Saturday 23 February 2013

Overnight Oats

Image from here
 
I was first introduced to 'Overnight Oats' by my friend Charlotte who was always coming up with yummy, but healthy food ideas at uni (you know when people can make a salad look better than a steak? That's Char).

The recipe is from Lauren Conrad's site (here) which i am always on because she looks amazing all the time and I want to be her haha. It's a seriously simple and quick recipe that is perfect if you are like me and would rather get the extra 10 mins in bed than eat breakfast before work. All you need is:

  • 2/3 cup almond milk (or milk of your choice)
  • 1/2 cup organic rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup vanilla (or plain) Greek yogurt (I used non-fat)
  • 1 pinch of cinnamon

  • You mix all the ingredients in an air tight container and whack it in the fridge the night before. The next day, you are good to go! As you madly rush out of the door, then back in again because you forgot something and then back out again you don't have to worry about your breakfast.

    A couple of extra ideas I like to do are:

  •  Use a Muller corner (or similar style) yogurt, so you use the greek yogurt in the recipe and you can add the compot to your breakfast for extra flavour.
  •  Take a banana and some almond flakes to add on top or any other fruit.

  • This recipe will keep your hunger at bay until lunchtime and it's super healthy. Just got to do the exercise part now...

    The image and recipe are all from Lauren Conrad's Website here

    Friday 22 February 2013

    M&S Bra Fitting: Save £5!

    All baps, boobies, coconuts, breasts, tits, mosquito bites or juicy juicy mangoes need to be concealed in a good fitting and preferably sexy bit of lingerie. I had got to that point where my underwear was looking a bit desperate and I needed to go and get fitted for the best size and style, so today was that day.

    I headed to M&S because they always have loads of great underwear that's not just for the golden oldies. I booked a bra fitting appointment (I think you have to book a time at most places) and left with some gorgeous underwear at the right size and a good price - winning!

    I thought I would do this post as they are offering £5 off when you spend £30 on lingerie after you've been fitted at M&S (I spent about £70 and they were legends and did two transactions, so I saved £10!). It literally took about 40mins in total after I tried a bunch of stuff on and the lady that was helping me was lovely. I definitely recommend going if you are in need of a little boost ;)

    Ps. For anyone who is worried, you don't take your bra off. They simply measure under the bust and then they pick two cup sizes they think you are and look and see which fits you best! You will be surprised how wrong you can get it and how much one style can look amazing and another not so much.

    Wednesday 20 February 2013

    Trends I won't be wearing...

    Trends I won't be wearing


    First time I have used this polyvore thing, so we will see how it goes! In light of Fashion Week I thought I would do a post to highlight some of the trends I won't be jumping on board with and some that I will. Let's crack on....

    I won't be wearing...

    Neon beanie hats - I don't dislike them and I think many people are working this trend right now. However, I have a massive forehead, so this is like walking round with a neon sign pointing that out - not good. 

    Wedged trainers - Again, loads of people working this! I am a bit like that Peter Kay 'Garlic Bread' sketch with this trend though - wedge? trainer? a wedged trainer?! No no no. (if you haven't seen that sketch then click here it's the whole section, but worth a watch!).

    70's hair - Like most people I try constantly to make my hair big, but not frizzy. Now that's a trend, who knew?

    I will be wearing...

    Flower crowns - Crown and glory have this covered (here) in every way possible. Is it wrong that I want them all? How many flower crowns worn all at once is acceptable/fashion forward? 

    Neon shirts - Forever21 have some great ones in at the moment around £15 that I will definitely be getting my hands on. I love shirts and I think a pop of neon behind a jumper or just all out in the summer with a tan (hopefully) is a winning combo.

    Sports Luxe - As I won't be strutting in some wedged trainers I thought the next best way to embrace the sporty influence on fashion at the moment has to be sports luxe. I saw this amazing jacket from Diesel in Selfridges at the weekend, so I will be keeping an eye out for a cheaper version. 

    Hope y'all enjoyed this post! Bit different from my usual kind, but I was suffering from chronic LFW envy. What trends are you all going against and embracing this season?

    Sunday 17 February 2013

    Smooth(ie) Operator



    I've recently got into the flow of making smoothies and i keep thinking 'Why didn't I do this earlier?!' They taste so good and they are good for you (unlike many other yummy temptations), plus they really don't take long to make at all. Once you get into a system of rinsing the blender straight after and getting to grips with some recipes it's pretty addictive. I keep looking at bananas with disappointment when they are on there own now because they have so much more to give (haha).

    Amazon sell some really cheap blenders here if you don't want to splash out on a really expensive one or like me just use your parents (it's so retro it's probably vintage). These are some recipes I am loving at the mo, they are delicious and easy to do:

    Banana & Date
    3 1/2 dates (pitted)
    1 banana
    1/2 cup of almond milk (this makes a small smoothie)

    Banana & Blueberry
    1 banana
    1 cup of blueberries (frozen - if you have a Morrisons near you they do some for £2 that are huge!)
    1 cup of almond milk

    Green Monster
    1 banana
    2 large hand fulls of spinach
    1 cup of almond milk
    1 tbsp of ground flax seed
    3 ice cubes

    Couple of tips...don't drink the blueberry one before you go out without brushing your teeth as the blueberry does like to sit in your teeth (hot stuff). Frozen fruit is the way forward as you have it in stock and it means your smoothie is nice and chilled without having to add ice cubes all the time.

    If you haven't been onto yummly for food heaven and general yummyness then you so should, now.

    Have you guys been a smooth(ie) operator too? Any recipes you love?

    Photos are from weheartit - I wish I had an Apple Mac (I actually have a laptop that keeps melting the battery pack), but if I did I wouldn't rest my smoothie on it - living life on the edge!
     

    Wednesday 13 February 2013

    #TreatTuesday No.4

    I didn't have time to do a #TreatTuesday post yesterday because to put bluntly I was shoving pancakes in my face and catching up with Got To Dance! Despite that, I did still find some time to treat myself again (not sure when #TreatTuesday will stop, its addictive!).

    I've recently sold my car (not because #TreatTuesday is financially crippling me...yet) so I am catching lifts home of various people here and there and my mum called to say 'Meet me in TKMaxx' which is like a fatal sentence. If you read my blog normally or follow me on Instagram then you will know that I am drawn to the home department in TKMaxx and I HAVE to buy something, ANYTHING.
     

    This weeks purchase were these absolutely gorgeous glass egg decorations which were £10 for the 6. I thought this was a bargain as they look so expensive and beautiful. My boyfriend said "You really are a proper girl aren't you? You always buy pointless things" (this was post convo where he said "When we live together we are having zero cushions in our house" as he moved the 3 off my bed haha). Pointless or not, I needed them. I want to string them up in my room or put a few in a glass vase or something when my room is sorted and tidy (hah). In the meantime, let's all bask in their prettiness!

     


    Another treat, which I hope you all enjoyed and were excited for was obviously pancakes. I went for the classic lemon & sugar combo and then Nutella & bananna, what about you guys? I also posted this incredibly bad joke I made up on Twitter, which I will share with you all: "Hope you have a flipping good day and not a crepe one" I know, don't give up the day job!


    Friday 8 February 2013

    Review: Lacura false eyelashes

    Just a quick post from me today as I am SO busy at the mo! I'm heading to Bournemouth early tomorrow morning with my uni friends for a bit of a Bournemouth reunion, which I am tres excited for (note to self: stop using French words when you don't speak French).


    I picked up these eyelashes from Aldi (the supermarket) last night for £1.99 and thought I would give them a go. They have a bunch of cheap make up in there ready for Valentines Day, but I thought these looked like they were worth a try. I think they had around 5 styles, I got style no.4 which were the most natural looking lashes (kinda wispy rather than thick and full on glamour).


    The lashes actually look really nice on! They accentuate your eyelashes just enough so they are a little flirty, but not too full on - totally worth £1.99!! The downside? The glue. The glue sucks, big time. It sort of goes everywhere and ends up sticking the lashes to your fingers rather than your lash line. I don't think that's a big deal though because you can just use a glue from a different lash range like Eylure or something, which I am a fan of. Overall though, I will be rocking these at the weekend.

    I tried to take some pics of me with the lashes on, but I look like a moron so cue moronic pictures....

    Ps, I am wearing a cow onesie and yup, probably one of the creepiest faces you will ever see (what a beaut).

    Have a gorgeous weekend all, stay safe.

    Tuesday 5 February 2013

    #TreatTuesday No.3

    It's #TreatTuesday again...

    This week I noticed that O2 were doing a deal with The Body Shop, where you get £25 off when you spend £50 - perfect! I managed to get £56.00 worth of stuff for a much nicer £31.00. Here's what I bought for this week's #TreatTuesday 




    Make up brushes x 2 (Blusher & Eyeshadow Blending Brush)
    I have been meaning to get some new make up brushes, so I don't end up using the same ones all the time and they have a chance to get a good clean. I already have some of The Body Shop brushes (foundation and bronzer) and I highly recommend them. They are super soft, great quality (no unexpected beard will appear from stray brush hairs) and as they are ethically made they are morally brilliant too. The blusher brush here is £12.00 & the eyeshadow brush here is £10.00



    Eyelash Curler
    I have pretty good eyelashes, so I don't really need to wear fake ones or too much mascara. However, like everyone's they do need a little oomph sometimes. These curlers look like they will last and cost £5.00 here


    Almond Hand & Nail Cream
    The Body Shop have so many different hand creams available and they all smell divine. I went with the Almond one because not only does it smell great, but I think Almond oil is a great natural ingredient. In fact, the little almond nut is a bit of babe when it comes to being good for you. I also think their hand creams are great because they soak into your skin quickly, so you don't have to stop everything your doing whilst it dries. These ones are £5.00, so really affordable (here is the larger version).



    Seaweed Skincare Gift Bag
    Gift makes my treats sound so much more guilty! Shhh. The gift - TREAT - bag contains a small facial wash and toner, a day cream and a night treatment. The seaweed set has been made for combination skin, which is great for me as mine does tend to get a little oily (nice). My mum got me one of these kits a little while ago and they are a great purchase when they cost just £10.00 (not on the site, but the seaweed range is here). I would definitely recommend it and the little bag comes in so handy for using as a travel bag for your toiletries.






    4-Colour Eye Palette - Smoky Moonstone
    So happy with this purchase! The product itself looks really expensive and the little brushes you get are mini versions of their full sized ones, as opposed to some cruddy useless ones. I got this because I thought it was not only great for as smoky eye as intended, but each of the colours are gorgeous on their own so you would definitely get a lot of use from this palette. It cost £14.00 here and there is another colour available called Smoky Copper which also looks amazing. 

    #TreatTuesday went a bit over the intended 'treat' price range this week, but I HAD to take up the offer from O2. The offer is running until Saturday 9th Feb I believe! If you're not on O2 then grab a mate who is and use their priority moment on some treats.

    Hope your all having a good week so far, let me know if you're on board with #TreatTuesday yet!

    Saturday 2 February 2013

    Review: Denman D3 Kiss Brush & Lip Balm


    Denman create hairbrushes to appeal to everyone from you mum and gran to world class hair stylists. Their brand is loved by household names such as Trevor Sorbie and their philosophy is simple: design and produce brilliant hairbrushes that make your hair look and feel amazing every day (simple, but not always simple to pull off!).

    Knowing this brand is a big contender in the world of hair, I was really excited when I kindly got sent the Denman D3 Kiss Brush. The brush also comes with a lip balm - who doesn't love a free lip balm? Nobody doesn't, that's who.



    Onto the review, the hairbrush is a good size which may sound weird, but sometimes they are way to big (housebound hairbrush) or so small it takes ages to get through all your hair. You could easily put this in your daytime handbag without it getting in the way too much.

    If you follow me on here then you will know that I have really knotty hair which can be an absolute nightmare, with hairbrushes getting trapped in my matted locks! Because of this, I know immediately whether a hairbrush is good quality or not. I have to say this one is seriously good, it went through my hair with quite some ease and I had hardly any hair in the brush after ward, which is amazing (I'm worried I will be bald by 25 with some brushes!).

    The kiss design on the brush is cute and not too much that it starts to look tacky. It has a slight glitter effect as well making it perfect if you are a girly girl. I actually think this would make a really cute gift for valentines day if you are into your hair and beauty (start hinting to your boyfriends now!). The lip balm is that classic white balm, which I always used to use when I was younger because it looks a bit like a lip gloss when it's on (beauty addict from a tender age). I've actually had this on non-stop since I got it through and it's taking a permanent spot in my handbag - mwah.


    The brush and lip balm are only £7.31 (not sure why 31p!) from the Denman site here which really surprised me. I've used brushes in the past that have cost £20+ and they are nowhere near as good as this one. They have a load of really affordable brushes on the site, all around the same price. Since, I recently got a fringe I think I will be investing in some of their styling brushes (here) because a flat fringe is a friend to no one!

    Hair groomed, lips balmed...pose!

    Have any of you guys used any brushes from this brand before? Also, if anyone has any hair ideas for when you have a fringe (except straight) let me know!

    Friday 1 February 2013

    Lipstick Love


    I've seen a few people posting their favourite lippies and so I thought 'Oh heyyy bandwagon, wait up there! I'm hopping on'. I intend to give you an idea about the lippies I have chosen via the following technical terms 'smudge-ability', 'pocket-emptier' and 'wow-factor'.


    From left to right we have:

    Kate Moss for Rimmel Matte No 107 - Everyone and their granny owns this little beast. It has definitely been difficult to get hold off since all the bloggers have been raving about it (I only just got mine, last week's #TreatTuesday). It's a raspberry/wine red colour, that adds a bit of glamour without being as bright as other reds. If bright did-you-know-im-wearing-lipstick-my-teeth-are-so-white-i'm-blind lipsticks aren't really your thang, then this would probably suit you well (just be prepared for the treasure hunt finding one).

    smudge-ability: Like most reds, you can go from Hollywood starlet to the star of a zombie movie in a matter of moments. This lipstick isn't as matte as some out there, so don't kiss anyone too passionately before the end of the night! Having said that though, I think all the Kate Moss lipsticks are good at staying on without you having to re-apply a billion times, even after a few drinks
    pocket-emptier: Just over £5 at Boots means your pockets aren't too empty, even if you buy the whole collection AND you get points - good times (I'm not encouraging that behaviour...)
    wow-factor: The fact that everyone has this doesn't take away from the wow factor. It's perfect for the day or night and will definitely get some head's turning.

    Topshop 'Hazard' - This is a classic sports car red that makes your make up pop with glamour. It's a matte lipstick, so you can go heavy on the highlighter elsewhere and not look shiny. This is one of my favourite Hollywood glamour lipsticks, which I would totally recommend.

    smudge-ability: Again like most reds, it can be disastrous, but this one is very matte, so really does stay put. I do find that after a few hours it does start to go a bit funny, so you have to re-apply a few times.
    pocket-emptier: It's priced at £8, which you can find here so not too pricey, but I'm not sure I would opt for the Topshop lippies over the Rimmel ones as all rounders.
    wow-factor: Hollywood glamour at its best.


    Bourjois Sweet Kiss lipstick in 'Rouge Intemporel/78' - Another Red! (I actually only had one or two reds and then got loads as gifts - from me to me - all in one go!) I have reviewed this one here. To recap, it is a purple kind of tone (i think so anyway) and really does look gorgeous on. It has a glossier finish than the other ones mentioned, giving a different look altogether. It also has beautiful packaging, which makes it feel very expensive.

    smudge-ability: This one is a bit of a smudger as it's glossier, but it doesn't seem to loose its pigment (you might just have it round your face, reaaaaaally brightly).
    pocket-emptier: I think the sweet kiss ones are £7.99, which again isn't too dear on the pocket. Plus, they feel like they are much more expensive in terms of packaging and finish.
    wow-factor: I get loads of compliments when this lipstick is on and my friends always try and steal it, so it definitely has the wow-factor.

    Natural Collection Sheer Natural in 'Sand' - This is a great nude lipstick for in the day when you want something really subtle. It has a touch of gloss and is super creamy, so it really feels like its nourishing rather than drying your lips out. I have re-purchased this one a fair few times, so that says something!

    smudge-ability: It stays put and you only need to re-apply a few times meaning it lasts for ages.
    pocket-emptier: 'SHUT THE DOOR!' this beaut comes in at just £1.99, absolute bargain.
    wow-factor: I think this lipstick gives a different kind of wow-factor, as it enhances natural beauty and helps you achieve a polished natural look.

     
    Same order, but from wrist upward!

    Sleek 'Stiletto' - I got this in one of my GLOSSYBOX's (another red!) and I was really excited to try it, as I don't have much Sleek make up. It's a matte lipstick, in a really glamorous red called 'Stiletto' which makes me love it even more (it reminds me of a Louboutin shoe!).

    smudge-ability: This has real staying power and just doesn't seem to budge or even need re-applying. If you need a red lipstick for a cocktail party or night out, this one has it covered.
    pocket-emptier: These are £4.99 and there are 12 shades....amazing.
    wow-factor: Like Topshop's 'Hazard this one projects classic Hollywood glamour.

    Mac Cremesheen in 'Creme D'Nude' - I got this for Christmas and I really do love it. I think nude lipsticks are hard to get right because you don't want to conceal your lips completely (did anyone used to put foundation/concealer on theirs too?! The shame!). This is subtle with slight gloss and it smells amazing.

    smudge-ability: Stays on great with only a few new applications needed. It also stays looking nice and glossy and doesn't dry out.
    pocket-emptier: The most expensive of the lot at £14. I got my mum to get this during Debenhams 20% off sale, so make sure you look out for those throughout the year.
    wow-factor: This lipstick makes you feel pretty and definitely gives a basic-natural every day look something extra.

     
    A picture of my nan looking very Hollywood
     
    Hope you all enjoyed this post, let me know some of your recommendations and what you think of the ones I have mentioned too!

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