Firmoo Glasses Review

Do you ever put on an outfit and you can’t put your finger on what’s missing to complete it?  Add a bracelet and no… a necklace perhaps?  No… a kimono? NO.  Add a pair of glasses and you are good to go!  They make any outfit seriously chic.

It seems to be the ‘cool’ (I hate myself for using that term) thing to do is wear glasses, even when you don’t need them.  Which is bizarre because when I was a kid you were made fun of for wearing glasses!  Oh how times have changed…

But how do you know what glasses suit you and which ones don’t?  Is your face too small or too big for certain types?  You can’t just grab a pair on the high street and expect them to suit you!  That’s where Firmoo comes in!  They even have a system where you can upload a picture of yourself and virtually try on the glasses you like the look of so that you know whether or not you will look ridiculous.  With so many styles and sizes it’s hard to know where to even begin… so let me help!

Top Tips For Your Face Shape

Find out your face shape before you do anything – I had no idea what I was so I looked straight into a wall mirror and with a lipstick (messy) I traced the shape of my face.  Turns out I have a little round head, like a pea.  Doing this will determine the shape of your glasses which best suit you.

Round shape faces should go for glasses that are wider than they are taller as this will give the illusion that your face is stretched out.

Oval shape faces you need to get frames that match the widest area of your face so as not to upset the balance of your features.

Heart shape faces – CAT EYE.  Why do cat eye glasses always look so good on heart shapes heads?  Heart shape tend to have a wider forehead and a pointier chin so you need frames that are wider than your head or have high points like the cat eye shape to balance.  

Square shape faces should potentially avoid square shaped glasses and opt for something more rounded instead to soften the features.

Next step is assess what colour of frames you want to go for and what colours best suit you.  So get help telling whether you are warm or cool toned and then get a frame that compliments that.  For example, if you are warm skinned (yellow or olive toned) then a frame with a warm hue better suits and cool toned (blueish or pink) suits a cool toned frame – you get me??

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Make Up Tips

As glasses tend to cast a shadow under the eye it’s important to have a few tips up your sleeve to get the most from your new glasses.

Concealer – A brightening concealer will be your new best friend in order to keep away your dark circles.  A few favourites of mine are the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat and the Estee Lauder Brush on Glow to add that healthy glow.  That being said please, please, PLEASE do not apply too much concealer as I have learned the hard way that glasses are like a magnifying glass and will show up every line you have and invent lines you don’t have.

Line and Define – Don’t guffaw at me just yet… but liner is an amazing way to make your eyes stand out through the lens of your glasses.  If you have thick frames, you should opt for a thicker line, but if you have softer, thinner frames then you can opt for a thinner line.  Your eyeshadow should always be lighter than your frames also to avoid heavy looking eyes.

Mascara – I feel like this one goes without saying however, invest in a mascara (and an eyelash curler) that can do wonders for your eyes peeking behind those glasses.  Or, if you can bothered – yes, falsies.

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WARNING – Firmoo’s website is highly addictive.  I have 15 pairs of glasses in my basket…

The website itself is very easy to use and even has a ‘How To’ section for choosing lens type and reading prescription.  Not only that but when you have selected your pair of glasses each pair is custom designed to suit your pretty little face.  Have a ruler at the ready as you will be asked for measurements to ensure that your glasses fit.  You can also select your lenses and add in your own prescription!  If they are purely just for fashion purposes I suggest keeping them as ‘Non RX’ ie. no prescription to keep them on the cheaper side.  As IF Firmoo hasn’t held your hand enough offering you everything, you can then choose your lens thickness preference.  Like, hello?  I’ve never been so looked after in my life and this is a WEBSITE.

Enjoy shopping on the amazing website, I can’t wait to see all your glasses pics on Instagram!

SHOP HERE

You get your first pair of glasses for $4.95!  All you have to do is click the link below!

http://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=406938&u=1706277&m=43054&urllink=www%2Efirmoo%2Ecom%2Fpromo%2Dlscytb495%2Ehtml&afftrack=

Glasses Pictured – Style #YSL366 Gold

 

 

 

How To Break In New Shoes

We’ve all had that tedious day trudging about the workplace breaking in new shoes.  I am here to give your feet a break!  Breaking your shoes in doesn’t have to be a painful ordeal.  Do not try and wear your shoes all day straightaway, gently break them in a few hours at a time and before long they will feel like slippers!

I have recently bought myself a gorgeous new pair of Doc Marten’s and if you have a pair then you will know that they are an absolute bitch to break in.  I am currently plopped in front of the tele watching Tattoo Fixers while breaking them in, so this leads me to my first top tip…

Vaseline

We all know where our sore bits on our feet lie when it comes to breaking in new shoes.  For me, it’s the heel.  The damn Achilles Heel.  You get blisters on your feet due to a lack of moisture in those areas i.e. when friction is caused between shoe and foot that’s when the need for plasters arises.  Use lotion to moisturise before your put om your new shoes or use petroleum jelly – I always  have Vaseline lying around so I prefer to use it.

Stretching Shoes with Chunky Socks

This isn’t everyone’s first go to when it comes to breaking in shoes but it is mine!  If you can stretch your shoes while wearing thick socks sitting in your pajamas in front of the TV then why not?  Wearing your thicker socks in your new shoes allows you to stretch the shoes without getting nasty little blisters that stay with you for weeks.  Avoid wearing them for long periods of time as your feet can get warm and swell and you’ll end up with blisters anyway so every now and then wear them and have a little walk around.  I put a wash on doing this earlier, then gave my feet a break and now I am wearing them again and can feel it working already!

Blow Dry

This tip really would only apply to leather shoes but no, I don’t mean take them to the hairdressers.  Blow drying the ‘tight’ bits of your shoes can help massively as heat can help to soften the harder bits of leather.  Leading on from the last point if your shoes are being stubborn then keeping your socks on with your shoes blast the areas that hurt or rub with a hairdryer.  Normally a hairdryer will help with areas like the big toe or heel!  Keeping the hairdryer far enough away that you don’t burn yourself hold there for around 20 seconds.  Then get up and move around while the leather is still warm and flexible so that the shoe can bend to suit your foot shape.  If you still feel a good bit of rubbing then rinse and repeat!

Thin Ice

Okay, I don’t know why but I didn’t think that this would work.  My friends, it’s a bloody revelation.  I didn’t try this on leather shoes I tried it on new boots however, it worked like a dream.  So, fill two plastic bags/sandwich bags with water (leave a little room at the top) and stuff them into your shoes and put them in the freezer overnight.  Yes the freezer.  The water turns to ice obvy, and then in turn stretches your shoes without need to even put a toe in.  It’s fantastic!

Buy another pair…

They ones you bought hurt like a bitch? Buy more.

 

Best Websites For Buying Makeup

As a self confessed make up lover I have found the perfect way to successfully shop for my make up but what about you guys who are watching these YouTube videos and reading these blogs about products and have no idea where or how to buy them?

I have compiled a list of the best websites to shop online for your perfect beauty picks!

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https://www.beautybay.com/

This website is my immediate go to for shopping as it holds a host of beauty brands that you can’t get on the high street or even in your local department stores.  From Anastasia Beverly Hills to Sigma to Morphe to Zoeva it has it all!  Before Beauty Bay came along it was hard (and expensive) to get these amazing products but it is so easy.

You can view your products by brand and make up category making it easier to see what you are looking for and pick up a few bargains on the way.  Speaking of bargains, they have a sale on now GO GO GO!

Not only is this a fantastic and easy to use website but you get free delivery with a £15 spend.  I don’t know about you but I could spend £15 in 15 seconds so that’s not a problem for me.  This is great as it appeals to even those on a budget.

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https://www.cultbeauty.co.uk

When I can’t find what I need on Beauty Bay my next stop is Cult Beauty.  Serving you brands from Huda Beauty to Becca Cosmetics to Lime Crime to Farsali (you know that serum Instagrammers are dripping all over their faces?).  They also sell some of the same things that Beauty Bay has so if you are enquiring about prices be sure to check on both as you may save yourself some £’s.

What I like about Cult Beauty is that on their main page they have got such great blog posts that are interesting and entertaining to read (https://www.cultbeauty.co.uk/blog) Not only that but you can shop a trends section to stay up to date with what’s hot in the beauty industry which is extremely helpful because I feel like the trends change weekly and can be hard to keep up.  God forbid I put on a gloss when it’s back to ‘all matte everything.’

PS. There’s a sale on Cult Beauty too!

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http://www.spacenk.com/uk

Us fortunate souls in the Belfast area are extremely lucky to have Space NK on our doorstep but for those who don’t or are lazier (me) then the website is perfection! What started out as a single store in Covent Garden has now graduated into 60 stores over UK & Ireland is now home to over 70 brands. Carrying some of the world’s most amazing, elusive brands Space NK provides a shopping experience like no other.  From Hourglass to Rodin (oh please tell me you have tried this brand?!  Their Jasmine & Neroli Luxury Body Oil is to die for…)

 

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http://www.birchbox.com

So this is primarily a subscription service that sends subscribers five selected samples of makeup, skincare, haircare, etc.  For £10 a month/ £60 for 6 months/ £110 for 12 months you get a box of goodies that are tailored to suit you.  I love this website, it’s such a great idea to get to try products you never would have normally.  Plus, technically you’re only buying one thing, so it’s not as bad as buying 5 things.  You can also purchase products from this website like the others but this one is all about the special boxes that come every month.  I love them, it’s like getting a little surprise sent to you in the mail!

In fact if you order a box in January you get a free Pop Beauty Eyeshadow Trio with a Spectrum brush – just use the code EYES at checkout – YAY!

There are so many sites that you can use but these are a selection of my favourites and the ones that I use all the time.  Way more than I probably should.  These sites are perfect for those amazing products that you can’t get in normal stores, or if you just hate going into places like Debenhams, Boots, etc then they are perfect for you.

Happy shopping!

 

Relax Babe, You Deserve It

As the stress of the Christmas period comes to an end and the stress of a  new year begins, it’s important to carve out time for yourself to relax.  As we all try to turn ourselves into better people for a new year we someone manage to forget to look after ourselves causing anxiety and – yes, stress!

I have devised my favourite ways to wind down and relax for you all, so do your body and mind a favour and tick some off the list.  The best thing is you can do some of them in less than 5 minutes so they don’t take a lot of time out of your busy ‘New Year, New You’ schedule.

Munch that chocolate.

Now, I don’t want to disturb anyone’s diet but it’s SCIENCE.  Not only is it effing tasty but eating some dark chocolate can reduce stress and anxiety.  It improves memory and is related to happiness and increasing your mood.  So, if science says it’s okay then you have that chocolate!  To avoid the guilt maybe don’t race for the vending machine for the goods but instead keep with you a few squares of dark chocolate with you.  My favourite is Pascha Chocolate *bonus – gluten free, dairy free, soy free and nut free*

 

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Meditate – ahummm.

I am telling you, once I got over the Buddha feeling this seriously helps.  From as little as 5 minutes can seriously affect your mood for the better.  The mind, heart and body can improve with regular meditation!  For me personally it grounds me and steadies my thoughts so that my brain doesn’t go into overdrive.  Meditating improves concentration and causes the pituitary gland to secrete endorphins that help elevate the mood and have a positive effect on your whole body.  So sit your ass down and hum a few bars to center yourself.  Trust me, you’ll feel better.

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Drink a green tea.

I don’t know what it is but a sense of smugness washes over me that calms me down when I drink a green tea.  It’s the same sense that you get off those that sit in Starbucks for hours writing or banging away on their laptop.  Anyway, drinking green tea helps with your metabolism but aids in relieving stress also as it contains theanine, a calming agent.  If you find it hard to get used to the taste then try another kind of tea or add in some diluted juice (sugar free!)

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Count backwards.

Come on now, I work in retail so I have had to count down from 10 several times over the Christmas period and for a little quick fix this really works.  It sounds like a test, but trust me it’ll make you feel a lot better as you’ll find that when you are counting your breathing will go in time to the numbers therefore calming you down.

Counting Hands from one to five

Pat cold water on your wrists.

Okay, hear me out on this one.  I really do mean cold water and not perfume.  When you apply cold water to your wrists and even behind your earlobes too this can calm down the whole body due to these areas being major arteries.  Sounds bizarre, but go and try it – and I do mean a little not a whole bottle of water or anything crazy.

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Find your space.

I don’t mean hide somewhere until the calm goes away like the stationary cupboard at work but I mean find a space that you can really relax in.  For me, it’s curled up in our ‘vibe room’ in my house where I can sit and listen to music.  I have my paints there if I fancy pushing some paint around.  I have a bean bag and my books.  It’s bliss and it makes me really happy. So if I am having an off day I come home and sit in there and chill out.  Ideally make this space somewhere where there are no phones, TVs, etc so you can really truly relax.

Bubble bath.

As if I even have to put this one in here.  I feel like this point goes without saying… I have never been s relaxed as when I have a bath. The only reason we are renting the house we are, is because it has a bath.  The only thing is after I am done being relaxed in the bath and I pop some pajamas on I get sweaty and stressed again from being too hot.  Worth it.  Get your sorry ass down to Lush or The Body Shop or wherever your favourite smellies place is and pick out some amazing bath stuff and get in a hot bath with a book or with Netflix and chill out.

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Turn off your phone.

I get it, it’s the 21st Century and most of our lives revolve around our phones.  Most of you will probably be reading this from a phone.  Regardless, as much as I love social media and all the things I post about, I hate how attached I am to my phone.  As soon as I put it down I pick it up again to do something else.  Even as I write this one point I have picked my phone up twice.  When my phone is off, I feel more relaxed.  Try it out, I am sure you can last even an hour and it will do you the world of good.

Have fun.

Sounds obvious, right?  But when was the last time you did something you enjoyed?  Whether it’s reading a book, going for a walk, catching up with friends, watching football, whatever.  Don’t deny yourself fun in your busy, hectic schedule.  Take that time for yourself and even plan it in advance so that you have something to look forward to.  I love having a plan for the weekend ahead so that I know my busy week has a happy ending!

So there we have it, a few of my favourite ways to wind down and calm down.  Hopefully this post has inspired you to take a chunk out of your busy life and relax.  Your body and mind will thank you for it!

Peace,

Amy xo

 

 

 

Snacks

Before I even say hello I just have to say that never have I been hungrier in my life than I was when writing this post.  So thanks to this post I think I gained a stone.

Hello Fellow Hungry Hippos,

You have in fact read this title correctly.  This is not about delicately delicious morsels that I cooked up in my Nigella style kitchen with methods for you to follow.  No brownies, no homemade, no nothing.  This is about those so-tasty-should-be-illegal things that you can bulk buy from the likes of B&M or Home Bargains for about £1.  If you are reading this and you don’t have B&M or Home Bargains, I pray that one day either opens near you and you can experience the wonders they have to offer.  Or go online.

Anyway, I am a snacky person.  My locker in work is full of snacks.  Hence why I am pushing into a new dress size and believe me I am going up not down.  My mouth is already watering thinking about the snacks I am going to write about.  I have compiled a list of my go to snacks but please understand I do not eat all of them every day.  Just… some of them.

WARNING! Seriously unhealthy food to follow, if you are a health freak or on a diet please know, I am sorry.  Click away.

  1. Popnotch Popcorn.  Pop-Notch-builds-new-factory-to-grow-sales-abroadSomething you must know about me… I love popcorn.  I go to the cinema just so I can have popcorn.  Is that bad? Anyway, my favourite popcorn to have actually comes from near my fabulous home in Northern Ireland.  They have so many flavours and they even have little packets for kids.  They have cute little popcorns with sayings on their packaging and to be honest, that’s what sold it to me firstly.  Now, I make it my aim to collect all the flavours!  My favourite is the Sweet & Salty Popnotch Popcorn.  If you are from Northern Ireland, do yourself a favour and pick up a pack! Nom nom nom… (PS. check out their website it is so cute http://popnotch.co.uk/ )
  2. Houmous.  Marks--Spencer-Reduced-Fat-Extra-Virgin-Olive-Oil-Houmous-best-and-worst-hummusOh my GOD, hello?  I will dip anything, anything into houmous.  Be it carrot sticks, celery or a bloody chocolate bar.  I am being serious.  A Mediteranean spread which works great with pitta breads, bread sticks, carbs, etc and my favourite comes from M&S.  The Deli Reduced Fat Extra Virgin Olive Oil Houmous is unreal.  It’s handy when you are wanting a snack that will actually fill you and not leave you full of guilt instead.  Be warned though, the garlic can be a little overpowering so maybe pop a mint after if you are on a work break.302572-Malteser-120g-box-Edit1
  3. Chocolate.  Ah duh.  All chocolate, all colours.  Say no more.  The perfect little boost to get you through the day hour.  I can’t pick one chocolate brand or bar as my favourite because… that’s crazy.  However, malteasers are a fantastic snack.  The little boxes you can get make me happy inside – that’s the kind of shit I get in B&M… they are always £1.
  4. Apple & Peanut Butter.  178388494_XSSo this CAN be a healthy snack so long as you choose a natural peanut butter.  I don’t normally pay much attention to the peanut butter I am picking and whether it’s healthy or not I just pick the one I know tastes good.
  5. Chip n Dip.  eng_pl_Doritos-Mild-Salsa-Dip-2571_2Be it Doritos and Salsa, Plain Crisps and Sour Cream Dip or Pringles and Nutella (trust me) chip and dip is seriously under rated as one of the best snacks out there.  In fact, why not go the whole 9 yards and just make nachos… oh, maybe that’s a meal and not a snack.  No matter whether it’s movie night with the gals, a hangry lunch break or a sneaky pig out sesh chip n dip is always the answer.
  6. Tayto Cheese & Onion Sandwich.  51Cijd1oJcLFirstly, if you aren’t Irish you can probably just skip this point as there is no other crisp that will suit, so don’t try.  The Tayto Factory produces one of the greatest crisps I have ever tasted, and I have tasted my fair share of crisps.  Not only is the bag of crisps itself an amazing snack, but put a bag of crisps in between two slices of bread and butter and you have got something that will make your insides warm and fuzzy.  In fact… brb making a sandwich.
  7. Cuppa and biscuits.  JS31975398Okay, so while this isn’t your average snack it’s one of the best.  There is nothing that a cup of tea can’t fix and pair it with your favourite biscuit and you are onto a winner.  I am a ginger nut, chocolate digestive lover with an occasional cookie rather than your fancy biscuit.  I like to keep it old school.  The question is do you dunk your biscuit?  If the answer is no, I can’t associate with you.  There is simply nothing better than a biscuit that has been dunked into the perfectly made cup of tea.
  8. Cheese & Crackers. My favourite end to any dinner party.  I mean, yeah sure the company and the entertainment is okay – but cheese and crackers is just the ticket.  Any cheese, any cracker and a glass of port wine (or Schloer… always Schloer) will always win.  MS_FD_F06C_00095006_NC_X_EC_0.jpgM&S always do a cracking cheese board, especially for this time of year as as I write this, it is less than a week to Christmas.  M&S have a wide variety of cheese boards that suit every taste and price.  That being said, I prefer to create my own cheese board picking my favourite cheese and crackers.  My favourite crackers to have with cheese are oldies but goodies, Jacobs crackers.  They may seem boring to some, but I love them and they suit every cheese.  William Jacob made a damn good cracker way back in 1850!   5000137415970_280_IDShot_3.jpeg

 

 

 

That brings us to the end of my list of favourite snacks because if I keep going on I will ruin my keyboard with drool.

I hope you enjoyed reading this and I didn’t make you too peckish!

Amy xo

Products I Will Not Repurchase

Salut my lovely lil peaches!

So today’s blog post is not intended to be a rant in any way – but I know that’s exactly how it is going to end up.  Before we get stuck in however, let me paint you a picture and make you jealous…

It’s Friday. Friday night.  Friday nights are Amy nights.  Joel is working late, I am nursing that sweet sweet bottle of wine, I have carbs in the oven and a selection of bangin’ movies ready to be watched.  On the other end of the spectrum I lost a nail on each hand and it’s throwing me off typing properly… so in 20 seconds I’ve gone from relaxed typing in my happy place to angrily slamming the delete key because I made a mistake.

Anyway, let’s move on.

This list of products are items that I have used once or twice and effing hate and weren’t worth the money spent.  Some of the products might surprise you as some are classed as ‘Beauty Must Haves’ but they simply just didn’t work for me.  Saying that I don’t like a product doesn’t mean that I don’t like the brand itself, in fact some of the products I absolutely love the brands.

I have taken one item pretty much from every category of make up so read on to see what products I regret buying and will not repurchase!

  1. Benefit Porefessional.  232313690This one is just a serious NOPE for me and my skin which is a shame because I see SO many beauty bloggers and You Tubers rave about this product but for me, it dries me the hell out.  When I put my foundation over it, the primer lifts off and then sits patchy over it.  My skin is dryer so really I shouldn’t use this for my skin type anyway but whatever, it didn’t work for me and I will not be repurchasing!
  2. Maybelline New York Dream Liquid Mousse.  Maybelline-Dream-Satin-Liquid-Foundation-10-Ivory-30ml-555762Okay, I guarantee this foundation will be someone’s number one go to and it is so hard to get the perfect foundation but this one is so far away from perfect I could feel my skin cry.  It gave me pores and lines I didn’t even know I had.  I really tried with this one, I actually used the whole bottle trying to make it work but it just wasn’t happening.  Every time I wore it, it ended up seriously chalky.   Coverage wise it ended up blotchy too, but it was deceiving because it looked great for the first half hour and then turned to shit.
  3. Laura Mercier Powder.  s870618-main-hero  I KNOW.  I only bought this because every beauty blogger I watch uses it.  This powder I don’t mind as much but it doesn’t last long on me at all.  I bought it originally to ‘bake’ with, which was fine but it sucks so much moisture out of my skin that it makes me look even dryer than I already am.  I would repurchase if there weren’t so many other great powders out there that I already have.
  4. Benefit Hoola BronzerBenefit_Hoola_Bronzer_Powder_8g_1495706290.  Sorry to come for Benefit again, this one is just purely personal preference because I prefer a warm toned bronzer and this is probably the most cool toned bronzer I have ever used.  In saying that, I don’t mind it as a contour shade but for the amount of times I actually contour it wouldn’t be worth repurchasing.  I actually don’t like the packaging either, I always find that when I get to the end of my Benefit blushers I dig around the outside and lift too much product and it doesn’t go on nicely, you know?
  5. Charlotte Tilbury Beach Sticks.  charlottetilbury_beachstickgroup001Not specifically this one, but all cream blush sticks ever.  I hate them.  All of them.  I can’t get to grips with these products to be used over foundation, etc.  Also, I myself am pretty familiar with how make up works but to a regular person this is definitely a ‘lie in drawer and never wear’ kind of product.  I have tried blush sticks over and under powder, on their own with and without foundation and I just hate them. Sorry.  Although ‘Beach Stick’… I like the name.
  6. Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade.  Idipbrow-medium-brown loved this product when it first came out, it was revolutionary and while I was on the thick instagram brow trend this product was brilliant.  Since ABH came out with this, there have been so many dupes released and it just so happens that they are better.  The ABH pomade goes dry after it’s been open awhile and can be hard to spread out so because there are so many other affordable products that are in my opinion better, that’s why it’s on this list.  For those interested, my favourite dupes of this are Make Up Revolution Eye Brow Pomade and the NYX Tame and Frame Tinted Brow Pomade.
  7. Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette. fdb82e9d00942d6fe20cc0b84b6e4e2a Sooo, I will not be buying the other palettes (1,2 and 3) as well but not because I regret buying them.  They were absolutely amazing at the time, amazing for when I was just starting out doing make up.  As I have progressed in make up and learned more things and tried more brands I have just found that for the money I can get a lot more.  The Smoky Palette however, I just couldn’t do anything with it.  At the time that it came out I think that those who were interested in the Naked palettes could have done a smoky eye with the palettes they already had.  To me, this is a waste of money because you don’t need a whole palette just to do a smoky eye.  Not only that but the actual pigment in this palette wasn’t very strong and the colours were very hard to blend out and looked like a hot mess rather than a smoky eye.
  8. Kylie-New-LipKit-PenelopeKylie Jenner Lip Kits.  Oh my God. Oh my God. I just hate these.  I am not a huge liquid lipstick fan on the best of days but these ones in my opinion really suck.  All liquid lips are drying so aside from that they are always blotchy on my lips, so to get a decent colour I either have to put down a lipstick first in the same colour which – what’s the point? Or I have to put on about 4 layers of the liquid lipstick and that dry AF.  On the other hand – colours are lushhh.

 

That’s pretty much all I want to list as I don’t want this to drag on forever – because it could.  With my job I buy a lot of products to try out and then review them to hopefully help people with what they should and shouldn’t buy.  So don’t buy any of this.

LOVE YOU.  Drop me a message about any products you have tried that have been horrible for you, I weirdly like hearing about products that sucked.

Amy xo

26 Things I Learned In 26 Years

Hello Readers,

This one comes to you not from a place of ‘do what I do’ or ‘my way is the right way’ but, simply these are a collection of points that I have learned over my 26 years – fast approaching 27 – on the planet and how I have survived this long.  If any them happen to make you feel a little better, more centered and generally happier then brilliant, if not well I am sure the read will pass the time.

  1. Cherish your friends and family.  I cannot stress this enough because to mad lib Kelly Rowland, when life takes over it’s easy to get swept up in day to day life.  Don’t forget about the ones who loved you  before your current distractions ie. Binge watching Stranger Things instead of eating family dinner.  Don’t roll your eyes at your mother when she tells you to phone your Grandparents because one day, not everyone will be around that dinner table or at the other end of a phone call and you will regret the time not spent together.
  2. Don’t give in to peer pressure.  Obviously, you say?  Think back… how many times have you done something just because someone else did it?  From small things to the biggest of things, never let anyone influence you heavily enough to sway your opinion from what you want and don’t want to do.  Your friends are going to Uni?  Great, you don’t have to right now.  All the troops are going out on the sesh?  So what?  Make every decision because you want to, don’t be a follower.
  3. Nobody is perfect.  No body is perfect.  For the longest time I felt so uncomfortable in my own skin.  It took a lot to get over judging myself based on appearances and how I looked in clothes, what way I had my hair, etc.  Now?  How you see me is how I am.  I worked hard to become confident no matter what size I am, what my skin is doing and how those jeans look on me.  Years ago, I would use bags to cover my stomach and drown myself in clothing that was unflattering to try and hide what I thought were ugly parts of my body.  Ironically, the size I was then is now my goal weight and even though I know changes can be made for a healthier lifestyle – I remain confident in myself as I am.
  4. It’s OK to make mistakes.  As Bob Ross once said, “we don’t make mistakes, we have happy accidents.”  It’s down to those happy accidents in the last 26 years that I have the personality that I have, the views that I have and I honestly don’t regret a single thing.  Even the really bad mistakes.  As any right minded adult would have told you when you were younger ‘mistakes are there to be made’ and it’s from those mistakes that we learn and grow.  Basically, regret nothing.
  5. Never apologise for being yourself.  This is something I realised that I can do recently.  To me, I am unapologetically me – I shouldn’t have to explain myself to anyone, or have to apologise for the actions that I do.  Unless the actions you do are horrific, but on the whole I will not apologise for who I am.  If you don’t like it, then it won’t affect me if I don’t see or hear from you again.  Life is short, I will not waste it apologising.
  6. ‘It’s not like it is in the movies.’  Sometimes it is.  Some will tell you not to get hung up on looking for that fairy tale movie kind of life.  I’m telling you, never give up.  Who says your life can’t be like a movie?  Make your own God damn movie.  Our lives are exactly like the movies, it’s just that a movie is 90 minutes or so long compared to a life of 90 years or so (hopefully).  Don’t rush, your movie scene is coming and when it does and you find what you have been looking for all that heartache and uncertainty will all have been for something.  It led you to this point.  Granted, Ryan Gosling or whoever your on screen crush is (John Cusack) will probably not pop up but something or someone even better will.
  7. Be. Happy.  Find what makes you truly euphoric and surround yourself in it.  This is why my house is filled with fairy lights – Joel drew the short straw when we moved in as I pay for the TV each month but he pays for the electric… sorry.  Whether you take 10 minutes out of your day to do a crossword puzzle or you go for a walk to clear your head or you just simply watch your favourite TV show to be happy – I recommend you do it.  It’s the only way we will actually get through our day.
  8. Dance.  Not only is it seriously fun but research shows that dancing can actually improve your mental health.  I’m not saying you need to go out and take ballet lessons but dancing is freeing, and so fun.  I dance while making dinner, standing in work, doing my makeup and even when I am not listening to music I break out into spontaneous dance.  I went out last night sober as a judge just so I could dance.  That’s dedication.
  9. You don’t have to be married young like your Facebook friends.  A new day, a new engagement or pregnancy blasted all over social media from people 23 and under.  While this is perfectly normal and acceptable, it doesn’t mean everyone has to be at it.
  10. You don’t have to pick one thing to be good at.  When I was in school I thought I was going to have to label myself as one thing career wise.  Like, people are good at cooking and are a Chef, people are good with math so they are an Accountant. Why do we have to pick one thing to be good at?  I am a Make Up Artist, that’s not all I am.  I learned that I am good at loads of things and don’t want to label myself as just one.
  11. It’s OK to not make picture worthy dinners.   Leading on from the last post, this is something I am not good at.  Don’t get me wrong, I can feed myself (a lil too much) and make tasty dinners but they look so unappetising whereas every plate of food on Instagram and Pinterest looks like it walked straight off an à la carte menu – and that’s ok!  I’m just surprised I haven’t burned the house down.
  12. Surround yourself with people that will support your interests.  One of my earliest memories is using my grandparents wooden staircase as a table, my legs fit through and I would sit there for hours upon hours drawing.  Drawing anything.  I was a very creative child and didn’t come from an overly creative family.  SURE, they liked my drawings and told me I was good but when I got to secondary school and I was doing Art at GCSE and A Level for example, I became more of a hindrance.  My art got in the way, it covered the dining table and was a mess, basically.  I wasn’t encouraged to do anything with my love for art and it was treated as a hobby.  7 years later, I can’t help but wonder where it could have taken me career wise had I stuck with it or been encouraged.  My point is, whatever your passion is and whatever makes you happy (see #7 again) surround yourself where possible with people who encourage and nurture.
  13. Pancakes & Pizza.  Are my happy foods.
  14. Social Media is bullshit.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s amazing and the impact it has had on our lives is detrimental to our relationships and businesses but all in all, a lot of it is bullshit.  More specifically, the lifestyle gurus and the people you follow on instagram because they talk about how amazing their life is and how they got their shit together, they are here to motivate you and help you get your life on track too.  Bullshit.  They are normal people, with normal lives with Final Cut Pro and Photoshop.  Do not compare yourselves to strangers on the internet.  Get off the app and go live your life.  I post make up on my Instagram – I do not have a made up face all the time.  I am sitting in sweats and a tshirt that should have been in yesterday’s wash and I have yet to remove last night’s crumbly mascara from my under eye.  It’s 12.34pm.  IDGAF.
  15. Don’t resent your job.  We all have our bad days, do not get me wrong but just remember this, if you are unhappy in it – get a new job.  Your job pays for your rent, car, clothes, heating, food and drink.  Think of those less fortunate unable to get a job, are homeless and starving (I know, I know… dramatic) the next time you moan about getting paid to be somewhere.  Also, remember you are more than likely replaceable so be careful who you moan to.
  16. Listen to music you like.  My Dad introduced me to some of the greatest music I have ever heard and I will be eternally grateful to him for that.  In school, I was made fun of for liking artists like Stevie Wonder, Paul Weller and Elvis Presley while everyone else was in love with some boy from 5ive.  Because I was made fun of I tried to pretend that I didn’t like the music I liked.  Oh God, I have to stop this is making me sound like a sad child.  The point is, don’t listen to music or watch movies just because the are the norm.  Listen and watch because you want to.
  17. Teenagers are so annoying.  On the bus, on the street and probably in their own houses they are so annoying.  I like to think that when I was that age I wasn’t as annoying as they are but the reality is that if anything, I was probably more of a pain in the arse than all of them put together.  I think I am jealous… youth! Yoooouth!
  18. The ups and downs of getting ID’d.  When I was Under 18 it caused me to sweat profusely when I was ID’d because I would hate getting denied.  There is very little more humiliating than having to put back the alcohol that you were denied.  18 years old hits and sees a smug Amy walking into Winemark and skulking out with a a large bottle of WKD and West Coast Cooler because honestly, that’s all it took.  Skip forward to now, and I can’t even get ID’d getting into a damn nightclub.  I told the security guard last night that I didn’t have ID, sorry and he simply shot me down with ‘and? on you go’.  I’m done.
  19. It’s OK to not be OK.  Yes, although you should always strive to be happy, live your best life, bla bla bla…  It is still OK to not be OK.  It’s OK to want to have a duvet day.  It’s OK to do nothing on your day off because you’re too tired.  It’s OK to struggle, to reach out and talk to someone.  Without this blog post taking a turn, just promise yourself that if you are having a bad day you will talk to someone and not let it eat you up inside.
  20. Primark leggings are not your friend.  I learned the hard way that they are see through and I need to stop buying them.
  21. Failing is normal.    When I flopped out of Uni, I thought this was the worst thing but as my mum told  me everything happens for a reason.  J K Rowling (hero) in her twenties was broke, suicidal and felt like she was failing.  As of last year she is worth £650 million.  Steve Jobs was fired.  Everyone fails at something, it’s having the courage and the strength to pick yourself back up and try again is something that I learned how to do in my twenties.
  22. Take care of yourself. Take that vitamin, eat that veg, walk that ass, buy the better skincare and take better care of yourself. The inevitable is happening, you are getting older. That McDonald’s you ate when you were 16 evaporated off your hips, and now it clings to them like white on rice. In order to have a happy, long life you may need to make some changes!
  23. Opinions are opinions. Believe what you want to believe and respect that others will not have the same opinion. From what kind of apple is best to politics, listen to others opinions.
  24. Save. Save what you can, when you can. My advice? To set up a direct debit to a savings account for yourself no matter the amount. It all adds up and when the time comes that you’ll need a few extra coins it’ll be there waiting for you.
  25. Sleep. It was uncool to have a bedtime when you were younger. Now it’s the part I most look forward to. Not only does it feel great climbing into bed, especially with new PJs and fresh sheets but a good night’s sleep really does contribute to our overall health. So away and have a nap!
  26. Love yourself. Similar to a few points already but I just really mean it. Love yourself for everything that you are and everything that you do. Once you accomplish that my friends, you can accomplish anything.

Happy living,

Amy xo