No Make-Up Monday!

This is a selfie that I took a while ago. No, I am not wearing any make-up. But why am I uploading it on a Monday? Because Demi Lovato, on Instagram, has started a new small campaign known as #NoMakeUpMonday where we all take a selfie with no make-up on. I think this is a great idea and a great way to help girls feel confident without makeup.

I didn't start wearing make-up until I was about 15 because between the ages of 12 and 14, I was really laidback and couldn't care less but not long after my 15th birthday, I began to feel unconfident and self-concious. I began wearing make-up, thinking that it would make me look 100x more prettier. I'm 17 now and I know that isn't the truth. 

Us women ARE beautiful without make-up. That's the truth.

One thing that annoys me is when I look through magazines and I see an article written about a celebritiy that isn't wearing any make-up and they make a big deal out of it. Why has it become such a big deal for celebrities to be seen without make-up? It's their choice if they want to wear make-up or not, it's not up to you.

Make-up is really expensive, why are we spending a fortune on cosmetics to make ourselves look better? We don't need to look better, we are already looking beautiful! 

Whenever I see a girl posting a picture of her 'Naked 3' palette that she's just bought, costing at about £38, and I think, 'Wow. A homeless person could've used that money to buy him/herself some food' or 'There are starving/dying children in Africa and you're spending money on a palette to make yourself look better?' that just proves to me that there is something wrong with society. We shouldn't be spending our money on making ourselves out there when there are people with illnesses such as cancer, people living on the streets, ect. We should be giving some of the money we get to charity. I don't mean all of your money as I know with many people, money is very tight nowadays.

Just think, cancer has been killing people for hundreds and hundreds of years, we are in 2015 now and we still haven't found a cure. It's killing too many innocent people, we need to find a cure as soon as possible and the only way to do that is by donating money to charities such as Cancer Research UK and Stand Up 2 Cancer. Don't want to donate your money? Well, let me persuade you: how you would feel if a close family member or friend came home one day and told you they had cancer and only had a short time to live? Or if a doctor told you that you had cancer? Wouldn't you want a cure then? Of course you would. So, please, if you do have any money spare, don't waste it, spend it on helping someone.

Tanya Burr, who is a YouTuber, tweeted this a while ago and I couldn't agree more. If you do see a homeless person on the streets and you have some money, just think about what you're going to spend it on. If you were going to spend it on make-up, just think: 'Do I really need that make-up palette? If I get that make-up palette, I'll use it to cover up my naturally pretty face when I don't need to. That homeless person probably hasn't eaten in a while, maybe he needs this money more than I do.' I'm pretty sure if everyone started thinking this way and started donating bits of their money to help others, the world really would be a much more positive and happier place.

Just imagine this: a world without make-up. Might be hard for you, but just try and imagine it. You wake up, have a shower, and get dressed and then you start your day. Wouldn't you feel a bit happier not having to worry about doing your make-up? We could save a lot of money by not using make-up anymore. 

Another reason why I don't like make-up is because some of them test their cosmetics on animals. As a vegetarian, I think this is absolutely disgusting. To think that a poor animal has been taken away from their natural habitat into a suffocating lab to have a cosmetic tested on them to make sure it doesn't hurt us makes me sick. Why should an animal have to suffer whilst being tested on a product to make sure it doesn't harm your skin?

So many things upset me. At least 95%, or more, of girls feel like they can't live without make-up. This is so sad and not how it should be. Don't stay inside just because you've run out of foundation! Think to yourself, 'Foundation is not that much of a big deal, it's just a gloopy liquid that is way too expensive and will only cover up my true, natural, beautiful face.'

I just hope, before I die, I will live in a world where make-up isn't that big of a deal.

Thank you so much for reading this post, and I hope you have a great day! 

My Favourite Lush Products!

Hi, I LOVE Lush and I know a lot of people do too, so I thought I'd do a blogbost on my favourite Lush products.

'Love Locket' bath bomb (£5)

This bath bomb is only available during Valentine's Day (so, end of January until end of February) and this is the first time I've tried it and I loved it! It smells amazing. What I also love about this bath bomb is that you can break it in half and there's a smaller bath bomb inside so you can get three baths out of this bomb. This bath bomb also contains tiny paper hearts, shiny red hearts and a sensual blend of vanilla, jasmine and neroli essential oils to make you feel loved during Valentine's.

'Unicorn Horn' bubble bar (£5)

This is also part of the Valentine's Day range, so it is limited so if you didn't manage to get one this year, I'd definitely recommend you get one next year! I love bubble bars, they last for ages(I still have some of my Magic Kingdom bubble bar from last Christmas!) and the smallest amount of this bubble bar goes a long way. After you crumble bits of this bubble bar under a tap, your bath will be filled with essential oils, colourful candy stars, sparkling glitter and rainbows. This bubble bar is just the cutest and I love it!

'Think Pink' bath bomb (£2.65)

This is a relaxing bath bomb with a sweet vanilla and tonka fragrance. When it dissolves, it feels like you're getting a big warm hug and you'll find yourself surrounded by rice paper confetti hearts that will slowly melt away. The scent comes from FairTrade vanilla absolute, while tonka adds a caramel undertone. It also contains Neroli, which gives it a sunny citrus top note, while lavender clears your mind and makes you feel like life is sweet.

'Cupcake' Fresh Face Mask (£6.50)

This is the first Lush face mask that I tried and I loved it! This contains rhassoul mud, which is highly absorbent, and works with cocoa powder to draw out all the dirt and impurities and give it a deep cleanse. It also contains fresh mint which stimulates and tones the skin, whilst linseed and cocoa butter soften and moisturise the skin. To get amazing results, leave this in your fridge and use within 3 weeks. Apply to face and leave on for 10-15 minutes. I hated my skin before but this face mask definitely cleanses the skin and leaves it looking flawless! This is definitely my favourite ever face mask.

'Angels On Bare Skin' Fresh Cleanser (£6.75 for 100g)

This fresh cleanser is made from 100% fresh ingredients and is inspired by a mediaeval recipe and is topped with lavendar flowers. This contains kaolin to absorb grease and dirt which leaves the skin feeling clean and nourished. It also contains lavendar oil and rose absolute to calm the skin. Mix this cleanser with water to form a milky-like paste, the ground almonds create almond milk which helps tone and brighten the skin. You can also use this all over your body as well as your face.

'Tea Tree Water' Toner Water (£4.25 for 100g)

To keep skin clear and fresh, I would recommend this toner water as it is antibacterial, antifungal and antimicrobal so can help keep away the bacteria that cause spots. It contains grapefruit, which is rich in vitamins and is also lightly astringent on the skin, and juniperberry, which is antiseptic and helps keep skin clean and clear. I would use this at any time of the day and I would use it to remove traces of makeup or cleanser.

'Eau Roma Water' Toner Water (£4.25 for 100g)

This toner water contains an elegant formula that is suitable for even the most sensitive skins. This contains rose water, which helps calm and reduce redness, and lavender water, which balances and softens the skin. This was created to hydrate and soothe the skin in both a gentle and effective way. You can use it for a quick, refreshing spritz or to remove any traces of makeup or cleanser.

'Sex Bomb' Bath Bomb (£3.35)

This was one of the very first Lush products I had ever tried and I loved it! This has a fragrant blend of jasmine,ylang ylang and clary sage and will leave you feeling relaxed. And what's great about this bath bomb is that after the bomb has completely fizzed, leaving your bath a pretty pink colour, all that remains are some foamy rose pieces which smell really pretty as well.

'Ickle Baby Bot' bath bomb (£1.95)

I remember, back in 2012, this was one of Lush's newest products and was selling for just a £1 and I also remember thinking how cute it looked so I decided to buy it. After filling your bath with water, pop this in and this will turn your whole bath bright blue. This contains lavender which leaves me feeling really calm and relaxed. Fact: Lavender is a calming aromatherapy oil and is used in traditional medicine to treat skin irritations, sunburn and insect bites, so it's really soothing on the skin.

So those are 9 of my favourite Lush products.

I hope you've enjoyed reading my blog.

♡

My Opinion on Demi Lovato's Tweet

Last night at about 9:00pm UK time, Demi tweeted this. I don't think she meant to offend anyone, I think she was only trying to give advice but she got a lot of hate and criticism for it. People are calling her a hypocrite and bringing up past images of her wearing OTT makeup. I think this is very unfair. I think she was only joking and trying to say to girls to not wear too much makeup.

For the past few weeks, Demi has been promoting a campaign on Instagram called "#NoMakeUpMonday" where she encourages girls to take selfies without any makeup on. I remember back in April 2013 when Demi uploaded a selfie with no makeup on [see below] and she retweeted a lot of fans' selfies with no makeup on.

I think this was a great idea of Demi's as she helped girls to feel more confident without makeup and I think that's what she is trying to do. And since then, she has posted quite a few selfies with no makeup on [see below].

I don't think Demi would ever call anyone ugly or judge someone on the way they look. I think people are just taking what she said way too seriously.

In a way, I agree with what she said. I don't watch makeup tutorials as I no longer wear makeup because I simply can't be bothered to waste 10-15 minutes of my time trying to perfect my face. 

And I don't get the whole hype around the Naked 3 palette. It is way too expensive (£38). If I had £38, I would much rather give it to charity. There are people who need this money more than we do. There are homeless people, starving children and illnesses that could use this money for good. 

Makeup is so overrated if you ask me. A 100 years ago, women would rarely wear makeup as it was too expensive and only the richest would wear it. It is still expensive today, so why waste money on trying to cover up your already beautiful face when you could give it to a charity?

Think about it. If we stopped caring about the way we looked and spent more time helping others, the world would be a much happier and more positive place. Wouldn't it be great if we could all accept ourselves for who we are? 

All I'm saying is, yes, it's fine to wear makeup now and again, but please just remember you ARE beautiful without it too. I promise. 

It makes me sad to know that there are girls who can't leave the house without makeup on. Just think about people with facial disfigurements.

This is Katie Piper. The first picture is of her before she had sulphuric acid thrown at her face by her ex-boyfriend's friend. The second picture is after she had the 40 surgical operations to treat her injuries. I honestly think Katie is one of the most beautiful women ever. Now would you call yourself ugly in front of her? No, of course you wouldn't. We should all be grateful for the face we have. 

This is why we shouldn't be criticising the way we look. Just imagine how hard it must've been for Katie. The attack must have left her feeling unconfident about the way she looked, which is a shame because she shouldn't be made to feel ugly just because of what happened to her. She is still a beautiful woman, inside and out, and a great role model.

I think people like Katie and Demi are great role models for young girls as they teach them that you don't need makeup to be beautiful. You already are beautiful. 

This is a selfie I took back in November last year and the reason why I didn't upload it to Twitter or Instagram is because there were too many girls, with makeup on, taking selfies which made me feel very insecure. I now look at this picture with a smile on my face. What matters the most about this picture is how happy I look. No, I don't have the best eyebrows, my skin is covered with spots and my teeth aren't the straightest, but hey, at least I have a face. Eyes are for seeing, not for looking beautiful. You use your mouth and teeth to eat, they're not there to look amazing. 

In my opinion, there's no such thing as the 'most beautiful' as everyone is beautiful in their own way.

Sure, you can look at a celebrity in a magazine or in a photoshoot and say 'She looks beautiful' but you can't say that she looks more beautiful than you. You never know, the model may have been airbrushed to look a certain way, which is ridiculous as there is no 'certain way' to look. Everyone is different and unqiue and absolutely beautiful in there own way. 

We should all learn to accept our flaws and learn to feel confident without makeup. 

Longer blogpost than usual but I had a lot to say.

Thank you so much for reading and I hope this helped you to feel better about yourself as I want everyone to feel beautiful. 

♡

January Favourites!

January has been a great month for me and I hope it's been great for you too. In this blog, I'll be talking about my January Favourites. Hope you enjoy reading it :)

My Favourite Book - 'Love Tanya' by Tanya Burr (£12.99)

If you read my previous blogpost, 'Shopping Haul', you will know how much I love this book. Tanya has always been one of my favourite YouTubers and I've always loved her 'Tanya Burr Cosmetics' range so I knew I was going to love this book. There's something for everyone in her debut book. She talks about growing up, she gives plenty of advice on how to be happy and confident, she talks about her make-up, skincare, hair and nail essentials and she's included 12 of her favourite baking recipes! If you're a fan of Tanya's videos, then I'm sure you'll love her book. 

Favourite Bath Bomb - 'Sakura' from Lush (£3.35)

I love baths so Lush is one of my favourite shops as they have a massive range of bath bombs. My favourite this month was the 'Sakura', which Lush have described as the 'celebration of spring'. They also said that it was inspired by the cherry blossom in Japan and is designed to evoke the burst of optimism and I've got to say, I felt really happy after I came out. Lush have used calming mimosa and jasmine oils complemented by lemon oil and orange flower to bring to mind the smell of the colourful season. It smells beautiful and turns your bath into a really pretty light pink colour. 

Favourite Film - 'The World's End'

This is the final film in the 'Cornetto' (aka 'The Blood and Ice Cream') trilogy starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and directed by Edgar Wright. I first watched Hot Fuzz last year and loved it, I think it's my favourite in the trilogy and I watched Shaun of the Dead earlier this month. I thought they were both really funny films so I was very excited to watch The World's End. It didn't disappoint! I would say this is my second favourite in the trilogy. If you would like to read a review of this film, I will be writing one soon on my other blog 'Katie's Film And TV Reviews'.

Favourite Game - 'The Sims 4' (£58.96)

I know this came out last September and I was going to get it with my birthday money but my friend said to wait until the Boxing Day sales so I did but, unfortunately, it was the same original price which was a bit annoying knowing I could have bought it on my birthday but oh well... Many people have criticised this game and while it does have it's flaws, this is a really good game. The 'Create-A-Sim' section has improved, in my opinion, you can now choose the way they walk, and it's a lot quicker and more simple than the Sims 3 or Sims 2. And in this game, they now have emotions and unique personalities, which I love. I definitely think if you compare it to The Sims, it has come a long way and has improved a lot.

Favourite Album - 'My Everything' by Ariana Grande (£10.99 on iTunes)

I know this album came out last August but I'm always late with things. For instance, if there's a song or an album that is doing really well in the charts, I'll hear it a few times and I'll like it, but I never really download it as I just can't be bothered, I'm lazy like that. So, yes I've only just downloaded Ariana's latest album. My three favourite songs from this album are: 'Love Me Harder', 'Problem' and 'My Everything'. Ariana has an amazing voice and her music have matured since her debut single 'Put Your Hearts Up' which came out almost 4 years ago. 

Favourite TV Show - 'Friends'

This TV series started over 20 years ago and finished over 10 years ago, but I've only just started watching it now. I'm only 17 so I wasn't even born when this sitcom started and I was only 7 when it finished so I would've been too young to watch it. If you live in the UK, they're showing season 10 of 'Friends' on ComedyCentral all day on weekdays, so you can watch it there. If you want to watch it from the beginning, unfortunately they don't have Friends on the UK Netflix but they do have it on the US Netflix. If you already have a Netflix account and want to know how to get the US version, you can learn how to do that by clicking here.

I can see why this is one of the most popular and successful sitcoms. With great characters and great storylines and a catchy theme tune ('I'll Be There For You' by The Rembrandts), this is the perfect sitcom. It is so funny, the characters are really likeable and I just love it.

So there you have it, my January favourites. I wonder what my February favourites will be... :)

Shopping Haul!

So yesterday, I went and saw Jessie J perform at the Manchester Apollo. She was absolutely amazing! But before I went, I had a quick shop at the Manchester Arndale, which is one of my favourite shopping centres. Here are the things I bought...

'Love, Tanya' by Tanya Burr (£12.99 at Waterstones)

This book was sitting on a table inside Waterstones and I got SO excited when I saw it. The official release date for Tanya's book isn't until the 29th of January so I was really surprised when I saw it. I bought it straight away and I haven't stopped reading it. This book has almost everything in it. There's small anecdotes from Tanya's life, called 'Growing Up', she talks about from when she was younger up to the age she is now. She talks about her essentials for skincare, make-up, hair and nails. She also gives tips on how to be confident and happy and if you suffer anxiety, she also talks about how she dealt with that, which can be very helpful for someone who suffers from anxiety. There are also 12 different recipies you can make, such as 'Smarites Flapjacks' and 'Vanilla Star-Sprinkled Cupcakes'. If you want to know how she got started on YouTube, she talks about that as well. I'd definitely recommend this to people who watch Tanya's videos on YouTube and for anyone that needs cheering up as it has tips on how to be happy. 

'Smile, Dream, Sparkle' lipgloss and 'Be Bright, Be Happy, Be You' nail polish both by Tanya Burr (lipgloss £6.99 and nail polish £5.99 from Superdrug)

Yes, I know, another Tanya Burr product! I nipped into Superdrug to buy more of their Colour Protect Shampoo and Conditioner, and I thought I would see if they had any of Tanya's lipglosses or nail polishes left. Luckily, they did and as soon as I saw these shades, I fell in love! They're both very pretty, especially the lipgloss, which is shimmery and sparkly so perfect for a party! I love the nail polish too as it's my favourite shade of pink, it's just gorgeous!

And, of course, I had to make a quick stop at Lush to have a look at their Valentine's range. Unfortunately, I was hoping to buy the 'Unicorn Horn' bubble bar but they didn't have any in stock so I bought the 'Floating Flower' from their Valentine's range and a few other things as well.

'Floating Flower' bath bomb (£3.50)

This bath bomb has been described as 'calming', 'seductive' and 'floral' and I couldn't agree more. As soon as I smelt this, I felt so happy and relaxed. I am yet to have a bath with it but as soon as I do, I'll update this page and say what I thought of it. Apparently, when you put into your bath, it fizzes and leaves a floating star in your bath which I think is really cool. I can't wait to try it.

'Blackberry' bath bomb (£3.25) 

I tried this bath bomb last week and I loved it, so of course I had to buy another one. Lush have said 'As soon as you drop this into your bath, tension is banished' and I agree. I love the fragrance, it smells just like blackberries! This bath bomb also contains bergamot and frankincense oils. Bergamot is used in aromatherapy to treat anxiety, depression and nervous tension, so if you suffer from any of these, I'd definitely recommend having a bath with this bomb as it is perfect for making you feel relaxed and happy.

'Sakura' bath bomb (£3.35)

I haven't tried this bath bomb yet but I am so excited to try it. Lush have described this bomb as a 'celebration of spring in a bath bomb, bursting into a floral fragrance'. They've used ingredients such as calming mimosa, jasmine oils, lemon oil and orange flower to bring to mind the smell of this colourful season.

'Creamy Candy' bubble bar (£2.75)

I love bubble bars, they're one of my favourite Lush products, so I can't wait try this one. With bubble bars, you just break bits of it off under a running tap and it instantly produces bubbles. Now, if you love sweet treats and are the kind of person to reach for a sweet to lift your mood, this bubble bar does the job. Its sweet, candyfloss smelll raises your energy levels and perks your mood up. It also offers extra moisturisation than the average bubble bar because it contains a blend of cocoa butter and almond. 

So that's eveything I bought yesterday.

Thank you for reading my blog! 

:)

♡ Favourite Clothes Shops ♡

  Hi, today's blogpost is a collab is with Fashion & Beauty blogger Savannah.

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This collab will be on our favourite clothes shops.

5. Primark

I've always loved Primark as they always have very fashionable clothes at a reasonable price and you can always get a good bargain here. One thing I love about Primark is their cute tees. Last year, they started selling cute slogan tops and here are a few of my favourites.

These tees are really cute and I would suggest wearing them with dark black leggings or jeans for a casual look.

4. New Look

I love New Look, they always seem to have really pretty clothes. I would say my two favourites from NL are this dress and this cute vest.

These are great to wear during summer and I would say that the vest is perfect to wear on holiday with demin shorts.

3. H&M 

I never really used to like H&M until recently. They always seem to have good bargains and sales on so I have always managed to get a nice top and some leggings at a good price.

I would wear these leopard-print leggings on a night out with friends with a black top to stand out from the crowd. 

2. Topshop

While their clothes aren't the cheapest, I do like shopping here when there's a sale on. A while ago, I bought this cute cross print vest and liquorice-print leggings. 

As you can now probably tell, I love patterned leggings! I think it's because they are always so comfortable and you can wear them with a vest or a jumper. I love wearing the vest when I am on holiday with demin shorts.

1. Very.co.uk

I love Very.co.uk as they have very unique clothes that you can't seem to find anywhere else and they tend to have good deals. I got this skirt from Rochelle Humes' range and it's so cute, I love it!

I can't wait to wear it during spring and summer. During winter, I would wear this with a plain black top and black leggings.

So those are my five favourite shops.

Make sure you check out Savannah's blog as she has done her 5 favourite shops,

the link to her blog is at the top of this page. Her blog is one of my favourites so definitely have a look at it.

Hope you've enjoyed reading my blogpost :)