I'M BACK! New Job & University Take 2

I've been trying to start this post for a while and I've not found the words to explain my sudden disappearance from the wonderful world of blogging. In all honesty, I decided that I needed to a break. And boy, did I! I was beginning to feel that I was blogging and writing posts for the sake of it. Not because I was passionate about a product or because I was excited about sharing something with you guys. Has anyone ever felt like that?

A lot has happened since I last posted (waaaaaaaay back then!). I got a brand new job and I started university - again!

I started my new job in July and I now work as a Communications Assistant in my local council's press team. The job is very similar to my old one (read about it here). I write press releases, handle questions from the media, organise filming requests in the area from the likes of BBC, and I also manage our set of social media channels. I absolutely love it and feel like I've really hit the ground running.

And so, after that huge blog post last year about why I quit university and why university wasn't for me, what did I do? I decided to go back! A completely strategic career move might I add. I really wanted to start climbing the working ladder in PR and Communications yet found myself stuck in a rut when every job I fancied applying for required a university degree as 'essential'. So, this time I did my research and successfully gained a place at Manchester Metropolitan University studying PR & Marketing! I'm only a few weeks into my course but I definitely feel that I've made the right decision and it's so cool that I get to apply what I'm learning at uni into what I do at work :).

Oh, and I've also lost 1 and 1/2 stone in weight and bought myself a brand new Vauxhall Corsa!

Anyway, this is just a quick post to update you on where I'm up to and to ease myself back into blogger.

WATCH THIS SPACE!

AllBeauty.com Bargainous Mini Haul

I was acquainted with this absolute gem of a website when a colleague at work was telling me how she'd got some aftershave (for her son) for more than half the price than it was selling for in the shops. Obviously I asked her to send me the link and spent my morning at work scrolling through the endless bargains on there - naughty!

50 Years of Superdrug May 2014 Glossybox

After hearing on the grapevine that Glossybox was teaming up with Superdrug to their celebrate their 50 year anniversary, with a promise of four full-size products, I was super super excited to receive my box. After reading a few reviews on what other people had got in theirs (Rimmel mascaras and Max Factor primers) I was even more thrilled! However, when I ran out of the post office, got in my car and ripped open the packaging, I was left feeling a little...meh. 

Garden Party in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support

Most people out there either have been or know someone who has been affected by cancer. I don't need to tell you about the heartache and grief that it can bring but I will tell you about some of the fantastic things that people are doing to raise money for a charity who help make things as easy as they can be. Macmillan Cancer Support is a charity that helps cancer sufferers and their families through everything. My own personal experience of Macmillan nurses was absolutely second-to-none. They really are the loveliest team of people and I could not thank them enough for how much they supported and helped us through a very difficult time.

Mr Nutcase Personal Phone Case & Discount Code*

I love having photos on display in the house. You literally can't see the walls in my room for noticeboards covered in pictures and keepsakes hung all over them. Anything with a personal touch really stands out to me so I jumped at the chance to design my own personalised iPhone case!

My 'Emergency' Handbag Kit

Just like any typical woman, carrying a load of crap in her bag is an obligatory trait within the female species. Deep within the depths of Boots and Nando's receipts, perfume bottles, empty sweets packets and loose change, in a tiny little corner of my bag, lives a leopard print cosmetic bag that I like to think is there for 'emergencies'. However, these aren't just any emergencies that I've prepared myself for. Oh, no. Disasters such as a dry hands, streaky fake tan, annoying bits of hair in your face and excruciatingly painful blisters are all taken care of thanks to my trusty bag of wonders.

May Must-Haves

All images sourced from Google

WHY oh why are there so many gorgeous new Spring releases that I feel that I must purchase but that my bank balance tells me otherwise? I've been spending quite a lot of time online window shopping as I know that shopping in stores where I can feel, touch and try-on will only end in disaster. So, I've gone through my online Wishlists and picked out a few items that will definitely become new residents in my wardrobe/make-up storage this month.

Weightloss Wednesday: Food Replacement

Weightloss and dieting isn't about starving yourself and depriving your body from the food that it needs - it's about changing what you eat. Believe it or not, the more you eat - the less weight you lose (obviously if you're making the right choices). Not eating enough throughout the day can actually cause you to gain weight as your body starts to store the fat. Your body starts to think 'Hang on a minute, she's not fed me for four hours. Better start storing incase she doesn't feed me all day!" Since starting to diet, I've had to replace the unhealthy foods that I eat, with something a little better for me. Here are some of the replacements that I've made whilst still being able to enjoy my food.

ZSL London Zoo

As part of our Easter trip to London, my Mum and I decided to visit London Zoo. We had a 2 for 1 voucher too so it didn't work out too expensive. Since buying my new camera in March, I've not really had chance to use it outside and photographing actual moving objects. This was the chance for my camera to really show off what it was capable of doing and I was so impressed with it! The zoom was absolutely incredible and I got some fantastic shots. Here are some that I really loved. Enjoy!

Spring Cheeks with Topshop

I'll be honest, blushers aren't up there in my most used make-up products as I find it really difficult to find a shade that complements my complexion. I much prefer a noticeable bronzer with a subtle hint of blush when it comes to my make-up routine. However, since coming across some of some my Topshop make-up stowed away in my drawer, my love for their quality has re-blossomed and have decided to share them with you.

April Lovin'

Like most, I am ridiculously excited for the warmer months to begin and the sun to start bronzing my skin. I've been getting so hyped up about buying light coverage foundations, tanning moisturisers and I'm up to my eyes in bright and pastel nail varnishes. Anyway, here are some of the products that I've took a shine to this month. (Get it? Shine. Sunshine...)

Easter in LDN

So my Mum and I spent our Easter weekend down in London town. We went from Friday morning to Sunday evening and spent two nights in a gorgeous hotel in Kensington. We did SO much in so little time and we must have walked for miles! We went to; Buckingham Palace, Selfridges, London Zoo (will do a seperate post for this), Lyceum Theatre, Natural History Museum, Harrods, Big Ben, Downing Street, Westminster Abbey and even managed to squeeze a Nando's in there too! Here's a selection of some of the pictures we took :)

GIVEAWAY (Closed): Peppy Galore Cleansing Oil*

This week I've teamed up with the lovely ladies at Peppy Galore to host a giveaway! The winner will receive one of their Rebel Cleansing Oils specifically tailored for oily skin. If you haven't guessed, Peppy Galore are a cosmetics and skincare company based in the UK. They make products that are made from natural ingredients, not tested on animals and are affordable too. Jessi, the founder of Peppy Galore, started the company from scratch and I can't believe the amount of products they have on offer! From body mousses to lip balms, all at great prices and (very) cute packaging! Be sure to visit their website for reviews and more info.

"The oils in this cleanser are lightweight, astringent and softening, so they reduce pores without clogging them. Tea Tree essential oil is the super ingredient here. It’s naturally antibacterial, so it keeps your skin clean and helps your blemishes heal. Rebel Cleansing Oil also moisturises and conditions your skin keeping it in good health."

This giveaway will run from Friday 18th April until next Thursday 24th April when they will pick a winner and they will be notified! Get entering and GOOD LUCK! :-)

April 2014 Glossybox

There's no better feeling than coming home after a hard days work and seeing that cardboard Glossybox-branded box sitting there waiting for me on the desk. Yep, it's that time of month again where I decide whether I got my £12's worth of beauty products. I was pretty much ready to cancel my subscription after last months monstrosity of a box but Glossybox - you've done it again! 

Manicure Monday: Models Own Blueberry Muffin

I adore wearing pastels during Springtime and Models Own Blueberry Muffin has been such a favourite of mine. This polish comes from the Fruit Pastel collection which includes 4 other gorgeous pastel shades. There are so many ranges of pastels on the market but the thing that drew me to this was the fact that it was scented!...

Topshop TIKA2 High Vamp Skaters

After constantly wearing my Chelsea boots throughout the whole of winter - the first peek of sunshine through the clouds and I was scrolling through Topshop's online SS range. I knew that I wanted some sort of comfy slip-on pumps as I was sick to death of wearing my converse and vans and I've never been a fan of the whole sports trainers rage (apologies if this offends you)...

Weightloss Wednesday: Getting Motivated

Source

After healthily losing a stone and a half in two months last year, since Christmas I've slowly but surely found it again! During a recent trip to the doctors, I discovered that I'd found more than I originally lost in the first place. I've decided that I really need to do something about it and I'm bringing you along for the ride! Since motivating myself to start dieting has worked for me in the past, I thought I would share some of the ways that I encourage myself to ditch the doughnuts and bin the biscuits. 

How I Created A Custom Domain

A very short post today but I thought I'd share my experience of setting up my own custom domain for my blog. Since starting this blog, I'd always wondered how bloggers had magically rid the '.blogspot.com' or '.wordpress.com' from their domain. I thought it looked so much more professional and made for much easier accessibility. I soon realised that there were a few sites in which you could buy your own domain and link it in with your blog account. However, I was a little reluctant at first as I wasn't sure how well I'd stick to this whole blogging thing. 

After continuing to blog, setting up a twitter account and beginning to work with a few companies, I decided that I would finally purchase my own domain. The only problem I had to face was - erm, so how do I do that?...

I scoured the internet for some recommendations of a decent site where you could pay for and set up your own domain. I read a lot of good comments and reviews from the site godaddy.com and thought I would give it a go! Purchasing the domain itself was simple enough and only cost me £7.10 to be paid per year. HOWEVER, linking it with my blogger account was beginning to make me want to rip my hair out!!

I came across a fantastic blog called xomisse.com which had SO many tips and tricks for blogs and site design. She had written a fantastic tutorial on setting up a custom domain that had step-by-step, easy to follow instructions that helped me along the way. From following this simple guide, setting up my custom domain took me around 15 minutes. You can find the specific guide that I used by clicking here. There are so many other step-by-step guides to follow too.

Hope you find it as interesting and helpful as I definitely did!

X

How to Schedule Your Tweets

You may or may not know but I currently work as a PR Assistant. (What it's like to work as a PR Assistant blog post here). This means that I manage a lot of different social media accounts and am particularly responsible for live tweeting at our events. So, the next time you're at an event and you see someone sat in the corner with an iPad frantically typing away, then that's what I do. However, all my birthdays came at once when I was recently introduced to a website called Twuffer.com which basically does some of the work for you...

Mother's Day

Starting off on a bit of a morbid note but this year has been my Mum's first Mother's Day without her Mum. My Nan passed away last summer so I thought that my Mum definitely needed spoiling this year!

As you can see, I got my Mum a range of gifts as I just LOVE buying presents for people. I love getting them something that I know matches their personality or that I know they'll love and get use out of.

Argan Dew Hair Mask & Argan Oil*

After having my hair ombre for the best part of two years, my hair was never in the best condition since dying it out (Ombre hair care post here). To my dismay, I even had to chop most of it off (blog post here) resulting in me going from having well past boob-length hair to just below shoulder-length hair. Now, you might think I'm mad after just moaning about the state of my hair after dip-dying it, but I really want to have it done again! I think it looked so nice for summer and I really do miss it. The only thing I don't miss was how much it ruined the condition of my hair.

In light of this, I've been on the hunt for some decent hair products and treatments that will hopefully really look after my hair this time round. So obviously, I jumped at the chance when the lovely team at Argan Dew kindly offered to send me some of their hair products to review.

Ciate's Pocket Money

This nail polish has become my ultimate go-to shade for days in the office. I always like to keep my nails polished and well manicured but I find that a bright orange isn't always massively appropriate in an office environment. Ciate have produced a gorgeous yet professional looking polish. Here's why I think you should spend your pocket money on Pocket Money...

My Week as a Journalist

At the moment, I work in Public Relations as a PR Assistant. This means that part of job role is to work alongside the media, press and journalists. My Communications Manager managed to arrange me a week's work placement at my local series newspaper so that I could get a feel for what it's like to actually work as part of the press. I was so excited to start as I knew I would learn so much and pick up some helpful tips for dealing with the media. I thought I would let you guys in on what I got up to including going to court, getting a tour around a theme park and hearing about hanging out with One Direction!...

March 2014 Glossybox

I wasn't too overly impressed with this month's Glossybox as I've received so many more exciting boxes. However, there are a couple of products in there that I've not yet come across and I'm quite eager to try out...

Review: The Body Shop Lipstick in Red Siren

With Spring fast approaching, it's definitely time to start donning the pastels and brights and what better way to start with lips? Their full name, The Body Shop Colour Crush lipsticks, were launched around summer time last year and replaced their Colourglide range. The Body Shop, as usual, pride themselves on their cruelty-free and fair trade production and these products are no different. There are 24 gorgeous shades in the collection however Red Siren really stood out to me as a classic bold red perfect for the upcoming warmer (fingers crossed) climate...

Review: L'Oréal Purifying Micellar Solution

Okaaaay, so I blissfully leapfrogged onto the blogger band wagon! I fell into the "A blogger recommended it? I must purchase!" pit of never ending spending. It's ridiculous how many times I've seen this product featured in Favourites videos and blog posts but I have justified buying this purely for blog research purposes only. That makes it okay, doesn't it?...

What it's Like to Work as a PR Assistant

Working as a PR Assistant is a very, VERY interesting job. No two days are the same and I'm always coming into contact with such a diverse range of customers and clients. I've decided to share with you guys what kind of tasks the job entails, what I get up to on a day-to-day basis and a few skills and qualities that I feel are really important in order to be successful in PR. Considering a lot of bloggers now-a-days are contacted by PR's, I thought it would be interesting for you to read what it's like on the other end of it all...

Video: Collective Haul

Check out my new YouTube video on a few things that I've picked up over the past month!

Enjoy!

X

Review & Results: Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara

 I happily recieved this new mascara in February's Glossybox. It was launched in the UK in January 2014 and I was thrilled to get my hands on it. It's the first double-ended mascara from Maybelline with two brushes designed specifically for top and bottom lashes...

Dear OPI, I Love You

I'm totally in love with this OPI nail set and thought I'd share it with you guys. It came as part of the 'Dear OPI, I Love You' gift set.

Video: What I Got For My Birthday

Okay so, I STARTED YOUTUBE! I decided to film a little video sharing what I got for my birthday this year. However, I'm still really frustrated as the editing software I used has got rid of the HD which I'm still trying to work out how/why. Anyways, I really hope you like it! And hopefully my next one will be in MUCH higher quality. 

My Make Up Bag: Step-by-Step

PRIME

1 // Borjouis Bronzing Primer
I've literally lost count the amount of times I've raved about this product but it's my favouritist thing in the whole entire world. I use it as an actual primer and not to just contour or bronze my cheekbones. I'm a bit obsessive over looking tanned so as you might be able to tell, this baby has become my bestest friend. If you want to read more, click here!

Urban Decay vs MUA: Copy or Dupe?

In the beauty world, I believe that there is a very fine line between a dupe and a copy. A dupe is another, usually cheaper, version that has been inspired by a similar product. A copy is a complete duplication - identical to the product at hand. 

I've always been a great lover of my Urban Decay Naked Palette and reach for it pretty much everyday. However, since discovering the MUA Undressed Palette, I'm yet to distinguish whether MUA have committed the ultimate beauty product crime or whether they've merely used my beloved palette as a bit of a base to go off. After all, how many neutral shades are there in this world? 

As you can see below, the shades are VERY similar and arranged in the exact same order Urban Decay's. I noticed this straight away and my first reaction was 'Wow, this SUCH an obvious copy'. Even the name of the palette, Undressed, is a complete synonym of UD's Naked which suggests the MUA team have definitely been basing their neutrals research around Urban Decay. However, I was very shocked when I noticed how pigmented MUA's version of the shades actually were. I usually find that lower-priced high street products in no way compete with the formulas of the more higher end choices however this came as a pleasant surprise and at just £4, you can't argue! I've swatched a few shades below so you can see the comparison for yourself.  A nice touch I also spotted from MUA was the 'Mini Master-Class' which have a few handy tips on the back of the palette to use on a selection of the shades which I think would be great if you're new to the whole eyeshadow thing.

Even though the Undressed palette is a very obvious copy/dupe (you decide!), I think it's a great alternative if you're budgeting yourself. It's also a great opportunity to sample some of the shades on yourself before you splurge on the UD version. For anyone who's just getting into make up or eye shadow, it's a great, well-priced palette to go for that still offers gorgeous results.

Even though both palettes boast very similar shades, I still find myself reaching for them on a lot of different occasions. I find that I take my MUA palette out with me a lot more often as obviously I'm not as afraid to lose that one. I love my neutral shades and I definitely couldn't live without at least one of these palettes! Let me know which one you prefer.

Cake Baking For Dumbies

As most of my friends will tell you, I'm not a culinary genius by any means and can only just manage to make myself some supernoodles. However, I had bit of a craving to bake a huge chocolately, calorific extravaganza earlier so decided to take a trip to Sainsbury's and grab a cake mix. (I know I'm a cheat, but it tasted lovely and I don't care).

You'll need

Cake Mix of your choice
Icing of your choice

6 tsbp vegetable oil

250ml water

3 free range eggs

Butter

Tin foil

Two cake tins

Cooling rack

Palette knife

Electric Whisk (preferable)

So, firstly you need to get your hands on some sort of cake mix. There are sooo many to choose from but I decided to put my trust into good old Betty Crocker. For the first section you'll also need your vegetable oil, eggs and water. 

Give it a good mix until the mixture is smooth and creamy. I used my electric whisk for this section as I find it's a LOT quicker but you can also use a wooden spoon - entirely up to you!

Next, you'll need to grease your cake tins by taking a little bit of butter onto some tin foil until they look something like this... 

And pour your lovely, well mixed cake mix into your lovely, well-greased cake tins.

Pop them in the oven at 180 degrees (160 degrees for fan assisted ovens)/Gas Mark 4 for 23-28 mins.

Then OBVIOUSLY help yourself to the left-over cake mix! (Everyone's favourite part)

Once your cakes are cooked - you can test thing by inserting a knife into the centre of one of the cakes and if the knife comes out clean, they' re ready - take them out of the oven and make sure they feel quite firm and not too bouncy.

Next, take your palette knife (I could only find this rubbish wooden one haha) and spread your icing over the top of your first cake so that your two cakes stick together. 

Then pop your second cake on top and repeat making sure you completely cover both cakes. You can then take any form of cutlery and be as creative as you like! 

Then just to finish, pop on anything you can find in your cupboards. 

As you can see, my attempt soon began to disappear! 

If you're like me and are majorly lacking skills in the kitchen, then this is such a quick and easy way to make everyone else think you're the next Delia Smith - just make sure you bin that cake mix box ;)

How to Prepare for a Job Interview

BEFORE

1  Do your research

Before any job interview it is vital that you know your stuff. Make sure that you spend time researching the company - what they do they, how they do it and what their company values are. Statistics, figures and awards they’ve won are usually a massive winner when it comes to interviews as it shows the interviewer that you’ve really made the effort to do your research and that you want to be a part of it! Researching any new initiatives or recent changes also shows that you’ve kept yourself up to date with the company.

2  Venue

Make sure that you know exactly where you’re going for your interview. If you’ve never been to the venue before then do a little trial run with yourself and take note of how long it takes you to get there. Make sure that you keep in mind if there might be any unexpected delays at the time of your interview and have a plan B route just in case!

3  Appearance

Appearance is KEY to a job interview. Sounds very vein but this is probably one of the most important aspects to think about. Although we don’t like to admit it, our first impressions of people lie with how they look. An employer won’t even look twice at you if you turn up in jeans, converse and last night’s make up. A nice blazer/blouse/skirt or pants ensemble usually does the trick (unless obviously you’ve been asked to wear otherwise). Hair and make-up is also something to consider. A well executed bun or pony-tail with minimal make-up is a great way to portray that you’re a well put together young lady. They don’t have to see your smokey-eye, false eye-lash, red lippy clad alter-ego self exclusive for Saturday nights on the town! I also like to make an effort with my nails aswell, as bright orange chipped nail varnish isn’t the best look.

4  Prepare answers

This is where Google becomes your best friend. There are so many forums and websites that list interview FAQ’s and how to the answer them. The typical ones like ‘What can you bring to the role’, ‘What do you know about us?’ and ‘What are your strengths?’ are what you need answers to in your mind before the day. I find that searching online gives me so many various answers and great buzz words to jot down. Looking at your job description or person specification can also trigger some possible questions that you will be able to think of answers to. I find that clearly writing them all down in a notebook is such a great way of remembering them, and having a quick check through them on the day is also great help too!

DURING

1  First impression

This is the time to sell yourself! Saying ‘walk in like you own the place’ is a little extravagant but I would definitely say be confident and believe in yourself. Introduce yourself and make an effort to shake hands with your interviewers. I also like to make a comment e.g about the weather etc to show that you’re down to earth, relaxed and also puts your interviewers at ease from the start.

2  Their questions

It’s always important to take your time when answering any questions. This ensures that you don’t forget to say anything that you wanted to say and also gives you chance to expand on your points. Always try to make at least 3-4 points per question to demonstrate your knowledge and versatility. Also, when asked about your skills, its very important to give examples of when you’ve actually used those skills. It’s all well and good reeling off a list of skills that you acquire, but your point will become a hell of a lot stronger if you find evidence to back it up with!

3  Your questions

This is also a very important aspect to think about. At the end, interviewers will usually ask 'is there anything you want to ask us?'. Whatever you do, do not say no! Here are some possible questions to have up your sleeve;
1. How many other people work in the team?
2. What opportunities are there for progression and promotion?
3. When can I expect to hear from you?
4. Does the job involve any sort of training?
5. What's a typical week like in the job role?

AFTER

1 Feedback
Whether you got the job or not, it's essential that you ask for interviewer for feedback. Although it might be a little awkward if you didn't get the job, it really does help in the long run. This is your chance to take some notes and remember what to do/not to do if you're faced with the same situation again. You might be sat there calling them every name under the sun because of the fact they didn't offer you the job but a quick call or e-mail for feedback doesn't take long and is so important!

Tweet Tweet!

Aloha!

Just a quick post to let you all know that I've joined Twitter! If you want to follow me then click HERE and be sure to send me a tweet!

Speak soon,

BEYONCÉ: Heat

I know I'm massively late on the Beyoncé Heat bandwagon as this fragrance was first released way back in February 2010. But, I recieved this for my birthday yesterday (my friend made me open it early) and I am completely obsessed with it already. I'm not great at describing scents but I just imagine it being exactly what Beyoncé smells like haha. It's a very sweet, spicy scent that would definitely be more suitable for evenings out. As you can see, the packaging is very sophisticated yet simplistic. You can't go wrong with a classic, sexy red. 

Beyoncé herself was quoted; "It's like something you can't get enough of. It's hot, sexy - it definitely makes you feel like you caught the fever" and also added that her fave fragrance is red vanilla orchid due to its "sexy" and "spicy" smell. She went on to say that it was also suitable for her alter ego Sasha Fierce as it was "fiery".

I'm really loving it so far, and it was such a lovely gift to recieve. My friend definitely knows me well!

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