Pixie - this is a really inspiring account for vegans, the pictures are amazing and really make me hungry. Fruit has never looked so good.

9. Barbieveganbeauty - same again this blog shows you how you can eat began, eat healthy and makes it look amazing.

10. Zoella - I had to include Zoella, she always looks like she is having fun and the photos are great. Another envy inducing accounts.

What are your favourite Instragram accounts? Do you have any reccomendations? 

Thanks for reading

AKL

Sunday 19 June 2016

Soothing Sunday's - With the help of Lush

Hi everyone

So this post for Soothing Sundays has come out of a very non soothing event.

On Wednesday I went out for dinner for a leaving do with work. On my way home I called my boyfriend to say I was on the way home and he was a little stressed. The glass shower screen had fallen out of the bracket and smashed all over my bathroom. Ahhhhhhhhhhh

This was stressful for a number of reasons: 
1. It's glass and my boyfriend was about to get in the bath so a few moment later the glass would have landed on his head as well as my doggys head (she's never far behind wherever we are).

2. It's a brand new bathroom, fitted a few weeks before we went on holiday.

3. I can't have a shower

Number 3 may see a bit strange but I am a big fan of showers and not so much of baths. I can see how they are relaxing some of the time but for me I struggle to wash my hair as I have quite long hair and it's takes so long to fill up the bath so I really have to be in the mood.

However baths have now been forced upon me I thought I might as well take advantage and use some of my Lush products to help me relax before a big week at work. I love Lush, I love the smells, the products and how natural they are.

So for today's Soothing Sunday I have chosen the 'You've been Mangoed' to go in my bath, it smells amazing. It smells like mangos, lime and lemons it's a very refreshing smell. I have tried a number of Lush bath products but this is my favourite, they are bath oils so they don't dry the skin and leave a soft silky skin. I'm still not happy about the shower screen but at least I smell good.

Thanks for reading

AKL








Make up Monday's - Review of the Revolution pressed powder

Hi everyone

Welcome back to Make up Monday's. Today I want to talk about my new make up powder, the Revolution pressed power.

I normally always pick up the Collection face pressed powder. It's my go to product and it's always been really good. However last time I went to repurchase they didn't have the right colour for me and I was almost out so I had to branch out on my brands. I have recently brought the Revolution eyeshadow pallet and so I turned to this brand to see what they had to offer.



I really like this powder, it is smaller than the Collection one but so far has lasted me 3 weeks and I still can't see the metal casing so it's going well. It's very fine which means it covers really well over pores and lines. It doesn't seem to dry my skin out but does keep it matte. 


My favourite thing about it is actually the case, it comes with a little mirror on the back (underneath the the sticker) and also a little make up sponge for retouching throughout the day. It's really cute and compact so it sits really nicely in my hand bag and make up bag.

Best thing of all it is only £2. I think I may be converted!

Thanks for reading

AKL