Little Trip To Liverpool

From Tuesday to Friday of this week I have spent my days and nights in the lovely city of Liverpool. I had never been before, and seeing as it was my 21st a few weeks ago, me and my cousin decided to book a little city break. We got the train tickets really cheap (thank you rail card) and were also lucky enough to book our room at a Travelodge a few months in advance. This means you get a room for £19 a night, which you can't really grumble at too much.

Liverpool as a city is lovely, and Liverpool One might actually be my favourite place on earth, but I do have something to grumble about... the night life. Now I know I can't really expect Wednesday nights to be amazing, but I was expecting more than about 100 people scattered across three or four bars. This was my only downside, and I would definitely love to go back. Here are a few of my Instagram photographs, as I haven't even uploaded them from my Nikon yet. Enjoy x

My Holiday Hair Essentials

Batiste Dry Shampoo/Toni&Guy Heat Defense Spray/got2b Powderful Volumizing Powder/Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Conditioner/V05 Give Me Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner.

Seeing as I've recently returned from Egypt, I thought I would do a little post on the products I used on my hair while I was away. As many of you know, the sun, the sea and the horrible chlorine in the pools can give your hair a horrible battering... and if your hair is as thin as mine, it definitely needs some TLC. These five products were what I found myself using while I was battling the 46 degree heat in Egypt (as well as a few others too.)

001. I don't think there is anyone who does not own a bottle of Batiste dry shampoo. It's an absolute life saver for those days where you don't have time to wash your hair. Recently I've found that spraying a bit onto my hair after I have finished styling helps to add volume, as my hair is very thin. I found myself using this a lot while I was away, from quickly spraying it on in the morning to using it to make my hair thicker before going out at night. I have to say that I do prefer the Original style in the green and yellow tube, but initially they all do the same!

002. As I can't go a day without straightening my hair, my GHD straighteners came along for the ride. Its not that I straighten all of my hair daily... I just find my fringe and the long side of my hair is much more manageable is I straighten it, which I know does nothing for my poor thin hair. I've always been a fan of Toni&Guy products, and this mini is perfect to slip in your case. You just spray it on wet hair before blow drying, or onto dry hair before using straighteners, and it helps to protect your hair and those split ends. I have really noticed a change in the quality of my hair after using this in Egypt, so I am definitely going to continue.

003. This little tub is hands down one of my favourite hair products at the minute - I LOVE it! You only need a tiny sprinkle of the white powder on your hands, which you rub together, and then run through your hair. It really works well for me and gives my hair loads of volume, which is always good when the heat makes your hair flat like it does mine. I'm trying to savor the tiny tub, so I only use it sparingly.

004. Aussie have always been in my bathroom cabinet in some form, and the products are definitely the best I have ever smelt. My Nan introduced me to the products about four years ago now, and ever since she's always bought me some bottled for special occasions. When I saw this mini in Superdrug I had to buy it, as well as it being so many mini's for so and so amount. It seriously smells so nice, and every time I squirted some onto my hand I found myself smelling first! It says to leave it on your hair for three minutes before washing off, but I found two minutes was more than enough. The treatment leaves your hair amazingly soft and smells lovely, and I even found that this carried on the next morning.

005. V05 Shampoos are always my first choice, as I really don't think you can go wrong with any of the ranges. I chose the Give Me Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner to purely tackle the dryness from the sun and the heat from my straighteners. They are really decent quality and they don't break your bank balance.

Latest In Beauty Samples

 I meant to write about this set of samples quite a while ago, but it seemed to slip my mind in between the last bits of university work and sorting out things for my holiday. I'm a big fan of Latest In Beauty and have been ever since I ordered my first samples, the main reason being the £1.50 you pay. I like to try out new products that maybe aren't as mainstream, and it is guaranteed there are always this kind of option for you to pick when you choose your three samples.

I'm always looking for new skin care samples or any moisturiser products, so I opted for the Liz Earle Skin Tint and the L'Occitane Devine Cream straight away. I was looking forward to the L'Occitane product the most as I have read a lot of good things about their products, and I've been looking to try something for a while.

I use Tresemme products quite a lot, or whenever my mum impulse buys them, and they have always been really good on my hair. I got two of the samples in the image above, but I took one in my suitcase to Egypt and used it while I was there. The leave in treatment was the best of the three, as it left my hair feeling amazing after the battering it took from the sun, the salt water and the chlorine. The shampoo and conditioner were also very good, but you couldn't really see or feel a difference between these and any other similar products.

I shall be trying out the Liz Earle and the L'Occitane products in the next few days, so reviews will more than likely follow. I have my hopes set high for these two. 

Back From Egypt

So I'm back! As you may have guessed, I have spent the past week sunning around in Egypt. It was the second time I've visited the country, and I can honestly say that it is definitely my favourite place to go on holiday. I will do a more in depth post about my experiences later on, as I have a million and one pieces of clothing to get washed (with my mum's help, obviously!) So until then, these are a few of my Instagram snaps.

Instagram

Too many foundations/My favourite H&M blazer/Nicest healthy lunch/Birthday shisha/Sparkly nails/Pluto/The start of packing/Holiday clothes/I should spend some birthday money/100 Egyptian Pounds/Lots of Egyptian pennies/Next stop... Egypt tomorrow.

I don't really tend to do these Instagram updates, but I decided to have a go. I tend to use Instagram loads, so its definitely a good idea. This week so far has consisted of working, working, more working, and starting to pack for my holiday. I am jetting off to Egypt TOMORROW! Obviously I'm super excited, but I really haven't got very far with my packing (sigh!) I really need lessons in packing a suitcase, I must be the worst packer ever. I won't be blogging a lot while I am away, for many reasons, mostly being due to the price of roaming charges from Orange and plainly I just want to be out in the sun. Its given 39 degrees until Sunday, super yay!

The Contents Of My Day...

This suitcase stuffed in the middle of my room is my plan for today. I go to Egypt on Wednesday, and normally I would have been totally on top of everything and I would actually have been packed and ready by now. Well, this time I'm the total opposite. I have a million and one lists floating around my bedroom of things I've already packed, I need to pack, I still need to BUY... packing is driving me insane. To top it all off I have my last four hour shift tonight for a week, so thats totally going to throw my packing plans off. Major girl problems right now! My boyfriend's mum says I'm only making it harder by packing now, as she says I'm bound to put in more than I need... H E L P !

These are a few of the options I've sorted, and are now packed away in my suitcase. I came to realise that a large majority of my holiday clothes are either some shade of blue, or have a shade of blue in them, which is weird because I've never really been into the colour. Always time to start I guess. I'm not so much stressing about my clothes, but more my makeup and skin/hair products. After getting some of my holiday makeup together, I have realised that none of my ten million foundations are the right colour to take with me, absolute nightmare! This means a rushed trip to Tesco to try and find either a foundation or tinted moisturiser that will do the trick. I hate being a girl some times!

Glamour - July Issue and Benefit Freebies!

As most of you know, the July issue of Glamour is offering out miniature versions of three of Benefit's best selling products: BADgal Lash, The POREfessional and That Gal. I've been in two minds about buying some of Benefit's products for a long time now, so what better way to decide than to use these freebies as little testers. All three products are best sellers of Benefit, so obviously myself and every other makeup lover jumped at this opportunity.

I only managed to get two of the three products, as I cannot seem to find That Gal anywhere, but I am definitely going to keep my eyes pealed and snap it up. I'm excited to try out the two I have at the minute, which I have been researching for a few weeks in order to purchase. The POREfessional is a balm that can be used to minimise the appearance of pores, which initially I think is such a good idea! You can use it under your makeup to keep it in place, like a primer, or apply it over makeup as more of a concealer-type product. The BADgal lash mascara is said to make your lashes look full and to also add volume, which everyone loves. It says two coats of the 'super black' mascara is enough to make your lashes look bigger and thicker. I must also mention that both the products I am going to be trying are over £16 for the full sized product, so getting a small handbag-sized product for £2 is a definite bonus!

I cannot wait to try out these products and see what all the fuss is about, as absolutely everyone seems to be in love with Benefit... and I'm sort of hoping I will be too! 

Breakfast At Tiffany's

Okay, so it has nothing to do with breakfast... but look at how beautiful this bracelet is. I'm not usually one to brag and write loads about presents, but I am literally so so happy about this. My boyfriend totally surprised me with this, I had no idea. I've had my eye on a bracelet for a while now, and obviously he clocked on to the idea (with my constant talk and moaning, that is.) It is really little and cute, nothing over the top, and in case you didn't realise... I love it!

P.s, how cute is it packaged? Such a nice thing to look at, I didn't want to open it.

My 21st Birthday

Was really one of the best days ever! I absolutely love birthdays, so it's definitely a bonus when its my own. I was made to get up super early because my boyfriend was at work, so I got to open my presents dead early. My dad had decorated the whole outside of the house, as well as my car, which was super cute!

I got some of the nicest and cutest presents, not to mention enough money that I have no idea what to do with. These are one of my favourites... Jason Wu recently collaborated with Melissa and designed these amazing shoes. If anyone has seen the Melissa and Vivienne Westwood ones, they're literally the same jelly-like shoe with the tiny peep toe, but just with the obvious Jason Wu owl instead. Honestly, the most comfy shoes I have ever owned. I wear my Vivienne Westwood ones all the time, so now I have another pair to switch too! The colour is gorgeous too, the range is definitely worth looking at as they've got some lovely colours to choose from.

This is about the only photograph I have of the girls and myself sober on my birthday night out. Literally one of the best nights out I've had in Chesterfield, which is actually a big deal, seeing as Chesterfield really doesn't have anything good going for it... It feels so weird to say I'm 21 now, I sound so old!