9 to 5

I've found the best cleanser for my skin,  9 to 5 from Lush.

I first bought this cleanser sometime last year. Like most skin care items, I used it a couple of times wasn't wowed and shoved it into a draw. Several months later I started my "must use things up" quest so had to dig things out. Around the same time I was also starting to think I should get serious about my skin.
I'm 25 now so I really need to start taking better care of my skin before I look too old (ha).

This has totally agreed with me. I realise now that I wasn't impressed at first because I was using it all wrong. What you do is rub it onto your face, wipe off with cotton wool and then you're done. THAT IS IT. I'm sooooo lazy with skin care so this is perfect for me. Best of all it gets rid of all of my make up, is super gentle and leaves my skin really clean, soft and looking so fresh.
Its suitable for my sensitive skin days and is good for my dry skin. Whats not to love?!

I can't recommend this product enough I love love LOVE it. Go out and buy it now!

Have you tried 9 to 5?

Green People day solution hydrating balancing day cream

Well, this is the first blog post from my new iMac. How exciting!
I've never had an apple computer before so most things are new to me and I have no idea what apps etc to download yet. All I've done with it is watch a lot of tv before megavideo got shut down (boooo!)

Anyway, back to the matter at hand. I thought I'd do a quick review of a product I got in Glossy Box months ago. I didn't use it straight away as I had several other moisturisers on the go.
As part of my New Years Resolutions I've been trying to use things up and downsize my stash. So far I'm doing well and have a good sized pile of empties to blog about at the end of the month.
I'm not really one to review items, as I think theres so many out there and at the end of the day if you like a product or not its all down to personal opinion. I had to review this though as it's literally AMAZING!

It contains chamomile, aloe vera, and rose geranium.
It does smell of rose, but not to strong or overpowering and mixed with the other fragrances the moisturiser has a lovely unique scent.
I have dry skin, especially in the winter so am always on the look out for a decent moisturiser and while I've found some good ones I don't think I've ever found a 'best' item.

The past couple of weeks I've been using up a cleanser thats not suitable for my skin type and as a result had VERY dry skin. None of my usual 'go to' moisturisers have helped. I decided to give this ago and it sorted my skin out in record time! The smell was a little strange at first, strange in a good way though and I now think its one of the best smells ever haha.
This isn't just a good moisturiser, I've found it to be an amazing primer and now think my skin looks awful without it. I can't express how gutted I am it's empty! You might just say 'well buy another one' but its not that simple. I've put myself on a beauty spending ban so not allowing myself to buy any shower gels, cleansers, moisturisers etc until my stash has decreased by a considerable amount. I 100% plan to buy a full size bottle of day cream in the future. Hopefully I can last until I have one/two facial moisturisers left, however I miss it so much I might have to do a cheeky purchase before I reach that goal. Maybe I'll review around Easter time.....

Have you tried anything from Green People? I got a cleanser by them in this month's Feel Unique box so the bar is set pretty high for that to perform as well as the day cream. I'll let you know once I've tried it :)

x

Vegan Christmas dinner.

I have my proper Christmas dinner with my parents at home on Boxing day after an eventful morning raiding the sales.
This year we had our dinner at tea time and were lucky enough to have Tofurky, which I bought from the Whole Foods Market, during a recent day trip to London.
As it was Christmas we went all out and made vegan bread sauce and vegan Yorkshire's. Safe to say it was the best meal EVER.

The best money I have ever spent.

SO GOOD.

Pre condiments and gravy.

With condiments and gravy.

Safe to say that I will now be spending the rest of my life trying to recreate this meal. Every year I'm going to nip to London before Christmas and stock up on this beauty. Worth every penny. If only Tofurky was sold in the North East!!

I (eye) left my heart in London town.

Tomorrow afternoon I'm getting the train to London. As most of you probably know I went to uni there and LOVE it. A lot of my friends are still there (though many have jet-setted all over the world!) so it will be nice to catch up with them.
I'm going to be staying with Lucy and Harry, my old housemates and lovely good friends. So excited to see them again. Mega excited to watch breaking dawn with Luce (even though we've both already seen it haha).

One of the main reasons I'm going is so I can attend Animal Aid's Christmas Without Cruelty Fayre. I have been going to it for years now! Last year I met Heather Mills (again) and she was lovely and signed her cookbook for my dad's Christmas present.
This year I'm going to do what I always do, stock up on extra yummy vegan treats (esp Ms. Cupcake cakes! It will also be lovely to catch up with her!)

I'm also going to be doing a spot of shopping. Shopping in London is awful at the best of times, but Christmas time is probably the worst. I'll manage though as 2 seconds after stepping foot onto Kings Cross I switch to 'London mode' and become an expert weaver.

I'll obviously not be posting over the weekend (as if I post every day anyways!) but I thought I would leave you a little peak at the necklace I will be sporting. I bought this a couple of months ago now, but it's yet to have it's debut!

Open eye.

Closed eye.

I love this necklace! It's from Topshop and is so quirky and fun. Definitely and 'eye-catcher' (see what I did there?)

Anyway I better get some sleep, got to get up early tomorrow to pack! Ooops!
x

Belated Birthday.

This is a (very) belated birthday blog post! Ooops!

I turned the ripe old age of 25 on the 4th November, and it was amazing.
I started off the celebrations on Thursday 3rd November by going to see Britney Spears at Newcastle Arena. I'd love to say I saw her live, but I don't think I can as she mimed! It was still amazing though!

I got home to find my birthday bedding on my bed ready for sleep :)

Love Cath Kidston - and love that this is from the children's range which is called "Cath Kids" ha. (If you're wondering that owl is my 'hottie' and I've named it Eglantine after the cute little owl in The Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole)

When I woke up as a 25-year-old I opened my cards etc off my family and then decided to get stuck into my presents off Jenny (and Max). I met Jenny two days before my birthday and was so excited as they were wrapped up so nicely :D

YEY!

 She even made me this brilliant card! So lovely!

I then went volunteering at GVOC (I'm a teaching assistant, helping adults with learning disabilities) and they sang me Happy Birthday :)

I got home to an unidentified parcel. Well, I knew it was off my good friend Lucy (and Harry) as Lucy text me saying she forgot to put the card in. Haha.

There is a lovely owl necklace from Forever 21 and some other great bits and bobs :)

I also had a little parcel and card from my very dear friend Billie who is currently in Berlin (Hi Bill!). It's a lovely hand-made tissue holder in owl fabric :D

I then got ready as I went out for my tea to Jack Sprats in Newcastle with my parents, best friend Hayley and neighbour Yvonne.

I didn't take any photos of the food, so here is a photo of my birthday nails.

The next day was obviously bonfire night. I changed my nails to look like fireworks, but apart from turning out to be a big mess I don't have any photos as my laptop died a few days later so I don't have that pic anymore. Sob.
I had some lovely cakes by Ms. Cupcake. My dad had been to London a couple of weeks prior and came home with 12 cakes (6 for then and 6 to freeze for my birthday weekend). I had a rose cupcake on my birthday, but we ate our way through these on the Saturday.

SO good!

On Saturday night, after spending all day getting ready and still ending up in a rush(!!) me and Hayley went to town to meet some other friends and had a very eventful, but enjoyable night.
Here are some photos.

Me and Jenny in Bar 42. 

Photo of the night is probably this one of me and Lowell (also in Bar 42).

Sorry I haven't posted for a while and then gave a short post, but like I said before my laptop died. Its a bit of a nightmare trying to blog on my slow, small netbook. Also tomorrow I'm going to a blogger meet up and then Hanson (don't ask) so I need to get to sleep!
x

Bargain hunt.

Once again I've not posted for a long time. I have so many blogs planned but haven't been able to find the time to post anything. This post is a bit out of date now but never mind.
In June there was an exciting post on the Money Saving Expert forums that Superdrug were selling off some products very cheap (as little as 10p!) so I, like many other bargain hunters, went on a mad Superdrug tour.
Most of the big named products that were selling for cheap (such as L'oreal, Herbal Essences etc) were sold out by the time I got there. That was fine by me as I don't use those brands and was happy to pick up some Superdrug own branded bargains.

I was happy with my mini haul :) All the products are vegan, except for the blonde conditioner which is veggie (contains honey) and is for my mam.

I bought two Coconut shower creams (one I bought after this picture was taken) for 49p. They smell SO nice!
The coconut oil wasn't reduced but it was buy two for £2.99 (instead of £1.99 each) and it can be used as a body moisturiser and/or conditioner, so I decided to pop them into my basket.

Next I bought toothpaste. I always forget Superdrug sell vegan toothpaste! The essential one was 39p and is a small tube so I bought it for my dad as he goes away often for work.
The sensitive toothpaste is for me. In the past year my teeth have got so sensitive and other vegan toothpastes which I've tried from Holland & Barrett and other health food stores haven't really helped but this toothpaste really has! It wasn't reduced but it cost about £1.69 (ish). Considering we normally buy toothpaste from H&B for about £3.49 and it really helps my teeth I'm chuffed!

Like I mentioned above the blonde conditioner is for my Mam. I don't even have blonde hair. She loves it and it only cost 20p! I bought her two bottles.
The hand wash cost 19p! Its really really nice! My mam is usually a bit picky when it comes to liquid soaps but when I told her it was 19p she gave it a go and loves it. She's gutted you can't buy it anymore.

Apparently the reason for the price reductions was because the products are either being discontinued or re-branded. I really hope Superdrug keep the coconut shower gel though!
Did you manage to find anything cheap?