OOTD: A Casual Weekend Look!

Reasons id be a terrible fashion blogger... I don’t have a tripod, I somehow managed to trip over it and break it, boo! I am single so don’t have a lovely boyfriend to take pictures of me. My house isn’t all painted white and spotless (how do they actually live like that?!), I don’t have any good backgrounds to take photos against. I am not particularly ‘fashionable’, I mainly wear the same thing, a predictable outfit for me is a black top, skinny jeans and converse trainers. It’s simple and easy! However once and a while I swap it up a bit and I like what I’m wearing so therefore I thought id share it with you all! So excuse the fact I haven’t got a full body shot, but I hope you like the snap shots of my outfit! It’s so darn comfy and is a weekend staple outfit for me!

TOP: Asos, SHORTS: New Look, TIGHTS: Wolford*, SHOES: Converse, FLOWER HAIR BAND: New Look, NECKLACE: A Gift.

April's Health and Fitness Roundup

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Welcome to April’s instalment of my monthly health and fitness updates, you can check out last month’s here. The idea behind these posts is to keep me focused and on track, so here is how April went...

Food...

Still having issues when it comes to my diet! It has definitely improved since I started my new job as I have to be a bit more organised and take food with me so I have been taking in salads for lunch, rice cakes, bananas and nakd bars for snacks. I have also been eating breakfast! This has been a huge deal for me, I haven’t eaten breakfast in years as it makes me feel a bit sick the thought of food in the morning. However I have been trying to be good and I’m determined to eat breakfast so I’ve been having a small bowl of porridge before I go to work. So week days I’m getting there but it all seems to go a little to pot by the weekends! I am going back to weight watchers this month and hoping that will keep me focused and on track!

Exercise done in April...

Boot camp x 11 sessions

Rowing x 3 sessions (3 hours)

Runs x 9

I made all but one boot camp sessions this month which is a huge achievement for me! I can even hold a plank for a minute now and I can see my fitness has improved so much by going to the circuit sessions. I’m really pleased with my progress! In terms of running I’m still very much a ‘run for a few minutes / walk for a few minutes’ runner, which stresses me out as I run, feel like I can’t breathe so walk. It hacks me off as I just want to run! I don’t know if this is a psychological thing or not?! I really want to crack this and be a runner! Anyone else have this problem or experienced it? I did a colour run this month which was incredible! I would definitely recommend it, so much fun! Determined to stay on track and make running fun, I’ve also signed up to do a gunge run in June with some friends I went to uni with. Its 5k and at every kilometre you run through a gunge bath!! I can’t wait! Think it’s going to be hilarious! Oooh and my sponsorship pack for my 10k in September arrived this week which has also inspired me to keep going and try to conquer this challenge!

Progress this month...

	Loss in March in inches	Total Loss in inches
Chest	0.5	2
Hips	+1	3
Left Thigh	0.5	3.5
Right Thigh	1	3.5
Bottom	0	4
Left Arm	0	2
Right Arm	0	2
Waist	+1	4

Weight loss this month:   0lbs

Total weight loss:   9lbs

With the amount of exercise I’ve been doing I feel a bit gutted that I’ve hit a bit of a plateau this month in terms of weight loss and inches lost. However I do think I need to get the diet side of this under control, which is my next challenge!

Motivational Monday // May

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Firstly, Happy Bank Holiday Monday!! I hope you’re all having a fab long weekend and making the most of an extra day off work if you have one?! After being a bit poorly last week, I’m fully embracing feeling better this weekend and making the most of catching up with friends which has been so lovely and full of fun and giggles!

I can’t believe it’s May already! I can’t say I’m too pleased about it as this year is going way too for my liking! April was a bit of a crazy month I moved jobs after spending 5 years at my old job it was a big change for me and has taken me way out of my comfort zone! I think I’m going to like my new job but there is so much information to take in at the moment so I’m trying to take it one day at a time at the moment!

I’m not a huge fan of change, I hate being out of my comfort zone but I’m trying to embrace it and do you know what? I feel so much better for it! I really do, I didn’t realise how fed up I had gotten and how much id had enough of it all. It’s made me realise that sometimes you need to take a risk and try new things. I don’t want to live a life of regrets, I want to make the most of every opportunity that comes my way and live my life to the fullest!

Also I know I have been a little hit and miss with blogging lately, but I am back! I have a ton of exciting posts coming your way, and I have totally fallen in love with it again! So thank you for sticking with me, you won’t regret it! 

What I'm Loving Lately #1

1.       Cashew Cookie Nak’d bars – I am obsessed with these things! I am not particularly convinced they are that healthy for you as they are 4 pro points on weight watchers (useless fact of the day for you!) but as they are mainly made from prunes I am conning myself that it’s better for me than chocolate! Plus they are actually really yummy!

2.       Pretty Little Liars – I have 4 episodes of this left to watch on Netflix and I am already panicking over what to watch next! I love this show and worried I am going to suffer from a post TV show hangover... so I have slowed down my viewing marathon sessions and are taking my time to watch these last few episodes! Any ideas on what TV series I should move onto next on Netflix would be gratefully received!

3.       Lipsticks and Lashes Book Swap! – You may have seen a while ago that I wrote this post about doing a book swap. Well a number of lovely ladies signed up to join in and my parcel from the gorgeous Katie arrived a couple of weeks ago. She sent me ‘Trust in Me’ which is one of her favourite books and ‘The Unfinished Sympathy of You and Me’ which I’ve wanted to read for a while! I have just started reading ‘Trust in Me’ and I like it so far! Have you read either of these?

4.       Orelia London Jewellery – I was lucky enough to be sent this necklace and these earrings and they are just stunning! I’ve had lots of compliments about both, they are very simple yet stand out. LOVE THEM! Saying that though, I have my eye on quite a few items on Orelia London’s website as they have so many fab pieces, I think next pay day I may be making a cheeky order!

5.       Weldmars Colour Run – a few weeks ago now our local hospice, Weldmar who are an amazing charity and do an incredible job,  held a 4k colour run to raise some funds and I went down and joined in with a few of my friends. It was so much fun! We thought we would walk most of it but ended up jogging it all! We got absolutely coated in a variety of bright colours! It was such a good laugh and I would definitely recommend doing one if there’s one being held in your local area. I’ve heard Weldmar are going to be doing another one next year so I will definitely be going and doing it again!

How much is your face worth?

I have seen this tag doing the rounds for quite a while and thought it would be a fun one to do.  Do you know how much your face is worth? I always thought mine wasn’t that expensive but over the years I have definitely started spending more on make up, so thought it would be interesting to work out how much my face adds up to! This is based on my every day make up, I think I may do a night out version of this tag one day as I’m sure it’ll all add up to a bit more! So here we go....

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer – £18.50

Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation – £26.50

MAC All That Glitters Eye Shadow – £13.00

MAC Studio Finish Concealer – £15.50

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara – £19.50

MAC Amplified Lipstick in Girl About Town – £15.50

Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner – £13.00

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Rose – £32.50

Drum roll please.... My face is worth.... £154

That does kind of freak me out a little! That’s 6 weeks worth of petrol for my car!! I’m glad I didn’t do the evening makeup now otherwise I think I’d be in shock!!

I now tag you all to have a go at this! If you do make sure you drop me the link to your post!

My ABC's of Travel

I’ve seen this tag / prompt post around blogland for a little while, I have a slight addiction to reading travel blogs and posts and always feel my wanderlust kick when I’m browsing others posts and stories. So I thought I would have a go at this one myself, here is my A-Z of travel...

New York

A // Age you went on your first international trip?

I was about 10 and my dad took me, my brother and sister and a friend to Tenerife for a week and they had the worst weather in 20 years whilst we were out there! I just remember there being a ton of rain!

B // Best foreign beer you’ve had and where?

Demi peche which is French beer with a shot of peach flavoured syrup was probably my favourite drink whilst doing a ski season in France! I also loved Chang, a Thai beer which was drunk cold on the beach in Thailand, it was perfect!

C // Cuisine. Favourite?

Probably Thai, as I love all the flavours and spices. But Italian has to be a close second!

D // Destinations. Favourite and least favourite? Why?

Favourite: Canada! I did a ski season there a few years ago and it was just incredible! I loved living in the mountains and the people are just so lovely and genuine, and their way of life is just so much more relaxed.

Least favourite: I’m not sure I have a least favourite?! I think I’ve been really lucky and had tons of amazing travelling experiences.

Egypt

E // Event you’ve experienced abroad that made you say “WOW!”?

New Years Eve in Bangkok was just incredible! I am not sure I’ll ever experience a new year’s like that again! It was electric, such a great atmosphere and so many things happening!

F // Favourite mode of transportation?

Flying as it means I’m heading somewhere exciting!

G // Greatest feeling while travelling?

The excitement of new things and the freedom to explore, I always come home feeling so much more relaxed and happier. There’s nothing better that the feelings you experience whilst travelling.

H // Hottest place you’ve ever travelled to?

Egypt, it was in the mid 40’s every day. When you stepped out of your air conditioned hotel room it was like stepping into a sauna! It was such an intense heat.

Ao Nang, Thailand

I // Incredible service you’ve experienced and where?

Probably when I stayed in a lovely hotel resort in Egypt that I can’t for the life of me think of the name of now! Everyone was so helpful and kind, making it a great holiday.

J // Journey that took the longest?

Probably Australia in terms of travelling time, however when I went to Thailand the journey out there took ages as we ended up spending 10 hours in the airport in Delhi which really isn’t the nicest of airports!

K // Keepsake from your travels?

Definitely my memories! I don’t really tend to pick up keepsakes but the memories I have of my travels so far are incredible!

L // Let-down sight. Where and why?

The Eiffel Tower – so much smaller in real life!

M // Moment where you fell in love with travelling?

I went on a college trip to New York when I was 17 and I was so in awe of the magic of the city and the freedom of travelling. I also think doing a few ski seasons round the world also helped as I met so many amazing people from around the world and it just spurred on my wanderlust!

N // Nicest hotel you’ve ever stayed in?

Probably The Hilton Hyde Park a good few years ago now, it was a beautiful hotel and was a fantastic stay.

O // Obsession. What are you obsessed with taking photos of while travelling?

For a blogger I am shockingly bad at taking photographs even whilst travelling! I have the best intentions, I take my camera most places but always forget I have it on me! I’m lucky I have a lot of snap happy friends!

P // Passport stamps. How many and from where?

I have literally just got a new passport which is completely empty at the moment and I can’t wait to fill it! My old one had many stamps in from Australia, Canada, USA, Egypt, Tunisia, Malaysia and Thailand to name a few!

Thailand

Q // Quirkiest attraction you’ve visited and where?

Probably Popeye world in Malta! It’s basically the set of where they filmed the film of Popeye and it was a bizarre and very cheesy place!

R // Really frightening. One place you’ve visited where you felt unsafe or uneasy?

I have been very lucky in that I’ve not really been anywhere that I’ve felt unsafe or uneasy but I’m sure one day that will come.

S // Splurge. Something you have no problem spending money on while travelling?

Experiences, I think if you’re somewhere you may not visit again you need to make the most of it!

T // Touristy thing you’ve done?

Tons! I think you have to do the touristy things as they are usually well known for a reason! However it’s also fun to go off the beaten track once and a while!

U // Unforgettable travel memory?

Way too many to recall! I have amazing memories from most of the places I’ve visited and I feel so ridiculously lucky for that!

V // Visas. How many and for where?

Thailand, New York, Canada and Australia!

Thailand

W // Wine. Best glass while travelling?

This question is wasted on me! I’m not really a wine drinker! Give me a beer or a cider and I’m happy as Larry! Not very lady like am I!

X // excellent view and where from?

There are way too many to mention! The coast of Australia gave me some incredible views, the Rockies in Canada were breathtaking, and standing at the top of the empire state building in New York was amazing...

Y // Years spent travelling?

I have been an on and off traveller over the years! I’ve spent 6 months in Canada, a month in France, 3 months in Australia, a month in Thailand. I have been on lots of weeklong holidays too.

Z // Zealous sports fans and where?

When I was living in Canada we used to go and see the local Ice Hockey team play every week and the fans were absolutely bonkers! They would throw live chickens on the ice or start fights with the players, they were beyond passionate but it was always a great night and usually a fab game to cheer on!

What are your ABC’s of travel? Write your own and leave me a link to your post in the comments. I’d love to read your travel experiences!

Weapons of beauty in 21 century

So back at the beginning of last month the lovely Nika, whose sarcasm and dry wit always makes me giggle, she is one funny lady, she wrote THIS guest post here on Lipsticks and Lashes and I am ridiculously honored to have here back again with today’s guest post! She is a fab writer and I think this is such an interesting topic, I would love to hear all your thoughts…..

Nobody is perfect, but on the other side, we have beauty standards that are demanding perfection. How does one cope with that? Should we reconcile with living with imperfections? Do we accept them and look at them from a positive side? Or do we change them if we have the chance? The answer is quite simple actually: it all depends on us. Different people have different view of life and different images of themselves and based on that they’ll decide what it takes to feel self-confident.

Different beauty standards depending on the country (source)

In search for perfection

Women’s hyper-criticism is leading them to have unattainable standards of attraction. They are constantly bombarded by images of perfect women’s body in the media, but even putting that aside, throughout history women always strived to changing their appearance in order to achieve some bigger level of beauty. 

Real-life Ken and Barbie hated the sight of each other (source)

The difference is in tools that are used for such a purpose. In ancient Egypt women used products based on copper, led and malachite to give their faces definition and color. In Middle Ages women risk their health for beauty, by using cosmetics that were blocking proper circulation. In Renaissance arsenic was basic ingredient for face powder. Up to now, make up and cosmetic treatments dominated as a way to beautify. Today, however, as a tool in search for perfection, plastic surgery is becoming more and more popular.

Plastic surgery as a tool of beauty

Plastic surgery today is more popular than ever. One of the reasons is that most of the interventions are pretty affordable, so they are not anymore available to members of the upper class only. Its popularity is also based on growing acceptance of “going under the knife” as a method of beautifying. 

JI YEO

Evidence, news and confessions that many celebs had plastic procedures are making plastic surgery more in demand. It actually makes one feel better about his imperfections, by seeing the flawless look of many stars didn’t happen naturally, and that he too has the chance to look like that. With always popular curves and sexy cleavage, breast augmentation continues to be the biggest trend in cosmetic surgery.

Most popular procedures

Reshaping the nose, or rhinoplasty is on the very top of most wanted procedures. People often have nose job for health reasons, to correct birth defect or breathing problem, or they are simply unhappy with the appearance of their nose. 

Even the most gorgeous of them feel they need to change something

Breast augmentation and enlargement, as mentioned, are extremely popular, due to previously discussed search for perfection, because not all of us are fortunate enough to have firm and well shaped breast, and we all want them. Liposuction is very much in demand because of the obvious reasons. There is no surprise that Botox is still most popular non-surgical procedure. But due to curvy girls popularity, a surprise trend of butt implants emerges, and it’s becoming more and more wanted.

A little touch up here and there

Is there something wrong with a little “polishing” of our nature given bodies? Self-improvement has always been an admirable cause, but when it comes to plastic surgery it is often viewed as unwanted and unacceptable trend. On the other hand, the answer of cosmetic surgery supporters is that the matter is quite simple: “If you don’t like something and you have the opportunity to change it, what’s stopping you?”

- You can find Nika on twitter here. I would love to hear your views on this subject!