Tuesday, 17 June 2014

Philosophy 'Night & Day' Moisturiser Review

A review-y type blog post was requested and as ever, I aim to please so here we go!

I'd heard a lot of beauty gurus on YouTube mention this specific range of products over the past year or so and I've really wanted to try them, never realising that my local Boots stocks it! I'd never really heard of Philosophy face products, I'd mainly heard of their lip glosses and body butters, they've all got super cute names so the brand has always stood out.

I went into about two months ago and decided to pick up the 'HOPE IN A JAR for dry skin' day moisturiser and the 'HOPE IN A JAR night' moisturiser as well. I've got super dry skin whenever I get out of the shower or whenever I've used a face wipe to take my makeup off with so I was really looking for something light enough to not be greasy and that I can wear throughout the day after using in the morning, but at the same time I wanted a night product that was going to really work its magic over night and help the dryness a little. It literally does what it says on the tin.

I think it's clear that I absolutely love these two products, they're probably my holy grail of face care! I will warn you now before I delve into any more that these jars are quite expensive. It shocked me at first and I was really hoping I wouldn't regret it and think I've wasted money but I 100% do not think that. I mean, you're paying for what you're getting and what you're getting is a moisturiser that will soak into your skin within seconds and leave your face feeling softer than a baby's bum!

The 'day' moisturiser comes in a white box with a black lid, on the front it says, "Philosophy: hope is an ally. hope is limitless. hope  will guide you. for hope is all you need" HOW CUTE?! Okay, so basically it's a super, super lightweight moisturiser. The consistency is more like water and is really refreshing, perfect for a morning moisturiser. I couldn't recommend a specific amount that you need on your face because it depends on how dry your skin is and, to be frank, how big your face is! I usually just put a little wipe of it on both cheeks, chin and forehead and that does the trick for me!
 On the box it says,

"Extra-rich moisturiser with antioxidants to help protect skin against environmental attack, deeply hydrates and helps soothe dry skin and helps balance and maintain skin's natural moisture levels"

And? It smells super herb-y and healthy so it must have something good in it.


The 'night' moisturiser is packaged in a completely black box with "Philosophy: to dream in hope is to wake to limitless possibility" again, super cute.

This product is much thicker than the day moisturiser which is what you need for a really fab night-time one that will work while you sleep. It absorbs super quickly, which is what I love about both products because I HATE having to wait like 10 minutes before I can start my makeup or go to sleep! I do exactly the same with this as I do with the day time moisturiser, a swizz on each cheek, forehead and chin and I'm ready to sleep!

"redefine your beauty sleep, wake to more radiant skin!"

And then it has a load of statistics... Do you want them? You know what, I'm gonna be professional and write 'em in this post for your... facial needs? Hm.

ANYWAY.

"92% felt softer, comfortably hydrated skin overnight. In 2 week, 90% showed significant improvement in the appearance of fine lines"

SO this product is completely universal! Older ladies can use it comfortably to reduce the appearance of fine lines and younger ladies can use it to fight against fine lines early on.
Again, it smells yummy and herb-y so that means it's good for your skin.


If anyone asked me what would I recommend for dry skin, I wouldn't hesitate in showering the Philosophy line in its deserved glory.

It gets a 10/10 from me!

I hope this satisfied your review needs!
Thanks for reading, beauties.

Laters,
Kate x
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Just Another Chapter

Hey, cupcakes.

This is gonna be a chatty one.

Yesterday (12th March 2014) I had a hospital appointment to change to a four times a day insulin shot, or rather a shot every time I eat.

When I was first in hospital, I didn't think I'd ever want to do a four times a day routine, I thought I'd be too embarrassed to have my insulin when I was out in public and that people would hone in on the needle and think I was weird or something. You have to understand that I'm a really shy person and I hate having everyone's eyes on me, especially when I'm doing something that's really quite intimate. In other words, anything that could potentially embarrass me, I tend to avoid like the plague. I remember thinking, 'oh god, there's no way in hell am I doing that!' nope, I was completely against it. I genuinely think it was because I've never seen anyone have an insulin shot when I've been out to dinner or just sat in Greggs having a pastie for my lunch, you know? I've never been... Not necessarily subjected to it, that's the wrong word, but I'd never even thought that there might be someone with Diabetes around me so when the doctors said that that was what was recommended for someone of my age, I internally freaked out.
I think what people also have to realise as well was that no-one in my family has diabetes. I don't know anyone with it so I've never know what the whole thing implies and what it's all about really. That and when I was told all of this information I was still kinda out of it so it really overwhelmed me.
One night though, my parents and I went out for dinner specifically for me to do my old insulin outside of my room. It really doesn't sound like a big deal but for me, someone that is already hyper sensitive to everyone around me, I was shitting myself. It sounds stupid in hindsight but I really was nervous. Needless to say that I did it without a hitch, no-one even noticed me and I could feel a huuuuge weight being let off my shoulders. My mum and dad didn't make a big deal out of it either which really helped. I didn't want it to be this massive hoo-ha and it wasn't. I did it discreetly under my dress and had a delicious meal with my parents.

So yesterday I talked it through with my wonderful nurse and got my new pens and I'm all set to go on this new part of being Diabetic. Like I've just said, if you're a long term diabetic or you're just someone reading this out of curiosity it probably won't sound like a huge deal but to me, who's only been diabetic for three months, it is a big deal and it was a kind of sensitive issue but now I'm fine and I'm happier and more confident.

Nothing like a nice, wee chatty post :)

Thanks for reading, guys.

Laters,
Kate x
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Current Hair Care Routine

Hi guys!

"Hydrates and gently cleanses for a soft natural feel"

"Moisturises and nourishes for manageably soft and smooth hair from root to tip"

So today I thought I'd talk about my hair care routine. I got the Toni & Guy Shampoo and Conditioner duo from boots about a week and a half ago and I've been testing it out since. Because I use heat on my hair every day and I dye it, my hair was starting to get really dry and flakey and I had loads of split ends. I got my hair cut into a longer bob to get rid of my ends and hopefully get my hair looking a little bit healthier! I used this range in combination with the L'Oreal hair expertise 'EverPure' serum.  It says, "No Sulphates, colour care system with botanical oils Rosemary and Mint and it is a leave-in conditioner of sorts. All you do is put a little in your hand and run it through your ends with damp hair before you blow dry it and it leaves your ends feeling super nourished and soft (even better, it protects your coloured hair!) I really did want to leave it a week before I posted a blog on these products especially the conditioner because I usually find a conditioner that looks super promising and then when I actually use it, it leaves my hair feeling heavy and looking greasy, none of which are what you want in a hair product. However,this these Toni & Guy products, I find they leave my hair feeling light and airy, super clean and the scent lasts all day. I'd never even looked at a Toni & Guy product before I saw a favourites video from Zoella on youtube. I'm impressed! I'd definitely recommend these to someone with dry and damaged hair looking for a bit of therapy. Well done, Toni & Guy. A gold star for you. I'll be buying more!

I figured I'd mention that while I was in hospital (yeah, I know, enough about hospital already!) I lost a little bit of hair at my temple and it got quite fluffy and sparse, when I asked my nurse she said to go into Holland & Barrett and pick up the 'STARFLOWER OIL' capsuels. From what I can gather, it's basically like a hormone tablet that helps with hair growth and thickness. I just take one daily, normally before I go to Uni, and I have genuinely seen a difference in that area of my hair. It seems like it has thickened which is great but it's also made the whole of my hair super glossy and soft, I almost don't need conditioner or anything. It's relatively cheap, I think it was around £3.99. maybe a little more? I could be totally wrong. I did buy more than one thing in the shop when I was there and got a bit muddled.

Thanks for reading guys, sorry it's two days late!

Laters,
Kate x
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Tanya Burr's Lips & Nails Review!

Hey guys!

Before I even start this post, I just want to clarify to people that I am in no way a professional blogger, nor do I know  a massive deal about make-up. I'm a massive supporter of Tanya Burr and when I heard that she was going to bring out her own collection I think I squealed with excitement. I've watched her YouTube channel for years, probably since she started, and I love her. All in all, I just thought I would share what I think of the four lipglosses I got. I'll add the link to Tanya's YouTube channel and blog and I'll also link the Feel Unique website where I got my pieces from the collection!


















Out of all of the shades, the neutrals and pinks were the ones I was drawn to the most. I feel as though I don't own any nude colours because I've always thought I was too pale for them and they washed me out but I decided to change it up and get two of Tanya's nudes. The ones I got were 'Afternoon Tea' and 'Just Peachy' and I LOVE them! They're the perfect consistency, while quite thick they're moisturising and not sticky in the slightest. The colour pay off is enough to not need to wear a lipstick underneath which I was thankful for because I don't like my lips to feel heavy and covered. They have the right amount of 'gloss' to them and leave a tint of colour on your lips even after they've worn off! They last all day, I've found I've only had to apply them again once and that's if I want the same colour on if I go out on a night time!
As for the pinks, these are my favourite. I got 'Aurora' and 'Picnic In The Park' both of which I always keep in my bag. While 'Aurora' is a really nice deep pink with silver sparkle in it, 'Picnic In The Park' is a beautiful bright pink. Again, both of these have amazing colour pay off which means you don't need lipstick underneath! I find these two pinks to be a much thinner consistency but not slimy or sticky. I love the way that 'Picnic In The Park' shines in the sunlight. 'Aurora' is my favourite of the two. The colour pink is just perfect for every day wear, I doubt I'll get tired of it any time soon!!





























I absolutely love this collection and I'm super, super proud to be a loyal subscriber of Tanya's. I really want more of the lipglosses! I think my next purchase will be the 'Vampire Kiss' and 'Mini Marshmallows' & 'Little Duck' from her Nail polishes!
Thanks for reading, beauties!
Laters,
Kate x
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OOTD (5-03-2014)

Hi guys,

welcome to my first OOTD! I will try and link to where you can get things however I got most of them last year so apologies if they're not out in stores anymore!
Also, I'm happily representing New Look INSPIRE range in OOTD and in others I will be showing the CURVE range from ASOS and various other plus sized ranges. My size depends on the clothing and the material. I tend to be borderline between plus sized and regular sized so be nice please and realise that some of these things won't be available in your size if your slender! :)
Enjoy!
This is one of a two pack that I found in new look last year. They're jersey material so they're super soft, stretch and comfortable for every day wear.
Comfy, casual and kind 90s but not in a garish, loud way! love it!
 - I couldn't find this jacket on the new look website since I probably got this around 3, 4 years ago! It's a beautiful red, boyfriend-blazer style jacket that is nice and light weight. It's perfect for those Spring days that are a little too cold still to just leave the house wearing a cardigan but not heavy enough to make you sweat! The red colour is slightly muted with a tint of lovely coral making it the perfect colour for Spring no matter what the trends are. It's really versatile which I think is the most important thing to consider when looking to invest in a new jacket. It's one of my favourites!
- This is probably my favourite find of the year! It's a mint bunny ear cross body bag with quilted detail and gold hardware. I saw this in the ASOS spring book that I got through the mail and instantly needed it. It's the perfect size to take on a day out with friends or even a family meal. I always test my bags spacing by putting in my phone (because it's massive!), purse, insulin and BG testing set, all of which fit. I was really surprised at how spacious it is and it just looks adorable with any outfit. It's my new favourite accessory for the Spring and Summer and a steal at £18! Thank you ASOS! (Also available in other colours)

As for my makeup I just have my revlon foundation that was in yesterdays blog post, along with powder and blush. My eyes are just Habit eyeshadow all over my lid and in my crease and also extended down onto under my lower lash line. Black eyeliner and Benefits They're Real! mascara. On my lips I have YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in number 13 with 'Aurora' over the top from Tanya Burr's collection. I have let my hair air-dry to give it more volume and will throw it up into a messy bun to add a more relaxed edge to the whole outfit!

Phew!

Hope you enjoyed this, guys!

Laters,
Kate x
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What's In My Make-up Bag?

What's up, buttercup?
Okay, so I thought I would do a post on what is in my make-up bag.
Enjoy!
So this is what I carry in my make-up bag every day. I'm not going to lie and say I don't wear make-up every day because that's not true, however I don't wear it all day. More often than not, I put my make-up on in the morning and if I'm having a lazy day, I'll have it off by dinner time!
Right. Left to Right, we have:
- Revlon Colour Stay 24 Hrs foundation in number 150 'Buff' (SPF 15)
- Real Techniques Buffing Brush
- Garnier Roll On 'Anti Dark Circles' concealer (it really helps with puffy morning eyes because the ball is cool!)
- Collection lasting perfection concealer in number 1 'Fair'
-MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC15
- Real Techniques Contour Brush (I use this for my under eye concealer because it's super soft and gentle!)
- MAC Blush from their new Flower Fantasy collection in 'Azalea In The Afternoon' (a perfect shade of pink for the spring)
- Real Techniques Blush Brush.
- Maybelline 'Fit Me'  all over face powder in number 125 'Nude Beige'
- Real Techniques Powder Brush.
So that is pretty much it for my face products, now for my eye products:
Top to Bottom!
(my brushes are dirty, I know!)
- the Naked Basics Palette from Urban Decay.
- MAC 266 brush for my eyebrows (I use 'Faint' from the Naked Basics palette to fill in my eyebrows, or if I want a more natural look I will use 'Rewind' from the Urban Decay Vice 2 Palette)
- an Eyebrow Brush. Any will suffice, mine just happens to be the end brush from a Maybelline eyebrow pencil I've never used!
- Urban Decay Primer Potion in Original.
- As for eye shadows, at the moment I have been using 'Habit' from the Vice 2 Palette all over my lid and blended into my crease and also just under my lower lash line. (Picture of this colour at the end) However, that colour can become quite orange-y if you build it up which I like for Spring but it's not for everyone. Instead, some days I just use 'Naked 2' from the Naked Basics all over my lid and blended into my crease.
- MAC 214 shadow brush (it's the best for packing a colour on!)
- MAC 217 for blending darker colours into my crease (the 217 will be your best friend if you are just starting out with make-up. It's super soft and really helps soften harsh lines)
- The brush that came with the Vice 2 palette is one of my favourites. One end is a shader brush, and the other is for blending. It's super soft and fab for blending!
- Another MAC 217 for highlighting my inner corners and brow bone.
- Rimmel London Exaggerate Eye liner in 001 '100% Black' (It dries matte, this looks the best on my eyes and with my complexion but it will vary depending on your preference and skin!)
- Rimmel Eyelash Curler.
- Benefit's 'They're Real' Mascara in Black. Can I say any more? This is the best mascara I've used. (PLEASE bring out a waterproof one, Benefit!!)
Lastly are my lip products for this spring:
- 'Aurora' from Tanya Burr's Lips and Nails collection. I will be doing swatches and a full review of the 5 colours I got from her collection AND the four nail varnishes I got so keep a look out for that. Representin' one of my favourite Youtube Beauty Gurus, it really is a fabulous collection and 'Aurora' has got to be my favourite!!
- MAC Lustre lipstick in 'Rose Lily' from the Flower Fantasy spring collection, the same collection as the blush I use!
This is 'Habit' from the Vice 2 Palette from Urban Decay previously mentioned:
It's such a good spring colour. I took inspiration from Tanya Burr www.youtube.com/tanyaburr and her spring look video. She uses her NARS bronzer to get a golden glow on her eyelids which is perfect for this spring transformation! I don't have any NARS bronzers but this 'Habit' works perfectly as an orange-y, gold colour and as a dupe.
There you go, guys! Hope you enjoyed that and maybe get some make-up inspirations from it! (sorry to your bank account)
If you're curious, I carry all of this in a Ted Baker wash bag that I got from ASOS.
Thanks for reading, cuties.
Laters,
Kate x
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My Last Three Months

Hi beauties.

Okay, big news. I've been gone a while. On the 27th December (yes I had a fab Christmas, did you? Tell me. I want to know) I was admitted into hospital and diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. It was scary. I was very sick and in for 5 days. I want to be honest with you guys because that's important to me and so when I say it was scary, I mean it was scary.
Let's start at the beginning.
So Christmas Day was magical. Our home was decorated with fairy lights, we had my favourite wine and my dad had cooked the most delicious Christmas dinner yet. My nan, auntie and uncle came over around lunch time and we celebrated as a small, perfect family. All was well and I went to bed happy.
Then I woke up on Boxing Day not feeling myself. To be honest, I thought I had just had too much wine at dinner the day before and let it go out of my mind as I settled down to enjoy my brand new kindle. It got later in the day and me and my dad went over to my Nan's for snacks and games as we usually do on Boxing Day. We left home at around 4pm. By 6pm I was home, screaming crying from being in so much pain and feeling completely out of sorts. I went to bed and slept for 16 hours straight.
When I woke up on the 27th I couldn't breathe. I mean, it was bad. I sat up in bed and was gasping from being out of breath.
I had an emergency doctors appointment at my local GP because I couldn't breathe and was so upset and in pain at 10am. When I got there, the doctor thought it was my thyroid and admitted my into hospital for a blood test as it was a Boxing Day weekend and the doctors were going to close soon. And so off myself and my mum went.
By the time I got to the hospital I was in hysterics. Screaming and crying like someone was stabbing me in the chest. I was in so much pain.
Finally the nurse came around who was lovely and called Jackett (she was Irish I think) and asked me, "oh, so you're diabetic?". Stunned silence. I hadn't been tested for diabetes before and it scared me. So some stabbing later and blood test results and I was diagnosed with type one diabetes.
Let me take this time to explain that type one diabetes is not the diabetes that is brought on from an unhealthy diet. My pancreas basically died. Type two is curable with a healthy diet. Type one is not. I am required to take a shot of insulin four times a day for the rest of my life. So no thinking that I'm fat or that I've done this to myself. I have been getting sicker and sicker for months prior and it was only a matter of time.
My heart was beating to extremes. My blood had turned into a syrup like consistency which was the cause of my heavy breathing. The only way I can describe it is that it felt like someone was pulling my rib cage apart with pliers from the inside. It was excruciating. Finally I was given liquid paracetamol and morphine to calm me down and stop the pain.
I was out of it and terrified, I hadn't been in hospital since I was 6 when I had my tonsils out which was for one night. My mum and dad stayed until midnight and then I was alone.
My nurses were amazing. Jackett held my hand when they came to take blood and fed me orange segments because I couldn't hold anything up, I was too weak. I have pictures of my bruises which I'll add in later. Basically my body was going into shock and shutting down and so all of my blood was in my core, so they couldn't find any veins to take blood from. That was horrifying. I still have nightmares now, waking up sweating and crying.
It was around 2am actually that I got moved into the diabetic ward in my local hospital. Before that I was given copious amounts of codeine to numb the pain of my ribs which had been going on for around 17 hours without a break. I had an empty stomach and projectile vomited over myself and my hospital bed. Gross. I kept apologising to my favourite nurse David while I was there... He was lovely and gave me endless amounts of water of which I was thankful.
Eventually things had calmed down. I was released from hospital on New Year's Eve and had a McDonald's in the car home.
It's march now and it's been difficult. I inject myself with insulin every morning and night at the moment but soon it will change to 4 times a day or whenever I eat. It's been extremely difficult. I was absent from university for two weeks to recover. I was traumatised from being in hospital. As I said, I have nightmares still. But it's not only that, it's been a lot to handle mentally.
There are some days when I don't want to stab myself in the stomach with a needle. Some days my mind gets in the way and I have a melt down, wondering why it happened to me. Some days it dawns on me that this is forever and I can't change it.
Other days though I accept it and it drives me to look after myself more.
The support I have had from family, friends, university, hospital has been endless and I am eternally grateful.
I thought I should tell you what's what, so that's that. That's me, a new me if you will.
Okay, now for more fun things;
I've decided that I want to do more on this blog. I'm intending for this to be a space in which I review all sorts of things. Makeup collections, films, books, food(?), YouTube channels, music, album ect. My passions are makeup, films and books so maybe look out for them more than the others but I'm willing to take suggestions.
I don't know if anyone has read this far but I hope so.
I'm back and I'm ready to work on this.
Laters,
Kate x
(Below are the pictures I was talking about)
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