Children's Mental Health Week Contacts

This post is evidently very different to what I normally post about but I thought it was important to address this topic. I originally wrote this as a status on Facebook but have decided to post on my blog in the hope of reaching some more people. 

This week is Children's Mental Health Week so it's time to raise awareness and also promote organisations that may be able to help with any issues...even the small ones that other people may see as 'petty'. No issue that makes you unhappy is 'petty', regardless of what other people say. It's important to promote that support is there for those who need it so I've decided to put together a list of contacts for under 18s suffering with a mental illness as well as for parents/carers that may need guidance or support as well.

A child's mental health not only affects them, but those around them which is why it's important to know that help is there for everyone if they need it. 0808 168 9144 is a freephone helpline number that is for parents/guardians and offers support and guidance on their children's mental health. This hotline is being run by https://www.place2be.org.uk/ for Children's Mental Health Week. 

Other helplines for parents/carers include:

0808 802 5544 (http://www.youngminds.org.uk)

0808 800 2222 (http://www.familylives.org.uk) 

0808 800 5000 (https://www.nspcc.org.uk)

All the phone numbers listed are free to call from mobile and landline.

If you are a child who needs support, or knows someone who needs it, here are some helpful contacts:

0800 1111 (https://www.childline.org.uk) Childline also offer an online chat via their website if you'd prefer not to call.

0300 304 7000 (http://www.sane.org.uk) 6pm-11pm daily.

General advice on medication for mental illnesses: http://www.headmeds.org.uk/

I hope that these contacts and websites have been beneficial to a few people. It's important that you get support when you need it but also remember it's important to make an appointment with a GP if you think you may be suffering with a mental illness. The sooner you make an appointment, the sooner you can be on the way to recovery. Mental illnesses are real illnesses and aren't just a feeling that you can push to one side which is the view that a lot of people have, hence why it's so important to promote not only contacts to help, but also to promote the issues themselves.

January Beauty Favourites 2016

It's been a long time since I last posted and so much has happened between now and then! (Happy really belated New Year!) I can not believe that Christmas was like 5 weeks ago, where has that time gone?! I tried out so many new products in January that I either got for Christmas or have picked up through the month so I thought I'd put them all in a favourites post. Enjoy! 

Box of January Favourites

Decleor Phytopeel Exfoliating Cream (£27.50): I went to a spa a few weeks ago for a facial and this was one of the products used on me. This is such a good exfoliator which should be used once or twice a week. I use it on a Sunday evening and then during the week I use my Clarins exfoliator. My skin really feels refreshed after using this and I would definitely recommend it if you've got sensitive skin.

Clarins Multi-Active Day Cream (£42): Okay, first thing's first, IT'S PINK! Clarins recently changed the formula from this and it's now pink which basically means it's amazing anyway, but this cream has really hydrated my skin.

Clarins Lip & Contour Balm (£31): This lip balm is really hydrating and I love the liquid-type texture of the cream. I often have chapped and dry lips, so I find that putting this balm on just before I go to bed really gives them that extra help for some shine and hydration.

Elegant Touch Brush On Nail Glue (£3.09) & Primark Nails (£1): A friend recommended the Primark nails to me and I thought I'd give them a go over the weekend seeing as they literally only cost a pound. The verdict? These nails are hella good. Despite the fact that I'm a first timer at putting nails on so I don't really know how to apply the glue, they've lasted so well. One of the nails fell off due to my lack of glue on there, so in the emergency I had to buy some more glue whilst I was out. I bought the Elegant Touch brush on glue purely due to the ease of it and it's so good and really strong! 

Model's Own Blending Sponges (£7.99): I have a huge aversion to using brushes for foundation as I find they make it look quite streaky unless I use a buffing brush so these sponges are a more in budget alternative for the popular 'Beauty Blender' that you've probably heard of. These sponges really work in the foundation/concealer and make it look natural. I still do tend to use my Real Techniques Buffing Brush (£9.99) to buff after using the sponge though. 

bareMinerals Complete Coverage Serum Concealer (£22): Once again, I'm so fair skinned which means it can be hard to find a perfect colour match from brands like Rimmel or Maybelline so I gave bareMinerals a go and the colour match is perfect and blends so well into my foundation, also covering up dark circles so well.

Benefit Moisture Face Cream (£29.50 - 48.2g): my pot is the tester size as it came out of my Benefit Advent Calendar, but when it's empty I'll definitely be buying the larger pots. My skin can get really dry, especially in the winter, and this cream makes my skin so smooth and moisturised, it's perfect. 

Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips (£7.99): these strips are a bit on the pricey side considering you only get 6 in a pack but honestly they're worth the money and you only have to use them once a week. As gross as it sounds, they really pull out all the grime and dirt from your pores and remove blackheads so easily by acting like a magnet. 

Clarins Fix' Make Up (£23): this is a setting spray for makeup and it really makes my makeup last a long time, especially if I've paired it with my Rimmel Primer (£5.99).

Clarins One-Step Exfoliating Cleanser (£20.50): As mentioned earlier on, I use this during the week, usually every other day and use my Decleor exfoliator at the weekend. The Clarins one has orange extract in and is so refreshing to use, leaving my skin really soft as well. It's so quick to apply and then wash off so it's perfect if you're particularly lazy like me!

MAC Matte Lipstick in MEHR (£15.50): I was looking for a fairly neutral yet not completely nude lipstick shade so popped into MAC for some advice. The woman was so helpful and found this shade which is perfect for me as I'm so fair skinned too. I've been wearing this pretty much every day I go out and absolutely love it! It's also extremely long lasting and can actually last for hours.

I hope you enjoyed reading this and that you've seen some products you might be interested in! Let me know if you buy or already have any of the products mentioned and how you're getting on with them! Have a lovely week x

Last Minute Christmas Gifts for Her

So, somehow, Christmas has literally just sneaked up on us all this year with just 6 days to go! I'm sure there are still some of you out there who are in need of presents to buy so I've put together a list of gift ideas for women. The majority of these websites do next day delivery, or alternatively you can collect in store. I hope you find something suitable! Enjoy!

- Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water - £3.33

- Baylis & Harding "Festive Feet Gift Set" - £6

- Baylis & Harding Gift Bag Set - £12

- Jack Wills Minis Set - £12

- Clarins Lip Comfort Oil - £18

- Clarins Relax Bath & Shower Concentrate - £19

- Benefit they're real! Swarovski Mascara - £21.50

- Mary Berry Afternoon Tea set - £22

- Estee Lauder Pink Lipstick Collection - £28 

- Cotton Bralet by Calvin Klein - £28

- Joules Ready for the weekend Bag Set - £30

- No7 Cleansing Brush Set - £30

- Elizabeth Arden New York Beauty Must Haves - £35 

- No7 Ultimate Collection - £37.50

- Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palettes - £38

- Pandora Princess Tiara Ring - £40

- J'adore DIOR Fragrance 30ml - £46.50

- Calvin Klein Panty & Bralet Set - £51

- Clarins Double Serum - £55

- Tiffany & Co Heart Pendant Key Necklace - £140

- Champneys Spa Treatments - Prices Vary

**The Clarins last date for delivery for Christmas is by 1pm on Sunday 20th December**

Have an amazing Christmas everyone!

Men's Winter Fashion 2015

Hi! This is a post I've been really excited about for a while as it's the first time I've put outfits together and photographed them myself. I'd like to thank Tom for being my model for this post and also for letting me rummage through his clothes to find outfits! I'm going to link similar items of clothing next to the outfits but they'll be from different shops, with different prices, just to give you guys a bit of a variety of choice.

The blue parka coat in a few of these outfits is similar to this one from Pull & Bear (£79.99), but check out my men's coat/jacket post for more options. The shoes in all of these outfits are a tan/sandy colour to work in harmony with the colours of the leaves in Autumn time. If you'd like to buy a pair similar, check out these: ALDO (Kayci Boots £33.74 in the sale), ASOS (Plimsolls £20), Burton (High Tops £38.50). I've also paired simple black jeans with each outfit which should be easy to find at local stores.

 For this outfit, I incorporated blues which are a highly popular colour for this season this year. The t shirt is a speckled white pattern and is a couple of shades lighter than the coat to give it a sense of texture. Any blue t shirt with white detailing will give a similar look. 

Get The Look Shirts: 

H&M Polo Shirt (£12.99)
Topman Motif Ringer T Shirt (£15)

Illusive Speckle T Shirt (£17.99)

River Island Faded Leaf T Shirt (£18)

To create this look, I paired a red and white button up shirt with a grey Christmas patterned jumper to create a layered look, but any grey jumper will look just as great. Adding a coat will also add to the layering effect. Reds are also very current this season so stock up on reds, blues and greys!

Get The Look Jumpers:

Boohoo Space Mix Jumper (£18)

River Island Dapple Jumper (£34)

M&S Fair Isle Jumper (£45)

Topman Grey Jumper (£65)

So, this time I got rid of the jumper and Tom wore just the red and white shirt. I love how shirts look as they can be worn as both casual wear AND for smarter occasions. You can dress up this shirt by wearing some plain black trousers or you can dress it down and pair it with jeans, which is what I did in this instance.

Get The Look Shirts:
Boohoo Bird Print (£12)
Topman Burgundy Polka Dot Shirt (£26)
Topman Paint Print (£28)
Hugo Boss Floral Shirt (£85)

This outfit incorporates the grey/white colour themes I mentioned earlier on. The white contrasts with the blue coat to create a more Wintery look. I also love how the beige shoes compliment the outfit. The t shirt is a simple white shirt with a grey pattern which can be found in a lot of places. 

Shirts:

New Look Tribal T Shirt (£6)

Primark White Water T Shirt (£7)

H&M T Shirt (£7.99)

River Island Faded Triangle Shirt (£16)

River Island Leaf T Shirt (£18)

I hope you've enjoyed this post and that you've got some inspiration of fashion
trends/colours for the Winter. Have a lovely week!

Women's Jackets & Coats for AW15

A few weeks ago I did a men's coats and jackets post for AW15 so I thought it was only right to do a women's post. There are so many cute shawl/blanket wrap types of jackets around at the moment as well as a ton of cute coats too.

Next Boucle Coat 

1. Boohoo Alice Check Boarder Blanket Cape - £18.00

2. Boohoo Abbey Cape - £20.00

3. Dorothy Perkins Black Collar Cape - £26.25

4. Boohoo Kate Belted Shawl Collar Coat - £30.00

5. Dorothy Perkins Grey Parka Coat - £41.25

6. Boohoo Faux Suede Waterfall Shearling Coat - £45.00

7. Hollister Patterned Sherpa Lined Cardigan -£49.00

Topshop Biker Jacket

8 New Look Faux Fur Collar Coat - £49.99

9. Select Black Pu Sleeve Fur - £49.99

10. Topshop Faux Fur Collar Biker Jacket - £55.00

11. Missguided Longline Wool Coat - £70.00

12. Next Pink Boucle Coat - £75.00

13. Next Fabric Mix Jacket - £85.00

I hope you've found a coat or jacket that you like. I'm currently working on a men's and women's AW15 fashion post so look out for that in a few week's time! Have a great week and half term if it's that time for you!

7 Last Minute Halloween Outfit Ideas!

Halloween is in just four days and if you need an outfit but have completely forgotten, you've come to the right place. Here are a few costume ideas that you can probably make with things straight from your own wardrobe. 

1. Mean Girls - this would be great if a group of you and your friends are going to a halloween party together and want a group outfit.. All you need to do is wear a pink shirt with either a tartan skirt or black leather skirt. You could also use another type of skirt if you don't have the previous ones listed. Don't forget the heels and small shoulder
handbag!

2. Lumberjack - all you need for this costume is a plaid shirt/flannel shirt, jeans, boots and maybe a beanie hat. Braces could be used, or dungarees too. Use either brown or black lace up type boots for a better effect. If you have one, or know where you could get one last minute, use a toy axe for the finishing touch.

3. Wednesday Addams - use a blouse with a white collar or black cardigan with a white blouse and wear a skirt to create this outfit. A black dress would also work just as well. Wear black tights with black shoes and wear your hair in two side braids to complete the look. 

4. Sandy from Grease (before AND after) - for the before look, pair a white dress and white trainers with a pastel coloured cardigan. Clip the top half of your hair back and leave your fringe down (if possible). To create the after costume, use black leggings (leather or wet look is best) with an off the shoulder black top or black vest top. Wear a chunky black belt, red heeled shoes or red pumps and have a leather jacket at hand too.

5. Danny from Grease - a white t-shirt, leather jacket, black trousers with white socks and black leather shoes is all it takes to look just like Danny Zuko on Halloween. Slick your hair back and try and leave out one bit for the curl he has at the front of his hair in the movie. Also from Grease, a group of you could all wear this look to create the 'T-Birds' outfit as a whole.

6. Rosie The Riveter - this is an icon a lot of people have seen, even if they don't know what she's called. All you need for this look is  a blue denim top and a bandana to tie around your head. For hair, check out this tutorial which shows you how to achieve the make up and hair look. 

7. Ghost - last but not least, the simplest outfit yet of literally just throwing a white sheet over you and cutting out some eye holes. Now you have no excuse not to dress up!

So, here was a few costume ideas if you're in need of a halloween costume, 

or just a fancy dress outfit. I hope this helped - I'd love to see if 

you've created any of these looks!

PROPERCORN Review

PROPERCORN have been my favourite popcorn brand for a long time, ever since I popped (excuse the pun) my first bag open at Liverpool Street Station a couple of years ago. PROPERCORN is stocked in all main supermarkets and is really good value - around 80p a pack depending where you buy it from.

The members of staff at the company are extremely friendly and the company's main aim is to keep the customer happy which I adore in a brand. I was lucky enough to be sent a huge box of 6 packs by PROPERCORN and I was over the moon! 

One of the things I particularly like about PROPERCORN is that it's an innovative brand with different types of popcorn that wouldn't usually be found on supermarket shelves. The only fault with their product is that it isn't produced in a bag bigger than 90g and how is a girl expected to have a movie night with only 90g of popcorn?! 

The flavours in the box were; Lightly Sea Salted, Sweet & Salty, Sweet Coconut & Vanilla, Fiery Worcester Sauce & Sun Dried Tomato, Sour Cream & Black Pepper and Smooth Peanut & Almond. I unfortunately can't eat the peanut & almond pack due to an allergy, but every other single flavour they've produced is incredible. I tried Sour Cream & Black Pepper for the first time earlier on and it has more of a kick to it than I anticipated but it's so good! The Fiery Worcester Sauce is probably my least favourite purely because I don't deal with hot and spicy flavours too well but if you love spice, you'll absolutely love this flavour of popcorn.

My favourite type of popcorn from PROPERCORN is between Sweet & Salty, and Lightly Sea Salted. Although they're the classics, I think they're the best because of how simple they are, but don't get me wrong I'm still totally in love with the more exotic flavours too. If you've never tried this brand of popcorn before, please go to the supermarket RIGHT NOW and try some (I promise you won't regret it, cross my heart).

Thank you again to PROPERCORN for sending me this box of goodies and I hope that for those of you who haven't tried it before, you get to experience the beautiful new world of popcorn. 

Have a great week!