Origins Haul

Firstly, and I feel like I say this every blog post, but I really do mean it this time - I am sorry for being the worst blogger in the entire world! Completing third year at University as well as writing for my University newspaper was a much bigger stress and time-eater than I thought. But both things are all over now (sob) and so my time is nice and free to write here again much more regularly! (Although apologies the photo quality isn't the best)

In my absence and to pull me out of my dissertation and essay writing depression, I have been making a lot of Boots trips, online orders and making lots of summer plans which I hope to share with you all! I have also watched a hell of a lot of online series (all 4 seasons of Pretty Little Liars in less than 2 weeks) - sorry not sorry.

One of my many online orders was from Origins, a skincare brand that was highly recommended to me by my housemate. I'll admit, I'm pretty much a skincare virgin as I am lucky enough to be blessed with very clear skin naturally. However, after hitting the big 2 1, I have realised this won't last forever and I need to be taking much better care of my skin after the heavy nights out of University and so I am a reformed cleansing and moisturising goddess. Now I'm probably preaching to the choir here as I'm pretty late to the party with Origins but I thought I'd let you in to my thoughts on what I picked up anyway!

The first thing I noticed, and absolutely loved, about my order was the incredible packaging! Everyone loves getting post and when I opened into my box of goodies I was not disappointed as it was a lucky dip of products buried beneath lots of confetti. I'd like to show you a photo of this but I was too excited, oops! Anyway here is what I got and what I think of it:

GinZing Energy Boosting Moisturiser, available here, £23.00 for 50ml

I'm sure you haven't escaped the mountains of reviews already in the bloggersphere about this range. I originally wanted to purchase the GinZing eye cream but the shimmeryness put me off and so I bought the all over face moisturiser instead, after being unhappy with my current no.7 badboy, and I am so glad I did! This product promises to 'instantly hydrate and rev up radiance' and give a 'healthy vibrant glow'. It's a lightweight, gel like consistency that smells divine. If you're like me and the urge to slather all over your face is irresistible, trust me when I say the smallest dab on each cheek and forehead will absolutely do. This moisturiser is perfect for the upcoming summer as it sinks in so quickly and provides the perfect base for make up application. However, my skin can be very dry and so some days I use this moisturiser in addition to another more heavy one as well as using more intensive night creams so bear this in mind. This is a hefty price tag, which I was unsure of paying but I'm sure this will last me yeeeears! Definitely give this a try ladies, the perfect summer moisturiser that deserves its hype.

Clear Improvement (Travel Pods), available here, £8.00 for 4 pods

I have heard such amazing things about Origins face masks that I absolutely had to get my hands on some, given my love of face masks in general. There is nothing better than putting on some telly in the evening and having a pamper sesh! However, as I mentioned my skin is pretty clear 90% of the time and so I didn't want to commit £22 to a full size bottle of this as I didn't think I would get the use out of it. So step forward these mini travel pods! This is such a reasonable price for the amount you get as each pod will most likely serve you more than once, as this is mainly meant for problem areas such as cheeks and the T zone rather than necessarily all over the face. I have actually yet to try this as my skin is okay at the moment, so I'll get back to you on my thoughts on this. Have you all tried it?

Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask, available here, £22 for 100ml

Now this is a mask I thought I could get on board with and could really improve the condition of my skin which can be prone to dry patches. I have been using this twice a week since I got it, applying a layer before bed after cleansing instead of my usual night cream. The cream comes out thick but once applied rubs in clear and much like any other night cream, as opposed to a mask, except it doesn't sink in as quickly. The product smells so distinct and fresh and even though I am quite a pillow face-planter, this product somehow doesn't transfer so well done Origins. When I wake up in the morning my skin feels so hydrated, refreshed and baby smooth, like its had a little overnight facial which I love. Like all Origins products, it is a little on the expensive side but again will last you so many applications. Origins also send you a tester and you can send the full size bottle back for free if you decide you don't like it and get a full refund. Obviously this will never happen as you will fall in love with the product and so this is an excellent little marketing ploy by the sneaky, sneaky devils at Origins. I gave the tester to my mum because I'm kind like that and now she wants the full size bottle too for her birthday! To my dry skin beauties out there, grab a bottle of this and you can thank me later.

Finally, and in my opinion the most beautiful aspect of Origins and particularly their own website as the products can be found elsewhere like Boots, are the delicious freebies that come when you spend over certain amounts, as well as the free delivery. I got another travel size bottle of the Drink Up Overnight Mask which suits me as I absolutely love it and can't wait to take it away on holiday!

I also got...

Plantscription Anti-Aging Cleanser, available here, £25 for 100ml

At first I wasn't overjoyed at my choice of freebie as anti-aging isn't particularly on my mind at 21 and being the biggest baby face I know. Plus I wasn't a big fan of the packaging, but I gave this a whirl anyway. Gotta say I absolutely detract my early preconceptions about this product as it has fast become my favourite cleanser - making my Soap and Glory cleanser look positively amateur.

The cleanser is much thicker than others I have tried before and more cream-like but once rubbed into the skin thins out to remove my pesky under eye mascara traces instantly. It smelt really natural and left my skin feeling so deeply cleaned, like deep-down impurities had really been removed but without drying my skin out. A clean face is so important for effective moisturising so I am fast needing to purchase a full size bottle of this beauty, or potentially trying the GinZing cleanser, because the results have really spoken for themselves.

Overall and unsurprisingly, Origins have even surpassed my impossibly high expectations of their products given their rave reviews. Even for a skincare virgin such as myself, it is easy to see why these are the holy grail of many peoples skin regimes. If you haven't jumped on the Origins bandwagon, what are you waiting for?! Your wallet may hate you for a while but your face will love you and I know which I would rather keep on my side!

What are your thoughts on Origins? Which product should I try next? And link me to all of your lovely blogs - I'm always looking for more to follow!

2014

We may be 10 days into the new year, and despite my absolute hatred of all things new year (which you can read about here), I've decided to make a little list of things I'm looking forward to and hope to accomplish this year. The past few years have been a bit rough for me (more on that in another blog!) so hopefully this year brings good things! 

In 2014...

• I turn 21 in March! Which I am very excited about. I get ridiculously excited about birthdays. Mine, yours, the guy down the streets. They are way, way better than Christmas. At Christmas you have to watch everyone else open their presents for AGES and pretend to look all interested. On your birthday, all the presents are for you! Maybe this is where my only-child-syndrome again rears it's ugly head... Anyway, I obviously need a new dress and new shoes which searching for is currently taking up 90% of my waking hours. Don't ever tell me my priorities are wrong. 

• I HAVE TICKETS TO BEYONCE! Now, me and my bestie Cara (whose lovely blog you can read here) have tried to get tickets for Beyonce about 4 times with no luck. We had to settle for V festival tickets last year which resulted in me driving over 4 hours in a round trip and on motorways for the first time. We also contacted a random man, who we found on Google, to see if we could stay the night in his campsite. How we evaded death that weekend is beyond me. Now, we have tickets to see her at the very safe O2 Arena which involves public transport only and staying at Cara's nearby house. Lovely. 

• 2014 is the year I graduate (wah). Despite being totally not ready for the real-world and reluctant to leave my little Bristol bubble, I am excited to buy a new outfit and wear one of those hats. However, when I learnt we don't throw them in the air at the end of the ceremony Laguna-Beach style, I was extremely upset and considered whether I wanted to attend at all.

• After graduation, Cara and I plan to go travelling. I say plan because whenever we both get involved with something, it usually goes very, very wrong. The above Beyonce example is a great one. If we try and go travelling together, we'll probably end up going to different airports, taking Euros to Indonesia, missing the flight altogether or getting on the wrong one and ending up in Baghdad. All of these things are more than possible. In fact, probable. 

• This is the year that I will complete my 10k run. Those of you who know me personally know that I scheduled this for last year but unfortunately couldn't do it as my mum was taken ill the day before (that woman's got timing). However, I am rebooking it for this summer which happens to be the day before I graduate so awkward stiff walk here I come. For anyone interested, my donation page is here. I've raised over £1000 so far for the Stroke Association which is one of my biggest achievements and of which I am very proud. But, I've gotta give people something for their money so training here I come (ugh) which leads me to... 

• Lose weight! And get fit. Everyone's goals but I really have to. University life has not been good to me. 

• By the end of the year, I hope to have moved out or be very close to, with the ideal location being London. I hope to not be forever unemployed and I hope to not be watching Jeremy Kyle all day everyday. Although I do love that, I guess I want a career. Going to an all girls grammar school coupled with my aforementioned love of Queen B has made me into a bit of a raging feminist (think 'the shoes on my feet - I bought 'em'). 

2014 is going to be an important year for me and who really knows what's round the corner after graduation. If there's one thing I've learnt over the past few years it's that the minute you make a plan, life has a way of ruining it. So I'm going with the flow. It'll be interesting to look back on this post next year and see how many of these things I actually did. If nothing else, at least I'm pretty sure I can achieve the turning 21 one. 

What do you hope 2014 brings for you? 

5 good reasons why Bristol is the best

Not too long ago Bristol was voted the best place to live in the UK. To someone like me who has lived there for nearly 3 years for university, this comes as no surprise. It really is the most beautiful, lively place to live with so much to do and see. Maybe that's just because my hometown is extra awful but if you're ever close by I would really recommend visiting some of these things: 

(Apologies for the photo heavy post!) 

1. Clifton Suspension Bridge/Clifton in general

It was difficult to choose a picture of the bridge as I quite literally have about a thousand photos on my phone (so please excuse the poor quality). My favourite time to go and see the bridge is at night when it is all lit up and looking pretty, but it's equally impressive on a summers day. The best views are up around the Downs that surround it or in the White Lion bar whose terrace looks out onto it. Clifton in general is such a nice area to wander round with boutique shops (I recommend 'Bar Chocolat' as a coffee pitstop for the best hot chocolate in Bristol) and the zoo is well worth a visit too.

Taken from the inside of Bar Chocolat on a cosy Christmas evening. Look how cute the streets of Clifton are!


2. Wills Memorial Building

Same as above, choosing from a thousand photos on my phone but how can you resist?! Wills Memorial Building is the focal point of the University of Bristol. I can still appreciate how pretty it is despite having had exams in the 'Great Hall' here every year of my life since starting, which is more than a little intimidating. They run tours up to the top of the tower which I haven't done but apparently has great views of the city.

Not a bad view on my walk from home to uni every day!

3.  Harbourside

A short walk down Park Street (the huge hill) from Wills Memorial Building is the Harbourside. As Bristol's only water area, this is such a nice place to be on a summers day. There are loads of shops and bars that surround the area and there's even a water taxi that can take you further down along the river (which I am yet to try)! I think it only costs 50p though so maybe we should look into that instead of a road taxi on a night out..

This is a photo I have taken from the top floor of M Shed, a museum that regularly has different exhibitions and a history of Bristol. This is the opposite view of the previous photo, looking back towards the city centre. The floating harbour is one of my favourite places to walk, especially when my mum and dad are in town to visit, because as a student it's an area we often overlook! 

The harbourside area in the evening.

4. Cabot Circus 

Now I've impressed you with my cultural appreciation of the architecture of Bristol, I'll get down to one of the main reasons Bristol is so great: the shopping. Cabot Circus has had a lot of investment and they have literally every shop you could ever want to visit. And if that isn't enough, Cribbs Causeway is a short bus ride from the centre and also has a vast array of shops and really good restaurants. On the top floors of Cabot Circus are a crazy golf course, beauty salons and loads of places to eat, including the newly opened TGI Friday's which is, obviously, amazing. Cabot Circus is a fair walk from where I live but the trek is always worth it. I'm making the most of my student discount for the few months we have left together (sob). 

5. Banksy



One of the things Bristol is most well known for is the street artist Banksy. Many of his works can be seen in various places of the city. However, it isn't just Banksy who will you spot on your travels. Many other graffiti artists have works around the city which are just as good. This one just a short walk from my house that I found the other day.

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There are, of course, some lessons to be learnt about Bristol though. It is very hilly so wear some comfy shoes! It's also pretty expensive. When I hear about how cheap my friends in Manchester Uni and beyond rents are it comes as quite a shock! Think London and then you'll be pleasantly surprised when it's juuuuust under that... 

Having said that, it is well worth it! So get planning your weekend away here but most definitely pack your umbrella and hope that you miss the 1000 inches of rainfall we get per month because as much as I've bigged it up, Marbella it ain't. 

Happy(?) new year

If there is one thing I hate, and I'm sure by now you know I hate a multitude of things, it's New Year.

Firstly, the kind of cliches that New Year brings are ridiculous. If you log onto any kind of social media tomorrow, you are guaranteed to be greeted by at least one of these. 'New year, new me'. '2014 is going to be my year!' Sorry but New Years Day is exactly the same as the day before it and all the days after it so please, please spare me your attention-seeking and cringeworthy inspirational quotes. 

You may have guessed, I'm also not one to make a New Year's Resolution. I'm all for a making a positive change in your life, but being forced into it (and almost certainly failing) due to the constant expectations and everyone asking if you have one/if you're sticking to it is another nonsensical norm I wish we didn't have. FYI - no, I do not have a New Year's Resolution, like the other 20 years I've been on this earth. Because if I did want to do something, I would probably just, y'know... do it now. Crazy idea I know guys but please try and stick with me here. 

I'm going to just go ahead and throw this right out there - does anyone really enjoy New Year's Eve? Maybe it's just my friends (sorry girls) but the pressure of everyone having to have big plans and an amazing time on this one specific night always leads to at least one crier, one vommer and too many arguments to keep track of. If you choose to go out, you may be advised to seek some kind of mortgage beforehand. Clubs start to charge entry based on 100 times the amount of a usual night, drinks become the price of liquid gold and a taxi home will cost the price of an average 3 week holiday. Why would anyone put themselves, and their bank accounts, through it?  

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Whatever your plans are I do hope you all have a good (as possible) New Year's. Although I most certainly will have a let-down of a night, mainly because I have no plans and am already full of hate of the whole shebang, I really don't care. I am sure to have a much better time, like the rest of you, on a spontaneous night at a reasonable price. 

The obvious lessons learnt here: 

Save your hard-earned for another night and sleep through the countdown. Why do we even do that? Why is the first moment of a new year so vital? Why do we continue to sing that song that no one knows but pretends to know because it's another nutty tradition? 

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And with that, I can conclude, I am now officially old. 

My crazy carb combos

Firstly, apologies for the lack of blogging recently. Third year at university is not allowing any spare time right now!
However, as it is the season to eat, drink and be merry, I thought I'd let you in on a few of my diet secrets. I haven't had the most normal of eating habits growing up. In the midst of being a vegetarian for around 15 years (don't worry I am fully converted now), my mum took me to a dietician to try and sort me out but nothing would. I ate only oven chips (really) for dinner for years, so maybe this is why carbs are so close to my heart.

Everyone knows at university it is expensive, difficult and time-consuming to maintain a full and balanced diet. So basically, I don't even try.

First up is my favourite dinner and an absolute staple for me. Garlic bread, chips and yes, that is a side of cheese in the corner. (Cheese was a luxury in this dinner - usually it's just the garlicy b and chips). Don't be mistaken in thinking garlic bread is a side dish restricted to lasagne, pasta or chilli. It is a glorious food group in its own right. Totally underrated if you ask me. And potentially the reason I'm single.

Next up is another plate of carby goodness. This time, a pizza to which I have added more cheese (absolutely necessary) accompanied by a side of cheesey mash. You may or may not have detected a cheesey theme running through this piece. I am the biggest cheese lover in the entire world and I will happily take anyone down who tried to knock that title from me. Blue cheese, goats cheese, brie, camembert.. I love them all. I haven't met a cheese I didn't like. I am also known as queen of the mash but I'm afraid I can't give away my secrets here.

Lessons learnt: any food that is yellow or beige in colour is a winner and a no-carb diet for me would result in almost immediate perishing. My advice is to grab a garlic baton and a wheel of cheese and go forth; vegetables are for losers. 

The perils of having a babyface

I've always had a babyface. Obviously when you're an actual baby, this proves no problem. However, now I am approaching the grand old age of 21, this has become somewhat of a burden on my life. When I turned 18, being ID'ed was the most amazing novelty. 'Of COURSE I have my ID', I would say as I whipped out my pink drivers licence, looking round at strangers with a 'don't worry, I got this' look on my face. However, I quickly learnt that being ID'ed was something that would a) never ever stop and b) not be restricted to alcohol.  

 Here is a montage of baby me. Clearly my pre GHD days
 

It all started on my best friend's 19th birthday. We had had a good day out shopping, were grabbing a pizza and decided why not go to the cinema to round off a lovely day. Cute, you may think. No. No it was not. Approaching the cinema, we pick our film of choice. 'The Inbetweeners Movie', a hapless schoolboy comedy. Nothing untoward here. However, after asking for two ADULT tickets to this film, the spotty power-hungry teenager that was serving me asked for my ID. 'My what?' I stutter. 'I need to see your ID please.' 'No, surely not.' 'Yes please'. 'Right.' Reaching in my bag, I again pulled out my pink driving licence, a hue that was rapidly matching my face, showing I was in fact a full three years older than the certification of this film. I had been mistaken for a 14 year old or under. We dodge the, of course, huge queue who are clearly stifling laughter to go and watch a film that I spend the entirety watching, surrounded by people MUCH YOUNGER THAN ME, mortified and wishing the seat would swallow me whole.

Me circa 2009. You will notice no facial aging present from my baby montage.

 

Following my previous blog post regarding my dilapidated student house, you won't be surprised to hear that the hobs when turned on, do not light themselves. No, like cavemen, we have to light it with a match or a gas lighter. Like most things in this property, the gas lighter I had bought decided to give up on me and so a trip to Wilkinson's (learn to love this shop if you're a soon-to-be-student) ensues. I approach the till with the lighter in my hand and only one thought in my head.. 'I wonder at what point this woman will ask me for my ID'. Sure enough, pretty much as soon as she sees me, regardless of the product in my hand. Thank God she did check though, because we all know that the difference between a 17 year old and an 18 year old with a vendetta, going on an arson rampage with a budget gas lighter has saved huge amounts of lives.

 

 

So now, with only a few months till my 21st birthday, graduation around the corner and real life looming, I think to myself when the hell will I look my age? My Mum assures me that looking young is a blessing, but she hasn't had to pull out her ID to buy a DVD in HMV before (yes, really. I think it was a 12 that time). When will the days where I am asked at the door of a bar for my ID, again at the bar ordering a drink, and then singled out and asked again at the table ever stop? And so I leave you with my very recent passport photo. What is legally required to be the most accurate representation of your face there is and let you decide. 12 year old or 21 year old?

Lessons learnt: If you suffer from this problem too, never ever step out of your door without some form of proof of age. You never know when a stranger will think your parents have lost their 3 year old and report you to the authorities.



Welcome to student life

So, my first blog! Honestly I don’t know what took me so long since I was an incredibly keen MSN space updater... (please someone tell me they remember that? Was it just me?) Well, of course I would decide to give this a go at the most crucial, pressured and stressful time of life – in my last year of university. Being in my last year is something I don’t like to admit or dwell on too much as the thought of moving my things out of my student house in Bristol and back home to Aylesbury brings tears to my eyes and fear in my heart.

It wasn’t always like this. I had a shaky start in first year, amid severe homesickness and phone calls to my Mum such as claiming my single bed sheet is ‘way too small, you’ve definitely bought the wrong one’ for my single bed. This was greeted by a lot of laughter from her with the realisation she probably should have made me participate in a few more chores at home (only child syndrome, sorry not sorry) and a sharpish visit from a flatmate who proceeded to do it for me. However, now I have settled down and made home in the comfort of what we lovingly refer to as 46, our student house for second and third year. After claiming I never want to leave, I will now go on to explain why I very much want to leave. I’ve come to realise I am living in the epitome of the student cliché.

46 in all its glory

I should probably admit to you now that, furthering the student cliché, my flatmate and I were incredibly hungover when we attended this house viewing. Weeks of looking at dingy above-a-corner-shop-and-smelling-like-weed properties, we finally found a house in a great location and for a reasonable price. So we did what any rational person would, booked a viewing for first thing on a Thursday morning and proceeded onwards to our favourite Wednesday club night. Fast forward a few hours (and I do really mean only a few hours) and we are zombie-like, propped up in the doorways of rooms and mumbling ‘mm good size’. Potentially with alcohol still in our systems we, looking back rather rashly, headed straight for the estate agents and put down our unreasonably gigantic deposits. Moving in day rolls around and feeling like I’m in an episode of Cribs, I think to myself.. ‘Wow. We’ve done pretty well here guys. It’s clean, it’s fresh, it’s modern. Everyone is going to wish they were us. Where do those horror stories of gross, mouldy, rat-infested student houses even come from?!’ …  I’ll tell you.

1.       We have mould. We have a lot of mould. Our landlord thinks a suitable solution to my angry, concerned for my life emails (don’t you know Brittany Murphy died of mould in her mansion?!) is to send over Nick, who I will return to later, to paint over it every couple of months and to ‘keep the door open’. Which is obviously great advice for the most private room of the house where it is most of the time imperative that the door is shut.



Exhibit A

2.       There are rats in our garden. Over the summer, our ‘garden’ (in the loosest term of the word) turned into an overgrown weed pit where the table and chairs quite literally disappeared underneath the huge jungle of bushes. One day, my flatmates were having lunch. One says to the other ‘oh my god, there’s a RAT!’ The other worriedly replies ‘where?!’ ‘In the garden! Look!’ ‘Oh right I thought you meant here in the room. Ah well.’ Not fine. Also, not the end of the wildlife situation in the household.

3.    Slugs. We have slugs (plural) inside our house. This was the last straw for me, having been sheltered by an incredibly house proud mother whose house is dominated by white carpets, we barely had so much as a fly to visit at home. Cue another angry email to our landlord from me, with photos of the slugs attached so she can absolutely see the severity of the situation. A reply. ‘Put down some repellent, it’s the time of year’. Right. Apparently I didn’t get the well-known memo that it was the season for slugs to invade your house and move in with you. I wasn’t standing for this, so again she sends Nick round to check out this situation. Nick, the mould-painter-overer and general handyman of the house rocks up and into my room without any warning and in his thick Bristolian accent states, ‘landlord said you had a flood’. Confusion is on his face and worry in his eyes. This is a big plumbing deal. ‘No Nick’, I reply, ‘we have SLUGS’. ‘OH!’ He chuckles to himself and walks away and with not even a hint of sarcasm tells me, ‘that’s alright then’.

 Just in case you were unaware of what a slug looked like. Exhibit B

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My best friend and I have a saying that we tell each other, often after a particularly regretful night out, ‘you live and you learn’. This happens to be the inspiration of my blog title and whilst I will you to laugh at my life, I think we should always have an educational message.

So lessons learnt:
1) Never go to your house viewing hungover.
2) Never move into a student house if you can possibly help it.
And 3) always, always move into a new property armed with slug repellent for when that infamous time of year rolls by.