Travel Beauty Essentials

I thought I would write a quick post to show you the beauty essentials I will be taking with me to Peru. I'm hoping to pack light so I'm trying to keep my beauty products to a minimum so here is a little post about the things I cant bear to leave behind.

My Must Have Beauty Essentials

Aussie Hair Curl Definition Serum

This little bottle of awesomeness is perfect for when I want to wash my hair and for it to dry with a slight curly wave.

Just a few drops rubbed together in my hands is then scrunched through my wet hair and voila it then dries naturally with a lovely natural wave to it.

Perfect for taming my hair during the heat and humidity in Peru and also smells lush.

As hair care while I'm away will be a low priority, this little bottle will be my 'no fuss - go too' product.

I picked up my bottle from the supermarket but you can buy it from Superdrug here for less than £5.

Body Shop Vitamin E moisturiser

This little pot of moisturiser from the Body Shop will be great for keeping my skin hydratred.

The cream is actually a night cream but in the view of not over packing I will use both a day and night cream.

The cream is light and gives my skin the right amount of moisture without making it too greasy and leaves a really soft finish.

Garnier Chap Stick

For someone that bites her lips a lot this little baby has to come with me. Not just to keep my lips hydrated but it also has a SPF factor 15 so will protect them from the sun too.

Hand Cream

I actually got this L'occitane hand cream free with an issue of Glamour and its been a handbag favourite ever since. 

Make Up

Whenever I am on holiday I try and keep the make up I wear to a minimum and let my freckles shine through. For Peru though I cannot bear not to be without these essentials.

The make up I cant live without

• Maxfactor Masterpiece Max Mascara - I have been using this mascara for about 4 years now and it never fails to give my lashes great thickness and coverage.
• Eyeliner - This eye pencil I picked up from Superdrug for less than a fiver
• Blusher - Rimmel pink rose is my go to blusher to give my skin that extra holiday glow.
• Mac Brown Eyeshadow - this Charcoal Brown colour actually is great for using on my eyebrows and lids. Double Winner.
• Loreal Glamshine pink lipgloss - (not pictured) For the few nights I will be making an effort to look semi presentable this lipgloss will give my lips a hint of colour and shine.

Only 5 more days to go, best get packing x

Glastonbury Memories

So its that time of year again where everyone is talking about the UK's biggest festival - Glastonbury.

I was lucky enough to get tickets last year, so with just under a week until the 2014 festival kicks off I thought I would write a quick blog post about my experience and link it back to my bucket list.

Glastonbury has long been on my bucket list so last year was finally my year to tick that baby off.

When people say Glastonbury is a marathon of a festival, they couldn't be more right. The place is just so vast, not just in size but in culture and variety. I mean Brucie of all people was there last year!!

Everywhere you go at Glastonbury you will either come across some weird and wonderful art installation, be tucking into some of the diverse food options available or dancing like a loon to one of your favourite bands.

Follow the white rabbit down the rabbit hole

We were seriously lucky with the weather in 2013 and after a small downpour on the Thursday it made way for the following 3 days of Sunshine. Happy times.

We pitched our tent in the Dairy Ground which I would definitely recommend as it was quiet enough to be able to sleep at night but not too far away to walk to the main areas. It's also on a slight incline which means if it does rain you wont be one of the poor people watching their tent floats past them in the floods.

The first two days at Glasto are really yours to just explore and get to grips with. Then on the Friday when the music starts you at least feel you have started to get to grips with the place.

For me on the Friday night I jumped about listening to Foals, Saturday it was all about the Rolling Stones and Sunday was a perfect blissed out evening watching The XX.

The Rolling Stones played an epic set.

Whilst I wont be going back to Glastonbury for a few years (too many other places to get ticked off that Bucket List first). My experience was amazing and one I will remember forever.

Here are my Glastonbury highlights.

* Meeting Radio 1's Greg James and having my photo taken with him (swoon)

* Covering myself in neon face paint while watching people dance the Salsa in a tent

* Watching Ben Howard perform on the Pyramid Stage in the blistering sunshine

* Rocking out with some oldies to Mick Jagger and Co.
* Eating the most amazing vegetarian Chilli in the Greenpeace area
* Buying a souvenir t-shirt that I will keep forever
* Watching 2 guys shoot fire and lasers at each other in the Arcadia area
* Jumping about in a teepee in The Park field
* Getting close to the front of The XX for the final night

If you are going this year then enjoy every second of it.

p.s the toilets are really not that bad!!

Here are a few photo of my highlights x

Rum Shack in The Common

We even made it on to BBC 3

A Tea Bus

Mr Ant made of recycled plastic bottles

Violin playing Fox in The Glade

Glastonbury 2013 - Done

Holiday Shopping

Its been a while since I did a 'Loving this week' blog post so here goes.......

Holiday Shopping

My big trip to South America is now just under 2 weeks away and i'm getting so excited. Last week I set aside a whole day dedicated purely to Holiday clothes shopping. Yay!!!

For Holiday basics you cant go wrong at Primark and I was so excited to nab this cute all over print Pineapple polo tee for £4, teamed with a pair of denim shorts and sandals this will definitly be my go to easy summer look.

Pineapples at Primark

Heading into H&M saw me snap up a few basic summer dresses. You cant go wrong with a good old stripe in my opinion. 

Finally when I looked at everything I had purchased it was very clear that I like my patterns, The bigger and bolder the better. I especially love the ethnic butterfly pattern on my New Look tee which will look perfect with skinny jeans and wedges.

Holiday Shopping - Done

Wantfeed

I have been following the lovely Hannah Maggs' blog and youtube vlogs for over a year now so when I saw her Husband Stef was about to launch a brand new website I thought I would head over and check it out.

Wantfeed is a brand new social wish list site that allows users to easily create their favourite want/need/must have lists. 

Whenever users see a product they want, they copy the link and paste into their wantfeed and it shows up in your feed. This is then ideal if you have a birthday coming up (like me) and want a site that your friends and family can take a look at and be present inspired. Or you can use it just for fun and lust over those products that you want but you cant afford.

The site is only a few weeks old but I definitly see it growing in popularity especially when it launches its brand new app in a few weeks time. 

Here is a little look at my current wantfeed. So friends and family take note for my birthday :)

You can start to build your very own Wantfeed right here.

Inkkas Shoes

My favourite social media account by far has to be Instagram. I love a good old flick through peoples photos, I think I get that from my Nana. Last week I was having a good old snoop of Fearne Cottons account and came across a pair of shoes that immediately caught my eye.

After a bit of digging I found out she was wearing a pair of Inkkas. Inkkas is a company that was born during a backpacking trip to South America in 2012. Danny Ben-Nun, a designer and an avid traveler, was wandering through the alleyways of Cusco - Peru, when he discovered a pair shoes made from authentic, local fabrics. The shoes were so beautiful that he knew from the moment he laid eyes on them, that he had to help bring the product to the global market. You can follow them on Instagram here - http://instagram.com/inkkasshoes

The company also supports the OneShoeOneTree project which means that for every one pair of shoes sold, one tree is replanted back into the Amazon rainforest in the battle against De-forestation.

So not only are the shoes kick ass in design they are ethical and fair too. Win Win!!! The Shadow pair are definitely on my birthday list.

Hope everyone has had a good weekend (despite England losing). I'm off to spend the afternoon with Papa Saint for Fathers Day. Thanks for reading x

Skydive - Bucket List Challenge No.2

Years and years ago I thought it would be a good idea to make it a well known statement to my friends and family that before I turn 30 I would do a skydive.

Silly me!!

As the big 30 is now looming come September, I finally had to make good on my word and sign up for the challenge. However it did mean that I could tick yet another thing off my Bucket List.

I managed to also rope in my awesome friend Zoe to take part in the challenge, again another reason to ensure I didn't chicken out.

On Saturday 31st May, we arrived at Langar Airfield for 12 o'clock only to be told that flights were currently being suspended due to low cloud.

So we patiently waited for our turn.

Luckily our friends and family who had turned out to support us, kept our minds occupied so we didn't keep thinking about the impending jump. Finally 5 hours later it was our time.

From then on things moved pretty quick. It was time to get in our flight suit, meet our tandem diving instructors, have a quick run through of our descent positions and then it was time to board the plane.

I was paired with the awesome 'Bones' aka Tony and he managed to keep me smiling and laughing despite how nervous I was. He was a real dude!!

My calmness went utterly to shreds once the plane shutters came up and people started to jump. I may have had a scaredy cat tear in my eye at this point too.

What am I doing????!!!

Before I knew it I was hanging out the door and then I was gone. Flying through the air so fast that I had to remember to keep breathing at the same time. My cameraman was poised and ready to catch my reaction and I remembered to smile, give him a wave and a thumbs up to say 'I'm still alive'.

The whole descent lasted about 8-9 minutes and I even got to be in control of the parachute and do some aerial turns.

When I came to land I could see all my family there waiting and shouting for me and I landed straight on my bum. I don't know how to describe the feeling when I landed but it was a mixture of pure relief, happiness and adrenaline.

Phew, back in one piece!!

A big hug from Bones and then I could stand and wait for Zoe to land before making my way over to my family for hugs all around.

Together we raised nearly £800 for the Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire Air Ambulance www.justgiving.com/nicandzoesskydive

Thanks for reading x

London Fun

Another Bank Holiday weekend has been and gone. But not to worry there is another at the end of the Month, hooray!!

This Bank Holiday I was in London and got up to a variety of different things that I thought I would share on the blog.

Zombie Chasing

The first being on Thursday night I could be found running around Wembley being chased by Zombies......yes ZOMBIES.

2.8 hours later is a cross city Zombie chase game where you find yourself in a community of outlaws beyond the city limits in a place called Asylum. Outside roam hordes of zombies. Its basically a big game of Tag but much more fun.

You begin the game by forming small teams and being given a de-briefing and a map by the staff in the Asylum.

You then follow the map and look for the next safe zone all the time being chased by Zombies, some big some small, some slow, some incredibly fast.

Legless Zombie

The game took you all over Wembley park, from disused warehouses, to multi story car parks.

If you make it back to the asylum without being infected you get to enjoy the Zombie Disco or if like me and you do get infected, then you get Zombie-fied and covered in bloody goo. Its so much fun!!!

I got Infected :(

There are still a few tickets available for the remaining UK dates, so sign up if you want an evening of running for your life and generally feeling like a big kid again. :)

http://2.8hourslater.com/

Blind Gin Tasting

On Saturday night we had a great evening taking part in a Blind Gin Tasting experience.  The London Gin Club is in the heart of Soho and the venue is small and cosy and you have the opportunity to choose from over 130 of the finest Gins in the country. The bar is dimly lit and creates a really great atmosphere to enjoy a Saturday night out with a difference.

From the wide choice on the menu we opted to do the Blind Tasting which involves you being given 4 mini bottles each numbered 1-4 and a range of fruity/vegetable garnishes. You then have to try and guess which type of Gin you are drinking whether it be dry, sweet, spiced etc and then choose a garnish to compliment your drink.

Mystery Gins

Gin, Gin, Gin

The price was really reasonable at £24 each and if you are looking for something different to try in the West End of London, I would highly recommend this place.

 We left with a smile on our faces and big bellies full of Gin.

Brick Lane
Brick Lane is nestled in the heart of East London and is well known for its street art and markets.
On Sunday the sun was shining and it was perfect for having a stroll around the markets and admiring all the weird and wonderful things people were selling.
It is also impossible to ignore the street art in this part of London, where you can find it with every turn of the head. Across brick walls, shop doors, and even dustbin lids.

It definitly was a weekend with a difference
Thanks for reading my little blog :)

Whistlestop trip to Cornwall

So on a spur of the moment I decided to head to the coast for the Easter Bank Holiday weekend and settled on Cornwall as the perfect getaway.

As I have never been before I was looking forward to being by the sea, getting some fresh air and experiencing some Cornish hospitality.

I stayed at the East Crinnis Holiday Park in St Austell - Cornwall and the site was small, quiet and and very friendly. The facilities are extremely clean and we were even treated to an Easter Egg on Easter Sunday. The staff were extremely helpful with any advice that we needed and I would definitely recommend a stay here if you are in that area of the country.

The luck of the weather was definitly on our side for the weekend and so on Saturday after doing some pre-trip research we headed out on the bikes for a trip to Gribbins head.

I came across this 4 mile walk on the National Trust website which takes you from Fowey all along the coast to Gribbins head and to the Gribbin daymark.

The Gribbin daymark stands 84ft (25.6m) high and was built in 1832 by Trinity House as a navigation aid to prevent mariners from mistaking the shallow waters of St Austell bay for the deeper waters of Falmouth harbour. 

The walk was moderate and taken at a steady past and takes you along to the beautiful cornish coast which offers great coastal views. Definitly good for blowing off the cobwebs.

After cycling back to the campsite and sipping a few Gins we headed into nearby Charlestown for the evening. Charlestown is a small and quaint port and we popped into Charlies Boathouse for a well deserved cocktail. Now whilst the feeling in my legs from the bike ride and walk hadn't fully returned the Mojito did go down a treat.

The next day the weather took a turn for the worst so it was ideal really that we went to the Eden Project. 

This place is so vast and built in an old Claypit and offers something for all ages. I think the Rainforest Pod was my favourite and certainly got me excited for my real life trip to the Amazon Jungle in July.

Rainforest Pod

W.E.E. Man (Waste.Electronic.Electrical Man)

The project has just the right amount of factual information without overloading your brain and you are free to explore all of the areas without fear of being told off by staff. We did the tour in about 3 hours but on a better day I'm sure you could spend longer and explore the outdoor areas in more detail. I did top off my trip with a lovely clotted cream ice cream cone.

The Greek God Dionysus

All in all for the amount of time I spent I really enjoyed my time in Cornwall and cant wait to go back for longer and to do more exploring another time.

100 Happy Days Challenge

100 Happy Days Challenge

As I approach the Day 50 milestone in my #100happydays challenge I thought I would share a selection of my favourite happy moments. If you are wondering whether or not to take up the challenge then I would say just do it and it has been a lot easier than I expected and definitely helping me feel more positive.

Old School Trainers/Charity Bake Sale/Brixton fun times with Bex/Pizza as big as my head/Practising my crow pose/Queen Beyone at the Brits/Spring Daffodils/Driving through the sunny Peak District

Stylist Magazine

I am lucky in the fact I get to go to London once a week for work and always look forward to picking up a copy of the Stylist magazine while I am there. Its the perfect read that covers all my favourite topics, fashion, travel, celebs and book reviews.

This week the Stylist covered a great piece on the best Beauty looks in Disney. Most girls love a Disney Princess, for her enviable hair, wardrobe (ball gowns hello) and handsome Prince, so this article made me really smile.

Image courtesy of Stylist Magazine and copyright belongs to Disney

Personally my No.1 Disney Princess will always be Belle and my favourite beauty look of hers has to be in the Ballroom when she sweeps along dancing in her golden gown.

You are never too old for Disney in my opinion :)

The Fault in our Stars

I think I wrote in an earlier post I was just about to begin reading 'The Fault in our Stars' by John Green. It took me just under a week to finish the book and I did really enjoy it, but it didn't make me cry as some friends had possibly suggest it would do. Call me a cold hearted Ice Queen :)

The story is all about the first love and last love of two teenagers Hazel and Gus, that despite meeting at a Cancer Support Group embark on a whirlwind friendship and romance in the saddest circumstances.

The book was an easy read and hard to put down once I got going. I now cant wait to see the film which comes out in the Summer.

Now its time to get back to reading Game of Thrones so I can see what lies next in store for my favourite characters in Westeros. Geek Alert!!