How Sudocrem Helped Me With My Breakouts

This may be something you've heard about before - I mean, I grew up with pretty bad skin so I know I have. I always looked for home remedies for breakouts, like toothpaste and ice cubes, and one thing I always used was sudocrem. For some reason, when I grew up and stopped getting my "early teen acne", I completely forgot how well sudocrem had worked for me, even when I got the odd breakout and complained I had nothing for it. So when I was sent this cute little sudocrem tube recently, I was reminded how well this used to work for me.

I first off want to say that I know this doesn't work for everyone, as everyones skin types are different and react differently to cetain products, but it works for me. I remember having a little tub of sudocrem I used constantly in my early teens to battle acne, which was really bad back then. It's nowhere near as bad now though, and is normally just the odd breakout. My skins been pretty bad recently though, as I'm really prone to stress breakouts and my exams are coming up soon, so stress  is everywhere.

All I do is apply some sudocrem on my really bad areas after I take my makeup off at night or in the morning if I forget. I normally leave it on for a couple of minutes, but I honestly don't know if the length of time changes how well it works - I have no idea. It's not an instant, overnight, "all my spots are gone" product, but after using this everyday for a few days, I saw such a reduction in my breakouts. I still get the odd spot that creeps out here and there, but it's been much better than before. I still use my Lush Mask of Magnaminty face and body mask to help my spots, and I find the two of them work really well together. It's really affordable and easy to buy, which means it's pretty accessible for most people. I mean, I'm pretty sure we've all had a tub of this in our cupboard at some point - it's a very multi-use product.

I'm so happy I rediscovered this little gem and was reminded of how well this used to help me and my bad skin. My breakouts may not be nearly as bad now as they used to be, but a little help goes a long way with skin care in my opinion. I've seen a reduction in my spots - especially my chin area which is normally where I get them really bad. And this cute little tube means it easily fits in my makeup bag and handbag.

Let me know if you've ever used sudocrem for your breakouts and if it worked for you. Thank you for reading my post and I hope you have a great day!

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Rimmel Lipstick Lock: Does It Work?

One of my biggest pet hates is when 'long-lasting lipstick' turns out to actually be pretty short lasting. I'm a lazy person, and when I put on my lipstick in the morning I can never be bothered re-applying it during the day. That's why I decided, when I was on a recent shopping spree, to pick up Rimmel London's Lipstick Lock which claims to lock in your colour for the whole day. I was really entrigued to try this and to see if it actually worked, and if it did work, how long did it actually 'lock in' your colour for.

First of all, this product was pretty affordable so it wouldn't be the end of the world if it didn't fully work. I was pretty excited to try it, because this would be an absolute life-saver for me if it worked well. I started pretty high with this and tried it over my MAC Viva Glam III lipstick, which is a red-berry tone. I then went out for the day to see how well it worked. I also tried it over other MAC shades to see how well it worked with a glossier lipstick compared to a matte one.

The first thing I need to say about this is that it smells pretty strongly of nail varnish remover, and it tastes like it too (not that I've ever tried to eat nail varnish remover). The smell of acetone is pretty strong and I honestly second guessed if it was safe to apply to my lips. The smell does go away after a while though, but it was pretty off-putting to start off with. When applying it over my matte shades, it doesn't change the appearance too much as it has a slight drying affect which matte lipsticks already have. Applying it over glossy and sheen lipticks does make it go slighly matte though, as it does dry out your lips so I wouldn't recommend this.

Every time I've used this, I've seen an increase in the length of time my lipstick has lasted me which I've been so happy with. It may not feel the most comfortable on the lips, but my lipstick has stayed in place much longer than it normally would. One thing I do need to say though is that anytime I was eating or drinking, my lipstick did still slightly smudge, which is understandable but does mean this product isn't perfect. On days when I know I'll be out the house for quite a while, re-applying my lipstick and lipstick lock after eating seems to work out well for me.

Overall as a product, it does what it says and keeps your lipstick in place pretty well. It does have several negative points, some of which can be overlooked and some which are slightly irritating. But due to the fact this product was pretty affordable, I'm happy I bought it and tried it out. Let me know if you've tried it out before and what your experiences of it have been. Thank you so much for reading my post and I hope you all have a great day!

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Products I'll Always Repurchase

As a massive beauty and skincare lover, I do enjoy trying out new products, but I do have those products I just can't seem to stop buying. They've become staples in my makeup and skincare routines now, and trying out new or different ones just isn't for me. I know we all have them - a certain foundation or primer that works amazingly well for us, so why change it? I currently have 5 products in my collection that I seem to always repurchase, and don't plan on changing that anytime soon.

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation - I feel like I'm constantly going on about this foundation, but I honestly love it. It's by far the best foundation I've ever owned, and I'm not planning on changing to another one anytime soon. It matches my skin tone perfectly, applies beautifully and makes my skin look incredibly smooth. It never looks cakey but is still thick enough to cover all my blemishes and marks. The price tag doesn't bother me one bit, as I find foundation to be such an important product in your makeup routine and is something that, if it goes wrong, can alter your whole look. I didn't know someone could be so in love with a product to be honest.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Pore Minimiser - Another product I go on about enough. I find this product does so much in just one small container and is so affordable for how great it is. Not only does it work really well at reducing the appearance of pores, it's also a great makeup primer. I've seen such a reduction in any pores I used to have since I started using this product, and my makeup lasts for ages when I have it on. Another thing I have to say it that it smells great - I love the fragrance the tea tree range has - and I honestly really enjoy using this. This is another product I can't imagine myself not using every day.

Urbran Decay Setting Spray - I honestly love Urban Decay's setting sprays - both the De-slick one and their All Nighter one which I'm currently using just now. I find them to keep my makeup exactly in place for the whole day, from leaving the house very early in the morning to taking it off late at night. Even when I've been crying or battered with rain, my makeup has stayed on perfectly. And they're not actually too expensive, especially if you opt for their travel sized bottles - which I think is such a smart idea and I often go for these ones. This is definitely a must-have product in my make-up bag.

Kiehls's Ulta Facial Cream - This is another product I feel like I go on about constantly. This has honestly helped transform my really dry and lifeless skin into really moisturised and healthy skin, and that makes me extremely happy. This product has done me wonders since I started using it, and it makes my skin feel amazing. The tubs go a really long way, which is good as it's not the cheapest face cream around, but it's definitely worth every penny. This product helped introduce me to the brilliant brand that is Kiehl's, and I don't know what I'd do without it now.

MAC Studio Fix Powder - I'm not too fusy when it comes to powders, but this one works really well. It keeps my foundation in place really well and is a really great match for not only my skin tone, but my concealer and foundation. It doesn't feel thick but is actually really light, and is also really great to wear on it's own without foundation. I really enjoy using this product and don't see myself switching to another anytime soon.

Let me know if you have any products you always repurchase, or if you use any of the ones I've mentioned. Thanks so much for reading my post and I hope you all have a great day!

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Does Cocoa Butter Really Help Reduce Stretch Marks?

I've suffered from pretty bad stretch marks since I was young. I had quite a growth spurt when I was about 12, and ended up with really bad marks on my inner thighs. To be honest, they never bothered me too much because it was an area of my body, at that age, that rarely anoyone else but myself saw. But in the past year or so, I've gained more on my outer thighs and hips which honestly really make me feel self conscious, especially when I wear crop tops. So that's why I decided to try and find a way to get rid of them, or at least reduce their appearance. I tried out various prodcust from Boots that never really worked for me, so ended up trying Palmers cocoa butter as it's been known for years to reduce strech mark appearances and many pregnant women use it. I had pretty high hopes for it, anfter hearing some people say it really worked for them, even when my mum told me it wouldn't work. But did it work?

Honestly, no. I used the whole 125g tube and barely saw a difference. I have four regions that I used the cream on: my two outer thighs and the two sides of my hips, and I applied it every time I came out of a shower or bath. This meant I was applying it mostly every day, so it's not as if I was rarely ever using it. After a few weeks, I felt as if I saw a slight reduction in the marks on my left hip. Their appearance wasn't as red or obvious, but not as much as I would have hoped for. I thought this was the cream starting to work though, giving it the benefit of the doubt, and that it would continue to reduce the appearence in the coming weeks. But no. That's all I saw and it's still all I've seen.

I've heard of pregnant women who have used this throughout their pregnancy seeing a massive reduction in their stretch marks while using this. I'm not sure if my stretch marks aren't deep or thick enough (I have no idea on that kind of thing to be honest) but I thought mines would have been easier to reduce. Obviously not. Plus my marks are relatively new, as I know older ones that have turned a white colour are harder to get rid of. And I always applied a generous amount of it - so much so I used the whole thing up in about 4 months. But I haven't repurchased it as I find it to be a waste of money, and not worth the effort. I did honestly get my hopes up regarding this product, and I try to see the best in everything I try, but this really disappointed me.

All I can say is that if you're looking for a product to reduce the appearance of strech marks, go and ahead and try it. It may not work for me but it might work for you. I honestly didn't see much of an improvement in my stretch marks, and certainly saw no difference in my other three regions, but I know it has worked for others. But it did definitely leave my skin smelling like chocolate.

Let me know if you've ever tried using cocoa butter to reduce stretch marks, or if you know any other products that actually work. Thank you for reading my post and I hope you all have a great day!

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500 Followers Giveaway!

So not too long ago, I reached a milestone that was pretty big for me - I reached 500 Twitter followers. It may be pretty small for some people, but since I've not been blogging for long, it's a big deal for me. I'd been saying for quite a while that when I reached 500 followers, I was going to do a giveaway on Twitter to celebrate, and that's exactly what I'm doing. So I took a trip into Boots and Lush and picked up a few things I thought you guys might like - even things I like ( I picked myself up a Sandstorm when I was in too). Here's a little summary of the prizes up for grabs:

NYX Liquid Suede Lipstick in Sandstorm

NYX Hot Singles Eyeshadow in Pixie

Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel

Barry M Speedy Quick Dry Nail Polish in Freestyle

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning this giveaway is to check out this tweet - you have to follow me and RT it to enter. The giveaway goes live as soon as the tweet has been sent (6th of November) and will be open until Saturday the 26th of November at 8pm. I'm really excited about finally doing my first giveaway and I hope as many of you get involved as possible. Thank you so much for 500 followers - I love every single one of you!

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Is It Worth The Hype?: Too Faced Better Than Sex

This is a product I didn't know too much about, but had seen a lot of hype and positive reviews on it. Too Faced is a brand I'm relatively new to so was very excited to give it a try. When I was in a market for a new mascara a couple of months ago, this mascara was recommended to me and I knew I had to buy it. It may not be the most affordable mascara around, but it's definitely worth the price.

There isn't a Too Faced counter anywhere near me, so I had to order this for click & collect which means I never actually saw the product until after I'd bought it. The first thing I have to say about it is I absolutely love the packaging. Pink is one of my favourite colours of the moment and I think that makes it look so elegant. I love how the packaging feels must sturdier than most other mascaras which means the actually product is very unlikely to get damaged.

The shape of the brush is slightly different than most other brushes as it has a slight dip in the middle - an hourglass shape according to Too Faced. This honestly makes application SO easy and I rarely every smudge it or get it on my eyelid which I'm usually pretty guilty of. It also stops my lashes clumping together which is something else that normally happens to me, yet they still look thick and 'well applied'. The packaging says you need 3 coats to give you extremely thick, intense and voluminous lashes and I'd totally agree with that - that's normally how many I apply for my desired look. This mascara is extremely black in colour, which I absolutely love, and I find very little negative things to say about the actual application and look this product gives.

My only negative comment would be that it's stated as being all day wear, but I find it to wear off a bit by the time I get home. It doesn't wear off completely, but it definitely isn't as voluminous as what it was when it was first applied, which is something I have found in other mascaras. This is the only thing I've found that's I've disliked about this product, and it's something quite small to me - I can easily re-apply at some point during the day.

Overall, I've really been enjoying using this product. It looks great, applies easily and creates the exact look I want. So, is it worth they hype? It may not be the cheapest mascara around, but yes, it's definitely worth the hype.

Let me know if you've used this product before and what your opinions on it are. Thank you so much for reading my post and I hope you guys all have a great day!

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Halloween Makeup Haul

Halloween is one of my favourite times of the year and I absolutely love dressing up. I've dressed up every year since I was young, and one of my favourite things to do is make my own costumes. I don't necessarily mean sewing it together, but making it up myself instead of just buying a pre-bought one. And one of the other main things I love is doing the makeup. The past few years, my outfits have required a lot of makeup, normally dark and gory, but this year the makeup I'll be doing is a bit different. I am going to two seperate events this year and have two seperate costumes, but my second costume is a skeleton which isn't makeup but more facepaint. My main costume this year though is a Unicorn, which I'm really excited about. Mostly because I've seen so many cool makeup ideas for it on Pinterest that I'm really excited to try and recreate. That's why I went into my local Boots and picked up a few pieces to help me create my perfect unicorn look.

NYX Vivid Brights Eyeliner in Vivid Petal - To create the look I have in mind, I needed pink, purple and blue coloured products. One of the main things I knew I needed was a bright coloured eyeliner, which is harder to find than you think, but NYX has a lot of really great bright coloured products just now. I saw their range of Vivid Brights Eyeliners and decided the best colour for my look would be the pastel pink shade of Vivid Petal. The colour of this eyeliner is exactly how it looks on the box and applies so easily, which I didn't think it would as the tip is quite long and I'm not used to that. I've seen some reviews saying it applies transparent but I'd have to disagree, as when I've tried it out it's looked very pigmented and bold. It's very affordable for a product I doubt I'll use much after Halloween, although you never know, so I'm really happy with this product overall.

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Eletric Blue - I've seen this as such a multi-use product - for eyes, lips, cheeks - everything. I thought this would be great for both my eyes and the side of my face to create the look I have in mind. It's so smooth to apply and easy to use, especially as it's a jumbo pencil so has a large applicator. This product is extremely pigmented which I'm so happy about as that's exactly what I need, and it has a slight sparkle to it which is perfect. It's such a great price for the quality of it, and I'm really excited to give this a go.

Seventeen Eye Shadow in Magenta - The final thing I needed to complete my look was a dark pink matte eyesahdow. I own quite a few light pink matte shades and shimmer dark pink ones, but none like this. It's exactly what I was looking for: highly pigmented, easy to apply and stays on well. This was extremely affordable for how good it is, and is a product I can see myself using after Halloween.

These products, along with other eyeshadows and lipsticks, will hopefully create the unicorn look I have in mind. Let me know if you're dressing up this year, and I hope you all have a great Halloween!

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See you guys soon x

Meet The Beauty Blogger: Annmarie Reddie

Time for Part 9 of my Meet The Beauty Blogger series where we'll be meeting Annmarie Reddie. She writes beauty bargains and fashion finds, and also has another called Annie's blog where she writes about more personal things about her family.

What got you into blogging? I first got in to blogging completely by accident.  I thought I could become the next Charlotte Tilsbury and tried to open an online make up store called mums beauty club.  I bought make up from the whole sellers and put it up on my store.  Unfortunatley the competition was fierce and my little store had no chance in competing with the much bigger companies and their amazing campaigns and promotions.  Along with the store I also had a blog where I would write my own reviews about the products I was selling, I done polls on different make up related topics, and I also asked what very little followers I had what they would like to see in the store and to give their personal opinion on different brands.  I found that I loved it and being able to talk/write about something I was passionate about was a real escape for me, usually I would be sat discussing what peppa pig got up to on todays episode of peppa pig with my kids.

How did you decide to blog beauty? I have always loved make up, I used to sit in front of the mirror trying to perfect new techniques I had read about in magazines.  I had a talent for make up and when I was only 18 done make up for a wedding party including the brides. So I had some knowledge with make up that I loved sharing with others.  The only other passion in my life is my family.

How long have you been blogging for? I have had my blog for only a little over a year and a half, so I am still a newbie.

What's your biggest blogging achievement so far? Anything I get asked to do that is related to my blog I see as an achievement.  I have done product reviews where I have only been approached because they read my blog.  I am being featured in Lylia Roses media links page. And of course this interview.  I also love being sent the odd freebie here and there form small business's, individuals that have read my blog and liked it.

What post's have you written that you are most proud of? I am proud of a few, but one that I enjoyed doing the most as well as enjoyed researching as my findings were shocking was the "Counterfeit make up and the dangers" I actually was thinking of a topic to pitch as guest blog post, and instead of doing a product review I wanted to do something that people cared about.  So I came up with this topic after reading a short article about jeffree stars products being copied.  The more research I did the more shocked, worried and glad I was that I choose this topic so I could warn people just like myself of the dangers. I also liked doing a personal one called "Codys first day in P2 and the wobbly tooth" about the struggles of getting 5 year old back in to the early morning of the school routine and her wobbly tooth".  The post I think that is most beneficial to my followers is the big brand current deals posts that I do on beauty bargains and fashion finds.

What's your current favourite beauty product? (Oh Erin you do ask the most difficult questions) This has to be most difficult question so far.  My favoutite product right now has to be Benefit they're real mascara, it is the holy grail of all mascara's. I am also really liking Models Co Cheek and lip stain in peach.

What on item (beauty/skincare) could you not live without? I could not live without in transit camera close-up Mask, moisturiser and primer in one.  It is said to be one of Victoria Beckhams  favourite beauty products. Well I don't know about Vicky but I love it.

Who is your favourite blogger at the moment? My favourite beauty blogger at the moment is Mrs Strawberry blonde, she is a self confessed beauty drugstore addict with awesome nail of the day tutorials and picks and also Gemma Emily Makeup, Sorry Erin I couldn't limit myself to just one.

Are you happy with where your blog is right now? I am loving where my blog is right now, it is getting some recognition which is amazing, especially since I started off with no thought on where blogging may lead.

What's your biggest goal for the future of your blog? To be featured in a by a big brand, and to get as many people possible reading my blog. And to be in a position to help other bloggers like myself get to where the want to be.

You can check out Annmarie's Twitter here, her Instagram here and you can check out her blog here.

Thank you so much for reading my post and I hope you all have a wonderful day!

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See you guys soon x

Meet The Beauty Blogger: Tanya Smalls

Another Wednesday, another instalment of Meet The Beauty Blogger. This time we'll be getting to know the lovely Tanya Smalls and her blog. Tanya has a self confessed passion for fashion, and posts some great beauty reviews.

What got you into blogging? Honestly, it feels like I woke up one morning and decided to blog but that can't be how it happened lol. I probably told myself I'm a fashion genius (which I'm not) and a beauty expert (definitely not) and I should tell the masses about it LOL.

How did you decide to blog beauty? I decided to blog beauty because of the fascination I have with products and reviewing them. You may never ever see me do a tutorial but a review is always right around the corner. I admit recently I haven't done much beauty posts other than hauls but I'm working to correct that.

How long have you been blogging for? I have been blogging on and off for 4 years, started when I was in my first year of university.

What's your biggest blogging achievement so far? Umm, I consider all my blogging achievements to be the biggest LOL. It's probably between being sent jewellery to review because if people trust you enough to take a gamble and send you their products for free then that is pretty big. So it's between that and when I got to put together two styling posts, dealing with summer wedding attire, for Paul Fredrick.

What post that you've written are you most proud of? At this point in time, I'm very proud of my "On The Inside" posts. It's a new interior design series I started on the blog two weeks ago and the content just make me so happy.

What's your current favourite beauty product? Right now, I'm obsessing over Danimer liquid lipsticks. Bought them locally (Barbados) a few weeks ago and I'm still drooling over them LOL.

What one item (beauty/skincare) could you not live without? Powder. I'm a powder freak, I thoroughly enjoy packing on the powder.

Who's your favourite blogger of the moment? I don't have one favourite blogger, I have a group of them, Barbadian bloggers. I don't know most of them personally but they will ALWAYS be my favourite bloggers. the genre doesn't even matter, I read their posts and enjoy them.

Are you happy with where your blog is right now? I've been struggling with this for the last year or so and I'm now coming to terms with it. I am happy with it right now but I still have little its and bits I'm trying to figure out to improve it.

What's your biggest goal for the future of your blog? I want the blog to keep evolving and gaining readers and helping readers. It may turn into an online magazine or it may not, it may turn into a book or it may not, who knows.

You can follow Tanya on Insagram here and Twitter here. You can also keep up to date with her snapchat - fashionnnp - and chek out her blog here.

Thank you so much for reading my post and I hope you all have a great day.

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See you guys soon x

My Liz Earle Essentials

When it comes to skincare, Liz Earle is one of my absolute go to brands. I feel like I can trust all of their products with my dry, spot prone and sensitive skin, which is something I can't always do with other brands. I always have had to pay extra with skincare due to how bad my skin is, which is something I'm used to, but I feel Liz Earle is really great value for money, Along with Kiehls, they're a major part of my daily skincare routine. Today's post is a look at my three favourite Liz Earle products that I honestly couldn't be without now.

Instant Boost Skin Tonic - This is the fist toner I ever purchased as I never eally knew all the in's and outs of skincare and toners were a bit foreign to me. I decided to finally try this tonic, as I'd heard some really good things about it and thought it was about time I gave one a try. This product smells absolutely amazing and doesn't have that acidic smell other toners have - it's quite floral scented which I love. It does exactly what it says on the tin and tones my skin so well, as well as really calming down any red patches or blotchy parts of my skin. You really don't need a lot of this to see a big difference, and I only apply a small amount to the cotton pad when I use it. It's also really hydrating and soothing on my skin, and leaves my skin looking and feeling more refreshed than it's ever been before.I'm so happy I tried out this product, and now it's one of my absolute essentials.

Intensive Nourising Treatment Mask - I really love face masks and own quite a few, but this one is one of my favourites. This product is specifically targeted for dry skin which is why I wanted to buy it, and it helps to de-stress and relax irritated skin. It also smells amazing - Liz Earle really knows how to do lovely fragrances - and I love it's creamy texture. It's so soothing on the skin when you apply it, and doesn't cause any red patches when it's removed which some face masks can do. This isnt a hard face mask, which means you can apply it quickly and wash it off easily as well as being able to wear it overnight which is great. It is eactly what the name suggests - a nourishing treatment face mask.

Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser - This is one of my favourite skincare items I own and definitely my favourite from Liz Earle. Cleansers are so important in your daily skincare routine, so it's vital you find one that works well with your skin type, like this product does with mine. It's a very deep cleanser and removes makeup and daily grime so well. I use this twice daily and find my skin looking so clean and refreshed after I use it that I've actually had some great compliments on how good my skin's been looking. Your skin also feels really hydrated and nourished which is great, and I can honestly say my skin looks much brighter and clearer when I use this.

Using all three of these products combined has really helped cleanse and smooth my skin, and I honestly couldn't imagine not using them anymore. They may be a bit pricey but I can honestly say they're worth every penny - but if you are only going to buy one, I'd definitely recommend the hot cloth cleanser. Liz Earle has became one of my favourite brands recently and it's definitely worth a try if you haven't already. Thank you so much for reading my post and I hope you all have a wonderful day!

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Lush Halloween Haul

Lush is a brand I've never used too often in the past because of how sensitive my skin is. I used to get quite rashy when I used their bath bombs but loved some of their other products like their face masks. But at this time of the year I love having a good bath, so just had to buy some of their new Halloween range - and will definitely be purchasing some of their Christmas range soon. I'm really excited by the look of these products, some I've already used and others I'm yet to try.

Pumpkin Gift Set - When I was looking through this years Halloween products, I just knew I had to buy this adorable gift set. It contained most of the products I already wanted to buy so this made it so much easier for me. It contains the Sparkly Pumpkin bubble bar, Pumpkin bath bomb, Boo bath melt and Lord of Misrule bath bomb which all look so amazing. I haven't used any of these yet as I'm trying to keep them for closer to Halloween night, but they do look so tempting - I'm really considering using one of these tonight. They all smell so amazing, and the smell of these kind of products really do make such a big difference in my opinion - I'm especially a fan of he smell of the pumpkin bath bomb. I'm so excited to use these, especially the bath bombs, because who doesn't love a good bath?

Lord of Misrule Shower Cream - My Soap & Glory body wash just ran out, so it was the perfect excuse to pick myself up one of these shower creams. I absolutely love the earthy smell of this and I love how it's a dark green colour - it's definitely getting me in the Halloween spirit already. It leaves me smelling great for ages afterwards which I'm so impressed with, as most of the shower creams I've used before have fragrances that disappear very quickly. It's definitely became one of my favourite Lush products at the moment.

R&B Hair Moisturiser - This isn't exactly a Halloween product but I bought it at the same time so I'll include it in the haul. When I saw this product in the Lush shop, I wasn't sure about it but the smell of it won me over. I absolutely love this orange flower fragrance as it reminds me so much of being away on holiday when I was younger. This product helps to moisturise and hydrate you hair, as well as leaving it smelling amazing. The only downside is that, as I apply it before I dry my hair, it can sometimes take a bit longer to dry it. But this is something I can look past becuase of how incredibly smooth and hydrated my hair has been since I started using it.

Mask of Magnaminty - This is a product I will always repurchase from Lush because I love it so much. This face mask really helps me with my spot prone skin and helps reduce any blotchiness I have. The peppermint smell is amazing - it always makes me want to eat it - and I find it to work so well. I've honestly seen such a reduction in skin outbreaks since I started using this, so I'd be an idiot to ever stop.

I'm so happy with all my purchases and am so excited to try out my bath bombs. Let me know if you've picked up anything from Lush's Halloween range this year yet or if you've used any of the ones I've mentioned. Thank you for reading my post and I hope you all have a wonderful day!

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See you guys soon x

Meet The Beauty Blogger: The Blonde Cafe

Today's post is part 7 - how are we already on part 7? - of my Meet The Beauty Blogger series, where we'll be meeting the lovely Summer Coleman and her blog, The Blonde Cafe.S he's currently doing Blogtober where she'll be posting every day, so if you've never read her blog before, now is definitely the time to start. 

What got you into blogging? I'ts a pretty stereotypical answer here, but I've been reading blogs and watching vloggers for a while now. Articles on blogs are everywhere now so it's pretty much impossible to miss them in one form or another! I've adored writing ever since I was really young and used to write mini novels, poems, stories and journaled endlessly. So It was inevitable that I would eventually start my own. 

How did you decide to blog beauty? I've always had an interest in various different segments of beauty - originally it was with skincare (I used to have awful problem skin) and then after reading and watching a load of tutorials I started getting into make up and so on until I felt confident enough to blog about it - and that's my aim in the end, to make people feel confident, whether that is with a product, its application or within themselves! 

How long have you been blogging for? In terms of beauty blogging and this blog in particular I've actually only been involved since July. However, I have helped with the setting up and editing of Pie Magazine (an online magazine/blog for my university) and I've set up art based blogs in the past to do with various festivals and events! 

What's your biggest blogging achievement so far? I don't like to aim for milestones - I'm more of a progress is progress type of person (it's just personal preference!) but I would have to say it would just be having the confidence to actually set up and post my first ever post - it takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there and sometimes it can be pretty scary! 

What post that you've written are you most proud of? It would either have to be my Five Year Plan (https://theblondecafe.wordpress.com/2016/08/10/my-five-year-plangoals/) post, or my Urban Outfitters on a Budget (https://theblondecafe.wordpress.com/2016/08/05/urban-outfitters-bedroom-on-a-budget-dupes/) post. The plan took a long time to decide (even though it's not specific) and it was something that I found hard to put into words, which I think you can tell by reading it! But I really like how it turned out and the photography is some of my favourite! The Urban Outfitters on a Budget post took a lot of research, and I feel like the dupes I found were pretty accurate and for sometimes less than half the price! I had a really good response to this post as well - a lot of people messaged me saying how helpful they found it - and in the end that is the goal! 

What's your current favourite beauty product? I'm in love with No7's Airbrush Away Pore Minimizing Primer. I was using Benefit's Porefessional Primer, but the No7 one is a really good dupe and for just £16 it's really not a pocket burning price! It feels really silky on your skin and the foundation just glides on beautifully afterwards. I would definitely recommend it to anyone with problem pores.

What on item (beauty/skincare) could you not live without? Just ONE?! I would probably have to say the primer I literally just raved about. It's just perfect and I love wearing it on those days where you just want to pop to the shop and can't be bothered to put on your foundation but you can't stand bare face!

Who's your favourite blogger of the moment? I adore Rhianna @ www.robowecop.com she's just got a really unique and personable voice and she comes across as very genuine and honest!

Are you happy with where your blog is right now? I've only just began my journey as a blogger I really hope to grow this blog and get to meet new friends along the way (too cheesy?) I am happy with where I am at this moment in time and I cant wait to see what the future holds!

What's your biggest goal for the future of your blog? I would love to have a decent size following by the end of the year - but I worry that if I put a number on it I might jinx it. I would love to have around about 5k followers by the end of this year, but I'm not sure exactly how realistic that is!

Make sure you go and check out Summer's blog here and follow her over on Twitter here.

I hope you've enjoyed reading this post and all the other posts in my Meet The Beauty Blogger series, and of course let me know if you want to get involved yourself. Thank you for reading and enjoy your day!

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See you guys soon x

September Favourites

How is that September over with already? I can't believe that's us officially in October - the month of Halloween - and now getting so close to Christmas. Quite a lot happened to me in September including starting back at University, and I ended up not buying as many new beauty products as I would have liked to considering most of my money was going on Uni things. But I do have some products I really loved over the course of the month, some old and some new.

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water - I just did a whole post dedicated to this product here, and if you read it you'll know that I'm absolutely loving it right now. It's very easy to use, and is great as it can be used to remove both eye and face makeup. It's really affordable and easy to buy - if you're from the UK - and I find it great on my sensitive skin as it's very gentle. This is definitely my favourite makeup remover I've used and is one of my favourite products of the moment.

Kiko Milano High Pigment Wet And Dry Eyeshadow in 54 - I already own two of these Kiko Milano eye shadows and I absolutely loved both of them. That's why, on a recent shopping trip, I decided to pop back in and buy myself another one. This shade is pretty similar to my other two as I feel Kiko Milano do pink and purple shades so well and I wanted a darker one this time. It's exactly what is says in the name - high pigment - and this grape colour looks absolutely beautiful on. For how great quality they are, these eyeshadows are so affordable and I even picked my Mum up two for her birthday.

MAC Lustre Lipstick in Syrup - Now I'm an absolute sucker for a MAC lipstick, and I honestly can't go into the shop without picking another one up - it's honestly a sickness. So when I went in to pick my friend up one for her birthday, I obviously had to get myself a new one too. This pinky shade looks beautiful on, even though it does apply slightly darker than it looks. It's very long lasting and feels very soft on the lips which I love. It isn't matte which is what I normally go for but it's a nice change and I've been wearing it constantly since I bought it. It's fast become one of my favourite MAC lipsticks of the moment.

Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette - This isn't a new product for me as I've had it for quite a while, but I seem to have used it loads over the month of September. Autumn and Winter always make me want to go for a more smoky eye and this palette is perfect for doing that. It's not the most afforable palette around, but I absolutely love all the sahdes and how long lasting they are as well as how pigmented they are. It may be an oldy, but it's a goody.

Tarte Showstopper Clay Palette - Up until buying this product, I had never actually owned anything from Tarte before so I was really excited to give it a go. The palette has a highlighter, bronzer, blusher and 6 different eyeshadows all in the one which is just perfect for me. They are all such great quality and are perfect shades for me, as well as being very pigmented. The highlighter is one of the best powdered highlighters I've tried and I'm currently wearing it everyday over my normal favourites, it's that good. This has became a holy grail product for me and It's definitely gave me a very good impression on Tarte as a brand.

Let me know what products you loved over the course of September and if you've been loving any of the ones I mentioned. Thank you so much for reading my post and I hope you have a great day!

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Is It Worth The Hype?: Garnier Micellar Water

When I decided to do this new series of Is It Worth The Hype, there was one product I just knew I had to include and it was Garnier's Micellar Cleansing Water. This is probably one of the most hyped up beauty products this year, and I can understand why. You've probably already read about 100 reviews on this product - I know I have - so do bear with me on this one. Let's discuss, once and for all, if Garnier's Micellar Water is really worth the hype.

I had never really bought into this product until recently, as I had my own makeup removers I liked to use and stuck with them. Even reading all the great reviews on this product, I always thought that a makeup remover's a makeup remover - it all does the same job so how good could this really be? When I was running low on my No7 remover, I decided to give in and picked up the travel sized version of the Micellar Water - I wasn't ready to make the full sized commitment. Even though I'd really liked Garnier's Eye Makeup Remover, I wasn't sure how well this would work as both a face and eye makeup remover as I'd always used one for each.

Finally buying it though, I was really excited to use it. The packaging's really cute and the actual product smells really nice. It's so affordable which is great, especially as it's something you use daily so it can disappear quite quickly. After using it for a few weeks now, I can say I'm actually really impressed with it. It works great on my face and takes off my makeup so quickly and easily with only one overall sweep. It also works really well on my eyes - almost as good as their Eye Makeup Remover - and it doesn't leave my eyes or face feeling oily or greasy. It takes off my mascara really well, which was my one concern about using it as I apply quite a lot and find it quite hard to gett off at the end of the day, but I had no need to worry. It makes taking off my makeup so easy and stress free which is always a great thing and have yet to find anything negative about this product.

Answering my own question, is this product worth the hype? I have to say, definitely yes. Having an eye and face makeup remover in the one product that actually works is amazing and it's so affordable and easy to use. As much as I didn't want to buy into the hype of this product, I've definitely fallen for Garniers Micellar Cleansing Water.

Let me know if you've used his product and if you think it's worth the hype. Thank you so much for reading my post and I hope you all have a wonderful day!

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Meet The Beauty Blogger: Nawael Khelil

It's now time for another instalement of my Meet The Beauty Blogger series. This time, we'll be getting to know the lovely Nawael Khelil a little bit more. I didn't know Nawael or her blog well before I started this series, so this is another example of finding beauty bloggers I never would've without this blog series.
What got you into blogging?  It took me a few years to actually start blogging. Many of my friends were asking me for beauty and fashion advice or information, telling me I should start a blog. But I thought nobody would care and that my opinion and knowledge weren’t so valuable. I eventually created a URL about a year ago, but I really got into blogging early 2016, when I realized how helpful it was for me to write down the little things I know, or how fun it was to share my passion with other girls.

How did you decide to blog beauty? With this blog, I want to share about my personal style, beauty discoveries and also about people that inspire me. I first intended to create a fashion blog though. But as I was working as a beauty editor in Seoul, I learned so many interesting beauty hacks and I developed a fascinating relationship with everything beauty, especially technique wise. I just find it amazing. I am not makeup bloggers (I think I’ve done like one makeup look) but I like to write about skincare, like how fermented cosmetics can save your life, or how to deal with an aloe vera allergy in today’s beauty industry when every product is upgrades with aloe extracts, etc.  

How long have you been blogging for? I started my blog around mid 2015 but really got into it at the beginning of this year. My blog has been slowly taking off lately, but I’m still working on building something reliable and time-worthy for my readers.

What's your biggest blogging achievemnet so far? I don’t have a lot of exposure yet, not many followers, Facebook fans or subscribers, but it feels incredibly rewarding when someone leaves a comment saying that my post helped them figure something out.

What posy that you've written are you most proud of? I did an interview of a friend of mine who is a model, and that’s probably my favorite post so far. Not because she’s a model, but because her story is very inspiring. She was born Iranian but left for Australia with her family, lived in South Korea and majored in crafted arts. We talked multicultural upbringing, beauty standards around the globe, gender equality and a lot of other things. This is definitely my richest post.

What's your current favourite beauty product? Now that’s a tough question. I have a favorite mask pack, it’s Innisfree’s It’s Real Squeeze Green Tea mask pack. Best soothing and moisturizing quickie ever. It has a nice, very subtle scent, is made of natural ingredients. There is also a light serum by Sephora, which is a Purity Booster enriched in zinc – it cleans and clears the skin from pimples and little impurities within two weeks.

What one item (beauty/skincare) could you not live without? BB cream, definitely a good BB Cream. I don’t have the perfectly smooth and even skin I wish I had, hence I can hardly go out with a layer (however thin) of a good coverage BB cream. I currently use Kanebo’s Media, one of the best BB I ever tried (and I bought it randomly in a drugstore in Omura, Nagasaki, when I ran out of my LaNeige cushion).

Who's your favourite blogger of the moment? My favorite blogger has been Shini Park from Park and Cube, for a very long time. It’s more fashion and lifestyle related that beauty, but her blog is gold. Inspiring and extremely well-curated, her editorials are just perfect. What I love the most about her style is that she proves how perfectly classy and chill can mingle, and that’s a kind of philosophy that I try to live by.

Are you happy with where your blog is right now? I am trying to grow a bigger audience and, for it, to build a more solid foundation for my blog. I am happy as I notice that I have more and more readers every week, and this totally cheers me up. I would like to write more regularly, too, I need to really put inspiration into words and create some nice contents. Ultimately, I’d like to work with brands that I like and collaborate with other beauty, fashion and lifestyle bloggers too.

What's your biggest goal for the future of your blog? I don’t know if I can say it’s my biggest goal, but I hope I can have a professional approach on my blog in the near future. I’d like it to be a part of my career later, as I major in fashion marketing. I have to work harder, gather many more ideas to make it stand out and create a real relationship with my readers. Connecting with my audience will obviously be a big part of my blogging plan, and I hope I can meet a lot of different people on this adventure.

If you want to find out a little bit more about Nawael and her blog, you can follow her on Twitter here and Instagram here, check out her Facebook here. Thank you so much for reading my post and I hope you have a great day!

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Soap & Glory Supercat Eyeliner Review

I was the kind of person who always used the same eyeliner. I would try other ones but never liked them as much as my Seventeen High Drama one. But I decided it was finally time for a change, so when I was needing a new eye liner I decided to try out Soap & Glory's Supercat liner. I had never actually tried Soap & Glory's makeup products before so I was excited to give it a try, and I had heard quite good things about this product.

I have to say how much I love the packaging, and this was what drew my eye in at the Soap & Glory section of Boots. My previous eye liner is a little pot you dip your brush into whereas this one is a pen liner which was a change for me. I'd tried pen liners in the past but had never gotten on well with them and always went back to my High Drama. I really like the size of the pen as it's much easier to hold and use than the ones that are a bit smaller than this, and the pen tip is a good length too.

I do enjoy using this product, as it's a lot more precise than the Seventeen one as it's not as thick and doesn't run. The only problem with a pen and it not being as thick is that I find the liner applies really thinly and leaves bits where you can see my eyelid, which really annoys me to be honest. As dark as it is, the thinness of it let's it down a bit. As a first impression of Soap & Glory's makeup products, it is really great quality for how affordable it is as it really easy to use. As the name suggest, it is great for doing cat eyes and flicks because of the tip of the pen being so thin and precise. I have really enjoyed this product and it has definitely made me want to try out other Soap & Glory makeup products. I have actually found that using this for my flick and the High Drama one for my actual lid makes a really great pairing.

Let me know if you've ever tried out the Supercat liner or have any other Soap & Glory makeup recommendations. Thank you for reading my post and I hope you all have a wonderful day!

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Meet The Beauty Blogger: Georgia Knight

I can't believe this is already part 5 of my blogger series - I feel like I've not long started it. I've really enjoyed posting these and you seem to like reading them too which I'm really happy about. Today's instalment will be all about the lovely Georgia Knight and her blog which is definitely worth checking out and giving a follow.

What got you into blogging? Writing comes naturally to me and during high school I decided to translate my diaries and journals into an online blog. I would spend most evenings blogging but years later after neglecting my blog for a while I decided to start a new one just before starting my Journalism studies. I wanted to prove that I had a keen interest in Journalism and alongside this I wanted to improve my writing skills, I thought starting a new blog would be the best way to translate that.

How did you decide to blog beauty? I sort of fell into beauty blogging as I found myself writing reviews on products I had recently purchased and as I got older my interest in fashion and beauty started to increase. My beauty blogging has developed over the years and I have combined it with lifestyle, personal snippets of my life and and topics I have a general interest.

How long have you been blogging for? I have been blogging on and off for 7 years now! I had times in my life when I didn't feel like public blogging and decided to made my blog a private affair and times when I stopped due to focusing on my education and work life. I created a new blog two years ago which is the one I have currently and I couldn't imagine not blogging now, it has become a part of my life. 

What's your biggest blogging achievemnet so far? I think maintaining my blog in itself is a huge achievement for me and I believe engagement is more important than your blogs following. Knowing that one person out there has read my blog and enjoyed it and wants to continue reading my content gives me great satisfaction. 

What post that you've written are you most proud of? Picking the post I am most proud of is so hard for me, I love the very first introductory post I did but I also am proud of the posts abut my experiences with mental health and domestic abuse. It's hugely important for me to be an honest blogger and not just write lighthearted content about my favourite beauty products, but also produce content that is deep-rooted and about the issues that we can all face. I think any blog is an important platform and we should all use it to our advantage and write genuine posts that may be able to help others and break the stigmas we currently face.

What's your current favourite beauty product? My current favourite beauty product is the Sleek solstice highlighter palette. It is such a pigmented product that is versatile and compact and I highly recommend it if you are looking for an affordable and long-lasting highlight!

What one item (beauty/skincare) could you not live without? I could not live without my Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow in dark brown, it is a must-have for me, I take it everywhere!

Who's your favourite blogger of the moment? My favourite blogger at the moment is Helen Anderson! I love her unique style and find her blogs and vlogs highly entertaining and easy to relate to.

Are you happy with where your blog is right now? I'm so happy with my blog and how much it has grown, there is always something to improve on but I have many exciting plans and ideas for the future and I can't wait to share them with everyone. 

What's your biggest goal for the future of your blog? My goal is to keep on publishing creative content, grow my following and my career in Journalism. 

If you want to check out Georgia and her blog, which I definitely think you should, you can find her blog here. You can also go follow her on Twitter here and her Instagram here.

I hope you guys are still enjoying this series, and as always, let me know if you want to take part in it. Thank you so much for reading my post and I hope you all have a wonderful day!

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See you guys soon x

My Top 5 OPI Shades For Autumn

L-R: What's the hatter with you?, Going my way or norway? Toucan do it if you try, Berlin there done that, An affair in red square

As you guys know, I absolutely love OPI nail polishes and they're the only brand I ever wear. I have a very large collection that's constantly growing, and I have some shades I only wear at certain times of the year. I wrote my top shades for Summer back in May here which was really well received, so I decided to do it again for Autumn. Autumn is one of my favourite times of the year and I can guarentee, this will not be my only Autumn post this month.

What's The Hatter With You? - This dark purple shade is from the Alice and Wonderland collection that I already did a review on here. It was one of my favourites in the collection and still is one of my favourite shades from OPI. It only requires two coats for full opacity and the plum colour looks absolutely gorgeous on. Accompanied with a dark lip, this will be my go to look this Autumn. It's definitely a perfect shade for the coming months.

Going My Way Or Norway? - I am currently absolutely loving this camel coloured light brown shade. Browns are perfect, in my opinion, for this time of the year, and I'm really loving the colour of this one. Camel coloured coats are in right now, so why not have camel coloured nails too? It only needs two coats to be applied for it's full opacity, and is a shade unlike any other OPI ones I own. I really love this shade right now and will be loving it even more during Autumn.

Toucan Do It If You Try - Oranges are a shade that can be worn at any time of the year, but especially Autumn in my opinion. And especially at Halloween. I absolutely love this orange shade as it's not too bright but also isn't dull. It also only needs two shades to reach an opacity I'm happy with. A shade perfect for Halloween night.

Berlin There Done That - This nude colour has some beautiful purple undertones that have made me fall in love with it. It's a very neautral shade which I think makes it perfect for both the Autumn and Winter months ahead. It does require three coats when I apply it for full opacity, but I don't mind due to how much I love this shade.

An Affair In Red Square - Red's are a shade you can wear at any time of the year in my opinion. I mean, I featured one in my top shades to wear at Summer as well. This particular red shade is perfect in my opinion for Autumn. It leaves a metallic finish on your nails which looks absolutely gorgeous and only requires one coat to give me my desired look. It's so easy to wear and leaves a very polished (pardon the pun) look to your nails.

Let me know if you've used any of these shades and your opinions on them. Thank you for reading my post and have a wonderful day!

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Is It Worth The Hype?: Nars Sheer Glow

I'm the kind of person who reads blog reviews and, if they're positive, I instantly want to buy the product. This can be good and bad, as it means I try out a lot of products but end up spending a lot of money. In the blogging world, there are some products that create a lot of hype but there's always the question of is it worth it? That's why I thought I'd do this new series: Is It Worth The Hype? One product I feel like I see a lot of hype around is the Sheer Glow foundation from Nars. I feel like this is quite a lot of peoples go-to foundation and it's a product that's been well discussed in the blogging community. But, is it worth the hype?

Yes. It is definitely worth the hype in my opinion. This is my favourite foundation of the moment and my absolute go-to. I use it every day and have stopped using my MAC ones as I love this one so much. Every positive review I've read on this foundation I've agreed with 100% and I honestly have yet to find something about this I don't like. I'm the shade Mont Blanc and it's honestly the closest foundation shade to my actual skin colour that I've ever found which makes me love it even more.

The texture of this foundation is very light and doesn't feel cakey at all while still giving you really great coverage. It leaves your face feeling very soft and smooth, and isn't at all flakey. I find this foundation lasts all day, even without the use of setting spray, and is one of the longest lasting foundations I've used. I also find it works well with my sensitive and acne-prone skin and has never once caused me to have a breakout (touch wood). It also leaves my face glowing - as the name would suggest - which I have honestly never found with many other foundations. It feels great, looks great, and I honestly just love this foundation. I would really recommend this to anyone on the lookout for a new foundation.

So is this product worth the hype? Hell yes! And if you disagree with me, I don't trust you. Just kidding of course. But this is honestly my favourite foundation at the moment and I'm yet to find one negative about it. I just love it and would encourage everyone to give it a go.

Let me know what your opinions on Sheer Glow are and is you think it's worth they hype. Thank you so much for reading my post and I hope you all have a lovely day.

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See you guys soon x

Meet The Beauty Blogger: Poppy Mayy

It's now time for part four of my Meet The Beauty Blogger series, and this time around we'll be getting to know Poppy Mayy a bit more. I've followed Poppy and her blog for quite a while now and I have to be honest, I was so excited that she wanted to take part in my series. She's a lovely, admirable and very inspiring blogger and I hope you all get to see that.

What got you into blogging? I first started my blog back in my last year of university because my lecturer told me that it would be a great place to showcase my writing. I've been blogging ever since! 

How did you decide to blog beauty? Well, I've always had a passion for beauty, especially make-up. When I was younger I went through a huge goth phase which allowed me to experiment with so much make-up and crazy out there looks and my love has just continued on from that.

How long have you been blogging for? As of April this year my blog Poppy Mayy is one year old.

What's your biggest blogging achievement so far? To be honest it has to be my #ConqueringCurvy series that I recently started. I've had some real positive feedback from my readers and I just love that these articles help empower women and boost their self-confidence.

What post that you've written are you most proud of? As I said in the last question, probably my #ConqueringCurvy ones, however, I don't want to take the easy way out and use the same answer twice. So it probably has to be my post about Victoria Secret models and feminism.

What's your current favourite beauty product? I am loving the Younique 3D fiber lash. Long, full lashes, without the cakey-ness!

What one item (beauty/skincare) could you not live without? Probably my moisturiser (Clinque's Dramatically Different). I have really dry skin so I can guarantee that my skin would be so sore and cracked without it.

Who's your favourite blogger of the moment? I really love Alice Spake (Annie Writes Beauty). She's so down-to-earth and she always promotes products that you can tell she actually loves. 

Are you happy with where your blog is right now? I really am. I just redesigned it and I am so happy with where it is at the moment. 

What's your biggest goal for the future of your blog? I would love to blog and vlog full-time. That's my ultimate dream. I feel like it would give me so much freedom and I could spread my body confidence message all over the world!

If you want to find out a bit more about Poppy and her blog, you can go follow her on Twitter here and Instagram here. She also has a Facebook here and a Youtube channel here you can check out.

Thank you very much for reading my post and I hope you liked it!

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See you guys soon x