5 Audiobooks I’ve Listened To and Loved.

Happy Saturday my lovelies!! Sorry I have been missing the last week or two, I’ve been dealing with some personal challenges; but I’m back now and better than ever! Over the last few weeks, I’ve been taking some time for selfcare, and one thing I’ve been getting really into is listening to audiobooks.

So, why are audiobooks great? Well, they are perfect for long car journeys by yourself, great for when you’re home alone, and I love them for when you’re too tired to move and watch tv but not too tired to actually go to sleep.

I currently listen to audiobooks through Audible (not sponsored, but it could be – Amazon.. you listening?), and the only reason I even began listening to audiobooks was after listening to podcasts on youtube (mostly the TryPod by the Try Guys and Kelsey Darragh’s podcast, which are both great!) whilst doing other things like cleaning my room or painting.

So.. I thought I’d let you know what I’ve been listening to!

Let’s get right into it:

1 . The Harry Potter Series – Read by Stephen Fry. Look, you know I love Harry Potter, so this was a given recommendation. But also, if you’re after something that’s incredibly easy listening and calming, Stephen Fry reading you a bedtime story is just a perfect way to end the day and wind down.

2 . The Hidden Power of Fucking Up – Read by The Try Guys. I love the Try Guys, for many reasons, which I may or may not get into in future posts.. we’ll see. It’s basically the story of 4 guys who funnily enough, try things out of their comfort zone and also run a youtube channel; oh and they’re hilarious so be prepared for a laugh! They get into personal stories and tries, share the good and the bad and are genuinely lovely human beings without a hint of toxic masculinity in them.

3 . Over The Top, By Jonathan Van Ness and read by him! It’s Jonathan’s story, from what his childhood was like, to how he became the absolute icon he is today! If you love Queer Eye, then you’ll love this; Jonathan shares everything and is so incredibly open it’ll make you love him even more!

4 . How to Break Up with Fast Fashion, By Lauren Bravo. I bought this with my monthly Audible credit on a whim, and I was not disappointed! I listened to this entire book from start to finish in the space of two days, and in those two days I overhauled my wardrobe and am grateful to now have a new view on my clothes and a realisation on how many clothes I actually have. Too many, incase you were wondering.

5 . And finally: Body Positive Power, By Megan Jayne Crabbe, or as you may know her on instagram – @bodyposipanda. I found this book perfect for those days where you just aren’t feeling happy with yourself and your body image. It’s helped me see my body in a new light and appreciate everything it has and continues to do for me and allow me to do. Need a body image pick me up? Then this book is for you!

And those are my recent listens in my Audible library. I loved every single one of these listens, and nearly every time I was listening to these I found that I was either super relaxed and chilling out, or I was being more productive in my spare time than ever before. I also found that it’s a great substitution to having the tv on for the sake of having the tv on because you want background noise. My favourite time to listen to audiobooks is when I’m cleaning/organising and painting.

Do you listen to audiobooks? If so, what’re you listening to now? Let me know in the comments!! I’d love some new recommendations!

And that’s all from me for today! I’m now off to go and find a new book to listen to and paint a huge canvas; which I may or may not record a timelapse of, we’ll see how it turns out haha!

Have a great weekend my lovelies!

Love,

Top 15 Halloween Movies.

Hello my lovelies! How’s everyone’s spooky season going? I have to admit, this month is absolutely flying by! And since Halloween is nearly upon us, and I’m too old to go out trick or treating and am a bit of an introvert, I decided this weeks post will be about what I’ll actually be doing on Halloween night. Watching all of my favourite Halloween/Spooky movies!

Side note: None of these movies that I’ll be listing will be horror movies.. I’m a huge scaredy cat and have probably only watched about 3 in my lifetime and am not a fan. So if you’re like me and don’t do scary Halloween movies, then this post is for you!

So, without further adieu, grab your popcorn and snacks and let’s get into it!

1 . Hocus Pocus.

Let’s be honest, it wouldn’t be a true Halloween movie marathon without Hocus Pocus in the line up would it? It’s a classic! Watch it with Disney Life or it’s £4.99 on Amazon Video!

2 . The Addams Family.

You can’t go wrong with the Addams Family, it’s such a funny film and how can you not love their weird quirky ways! Watch it for £3.99 on Amazon!

3 . Gremlins.

I don’t know if this is a Christmas or Halloween film or both, but it’s a classic and you can’t really go wrong with something most people relate to time spent with family. Watch it for £3.99 on Amazon!

4 . Beetlejuice.

I love Beetlejuice, it’s such a different Halloween film to the others, and it’s one I’ve grown up with so I can’t go without seeing this film near Halloween. And it’s now in the theatre and you can see it live! Watch it for £4.99 on Amazon!

5 . The Haunted Mansion.

Who doesn’t love Eddie Murphy?! He’s hilarious and if you’re not a fan of this film, just close your eyes and envision it’s donkey talking haha. Watch it on Disney Life or it’s £4.99 on Amazon.

6 . Shaun of the dead.

This one’s for families with older children, and just anyone who’s not into really family orientated films. This makes me laugh every time I watch it and it’s one of those films nearly everyone has seen and loves. Watch it on Netflix!

7 . E.T.

If you haven’t heard of E.T., where have you been all your life! If you love this family classic, then this will already be on your list for Halloween and Christmas movies. It’s on Amazon for £7.99 on Amazon or on Disney Life.

8 . Harry Potter.

If you know me, you know I’m a Harry Potter nut so of course the entire Harry Potter series had to be included on here. Watch with Amazon, or might already own them!

9 . Casper.

You won’t go through Halloween without seeing at least one person dressed up as a ghost, so of course Casper had to be included on here. Watch Casper on Netflix!

10 . Edward scissor hands.

After thinking about all of the films you only ever see on the TV around occasions like Christmas and Halloween, I realised that I haven’t seen Edward Scissor Hands for a while, and Tim Burton Films are always perfect for Halloween night. Watch on Disney Life or it’s £7.99 on amazon.

11 . Goosebumps.

I love Jack Black, so why not include Goosebumps on the list for spooky season! I found this film a bit creepy and spooky, so it’s a great choice for older children who are into films that are on the spookier side. Watch for free on Netflix!

12 . Wallace and Gromit – The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.

Wallace and Gromit are a family classic in my house, and my niece and nephew love this film so much so of course it had to be included. Watch on Netflix!

13 . Corpse bride.

Another Tim Burton classic. A man practices his wedding vows in a graveyard, and doesn’t realise he’s said them to an undead corpse bride! What could go wrong? Watch on Amazon prime!

14 . Ghostbusters.

Who you gonna call? (I’m not sorry haha). Whether it’s the new or classic versions of Ghostbusters, what’s more Halloweeny than people hunting ghosts? Bonus points if you watch the one with the Marshmallow man whilst eating marshmallows! Watch the originals on Netflix (the second one from the originals) and Amazon!

15 . Coraline.

Creepy yet cool. I’ve never seen a film like Coraline since it’s release, and if you bought his on DVD when it first came out, you may have the 3D version with glasses that I have! Watch with Sky cinema!

16 . Nightmare before Christmas (honerable mention)

I had to give an honourable mention to the Nightmare Before Christmas because I was definitely brought up watching this one around Halloween and then of course Christmas. The film starts the day after Halloween, so it seems fitting to watch this one at the end of the night! Watch on Disney Life, Sky cinema and it’s £4.99 on Amazon!

And those are my top 15 (16 if you include Nightmare Before Christmas) movies to watch if you’re staying in on Halloween. What’s your favourite Spooky Season film? Let me know in the comments!!

Remember to stay safe over Halloween, and if you’re carving pumpkins, be sure to check out my pumpkin carving post with free downloadables!

Have a Happy Halloween my lovelies!

Love,

Wake Skincare Eye Gel Honest Review. [AD-Gifted]

Hello my lovelies! I hope you’re having a great Saturday in the sun, we’re in the middle of a heat wave here! So a few weeks ago I was contacted by some of the lovely people at Wake Skincare, and they asked if they could send me their eye gel for an honest review. Not wanting to pass up an opportunity, of course I said yes! Who doesn’t love getting to try new things out!

*I was given the eye gel in exchange for an honest review so this it technically an AD-Gifted but I will always be honest with all of you and not endorse anything that doesn’t work for me or go against my values!

So, to start off, why not hear from Wake Skincare on how/why it was created:

Our generation are always switched on. Glued to phones, Surrounded by screens and always connected to work, our friends and family were forever complaining about dark circles, bags and lacklustre skin. Then our friends started having children and the tiredness really kicked in.

When we opened our eyes to the tiredness around us, Wake was born.

And now that you’ve heard a little about how Wake came about, here’s the what they eye gel looks like!

What the eye gel claims:

• Smooths and brightens
• Anti-aging
• Lightweight
• Hydrating
• Combats puffy eyes and dark circles

How much does it cost?

The gel can be bought on the Wake website or on Amazon for £16.95 for a 30ml bottle which you may or may not think could be a bit pricey for an eye gel. As an apprentice my funds are limited, so initially I thought this would be pretty expensive for an eye gel, but upon receiving the bottle, I think it’d last me a pretty long time, especially since it comes in a bottle with a pump, so you don’t accidentally squeeze out too much!

My review:

Well, without any further ado, here are my first thoughts when I received the gel; for a start, the packaging is so pretty and I love that it is minimal and what’s even better is that it’s a glass bottle! Which means it’s a bit more eco-friendly and it feels a lot more expensive than the plastic tubes you normally get.

Something I love about this gel is that it is all natural ingredients, and as someone who has very sensitive skin and psoriasis, this was great to hear. And my skin loved it.

Another thing that’s great about Wake is that they don’t test any of their products on animals! So no worrying about animals being harmed!

So… does it work??

Here I am before using the gel and a week after using it in the morning and in the evening.

You be the judge, but I personally think it’s had a big impact on the bags under my eyes and how puffy they get. For reference, here’s how puffy my eyes can be when I wake up in the morning:

You only need a small amount on the gel, I’d say half the size of a pea? It depends on you and how much you want to use! But a little goes a long way. I then smoothed it under my eyes and over my eyelids and then used circular motions to rub it in. Then over the next 5-10 minutes my eye’s started feeling more awake, looked brighter and less puffy. Plus, over time the bags under my eyes seem to have faded a bit too!

My take away?

If you have never used an eye gel before, I recommend trying this out as you won’t be disappointed! And it’s great knowing that it’s made from natural ingredients, and lasts an entire year after opening. Trust me, with the bottle being pretty big and it going a long way, this will probably last you 6 months to that entire year.

I honestly don’t think I’ve got anything bad to say about this gel or Wake, they’re a small British company, and not only are their products are aimed at everyone regardless of age, gender or race, they also make a donation to Women’s Aid from every purchase!

If I had to say one thing that isn’t great about the Wake skincare products is that they sometimes run out of stock because it’s so good and people can’t get enough!

I will certainly be keeping this in my skincare routine and I can’t wait to get my hands on their face cream next! What you should take away from this is that you really should believe the hype!

I’ve never reviewed any skincare or beauty products before, so please let me know if this is helpful and if you want me to do more reviews! Have a great weekend everyone, and make sure you’re wearing sun cream!

Love,

My Christmas Gift Guide

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! And that means shopping is in full swing, and for those of you who aren’t sure what to buy for your family and friends, I’ve put together my own gift guide of presents to give you some ideas!

So, without any further adieu; here’s some gifts that are perfect for the home decorators, foodies, creatives, bookworms, tea, coffee drinkers and makeup lovers!

1 . HA Lettering create gorgeous personalised boards, photo props, room décor and Christmas Baubles! And all of these are for a pretty small price! You can order them here. Board prices vary on the size/personalisation and the baubles are £5 for 3 or 1 for £2! (Limited stock of baubles left so get your orders in!)

2 . Here’s a gift perfect for the book and nostalgia lovers – Quentin Blake illustrations that will make you smile. You can buy these at the London Science Museum and a select few of these gifts can be purchased here! I absolutely love these, they aren’t expensive and I loved seeing Quentin Blakes illustrations in Roald Dahl’s books when I was younger!

3 . For the conspiracy theorist – fifty outrageous scams and hustles. I found this at TK Maxx and it’s perfect for those who love a good crime show and those who love telling weird and wonderful stories.

4 . Here’s one for the creators! These gorgeous brush pens are great for calligraphy and drawing; you can get these from Arteza on Amazon.

5 . For the selfie lover and photographers: clip on camera lenses! You can get these from Tesco here!

6 . Candles are a great gift idea for anyone really, if you know what sort of scents they like, these are an easy yet thoughtful gift! You can find this candle on Amazon by Yankee Candle here.

7 . If you know a tea or coffee lover then this gift and the next are for them! This Help for the Hero’s mug gift set if great for anyone in the forces and anyone else who loves a hot drink really! You can find it in Tesco stores.

8 . Here’s a great gift for a horror, creepy critter or tea/coffee lover. I love this one, especially because it’s something I haven’t really seen before! You can find it here on Amazon by Creature Cups.

8 . For the person who loves home décor. I found this in TK Maxx along with several other gorgeous bowls and plates; perfect for a centre piece or even as somewhere to put your jewellery. You can find it here!

9 . For the makeup lovers! This brushes set is perfect for anyone who’s wanting to get into makeup or expand their current set of brushes! This set can be found at Beauty Bay (my favourite shop for brushes and makeup that’re a good price!), you can also find singular brushes, sets, makeup palettes etc. there!

10 . Hair straighteners are a great gift for those who spend hours on their hair; these ones by BaByliss are my mums current favourite, she said they make her hair feel soft and loves that you can see what temperature you’re at. You can get these from Amazon here!

11 . Here’s one for the person that loves all things selfcare! Not only does this contain small items that’re great for a little tlc on the go, but it also comes in a super cute tin! You can get it from Tesco in store or online.

12 . For the guy that loves some facial grooming; this trio of products include a shower gel, a shaving gel and an after shaving balm. You can get it from Tesco instore or online!

13 . Here’s another one for the guy that loves to keep his facial hair in tip top condition; the beard bib! You can get this from Mo Bro’s, they sell all things facial hair: beard oils, combs, conditioners and more!

14 . I love this one so much! Here’s my favourite item in this gift guide, possibly because I’m a bit of a magpie and love anything sparkly, especially jewellery! And this bracelet by Cote D’Argent is not only gorgeous but also adjustable. You can find bracelets like this one in TK Maxx.

15 . For the little ones who don’t fully realise that Christmas is even a thing yet. I like this toy as it has lot’s of textures, sounds and things a baby can hold onto to chew! You can get this one from Lamaze on Amazon.

16 . For the foodies! If you’re buying for a foodie, the chances are you’ve got either a general idea of what sort of thing they would like or absolutely zero idea altogether. And that is why I think that a gift like this hot sauce taster set is perfect! You get a choice of 8 sauces all of them unique! You can get this set from Tesco instore.

17 . If you’re needing a little stocking filler for someone with a sweet tooth, these peppermint lollypops are super cute and cheap! You can get them from Tesco instore or online here!

I hope you find this guide useful! Finding the perfect gift for that special someone always makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside (cheesy I know). And seeing their face when they open it is just amazing. Let me know in the comments below what you’re favourite gift is!

Merry Christmas lovely!

Love,

If you liked this post then it would mean the world to me if you could vote for me at the UK Blog Awards here!

10 Cheap Things To Buy Yourself For Self-Care

We all know that feeling when pay day hits; you know, the feeling you get when that little voice in your head says treat yo self! You deserve it! And then you go and buy a load of stuff that you forget about until you’re surrounded by loads of mystery packages.

I’m pretty bad for buying stuff that I don’t need when pay day hits, and I always forget about budgets and keeping track of my spending habits, which is until the week before pay day where I don’t stop checking my bank balance.

This is why I’ve decided to create a list of 10 presents you can buy yourself for a treat which are great for some self-care without breaking the bank! And they’re all available on Amazon!

Lets get into it!
1 . Success & Inspiration in a Jar. £14.99

Because who doesn’t need a little pick me up every now and again? These are little quotes, inspirations and motivations to give you a boost every day for a month and are great for if you’re having a bad day and need a little positivity boost!
2 . Mini Elephant Shaped Candles Gift Set. £5.11

These are just so cute! They are all scented as follows: Purple is Lavendar, Green is Jasmine, Pink is Rose, Red is Strawberry and Yellow is Lemongrass. These would be great for when you have a big bubble bath to relax!
3 . BiC Coloured Pencils. £10.00

Coloured pencils are always a good treat, and are necessary when you buy the next gift for yourself!

4 . Millie Marotta’s Animal Kingdom Colouring Book. £7.19

Colouring isn’t just for little kids; it can be really therapeutic and great for mindfulness. I personally love tuning out and doing a bit of drawing, so being able to chill out and just colour is great!

5 . Bath Bombs Gift Set. £8.99

Bath bombs are great for going with those cute elephant candles and these are a great gift to buy yourself and forget about. They come in a cute box so it really is like getting a present in the post!

6 . Bluetooth Shower Speaker. £17.99

This one is a little more pricey than the rest but still less than £20. And is great if you’re like me and love singing in the shower!

7 . Bumper Retro Sweet Selection Box. £11.50

Sweets and chocolates are a great way to do a bit of self-care; and retro sweets are so yummy! This should keep you going for quite a few weeks too, and are great for a movie night!
8 . Weighted Fitness Hula Hoop. £12.99

We’ve all heard a million times about how exercising is good for our mental health as well as our physical health, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun! Which is why I’ve put this fitness hula hoop in here!
9 . Glow In The Dark Star Stickers. £11.99

I’ve had these for quite some time now, and they’re just plain great. I will warn you though, I stuck all of mine above my bed on the ceiling and it took about 1/2hours in total. But the result in completely worth it! Especially as someone with mental health challenges, these really help my mind settle when I’m trying to get some sleep.
10 . Burt’s Bees Tip and Toes Kit. £9.99 in the sale and £12.99 usually

Finally, good ole Burt’s Bees! Because who doesn’t like stuff from Burt’s Bees?! A great way to take care of yourself is with a bit of pampering, and using things like this are a great way to distract yourself from any anxiety or panic thoughts.

So that’s it for this weeks post! I just thought that a little bit retail therapy never hurt anyone? Well at least these prices won’t! And the majority of these can be bought with prime so you get free next day delivery!

And remember, no matter whatever some people may say, ‘self-care is not selfish.’

Have a great week everyone! Let me know if you decide to get any of these gifts to yourself! Love,

Life Lessons To Remember

So this week I’ve realised that 1.) I’ve come a long way with my eating disorder treatment, and 2.) I’ve learnt a load of lessons not only about myself but about how I should see the world; and this is why I’m writing this today. What made me come to this realisation is the fact that I got my haircut, well, I got bangs.

Why would getting bangs make me have this big realisation you ask? Well because I had been thinking about getting bangs FOR AGES (I was totally inspired by Devin Lytle’s hair – fellow thin hair gal who is amazing, who works for Buzzfeed and is in Buzzfeed’s Ladylike which I LOVE along with all the ladies there so you should defo check them out!) but every time I went to get booked in at the hair dressers I chickened out because I thought it might look bad and that people would think I looked stupid. That’s when it hit me, why am I worried about what other people think?! All that matters is what I think and if I want bangs then I should just get some damn bangs cut!

Once this realisation hit me, I decided to book in a haircut to get bangs, and because I’m ridiculously indecisive I actually ordered some clip in bangs to check if I definitely wanted them. Here’s the bangs I ordered:

Once these arrived I did ask people what they thought, and they weren’t sure that it would suit me and then I realised that if I liked them, and I wanted them, I should get them cut no matter what anyone else thinks.

Something I was scared about was that my boyfriend wouldn’t like how I look with them, especially since he wasn’t sure that they’d suit me; but guess what, he told me to get them cut anyway because he knows that my opinion is what matters most and that he’ll love how I look no matter what (and to be honest, he’s seen me at my worst so I couldn’t get much worse than that haha). And with that sense of ‘it’s my hair so I’ll do what I want with it and I’ll rock it no matter what’ in my head, I went and got it cut.

And guess what?! I think I look pretty with them.. (that feels weird to say but I’m trying to be nicer to myself).

Ok, now that I’ve rambled on about my hair for long enough, let’s actually get back to why I’m writing this post.. here’s some life lessons I’ve finally learnt:

1. If you want to try something new with your appearance (or really anything in life – providing it isn’t harming anyone duh) and are unsure, just give it a go; you’ll often find that you’ll rock it and look great!

2. Confidence is key. (I’m still working on this one but I’ve realised that if you act like you’re confident even when you’re not, everyone around you will think you’re a boss ass b*tch. And you’ll look good because quite frankly, confidence is sexy and looks good).

3. When it comes to your body and appearance, your opinion is the only one that matters, and anyone that tells you how or what you should look like can go f*ck themselves because you’re perfect as you are.

4. Self care is not being selfish. You gotta take care of yourself! After all, you’ll be living with yourself for the rest of your life.

5. Learn to accept compliments without putting yourself down after hearing them. If someone is complimenting you, (unless it’s unsolicited catcalling from a stranger, in which case.. they can eff off) it’s because they want to, no one is forcing them; and why wouldn’t they want to compliment you?! You’re great!

6. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of strength and you’ll find you feel so much better after asking for help. Plus you’ll find that you’re probably going to make some really great, reliable friends along the way.

7. No number defines your worth, whether it’s on the scales, on your clothing labels, social followers/likes or your bank account. You are worth so much more than any stupid numbers!!

8. And finally, sugar and chocolate WILL NOT KILL YOU. Eat what you want, when you want it. Nothing is unhealthy in moderation so try to stop labelling food, because that’s all it is. Food. It’s not good, it’s not bad, it’s just food that tastes good and nourishes your body.

So that’s what I’ve learnt recently, and if you’ve ever had some realisations of life lessons yourself, definitely let me know what they are! Also, to finish, to the right is a selfie of me and my new hair in case you haven’t seen my insta, because why shouldn’t I show this off?!

Oh and buy the way, I totally recommend trying out clip in hair pieces (when it’s cheap) if you’re thinking of changing up your look but aren’t sure yet, here’s the clip in bangs I bought (I did trim mine but do what you want with them!).

Hope this helps any of you out there who tend to worry about what other people think about your appearance (aka people like me.. I’m working on that haha) and remember, your opinion of yourself is the most important!

A little life quote to end: “A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms”.

Have a great weekend everyone!! Love,