Solait Facial Tan
I am loving this stuff. Recently it's been way too hot to slather on piles of foundation and so this is just perfect. It gives you this beautiful glow, obviously it tans too but it's not so much that it looks 'dirty' haha. It's very natural whilst giving you this beautifully bronzed highlight-y wonder. I use this as a base for the rest of my make up. This is going to be my summer love.


Emite Make Up Brush
I only own two Emite products both I've discovered from Glossybox. I have a single eye shadow in the colour NECT and then this brush. I've used this brush every single day this month- no joke. I tend to use it to fill in my eyebrows but I also love this for applying eye shadow as eyeliner because it is so easy to use and it's great for giving you a very precise flick. Their products seem to be great quality and I think sooner or later their going to be a very big brand!


Maybelline Colour Sensational Gloss in Glorious Grapefruit
I've already done a post on this beauty (click here) so I won't ramble too much I love this lipgloss and like the brush, I've used this A LOT this month.

Looking for Alaska
I loved this book. John Green's famous The Fault in Our Stars really did well (I mean making it into a movie, it must have been amazing) and I really did enjoy it. Then I read this book and I loved it even more. Absolutely great story and I cannot believe how much I connected with this book. It seriously affected me haha.

Salads
I have been really enjoying my salads recently, but only the way I make them. I like to add potato and quinoa to make them very very filling. Also, I'm loving the honey and mustard dressing from M&S, just ommmmmg. It tastes so yummy. I've been eating them like every day for lunch by making one big batch to last for 3 days. Sorry for the blurry picture!


Exercising
I am not an exercise freak. I like to walk, run (every now and again), do some pilates and zumba. I don't so much 'work out' I just enjoy to do them sort of when I can. I especially like zumba and pilates because after them I am exhausted yet completely satisfied. I've been trying hard to exercise more recently, and yeah, I'm enjoying it!


Pinterest
I must have mentioned pinterest in a favourites before. I love this site, it's just so inspiring and a great place to store all my ideas. It's great for organising too. You just really need to try it, it's amazing. I am slowly going to convert everyone I know into a pinterest addict one day...

Orange is The New Black Season 2
Last but certainly not least, an amazing, amazing tv series. The first series was great, this one was just incredible. It's so easy to watch, it's really funny and so so captivating even though an episode could be over like a toothbrush or something. It's just great. I took the 'which character are you' quiz and turns out I'm Piper, which I am highly unsatisfied with. Why couldn't I have been Red?

So, I've kinda been trying to be healthier. My first year in university hasn't half helped me to gain weight and it needs to be shifted sooner rather than later. I want to lose some weight before going on holiday, but not only that my skin needs to clear up a bit. So this is just what I've been doing...





















I've been planning my meals the week before. I'll write out my breakfasts, lunch and dinners and then make a shopping list. If anyone would like to see a shopping haul then et me know :) I tend to follow the slimming word plan just because I've lost weight on that plan before and it's really easy to follow.

An app I've also been loving is My Fitness Pal. This just helps me track my calories so I'm not eating too much food and I'm getting the right amount of nutirents. It also helps me track my exercise. Speaking of exercise I now try to workout 5 times a week. I'm not doing anything too much just some easy exercise. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday I run, walk or do some aerobics and on Tuesday and Thursday I love doing some blogilates workouts to balance the cardio with weights! I've also been loving the Nike Run app to help me track my walks/runs which is just so useful :)

I want to now start drinking more water, that's my next goal. I've actually been really enjoying being a bit healthier and I want to take it a bit more seriously now to really start shifting the weight. If you want to know more let me know!

Some things you should know since the last update:

So, omg, I've finished my first year of university. Whaaaat? I'm currently kicking back with a homemade cocktail just chilling and it feels so good. I may do a full post on my first year because I just have so much to say. It has been the most incredible year with some incredible people. The exams, the reading and the essays have all been difficult but it's been so worth it. Now I just need to see if I've passed...
Since now that I've finished uni until September this gives me a lot of time to blog. Hopefully I'll be a lot more scheduled with blog posts or may even blog more than normal. However, I'm also going to up my hours at work so we'll have to see...
I've got a full fringe again! It was completely impulsive. I just wanted to do something exciting and new after my exams and so this was how I celebrated haha. I've had a full fringe before though and didn't like it, but this time I love it! It frames my face really well and covers my eyebrows (meaning if I haven't plucked them in a while I don't have to care haha).
Also, I'm on my way to being healthier. I'm exercising 5 times a week and eating so much more healthier. I want to start running more, and maybe one day in the extremely distant future run the London marathon. I'm going to start documenting it on YouTube if you want to follow me on my journey (if there even is one). But I think recording it may be a really good motive for me :) I'm thinking as soon as I get a decent camera I'm going to start YouTube (officially, like beauty videos and things).
One last update- I'm moving house! Well my parents are but I still kinda live with them so y'know. I haven't moved house since I was three so this is kind of a big deal for me. New house also means new bedroom which means decorating. It's kind of weird how excited I am to paint the walls and rip up the carpet. It's going to be so satisfying. I've made a pinterest board on all my ideas so far, so check them out and tell me what the best ones are.

Real Techniques Stippling Brush
I purchased this brush at the beginning of the month (click here to see the haul) and I absolutely love it. I've heard great things about it from many a' beauty blogger and I'm very impressed with it. It's definitely a summer foundation brush (in that it gives a lighter coverage) but it's what I'm loving at the moment. It's so soft and works very well with my next favourite...

 
Wake Me Up Foundation
I forgot how much I used to love this foundation. For a start, it's the perfect colour for  my skin tone, and most importantly it makes you look, well, radiant. Absolutely 'oh look at me doesn't my skin look perfect'. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this foundation and I'll be repurchasing it again as soon as I run out!



Beauty Blender
This is great for after you've applied foundation and you don't have time (or you're too lazy) to blend out all the lines of foundation. It takes me two seconds to dab this over my face and my foundation is like perfect. Definitely a purchase for us lazy girls!



Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet
So... Bold lip colour... Matte... Feels like lipstick... Totally layer-able (is that a word?)... Lasts all day (without reapplying)... Doesn't even come off when drinking out of a glass. No, it's not a dream. Yes, these are real. These are the best liquid lipsticks ever. When I go out for the evening (and I want a great bold look) I've been applying one of these and then not even bothering bringing it with me. That's how brilliantly long lasting they are. The only thing I'll say is that you sort of have to wait for them to set before they become totally amazing. Buy one now haha.

Naked Basics
I wanted to have a neutral palette that was great for travelling. I have quite a few plans over the summer and I needed something practical yet beautiful! I've been testing this out this month and loving it. Faint (perfect eyebrow colour for me) and Venus (amazing highlight) are my favourite and I'll be definitely taking this with me on my travels.


Tangle Teezer
I cannot believe it has taken me this long to get my hands on a tangle teezer. I've used this pretty much everyday for the whole month. It's great because it doesn't damage your hair as much as a normal hairbrush and it doesn't hurt as much do get rid of knots!


Hash Browns
Look, I've had exams. They've been stressful and I became lazy in making food and also craving carbs to keep me awake. These have been my comfort through exams and have served me well! But now it's back on the salads and endless amounts of fruit...

I'm not really sure if you'll find this cool or interesting, but hey here we go. I've been doing slimming world for quite some time now and I've found that I stick to it best when I have a plan. So here's what I'm going to be eating this week, and yes everything on here is Slimming World approved! (and obviously healthy...)

Monday
Breakfast: Poached egg on wholemeal toast
Lunch: Parsnip and leek cakes
Dinner: Home made fish and chips

Tuesday
Breakfast: Porridge
Lunch: A bachelor's pasta'n'sauce sachet
Dinner: Linda McCartney veggie sausages and mash

Wednesday
Breakfast: Fruit'n'fibre
Lunch: Home made chips with salt and vinegar
Dinner: Home made KFC style chicken and chips

Thursday
Breakfast: Beans on wholemeal toast
Lunch: Home made cheesy pizza toasties
Dinner: Linda McCartney veggie sausage casserole

Friday
Breakfast: Porridge
Lunch: Spanish omelette
Dinner: Home made pizza (using smash, I know- what?)

Saturday
Breakfast: Fruit'n'fibre
Lunch: Jacket potato with bacon and cheese
Dinner: Spaghetti bolognese

Sunday
Breakfast: Poached egg on wholemeal toast
Lunch: A bachelor's pasta'n'sauce sachet
Dinner: Egg, bacon and chips

Haven't blogged in quite a while I know. I guess now I understand how hard it is to keep on top of things, but hopefully now that I'm feeling all inspired again I can share with you some new posts! This one is all about being healthy.
Recently I visited home for Christmas, and to my horror many people noticed that I had put on (quite a bit of) weight. Christmas didn't help as I enjoyed being home through celebrating with some drinks and lots of chocolate. I had been saying for ages that I would go to the gym and I'd be healthy soon, but it didn't happen. The end of the week would come, I'd finish of  my meal and I'd think "Yeah I've been pretty healthy this week... except for the pizza... and the drinking... and the chocolate... and oh the kebab...". I felt pretty bad too, tired and self conscious almost all of the time. I thought I'd get some new clothes and a haircut would cheer me up, but I still had some new stretch marks and one chin too many which made me feel awful and upset. My mother encouraged me to join slimming world again. I had already been once before and lost a bit of weight so I thought I'd give it another shot. I'd thought I'd share with you the idea of slimming world because its very simple and actually a lot of fun.

• Increased energy levels
• Lower cholesterol levels
• Reduction of blood pressure
• Reduction of aches and pains
• Improved mobility
• Improved breathing
• Helps you to sleep better and wake up more rested
• Prevents angina (a chest pain caused by decreased oxygen to the heart)
• Decreases your risk of sudden death (heart disease or stroke)
• Prevention of Type 2 diabetes
• Improved blood sugar levels
• Better confidence

Slimming world doesn't focus on a 'quick fix'. It's a support group helping individuals and families across Britain (and now in America!) to gain a healthier lifestyle which I love.The plan is simple, follow it and you will lose weight. I follow the extra easy plan which is really simple and is helping me to shift the pounds. It's split into 5 sections: Free foods, Superfree foods, Healthy extras, Syns and Body Magic.

Free Foods
Eat as many as you want! Never go hungry! I know- what? But seriously, it works and if something is 'free' go back for seconds and eat at whatever time of day you want! These foods include: all meat and poultry (except processed meats), quorn, eggs, quark, low fat natural yoghurts (and muller lights!), startchy vegetables and pulses (beans, mushy peas, potatoes...) pasta, rice, grains, shellfish, white fish, oily fish, spices, fat free dressings, frylite, tea, coffee, sweetener and diet (sugar free) fizzy drinks. That's a lot of food.
However, don't cook them in oil (see syns) and some yoghurts are bad for you (at slimming world they will tell you what is good and what is bad for you). Everyone should eat 2-3 portions of fish a week to maintain good health.

Superfree Foods
Eat as many as you want and more! These foods are particularly healthy for you as they are high is vitamins, minerals and fibre and so aid weight loss whilst making your body balanced and healthy. These are fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables (apples, pears, carrots...) so stock up and eat!

Healthy Extras
Ok. Now it gets a bit harder. Choose one A and one B per day. An A choice is basically cheese or milk and a B choice is like brown bread, cereal soup and nuts. However these have to be measured!

Syns
This is the fun part. Eat crisps, chocolate, cake. Yeah. Enjoy everything you love, just limit it. So you can have 5-15 syns a day. So for example, walkers lights are 6.0 syns, but a big mac is 24.5 and that's without fries and a drink. So you can enjoy all your favourites, but just make sure you keep to plan and try not to go over board on the syns!

Body Magic
Not exercise. SW don't like to call it exercise because it doesn't have to be. It can be going to the gym or joining Zumba which is what I do, but it can also just be walking not driving, take the stairs etc. However. You don''t have to exercise or work any harder, just following the food plan will help you lose weight, but it's advised to do so just for extra health benefits :)

I'm going to make some SW strawberry and chocolate cakes later so maybe I'll post a recipe and show you what things I eat during the week.
SW really does work If you need to lose weight. Visit www.slimmingworld.com for more information and to find a class near you. The class provides information, support, laughs and tips.