Where have you been... Again

Well it’s certainly not been as long as before however, I’ve had another blogging break. I’ve been wanting to get back into the blogging scene, since the short break, for a while now. What’s been stopping me? A lot of things to be honest, I’ve been pretty busy since I last posted! We all know what’s going on in the world, the C word needs no mention really. We have had to rearrange our wedding, I was furloughed then sent back to work after 4 months off and now I’m currently not working again - but for another reason. 

April 2020, we found out I’m pregnant and expecting our first baby! My first trimester was the hardest by far and I think that’s the main reason why I stopped posting. I was feeling nauseous, sick, tired - you name it I felt it! To be honest, I felt lucky that I was furloughed as I’m not sure I would have been able to hack work, feeling the way I felt! I was also very lucky to be able to go back to work during my second trimester and through to my third, finishing work just over 36 weeks pregnant (thank god for leftover holiday!). Now I’ll save you doing the maths, my due date is only 9 days away, yes you read that correctly! I reckon the timing for this post is worse than the timing of my last ‘blog comeback’ if you will. 

I would certainly like to attempt to get back to blogging and be more present on social media that’s for sure. I think not putting too much pressure on myself to post, easier said than done, might be the way forward. But who knows? If it takes me 1 day or another couple of weeks to post, that’s allowed. I definitely want to make more use of my blog Instagram page @simplyjustnatalie if you would like to give it a follow, I’d appreciate it! 

See you soon,

Natalie :-) 

Tropic Lip Fudge

I’m always a sucker for a new lip balm and finding the most moisturising and nourishing one I possibly can. If you’re an original follower of my blog, then you may well remember this. Over the years I have tried and tested many, and there are a few old reviews of some I’ve previously tried and loved. However, the search has never subsided and I’ve continued to look for the right one. 

This particular one basically fell into my path as it was a present from someone I knew at work. It’s branded as a ‘lip plumping’ balm which initially put me off and to be totally honest with you, it sat in my drawer for probably a good month. I finally decided to get it out and give it a whirl and boy am I glad I did! It’s super moisturising and seems to have very small exfoliating beads in to help keep your lips super soft. It’s a lovely scent a mix between a bit fruity but also a slight hint of minty fresh (it sounds a bazaar combo which I’m definitely not describing well, but trust me it works). I mainly use this product before going to bed, as that’s when I find my lips getting particularly dry, and it keeps them nourished all the way until morning. Then if my lips feel particularly dry during the day, I’ll reach for this lip balm too. It’s simply just the perfect all rounder and I would definitely recommend this to anyone on the same search as I am! 

Latest Lockdown Reads

Obviously I have continued to read masses of books during lockdown and now my ‘read’ pile is forever growing, I thought it best that I share the latest ones with you. I simply cannot wait until I can get back into some charity shops and purchase some new books to read!

Landline by Rainbow Rowell 

This was a quick read for me and personally not one of my favourites, I think it’s more of a teen book but still a good storyline nonetheless. A lovely read if you’re a little bit younger, want something easy that you can get into quickly and not too bulky. Good length chapters and well written, it is a good book just not my personal cup of tea.

Never Greener by Ruth Jones

I loved this book! Another really easy to read book with again good length chapters. It’s really well written and is a romantic novel, again not my usual genre. However, this one seemed more based at my age group therefore I enjoyed it a lot more. Definitely keeping my eyes peeled for Ruth Jones next book out later this year.

Blood Sisters by Jane Corry 

My favourite genre.. it took me a few more chapters than usual to get into the storyline however, thoroughly enjoyed it when I did. A good couple of twists in there to keep you reading and definitely some tense, thriller moments. 

Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter 

First thing about this book was the super long chapters, which I personally don’t like! But it was a very gripping storyline, you simply just didn’t know what was going to happen next or where the book was going to take you. 

ASOS Wishlist

Sandals - here

Shirt dress - here

Mom jean - here

Sweatshirt - here

Bardot dress - here

Leggings - here

I don’t know about you, but recently I’ve been finding myself scrolling through the new in sections of many fashion websites.. it must be all this free time I have! The one site I’ve found myself most drawn to is Asos. I have the Asos app on my iPad and have just found myself clicking on it daily to search through the new fashion pieces/styles, especially with this lovely weather we’ve been having in the U.K. 

So because of this obsession I seem to have taken up, I thought I would share a few pieces with you that I’ve put into my saved items. Firstly, the Nevada Sweatshirt is just the perfect piece for lockdown as it looks super comfy and would look great oversized with some cycling shorts. I’m not super tall but I do find that I can’t get away with normal mini dresses, without flashing something, so for this style dress I usually opt from the tall range. This Bardot denim look one is exactly that but from New Look on Asos. I’m not sure how white it would stay on me but is such an easy outfit with some summer sandals and crossbody bag. Now I’ve just said white things may not stay white on me, and I’ve saved some white mom jeans! But I’ve seen so many people style these with a simple tee, tucked in with a belt and either sandals or trainers and I’m all about the simple fashion so had to include them. 

Another dress from the tall section is this shirt style which I loved because of the tie waist which you’d be able to cinch in, a feature I personally love. Again another super simple outfit paired with sandals or trainers. I keep mentioning sandals so I had to feature a pair and boy are these a good looking pair. They’re simple and chunky and black goes with everything. I have the heart eyed emoji all over these sandals! Finally, with it being lockdown, I have actually been finding the time to do some home workouts in my living room, but I definitely don’t have the gear. I found these gym leggings and loved the elephant grey colour of them. These are super affordable too!

That’s my current saved wish list on Asos, let me know your Spring/Summer staples and please tell me I’m not the only one scrolling through new in! I’ve actually done an Asos haul, awaiting delivery, so head on over to my Instagram to find out what I picked up @simplyjustnatalie 

Currently Pinning: House Renovations

Since lockdown I’ve found myself rediscovering platforms that I’d kind of put to one side and left abandoned. I mean the main one was actually my blog, which is slowly getting back into motion, but another platform that I used to use all the time was Pinterest. I used to pin a bit of everything and could spend long periods of time scrolling through the website, not even narrowing my search but still finding inspiration and ideas that I loved. This being one of the highlights of the site, from what you’ve previously pinned it narrows searches down to things you may be interested in (yes I know that’s not new news to most of you!). However, since moving into our ‘granny bungalow’ as we refer to our home to nicely, I’ve been pinning the odd bits here and there. Now, in lockdown, I’ve been doing it a lot more and not just home decor. Although, I am planning on showing you some of our bungalow renovations in future posts because calling it a ‘granny bungalow’ is being kind... we used to call it the ‘sh*t hole’!

However, if you’re not on Pinterest and are looking for something to keep you occupied during lockdown, definitely look into signing up to it! It will keep you entertained and make you want to try new hacks, diy your furniture and buy new fashion trends.
If you wish to follow me and have a look at what I’ve been currently pinning then you can use the widget on the side of my blog >>>> or my username is: natalieellis23

Hair favourites

I thought this post would follow on quite nicely from my previous one, reviewing the Babyliss air styler, so I thought I would share my two current hair staples. I’m sure I’m not the only one when I say that during lockdown I haven’t been making the most effort with my fashion choices or beauty regime. However, there are a couple of products that I’ve continued to use throughout and I will be sharing these with you. So I thought I would star with hair care products today.

First is the Schwarzkopf got2be detangling spray which I purchased from Boots a couple of months ago. Now I am always after a detangling spray simply because my hair is so thick, it just gets so tangled. I often find it hard to locate a detangling spray, there never seems to be many out there, so when I saw this one I snapped it up. I simply spray this on damp hair and then use my tangle teezer to work all of the knots out of my hair, and it works a treat! This product is super affordable and usually hair brands, like this one, can be found on offer. Definitely a product I use every time I wash my hair therefore a firm staple for me.

Secondly is this Instant Refresh Dry Shampoo in Bloom from Sainsbury’s. Firstly I must say this smells incredible! Not floral, as the name would suggest, just fresh and super lovely. Not only does this smell amazing, it does a great job at putting washing your hair off for that extra day. It leaves a little bit of white residue but it easily massages into the hair, and then you’re ready to go. This product is super affordable and I believe I only paid a bargain £1.50 for it! If you’re looking at trying a new dry shampoo or your current one is nearing the end, I highly recommend giving this one a whirl.

Babyliss Smooth Dry Airstyler

I brought this product on a bit of a whim a couple of months back as I saw it on offer in the supermarket. I had always wanted to give one a go but always thought they wouldn’t really work on my super thick hair. However, I was intrigued and used some of my built up Nectar points to buy it. I’ve been using this instead of my normal hair dryer ever since and have not looked back! I never used my hair dryer that often, usually more in the winter then letting it air dry in the summer months. When using this I try to let it air dry a little more than I would, if I was going to use my normal hair dryer, as this requires a bit more precision. I then tend to split my hair in half down the back and then use one of the clips pictured to further section each half of my hair. This is also when I cover my hair in a heat protector, my current one being from VO5. It’s super simple to use, I just hold the brush with the prongs facing upwards and slowly move it down the lengths of my hair. If anything, I would say it takes a little longer to dry my hair using this but the results are so much better. My hair is practically straight afterwards and I would normally tend to loosely tie it in a low ponytail overnight. It may need little touch ups in the morning if I want to wear my hair down but it’s perfectly fine to leave if I want to style it into a low pony or bun. Overall I’m super impressed with this hair tool and would highly recommend it! Like I said it takes slightly longer but in the long run, it saves time as you don’t always need to then use your hair straighteners afterwards. This tool is also super affordable so if you’re looking into getting something like this, then definitely take a look at this one!

Bedside Must Haves

I’m a sucker for a routine, especially at night time. I just find that it helps me sleep that little bit better, as most nights I struggle getting to sleep and rarely manage a lay in past 7am! There are 3 key products that seem to work for me, so I thought I would share those with you today.

First up is the Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil which is a re-purchase for me, which says it all really. I previously had the raspberry one and absolutely loved it! This one is the blackberry which I’m not as keen on, only reason being that it kind of tints your lips slightly, whereas with the raspberry one it was transparent (which I personally preferred). However, it is still the same product and works wonders on my lips overnight. If I don’t use this I find myself waking in the morning with slightly shrivelled lips shall we say, but using this product is a game changer. It’s not sticky, it doesn’t feel heavy as if you’ve got an oil on your lips and is simply comfy as the product states.

Next I always use Bach Rescue Night Drops every night. As I mentioned, I struggle to fall asleep and find after using these they just ease my mind slightly enabling me naturally fall asleep that little bit easier. They contain natural ingredients which ease a restless mind, irritability and help switch off repetitive thoughts. You simply just drop a few drops on the back of your tongue and you’re done, they taste pretty good too! It’s got to the point where if I don’t use these, then I really struggle to sleep. Hence why they sit right next to my bed!

Finally is the Clean Beauty Pillow Mist in the scent Lavender and Vanilla. If I’m being honest I will use any lavender pillow spray I can get my hands on, again I’m addicted to these. This one in particular has to be my favourite I’ve ever used! I’m a sucker for a vanilla scent, so adding that to lavender is just bliss. I simply give my pillow a few sprays before slumping my head down onto it. Using this alongside the Bach Rescue Night Drops is just perfect for me and just become my every night routine, that I cannot live without.

Reading my way through isolation

I couldn’t not re-start my blog with a book review... or 3. This isolation is making me read even faster than I usually do, which I am NOT complaining about. Just slightly worrying about how many new books I am going to buy during this unknown period *place your bets now*. Anyway lets get started, these are the 3 last books I have read so I thought I would share my thoughts on them with you.

Cilka’s Journey
A MUST read if you have read ‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz’ they are both like no other book I have read before, and I think I’m going to struggle to explain. I will start by saying that I’ve never really been into history that much however, my partner is and I hear snippets of info here and there when he tries to ignite my interest in certain historic periods. After reading the first book, I asked for this one for Valentine’s Day and read it super quick. It’s harrowing what happened and the way the Author, Heather Morris, portrays this is amazing. I was gripped. Whilst reading, I did sometimes forget that this was real. Then I really thought about it and that’s when it really made me think. Overall this book is so good and I highly recommend it to anyone. I would suggest reading ‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz’ first though!

The Secret
A charity shop find, where I try to get most of my books, and without realising an Author I have read before. It’s a police detective storyline that is so thrilling you can’t help but just keep on turning the pages. The Author, Katerina  Diamond, writes twists like no other and you literally do not know what is about to come around the corner. As I mentioned, I have read another book by her before and I believe it may be a mini series? I remembered the characters however, I don’t think I read it in an order and although it may have helped it definitely didn’t matter.

The Prison Doctor
Recommended to me and when ordering a few bits off Amazon, it just happened to fall into my basket. A similar-ish book/layout to the doctor book by Adam Kay, but set in a prison. The Author Dr Amanda Brown takes you with her through the various prisons she works in, as a doctor. Reliving the highs and the lows of what the job entails, and how she copes/manages. It is very detailed and opened my eyes to the goings on ‘inside’. For me, this book didn’t grip me as much and I found myself ‘just reading’ it (if you know what I mean).

Come back?

I’m not sure this is the greatest time ever, to try and make a blog come back, but nevertheless here I am. I will continue to ask myself that if I don’t do it now, when will I do it? Or will I ever do it? I’ve been thinking about starting my blog up again for the past few weeks. Previously, I never really made a decision to stop blogging, it just kind of happened naturally. Therefore there was always a part of me that wanted to come back to it and start afresh. So here I am, with all the time in the world currently, and hopefully some fresh new ideas for any of you who may wish to read. I’ve never stopped reading my personal favourite blogs and follow these on different forms of social media. You could even say it’s these people who have inspired me to come back and give this blog another kick up the back side. So let me give this a go and just see what happens. As I mentioned, I am not currently working (some work is being done from home) due to the current worldwide situation. I’m not going to pressure myself with scheduled posts and just write a blog post when it feels right, when I have content or when I wish to share something with you all. The content presented in the coming weeks may be slightly different to what you were used too, if you’ve been here before. However, my interests haven’t changed so it may seem no different.

I hope you enjoy the upcoming content on my blog and continue sharing my passion for my little part of the internet. I also hope you are all staying safe within your own homes as much as you can. I cannot wait to get started again!
Speak to you all soon, Natalie :-) x

La Roche Posay Respectissime

  

I was kindly sent these lovely products from La Roche Posay recently. I've mentioned my love for this brand so many times since the beginning of my blog and it still firmly remains one of my favourites. So when these unexpectedly arrived through my letter box, it's safe to say I was very excited.

Firstly the teal pouch which the two products arrived in is just beautiful! It's by Katie Loxton, who I can't say I've heard of before, but have since fallen in love with. It's such a lovely colour and such good quality! I would definitely recommend checking out her website here.

Onto the two products I received, both from La Roche Posay's Respectissime range, which is aimed at sensitive eyes. I don't have sensitive eyes when it comes to mascara, however I do when it comes to removing my eye make up.

So firstly the mascara which only has purified pigments and is nickel-controlled to avoid any irritation, it also contains an 'anti-tears formula' which ensures eyes do not react or run which I think is such a great aspect of this mascara! The brush of this mascara is relatively slim which I personally like as you can get close to the lash line, therefore creating more volume. This mascara really makes my lashes voluminous, look longer and is very black in colour. You can definitely layer this mascara for a more night out look or keep it every day with just a swipe over your lashes.

Secondly the eye make up remover which is fragrance and paraben free, which minimises the risk of intolerance and removes make up without irritating the eyes. This is like other eye make up removers where you shake the bottle to mix the product together, then put onto a cotton pad and wipe your eyes. I really like this make up remover and it does not irritate my eyes in the slightest! I don't need to drag my eye to remove the make up, I just give the cotton pad a little wiggle and go over my lashes a couple of times and it's all removed!

If you have sensitive and irritable eyes then I would definitely recommend you check out this range from La Roche Posay! I'm really enjoying both of these products and the Katie Loxton pouch now has a firm place within my everyday hand bag!

A day at the coast

This weekend, despite the freezing cold weather, was spent at the coast. Me and my family went for a walk along Southwold's pier and then into the town center. Southwold is a lovely place to go for a walk along the beach, visit the pier and check out the chic, little shops. It really is the perfect place to go, especially on a Sunday and especially as a family. Yes it's December and yes it was absolutely freezing however, it was lovely to get out as a family as well. We had a light lunch at the Adnam's Cafe halfway, mainly in order to warm up and it worked. It also had great food! 

The pictures above are just a few I snapped whilst walking along the sea front, using my iPhone. It would have been the perfect time to take my camera however, with 4 young nieces and nephews my hands were slightly tied. So I just quickly snapped away on my phone. I do love this time of year, and despite the temperature, I really love going for walks. It's a great way to get outside, get some air and take some photos - which I don't get to do all that often!

I hope you enjoy the photos and this quick little post :-)

My First Time Tag

It's been a busy week, this past week, so my blog unfortunately has taken a back seat. So I thought I would come back with a bit of a fun blog post, giving you a bit more of an insight into me personally. I love reading/watching these types of posts, simply because they're different to 'normal' content. Without further ado, lets get into the questions...

1. FIRST Youtube video you ever watched?
C'mon this is a tricky one, how am I supposed to remember this? I really don't know, but I'm pretty sure either a make up tutorial or a haul.

2. FIRST person you subscribed to on YouTube?
I want to say Pixiwoo.

3. Do you still talk to your FIRST love? 
Not really, no.

4. FIRST kiss?
Most definitely some dumb middle school lad, ha ha.

5. FIRST alcoholic drink? 
A Smirnoff Ice, probably given to me by my Nan.

6. FIRST car?
A Ford KA *embarrassed face*

7. FIRST job?
A hairdressers in the town I live in. I carried on working their after my high school work experience. 

8. FIRST pet?
A rabbit called Betty.

9. FIRST celebrity crush?
Usher, I had multiple posters on my wall.

10. FIRST real boyfriend?
A guy from high school, we dated for around a year.

11. Who was the FIRST person to text you today?
My sister regarding Christmas presents.

12. Who was your FIRST grade teacher? 
I think his name was Mr.Gates, he was great.

13. Where was your FIRST sleepover? 
My best friends house.

14. What was the FIRST thing you did this morning? 
Other than using the bathroom, I made myself a cup of tea.

15. FIRST concert you ever went to?
S Club 7! 

16. FIRST broken bone? 
I've never broken a bone *touches wood*

17. FIRST movie you remember seeing?
This is difficult to remember.. I believe it was the Disney film 'The Fox and the Hound'.

18. FIRST sport you were involved in?
Hockey.

19. FIRST tweet?
Is there a way to find this out? I'm not sure but I swear it was something dumb like "is now on Twitter!".

20. FIRST Facebook profile pic?
A pic of me and a friend on one of those Twister rides at a theme park.

21. FIRST piercing?
My ears. I'd really love to have my ears pierced more now though.

And there we have it, all my FIRST times! I hope you enjoy this slightly different blog post from me today and hopefully things will un-busy themselves so I can not put my blog behind me.

This is my first Facebook profile picture I was talking about!

Everyday Make Up | Autumn

I don't tend to change up my make up that much according to the time of year, however I also thought it was a long time since I shared my current make up routine anyway so I thought it would be a perfect time. The only thing that majorly changes is my base/foundation and mainly the colour, due to living the cold UK.

My all time favourite foundation is Rimmel Wake Me Up, currently I'm still using my 'Summer' shade but it's very nearly out now so a new one will be purchased! If you've never tried this foundation then I recommend you do, it honestly makes me feel good in my skin - even on those bad days! Another staple for me in the colder months, is a bronzer. As mentioned, I need a lighter shade of foundation but I still like to add some colour to my face. This one from Bourjois is matte which is even better for Autumn. I don't like to over do the bronzer, for my every day make up, but I definitely like to put some life back into my place.

My last post was all about my recent purchases from L'Oreal, which you can read all about here. All the products mentioned have made it into my everyday make up routine now and I'm really enjoying all three of them. L'Oreal is definitely one of my favourite high street make up brands.

As I said, not much changes in my make up routine between seasons, but all of these products photographed are really great. They all work really well for me and this every day make up line up is my favourite. Let me know what your favourite everyday products are and whether or not they are featured in my routine.

L'Oreal Haul & Reviews

It had been a little while since I had purchased any new make up and I've been trying to 'shop my stash' a little bit more recently. However, I was in need of a new primer and mascara, as both of mine were shortly running out. So I headed to the Boots website and took advantage of the L'Oreal 3 for 2 offer. All of the products I picked up were new to me which got me excited to try them out.

Firstly I picked up, what I believe to be, their new Miss Hippie mega volume mascara. I love L'Oreal mascaras, that I have previously tried, so I had high hopes for this one also. The brush is big, which I personally like, as I feel it grabs more of your lashes in one stroke. I am enjoying using this mascara currently but it's definitely not one of my favourites from L'Oreal.

I then picked up their Infallible mattifying primer, which I had heard many good things about. I have a super oily t zone so anything that claims to mattify that is great, if it works of course. I do really like this primer and it does keep my face matte for a reasonable amount of time. However, after a few hours my t zone does become oily again and I do find the need to blot my face. This is obviously no fault of the primer, and I do really like it, I just maybe would like a primer to keep my skin matte for longer. Saying that, even though my t zone gets oily I find this primer to keep my make up in place.

Finally I picked up the True Match concealer, again as I had heard so many good things and in due course I knew I would need a new concealer. So I thought I would give this one a go. I've tested this on both my blemishes and under my eyes, and I can say that it works great on both areas. I believe I picked up the shade Vanilla, which is brightening for under my eyes and actually a good shade for my face as it's coming up to Winter. It's super blendable and lightweight which I like.

That's it for my little 3 for 2 L'Oreal haul. If I purchased any products which you have tried and tested, then let me know your thoughts on them. And also your favourite other L'Oreal products, as I love L'Oreal as a brand and would love to try different products from them.

Home Decor Update

After moving in to my first home, I said I wanted to photograph and write more home and lifestyle type blog posts. Since moving out, my house has been slightly upside down every now and then, with painting, decorating, new carpets etc. Therefore, it's been pretty tricky to actually photograph anything without half painted background walls or basically without a mess. However, recently I've purchased a couple more decorative pieces from here, there and everywhere that I thought I would share with you.

Recently I've been shopping in T K Maxx and B&M and have found some great bargains. Both of these shops are perfect for finding cheap, discounted home decor items. The mirror pictured was on sale for only £10 and I couldn't resist putting it up in my hall way, and yes that's my beautiful new grey carpet in the background ;-) I've been looking for a, relatively decorative, key holder for a while now and had been struggling. Until I went to T K Maxx and found this lovely one for only £8. My spare car keys may look ugly in this picture, but I love the actual holder as some of the other ones I had seen were just plain wood which were too boring.

Now I also had to feature a picture of my graduation present from my Mum in this blog post, maybe not a home decor but as more of an update. After recently graduating from my BA Honours Degree in Children's Care, Learning and Development, my mum bought me this gorgeous watch from Michael Kors. This is the Ritz Glitz watch in Silver and I am absolutely in love with it. I love bigger, statement watches so this one is right up my street. I could not be thankful enough for this present from my Mum and definitely wasn't expecting anything. I am also thankful that I have completed my degree!

I hope you enjoy having a sneak peak at a few of my home decor items throughout my home and I will definitely attempt to photograph more when I finish painting and decorating. Also when I purchase new items. I'd love to hear your favourite places to purchase home decor items :-)

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Anti-Blemish System

La Roche Posay is a brand that I have raved about in the past, so when I received this 3 step system as a present, I was over the moon. You get three full sized products within this set, which is amazing, and they're all clearly targeted at blemish prone skin. I've tried several of their products in the past, one of those being the Effalar Duo which I have previously spoken about so I won't go into too much detail about that one. You can read about that particular product here and here.

The second product you receive in this trio is their clarifying toner. I really loved using this product, I felt like it really cleaned my face. It got rid of any left over make up that my cleanser may have left of my face, which was super satisfying. I found this product was also really soothing on my blemishes and also helped with the redness. Over time, after using this product, I would say I saw a difference when I finished using this product. Using a toner is the one of the steps of a 'skin care routine' that I honestly do not normally do. However, I thoroughly enjoyed doing so whilst using this particular toner.

The third product is the purifying foaming gel which is effectively a foaming face wash. Unfortunately this is the product that I don't rate very highly out of the three. I simply found that it did nothing for my skin or my blemishes and I don't really have much else to say about this particular product if I'm honest.

Overall this is a great trio set, I personally just cannot warm to the face wash however, it may work for others. I cannot rate the Effaclar Duo enough, it is by far my favourite La Roche Posay product and if you haven't tried it already then you definitely should. Let me know your favourite La Roche Posay products, as I would definitely like to try some newbies!

The Devil Wears Prada | Book Review

I love a good read, especially when there's a sequel. When you think of The Devil Wears Prada, I bet your mind goes to the film, mine definitely did. I absolutely love the film and Anne Hathaway is one of my favourite actresses. But quite a while ago now, I discovered the book to this film and that the book has a sequel.

Normally I tend to prefer reading the book before watching the film however, that was not the case with this particular book. It had been a while since I had seen the film when I began reading the book, so I had to settle for that. As I mentioned, I love the film so the book actually had a lot to live up too in my eyes. I actually really enjoyed the book and yes, I still would have liked to read it first but it was very similar to the film, with not much missed out which is what I normally find. If you haven't seen the film, or read the book, then it's about a girl called Andrea who goes to work for Runway magazine but turns out to have the boss, Miranda, from hell. The second book carries on Andrea's journey as she works her way up the magazine ladder, forming new friendships and relationships, but Miranda is still making appearances.

If you love fashion, magazines and an easy read then these books are for you. Also if you were like me and had just watched the film, you won't be disappointed reading the book afterwards.

Direct Cosmetics Haul & Reviews

I was recently contacted by the lovely people at Direct Cosmetics and was able to choose some products to review for you guys. They offer a whole range of brands on their website, which is definitely worth checking out.

As I said, I was able to select which products I received which I was thrilled about. Firstly I picked up the Lacoste Touch of Pink solid perfume which is just a perfect size for your bag. I picked this because I remember my sister using this perfume when I was younger so it took me back. I actually really like the smell and it's perfect for those little touch ups on the go. I then picked the Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream lip balm, which is something I've wanted to try for a while. It's a really thick balm but applies smoothly. I like to apply this before I go to sleep to keep my lips hydrated. I also think this product will be perfect for the coming Winter months. I then picked a NYC nail varnish in a deep coral shade, which I actually think will be great for the Autumnal months, as it's not too vibrant.

I then picked up the L'Oreal Youth Code Luminizer. This product intrigued me when I was browsing products and a serum is something I was missing from my skin care routine. I don't necessarily need this product for the 'youth' side, but there's nothing like starting early! I loved the illuminating aspect of this product as that's something that's difficult to get in the colder months. I then got another product from L'Oreal and it's their Triple Active day moisturiser. My current moisturiser is practically out so I was in need of a new one. Again as it's getting colder, my skin tends to get drier so I think this product will be a great match for my skin. It is a light moisturiser however, so if you need something heavier this one may not be for you.

I then got a Sally Hansen product which I've never seen before and it's the Colour Quick Dry brush nail varnish. This really intrigued me as I've never seen a nail varnish like this before, as I mentioned. It has a brush on the end of it and therefore makes application simple. I picked this lovely truffle shade too which again will be great for Autumn, which I know I keep saying! Finally I picked the Matrix Total Results Heat Resist Conditioner. I'm really trying to not apply too much hear onto my hair currently and I'm doing pretty well! However, when I do use heat I can really feel the affect on my hair. This conditioner is great at making my hair feel smooth and like I've never put heat onto it.

That's it for my Direct Cosmetics haul and first impressions reviews! I was super impressed with all the products I picked and have now tested out. I'm grateful to the lovely people at Direct Cosmetics and I would definitely recommend you check out their website :)

Oral B 3D White Luxe Perfection Toothpaste & Whitening Accelerator

For a while now I've been wanting to delve into trying out more and new teeth whitening products. Bar the normal everyday whitening toothpaste and mouthwash, I haven't tried that many other products to help naturally whiten my teeth. A while ago, I was browsing the Boots website trying to pick which product(s) to try.

I came across this duo of products from Oral B and they were on offer so I thought I would give these a go to begin with. Basically, you brush your teeth with the 3D White Luxe toothpaste and then brush them again using the Whitening Accelerator. I'm not sure on all the logistics behind these products but the accelerator supposedly has something in it to speed up the whitening process within the toothpaste.

I have now completely used up both of these products and can say that I thoroughly enjoyed using them both. However, there were some down sides to these products. I did see some improvement in the whiteness of my teeth when using these products, but it wasn't like an amazing transformation. I've heard many teeth whitening products can make your teeth sensitive, luckily for me, neither of these two products made my teeth sensitive. The down side for me was having to brush my teeth, theoretically, four times a day. Not for the extra time, but occasionally it made my gums sore which was a pain, literally.

As much as I enjoyed using these products, I'm not sure I would re-purchase them. Personally, I would like to spend a bit more money and see better results. I know results can take time etc, but that's just me being impatient, ha ha!