Mablethorpe has always been, and always will be my favourite place to be. My happy place. 

One of my fondest memories from when I was young, was visiting the Mablethorpe Seal Life Sanctuary & Wildlife Centre. I was lucky enough to go back this year, and introduce Ben to this beautiful, magical place. 

I'll be honest, I don't fully remember the animal centre - the Seal Sanctuary was all I can muster up the memories for, and even those are vague. It almost felt like, although I had been there before, I was seeing everything with fresh eyes. After all, it had been at least 18 years since my last visit. 

The original seal hospital, which was opened in 1989, has now become too small to accommodate the large number of seals which the Sanctuary rescues every year.

I was casually browsing the wonder that is eBay, when I came across a whole new world. There's a section of eBay specifically aimed at *dupe* make-up products! I've ventured here a few times before, and purchased lipsticks, eye shadows and kits.

This time, I found a dupe of the Huda Beauty Textured Shadow Palette - Rose Gold Edition. This palette retails at £56.00 and can be found here. I paid just £8.99 and can be found here. I've also added comparison photos below of the 'real' and 'dupe' palettes. Realistically, I don't see a difference! The shades are identical, name are the same, the order is identical. Is the product quality the same? I can't see how they aren't! I personally haven't tried the real product, but after extensively using the dupe palette, I can safely say this is more than worth it's money. The pigment is perfect (the swatches below are with just one swipe), the colours are great and they last all day long, even without a primer.  They don't leave residue either! I love it so much!

Below, is a swatch of each shade.

I also did a full review on my YouTube channel:

I received an email recently from a company called Firmoo, asking to review a pair of glasses, give my honest opinion and make a YouTube video of my experience with them. I was so up for this, as I had only just paid out for a new pair with Spec savers - so I thought it would be a great opportunity to put them against the average High Street opticians.

I chose these frames here.

There is also a special offer for my readers/viewers, which enables you to BUY ONE GET ONE FREE on all frames. That's two pairs for the price of one, averaging at £30 for both pairs!

The website was incredibly easy to navigate around, having specified sections for every need, gender and occasion. They have such a variety of frames, to suite all faces. My favourite feature by far, was the option to 'Try On' all frames. This made it even easier to choose the right frames for me. I like a particular frame, but I found that they didn't suit my face, which was very disheartening. When I tried similar frames on using the try on feature, I was able to find these frames, which suit my face shape perfectly!  

These frames stood out to my instantly. The colour, the flecks of blue and gold, the bridge connecting the frames, and the temples being sleek and thin. I was so happy to see that these fit my face well as I fell in love with them almost instantly. The price of these frames are just £14.74, then to add my prescription and Blue-light blocking lenses, including anti-scratch, Anti-Reflective/Anti-radiation and UV coatings was just an additional £16.63!

I was so surprised when I saw that the price of the frames were only £14! And then to add prescription lenses and anti-glare only cost an additional £15! That's a total of just £29 for a new set of frames! Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but they average opticians offer a 'cheaper' frame for £45, which does include your lenses, but not anti-glare, which is basically a necessity for today's computers, phones and TV use. So that sets you back another £30 - that's a total of £75 just for some cheap frames, plastic and easily breakable. These Firmoo frames are over 1/2 the price and the build quality is a whole tier above High Street! 

I have also done a full review over on my YouTube channel, where I tried them for a week!

Of course, the packaging is super cute! But aside from that, it's a cute duo set. The tubes are both labelled straight forward enough for you to know that the scrub is step one, and the balm is step two.

The formula is Cocoa Butter and Shea Butter combined to condition, repair and protect dry, fragile lips - adding softness and shine. The beauty of it, is that it instantly makes lips feel nourished and smooth with a concentrated dose of high performance ingredients including Sweet Almond Oil and Vitamin E.

This is before step one. My lips, after a general clean. Annoyingly, my lips were in a good condition when I actually took these pictures. However, I have been using this duo set for about a week, so the fact that my lips look so much better than before, doesn't surprise me!

STEP ONE: Squeeze a pea sized ball out of the tube, and apply to bottom lip, spreading evenly. Apply the same to the top lip. Rub lips together to exfoliate. Leave for as long as you like. To remove, get either a cotton pad or face cloth, and rub gently to remove any excess dead skin. Clean thoroughly.

STEP TWO: Just like before, apply a pea sized amount on each lip. Rub lips together just as before, and leave to sink in.

Once the product has sunken into your lips, you will feel an instant difference. Your lips stay soft and nourished for hours afterwards. I always use this duo kit before a big day out, where lipstick will be on all day. It prevents drying lips and keeps them looking smooth and sleek all day, with or without lipstick! Unfortunately, they're now no longer available in Superdrug, but I found a link on eBay of people selling them, here.

Before you start asking - NO! I do not mean the images that are passed around tinder like the newest 'on trend' STD! I mean lipstick, of course.

I never used to be a lipstick person. I always felt my lips were too small, my teeth too big and my face too round to pull of lipstick. Not only that, but when lippie first came into my life, it was merely pinks and reds. Not for me! 

That was, until the Perfect Nudes came out!  I'm not sure what came out first, but I remember being obsessed with MAC Velvet Teddy. So, when I got it, it was used all the time - and still is now!

However, as the nude lipstick trend began to develop, the Liquid Lipstick made it's appearance.

That was when my obsession began. I do need to confess, I have a LOT of liquid lipsticks. I mean, I have a lot of lipsticks too, but either way - it's an addiction!

My favourites recently have been these three. They're all super easy to apply, aren't too drying and are all long lasting.

Kylie Liquid Lipstick  #Moon

I must state - this is a dupe. I bought this on eBay, when a private listed put it on as a 10% genuine product, for just £6 Brand new. I was of course, dubious. So, even if it is real, I'm not believing it. Either way, the consistency is perfect. It glides on easily, dries fast and stays on for hours. I could wear this to work, and not have to top it up at all during the day!

Barry M Matte Me Up #Go To

I was hesitant when I first purchased this. I was in Boots, browsing through the lipsticks (its becoming a obsession, seriously!). I noticed that Barry M had a new liquid lipstick! I had to try it! However, I was quickly put off when I opened the lid and half of the contents of the tube dripped onto the floor... I put it back and left, although I did still swatch it. I had a little think, and realised it was probably super runny because of the store conditions. Its always so warm in Boots, and the lipsticks are always under small lights! So, on a whim, I bought it - and I LOVE IT! The colour is opaque with just one coat, it has a lovely chocolatey smell, the colour is perfect for work and its long lasting!

Essence Matt Matt Matt Longlasting Lipglos #02 beauty-approved!

This liquid lipstick is by far the cheapest one I had come across, at just £2.30! I found it in Wilko's, a store in the UK that sells...well, a bit of everything! In the last year or so they started stocking 'Essence' products. I'd never heard of them before. When I saw this matte liquid lipstick, I knew I had to try it! It has a doe foot applicator - different to other lipsticks like this. It's super soft and creamy, and is easy to layer to create either a subtle colour or a completely opaque lip. It's great for everyday use or to mix with a standard lipstick to create the perfect 'in between' colour!

I've popped a swatch of each shade below! In comparison, I think the Barry M Matte Me Up lipstick is my favourite. I love all of these shade so much and use them all for work, all the time.  What's you're favourite shade?

I feel like no matter how well I eat, no matter how much water I drink, and how much exercise I do - my skin will always be bad. I've just come to accept it. I've tried so many products in the last few years, all with such short term fixes. However, not using them for a day or two, my skin goes back to being spotty, oily and full of blemishes. 

I felt like, if my skin is always going to be bad, I might as well invest in some good quality skincare to help combat the  issues I have with my skin on a daily basis. That's when I thought I would try The Body Shop Tea Tree Collection. 

This entire collection came at a good price. Ben bought me the face wash, toner and moisturiser, all as an anniversary present for about £24. I bought the scrub in one of their online sales for about £4.

Step One: Tea Tree 3-in-1 Wash, Scrub and Mask

When I'm wanting to do a really deep clean with my skin, I always start with the Tea Tree 3-in-1. The beauty of this product, is the sheer fact that it is three products in one, meaning you can use it for so many things! This can be used as a wash, a scrub or a mask to combat blemishes and excess oil. When used as a wash, the foaming clay removes impurities in the skin and excess oil. When I use it as a scrub, the micro beads unclog pores, smooth skin’s surface and reduce the appearance of blackheads. When its applied as a mask, the drying clay reduces blackheads and shine, deeply cleanses, mattifies and tightens pores. 

Step Two: Tea Tree Foaming Cleanser

This is my daily go to product, now. At the beginning of the year, my skin was terrible, and I found that hot cloth cleansers worked great. Since the sun has come out, and I've been eating a lot better, my skin has changed. Although it's a lot more clearer, I still struggle with oily, blackhead prone skin. This foaming cleanser is super easy to use, and effectively removes any impurities that my skin is holding. The formula is really softening on the skin, and is so gentle and refreshing.

Step Three: Tea Tree Skin Clearing Mattifying Toner

This is the perfect 'quick fix' at cleansing your skin, before packing on a load of makeup! Its best to use straight after a full scrub and wash, to fully penetrate the pores and act as a barrier for spots. I always find that my skin feels so much more refreshed when I use this toner after a full skin detox. This is such a refreshing, purifying toner, that removes residual make-up and impurities. Its super easy to use, with a simple 'shake-to-activate'. From first use, my skin appears visibly clearer and my pores appear tighter - which I love!

Step Four: Tea Tree Mattifying Lotion

The beauty of this product? I use it everywhere. I suffer from a condition which involves a compulsion to pick my skin. This causes my arms to be covered in spots and marks. I thought I would never find something to clear my skin up and reduce my compulsion to pick. Then Ben bought me this lotion, along with the rest of this range, and I've been using it nearly everyday to help reduce the appearance of the spots, and ease irritation. Just like the other products, its perfect for anyone with blemish prone skin. This is a lightweight daytime moisturiser for blemished skin, with purifying tea tree oil grown. Its easily absorbed, with no greasy after feel, and almost works as a base for make-up for the day!

I feel like acrylic nails are such a taboo subject. People either love them, or hate them!I, of course, love them! 

I never really understood the fascination with them to begin with - although that was back in the day when false nails were square and had fat white tips. I never liked them! However, over the years, the shapes have changed - oval, almond, stiletto! I prefer these.

I've always enjoyed having false nails. I can type, write and do all normal things with them. I hate the shape of my natural nails, as well as the condition of them. My nails have always been brittle and can never grow past a certain length. I prefer false nails as they're stronger, neater and I feel like my hands look more feminine.

It's become a bit of a tradition for me and my mum to now go and get our nails done once a month, which I love. We grab a coffee, choose a nail colour and enjoy spending a little bit of quality time together!

I've had a few different shapes, too. These are known as 'Coffin' tips. 

These were supposed to be coffee tips, but I went to a different nail bar, where these were butchered! They snapped in two days!

By far, my favourite! I love the colour, shape, length! I'm going to get mine done again for the first tine in nearly 5 weeks! They're so overgrown, I can't wait!

I never really thought about the importance of hand cream, until I worked in care.  I always thought it was a gimmick; a way for companies to make money.

However, when I started working in care, washing my hands every fifteen minutes and using hand sanitiser before and after every activity, I noticed my hands were becoming dry and cracked. They were painful to touch and generally felt really 'un-feminine'. 

I found that hand creams helped a lot! And a quick favourite of mine became the Lush 'Helping Hands' hand cream. Instantly, my hands felt softer and more nourished. The cracking stopped, the tightness of my skin was no more, and I was able to have 'feminine' hands again!

What's so special about Lush 'Helping Hands' hand cream?

Lush Helping Hands has a very thick, almost buttery consistency and texture. A great positive of  the product, is the length of time it lasts! I've owned this pot for a LONG time, and I still have so much product left. 

Unlike most other Lush products, this cream smells very mild so if you're not into 'lush' scented hand creams, this is for you!  And the best way to use it? AT NIGHT! I smother my hands (and sometimes my feet!) with this and just let it sink in overnight and work its magic!

From the website: Time for a little thirst aid? This hardworking pot of creamy, Fair Trade, organic cocoa butter and hydrating honey will nurse your hands back to health. Calming chamomile water and restorative almond oil have a wonderful bedside manner, while rich, reparative shea butter from The Ojoba Women's co-operative in Ghana is quickly absorbed into the skin for a silky-smooth finish. There’s no prescribed way of doing things: just dab or scoop as much as you like into your palms and rub all over.

 

I was browsing around eBay a while back, trying to find some cheap make-up, mainly to review. I stumbled across a load of 'fake' make-up, essentially rip off  items of the real product. There were Anastasia palettes, MAC Lipsticks, Foundations, and this. The Kylie Lip kit.  It was for bidding, and no one had bid with only 50 seconds to go. At £6.00 I thought it was worth the gamble - and I won it! The description stated it was 100% real, but seriously?! who's believing that!

The shade I got was "Moon". The kit itself came in this white box, and inside was the liquid lipstick and matching lip liner. Both were untouched (you could tell by the pencil and the wand on the lipstick!). I was super impressed by these, even if it is fake! I'm not the kind of person that will happily spend £30-£40 on premium make-up, when I can get something cheaper with the same quality! I will always favour High Street over High End.

The consistency is great! The liquid lipstick is really opaque, great quality and long lasting! The liner glides on nicely, and doesn't feel like a pencil - more like a soft crayon. There's no messy residue, so nothing has to be neatened up afterwards. The colours match perfectly. I like to line my lips first, then fill in the pencil with the liner, and finally do a full layer with the lipstick to complete the look.

This colour is great for daily use like work, or going to lunch with friends. Its super durable, so no touching up required! If you want to purchase the real thing, you can find it here.

There are some great dupes out there to this shade too! 

Barry M Liquid Lipstick 'On The Scene'

New Look Liquid Lipstick 'Stone'

PROS: Long Lasting / Great Quality / Cheap Dupe

CONS: Not easily available at cheap price!

I've always been a bit mad when it comes to face masks. Considering I have very sensitive skin, I've only ever had one reaction. My extensive collection of the skincare products range from heat masks, to clay, detox to blackhead peels. I have a face mask for every occasion!

So, when I saw that L'Oreal had bough out their own range of face masks, I was very excited, to say the least!

There are three types of mask available, depending on your skin type: Purity, Detox and Glow.

Purity: "pure clay face mask for clogged pores

 with the power of Eucalyptus to purify and mattify your skin in just 10 minutes"

Detox: "acts like a magnet to clean out pores and draw-out and capture deep impurities (such as dirt, oil, and pollution). "

Glow: "a super-charged pure exfoliating clay mask enhanced with Red Algae 

Extract to exfoliate and refine your skin in just 10 minutes. "

I love that this mask comes in a glass jar, instead of a tube like most other face masks. I mean, a tube is more of a space saver - but having a product in a jar just feel so much more special. You feel like you're treating yourself! I would also recommend using an old makeup brush to apply this, as it could get quite messy with fingers! 

Once this is removed, my skin feel utterly amazing. I'm not even exaggerating. It feels like silk. I don't have the smoothest of skin, but even I love the feeling of it after this mask! 

The best thing about this product? The price! In Boots at the moment, it is just £5.99, and has a promotion on with their skincare which you can view here.

It is also available in Superdrug, and they also have a promotion within the range, which you can view here.

PROS: Cost / Quality / Easy to apply / Left with beautiful skin

CONS: Takes a while to dry