Currently Loving

Its coming to the end of the longest month out of the year and I thought now would be a good opportunity to share with you the things I am loving this month!

Being a great lover of anything Jo Malone and having recently ran out of my old cologne, I decided to try a new scent. This time and opted for the Vanilla & Anise. I honestly LOVE this scent and wish I had found it sooner. I love anything scented vanilla or with a slight spice to it!

I am probably a bit late to the Topshop Jamie Jeans party but these honestly are the best pair of jeans I have ever owned! Having short legs, a big bum and tiny waist I really struggle to find a pair of jeans that fit me perfectly, but these really do! Having a pair that come in a leg and waist size really helps for me! I own the black pair, mainly because I enjoy an all black outfit, but am swaying towards trying a blue pair! I usually try a blue pair on and turn my nose up, but we shall see!

Before Christmas I dropped and smashed my trusty Urban Decay Hoola Bronzer, therefore it was time to purchase a new one! I find (up to this point) you can never go wrong with an Urban Decay product so opted to try out the Beached Bronzer in the colour Bronzed - this is a matte medium-dark bronze shade. I love that this is super smooth and creamy to the touch. I find it applies smoothly too and does not go streaky on my cheeks! My main concern with bronzers is that it will appear orange, however, this is the perfect shade for me which I can build up if needed.

I am a great lover of music. Music is something I love to listen to whether I'm happy or sad! So I could not, not include Ed Sheeran in my post! He is someone I love listen and sing along to, I was so pleased when a few weeks ago he released two new songs. I have to say that Castle On The Hill is the one I am playing the most. I can't wait for his album to come out later on this year, this is something I will definitely be purchasing.

I have gotten into doing this month is something I would normally be shy at which is Instagram Stories! I am always watching people post about their day, or having a good old rant and,  I thought I would bite the bullet and have a go at trying a few myself. I am so into it, I can't help but post one every day! I tend to mainly use my Slimming World account to post stories as I am not brave enough as of yet to use my account which a lot of people I know follow! - maybe one day I will get there.

Lastly is an item I blogged about previously, the Too Faced Born This Way Foundation. I don't need to tell you why I love it so much as you can read about it here > Obsessed with Too Faced Born This Way Foundation . I could not, not include this!

Liz Earle : The Botanist's Cabinet

Having sensitive and temperamental skin, I struggle to find skin care products that don't break me out or cause an allergic reaction! At Christmas 2015 I was given the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish as a gift and immediately loved it and loved that I was not allergic to it! This is something I now use regularly and have repurchased many a times!

This Christmas I was given the Liz Earle The Botanist's Cabinet as a gift from my mum.

I love how this product is presented. Almost advent calendar looking, each botanical product has its own compartment. As you can see below, the cabinet is beautifully presented and has a lovely Christmas theme to it. I especially love the red bow.

Inside the cabinet there are eight compartments which contain each of the Liz Earle products. The compartments hold:

• Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (150 ml) with two Pure Muslin Cloths.  
• Instant Boost Skin Tonic (50ml) 
• Brightening Treatment Mask (15ml) 
• Deep Cleansing Mask (15ml) 
• Two Deep Cleansing Mask Sponges 
• Intensive Nourishing Treatment Mask (15ml) 
• Superskin Concentrate for Night (2ml) 

If you are a fan of the Cleanse & Polish like me, then inside this cabinet is a 150ml bottle which would normally cost you around £20. The Botanist's Cabinet retailed at £30 in Boots on special offer , which for all of this is a great price steal! This is a product worth having, but I realise that this product will no longer be on sale, due to Christmas having been and gone, but I think this post may help you if you are interested in trying out some of the products which can be purchased separately. Liz Earle bring out packages like this every year, so this could be something you keep your eye out for next time!

I am a massive fan of Liz Earle skin care products and will definitely be repurchasing full sizes of the Deep Cleansing Mask and Instant Boost Skin Tonic!

I'd love to know your favorite skin care products!

My Goals - 2017 Edition

Its that time of year again, although I feel I am a little late , that we all think about what we would like to achieve in 2017 - better late than never though!

Quite often we all set goals but I find never accomplish them! This year I am more determined than ever to better myself and my life around me.

1. Making More Time For Blogging 

As you can tell I have not been on here for a while! I first set this blog up back in January 2015 (coincidentally, my goal for that year was to set up my blog), and found that I didn't really know what I was doing and what to blog about. I recently signed back into my blog as I really wanted to find a hobby and something I could really get stuck into. I have found this time around I have LOTS of ideas for my blog, and now knowing myself more, the content I want to include. My note book is full of future posts and I have a few saved all ready to go up once a week! I hope to fall in love with blogging more than last time around and stick to it.

2. Weight Loss / Body Image 

I am not really sure what to call this goal.. I have previously posted about my 3 stone weight loss through Slimming World, but this year I want to be more focused on how my body looks and how I feel about my weight. Growing up I was always conscious of how I looked and my weight so having lost the amount of weight I have, my confidence has grown tremendously! However, I still have wobbly bits that I want to tone up and am currently trying to find an exercise I enjoy - I will keep you posted on this.

3. Being More Adventurous 

This one relates slightly to the above in a way as blogging is definitely something adventurous for me , this year is all about putting myself out there more than I usually would. Having anxiety in many ways, one mainly being the way I am in social situations, really sets me back from trying new things or meeting new people. I would love to have the confidence to join a class on my own , but I just don't! This year I want to change that. Whether it's joining a gym class on my own, getting out there with my make-up or just simply making more of an effort when I am invited out to places!

These are not a large amount of goals I have set myself , I think it will be easier for me to achieve small realistic goals. I hope I can look back at the end of the year and have accomplished them all.

What are your goals for 2017? 

Obsessed with Too Faced Born This Way Foundation : Review

Even though I have so many foundations,  I’m always trying out new ones, trying to find the best one out there for my skin.  I recently had ran out of my current foundation , which was NARS Sheer Glow (in the shade Gobi) and wanted to try something new, and something with more coverage . I have heard a lot of good things about the Too Faced Born This Way Foundation and I just had to try this one out!

The foundation claims that it is a full- coverage buildable oil-free foundation. Having an oily T zone myself , using an oil-free formula helps with it lasting longer on my skin. I use 1-2 pumps of this foundation, putting on to the back of my hand, dotting it around my face and using a damp beauty blender to blend it out. It certainly is buildable and has a good coverage - as it claims. 

I love the way this foundation photographs making my skin look flawless. This is probably due to the fact is has no SPF in it, meaning you get no flashbacks. 

I am in the shade Ivory (when I am not covered in fake tan) . This shade is for fair skin tones with golden/yellow undertones. One of the things I struggle with when finding the right shade of foundation is one with the right undertone. My skin has a very , and I mean very yellow tone to it and a lot of foundations I find don't cater for that. Most have either a neutral or very pink tones. This shade however matches me perfectly!

I always get swayed to try new foundations but find that not all of them work for me. So my top tip would be to get a tester and try the foundation out before you buy as not all foundations work for everyone's skin!

I definitely will be recommending this foundation to people and will be repurchasing in the future. Even though it is quite pricey at £29 , it is definitely worth it!

My Slimming World Journey

I have always struggled with weight loss and have never really been able to keep weight off in a healthy way. I've tried meal replacement shakes, clean eating , cutting out carbs , teatoxing you name it I have probably tried it. All of these are only a temporary fix though and yes, I lost some weight but I piled it back on again!

I joined Slimming World around a year and a half ago now and even though my weight has been up and down over the years it is the best "diet" I have ever tired. I use the word "diet" loosely as it is more of a lifestyle.

Starting out at 12 stone, I now weigh to this date 9 stone 1lbs all through the help of Slimming World. I am still on plan right now trying to achieve my target weight of 9 stone, which I am so close to reaching! Being not that far away from my target gives me the most determination ever! I find that setting multiple small goals helps motivate myself that little extra. My next goal will be to reach 8 Stone 13lbs.

I wont go into what Slimming World is on this post but a few of you will know as I know many people who are following this plan.

Those of you who do follow this lifestyle here are a few tips for a successful weight loss :-

1. Keep a record or diary of the things you eat

I have an Instagram account dedicated to photographing every meal I have, almost like a diray so I can keep on track. I find it a great help to look at other peoples journeys and recipes to help motivate myself! Feel free to follow me here : https://www.instagram.com/jessicaa_slimmingworld

2. Exercise

The most helpful thing you can do. Even though many people (including myself) have had successful weight losses through Slimming World without exercising. I should really get back into some sort of exercise!

3. Use your Syns

This is crucial. They are there for you to have the things you crave. This helps you to stay on track!

4. Drink water

It is so important to drink lots of water as it helps with weight loss. The benefits are endless and sometimes thirst can be be mistake for hunger. It will also help your skin which is a bonus!!

5. Take photos

Even if you don’t like what you see, sometimes you don’t feel any different until you see a side by side photo of the differences and it is such a motivator!  

Above is a progress photo of myself. I love looking at this to see how far I have come. It motivates me when I am having a rubbish day!