Trichotillomania: Things We're Sick Of Hearing

As with many other illnesses which few people have heard of or know much about, ignorance and blase comments come with the everyday struggles of having trichotillomania. Sometimes, these little hurtful comments can be the most difficult aspect of the illness to deal with; an aspect which you have no control over. Learning to deal with the frustrating comments and questions from friends, family and strangers is just another stage of coping with trichotillomania in your life. Here are some examples of things which have been said to me in the past- I would love to hear some of yours too!

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Review: The Vintage Cosmetic Company False Eyelashes

Having trichotillomania, finding the perfect set of false eyelashes that give you that extra bit of confidence when leaving the house is key. Having tested many a false lash over the past five years, I've come across the bad and the downright amazing. The Vintage Cosmetic Company is a relatively new brand you might have noticed on the shelves of Boots or Superdrug, having been founded in 2011. The original product which brought about their success was their range of quirky but totally wearable false lashes, so I thought I'd give them a whirl.



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Being Touristy: London Dungeons and Madame Tussauds

The other week, myself and two of my housemates ventured into London (with a massive hangover) for a fun tourist day out. Having got home from a Halloween night out at 2:30am, we rose to the beeping, and subsequent smashing, of our alarms at 6:30am. The sun was up, the coffee was poured, and we staggered out of the house to get an early train to the big city.


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Max Factor CC Stick: Colour Correction for Dark Circles

Whether it's one too many nights out, staying up late to finish work, or the general stresses of everyday life, you'd be lucky if you didn't suffer from the occasional dark circle. Although I wish they were, the bags under my eyes are definitely not Chanel, and I would rather they didn't exist so prominently. Dullness around your under eye area is one of the most tell-tale signs of stress and fatigue, and can age even the most youthful skin. While concealer can do a pretty good job at hiding it, CC (colour correction) products can be used to add that extra little bit of brightness.



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The Little Things: Restrictions of Trichotillomania

Many people may look at those with trichotillomania and think, 'it's only hair, get over it'. The sad truth is that it's far more than just that. It can be emotionally crippling, psychologically damaging, as well as restrict the little joys in life which most people don't even think twice about doing. I have recently started a new course of therapy (CBT, or cognitive behavioural therapy) and have been forced for the first time to really think about what life without trich would be like. As a bit of motivation, here is a small list of things which will become possible once we finally get rid of the illness for good.



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Indulgent Millionaire's Shortbread Recipe

I feel like I haven't written up a recipe for ages, and given that I've been baking non-stop recently, thought I'd share my tried and tested Millionaire's Shortbread recipe with you all. You might recognise the tasty treat from my Instagram, so here's all you need to know if you want to make them for yourself. These are very indulgent, so perfect if you have a sweet tooth. I find they're best cut into smaller bite-size chunks so they don't get too sickly- plus it means there's more to share around!



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Miracle Volume: V05 Plump It Up Backcomb Spray

Big hair is a big trend, and with celebs like Cheryl Fernandez-Versini was Cole was Tweedy, Kate Middleton and Kim Kardashian being forced into our beauty radar 24/7, it's pretty unavoidable. Flat, lifeless locks are out of the question, but let's face in, no-one has a huge stash of money spare to spend on getting a volumous blow-dry every week. 'How on earth will we ever look like these celebs/ hair godesses then?', I hear you ask. V05's Plump It Up spray is your answer.



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Long Luscious Lashes: Barry M Showgirl Lengthening Mascara

Who else scrolls through close-up photos on beauty blogs and Instagram finding themselves the victim of lash envy? I can guarantee naturally long lashes are on the top of everyone's beauty wish-list, hence why the industry is booming with promises of brand new mascaras which will give you extra volume and length. Most do a fairly good job, but all have their flaws. While I'm not saying the Barry M Showgirl mascara is perfect, it's pretty bloody fab at creating the illusion of naturally long lashes.



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Winging It: Four Best High-Street Eyeliners For The Perfect Cat Flick

It's that timeless look that exudes chic, but one of the most difficult make-up skills to master. Winged liner takes a lot of practise, but when you get it right can bring together a whole beauty look with a simple flick. To make the classic look far easier to conquer, I've picked out my top 4 best liquid and gel liners which will get you looking fantastically feline in a flash.



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Rimmel Provocalips: The Kiss-Proof Lip Lacquer

It's the ultimate girl problem: leaving lipstick marks all over champagne flutes, running off every half an hour to re-apply your lippy, and seeing how much your lipstick has disintegrated in photos from the night before. Even the most expensive lipsticks haven't mastered the seemingly simple art of keeping the formula ON YOUR LIPS. Y'know, because that's kinda the whole point of lipstick. Well, I think Rimmel might have the latest breakthrough in lipstick technology...



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Lancome Advanced Genefique: The Anti-Ageing Miracle?

You only have to sift through a few adverts to realise that the major selling point in the beauty industry at the moment is the idea of uncovering the secret to youthful looking skin. Before this review spirals into a debate on what the eff 'youthful skin' actually means and the problems of assuming that all 'youthful' people have flawless skin, I'm going to focus on the notion of 'radiance'.



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SWATCHES: Barry M Cor Balmy

I must admit, I was desperate to try out Barry M's new Cor Balmy range after seeing gazillions of bloggers post about them. Many other brands have attempted to release tinted lip balms with (in my opinion) little success. The products themselves look like they promise a huge punch of colour from the outside, but when applied, the moisture element takes over and the tint is left behind. However, these Barry M balms are something else, and I was left really impressed by the budget brand.



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Sleek Blush By 3: The Perfect Trio

I've never been a blush fanatic, only ever owning a few and choosing to spend all my money on lipsticks and eyeliners instead. Sleek is a makeup brand which has recently come under my radar with their great range of lipsticks and infamous contouring kit. Their blush kits make a wonderful addition to this selection, and the Blush By 3 in 'Lace' is one which I will certainly be repurchasing for a long time.



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Trichotillomania Top Tips: Eyebrow Make-Up

Throughout my struggle with trichotillomania, the hardest part of my make-up routine has been my eyebrows, or lack of. Putting on false eyelashes and drawing on subtle eyeliner was fairly easy to master in comparison to drawing on eyebrows from scratch. It still isn't a part of my trichotillomania covering-up make-up practice which I have totally gotten my head around, but I have picked up some tips and tricks over the past 5 or so years which may help others. Here are my top 10:

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Over-Hyped Products #2: Benefit They're Real Push-Up Eyeliner

The Benefit They're Real Push-Up eyeliner has to be one of the most hyped up beauty launches of recent times. After their They're Real mascara was a smash-hit with pretty much all make-up enthusiasts (including myself), people everywhere were practically peeing their pants with excitement over the introduction of this revolutionary eyeliner to the beauty market. The first samples were sent out, and bloggers bowed down to the little liner, claiming it was the best thing since sliced bread and that you really needed to go out and buy it for yourself. I personally think we need to bring these reviews down to earth a little.



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Review: Soap and Glory Archery Brow Pencil

With brows being big at the moment (literally), a whole new market has been opened. There are now more brow products on the shelves of Boots and Superdrug than ever before, with most brands providing their share of make-up to brow power. Soap and Glory won me over with their body washes and moisturisers many moons ago, but I have never been that convinced by their make-up- especially after trying those Sexy MotherPucker lipglosses. Although I didn't know it then, this Archery brow pencil and tint was going to change my morning routine.



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The Battle of the Brow Kits: Benefit VS MUA

It's a common saying in the beauty world that brows are the new black. Power brows are totally 'in' at the moment, and the caterpillars are making a comeback. If you're not blessed with naturally beautiful, bushy brows, there are numerous ways to fake it. Pencils, tints and gels are all having their time, but none are more convenient than the all-in-one brow kit. In today's post, I'm putting a budget kit against a renowned one to see if either live up to the hype, and whether they can create the perfect brows for trichotillomania sufferers too.




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L'Oreal Miss Manga

I know a lot of bloggers have posted about L'Oreal's Miss Manga mascara and have sung its praises. In fact, I ran to Superdrug and bought it in an instant because of the numerous blog reviews. I'm a sucker for new mascara releases, so was really excited to try it out, but I was left feeling a bit ambiguous towards it.




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Maybelline ColorSensational Lipsticks

I got these beautiful Maybelline lipsticks from Cosmetics Fairy for about £1 each (you can read about my haul here). While there wasn't a lot of colours to choose from, I'm glad that there were at least some wearable shades. I was hoping to snap up some beautiful reds or pinks for the minuscule price tag, but these 2 shades were the only ones available that would suit my skin tone. While they're not the usual colours I'd go for, I'm so glad I did as they are both sublime.




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Benefit Goodies: The Real Steal

I'm always on the look out for a neat bargain, so when I saw this Benefit 'The Real Steal' bundle reduced on Asos, I couldn't help but treat myself. Benefit's They're Real mascara is probably the most hyped up mascara on Earth; every beauty blogger swears by it and it seems to be a staple of many make-up routines. Being a sucker for buying into any hype just to try it out, I've been wanting to try out this mascara for ages but could not justify spending £19.50 on it.



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Clinique Superbalanced Foundation


I have used Clinique's Line Smoothing concealer for a few years now, and keep going back because I simply love the light, creamy formula combined with the good, even coverage. Seeing as I'm such a fan of this Clinique product, I thought I'd venture into their foundation range. As I chatted to the Clinique sales assistant in High Wycombe House of Fraser, I filled out a quick skin questionnaire and it was decided the Superbalanced foundation would be the perfect fit for me.




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Top Tips: How To Survive Your First Year Of University

Leaving home and starting university for the first time is an extremely emotional experience. Whether you're scared, worried or excited, the prospect of living away from home and finding your feet in a different town or city can be daunting. While you may not quite know what to expect at the moment, I can assure you it'll probably be the best time of your life. You will learn so much, not only about your course, you will grow as a person, and you will make incredible friends which you will keep for life. Here are some of my tips on how to survive the many challenges which uni may pose...

Me on 'moving in' day, 2012!

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Sisterhood of the World: Blog Award

I haven't done one of these in a while, but thought that a Q&A style post would make a nice break from all the beauty news and reviews! I would like to send my thanks to Chloe from chloesconcept.blogspot.co.uk for nominating me for this bit of fun. Chloe is an absolutely wonderful lady whose blog covers topics from beauty, fashion and lifestyle. What makes her stand out is her inspirational move to start her campaign against bulling, helping others with anxiety related issues amongst much more. Her blog is definitely worth popping over to (and I'm not just saying that because of this tag!).



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NEW! Rimmel Apocalips Matte Lip Velvet

I rarely get super excited about new lipstick launches on the high-street. This all changed when I walked into Superdrug this week and found that not only did Rimmel have a new Apocalips range out, but it was on a 'buy one get one half price' offer! Woohoo! I, like many others, fell instantly in love with the original Apocalips collection (you can read my review here), so I had very high hopes for this new matte range.




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REVIEW: Make-Up Revolution Flawless Palette

If you haven't heard about Make-Up Revolution, then WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! This is the latest beauty brand on the block and they're really packing a punch. Their blush lacquers and lipsticks have been tried and tested by most beauty fanatics out there, but what has really caught every make-up addicts heart is their incredible eyeshadow palettes. When the Make-Up Revolution stand finally made a grand appearance in my local Superdrug, I snapped up the product I'd had my eye on for ages...the Flawless palette.


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Melt In The Middle Lemon Soufflé

I must admit, I have a very sweet tooth. My favourite part about dinner is pudding. Whilst any pudding is a good pudding in my eyes, lemon flavoured treats are simply my biggest downfall. Naturally, with a couple of lemons spare, putting them towards something healthy seemed like a waste, so I grabbed my trusty Mary Berry cookbook and dug out this lemon souffle recipe.



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Over-hyped Products #1: Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

I recently purchased the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer after every beauty blogger and their dog/cat told me how great it was. Naturally, I was dying to try it out. After finally hunting it down in the fairest shade possible (just call me Casper the ghost), I was certain this was going to change my life and become an essential in my daily beauty routine. But did it live up to the hoo-ha that was created around it?



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A City Break: Copenhagen

A couple of weeks ago, I returned from the most wonderful holiday in the beautiful Danish capital, Copenhagen. I had first heard of plans for this break from my best friend, and just a few hours later, we had booked flights from Gatwick to Copenhagen! Travelling in a large group of 14, all of us friends from university, we searched for apartments in the city that would be large enough to accommodate us all (and the inevitable noise from so many students).







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Collection 2000 Gel Eyeliner

Having tried, loved, and then lost my Maybelline black gel eyeliner, I was desperate to try another one. My usual make-up routine consists of subtly winged liquid eyeliner, and when I'm feeling lazy, a little bit of kohl does the trick. However, I often find liquid eyeliner wings flake away, while kohl is far too easy to smudge off for my liking. I picked up this Collection 2000 Lasting Colour gel liner as part of a 3 for 2 offer in Boots recently, and it has since revolutionised my eye make-up routine.

The bashed up Collection 2000 box

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Top Tips: Applying False Lashes

Due to my disorder, I've been wearing false eyelashes daily since I started studying for my GCSEs. Trimming them, applying them and making them stay put has simply become part of my everyday make-up routine. Although it's second nature, the process doesn't always go swimmingly. They can be tricky buggers to keep in place, or even to put on in the first place! Over the years, I may have picked up a few tricks that could help your experience of putting those fiddly lashes on. It's easier than you think! Here are my 10 top tips:


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Clinique Line Smoothing Concealer

This Clinique 'Line Smoothing' concealer is a product I use every day so I thought it was about time it got its own little post. I had always stuck to cheaper concealers until my lovely mum recommended this one to me. Although I'm not quite old enough to benefit fully from the so-called 'line smoothing' effect, it's still a cracker of a concealer.




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John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Liquid Shine

I first picked up the John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Liquid Shine shampoo and conditioner in a 3 for £10 offer in Asda many moons ago. While the name's a bit long, the product itself is incredible. If your idea of perfect hair is having glossy, shiny locks full of vibrant colour, then this is the shampoo and conditioner you need to get your paws on.





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L'Oreal Infallible Lipstick

Along with the Maybelline ColorSensational lipsticks I posted about, you might also remember reading about this L'Oreal Infallible lipstick in my Cosmetics Fairy haul. L'Oreal is a brand known for excelling in lip products; from glosses to lipsticks, they own the high street market. They are a brand from which you know you will get superb quality products, long-lasting wear and value for money, and it is no different for this Infallible lipstick.



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Chanel Vita Lumiere Aqua Foundation

Being a student, I've never really splashed out on high end beauty products, preferring to discover the pick of the high street pack. I'm a firm believer that you can get some real gems in the likes of Superdrug and Boots which do the same job, if not better, than the revered luxury brands. Wanting to put this to the test, I popped into my nearest House of Fraser and walked over the the Chanel counter.



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Chocolate Chunk Brownies

Everyone loves brownies, and if you don't, you just haven't tasted a good one yet! I've been using this recipe ever since I've been baking, which is a good few years now. Sometimes, admittedly brownies can be a bit stodgy and sickly, which is why I absolutely adore this recipe from my 'Grandma's Best Recipes' cookbook. The brownies are more like mini chocolatey cake bites, packed with chunks of gooey chocolate. If you have a friend or relative who's a huge chocoholic, then these would make the most perfect gift. Or you can just eat them yourself...



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Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

You may have seen me tweeting my love for this product a while back, and my views have not changed much since. The women in my family love Liz Earle skincare products; my Nan has flawless skin and she puts it down regular use of her vast collection of Liz Earle lotions and potions. From cleansers to toners and tinted moisturisers, she's tried it all, yet one her all-time favourites remains the Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth cleanser.





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Cosmetics Fairy Haul

Cosmetics Fairy is a website I've heard a lot of, and looked at a lot, but I just somehow never made a purchase. I was mainly worried about the products being completely tacky, old, and unusable, especially as you cannot see them in person beforehand. However, I recently took the plunge and grabbed some goodies. The prices are so low; my purchases ranged from 50p to £1 for some very well-known brands!






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The Hair Lightening Wonder Product: L'Oreal Sunkiss Jelly

As you might know, I'm currently on a quest to go back to blonde after years of having very dark brunette hair. I've had a colour cleanse, but being impatient, I wanted a quick fix to get a lighter, brighter barnet. Here is where L'Oreal Casting Sunkiss Jelly steps in. You might have seen the adverts on TV plastered between every show, with this little tube promising to give you that gorgeous holiday sun-bleached hair packed with natural highlights.



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Garnier Ultimate Blends

You can't deny it; we all dream of having soft, silky, luscious hair. So many shampoos, from budget to high end, claim to give you this luxury barnet, but nearly all have failed to live up to expectations. Well, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Garnier Ultimate Blends range! This beautiful collection not only smells divine, but actually edges me one step nearer to getting my dream hair.







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Trichotillomania Top Tips: Eye Make-Up #2

Earlier on in the week, I wrote 9 top tips for covering eyelash gaps with make-up. When I started writing it however, I found I had so many little bits of advice I simply couldn't fit it into one post (without boring everyone half-way through anyway!). So here is part two and my next 9 tips for eye make-up for trichotillomania sufferers- it may make life a little easier for you...
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Trichotillomania Top Tips: Eye Make-Up

As many of you know from previous posts, I suffer from trichotillomania; pulling from my eyelashes since I was 3, and eyebrows since I was about 14. As I reached Secondary School (unfortunately an all-girls school), I discovered make-up and how it can alter your appearance. It was a God-send. Being in an all-girls environment, I grew more self-conscious and aware of what I was doing in regards to TTM, my appearance, and most importantly what others thought of my appearance. Make-up became an escape, a way to mask not only my imperfections, but my disorder.
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Halo Hair Extensions

One of my biggest beauty dreams is to have lovely, glossy thick hair. I've never had thick hair; my barnet is fairly straight, limp and lifeless, and any styling I do never seems to hold. I purchased this beautiful set of Halo Hair clip-in extensions a while back to see if they can give me the volume I've always dreamed of. Seeing as I have quite long hair, they did not really add to the length, but the transformation in the thickness of my hair was miraculous.


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No7 Intelligent Colour Foundation

There are only a few beauty products which I religiously re-purchase, and this No7 Intelligent Colour foundation is one of them. A beauty staple in my make-up bag, this is the perfect everyday wear foundation for those who do not seek a particularly heavy coverage. As some of you might know, I'm a massive fan of No7 products. No7 is a brand which pioneers the latest beauty science whilst still being incredibly accessible and affordable. This foundation is another reason why I just keep going back to Boots.







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Ardell False Lashes

When I noticed these incredibly natural-looking Ardell lashes in Boots one day, I knew I had to buy them. The length of each lash differs, and a slight natural curl makes them an amazing dupe for real lashes. Perfect for trichotillomania sufferers like myself then...or so I thought. Unfortunately, they promised a lot more on face value, and my opinions on them were left torn after trying them out.








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Berry Picking at Peterley Manor Farm

Since I could first walk, it has been a family tradition that my Nan and I go strawberry picking every summer. Every year without fail, we've been to Peterley Manor farm to pick the best of the strawberry crop underneath the summer sun.



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Rimmel Apocalips

As I detailed in my Superdrug haul post, I've been eyeing up Rimmel's Apocalips range for quite some time now, but for some reason unknown to me, I just never snapped one up. The coveted collection is bursting with beautiful colours, from subtle nudes to vibrant pinks and daring reds. In the end, I bought myself Aurora; a gorgeous bold darkish pink with plenty of red undertones. I have to say, it was a tough decision between this, Stellar and Nova!










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Garnier BB Cream

The letter or alphabet creams are having a huge come-back at the moment. First we had BB creams, then CC and now we have recently been introduced to DD creams. Each claim to do different things, but in this post I'm going back to the original product which stormed beauty shelves a few years ago...the Garnier BB cream.



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Statement Sunglasses: Giles Deacon for Label M

I love me a good pair of statement, cat shaped sunglasses. I love them even more when they only cost me a fiver. Seeing as the sun is making it's happy face known to the UK at the moment, I thought it was time I treated myself to a new pair of sunnies to protect my eyes from the harsh rays. When I saw online that Label M were giving away a free pair of sunglasses when you purchase 3 cans of their hair colouring spray, I instantly fell in love with the design.

Before I properly start, I have a task for you during the course of this post...Spot how many dogs/ dog reflections you can see in the photos! Winner gets a prize (not really). 





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Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend

There's loads going on in my life at the moment, and I must admit I've been having a tough time. To cheer myself up, I "stumbled" upon the H Samuel sale and "accidentally" ended up purchasing some diamonds. I know you're probably thinking, 'why didn't she just buy some Dairy Milk?'. The reason is, H Samuel have a mahoosive sale on at the moment, with some of the most beautiful diamond jewellery reduced down to the price of a New Look dress.






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2True Salon Shine: 'Mila'

As summer has approached us, it's time to deck out our beauty regime with fun, bold colours. It's the time to try out those bright shades on your hair, lids, lips and nails. I love switching my nail colour up to suit my look and mood, so this orange shade from 2True seemed the perfect accompaniment to my summer adventures.




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Gooey Chocolate Fondants

There are few people in this world who can resist a bit of chocolate, myself not included. While it's not necessarily the best on the waistline, I can't get enough of the sweet stuff. It makes for the perfect treat to cure a sweet-tooth, so what better than to chuck some in a gooey, melty pudding?




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Top Tips: Make-Up For Glasses

Behind every pair of glasses there's a make-up doubt. Will these leave red marks on the bridge of my nose? Will they make my eyes look smaller? Will the bold frame drown out my features? Seeing as big bold glasses of all coloured frames are 'cool' at the moment, the question of how to do your make-up to suit the spectacles is evermore relevant. I love my glasses, but I also love make-up; here are my top tips on how to harmonise the two and keep your features looking fierce even underneath the lens...




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