Why I Love Christmas

Merry Christmas Everyone! 

Hope you are all having an amazing day. I thought this was the perfect time to do a blog on all the things I love about this time of year. 

1. The lights. Possibly my most favourite thing. Everywhere looks so much prettier with a few fairy lights :)!
2. The fact it is socially acceptable to wear as much glitter as you can. I've been sporting glitter nail varnish, glitter eye liner, glitter mascara (a Christmas pressie from my sister) and any glittery clothing I can find.
3. Tradition. I love traditions, it creates memories. My favourite family tradition is giving our Christmas cards to each other on Christmas Eve before we go to sleep.
4. YOU CAN EAT AS MUCH AS YOU WANT :D!! Just like at Halloween you can be a slut and no one can say anything..at Christmas you can be a fat pig. And since I am addicted to chocolate and stuffing, it's the perfect time of year for me.
5. Wrapping up warm in the cold crisp air, and seeing your breath in front of you.
6. The hats you get out of crackers because I love looking like a twat.
7. Christmas TV! The specials and films.. best time of year to slob out on the sofa. I am watching the strictly  come dancing special as I write this.
8. Buying pressies. I love buying presents for people. Don't ask why.. I just do :P.
9. Wrapping! I absolutely love wrapping presents. Watching some Christmas YouTube videos or listening to my favourite Christmas songs.. and getting covered in sellotape. I get to openly be a perfectionist aswell. Love it.
10. Getting to dress up and go full out on the make up. I'm sporting a smokey eye and red lip. Perfect for Christmas. (Instagram: @lisanicolest)
11. The joy. Everyone is merrier when its getting near to Christmas.
12. The hussle and bussle of the high-street when you are doing late minute shopping, and melting in every store you go into. *heating+wintercoat= baking.* 
13. Christmas Carols, I love singing my heart out to the oldies :)
14. The Magic of this time of year <3 
AND
15. Family Time. Treasured moments I shall never forget. We also get to remember the past Christmases with family who are not here any more. Beautiful memories that are always in my heart. Everyone has their own idea of what Christmas is about for them but for me, it's about spending time with loved ones.

Hope you all have an amazing Christmas and are blessed with all you wish you for.
Love Lisa-Nicole xxxx

Dancing

"I can't really explain it,
I haven't got the words
It's a feeling that you can't control
I suppose it's like forgetting, losing who you are
And at the same time something makes you whole
It's like that there's a music playing in your ear
And I'm listening, and I'm listening and then I disappear

And then I feel a change
Like a fire deep inside
Something bursting me wide open impossible to hide
And suddenly I'm flying, flying like a bird
Like electricity, electricity
Sparks inside of me
And I'm free I'm free"

Electricity, Billy Elliott The Musical

Billy Elliott described it absolutely perfect, the feeling that I get when I dance. I mean really dance. Loosing your body and soul into a piece of artwork performed to music. The emotions that connect, the complete feeling of euphoria that sweeps over you. The only thing that comes close to it, is the feeling I get when I'm acting on stage.
Doing theatre for a degree will always be one of the best decisions I have ever made, however I can't help but feel the need to go further in my dance. To train again, to choreograph, to feel the ache of muscles and know you've done a dance well. I cannot describe to you how much I miss it. Since starting dance from the age of 6, continuing dance and becoming an Olympic level 5 cheerleader, these past months are the longest I've gone without being in a competition or training, and the withdrawal systems have set in.
Its time to become the person I used to be. Due to a few personal issues in my life - my diet, flexibility and fitness have all become worse than they used to be, and its time to grab the bull by the horns and do something about it. It is the New Year after all.
So stay tuned for my personal journey in taking my dance further. I am also looking into starting my own contemporary society at my university, nothing is certain, lets just see how it goes. Fingers crossed.

I'm really looking forward to getting back to the old me <3

"Success is not the key to happiness, happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful."

"Go the extra mile, it is never crowded."  

Once Flown...Can You Call It Home?

It has been over a year since I flown the nest, and having taken a couple of months to get over the home sickness, I embraced my independence. There is a complete freedom in living by yourself, which is what I love about it.  You can come and go whenever you want it, have it as tidy or a messy as you like, have your friends round whenever... However there are a few things I completely miss about home. Seeing my mum everyday, central heating (gas and electric bills are an absolute bitch), home cooked food (as no matter how many times you cook chilli con carne it will never be as good as your mum's), my bunny rabbit Pebbles, my school/college friends, and that security of always feeling safe.
I have a beautiful house where I go to Uni, however the area can be a little rough sometimes. It has made me a lot more street wise though, now nothing really phases me. The tramp that lives at the end of my road who always asks me to "Come cook him dinner tonight" is just another man I pass everyday on the way home. I guess at least one time in your life you have to live somewhere rough to really appreciate where you feel secure.
I also have a beautiful house in my home town, even though my bedroom has been needed to be decorated for years, there is a sense of empathy there. You know those awful choices you make as a teenager that when you're a little older you just think "what the fuck teenage self"... yeah that's my room now. But I still love it, as that's where I became who I am today.
But do I call either of them my actual home? The truth is I love both of these places. Both have people I have come to know and love over my lifetime, and when I'm in one place there will always be a part of me that misses the other. So really I am writing this blog to let everyone know, who makes my life so amazing in both "homes" that I am truly thankful, and appreciative to have them in my life. I know it's a big slab of cheese, but hey, its Christmas :).

"You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart will always be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place."
xxx

November/December Favourites

Due to it being a little too late for November favourites and a little too early for December Favourites I've decided to pack them all together in a BIG TWO MONTH FAVOURITES :). **everyone cheers**
I have been using all these products for quite a while, they have all worked wonders and I would recommend each of them to anyone.

^^^Everything included in my monthly favourites this month can be seen above^^^

1) My Number One Favourite is: 

Models Own Glitter Nail Varnish in the shade Southern Lights. This makes your nails look so beautiful as it shimmers and glitters so much. I find myself just looking down at my nails watching them sparkle. Its also incredibly Christmassy. I always think you can't go wrong with some glitter nail varnish at Christmas. And its very hard wearing. Being a student and chucking myself about everywhere means I know how hard wearing a nail varnish is, and this does not chip easy!  Beautiful and Brilliant :). 

2) Champneys, Spa Indulgence, Distant Shores Body Butter

Everyone loves when Boots has a 3 for 2 day or double points, and I always take complete advantage of them - meaning I'm meant to be buying Christmas presents but really I buy loads of treats for myself I don't really need. It was one of these bank account busting days that I found myself in the luxury pamper isle and came across this this body butter. And, oh my god, it smells amazing. Think I may have stood in the shop for at least ten minutes just smelling it, before I decided I couldn't walk out without having purchased it...and the foaming shower gel too. Whoops. They are a little more pricey than the products I usually buy, but they are so worth it. If you want your skin to be smooth and smell gorgeous, buy this product. (And if you're like me the bubble bath and shower gel too.)

3) Elnett Satin, 3 Days Straight, Heat Protect Styling Spray

Many people will know that I have been faithful to Aussie products for years, and use bottle after bottle of their heat protector. However, when both Boots and Superdrug were out of stock of Aussie, I picked up Elnett's. It is fairly new on the market and I was a little bit worried about using it...but now I am forever changed. This heat protector is incredible. It leaves your hair feeling so soft, silky and healthy. It deals with all frizz and fly aways, and smells really really good. 

4) Santa's Lip Scrub by Lush 

Winter is really harsh on the lips and there is not one thing I can't stand more than dry lips. First sign of chapped lips and I am out buying lip products. This year was no different, and since it was time for lush to bring out all their Christmas stock I headed straight there and found this. Now not only does it leave your lips really smooth.. I could actually just sit there and eat it, that's how good it tastes! Its like drinking a bottle of Cherry Cola. It is a little bit pricey at £5.50 (if I remember rightly) but I would say this product is definitely worth it. It's limited edition, as it is a Christmas product but it has me tempted to buy a second just so I don't run out. 

5) Boots Essentials Moisturising Lotion 

I use this every day and night on my face and it has literally left my skin incredibly soft. It smells of cucumber and gives you a really fresh faced feeling after taking off your make up at night, or after your shower in the morning. Its for all skin types and it has UV protection which is incredibly handy for summer. Its also incredibly affordable at £1.99 - a real student product. 

6) Simple, Kind to Eyes, Revitalising Roll On 

The life of a theatre can be an incredibly tiring one at times, with rehearsals for my last show running 9am to 11pm. Early mornings and late nights are horrible on the under eyes. This stuff can turn even my most tired eyes into bright awake sparkly ones :). Its really refreshing, also smells of cucumber, and states its even for the most sensitive of skin. 

7) Kerastase, Cristalliste (For dry lengths or ends)

I bought this product quite a long time ago from my hairdressers, since I straighten my hair a lot I'm always looking at products to improve and maintain the health of my hair. I used this for a few months and was disappointed not to see any improvement, but continued to use it as I prefer not to waste money on expensive hair products. Now, however, the improvements are amazing. One of those products that takes a long time to work but when it does it has the wow factor. My hair is left amazingly silky smooth after using this product, and it helps to keep my hair straight. It smells good too. Love it. 

And there you have it, all my favourites for the months of November and December :).

Thankyou for reading! 

xxx

Aspiration

Wow, it has been so long since I blogged, and I really began to miss it. The past couple have months have gone by in a flash, and I thought it was definitely time for a little catch up...

So I have now started my second year of university and it is coming to the end of a pretty amazing term. I am so excited for Christmas as I haven't been home at all this term, and it will be amazing to spend some time with my friends and family back home. It will also be good news to everyone to learn I finally got over a broken heart which had been with me since the middle of my first year. I learnt a lot of hard lessons and they will stay with me for all future relationships and I finally learnt how to be single. I learnt a lot about myself and am now looking forward to a future which I am very confident I will absolutely love.

Theatre is still my absolute number one love, and the reason why over the past couple of months I seemed to dropped off the face of the earth. The show my beloved second years and I just put on was a massive success and our lecturer/director is very proud. I am still continuing to learn so much in my chosen craft, and am so grateful for knowing I'm exactly where I want to be in life.

I have also decided in my future to become a journalist. The theatre industry is one I will always hold close to my heart and I will still pursue my dreams of becoming a successful actor.. however theatre jobs and opportunities are becoming scarce and it will be very hard to get by and survive in low points of my career (Low points should be expected by any realistic aspiring actor. I do have complete faith in myself but faith and realism need to come hand in hand). So I have turned to a second love which really began to show itself in my first year at university - writing. This is an aspiration that I'm not sure how to begin or where it will go, but I am going to love finding out.

This brings me to the point of my blog. The topics I will now be including in this blog are ones that interest me and I hope to bring a new level of professionalism to it. I'm not sure what I will talk about yet, it may be a case of sitting in front of the computer and writing whatever comes to me, but that'll still work for me. I will still be posting beauty blogs and experiences :) just with a few new topics and debates appearing.

Hope you'll still enjoy it, and I am so glad to be back after a long absence. Hopefully this all goes to plan...

Wish me luck ;)

xxx

They Say Money Can't Buy You Happiness... They Lie.

OK so here I am admitting it.

I, Lisa-Nicole Stevens, have a major spending problem.

*Warning, this blog contains my thought process...and yes I do swear in my thoughts. Whoopsie* 

 

So it's that time of year where we all go up a year in whatever education we are in, or go out alone into a permanent job. And real life just comes along and kicks you up the arse. Hard.

For me, its realising if I have any - and I mean any - money in my account I will go around chucking it about like it's monopoly money, not giving a shit until my card is declined, and then think fuuuuuuccckkk. What do I do now? That daunting feeling just hits you, and you go home lay on your bed with all your new pretty clothes and beauty products around you, kidding yourself thinking its ok I have new, "arse looks good" jeans and glittery eye liner. Until the next time you walk through the high street and think "oh my gosh I just have to have the flowery hair band, I'm like, never going to wear". And no matter how many new clothes you buy you will always have those "I have nothing to wear days" even though clothes are bursting out of every piece of storage you bloody well own*. *(My life hash tag moment right there).

Of course I'm not the only female that goes through this. Thank you God. I have no idea when I developed this habit. Hmmm.. Actually I do... when I was younger I had a "build a bear" cat called Muffy that just had to have the new ice skater outfit and the new teddy bear converses. Sad.. I know. (**Just a disclaimer, I paid with my own money from birthdays and things and used to get told off as i had so much teddy bear stuff. I was not spoilt :P.**) And this "have to have" attitude has pretty much carried on through my teens and into becoming a young woman who thinks eat and pay rent... or have those amazing red high heels. No awards for guessing which choice I'll pick. And yes I have a million clothes I don't wear on a regular basis, nail varnishes I barely use, and shoes that are just too bloody pretty to wear to either Kasbah or Hush. (Both night clubs in Coventry). But you know what, when I was having a bad day, buying those ridiculously high sparkly heels made everything better. And it meant I didn't have to work my butt off in the gym for a lot longer than I usually do because I'd stuffed a whole bar of Cadbury's Creations down my throat.

BUT..

The time has come for me to finally reign in my spendings *cue retailer screams*. 

I have over £3000 pound rent to pay and I need to actually keep myself alive. You know like, eat and stuff. Heard that's pretty important...

Why don't you get a job I hear you say.. Well I would already have one if they weren't such a nightmare to get hold of. I've been applying all summer and once I finish this blog I shall be applying for even more. 

Until I finally get one though, there's no more splurging for me :(. 

I am now going to go cry into my pillow whilst begging for someone to hire me. I can hear you all wish for my life right now :P.

And when I have a bad day... Well I guess it's the gym for me. Least I'll thighs of steel I suppose. 

Oh, and for anyone in my position as you read this, this saying always helps me - 

Some people are so poor, all they have, is money.

xxx

People never understand "Leave Me Alone"

**For those of you who don't like ranting blogs I would turn away now as this one could get a little ugly.**

It's not really like me to blast my anger all over the internet (or maybe it is) but there seems to be a phrase that no one in the world who speaks english seems to understand. "Leave Me Alone".
Everyone has their bad days. And I swear most people/girls when they are having one want to curl up with their favourite comfort food and be left the hell alone. So why, when you are the one who wants the space, can they not give you the same respect?
You may say it's because "they didn't realise", but all the warning signs are there. The irritated high volumed voice, short responses, the face that clearly means "don't fuck with me today or I'll punch you in the face".
So when you see that face, don't go up to the person with that stupid happy smile and say "who died" because you know what dumbass...someone may have died in their family. And you will get punched in your face. And you'll only have yourself to blame.
Another thing to not do is try to explain to the person why they are feeling the way they are. Why the hell would they need you to say that to them? I think that possibly...they may already know. And you're just going to piss them off even more, and higher your chances of getting kicked in the throat.

So why? Why do people do this. It literally baffles me.

Obviously I'm not saying this applies to everyone, but if I'm having a bad day I don't want jokes, hugs, explanations, sympathy - none of that. I want to cry into my pillow with a big bar of chocolate, pray and be left the hell alone. And maybe punch my wall, which I instantly regret afterwards and can't move my hand for the rest of the day. Then a couple of days later when I've gotten over everything (and my hand has recovered), THEN you can approach me to provoke a bitching sesh that will probably make us laugh till our sides hurt. But until then, leave me alone.

Hmm.. Maybe I need an "approach at own risk t-shirt"..
Or just to write fuck off on my forehead.
Sure that will go down a treat. 


P.S I make myself laugh :)

August Favourites

Bonjour tout le monde!

Just a little apology before I start this blog because I have not been posting as recently as I would like to. Birmingham, London, Poland and Paris have been my main locations of the summer and I just haven't had the time to blog. However, in approximately two weeks I will be moving into my first house back in Coventry with the girls **majorly exciting times** and will be posting more regularly. Think I will set a couple of days each week where I will be sure to blog :).

So, without further ramblings, here are my Monthly Favourites for August. Since I've been traveling a lot over summer, quite a few of these products are travel based. Enjoy :).

1) Escada Taj Sunset - 

I purchased this fragrance way back in Easter at the airport coming back from Magaluf, and I have to say it has been the best summer fragrance. It has a really sweet, gorgeous smell and just gets you ready to enjoy a day of sun. Unfortunately, I think this fragrance is a "travel exclusive" so you can only pick it up at airports, but I do recommend making a purchase of it if you are going away any time soon, as it just smells amazing. 

2) Vitamin C, Energising Face Spritz 

If you travel a lot in Summer whether its exploring different countries or making long journeys on public transport, this is a very handy product to keep in your hand bag. Smelling sweetly of oranges, its an instant, refreshing pick me up for when your just getting that little bit too hot. The vitamin C advantage comes from Amazonian Camu-Camu and Community Trade Aloe Vera, and leaves your skin feeling really soft. The spritz also helps to set make-up which is a great added plus for any girl on the go. This product can be purchased from The Body Shop. 

3) Absinthe Purifying Hand Cream 

Another purchase from the Body Shop and another great product for on the go. The thing that made me fall in love with this product was the smell. I just love it. It is so fresh and clean. It leaves your hand smelling and feeling great. The product is for all skin types and just makes your hands feel so so fresh, which is just great for traveling, especially when you've been on the underground or metro. 

4) Soap and Glory's "Clean, Girls Skin Softening Creamy Body Wash"

I bought this in travel size for my recent trip to Paris (a blog will be going up very soon) and I just have to find out if there is a big size because this body wash is incredible. It leaves your skin so soft and it leaves you smelling great for the whole day. The bottle claims the body wash to have a built-in moisturizing matrix, and the amazing smell is a mixture of natural vanilla fruit and orchid extracts. This product quickly became one of my all time favourite body washes. 

 

5) Rimmel London's Lasting Finish Lip Pencils "1000 kisses" 

I was given one of these in the colour 004 Indian Pink  by my gorgeous best friend Kathy for my Birthday, and it is amazing. the colour comes out a lot more red than the name suggests and is incredibly pigmented, with very easy application. I wore it out the other night underneath my "Apocalips" in the colour Big Bang (major love for this product too) and it lasted all night. Very very impressed with this product. Its also a pencil rather than a twist up product so you get a lot more for the price you pay. 

6) Natural Collection Eye Lines in White

With traveling you can get extremely tired, so recently I have been applying white eyeliner to the inside corner of my eyes to create that big eyes, wide awake look - a trick I learnt off my YouTube beauty gurus - and it really does work. I have had several compliments and would really recommend this to anyone suffering long nights and early mornings. 

7) Revlon, Colour Burst, Lip Butters 


I just love these beauty products. They come in great colours and great for keeping your lips smooth. They are really pigmented and are an exact cross between a lip stick and a lip balm. 
 Lip stick can sometimes leave lips really dry so these are a great substitute. I have them in the colours - 015 Tutti Frutti, 025 Peach Parfait and 075 Lollipop (which my sister has seem to have stolen) and I love them all. 015 and 075 are great for nights out, and 025 is a nice natural pink for daily wear.

8) Maybelline Baby Lips 

Another lip balm product quite similar to the last. These are also great. They come in colours or just a normal lip balm. Smell good, taste good and are great for on the go. I used one in the colour "Pink Punch" (on the left) all the time I was in Paris and I loved the product.






 9) Olive Oil Leave In Conditioner

I have been using this for a couple of months now and am really starting to notice a difference in my hair. In summer there is a whole lot of extra heat added to your hair, and if you also straighten your hair you really have to take extra precautions to ensure your hair stays healthy. Now during summer I actually stopped straightening my hair as much, left it to my natural curls, and used this product every time I washed it. "This conditioner helps to preserve moisture balance and protect against daily styling. Perfect for daily use to promote healthy, silky hair". I would completely agree with this statement, my hair feels silky smooth and has a natural shine (even though I coloured my hair recently). It has also grown which I am so happy about. A great product to help return health to damaged hair and it smells good too.

10) L'Oreal Paris Recital Preference Hair Dye (with high shine elixir)

Being a student, you don't always have the money to go and get your hair dyed in a salon, so for a do it at home job, this is a great product. I was in major need of a re-dye when I came back from Paris and this did the job so well. It covered the whole of my hair without making the roots go a complete different colour - (a major problem with other at-home dyes). The high shine elixir that you add to the dye helps keep your hair smooth and shiny rather than having that dry feeling you usually get after a dye on the cheap. The colour is really rich and not patchy. A great, cheap product at around £7.

And last but not least...

11) My Kindle :)

I received a Kindle from my mum for my birthday and it has barely left my sight since. With all the traveling it has just been awesome. Journeys go so much quicker when you're into a really good book, and for a theatre student its a really quick way of purchasing and reading plays. Also with recently re-decorating my room I realized how much room all my books take up and even though I will always love my paperbacks, kindles are a lot more convenient. I also get through books a lot quicker, which will help when I am actually meant to be reading my academic books for research and essays. 

Books I would recommend reading if you liked "The Hunger Games" as much as me: 
- Divergent 
- Matched
And 
- Shattered Promises 

So that's all my favourites for this month, hope you liked it and I will be blogging again soon. 

xxx

West End Musical "The Bodyguard" Review

 I won't be the first person to have bagged some discount tickets for a west end show. The expense of theatre nowadays is something closely looked at by critics and the public, and in my opinion is one of the main reasons why theatre is constantly decreasing in popularity. Nowadays, 60% of a theatre audience is filled with theatre practitioners themselves. However, the audience of the Adelphi Theatre did not reflect these facts. It was packed full with the biggest range of ages in a west end theatre I have seen in a long time.
When purchasing the tickets and being told that our view would be a little obstructed, I was surprised to have a very clear view of the stage. Starting with a bang - literally - the show began with an immediate silence  from the audience, not caused by the usual turning down of the house lights but by a gunshot. Even if there was still an urge to speak, the quality of what happened next would have rendered the whole audience speechless anyway.
The technical quality of this show was breath-taking, making the star of the show, for me, the technician. With the story-line being somewhat a simple - typical celebrity love story - and the incredible talent on stage being no less than what you would expect of the West End, the sheer control and relaxed persona of the technician at work kept catching my attention. Clearly seeing him from my seat in the audience, it almost looked like he choreographed all his own movements to the music coming from the stage. Throughout the show I could see no fault, in my eyes a major achievement, as what was going on on-stage was a jungle of technical brilliance. A clear influence of cinematography made it's mark all the way through the production with panels that reflected the movement and focus of a filming camera. Alongside rainbow lights, blaring mics and a number of haze machines - even though it is all done in sequences from his desk - I would still say the technician had his work cut out for him.

The whole cast of this show were equally incredible and by far one of the most talented of all West End shows currently standing. - See more at: http://the-void.co.uk/theatre/review-bodyguard-musical-433/#sthash.WKNiURZm.dpuf

The whole cast of this show were equally incredible and by far one of the most talented of all West End shows currently standing - See more at: http://the-void.co.uk/theatre/review-bodyguard-musical-433/#sthash.WKNiURZm.dpuf

 "The whole cast of this show were equally incredible, and by far one of the most talented West End shows currently standing." Louise Ault, The Void Online Magazine

The whole cast of this show were equally incredible and by far one of the most talented of all West End shows currently standing. - See more at: http://the-void.co.uk/theatre/review-bodyguard-musical-433/#sthash.WKNiURZm.dpuf

 Also with the well known musical tracks actually having been taken care of  to fit into the plot of the story, rather than having been forced in like some other musicals, it is very easy to see why this production is upcoming in Broadway in 2014.All theatre lovers, Whitney Houston lovers, or anyone who just needs a pick me up, I would encourage to go and see this brilliant production.

And - even though Theatre Students are encouraged to see plays that give us a message to take away rather than the fast food Theatre of the West End, I would say don't give this production a miss. Theatre is constantly struggling to find sustainability against the forever developing technology and media of our society, and this show for me provoked the question, is the technology in this show the answer? Having that degree of the cinema marking it. Obviously I don't have an answer for this yet, but I'm sure the Theatre Practitioners of the world and I will work until we find one. Theatre will never be dying in our eyes... only improving.**

**The cheesiest of endings but what can you do. 

July Monthly Favourites :)

Hello Everyone, :)

I would love to start posting my blog on my Facebook and Twitter for everyone to read, but before I do that I feel I need to beef it up with some more posts. Its a year on from when I started this blog and I just don't feel I've done it justice yet. So, in an attempt to do this, I am adding a new addition of genre to my blog. As well as being a performance, university student and what I'm up to blog, I will now also be doing a few beauty blogs :) as I am a very girly girl and love all things pretty. So, my first beauty blog is going to be a monthly favourites, inspired by two of my favourite YouTubers - Zoella and Sprinkle of Glitter.

So lets kick off with my 10 July favourites -

Number 1 - Wake Me Up Rimmel Foundation 

This product is my favourite foundation yet. I love it so much I will actually be purchasing it again tomorrow with the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer. It has great coverage, is not cakey, and is pretty damn easy to apply. Definitely a must have.

Number 2 - Carrie Underwood, Some Hearts 

Now I know that this is not a beauty product, but I just had to put this album in my favourites.There is not one song on this album that I don't like, and her voice is absolutely beautiful. And, since I am a lyrics girl, I can really relate to them - the lyrics of her songs are so well written
. A few of my favourite songs are: "Jesus, take the wheel", "Don't forget to remember me" and "Before he cheats". Amazing Album. Bought it a couple of days ago off Itunes, after having a few of her songs for ages, and have listened to it every day since.



Number 3 - Barry M, Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paint 

I have always loved Barry M nail paints, however the Gelly Hi Shine are in a league of their own in my opinion. They have amazing bright colours and they are hard wearing. Also, since I love having long nails they help to prevent my nails for breaking which is a big bonus (especially when you're a contemporary dancer, and a theatre student). Also, since we are going through a little bit of a summer right  now, why not have cute colourful nails? My two favourite shades that I'm sporting at the moment are number 328 - Guava (introduced to me by my bestie Kathy who's blog I shall link at the bottom) and number 327 - Blue Grape.

 Number 4 - Inglot AMC Lip Gloss in shade 544 

This was a purchase I made in Poland and I absolutely the love it. The colour is absolutely spectacular, it smells amazing, and it doesn't have that horrible taste like some lip glosses have which is a major bonus. Its very pigmented and comes out a wonderful pink. YouTubers are absolutely raving about Inglot at the moment, so I would really recommend looking at the range. Their stores in England are in London, White City Westfeilds Shopping Centre and Cambridge Grafton Shopping Centre. Or take a look at their cosmetics website - http://www.inglotcosmetics.com/. Thought Id insert some swabs below of the different colours just in case you're purchasing online. 

Number 5 - Real Techniques Foundation and Powder Brushes (including No 7 Make up Brush Cleanser) 

This brushes actually came to my attention by the many beauty videos I watch on YouTube, and they are known to be some of the best drug store brushes to purchase, and I completely agree. They apply product really nicely and are very soft brushes. They have the best handles to help with application and they are not difficult to clean. 
To clean my brushes on a normal day when I have university, or something to do, I use No 7's Make Up Brush Cleanser  as this does the job really nicely and efficiently. It is recommended you deep clean your brushes monthly. 

Number 6 - Rimmel Scandal Eyes Waterproof Liner in shade 012 Bronze 

Rimmel seems to be my favourite drug store brand at the moment :P, however this is my favourite eye liner pencil recently. It is so pigmented and applies really nicely. I just really really like it. 

 

Number 7 - Benefit Big Beautiful Eyes Contour Kit 

This kit I purchased a while ago however I recently started to use it a lot more. This kit, I would say, is more for the dark hair, brown eyes combination girls. I use this kit mostly for my eyebrows as it contains the perfect shade from them, however it also comes with concealer, and two eyeshadows. It also comes with a blending brush and an angled brush for application. Its quite small so its a nice compact to carry around. It is a little bit more expensive being Benefit, however I would say this kit is worth the money.





Number 8 - Jimmy Choo Perfume 


This Perfume I have worn since last year, but since this is my first monthly favourites I had to include it. It is my go to and signature scent, meaning people can actually tell it's me as I always wear it :p. It just smells amazing, and I get a lot of compliments on it. It also stays with you throughout the day so you don't have to constantly apply it. It is a little pricey so it does make a nice present on your birthday :P or like I do you can save up your boots points and use them when buying it :).



Number 9 - Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Acrylic Gel 

This is an amazing base coat, and really protects your nails from any colours you may put on top. Ive been using it for a while now and it helps to keep the nail varnish from chipping and strengthens your nails really nicely. It is a little pricey but when compared with Nails Inc and OPI it is a pretty good buy. And if you paint your nails a lot, it helps to stop them from staining, as no one wants yellowy nails. Or it you wear a lot of fake nails, it helps the repair process once they've been taken off.




And Finally Number 10 - Vaseline Cocoa Radiant Rich Feeling Lotion

This product was introduced to me by my university friend Rachel, she was putting it on and I just remember saying - "That smells amazing!". The best smelling moisturiser I have smelt in a while. I purchased it straight away and since it's Vaseline it also leaves your skin feeling lovely and soft :).








So, that is all my favourites for July, hope you enjoyed this blog, and I will hopefully will be doing one of these every month. I'm hoping to blog a lot more in the recent future and be a lot more commited.. fingers crossed :).

xxx

My Best Friend's Blog:    http://blogofalittlemuffin22.blogspot.co.uk/

Zoella's YouTube Channel:   https://www.youtube.com/user/zoella280390

Sprinkle Of Glitter YouTube Channel:   https://www.youtube.com/user/Sprinkleofglitter

20 things I would tell my Fresher Self...

As many of you may know I have recently finished my first year, and oh my gosh it went so quick. Where did the year go? I have had the best time ever - I have been the most busy, stressed, tired, drunk and happy since I've been here. I cannot tell you how many times my sides have hurt from laughing so much. And how many times Ive gone into university with about 3 hours sleep... trust me, you'll do it :P.
Now I know I was practically the only one of my friends to go to uni and not take a gap year, not to mention the first in my family, so I was inspired to do this blog, as I don't want them all to panic as much as I did.
I was practically gripping on to the banister, crying, while I was being dragged into the car to drive to Conventry. To say the least..i was really scared, and worried.
It took me just a couple days to realise I had absolutely nothing to worry about. So here we go...

*Warning...this will not be sugar coated. Its the whole truth and nothing but the truth. To be freshers... Enjoy :)*

1) Relax. Breathe. And think of all the pretty things you can buy for your room..

2) Be organised!!

I know for my university we had an email through to enrole over the internet, also to get my scholarship I had to apply through a lot of emails. So, as soon as you get them through, do what needs to be done. Do not leave it till the last minute or you'll learn your lesson the hard way.

3) Dont buy things without knowing...

For my first year I was in university halls. So if you're in the same boat as me you'll be living with about 5 other people. And do you know what happens.. everyone turns up with a kettle and a toaster... wait until you get there to buy. Its also a bit of bonding going to buy the things you need together and you wont waste any money. Also there are rules to what you can put in your room, so check the guidelines before buying canvases, posters and candles.

4) Don't miss any freshers events!

Ok.. so this is your first week of uni and you want to look nice and be all fresh for lectures! WRONG. Do not miss a single fresher event, as these are always major highlights of uni. Why do you think all the second and third years...even graduates - come back for freshers? Because it is awesome. Paint parties, foam parties, the bar crawl... I'm already excited for the next freshers. Also, like me, you'll probably also have your first experience of falling asleep in a lecture. Luckily it was just a guy in about the media loan shop so my actual lecturers didn't see. Phewww...

5) It is inevitable you will make friends...

With this also comes, don't expect to be friends with everybody. At uni, you make some of the closest friends you will ever have, but if you havent already learnt the lesson - "a tight group of close friends is better than being the most popular" you will learn it here. Be careful who you get involved with... not everyone is your friend. and not everyone is to be trusted. I indeed learnt this the hard way.

6) Do not get a name for yourself...

People say all the time that uni is just about getting laid.. If you come across a guy like this send him to me and I will argue him out. He could not be more wrong.. and more of an arrogant arsehole. Uni is about making friends for life, and earning a future. Not seeing how many times you can show up to a clinic and get the all clear. Be humble, and pure. Don't let university ruin your morals. And if you're in a relationship... people who say it won't last, just don't know you and your relationship. Yes, I did break up with my boyfriend when I got here but we weren't happy before I left. You will know if it will last, don't worry about what other people are saying. Stay true to you. Only let uni change you for the better.

7) Join a Society

This for me is a must. Most of my friends are not from my course, but from my society, and your social life just explodes with events. Also, if your like me and join a dance society, it is also a form of exercise, and you get to do performances which is just a bonus. It also comes with things like hoodies, t-shirts - which are things you can keep for life.

8) Don't feel like you need to be-friend your lecturers 

Ugh my biggest pet hate is people who try to make chatty conversation with the lecturers about how much they chundered the other night. It is not needed. Your lecturers are not there to be your friends, they are there to educate and to lead you... and if you start going off track, my god they will let you know. I'm talking - hearing the shouting out in the corridor when your in the room 5 meters away, or that horrible face where you just know they are disappointed. Seriously.. I have been so close to giving my lecturer a hug, I hate seeing that face. Luckily it wasn't me who caused these problems but just a message - Your lecturer will respect you more for your hard work, punctuality and commitment. Not how many vodka and red bulls you chucked down your throat the other night. And as for adding your lecturers on facebook.. we had one girl who put up a status saying how bored she was in a lecture... she was called out to the front of the class the next day to be asked why the hell she was paying £9000 to be bored... good move huh?

9) Get invovled in everything you possibly can

If you are doing a theatre course like me, don't let any opportunity pass you by. I'm talking lighting other productions, getting involved with media and dance, seeing how you can help the second and third years, third year plays, extra curricular activities like fabularium and going to see as much theatre as you can! Yes, I did all this, and handed my work in on time, and was in a society - so it is possible. The best way to learn the techniques and skills is by seeing them.

10) Do the reading!

You will get a book bundle. Now you don't have to read these books cover to cover, but it's good practice to start getting interested in them. They are the key to your essays. At university, you must read books. And most of it is independent learning through research. No websites are expected for research in essays, only books. Make the university library your new best friend. On a theatre course you will also be expected to read plays for theatre histories. Learn to enjoy them. This is your passion.. and your paying £9000, may as well make the most of it.So if you don't like reading, I suggest you learn to.

11) Be prepared to struggle. Seriously.

This is not to scare.. I promise. In the first couple of weeks, I really thought I was the dumb one of the class. I hadn't fully come out of my shell so no one had really seen me act, and the big words that were being thrown around made me feel confused and stupid. My first university essay - I had to research three different ways on how to reference to then finally call my Step Dad for help.  I was sat there with about 10 different books around me thinking what the f*** do I write? I really thought I would fail... Then I came out with the highest mark in the class. 

In the first couple of weeks on a theatre course you will have to unlearn everything you learnt before. Yes this is frustrating and annoying! To learn that everything we learnt in college for two years in wrong...but its the way it is. But by the time the first year finishes everything will begin to make sense. So relax and enjoy the struggle - because at that moment in time, it's exactly where you should be. And everyone around you is feeling the same, even though it may not appear that way... they are actors after all.

12) Take Responsibility

If you're hungover... drag yourself up and get into uni. You are paying £9000, so if your pain is self inflicted, force yourself in. Everything that is taught is important and not repeated. So don't miss it without a serious illness related reason.

13) Don't expect to keep in touch with everyone. It won't happen.

Unfortunately you will drift from people, but that's a lesson you learn about life - people come and people go. Just remember the good memories, and move on. And the people that stick around, appreciate them. They're worth it.

14) Your best friends are your family. Stay in touch.

Support and a shoulder to cry on. The people who don't mind how many times you call them up crying because you think you've given yourself food poisoning as your a crap cook, and are always there when you need to rant, and have someone on your side. They will tell you when your wrong, and give you the praise you need when your right. I really don't know what I'd do without my family. 

15) If your a home sicky like me, try to avoid going home. It makes it worse. 

This is the truth, the only way to beat home sickness is to wait it out. And socialise. Take your mind of it. You're gunna be fine. By the end of first year, you won't want to leave uni :p.  Believe me.

16) Priorities, You need them!

Whether its the new iron man movie, vs doing your essay. Or buying that last bottle of wine rather than eating for a week, you need to start saying no to yourself. Yes it sucks but remember your decisions effect your future. Don't be the hungry fool, asking for an extension. It doesn't look good. 

17) Learn to cook, and bags for life are a must.

I don't really need to explain the cook thing.. but the bags for life. You don't drive, and weekly shops are an absolute killer. Made even worse by the stupid plastic bags breaking and things smashing. Believe me they are worth the ten pence. Bag for life it up.

18) We all tell ourselves we'll keep on top of things...

Be prepared to pull all the nighters a couple of days before a deadline. Its the first year, and you don't learn your lesson until the end of it. Maybe not even till the third year...maybe not even till you graduate. (Your first year doesn't count towards your final grade but its a good idea to get known by your lecturers for being a good student.) Believe me, you'll be up until four am the day before stressing just like everyone else. And there's nothing wrong with that as long as you meet the deadline. Snacks help - marshmallows, grapes, and chocolate biscuits are my favorites. Also a comforting thought: It is proven that people who do their essays last minute get higher grades because they waffle less. BUT this does not mean leave it! As you will stress...but its just something to keep you calm when you do. Please don't believe it is always the case though.

19) We all say...I'm gunna dress nice for uni.

Hahahaha. That's what my lecturers do if you turn up in a skirt. Laugh at you. And God forbid you wear jeans. Your on a theatre course. Extremely physical. Wear jogging bottoms, trainers and covering tops please. The first thing they said to us was "No Cs. Cleavage or Cracks." Also, always carry deodorant.The smelly one is never a good nickname. Also it is sometimes required to go bare foot - so ladies - pay attention to your feet. Its an excuse for pamper evenings.

20) ENJOY THE HELL OUT OF YOURSELVES!!!

My first year has been one of the best years of my life, and it went too quickly. Enjoy it while you can, because before you know it you'll be wearing that cap and those robes. Scary right? Don't let this amazing expeirence pass you by :). Ever wonder why people say the education years are the best of your life - because they really really are.

Hope this blog helped and sorry its so long. I'm actually excited for all of you as you have no idea how much fun you are going to have. Think your happy now? Wait till you get to uni. Now go spend time with your friends and family :) and don't leave packing too late! 

And of course... Enjoy moving out and moving into uni :) its not as scary as it seems and the freedom is pretty damn awesome.

Oh and enjoy freshers week! :D I know I will! 

I just realised I am now know as a second year *shocked face* ohhh myyy dayysss. I am going to miss the nickname "fresher"....

It all  starts counting now... Yay -.-

Fabularium :D Day 1...

So today guys I had such an awesome day that I just had to blog! If you read my last blog you would know that I am taking part in a summer activity ran by my tutor Glenn called Fabularium and just OH MY GOD. It is sooo much fun!
Today we began with a few folk songs that are always performed when it comes to this time of year, and we basically worked on harmonies and splitting the group up to sing at different times, all at the same time, if that makes sense. Now I'm not much of singer, but the tune, melodies and atmosphere it creates just gets you moving and having a good time :)!
Then..The mats came out, which meant one thing! Acrobatics. We obviously started with a warm up so we didn't get injured. Which also included planking and a balance exercise where I have never felt such a burn in my core - six pack is coming on :p. We then explored balancing with different parts of our body like a hand stand but on the shoulder or the elbow. Going to explore handstands was where it got incredibly interesting. Now the exercise was to handstand and lean against another person's back to support you. Easy right? But this was just setting up for a much bigger exercise. Before I knew what was happening my tutor had called my name and got me to the centre of the room. He laid down on the floor with his knees up and you know.. He only wanted me to hold his knees... and do a handstand on to them!... Huh?
For those of you who know me, you know I'd be like "Ok" and do it... which I did :p. This actual stunt is called a candlestick and will be one of the moves performed by the wagon in the town centre. Now the first time I tried it I gave a little to much power and ended up going over and scaring the crap out of everyone watching. However this was the next part to the stunt - a walkover. Yeah.. I totally knew that was what I was meant to do :p.
We then tried several over stunts - one where I start on the floor then get thrown up into the air and land on my feet. Another, where you handstand behind someone and they flip you over their head on to your feet.  We also did the simpler things like cartwheels and roundoffs. We also rolled over someones back as they stood up - a lot of fun but the floor does come as a little bit of a shock :p.

After lunch we then came back to the thing I have been desperately wanting to learn since September - stilt walking!!! I waited patiently for my turn, and helped my friend Lauren around the space making sure she didn't fall as we had a few who ended up wither on their face or bum !! Then it was finally my turn :D and you know what at first I was like oh my, and my heart was beating and it was sooo wobbly. But by the end of it I walking like you would down the street...well maybe not quite. But it was sooo much fun. Obviously you have to learn the technique first and it will take a lot of practice to take it out into performance. But if your willing to put in the time and effort why not? I'm even thinking about buying some stilts of my own - do you know they fall under the category of painters equipment? You learn something new everyday eh ;).

Ahhh today was soooo good :) - sneaky peek of me on stilts --->
The guy on my left is my tutor Glenn and the other is a second year called Nick who was kind enough to help me round and grab me whenever I was heading floor bound :P. 

I'm not trying to say I'm tough and nothing scares me, because believe me some things scare me more than you can imagine. But if there is one thing I have learnt over the past year, it's to not let fear stand in the way of anything. If your scared just throw yourself into it and try not to think about it. And I can bet you, you'll come out on the other side happier and proud.
So go out there people and do something that makes your heart beat that little bit faster.
Have fun adrenaline seekers...

People say they are jealous because I'm having so much fun, but that's only because I'm taking every opportunity that is thrown at me. Especially in your first year - never let anything pass you by, and you won't regret it. You may be exhausted and have a major breakout on your face due to stress. But who really cares? I don't - I'm loving life. Sleep is just something you have to give up when your a student and phsstt you can sleep when your old.  And you'll look back on your first year and think dayumm I've done and learnt so much. You'll also be respected for your hard work and enthusiasm which is never a bad thing.

AND if you are around Coventry and a performing arts lover like myself... come down on either the 13th, 14th or 15th June (or all three) to the town centre to see me and my colleges running around, flipping, stunting and laughing our heads off. And of course give me a shout out :)..hopefully see you there.

More Fabularium updates to come...

Majorly Exciting Times :)

Last night I was the happiest I have been in a while. This doesn't mean that there is nothing difficult going on in my life at the moment...because believe me there are a few things, maybe more than a few, but to counterweight the bad there's the good. The really good.I have soooo many things to look forward to its crazy. *Its cray cray*!

Let me just tell you, I have never been so tired in my life and I have never had to tidy my room so much! This is the greatest sign of happiness. I'm so tired because I am literally taking every opportunity that comes my way. With a theatre degree its the best thing to do, believe me. And you know what... I am sooo glad I did not go to a drama school rather than a university, because you get so much more experience at a uni.

"A tidy room is the sign of a wasted life"

The first thing I am looking forward to is FINISHING MY FIRST YEAR OF UNI!! ahhhh. It has gone so unbelievably quick and has been one of the best years of my life. I have learnt sooo much and met so many amazing people. Yes, there have been hardships, but my god I would not change it for the world. I'm hopefully going to end this year with a 2:1 *fingers crossed* which I will be incredibly pleased with. To people who think theatre degrees are easy... well wait for my blog to be posted and take a look then. If its not your passion, you wouldn't last 10 minutes in the black box room. Ive also had so much fun with Street Dance and have met some friends that I hope will stick around for a very very long time. 

CUPA BALL! Our end of year Performing Arts Ball. I cannot wait to dress up all fancy, take really nice pictures with everyone and my casts throughout the year, and give the Third years an incredible send of that they deserve. Oh and show off some dance moves :p... Cannot think of a nicer way to end my first year. Stand by for the photos. =D

The next thing I am extremely excited about is FABULARIUM :D. Now for those of you who dont know what this is, it's a touring theatre group which perform in June in Coventry Town Centre, run by my tutor Glenn. We have people that walk the town performing and an olden day cart which holds the main attraction show. Now it is all about acrobatics and sillyness and it is going to be sooo much fun. I'm staying in Coventry an extra week just so I can do it, I'm also missing a trip to Bournemouth with the Street Dancers for it - that is how much I want to be a part of it. In my vlogs for summer you'll be able to read all about it. I am hoping to learn stilt walking so we shall see how that one goes ;). Or I am going to be running around the town with a heard of other people dressed as sheep, being chased by our Shepperd Dog...and also a few security guards who have a go at us and all we can reply with is BAAAHHH - which annoys them even more. So look out for the pictures and videos :) based on the ones from last year they will be truly hilarious.

I may also be doing some work with the technical side of the Theatre as I have been asked by one of my lecturers to help out with some very big shows during the Summer. This is an amazing opportunity. She was really impressed with how me and a friend coped with teching and thought we had great potential. So, I shall be widening my experience into lighting, whilst getting to see some incredible shows. =D 

I am off to POLSKA for two weeks!! eeekkk. Jestem bardzo podekscytowany i nie mogę się doczekać, aby poznać. I rozszerzyć moje polskie :). I am going to be exploring the jazz clubs and the theatre, Going to the churches and just basically soaking up all the culture. Im am going to eat sooo many precelki its crazy! And go photography mad. We are staying in an apartment in the mountains and I'm going to be able to spend some quality time with my Mum and Step Dad after having been away at Uni all year. Cannot wait to vlog this trip :).

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL !!!! Since I am one of the greatest sisters ever this Christmas I bought myself and my sister tickets to go see Cirque Du Soleil, a circus I have wanted to see for as long as I can remember. I am sooooo excited.Eeeekkkk. Just ahhhhhhhh. 

PARIS. For those of you who don't know-  My first love being the Theatre, it is closely followed by my second PARIS. So I will hopefully be taking a trip there this Summer. Looking at the art district, getting a load of characatuers, and visiting the beloved Eifle Tower. 

I will also be seeing my friends as much as I can, and going to London all the time for last minute Theatre tickets. So if you want to find me, just search the London Theatres for a clumsy auburn haired girl (my hair colour for summer) with some sort of dress on, bright coloured painted nails, and the biggest smile on her face. That would be me. Oh, and maybe holding a map. My sense of direction is shi----.

This summer is going to be one to remember, since last summer I was suffering with clinical depression and spent most of it on anti sickness tablets with a fear of even going outside. (Not that the Olympics wasn't incredible). I was also crapping myself about going to uni. Now, I am single and care free and cannot wait to get out there. AND I turn 19, so major birthday celebrations! I also will be excited about coming back to university and moving into my first ever house with one of my greatest friends Laide. We will be decorating and baking... its going to be so good :). House warming invitations will be going out in October.

Happy Happy Happy.

Time to love life everyone. 

I wish you all a wonderful bank holiday. 

"Love the life you live, Live the life you love." 

So...I went and adopted a Tiger :D.

So, let me explain my day today...
I woke up not very happy, in a lot of pain and feeling pretty damn crappy. It resulted in me not making it to my morning rehearsal for a play called Herons, so I was feeling pretty bad about myself. I felt like I needed to something productive, so i got up and began more work on my Personal Development Program (the main piece of coursework I do for my degree).
Whilst typing I had the TV on in the back ground, like I always do..."How I Met Your Mother" was playing out - one of my favorite shows...not distracting at all :p. When, an advert came on the telly that immediately caught my attention...

As some of you may know WWF are an association that work towards keeping endangered species of animal alive and safe from poachers. This advert was specifically talking about Bengal Tigers. They are currently being targeted by poachers, caught in traps, bleeding to death, and having their body parts used for illegal medicine and sold on.

 As some of you may know tigers have been my favourite animal for my whole life..closely followed by rabbits, because as much as i would like to pull a Princess Jasmine, I can't have a Tiger as a pet. However...I can adopt one and keep it safe from the terrible people who feel it is ok to harm them. And.. since I was feeling really crappy I could think of nothing better to make me feel good then doing something to make the world we live in just that little bit lovelier. So I now give £3 a month to keeping a tiger safe and happy. And you know what... That makes me feel incredibly happy.

Tigers aren't the only animal you can adopt. So, I urge you if you have a favourite animal who is struggling to survive, please just go on to https://support.wwf.org.uk/ and have a look around. What harm can it do? £3 really isn't that much when you think about it, and it really does make you feel good about yourself. I cannot wait for my sponsor pack to arrive at my home address.


Have a productive and happy day today people...and happy sponsoring ;).