The lazy girls face menu..

I don't know if it's marriage or just the fact that the sun has got his hat on (most days!) but recently my face menu has been more on the minimal and bronzey side.  The Dr Jart water fuse BB cream is all the base that I spread on my face with a side of Rimmel's wake me up concealer for those horrifying eyebags.  For that bronzed 'glow from within' I have fallen head over heels for the new Seventeen Instant Glow shimmer bricks.  I usually swipe a touch of the lighter two shades from Pink Bronze as a highlighter and finish with a touch of the bronzier shades swiped along the cheekbones.  To top off the minimal effort lazy girls makeup menu I'm loving the new Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde mascara.  The brush is unique and definitely one to have a nosey at and I must say as the formula becomes drier it just gets better and better.

The base factor...

Recent base related discoveries from Max Factor which left me pleasantly surprised.

When shopping for the perfect base product for my wedding day I automatically ventured towards the Giorgio Armani Luminous silk and Dior Forever skin options thinking that the more I paid the more flawless my face would look but surprisingly Max Factor did bring it when it came to a healthy glowey yet highly covered mug shot! 

The whipped cream foundation is exactly what it says on the jar, a whipped moussey cream which blends like a dream into the skin and looks flawless, can be used with a Real Techniques blending brush but looks equally as good just blended with fingers.

The Pan Stick however I feel needs the warmth of the fingers to achieve that good skin day look as it is much more of a solid oily formula.

On those days when I'm feeling really adventurous I'll use a combination of both to create an almost perfect base.  A light wash of  the Whipped Cream buffed into the skin with a few swipes of the Pan Stick under the eye bags and around the nose.

Who else has been pleasantly surprised by the highstreet offerings in the base department?

The storage edit

A lot has happened since my last post, I took the giant leap into married life and am now Mrs A! However along with the wedding bells comes moving into a new flat and ultimately stamping my own little makeup storage/application authority on the new place...

Enter the Ikea Ransby! The retractable mirror is the perfect height and angle for everyday use and opens to reveal an additional storage compartment for whatever take your fancy, mine currently holds my Pandora watch, keys and my wedding rings.

The stool shown comes available to purchase seperately, along with all assembly instructions.

Husband equipped and able to assemble this beauty is not included, I'm just extremely lucky I had one lying around at home.

My current wishlist...i.e. things I want right now but can't collectively afford...

What do I do when I want to go shopping but know I shouldn't spend any more money...window shop as my other half would say! And when the weather's pants I window shop from the sofa with a cup of caffeine in my hand.
Every girls dream is Zara, so that's where I headed on my fictional tour first where I spied this Leather Pouch.  Its small, it's cute, it says 'stressed' hence it's perfect for me.  Also from Zara's offerings come this gorgeous Pique Blazer and this cute Bucket Bag. I don't wish for much...
Now this wouldn't be a fictional shopping trip without some makeup thrown and who doesn't want Tom Ford makeup! I don't own anything from Tom Ford's beauty range but if I could first on the list would be this Eye colour quad or the ever popular Lip Colour in wild ginger.
And of course you can't end a virtual mooch around the shops without paying homage to space NK.  First stop, the By Terry stand where I spotted the ever talked about ombre-blackstar in brown perfection and of course I couldn't leave without perusing the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes.
Sometimes virtual tours are better than the real thing....

My current skin saviour...

You know that feeling when you're feeling run down, exhausted and like you just want to crawl into bed and come out when its summer?! yep that has been me this past couple of weeks paired with the virus from hell! I've had achy joints, fever shakes, the lot but my skin has looked pretty good all down to this wonder bottle.  Clarins usually bring it when it comes to skincare and this toning lotion is not exeption, it's made for dry skins like mine and alcohol free so it isn't stripping or drying at all.  The standard sweeping of the cotton pad ritual with this has been all I've been able to manage in terms of skincare routine these days but it must be working as my skin is clear and radiant in the morning.  Priced at £19.00 for 200ml its fairly standard Clarins pricing however for the results totally worth it in my opinion.  Only the smallest amount is needed for a full face and neck sweep and this bottle is still going strong 6 months post purchase however I must say I don't use this everyday.  This being my good skin in a bottle skin saviour of the moment means I whip it out in dire times of need and am never left disappointed!

Beauty from the inside...

I felt like blogging today! Now that hasn't happened in a very long time... So I figured while the mood was right I should just run with it!
I haven't done a healthy eating post in a very long while so I figured why not start there! I've always believed that while a good skincare regime is important its equally as important if not more to feed yourself from within.  I know I bang on about it a lot in my health posts but if it feels good on the inside, it'll show on the outside.

Drink lots of water! Water helps aid digestion, helps keep your body well hydrated, works wonders for glowy skin and has 0 calories!  If you're like me and don't think water tastes as good as a can of diet coke try adding some fresh fruit to your bottle of water and popping it in the fridge to keep it nice and fresh.  My favourites are lemon slices, strawberry and kiwi chunks and blueberries for that extra antioxidant hit!  Drinking a glass of water half an hour before your meal will ensure you probably eat a bit less and having another glass half an hour after your meal will help aid digestion.

Don't skip breakfast! It sounds so simple but it really really helps!  Eating a well balanced healthy breakfast will keep you going until lunchtime, it'll stop you from craving sugar and fats mid morning and give you all the energy you need to achieve your full potential rather than feeling lethargic and grouchy like I often did.  My favourite breakfast choices have become porridge oats with 1% milk topped with blueberries and sometimes a cheeky banana if I'm feeling devilish or A slice of wheat free toast topped with rocket leaves, poached egg and sliced smoked salmon....mmmm delish!

Freeze your fruits! Buying larger fruits or fruits in bulk means you can freeze what you don't eat immediately, frozen fruits taste great in smoothies or just as they are as a refreshing hit and it means you don't waste what doesn't get eaten the day you buy them.

Switch to Coconut Oil! The apparent benefits to this new wonder product are endless so obviously I had to jump on the Coconut Oil bandwagon!  Now I've not been cooking with it long enough to sing its praises too much just yet but according to the numerous articles that have popped up recently the possibilities are endless with this product.  You can cook with it, cleanse your face with it, condition your hair with it, moisturize your body with it as well as it's endless digestive and medicinal properties.  I'll leave you to make your minds up about this one for now while I continue to test it out.

Until next time
Ciao  

The wanderer returns...

Hey there beautifuls

Wow I haven't sat at my laoptop and written anything on here for such a long time I feel like I need instructions for how to get started...

Yes I've been absent for a fair few  *ahem* months! But after having a really really bad day yesterday I woke up today with this real sense of urgency to speak to someone, so here I am putting myself out there for all to see.

I started a new job, at a great hospital with the best reputation in the country or so it claimed, yet I hated my job, i hated going in everyday, in fact it made me sick, physically and mentally.  Although I predominantly work with females who should be sympathetic right? I was bullied for being the newbie, shouted at (in a hospital!) talked down to, and words really hurt.  Surprisingly the people who mostly made it a pleasure to work there were the DR's! dont believe this misconception that drs and nurses don't mix people! we got on like a house on fire (and so obviously I was taunted for supposedly flirting with the drs and bullied because the drs seemed to prefer asking me for help than other nurses who had been there for years..) 

If you hadn't guessed it already I'm a nurse working in London but I don't think I've actually had a day where I've come home happy with my job or with a sense of pride that I've done something good.  Instead I just felt run down and used by my so-called colleagues...

So after a horrible day (which was actually bad partially for non-work related reasons) I vowed to change my life, now usually people make small changes, a new haircut maybe? mani? Me?! I typed out an email of resignation to my manager and promptly began to search for other jobs!

I feel like a weight's been lifted from my shoulders, finally feel like I can breath for the first time in a while as there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I became a nurse to nurse, to help improve the quality of life of my patients, to help rehabilitate their health both physically and mentally, instead I was told by my colleagues I hadn't done enough, nothing is ever good enough despite the lovely old lady who's kissed my hand today and thanked me over and over for my patience and gentleness, despite the family of a patient who's just passed away thanking me so much for making their relatives final few days peaceful and pain-free, OH NO you haven't filled in the forms for the new admission thats just come in! bad nurse! spend your break crying in the staff room, but only for a minute, pull yourself together and then help dish out the dinners! oh and that 5 minutes you spent wailing in the staff room..? that counts as your statutory 30 minute break, I hope you cried all your tears in those 5 minutes because you wont get another one for the rest of your shift!

Then I look around and see all the other nurses, they have the same look in their eye, the same worn expression, I can't be the only one feeling this way right? 

If you're unhappy its a taboo to speak of it, never complain and just get on with it, well I am getting on with it, I'm moving away from the things that drain me physically and mentally and make me feel worthless and I'm trying something new

who's with me?