I've moved...

No I haven't moved house but Essence of Anna has moved sites (platforms). You will now find me over on word press!!

If any of you have been wondering why there haven't been any blog posts (and you aren't following me on Facebook) I've been so busy with work and helping with a production of Sweeney Todd that there just hasn't been the time to write blogs and the time I did have I was battling with Wordpress trying to get the new blog ready.

Thank you to any of you who have come back all the time to read what I post it means a lot, I hope that you will follow me over and that you will enjoy the new layout as much as I do.

https://essenceofannablog.wordpress.com/


See you on the other side!

February Favourites 2016

Woah guys, as if it is already time to share my February favourites, before we know it I'll be back to posting Christmas blogs.......

Okay so this month there aren't very many products that I have been loving but there's lots of things that have happened and just random bits and bobs I want to share with you!


Let's start with the few products that I have loved this month.

Okay so the one that comes up trumps, by far this month is, Sweet Lullaby soothing body and massage oil by Lola's Apothecary. Oh my word. This has made such a difference to my nights sleep. This was a small sample that I received in my February Pink Parcel (still yet to put my review up for that box) and I'm so thankful for it. Every night I have been rolling some onto my wrists and then some on then just below each ear on the sides of my neck, within about half an hour of putting this on I am ready to fall asleep and I get a decent nights sleep as well. Before this I would be awake until about 1 in the morning, get up a couple of times in the night to use the little girls room so it really was a blessing in disguise. The downside, however, was the roller bottle that I have mine in was specially designed for Pink Parcel, which I think is a shame because it's really convenient, you can only buy a 100ml bottle from their website and that retails at £36.00. I know that's a pricey bottle of oil!! I have to say, though, I think once I have worked through the rest of my sample, I will invest in the larger bottle.

Moving on...

Recently new out is the Maybelline New York 'the falsies' push up mascara. At first I was unsure about this but I have grown to love it. About a month a go I bought the lash sensational mascara (also from Maybelline) because I had heard so many bloggers/vloggers raving about it and to be honest I wasn't that impressed, it's a good mascara don't get me wrong, but definitely not worth the hype that I think it's got. The falsies one ,however, is definitely worth adding to your make up collection. It adds both volume and length to your lashes without them looking cloggy. It's a straight, plastic, applicator, which I found odd at first because most mascara wands have some form of curve or shape too them but none the less this mascara delivers.... I wouldn't say it makes you look like you're wearing false eyelashes though!!

The last product, (I told you there were only a few) I want to mention from this month is Right Guard Pink Jasmine Shower Gel for women. This is actually something that I have been using and loving since before Christmas, for some reason I have just never mentioned it! It's a gorgeous scent, like sweet perfume/fruity.....I'm so rubbish at describing scents I'm so sorry!! It's just a really nice summery scent and this month it has made a nice change from my usual Zoella products.

RANDOM

So February saw me bring in my 23rd birthday and on that day I received a very special necklace, the Anna SacconeJoly zodiac necklace. Now if memory serves correctly, she brought these out just before Christmas, all the zodiac signs are available, there is a small, medium and long length chain (actual sizes are on the website) they are available in silver, gold and rose gold. Mine is the small chain in rose gold, star sign Aquarius. I think this is a really special gift to give someone or even something worth investing in for yourself. It's something that you can keep and pass down to either your daughter, granddaughter, niece or god-daughter and if necklaces aren't your thing as of about a week ago Anna (not me ;) ) added two bracelet designs to the collection.
Also if you want to see the reason behind the necklaces here is the link to the video                 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aMHoLPNXVA

All Necklaces come with this picture and in an Anna Saccone box

I also got a beautiful Disney Couture ring inscribed with the words Faith, Trust and Believe. This is a ring that I have wanted for years and I love it however, despite this not being a cheap ring, it was/is turning my finger black when I wear it. When I contacted the people who stocked the ring they said they had received a couple of people complain about the same issue but with different rings from the Disney Couture line and that it is just my skin reacting to the metal. I've kept the ring because like I said I have wanted it for a long time and when it's on you can't tell but I wanted to pop this in here for anybody that is thinking of buying one of their rings, this is something to consider.

PEANUT BUTTER OREOS - Yes they are as tasty as they sound. If you love peanut butter and you love oreos and you have not yet tried these then drop everything you are doing right now, even reading this blog, and go to your nearest Tesco or Asda .... Or Morrisons or Sainsburys and get yourself some, you will not regret it..... Until you realise that you have eaten a  whole packet in under an hour.

Two films that are currently at the cinema that I love are...

How to be Single, I went to see this on Valentine's Day with one of my best friends (and fellow singleton) it was perfect. The film is hilarious and just perfect definitely one you need to call up the girls and go and see and if you are newly single then do yourself a favour and go see this film, you will not regret it, promise!

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,  I haven't read the book so when I went to see this I had no idea what I was going to get, was it a piss take? Was it going to be really scary....And if so have I made a terrible decision?? All I did know was... LILY JAMES! If you have been reading my blogs for a while and you follow me on Instagram you will know I just adore her/idolise her/think she's amazing..... The list goes on. That was one of my main reasons for going. I still don't know how to describe the film.... It definitely wasn't a piss take though! It was hilarious but then serious and then zombies.....which occasionally made me jump and Matt Smith was simply fantastic as Mr Collins. Take from that what you will but if you are a fan of Pride and Prejudice and are partial to a good zombie film or like The Walking Dead then you will more than likely enjoy this.

More Lily James... At the start of February the BBC Drama War and Peace (which I sometimes refer too as Love and War...Ooooops) came to an end. Before this I had read ahead on good old Wikipedia (because I couldn't wait) and I didn't like the way it ended. Then I watched it..... Then I got it on dvd and watched it through again and I loved it!! I could watch it all the time. If you like costume dramas I would recommend this but as the title would suggest it is about war and it is, at times, very graphic and gory so if you're not a fan or blood then don't watch it, you won't like it.

Also, Pan came out on Blu Ray and DVD this month, I went to see this at the cinema so I was very excited to get my hands on it. For some unknown reason I love adaptations of Peter Pan, I've seen most of them and loved them all, except Finding Neverland because that made me cry. Pan has to be one of my top favourites, I love that it takes you right back to the beginning and shows you a different side to the characters we know so well. All the way through you pick up on clever little bits that they've taken from the original and its beautiful, set, costume effects....Just stunning.

At the start of the month I realised it was time to swap out my cozy winter bedding for something a bit more season appropriate, so I went onto the H&M website, yes they do home ware, and bought myself a new duvet cover. Reasons why I love it are it's a simple print and simple colours so it can be paired with anything, if I want to change up the colours in my room, I can, it will go with any cushions or throws that I put with it and it is super soft and cushty!!

And finally this month I got a new job! For privacy reasons I can't say what it is but it's very different from what I was doing which was working on the checkouts at Tesco! I am over the moon to finally be doing something which is more in the direction of where I want to go. All I want to say is that hard work really does pay off and if you're doing something at the minute and you feel like you're getting nowhere just keep at it a little bit longer, you might be closer to getting what you want than you think you are.

That's all for February folks!

As always you can follow me on social media!

Instagram @annakimberley93

Twitter @annarailton1993

Like me on Facebook Essence of Anna 

Aren't You Going to do Anything With Your Degree...?

The title of this blog is a question that, as a graduate, I have been asked many many times. It is also one I am very tired and bored of answering and I know that I am not alone in that.

While there are a great many people that go to university and get a degree and are lucky enough to pursue a career that falls in line with that, I would say that, there are a great many more people that have a degree but as people without a clue would put it, are sitting there and doing nothing with it.

I, like most people I know, am one of those people, sitting there and 'doing nothing with my degree'.

The funny thing is that I never went to uni to get a degree so that I could get a job from that. I went and did theatre, what is often referred too as a mickey mouse subject also the one that when you tell people that's what you did they look at you with sympathy because obviously, what sort of real profession could you possibly hope to get from studying theatre. Not to mention that, obviously, by doing theatre clearly the only thing I want to become is an actress on Eastenders.

How wrong and narrow minded these individuals are.

(Back to the point I was making...) I went and studied theatre because that was what I loved, I wanted to learn more about it and become well rounded in something that had been a passion of mine for four years, it was the only thing I was good at and all I wanted to do! I had no plans to become an actress, I'm not good enough for that, I just wanted to learn more about something that I loved.

My university experience wasn't a great one and not something I wish to dwell on too much. I struggled greatly with written work just as I had at a level and GCSE. I was a theatre student, I enjoyed performing and all things practical, designing sets and costumes and being creative, my mind wasn't made for critically writing about things I had done and why! Another thing I struggled with was people but that really is something that should not be talked about!

When I left university my confidence was at rock bottom, I had spent three years learning about all this modern artistic theatre, the sort were people put a bucket on their head for an hour while tap dancing to Kanye West and pretending that it has great meaning and reflects on all of the politics in the world. No it doesn't. Not at all. Just someone being a pretentious idiot to be honest.

Despite what I may of thought at the time, I took a great deal from my time at uni though I learnt very little about theatre. I became very good at reading people, their moods and how they behaved and interacted and the type of person that they are. I learnt that I'm very good at directing, taking in a lot of suggestions and coming up with innovative ways to combine them all. I learnt to cook..... And do laundry, very important life skills!! I also discovered a great love and passion for prison rehabilitation... That came from a module on my THEATRE course and I learnt, although briefly, how to work and talk with people that had done time in prison. I also learnt how to create and design a website, how to design logos and business cards and the best ways to advertise a company. I also learnt great time management, that happened in my third year though because first year doesn't count, and how to organise groups of people.

So yes I did a theatre course. No I didn't just learn to act, I learnt that at GCSE and no I do not wish to be in Eastenders and no just because I am not pursuing a career in anything related to theatre does not mean that I am wasting my degree and it does not mean that it was a waste of money.

I also must point out that despite all these very capable people who have degrees and maybe would very much like to do something with them companies and the government actually make it so we need so many years experience doing this and that and actually while you're at it could you please get in more debt because you actually need to have a masters and another degree before we can take you on.

We are part of a generation in which it is not as simple as just using our degrees. Maybe that guy or girl you know down the road is using theirs so that should mean we all can, well that person down the road is very lucky and one in a million!

Then let's move on to the people that decide they want to travel and are questioned about that decision. Wouldn't you rather get a job? ARE YOU NOT GOING TO USE YOUR DEGREE?!

It's funny how many adults (more adultish adults than myself) tell me that I should experience as much of life as I can while I am young and without the commitments of children. It's also funny that those same adults can't fathom why people take gap years to travel or after finishing uni go travelling, because heaven forbid after 21 years in education people might want a break.

Travelling means seeing the world, something so many people wish they had done more of, experiencing new things and cultures. Being in the sunshine, or not depending on where you go.... Not once have I heard from someone that has been travelling 'I regret doing that instead of getting a job' and I don't think that I ever will. Now that I am single I'm beginning to focus on all the places I want to go and see, not for years but for a weeks holiday.... I don't ever want to say to my kids I wish I'd been here or there, I'd rather show them the pictures of when I went and if that means I've got great memories instead of boring ones then fine.

Then people question the young people that say university isn't for them because by society's standards they need it..... But think about everything I just said. Actually those people are probably the smartest. They will get their experience in other ways and they won't get into debt doing it. They also won't be made to feel guilty or panic when they get asked 'Why aren't you using your degree..?'

So while I'm still 23 and I don't have to worry about anybody else but myself I will enjoy life to the full. My degree is just a bit of paper. Whether I use it or not that's up to me, nobody else. Whether I use it or not impacts my life not yours. Don't feel sorry for me because I did theatre, feel sorry for yourself for thinking that means nothing but Shakespeare. Don't question why people want to go and see the world, question why you never did. And never think less of someone because they didn't/aren't going to uni because what are you doing that's so great in your life that makes you think you can judge someone in that way?

And finally, if you ask people what they plan to do with their degree then stop because they're only young, they don't need a life plan yet.

Rant over.

I Like What You Do To My Hair!

This blog post is all about the products that I use on my hair how I use them, how often, what styles I like etc!

Okay so let's start with shampoo, picking a shampoo and conditioner for my hair can sometimes be really tricky because I suffer with a sensitive scalp so certain shampoos cause my scalp to become really itchy and/or dandruffy (I'm aware that's not a word) this, I know, is something a number of people struggle with so hopefully by seeing what I use that might help you find something perfect for you but remember everybody is different and so what works for me might not work for you.

At the minute I am using OGX Coconut Water Shampoo and Conditioner I've been using this shampoo and conditioner since Christmas and I really love it! It hasn't irritated my scalp at all and it leaves my hair soft and smooth and smelling a little bit coconutty! (I am also aware that's not a word either)

When my scalp is going off one and I'm having a bad patch with it I use Alphosyl shampoo. This is a medicated shampoo so it costs a bit more than maybe your average shampoo (although it is the same price as OGX shampoos), you should be able to find it at your pharmacy but if not just click the link and you can get it from Superdrug. I use this for a week and then go back to my normal shampoo and it calms it down and clears away the dandruff. Yay! 

Also since having my hair ombred my hairdresser told me that I needed to use purple shampoo once a week to stop the blonde going brassy so the one that I use is Joico Colour Endure Violet- I just use this one because it's the one that my hairdressers use and it's the one that they stock. When I first used it it didn't lather up like shampoo usually does so since then I start with the OGX shampoo on the the scalp area then work the Joico into my tips, that helps to lather it up, I then leave it for a few minutes and rinse. The violet shampoo really helps to brighten the blonde and bring it back out.

A few years ago I was washing my hair everyday because I hated having greasy hair but obviously that isn't good for your hair as it strips it of its natural oils so started doing it every couple of days but that irritated my scalp so I now do it every other day using CoLab A Model Recommends Dry Shampoo in between, this is a product that I have talked about before because I have been using it for over a year now but in case you haven't read my older blogs this is a great product.It leaves your hair feeling clean, smelling beautiful and leaves no white powder in your hair like most dry shampoos do it also doesn't leave your hair feeling stiff!

I always leave my hair to naturally dry after washing it because I don't like the way my hair looks or feels after I blow dry it, I don't think I have every really blow dried my hair so I don't worry too much if I straighten my hair three days in a row! But if I do straighten or curl my hair I use Tresemme Styling Spray with heat protect ( although sometimes I do forget!) Oooops! Every now and then I sleep with my hair in plaits, if I feel I have used my straighteners (In case you're wondering I have GHDS) on it too much or if I've been wearing it up too much, it just makes it nice and wavy, making it look like I've made an effort with my hair when actually I haven't!

Hair after sleeping with it in plaits

Other than that I don't use any other products on my hair unless I know that maybe it's going to be a while before I can visit the hairdressers again in which case I will use Joico K-Pak Split End Mener, I will use this a couple of times a week after washing my hair, I only use a small blob and then just run it through the ends of my hair and it really does help keep your hair looking healthier for longer.

A couple of blog posts ago I said I would share a video demonstration with you all of how I used my Lee Stafford Argon Oil Beach Wave Curling Wand so if you click this link that's exactly what you will get. This is also the completed look from the last blog Night Out Make Up Tutorial! Like last time please remember that the software I have isn't fantastic, it's just to give you a rough idea, I got a bit daft in this one so I do apologise! https://www.wevideo.com/view/596153145

My most used hair styles when I haven't curled or straightened my hair!

Bit up and a bit down.

High pony tail

Fish plaits

As always you can find me on social media:

Instagram ~ @annakimberley93
Twitter ~ @annarailton1993
Like me on Facebook Essence of Anna

Night Out Make Up Tutorial..... Sort of!

Hey everybody! I know that I have built this blog post up but that's only because it's something different and something that I have worked very hard on! The reason that it didn't go up yesterday was because the video took five hours to upload onto the video editing software and I had plans in the evening so I just didn't have time to edit it and upload it!

Anyway, I know that the lighting isn't great, my camera isn't a filming camera and it doesn't have a view finder ( I think that's what it's called...) and it was just little old me doing this! I will bare all of the things I have learnt from doing this one, in mind for next time! Also, the software I used to edit this was very basic so there are jolts where I have had to cut bits out but I have really tried hard on this so I hope that you like it!

The 'tutorial' is based on the make up that I did for my birthday night out, I will insert a picture so you can get a better idea of how it all looked. The only difference is that I didn't use false lashes in the video 1) because I didn't have any and 2) because I am hopeless at putting them on!

Anyways enough waffling I hope you appreciate how much time has been spent on this ( I now feel sorry for youtubers everywhere)

Songs featured are:

As the World Falls Down - David Bowie
It's All Coming Back to me Now - Meat Loaf
Within You - David Bowie

Please click this link to watch the video ---> 

https://www.wevideo.com/view/589583347 
It won't let me upload it into the blog itself because it's too big (I might cry!) If there are any problems viewing it let me know and I will upload it onto the facebook page or (eeeeek) youtube!!!

Products used:

Max Factor Miracle Match Foundation
Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder
Too Faced Soul Mates (Carrie & Big) Blushing Bronzer
MUA Heaven and Earth Eyeshadow Palette
Primark Night Time Pallette (not available online sorry!)
Primark Felt Eyeliner Pen (also not available online!)
Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara
Maybelline Baby Lips Balm and Blush
Bellapierre Lipstick

Complete look for the night out!

Jumpsuit from Boohoo ----> http://www.boohoo.com/restofworld/jumpsuits-/boutique-mary-strappy-woven-jumpsuit/invt/dzz93843

If you are wondering, the top that I am wearing (in the video) is from Primark and please stay tuned for next weeks blog, which will be up on saturday, to see how I do my hair to complete the look.

Thank you for sticking around to see my lack of technical knowledge, I promise that I will get better and as always you can find me on social media :)

Instagram @annakimberley93

Twitter @annarailton1993

Like me on Facebook Essence of Anna

Polish Cake Recipe

This is neither polish nor cake.... So I have no idea why it has the name it does but what I do know is that it is incredibly tasty!

This is my grandma's recipe and she got it from her mother, my nana, and where she got it from, who knows! It's been in our family for a long long long time and since today is my birthday, 23 years on the planet, I wanted to share it with you.


You will need:

1 Medium sized pan
1 small pan (or a bowl depending on your preferred method of melting chocolate)
A mixing spoon
A baking tray
Tin Foil

Ingredients:

225g (that's roughly 8oz) digestive biscuits
100g margerine
1tbsp golden syrup
2 tbsp Cadbury's drinking chocolate
2 large bars of Dairy Milk chocolate

First you need to bash up all of your biscuits, the preferred Railton method is to put them in a food bag and bash with a rolling pin - That's really fun so if you have a young child or a younger sibling, they might want to help with this bit - Alternatively, if you're fancy, stick the biscuits in a food processor and whiz them around until they are crumbs.

Stand the biscuit crumbs to one side for a second.

Next put your margarine and golden syrup into your medium pan and melt them together over a low heat. Make sure to keep stiring as you are melting.

Once they have melted together add the drinking chocolate, you can do this over the heat or not it's up to you, and mix that in.

Now add your biscuit crumbs and mix it all together!!

You now need to line your baking tray with tin foil and once you have done that put your biscuity mixture onto it and spread it out evenly, you want quite a thick base so don't spread it out too thin.

I will be honest my mixture didn't cover the whole tray, there was a tiny bit of space left so I just made the mixture again, it only takes two minutes. Depending on the size of your baking tray you may want to double the ingredients.

Now pop the tray in the fridge and leave to cool. Once it's cool take it out.

You now need to melt the chocolate. When I did it in the pan it burnt so I resorted to the microwave.

Once it's melted pour over your biscuit base and spread it evenly across.

Put the tray back in the fridge.

After about 30-45 mins the chocolate will be sort of set, take the tray back out of the fridge and cut it into squares. If you leave it too late the chocolate will have set completely and cutting it into squares will be a nightmare.



Put back in the fridge until the chocolate has fully set, then sit back and relax with a good cup of tea!

January Favourites 2016

I can't believe that it's already time to do a January favourites blog post!! That is just insane.

This month has been pretty crazy and if I'm completely honest not a great start to the year! We've lost so many wonderful people, David Bowie, Alan Rickman, today we've had the news that Sir Terry Wogan has passed away and worse of all we had to say good bye to our bunny Hop!!

So all in all not a positive start to the year but let's not dwell on the negative instead let me share with you the things that have brought me joy this month!! 




Zoella products have probably been the biggest love for me this month, not that that should shock any of you!! A few of the products are from her Christmas range so unfortunately they're no longer available to buy but I wanted to mention them anyway because 1) I have been loving them and 2) Should Zoe ever make these part of her core collection, you'll know what to expect!!  If you read my ultimate 2015 favourites blog post you will know already how I feel about Soak Opera so I won't ramble on about it again! Alongside that there is also Flowers and Showers which is exactly the same as Soak Opera except it's just a shower gel! - The thing I like the most about these ones is that they're miniatures so they don't take up too much room in your bathroom and are the perfect size to pack in an overnight bag or to take on holiday. This is why I'm hopeful that something similar will be added to her core collection come summer...

On the topic of summer, when I haven't been using those two I've been mixing it up with (yet more) Zoella Foam Sweet Foam shower gel from her Tuti Fruity range that came out summer last year. This has been clearing away my winter blues and getting me in the mood for some serious much needed sunshine!!! If you find that the body washes don't lather up as much as you would like then I would recommend using a  shower lily. Just squirt a blob of your chosen shower gel onto one of them rub it in and you'll be ready to go!!

Is that all the Zoella products out of the way yet???

No don't be silly!!

I've also been loving having the Hey Roomie (doesn't she give everything the best names?!) reed diffuser. The scent pay off from this is incredible! It's the same scent as Soak Opera so if you love that smell you will love this. Now I only have a really tiny bedroom so I can't say whether or not you will get the same scent pay off in a larger room but I can't see why not.

Now that is Zoella all done!

On to a different youtube star now, one that I don't think I have mentioned on my blog before... Tanya Burr.

Her lip glosses are amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The day that my Lunch Date lip gloss ran out last year was an incredibly sad day. It was the perfect nude and I loved it dearly. Then at some point during summer last year Tanya relaunched her beauty range and up until right this second I thought that lip gloss had been discontinued..... But it hasn't...... I'm going to move past this though and talk about the one I did buy just before New Year and that was Daydream, still a nude lip gloss,  slightly lighter than Lunch Date but still amazing. These lip glosses aren't sticky and the colour pay off is amazing. The packaging is also stunning. What I'm basically telling you is that the Tanya Burr lip glosses are amazing and you should go and buy yourself one. Okay. Not to mention they smell and taste like watermelon! 

Also..... Tanya Burr eyelashes. Okay, I don't normally do false eyelashes because I just can't do them. I am hopeless.... Anyway, I got some for New Years Eve and my friend did them for me, they lasted the entire night, without sliding down and are still in near enough perfect condition to be used again!! Yay. The ones I have are called Girls Night Out and are from the old collection so sadly you can't get them any more :( . I didn't use the glue that came with them though, I instead bought Eyelure Lash Fix Clear Finish glue.


Moving on.

Two perfumes that I have been loving this month are Paco Rabanne Black XS and Nina by Nina Ricci. Both very different scents, Black XS is a more sweet scent, I would say, also, I don't know what Paco Rabanne put in their perfumes but if you want a scent that is going to last you all day they are the people to go too! Nina is a more fruity scent, perfect for summer I would say and the bottle is beautiful. 

While we are on the topic of scents, bit of a random one , Dove Go Fresh Roll on deodorant. I have been using this consistently for several months now, I don't think I would ever go with another deodorant, it does the job, I don't ever feel like a get smelly or sweaty... Is that too much information? Oh well! I know that some people think roll on deodorants are unhygienic but I love it. It doesn't mark my clothes either which is what you want really!!

I've really suffered with dry hands/nail beds this month so I have tried really hard to keep moisturising them. The two moisturisers I have used the most are Palmer's Coco Butter Formula Daily Skin Therapy, this is just a general moisturiser for everywhere, but it's so creamy, rich and hydrating that it is perfect for your hands - Out of everything I have listed in this blog post this is the product I would recommend you go and buy! If you have dry skin anywhere I can promise you that this will make a difference, plus it smells like chocolate so you can't really go wrong with that!!!

I have also used the EOS Hand Lotion in the scent berry blossom. This is not as thick as the other one but still great. It smells amazing and is just perfect to carry around in your handbag or keep by your bedside.
Also from EOS is the Strawberry Sorbet lip balm. Just lovely. Has kept my lips hydrated and smells amazing.

Another amazing little product that came out this month is the Maybelline Baby Lips Balm and Blush. I don't want to go into too much detail about this product now because I want to do a blog post later in February just about these and a make up look with them but trust me ladies these are worth the investment and the perfect handbag saviour.

Finally product wise, no it is not a torture device, it's the Lee Stafford Argon Oil Beach Wave Curling Wand. This is amazing. Before this I just used to curl my hair with my GHD'S and that did the job but not as well as this. The style of the wand means that all of your curls are different, hence the name beach wave. It takes me about 20 minutes to curl my hair with this and they last for a good couple of days and that's without any product. I would highly recommend investing in this. I will be uploading a blog post in the coming weeks all about hair care so I will insert a video in that of me using this curling wand so you can see for yourself just how good it is!

My hair has been another big favourite for me this month. If you follow me on Instagram you will have already seen it but this month I took the plunge and my hair ombred. (I have no idea how to get the fancy e in there but you all know what I mean!) Twenty two years of never dying my hair and I just did it. I love it so much and for anybody wondering, and that lives in the Hornsea area, I had it done at Jamie Goodlass hair dressers, Rosie did it and it was £57, that was for shampoo, cut, colour and blow dry!!

 Okay so I have been loving a few tv shows this month I'm not going to go into detail about them because otherwise you would literally be here all day!!

First Grey's Anatomy - Oh my god. I have Been watching this from the beginning, After a much loved character was killed off I wasn't sure I was going to love it but I do, more than ever in fact. In case you are wondering, this is a drama based around the surgeons at Seattle Grace (Now Grey Sloan) hospital! I would strongly recommend watching this, all 11 seasons are on NowTv. Seriously! Go! Watch. It's a beautiful day to save lives, let's have some fun!!

Making a Murderer. The Netflix series that has literally gripped everyone. I won't go into it too much because you need to see it to believe it. There are no words to describe what Steven Avery has had to go through. There is a petition you can sign to help free him, just click on the bold pink Steven Avery to go and sign it for yourself, if you want too.

Finally War and Peace. Oh my. This is the new BBC drama and it's incredible. Lily James is amazing in it, but you all know how much I adore her! If you love a good costume drama you will enjoy this and it's all on BBC Iplayer in case you have missed any of it!!

Another thing that has literally only just made it in, in the last 24 hours is a fairly new game called Best Fiends - - This game has consumed my life for the last day. Honestly it is so addictive, if you are a student and you have essays to write or exams to study for then DO NOT get this game because you will more than likely fail everything. It's not a healthy addiction. I have included some screen shots so you can see for yourself what the game looks like but for a more in depth description just click on the pink highlight 'Best Fiends'.

Well that's it for this month folks. I'm really excited for February blog posts, there's going to be some fun and different ones that I hope you will like! (And it's also my birthday on the 10th yay!)

All of the bold pink bits are the links to the relevant products and remember if you have a Superdrug beauty card you get free postage and packaging on your orders!!


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