I started my blog in September 2016 as a way to help my anxiety, which it did. I loved the blogging community, we encouraged each other and continuously gave praise to each other for the… More
Favourite Books of 2017
Happy blogmas day 20!
2017 is finishing and I’ve read a lot of books this year. Truthfully, I do like to try and review every single book I read but honestly, I don’t always get the chance or simply, I don’t do it. I don’t review every single book because well 1. They might be rubbish and so bad that I don’t care to review them. 2. Life gets in the way and University is a priority so instead of uploading a review I might just upload a post that’s been in my drafts for a while (lazy yes, practical yes). This year I have read my fair share of books, just like I do every year so I have carefully gathered my 8 favourite books of 2017, I hope you enjoy. Fortunately for you, I have written reviews on all of these books so go ahead and click on the links, they’ll take you to where you need to go for the review.
We Were on a Break – Lindsey Kelk
White Lies and Wishes – Cathy Bramley
The Girl with The Lower Back Tattoo– Amy Schumer
The One We Fell in Love with – Paige Toon
Diary of a Fat Girl – Moira Mugweni
All the Bright Places – Jennifer Niven
The Break Down – B.A Paris
Harry Potter 1-7 (ignore Order of the Phoenix because that’s crappy) – J.K Rowling
Share with me some of your favourites to add to my 2018 reading collection.
twitter: @bethdaviesblog
instagram: @_bbbbethan
With love, Beth x
Anti-Christmas Makeup Look
For those of you who aren’t the biggest Christmas lovers, don’t like a bright red lip that symbolises the festivities, then this look is for you. Call it the anti-Christmas makeup look. A purple, berry toned lip and a matte base that still makes you look fantastic (even if you don’t fancy celebrating).
This years makeup look is essentially an autumn/winter look, it’s pretty basic and can be worn for all occasions. I’ve been wearing the statement lip during the whole of the Autumn and Winter and I’ve been loving it! So let me tell you how I achieved this look.
I started by applying a mixture of the Rimmel Match Perfect foundation in True Ivory and mixing it with the L’Oreal True Match in the shade 1.N. The Rimmel shade is slightly darker and just stops my face looking so bland and pale without overdoing it.
I didn’t contour at all as I wanted to keep the look basic, quick simple. Although if you wanted too, then you can! I browned with the Physicans Formula Butter Bronzer (I still don’t know if you can get it in the U.K.!) and added a little berry toned blush from the Morphe 9B palette.
For eyes, with the tip of my finger I applied the L’Oreal 24HR Colour Tattoo cream shadow in the shade On and On Bronze. I blended it with a clean brush and then went in with the ABH Modern Renaissance palette with the shade Raw Sienna in the crease, Vermeer on the brow bone and Primavera on the inner corner.
To create the perfect thin liner, go in with the Maybelline Master Precise liquid liner. This is generally personal preference, I wanted a thin liner so it looked fairly neutral. Apply for favourite mascara, mine is Doucce Punk Volumizer mascara to add a lot of volume. I did my brows no different to how I would usually do them, using the Freedom brow pomade in blonde and crested small brush strokes.
Finally, the Sleek liquid lipstick in Velvet Slipper is the perfect berry toned liquid lip. Long lasting, matte and comfortable to wear. Ideal for all the food and drinks this Christmas!
Twitter: @bethdaviesblog
Instagram: @_bbbbethan
With love, Beth x
How I keep Organised During December
HAPPY BLOGMAS DAY 2!
I upload a new post every day (6pm) of December as a countdown to Christmas!
December is a difficult month. With all the shopping, parties and events happening how do we have time to keep up? I’ve got a few tips and tricks to ensure your sanity is maintained throughout the month of December. I’m a fairly organised person anyway and I hate not being prepared for such a busy time of year. Yes, I’m probably a little too organised but is that such a bad thing?
Step 1: Write to-do lists. A daily log of your activities to remind you of what you should be doing and when you need them done by. It’s as simple as that. Bullet journaling has become a hobby of mine and it really does help to remind you what you need to do and it’s also so fun to colour and be creative! This is especially important for those who work, have children, have university and other hobbies. It’s hard to maintain a balanced life let alone during December.
Step 2: Give yourself a day of rest. With the month being such a busy time of year, remind yourself that you do need a break between work, home life, university, Christmas planning and just generally living. It can be so hard! Have a bath, glass of wine and read a book. It’ll refresh you for those extra busy days.
Step 3: Write a list of all the people you need to buy for and ideas. I recommend personalised things from notonthehighstreet.com you can never go wrong with a personalised gift.
Step 4: Do your shopping online. Plan your food shopping online, choose a delivery date that is convenient for you. Sit back, relax and ignore all those busy crowds of people. Forgot to get your neighbour a Christmas present? Amazon Prime that shit. So stress-free, relaxing and you can do it from your work desk or the comfort of your own home.
I also recommend starting your shopping early, save your money early (don’t wait until Christmas Eve to buy all your families presents, you’re asking for trouble). I normally start mine in October after payday, the more you get done earlier the better. You won’t go completely bankrupt in November and December then!
Twitter: @_bbbethan
Instagram: @_bbbbethan
With love, Beth x
December Goals
HAPPY BLOGMAS!
Every day as a countdown until Christmas I’ll be uploading a new post at 6pm.
The final month of 2017 is here, so it’s obviously time to try and achieve my new year’s resolutions in one month (Just kidding, I forgot them). Let’s be honest that isn’t going to happen. I’ve been enjoying giving myself monthly goals and I think I’d like to try this throughout the next year. I think it’s such a fun way to keep track of your life and as a challenge to yourself each month.
This month’s goals:
- Maintain a healthy-ish diet throughout the holiday season (why would I do this to myself?)
- Maintain my weight! (Wishful thinking, right?)
- Watch at least 1 Christmas movie a week.
- Have my Christmas shopping finished a week before Christmas.
- Visit a Christmas market and Winter Wonderland.
- Enjoy the let month of 2017 and prepare for an amazing new year.
What are yours? Let me know!
Twitter: @_bbbethan
Instagram: @_bbbbethan
With love, Beth x
Are Audiobooks Worth The Hype?
I was given a 3 month free trial of Audible and I’ve been taking advantage of having someone else read to me whilst I relax in bed, in the bath, whilst I cook or even when I travel. I can’t say I’m totally converted to audio books because I love having the real paperback or hardback in front of me but I definitely see why people enjoy them. Honestly though, they’re not entirely for me.
They definitely have their benefits! Once you’ve paid your monthly subscription they’re then free to use, which I think is fantastic. You have unlimited books to listen to and read and it’s so lovely to know you can pick a new book at the click of a button.
I love listening to them whilst I’m doing other things. I really struggle to keep up if I’m doing serious things like an assignment or a blog post but I definitely enjoy listening to them whilst relaxing and especially right before bed. I know reading a book is incredibly time consuming and for some they simply don’t have the time to pick up a book and relax during the evenings with a glass of wine (I recommend both every day of the week).
Admittedly, you can listen to some audio books and struggle to relax because the narrator has the worst voice in the whole world and everything they say irritates you. However, you can find some audio books that have narrators you literally send you to sleep. The comfort and peacefulness of their voice’s can be so relaxing and comforting and it can definitely act as a calming motive for some. I find that when I’m most stressed I’ll pop on an audio book with a narrator who has a soft and gentle voice and it’ll calm me down within minutes.
Let me know what you guys think of audio books, love them or hate them?
Twitter: _bbbethan
Instagram: _bbbbethan
With love, Beth x
Choose Your Happiness
Recently I’ve been all about the happy in my life. If I don’t like it, I lump it. All I ever want is to be and feel happy and by achieving that, I’ve done everything I can be stay positive and keep the happy in and the negativity out.
As we change and life gets on top of us, we realise that we’re often ignoring the things that really make a difference in our lives. So many people ignore this and many people never do something about it. It’s crazy to me that our lives become so tangled that we’re consumed by the people and the things that mean very little and not enough of the things that truly make a difference.
Like I said, my mission these past few months is to really make a difference in my happiness. To do this I made a list, a list of pros and cons about my life. This might seem a little weird but honestly it made the world of difference. For years I’ve thought that certain things in my life weren’t necessary and I didn’t need them to make me happy but really, this list made me see otherwise.
Number 1. Remove the people, the materialistic things and the negativity by choosing what makes you happy. Does your job make you happy? Your friends? Your home? The city/town you live in? Carefully consider the aspects of your life and decide what and who you need.
Number 2. Do something about it. You may think quitting your job, moving somewhere new or removing people from your life is hard. I don’t disagree with that at all, it is! However, without the change you’ll never see your happy ending.
Number 3. Don’t be afraid to stand your ground. Be assertive, understand what you want and commit. If that means upsetting a few people along the way then so be it. Sometimes we all have to be a little selfish. We all have to do something that others might not be happy with, but if you are then go ahead. Bitches get shit done. So don’t be a push over.
Number 4. Do more of the things that make you happy.
Twitter: @bethdaviesblog
Instagram: @_bbbbethan
With love, Beth x
Fighting Those Post Break-Up Feelings
At 21 years old I’ve officially experienced my first heart break and let me tell you, it’s shit. The hardest thing I have ever had to do is walk away from someone whilst still loving them, it’s the worst feeling in the world but now I know that it was the right decision for both of us. It just wasn’t supposed to be and that’s for a number of reasons but I don’t regret a single moment I spent with him. I learned so much about who I am whilst in a relationship and now that I’m single and that’s OK and for now I get to be selfish and live my life a quarter mile at a time doing exactly what I want to do.
However, I knew exactly how it feels to fight those post breakup feelings of anxiety, grief and anger. It’s actually so sad, my friend told me to treat it like a death rather than a break-up and it was probably the best bit of advice I had been given. Whether you’ve just broken up or you’re a few months down the line it can still be challenging but there are things to do to make the process easier.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a break-up expert by no means. In fact I was and often continue to be a total mess, you aren’t alone in that one. I took gradual steps after my break-up to process and grieve my loss and it took a while but eventually I figured myself out.
Step 1: Change your relationship status, remove the photos, give back their things. Leaving these things around will only make the process harder, believe me I know. Once you do it you feel so much better, like weight has been lifted off your shoulders. Having a clear out also just makes you feel more refreshed, think of it as changing the your summer clothes to your winter clothes. Out with the old and in with the new.
Step 2: Take it slow. Stop rushing things, you wont wake up the next day and feel wonderful. It does take time, so give yourself time to process the situation. I don’t mean spend all day, every day dwelling on what could have been and feeling sad about it. I mean give yourself a few minutes to think about it, get up, shake it off and distract yourself. It’s okay to think about it and be sad but you need to do other things to do slowly adjust. I read all 7 Harry Potter books (best decision I ever made), got a summer job to distract myself and started eating healthy and exercising.
Step 3: Put yourself first. Was there something you wanted to do before you broke up that you wouldn’t have done whilst you were together? Now is your opportunity to do it. I’ve focused my time to lose weight and, study my masters degree, work and make new friends. I’m eating healthier and less, the weight is slowly coming off me and it’s increasing my self-esteem massively, I feel so much better every single time I see those numbers on the scale fall. I continue to embrace my new life as a masters student, occasionally go off plan through drinking wine or eating a little unhealthy whilst I make new friends and learn how to juggle my life.
Step 4: Go out, be sociable and meet new people. You have to get yourself back out there and especially into the world of dating (that dreaded world). My friends told me that you have to kiss a lot of frogs for you find your prince, so you go kiss those frogs (when you’re good and ready of course). Being sociable will really help to keep your mind off things and along the way you may find yourself with a new partner but most importantly, new friends and founding confidence.
Step 5: Learn to accept the change, embrace your new founding freedom and remember that you probably weren’t the reason for the break-up and things don’t always pan out the way you planned things. Your dream wedding with the guy of your dreams will happen, just not at this moment. Yeah it’s shit because you planned your baby names, what dog you wanted and the type of house you wanted to live in. Those things will come, just with someone else eventually. You’re still worthy of love and attention, don’t you forget that.
Remember, your break-up doesn’t define who you are. You can be anybody you want to be, so go out and be her/him. You now have the chance to do more of what makes you happy with the privileged of not worrying about someone else.
Twitter @bethdaviesblog
Instagram @_bbbbethan
With love, Beth x
September Favourites
September has come and gone, I feel like this year has flown by. What happened to January 2017? I’m bringing back the monthly favourites because they’re my all time favourite posts to read and I love sharing with you guys what I’ve been enjoying throughout the month. I’ve got some fantastic new things to share with you that I have been loving during September!
Firstly, Rimmel released some liquid lipsticks that I just couldn’t wait to get my hands on! My favourite is the shade coral sass which is essentially an orange toned red shade which I absolutely love on myself. It’s kind of a summery shade but to be honest, I’ll still be wearing throughout the autumn/winter months. They’re so incredibly light weight and dry super fast without making your lips feel dry and chapped.
Converse are a statement shoe in my wardrobe and I especially love them for nights out since they are so comfortable but also can make any outfit look fab. Whether you’re dressing down or dressing up, converse just don’t seem to make an outfit look bad. I bought a white pair (I’m silly, I know I’ll get them dirty eventually) and I’ve been living in them. If you’re a student like I am, you can get 10% off when you purchase any item from schuch which is where I bought mine from.
This will be the second time I’ve mentioned this jacket on my blog but I just can’t help it. I purchased a suede biker jacket from New Look last month and I honestly thought it was the biggest mistake and that I wouldn’t ever wear it since I didn’t know how to dress it. However, I was wrong and this jacket as become my absolute go to! I’ve been loving it. I’ll wear it with a pair of jeans, boots and a white top or even with a skirt, cami and converse for nights out. It’s become a statement jacket that I couldn’t live without.
Since moving back to uni green tea is all I drink (other than wine..). My current favourites are mint, along with apple and cucumber! They’re so refreshing to drink and really help to detox your body, especially after a heavy weekend of drinking.
I’ve been regularly going to the gym to workout and I never ever thought I would enjoy going but I just love how it’s been making me feel. I’m so much more energetic and lively now I’ve been regularly working out! An hour a day in the gym and a 15 minute session of yoga really does make the world of difference. I’m a totally different person! Honestly, I don’t think I could stop going now. I picked up a big at the end of the month and actually felt so guilty for not going to the gym! Although I knew my body needed a rest so that’s what I did.
I finally watched Wonder Woman for the first time and I’ve not enjoyed a film more this year! She was so badass, empowering and bloody gorgeous! The film really was one of the best I’ve seen this year and I can’t wait to watch her in Justice League.
Lastly, the TV show Victoria returned for season 2 and I have been obsessed! I really enjoyed season 1 and I anticipated the return for season 2 and it was totally worth the wait. I love the drama and the history of the show. It really makes you think about the way their lives are as a royal family.
These are my September favourites! Let me know some of yours in the comments and maybe I’ll try them out during October.
Twitter: @bethdaviesblog
instagram: @_bbbbethan
With love, Beth x
October Goals
October is such a lovely time of year. Autumn is my favourite season and I love the feeling of the colder weather appearing, the seasonal fun making an appearance and thinking about the differences I can make to my life during the final months of the year.
This October I’m getting started with my newest adventure, a masters degree! I never thought I’d be saying that by the summer of 2018 I’ll be a 2 time graduate with a masters degree. I’ve challenged myself so much these past 5 years and I love who I am and who I continue to become. This is exactly why this October, I’ll be spending the month focusing on myself. Regularly exercising, keeping up with uni work, hanging out with friends, going to work, treating myself to a gift or 2 occasionally. Essentially, during October I’ll be doing anything and everything that makes me happy. Hopefully by the end of the month I can honestly say October has been the best month of 2017 yet.
In regards to fitness and health, I want to continue to go to the gym at least 5/6 times a week and continue with my healthy eating! Hopefully losing a few pounds in the process but really not keeping track of the numbers on the scale and just with how I’m feeling. I’ll measure my body once a fortnight to see whether there has been any changes but really, I just want to be healthy. I’ll be cutting down on drinking during October to really help boost a loss but still continue to have my cheat meal once a week.
During the month of October I’m going to try (really try) to have several makeup free days during each week. This is mostly because I want to really improve the condition of my skin which means giving myself the opportunity to clear my skin without clogging up my pores!
Most importantly, I’m going to really focus on my course and getting into the swing of being back at uni. Having less nights out and drinking less to make sure I help boost my immune system to go to all lectures and my part time job.
Really though, my only goal this October is to be happy, really truly happy.
Twitter: @bethdaviesblog
Instagram: @_bbbbethan
With love, Beth x
My Yoga Experience: Week 1
I’ve been interested in yoga for a while now and the only reason I never started practicingbefore was due to my lack of knowledge. As everybody else in times of need, I went to youtube. I started watching Yoga With Adriene and was particularly interested in her beginner tutorials. I finally gave in and decided to give it a go and thought how good it would be to give a diary of my weeks whilst introducing yoga into my life.
Sunday 3rd September 2017:
I started my first session on the 3rd September 2017 whilst I was feeling particularly heavy and least energetic. I was even contemplating a nap at this point. I took the plunge and watched the tutorial called Yoga for Complete Beginners: 20 Minute Home Yoga Workout.
At the beginning my thoughts were that I wouldn’t be able to finish 10 minutes let alone 20, it just looked so exhausting and strenuous. However, I competed the whole tutorial and afterwards I felt so incredibly relieved. Not because I wanted it to finish but because my body felt instantly lighter, my core felt like I had completed a 60 minute ab-session but most importantly, I feel like a whole lot of weight lifted from my shoulders.
I had heard the benefits of yoga before but never really considered them as a benefactor towards my life. Although after the first session I couldn’t wait for my next session. 20 minutes was definitely long enough for my first session because after I had finished my arms and legs felt like jelly but mentally, I felt incredible.
I was so impressed by how well I felt after the first attempt I decided to give it a second go right before I went to bed. I followed a picture from Pinterest that had 9 poses, each to be held for 20 seconds with deep breathing.
Right after I instantly felt so relaxed and like all my worries had disappeared. My muscles felt incredible and I just felt prepared for a good nights sleep. I also had the best night sleep!
Monday 4th September 2017:
The morning of day 2 I thought I would start with yoga before doing anything else to help me prepare for the day.
I woke up and followed another Pinterest post by Darebee. This post was called wake up and connect and that is exactly what I did!
These poses really helped to stretch out my muscles and mentally, gave me a better look on the day ahead.
I then followed Yoga with Adriene in yoga for weight loss – hips and core vinyasa. I then read once I had completed it that it was intermediate which I am definitely not as of yet. So I did find certain poses difficult. However, my body felt really good and all my muscles felt like I had been completely stretched out.
Although I didn’t do the poses perfectly I gave it a good attempt and I still felt happy and satisfied after completing it.
I definitely realised how challenging yoga actually is and I have underestimated all yoga-doers abilities in the past. I totally apologise and you are all basically gods for doing this every day. Although it does make you feel amazing.
After work I decided it to go ahead and do another 10 minute session for beginners, this time following the 10 minute yoga workout for beginners to improve flexibility on YouTube. At this point I was feeling pretty unwell with a sore throat and ears, normally I’d totally ignore any type of exercise and would lay in bed feeling sorry for myself. This time I couldn’t wait to stretch my muscles out and feel more relaxed. The session really got my heart racing and by the end of the session I really did feel like my flexibility had gotten better in just a small amount of time. I also felt my heart racing and I was sweating, honestly it does feel like a full workout, essentially it is though.
Afterwards although I was still feeling the sore throat and ears but I wasn’t feeling drained and it helped me to relax more and ignore the pain I was experiencing.
Tuesday 5th September 2017:
I woke up early to have a 20 minute yoga session, right now in the week I feel like 20 minutes is all I need and eventually I may increase this when I become more flexible and familiar with the practice.
This morning I did a 20 minute morning yoga – gentle morning sequence whilst following Yoga with Adriene. I particularly enjoyed this session because I could really wake myself up from it, before I started I felt drained and tired but right after I felt so much more exergetic and prepared for the day. In this tutorial I thoroughly enjoyed the cat-like poses and movements, I felt less pressure in my back after doing these. I also feel like my thigh muscles are gradually becoming stronger, as are my shoulders. Admittedly, my downward dog pose isn’t my strongest point but I still enjoy it!
I realised that Yoga with Adriene is my favourite tutorials/sessions to follow because she is just so calm and relaxing to listen too, along with that she just knows what she’s doing.
The third evening came, I went to dinner wih my friends and when I got home I still felt prepared to do a session. I waited a little while to ensure my food had fully settled before beginning a 25 minute gentle yoga sequence. This session was really calming but it actually allowed me to think of the events that happened during the day, along with releasing any worrying overwhelming thoughts and just release for negativity in my life. I also also like a baby!
Wednesday 6th September 2017:
I woke up on the 4th day feeling unusually tired and almost, very nearly resisted the practice but I knew I would hate myself for missing it. So I went ahead and followed the Wake Up and Connect Pinterest post that I showed you above. However, this time I held each pose for a longer amount of time, around 50-60 seconds per pose. I did find it slightly more difficult but each day I do find that certain poses are improving and others I still find difficult. The plank is my absolute worst, I get severe shakes when I do this post.
Each day I feel my muscles getting stronger and my body changing. Doing yoga in the mornings and before bed has really already made a difference to my mentality and physical strength. However, on this particular day I felt especially more aching than usual so I continued with the session but for less amount of time and maintained a relaxed and comfortable posture in each position. I can really feel the difference it is making in my body!
I had a free night planned so I went ahead and did my first 40 minute practice, following another Yoga with Adriene tutorial. This one was a 40 minute home yoga work out for beginners and it really did test my strengths but also, I actually preferred to do a 40 minute session than a normal 20 minute. I felt more relaxed and more willing to continue to hold the poses for longer. Perhaps this is because I’m improving my flexibility and gradually increasing my abilities.
By the end of day 4 I’ve been thoroughly enjoying practicing yoga and at the end of each day I’m excited for the next just to do more Yoga. Something I can honestly say, I’ve never felt towards any other form of exercise.
Thursday 7th September 2017:
This morning’s practice was a little different as I followed a Pinterest post called 10 yoga poses you can do from your bed. At first I thought the surface of the bed was not going to be firm enough for me to hold the poses but it wasn’t that bad. In fact, it was a nice relief for my knees since I haven’t been using a yoga mat (to purchase next).
The poses I completed were wide child’s pose, the cat pose, seated spinal twist, seated side bend, forward fold, spinal twist, pigeon pose, happy baby, cobra and bow pose. These poses are perfect to stretch out all of the muscles in your body and after every session my back feels incredible. All week I have loved nothing more than waking up and stretching out my body ready for the day ahead.
After work I went ahead and settled myself down by completing another Yoga with Adriene video called a little goes a long way. I really enjoyed this practice because it focuses on how to become more aware of your breathing and concentrate on mindefulness and awareness of your body. These poses are especially good because the more advanced you become the more improvement you can make to these poses and change them to alter your capabilities. Another night where I slept like a baby and I know its because of yoga!
Friday 8th September 2017:
Knowing this day was gloomy, dark and rainy did make it slightly harder to leave my bed. Although like always, I felt so awake and alive after completing a short 10 minute session. It’s easy to say everyday that I feel more alive or awake but honestly, I do. I also like how different my body feels eat morning, some days my body is more flexible than the previous day and other days my muscles are tight and I’m sore. I think it takes some getting used too but I’m loving how different I feel physically and mindfully.
Today’s morning session was a short morning routine which can be found on Pinterest. I wanted to do a session but I didn’t want anything too strenuous. So I went for a short 10 minute session where I was able to stretch out all my muscles. I prefer to do a short session in the morning and a 20-40 minute session during the evening. I find that I’m able to give it more time and attention in the evening/afternoon time than the morning. However, I like the feeling I get when I complete a session in the morning as it really helps me to open up and prepare for the day.
Evening session was following a yoga for neck and shoulder relief practice. My shoulders were feeling good particularly sore but mainly I felt like givin my core a rest as it’s become very tight and aching but, I can only hope this is good. Although this practice wasn’t my favourite I did feel relaxed and good after completing it. It was nice to give my legs and core a break but as well as to give myself more movement within my shoulder and knock area. It was also especially good to give myself more practice with straightening my back within the sitting position.
Saturday 9th September 2017:
This morning I decided to follow the same poses from Thursday morning but this time I held them longer and did them in the floor. This time I practiced for around 25 minutes and paid more attention to my breathing. I really do prefer this practice on the floor rather than a bed and I think it is the ideal morning session.
For the evening session I followed the bed time session on Pinterest. I actually feel like this is the best way to do a session and get a great nights sleep. I’ve found that each time I’ve done this practice I’ve slept so well and I wake up feeling 10x more refreshed than ever.
How do I feel?
I feel incredible. My body feels so grateful for practicing and actually adding exercise to my diet. I don’t really feel like yoga is exercise but it definitely does feel like a full body work out. I always feel like I’ve tested and stretched out each muscle in my body.
Very early on within the week I realised that I felt better when doing yoga early in the morning, generally before I have any food or do any other activities. After thoroughly researching others also felt the same. However, I do like to do some yoga before bed, only a small season of maybe a few 20sec poses but I just feel like I have a better nights sleep when I do it.
I’m yet to try it before or after exercise, so for week 2 I plan to see how I feel doing yoga in the mornings before exercise and after. I also want to test this during the evening to see which time of day it really makes a difference.
Honestly though, I’ve loved my first week of yoga! I’m definitely going to see how things continue to go and how I improve and perhaps I’ll put up another post about my exercise with yoga in a few weeks.
Twitter: @_bethdaviesblog
Instagram: @_bbbbethan
With love, Beth x
Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette // Review
I’m definitely super delayed on this review (aren’t I always?) but it’s finally here and I can’t wait to share my views with you on the Modern Renaissance Palette by Anastasia Beverly Hills! This is my first purchase from ABH and I can tell you, it’s not failed me. This palette is gorgeous, at first I thought I wouldn’t ever use the pink/red toned shades as much as the more natural ones but I actually use them more.
I especially love this palette for glam night time looks, the pink/red tones are so beautiful to create such dramatic and vibrant looks with. I have blue eyes and these shades compliment them so much. However, my favourite thing about this palette is the consistency and pigment. I’ve been a big lover of Too Faced shadows for some time now but the creaminess of these shades have blown me away, they’re so bendable and easy to work with. No wonder this palette has been praised so much!
Since they are so pigmented you only have to apply a small amount at a time and continue to build the shade for your chosen look. This palette will last me such a long time because of that, therefore the price of it is totally worth it. I’ve been using this palette so often now that it’s completely replaced my love for the Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette.
I’ve loved this palette so much and changing brand has definitely encouraged me to this a bit more. Let me know some recommendations of eye shadow palettes for me to pick up and try out for you guys!
Twitter @bbbethan
Instagram @bbbbethan
With love, Beth x
August Goals
I’ve read a few blog post recently all about people’s monthly goals. I thought this was such a fun and creative way to keep track of my goals and see how well I have done at the end of each month. I’m aware that we’re almost a week into August but I did actually start these things at the beginning of the month, no harm right?
August 2017 goals:
- Lose 7lb in weight – Might seem a lot but I’m hoping to get as close to this as possible and I’m already 2lb into this!
- Save £50 – £100.
- Finish the Harry Potter book series.
- Grow my nails and maintain them.
Let me know yours, I’d love some inspiration!
Twitter: @_bbbethan
Instagram: @_bbbbethan
With love, Beth x
USA Beauty Haul
As you know, I recently spent 4 weeks in America and whilst there, I obviously bought some makeup. I did try and pick items up that I couldn’t get in the UK or that are cheaper in America than the U.K. I only picked up a few things, simply because I’m not a millionaire and almost all of these things I had planned to purchase before I went.
Firstly, the biggest item that I purchased is the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance palette, which I got from Sephora for $45. I’ve had my eye on this palette for SO LONG. So yes, I’m aware that Im super delayed at getting this. Until a few months ago I hadn’t even thought about getting it since I thought i had a lot of the same shades in other palettes, however when I swatched it in store I couldn’t get over how soft and gentle the shades are and how the pigment blew me away. I haven’t ever tried anything from ABH before so I thought this would be a good time to trial and test the products. I’m over the moon with the palette and can’t wait to test it out to its full potential. 
I also got the Urban Decay De-Slick Oil Control setting spray. I loved the Urban Decay All Nighter setting spray so I jumped at the chance of trying out this one. I do get very oily throughout the day and I’m hoping that this changes the way my makeup looks and sits on my skin. I did purchase a travel size and this was around $13.
The hype of this product has been around for so long now and I just knew I had to get it. So when I saw it in Target I didn’t hesitate to purchase it. The Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer has been an absolute storm in beauty and everybody talks about how amazing it is, especially the scent. This was around $14 dollars and having only tried it twice, I can’t give a full review but I can say that the smell is gorgeous.
Just like the bronzer, I just had to try one of the Wet N Wild blushes, I got a shade that is a coral tone as I find that it compliments my skin well, especially with a tan. I honestly don’t remember the price of this product but it was definitely lower than $5 and again, I’m yet to try this as I wasn’t wearing makeup during my time in America.
I also come across Elf Brushes at $3/$4 a piece. I know these can be purchased in the U.K. but I couldn’t help but purchase some due to the pricing of these. I bought an angled foundation brush that I’ll use for highlighter and concealer. The other is a fluffy contour brush, but can also be used for other products. These brushes are super soft and apply makeup generously and comfortably.
Finally, I was desperate to pick up something from Tarte and I especially wanted the Tarte Shape Tape. However, I went to so many Sephora’s and I still couldn’t find a store that sold it. Instead, I went ahead and purchase the Tarteist Pro Glow To Go palette. This is just a 3 pan contour and highlight palette. I do want the larger contour and highlight palette but I didn’t want to spend the money if I didn’t like it. I opted for the smaller palette that has 2 highlight shades and 1 contour/bronzer. The bronzer/contour is quite dark and I thought it would look like mud on my face but fortunately it doesn’t at all. It blends amazing and I can’t wait to use this repeatedly to give it a proper trial. I got this in the till section so I’m unsure about the pricr, approximately between $15 – $20.
Let me know if you want reviews on any of these products!
Twitter @bbbethan
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With love, Beth x
L’Oreal True Match
I’ve been testing out the L’Oreal True Match foundation for a few weeks now and I totally forgot how good of a foundation it actually was. I was using this religiously a few years ago and I found other products and never returned to it.
I bought mine from Superdrug for £9.99 and I think the best thing about this foundation is the massive amount of shades that are available. It’s huge! It’s the widest selection of shades that I’ve seen in the drugstore and it ranges for the palest of skin to the darkest. It’s incredible and I think it’s so good of L’Oreal for bringing it to the drugstore.
This foundation works so well for a variety of different skin types. I have combination skin and it doesn’t wear away on my oily skin and doesn’t look cakey on my dry skin. It’s extremely long wearing and for that I think it’s totally worth the money. I find that my creams and powders just glide on and I’m an avid fan of this product.
I kinda knew I would love it again since I really enjoyed the L’Oreal Cushion foundation so much and this really reminded me of how good the L’Oreal foundations actually are.
Twitter: _bbbethan
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With love, Beth x
Birchbox Misses
Since September I have been purchasing a monthly beauty subscription that I’ve really been enjoying, although I’ve not enjoyed every single product. Some of them I’ve loved and I’ll be likely to repurchase but others just didn’t work for me and my skin, which is totally OK.
The BirchBox is £12.95 a month which includes delivery and you receive 5 products. Sometimes you get 1 or 2 full sized samples and other times you don’t. They come in the most gorgeous draw boxes that I love and wish I had kept most of them since they’re so cute. I’ve loved receiving my BirchBox each month and I often forget about it so it’s like a gift to myself.
With that in mind, I didn’t like every single product that I’ve received. Most of them I’ve enjoyed and like I said, will probably repurchase for full sample. However, there are 5 particular products that I don’t really care for as they haven’t cooperated with me.
I’m a fan of colour correcting and when I received the NIP+Fab colour corrector in the yellow shade I was excited to try it. I tried it and I could not have been more disappointed. I used it under my foundation and my foundation looked cakey all day. It wasn’t pretty and due to this, I won’t ever purchase a NIP+Fab colour corrector through absolute fear.
I cant remember which month but I received a sample trio of the POP Beauty eyeshadows. I had never heard of this brand before so I gave it a go and it just didn’t do anything for me. The shadows weren’t anything special and the trio had all shimmery shades. It includes a shimmery dark brown which I would have used to smoke out but it just was too shimmery. It also includes a shimmery pink shade and a shimmery neutral shade. Like I said, they just didn’t do anything for me and I had no feelings towards it at all.
In a recent box we got to choose a full sample size and I picked the Mannakadar beauty powder. I think this was priced crazily expensive, something like £27! It’s the smallest product I’ve ever seen. Normally, powders are a fair size and worth the money. This is a small pan which actually looks like an eyeshadow. This is probably the bit that disappointed me the most. Also, the product wasn’t good at all. Again, it made my base look cakey and I wouldn’t recommend using this under the eyes at all.
Now, these next two products are fairly similar. I have the Amika: Bombshell Blowout Spray and the Beauty Protector protector and detangle spray. I do like to use products in my hair when I blowdry it just to make it look nicer and a more fresh but these products do nothing for my hair at all and it’s as simple as that. I don’t think they’re good or bad I just don’t think they do anything to my hair but they might do something to someone else’s. They smell good though!
Check out my posts on my BirchBoxes using the links below:
May
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With love, Beth x
Freedom Brow Pomade
I’ve been curious about the Freedom Brow Pomade for months, literally months. However, I was so sceptical about this product that I never ended up purchasing it. I finally decided to have a look at reviews to see what others thought of it and it turns out, nobody had terrible things to say about it. So I decided that since it is so affordable I can spare the money and try it out and if I didn’t like it, well I’ve learned my lesson and not listen to reviews.
The reviews were correct and this product is bloody brilliant! I loved it. So, I checked reviews on the Superdrug website and the TamBeauty website and the most popular comment suggested that this is identical to the ABH brow pomade (I’ve not tried it).
I’ve always been afraid of pomade’s because I’ve never tried them, I didn’t know whether this would be hard to work with, if it’s pigmented enough and whether or not I would cooperate with it. Fortunately, it’s the perfect brow product. I use this for bold or natural brow’s and the consistency of this product just makes it incredibly easy to work with.
The formula feels so high end and it’s crazy to think that this product is only £5! I can’t really fault the price and to be honest, I would probably pay a little more for this. Although, the colour range is low and the issue I had with deciding whether I wanted to actually get it was that I couldn’t select a shade.
The reviews did say that everybody recommends to go for a shade lighter than you would do, this is because the colour is different when it applies. Normally I would go for soft brown but this time I went with blonde (if you are blonde, go for something lighter.. this isn’t for you). It’s a perfect shade! That is the only downfall to this product.
Otherwise, the pigment and consistency makes this product a 10/10 for me. I like to apply this by brushing through the hairs, then taking a small amount and filling in the outer brow. Then I make my way back in to the middle section and using a lighter hand. Throughout this process I like to continue to brush through my brows just to make sure it’s softer and not as bold.
I absolutely love this product and definitely prefer it to any of the Benefit products!
Twitter: _bbbethan
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With love, Beth x
Festival Makeup Look
Festival season is approaching and what better way to dress for the occasion than with a bomb af makeup look. Am I right? I literally had a glitter and Highlight explosion and LOVED IT.
I’ll be the first to admit, I don’t go to festivals. They aren’t my thing. However, the makeup looks. Yeah they’re my thing. Each year I see these incredibly gorgeous looks full of fun and colour. Then I recreate them for nobody to ever see, literally never. Until now!
I recommend for a festival, party, concert or whatever you’ll be wearing this look for, to use products that you know suit you and work for you. Nobody wants to be testing new products for your foundation to look cakey and your eyeshadows to crease. Use products you know work and will continue to work throughout the wear of this makeup. I’ll tell you what products I used but just remember to use products that you already own to make this look specific to what you want.
I went with a red eye look for this and I LOVE IT. I think this is probably one of the best looks I have ever done (tooting my own horn). It’s mainly about making sure to blend those eyshadows and throw glitter everywhere.. isn’t that just fun?!
Firstly, I prepared my skin for along day of wearing makeup. I cleansed, toned and moisturised using a mattifying lotion. Whilst waiting for it to set I went straight in with concealer on my lid’s to prime them, I blended it in and then straight away went over with a bone/white eyeshadow. This will help your eyeshadows to blend and not crease. After this, I used the Freedom Brow Pomade in blonde to create a strong Brow.
My chosen palette was the Morphe 350 palette as it has incredibly gorgeous red, orange and copper shades. I started by using a light brown crease shade and applied this twice. Next I went ahead and mixed together the brightest orange and brightest red shade and continued to do so until it really popped. It does get messy but don’t worry about it, you’ll have plenty of time to clean it up. Next I used the shimmery copper and red shade by packing them all over the lid. After this, I went back in with my crease colours to just intensify the shade and tidy up the shimmers. With a little bit of concealer I created a sharp line on the outer corner of the eyeshadow to tidy it up and then created a winged eyeliner using the Ciate Fierce Flicks liner and then using the Bourjois Kohl eyeliner on my water line.
For base, I started with the Maybelline Baby Skin primer (this is a definite dupe for the Benefit Porefessional) and applied this just in my t-zone as this is my problem area. Once tacky I used the L’Oreal True Match foundation and applied this with a Real Techniques Bold Metals Sponge. I then added concealer to brighten and highlight, I used the Bourjois Reavel concealer under my eyes, nose, forehead and on the outer part of my lips and buffed it in. I powdered all over using the Maybelline Stay Matte powder.
After this I went back to the eyes and added the red shade under my eyes and bringing it right up above the eyeliner. I also dragged that colour on the top of my lids to the colour surrounds the liner, making a large wing effect. I topped this look off using the L’Oreal Voluminous mascara.
Going back to the face, I created a sharp contour using Benefit Hoola Bronzer (I’m desperate to get my hands on the Hoola Light!) and then bronzed all over with the Bourjois chocolate bronzer. I didn’t use any blush at all and went straight in with a large brush to apply the Sleek highlight palette on the high points of my face (cheek bones, nose and cupids bow) and finishing with the Sleek Liquid Lipstick in Birthday Suit.
Now, the fun part. You can use any glitter you like, I got mine from Amazon and it’s a simple iridescent white. There is no right or wrong to where you apply this as it’s just simply for fun and makeup doesn’t have to be perfect, it does wash off. Using the same brush that I used for highlighter, I applied it all over my cheek bones and nose and even adding a little bit to the inner corner of my eye. I then went back in as I thought I could do with more and placed it on the cheek bones again. WARNING: glitter goes EVERYWHERE. Literally everywhere. I have been finding it for weeks.
Top it off with your favourite setting spray, messy hair and a festival outfit and you’re good to go!
I hope you have the best time at your festivals this year, please remember to stay safe and look after each other.
Twitter: _bbbethan
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With love, Beth x
Allergy Season Makeup
Allergy season is here and every single year between March and August I have the worst hay fever ever. Itchy eyes? Check. Itchy and sore throat? Check. Blocked nose? Check. I have it all and to top it off, I’m asthmatic so it’s double the fun.
I find wearing makeup throughout the summer near impossible because my eyes water so much. By the end of the day I have lines down my face where my foundation did sit because my eyes leaked it all away. It’s a waste of money and I look ridiculous every single day.
However, over the years I’ve realised to just give up on makeup and create a flattering and subtle look instead.
In this case, it’s more about skincare and less about the makeup side. Less is more as they say.
I’ve been testing out a new skincare routine recently and my skin has never better. Each morning and evening I use The Body Shop Tea Tree Cleanser. I then follow with applying The Body Shop Tea Tree Tone and then the Mattifying Lotion.
I do struggle with oily skin normally but this routine has really helped my skin massively. I stay matte all day long and my makeup sits perfectly on it.
I highly recommend these skincare products from The Body Shop for everybody with oily or combo skin.
Secondly, I only ever apply the L’Oreal Magique Lumi Primer. This just makes my skin look super glowy and fresh. Next I apply the Freedom Brow Pomade in blonde and then a touch of mascara to my upper lashes.
This is my final look. It’s super basic and easy to do but it’s so effective since I do have severe hayfever. I find that the mascara is good only on the top lashes and obviously, a waterproof mascara is even better.
Let me know some of your tips for makeup throughout allergy season. In the meantime, check out my social media:
Twitter: _bbbethan
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With love, Beth x
Review: Riverdale
Riverdale has been the hype recently and along with so many other’s, I watched it. I found out that it was going to be a newly released show last November and without a doubt, I knew I would watch it. I crave cheesy, drama filled, romantic TV shows, I cant help myself. So, I watched the trailer, forgot about it and then it began in January. So, season 1 came and passed and after spending 13 episodes watching it, I can finally give you my full review on this show.
Is it worth the watch? I think so. If I’m totally honest, I was more interested in the story line of Jughead, Archie, Veronica and Betty than the murder of Jason Blossom, although I understood the point of Jason’s story line. However, as a show I think it’s brilliant and definitely could replace my love for The Vampire Diaries and Teen Wolf (there isn’t any supernatural behaviour in Riverdale though).
It took me 4 episodes to actually enjoy the show. That’s mainly because it was only introducing the character’s and setting the plot though. So nothing to do with the show exactly as the introduction is totally necessary. I do have favourites in Riverdale and my goodness, I really do look forward to seeing Cole Sprouse every single week. He play’s Jughead so well and has definitely drifted from his earlier work on Disney Channel. He’s fantastic as an actor and absolutely gorgeous. Where can I get one? Or two?
I’m also incredibly interested in the Cooper family, they just seem to have so many secrets and I want to know them all. However, Betty definitely seems like a totally different person in comparison to her parents.
I particularly love this 50s vibe that is has. I didn’t quite understand it at first, then found out that it’s because the comics were set in this time and just love that the show has stuck to this. The vibe is fantastic, the scenes are excellent and the cast couldn’t be any better.
I can see the next season being even better than the first and it’s been said that season 2 will have 22 episodes rather than 13! Wahoo. I thoroughly enjoyed this show and I can’t wait to see what hold’s for Jughead and Betty and to also finally see what drama Veronica’s dad brings to the town.
Twitter: _bbbethan
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Use my discount code ‘bethdavies20’ for 20% off at www.coconut-lane.com
With love, Beth x
Matalan Wish List
As you know I’m heading away for the whole summer and I’m going to New York. I don’t really have many summer clothes as I’ve thrown a lot away since they were old and tatty. So for the past few weeks in preparation for a big clothing shop I’ve been window shopping and browsing online at the types of things I want to buy before I head away and I thought I would show you guys.
I first went online to Matalan which I think is extremely underrated. Before moving to Aberystwyth I never ever shopped at Matalan and now I live here I generally have no choice but to shop there since we only have 2 actual clothing shops that I like. With that in mind, I’ve found some gorgeous items for the summer and realised Matalan are really upping their game! Their items aren’t all that expensive and generally they’re such wonderful and strong material.
I looked at the summer holiday section and found a fair few things that I like and may actually mix up. Firstly, these very pretty kaftan beach dresses (not entirely sure what to call them). These would be perfect for to throw over when you don’t want all that much sun. The white Pom Pom dress would be so cuter to wear to an evening stroll on the beach. I love how different these both are but still so pretty and flattering.
Price: £16 check here.
Price: £10 check here.
Next is another dress but a slightly more casual dress for evenings with a pair of heels or day time with sandals. I love how cute and petite it looks and the colour would look beautiful with a tan.
Priced: £12 check here.
I’ve not always been the biggest lover of playsuits as I generally like them to be quite spacious and baggy but I saw this one and immediately fell in love with it. I think I’ll still get this in a bigger size and wear it as an evening outfit.
Price: £9 check here.
I’ve been on the hunt for shorts this year but I’m quite fussy with them since I do have issues with the dreaded chub rub (thighs rubbing together). I’ve selected a few pairs that I like the look of but I think I’m going to go in store and try them before I buy them. I’m just going to see whether they’re long enough to make me feel comfortable in them.
Price: £8 check here.
Price: £14, check here.
Price: £4. Available in different colours, check here.
Swim wear will be something I never ever get on with. I like to feel comfortable at all times and I’m insecure about my body and weight so it makes everything worse. I like to look for costumes and bikinis that will flatter my curves and make me feel good (doesn’t everybody). I found two swim suits that I really like the design of and hope that they flatter me. Again, I’ll go instore and try these on.
Price: £16, check here.
Price: £16, check here.
There we have my Matalan summer wish list! You should check out their website or go in store, they have some beautiful items for next to nothing.
Twitter: _bbbethan
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With love, Beth x
BirchBox Unboxing // May 2017
In my April 2017 BirchBox I said that it would be my last until October. Little did I know, my payment went out and the May 2017 box arrived. I’m not complaining as it’s a nice little treat but I did unsubscribe from BirchBox and it sort of irritated me that they didn’t follow through. So, now I have cancelled the direct debit, this is my final BirchBox unboxing until I return in October.
I will admit, this months box really isn’t my favourite ever and I’m probably least interested in these products more than any. Hopefully they will surprise me. However, I love the packaging of this months box. It’s a marble looking box and it’s just gorgeous, in fact I think I’m going to keep this to store things in.
This months box gives us two full sized products which is lovely. The first is the Marsk Mineral Eyeshadow in Vanilla Frosting. This product retails at £14.49 full sized. I like this product 1. because you get your moneys worth for the box from this product alone and 2. because it actually looks like it would be a lovely highlight as well as eyeshadow. I actually don’t own anything like this so I’m probably most excited about this product than any other in the box.
I also got the SKIN79 Clean-on 2 Step Nose Pack (full sized) which retails at £2.90 which iS crazy affordable. This product is supposed to de-clog your pores and just refresh your skin.
Another makeup item that I received is the Doucce Punk Volumizer Mascara which retails at £18 full sized. I’m always keen to try new mascaras and this is suppose to add volume and thickness which is good since I do have quite thin eyelashes.
I received the Whish Firming Body Cream. This product is £27 full sized and is super good as the brand doesn’t test on animals. It’s supposed to protect and soften skin which is good but it’s essentially a moisturiser.
Finally, the product that I’m least enthusiastic about is the Kueshi Hair Mask Shine and Volume which is £10.50 for a full product. It’s a basic, simple hair mask but because my hair is so thick I find that these types of products just cling to every strand of hair and does take ages to remove.
There we finally have the last unboxing. Enjoy!
Twitter: _bbbethan
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With love, Beth x
Declutter Your Life!
Having a spring/summer clean out is so beneficial for you. It helps you to look around at your belongings and appreciate the fact that you’re so lucky to have so many things (more than you probably should). Decluttering also helps you to consider the things that you don’t use or wear anymore and give them to charity or your friends or even throw away the things that simply are of no use.
If you don’t know already, I’m heading away to the states for 3 months and I’m going to have to start packing my things up to move out of my current home and store things with my parents or Matt for the duration I am away. Since this is the case, I went ahead and gave my bedroom a decluttering to help make things easier for when I finally head away. I also own a lot of things that aren’t of any use to me anymore and I’m simply just hoarding them which really isn’t good for the little space I have.
Since I am doing this over the next few weeks I thought I would give you guys some of my tips to declutter your belongings and help reduce the amount of unnecessary things you have.
Tip #1: Don’t throw everything away, find other uses. Give to friends or family, even perhaps donate to charity. You may find that a lot of the things you no longer want are still in decent condition and others may want them instead. I like to find clothing that I don’t wear no more or even miscellaneous items that I have no use for and give them to charity or my loved ones.
Tip #2: When organising your things, use boxes to categories your sections. For example: Box 1 for friends and family. Box 2 for charity. Box 3 for the bin. Normally I’ll put everything in box 1 and see if my friends or family want anything from them, if they don’t then it’ll go in box 2.
Tip #3: Stop finding reasons to keep things. You don’t need that cardigan with holes in just because you’ve owned it for 10 years. That’s a decent reason to throw it away (can’t imagine you would give it to friends/family or charity.
Tip #4: G I also find it so relaxing to declutter and give my living environment a good clean. Crack on some music, get yourself a cocktail and away you go. I find it extremely relaxing to give my living space a good clean and declutter, it helps me to think better and feel more productive as well as feeling more relaxed when I’m spending time there.
Let me know some of your decluttering tips!
Twitter: _bbbethan
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With love, Beth x
A Small Beauty Declutter
I recently went ahead and had a little clean out of my makeup collection. I think it’s so refreshing to remove any unwanted or unused products to make room for new releases and to also ensure that you’re not using products that are out of their expiry date. It’s so important that makeup users are aware of the expiry date that is set on each product, you don’t want to be using a mascara on your lashes if it is out of date as it can cause possible infections. This is the same case for face products too, they can cause a rash, acne and infections also. I will say, I didn’t throw massive amounts away and a lot of it I actually gave to people because the quality was good and I did at some point enjoy the product but I simply no longer use them and didn’t want to see them go to waste.
Whilst going through my clear out I thought I would with you guys what I would re-purchase from the items that I threw away and whether they’re worth having. Admittedly, not all of these products were out of date I simply threw them away or gave them away because I didn’t like them or they weren’t very good for my skin.
I did give away or throw some products that were totally disappointing, for example the Urban Decay Illuminating Trio was the biggest waste of money I have ever purchased. Along with the Urban Decay Original Primer Potion. Both of these products were awful and especially the illuminating trio. The trio were supposed to be highlighters but they had very little to no pigment to them. They were pretty much just shimmer and looked as if I had thrown small glitter pieces at my face. They weren’t even long wearing either. The primer potion just felt totally unnecessary and I feel that concealer works just as well than paying a fortune for the primer potion.
Another products that I was disappointed to be throwing away was the Sleek Matte Me Liquid Lipstick in Old Hollywood. If you don’t know already, I love these liquid lipsticks by Sleek. The formula is incredible, the pigment is outstanding and they’re not drying at all. However, this shade was awful. It was so patchy, it cakes up and literally would lay in ever single crease on my lips (yes, I do use a lip balm before applying them). I was shocked to dislike this product simply because I love the shades Birthday Suit and Velvet Slipper.
Finally, a product that was also really disappointed with was the Maybelline Sculpting Stick (I’ve totally forgotten the name). It is a cream contour and highlight stick and I think this was the most awful cream contour I’ve ever used. It just didn’t blend well and when it didn’t I found that the pigment was awful and just didn’t show at all. It was a total waste of money and I wouldn’t ever repurchase this.
There we have it! Check out my social media:
Twitter: _bbbethan
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Use my discount codes:
- bethdavies20 for 20% off at http://www.coconut-lane.com
With love, B x
March Favourites
March has ended which means that my 21st birthday isn’t long away and I’m probably more excited than I should be. Since March has finished it’s time to let you guys know what I’ve been loving throughout the month and my recommendations to you, so let’s jump straight into it.
For the month of March I did put myself on a beauty spending ban (I did buy a couple of little things, naughty of me) so I don’t have that many products to share with you guys!
Real Techniques has released new brushes with Superdrug and they’re called the MultiTech Collection. They’re on the pricey side for Real Techniques and I said in my beauty wishlist post that I wanted to try some of these brushes. They come in a selection that caters for the face and eyes but also include a beauty sponge for £9.99. I already love the Real Techniques Bold Metals Diamond Sponge, I swear by it so I’m definitely looking forward to giving their new sponge a try. However, I actually purchased the XL Point Brush which is extremely large, I paid £13.49 but it’s usually £17.99. It’s a universal brush that can be used for powder, bronzer, foundation and tinted moisturiser. I have used the brush for all these applications and I definitely agree and think that this brush is incredible. It’s such good quality and makes my makeup look flawless and it’s so easy and quick to do now since the brush is so big. I absolutely love it!
I’ve been loving the L’Oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara. This stuff, UGHHHH! SO GOOD. To start with, this is super black and creates such dark lashes which I personally love for a glam look. It also adds so much volume to my lashes that I don’t ever wear falsies with it. It’s a brilliant mascara for the drugstore and I will definitely be repurchasing.
I’ve not been all that well this month, so I’ve been watching Netflix far too often. However, they recently added Inside West Coast Customs to the list and I’ve been loving it! It brings back so many memories to my childhood and I find it s interesting how they make these incredible cars.
I’ve read a few books this month and I had two favourites. The first being The One We Fell In Love With by Paige Toon and a review is already up on this book. The second is All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven and a review will be up on this book next month. They’re both beautiful, heart warming stories and definitely both have different story lines. I loved each of them so much but for completely different reasons. Paige Toon’s novel is about three identical triplets who at some point in their lives all fell in love with the same guy, a little less realistic but still a lovely and easy read. Where as Jennifer Niven’s novel is a more sensitive novel about mental health and suicide awareness.
There we have it, a little boring this month but my month favourites have arrived! Let me know what you’ve been loving.
Twitter: _bbbethan
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With love, Beth x
BirchBox Unboxing // March 2017
My March BirchBox arrived rather late this month, therefore my review on it had to be late, super sorry! However, it’s arrived and I’m really looking forward to digging into these wonderful products.
This month (and some other months) we’ve been able to choose one of the items that goes into the box. This month it happened to be one of the new Benefit They’re Real lipsticks and lipliners. I chose mine in the shade Lusty Rose as it seemed like the shade I would wear more often. It’s a very pretty, mauve shade and it looks beautiful with so many looks. Since the box arrived I have not stopped wearing it but I’m still unsure whether I love it. I definitely enjoy the colour and creamy formula but it just feels so heavy on my lips and if I’m paying attention to it and sometimes I can’t help but pay attention to it, I find that it really irritates me. These lipsticks retail at £16.50 full sized.
Next is the Batiste Dry Shampoo and Conditioner. I’ve been having a love affair with the Batiste Dry Shampoo for so many years now and I will always go back to it for a dry shampoo. I find that it works brilliantly, it isn’t bad for the price and the scents are gorgeous and really help the texture of my hair when I don’t feel like washing it. I’ve used this a few times and I do see a difference with this product in comparison to the original dry shampoo, I just find that my hair different with it rather than the original. Don’t get me wrong, I still love my dry shampoo from Batiste but I think this may be a new love of mine. This is a newly released product from Batiste (I could be wrong but I don’t think I am) and retails at £4.49 full sized which is around the same price some of the other dry shampoo’s from the brand.
I’ve never tried anything from the brand BalanceMe so when I received the Instant Lift Primer I was immediately excited. I love trying new primer’s and seeing what works for me and what doesn’t. This primer is supposed to help pores disappear and by using ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and acacia gum, it tightens and smooths the skin to create the ideal complexion. I have tried this already but I don’t feel like I’ve tried it enough to give a proper review. I also think the sample size is far too small and has very little product in it that I may only have 2 or possibly 3 portions left. This then means that I have to head out and buy the full sized product, which is £22 to see whether I really do like it.
I also received the Marcelle Gentle Makeup Remover for Sensitive Eyes, this retails at £14.50 and is a BirchBox exclusive. This is probably the product that I am least excited about, I often just use my normal skincare routine to remove my eye makeup and that works absolutely fine. I never go out of my way to purchase an eye makeup remover simply because I don’t think it’s worth the money and I don’t find any micellar water’s irritate my eyes at all. However, it’s a nice treat to have and I’ll take full advantage since I have it and hope that I don’t enjoy it too much because £14.50 for a eye makeup remover is a little pricey.
Lastly, I received the Rituals Sensational Foaming Shower Gel. I received the Rituals Magic Touch Body Cream in my October BichBox and loved it, it was incredible on my skin and made my skin feel really hydrated and refreshed. Since I’ve already tried something from this brand it has definitely made me look more forward to trying this shower gel.and it’s a foam which I find so much to play with!
Let me know what you had in your box this month.
Twitter: _bbbethan
Instagram: _bbbbethan
With love, Beth x
7 Things To Do In The New Year
Another new year has passed and we’re almost in 2018! There are people everywhere doing things as a fresh start for the new year, whether it’s adding or removing things to your life or simply having a clear out. We all do a little something to really make a difference to the new year and month.
For me, I always like to have a clear out. I think there’s nothing better than starting the new year with a freshly cleaned home and a clear mind. I also like to do other things just to really make the extra difference to my life and I think it’s time to share them with you!
- Having a clear out is important so whether it’s your clothing, your draws or whatever it could possibly be. Go ahead and empty your unnecessary items into the bin for another year.
- Make decorative change to your home. Fancy a new colour in your living room? Flooring? Make a list of things you want to do to make your house feel that extra more homey and you’ll thank yourself in December when you achieve these.
- Send happy new year cards! It’s always lovely to show people how much you love them and how grateful you are for them. I think writing cards is so thoughtful and what better than letting someone know you’re so happy that you have them in your life.
- Give to the homeless or a charity, maybe both? Who knows. December is a month for giving and it doesn’t stop there! Whether you have left over food or clearing away any old toys, you can always donate them.
- Organise your monthly bills. Paper chase have the most incredible annual budget diaries and I think it’s a great way to get your finances in order and make 2018 another successful year.
- Plan a trip! There is nothing better than knowing you have something to look forward too. I definitely plan on organising a holiday this year and I can’t wait to give myself a little motivation and excitement for the upcoming months.
- Setting goals is important and for me, I like to do them monthly rather than yearly as they’re often more achievable. I really think that it’s important to do more of what makes you happy and do things to improve your sense of self.
Let me know some of the things that you like to do in January to make your new year more successful!
twitter: @bethdaviesblog
Instagram: @_bbbbethan
With love, Beth x
10 Benefits of Exercising
I recently started to take exercising more seriously and don’t get me wrong, I’m no expert at all. Although that doesn’t mean I haven’t become aware of the perks of exercising whilst doing it, my body has been changing but not only that, my mental health. Whether it’s my shape, my skin or my mind, I’m finding that there are so many benefits from exercising and it’s encouraged me to do it more.
It has so many benefits, most of which I never knew or understood for a long time. In fact, the thought of exercise used to give me major lazy-bones syndrome. I hated everything to do with exercise for so long and when I eventually started taking my weight loss seriously I just knew that I wanted to increase my chances of loss and changing my body shape by adding exercise to my plan.
Exercise is different for everybody and people change in accordance to their mind and body. These are the things I’ve noticed that have happened since I’ve started taking exercise more seriously but I would love for you to share with me your feelings on exercise!
I used to exercise religiously, in fact it probably wasn’t at all healthy. However,after minimising the amount I exercise and finding a balance between what makes me happy, I have noticed the benefits that come from exercising. So, what benefits have I noticed from exercising? Continue reading to find out.
1. I do struggle with acne and I always have but I’ve found since exercising my skin has become so much more clear. Perhaps this is the amount of water I’m now drinking, the healthy balanced diet and exercise combined. Whatever it is, it’s working and I’m very happy!
2. Exercise boosts your endophines, meaning that you’ll become less stressed, anxious, angry and confused.
3. You’ll feel more confident seeing changes to your body. You’ll try on your old clothes and start feeling more yourself again enjoy the skin you’re in.
4. Eating healthy and exercising can decrease your chances of being unwell and having to fight those nasty winter colds. As well as improving your blood pressure.
5. Your balance will improve along with your flexibility! I really encourage yoga for balance and flexibility, it’s a great workout and I’ve found my body has become more flexible in just the few months that I’ve been practicing.
6. Improves your sleeping pattern. I sleep so much better than ever! Getting between 8-10 hours a night.
7. You will have picked up a new hobby so instead of spending your time doing nothing whilst sat at home, head out and exercise. It passes the time away and makes you feel good.
8. It’s mentally stimulating which helps productivity throughout the day. For me, if I’ve got an essay to write or reading to do I’ll always start my day off with a workout to aid my energy levels.
9. Your lung capacity will improve and you’ll find yourself with better stamina. At the beginning I noticed this change and you will too, eventually you’ll be doing certain exercises like jogging better with your ability to control your breathing through the session.
10. Exercise gives you a better outlook on life, it helps with your mental health drastically and can seriously reduce depression and anxiety. Along with that you can decrease your chances of having diabetes, heart problems as well as a strokes by up to 50%.
Before my masters degree I wasn’t ever keen on exercising, I didn’t know what I was doing and I couldn’t control my breathing correctly. With time you’ll adjust and you’ll learn how to successfully control your breathing, for me, yoga did this. I practiced yoga before starting the gym and it really helped me to learn how to control my breathing when in poses and sessions that are hard. Don’t get me wrong, I do struggle to find the time for it as I’ve gotten busier these past few weeks, but that doesn’t mean I still don’t like to exercise. In fact, I enjoy it more!
Twitter: @bethdaviesblog
Instagram: @_bbbbethan
With love, Beth x
Beauty Gift Guide
Each year I impatiently await the releases of any beauty items and spend a long carefully considering my options between drugstore and high end. I know I’m not the only one who does this and each year I find things that I wouldn’t necessarily buy myself but I do give them as ideas to others.
Beauty gifts are always a safe gift to purchase, whether it’s for your friend, girlfriend, grandmother, wife or daughter, there is something for everyone. This year I’ve picked a few things that I would like and I thought you guys may want to use as ideas for your friends and family. Remember, these gifts don’t necessarily have to be for females as makeup is for all genders!
I have selected a few items from drugstore to high end so there is a variety of prices to pick from. The first for me and the one that got me the most excited, is the Benefit The Great Brownaza. It is essentially a box full of 5 full sized brow products from Benefit. I’ve done a review on this already s be sure to check it out. It costs £49.50 and has around £120 worth of products which is a total bargain! If you can pick one up, I highly recommend it.
Next is the Kat Von D London is Calling Vol 2 set. For £19.50 you receive the Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lovecraft, Studded Kiss lipstick in Mercy and the Tattoo Liner in black. I especially like this product because all of Kat Von D products are free from animal cruelty and the price of this set isn’t too high at all considering it’s bought in Debenhams.
I speak so highly of this years Tanya Burr Cosmetics Christmas collection this year. I really enjoy the makeup line that she has created over the past few years as it’s a decent brand and the formula of the products is absolutely fantastic. This year I bought the Jingle and Mingle night set which is a combination of 3 eye shadows, a liner, lip gloss, bronzer and glitter pot. It’s £18 from Superdrug and I think it’s a lovely set for any age range and skin tone.
Something I personally have had my eye on this year is the Makeup Revolution Ultimate Nudes Brush Collection, as I’m writing this it’s £25 but the original price is £50. Although it’s likely to stay at a discounted price. With the set you receive 9 brushes and a silicone makeup applicator. I purchased the Christmas brush collection last year and I highly recommend these brushes. They don’t shred at all, they’re so soft and really do apply makeup effortlessly. These are also ideal first makeup brushes for those teenagers who are just starting out!
I had a browse on the Beauty Bay website and come across the Zoeva Plaisir Box for £48. I absolutely love the Zoeva eyeshadows, they’re fantastic quality and dependant on where you get them from, they aren’t all that expensive. In this set you get 3 eyeshadow palettes which each hold 10 shadows. So you’re receiving 30 eyeshadow of an amazing quality. These come as a set but also as individuals if you wish (I think Cult Beauty stock them individually) and I think they’re the most gorgeous colours that can cater for all types of looks.
Again, from Beauty Bay for those lipstick lovers. Ofra Cosmetics have The Lip Affair Collection for an amazing £30. This set comes with 3 liquid lipsticks in Laguna Beach (a baby pink tone), Milan (a burgundy) and Manhattan (a nude pink). What more could a girl want? They’re long lasting, the formula is creamy and not drying and most of all, you’re getting 3 beautiful lipstick shades for a great price.
Real Techniques are widely loved across the world for their high quality, low price brushes and makeup tools. In fact, their brushes and sponges are my absolute favourite. In Superdrug the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge comes in a pack of 6 for around £24.99! Bargain if you ask me. Only a few weeks ago they were selling these packs for £12!! If this deal is still on, you’ve got yourself a steal. Although let’s be fair, you’re saving money by buying them as a pack of 6 anyway!
A final one from Makeup Revolution is the 8 pan amplified highlighting palette. This palette has the most incredible shade selection for highlights and eyeshadows and can definitely cater for so many skin tones. Honestly, for £15 you cannot go wrong with this palette. Everyone knows Makeup Revolution is one of the best drugstore brands around right now and this product is a winner in my eyes.
These are the beauty items I highly recommend for those beauty lovers out there! There are such a variety of beauty gift sets on the market right now and if you’re stuck for ideas I hope that I’ve helped.
Twitter: @bethdaviesblog
Instagram: @_bbbbethan
With love, Beth x
Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water
I’ve been an avid fan of the Garnier skincare for several years now. I think Garnier is one of the best priced and greatest quality on the drugstore market right now. So when I come across the new Garnier Micella Cleansing Water I was definitely intrigued.
There are two types of this product, one for combination and sensitive skin and another for just sensitive skin. I’ve been trying both at separate times to make sure I give them a fair and equal review.
I tried the combination and sensitive skin first, this one comes in the green bottle. I do have both sensitive skin and combination so I thought this would be ideal for me. I had been using it for several weeks and had noticed that my skin had been breaking out more than ever. After 4 weeks of using this and once I had stopped, I noticed my acne was clearing up amazingly. I don’t know whether the grape extract in this product maybe affected my skin but there is something in this product that made my skin flare up.
However, I really did like this product otherwise. I found that this really removed all my makeup, dirt and oil and I really felt like my skin was sparkling clean. Although I did like it I knew that it wasn’t helping my acne at all.
I then went ahead and tried the one that is just for sensitive skin and it’s been amazing. So amazing in fact that my skin has started to clear up and It’s even helping to control the oils on my face. It totally removes my makeup, makes my skin feel fresh and healthy and I can’t recommend this product enough.
Personally I think the one for sensitive skin is dependant on how sensitive your skin is but honestly, as a cleanser and makeup remover I think this product is outstanding. The formula really doesn’t feel drugstore at all.
Garnier has done it again and created the ideal cleanser!
The best part is how affordable this product is. I get mine for around £2.60 in savers but you can also purchase this in your local Superdrug, Boots and Wilkinson’s as well as many supermarkets.
Twitter: @bethdaviesblog
Instagram: @_bbbbethan
With love, Beth x
Equality is the New Feminism
Blogmas day 18! Let’s discuss why I should be allowed to sleep with 50 men and nobody give a shit?
There is this massive stigma in society on the rights and wrongs on what women do and I for one, have had enough of it. So many people, both women and men believe that each gender should act according to the norm and to other people’s views and I call total bullshit on it. It’s 2017 for crying out loud and if I want to wear men’s clothes, sleep around or be a brick layer I bloody well will.
Many people, especially the older generation (some may argue) believe that women are to raise children, cook, clean and be seen but not heard and I personally find it highly offensive. I’m offended that my education isn’t deemed important or significant in every day life and that my purpose on this earth is the give birth and be nothing more than a house wife. Don’t get me wrong, if that is what you want with your life then by all means. My point is though, that we should all have a choice on what happens in our lives and how we decide to live it is nobody else’s choice and quite frankly, their opinion is totally invalid unless asked for it.
I’m sure in the past people believed that life would be different in the future. Well, the future is happening, the 21st century is here and yet women and men are still seen as different and honestly, we aren’t. Some of the smartest people I know are women and some are men. I know women that are strong, empowering and intelligent who can take on whatever life throws at them. However, the minute they use their intelligence, a man’s ego is hurt because said woman can calculate mathematics better than him.
What really, really grinds my bones is that it is absolutely accepted for a man to sleep with as many people as he wants. However, the minute a woman has a number count over 5, they’re deemed damaged and slutty. How is this fair? Equality, I don’t think so. Sex is 100% a natural experience that is totally required for 90% or more of people. I know from personal experiences that I have felt so guilty and unworthy after having a one night stand because I feel like Society will judge me. However the more I’ve grown up and have experienced casual sex, I’ve realised that there is absolutely nothing wrong with it and in fact, it’s fine to sleep with people with no attachments if you truly want too. So why can’t I decide who I want to sleep with and when, without being identified as a whore?
So what if I want to work 60 hours a week, wear a face full of makeup and a low cut t-shirt. I am the owner of my own body and if a man can’t control where he looks or feels intimated by a hard working woman, then there is something wrong with him rather than me or any other woman.
My point is, I’m fed up of living in a world where it isn’t OK for a man to have feminine characteristics or a women to want to work in a male dominated career. It’s absolutely fine to be whoever you want to be and nobody should have an opinion on whether or not it is acceptable.
Twitter: @bethdaviesblog
Instagram: @_bbbbethan
With love, Beth x
The Body Shop Body Butter
Blogmas day 16 gives you a review on my current favourite body butter!
The Body Shop are known for their incredible skin care line and I totally agree. I swear by the tea tree range for my face and with that, I’ve recently picked up the most incredible body butter ever.
I’ve been so hit and miss with body butter’s in the past, sometimes they’re good, other times they just leave me feeling sticky and I cant put clothes on right away. However, The Body Shop Frosted Berries Body Butter is beautiful. I don’t know whether it’s just this one or whether it’s the whole range but from what I know, it’s incredible.
I do believe that this specific one is actually from the Christmas 2016 range, which is why I got it at a discounted price from £15 to £6. Which is an amazing deal since it’s a 200ml tub of heaven!
I like to apply this right after I’ve had a shower and dried my skin, it just leave my skin feeling so soft, gentle and moisturised. The thing I really like is that at the end of the day, when I’m ready for bed, I still feel all those things and the scent just stays with you all day long. It’s honestly beautiful.
This one has a mixture of so many berry smells but I can really smell the raspberry scent which is probably why I love it so much. Since wearing this I’ve had so many compliments on what I smell like, which I personally think there is nothing better than someone telling me I smell good!
If you’re able too, I’d go and take a look at the selection that your local Body Shop has and test one out for yourself! It’s incredible and I highly recommend.
Twitter @bethdaviesblog
Instagram @_bbbbethan
With love, Beth x
Favourite Movies of 2017
Each year the movie industry releases so many good movies, admittedly I don’t often see many since I’m so busy. However I do make the exceptions to try and see as many as I can. With that in mind, I’ve seeen some decent ones this year and I can’t wait to share them with you!
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2
- Suicide Squad
- Wonder Woman
- Dunkirk
- Spider-Man Homecoming
- Beauty and the Beast
- Logan
- Everything, Everything
These have been my favourites of this year! I hadn’t noticed the common theme of superhero movies but I know that these have been good ones! Let me know some of your favourites so I can give them a watch.
Twitter: @bethdaviesblog
Instagram: @_bbbbethan
With love, Beth x
Beth's Corner 