Leaving Facebook.... 21 Days to break a habit

So Yesterday I made the decision to leave Facebook. For me that is pretty major. I live my life on that app. Having lived in both the UK and Australia it has always been the easiest way to keep in touch with friends no matter where in the world I am. However, on the flip side of things, Facebook has also been the cause of many a drama. I have seen people bitch about their work lives and end up being pulled into their boss's office. When relationships end there is that awkward part of having to change your status and then everyone wants to know what's happened, even those you haven't spoken too in a long while crawl out of the woodwork. Then there are those times when you meet someone new, who completely bowls you over, you want to shout it from the rooftops, but they are a much more private person than you...... More drama. It's unnecessary drama. So I decided to go out and actually live life, have real conversations rather than be one of those people sat at a table with others tagging where I am, uploading picture and having the real life moments and conversations pass me by cause I'm too busy playing with my phone....... I want to see if I can kick my Facebook habit. Apparently it takes 21 days to break a habit. I want to see in 21 days if I really will miss it enough to go back or of I'll kick the habit for good, if it will enrich my life not being on there or if it will be harder to keep in touch with my friends and I will post up each day of my 21 days here.

Day One

I guess my departure from Facebook was pretty abrupt. I didn't leave a lengthly status up the day prior telling people my plans. Those that matter most to me know how else to contact me. Again I didn't want to make a drama. I thought it best I slip away quietly. That was possibly not the best idea. In my first day of no

Facebook I have been text by so many of my friends asking where I have gone, if I have blocked them, if I have gone crazy, why I left and if I'm coming back. I had no idea in all honesty that I would have gotten such a strong reaction. People either visit my page a lot or I post on my Facebook way to much..... Pretty sure it's the latter!!!!! Today I have felt a bit at a loss. On my lunch break (the worst time to not have Facebook) I felt something was missing. However, I decided to read some of my book that I have been reading and you know what. I got through it. After a pretty stressful day at work, which usually I would have posted some status about having a difficult day, I got in my car and cried. I wouldn't normally do that, but for once, rather than just posting about something, I actually let myself feel what I was feeling. And you know what, I felt better for it!!! It's been weird, going to my phone and the remembering that actually Facebook isn't there. But if I was on Facebook, uncertainly wouldn't have the time to be writing this!!!!

Valentine Day Makeup Tutorial

Hi Everyone,

Well I finally have my own YouTube channel up and running. I decided to do my first tutorial on a Valentine Day makeup. A friend of mine is getting married on Valentine's day this year and it inspired me to do this tutorial.

Here is the link :) I hope you enjoy. Please see below for list of products used

Products Used:

SKIN CARE
Clinique Moisture Surge Spray
No 7 Protect and Perfect Serum
Dermalogica Intensive Eye Cream
Clinique Moisture Surge Moisturiser

BASE
Laura Mercier Primer
Nars Sheer Glow Foundation
Laura Mercier Secret Camoflage Concealer
Clinique Airbrush Concealer

EYES
Mac Paint Pot in Quite Natural
Stila In the light eyeshadow pallet
Jemma Kid Eyelash Curler
Maybelline The Falsies Volume Express Mascara
Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara
Chanel Long Lasting Eyeliner in Beryl

CHEEKS
Nars Blush in Sin
Burberry Blush in Blossom Blush No5

LIPS
Chanel Rouge Allure in No88 Evanescente

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbYYyazspcs

Clarisonic Cleansing System

Hello there everyone :)

So a few months ago I decided that I wanted to give the Clarisonic cleansing system a bit of a go. It just so happened I had a gift voucher for a store that was selling them and I thought 'why not'. I have read heaps of reviews on it, some people love it and some people hate it!!!! Here is my take on it.......

Firstly I brought the Pink Clarisonic Mia (pictured below). This one comes with the Clarisonic, the sensitive brush head, a charger and a mini gentle hydro facewash cleanser for sensitive skin. Let me firstly say, I have used the mini facewash cleanser only once, that was all I could manage as I cannot stand the smell of it. So when I use my Clarisonic Mia, I use it with my Dermalogica Essential Cleansing Solution which is my go to cleansing product anyway.

I love this cleansing system, I find it makes my skin feel incredibly soft, it really deep cleanses my face and it lightly exfoliates. Now, I will be honest, I have read many reviews where people have said it has brought them out in spots etc. I kept this in mind when I first purchased it and decided to use this at the END of my cleansing routine, in order to try and avoid this.

How I use my MIA:

Firstly I only use the Clarisonic Mia on days where I have had to wear makeup. On days where I haven't I don't feel like my skin needs such a deep cleansing routine. Being that my skin is more to the dry side I am always careful of not stripping my skin of it's natural oils.

So I start off by using a pre cleanse. I personally use the Dermalogica Pre Cleanse. This helps to melt off the bulk my makeup before using the Clarisonic. Once I have rinsed off my pre cleanse I then use my usual non foaming cleanser (mentioned above) and massage it all over my face. I then wet my Clarisonic Mia and use it (VERY GENTLY) in circular motions. If you push to hard, you are going to stop the brush from rotating properly and it is probably going to irritate the skin, so I make sure I use a light grip on the handle and gently go over my face. The Clarisonic Mia turns itself off after 60 seconds. Then I just rinse and follow up with my toner, serum, eye cream and moisturiser.

Clarisonic claims that their system removes 6 times more makeup than manual cleansing, now I will agree that it leaves my skin feeling much much cleaner than just manually cleaning my face!!! They also claim that it leaves skin feeling and looking smoother, again I completely agree with this, my skin always feels AHHHMAZING after using it. They say that the system is gentle enough to use 2 times a day, I personally wouldn't use this twice a day. It may work for some people, however I prefer to use it as I have previously explained and find that is the best routine for me and my skin.

In all I am very pleased with the system, I like the Mia model cause it is travel friendly, the charger that I have is nice and small, not heavy or bulky so it is great for me when I am travelling between Australia and the UK. I like how it has made my skin feel and I LOVE how it does remove all traces of makeup, I feel like I have just washed the day away and I am ready to start a fresh :)

http://www.clarisonic.com.au/index.php
http://www.clarisonic.co.uk/
http://www.dermalogica.com

Spa Breaks

Happy New Year Everyone!!!!!!

Well I hope everyone had a wonderful Xmas and New Year. Being that we have just come through the busiest season over the last few weeks, I am sure that like me, people will be feeling a little sluggish after all the naughty treats, tired from burning the candle at both ends and in need of a little TLC.

Well let me tell you, I am a huge lover of mini spa breaks. There is nothing more reviving than treating yourself and your body to a little me time. So for those who have never been, I am going to tell you about my last visit to my favourite spa. For those who have been I am sure reading this will allow you to relive those relaxing moments.

Whenever I go back to the UK to see my family, me and my Mother have a girls break away to a place called Ragdale Hall Health Hydro and Spa. From the moment you pull up to the extremely picturesque building, you are looked after. Your bags are taken in for you and taken up to your room, someone parks your car for you and you are taken straight to a beautiful conservatory where you are offered a complimentary drink. Mum and I  always sit and talk excitedly about what treatments we have booked, while sipping on a wonderful cup of Earl Grey tea. Whilst you are enjoying your drink a receptionist will come and bring you your room key. For first timers the receptionist will take you on a little tour of the Hall, show you where the hydro spa is, the library, gym, mind room and much more importantly where treatments are done and where you have to go when waiting for your treatment.

Once the introduction to the spa has been done, Mum and I usually go and check out our room. On the journey to our room we can smell essential oils seeping out of the treatment rooms, as we breathe it in we can already feel the tension begin to melt away. Once we get to our room we find our timetable of the treatments we have booked, with the times to go to our appointments, and the times to go to lunch and dinner. Breakfast is brought to your room, so you can start your day with breakfast in bed.

Now when your are staying for a mini break you have full and unlimited access to the health hydro, usually on your first day (because arrivals are in the afternoon) you won't have any treatments booked in. So we usually put on our swimmers, followed by our dressing gown (which we will be living in for the next 3 days) and our slippers and we make our way to the hydro spa. There are numerous little rooms to go in, there is the candle pool, where along the walls are flickering candles and the ceiling has stars lighting it. There is also my favourite room the volcanic salt bath, a steam room which has eucalyptus, is dimly lit and has a little volcano in the middle of the room which dispenses the steam and lights up. There is the indoor/outdoor pool that had various little massage jets, one for feet, shoulders, back etc, I like to go in there and use the massage jets to further my ever growing relaxed state. There is a rose sauna, a scented room, a colour flow cave steam room that changes its scents. There is also a nice big pool for those who want to swim and a hot tub too.

Once we have fully relaxed ourselves, we head to dinner (in our dressing gowns, not everyone does this but most people do). There we are presented with a delicious menu. What I love most about the way the menu is done is their little 'window' system. Each dish will have 1, 2 or 3 windows printed next to it. One window means that dish is very healthy and low fat, two is a little more naughty and three, well I am sure you know what three means!!! When I go, I try to be good and have one window meals, 'when in rome!!!' You can buy wine if you wish. I recommend buying a bottle rather than by the glass, whatever your don't finish, they will keep for you for the next day and so on.

After dinner there is still plenty to do, talks on various different beauty/health things. But we usually head to bed so we can wake up bright and breezy ready for Breakfast.

Now I had quite a few treatments the last time I was there and they were all absolutely wonderful!! However, I won't talk about them all as this blog will end up waaaaay too long. But my favourite treatment that I will go back and have time and time again was the Elemis Exotic Frangipani Body Nourish Float. This treatment was 55 minutes of pure bliss. Oh my goodness, they trickled this beautiful warm Elemis Frangipani oil all over my body, massaged it in, wrapped me up, lower me into this dry floatation tank that made me feel totally weightless, during my 'floating' time they continued my pure bliss by giving a massaging facial. By the time I left the room, not only was I walking on air, my skin looked AHHHMAZING, it was vibrant, soft, supple and smelt fantastic. I purchased the oil for use at home and I am totally addicted to it!!!

Imagine several treatments like this over the span of 2-3 days, and you can see why it is something that yes is completely self indulgent, but hey, in this day and age when the world is going at such a fast pace  all the time, isn't it nice to take a time out for yourself every now and then!!! You certainly leave feeling revived, refreshed and ready to jump back into the real world!!!!

For those in the UK who are interested in health spa's, check out the Ragdale website. There are always some good little deals going on throughout the year :)

http://www.ragdalehall.co.uk/

Once again Happy New Year Everyone xxx

Make The Most Of Xmas Gift Packs

So for me this post is a bit of a no brainer. I am always on the hunt for a great beauty bargain, I get complete satisfaction for knowing that I have got more bang for my buck!!! During the xmas period, beauty brands are always putting xmas packs together, making buying for family and friends easier. It also makes sense to stock up on certain beauty items that you may use.

I ran out of my usual moisturiser the other week. Now my moisturiser is $60 on it's own. However now that xmas is just around the corner I made sure I checked out  my local  counter to see if my moisturiser was included in any Xmas packs the were selling. BINGO, low and behold it was........

As you can see from the above picture, this pack cost me $60, so the same price as my moisturiser is anyway :) This is what I got in my pack...........

Inside was my moisturiser and the following... a small 15ml intentsive moisturiser (great for taking on planes) an all about eyes, eye cream 7ml AND a great travel friendly size super balm gloss treatment for lips 7ml. Now being someone who travels quite a bit (I am from the UK but currently live in Australia so I often take the long haul flight back home to see my family and friends) These small sizes come in very handy for when I am traveling the massive 24hr journey it takes between these two countries. I also find that eye creams that come in packs like these last for ages. Every brand does them so check out your favourite brands local counter now!!!!! When it is not xmas season, I always keep an eye out for when my favourite brands are doing GWP's and usually stock up then. There tends to be special packs on mothers day and sometimes on valentines day too.

I would love to hear your comments on your beauty bargains, so please comment on this post and let me know :)

Water Is Our Best Friend

One of the main beauty tips that celebs always give is that they drink plenty of water. So why the big deal about H20?

It keeps us looking younger by helping to plump out the skin!!!!!

We obviously need water to keep our bodies hydrated but it also keeps our skin hydrated. One factor for dehydrated skin is not drinking enough water. Think of those summer holidays when we take in too much sun, drink too much booze and not enough water, we start to get dark circles around the eyes, our skin looks more sallow and there are faint dehydration lines on the face, simple cure.... drink more water. Of course there are other factors that can cause dehydrated skin, your cleanser can be to harsh causeing your skin to dry out, over exfoliating, the wrong type of moisturiser etc, but by drinking plenty of water you can certainly help to eliminate the problem.  Be honest with yourself, how much water do you actually drink during the day??

I like to keep a bottle of water with me at all times. Especially in the summer, to help keep me cool as well as hydrated. I recently discovered a little gem of a water bottle from BRITA filter. It is a regular looking water bottle but in the lid it has a filter (pictured below) so it filters your tap water as you drink. Perfect for when your on the go and you need to fill up from the nearest tap rather than top up from your filter jug at home or in the office. You just need to make sure you replace the filter after a certain amount of time.

If your still not convinced about the wonders of H20 then here is another snippet...drinking water also flushes out toxins, being that your skin is your largest organ, it is a given that the more water you drink, the clearer your complexion will become. Remember though, it flushes out the toxins, so expect to possibly see a few spots first, but bare with it, keep drinking and you can expect to see a much clearer more radiant skin.  So come on people, put the fizzy pops down and start drinking the good stuff!!! Your skin is going to thank you for it....

Beautiful Skin From Within

Over the past few years I have been using a product that has worked wonders for my skin from the inside out. My 'Miracle' or 'Holy Grail' product is Imedeen. There are different tablets for different age groups:

Derma One, Time Perfection and Prime Renewal. They also have tablets for men.

I am using the Derma One tablets which are aimed at 30+ (yes I started them in my 20's, but now I am 30 I am so glad I did!!)

I have always had a good skincare regime, ever since I can remember. I get it from my mother who has always looked after her skin. When I was little I always loved watching her put on her lotions, and would always sneak a peak into her bathroom cupboard and try her expensive creams when she wasn't looking. As I got older I formed my own skin care routine which changed as my skin changed. So when I came across Imedeen tablets when I was 25 it just made sense to me.  As Imedeen says to help skin look its best you need to look after it from the inside out.

The tablets I take (Derma One) help to improve skin quality, improve moisture balance, helps make skin on face and body softer and appear more radiant.

It does this and I quote 'features it's Marine Complex that is rich in proteins and polysaccharides which is similar to that found in the skins supportive structure. This complex has the potential to prolong the life of skin cells by slowing down the ageing process. It also has Zinc and Vitamin C which helps with collagen formulation and for general skin health'.

These tablets have helped so much with the quality of my skin and as you can see from the above picture, I always buy them in bulk. There was a time when I was unable to get my hands on any Imedeen and in those months that I was without, I noticed my skin quality was much poorer, noticeably duller and I was getting a lot of dehydration lines around my eyes. Now I always make sure I am well stocked up!!!!

The tablets are not too big so are easy to swallow and you need to take two daily. I won't lie to you, these tablets are very smelly. They have a strong fishy smell to them and it does say on the pack, do NOT use if you have an allergy to fish!!! I take mine with a large glass of water so that I don't get an unpleasant aftertaste. Also it is important to note that these tablets are not cheap. However, for those in the UK, I would advise you get them from Boots as they always have 3 for 2 offers on them. You can buy them in 1 month packets or 2 month and at Boots if you buy 6 month or 12 month supplies you will find substantial savings. Also (UK people only) Imedeen have a voucher system where once you collect 6 they will send you a free months supply. I have done this several times, it is fantastic.

Anyway, I just wanted to share with you something that has been a staple in my skincare for the past 5 years and will continue to be a staple for many many years to come!!!!

Links

www.imedeen.com.au
www.imedeen.co.uk
www.boots.com