Liebster Blog Award!

I'm so excited to be nominated for the Liebster Award by the lovely Becky from Coffee, Beauty and Life. My blog still feels teeny to me and the fact that people actually read it and enjoy it completely shocks me haha! The Liebster Award is a great way for bloggers with less than 200 followers to help others reach a wider audience. The rules are that after you've been nominated you post eleven facts about yourself, and then answer eleven questions asked by the blogger who nominated you. You then continue the cycle all over again by nominating more bloggers yourself and asking eleven new questions.

Here are my random facts :

1 I was vegetarian for 2 years before I started getting major cravings for chicken. I may ahve started eating meat again but being vegetarian taught me to be more adventurous with my food so now I'll eat anything apart from celery and papaya :)

2 I have 9 tattoos and 8 piercings

3 As a student midwife, I have personally delivered 18 babies and counting!

4 I am obsessed with my filofax

5 Now that it's spring I have an overwhelming urge to only ever wear black

6 My favourite flowers are daffodils, tulips and peonies

7 I am a bit of a fitness nut. I took part in Tough Mudder and am doing it again this year but for charity!  Expect some promo on that over the next couple of months :)

8 I studied psychology at uni after I finished school and I have also trained as a makeup artist.

9 Before I started high school I was able to sit on my hair.

10 My pre-requisites for when I buy my own house is that it must have a bath and space for a corner sofa in the living room.

11 Right now I am really missing being in Abu Dhabi and Dubai :(

And Becky's 11 questions for me:

1. If you could do anything in the world what would it be?

Be a qualified midwife instead of a student haha! Although I'd really love to go and tour America for a year.

2. If given the chance would you prefer to travel into the past or explore the future? 

I think I'd rather go back into the past and experience those legendary moments and decades, and see if the fifties really was amazing or if we romanticise it.

3. What's your most treasured possession and why?

This is a hard one. It would have been my dog but she sadly died last year after 16 years with us. Can't think of one unfortunately...thats a bit sad :(

4. What's your favourite drinking game and why?

21! Everyone taking part has to put some of what they are drinking into a dirty pint in the middle. It's played kind of like rock paper scissors in that after the count of three everyone puts either one or two fingers into the circle and one person starts to count clockwise around the circle. Whoevers finger(s) count 21 has to drink as many fingers as they put in of the dirty pint.  It can get pretty messy especially once you decide it's a good idea to do shots of jagermeister instead!  I love it because it simple and easy to play. Beer pong is pretty good too.

5. Which season is your favourite and why?

Probably summer because I also love winter but I get sick of the cold eventually and am desperate for heat which I never tire of :)

6. Do you prefer Christmas or Easter? 

CHRISTMAAAAS! Oh my god I am such a Christmas nut!!! The minute it's December I have my decorations up, I've even been known to play Christmas songs before it's even November which drives my family mental haha!  I just love the whole spirit of it all and love buying and making and wrpping presents for others and thinking what would make them smile :)

7. What was your favourite childhood toy and why?

I have a stuffed toy elephant/hippo type thing called Puffalump that my parents got me when I was about one and a half years old.  I had split my head open when I fell off a chair (I was big on climbing back then) and after I'd been in hospital getting my stitches taken out we went into the Jolly Giant toy shop - retro! - and my mum couldn't resist seeing me toddling along with this box that was almost the same size as me housing the aforementioned Puffalump.  I still have her but she's in the loft and I feel a pang of guilt everytime I hear the song 'When she loved me' from Toy Story 2 :(

8. What's your most guilty pleasure? 

I used to hate them but I now quite like One Direction. Actually it's not that I hate them I just find Harry's face really annoying haha!

9. Out of all your beauty products which is your favourite and why? 

This is a really hard one...it's between my Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm because it's made such a difference to my skin, or my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush because it's the best foundation brush I've ever used.

10. At karaoke night which song do you pick and why? 

I never sing karaoke because I'm too shy haha! If I had a drink in me though it'd probably be a Little Mix song because you can have fun with it and dance about too.

11. And last but not least, why did you start writing your blog?

I just really wanted to have a creative outlet. I've never been big into art or writing but I love photography and makeup so I thought I'd give it a go.  I tried YouTube but I always felt really awkward on camera, never say never though :)

The bloggers I want to nominate are:

1 Natasha from Love And Labcoats

2 Lauren from All In Beauty

3 Ashley from Glitter Girl

4 Emily from Frankly Ms Shankly

5 Louise from Postcards From America

6 Lori from Glasgow Beauty Blogger

7 Lianne from Ruby Ruby Slippers

8 Iona from Iona Blogs

And your questions are:

1 Where in the world is your favourite place to visit?

2 How would you describe your style?

3 What is your favourite beauty product?

4 What has been your favourite concert and why?

5 If you could have any career what would you like to do?

6 What is your pet peeve?

7 What is your favourite quote and why?

8 If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life what would it be?

9 Pop or rock?

10Teen magazine favourite - what is your favourite cheese?

11 Last but not least - Why did you start your blog?

Good luck ladies and have fun!

First Thoughts - March Birchbox

So my Birchbox for this month has literally just came through my door so I thought I'd do a first impressions post.

This months box has been curated in partnership with Lulu Guinness.

 These are the items I received in this months box.

I have previously received one of the English laundry fragrances in a past box but this one is No 7 with a more fruity scent as opposed to floral.  Also in my box was (yet another) body oil by Aroma Works. This contains coconut oil and I have to say its the best smelling body oil I think I've ever had - bar my Chanel No5 of course, nothing beats that.  Being a bit of a scaly handed girl due to my work *sad face* I go through hand cream like you wouldn't believe so I love it when I get free samples.  This one from Molton Brown is scented with Rhubarb and Rose with the predominant scent being the rhubarb.  There will be rigorous testing of this baby mainly because it smells SO good!  Dr Brant is a brand that I also received a few boxes ago but it was the microdermabrasion exfoliation cream.  This time around it's the Pores No More Pore Refiner. Now I'm well aware that I can't make my pores smaller but anything that helps to make them look smaller is good in my books. The next couple of week will see how this one stands up to my current favourite.  The final product I received (bar the stick of rock which will be getting donated because I don't like rock - boo) is Benefit's Stay Don't Stray Eyeshadow and Concealer Primer.  I already have a mini of this and had used it at my brothers wedding before I got my current supply.  Have to say I do love this but I will save the gushing for my full review at the end of the month.

Also in the box were a voucher for £20 off at Lulu Guinness when you spend over £100 - unfortunately this won't get used because I'm trying to save my pennies for my summer holiday.  The one that will get used though is for a free makeupper at a Benefit Beauty Bar (I'm assuming it's the same as a make over) and also to try their new Gimme Brow.  I was already considering buying Gimme Brow so I'll be dashing to my local Beauty Bar later this week to give it a go.

Overall it's a pretty good box and I'm excited to try out the new products.  Like I said I before will have my full review of the box at the end of the month so check back for that and I hope you have a great day!

Gig Review - CHVRCHES @ Glasgow Barrowland

The first time I saw Chvrches live was about 2 years ago in the Electric Circus in Edinburgh.  This was only the bands third ever gig together as Chvrches and it was an audience of fellow musicians and music critics who were there to find out if all the hype was true.

Fast forward to Saturday 8th March 2014 in the Glasgow Barrowlands, the homecoming gig, and it's clear to see that the doubts and the questions of 'are they good enough?' were unfounded.

Lead singer Lauren Mayberry appears to have grown massively in confidence and stage presence from the shy young girl I saw back in Electric Circus, although most of her conversation with the crowd surrounded around how gobsmacked they all were to be headlining the legendary Barrowlands and reminiscing about watching their own favourite bands play on that same stage.  To be honest though if I was her it would probably be exactly the same.

Stand out tracks from the performance were We Sink, Recover and the debut single Lies which all got the crowd singing along in their droves.  The highlights of the evening for me were Recover mainly because it's my favourite track from the album 'Broken Bones' and Under the Tide where synth player and track vocalist Martin Doherty's energetic dancing got every single person in the room moving along with him.

Overall one of the best gigs I have been to and if you ever get a chance to see them live you must go - even if it's just for the light show.

Support came from Turtles an electronic two piece fronted by Jon Cooper, and 17 year old Bridie Monds-Watson aka SOAK.  I wasn't too sure about Turtles at first but as they moved further through their set I started to really enjoy their music and feel it wouldn't be out of place in a trendy bar full of boys with quiffed hair and button-up skinny fit shirts where the girls have messy hair and messier eyeliner - not that thats a bad thing mind.  SOAK was the wildcard act of the night but boy is she fantastic! With only her acoustic guitar, SOAK's melodies and emotional lyrics were a stark contrast to the electronic synth beats of the other two acts.  Both are definitely acts I will be following from now on.

March Wishlist

ASOS

RIVER ISLAND

H&M

BOOTS

(City Swept launches in March)

 ZARA

FOREVER 21

The Review - & Other Stories Shinjuku Blossom Hand Cream

My sister in law bought me this hand cream when we were in London in February for a little treat and I thought I'd give it a review.

So due to me washing my hands 50 million times a day the last few weeks on placement, my hands had were starting to get in a bit of a state.  They were really dry and the skin across my knuckles was starting to get really red...sooo attractive!  I had been using my trusty E45 while on shift but one day at my part time job I realised I only had this one in my bag (I tend to cart a few tubes around with me on a daily basis).

To be honest I was a bit wary about using this on my scaly lizard hands as it's scented but I was really surprised by how gentle it is.  The scent is of gorgeous cherry blossoms but it's really fresh aswell and not overpowering at all.  My knuckles didn't sting or anything when I put this on and the scent lasts pretty well.  I've only used it a couple of times before I went back on placement and it kept my hands really soft for ages.

I wouldn't recommend this as a normal moisturiser if you also have a job where you are constantly washing your hands and using alcohol gel as it probably isn't as conditioning as the E45 but for everyday use it's delightful - The little metal tube is really cute and I think it's different to having a really sweet smelling cream.

Birchbox February - Love Style

February's Birchbox was all about style as London Fashion Week was in February.  The box contained samples of items that will be classics and fit into anyone's personal style.

Urban Veda Purifying Daily Facial Wash

I was really pleased I got a skincare product in my box that was more suited to my skin type this month.  This is an "all natural face wash to cleanse, help minimise pores and absorb excess oil".  I thought this product had a nice scent that wasn't overpowering.  It's a gel face wash but it isn't a foaming wash so it didn't feel too drying on my skin.  I did leave it for about 15 minutes before putting moisturiser on to see how my skin coped with it and my skin did feel tight after 5 minutes but this did ease off.  At the moment it's not something I would buy to use everyday but I would probably use it for post-workout cleansing at the gym.
£7.99 for 150ml - available from Urban Veda

Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner in Black

I've never been a massive fan of pen style eyeliners since I learned how to use gel and a brush but this is a great product for if you are in a rush or travelling.  It's a really thin pen and the nib is fantastic.  It's not too soft that it bends but it's also not so hard that you practically gouge your eye out everytime you do your makeup.  It also doesn't tug on your eyeliner when applying and has pretty good staying power.  Something I'd definitely recommend for those who find it tricky to use brushes or need to get ready quickly in the mornings.

£12 from Beauty Bay

Gilchrist and Soames The London Collection Shower Gel

To be completely honest I don't think theres much you can say about a shower gel other than it smells nice - which this definitely does! It's such a soapy smell that actually lingers on your skin as opposed to regular bars of soap.  It's "a paraben free formula with red tea, grape seed and milk thistle" that lathers well and left my skin feeling pretty smooth.  I also love the packaging as it reminds me of the shower gel that was in my hotel at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix circuit. It is pretty pricey but I'd maybe buy this for my future home when I - hopefully - have a guest bathroom.

£13.75 for 236ml from Gilchrist and Soames

Leighton Denny Nail Polish in Leading Lady

Oh my days that shade is so lush!  I have plenty nude nail polishes but there's something different about this one.  Its very close to Porchester Square by Nails Inc with more of a dusky pink undertone - nail swatches never come up properly in my pictures unfortunately.  It is a fantastic formula and I only needed 2 thin coats for it to be completely opaque.  This polish lasted 2 days on my battered hands before it started chipping but I'm not entirely sure if that is due to the new base and top coat I had used with it.  The only downside to this product is the brush.  I am so used to using Essie polishes with their perfect brush that using a thinner brush was a real struggle for me - how sad haha!  I'd definitely repurchase this shade though and it's made me think about trying out some other Leighton Denny polishes.  There is a great shade selection available including some other fantastic nudes and girly pinks.

£11 for 12ml - available from Marks and Spencer or Leighton Denny

Beauty Protector Protect and Oil

This is an exclusive product launch through Birchbox and is a "nourishing hair oil that battles UV rays, heat and breakage".  I already have a few hair oils so this one will hopefully eventually get a proper use.  I did think it has a really nice scent and it isn't overly greasy.

£16 for 115ml - available from the Birchbox store

February Favourites

My favourites list for this month is fairly short on the beauty side with a few random extras thrown in for good measure.

L'Oreal Paris True Match Foundation and Lumi Magique Primer

I reviewed these two products earlier this week (here) so I'm not going to go into too much detail right now but basically...they haven't been off my face since I bought them at the start of this month.  That says enough doesn't it?


& Other Stories "Shinjuku Bloom" Hand Cream

My sister-in-law bought me this as a little present when we were in London earlier this month and I'll be doing a review on it next week.


Boots Blister Plasters

When I was in London it was for my friends wedding and I decided I'd wear my comfiest heels (vintage Prada's I got on Ebay) as I knew I'd last all day/night in them.  What I hadn't bargained for though was the pain my feet would be in from the ceilidh dancing - ouch.  I had a massive blister on the sole of my right foot and when I went shopping in the city the next morning I had to get something to stop it getting any worse and these were the cheapest blister plasters Boots had on the shelf.  I LOVE THESE PLASTERS!
They are a large oval shape with a squishy gel part in the middle that goes over the blister which I'm assuming is the "hydrocolloid technology" that "maintains a moist environment....and provide[s] the optimum conditions for the blister to heal". Sounds a bit rank to be honest but they really work.  I left mine on until they came off naturally but then I forgot to have one on one day at the gym and...well, I'll leave the rest to you're imagination *boke*.
Anyhoos they really helped with the pain and I was able to walk normally instead of hobbling everywhere so I'm going to stock up and oddly take them on nights out so I can actually prevent blisters instead!


The O.C.

This re-obsession all stemmed from a lecture I had on obstetric cholestasis (fancy words for a liver condition in pregnancy) and in the video our lecturer showed us they kept calling it O.C. so of course I got home that afternoon and watched 5 episodes back to back and have barely stopped listening to songs from the show.  I've only watched another couple of episodes since then because I've been so busy but I'm working my way through my box sets again.


My Filofax!

If you know me personally or follow me on Instagram (@skrilly87) then you'll know how I am already a major fan of my Filofax and organising in general but lately I've been going super crazy with resorting it and getting it pretty much perfect for what I need it for.  I've also been watching lots of Filofax videos on YouTube - other people might find this a bit weird but I love them and could watch them for hours....actually I already have.  I'm going to do a post on my Filofax in the next few weeks once it's all finished and pretty.


Pineapple Juice and Water

My favourite food/drink item this month is probably not to everyones taste but I am hooked! I decided to try this one day because I didn't fancy regular water, I'd just drank a massive glass of pineapple juice and I find diluting squash to be too sweet for me now.  I wasn't sure if it would work at first myself but when you get the dilution right it's delicious.
I only ever drink it out of my Victoria's Secret cup that's in the above picture because it's the only way I can get the dilution perfect first time.