Lush Product Review

Heya guys

Well, it's safe to say this past week has been a pretty stressful week. Starting off the first week of term with mock exams - how fun (not!). But hey, I soldiered on through to earn the rest of the week off to chill, relax!

So anyways, enough about the boring aspect of life. I wasn't sure exactly what to write this week, so I thought I'd post a product review for you all.

For the last couple of months my obsession has definitely been with lush products. For all of you that may not know what lush is, it is a cosmetic store that sells handmade bath and shower products, soaps, makeup, lip care, hair care and plenty more. It is by far my favourite shop, everything in their smells soo good, good enough to eat at times!

I thought I would do a short product review on some of my most recent favourites!

1. Lush's exfoliating lip scrub. To use, you simply scrub your lips with this and follow up with some lip balm or tint for added softness and colour. This is perfect for those who get quite cracked and chapped lips as it leaves them feeling super soft and smooth. They currently sell this in three flavours; Mint, Bubblegum and popcorn -they also bring out a cola flavoured one at Christmas time! I own one of each, and even though it is a little sweet, bubblegum is by far my favourite.

2. Dirty Toothy tabs. Now, these may sound a little weird, but they actually make my mouth feel so clean and fresh unlike regular toothpaste. They're so easy to use, simply just wet your toothbrush, place a tab in between your front teeth and nibble to break it up. It will begin to foam and you then begin to brush your teeth following a rinse and spit. I like to use these In the morning for a clean fresh feeling, but use regular toothpaste in the evenings.  These also come in a wide variety of flavours, but my favourite so far would definitely be "Gorilla Perfume" because of its spearmint flavourings.

3. Shower gel. Lush create a wide range of shower gels, of all different scents and textures in order for you to find one that works best for your skin. My recent favourite has been "It's raining men".  With honey added to soothe and retain your skins moisture as well as sweet wild orange oils that just perk me up and lift my mood in the mornings. 

4. Bath bombs. My all time favourites from lush are their classic bath bombs. You simply just plop them into your tub of hot water and let them dissolve. With such a wide range to choose from, there are just so many that I fall in love with. I still have some new ones I received for Christmas to try out, such as Phoenix rising and cinders, but at the moment these have been my absolute favourites.

Firstly, my all time classic favourite would be the adorable butter bear. With scents of vanilla and cocoa, and cocoa butter pieces, your skin feels soo smooth after this bath.

My second favourite would be golden wonder. This doesn't just turn your bath a beautiful blue-green colour, it also has glitter and stars added, to leave your skin feeling all soft and shimmery. For me personally it smells sweet, but not over powering, and sort of a tropical scent.

And finally, my third favourite is twilight. This slowly turns your bath the most beautiful deep sparkling purple. It contains ingredients such as lavender, which help to clear your mind and soothe you. This is my personal favourite when it's been a long day and I'm tired, I'll use this in a steamy bath to follow up with what usually is a good nights sleep. 

That's all for now guys, see you next week!

Love, Maya♡

It's not an Eve (This War of Mine Review) - Wednesday's Child

GREETINGS Y'ALL!

Welcome to my first post of 2015. What a year. I can see this year is going to be filled with new beginnings, laughter, love, smiles and funtimes. 

Just kidding. It's going to be another stress filled nightmare. Enjoy yourselves, because I know I will be. 

I was originally planning to start one of my regular segments, but I've been sidetracked over the past week. I finally got my Steam account working, and managed to download the two games I've wanted from it for ages; This War of Mine and Papers, Please. 

Now lemme tell you a thing about This War of Mine. It rocks. It's awesome, and I love it. Not a game filled with laughter, love and smiles it is a game that will most likely haunt you and make you question all your moral choices. 

The game was recommended to me by a friend months ago, and after finally downloading it I found it was a much simpler format than I'd first assumed. It's a platform point and click style game, and at first I had my doubts, but within the first few minutes I was hooked, (and it may have become my new addiction). 

Set during a civil war in a fictionalized Eastern European country, you play as a group of civilians with (with the exception of one character) no military training. With snipers positioned throughout the city during the daytime your characters have no option but to work around the house, crafting tools and objects to help them survive, while during the night they have the option to sleep (on the floor or on a bed if you've crafted one), guard your home from possible looters or go out and scavenge. 

Each of your survivors brings a unique skill to the group - one is trained in combat, another is a fast runner, and another is good at brokering deals. They each have a limited amount of backpack space, so you have to choose carefully and prioritize what your group needs that evening. There are one or two locations that are safe to scavenge without any interruption, but most places are guarded or have people living in them, so stealing is needed. If you're caught stealing, you'll be attacked, and depending on how combat-efficient the victims are, your character may be killed, and the supplies gathered will be lost. There are also many options to trade - a character will regularly appear at your house during the day to barter, there is a priest often found at the church willing to trade, and sometimes soldiers will be willing to exchange items for cigarettes and booze. If you're lucky, you'll open the game in the version of the city with the trading center, which is filled with bartering opportunities.

Your characters are affected directly by events in the game. Obviously, they will grow hungry after a day without food, and then three days later will become very hungry. Two days after that they will become starving, and after that they'll die of malnutrition. The death or injury of a character will affect the mood of the other characters, as will stealing, killing civilians, or not completing some actions (such as helping neighbors or saving the women in the brothel.) Being raided and having supplies stolen or characters injured will also affect the morale of the group, so building defenses is advised. 

The game is tricky to complete (it took me countless tries and some consulting of the online wiki and it's unofficial counterpart to get to the ceasefire, and even then one of my group members died). But it's worth the ten pounds and half hour download time from Steam. I'd rate it a 9/10 as there are some patches that need to be made (but are more annoying than hindering, and I'm only picking up on them to be nit-picky). 

It's gritty, it's difficult, and it makes you question your moral compass. And as it's based on the war diary of a survivor of the horrific events of the Siege of Sarajevo from '92-'96, it becomes more hard hitting and more gritty. Despite this, as an uncomplicated and plotless game, it is excellent, and my top videogame recommendation.

Happy gaming, and as always, 

I'm with you 'till the end of the line, folks ♥ 

Mug Cakes! - Tuesdays with Ash

Hey guys! =D

First of all, a late Happy New Year!! I hope that you have all recovered from your food comas and that your sleep cycles aren't completely destroyed for those of you who have to return to school =P I have a few New Year's resolutions: Lose weight/tone up, procrastinate less, be more active as well as be a lot more organised! Though as you can tell from the title of this post it doesn't really go with my lose weight resolution, so think of this recipe as a little treat for having gone let's say a fortnight of healthy eating. However, don't slip back into your old habits afterwards as I probably would do! 

A quick update on my life, I've just finished my mock exams and now I have the rest of the week off! Woop woop! Even though I know for a fact that I completely mucked my French mock up but hey, what are mocks for? XD However, I am happy with how my other mocks went so that cheered me up =)

Anywho, for Christmas my friend got me a recipe book called, surprise surprise, Mug Cakes by Mima Sinclair. This is an extremely adorable way of making cakes, breads and other little treats quickly in a microwave! My favourite one to make is chocolate brownie as it is absolutely delicious!

Before preparation, please make sure that the mug or cup you use is microwavable and that you check what power settings your microwave has. For example, whether your microwave uses 600W, 800W or 1000W as its highest setting.

Recipe for Chocolate Brownie Mug Cake:

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of soft butter 

2 tablespoons of caster sugar

1 tablespoon of light soft brown sugar

1 tablespoon of cocoa powder

1 medium egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

4 tablespoons of self-raising flour

A pinch of salt

2 tablespoons of chocolate chips (milk, dark or white or even all three types!)

Method:

1. Place the butter into your microwavable 250ml mug or cup and microwave for 10-20 seconds until melted on high.
2. Add the caster sugar, light brown sugar and cocoa powder and beat with a fork until thoroughly combined.
3. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat together, then add the self-raising flour, salt and beat again until thoroughly combined and smooth. Stir some of the chocolates chips into the mixture.
4. Cook in the microwave for 50 seconds at 600W, 30 seconds at 800W or 25 seconds at 1000W depending on what microwave you have. Afterwards, scatter the remaining chocolate chips onto the top of the brownie and cook in the microwave for a further 30 seconds at the same temperature.
5. Leave to cool for 10 minutes (I usually eat it after 5 because I can't wait but if you do this, watch out at it will still be hot inside) and enjoy! =D

I hope that your mug brownies turn out great and that they taste super yummy! I'm going to try making a few different ones (not too many though - gotta lose those calories!) and if another other ones take my interest, I'll post the recipes on here!

See you guys next week!

Ash xx

This is what your chocolate brownie should look like! =D x

I'm back! Happy new year!

So it's official! I'm back! That's summer by the way. Sorry for the disappearing act last Sunday. But I can safely say school work is taking over my life and I hate it!

Not only did I get a ton of Christmas work to do I also have mock exams when I go back to school tomorrow. But being our school is under building work and has been for the past god knows how long- our library will finally be back! I sound nerdy saying that I know, however, it is the one place that I can get a substantial amount of work done without getting wildly distracted.

Enough on the topic of school though, most of us still have the rest of today until going back, other than those lucky ones who have more time off.

So, it's a new year and for the majority of us we will end up writing '2014' for an adequate amount of time into the foreseeable future. A new year means a new start in some way doesn't it?

When this popped into my head I thought to myself: 'well- what's my new start then?' A question most people will think about every year. So what is my new start? My new start is pushing myself to my limits.

In giving myself this goal I have broaded how and where I succeed in 2015. My main goals are to work as hard as I can on my AS levels to ensure I get good grades that are recognisable and to become a 'louder' less shy person. The reason behind the second aim is because I have always been the quiet person in the big crowd, it's time for a change. Not only because my boyfriend and his family are quite loud (I don't want to drown in the corner) but also because being the quiet person becomes boring at some points.

On another different subject I got a new phone after my last one died two days after Christmas. I have now upgraded from an iPhone 4 to a 5C in blue. I would just like to point out that even though it is not the newest iPhone out, it is a great phone to have and I highly recommend it and now know at least one person with the same phone in each colour.

That's all from me for now until next Sunday (fingers crossed), this post was brought to you from the rail replacement bus service. 5 hours long instead of 3!

Have a great week!

With love

Summer xoxo

2015...

Hey guys,

So it's 2015 and I'm back to school! I had an philosophy and ethics exam today and had to write three essays...not fun.

Wel I've decided to talk to you guys about what I hope to achevie this year. I've decided on ten simple rules to follow to make the next year great;

Rule number 1) lose weight! I've decided that I want to lose a lot of weight and I'm not sure how I'm going to do it but I will!

2) try to relax, I've found that last year I was extremely stressed and I don't want a repeat of last year, so I will be trying to relax more ( I need to invest in some more bath bombs from lush) 

3) finally sort out my room, I've recently had my room painted and my room has quickly become a mess again! I think I need to just designate an afternoon to tiding it. 

4) Smile, I've decided I want to smile more- if that's possible, 

5) drop the friends who pull me down, in the last few months I've really found out who I can rely on and who I shouldn't bother waste my time on- to make next year great I need to cut lose the strings that keep me locked.

6) be that shoulder, I think I need to be that shoulder people can turn to when they need a good cry and to just get something off their chest.

7) do something spontaneous, I'm not one to be daring or out side the box so this year I want to do something different ( I'm already going to my second ever concert and going to New York with Payton) 

8) talk about stuff that upsets me, most of the time I will swallow my tounge and not tell anyone what's really eatting me up, so I want to be able to talk to someone about my problems.

9) get organised, one thing I'm bad at is being organised and I want to be able to enjoy moments rather than panicking.

10) try to break bad habits, now I have quite a few bad habits that stop me ( biting my nails, beat freak on my computer, going to bed late, my strange time management and many more) and I want to break them.

So there they are; my simple but clear rules  and guidelines for this  year, I hope 2015 will be better than ever 

Bye 

Belle xx

Lollie's brain - What year is this?

*Materialises in the corner of an estate in London* What year is this?
Sorry, stupid me... It's 2015, I have a feeling I'm going to have a really great year.
But hang on, where are my flying cars! Where's my time travel and teleportation! I was promised, time travel, I specifically remember time travel being mentioned...

Anyway, let's get the boring bit out of the way:

New Year's Resolutions
- Try to get to sleep earlier when possible
- Loose weight gradually and exercise more
- Learn a new word every week and use it as much as humanly possible
- Spend my days with people who accept me as I am, flaws and all

Also some ground rules for 2015

Rule 1 - The Doctor Lies - Well you know, Doctor Who trailers lie and so does Steven Moffat
Rule 7 - Never Run When You're Scared - face up to your fears and if something seems scary, give it a go, it might seem daunting but  it'll be worth it if you don't run away.
Rule 27 - Never Knowingly Be Serious - Don't be serious all the time! Smile and have fun! It's good to let it all go and relax sometimes 
Rule 400 (I am very keen on rule 400) -You Should Always Waste Time When You Don't Have Any - when you don't have any time, it's so easy to do other things. Make sure you focus you're time well, however, remember to spend your time on good things and not just stress and work, take a step back and waste so time on YOU
Rule 408 - Time Is Not The Boss Of You - Don't let your life be run by schedules and deadlines, it can also be snowballs and fun times. You get done what YOU need to get done, Time does not define you. 

I  have a feeling that I'm going to become incredibly stressed within the next five months due to A Levels but do not fear, I will post once a week without fail, promise... Oh dear, It's already the second day of the year and I'm making promises already.

A thing I have been loving so far in this year is McBusted's album. It just puts me in such a good mood, in fact, I'm listening too it right now. There's only one or two down beat songs on there which I think helps put me in a better mood, it just makes me just want to get up and dance and air guitar and jump around.

I've been reading a book by Jacqueline Wilson called Opal Plumstead. I haven't read one of her books in a long time, however, I got this one for Christmas and it's really good. Ash originally got my into Jacqueline Wilson's books back in primary school and we both used to read them all the time. I know for a fact that Ash's favourite one is called The Diamond Girls, one that I haven't actually read. I think my favourite was possibly My Sister Jodie even though it was sad and I did like The Lottie Project, Vicky Angel and The Hetty Feather Trilogy.
Opal Plumstead is really good so far and my favourite character is Opal's sister, Cassie. I think she is very pretty and she has a certain liking for a man called David and her infatuation resemble that of mine towards certain celebrities...

For 2015, I have started a notebook. Each page is numbered 1-365 and numbered in chapters 1-12. Every day, I write one page about that day and I write a quote. I really do hope I keep it up otherwise it will be a bit of a fail.

Sadly, sods law, after Christmas, I have found a lot of things from eBay that I need/want for either cosplay or for my general amusement. I don't have enough to cover the expense of all these things and I cannot ask for them as it's just passed Christmas and my birthday isn't for another 8 months. So, instead, I just sit and stare at the on eBay and I watch the items even though I have no money to get them - I really need a job.
I'm also saving up to pay for my comic con ticket for May which I am very excited about. I'm hoping to go to all three days of the event as long as Ash, Bri, Belle and Payton are too. I have way to many cosplay ideas to just go on one day. My mind (and my pintrest for that matter) are full to the brim with ideas and characters that I could play but my bank account and lack of sewing skills say otherwise.

Wow, you've just had an insight into my brain for the first time. How'd it feel? Strange yup... I know me too, I have to deal with it every day.
Oh dear, I haven't sacred you off have I?
Well, Happy New Year, I hope you have a great year, remember: don't wander off, don't blink, don't think, don't turn around, don't be lasagne, don't answer the phone, don't forget and don't get lost in a state of temperoral flux...

Until next time, Allons-y Earthlings!

Happy New Year Guys

Hey guys!

First things first, HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL:D

It's safe to say 2014 has had its fair share of up and downs. I've lost people that I'll dearly miss forever, but I can happily say that I've still got all the people I love and care about who make me happy still surrounding me. I've had so many good memories that I'll never forget and I know, alongside the rest of the seven sweethearts, that this year WILL be our year, our year of happiness, health and good fortune.

I'm not normally one for New Years resolutions, but this year my aim is to build my health up and become healthy, I would like to tone my body up a bit ready for summer, focus and study on my a levels a lot more, and just generally be happy and create so many more wonderful memories with my friends and family!

Let us know your new year resolutions in the comments below.

So I spent New Year's Eve going to see Peter Pan the pantomime followed by a quiet evening in with my family. Today's been a bit hectic, we had our family Christmas dinner which we missed last week and despite being ill it's been a good first day to the new year. Sorry for the short and probably uninteresting post, next week I'll be sure to blog something more exciting for you all.

That's all for now, love and best wishes for this new year. 

Maya ♡