A Little Haul // May '14

Hello Guys :)

The other day I had an Opticians appointment, and as I had some time to kill, I did a little bit of shopping, so naturally, I thought I'd show you what I bought!

(P.S if you were curious, I do need glasses :P )

I picked up the Samy Fat Hair 'o' Calories Amplifying Creme because I thought it looked interesting, and it promises more volume and texture. I am about to use this and do a first impressions post, so look out for that either tomorrow or the next day :)

Then I went into the Body Shop, as firstly I love the body shop, and also it was buy one get one 50% off, so naturally- I couldn't resist. I decided to pick up the Early-Harvest Raspberry Body Lotion as firstly it smells incredible, and also, although I love the body butters, sometimes I prefer something a little lighter in consistency.

I also got the Strawberry Body Butter because I had been eyeing this for ages, and I was with my boyfriend at the time, so we were smelling all the body butters, and he loves strawberries so, I got this one. It smells AMAZING.

Then I popped into Superdrug where they were having 3 for 2 on all makeup products, sooo I picked up some back ups.

I got the Rimmel Stay Matte Translucent Powder  because I recently traveled with my old one and the lid smashed and the powder was all cracked, and it was just a hot mess. This is like the 100th time I have re purchased this powder... (Slight over-exaggeration but hey ho)

I also decided to get Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream for Oily Skin as this is my favourite for the summer months. I have tried a few BB creams, and this one is the best for me. It has the best coverage, and when you set it with powder, it lasts a long time.

Then I picked up my holy grail foundation. (Holy Grail means I cannot LIVE without it, I need it in my collection... At. All. Times.)  I had been trying a new foundation but I missed my trusty Revlon Colorstay Foundation too much, so I bought it again. Mine is the Oily/Combination version in the shade Buff, and I find it a perfect match for me. 

So that's everything I picked up, If you would like to see reviews on anything please let me know and I can do that for you:)

Love from Lauren xx

Skincare Routine \\ May 2014

Hello:)

I haven't done an updated skincare routine in a really long time so today, I thought I would show you guys how I look after my skin.

NB: I realize these pictures are dreadful, and I am looking to purchase a new camera, however I am still saving and I've lost the charger to my old camera so please bear with me! I promise it will be better soon.

Anyway, lets talk skincare...

Step 1: Cleansing

If I can be bothered, (which admittedly is most of the time, as I really enjoy taking my make up off in the evenings), I use the L'Oreal Skin Perfection 15 Second Miracle Cleansing Oil.  I have nearly used all of this up now so I feel in a pretty good position to tell you guys what I really think.

1. What I do, is I take about 2-3 pumps of the oil on my CLEAN hands (I have an obsession with washing my hands. its weird.) and I rub the oil together on my fingertips and then apply it to my face, when it is completely dry. After I have massaged it in, I take some warm water and rinse it off thoroughly. When the oil touches the water it emulsifies, and turns into a milky consistency.  If I was wearing particularly heavy makeup, then I might repeat this, to ensure my face is makeup free!

2. What I really like about this product, is that although admittedly at first I was a little apprehensive at the thought of rubbing oil into my face, seeing as I have oily/combination skin, I found that  it leaves my skin looking so refreshed and soft, and most importantly, it doesn't sting my eyes! I haven't suffered from any MAJOR breakouts because of this so, if you are in the market for a new cleanser, I would reccomend this:)

If I am feeling lazy, or I haven't worn much makeup, then I go for Simple Kind to Skin Facial Cleansing Wipes.

There's not really much to say about these, but I like that they don't irritate my skin, they are really soft, and they remove makeup really well. If you are a makeup wipes kind of gal, these are a definite must try!

Step 2: Washing of the face

In the mornings, I don't use the cleansers, as I don't have any makeup on, and I shower every morning without fail.(No shower in the morning = unhappy Lauren)  When I am in the shower I like using the Clean & Clear Morning Energy Skin Energising Daily Facial Wash  as firstly the smell is so refreshing and it really wakes me up, but also as it has little beads in it, which burst as you massage them into the face, and I find it makes my skin look brighter, and it doesn't leave my skin feeling tight.

I also love the packaging, as it comes in a pump which is really convenient, and especially in the mornings, it comes in tres handy!

At night times, after cleansing my face, I like to use Clean & Clear Advantage Clear & Soothe Daily Scrub because it is a gentle exfoliator and it really soothes my skin down. Also as it has extracts of Aloe Vera in it, it helps to calm redness and combat breakouts. 

Step 3: The finishing touches...

Hello crappy photo!

After I have gotten out of the shower, or finished washing my face, I use Superdrugs Pore Cleansing Pads and I really enjoy using them. You take out one pad, and rub the textured side all over your face, and then flip the pad over to the smooth side, and go over your face again.

These ensure my face is really free of all the makeup and grime of the day, and also really work well at cleaning my pores. They are really inexpensive as well, so I would give them a try if you suffer from clogged pores, or Acne, as they contain Salicylic Acid to fight breakouts as well.

After that has dried, I moisturize using Simple Kind to Skin Light Hydrating Moisturizer. This is my holy grail moisturizer and I love it. It isn't scented so doesn't irritate my skin, and It dries really quickly, and it leaves my skin feeling so soft and hydrated. I love this!

So thats it for my skincare routine! About 2 times a week I like to use a facemask as well, but I was thinking of doing a separate post on that sometime in the near future.

Hope you liked the post, and as always, if you have any questions, please leave a comment!

Love from Lauren xx

Long Time, No Speak.

Hello...

As you may have noticed, I haven't written a blog post since January, which is really bad and I am really sorry. It's not like I haven't tried, (There are lots of drafts i've written, but didn't like) but I haven't really felt inspired to blog recently.

Now, however that should be changing. Slowly, but surely I am going to try to start blogging more frequently, as not only do I miss it, but also I enjoy it, and I'm feeling inspired lately. 

I feel you guys deserve an update as to where I have been so brace yourselves, maybe grab a cup of tea (or if you're like me and hate tea, get some lemonade) because this is going to be a really long post.

Excuse 1:

As you may or may not know, In september I started Sixth Form College, and started studying my AS Levels. Well this is crazy, but now I have finished my first year at college, I only have one exam left, and I start my second year (My A2 levels) on June 9th. Honestly, college has been such a huge change, and at first, I'll admit, I wasn't sure if it was for me, but after meeting new people, and settling down a bit, I really enjoyed myself. Some highlights from this year at college has been going back out with my bestfriend/ boyfriend, Liam, it's been 6 months now, and I couldn't be happier to be honest. Also the amount of new friends I have made is awesome. As there were a lot of us who came to my college we have been adding to our friend group, and there are so many cool new people. 

Just a recap, for my first year at college I studied:

English Language: I absolutely love this subject. I may sound geeky, but I just find it so interesting, and I seem to be doing quite well in it. I also want to go on to Uni and study English Language & Linguistics, which I didn't have a clue about this time last year, but now I'm quite excited! I'm hoping to go to Brighton or UCL. 

Classical Civilisation:  I also really enjoy classics, and I have amazing friends in my class. In June we are going to the Bay of Naples, so I will for sure be doing a blog post on that, as that is something I will want to remember forever! This subject is so interesting, and my teacher is hilarious, which means the lessons are enjoyable.

French: Ah, French. The difference between A levels and GCSE's is that in GCSE, you might think you are really good at something, and really enjoy it, whereas at A level you come to realise, you're not so great. This is the case for French. At GCSE i got an A* which I was really pleased at, but A Level French is a completely different ball game, and It's a lot of work, and very difficult. Because of this, I don't think I'm going to do A2 levels in it, as I don't enjoy it and I'm not that great at it.

Media Studies:  I originally was supposed to be taking Sociology, but at the last minute I switched to Media as I thought it would be less challenging, and I practically spend my life around Media anyway. I will be the first to admit, I actually hated this subject for the majority of the year, and I was convinced I was so bad at it, but actually, as the year has gone on, i've realised i'm better than I thought, and in my coursework I got an A, (I actually asked my teacher if he was joking) and I have made lots of friends. I made the decision to take this to A2 level, because originally I was planning on dropping it, but at the end of the day, I hate French, and I most likely will get a D or a C whereas even though I'm not a fan of Media either, I can get a much better grade in it.

Here are some pictures from my first year at college;

Me and Liam practising using the Media Cameras

Selfie with Crookshanks at  Harry Potter Studios

Ice Skating with Liam

Rock Challenge 2014, our theme was avatar.

Excuse 2:

I turned 17 on 22nd April, and I started driving lessons. At first I was good, but I'm getting progressively worse, and its really frustrating! I hope I'll get better.

Excuse 3:

My job. It isn't that strenuous at all to be honest, but it makes me tired, and it means I dont have that much time at the week-ends anymore.

ENOUGH EXCUSES

So, I have re made my blog, and I've decided that there will be more lifestyle type posts on here now as well as beauty, as one of the main reasons I made my blog, was to document my life, and so I want to do that. Also, if anyone has any suggestions as to what you want to see please leave me a comment!! 

*And breatheeeeeee*

Okay rambling over, I hope to be posting more shortly, so stay tuned! 

Love from Lauren xx