Sunday 10 August 2014

SUNDAY READS #1












































Here's a photo I took from a disposable camera at T in the Park last month, appropriate today as I'm recovering from my busy weekend of dancing and singing at another festival! After packing up my tent this morning and heading home for a well-earned shower, I just want to relax all day and catch up on some blog posts. Here are a couple of posts from this week that I've loved!

1. Apartment Therapy - 9 Easy Ways to Add Texture to a Bedroom
Being totally honest, I can't pick a favourite post from this blog this week, considering they churn out around 18 posts a day - featuring beautiful house tours, quick tips, advice on cleaning, renting, decorating, you name it! It's all very budget-friendly and just brilliant for inspiration - exactly what I need as I get my new flat keys on WEDNESDAY! I especially love their before and after features where old furniture pieces are completely transformed - maybe I'll try myself at some DIY?

2. LLYMLRS - Summer in the City
I've been following Lily's blog for such a long time now but for the past 6 months or so her content has been incredible! Particularly over summer as she's really thrown herself into the festival scene (a girl after my own heart!) and has come back with some amazing photo diaries. I really love this outfit post, the Missguided dress is beautifully bohemian with lovely embroidered detail, and I'm a sucker for a bit of monochrome!

3. From Roses - Gym Observations
I loved seeing this little gem of a post from Rebecca this week, it's exactly what it says on the tin, a few interesting observations that she's made during her workout sessions. I wish my gym was this interesting, it might spur me to go more!

Hope you've had a great week!

Vicki x


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Wednesday 6 August 2014

REVIEW: AVENE CLEANANCE MASK



I struggle a bit with my skin, it's not awful but I take on-board all skincare advice that I get. I decided to pick this up a few months back after reading a post on Nouvelle Daily, I'd only ever tried some really cheap face masks (the kind you use for fun with your friends when you're 15 and probably do more harm for your skin than good!) and a couple from Lush which didn't seem to make much of a difference.

The main reason this mask stood out for me is because I have oily/combination skin and, as it is clay-based, it absorbs excess oils and regulates your oil production for a while after use, ultimately reducing blemishes. It also contains Avene's thermal spring water, which is found in most of their products and is the reason why this product is great for oily/combination skin, the thermal water hydrates the skin to keep the moisture in (oily skin needs moisture, too!), so it isn't drying like a lot of masks can be. This ingredient also reduces inflammation which calms angry spots and soothes sensitive skin - sounds like a miracle!

You apply it all over your face (like I need to tell you that) and you only need to leave it on for 5 minutes before it works it's magic, I normally put it on before a shower and then wash it off when I get in. When you go to rinse, Avene recommends you just wet your fingertips and massage the mask into your skin, letting the exfoliating particles smooth out your skin and slough away any dead skin cells before you wash it all away! This product leaves my skin looking mattified but also bright, soft and so so clean!

At £15 for 50ml, this is about the average price for a good quality face mask, and it certainly demonstrates good value for money. The bottle looks tiny but I still have loads left and I've found I've got quite a bit of use out of it! I would definitely recommend this for someone who has oily/combination skin like me, or if you have sensitive or dry skin I imagine that Avene's other thermal water products may be helpful for you. I would certainly repurchase this, however I have my sights set on another face mask to try out first! Watch this space!

Vicki x


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Friday 1 August 2014

AN APOLOGY TO FACEWIPES


























Last year was really the year for skincare in the blogging/youtube world, and ever since then most of us have ditched the trusty cleansing wipe for more complicated routines and consequentially they have become a bit of an outcast. Don't get me wrong, using a proper cleanser that's suited to your skin type can work wonders and is usually much more effective for removing makeup and dirt than wipes alone ever was, but does this really mean that we should ditch the wipes all together?

Recently I bought these Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes for the first time in what feels like forever, and I don't regret it one bit! One part of my evening routine I really hated was fussing around with water and cloths to remove the makeup that I'd just smeared all over my face using my cleanser. I'd have to clean up after myself when I'd soaked half the bathroom, I'd have to rinse out the cloth (impossible) and switch it every 2 days or so to keep up the hygiene and to be honest, when it's late at night, I'm tired, and a cup of tea and a movie are already waiting for me, I just can't be bothered!

My new routine doesn't require water at all! The cleanser is an oil and can go straight onto my face, it does it's thing and then I use one of these wipes which removes everything! There's no rinsing involved, everything stays clean for the next night, and it's easy enough to give my face a wipe in the mornings if I don't feel I need to full-on cleanse it again - because who has time for that? On those really lazy/tired/drunk evenings where I would otherwise not bother to take my makeup off at all, the wipes are there to save the day even if I'm falling asleep in the process. This method is also pretty easy on-the-go, I've even been able to cleanse and remove my makeup properly at festivals, where using a clear, colourless liquid from a plastic bottle can be a real hit-or-miss situation.

I went for the Simple wipes because I really didn't need anything fancy to go along with the rest of my routine, but there are some really good make-up removing wipes out there which don't get much recognition. Examples including ones from The Body Shop from their popular Vitamin E range, Yes to Cucumbers which are all-natural, made from superfoods and also biodegradable, and from Soap and Glory which apparently smell minty and can help prevent spots and lightly exfoliate your skin as they go.

I may give some of these other wipes a go (Soap and Glory ones are on offer in Boots!) and I'll let you know how I get on! Give me a shout if you still swear by cleansing wipes and if you have any recommendations.

Vicki x


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Wednesday 30 July 2014

5 REASONS WHY YOU'RE STILL GETTING SPOTS








































We've read all the bloggers' reviews, switched up our cleansers and toners, we've tried and tested every fresh face mask we can find in Lush, and they work! So why aren't we all running around flaunting our fantastic flawless faces? (top marks for alliteration!) Maybe our answer isn't hidden in the aisles of a drugstore? I'm no expert, but through personal experience and a bit of research, I've come up with some sneaky spot-causers which you may not have thought about!

1. BED Sleep is the greatest, it revives us when we're tired, it helps our skin to heal scars from existing spots and getting enough of it can even aid weight loss! But our favourite place in the world could also be the cause of our spots. When we get up in the morning we leave on our pillow lots of dead skin cells, sweat and bacteria, which can upset our skin when we return our sleepy heads to them. If you tend to sleep on one side of your face you may notice that side being more spot-prone. Just make sure you wash your bedsheets regularly to avoid this. (Also applies to towels, face cloths and the like!)

2. MOBILE PHONE: You tap away on it every day, probably more than you'd care to admit! It can't be helped that it gets covered in dirt and bacteria, so when your mate calls for a chat and your beloved device is stuck to your cheek for the next two hours, a minor breakout (normally along the hairline) is likely. Cleaning our phone is certainly not something we often think of, but a quick swipe with an antibacterial wipe may save you from your next nightmare spot.

3. YOURSELF: In accordance with points 1 and 2, pretty much anything that touches your face has the potential to cause a spot (who knew we were all so delicate?) This isn't rocket science, though! Wash your grubby paws, wash your hair, and try not to fall asleep in classes with your head in your hands. No problem!

4. DIET: Okay so I'll admit that this isn't easy to change, but it's easy to understand. Foods that are rich in sugars or fats can cause you to break out. What does help, though, is getting regular exercise - get the blood pumping, your skin will thank you for a good blood and oxygen supply - eating a healthy and balanced diet, getting all the vitamins you need from fresh fruit and veg, and drinking lots of water! While studying physiology as part of my course, I've learned that everything in our body is connected! If we drink lots of water, that aids digestion and we are rewarded with clearer skin!

5. HORMONES: Sadly, there's nothing that we can really do about this one. Most girls will be gifted with a brand new spot (or a few) around her time of the month, and in our teenage years, both boys and girls will have hormone imbalances which will cause breakouts. Stress around exam times can be tough enough already but this, combined with lack of sleep after pulling an all-nighter in the library is a recipe for disaster for your poor skin. Stress causes hormone imbalances which cause us to sweat more, this clogs up our pores, and we all know what that leads to..! I'm going to throw the word genetics in here too, because all of these causes I've listed applies to us all, yet some of us suffer with acne and some get away with just the occasional spot. We're all different but our genes control everything about us, including how spot-prone we are and how sensitive our skin is to different triggers. The only thing we can do is work hard to avoid spots in all the ways we can and deal with them when they do pop up, we're all in it together!

Let's just say, I wouldn't want to know the number of times I've touched my face while writing this post. Yikes!

Vicki x


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Photo used in this post was taken from Pinterest, link

Friday 25 July 2014

THE 'DO-NOTHING DAY' DUO




As I write this I am lying out in the garden with a glass of water with orange and lemon slices in, soaking up as much of the summer sun as I can. I've got a day off work today, we're having the greatest summer ever here in Scotland, and the only thing I want to do is enjoy this rare bit of sun, which leads me to this post. I'm sure we all have those bad skin days where, even though we aren't going anywhere or doing anything important, we can't bear to bare all! At least for the sake of the poor guy at the checkout of the local shop who may be the only person we meet!

So the base for my makeup today consisted of these two products, Maybelline's Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser and Rimmel's Wake Me Up Concealer. I'm not a primer kind of girl at all but after the massive hype over the Benefit Porefessional Primer I really wanted to find a cheaper alternative, and Baby Skin wasn't hard to find. It comes in the form of a clear, light gel which starts sinking in the second it makes contact with the skin, smoothing it over perfectly. It really does what it says on the tin (or tube) and you're left with a face as soft as a baby's! I really love the quirky looking packaging as well! My only complaint here would be that it doesn't smell of anything, but we can't have it all. 

I've recently repurchased this Rimmel concealer for maybe the third time, it's one of my favourite products ever, I'm also a big fan of the foundation from the same range. Like the foundation, this comes with an ever-so-subtle shimmer that can barely be noticed but gives you a nice wee glow to make you look refreshed even when you've been up half the night playing Kim Kardashian's new app which you've become completely addicted to (guilty!) It's got more of a blue than a pink tone so is great for masking redness and blemishes but not as good for covering dark patches under the eyes, but it does it's best! 

With a quick swipe of my favourite bronzer and mascara, I'm ready to face my, ahem, not-very-busy day! 

Let's be honest, I'll probably not even leave the house..

Vicki x


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Wednesday 23 July 2014

GLASGOW PHOTO DIARY

On Saturday morning I took a long, busy bus ride over to Glasgow to stay with my friend Naomi for a few nights, she is currently living there as she is volunteering with the Commonwealth games. One of our close friends was leaving to go to America for a soccer scholarship which was a fantastic excuse to get all dressed up and head out for a few drinks and a proper goodbye! 







Hangovers cured, we headed out on Sunday afternoon for some high-intensity shopping, but first I felt I had to bring Naomi to Tchai-Ovna, a super-relaxing Asian-inspired teahouse in the gorgeous West End of the city. As soon as you step inside you're met by the warm smell of cinnamon and a world of other spices, the small seating area is decked out with sofas with loads of cushions, low coffee tables and shelves displaying the most beautiful china. The tea menu is categorised by each tea's country of origin and even gives you some information on the health benefits of each type. We settled on the Indian yogi yogi chai which is a very sweet, milky and spicy tea.

So with our bellies full of tea we explored the cute little markets, café's and shops of the West End, including this little vintage shop, where we raked through the massive jumpers and cardigans. They had some lovely thick woollen blankets which I would have loved to take home if I'd only had room to carry them.

We also visited almost every shop on busy Buchanan Street, it was a lovely day so we spent some time watching the buskers. I had my very first Forever 21 experience in their 3-floor shop and was a bit overwhelmed! I didn't end up buying that much (considering the number of hours we spent shopping!) but my few purchases will surely make their way into a blog post soon!

Vicki x



Credit for photo 2 to https://www.facebook.com/tchai.ovna.9
Photos 1, 5, 6 and 9 taken by Naomi

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