Juice Juice! Who Likes Juice? I Like Juice!

Having recently moved in with my boyfriend, in a (very close by) but albeit new city - the gym has been eschewed in favour of cuddly nights on the sofa. A new kitchen and surroundings have meant hearty meals and not salads of late. And this has all led to an unfortunate expansion of my waistline. 

I haven't been comfortable with my shape/size/weight since school. I left school for an office job and my late teens-early twenties were awash with nights out, break-ups, pizza, takeaways and generally unhealthy habits.

Typically, I laugh off fad diets, and have successfully lost weight (going from a size 18 to a 12) in around 8 weeks for my 21st birthday just through healthy eating. Some of this has popped back on in recent times and I need to make a drastic change I feel.

Mr. came home from work, excitedly talking of a juice detox that his colleagues have been doing - losing weight and gaining energy in the process. He wanted to begin immediately and I figured What the hell? A kick start may be exactly what's needed to boost the old energy levels and lose a few inches in the process.

The weekend saw us excitedly pop out to Argos to purchase our juicer. We settled for this little baby (due to be delivered tonight!!) http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9146013.htm

The juice detox will commence tomorrow, lasting a week - we'll be following a strict diet, five daily juices, no solid food in this time. I plan to post all the recipes and such for each day, along with results, general feelings and moans. It's completely okay to broadcast your weight, measurements, hunger pangs, motivation, anger on the internet, right?!

I am so excited to have energy above all!

Wish me luck? xx

Autumn Tag :)

ALERT: STOLEN TAG/POST! :)

Haha I swiped this tag from a blog I recently started following, written by the witty and beautiful Kimberley over at http://www.kimberleysbeautyblog.com.

1. Favourite thing about it? I love being able to layer cosy cardigans, cute hats and big thick scarves. I love the spectrum of colours I see on my commute to work. I love cuddling on the sofa with the Mr. But most of all...I LOVE THAT IT'S GETTING CLOSE TO CHRISTMAS!

2. Favourite drink? Starkbucks and Costa bring out the most amazing seasonal drinks, and extravagance I totally justify. The Costa Chocolate Orange Mocha Latte is AMAZING. I am asking Santa for a coffee machine this year.

3. Favourite scent/candle? We just picked up some things from PartyLite, amongst them the Spruce in the Snow tealights - these smell so so good, maybe a little winter/spring though. I love orange and cinnamon scents around this time of year.

4. Best lipstick? I have been wearing my Revlon Lip Butters recently (currently sporting shade 035 Candy Apple.) But I love the look of the Rimmel/Kate Moss collab here - shade 01 is beautiful. The RiRi hearts MAC collection is also stunning. I need RiRi Woo.

5. Go to moisturiser? I'm a simple girl; no really...I either wear Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Moisturiser, Garnier Moisture Match Hydrating Gel or my MD Solutions Moisture Defence Antioxidant Creme.

6. Go to colours for the eyes? My Naked palette, all year long. Also been using my Sleek Snapshots palette recently as the colours seem to really suit my new red hair.

7. Favourite music or band/singer to listen to? I don't really have Autumn music as such, I listen to all sorts at all times. I had to work hard this morning to stop myself singing along to Alanis Morissette's masterpiece album Jagged Little Pill on the bus. Also loving Ben Howard, Ed Sheeran and Three Doors Down as always too.

8. Favourite outfit to wear (i.e. boots and a scarf combo)? I live in my leggings, long shirts/tops and cardis, maybe a little scarf and my die hard New Look books that are falling apart from overuse but are yet to be surrendered.

9. Autumn Treat? Cosy new jumpers, jackets and socks (I don't wear socks in Spring/Summer as I'm always in ballet flats.)

10. Favourite place to be? On my sofa, with the mister, watching rubbish TV. talking nonsense and keeping each other warm.

I tag anyone who wants to, to do this tag. Please link me so I can read your Autumn/Fall loves!

Happy Wednesday! xx

When the Mister is Away....Pt. 1.

It became evident this weekend that when left to my own devices I shop, I drink, I have lie-ins and I watch cheesy movies. And I am 100% okay with this. In fact, I embrace it.

The girly-whirls came over on Saturday night, we had the aforementioned cocktails- thoroughly utilising my smoothie maker, for the first time in its little manufactured life - it made small work of ice cubes, vodka and frozen fruit to make some of the nicest cocktails I have ever had. I wish I had photographic evidence of our masterpieces, but alas I was too busy being the hostess with the fajita cookin' skillz. Early-ish to bed to watch Friends with Benefits - Dayum Mila Kunis, you fine girl!

Sunday saw me meet with the sibling and her ridiculously adorable littles for a trip into town, where I went a little purchase-happy in Boots. I picked up some bits I'd been meaning to for a while, and then decided on a whim to dye my hair bright red.

Here's my little haul:

1. Schwarzkopf LIVE Color XXL Luminance in shade L42 Infra Red. 

2. Charles Worthington Salon at Home Shampoo and Conditioner Colour Enhancer - 250ml 

3. Maybelline Colour Tattoo x2 in shades On and On Bronze and Permanent Taupe

4. Maybelline Babylips in Cherry Me (had to give in to the hype!)

1. Permanent Taupe 

2. On and On Bronze (how pretty?!)

Cherry Me - Babylips tinted lipbalm

I dyed my hair last night, and took photos throughout, though, it's gone a tad ginger today - endless mocking at work! I plan to purchase another box and go over the top, hoping to get a little more traction on the red. Stay tuned for pics and a post!

:)

#Soundtrack Saturday

Put your hands up for good times and good friends!

#1. Haim - The Wire (Chooooon!)
#2. No Doubt - Bathwater (Gwen Stefani, you absolute stunner!)
#3. Katy Perry - Wide Awake ("Falling from cloud nine!") - Why does this always happen?
#4. Semisonic - Closing Time (Perhaps a slight hint)
#5. Miley Cyrus - We Can't Stop (What is it about this song?!)
#6. Carly Rae Jepson - Tonight I'm Getting Over You (so cheesy!)
#7. Bastille - Pompeii (Going to see these guys at the end of the month!)
#8. Destiny's Child - Lose My Breath (old school!)
#9. The Veronicas - Untouched (Aussie BABES!)
#10. Train - 50 Ways to Say Goodbye. (Such a catchy tune, love the chorus lyrics!)

I'm sure there will be far far more added, but for just now, I'm levelling off at a round ten...this is my little playlist for the girls night in!

Does anyone else make a playlist for certain happenings? (I have friends...okay maybe me...who have some slow song playlists for mood music - don't judge me?)

Gotta Get Down on Friday

Anyone else start singing Rebecca Black when weekend eve comes around? Nope? Just me? Alllllrighty then!

Unfortunately, this little lady will not being getting down on Friday. I'm currently at work, clock watching like a pro! Once good old hometime rolls around - I have my little commute (I feel so grown up!) and then home, to clean my flat (again - grown up or what?) before collapsing on the sofa with Mr. for an episode or two of Breaking Bad! Man oh man, do I love this show. I'm still on season one, and can not wait for the finale.

I'm still not 100% sure what the plans are this weekend, I have a difficult decision to make tomorrow as to whether or not I attend a colleague's funeral. (I'm pretty torn on this one!) and then I have something we Scots like to call an "empty". Translation: I have the flat to myself as Mr. is heading down the road to visit some family and old family friends. So I plan to have some of the besties over for cocktails and fajitas! I moved to my new place nearly two months ago, and some of my friends are yet to visit. So this will be a housewarming of sorts. Je suis excité!

Here's a little preview of what's likely to be consumed...

#Tangiblecocktails!

















What's everyone planing this weekend? I hope cocktails, good food and great people feature heavily in your plans :) xx

The Great Daytime Face Race

Let's just get one point absolutely and undeniably straight, I love make-up. I would forgo food to buy it, I like looking at it, I love arranging it and normally my favourite part of a night out is putting it on.

Recently though, as previously mentioned...I've not been wearing a lot of it. This is down to sheer laziness. I love sleeping as late as I can in the mornings, and when awake, I am a serial morning-snuggler. I want to rip Boyfriend's phone out of his hand so that he can't catch up on the Daily Mail, and is forced to pay attention to meeeeeee!

I also do not work in a customer-facing environment, so I can get away with not looking entirely put together. I don't go as far as holes in my clothes, but no eyeliner is generally okay.

That being said, my daytime face, usually incorporates these little ones (I have merely linked the sites/stores I purchased the products from, they may be available cheaper elsewhere):

1. Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation - here - £26.50-28.50

I am shade Cool Bone in this little baby. I do love the coverage this gives, and have no experienced "Ghost-face" from the SPF that it contains, but the stickiness and the amount of elbow-grease needed to blend this beast in, do detract somewhat. If you're interested, I use the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush to blend my foundation in. It's a phenomenal piece of equipment, that I really think I would be lost without.

2. Benefit Boi-ing Concealer - here - £17.50

I was advised to pick this up in shade 01, and it's pretty spot on, especially for winter. I am a pale little so-and-so. Anytoots, I find this to be a fantastic undereye brightener, and if set with powder, a great blemish-hider!

3. MAC MSF Natural - here - £22

A newbie to my face race, but still beautiful and deserves a mention. This sets my foundation fantastically, conteracts the DW sticky, and adds a little veil of extra coverage. Me likey! I'm shade Light Plus here.

4. Benefit They're Real Mascara - here - £19.50

This little warlock, is truly the greatest mascara I have ever owned. Not only did I get it for free essentially, with my Boots points. But it makes my lashes look long, voluminous and deep dark black, stays where it's put and lasts the day/night. Only concern is how hard it is to remove.

5. Rimmel Professional Brow Pencil - here - £2.99

I do own the HD Brow kit, and typically use it for nights out, I find this cheap little chappy fills my gappy brows in pretty darn snappy! :) I use the shade Dark Brown, I think, it's worn off.

6.  Sleek Blush - here - £4.49

I own a few shades of these pigmented little babies as I had purchased a couple, and then was lucky enough to win some in a Facebook competition that Sleek ran (eeeeep!) So my mood can vary here as to which I wear. But these are typically my go to cheek candy. If you're interested, I own (and love) - Life's a Peach, Pixie Pink, Suede, Pomegranate, Rose Gold (new!) and Sunrise.

And I tend to leave it at that, occasionally, I'll pop something from my Naked palette on my eyes, maybe some eyeliner (Urban Decay 24/7 Liner) and if I'm feeling particularly adventurous, I contour my non-existent cheekbones with my Sleek contour kit.

Wow...my face (when I bother to do it) with only these products is worth £94.98. That is sobering, and a little scary.

Haulin' - City Style

I feel I took advantage of Edinburgh this weekend, though shopping time was limited, with the Mr. in tow, who has a pretty low capacity for "girly crap" I made it my aim to hit a few stores in the big city that my little place back home lacks.

First Stop - the MAC counter in Harvey Nichols. (edit: are you sitting down? Aside from a few eBay fakes, I own NO MAC make-up!) I was particularly excited for this one, and had the counter not been so busy and the ladies working there not so flustered, I would have dented my budget pretty heavily here. As it stood, I came away with a Mineralised Skin Finish - just a normal one. I was recommended the shade Light Plus, which suits my pale chops perfectly.



Onwards to the Benefit counter, where I wanted to pick up a new Boi-ing concealer, I had this a few years back, and wanted to give it another whirl. Matched to the lightest shade 01.




I was very easily coerced into picking up this little set too, Luv It Up  - so cute! For £19.50, you get three longwear powder eyeshadows in 1. Call My Buff 2. Nude Swings 3. Thanks a Latte, a creaseless cream shadow in R.S.V.P, and a ultra plush gloss in the shade Dandelion. You also get an instruction booklet with look ideas to be created using the palette.

On the Sunday, Princes Street was a-calling, and I hit Superdrug in search of some Sleek products. Superdrug where I live doesn't stock this brand, and I love 'em. So was delighted to find the big SD on Princes St does. I initially went in for the Vintage Romance collection palette and blush, but they were sold out. So I opted instead for a palette called Snapshots (I don't think I have any of these colours in my collection) and a blush by the name of Rose Gold which when swatched, looked fantastic on my skin against my contouring bronze. I can't wait to start playing with these babies! I also grabbed the Loreal 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution, which is a budget version of the much coveted Bioderma.

 Look at this BEAUTIFUL Palette, I have read that all the colours are re-releases, but I must've missed the palettes they originally came in, as I haven't anything like them in my collection of Sleek Palettes (I think I have 6 or 7 now?!) Apologies for the very small shade names on my split pics, I didn't want to detract from the beautiful colours.

 Top 1.Summer Breeze 2.Martini 3.Kiwi Flower 4.Lotus Flower 5.Hummingbird 6.Tequila Sunrise
Bottom 7.Sandwalker 8.Washed Ashore 9.Sunset 10.Green Iguana 11. Purple Haze 12. Magenta Madness

I'm yet to have a real play with all of my new goodies, so will have proper swatches and a review or two etc ASAP.

My bank balance hates me. This is all.