Life Lately

Hey All

A bit of a late post from me. This week has been an up and down for me. Last weekend saw a sore throat turn into a painful chest and cough to stop me sleeping and finally into an ear infection on Thursday which despite antibiotics is still persisting. I've not felt so wiped out in ages (the late post is due to me falling asleep on the sofa)

It has been a good week workwise. I'm now off to London on Friday for an LTG meeting and my boss has recommeded me for membership which I'm really excited about and I'm finally getting the support I need to complete my portfolio of competence.

I've also been sorting and organising my make up. I had a bit of a make up sort out and got rid of some of the old stuff I knew I wouldn't use. Some of it I was holding onto even though I didn't like it or it didn't suit me colourwise. It feels so much more productive to have a tidy make up area! I also got my hair done. It's finally back light and is now an icy white with darker routes so hopefully I won't have to dye it for a while. I love new hair it always makes me feel so much better!

The most exciting part of my week was finally getting my other half back after 45 days, despite feeling ill the excitement to see him takes over! After flight delays due to strikes and other problems with him getting back I ended up jumping on a train to meet him and catch up with his parents. If you're with someone who works away nothing beats that first hug! He even came armed with macarons!! With the dude being back we also tucked into a lot of chocolate and hot cross buns. My easter kinda waited until he was home.

OMG!!! These were the best one's I've tasted yet. You definitely taste the difference between cheap ones! They were perfectly crunchy on the outside and chewy in the middle!

This weekend we spent it at my parents them at a friends wedding. I actually did the bride and bridesmaids hair and make up which was a terrifying responsibility but the brides appreciation made it all worth the stress of the morning and she looked beautiful. It was such a great fun wedding with a tea party, pig roast and tower of cheese!! Hello perfection.

After I persuaded the bride's niece to draw on him he proceeded to rub his face into mine! Which resulted in me having a blue face!

For a wedding present we got them some pots from a local ceramicist who was at the Cardiff Christmas Markets, It was great to chat some a local seller and hear about it and it definitly makes me want to shop local more! His name is Dean Bolt if you're from South Wales and after some great bits! I love the colours he uses!

So that's a little life update from me. I'm really hoping this week I can finally kick this illness!!

Love M

xxx

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Polish - Lychee

Morning!

Today's review is a well known nail polish from Barry M. The Gelly range has been hyped about a lot due to its Hi Shine finish and the impressive range of colours.

Lychee has been raved about by almost every single person - and I'm about to join the list!

Lychee is pale taupe kind of nude, it's absolutely perfect for so many occasions. It's the perfect every day colour but also still looks pretty chic when out with friends on the weekend.

A lot of the other colours in the range are pastels and this is the nude version. It comes in at a perfectly acceptable £3.99 and I have always said that Barry M prices are awesome for the quality of the products.

The colour is perfect and although I do have a few issues with the small brush inside the bottle (I'm sure my other polishes don't have a brush this thin?!) which makes application a little difficult.

I applied 2 coats and it was mostly opaque but there were a few streaks, probably made more apparent by the brush.

I also found that the colour slightly discoloured after a week or so of wear, with a top coat it did last really well and normally I wouldn't leave it as long as this but it did weirdly get lighter as it began the chip off.

Having said all that I still love it and would recommend it!

Do you love Barry M too? What new polishes have you been buying from them? Which other Gelly polishes would you recommend?

L xxx

Fitness Friday: Spring Shake Up

Hello!

The last few weeks I've been struggling to keep up the motivation and focus. The 'New Year' enthusiasm has definitely packed up and gone so I've been looking into new ways to get back into it.

Working long hours with training, sorting out house stuff for my mortgage and solicitors and travelling with work have all meant that my exercise regime has all but disappeared. Now things with the house is mostly sorted and my work trips are only 2 days long I've been trying to get back into it.

I've been catching up on my fitness magazines and finding new workouts to try out but noticed that there were a lot of new programs starting online soon or that are available on the internet for free.

Tone It Up: Bikini Series 2015 - the TIU girls are amazing, I have huge crushes on both of them and I would absolutely love to look like either of them! 

Look at their beautiful abs!

I signed up straight away for their latest Bikini Series, they do it every year and it's an 8 week challenge. You get a new timetable every week with exercises and they regularly post recipes too - worth signing up for to give you motivation into your inbox regularly!

Muscle and Fitness 6 Week Fat Blast Program - another program this time for 6 weeks. This program consists of 3 full body workouts a week with 2 days dedicated to cardio and 2 for resting. This allegedly maximises fat burning and muscle growth and the workouts are detailed on the website, 2 full body workouts that you alternate and also 2 cardio routines. 

For someone that needs everything given to them at once so they can get their head around it and plan, this is perfect!

Shape's No Fail Fat Loss Plan is also another 6 week program. This program is also given to you in advance, it contains 11 different programs detailed in separate pages with videos and demonstrations so you know exactly what you need to do. The good part about this program is that there is a good range of exercises to keep you entertained including tabata, cardio, stretches, HIIT and metabolism boosters. 

I haven't tried any of these programs myself but having had a quick browse they look pretty good to me, a good range of exercises and catering to those who need time to prepare and those who need regular contact via email to keep their motivation up.

I will be reading through more closely and choosing some routines to try out myself, changing things up will boost my metabolism and keep my body guessing, both of which will help the fat burn faster!

Which of these do you think would be best for you? Will you be signing up for TIU as well as downloading the other programs?

It's 2 months before 'bikini season' arrives, it might not be bikini season in the UK strictly, but holidays are definitely looming and baring my body isn't going to be a pretty sight at the moment!

Hopefully this will keep me interested!

L xxx

New Boux Avenue

Hey all!

I've been on a bit of a spending spree thanks to the money I got for my birthday. Now that I've bought a house (post coming soon!) I wanted to spend my last lot of birthday money on myself and a few treats, so underwear was clearly top of my list!

I went straight to Boux Avenue, my favourite underwear store for basics and treats.

I wasn't disappointed when I got there. The first item I saw was this beautiful oriental print bra and knicker set in a balconette style.

I love prints from other countries especially oriental ones and this one with a black base and the pink and gold coloured flowers is beautiful!

This Amber Oriental set comes in at a pricey £28 for the bra and £16 for the matching knickers - which by the way are HUGE. I mean I've never owned knickers this big and this pretty, it kind of goes against everything I've ever been taught. The knickers are in the style of a 50s bikini bottom, they are high waisted and I didn't realise this at the time of purchase, it was only when I got them home that I realised they were as long as they are!
They are also a bit pricier than a usual pair at £16 but they are a treat after all!

There is a thong also available which I might have bought had I seen it on display and this costs £14.

Next I bought the Lauren Balconette bra which is brand new in and is currently on offer. You can purchase the bra and matching bottoms for £30. Unfortunately (again!) the only bottoms available at the time was the thong which wouldn't be my first choice but nevertheless I have a rule on buying underwear without matching knickers so it was the thong this time!

I do love the Cardiff store but it seems it wasn't as well stocked as it normally is.

The thong is still really pretty and a change for me, but the knickers would have been my first choice. Maybe it's a good excuse to go back....?

I also couldn't resist another deal they had on, 3 for £12 knickers!

These are normally £6 each so a really good deal and I always pick up a few when I can. They seem to last so much longer than other brands and they're so pretty!

I absolutely love Boux Avenue and I always find that their products are the prettiest, at reasonable prices (apart from maybe those big knickers....) and they're really good quality. The basic tshirt bras I bought a few years ago are STILL going strong even though normally I would have had to replace them by now.


Do you like Boux Avenue? What are your favourite products? Do you like the choices I made?

L xxx