It's Time For A Change

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Recently I have been thinking about the current layout of my blog, post series & just all things in general when it comes to my blog & blogging & I've decided it's time for a change.

To start with I want to mention that I'm no longer going to be posting 'Love Lists' instead what I'm going to be doing is combine it with my Monthly Favourites posts. I really enjoying writing up my Monthly Favourites posts & I think it'll be good to have everything all in one again. This way you want be missing out on anything, it's just going to be all in one post opposed to two.

I'd love to start blogging a little bit more about organisation. I really enjoy having everything in my life as organised as possible. I'm just one of those people that needs to know what she's doing & when she's doing it. I've done a couple of posts called 'Organise Ya'll Life #001' & 'Organise Ya'll Life #002' but I'd like to expand & create versions of those in a better quality.

Something I'd also like to start incorporating in my blog is the 'Currently' series. I saw this on a friends blog recently & I thought it was such a fantastic idea. It basically where I talk about bits & pieces I've been been loving under the topics, reading, listening, eating, thinking, watching, making, looking forward to, enjoying, learning & loving. You should definitely head over & check out Georgina's post, 'Currently #001' to see what I'm on about!

Something that's not changing is how many times I'm going to be posting a week. I'm still going to be posting something new every Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday at 630PM NZST. If for whatever reason I can't get a post up I generally will let you guys know over on my Twitter so make sure you're following me over there for regular updates!

Last but most definitely not least, I want to thank you all so much for your constant support but especially most recently! Over the past couple of months I've been sorting out some health issues which means I've had to miss several post uploads but you all have always been so supportive. However, in saying this I did manage to get up a post that I'm so incredibly proud of & it's called, 'My Story, My Journey, My Experience: Lets Create Awareness', in the post I talk about M.E or as some of you may know it as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I talk about my story & my experience so far. However the main reason I wrote the post was to create awareness because I think it's super important & not enough people know about it! Let's create awareness together!

Let me know in the comments below anything you would like to see on my blog because I'm always open to your opinions & thoughts & stay tuned for many more exciting changes!

B x

Monthly Favourites: May 2016

There's only two months of winter left & I can't begin to tell you how excited I am for the weather to start warming up again! The cold whether is just not for me!

MAKEUP 
This month my favourite makeup product has actually been a lipstick. In the colder months I enjoy wearing deep lip colours & this month I've been wearing a lot of ChiChi Viva La Diva lipstick in Game On. It's a lovely pink toned, mauve colour that I think would look really flattering on any skin tone. The formula of these lipsticks is gorgeous & I'm looking forward to picking my a few more shades.

NAILS
This month I've been trying to get my nails as healthy as possible. I've tried to keep minimal polishes on my nails however the one polish that I have been loving is the Sally Hansen Maximum Growth polish. It leaves nails looking healthy & leaves a lovely shine to your nails. What I also love is that if you wanted you could pair it with your favourite coloured polish as well.

SKINCARE
In the colder months my skin tends to get super dry & yuck. The product that I've found to be helping my skin the most is the Nivea Gentle Exfoliating Scrub. It helps remove all the dry skin & helps keep my skin feel really moisturised at the same time which is a bonus because who doesn't love a two in one product right?

ACCESSORIES
I absolutely love my little black pendant necklace. I love how it's so simple yet very pretty & looks amazing with all kinds of outfits. You can find these really easily online if you're interested in grabbing one for yourself!

Let me know in the comments what some of your favourites have been this month. 

B x

Review: Nutrimetics Cosmetics

I'm very new to Nutrimetics Cosmetics, other than what I'm going to talk about today I haven't tried any of their other products. For my birthday I received the Dramatic Lash Mascara & the Fibre Lash Enhancer.

FIBRE LASH ENHANCER
When I first saw the this was a fibre lash I was a little bit sceptical only because I have tried a 3D Fibre Lash Mascara & I wasn't very impressed by it. However, this is slightly different from the original. This product is essentially a primer for your lashes. It has tiny white fibres in it that I find really unnoticeable once applied to the lashes. When I swatch the product on the back of my hand, the product is quite tacky which I personally, it means that your not going to get loose fibres falling down onto your face & you really don't want that especially once you have your mascara on. The biggest difference for me, between this specific product & the fibre lash I tried in the past is that you only have to apply one coat of the Nutrimetics Fibre Lash where as with an original fibre lash you had to repeat the steps to get the full effect. I also don't experience any full out with this product like I mentioned before which is a big bonus.

The company states on their website that, 'Get the WOW factor with Nutrimetics Fibre Lash Mascara. This nourishing, protective formula primes lashes ready for mascara with Nylon Fibres that sit between lashes for an immediate noticeable boost in lash length & volume. The special applicator producers a high definition finish, helping achieve precision when applying product to each individual lash.'

7mL of the Nutrimetics Fibre Lash Enhancer retails for $28. I do want to also mention the packaging. I personally really like the packaging, I think it's sleek & simple but not only that it's also really durable. It easy to clean if needed. Although the actual wand of the enhancer is quite long, it is also skinny meaning that you're able to reach every lash.

At the end of this post I'm going to mention my overall thoughts & whether I'd re-purchase it so keep reading for that.

DRAMATIC LASH MASCARA
I always love trying new mascaras so when I received this I was super excited. On the packaging it says that the volume of this mascara is intense which it something I look for in a mascara, something that is going to add length & volume. I really like the formula of this specific mascara. With a lot of mascaras I find that when they are brand new they are really wet & then after a few uses dry of a little bit & become easy to apply. However with this Nurtrimetics Mascara is really great from the get go. I naturally have quite long lashes however they do tend to sit straight rather than naturally curled. I do think that this mascara holds really nice volume however I didn't notice any length but that maybe because my eyelash are quite long already I'm not sure. I find the mascara really easy to wear & it doesn't dry out my lashes. Again with the packaging, really sleek & simple, durable & easy to clean if needed.

The company states on their website that, 'The revolutionary, hi-tech, multi benefit formula lifts the lashes to dramatically emphasise volume & curl, using special, sophisticated fibres. With pure, deep, extra black colour, this mascara manages to reproduce the effect of false lashes like no other product has done before. Enriched with Carnuba Extract to thicken lashes, Candelilla Was for volume, Acacia Senegal Gum to lengthen & separate & Castor Seed Oil to moisturise.'

9mL of the Nutrimetics Dramatic Lash Mascara retails for $35 but is currently on sale for $22.90 which means you save $12.10. I would never have known that this mascara had what they call 'sophisticated fibres' in it if I hadn't of gone onto there website. I guess that's a good thing that they are super unnoticeable. In the way of the mascara wand, it's pretty standard, maybe slightly bigger than a regular mascara wand. It kind of reminds me of the Maybelline Falsies Mascara wand.

All in all I don't think I would personally re-purchase the Fibre Lash Enhancer purely because I feel like I can get a very similar effect when doing my regular lash routine if you want to call it that. However, I would recommend giving it a go if you have shorter lashes or you're finding that your lashes are quite dry all the time. I do think it is a really great product, I just don't think it's for me. Maybe one day I'll end up giving it another go, who knows.

With the Nutrimetics Dramatic Lash Mascara I definitely think I would buy this again. Some people may think that $35 is a lot to pay for a Mascara & I normally would to as I tend to just reach for my favourite Maybelline products however I do really enjoy wearing this mascara, it's moisturising, it adds volume & I'm going to try using it without a eyelash curler to see if it helps with length that way. A quick reminder that if you are interest in giving this mascara a go then it is currently on sale for $22.90 over on the website.

Let me know in the comments if you have tried any Nutrimetics products & if there is anything you recommend that I should look into buying!

B x

My Story, My Journey & My Experience: Lets Create Awareness

From the 11-17 May is ME, Myalgic Encephalmyeitis or some of you may know it as CFS, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, awareness week & just because it may not be ME/CFS awareness week anymore doesn't mean we should stop talking & bringing awareness to such a shitty chronic illness. I was diagnosed with ME after suffering with Glandular Fever, a viral infection, which made me the the most ill I have ever been. I know I'm not the only one suffering & this post is to create awareness to a serious chronic illness that many of us are suffering from. I also wanted to share my story, I know that there are others out there suffering & if my story can just touch one person then my job is done. It's important to remember that ME is a illness that varies from person to person, symptoms & treatments can vary meaning what works for me personally may not work for someone else. I'm not going to sugar coat anything in this post either. I want people to know what it's really like, it's not easy, in fact it's bloody tough but when life gives you lemons you make lemonade right?

What Is ME?

ME leavers suffers exhausted after minimal activity & is characterised by many different symptoms. It usually flows from a viral infection but can also steam from non-viral infections such as vaccinations, chemical poising, & serve physical trauma such as accidents & operations. Sometimes there is no cause. ME symptoms include, extreme exhaustion, post exercise fatigue & malaise, temperature irregularities, headaches, muscle, skin, bone & joint pain, loss of concentration & memory loss, depression & emotional instability, heart rhythm irregularities, sore throat & swollen glands, no refreshing sleep, sensitivity to pain & light & the list goes on. The main thing to remember is that symptoms are going to vary from person to person.

How Is Is Diagnosed?

There is no specific diagnostic test available at this stage. Throughout the world it is now accepted as a serious physical illness which can have a serve impact on the life of the suffer. Diagnosis is made preferably by a doctor who specialises in ME. They will generally rule out many other serious illness via multiple tests before diagnosing you with ME & a diagnosis won't be made until symptoms have persisted for at least 6 months.

Treatment

At this stage there is no specific curative treatment for this illness. The current aim in the way of treatment is lifestyle changes. These lifestyle changes might include stress management, learning to 'pace' yourself, maintain a balance of rest & gentle exercise, eating sensibly & attending to sleep issues. Because the symptoms vary, treatments will also vary meaning that what works for myself personally may not work for someone else.

My Story, My Journal & My Experience

Living with ME is far from easy. It's one of the several illnesses where you look completely okay on the outside but on the inside you are hurting & you are struggling. One of the biggest difficulties I've come across is people telling me what I should & should not be doing with my life. That I should be at school, I should be working, applying for jobs or should be getting my drivers license. I'm the one that lives inside my own body & I'm the one that has to deal with the symptoms & side effects that come long with pushing myself to hard. I deal with those side effects & I'd prefer to have to deal with as minimal pain as possible. Some days I don't have the energy to make my bed in the morning, or wash my hair, somedays I struggle to even find the energy to get out of bed. I went from being a physically healthy teenage girl to a teenage girl who now, on some days can't manage to get out of bed. Mentally I want to but physically my body won't allow me. Being told that I have an illness with no cure was such a bitter sweet moment. It was great to finally know what the heck was going on with my body & to know that it wasn't all in my head but at the same time, now what? I had to learn to pace myself & as someone who is a perfectionist & is always pushing myself to be better & get everything done then & there, this wasn't easy, it took awhile to get use to & I still haves ups & downs every now & then. I think the biggest misconception with ME/CFS is that people hear or see the word 'fatigue' & think, "Oh, she's just tired all the time" or "She's being really lazy, we all get tired throughout the day". The difference between being tired & being fatigue is that if you're tired you can have a nap & actually wake up feeling somewhat energised,. You generally wake up & feel like that the nap you just had actually had some kind of benefit. Being fatigue means that you can wake up from a nap & feel nothing. No new boost of energy, no new nothing really. I can sleep for 12 hours straight & still wake up feeling tired. I wake up & the first thing I do is yawn. I honestly can't remember the last time I felt some kind of energy. I feel like I'm constantly running on 20% battery. Another misconception is that ME/CFS is that they only it's just about being tired all the time but like I mentioned earlier, there are so many symptoms that going along with it all other than 'just being tired all the time'. I may look okay on the outside but I promise you, that's not always how it is. If I say that I can't make an event it's not because I don't want to be there, it's because I physically can't be there. I'm trying my best & all I ask is that you try & understand that. I didn't ask for any of this to happen. It's been hard & still is to adapt to this new lifestyle. I've had somethings that I absolutely loved & enjoyed doing taken away from me & that in itself is hard. Even a walk around the block puts me out for three days. I struggle to spend all day out shopping like I use to, my body just doesn't cope anymore. Somedays I'll be lucky to be awake for 3 hours before I feel like I need to go & have a sleep. This isn't a cry for attention or me wanting anyone to feel sorry for me because at the end of the day this is my new life & my grateful to still be alive & breathing. Each & everyday is different & I take it one day at a time, each day as it comes. I ask that you all bare with me as I try to work this all out, adapt to my new lifestyle & work out what will be best for me. I ask that you all do some of your own research on what it's really like to live with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome before you jump to conclusions & start judging the way I'm living my life. I ask that you all be grateful for your health because you never know the day that it might be taken away from you, just like mine was.

There are going to be people out there who read this & think that I'm doing this for attention or what not but I'm not asking you to throw me a pity party, in fact that's that last thing I want! I'd rather you share positivity with those around you or someone you know who is having shitty time. I wrote this post because I want to create awareness to such a shitty yet serious chronic illness & I'm hoping you'll find a way to do the same.

To wrap everything up I just want to remind you all that people are going to suffer differently. Be patient & be kind, it's a huge thing for us to get our heads around too. And to all my fellow suffers out there, hang in there. I know this illness is bloody shitty but let's not let in win!

I'm going to leave some links below that I found useful. They'll vary from websites, other blogposts, YouTube videos & channels, other people who also have ME/CFS, there will be a mixture & you can choose the ones you'd like to look into more.

@megsays: What It's Like To Live With A Chronic Illness: http://bit.ly/1Wbm9dv

@megsays: What Having ME Is Really Like: http://bit.ly/25aCcKq

@megsays: YouTube: http://bit.ly/22l8DEl

The Associated New Zealand ME Society: http://bit.ly/1sxbr4A

Second Opinion/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: http://bit.ly/1sxbNbg

Daisy's Journey: https://www.instagram.com/daisysjourney_/

B x 

Love List: May 2016

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Yay for my second 'Love List' post. If you haven't seen my last 'Love List' post I'll link it so you can have a look at what it's all about. Lets jump right in with a few of the random bits & pieces I've been loving recently.

APP 

I'm constantly listening to music whether it's while I'm in the shower or getting ready for the day. Apple Music is something I've never used before until this month as I pay for Spotify but since they were offering a free three month trial, I thought that I would give it ago & see how I like it! So far, I really do like it, I mean I don't think I've been using it long enough to decide which one I prefer yet, whether that be Apple Music or Spotify but I'll let you know at a later date! I definitely don't think you need both but that's entirely up to you! 

PODCASTS

Instead of mentioning a book in this 'Love List' I thought I would mention my favourite Podcast as of recently. Aileen has a YouTube channel, a blog & to me, she is one of the most inspiring people I know of. Aileen has recently created her own podcast & I couldn't recommend them enough. You can search 'The Lavendaire Lifestyle' in your podcast app if you have an iPhone or I also believe she has them on SoundCloud. If you decide to check Aileen out, with that be her social media, BLOG, YOUTUBE or PODCAST, let me know what you think! 

FILM 

50/50 was a film that my Mum & I came across on Netflix & it was a film that we both really enjoyed! It's a 2011 American comedy, drama film which is directed by Jonathan Levine, written by Will Reiser & starring Joseph Gorden-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas & Anjelica Huston. Adam starts experiencing harsh back pain & he learns from a doctor that he has a cancer tumour. It's basically based on Adams journey & the friendships he makes along the way & how he faces some of the most challenging things he'll face in is life. I think what I enjoyed most about this film is that although the story of quite sad they're a regular bits of humour put into the film. I recommend checking it out if you can! 

TV SERIES 

One of my favourite TV series has just come back on here in New Zealand. It's called 'Sensing Murder'. It based on unsolved murders & they bring in two physics to help solve the murder. Each episode has a different murder case & generally different physics or a different combination of physics & I just really enjoy it. I believe that what these physics, see, feel & the fact that they are able to talk to them, I believe it's a hundred percent real. I actually went to a Kelvin Cruickshank event on Sunday night. Kelvin is a physic medium from New Zealand & is well known for being on 'Sensing Murder'. The event was two & a half hours & he sat on the stage & just talked between spirits & passed messages from them to us. It was so incredible to watch him do, it was my first time experiencing something like this & I would definitely go back to something like that again, I was just blown away! And I'm so excited for the brand new season to come out! 

SONGS

I've been really enjoying a couple of songs lately & the top two probably have to be, 'When We Were Young' by Adele & 'Pillowtalk' by Zayn. 

ALBUM 

I've been watching quite a bit of Season 10 of The Voice USA & I've always loved Adam Levine. Adam is the lead vocalist in the band Maroon 5 & a judge on The Voice USA. Since I've been watching The Voice USA, I decided that I needed to dig out a few of my favourite Maroon 5 albums. The album V is probably one of my favourites & I'm not going to lie, it's been on repeat quite a bit! 

YOUTUBERS

I'm going to do a seperate post on a few on my most favourite YouTubers but I thought I would mention a few in this post too. 

Aileen Xu / Lavendaire: http://bit.ly/1spvSQL

Rachel Aust: http://bit.ly/1TGXw2l

Rachel / Rachelleea: http://bit.ly/1TmLu0L

BLOGGER

Again, I'd like to do a separate blog post so a bunch of my favourite bloggers & I might make a it a reoccurring things here on my blog & the same with idea with the YourTubers! I think it's great to be able to share my favourites with you but not only that, but also to just to share the love & support from one another & there is a such huge amount of talent online & I want to be able to share that with you all. But I thought I'd mention the one blog that I have been loving specifically recently! I'd love if you checked out Georgia's blog & let her know I sent you! 

Georgia / heygeorgiegirl: http://www.heygeorgiegirl.com/

INSTAGRAM 
Instagram is a online platform that I think most of us use a lot of the time. I'm someone who loves taking & editing pictures but also gathering inspiration from others. I've been wanting to change up the way I edit & display my photos for my Instagram so I've been searching & gathering inspiration from others. These are just a few of my favourites!
Dani Lauren Smith / LoveDaniLauren: http://bit.ly/1Xmw3bp
Rachel Beedell / copper.and.kohl: http://bit.ly/207QQi2

FOOD
Recently I have been really loving raspberries. I love raspberries all the time, all year round but know that it's getting into the colder months it's just impossible to get your hands on fresh berries but thank god for frozen berries! You can put frozen berries in smoothies or even put a few with some yoghurt & make a cute little dessert!

QUOTE
"In the world through which I travel, I am endlessly creating myself."

Let me know in the comments what some of you favourite things are of the moment! I'm always willing to give new things ago!

B x

Ten Beauty Rituals To Put In Your Daily Beauty Routine

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I'm constantly trying to add a bunch of awesome beauty rituals to my daily beauty routine & I thought it would be silly not to share my favourites with you all. Some of you might do these all on a daily basis anyway, however no matter how simple & easy they are I think they can all make such a big difference.

1: Cleansing & moisturising even on the days that you're not wearing makeup.

2: Moisturising you body daily, pretty basis but it really does make a huge difference. The same goes for your hands, cuticles & feet.

3: When moisturising don't forget about you neck, the back of your neck & chest. It's easy to forget.

4: Not bitting the skin around your nails.

5: Always wash your hands before you touch your face or apply products.

6: Use a deep cleansing mask at least once a week.

7: Let breakouts breathe a little & don't overload then with products.

8: Only use shampoo through the roots rather than running it through the ends as well.

9: Don't forget to use SPF daily, especially on your face & that even goes for lip balms too.

10: Stay hydrated & keeping on top of your water intake.

These are just ten of my current favourite beauty rituals in my daily beauty routine at the moment & I consider these to be some of the most of the important in my routine at the moment. Let me know in the comments below what some of your favourite rituals are in your daily beauty routine.

B x

Review: BH Cosmetics Ultimate Lips 28 Colour Lipstick Palette

Before jumping into my opinions on the palette I'm going to reference the website so that you can know a little bit about what they claim the product to like & all that good stuff. 

The ultimate lip palette for professional makeup artists or those that like to change their lip colour as often as their mood changes. Highly pigmented shades that range from nudes to deep reds, you'll find a shade for every occasion. Shades can be worn sheer & natural  or layered for a bold dramatic look. You can also custom blend a shade for an original look that stands out amongst the rest. 

Features & Benefits: 

- Full Coverage 

- Hydrating 

- Long Wearing 

- Customisable Colours

- Paraben Free 

That is was the BH Cosmetic site has to say about their lip palette & now lets jump to my opinions on the product. I wasn't a hundred percent sure about how the product would apply to the lips, I was expecting the product to be dry & not apply evenly at all, however, that first opinion did change very quickly. I found the lipsticks to be incredibly moisturising & pigmented exactly like the website suggests. Although they are moisturising I didn't find them to be too slippery on the lips.  I was also rather surprised at the staying power the these lipsticks, although I did notice fading after I had eaten & had a drink or two but I think the pretty standard with most lipsticks. 

Overall I really enjoyed these lipsticks. For the price, I really think it's worth it, especially if you're looking to try some new lipstick shades. Along with the 'BH Cosmetics Ultimate Lips 28 Colour Lipstick Palette' they also have a nudes palette too, 'BH Cosmetics Nude Lips 28 Colour Lipstick Palette'. I'll leave the links so you can check them out for yourself if you want too. 

If you have tried either of these palettes or have some lipstick recommendations then drop them in the comments below! 

B x

DIY: Facial Toner

I've been making my own facial toner for awhile now & I absolutely swear by it. The thing that I love most is that it has none of the nasty chemicals in it plus it's super easy to make.

All you will need is; 

- A Bottle 

- Tee Tree Oil 

- Distilled Water 

- Other Essential Oils (Optional)

All it is, is water with a few drops of Tee Tree Oil. Depending on how much you like the scent & how strong you want the Tee Tree Oil to be, will depend on how many drops you will want to put into the water. If you don't want to use Tee Tree Oil there are other essential oils that can be used & have great benefits for you skin. I found this particular page which some of you might find helpful if you'd like to look into other essential oils that your skin might benefit from. 

The reason I like to use Tee Tree Oil in a toner & on my skin is because it has amazing healing properties & is anti-bacterial which is why it is so great for acne & blemishes. 

If you end up making up any other toner concoctions, don't forget to share in the comment below. Also let us know in the comments, your favourite toner whether it is handmade or store bought. 

B x

Weekly Gratitude

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In my previous post, 'GRATITUDE // BE GRATEFUL FOR THE SMALL SHIT', I talked about why I think it's important to have daily gratitude & how that it can change our lives & perspective on everything. For myself personally, this week as been a mission, its had so many ups & downs that I'm at the point where I'm really excited for it to be completely over. On that note I thought it would be only appropriate it let you guys in on the five things that I'm grateful for this week.

1: THE BIRTHDAY WISHES & LOVE 

I felt so much love & support on my birthday! All the lovely messages people left me across my social media was truly amazing. Thankyou to everybody who left me a lovely message & kind words. I'm so grateful to have you all in my life. Your support & love means an incredible amount, more than you could ever imagine. 

2: THE AMAZING WEATHER 

It's now officially Winter here in New Zealand & keeping that in mind, Nelson has had some really amazing days this week. Although I have been able to feel the drop in temperature, the sun has still been out without a cloud in the sky, I've been really love the weather this past week! Plus all the winter smells, like fires burning & the dampness of the leaves on the ground, the smell of burning candles. 

3: I'M STILL ALIVE 

It's safe to say that my health has been so poorly this week however all that aside I'm grateful for the fact that I'm still alive & breathing. It can be so easy to get caught up in the negatives when you're physically unwell but you have you out weigh the negatives with all the positives. 

4: MY MUM 

In New Zealand, May 8 is Mother's Day! I'm incredibly grateful for every single little thing my Mum does, not only is she my Mum, she's my Dad & my bestfriend too. I absolutely adore & love her to pieces. Happy Mother's Day to all the Mum's out their, you do an incredible job & we'll forever love you! 

5: MY FUR BABIES 

Yes, I'm a Mum to two fur babies & I adore them both so much. Scooby & Sylvie never fail to make me smile & they give the most amazing cuddles too! 

Let me know what you are thankful & grateful for in the comments! 

B x

Gratitude // Be Grateful For The Small Shit

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Gratitude is something that I think is very important. As the title says, be grateful for the small shit. I wanted to write this post because over the past 6 years I've had a series of events that have no only changed my life but made me appreciate the small things. I'm now eighteen years old & I can quite confidently say I am grateful for everything & everyone in my life.

"What if you woke up today with only the things that you thanked God for yesterday?" 

Whether you have a religious belief or not I think this quote is real & appropriate for many. Just think about that for a minute. Maybe we should all be asking ourselves this everyday. 

Be grateful. Early wake ups means children to love, a house to clean means a safe place to live, laundry to do means clothes to wear, dishes to wash means food to eat, crumbs under the table means family meals, grocery shopping means dollars to provide to for you, a toilet to clean means indoor plumbing, lots of noise means people in your life, endless question means brains growing, sore & tired in bed means that you're still alive!

Turn the negatives into positive. Be grateful for the things that you do have rather than than the things you don't. Ok, maybe you have the house to clean & yes maybe that is something that you don't particularly like doing but at the end of the day it means that you have a safe place to live right?

For me gratitude is such an important part of everyday life. If something bad or unfortunate happens in my life, then I tend to go through all the good things in my life, everything I do have & the things that I'm grateful for. 

I have a gratitude journal & everyday I write in it. I think that a gratitude journal is a wonderful way to start introducing gratitude into your everyday life. I like to write down three things that I'm grateful for from my day & gradually you'll get better & better at it. 

I guess what I'm trying to say with this post is that just be grateful, have gratitude. I promise you, it's not hard & it will change your life for the better. 

B x

Get Ready With Me: Birthday Edition

Last week I had my little sister come up & visit me. We thought that it would be a good idea to do a little collaboration together for my birthday. To celebrate my birthday we thought that over two days we would go out shopping, grab some lunch, see a film & have some dinner. It was great fun & I think because we don't get to do it together very often we appreciated it more. We shared so many laughs & made some great memories together. To see what I wore & what makeup products I chose to use then continue reading & if you want to see the same for Nicole, then I'll leave the link here so you can go & check her out!

EYE PRODUCTS

- Jordana Best Last Extreme
 - Maybelline The Falsies
 - Revlon Satin Single Shadow in 010 Polished Bronze
 - Australis AC On Tour Contouring & Highlighting Kit

FACE PRODUCTS: 

 - Revlon Colour Stay Blemish Concealer in Medium
 - LA Girl HD Pro Conceal in Porcelain
 - BH Cosmetics Studio Pro Pressed Powder in 215
 - Elf Blush in Twinkle Pink
 - Australis AC On Tour Contouring & Highlighting Kit

BROW PRODUCTS: 
 - Natio Brow Kit
 - Maybelline Brow Drama in Transparent

LIP PRODUCTS: 
 - Chichi Viva La Diva Lipstick in Game On

PERFUME: 
 - Lady Gaga Fame

DISCLAIMER: I wasn't going to do a disclaimer but I just wanted to point out that my little sister, Nicole, is only 14 years old. She blogs because she enjoys writing & she has a strong passion & opinion behind a variety of different things. All I ask is that you don't go & be nasty. I know a lot of you won't & that you'll only give her love & support but I did just want to put this all out there. 

B x 

Period Pals

📷  // www.pinterst.com

Some of us have it pretty easy when it comes to our periods & then some of us come close to what feels like hell. Which ever one you want to identify yourself with, I hope some of these tips can help you somewhat handle it all. The tips that will be mentioning are the things that I either put into my everyday routine while I'm on my period or just things that I enjoy doing during that time & what will make me feel most comfortable.

SKINCARE
I tend to break out when I'm due & while I'm on my period. It generally is a big mountain sitting on my face & it doesn't always come to anything but when it does, I try my hardest not to pick at it. I'm someone that always tends to pick when I have blemishes & I know that it is bad for your skin but I can never help myself. Sometimes I will just get clusters of little spots, but I think no matter what you skin is like while you're on your period, whether you have blemishes or not, it's really lovely just to pamper & look after your skin in this time in particular.

THE BODY SHOP TEE TREE RANGE: I really enjoy this range whether I'm on my period or not, but one of the reasons that I really enjoy it while on my period is because I find it very clarifying & tee tree is great for breakouts & blemishes. Specifically I use the, 'Tee Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash'. It helps to remove any excess oils without being to over-drying on the skin. Tee Tree is great for blemishes because it is anti-bacterial & great for healing 'wounds', so great for those blemishes you've been picking at! Opps.

THE BODY SHOP SEAWEED RANGE: Again, this is a range that I really enjoy using regardless of whether I'm on my period or not. Specifically, while on my period I love using the 'Seaweed Oil Balancing Mask'. It's a deep cleansing face mask treatment with algae extracts & combined with natural ionic clay action to draw impurities from the pores & absorb the excess oils. It also has minerals which is going to help condition & revitalise the skin. I think that this product is great for when you are breaking out & when you want to treat your skin. I really do enjoy this product.

BODY
If it isn't already obvious there is a lot going on in your body at this time. Even in the pre & post days of your period. It effects our bodies all differently, so I think it's important to do what feels right for you & find what works well for you. Some people are going to LOVE exercise during their period whereas others can't physically bring themselves to move or uncurl their sore, aching body from the comfortable position they've found themselves in.

SCRUB & MOISTURISE: I always like to give my body an exfoliate & then put on the really nourishing moisturiser. Something that has a gorgeous fresh scent. After exfoliating my body & putting on moisturiser I always feel amazing, it's an amazing yet simple pick me up.

YOGA: Yoga is something that I really enjoy doing regardless of whether I'm on my period or not. I was recommended 'Sara Beth Yoga' on YouTube & I've briefly looked over her videos but I really just enjoy doing any simple classes from YouTube or just online in general. While on your period, I think that it's great if you can move your body in some way & I think Yoga is perfect as it can be gentle on the body but also super effective.

GET OUTSIDE: During my period I find myself wanting to curl up in a ball & stay in bed all day. I know that if I actually remove myself from my bed & take a few steps outside I'll feel so much better. I find getting outside & getting some fresh air always helps calm my body & clear my mind. Gently moving my body & getting some fresh air helps me get out that temporary funk.

HYDRATE: Although this is important regardless of what time of the month it is, I find that I especially need to keep hydrated during the week of my period. I think this is mainly because during the week of my period I tend to forget to look after myself & drinking fresh, chilled water is just always really nice. Beside the water, I really enjoy a glass of cranberry juice or just a variety of different teas.

HOT WATER BOTTLE: My hot water bottle basically goes everywhere with me when I'm on my period. I sometimes use wheat bags, but I find that a hot water bottle holds the heat for a lot longer than anything else. Although heat has therapeutic properties I also think it just comes with feeling comfortable & cosy! I suffer with really bad cramps & the second & third day are generally the worst. You'd probably find me at some point, with a hot water bottle on my tummy & a wheat bag across my lower back.

TRACK YOUR PERIOD: Not only is this good for the physical reasons like when you can expect your period but also when your hormones are all over the places it's nice to be able to know the your PMS symptoms are probably the cause of the way you're feeling. There are so many different apps you can use for this, however the app that I like to use is called 'Glow' & there is another that is called 'Eve' which is basically a simple version of 'Glow' I guess. I really enjoy using 'Glow' & my favourite feature would have to be that everyone that uses the app has their own account & we are all like a little community. In the community you can ask questions about all sorts of things & then people are able to reply if they have anything helpful to share. I think it's a great way for women to be able to talk about what's going on with there bodies at this time & not be ashamed about it! Definitely work checking it out if you're looking for a new app to track your period with.

MIND
Just like it is important to look after your body, it's important to look after our mind too. I think we forget sometimes that our mind is just an important as our body.

MEDIATION: Mediation is again something I really enjoy doing regardless the time of the month. Mediation is great for the mind & I try to do it as often as possible. I find mediation really calming, not only for my mind but my body also benefits from it to. Mediation can be quite hard to start off with & there are apps, YouTube & all that good stuff that will help you along the way. If you would like some recommendations then just let me know!

TREAT YOURSELF: Indulge in something that you wouldn't normally. You can pick one or more things that maybe you would normally treat yourself in, whether is it a specific face mask or a specific bubble bath, maybe it's some chocolate & you're favourite glossy magazine. Treat yourself & don't feel guilty about it because you deserve it.

Hopefully this has been helpful in some way or another! Let me know in the comments some of the things that you like to do during you're period to treat & look after yourself!

B x