Overwhelmed.

This post is going to be something a little different from my usual 'genre'. You know when you have those moments in your life when everything seems to get very overwhelming and stressed? Well I'm kind of having one of those summers. I say summer because I have a very big year ahead of me. Come October I will be entering my third and final year at university. Now the reason I'm feeling a little overwhelmed is that I have to conduct my own 7,000 word research project as well as completing 3,000 word essays for other modules. For those of you who don't know, I'm studying Psychology with Criminology. If you have done Psychology at A Level and are thinking to yourselves that it's relatively easy, think again. Degree level Psychology is not only NOT easy it is very Math orientated. We have to do a lot of statistics and when conducting research we have to run our findings through statistical software (depending on your methodology) and present our findings in a research paper along with a lengthy introduction to the project you are researching and a lengthy discussion about it. Anyway, I'm rambling, I'm not here to tell you the ins and outs of my degree, just to let off a little steam.  Basically, it is not easy to sit and think of a research project and it involves so many components including ethics that it makes the whole process a little MANIC. I've had ideas for my project for a while and I have various journal articles around the subject so I'm up to speed. I'm going to be doing something involving media representations of mental illness. But yeah, it's a lot to consider when you haven't really done this type of thing before (Uni like to throw you in at the deep end). Alongside my hectic academic year, I have to work 16 hours a week for three adults with learning disabilities (which also has it's stressful moments) and I have applied to volunteer at a family support unit as a counsellor/listener.

I have taken on so much for this year that I'm extremely excited about but also overwhelmed by at the same time. I am a serial planner and list maker but sometimes I forget that these things help to calm me and put things into perspective (which my boyfriend has to remind me of from time to time) and if I just sit down and list everything I need to do then I'll be just fine. Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance. I have emailed my supervisor a lengthy email and hopefully she'll calm me a little as well when she replies. I also kind of can't believe that by this time next year I will have a degree in Psychology. It seems so bizarre and mind blowing although I have worked so hard for this and I'm so excited to finally finish. Although my inner geek will kind of miss it.  My studying won't stop there though, I am planning to do my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at some point but once I have little more work experience behind me or once I've done a Post Graduate qualification. I'm not entirely sure yet. I feel so much better now I have wrote it down and I'm sorry this was probably really boring but I needed to vent somewhere.

Let me know if any of you guys are about to do your dissertation (any subject) and what your ideas are etc? 

Love,

Louise

x

Birthday Celebrations!

Hi Guys!

It was my 21st Birthday yesterday (Monday 6th) and on the Sunday before me and one of my favourite girls went on a cinema and Frankie & Benny's Date :) We went and watched Ted, which was okay but not as funny as I thought it would be and was little strange. Kind of felt like I was on drugs the whole time watching it, like I was having some weird trip!! Haha. Anyway, we went for food afterwards and it was delicious! Although I didn't eat a lot because I had Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream at the cinema, it was heavenly though! I thought I'd share my birthday pictures with you :) 

 Our yummy Platter. 

Me and the Mr went bowling! 

First lot of Presents! :) 

First Present off Mark! 

Oh yes! 

Second Present off Mark! Armani Watch :) 

My Friends and Mark's Mum & Dad got me a Pandora bracelet and charms! And it's purple and <3 

I love the mug in this little set, it is absolutely massive and holds a good brew! 

Can't wait to get into these! :) 

My auntie got me this gorgeous bag and it's perfect! I love it and she knows me so well! :) 

My parents got me a 32" television but I got given it a few weeks before because it was just sitting in the lounge and my dad wanted to put it up straight away! I love everything I got oh and I nearly forgot... A family Friend made me a cake! 

I haven't had any of it yet but I'm sure it's lovely and I'm so grateful that she put in so much effort for me! 

I had an absolutely lovely day and it ended with my parents taking me to a little restaurant for a birthday meal  with Mark. I felt a little bummed out today, probably just because I had such a lovely time yesterday but I feel good now and I'm in bed watching my big bang theory box set with a bottle of Dr.Pepper! Yes, I may be 21 but I'm still very much a child :') 

I have a day off tomorrow and it is supposed to be sunny so hopefully going to go out for the day! :) 

Love,

Louise

x 

A cheap alternative..

Today I had a little parcel arrive which I've been rather excited about. You will probably think I've gone a little mad for already thinking about my winter wardrobe but with the miserable weather in England, can you really blame me? 

A sneaky purchase from h&m had to be made because some of their new stock is just gorgeous. I did restrain myself though and only bought two pieces. Now the first thing I'm going to talk about is something I have lusted over for probably about 3/4 years but couldn't never justified the price to myself. So when h&m came out with an alternative for a fraction of the price, did I have to buy them? Yes I did. 

Image taken from h&m website

H&Ms version of Dr.Martens! Can you believe it? Last year I searched high and low for a knock off pair and could I find any? No!! But these beauties land in at just £24.99! But it doesn't end there, oh no, I managed to save on them as well! Being the tight fisted person I am I went searching for some discount codes, as you do. I managed to find one for 25% off one item of your choice, so they came down to £18 something. Bargain! 

Now, I also ordered a little cardigan which was in the sale for £3.99 (I think) but I searched some more, ultimately trying to find a free delivery code but then came across one where I got £5 off the entire order as well! So all together, including the delivery it came to around £21! So I got myself a good deal don't you think? I have just tried these on and had a little walk around in them and they are so comfy it's quite unbelievable. I thought they would be a little tight until they were worn in but they fit a little loose. Not a problem though because when winter does come around I like to wear thick socks because the toesies get cold. Now I know that Dr.Martens can be quite hard to wear in and are a little uncomfortable for awhile but I do a lot of walking around when in university, going to different buildings etc so the last thing I need is for my feet to be killing me! I'm really happy with them and once the rain falls again I will definitely be strutting my stuff in them! Although I will say the laces seem a little short, as they are hard to tie properly and seem a little thin, so I will probably get some new laces for them (if I can be bothered). 

I just thought I'd share these with you just in case anyone else wanted a pair of Dr.Martens and like me, didn't want to spend the hefty price. H&M have some really lovely stuff at the moment so you should definitely check them out :) 

Love, 

Louise 

x

A Bit Of A Change...

Hello Beauties, as you might have noticed I did a little 're-modelling' of my blog tonight. I wasn't really comfortable with the way it was before and after coming across so many inspiring and amazing blogs I just felt the need to make things a little more sophisticated. It took me a while to figure out all the little details because I literally had no idea what I was doing. After searching many websites, I found a few helpful places to help me figure out the little details I wanted to change. So I hope you all like the new look and if you are new to my blog then a big hello and I hope you enjoy! :) 

I also just wanted to say a big thank you to those of you lovely ladies that have left me comments so far complimenting my blog (even at these really early stages) and I am very appreciative of everyone's support. I am also hoping to get up some OOTDs uploaded very soon but it's quite hard when you have no one to take pictures for you! Everyone in my life is busy in one way or another so it's difficult to grab someone to take the photos. Anyway I am hoping to find a way somehow but you all know those pesky camera timers can be a nightmare! So, that is all really! I just wanted to do a quick little blog for you and hopefully it is onwards and upwards from here! 

Lots of love, 

Louise 

x

Skin Care.

Hi Guys! I thought I would do a quick post about my skin care routine, as I know feel I have the right products to suit my skin type. 

My everyday skin care. 

I don't use a lot of products, just the simple wash, cleanse and moisturise. I also don't use any of these expensive products because I just don't find they work for me. I have used the Clinique 3 Step programme before and did so for about 6/7 months but just found my problem area (dry skin) was not being addressed. I have also tried Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish but found that it didn't do much for me either. So, after spending ridiculous amounts on these 'revolutionary' skin care products, I just decided to keep it simple. After also trying the Simple products I decided to mix and match my products. 

SKINSYSTEM Cleansing Facial Wipes: Sensitive. 

This is the first product I use in my routine and although I have a cleanser, which can remove make-up I have always preferred using a wipe, just to at least remove the visible traces of make-up at first. I used to really hate face wipes as certain brands really break me out, especially when I was in my early teenage years. These have been my trusty repurchase for years and really inexpensive at only a £1 each or sometimes they are 4 for £3. I think these do the job and don't break me out which is always a plus.  

Boots Tea Tree and Witch hazel Foaming Face Wash.

After I have removed my make-up with the wipe I use this with a splash of warm water. I use about two pumps and it comes out as a foam. After scrubbing it into my face I wash it off again with warm water. You can really smell the tea tree and it's really refreshing on the skin. This is probably my favourite product out of them all as it really helps reduce the appearance of my spots and also keep them at bay. This removes the last traces of residue left from my make-up and is very effective at giving a deep clean. I use this both day and night. I would recommend this to everyone, it really is fab.

 I came across this little gem when it was on a deal in Superdrug or Boots and I thought I would give it try (Garnier is now my all time favourite brand). I chose this one because it was specifically for dry skin and I have trouble with dry skin around my eyebrows and on my forehead. I would recommend this for any skin type though because it's just very comforting as it says. It really does feel like my skin is getting a good clean. I use this after my foaming face wash just to give my face a comforting cleanse and a little moisturise. When I use this on  cotton wool (at night) no traces of make-up are left on the pads, which gives credit to the foaming face wash for doing its job! I only use this on cotton wool pads at night because I don't need to apply make-up so don't need to worry about my dry skin.  

Source Google Images. 

I use one of these exfoliating face brushes in the morning to just gently rub the cleansing lotion into my skin. I focus around my forehead but do also use this a little on my chin and cheeks. I feel it helps bring the blood to the surface of my skin and creates a radiant kind of glow, it also stops the flaky look appearing once my make-up is applied. The one pictured is not the one I actually use, I had to grab a picture off Google because my actual brush broke the other day so I just essentially have the head part now, and I couldn't really take a picture of that could I? I'm going to purchase a new one soon but not from the same place because it was obviously poor quality. I only went to rub it on my face and it just snapped in two (tbf It was only 99p from Ebay). 

Garnier Essentials Moisturiser. 

This is my day time moisturiser which I use every morning without fail. I absolutely love this moisturiser, it's rich and creamy and keeps my skin nicely hydrated for the day. The only downfall I would say is that it does make my skin slightly oily but once it has settled in (usually leave for 5/10 minutes) the 'oilyness' usually subsides. I am going to look around for a mattifying moisturiser and see how it compares because I obviously don't want to dry out my already partly dry skin. This tub has lasted me 11 weeks so far and counting... It probably has another months worth in it! Great value for money I say! 

Boots Vitamin E Night Cream. 

I use this before I go to bed and apply a generous amount all over my face. I don't mind using a more rich and intense cream for night time because it allows time for the product to really sink in. It leaves my skin really hydrated and gives a good moisturisation to thirsty and dry skin, especially after battling with the toxins of the day. This isn't a massive tub but it was probably lasted me about 2/3 months. I don't know how it's lasted that long but I feel like I've had to forever and at £2 something you can't really complain! :) 

Clinique All about eye rich. 

Lastly is this little precious pot of miracles! I got this diddy sample free in a Clinique order and I am very impressed by it. It is only tiny but packs a lot of product and you only need to smallest amount anyway and it's perfect to travel with. This is used most days, although sometimes I am just too lazy to apply another cream! When I do use it though, I do find it helps to reduce those pesky dark circles and for someone who never uses and hates concealer, it is a bit of a god send. I haven't priced up the full sized tub and I can imagine it has a nice price tag too! I'll make do with this little wonder for now as it will probably lasts months anyway! 

So this is my skin care routine, nothing special and nothing extravagant but it does the job. I'm glad I have found products that compliment each other and actually work for me because I hate trailing around trying to find new products because lets face it we have better things to do with our time! 

Much love, 

Louise 

x 

Namaste!

Source Google

Hello, I've been absent lately so apologies! I don't have any particular reason really, well I was poorly a little and had overtime in work and yeah just got busy and I couldn't be bothered to be honest. Anyway, it's Sunday and it is my day off so I thought I'd share a bit of my life with you all. I have been hit with the travelling bug over the past few weeks, partly influenced by my friend going to Bali next year for a month! She going to do train to teach yoga and I'm so excited for her! :) 

Anyway, I was thinking how I would go about travelling and where to go etc. I have never really fancied just going off on my own and trying to figure out a country by my lonesome so I thought what would be better than going to volunteer abroad. As you may notice from the picture above my first calling is India. 

I searched the internet for volunteer placements abroad and after realising the expensive price tag, I came to the grim realisation that I was to save every penny I earn for next year to just afford it. Until I came across another volunteer organisation that was a fraction of the price! So naturally a smile spread across my face because I can afford to go to several places and not just one. I chose India because I have always had a fascination with the culture and I have always wanted to go and explore it's amazing scenery. 

My plan is to visit India after I graduate next year in the October. I'm going to volunteer at a project for children with learning disabilities and I'll be living with an Indian family. I want to go for a month and just be immersed into a totally different culture and atmosphere. I'm not going to pretend like it's going to be easy but I how will I know what life really means without experiencing every different aspect the world has to offer? 

After India I want to go to Thailand, Indonesia, Brazil, Jamaica, Nepal, Argentina and the list goes on. I just thought I'd give you a little update on my plans and aspirations. 

Love, 

Louise 

x  

The Wishlist...

It's safe to say that I'm no stranger to fashion. I mean I don't really follow "trends" but I do like to look nice, stylish, unique, quirky (that's my boyfriends preferred adjective anyway) and different. Although I probably fail in most of those departments but who really cares? I just dress the way I want. However, there have been a few things I have been lusting over for a while which are probably no stranger to the female community. 

The first being the infamous Disco Pant! 

DISCLAIMER: Image taken from Google Images and I do not claim them as my own. 

Every part of me wants to hate them but I just can't. Trust me, I am definitely not a person to strut my stuff in shiny pants but I am drawn to these! I love anything high waisted (although I did used to hate it) and especially a legging material that is 'sturdy' enough to wear as pants! Not these bloody fabric leggings that everyone can see your underwear through but girls still insist on wearing them like jeans! Although I love these pants, I am definitely not prepared to pay £70 for them. I mean come on! That is a little bit ridiculous for a pair of pants! Ebay is definitely the place to go fishing for bargains. After h&m, ebay is probably my next favourite place to shop. These will be staying on my wishlist and if ebay happens to send me a gem of a bargain my way then I'll definitely grab a pair! P.s. they are suppose to make your arse look fab! 

Louise 

x