Apologies for the random 10 day hiatus. I've had a lot to get done and managed to get ill last week too. I do pick my moments.

I got this in a nice big set for Christmas along with a lot of other S&G goodies. Anyone who's stepped into my bathroom knows I'm a Soap & Glory freak. The packaging, the scents, the quality and the price of their products all tick my boxes so they're a brand I use time and time again.

This body scrub, first off, smells utterly fantastic. Not like the usual musky florals of the righteous butter etc, I sat for a good while with my nose in it, wondering what it smelled like until it hit me. It smells like citrus cake! The sharp smell of lime mixed with the sweet batter-y scents of sugar, vanilla and nuts go so well together and it was a nice change from the usual S&G scent.

The 'scrub' comes from tiny particles of smashed brown sugar and larger macadamia grains, so it's a good mix of big chunks to really exfoliate and smaller bits to polish and buff. I use this twice a week in the shower and afterwards can't stop stroking myself! (that sounded wrong; my arms people!) I get rough skin on my knees and elbows and having used this for a few weeks now along with a nice thick body butter I'm happy to report that the scaly skin is no more.

Once I've used this up I'm really keen to try more S&G scrubs. I liked Flake Away and I'm thinking about the Breakfast Scrub. Any other recommendations of your favourites? They just have so many!

Thankyou for reading!



Scrub-a-dub | S&G Sugar Crush Body Scrub

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It's been a funny old week. I've returned to uni but was suddenly struck down by illness and so haven't really made it to many of my lectures! I'm glad I'm back though. Surrounded by my wonderful flatmates who are nothing short of fantastic, and like a second, younger and better looking, family to me. 

I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do this year. I mentioned in my last 'Weekly Inspiration' post that I want to start creating more so I've taken the plunge and ordered a needle felting set from a seller on Etsy. I've wanted to try it for ages after seeing all the cute things you can make (see little mouse-bear thing in the middle of the board above) and have finally gotten round to it so if it goes well I'll share my creations. I'm also hoping to get back into drawing (I'm a little rusty) and really crack on with drafting my novel. I have a really phobia of endings in fiction, so I'm struggling to think of a way to round off the story! 

I can't wait to start building up my SS13 wardrobe as well! I just want stupid, cold January and February to be over and done with so it can start warming up a little (please PLEASE let it be a nice warm summer this year!) Current lusts include this skirt, these heels and this bikini set.

Speaking of bikinis I've decided to try to get in better shape recently. For a while, being in a not particularly happy place, I've neglected myself and stopped eating properly and exercising. But now that I'm getting back in the right direction I'm taking good care of this little body of mine. It's gone through some rough times and needs some love. If anyone would be interested on a regular diet/exercise update feel free to let me know and I'll see about making it a feature. I've found some really good exercise videos on YouTube and also some healthy tasty recipes that I've been enjoying so I'd be more than happy to share.

In all I want to start pushing myself. I want to break out of my little comfort zone bubble I've been floating around in for these past few years and really explore new realms of life. It's quite exciting really!

Right, I need to go to bed now. I'm completely knackered and have quite the to do list for tomorrow! 

Thanks for reading 






Weekly Inspiration || Life Begins At The End Of Your Comfort Zone

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One of my 2013 promises to myself (not really a resolution as it's hardly a serious life changing thing) is to take better care of my hair. Come the end of last year my hair was a wreck: over-bleached, dry and matted and just generally a horrible thing to have on my head! Now it's returned to an easier to maintain colour and has be cut and thinned so all the tangles are out and it feels so much healthier. I just need to put in the effort of keeping it that way!

I'd been seeing reviews on hair serums and decided to opt for something that had good reviews, but was still affordable. I ended up with this and I do really like it. I wasn't sure quite how to use it or what to expect but after a bit of trial and error I've found it a godsend.

After washing and towel drying my hair I use two pumps run through the midlengths and massaged into the ends before brushing through and blowdrying. My hair looks and feels considerably softer and smoother when I use this regularly, and at around £6.99 a bottle it's far easier on the old student budget than thirty quid's worth of Moroccan oil! I do only use this twice a week however, as much more and I find my hair getting greasy quicker.

I am interested in investing in a more luxurious hair oil in the future when I've got a bit more money to spend, but right now this one's doing me just fine. Let me know if you have any hair treatments you swear by. 



  








Hair Serum | Tresemme Liquid Gold

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I rarely ever buy anything from Miss Selfridge. I'm not sure why but it's a brand I've always neglected. However I really think their SS13 evening wear is gorgeous! It might be a bit strange but I'm loving the slightly lingerie-esque feel to these dresses. The sheer black fabrics and sexy lacy bits give it a really seductive feel, and then adding some tough glamazonian shoes and jewellery gives a beautiful contrast without it looking cluttered or too 'try-hard'.

Everything here, aside from the shoes which are from New Look, can be found on the Miss Selfridge site. Just add some big sexy tousled hair with clean, simple makeup for a look that toes the line between 'classy, glamorous lady' and 'just rolled out of the bedroom.' It would be very easy for this style to look like you've actually stepped out in your undies, but I think the way Miss Selfridge has designed them keeps it very elegant with just a little tongue-in-cheek suggestion of sexiness.



SS13 Fashion Preview | Glam Edition

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I didn't end 2012 in a very happy place. Not at all. But I'm determined to leave that behind, and use 2013 to do a lot of the things I've wanted to do for a long time. I think a lot of people want to see new years and fresh starts as a chance to find themselves. But I think I'd rather think of it as a chance to create myself.

 Thing is, I don't think we are anything other than who we choose to be. I think sometimes it can be an excuse for someones bad qualities or undermining to someone's good qualities. People use "That's just who I am" to justify being rude or unkind. At the same time sometimes we don't appreciate when someone does something good for others. Just because that's who they are, of course they would do that.

I think it's so important to be conscious of our own behaviour so I want to give myself the next year to develop attributes I want and to improve myself. I want to improve my organisation, be more giving and more creative. I also want to be free in the way that I think and approach things. I want to be more appreciative of the little things and I want to make other people happier. I want to be silly, honest and kind.

I haven't really made any solid new years resolutions but I'm simply opening my mind to new things and hoping to discover and create and generally reach 2014 a little prouder to be me. I want to get into crafts, learn to cook properly for myself, find a form or exercise I enjoy and finally finish a draft of a novel! I don't care if noone reads it, I've wanted to write a book since I could first read and I just want to finish one!

I'm planning on having a weekly inspiration board such as the one above to help me get inspired. Feel free to use it to inspire you too! Or better yet create your own and link it below. I'd love to be see what inspires you. Every week I'll be talking about life and thoughts and just general things that wouldn't really fit in a normal post.

Thankyou for reading.







Weekly Inspiration || Be Silly, Be Honest, Be Kind.

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 I've really gotten into masks recently and this is one of my favourite discoveries. At first I was a little disappointed that it really isn't a peel at all but after getting over the misnomer I found it had a really nice effect on my skin. With only a thin layer left for fifteen minutes my skin's left feeling smooth, soft and matte and also looks much clearer.

It smells a bit grim. Like plasticine. But aside from that I really can't see any pitfalls when using this on my normal/ slightly combination skin. The packaging has the standard adorable S&G look to it and for £8 it's definitely a treat anyone can enjoy.

I hope that was helpful. I got a huge pile of Soap and Glory stuff for Christmas so if there are any others I find really impressive I shall make sure to share them.

Thanks for reading! 





Soap & Glory Fab Pore Facial Peel

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