This is an outfit I wore to the Ghost Walk in Newcastle which I went to on Saturday. If you were wondering what these are all about, basically it was looking at places where murders/torture had supposedly taken place in Newcastle, making it a perfect location for us to meet any potential "ghosts".
To get us all in touch with our paranormal side, we also had a go at some 'experiments' which were hilariously funny. I had to stand in the middle of a group of people with my eyes closed whilst the "forces" were invited to move me about. I'm the biggest cynic in the world, and the only chance I was going to get freaked out was when he shouted in my face to give me a shock :').
My hair is the worst for going flat in about .000001 seconds after I have washed it.
So far nothing has worked other than back combing which is very naughty, so for a while I have been on the hunt for some products/techniques to keep it pouffy and BIG. Emma (who has lovely hair) recommended the Samy Fat Hair spray, and after watching Zoe's hair video I also decided to buy some mousse to try out. There was a 3 for £9.99 on the Superdrug website (and also in their stores if you're less lazy) so I thought it was worth a shot.
What I did:
1) I washed my hair as normal, then when it was towel dried I apprehensively placed a handful of mousse in my hair and brushed it all the way through with a tangle teezer.
2) I then sprayed on some heat protector and turned my head upside down using a hair dryer (this is as technical as it gets with me! haha).
3) When it was all dry I then sprayed it with hair spray until I thought I might die off the fumes. In hindsight I did not need nearly as much hair spray as I did use, I think a lot goes a long way with this product and I did make it a little crispy round the edges.
Overall I'm really impressed with how my hair turned out!
On the night I put my hair in a low bun and it was still voluminous in the morning which was fab. Usually I have to wash my hair everyday but the amount of product in my hair strangely made it not greasy when I woke up. I don't know if this is just because my hair is in shock (or I was less sweaty in the night?!), so I will let you know if this is a permanent thing. I'm hoping so because I usually have to wash my hair everyday which can be so bloody annoying. The only thing about putting it in a low bun though is my hair got knotty, but my Mam has recommended the ever-sexy hair net, so I'll try that bad boy out next.
Something worth mentioning before you rush out to get that va-va voom. I think the effect of these products might be influenced a lot by what your hair is like naturally, so it might not work for everyone. My hair is wavy and can usually hold a style for a day without dropping, and I felt like these products more or less set my hair in a more extreme version of it's natural self. If you do have a different hair type such as poker straight hair and you have tried these products I'd love to know how they worked out for you so please comment below! Also if you have any tips/advice please share my lovelies.
Hello everyone! I'm going to be talking about something very close to my heart in this post, and that is adopting pets from shelters.
These animals are often written off as 'problem' pets, surely dumped in these kennels because they're damaged in some way, and highly likely to be unloving or safe. After a few months in these kennels, the tight budgets and lack of space means most of them end up getting put down, when they could have made perfectly lovely pets. Another reason they're usually overlooked is because when people buy pets it's usually for a loved one, so anything a couple of months or older is out of the question, because older pets just don't pull on your heart strings as much as a new little puppy/kitten.
Molly, my doggy from the shelters
I've had three cats from private sellers, a dog from a shelter, a feral kitten which we rescued, and a cat that was basically left on the streets which we also took in, and I can honestly say that none has been more loving than the other regardless of background.
You may be thinking I'm being hypocritical, as my three most recent cats were from private sellers, but I will explain how this came about. Basically I cannot drive to bigger shelters as I have no car, and the local ones around me demanded quite off putting procedures, such as formal interviews and to be able to search my house, which my parents wouldn't allow. This only left private (and expensive) sellers. Kittens are usually £50 from a shelter, however Millie was £130 and I think Poppy and Uggs were around the £80 mark. That might not sound like too much more, but they didn't come with any guarantees against FIV, they weren't chipped (£15), they had no vaccinations (£50) and they hadn't been neutered (£80), whereas shelter cats are automatically given all these things. Millie was ill within weeks of us receiving her so I had to spend hundreds at the vets getting her better, and Uggs was so severely underweight, which the owner had not even realised as she'd never had kittens before, we had to buy special packs to fatten her up and take her to the vets for weeks on ended up costing a fortune. With a shelter though, your pet will be checked, vaccinated, chipped and neutered all included in the price, which is a lot better financially and generally for peace of mind.
One of my guilty pleasures is looking at pets on RSPCA. You enter your postcode and they list all the pets closest to you with descriptions and photos of the pets. I've noticed they very often have on kittens/puppies, and at certain times of the year (like now) they are in abundance, so if you really do wish to get a kitten/puppy then you can, for a lot cheaper overall, and with the added bonus you're saving them from being put down.
So onto my own babies which I have loved over the years.
Queenie
My first kitten was Queenie.
She was already feral when we found her under the shed at Nanas, so she was really feisty and independent, but also a very loving and loyal cat who we doted on. She sadly died of old age back in 2008 quite an old spinster cat by then. Most people can be put off by feral cats, but truly most feral's will become at ease with humans with a lot of care, patience and attention.
The next pet we got as Molly, who we got from a Shelter.
Molly had been overlooked for weeks because every time anyone went near her cage she went into a psychotic frenzy of excitement, so happy that anyone was paying her any attention. She has been beaten, and she was so malnourished that her baby teeth were still in place even though she was a year old. I'm not going to pretend she was not hard work at first. She was so frightened of men she would go absolutely mad if we took her on a walk (circling and biting, not good), and she'd get aggressive with fright if anyone came to the door.
For a while a family friend looked after her but we took her back after a while because we all missed her so much. Now, I can take her anywhere on a walk and she is totally fine with anyone, and not bothered by men at all, although she is a little wary and will duck her head if they try to stroke her. She still has excitable frenzies, but she just needs calming down and she is fine. I even take her to the shops with me and she will sit and wait patiently, totally fine. In hindsight, one thing I will say is if you have never had a dog before or you have small children then I would not pick a dog that has been abused as we did. The reason I say this is because I think they should be left to someone who is more experienced with dogs, as an abused dog can be quite overwhelming for someone new to handling dogs. Similarly abused pets can be unpredictable and are usually wary of loud noises (which children will often make), potentially causing the dog to react with a nip or growl.
Above is Joop, my boyfriends' dog with my sister. I'm going to mention him because he was also from a kennel and picked up at when he was aged one as Molly was. Unlike Molly, Joop has never been abused and he was perfectly healthy when he arrived at the kennel. He's a right little cheeky chappy and so soft it's crazy. I love cuddling him when I go round Stevens and I'll often watch a movie with him cuddled up on me and we'll share some food.
Joop is a perfect example of a dog who has just had a had a bad turn of luck such as owners dying, or owners who got bored of him etc. rather than a more sinister reason such as forcible removal of pets into kennels following concern for the pets' welfare. Not all are abused dogs which will need tons of care and attention. Molly and Joop are at two ends of the spectrum and both have made loving pets proving most dogs aren't total write offs and can provide lots of love.
Above is an old video of Smudge, the love of my life :'). I can't even look at his photo without wanting to cry though. He got ran over in October and I was devastated. He was a neighbour's cat who'd gotten bored and threw him out, so he was often scavenging through bins and running after the kids in the street hoping for some food. One Christmas he sat on my wall staring into the house, and I felt so bad for him I fed him on the sly a bit of chicken. After that we couldn't get shot of him and it wasn't long before he was sleeping under the covers in my bedroom and lounging round the house like a lady of leisure! He was the softest, sweetest cat I've ever met. We had him for years and he was given a great life (if I do say so myself), and since then I've always felt like there's a little hole in the pet-place in my heart which has not been filled. I'm sure Smudge wouldn't have got a look in at a kennel though, after all he was already around 7 years old, an age most people aren't willing to give a chance, even though he lived for about another 8 years.
All these pets may have been rejected because of things they couldn't help; a kitten who had went feral in order to survive, a dog severely abused, an owner who tied Joop up and abandoned him, an older cat kicked out and surviving on scavenging. They have all made fabulous pets though, and I hope I've influenced you a little in considering kennels before you turn to private sellers.
Em xx
P.S If you cannot adopt, then you could still make a huge difference by volunteering. There are positions to suit every preference! Click here. To donate money please click here. Thank you everyone so much for reading :).
How are you all? I'm very hungover this morning, the room is spinning and I feel so sick. To be fair though, I drank a bottle of wine at my friends before we went out last night, then I had three trebles and a double out in town... To make matters worse I fell asleep in my dress which my mate had been sick all over, and I'm still wearing it now as I type (why am I telling you this?). Think I'm in serious need of a bath/bed combo.
Hates of the week:
- The Norway massacre: I literally cannot even imagine the suffering that is going on there at the moment. It's crazy someone can just come along when you least expect it and cause such destruction. I'm also really sad that Amy Winehouse has died, I was quite a fan of hers and always thought she'd sort herself out in the end.
Loves of the week:
- I finally found my perfect watch which I have been hunting for! Here it is in all it's glory:
It's a Michael Kors (MK5384) and I love it to bits. It cost £245 which might seem pricey but I'm planning on wearing this daily for years to come, so I don't think it's that bad at all. I also got a 5 year warranty in case I break it which is why it's more pricey than the same model online.
- I went on a Ghost Walk last night as part of a birthday night out. It was hilarious, although we did manage to attract every smack head within a mile radius. We did a few experiments, in one I had to stand in the middle of a group of 20 people, close my eyes and 'summon' ghosts which was a major LOL. After we went out for lots of drinks which was fab, but the night ended in a fight with some douche trying to take advantage of our mate, and finally said friend was sick all over me haha. Photos will be coming soon (of course!)
-I have changed my comments form using Disqus so that I can now comment directly back if you leave a comment below, rather than having to just add my reply on to the end of the comments form. Let me know how this is for you guys, after all I want it to be as easy as possible for you so if this makes things more annoying/difficult please let me know and I'll change it back!
- I've also loved spending time with my family this week. I went shopping with my sis and Mam, and then to my Nanas and Grandas for tea time. How cute is Uggsy in this photo with my boyfriend (who was asleep, major creeper alert on my part)
Faves of the week
- I recently came across a youtube channel called 'Thefashioncitizen', which is two sisters who create amazing outfits usually through charity shop clothing. They also have many DIY videos, but my favourite thing is they usually style everything they buy so you can get some great ideas.
- I've also been loving Christina's reviews: they're always very honest regardless of whether she was sent the item or not.
- Another favourite of mine are Heather's tutorials (Heather Does Makeup), her makeup looks are flawless and she goes into great depth to tell you how to create the looks so you can easily follow along.
- A bit of humour: I really liked Charli's post on finding uses for makeup products which do not work for you at all, so it's not a total waste!
- Finally, if you're feeling a little down Lamebook never fails to make me laugh.
One of the things I have been lusting over lately is the much blogged about Yves Saint Laurent arty ring, but at £250 I couldn't really justify the price.
The Real Deal
I enviously noticed Kate from Dollybowbow wearing one in a few of her recent videos, and browsing through the down bar seen these were for sale on her site. I had a quick look and noticed these were actually replicas she was selling for £12 (+£1 p&p) and I was instantly sold. I was a bit worried they may look crap on close up but I couldn't find any photos of the ring actually on the hand so for anyone else who wants to see, I took a few photos.
The Dollybowbow version
Crooked fingers not included
I picked the Jade colour in a size M as this is my usual size for my middle finger, yet this M is a little on the smaller side. It goes on fine but will not come back off without much effort! haha. They are only sold in S/M so sadly I think this will rule out any girls who are a big size M or L for that reason.
For the actual service I will talk about that too. I ordered on the 14th, and received this today (the 22nd) so it took 8 days overall for the ring to get to me (which is what she estimates). The only thing I found a bit annoying was that you don't receive an email to say when it's dispatched which I would have preferred so I would know when to expect it, but that is a very, very minor complaint.
As for postage and packaging, it was very reasonable at £1. It comes in the typical bubble wrap envelope and then inside the item was packaged in a cute packet with a sticker over.
And finally it was in a netted bag with little stars in. I think it looked really cute and made the item feel more special, but the stars are a bit of a bad idea because they scratched my ring on it's travels.
I wasn't sure which colour to get so Kate messaged me on twitter recommending the one that she was wearing which was lovely of her. If there's anything else you'd like to know feel free to get in touch!
The little self control that I have inevitably goes out the window as soon as I see a sale, and this time it was Dorothy Perkins, which is truly a favourite of mine for accessories.
Layered necklaces - £2 each.
Pendents -(from left to right): £2, £3 & £2
I also did buy a necklace from a charity shop but it broke as soon as I took it out the bag in a way which is completely un-fixable but hey it's for a good cause. I also picked out Slumdog Millionaire which was great although very saddening, and the DVD itself was in perfect condition so I'll be checking back in charity shops more often!
I also took a sneaky pic of Mil. This is her happy just-ate-fish face. I love her to bits and she really is worth every sleepless night I've had.
A quick post today because I'm getting picked up by my mate in a few minutes and I'm still not wearing pants. #awkward
Hates of the week:
I've had an unlucky week! I've broke my camera, the hoover, left my camcorder in the rain, and accidently flashed at the postman.
Loves of the week:
1) I went to the pics last night and seen Bridesmaids. I'd heard mixed reviews so I wasn't bothered about seeing it, but I can honestly say it was so funny! I nearly weed myself at the fitting scene.
2) A few posts I've been loving this week:
> Emma's post on how she gets ready for a night out. Getting ready is a really fun part of the night and I love reading about how other people go about it.
> A giving birth post! My vagina winced in pain but it's nice to see a realistic account. A few people have told me it didn't hurt at all, but after seeing one born every minute I knew this must be a sick, sick lie.
3) New makeup! I've spent the past few days experimenting with the makeup I got in a recent blog sale (mentioned here).
> I've also been attempting some new hair styles since I usually just wear my hair down or in a top knot. I'm quite liking the fishtail braid because it's so easy and quick but looks a lot more like an effort than just shoving me hair in a pony tail.
Something a lot more purse friendly than shops - blog sales!
It's a great way to test out products you're unsure about/couldn't afford at the RRP price for usually a lot cheaper. I'm forever trawling through them and have picked up some amazing bargains along the way. It can be difficult though as you have to trust the blogger is actually going to send the items after they've received your money, and I couldn't count the amount of people I know online who've been scammed (me being one of them). I've wrote together a few tips which will hopefully come in handy if you're new to blog sales or generally want to avoid being scammed.
Tips with blog sales:
- Stick to blogs that have been running a while. A blogger who has spent ages on their blog writing tons of posts is unlikely to rubbish their name by scamming over their readers. However, a blog with only two posts who then publishes a blog sale with all these 'amazing bargains' might be more shady.
- Always operate through paypal. It's a very secure form of payment and means that you have proof that a transaction actually occurred (so they can't claim you didn't send any money).
- If you're still nervous, buy something low value first time round so it's not a massive loss if the item doesn't arrive/ is nothing like advertised. If everything is great, then bookmark them and keep checking back for their next sales.
- Go on personal recommendations! My favourite for blog sales is Emma because her items are always impeccable and she packages everything lovely. She also delivers extremely quickly which is fab.
I recently picked up a few things from her blog sale which is currently running:
Crappy quality I know! I got 5 nail polishes from Barry M in colours (linking to swatches of all from different websites so you have a better idea): Black, Navy, Strawberry, Berry & Vivid Purple. I also got a Clinque blush in Innocent Peach, Estee Lauder lipstick in '09 Stay Coral', Sleek's Pout Polish in 'Electro Peach' and Sexy Mother Pucker Extreme Plump XL. Normally I'm never drawn to peachy/coral colours whilst out shopping, as I tend to like reds with blue undertones for my cheeks and lips, so I'm really excited to have a go of everything.
I got the perfume Biagiotti Due Donna for my birthday which was only two months ago, so getting another bottle does seem a bit excessive. Sadly though I dropped my original bottle and it smashed to smithereens, so I've bought this as replacement so my parents don't have to find out! *shifty look*. If you would like swatches/reviews on absolutely any of the products mentioned please let me know and I'd be more than happy.
Emma mentioned she was putting in a few freebies which I thought was lovely of her but totally unnecessary. I nearly died when I opened it - she'd put in so much stuff it was crazy, literally everything pictured above. Thankyou Emma for being so generous, although I feel awful having all this sent to me!
The first thing I came across was the 'Bumpits', which are these plastic things you put in your hair to give the impression of volume. Now I'm horrendous with hair so these should be a laugh! Sitting on top of the bumpits in the photo is three 17 eyeshadows and a Sleek Lipstick in the colour 'Heartbreaker 779'. This colour is right up my street - I can tell I'll wear this alot. To the left you can see three nail varnishes she also gave me, (click the links to see swatches), which were Barry M's Blue Glitter, Nail Effects (white), and Diors Sweet Almond. She also put in YSL perfume which is a nice fresh, light girly smell, and my ultimate favourite spritzer of all time - Boots Natural Collection Wild Strawberry Body Spray. I love strawberries and this is perfect over my Strawberry body lotions. I love everything and can't wait to have a play around!
What do you think about blog sales? Also do you have any blogger recommendations, or your own tips and advice I can add in?
Em xx
Hello lovelies! Sad news: my camera did not survive Spain.
I've had it 11 months which means it would normally be covered by the Argos guarantee but alas I have lost the receipt *facepalm*. My surviving camcorder is great at filming but naff on photo mode - hopefully you can bare with!
I don't know when I'll be getting a new camera because I've just found out I'm going down from a full time to a part time course at Uni, which means no lovely loans which usually keep me afloat. I did save a bit of money this year (as I live at home with my parents) and I also had a part time job, but the part time course is still £1600 so that's pretty much everything gone. I've just quit my job too *double face palm* so alas I'll probably have to wait until Christmas for a new camera. My board at home is going up this year as well so I'm going to be extra poor unless I can find somewhere to help me out.... Porn here I come.
Moving onto the haul, before all the mini-violins of the world come out to play for my tragedies ;) haha.
I took advantage of duty free at the airport and picked up these two things:
The Elizabeth Arden set contains 30ml Skin Protectant, which works way better on sunburnt skin than anything I have ever tried, so I thought I may as well give the lipstick/balm (3.7g) and the handcream (70ml) a go. You can buy this kit online for the exact same price anyway so I actually didn't save anything, but I wasn't sure so I bought it anyway. I say bought it but actually my card got rejected twice so I had to get my Dad to pay and owe him back! Haha. (Actually slightly mortifying but hey ho, a typical day in the life of Emma).
The next splurge was Gucci Guilty (I got the 50ml bottle). Oh my lord, this smells amazing! My friend works on a counter and gets HUGE bottles of this for free so I have serious job jealousy! I paid £38.50 thinking I was getting an amazing bargain, but here's a list of places on the internet stocking it for cheaper. Still I've wanted this for ages, I love the smell and I still think the price was reasonable. If you've never tried this go into somewhere like Debenhams/Fenwicks and have a cheeky spritz - it's so good! According to my mate their bringing out a stronger version of it a little later in the year so I'm also going to be keeping my eyes peeled for that.
I naughtily went onto ASOS and indulged my ever lasting need to have everything snake-like. I got this ring from £8 down to £4 (now £3 here), and I also bought two just in case one broke hahaha. I love it but I'm still tempted to buy this one too. Thoughts?
Em xx
(This is a post I wrote as a Guest on Offers Boutique, hence the introduction for those who wouldn't have came across me before! I thought I'd post it here too though!)
Hello everybody!
I was asked to write a guest post for the lovely readers of Offers Boutique, which I thought would be a fantastic opportunity to share with you my obsession of finding great quality makeup products without having to spend tons of money.
First of all though before diving into my opinion on Superdrug's MUA products, I thought I'd tell you a little bit about me. My name is Emma and blogging is one of my passions. I love talking about makeup and fashion finds, but I'm aware that most people in my real life will want to die after a forty minute conversation about my favourite blusher, so writing a blog is an amazing outlet. I love writing up posts because whilst there would usually be a (polite) vacant expression on the face of my boyfriend/mates/family as I harped on about leggings, I can now direct all this outwards to the Internet, and in return have girls just as interested letting me know their opinions and recommendations. Recently I've been hunting out brands which are extremely cheap to see if any can match up to the standards of more expensive products, starting with MUA.
So for you girlies who are yet to discover Superdrug's own brand 'MUA' I will tell you a little bit about them. Basically, they sell an array of makeup products, with the best bit being that they are all a mere £1! I was skeptical but also really excited to try out a few things, so I picked up two eye shadows, two lipsticks, a mascara and a powder which I've been using for quite a while now.
L-R: Shade 12 & Shade 3 swatched, Shade 3 on my lips, Shade 12 & 3 in bullet.
Lipsticks (Rating 5/5) I'll start with lipsticks mostly because I've had nearly every single one once upon a time and because I love them so much. The lipsticks I currently have from the range are in Shade 12, a glittery barbie pink, and Shade 3 which is a pink matte finish with a slightly magenta hint. Personally I do prefer matte lipsticks, but there is something to accommodate every one's taste. They are not the most long lasting lipsticks in the world, but for a £1 they are great for experimenting cheaply before splashing out on something more expensive, or if re-application is something you don't mind. A little tip which I recently discovered; the bottom of the lipstick breaks away to reveal more lipstick in a pan which is great if you're running low!
L-R: Shade 17 - Matt & Shade 16 - Matt
Eyeshadows (Rating 1/5)
The eye shadows are something that I would not recommend as you can tell by my brutal rating! The pigmentation is pretty awful, the brown (shade 17) hardly shows up as more than a wash of colour, and that is after applying about 5 layers. The pink (shade 16) was more pigmented but really talc-y and honestly neither could compete with the super cheap 88 palette or the Sleek Storm Palette which I adore. Another thing is they have a tendency to smash to smithereens if you apply more than a light touch to the product, and the plastic packaging is also pretty flimsy, so be wary if you do plan on trying these out!
Powder (Rating:4/5)
The powder is something I mostly use for Uni instead of my usual Max Factor powder, mainly because my Max Factor one has a detached lid and so always opens up in my bag, whereas the MUA one has a hinge and can usually withstand a bit of wear and tear. This product works relatively well and keeps my face nice and matte, which alongside being pale enough for me, is all I really ask for with my face powders. The only concern I have for this product is the very limited colour range which I think would make it unsuitable for darker skin tones, but hopefully they will bring out a wider range soon.
Mascara (Rating 3/5)
Whilst the mascara is nothing amazingly special in comparison to other brands, it certainly is a million times better than any I've came across for the same price. It distributed a good amount of product along my eyelashes and there are a few crazy colours which are good if you want to try out a new colour but don't want to regret that £12 used-once spend.
So overall, I would really recommend the lipsticks, the powder if you're fair and the mascara if you want to experiment without any painful regrets. The eye shadows I'd personally take a miss on as you can find tons of great ones that are a lot better quality than these ones. If you would like to check out my blog for reviews on products, outfits of the days, hauls, and my general life please visit me at http://emmasblog.co.uk
Thanks to Offers Boutique for letting me guest post on their amazing website!
Em xx
So I recorded quite a bit of my holiday away with my family & Steven (my boyfriend). I originally uploaded them privately to youtube but nobody in my family is bothered if you see so here you go! I think they're quite funny haha.
Hello everyone, long time no see! I've been in Gran Alacant, Spain, the past week which has been absolutely lovely. Here are a few snaps:
Me & Sis on the train
Sex on the Beach
View from the balcony
Steven & me in front of the house
Dad at Alicante
Chinese meal on the first night
Me and Steven messing around
Another chinese restaurant - we were obsessed!
Me & Mam
Some of the crew
Also, my guest post is up at Offers Boutique, check it out here to see reviews on a range of £1 MUA products. Now that I'm back my blog sale is up too, I'll probably be lowering prices soon because I want to downsize and organise/decorate my room the way I want it. Feel free to make offers!
Emxx
, and after watching 
to try out. There was a 3 for £9.99 on the Superdrug website (and also in their stores if you're less lazy) so I thought it was worth a shot. 
. 
which was great although very saddening, and the DVD itself was in perfect condition so I'll be checking back in charity shops more often!
, 
