Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 Hi All,

I hope you have had a good Christmas and are taking time out to rest. Burnout is very real so make sure you are taking good care o yourself. 2020 has been a challenging year which has changed all our lives and I'm pretty sure for most of us has put things into perspective.

As we enter 2021, I pray to Almighty God that this coming new year we see miracles, we have hope and faith that will move mountains, that we see light in all areas of our lives. In Jesus name Amen

Happy New Year!

Until the next one

Michelle x

Blogmas Three x

 

Photo credit - https://sarahrenaeclark.com/shop/printable-christmas-wrapping-paper/ 

Hi All,

I hope all your Christmas prep is going according to plan and if you are still doing Christmas shopping - do not be ashamed as you are not alone. One thing I always struggle with year after year and that is Christmas present wrapping. 

However to resolve that this year I have taken the time out to research the best way to wrap presents and found a few article and tutorial. The most useful was the tutorial form - City Line talk show. They cover wrapping normal gifts and awkward shaped presents. 

Enjoy!

Until the next one

Michelle x

Blogmas Two x

 Hello all,

I went Christmas shopping and found some lovely stocking filler finds from Primark. I sincerely love primary as they have a variety of stuff for all ages at affordable prices and not to mention they always do their best to be within the trend. 

With that being said, I found two gorgeous, sparkly hair accessories that are great stocking fillers for those of us who love trying out new hairstyles all under £10. 

Until next one

Michelle x

Blogmas One x

 

It's finally that time of the year, the most fun - wonderful time of the year. 

As the lockdown has been lifted and the shops have now reopened, its time to do some Christmas shopping and get creative with gifts for our loved ones. Personally I love shopping, I love the vision of possibilities it gives when you look at an item and visualize how it will look or help you or the person you are buying for. As convenient as online shopping is, personally I prefer going to actual shops and having the full shopping experience which includes a hot chocolate or a mocha with foam on the top and a ginger bread biscuit. 

So this Year I have decided to do a series on the blog on Christmas prep and the different little gifts that are cost effective and for Christmas stocking fillers.

With that said today's blog post is on a fantastic product that I believe will be the perfect stocking filler for all women among other things,

Olay Total Effects 7 in One - Night Firming Moisturiser cream. 

This cream is fantastic for maintaining moisture during the night while you sleep. The consistency of the cream is very thick and especially in the winter months it is very much needed. You can purchase this product at your local beauty store. I bought mine at Superdrug (cannot remember the exact price) and it was less than £10.

Until the next one 

Mich x

Staying Positive - Lockdown Lifts and Tier restrictions reimposed

Hi Everyone, 

Just wanted to share a playlist that has helped me throughout lockdown. Music has a huge impact on our mood especially when we have been spending weekends indoors.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6mnqvIgFmotLf6cHMSnrOg?si=o-FUpxWETriMDo_wvjC1kQ

Enjoy!

until next one 

Michie

x

L'Occitane Lockdown

Lockdown 2.0 has been upon us for 2 weeks, and being locked in the house is now starting to become the normal. As we stay in we have to find things to keep ourselves busy and self care. Those bubble baths, candles, movies, soft pyjamas and hot chocolate come in handy. 

Just like any other regular person I love a good bargain and do not usually spend money on expensive shower gels and soaps etc, however at least once a year either my birthday, holiday or as treat for reaching a milestone I treat myself to L'Occitane products - as in buy the whole set. 

I love L'Occitane, they have the best high quality products and you definitely get what you pay for. So I purchase a mixed box of my favourite L'Occitane products that leave me feeling so feminine and fresh (please see below) Lait Riche- Body Rich Lotion, Fleurs Se Cerisier - Cherry Blossom Perfume, Herbae L'occitane soap and Cherry Blossom hand cream  These are also great as a Christmas gifts for your loved ones.  

Until the next one

Michie

X

Home Decoration (IKEA)- Mini Flat Tour

Ever since I was 19 years old, I have moved and stayed in a lot of places. From Uni accommodation to small studio flats as a corporate babe. Each space I have occupied I have tried to make my own with what my landlord has given me. From old furniture to brand new furniture I redecorated and made it my own. I'm still learning in regards to decorating, still trying new things and trying to figure out my taste and style. In a lot of areas in my life I am very much self aware, but in certain areas this babe is trying to figure it out, that is why I love Ikea. 

I love their furniture as it's cost effective and they do their best to be a modern as possible, however the flat packs... chaii.... they need patience, tender care and understanding. I recently bought a table so i can create an office space and I nearly lost it trying to figure out how to build it. Thank God for my brothers because hmm 

One thing I have to give Ikea props for, is the way their shops are set up. It's all psychological to get you buy more that's why sometimes I just order online. I mean I cannot say I have ever gone to Ikea and left with only the item I came to get. You go in there wanting to buy a chair and you come out with a new chair, wardrobe, cushions, new bed, mirror and so on!

Out of all the spaces I occupied, my favourite would have to be my Bournemouth flat. That place was my little paradise and was kitted out with the latest Ikea furniture my budget could afford! As you can see from the pictures below my favourite pieces where the desk, chair and sofa.

As I grow, I intend to improve my taste and would love to explore other furniture stores. 

Perhaps also create and design my own line of home furnishings 😁 the sky is not the limit. 

But in all honesty, a house is not a home until you make it a home.

Until the next one 

M

x

 

 

Dealing with Eczema

 

Ever since I was well into my teenage years I suffered from eczema, some of it I was able to hide under my clothes but some have been on display especially on my hands. I have tried everything to get rid of it but came to accept that it will go when it's ready. But for now, I need to manage it by ensuring my skin is highly moisturized at all times. For all other parts of the body, it's not a problem but when it's on your hands its an uphill battle as hands need to be washed consistently throughout the day. 

Having eczema can really affect your confidence, I know for me I'm always very wary about showing my hands, it's even worse when my skin is dry as it looks even worse and at times can feel irritated. It's really hard when you have people clearly staring at my hands wondering why my hands are like that. unfortunately, it's something I have just accepted as part of my skin, and hope that one day it completely heals as all I can do now is manage it.

So far I have tried a few products to help with keeping my hands moisturized and have found the best cream that has worked for me has been the dry skin cream (for dry and sensitive skin) from Superdrug. This is very thick, has no perfumes/scents, it's not oily and it really sinks into the skin instantly. I have been using it for the past 1 year and have no complaints. Five-star review from me!

If you are having issues with dry skin/eczema, please do email me and let me know what you are doing to manage/combat it - michiek@live.co.uk

The cream can be purchased here: https://www.superdrug.com/Skin/Body-Care/Dry-Skin/Superdrug-Dry-Skin-Relief-Cream-150ml/p/201017?gclid=Cj0KCQjwwuD7BRDBARIsAK_5YhU-0tXZkIzyWHiUM12Myfhlyo5JdTlcSEx555Wb9NyBdddzltE4w88aAndBEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds 

Until the next one 

M

x

Sleek Wig review- Bianca

So this year I have decided to return to an old favourite hair brand - sleek hair. I wanted a nice colour change for Autumn and big curls. 

I purchased this wig from amazon for less than £40, and have been wearing it for almost 4 weeks now. I have done an unboxing and first impressions review (please watch the video below. Part 2 will be coming soon on my final thoughts, so look out for that

Until the next one, 

M

X

A Selfie Worthy Smile

Taking the perfect selfie actually takes a lot of work, as ridiculous as it sounds it really does take a lot of work and time. Let’s be honest we all scroll through our friend’s pictures analysing and wondering how they managed to have such a beautiful Instagram feed. There are many steps to taking the right picture:

First of all, you have to find the right lighting and the right background - no one wants to take a picture with a messy background. Experts say for the perfect picture it’s best to use natural lighting especially during the golden hour (period of daytime shortly after sunrise or before sunset) and ideally with a neutral background.

Secondly, you need to find the right angle - ideally, for me, it has to be on the right-hand side as that's my strongest arm that's able to hold my camera up at a perfect 90-degree angle. Experts say the best angle is placing yourself in the middle of the frame, but sometimes that’s not always the case. Personally, I use the best shot feature app or the picture grids to get in the frame.

Thirdly it's about taking as many pictures as possible and trying out the different filters.

 Finally, we can now scroll through our 20+ photos to find that one picture to post on social media. For me, a picture is most attractive when a smile is involved as it shows warmth and positivity. That's why I like to use Colgate Total - Whitening toothpaste for that perfect selfie-worthy smile. 

This toothpaste helps me maintain the whiteness of my teeth with effective stain removal for a white and healthier smile, in between dentist visits as I like to drink lots of coffee/tea. Best of all compared to the traditional tube packaging, it comes with a pump which I must say I am very grateful as it controls how much toothpaste you use and helps manage waste. Trust me there is nothing more irritating than sharing toothpaste with someone who squeezes from the middle of the tube only to drop the product on the sink/floor. Making this the perfect family toothpaste 

You can purchase at Morrisons - please see link below:

https://groceries.morrisons.com/products/colgate-total-whitening-toothpaste-pump-453763011

This product was gifted by Colgate, but all views are my own

Morning Kick - 2020

Hello all,
Let first of all say Happy New Year we are well into 2020!
With everything going on with the current health crisis, my heart goes out to you who have been majorly affected by this unprecedented crisis. Let's all do our best to be safe and support each other!

This year one of my goals has been to lose a couple of pounds or more, and one of the ways I have been doing that is through a bit of exercise of course and some diet changes. One of my major diet changes has been trying to reduce the amount of Starbucks coffee I consume on a daily basis.
As tasty as Starbucks is most of the drinks they have are not particularly favourable to my goal of losing weight and most of all they burn a hole in my pocket.

So I searched via the internet to try and obtain a healthy hot drink, that will give me the kick I want in the morning that was lower in calories and I could make at home.
So I came across the Lemon and Honey Tea- Hot drink.

They have many claims in regards to consuming this drink every morning in regards to helping aid weight loss and I'm still yet to see the results. But one thing I can say about this drink is I have seen an increase in my mood (being happier) and good changes in the condition
of my skin and my pocket.

Recipe/Instructions :

- Add Lemon juice squeezed from a fresh lemon into a mug

- Add a tablespoon of honey

- Finally, add Hot water and stir