My Winter Essentials

It's been getting increasingly colder and feeling much more wintery this week in the UK so I thought I would share some of my essentials I need throughout the winter months.

My first winter essential has to be blush and bronzer. I have a very pale complexion most of the time but in the winter I somehow manage to become even paler. Blush and bronzer is a great way to add some warmth and colour back into your skin. This is a blush/bronzer gift set from Benefit which I was lucky to receive for Christmas from my wonderful Nanny.

Next up is a thick moisturiser and Vaseline and both are a MUST for winter. The cold air can dry out your skin and lips very easily so keeping them hydrated is important. These two products are two of my favourites for keeping my skin and lips silky soft.

I just spoke about keeping your face and lips hydrated but keeping your hands hydrated is just as important. In winter my hands can get very dry which leads to them being cracked and getting sore which is not ideal! This Soap and Glory Hand Dream Super Cream is a great hand moisturiser as it absorbs quickly and doesn't leave your hands feeling sticky, just super soft.

A candle in the winter is a great way to get all cosy and relaxed when it is freezing outside. I am a big fan of spice scents and berry scents so when the winter candles start going on sale I may or may not smell practically every winter scent in the shop! My candle is the Mulled Winter Berries from White Stuff.

Scarves are definitely an essential to help keep you warm in the cold. I am a big fan of tartan scarves as I think they look smart but still casual, this scarf is from River Island. 

I used chocolates in my photos as for me they are also a winter essential. A cosy, candle lit night in watching the TV or a film is not complete without some chocolate left over from Christmas!

Thank you for reading

Ellie x

Studying Tips and Ways To Relax

Exams can be very stressful and pressurising so I thought I would share some ways that might help you study more effectively and to ease some stress.

Tip 1 - Be Organised

If you know your exam schedule write it on your calender or in your diary and then work out when you will study each subject. If you work out when exactly you will be studying each subject and for how long for you won't end up studying way more of one subject and then are rushing to try fit in another.

Tip 2 - Figure Out Your Strong and Weak Subjects

Most of us aren't amazing at every single subject we take. Figure out what your stronger and weaker subjects are and then decide which subjects you'll need to spend more time on. Personally I struggle with Maths and Chemistry, but I also know that one of my strong subjects is English so I probably won't spend as much time on it as I would Maths or Chemistry. This isn't to say I'll only spend 5 minutes on it, it's just that I know if I spend too much time revising something I already know then I am wasting time as I could be learning about something that takes more time for me to understand.

Tip 3 - Take Breaks!!

Yes for exams it involves a lot of work but you also have to have some down time and time to relax, go out with your friends, do some of your normal activities. If you are studying all the time you will tire yourself out and it is not an effective way of studying. Doing nice things is also a good way to reward yourself for all your hard work and to help you feel good about yourself. A way I study which is good for me is on school days I will go to a study support at school after normal school hours, I will come home and then not study until after tea. This means I have an hour or couple hours break before studying again. If I am studying on weekends, say for example I study for an hour I will then have at least an hour off before I revise again.

Tip 4 - Exercise and Keep Healthy

Excercising is proven to decrease stress and anxiety levels and will help you keep level headed. Staying hydrated and healthy will also keep your energy levels up. Don't study instead of eating or drinking. That is a definite no no. You must look after yourself as you are way more important than a grade.

Tip 5 - Use Past/Specimen Papers

Past and Speciman papers are really useful to practice with as they give you a good idea of exam type questions. If you know how long you have for your exam try timing yourself so you know if you have enough time or need to keep practising to quicken up a bit. I am also sure if you do any your teachers will happily mark them so you can see how you've done.

I hope some of these tips help and if any of you have exams soon, GOOD LUCK you'll be fine. Remember that as long as you know you have done your best that is all what matters!

Thanks for reading 

Ellie x

The Christmas Tag

So it is now 3 sleeps until Christmas and what better way to get into the festive mood by doing The Christmas Tag!

1. What is your favourite Christmas film?

*shouts* ELFFFFFFFFF *stops shouting* because it is just hilarious. There are so many times I burst in to fits of laughter whilst watching it.

2. Have you ever had a white Christmas?

Yes I have had a white Christmas a few times and it is truly magical. It's just the icing on the cake to the day and it feels like you're in a film.

3. Where do you usually spend your holiday?

Well for our family we really don't have a 'usual' place where we spend Christmas - some years we stay at our house, sometimes we go round my Nanny's, sometimes it's round my uncle's, it is anywhere where the family is all together ahah:)

4. Whats your favourite Christmas song?

Ooooh this is a toughie. I am a massive fan of Michael Buble's album but I am also a huge fan of all the classic Christmas songs like Fairy Tale of New York and Last Christmas. Hmm I would have to say my favourite is I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday, as at school when it gets into the festive season we do dancing instead of normal PE and my favourite dance is the one we always do to this song - its just a great, merry song to get you in the mood for Christmas!

5. Do you open any presents on Christmas Eve?

No we don't. I think opening Christmas presents on Christmas Eve is an American Tradition??(I could be totally wrong) As far as I'm aware not many people in the UK open presents before Christmas day.

6. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?

I shall try...Rudolph, Blitzen, Dasher, Prancer, Donner, Vixen... erm no I can't, aw man I really wanted to be able to do it as well!

7. Is your Christmas Tree real or fake?

Fake...we sometimes have a real one but not every year.

8.  What is your all time favourite holiday food/treat?

CHOCOLATE ORANGEEE YUMM! I think you can buy chocolate oranges all year round, again, not too sure, but we only have them at Christmas and we always get one in our stocking, they are amazing.

9. What would be your dream place to visit during the holiday season?

NEW YORK! All the decorations and lights and shops and everything omg it would be amazing. Just the pictures of it all lit up and looking Christmassy is something I know I have to see!

10. Are you a pro-present wrapper or do you fail miserably?

Well considering when I wrapped my friends Christmas present I ended up with one side still on full display, I would say I fail miserably....

11. What made you realise the truth about Santa?

Um, honestly I can't remember how I found out, I think I just realised as I grew older.

12. What makes Christmas special for you?

Being with the family and just resting from school and everything. It feels good to just have a break where I can laugh and joke with family and friends, play cheesy board games and just be able to relax, enjoy and be grateful for everything I am blessed to have.

I tag Jenny and Ray and anyone else who wishes to do this Christmas Tag:)

I wish you all a Merry Christmas, thank you for reading

Ellie x

Makeup Wishlist December 2014

Since its under 2 weeks till Christmas I thought I would do a December Makeup Wishlist as some of you may still not have decided what you would like for Christmas or you may still need a gift idea for a loved one. Here are some of the things I am dreaming of at the minute and what I will be spending my Christmas money on. My family already have my Christmas sorted, but I couldn't think of anything better for me to spend my money on heheh:) 

1. The Nars Ita Kabuki Brush.
I'm not sure if I will buy this or not yet as its on the pricey side for one brush, but the reviews and opinions on it are amazing and I am dying to try it out! You can find it here
2 and 3. Nars Audacious Lipsticks in Anita and Juliette.
I recently watched Shannon's aka Shaaanxo video on YouTube where she swatched some of these lipsticks and as soon as I saw these two beautiful shades I knew they wanted to be in my collection aha:) You can find them here
4. Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer.
I have never owned this before, even though I know everybody adores it, but I need a good concealer I can just swipe on and blend in quickly and that will cover imperfections. You can find it here
5. Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
This foundation is on my wishlist as I read in a magazine that dermatologists recommend it since it doesn't have any ingredients in that will upset your skin. I would definitely like this as at the minute every time I wear foundation the next day my skin is covered in breakouts. You can find it here
6. Lorac Pro Palette
This is something I've had my eye on for a while as the colours are just beautiful, you can find it here I don't know where to find it in the UK so I can pay for it in pounds but if any of you do know then just leave a comment, it would be much appreciated.
7. 3 of the Too Faced Melted Lipsticks in Peony, Coral and Ruby.
These melted lipsticks look so beautiful and pigmented that I am counting down the days until I can finally purchase one! You can find them here

Thank you for reading

Ellie x

Girl Online Book Review

Yesterday I got my hands on Zoe Sugg's new book, Girl Online. When it first came out I wasn't 100% convinced I was going to buy it because I wasn't sure if it was aimed at my age range, which is mid to late teens, but after reading the first chapter on Zoe's Facebook page I got my hands on it ASAP!

Girl Online is about a teenage girl called Penny who has a secret, anonymous blog where she writes about all her feelings, but one day when things go really bad for Penny, her family jet off to New York and things finally start looking up for her. She meets Noah and quickly starts falling for him but she doesn't realise that he has a secret too...

I finished the book this morning after purchasing it yesterday as I couldn't put it down until I was forced to go to bed! Even though before I got it I was a bit skeptical as I thought it may be aimed at younger kids, whilst reading it I loved every second. All the plot twists kept the book exciting and every time I thought I knew what was going to happen next, I was wrong but happily surprised at what happened. As a teenage girl I can say I related A LOT to Penny and the emotions she went through during the book. I would recommend this book to all teenagers who are looking for an exciting new book to read.

Overall I am completely in love with Girl Online and enjoyed every second of reading it. I shall now be counting down the days until Zoe's next book! I would also like to say congratulations to Zoe for this book as it one hell of an achievement! I am pleased to say Girl Online is now one of my favourite books and I encourage you all to buy it if you haven't already:)

Thank you for reading

Ellie x

Christmas DIY - Reindeer Food

So its that time of year again where our lives are taken up by shopping, baking mince pies, decorating the house and many other things to do before CHRISTMAS EEEK! This post is one for everyone. I will be showing you how to make Reindeer food to sprinke on your lawn to guide Santa to your home! Parents can do this for their kids and if you have younger siblings this is a great way to enjoy the Christmas excitement together. You could also use it as a business opportunity and sell to your local community for a good cause or just to make some extra cash to make up for breaking the bank from buying gifts! Anyone can do this as its quick and easy, just stick on Michael Buble's Christmas album and you are ready to start enjoying the festive season:)
Here is how you make your own Reindeer food:

You will need:

1. Caster Sugar
2. Oats/Bird food
3. Sprinkles/Sugar Decorations
4. Festive Ribbon
5. Small Plastic Bags
6. Scissors

Step 1:

The first step is to pour some sugar and oats and/or bird feed into the bowl and mix

Step 2:

Then add your sprinkles or sugar decorations into your bowls. I used some red sprinkles and then after I found some Christmas shape sugar decorations, pictured at the beginning, so added them as well hehehe. Mix until everything is spread around evenly.

Step 3:

Bag up and tie with some ribbon! I found my small bags on amazon and they only cost around £1 for 100. This photo is beautifully taken by my Mother aha:)

Step 4:

This is completely up to you but for my Reindeer food as I was selling them at a local market I made up some labels with the Reindeer food rhyme. 

The rhyme is:

Sprinkle on the lawn at night

The moon will make it sparkle bright

As Santa's reindeer fly and roam

This will guide them to your home

Now you have a lovely treat for the reindeer on Christmas Eve and something to guide Santa to your home to drop off the kids presents:)

Thank you for reading

Ellie x

My Current Skincare Routine - Autumn/Winter 2014

Lately my skin has been hating me. It broke out all over my forehead, round my nose and on my chin so some serious TLC was required. I developed this skincare routine which has been a savior! I still have a few spots left but it is definitely on the way to complete recovery(thank god!) So here is what I've been using:

Simple face wipes, The Body Shop Tea Tree Foaming Cleanser, The Mask of Magnaminty from Lush, The Body Shop Cleansing Butter, Simple Light Moisturiser and They're Real Makeup Remover

One of my holy grail products is this little pot of minty green delight which works wonders for my skin. I won't babble on about it too much as I have a full review on it which you can read here :) I use this bad boy about once or twice a week to give it a deep exfoliation.

Next up is the Body Shop's Cleansing Butter which I use to remove my face makeup. I would describe it as a balm when its in the pot but when you take a scoop and rub it between your fingers it starts melting. You work it into your skin and it turns into an oil which you then remove with a damp cloth taking off all you makeup with it. 

The Body Shops Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanser, is what I think has cleared my skin up the most. I have noticed a huge difference since I started using this. I use it twice a day, at morning and at night when I'm in the shower. The pump turns the liquid in the bottle into foam which you apply to your face and rinse with water. Tea tree is a natural oil, good for helping to treat acne.

After cleansing my face I always apply this Simple Light Moisturiser to add some moisture back into my skin and to make sure it is hydrated. I have quite oily skin so I don't use thick, heavy duty moisturisers as they just sit on my skin and make me feel all greasy, but this product is perfect for my skin.

If I have been out and get back late I just feel like getting straight to bed and can't be bothered with my full routine. I remove my eye makeup using the They're Real makeup remover from Benefit and if I'm wearing face makeup I will just remove it with a Simple facial wipe. I am well aware that face wipes aren't the best way to remove face makeup but the next day I am extra thorough with cleansing my skin.

So that is my current skincare routine I hope you find it helpful:)

Thank you for reading

Ellie x