Saturday 5 September 2015

I'M BACK!

Hello! I have been away from the blogging world since May now due to university commitments - now that's all over with, I think it's the right time to catch up with fellow bloggers. 

As many of you may or may not know I was completing a degree in adult nursing and I can now say I am officially a registered nurse!

After completing my degree I took a two week holiday to Egypt to visit friends who work in club magic life sharm el sheikh imperial and after not much persuasion I have decided to go and work there until November as an entertainer!

Of course I will return to my nursing duties once I arrive back in the UK but for now I think this is the right step for me.

I hope to keep you all updated with my adventures on here and through good ol' instagram (Internet permitted).

But for now here are some pictures of my recent two week trip -






Lindsey xx

Friday 1 May 2015

KEY 103 - cash for kids charity event.




Last week I was lucky enough to be invited to the KEY 103 cash for kids charity event, which is held annually to raise money for different charity's in the north west. This year they are raising money for Beechwood cancer care centre, Stockport - this is a small charity that aims to provide counselling and workshops for children who have just lost a family member, or require help in understanding a family members recent terminal, or life changing diagnosis.

In order to raise as much money as possible for this wonderful charity, KEY 103 are currently advertising this charity throughout the day, every day during their radio shows.

This campaign is leading up to the official superhero day which is held on 15/05/2015

Now for a little bit about the event itself, firstly it was situated in the lovely UKFAST building in Manchester which is bright, airy and spacious. There was lots of sweet treats including some cute cupcakes from Zara cakes - and I was assigned a superhero name, which was a fun and creative idea!

And for all of us that love glitter there was a station where you could have facial glitter applied, using hair gel, glitter, a makeup brush and a spritz of hair spray - genius!

Once everyone had arrived we were treated to a presentation about the charity and why fundraising for this charity, in particular is so important - we even heard from some of the children and adults who had recieved care from Beechwood which was really special.

To be a part of this fantastic day you can register here to sign your school, business or workplace up, and put on your superhero outfit on the 15th May.

Alternatively, if you would like to donate you can do so by texting KEY to 70070 to donate £5 or contact 0800 064 3838. All texts are free and 100% of the donation goes straight to Beechwood.

Thank you so much for reading.

Lindsey xx

Wednesday 29 April 2015

Spring trousers.



Khaki trousers - £16, George @ ASDA

Sometimes the weather just isn't quite warm enough to bare your legs but it's way too warm to wear jeans - I think we all have been through this horrible dilemma, personally I think that a thin trouser is perfect for that awful situation - and I am pretty sure I have found the perfect pair.


I don't know about you, but I always browse the clothing section of the supermarket before doing the food shop, to have a good look for any bargains, who doesn't love a good bargain? And trusty George at ASDA never fails.


These trousers come in cream as well as khaki, but I am quite clumsy (me + cream trousers = disaster), so I obviously I went for the khaki. 


I love the fit of these trousers, as they are slim fitting, but still have that loose feel around the thigh and bum area - my description isn't very good, but hopefully you get the jist.

I am definitely looking forward to wearing these throughout the Spring/Summer season.

Lindsey xx

(When the weather picks up I will be featuring these in a OOTD post.)

Sunday 19 April 2015

Fashion starts with..

Fashion starts with..

Being female means having to have the horrendous ordeal of having to wear a bra, I mean, it's just an absolute inconvenience and an extra thing to wash, not to mention the waste of time that is, a bra fitting.

Anyway, now that we have established that bras annoy me, I do think that it is important to wear the right size bra, even though we all vary in size from store to store, and as mentioned bra fittings are a waste of time - but regardless to the latter I think it is still important to waste a bit of time each time you buy a bra by getting measured. Rant over.


I do believe that us women, however, do feel much better when we are wearing matching good quality underwear - for me I feel a little boost of confidence, as fashion does start with a good bra.

Recently I have been loving the bra's in the above picture from PINK at Victoria's secret, especially the racer back style ones. I love how easy wearing they are and that they are less visible when wearing vest tops etc. The only issue is the price of good quality bra's, they are just so expensive! 

Nevertheless, I have added these beauties to my payday list!

Lindsey xx












  

Thursday 16 April 2015

Spring wishlist

Spring wishlist

As the weather has started to warm up I have started to look at updating my Spring/Summer wardrobe, I can not believe how quickly this year has gone so far - well they do say it gets quicker with age!

I always like to add a mixture of statement items to my wardrobe each season, and this season, it seems as though many blue's and white's are going to be added to my collection.

So firstly from my wishlist we have this fabulously adorable cropped t-shirt from asos, what I love most about this t-shirt is the shape - it makes for comfortable easy wear style. Obviously the rabbit print is another reason why I love this top, it just gives it that added cuteness.

Can we all just take a moment to appreciate this beautiful dress from urban outfitters, from the shape, style, pattern and colour - it is just my idea of the perfect Spring dress.

Next, is this pretty yet utterly simple t-shirt dress from ONLY (which can be purchased from asos). This dress would be great for a festival, holiday or just a lovely warm day out shopping!

It wouldn't be spring without the many odd scattered showers and what's required when this happens?! The trusty waterproof rain coat, this one from urban outfitters is by far the loveliest one I have seen on the high street - the colour is just perfect.

Which brings us to the last item on my wishlist which is this beautiful number from topshop, I think its the contrasting colours that draws me to this dress the most, I also like that it is designed to look like a little top and skirt, which is super cute. This dress would be perfect for my upcoming sun holiday - unfortunately it is currently out of stock on-line in my size. Hopefully I will be able to pick one up soon!

What is on your Spring wishlist?

Lindsey xx

Friday 10 April 2015

Quick and easy home made chicken fried rice.

Chicken fried rice is definitely a favourite of mine to get from the local takeaway on a Saturday night, so I thought I would give it a go - hey presto, people liked it.

This has been a family favourite for a while now and always goes down well with the diners.

Serves 4-5 people

ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
3 cups of rice
6 eggs
8 spring onions
peas (frozen, fresh or tinned)
soy sauce (reduced salt)
Chinese five spice
salt and pepper to taste
garlic butter (enough to grease the frying pan)

Chop the chicken into strips or chunks dependant on preference and set aside. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl or dish and wisk until yolks have dispersed and set aside.
finely chop the spring onions and set aside.

Cook the rice according to packet instructions, I personally use 'Uncle Bens long grain rice' which only takes 8 minutes to cook, and is worth the extra pound or two.

Whilst the rice is cooking heat up a large frying pan to a high temperature with the garlic butter, add the chicken and allow to brown off, add the spring onions, peas (as many as you like), 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of Chinese five spice and salt and pepper to taste.

When the rice is cooked, drain and put to one side.

Once the chicken is cooked thoroughly and the vegetables have warmed empty into a large serving dish cover and place somewhere to keep warm such as warmed oven or microwave.

Without cleaning the frying pan turn down the heat to medium, add the whisked egg, and allow to cook until it looks like an omelette - then cut the egg whilst it is still cooking into small pieces using a wooden spoon, add the cooked rice and pour over some soy sauce (again, dependant on personal preference - I would use 4 tablespoons). Keep stirring to avoid burning the rice until warmed add the chicken mixture back and toss through until mixed and serve. 

I hope you all enjoy this as much as I do!

What are your favourite takeaway inspired dishes?

Lindsey xx

(Apologies for the poor picture quality and lighting!)

Wednesday 8 April 2015

Escentual - mini haul



I think one of my most favoured beauty products has to be a good quality cleanser - I love nothing more than taking my make up off at the end of the day and having a good ol' fashioned double cleanse, so you can understand my excitement when these babies arrived the other day!

So, why these products? I have really sensitive, combination skin - when its dry its really dry, when its really oily its really oily, you get the picture! 

Vichy, normaderm gel cleanser - £11.50 £9.75
I have loved Vichy products ever since I tried out their foundation stick, years ago - so when I saw this cleanser I had to give it a go. As this product is for those with sensitive skin it does not have a strong fragrance'y smell but does have a subtle floral scent which is o'so lovely. This cleanser leaves your skin feeling like you've just had a mini facial, I have a strong feeling this will end up being a product I will endlessly repurchase. 

Avene, cold cream gel cleanser - £8
This product alike the previous is a new product I haven't tried before nor have I tried any of this brands products before - and they certainly haven't disappointed! I find that my skin feels really plump and soft and appears to leave my skin with a lovely glow, which is a bonus! 

Avene, cold cream moisturiser - £10
Paired with the 'matching' cleanser this is a dream moisturiser for me! My make up stays put longer and I have seen a noticeable reduction in oil build up - winner! It is definitely worth a try!

What are your favourite skin care products?

Lindsey xx




Monday 6 April 2015

Pledge #2 - Being an NHS care maker

Today's post is about spreading good health care information and care. I would like to give you an insight into becoming part of a community whom wants to provide good, honest care. So here goes.

Being a student nurse has many perks and being able to be involved in such an important campaign is definitely one of them. 

Being an NHS care maker is about much more than just attending events and spreading awareness, its about being part of a group who want to make a change.

So what exactly is an NHS care maker?

We are a select number of people in England who campaign and aim to promote safe and effective care. We do this by promoting the 6c's at any possible time.

The 6c's are:

Care
Compassion
Communication
Commitment
Courage
Competence

However, the 6c's are not exclusive to nurses! Everyone who works in an environment that cares for individuals can adopt and promote this simple yet effective vision. 

Anyways rant over. Here's the 6c's promotion video for you all to have a gander at.


Thank you all so much for reading. 

Lindsey xx

(As part of my role, I have pledged to write this post this year (2015) to provide awareness).

Friday 3 April 2015

March favourites

March favourites

March was a good month for trying out new products and splurging out on a few treats for myself - so it was definitely a bad month for my bank balance, oops. Here's some of my favourite buys of the month.


Garnier micellar water, (currently £3,99 in Boots!!)
There's a lot of hype about this product and I almost thought it must be an over reaction - how can a bottle of, what appears to be plain water, be so good? However, I bought a bottle anyway as I thought I may as well give it a go. The hype was 100% worth it! My skin feels great after using this product, and removing my make up is much easier - it just glides off. 

LOREAL true match foundation, £9.99
This is my ultimate go to foundation! I love that the coverage can be light to medium dependant on build up, without looking cake-y or cracking on the dreaded laughter lines, *shudder*. Also I am super pale so the N1 ivory shade is perfect for my skin tone, which is great as I always find it hard to find a light shade that still doesn't give me a orange tinge. 

Brown leather look skirt - River Island, £30
This skirt was definitely a love a first sight kind of thing. Its beautifully lined and is so versatile, it looks great with a jumper for a casual look or dressed up with a pair of heels and a black top. I personally like wearing it with a cream and black stripy cropped jumper.  

SEXY MOTHER PUCKER - soap and glory (shade - The missing pink), £9
My everyday lipstick goes to... Yes, you guessed it! Its one of those better than your own lip shades, the pigmentation is not strong, it just provides a natural looking layer, for added confidence. The only downfall of this lipstick would be the staying power, which is not very good - I really want to find a lipstick in the same sort of shade with a longer staying power! 

AMIEL medium handbag - Kipling (shade - black/grey), £55 or outlet price £38.50
I have wanted a Kipling bag for ages, but always convinced myself, when looking at them, that I didn't need one and carried on with my day. However, I recently visited an outlet store and could not resist this handbag! I am not sure exactly what it is about these bags that I love - maybe its the superb quality or the cute monkey? Who knows?! These bags are great for us women who like to carry our lives in our bags, there's about five different compartments and its water proof inside and out, I haven't used another bag since I bought it. This is my favourite purchase of March! 

What are your March favourites?

Lindsey xx

Tuesday 31 March 2015

A little trip to Wales - Bluestone lodges.



 Last week I went to beautiful Wales to Bluestone - which is a man made village surrounded by a variety of different wood lodges. 

The lodges are separated into different sections of the woodland, and are named for ease - especially in the dark after dropping the car off!

The lodge which I stayed in was the grassholm lodge, which sleeps 8 consisting of 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms - fantastic for families.

Speaking of families, the activities available in bluestone is phenomenal, there really is something for everyone, even if you didn't want to venture away from the resort. 
Such activities include mini golf, swimming pool with slides, wave pool, lazy river and hot tubs which are included in the price of the stay. 
Other paid for activities include high rope, tournament field (archery), the well spa and mini/junior & Celtic rangers for the little ones. 
However, if you are not one for activities buggy and bike hires are available to take a ride around the glorious grounds - or you could just have a wonder on foot. 

There's plenty of places to eat too, catering for everyone from a grillhouse to an onsite bakery - or for something a little different, why not visit camp smokey - smores, need I say more?


 If you did happen to fancy a trip out of the resort, Tenby is a must. A twenty minute drive away from bluestone is home to this beautiful beach and town centre. 

I will most definitely be planning to go back again in the near future. 

Lindsey xx

(I was invited to Bluestone by the lovely Katie from Gold dust blog, after she was asked to review a lodge. All views and thoughts are my own). 


Wednesday 18 February 2015

50% this - 50% that, 100% Actibalm.



I got this lip balm for free from a rep at work and didn't think much of it. I toddled home and popped it into my makeup bag and almost forgot about it. 

I re-discovered it (on a day when I grabbed any old lip balm on my way out) and I was thoroughly amazed at the quality and consistency of this balm.

It's literally what it says - 50% Manuka honey and 50% petroleum jelly. Heavenly. It's very thick and dark brown in colour, very much like treacle. If you've ever tasted Manuka honey you'll know just how lovely it really is!

It leaves a glossy clear shimmer on your lips and leaves them feeling super soft and smooth.

I am really really impressed with this balm and seriously happy that I re-discovered it!

You can purchase this lip balm from Amazon for around £4. Bargain. 

What is your favourite lip balm? 

Lindsey xx


Wednesday 11 February 2015

Goodstock - the charity shop with a difference


The other week I went to a lovely event in the heart of Manchester to a charity shop with a difference. 

This store has a lovely warehouse feel and striked me as a trendy boutique-like-shop, which is refreshing to see from a charity store.

Goodstock prides itself in selling good quality items that just need a loving home - they sell both female and male - clothing, shoes and accessories. The money from the sales goes to a lovely charity called vINSPIRED. vINSPIRED help and train people aged between 18-25 to get jobs by allowing them to gain experience through volunteering in the store.

One arrival I was given a £20 gift voucher to spend on finding an outfit which was a great touch. I couldn't find an outfit so I picked two separate pieces that I thought would last the year. I found a metallic grey top originally from F&F and a pair of pretty patterned navy trousers originally from Zara.


As well as this there was a nail bar where I had the prettiest mint green and white coloured pattern painted on my nails. 

Goodstock also had a little sewing corner were you could get buttons etc put onto your new purchases which I thought was a great idea!

Have you visited Goodstock?

Lindsey xx

Friday 30 January 2015

What every blonde needs



I have been having my hair dyed blonde for a couple of years now and I hate the period in between where it just doesn't look the same colour as it was dyed. It just doesn't look it's usual blonde self, instead I tend to feel a darker shade of dull - not good!

I have been using Pro-voke daily brightening shampoo and conditioner for a while and love the quality and the smell - especially the smell! But I just wanted that added extra that something that would give me longer lasting shine and colour. 

I started using the twice a week brightening shampoo and conditioner for around a month now and I am that impressed I had to feature it. To start it has the same beautiful smell its just a teeny bit darker looking in colour than the daily ones. I also feel as though I can last a lot longer in between colours which is fantastic for a poor student like me! 

As I was loving the twice a week products so much I thought I would try out more from the range. So I have also got the hairspray, dry shampoo and dry conditioner. 

The hair spray is great, long lasting hold and doesn't darken the appearance of the hair when sprayed on like many other hair-sprays do. The dry shampoo is a winner! Its just perfect and you don't have to apply much at all, unlike some others and it is really easy to brush in. 

The dry conditioner however I was really unsure about as I have really oily hair, and rarely use conditioner anywhere but the tips of my hair. I thought I would give it a go anyhow, and I am quite impressed it works in between washes to brighten the ends of your hair that become dull through blow drying etc and gives your hair a lovely shine!

I will definitely be purchasing more from the Pro-voke range in the near future! 

What are your favourite hair products?

Lindsey xx

Sunday 25 January 2015

Finding the right hand cream



Some of you may or may not know that I am a student nurse - which is thoroughly rewarding but does result in my hands being constantly dry and cracked from repeatedly washing my hands and using sanitising gel. 

Since I started my training I have been looking for the best hand cream to re-hydrate my hands without leaving them feeling sticky or greasy.
Here are my top five with number one being my top choice. 

5. Lush 'Charity pot' hand and body cream - this cream is light and smooth on the skin and does not leave your skin feeling oily, the only downfall is the smell - it's just to perfume-y for me. I find my self constantly wondering what the smell is when I forget I have applied it - not good.

4. L'Occitane lavender hand cream - it smells amazing, and the consistency is again light and smooth. The only trouble is, I find I have to re-apply this cream more often than any of the others. When I'm busy and on the go I want a hand cream with more staying power. 

3. Body Shop 'Honeymania' hand cream - this is one of those steal buys you can't help to love. It's smooth, light and smells pretty darn good. 

2. Soap and Glory hand food - this cream certainly differs from the rest as it has a much thicker consistency. This cream is perfect hand cream to apply first thing in the morning and last thing at night - anything in between and I feel as though I have a layer of film on my hands. It takes longer to dry than any of the others however when I apply this cream I love the smell, and the overall quality. It leaves my hands feeling pampered and silky soft.

1. No7 'Protect and Perfect' day cream -  this is my ultimate go-to hand cream - I love it. No oily feel, no film like feel, no waiting for the cream to dry for ages before I touch anything in my vicinity. It has that lovely No7 smell - you all know it! Did I mention that I love this hand cream? 

What's your favourite go-to hand cream? 

Lindsey xx


Monday 19 January 2015

Naked 3 review





I have always wanted a Naked pallet and the only thing that put me off buying any of the previous ones is the amount of really dark shades, which would not look flattering on my pale skin. When the naked pallet 3 came out I knew it was much more suited to my skin tone and all the shades are wearable for me which is a total bonus!

Before purchasing this pallet I read a few reviews from fellow bloggers' and from the online shopping sites and many of those reviewing this product seemed to not be as impressed with this pallet as they were with the original or naked 2. I have not tried the others but I am very impressed with this product and would go as far to say that this is my favourite eye shadow product ever - I use it almost everyday.

The staying power of the shadows are incredible, there is no need to top up my lids throughout the day. Many of the reviews have also stated that the colours are not very pigmented and I would totally disagree, I don't know whether this is because of my pale skin tone? But they really do seem to hold out.

I also love love love the double sided brush I think its fantastic for blending and also getting that perfect smoky eye look.

The set also comes with some sachets of eye shadow primer which I have not yet had the need to try - amazing.

Well done Urban Decay!

What is your favourite eye shadow pallet?

Lindsey xx

Thursday 15 January 2015

What I am looking forward to most in 2015

My 2015

Usually I head into new years without any long term plans/goals as I am normally a last minute kind of girl. So at the start of this year I reflected on 2014 and thought, what do I have to look forward to or what would I like to do this new year - what is going to make 2015 a year to remember? 

Here's my top 5 things I have to look forward to in 2015.

5. Go on holiday - my holiday is all booked and I'm really excited to be going to somewhere I have never been before. I am going to be jetting of to Egypt this May and I'm looking forward to experiencing a new place and exploring what the country has to offer.

4. Getting older - I know this sounds silly but I am really looking forward to what life has to throw at me. 

3. My last year at university - even though it is going to be super stressful I am going to take in every last moment until I have to enter the big wide world of work!

2. Graduation/getting my registration. Even though I will be waiting right until the end of 2015 to throw my cap in the air it is still something I feel will make 2015 that little bit more special.

1. Starting my first job! Some of you may or may not know that I am training to become a nurse. I have been offered a post for when I finish uni in August. So I am really looking forward to start! 

What are you most looking forward to in 2015?

Lindsey xx

Friday 9 January 2015

The brow kit everyone should know about.








I first encountered Chelsea's Beautique whilst I was at pro beauty in Manchester a couple of months back, I had never heard of the brand nor did I know such a brow kit existed - my life is know miles easier and putting my make-up on now seems a lot more 'exciting'. 

The lovely sales assistant asked if I would like to have a try, obviously I had to try it. At first the sales assistant believed my brows where the dark brown shade - to which we both found out very quickly was NOT may shade, this was however quickly rectified. We agreed that my shade was natural and we went ahead and tried again. 

Its so so simple; you pick your stencil, place it over your eyebrow, pop some powder onto your brush and apply. Wait two minutes and your brows are intact for the day! No more last minute brow tinting for your holidays! It comes off surprisingly easy to - which is a bonus.

Stupidly I 'umd and ahhd' about this set so much that I did not purchase it at pro beauty, which I regretted as soon as I got home - So I popped it onto my Christmas list, and Santa didn't fail me. 

I was over the moon to receive this at Christmas and I haven't used any other product on my brows since. 

I received the 'Brows kit' off my lovely parents which includes:
- smudge free powder
- double sided brow brush
- 6 differently shaped stencils
- tweezers
- velvet travel case
(all for £35!!)

If you want perfect, smudge free brows then look no further!

What are your favourite brow products?

Lindsey xx

(I use the 'naturale' stencil and minimal powder)



Wednesday 7 January 2015

Mask of Magnaminty





Over this winter period my skin has been crying out for some pampering and I had to respond.

I knew I needed a face mask but did not know where to start - there are so many to pick from!

I have heard great things about the Lush facial masks but I have never tried them (I know ridiculous), so I headed to Lush in Manchester in quest of a new face mask.

I love everything about the Lush store so when I walked in I was instantly in heaven - I just love the smell!

I approached one of the lovely sales assistants and asked for some assistance, I explained that I have combination skin, which was feeling a little tired. I also wanted a product which would help remove blemishes and those unwanted blackheads - ergh.
I love the texture of this mask, it has evening primrose seeds in it which can act as a exfoliater, for if you wanted that something extra from a face mask; I find myself massaging this mask into my skin for a couple of minutes before allowing it to work its magic - its heavenly. 

I can safely say it has done the job and I am now a lot happier with my winter skin!

What is your favourite Lush mask?

Lindsey xx

Monday 5 January 2015

Boots bargain.



I absolutely love a good bargain and Boots never fail to impress when it comes to the Christmas deals. 

I picked this up a week before Christmas for a tiny £37 reduced from £75.
I think No7 products are really good quality and I always feel 'pampered' after using any of their products.

The set includes two facial moisturisers (day and night), hand cream, intensive body moisturiser, body moisturiser, body wash, bath soak and a cleansing lotion (all full size).
It also includes a lovely BB lipgloss and a pretty mascara. 

I have to say my favourite item in this set is the cleansing lotion - I actually think this is my cleansing lotion of choice at the moment! It's so gentle on the skin and removes all traces of make up quickly and evenly without leaving your skin feeling greasy or oily.

All of these items smell super good too which is always a must!

I hope you all got some good bargains in the sales!

Lindsey xx

Saturday 3 January 2015

The perfect winter skirt


We all need that perfect piece to help use get through the winter months, and I've found mine from the good trusty shop that is Topshop. 

I love a good skirt and one you can wear with thick black tights is even better! The colour of this skirt is what first caught my eye, this deep burgundy looks great dressed up or down. The texture of the skirt is what made me go running to the till to buy it - lovely Melton wool but lined on the inside (no itchy stuff). The zip detailing is sweet too, with a pretty ring puller zip.


This is definitely one of my favourite buys of 2014.  

Have you found any perfect winter items yet?

Lindsey xx