March Favourites

Okay, so can you believe we're about to hit April? New Years Eve feels like yesterday, but today is Spring and Easter and clocks going forward - scary! I guess this is what happens as you get older, time seems to pass us by in a sea of bills, working and hangovers. When you're a kid it feels like forever until your birthday and Christmas feels like it will never come. I'm going to be 23 in a month exactly, and that scares the hell out of me because I don't feel like I've aged since I was 16, which was what? 7 YEARS AGO. 7?! Well whilst I wallow in self pity, you can read today's post which is my MARCH FAVOURITES, enjoy! 

Slimming World Recipes
I have so many friends who have tried and succeed on the Slimming World diet, my best friend Amy has lost a ridiculous amount of weight even during her pregnancy she was able to lose so much and I'm very very jealous of her lovely, yummy mummy figure now and unlike Amy I am very easily distracted by pizza, kebabs and those mini kiev things you can get. SO, I tried to implement a % of the diet into my lifestyle by making small changes to the way I cook things and actually learning some new, surprisingly filling and flavour full recipes from the Slimming World cook books. I will do a post for you on some of my FAVOURITE recipes and some of the changes you can make to your cooking which will help you lose a few pounds and adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Boohoo Plus Size (16 - 28)
Ummm hello, how did I not know about Boohoo's plus size range until last week?! I am crazy about this range, and just bought a lovely swing dress for spring/summer from them. At a 16-18 on top thanks to huge boobies, and a 14-16 on the bottom it's hard to stay on top of fashion and until last week ASOS was my only love. A lot of brands plus size ranges are SO unflattering and just out dated, which I really, really hate and feel passionate about. It really winds me up that bigger girls aren't entitled to high end fashion trends cause they weigh a few more pounds. Boohoo's range is sexy, in with the trends and really high quality which makes me very, very happy. 

Urban Decay Naked On The Run Palette
I know, I know, I don't half go on about this Palette, but I got this at the end of February and I can't get over how much I love it. The bronzer and blush are part of my every day make up now and they are just so beautiful and so well pigmented, they have given me cheekbones I never knew I had. Thank you Urban Decay, this palette has changed my make up forever. 


Swing Dresses
So, because I am a bigger girl I never thought that swing dresses would suit me. I thought that they would look like a 2 man tent and my body would be the pitch up post, I was very wrong. My love affair started thanks to a New Look swing dress with a high neck that my friend Jodie bought and I was obsessed with how it looked on her. I've been dying to find a way that I can wear a high neck and this was the answer. So, I went to New Look and tried on the dress Jodie had bought and it was just amazing, I have a low body confidence and changing rooms scare the life out of me because trying on clothes can be a real fail for me, and will depress me for the rest of the day if I get it wrong. This dress made me feel amazing and so my obsession began, swing dresses are now my go to for Spring/Summer.

A Glimpse At Spring
Spring is here, it's really here and throughout March we've been teased with warmer weather, being able to ditch our huge winter coats and realising it's 5:30pm and it's still light out. The weather really, really effects my mood and I hate leaving the house unless it's above 10 degrees. This month has made me so excited for summer and BBQs and swimming pools and holidays, aaaah! 

Meghan Trainor - Title
I am late to this party, but I have now arrived. This album is the most upbeat, mood boosting album I have ever listened to. I absolutely love it and I can see myself sunbathing in the garden come summer, listening to this. It's so fresh and catchy, every song could be a chart topping single. Favourite Tracks - My Selfish Heart, Title & Dear Future Husband. 

Beauty Haul & Reviews.

Hello my little rays of sunshine! How lovely has it been outside this week? I am loving the fresh mornings and lighter evenings, it's so mood boosting and makes me want to go out on little adventures, so this weekend that's what I intend to do. Lots and lots of adventures with my little girl, fingers crossed for more sunshine! Today's post is a small haul of a few things I've picked up over the last couple of days, I have used all of them so this post will include reviews, reviews and more reviews, enjoy and have a LOVELY weekend no matter what you're up to! 

L'OREAL Infallible 24HR Matte Foundation

Every beauty blogger and their dog are raving about this foundation so I knew I had to give it a go. This foundation is the BEST high street foundation I have ever used in my entire life. Yesterday I applied it about 10am and as I was applying it I could already feel how great this foundation is. You can use a minimal amount and achieve a higher coverage than some high end brands which is amazing. It's very, very lightweight and gives you the ultimate matte finish. There's really nothing that I have ever used that compares to it, it's a cut and a half above the rest of the other high street foundations. I mentioned I applied this at 10am one swift application and after a long busy day, by some miracle my original application was still sitting pretty at 9:30pm. I kid you not, complete full coverage almost 12 hours later. Stop whatever you are doing, because at just £7.99, You NEED to go and buy this foundation right now. 

Revlon Colour Burst Matte Lip Balm Shade 230 Complex

This is potentially my favourite lip product I have ever purchased, after Charlotte Tilbury Glastonberry. Its a peach toned colour with all the makings of the perfect nude matte colour for Spring. It glides on so easily and reminds me soooo much of the Clinique Chubby Sticks, it's an awesome dupe & comes in several other shades. This is so matte, long wearing and really well pigmented, you should definitely be carrying this around in your handbag this Spring.

Simple Kind To Skin Cleansing Make Up Wipes 

I bought these because as a mum I find myself so caught up in chasing around a toddler that I end up falling asleep with my makeup on at half 9 at night. Sometimes as a mother, for me personally, skincare can get pushed back so easily and forgotten about. I hate, hate, hate using wipes to take off my make up, I know it's the laziest form of skincare BUT these Simple make up wipes really do the job on those long days and sleepy evenings where I physically can't bring myself to do a full skincare regime. These wipes are 110% in my essential products to have if you're a mum or a busy lady. 

BARRY M Speedy Quick Dry Nail Paint Shade Pit Stop

Barry M nail polishes are the best on the high street as far as I am concerned, and these 'Speedy Quick Dry' new additions to their HUGE range of nail paints make me even more sure of my opening statement. I chose the colour Pit Stop because it is a gorgeous light Lilac/Grey colour (I couldn't decide on an exact colour). Very pale which is what I like from a nail paint shade, it dries in about 25 seconds which is AMAZING. The paint itself is lovely and rich in colour, with just 2 coats and 25 seconds drying for each coat you're good to go.

5 EASY WAYS TO INCREASE YOUR BLOG TRAFFIC

There's nothing easy about making a blog successful in ALL areas, but if you can break it down and concentrate on learning how to manipulate and educate yourself on each piece of the success puzzle one at a time, like me, you may find it a hell of a lot easier to get it right. I have been blogging for just over a year and it has been one of the best years of my life, thanks to my blog. In a year I have achieved well over 65,000 page views and worked with brands that I have loved since I was a little girl. It's so rewarding to become part of something as wonderful as blogging, and when anyone asks me about starting a blog, I only encourage them to start blogging too. Today's post is all about how I drive traffic to my blog and increase awareness of my little space on the internet.  

1. Make use of blogging groups and communities on Twitter, Google+ and Facebook. 

I can't even explain how important it is to connect with your audience and fellow bloggers. I currently use several blog retweet twitter handles who will RT my twitter post as long as I @ them in it. Facebook also has some great blogging groups that you should be joining right now. The moderator releases new posts every week for you to comment on to share your link to your Blog, Instagram, Facebook page, Twitter and Bloglovin. Google+ has lots and lots of communities you can join and post your link in every single day, which I make sure I do religiously. Google+ gives me about 65% of my traffic, because I am in about 11 communities with a combined following of around 1 million. It's really worth investing 10 - 20 minutes into your day to promote on social media, it is mass communication at its best and will really boost your traffic. 

Blog RT profiles you should be following

@FemaleBloggerRT

@BBlogRT

@UKBlog_RT

@FBloggerRT

@LBloggerRT

@blogretweet

@Blogger_Lounge

Facebook groups you should be joining

BBloggers and FBloggers Worldwide

UK Bloggers

The Blogger Programme

Bloggers Required

Bloggers Lounge

Google+ communities you should be joining

Fashion Bloggers

Blogger Talk

Social Media Marketing

MAKEUP LOVERS

Blogger Community on G+

Blogspot

Beauty and MakeUp

Lifestyle Bloggers

Beauty Bloggers

Blogging

Blog Community

2. The right timing on social media platforms

I use these times religiously and it really, really works and effects my traffic MASSIVELY. Getting the timing right is probably my most important tip, because when you get it right it really pays off.

Twitter 

Morning 6am - 9am

Afternoon 12pm - 2pm

Evening 6pm - 10:30pm

Facebook 

Morning 7:30am - 9:00am

Evening 5:30pm - 10:00pm

Google+ 

Anytime between 10:30pm - 7:30am

Instagram

Morning 7am - 9am

Evening 4pm - 11:30pm

3. Link, link, link.

Make sure you have a clickable link to your blog on every single social media platform that you use. This needs to be in your profile and in every single tweet, picture or comment you post about your blog. This is common sense right? But I see this every single day on social media and if you're not guiding me to your blog easily, there's every chance I am going to give up trying to find it.

4. Join in on blogger chats on Twitter

Every single day there are new blog chats happening all you have to do is search #blogchat and you will find lots of bloggers who want to engage and connect, just like you. You can really gain a lot of interest from these Q&A sessions and learn a lot at the same time. The blogging community is a very positive place and everyone I have connected with has been pleasant, helpful and whole lot of fun. In turn people you connect with and share similar interests with, will usually check out your blog and follow you.

5. Get yourself some share buttons

The final point is the EASIEST, if you write a blog post that somebody loves they're going to want to share it with their followers and friends. If you're restricting the ability to do that or not making it easy enough for them to do so, they won't bother consequently losing you those numbers and potential blog followers. You can get yourself some free buttons at www.sharethis.com and my advice is to position them at the bottom of your page so once your reader is done it's right in front of them, one click away. 

Whats In My Make Up Bag? - March Edition

Today I am bringing you a post on what is in my make up bag this month. I have been trying lots of new things in March, some I'm loving, some are pretty average as far as I am concerned and I won't be buying again. So grab yourself a cup of tea and dig in!

Clinique Even Better Make Up Foundation

I am a huge Clinique fan, but if you read my haul post where I included this foundation I didn't exactly sing it's praises. This foundation has disappointed me, slightly. I used to wear Clinique Repair Wear Foundation and they discontinued it. God knows why, because it was the best foundation I have EVER used. This foundation is average at best, medium coverage and lasts pretty much all day. It is a consistent foundation and does its basic job as well as SPF 15, I just expected a bit more for it's price tag.

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara

I received this sample with my March Birchbox and I have to say, it really is an amazing mascara. It lengthens, it creates brilliant volume and it's just wonderful all round. I am absolutely in love with it and I will be buying the full size tube once I have finished with this one. The only thing I will say is that it is a NIGHTMARE to get off at night, it takes AGES! So if anyone uses this mascara and knows a way to get it off, easily, leave me a comment!

BARRY M Brow Kit Shade & Define

I didn't take my own picture of this because I have had this brow kit a little while and the packaging has faded and I've used up most of the product. This brow kit is the best I have ever used. It comes with a gel, shadow, highlighter, tweezers and a small applicator brush. The gel is amazing it is the perfect colour, it's not oily it sits just right in your brows and glides on so well. The shadow is also an excellent colour it's really good for light eyebrows and SO buildable for medium and dark eyebrows. I don't use the highlighter or the tweezers on a daily basis, I still haven't found a highlighter that I love and this one is no exception. 

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick - Shade Blushed 420

This is my everyday wear casual lipstick that I have being loving the most this month. It's very natural and slightly rose toned which I just love, love, looove. It does bleed a little at first, but other than that I can't fault this lipstick and I would buy it again to put in my lipstick collection.

Naked On The Run Palette 

I have been using the bronzer, blusher and the two matte eyeshadow shades (Fix & Dare). I rave about this palette so much but I really do love it more than any of palette I have ever owned. I haven't been using the metallic shades too much this month because I haven't really been going out or doing anything where I don't just go for a casual look. March has definitely been a casual month for me. 

Lord & Berry Eye Pencil

This is another sample I got in my Birchbox this month and I have to say this is a lovely eyeliner but no more special than a collection 2000 eye pencil that costs £2.99. Its great for lining on both lash lines and has excellent smudging qualities when needed but pencil eyeliners are all the same to me and I won't be spending £10 on the full size. 

Spring Fashion: Trends You Will LOVE.

Would you say we're in Spring now? I find it difficult to differentiate seasons because the UK is one big merge of rain. Of course we have the occasional few days a month that give you a blanket of warmth, during which everyone goes crazy, running to the nearest beach with disposable BBQ underarm. Alas, 3 days in the blanket of warmth gets ripped right off you and is replaced with down pours and soggy socks. My idea of spring is middle of March to the middle of May, perhaps our shortest season, but Spring is promise of more daylight, SUMMER & weather heating up, even if it's by a degree? I love you Spring. ANYWAY I have been spending the last couple of days trying to organise my new Pinterest account. I did have a personal Pinterest but it was a total mess, so starting fresh was the easiest option (www.pinterest.com/allthatbekka). During my venture to create new, interesting content on my Fashion Spring Edit board, I fell in love with some beautiful looks & got some real style inspiration that I wouldn't have discovered without Pinterest. So I'm sharing with you my absolute favourite trends that have formed for SS15. 

 HORIZONTAL STRIPES

Stripes are everywhere this season and I can't wait to get my hands on some beautiful pieces. From ASOS to Jane Norman everyone in going stripe crazy and i'm loving it. Horizontal stripes are SO slimming and anything slimming is every girls dream come true, right?

1. Oasis Stripe Ponte Dress, House Of Fraser £25

2. Theory Striped TShirt Dress, FARFETCH £142.03

3. White Stuff Jade Striped TShirt, John Lewis £40

THE SLEEVELESS TRENCH
I adore sleeveless trench coats right now, they come in all lengths and shapes too. From Waterfall as seen on Victoria Beckham to classic double breasted. Combined with a striped long sleeved top and black skinny jeans you can't go wrong.

1.  Lavish Alice Sleeveless Belted Trench Coat, The Hut £70
2. Topshop Soft Tailored Sleeveless Mac By Rare, Topshop £45
3.  Sleeveless Trench Coat, h&m NOW £15

PASTELS
Pastel colours are my favourite and when we move I want pastel colours throughout my new house. Pastel is SO Spring, and it's almost a trend that is becoming timeless. You can do pastel accessories, you can do pastel skater dresses, you can do pastel skirts, the possibilities are endless and will always look fresh & clean.






1. Pastel Blue Tweed Pencil Skirt, House Of Fraser NOW £39
2. Peach Caged Dress, New Look £27.99
3. Coloured Skinny Jeans in Spearmint, Jane Norman £30

SKIRTS
Tube, Skater and Maxi are the three go to types of skirt for Spring. I am seeing them everywhere in 1000s of shades, 1000s of types of material and 1000s of shapes all over the high street and I see all three of these making it into Summer too. My favourites are skater skirts because they are absolutely brilliant at hiding wobbly bits and as the year has gone on they seem to becoming more popular than ever.

1. Yumi Daisy Skater Skirt, House Of Fraser £35
2. Rick Owens Lilies Tube Skirt, Far Fetch £147.50
3. Shell Pink Pleated Split Hem Maxi Skirt, New Look £15

10 Beauty Hacks You Need To Know Right Now

Us women are constantly sharing with each other new ways to enhance our looks without spending unnecessary coin, and tricks to reduce the amount of time you take to get ready in the morning, so that you can have that extra 15 minutes sleep without worrying about greasy hair or smudging mascara. Today I am bringing you my top ten beauty hacks, that are all tried, tested & LOVED by me & I am looking forward to reading your top tips in the comments below, enjoy! 

1. Putting a small line of dark brown eyeshadow underneath the middle of your bottom lip will create shadow, consequently making your lips look bigger and fuller. 

2. Rubbing Vaseline on your pulse points before spraying perfume will make the scent last longer. 

3. To make pencil eyeliner glide on easier, use a lighter at the tip of the pencil for a few seconds, leave to cool for 10 seconds and sure enough it will glide on perfectly.

4. Cotton buds fix everything, from bleeding lipstick to mascara smudging, with a quick swipe. Put a handful in the bottom of your makeup bag so you can correct anywhere, on the go.

5. Banish split ends before your routine hairdressers appointment by taking a section of your hair and twisting tightly, the stray ends sticking out of the twist are the dead ends you need to snip off. 

6. Running late, no time to wash your hair and no dry shampoo? Talcum powder is the next best thing! Apply talc to the roots leave for 2 min, then rub into scalp until dry - Voila! Fresh looking hair. 

7. How do you curl your lashes and do your eyeliner at the same time? What is this magic, Rebekka? Pencil across the top hinge of your curlers and proceed to curl your lashes as normal. Hello beautifully curled lashes AND perfectly lined lids! 

8. Quick way to whiten your teeth in less than 2 weeks? Mix baking soda with fresh lemon juice to create a paste. Dry out your teeth with a towel and apply paste with a toothbrush, leave for 1 minute then rinse thoroughly. Do this 3 times a week for 2 weeks to see a SIGNIFICANT difference. 
(This is not a long term solution to teeth whitening and routine should only be carried out on occasion.) 

9.  Hairspray is the perfect way to fix your makeup and false eyelashes when you have a big night out! All that dancing in a close proximity to 209742 other people cutting shapes = sweat that can loosen up your lashes, and melt away your makeup. A quick spray up and down, 30cm away from your face and neck before you leave the house will postpone the inevitable.

10. The final beauty hack is a CLASSIC that I swear by. Brush yourself some Talcum Powder all over your eyelashes and then apply mascara for beautiful full volume, crazy long lashes.  

Birchbox Review - March Edition

So I have recently been looking into beauty subscription boxes and this month I tried Birchbox. After a bit of research it seemed the best "beauty box" in the UK, is Birchbox. I received my box Monday afternoon and I couldn't rip open the packaging quick enough. This months box is in collaboration with HABITAT and it came in a colourful box with blue crepe paper, which I thought was a lovely touch. I am very passionate about packaging, I think it's really important in beauty to have a lovely clean and high quality finish in the packaging of a product and Birchbox is really no exception. I received 7 products this month & here's what I thought of them - enjoy.

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara (RRP £19.50) - I am absolutely loving this mascara when I put it on my lashes I fell in love, but when I showed it off to my friends on my lashes they weren't that bothered about it. The mascara has a VERY similar finish to YouUnique Fibre Lashes. Since YouUnique fibre lashes the full volume, thick lashes look has become easily achievable, so my best friend, who uses fibre lashes, wasn't as crazy about it as I was. I actually love this mascara, I'm super lazy with makeup and I don't like in everyday makeup routines to take an hour doing my face. This mascara's best asset is that the thick, long and voluminous lashes you desire takes 30 seconds instead of the 5 minutes and 2 tubes YouUnique requires. 

Catherine Malandrino Style de Paris Perfume (RRP £60 50ml) - This is my favourite scent in the world! I got the sample and thought it's just going to be another basic perfume, how wrong was I? The scent is very sensual and I would use it as a night time perfume. It's one of those perfumes that take about 3 minutes to get the proper scent out of it, but when you do it's absolutely beautiful. I have put this perfume on my birthday wish list, it is a little expensive but SO worth it. It's so long wearing I can still smell it at the end of a busy day and my fiance absolutely loves it, in my opinion it's worth every single penny. 

Phillip Kingsley Elasticizer (RRP £27.50) - Tried this out twice now and it's really nothing special, if anything my hair has been much frizzier than normal. I don't really get what it's supposed to do, but whatever it is, it isn't working on my hair. 

Janjira Argan Oil Shower Scrub (RRP £22) - I have only used this once and my skin did feel softer when I woke up in the morning. It smells like head lice lotion in the bottle but to my surprise smelt lovely on my skin. It's a very fancy concoction of Argan Oil and Walnut Shell Powder that has hydrated my skin and made it silky soft. 

Lord & Berry Couture Kohl Kajal Eye Pencil (RRP £10) - Very high pigmented and glides on easily. It's very long wearing and is great for a smokey eye finish. Personally I wouldn't pay £10 for a full size pencil, because I think there's a lot of great eye pencils on the high street that do the same job for a fraction of the price.

A Perfect Heritage (RRP £7.99) - This is a chapter extract from the book that I haven't read yet. I've read the blurb and as far as I can tell it's about a woman in New York who works in beauty.

Birchbox & Habitat Exclusive Notebook - This isn't big enough for me to use for work related things, but great for my weekly shopping list and bill calculations, lovely to have inside your handbag.

Considering this box has a combined retail price of nearly £150, I was quite impressed with this month's box. I will be looking forward to their special standalone box which is in collaboration with Tatler. What did you think of this box? Or do you use a different beauty subscription box service? I would love to know, comment below or tweet me @3beksbabe - thanks for reading :)

The Best FREE Workouts On YouTube

My newest venture is discovering ways to workout with YouTube and how effective it can be. I've only just started so I can't illustrate significant weight loss or muscle growth, but I can give you an insight to my favourite workouts. I'm at home 90% of the time, having a 1 year old and finding the time to go to the Gym is virtually impossible for me. So I have been putting off losing all the weight I've put on over the last 3 years with the old excuse of "not having time", but now there is NO excuse. Youtube has exploded over the last year or so, and it is ever growing with thousands of fresh videos being posted every single day and they are certainly not short of fitness videos. From Brazilian Booty Shake workouts to Pilates For Beginners there is something for everyone. By far my favourite fitness YouTuber is KEAIRA LASHAE, she's relatable and it feels like you're actually working out right next to her. Today I'm bringing you my top picks of all the FREE, EFFECTIVE workouts that I love - enjoy!

Dance Workouts

FUN LATIN SOCA DANCE WITH KEAIRA LASHAE

10 MIN BOOTY SHAKING WAIST WORKOUT BY TIFFANY RO

10 MINUTE CARDIO DANCE WORKOUT WITH KEAIRA LASHAE

Pilates

10 MINUTE PILATES FOR BEGINNERS

FAT BURNING PILATES BY FITNESS BLENDER

Kickboxing

FAT BURNING KICKBOXING WITH KEAIRA LASHAE

DENISE AUSTIN: KICKBOXING CARDIO FAT BLAST

INSANE Workouts

TABATA DANCE WORKOUT

 HARDCORE FAT ATTACK

PSYCHOTIC MUSCLE BUILDING WORKOUT

15 MINUTE FAT BURNING INTENSE WORKOUT

P.S. No equipment is needed for ANY of these workouts unless YOU choose to use dumbbells! Completely free and time effective as MOST are only 10 minutes, the only thing stopping you, is you! Leave me a comment if you try any of these out and let me know if you've got any workouts you've discovered on YouTube, I would love to find some new ones too.

Urban Decay Naked On The Run Palette Review

I know it's been out a little while now but I feel obliged to write a review about the naked on the run palette by Urban Decay, because I use it every single day. It is a solid staple in my every day make up and I believe it should be in yours. I actually got this palette in a flash sale from Debenhams for £24.00, I was planning to buy anyway and it happened to have 33% for one day only - obviously fate. I will go through the products individually and give you my brutally honest opinion - enjoy!

                                 

Perversion Mascara, Shade - Blackest Black

I hated this mascara when I first got the palette, I threw it in a drawer and didn't give it another chance for a few days. I was then going to go on a night out and I wanted to try to do 90% of my face with my new palette to show it off to all of my friends. I hesitantly got the mascara out, and as I started to apply I realised that this is quite a dry mascara. In my experience I have found that dry mascaras are best applied with about 3 or 4 layers for full effect allowing time to dry between each layer application, so I did this with Perversion and my God, I couldn't live without it another day. I really love this mascara now and I would probably give it an 8 out of 10, rating it against every other mascara I have ever used. I usually apply 3 layers for daywear not only for volume but for evening out my lashes and for that I feel 3 applications is necessary. For nightwear I usually do my regular 3 layers and then add Rimmel London Volume Flash x10 in Black Extreme 1

24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil, Shade - Stag

I never thought I would use a satin brown eyeliner, but I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome of this product. I don't always wear eye pencil because I just find it a bit too intense sometimes especially on a casual week day, a little scene girl circa 2007 for me. However, I never considered a more natural colour that wasn't extreme black, until I used this. It's so natural and it's not a pencil effect it glides on and is very cream based which is perfect for a little blending and smudging for a smoky effect. I wish this wasn't travel sized because I see myself going through this pencil quite quickly. 

NAKED Ultra Nourishing Lipgloss, Shade - Sesso

I am not a gloss girl so this rarely gets touched, which is frustrating. I wish they had put a full size Perversion Mascara in there but alas, it wasn't meant to be. Not much to say about this lipgloss it's a regular lipgloss colour with a slight rose tint. I will say for any gloss lovers out there the staying power is amazing, probably one of the best long lasting lipgloss' I have ever used. It smells lovely, has a lovely gold packaging and is very moisturising for the lips - I guess it kind of is a glossy girls dream product, but just not for me Urban Decay.

Eyeshadows 

So the eyeshadows are Urban Decays bread and butter as we all know and in this palette we have been exposed to 5 NEW SHADES. I was going to do some pictures of the shades but I just can't do them justice with the pictures and I don't want them to look crap when in fact they're beautiful shades and so pigmented.

Dive - A metallic rose colour with a full shimmer in the eyeshadow, this is a beautiful base eyeshadow if used lightly, if you love the colour and want to use it solely, then it is very easily built to give full colour, as do all these eyeshadows, and looks absolutely stunning.

Fix - lightest brown of the brown based eyeshadows in the palette. I find it's quite grey toned and very matte. 

Resist - A medium metallic taupe, I like this for my eyelid crease on a casual day. 

Dare - The step up to the shade fix if you want to go for a more intense, smoky look. Again, very matte and a great base for a darker look.

Stun - Stun is probably my favourite shade of the 5, it's a beautiful dark gold, almost Copper shimmer shade and would look beautiful in your eyelid crease when opting for a smoky brown look, absolutely stunning. I have and will use this as a full shade for my eyes because it's gorgeous.

Bronzer, Blush and Highlighter

I'll start with the highlighter, it has a champagne tint and I hate it. It's the worst product in the palette, I don't use it and I don't intend to. I hate powder based highlighters because my skin can get quite dry in the places that I do like to highlight, so I find cream highlighters a lot more effective. The blush is beautiful, so pigmented. It's a bubblegum colour and I just love it for Spring on top of the bronzer, which coincidentally is also beautiful and well pigmented. The bronzer is a California bronze and it's stunning. Great for contouring and shadowing. 

Overall I really do love this palette and I can't get enough of trying the different shades of eyeshadows in new ways. I love the bronzer and the blush combined they go together so well and look beautiful. I would say it's definitely worth its £37.00 price tag because there is pretty much everything you need (on the run) inside this palette. Have you got Naked On The Run? Let me know if you rate it or slate it, in the comments below.

SOME SHOPPING LINKS TO URBAN DECAY NAKED ON THE RUN PALETTE

URBANDECAY.CO.UK, £37

DEBENHAMS, £37

FEELUNIQUE.COM, £37

HOUSE OF FRASER, £37

Mothers Day Gift Guide

Happy Sunday! I usually go out on a Saturday night so I'm never usually in a fit state to blog the next day. HOWEVER, this weekend I was mourning the loss of one of my best friends going to Australia, going out just doesn't feel the same at the moment. So, I stayed in and had a really good family orientated weekend. Harper had a sleepover with her cousin Oliver & we just relaxed, went for walks and visited some of the parks in our area, which has been SO refreshing & exactly what I've needed. It's exactly one week until Mothers Day and I have never really made a big deal out of it, but now I'm a Mummy I like to milk it a bit with my other half. So not only is this a gift inspiration guide for you, it's also a hint to Justin, on behalf of Harper - any of these will do!

PAMPER

1. SOAP & GLORY RELAXSTATION GIFT SET, BOOTS £20

2. EMMA HARDIE ESSENTIAL MOTHERS DAY COLLECTION, FEELUNIQUE.COM £42

3. TED BAKER LUXURY BATHING COLLECTION, BOOTS £19 (WAS £40)

4. LIZ EARLE EVERYDAY RADIANCE GIFT SET, LIZ EARLE £16.50

GIFTS UNDER £20

1. CHARBONNEL ET WALKER PLAIN CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES 115G, JOHN LEWIS £11

2. MARY BERRY'S ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE, TESCOS £12

3. SAM SMITH - IN THE LONELY HOUR, AMAZON £9.99

4. YANKEE CANDLE MEDIUM JAR MORNING BLOSSOM, TESCO £9

GIFT EXPERIENCES

The last group of gift ideas I have for you are gift experiences for Mothers Day! These are my favourite types of gifts to give, and here are the links to my top picks for Mothers Day gift experiences. 

1. SPA RETREAT & AFTERNOON TEA FOR TWO, VIRGIN EXPERIENCE DAYS £39

2. CHOCOHOLIC AFTERNOON TEA FOR 2 AT HILTON PARK LANE, BUYAGIFT.COM £49

3. MOTHERS DAY SPECIAL OFFER FOR TWO AT BANNATYNE'S SPA (36 LOCATIONS), ASDA £99

4. SEGWAY RALLY THRILL FOR TWO (13 LOCATIONS), ASDA £54

Fashion Friday - Spring Edit

I'm going to start posting my favourite fashion picks every Friday! I'm going to try to do a new theme every week, but some weeks will be just random picks. This weeks theme is going to be "Spring Edit" - enjoy! 

1.SHORT SKIRT, H&M £24.99
2.SLEEVELESS JERSEY DRESS, £7.99 H&M
3.HIGH WAISTED TROUSERS, H&M £14.99
4.PHASE EIGHT ANNA HEART PRINT BLOUSE, HOUSE OF FRASER £59.00
5. WHITE TILE PRINT HIGH NECK SKATER DRESS, NEW LOOK £10.00 (SALE)
6. GREY STRIPE ZIP FRONT PENCIL SKIRT, RIVER ISLAND £25.00
7.PINK FLORAL CREPE DUSTER JACKET, RIVER ISLAND £65.00
8. OLIVIA BURTON BIG DIAL CHRONOGRAPHY DUSTY PINK WATCH, ASOS £125
9.YELLOW TASSEL FRONT SLOUCHY BAG, RIVER ISLAND £32.00

5 Blogs Every Blogger Needs To Read - Right Now!

On my bloglovin' I have a file of saved posts that teach and help me with my everyday blogging experience. There are some really fantastic blogs out there that will give you links and resources to things you didn't know existed that will boost your traffic, develop your blogging skills and help you create the blog you're dreaming of. This post is a little filter for you to find the best of the best blogs that are out there right now, and the posts that I have found the most useful in my relatively short time blogging. I've even linked them for you so all these useful posts are only a click away - enjoy! 

Okay, so my first collection of posts are from CAREER GIRL DAILY, a blog that I am crazy obsessed with and has become my go to for career motivation and blogging tips, if you haven't checked out this blog you really, really need to - here are the links from CAREER GIRL DAILY that have really helped me.

Tips For Blogging Success - The Basics Of Running A Successful Blog 

Let’s get smart: 6 amazing free online courses to upgrade your business skills

Social Media Tips From GIRLBOSS Sophia Amoruso



My second collection of posts come from a blogger called ELISE DOPSON, her blog is just wonderful. She has so many posts that offer blogging tips, resources and things you need to learn to be successful - here are the links to my fave posts by ELISE DOPSON

 25 Free Resources For Bloggers

Easy HTML For Beginners 

Branding Your Blog - The Basics


My third collection of posts comes from a blogger called Angela Giakas better known as THE SUNDAY CHAPTER. The Sunday Chapter is my layout crush, Angela has the most amazing layout and structure to her blog as well as some of the best blogging tips i've ever read - here are the links to THE SUNDAY CHAPTER.

150 Blog Post Ideas For When You've Hit Writers Block

Get Organised: 5 Free Blogging Calendars

5 CSS Hacks For Your Blogger Template


My fourth collection is from a UK based blog called AUTUMN LEAVES, this blog is the go to for EVERYTHING blogging and social media. It has taught me a lot about how to build my social networking and how to use my resources better - here are the links to my top picks from AUTUMN LEAVES.

Tips On How To Get More Followers On Instagram

When Are The Best Times To Post On Social Media? 

Easy SEO Tips That Will Make Your Blog Awesome In Minutes


My fifth and final collection is from SWEET ELECTRIC, this is a lovely little UK based blog that i'm majorly obsessed with as much as the other four. There are some amazing beauty & skincare tips, but the ones that relate to this particular post are just as amazing. Her blogging tips are refreshing and you can get a lot of copycats who just write what everyone else is saying, that is not the case with this blog - here are my top links for SWEET ELECTRIC

Five Of The Best Free Blog Templates

5 Resources for Optimising Your Blog and Posts for SEO 

Books To Help Raise Your Blogging Game 

20 Things To Do Before You Turn 30

Today I am bringing you a 20 things before you're 30 list. There's nothing wrong with doing ANY of these things after you turn 30, this is more of a personal bucket list of things I would like to or have achieved in my teens & 20's. I feel like MY 30s will be when I stop doing the crazy, spontaneous things. Get my children through school, get married to the love of my life & hold down a mortgage comfortably - stability. In this list some are silly things, some are big things that require a lot of planning. Let me know in the comments what you want to achieve by the time you're 30 & beyond, enjoy.

Go on a girls/lads holidays - I actually have never done this and I'm hoping to do it next year when my two best friends, Michelle & Connie, get back from Australia, we're trying to plan a holiday with all the girls for when they're on their way back to the UK. There's something about english people going to Malia/Magaluf and drinking fruity cocktails through penis straws that seems like a right of passage.

Get an education/Go to Uni/College - Although you can get on just as well in life without going to University/College, it's a great way to discover a new lifestyle, new place and make life long friends and connections, that you wouldn't necessarily discover without going to Uni. There's no doubt after 30 you can go to Uni, but usually that comes with an element of responsibility (your own home & children) that you don't have to worry about when you're younger.

Be obsessed with video games - The Sims is the bane of my existence. In my teens and even sometimes now, I lose days playing it. It's okay to do that in your teens because you're living at home, where your bedroom is your personal space, there's no toddlers running around your feet and you don't have to worry about an 18 hour Sims binge on a Friday night ruining your Saturday because you can sleep in till 4pm without anyone batting an eyelid. 

Watch an extremely long box set - Gossip Girl, 24, Doctor Who, Pretty Little Liars. Whatever you choose, spend a ridiculous amount of time binge watching your favourite box set. You don't even have to shower if you don't feel like it, gross but so relaxing.

Find your best friend - You may have done this at 12, you might find this at 29, you might even find your best friend at 40. But it's good to have a partner in crime to spend your teens & 20s painting the town red and reminiscing with. The person who has held your hair whilst you throw up after that 3094th sourz shot and buys you a fry up the next morning.

Don't take a piece of "good" advice - People will always be telling you what you should or shouldn't do, or what they think is best for any situation you may be in. Not taking a good piece of career advice led me to my fiance, which in turn gave me my beautiful daughter. Learn and take your own path don't let others tell you what to do, only your heart and head can do that.

Step out of your comfort zone - You should step out of your comfort zone at any age it's a great way to learn your limits and discover things you wouldn't necessarily do day to day. The fear of something is usually greater than the danger. 

Extreme activities/sports - Swimming with great white sharks, bungee jumping, climb Mount Everest, skydive. Whichever tickles your pickle do it, you only live once and doing something that is a once in a lifetime chance is a great thrill

Move out of your parents house - Literally the best thing I've done so far, other than have my daughter, is move out of my parents house. It makes you the person you become no matter how you do it. It builds character, it teaches you valuable, although very simple, lessons about everyday life e.g. working the washing machine. It helps you become more financially aware and you get to have some AWESOME house parties without worrying about your mum and dad getting home - What more could you want?

Clubbing - You can do this over 30 and I probably still will occasionally, but even at 22 I feel myself slowing up and being less energetic. I'm becoming incapable of avoiding a 2 day hangover which, I coped with easier when I was 18. In the UK binge drinking is an attractive lifestyle for some and let's face it most 18 - 25 years old do it, and the club experience comes with that. I've been to lots of different nightclubs and it's always fun to discover new ones with my girlfriends.

Boybands - This is predominantly for the girls, don't see myself at 30 being able to get away with going to a One Direction concert, I barely think I would blend in now. HOWEVER in your teens and 20s its totes acceptable to be in love with Harry Styles and hate Taylor Swift for getting close enough to share the same oxygen in a room. 

Crazy Tatts & Body Piercings - Can't personally see myself getting a belly bar EVER, but if you're going to do it, it usually attracts 16 - 25 year olds who are going on their first booze filled holiday. As for crazy tattoo's, my fiance is literally the King of regrettable tattoos he got in his teens and early 20s. That mushroom from Super Mario seemed cool 7 years ago, not so much now.

Making fashion, music & makeup faux pas - When you turn 30 you should, by then have made enough fashion mistakes to know what works for you, you will know what you like in music so much so that nothing else will do and know wearing fluorescent pink lipstick isn't so chic. 

Be infatuated/In love with someone wildly inappropriate - They treat you like a piece of shit, smoke drugs, drive a blue Citroen Saxo that makes that "cool" piercing sound from the exhaust, has a wardrobe that stretches from Superdry hoodies to Nike Airs and did I mention he's got two kids by two different baby mamas? Whats not to love?!

Travel/Gap Year - Visit a country and travel around with only the bag on your back. There's only one thing that I regret not doing before I had my daughter and that was travelling, two of my best friends are currently travelling around Australia, which is so exciting! I just know I would love to be right there with them, travelling will teach you so much about the world as well as giving you some life lessons that you can use everyday too.

Meet "The One" - You may find this person at 13, you may find them at 24 and you may not find them till the month you turn 30. Whichever it is, these days, you usually find "the one" before the clock strikes midnight on your 30th birthday. I met my fiance when I was 16, we were the best of friends and we didn't know either of us was "the one" until one day we took the jump and decided to give it ago, now we're engaged to be married and have a, nearly, 2 year old.

Heal a broken heart - I have only ever had my heart broken once and I was in my late teens. I honestly believe you only get properly heart broken once, because the pain and the emotion you feel teaches you how to cope and it makes you aware of the signs in your next partner that could potentially be threatening to a relationship you have. Nearly every living soul on this earth gets their heartbroken at one point or another, the best time to do it is in your 20s when you can cry for a week, watch gossip girl and eat your body weight in pizza & ice cream without anyone knowing. 

Spend more than you can afford - I'm the Queen of overspending and i'm paying for it now a little - this is not great advice. I've spent beyond my means on many occasions but I've had an AMAZING time doing it. Its okay to do it now because you don't have any life long responsibilities and let me tell you, one day you will, so don't worry about money when you're 19, don't save spend it on jager bombs, bikinis, bags and holidays to exotic places you can't afford.

Know your REAL friends - people will come and go out of your life, like seasons. Honestly you will learn some easy, some the hard way. On your 30th birthday throw an extravagant party and look around the room for those people who were there at your 21st birthday party- they're the ones for keeps. You will meet people in life all the time that will be your "friends" it's the ones who stick around when you're not yourself and when your life isn't feeling like a party.

Realise that 30 may actually only be the beginning/not the end of the world - 30, flirty and thriving, if you've ever seen 13 going on 30, Jenna Rink has got it quite good! By your thirties you should have your junk together financially and maybe have a few beautiful kids running around your feet, but that doesn't mean it all stops there! I didn't get the opportunity to travel in my 20s, so we've planned to go in our 40s when my daughter will be late teens! I can't wait and I feel like life is such an adventure that just because you can't stay up past 11 and your boobs aren't sitting where they did at 18 doesn't mean you can't live life to the maximum and do any of these things past 30. Life is there for the taking and it's up to you whether you grab it by the horns or let it pass you by.