WHAT I GOT FOR CHRISTMAS 2016

Christmas came and left in a flash. All that build up for one day sometimes seems a bit excessive but when you see the face of loved ones when you give them their gifts it does seem worth it in the end. I had a lovely, quiet Christmas with my family and I hope you all had a wonderful time too.

It’s now February so this post is long overdue! I considered not even posting this but you splendid lot still wanted to see it.

So here is what I got for Christmas.

From My Parents

I felt very lucky this year with my presents from my parents. I was treated to a lovely shoulder bag from Dune and a simple, classic-looking watch from Olivia Burton, both of which I love!

My parents also know I am stationery obsessed so I found myself with some new notebooks, a weekly planner, washi tape for decorating my Plum Paper planner (if you want to see a post about how I decorate mine, let me know) and some very cute post-it notes that are stacked to resemble a pile of gifts.

My parents know how much I am longing for a Mini as my next car but right now I can’t afford one. I’ve wanted a Mini since I were little so they couldn’t resist finally buying me my ‘first Mini‘. They thought they were hilarious when I opened the box up to find a toy car.

I also received some workout gear, which I’m hoping will help me find some motivation to complete Kayla Itsine’s Bikini Body Guide, some cute jumpers and some pretty, dainty pieces of jewellery .

If there is one other thing my parents know about me, it’s that I love all things beauty so I ended up opening a fair few beauty bits on Christmas day, much to my delight!

I received some body care products such as a Body Shop gift set in the Wild Argan Oil scent and a selection of Soap & Glory products which are some of my favourites (is it Christmas without some Soap & Glory though?)

I don’t wear much perfume as overpowering scents can give me headaches so I grudge paying too much for one. The perfume I was gifted is from Zara and is perfect for me. Also, the bottle is gorgeous and different to the packaging normally found which I love.

I was also lucky to receive some makeup bits from my parents. I’ve been on the hunt for my first high-end foundation and I think Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation could be the one. I’ve only used it a few times but I’m really enjoying it so far.  I was also given some NYX products such as the Soft Matte Lip Cream in Budapest, which is now a staple in my collection, as well as a personalised Makeup Obsession palette with a selection of eyeshadows, blusher and contour pans. The palette will be perfect for travelling!

From My Sister, Hannah

Speaking of travelling, my sister was very thoughtful and made me a hamper of travel related gifts since she knows I want to jetset all over the world.

First off, I received a travel pillow in the design of a monster which will be perfect for my long flight to Japan this year. Another useful gift for Japan is the marble print passport holder and luggage tag, so pretty!

She also bought me some travel themed notebooks to add to my evergrowing stationery collection.

The last present in the hamper was a scratchable world map. I really like this as I can scratch off where I am been in the world so I know where I need to visit next as well as having something to look at to remind me of the amazing holidays I’ve been on.

From My Best Friend, Holly

Holly and I are as obsessed as each other when it comes to makeup so I knew I should expect a very exciting gift from her.

She gifted me a few bits some the Sleek Rockstar Collection such as the i-Lust Palette which has some colourful shimmer shades for brightening up an eye look. On the same theme, is the palette from BH Cosmetics. This palette has two layers eyeshadows in every colour you will ever need. I am so excited to play with this and create some fun makeup looks.

Holly knows I’ve been lusting over Jeffree Star highlighters so she picked up one in Lavender Snow for me which is the most perfect, blinding highlight and now I want more.

To complete an already amazing present was the Film Noir Nights Makeup kit from Charlotte Tilbury which includes an kohl eyeliner and an exclusive lipstick in the shade Opium Noir. It’s gorgeous!

From My Boyfriend, Blair

I wasn’t expecting much from Blair as we haven’t been together very long and even then we have only known each other for a short time but from the gifts he gave me I can tell he already knows me so well!

Something you might not know about me is that I have a love for all things skulls. I have an assortment of skulls in my room, in the form of candles, ornaments, prints etc, and I also love a cup of tea. So when I opened up the box to find a skull mug, I was ecstatic.

Blair, as well as everyone in my life, knows about my makeup addiction but for him to pick out a Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick, one of my favourite liquid lipsticks, I was so shocked and impressed. I have quite the collection now too so for him to pick out a colour that I don’t own impressed me further. He obviously pays attention. I also love that he picked a bright, out-there shade since he knows I like to experiment with unique lip colours.

He also kindly paid for our tickets to see The Kooks in Manchester in April which will be an exciting, little trip for us. If anyone has any recommendations for what we should do when we are in Manchester that would be amazing!

As you can tell, I was truly spoilt and I am very grateful for everything I received from my friends and family this Christmas. I can seriously say I love everything I was given!

What did you get for Christmas?

Thanks for reading

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2017 BUCKET LIST

The majority of us will have a list of activities that we want to do before we pass and mine is probably longer than most.

One of my New Year’s resolutions this year is to say yes to more (Read my New Year’s Resolution post here) so I thought I would split my bucket list up each year and try to get as much as I can done to make the mammoth, but exciting, task of completing my bucket list a lot more doable.

In a year’s time, I will come back to this post and see how much I manage to tick off!

May Favourites

How can it be the end of May already? 2016 is passing too quickly. Saying that though, there is nothing I enjoy more than reading what everyone’s favourites are for the month.

I don’t have many favourites this month as I haven’t mixed up my routine too much but I do have a few beauty and hair products I have been loving, with some random products thrown in too.

MAKE UP

Makeup Revolution Affirmation Eyeshadow Palette £8. This little gem is such a bargain. It has a mix of shimmers and mattes in neutral colours which is perfect for that every day look, especially with their staying power. The colours are also build-able which means you can create a more striking look if that is what you are after. I will definitely be going back to Superdrug to pick up some more Make Up Revolution palettes.

MAC Lipstick – Stone £15.50. If you are after a matte lipstick in a dark brown/grey colour then this is perfect. I really like this brown lipstick trend at the moment and have so many shades but this is my favourite. I find it very easy to apply, even without lipliner. This is a pretty dark shade, which I love, but for a more natural look I will also apply a layer of concealer under this to lighten the colour so it is wearable any time of the day or when I’m feeling less brave.

NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick – Soft-spoken £6.50. If I had to choose one favourite for the whole month, this would be it. It is a dark pinky-nude shade and it is gorgeous. If you are after a great ‘your lips but better’ shade then snap this up. It is incredibly creamy, easy to apply and lasts a long time. Mine lasted through a barbecue and a lot of alcohol.

HAIR

Invisibobble Hair Bands £3.75 for three. These have been my saviour recently. I have to have my hair tied up for 9 hours a day at work so whenever I had plans, I would always have silly kinks that were near impossible to get rid of with my straighteners. This was also very time consuming. But with these, all I have to do is pull them out, brush my hair and I’m good to go. No annoying kinks, what’s better than that?

Tangle Teezer £10.99. Ever since I started highlighting my hair, it has been unmanageable to the point where I can’t get a brush through my hair so when I discovered the Tangle Teezer brush I was surprised at how much difference it made. Ever though I’ve used my Tangle Teezer for over a year now, I haven’t mentioned it yet and it definitely deserves some recognition. I don’t know what I would do without it.

Batiste Dry Shampoo – Tropical  £4.99. I used to wash my hair every day and I felt it was necessary as my hair gets greasy very quickly. I had tried dry shampoo in the past but never really felt like it was working for my hair. In the past, I had also tried Batiste in the original scent, however I always thought it left my hair looking white and the smell was too much for me. I decided to give Batiste another go but opted for the Tropical flavour this time. I love it! I’ve gone through so many cans now. The smell is subtle so you aren’t left feeling choked up and my hair doesn’t become coated in a white film. Using this, I’ve now gone from washing my hair every day to about every three days which I thought was impossible for me.

RANDOM

Walkers Thai Sweet Chilli Sensations. I am and will always be a chocolate lover but these are my downfall. I can eat a whole share bag to myself in one sitting. I’m addicted. They are quite spicy, so if you don’t like spicy food I’d give these a miss. If you don’t like sweet chilli, don’t be put off. I dislike sweet chilli sauce but my goodness, sweet chilli crisps are amazing. I might just nip to the shops and buy a packet now…

Pure Gym Membership £19.99 a month.  This has been one of my better spends this year. I’ve always loved keeping myself fit and now I can do so with a whole range of equipment I had no access to before. Pure Gyms are open 24/7 which is perfect for my job and the membership is much cheaper than competitors.

Well there we go. Here’s to June!

Thanks for reading,

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Motivation Monday

Last week my fitness and health was put on the side line. Due to my demanding work schedule, it was tough finding time to catch up on sleep, household chores and, unfortunately, finding time to head to the gym.

This meant I had one session at the gym the whole week. We focused on legs and I’d say it was one of my best sessions yet.

As usual, I started out with 10 minutes on the treadmill to warm up and completed 5 minutes on the stair-master.

Then we moved onto machines:

LEG PRESS – 3 sets

8 x 85lbs

8 x 100lbs

7 x 115lbs

CALF PRESS – 4 sets

8 x 100lbs

8 x 115lbs

8 x 130lbs

8 x 145lbs

After that we did some weighted squats with a 12kg kettle bell for a couple sets and finished off with an ab routine, which included planks, sit ups, ab bikes and leg raises.

So here is what I wore to my only session of last week. Everything I am wearing was purchased from Sports Direct.

Nike Victory Reversible Sports Bra – £16.99. If you want to see what it looks like, check it out here.

Nike Tank Top – £13.99, also comes in white, pink or royal blue. These tank tops are perfect for throwing on over your sports bra. I find mine incredibly comfortable and its loose fit means it covers any lumps and bumps with ease. It has a muscle back, which is great for wearing with a colourful sports bra to give a pop of colour to your outfit.

Puma Leggings – £23, also come in grey or purple. Aren’t these gorgeous? As soon as I saw these, I knew I had to get them. If I had to describe my favourite colour, it would be this blue. They are full length leggings that have the longest waist band I’ve come across, I’d even go as far as saying they are high-waisted, to provide extreme support. They hold everything in and make you feel great. And last but not least:

Nike Trainers – £44.99. If you want to see exactly what these look like and where you can purchase, check them out here.

It’s Monday again so I won’t dwell on the past. This week will be better in terms of workouts and my eating habits are definitely improving, minus my huge Domino’s pizza last night, but you are allowed a cheat meal, don’t forget that.

I’m heading to the gym tonight so that will set myself up nicely for the rest of the week.

How are you getting on with your fitness routine? Is there any particular fitness posts you like reading by others or any you want me to write? Let me know.

Thanks for reading,

 

Beauty Blogger Tag

If you haven’t already guessed, I was tagged to take part in the Beauty Blogger Tag. I was fortunate enough to be nominated by both Jessica Jade and The Girl With No Face! If you haven’t already, go check out their blogs. They are lovely and they have the blogs to match.

I was asked a series of 10 questions by each lady associated with beauty and blogging with a couple random questions also thrown in.

Since I have quite a lot to get through, let’s get started. Some questions were repeated which is why there won’t be a full 20 answers.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE MAKE UP PRODUCT EVER? 

My favourite make up product is mascara. I think if you’re having a really lazy day where make up is the last thing you want to put on, as long as you are wearing mascara, you will feel confident and feminine.

WHAT MAKE UP PRODUCTS DO YOU SPLURGE ON?

I would have to say eyeshadow palettes. There is such a wide variety of colours and pigmentations that can be in palettes that I feel you can never really have too many. I think I’m also drawn to the packaging of eyeshadow palettes over any other make up products. I mean, have you seen Urban Decay palettes?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PERFUME?

Anna Sui – Sui Dreams is my favourite. I have not used this perfume in years as I thought it had been discontinued. This tag made reminded me about my love for the perfume and so I did some browsing and I’ve realised I can still get it. I’m so happy.

DO YOU HAVE A QUICK MAKE UP TIP?

When I’m in a rush and don’t want to leave without contouring my face, I will take a big blush brush, such as the Real Techniques Blush Brush and go in with bronzer in the shape of a ‘3’ around my forehead, down the cheekbone and along the jawline. It takes no time at all.

WHAT IS YOUR GO TO SHAMPOO/CONDITIONER?

Honestly, I don’t have one. I do use PRO:VOKE Touch of Silver occasionally, which tends to be the only shampoo I use again and again. Normally, I just buy what is on offer.

WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO SHOP?

ASOS, ASOS and more ASOS.  I think 90% of my clothes are from there.

WHAT IS YOUR MUST HAVE MOISTURISER? 

I’m yet to find a must have moisturiser as I’m not great at experimenting with them. Right now I’m using Boots Simply Sensitive Day Moisturiser. 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE TV PROGRAMME?

Right now I’m enjoying Full House. I don’t have time to sit down and watch anything that requires attention at the moment so Full House is great for throwing on in the background.

I probably watch more documentaries than anything else though.

DO YOU HAVE A PASSION?

I have many interests – fitness, fashion, make up, animals, art – but I’m still searching for that one thing I am really passionate about.

TELL ME SOMETHING RANDOM ABOUT YOURSELF

I once got chased by 2 emus around a petting zoo. I’m now scared of birds.

WHAT IS YOUR ALL TIME FAVOURITE MAKE UP BRAND?

Urban Decay. I’ve already mentioned I love their palettes but everything else in the range is great. Another thing I love are the Primer Potions.

WHAT IS YOUR MORNING ROUTINE?

I don’t have one. My job is shift based so some days I start at 5am and other times I won’t start until 10pm so my morning routine varies greatly week by week.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE DISH?

Definitely a Chicken Bhuna curry, preferably from my favourite local Indian restaurant, Nawaabs.

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM JOB?

If I had the creativity, designing and running my own fashion label would be a dream come true.

WHY DO YOU LOVE BLOGGING?

I love blogging because I get to talk about my interests with people that are also interested and I can communicate with a multitude of people that share the same interests. I enjoy reading other blog posts as it is a way to learn new skills and gain further knowledge in the field. Also, due to working in such a stressful environment, blogging is a nice way to escape from that chaos for a few hours.

WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE BEAUTY YOUTUBER?

I would say she is more of a fashion Youtuber but Victoria from Inthefrow is my beauty/fashion icon. Her dress sense, her hair, her everything.

WHO IS YOUR CELEBRITY STYLE CRUSH?

If Youtubers are included in this, then Victoria as stated in the previous question and also Megan Ellaby. She takes clothes that I would wear but adds quirky accessories and has fun with her outfits which i something I wish I had more confidence to do.

DO YOU PREFER NAIL EXTENSIONS OR HAIR EXTENSIONS?

I’ve never had either but I’d say nail extensions. Due to working in the food industry, I have to keep my nails short and unpainted so to have pretty nails is something I long for.

WHAT IS YOUR ALL TIME FAVOURITE QUOTE?

“Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” (A Cinderella Story, 2004)

Now it’s your turn.

The Rules:
– Tag the blogger who nominated you
– Answer the questions
– Come up with 10 questions of your own
– Nominate other bloggers, don’t forget to tell them!

So the questions I would like answered are:

1. What is the one product you could not go without?
2. What is your favourite make up brand?
3. Who is your style inspiration?
4. Do you watch Beauty Youtubers, if so, who is your favourite?
5. What is your top beauty tip?
6. Why did you start blogging?
7. Do you remember the first make up item you purchased?
8. What was the last photo you took on your phone?
9. What is your favourite song/artist right now?
10. Tell me one random fact about yourself.

And I nominate:

Shybeautyblogger

Ginger Fox

Little Cinnamon Apple

A Girl Recommends

Thanks again to both ladies for nominating me and I look forward to reading everyone’s answers.

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Motivation Monday

It’s Monday again. That dreaded day of the week where we go back to work. Well, for the majority anyway.

I find the best way to set myself up for a long, hard week is to always workout on a Monday so that is exactly what I am off to do after writing this post.

Since last week, I have been to the gym on three occasions. I spoke about completing a spin class on Wednesday. Oh my, it was tough. I’ve always thought of myself as reasonably fit but the trainer worked us incredibly hard. So much so that I am a little scared to sign up for another! However, weight training has been going really well. I am starting to build a routine and knowing how much to push myself.

On Thursday, we completed arm day and I think I maybe went a little too hard – I’m still sore today. Leg day today instead I think!

NEW WORKOUT CLOTHES

I took a trip to Sports Direct and had a browse on Forever 21 on search of some new workout gear and this is what I found:

Nike Victory Reversible Bra, £16.99 – I chose this in grey but you can also get it in black. This is a low impact bra that is perfect for days when I am not doing any cardio. Oh, and it is also reversible which means you basically get two bras for the price of one.

Forever 21 Active Shadow Stripe Leggings, £19. These are long, black leggings with a mesh detailing on each side of the legs. They have a thick waist band which is great for holding in that nightmare lower abs. If you are looking for fashionable activewear that is affordable, I’d highly recommend looking at the range Forever 21 have right now.

Nike MD Runner Trainers, £44.99 in black. I’ve been on the hunt for a new pair of Nikes for a while now so when I saw these I knew I had to get them. For Nike, these are pretty affordable and will go with everything. They would even look good with a pair of black jeans, although I’ve never been huge on the casual trainer trend.

I’m growing quite the collection of gym gear, that’s for sure. Stay tuned for next week when I will show you what else I purchased from these two shops!

SimplyKirsty

Monday Motivation

Back at it with another fitness update. Monday is a great day to update on the past week and get set for the week ahead. ‘Never miss a Monday’. I live by that phrase. If you get your Monday workout in, you are more likely to keep it going through out the week.

So I joined a gym, Pure Gym in Kittybrewster, Aberdeen. It’s open 24 hours a day which is great for me as I work shifts that cover all hours of the clock. It is £19.99 a month, which I find very affordable and is full of all the equipment I need. It is also more spacious than previous gyms I’ve been to which I really like. It also provides daily classes such as spinning, yoga and Zumba.

Since I joined last Tuesday, I’ve been 5 times and enjoyed every single session. I have the fitness bug right now and am very keen to go each evening. I go with my friends Eilidh, Holly and Jack, which is great because we can keep each other motivated. I recommend getting yourself a workout buddy, it’s helpful. I have also signed up for a spinning class on Wednesday afternoon so I will keep you updated with how that goes. I’m pretty nervous about that one.

What I did when at gym:

Day 1-3 : Since this was our first time at this particular gym, we did a full body workout to get our bearings of the place and an idea of what equipment there was to offer. I would start with a little cardio, such as the treadmill and stair-master to warm up then tried a few weight machines for both legs and arms. We would then focus on abs and did a little free weights. I also practiced weighted squats and deadlifts for the first time.

Day 4: This session we focused mostly on arms. Again, I started with a little cardio to warm up and then moved onto the weight machines. I only focused on the arm and back machines, such as assisted pull ups and bicep curls. Next, we did bicep curls, tricep kickbacks and a couple other moves with dumbbells. It was the first time I’ve done this in nearly a year, so I felt a little uncomfortable and felt like I didn’t know what to do, but I know that confidence will grow in no time – just don’t give up. Finally, we did some ab work and a little arm work with barbells.

Day 5: So today we focused on legs. Did my usual and started with a little cardio and stair-master. Then moved onto the weight machines, for example, leg press and calf extensions. After several sets to exhaustion, we completed a small Kayla Itsines Ab workout and headed through to do some weighted squat and deadlifts.

I am currently creating my workout plan now that I know what my gym has to offer and I will be taking a notebook with me to record my progress. So from now on, Motivation Monday will give you a break down of the moves I did, sets and weights used.

My whole outfit is Forever 21, minus my Nikes of course. Remember to use UniDays if you are a student to get your discount.

Leggings: Originally £16.00, these are now on sale for £12.64! They also come in black.

Tank top: £9.00. Unfortunately you cannot get this in grey anymore, but it is still available in white.

Sports Bra: £11.00. Also comes in grey. It is a low impact bra with a slight padded lining to give you some shape.

If you want to know about my Nike trainers, check it out here.

Right, time to get my plan all written out! If you have any recommendations of exercises or anything fitness related please leave a comment letting me know.

 

Thanks,

SimplyKirsty

Monday Motivation

After a couple weeks of slacking, I’m finally ready to start my fitness routine again.

I’ve always been into looking after my body and exercise but I find it hard to stay motivated all the time, I’m only human. I work in McDonald’s and it’s tough to say no.

Most of 2016 so far, I’ve focused on strength training and completed half of Kayla Itsine’s Bikini Body Guide. I would recommend this to anyone. From just three thirty minute workouts a week I saw huge changes in my figure and strength. If you are looking for a programme that you want to do at home, it’s definitely worth it. Take a look at My Fitness Instagram to see my results.

I’m joining a gym tomorrow and am hoping to incorporate both the Kayla BBG guides and weight training into my routine.

So yes, today I am starting fresh with a nice run along the beach, which is going to be hard as I haven’t focused on cardio since last year so wish me luck!

But here is a quick look at today’s workout gear.

As you can maybe tell, I like the colour blue.

Most of this outfit is Nike:

Trainers – Nike iD personalised Free Run 3.0. I can’t praise enough how much I love these. They are so light and move with your feet which makes it feel like the shoe is part of you. I personalised my own pair and I knew what I wanted in a trainer but couldn’t find it anywhere. You can personalise all the colours, from the sole to laces. Also, you can choose to have your name printed on the tongue of the trainers which is a nice touch. You can’t customise this specific design anymore but there are similar designs on Nike. Mine were roughly £100.

Sports bra – I have a few of these in different colours and they are my favourite. They are quite thick material so they hold you in and make you feel very secure when working out. These bras have dri-fit technology which means you can stay comfortable even when working at your maximum capacity. Right now you can get this for £20.

Tank Top – The colour of this top is what drew me to it. Isn’t it gorgeous? These racerbacks are made from a light, floaty fabric which I much prefer when working out as I find that when I wear a skin tight top it constantly rides up and you find yourself sorting it more than actually working out. Again, this has dri-fit technology.

Finally, my leggings. These were actually from Tesco. If you haven’t already, I’d recommend trying out some of the workout gear Tesco sell. A lot of my collection is from here and I must say they are some of my favourites and much cheaper than your branded products. They wash up well and hold their shape. If you’re small like me, they will be rather long on you but that doesn’t bother me too much. I think my leggings and most of the others that I own were £12.

 

From now on, I’m going to aim to post regularly about how I am getting on with my regime.

Would you like a breakdown of what I did each day? Let me know!