clean and clear morning energy skin energising daily facial scrub

I have a pretty simple skin care routine, but to be honest it's because I can't afford to have a load of creams or anything. Though luckily, I don't have the worst skin in the world (I've jinxed it now, que breakout for lucy) but I do like to use a scrub or wash in the morning to wake me up and get rid of the morning crouchyness.

At the moment I'm using the clean and clear morning energy skin energising daily facial scrub, I brought this because it was a reasonable price and I've used clean and clear skin products before and know they work with my skin and aren't too harsh at all. This one contains little orange "bursting beads". I'm really enjoying using this because it is helping my skin but at the same time being gentle and refreshing and awaking my skin in the morning. I prefer this to the clean and clear daily wash as the microbeads feel more refreshing and just make my skin look a little more happy, though I would happily use both again. The packaging is simple and easy to get just a little bit of product out the bottle is slightly transparent so you are able to see how much product you have left which is pretty handy.

You just apply this to after you've wet your face and if you wanted to you could use it morning and evening if you wanted to, it's an affordable skin care product that I would definitely recommend and would consider repurchasing again in the future.

palmer's cocoa butter formula natural bronze body lotion

I've got freshers approaching which means lots of nights out are coming up, and though I'm not one for actually fake tanning so I look like I've been on holiday I do enjoy using a gradual fake tan just so I don't look too pale! The one which I'm currently using is the Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Natural Bronze Body Lotion, which I showed you that I brought in my trip to Birmingham. Ever since I'd heard about this I'd been eager to try it as I find Palmer's products work perfectly with my skin and leave it so soft and doesn't try it all at all.

You get a standard 250ml of product but the pump at the top of this makes it easy to apply and means you don't land up getting greasy covered hands everywhere. Saying that the lotion itself doesn't feel greasy on the skin and soaks in instantly and also the cocoa butter formula means that it smells lovely on the skin. The biscuity fake tan smell definitely doesn't exist here! On the bottle it says it builds and maintains a natural looking tan and is suitable for all skin tones, and suggests using every day. Though I agree it does look natural (but make sure you wash your hands after) and is perfect for my skin tone (I can't speak for anyone else) I don't think you'd need to use this every day at all, maybe twice a week maybe three times but no more than that! If you used too much of it you'd definitely be pushing the natural aspect of this!

Overall, so far this has been my favourite fake tan, it smells and looks lovely and I haven't had any complete disasters and streaky legs yet with this!

my summer favourites

It's hard to admit it, but I think it's now safe to say summer's nearly over. Summer 2014 has been amazing and it marks a big change in my life as I move out later this month. Though this season there has been a few products that I've discovered this year and loved using, especially in the warmer weather.

Cream and Gel Eyeshadows

If you've read my blog, then you might have noticed my collection of these eye shadows has slowly built up. So now I have one Bourjois (in or desir) and two Maybelline ones (pink gold and on and on bronze). I love these as for a day to day wear they're so easy you can just apply a little bit too your lid using your finger and then your eye look for the day is completely sorted.

Natural World Moroccan Argan Oil

This is the first one I've tried, and I wrote about it here. For warmer days , I love this and it nourishes and moisturises my hair and makes it feel so much more healthier and helps stop the sun and the warmer days drying it out.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation

There's already been loads written about this on the internet but I've only just discovered it. It's such a lovely light foundation and you only need a little bit to cover your whole face. It doesn't have a matte finish and by no means does it leave your face looking shiny but leaves it with a healthy glow. (There is a difference!) I've recently been wearing this for nights out instead of my Maybelline stay matte mousse which is a quite a big deal.

Batiste Dry Shampoo

Batiste is by far my favourite dry shampoo and I've used so much of  it this summer. Firslty, I relied (far too much on it) at the beginning of the summer when I went to a small festival and that's the longest I want to go without washing my hair for a long time! Though appearance wise it looked no where near as greasy as I thought it was going to look and that's all thanks to this. Then I've recently started using dry shampoo more after I've finished straightening or curling my hair just too just to add a little bit of volume. The only slightly, not really that negative point I'll say about this is you have to make sure you've rubbed it in otherwise your hair can look slightly grey. 

The Naked 3 Palette

I know I've already mentioned eyeshadows, but this is basically the only eyeshdaow pallete I own and I use it so much. These eyeshadows are all so pigmented and the perfect colours, they blend so easily together and can be used to create both day and night looks. Over the summer, this has got so much love, but I know this isn't just a summer favourite it's an actual favourite.

sesame vegetable noodles

There's not long now until I become an actual university student, which even though I've had ages to think about it still seems so scary and I feel like there's so much more I need to sort out and prepare myself for the big change! Anyway that means I'll probably do a few posts about the big change and such as decorating my room, as I'm not going to lie I've taken that part quite seriously, especially choosing the duvet sets!

Even though I love cooking and baking I'm still experimenting with different recipes and trying not to rely off doughnuts and takeaways and trying to be healthy, so today I thought I'd share with you this meal I put together today. I'd say it's a cheaper and healthier alternative to a chinese takeaway (but this doesn't mean I won't be having take away)

Ingredients (for 1 serving, and only rough so change them as you want and use different vegetables)

1 nest of dried egg noodles

1/2 an onion, finely chopped

1/2 a garlic glove, finely chopped

3 mushrooms chopped

1/3 of pepper, chopped

For the Dressing

1 tablespoon of sunflower oil

1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil

1/2 a garlic clove, crushed

nearly a teaspoon of smooth peanut butter

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

Firstly, I'd recommend you put all the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl and mix together until smooth, it will take a while with the peanut butter but keep going and it will eventually get there. 

Heat a small pan a boiling water for the noddles and frying pan for the vegetables. Once the water is nearly boiling, add the onions and garlic to the frying pan which should be on a medium heat to soften. Add the noddles to the water and heat according to the instructions on the back of the packet, and add the rest of the vegetables to the frying pan and heat for 5 minutes. Stir each occasionally to make sure they don't stick.

Once the noddles are cooked drain them, and then mix them with the dressing in the pan in order to keep them warm. Then add the vegetables in and mix well and then tip it into a bowl and eat straight away whilst it's hot!

I know this isn't the most exciting meal in the world, but for a student meal I think it's pretty creative, if anyone has an advice about starting university I'd appreciate it :)!

maybelline superstay better skin concealer

Concealer is something I rarely mention on my blog, I tend to just use one until it runs out really. Though over a month ago in London I forgot to bring my concealer and had to make a quick trip to Boots in order to pick one up. There wasn't really much choice at all so I picked this one up just because I trust maybelline products and they're not too pricey, so if it doesn't work out it's not a big loss. You get 11ml of product and in an easy squeeze out tube which makes for an easy application, however not so easy when it starts to run out and you spend ages squeezing the tube trying to get the tiniest bit of product out, but initially it's a good packaging design. Also colour shade wise there isn't the biggest selection, in the tube it looks quite dark and orange however it does blend nicely out to match my skin tone. Though linking to the name superstay and better skin I don't really agree with either. I feel that when first applied the coverage is good but is still noticable that I'm wearing concealer so doesn't give the most natural look. I don't mean that it doesn't blend in just that it doesn't just look like skin. Then for superstay, I'd say that this lasts 5 to 6 hours but then after that you would need to reapply it, which I  guess is pretty average but using a primer would make it last longer, 

I feel mean because this isn't the worst concealer in the world at all and my comments are pretty critical and negative, I just don't think it's as good as the one I've nearly finished, the Bourjois Healthy Mix concealer which is one I would definitely recommend instead.

the body shop, pink grapefruit edition

This set was such good value from the Body Shop, it costs £12 when to buy all the products individually would have cost £19.50 so keep your eye out for these deals.

Firstly, is one of the newest releases from the Body Shop this summer is their body sorbet. This has to be my favourite thing out of the three, it's cool and refreshing and dries instantly and so doesn't leave you walking around feeling greasy or sticky. Also a little bit does go a long way, so a 200ml is plenty to last you for a while!

Then there's the Body Shop pink grapefruit body mist, this is something I wouldn't have personally chose as I'm not sure how I feel about smelling like a fruit. However it is such a light scent and not overpowering, making it easy to spray in a morning and saves me from using up my marc jacobs perfume

Finally, most people will have used a Body Shop shower gel before, they're so refreshing and gentle to the skin but smell lovely. Obviously all three of these products have a grapefruit smell but it's not overpowering nor does it smell fake! These are the perfect treats for yourself to keep your skin smooth and but also smelling nice.

saving the change!

Growing up and becoming more independent and relying less on my parents money is something that I can quite easily get stressed about, as I'm always thinking of things and how I can afford them. Half of that is me being an overthinker but in this post I'm going to share a few ways that I used to make the most out of what I've got.

1.Keep the Change

This one's a fairly simple one really, if you pay for things with cash you always land up with a bit of loose change hanging around your purse. I always let this build up and try and use to pay for a few things but then if not I collect it all in a piggy bank. Then at the end of each summer I take it to one of those machines in supermarkets that count it up for you and exchange it for the value. I know they take 9p off for every pound but it saves me counting it out and stops it from just lying around my bedroom. You'd be surprised how quickly it builds up and how much there is when you see it all counted!

2.Make the Most of Offers and Discounts

As I'm just starting university I can start making the most of student discount, which in most places is  about 10% but it's still saving you a bit! Also if you eligible I'd completely recommend getting a 16-25 rail card as this has been my life saver all summer for getting me around. For making the most of offers, this is something I've only recently started doing but if things are on 3 for 2 or buy one get one free and you don't necessarily need another but it won't cost you any more, it makes sense to get the same as what you're buying then when that runs out they'll always be spare waiting for you!

3.Loyalty Cards and Reward Schemes

When I got my own Tesco Clubcard it made me feel so old and grown up,but these schemes are particularly good, and Boots as well. Each time you spend money in that shop you get points which can be spend in store in the form of coupons or in Boots it converts to money and allows you to buy products.

Similarly Caffe Nero gives you a card and every time you buy a drink you get a stamp and then you get your tenth drink completely free. It's not the biggest saving in the world but saving a few extra pounds hurts no one!

4.The Cheapest Option

When looking for a specific product make sure you're buying it from the best play, places like Savers offer the same haircare and skincare brands as Boots but at a cheaper price so it's worth checking them out!

Finally, I always like to make a list of what I need to buy and then I'm focused and not just buying things for the sake it and know exactly what to get!

I hope in some way this has helped you to save a couple of pounds here and there!

Also another way to earn a little bit of spare cash is using ebay, if you've never used ebay before check out my hints and tips here