MARCH FAVOURITES

Although it is April 12th today, I thought I would do a post about what I was (and still am) obsessed with throughout the month of March :-)
For years and years I have been washing my hair everyday but I thought it was about time this changed. The transition was difficult so I thought I'd ease the process by buying some dry shampoo. I went for 'Batiste' because it seems to be the most popular and it is a very reasonable price. I really like the smell of this one and it does freshen your hair. The ever-annoying greyness of it can be a problem but I saw one that has a brown tint in it so I may invest in that next time! Despite this I have found it a very useful fix for my obsession for clean hair.

About a year ago, No. 7's Beautifully Matte foundation was my absolute favourite. It was only last month that I rediscovered it and in that time SO many people have commented upon it: I think I'm back in love with  it! It is such good coverage and although a little heavy for everyday use, I love it regardless. I don't think I'll be switching foundation any time soon! I wear it in beige.

My absolute favourite bronzer is 'Laguna' by Nars. In this is also a blusher called 'Orgasm' which is great for a bolder look. The Laguna side has completed ran out and I cannot wait to go out and purchase another!

The nail colour I have been loving throughout March is 'Matt White', number 66, by Barry M. As the weather is (slowly) getting nicer, I think a lighter colour looks great. This will be staying with me throughout the summer months I can tell!

I used to be an avid user of makeup wipes but this cleanser has changed everything! Although a little pricey at £9.50, there is often a 3 for 2 deal on No. 7 products so it is definitely worth it. My makeup is removed in under a minute and my skin is left feeling refreshed: I cannot recommend it enough!

A little bit more random, but I have been loving decorating my room with homely things. This candle is from Waitrose and only cost £4; the scent is vanilla and it smells delicious! The flowers are also from Waitrose - I just think some greenery adds a little to any room.

I went to my local independent cinema recently to watch The Grand Budapest Hotel. I far prefer these smaller cinemas over the large multiplex ones any day - the seats are more comfortable, there are fewer adverts, and you can take a glass of wine into the auditorium! The film was absolutely hilarious and it was the best I have seen since 'The Butler'. I would definitely suggest watching it as a light but effective film. I am also training to do the Great North Run in September. I have always loved running but never really gone for further than 3 or 4 miles. I thought it would be good to have an app to help me so I downloaded 'Run Keeper'. It is a great app that tells you when to go for a run and how long for so I should be doing 13 miles in a few months!

♥

Hair, hair, hair

This is one of my favourite hairstyles at the moment: it is so quick and easy!

You just need two products:

First, some salt spray. I use 'Casual Sea Salt Texturising Spray' by Toni & Guy.

Secondly, some hairspray. I use 'Salon Finish Extra Hold' by Tresemmé‎.

. This one is great because it can brush out really easily and does not leave your hair feeling like straw!

So, the actual hairstyle takes 5 easy steps.

1. Tie your hair in a tight bun (I normally do my makeup while my hair is like this). Try to leave it in for as long as possible to give more natural waves.

2. Take your hair out and you should be left with some natural texture. I could only leave it in for about 10 minutes this time but normally I try to keep it for around half an hour!

3. Add some curls with your straighteners or curling tongs and spray with the salt spray. Then use your hands to scrunch your hair to make it look less neat.

You could leave it like this but I like to add an extra detail...

4. Split your hair into a middle parting then french plait the front part either side. Tie it in a bobble at the back.

5. Spray with hairspray and voila!

♥

Where has the plane gone?

I am really fascinated by where the Malaysian plane has gone to. There are so many theorists, pilots, politicians, celebrities all with a different opinion on its disappearance. Since the 8th March - the day it went missing - I do not think I have gone a day without having a conversation about its whereabouts. With all the different conspiracies and the constant news coverage it really feels like the whole world is part of a new and exciting drama: definitely something I would watch on TV! 

But, disappointing my wild imagination, it is not a fictional show but is in fact real life... scary! It's interesting to consider what we even know about the strange disappearance:

The plane took off from Kuala Lumpur, heading for Beijing, at 12:41am local time with 239 people on board.

The last message sent from the plane was at 1:07am.

Malaysian authorities report hearing "All, right, good night".

At about 1:21am the plane's transponder stopped transmitting and the ground lost contact with the aircraft.

MH370's last known confirmed position was determined at 2:14am.

The last satellite signal was at 8:11am.

So between 8:11am on the morning of March 9th, and this evening (18th March), where has the plane been? Are the passengers alive? What are they doing? No matter how many people speculate over these questions, surely we can not be completely sure until the plane is found. There seems to be six theories that have been proposed: 

1. Hijacking

By who? Which terrorist would want to hijack a plane, fly it to a secret location, then not hold a global event that would cause world chaos? Terrorists do not do things quietly. If it were terrorism, would we not know about it by now?

2. Sabotage

Again, by who? What motive can a person hold to sabotage this particular plane? With all of the intelligence the world has in modern society, surely someone would have sussed out the intention of the potential saboteur.

3. Meteor strike

Where is the evidence? I can not comprehend that a meteor would strike MH370 yet affect nothing else. 

4. Aliens interception

Unusual data pointing towards the interception of a UFO... Highly unlikely in my books. Can we not rule out the idea that aliens would intentionally target this particular plane, or even come across it by mistake. 

5. The "Bermuda Triangle" effect

Social media networks has spurred some of the most unlikely theories. Some suggest that MH370 travelling into a region similar to the Bermuda Triangle (an area where a number of aircrafts and shifts have gone missing). Not impossible, I suppose.

6. Mechanical failure

Perhaps the most basic explanation, simply a fault in the plane. An experienced pilot speculates that there was an electrical fire that forced the pilot to make the judgement to land in the nearest and most safe place.

But what if none of these are right? What if the plane has landed on some remote island where the passengers are acting out the storyline of 'Lost'? As much as this would humour my imagination, I can not understand that this would be the case. We would have found them by now. What is perhaps most spooky is that the passengers' phones were still ringing out five days after the plane went missing. I do not know about you, but my phone certainly would not last five days without being charged...

Sun in Surrey

On March 14th it was my Grandma's 80th birthday and so my family and I travelled down to Surrey to celebrate with her. It always feels special visiting this side of my family as I rarely get to see them due to the long distance. My auntie had prepared a lavish feast including a lamb tagine and the best chicken and leek pie I had ever tasted, both served with a delicious mint and pomegranate couscous salad and vegetables. After a couple of glasses of Bucks Fizz and a welcome sit in the garden, we all tucked into the food. I was completely full after the main meal so I was more than happy to see that fruit salad was on the menu for dessert! Once our meals had settled we chatted in the garden and my brother, dad, uncle, cousins and I played football: or at least I attempted to. As my auntie was jetting off the Switzerland and we had a long journey back to the Midlands we left late afternoon, just in time for a beautiful sunset! It was a perfect Sunday amidst the chaos of 'a' levels.

My cousin, brother, uncle and grandma

Tucking into some crisps and champagne

Birthday girl blowing out her candles!

Such a beautiful day!

Me, my two cousins, Grandma and my brother

A Bit of Everything

So Tuesdays are my full days off sixth form. Normally I like to focus on doing work all day but what with just handing in my coursework I thought I'd take it easy. I did sit in costas for an hour and write an essay but otherwise I just strolled around the shops so I thought I'd share what I bought.

First I went to Waterstones and picked up the second two books of The Hunger Games trilogy. I normally hate to watch the film before I read the book but in this case the film really does it justice. I recently read the first in one sitting as I just could not put it down. They were on 'buy one get one half price' too which meant I got both for just over £10!

I cannot seem to go into town without spending a penny in Boots. I felt quite restrained today and only bought a couple of lipsticks and some nail varnishes. The nail varnishes are Barry M in 'Berry' (308), 'Coral' (296) and 'Mint Green' (304) in that order. The lipsticks are Kate Moss and as always are really moisturising and apply easily with great coverage. The first picture is number 107 and the second is 210 (Coral In Gold). I think I prefer the coral one as it is such a lovely colour while the sun is peeping through.

These last couple of pictures are not of anything I bought but just of how I had my hair today. It's such a quick and easy hairstyle and lasts the whole day. 

♥

Summer Teasing

With a weather forecast of constant sun and a temperature of around 17°C, us Brits cannot seem to refuse slapping on the sun-cream out and acting as though we live in the Bahamas. Not wanting to miss out on the unexpected March sun, my parents and I drove out into the country to a small town called Much Wenlock to get our legs moving and enjoy the weather. Our walk was called 'The Edge of the World' which filled us with excitement and a little bit of fear; we presumed we would have to crawl down cliff faces but sadly it was far less thrilling. It was supposed to be 11.5 miles but getting lost several times combined with the soggy fields meant we had to cut it short... Nevertheless it was a great way to get out the house and get some vitamin D into our skin after a good few months of hibernation. Needless to say I feel fresh, energised and definitely ready for summer!! Here are a few photos that I could not resist to take.

Outfit of the day: London

This is what I wore when I visited my cousin. Perfect for a day trip in London because it's comfortable and warm: what I needed in February!!

T-shirt: Primark (men's section!)

Leggings: Topshop (here)

Socks: Topshop (similar here)

Boots: Topshop (here)

Necklace: H & M(here)

Coat: A Swedish brand called Chicy (here)

I cannot get enough of all black at the moment. I love this outfit because of its simplicity but the contrasting details in the texture of the leggings and the t-shirt make it so much more interesting. The glitter in the socks and the gold chain add a little something too!

x x x