Beyond Bronze

I have never been an avid fake tanner. This is possibly because tanning takes a lot of preparation and dedication. I say this being the friend of several "tan-orexics" who dedicate many an hour to being bronzed goddesses!

However, I've got to admit, recently the tan bug has bitten. Armed with a bottle of St Moritz and a tanning glove I have admired my bronzed body in the mirror and have, to my shame, remarked "I wish I was the colour you get before you have to rinse the tan off". But I was a busy girl with work last week and had no time to tan for a weekend in Edinburgh with my uni girls. Mission - instant fake tan!

Beyond Bronze by Fake Bake is an instant wash off tan for the face and body. It is currently on offer in Superdrug for £6.99 but retails £9.99 full price for 125ml. It is available in matte and shimmer. I opted for medium matte. I applied with a tanning mitt and was really impressed with the coverage and the colour. The lotion is moisturising and transfer resistant but best of all there is NO FAKE TAN SMELL! Not smelling like a Rusk is always a bonus on a night out. I used very little to achieve a nice colour however it might be worth noting I'm a fan of subtle tanning!

All in all a positive tanning experience. Plus the packaging is pretty and they do not test on animals.

The Blessed Aldi's

The grand total of the above haul was less than £8... blessed be the brand of Aldi! My grandparents and parents have been die hard Aldi fans since the chain came to Scotland. The standard reply to "Oh, where did you get that?" has become "The blessed Aldi's". Despite not having my own place I could not resist the glass chopping board and placemat set. They were both reduced to under £2 in the wake of the jubilee and at that price you cannot really argue. I've also recently purchased Aldi's version of YSL Touche Eclate concealer pen by Lacura Beauty for £3.95. I purchased the lightest shade. I can't remember the exact name as I have thrown away the packaging but there are 4 shades available. It looks quite light on my hand but I'm quite fair. I'm 1N1 Ecru 16 in Estee Lauder Double Wear if this helps. The concealer doesn't offer great coverage but is great for touch ups during the day and hiding dark circles under the eyes. I've also used Lacura foundation in the past and found it to be just as good as Maybelline or Rimmel.

N.B. I write this post after spending a day munching on Aldi's pesto olives, while my mum and her best friend discuss the merits of the brand and before we tuck into an Aldi's roast... BLESSED BE ALDI!

Cornflower Blue

This is my second purchase from the Rimmel Professional Finish range in 420 Aqua Cool and it has swiftly became my new favourite nail varnish. In keeping with my love of all things pastel it is a gorgeous cornflower blue colour. My mother argues that it is air force blue... but whatever you decide to call it there is no denying it is devine! I love the brush in the professional range. It is wide enough to cover most of the nail with one stroke and the colour builds up evenly. Although, you will need at least two coats. I did attempt some nail art... I was aiming for pink polka dots but when that failed miserably I turned my efforts into a little love heart.

P.s. I've just upgraded my iPhone to the 4s! The difference in camera is unbelievable. (Compare my previous post Peppermint Dreams)

You're Not Nineteen Forever

I've been slightly absent from the bloggersphere for the past month. I have purchased many a shoe and succumbed to the make up phenomenon that is Estée Lauder Double Wear but I've not really had the time or the desire to post. It's been a funny old month and I've mulled over many a thing. I think it comes with the anniversary of my returning to the nest. It certainly doesn't feel like a year and I certainly didn't think I'd still be in the nest one year later. The truth is I'm completely at a loss as to what to do next...

I'm not 19, far from it. And although I am frequently and generously told I look younger, the face staring back at me on the treadmill seems to disagree. As does my birth certificate! I am 26 and living with my parents. When I was 19 I thought this was the height of "uncool" yet here I am. I curse the quarterlife crisis that made me rock the boat that was so calmly and purposefully sailing along. But I had to be like Pocahontas... I didn't want the smoothest course... I wanted adventure and excitement. Only thing is, I can't decide what kind of adventure I want to have. My brain is firing an arsenal of questions at me daily. Do I continue to save for a flat? Do I bite the bullet and rent on my own? Do I stay where I am or move away? Is my job the right job for me? ... These would be far easier to answer if I was 19 because then I'd pack up for the summer and wave goodbye to these decisions because it wouldn't really matter about making them.

I sort of feel like I've lived my 20s in reverse. Relationship, mortgage and cat when I should've been reckless. And now that I want to reckless I can't because I am a grown up - I am a grown up with a grown ups job. Fact. I keep telling my friends in similar situations that 26 is young. "Honestly, it's the new 21!" I say nodding and smiling excessively in an effort to convince myself as well as them... But it IS... right? I mean Carrie and the gang were all in their 30s when Sex and the City began. *Gulp* We're obsessed with age as a society, especially the age of women. Take for instance the Caroline-Flack-Saga. Nobody cared about anything other than that poor woman's age. Cougar. Cradle snatcher. If she was a man she'd have been called... well, nothing because people wouldn't have batted an eyelid. I try not to let the age thing bother me but unfortunately it seems to follow wherever I go. Whether it was the annoying yet flattering 19 year old demanding to see my drivers license in order to prove I was "old" or the 21 year old who said that if she hadn't settled down and was secure in her life by 26 she would consider herself a failure or heading to a club night and realising the attire for the evening was hot pants, high-tops and trucker caps ...Oh don't mind me, I'll just retire to the corner and weep while you shimmy around with your lithe mahogany limbs doing the duck-pout! (I am not bitter obviously)

And so I return to my original quandary: 26, living with my parents and unable to make a decision. Perhaps this year I'll manage to be a little more decisive, who knows I may make the decision that shapes my future "course"... I at least hope that I can make a decision at some point this year because I don't think this article will read so well if I'm writing it at 27!

Jungle Is Massive... American Apparel Disco Pants

Disco Pants - American Apparel // M&S Shirt - Charity // Faux Litas - eBay // Jewellery - Primark

I have swithered over the buy button for a while. Would I pay more for, in all honesty, a pair of leggings than I have for any single item of clothing I have bought in quite a while? Then I looked at my wardrobe full of shirts and thought "I need these in my life". I got them from ASOS with 10% off and free delivery which worked out at £63 in total. I ordered on the Monday and they arrived on the Friday. I'd been panicking all week over whether they would fit. I opted for a M which equates to a size 10-12. (I am generally a size 12 jeans in Topshop if this helps with sizing.) They are much stretchier than I expected. You will have to do the "wriggle" dance to get into them but once you are, believe me, the benefits are bountiful. Belly flattened. Bum lifted... Hello new pulling pants! They look as equally good with a a crop top and heels and they do with a vest and hi-tops. And yes, I couldn't resist a Sandy impression when I put them on.

(Update: I would say since buying that they have lost a little of their initial tightness and would be interested in seeing how a S would fit.)

Black and white images edited using http://www.picmonkey.com/

Orange Blossom

Dress - Costume Cupboard // Shoes - New Look // Bracelet - Links of London // Watch - Debenhams

It's May and the flowers are in full bloom. This dress is another pilfered number from the costume department... my treasure trove of vintage clothes. When it's warm enough to go without tights I'll pair it with brogues and ankle socks. I've found some great items during my costume cupboard rummages including a pink silk blazer which happened to be donated by another member of staff years ago. It was lovely hearing her exclaim that it used to be her favourite jacket and made it feel that bit more special. I've bought and borrowed (cough, cough) quite a lot of second hand items recently and would really like to do a post that focuses on outfits made up from second hand and vintage clothing. I don't think thrifting is as big a business in Scotland as it is down South but I think sometimes that's because people are scared to mix and match or are worried about making sure they are completely on trend. There's also a bit of a stereotype associated with buying second hand clothes but I really enjoy it; both the challenge of finding something unique among the discarded Primark cast-offs and being that little bit different.

Damn Disney

I love Disney films. Some of my earliest memories are of watching Disney films or pretending to be a Disney princess. I am unbeaten at Disney trivial pursuit and don't ever ask me to to sing Disney songs when I have had a drink. There have been renditions of "Part of Your World" in front of Cafe Mambo in Ibiza and "We'll Have a Dalmation Plantation" to a rather shocked crowd in Zante. (I clearly have no shame.) In Disney films the rules are simple; there are heroes and villains but good always triumphs over evil and a moral lesson is always learned. More importantly the guy always gets the girl and they live happily ever after... And then there is reality.

As a child we expect our own lives to one day mirror the fairy tale ending Disney promised us. To be swept off our feet by a knight in shining armour. To be enveloped in a cloud of romance and have sweet nothings whispered in our ear. The reality is somewhat different but then again I'd be stupid to expect anything different - right? Should I be content with my "partner" washing the dishes without being asked as the high point of my romantic-life?

I've been thinking a lot recently about romance and men and womens' roles in the old relationship game. It seems that the most romantic thing a person can do nowadays is declare their love via a Facebook status. To expect anything more, as a woman, is to be called needy or hard-work. To dream of romance is to quite literally to live in a fantasy world. But if there's no butterflies then what's the point? I know butterflies don't last forever. And I know that eventually it's the simple, caring gestures that become the most appreciated; like running someone a bath or yes... washing the dishes but surely there's always room for romance? So yes Disney, sometimes I damn you for giving me such high expectations but I also thank you because I'd rather be a dreamer, rather live in my fantasy world, than give up on romance.

"So this is love. So this is what makes life Devine. " Cinderella.