2015 New Year Resolutions

Happy New Year blogger friends and all the best for 2015!

Decided to make this post a little bit different and start of my January posts with my 15 New Years resolutions for 2015. I am not going to be one of those people that start off with the whole 'New Year, New Me' carry on, because let's face it, at this age no one is truly going to change. Instead  I am listing 15 resolutions that I will try to stick to in order to see a healthier and happier me by the end of the year in the hope that I will be more relaxed, have a peace of mind and have a slightly different outlook on life. So here goes...

1. Eat what I want, when I want.. But in moderation of course! Dieting and healthy living is all good when you have the will power to do so, but if you are like me and will never be able to then I believe in enjoy the foods that you love but always in moderation. 

2. Become happy in my own skin. I hate to admit it but I am so hard on myself, all the time. This year I want to stop carrying myself so professionally and learn to love myself and understand that yes I will make mistakes, but I will learn from these and it isn't the end of the world.

3. Never leave things until the last minute. We all do it, but this year I really want to be on top of my game. From ironing to heaving amounts of coursework and studying for exams, I want to be organised and stress free.

4. Stop spending so much money on junk food. Me and my boyfriend are so bad for wasting money on junk food that we don't need when there is plenty for us in the freezer! It's time to stop hitting up Just Eat and enjoy more home cooked meals.

5. Write on my blog more! I always getting tied down with too many things or just become downright lazy so this year I want to make time for writing more on here. I find it so relaxing and it gives me a nice break from University and work so that is something that I definatley want to try and do.

6. See new and old friends more. After moving to Edinburgh I have really struggled in keeping in touch with friends from home and having been making much effort to get out and enjoy some fun times with the friends that I have made through here. This WILL change this year as I need more time to enjoy myself and socialise instead of being stuck in the flat all the time.

7. Stop worrying so much about money. I am so bad for worrying constantly about money even though  I do have enough to keep me going. I can't help it, it is just how I am. But this year I want to try relax a little, save up some of my hard earned money and buy that pair of shoes girl!!

8. Stop being  a pushover. In the past I have put up with so many little things that end up making my truly unhappy and eat away at me. From now on I want to concentrate on the things that make me happy and not put up with things that don't. If it makes me unhappy then why keep putting up with it? There is just no need!

9. Have more Me & Him time. Sometimes me and Leon get so tied up with University and work and forget to have some us time to unwind. I really want to make an effort this year for us to have some date nights to remind each other why we are together and just enjoy each others company.

10. 8 hours sleep and drink plenty water! A healthy heart = a healthy mind. I want to start to become more healthy, not by going to the gym 5 times a week. But by giving my body the refreshments that it needs by making sure I drink 2 litres of water a day and by getting more than 8 hours sleep at night. 

11. Make the most of each day. Instead of staying in all day, reading blogs and watching Youtube videos I want to become more productive. Getting out for a few hours a day or even just keeping busy around the flat will stop me from feeling so tired after sitting doing nothing and will help my mind become more motivated.

12. Get my eyes tested. Bit of a different resolution here.. but I need my eyes tested. Badly. So off to specksavers I go.

13. Eat breakfast. Without a doubt breakfast is the most important part of the day, and I never ever eat it. I want to try and make a point of getting up so that I have enough time to have breakfast before I begin my day in order to prepare my mind.. and fill my belly.

14. Cut my stress. A little bit of stress is good every now and again to keep us on our toes but the way I get affected by stress surely cannot be good for me. I am going to take more time to relax, sleep, socialise and take holidays that I do deserve but don't really allow myself to have. 

15. Spend more time with family. This is something that both me and Leon want to do as we don't get to spend time with out families that much after we have moved. This year we are both looking forward to going home more and having our family at the flat as much as we can!

So that is my New Years resolutions for 2015! They might seem a little boring to some readers but these are some of the things that I personally want to work on which will help me become a much happier and relaxed person. 

What is your New Years resolutions for this year? 

I would love to hear them, so comment your own below or let me know what you think of mines!

xox

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

It's me and Leon's first Christmas together in our flat, and in Edinburgh! I am so excited to wake up on Christmas morning here with my favourite person *cheese. We haven't had much time together recently because of my exams and with both of us working so I cannot wait to have Christmas Day together. Following are some pictures of our decorations in the flat as well as some snaps from when we visited Winter Wonderland when I broke up from University :) We decided to go with a gold and white theme to keep things quite neutral to match with our living room colour scheme!

Hope everyone has a fantastic Christmas!

Indie

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

My Liebster Award Nomination

Happy Monday people! My Monday has not been great today but I am turning that round now as I have been nominated for the Liebster Award! It's always fun to be nominated for an award that helps connect us blog lovers and it came as a great surprise to me :) For those of you that don't know, the Liebster Award is used to recognise new and upcoming blogs in order to welcome them to the blogosphere.

 

 So without further ado I would like to thank My Spoonfull of Sugar and get on with my nomination...

1. What got you blogging in the first place and what's your blog content all about?

I have been an avid user for years now and after following the likes of Zoella, SacconeJolys and PointlessBlog so I decided I would make my own blog to give me a hobby to take up in my spare time. I also love the idea of having an online 'diary' almost, of what I have been upto and what I was feeling at a point in time. So I created this blog in order to store my memories and give me something to look back on.

2. Describe yourself in three words

This is a hard one, three words to describe me would be...

Organised

Focused

Vulnerable

3. Favourite Word

Serendipity - The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way

4. Favourite TV Series

There are so many TV Serires that I LOVE! But to name a few.. Friends, Breaking Bad, Prison Break and Gossip Girl! Doesn't everyone long for a relationship like Blair and Chucks <3

 

5. What's your all time fear? 

My all time fear is failing in what I want to do. After working so hard to achieve my degree and now going on to complete my MSc, I hope that all of the hardwork pays off and I manage to get myself the job of my dreams. Yet if worst came to worst and I didn't, as long as I have my boyfriend and family by my side then I will be okay. Another fear of mine is to feel lonely in life. No one should feel alone as somewhere out there in this world there IS someone that cares about YOU.

6. Biggest regret this year?

 One of my biggest regrets this year is being vulnerable. I often wear my feelings on my sleeve and let small things get inside my head that makes me feel extremely self conscious, stressed and anxious. This means that I have a very hard time letting things go. This affected me both physically and mentally, which made me extremely tired, rundown and highly emotional. Next year I want to become a stronger individual and when life throws those lemons at me,  I will make lemonade! Aint nobody got time to dwell on the past as it can no longer be changed, so heres to the future bitches!

7. If there was one thing you had to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Curry. Easy as that. I love spicey foor and could not live without a hot curry. Could literally eat it all day err' day.

8. Are you more inspired through Beauty or Fashion?

I like both but I'd have to say I am more inspired by Fashion as you can immediatley tell a lot more about a person through what they wear on their body rather than on their face.

9. One thing you'd like to tick off your Bucket List before 2015?

Before 2015 I would like to go to Paris and add a lock to the love lock bridge

10. One country you've always wanted to visit?

America! Due to my studies I have not had the time to get myself over the pond yet but I am due to go to Florida for three weeks with my boyrfriends family in 2016  

11. If you had once chance to change the world, what would you do?

I would discover the cure for cancer.

 x

Well I have officially finished my first Liebster Award nomination and would now like to nominate...

Megan Cawe 

Tie Dye Eyes

Lucy Loves Beauty

Hey Its Hannah

Best Foot Forward

My Questions

 1. What inspired you to start your blog?

2. Name three of your favourite blogs?

3. What is your favourite highstreet and highend brand?

4. What is one random fact about yourself?

 5. Who is your idol?

6. Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?

7. What is your biggest fear?

8. What is your favourite quote?

9. Where is one place you would like to travel to?

10. Where in the world are you right now?

11. Name three items on your bucket list?

 Hope you enjoy as much as I do. I cannot wait to hear your answers!

Indie x

Tip Tuesday: Dry Shampoo

For my first  Tip Tuesday I am going to talk about something that is almost a 'go-to' item for most girls and maybe even guys too - dry shampoo! I am not going to go into details about one particular dry shampoo as I am pretty sure this is the case for all dry shampoo spray products out there!

Has your dry shampoo ever just stopped working for no reason? There has been a few times when I have been in need that I have grabbed my dry shampoo and sprayed it to see that it makes no difference to my hair what so ever. Why? As I have been using dry shampoo for sometime I have noticed that if you leave the lid off of the spray can for a lengthy time and then try to use it, it simply will not work. As it is a pressurised container by leaving the lid off of you will cause the product to evaporate which means when you spray the product it will literally just spray air onto you hair. 

There have been a few times I have left a lid off of a bottle by accident after recently buying the can which means it is utterly useless and a waste of money. So if you have ever had this problem make sure you pop that lid back on so you can have your daily burst of freshness for your hair that you need!

Thanks for reading xo

How I Whiten My Teeth

Recently I have been asked the question 'how do you whiten your teeth?' .. So I thought I'd share my tips for keeping teeth white in the comfort of your own home without having to spend lots of money!

So first of all, I hate my smile. I have always hated my smile and used to always smile with lips closed and no teeth showing. There is no better way to combat this lack of confidence than by having nice glowing white teeth. Straight away this will brighten your smile, give you confidence, make you look healthy and let people know that you take good care of yourself. Nothing worse than horrid teeth right?

There are two main methods that I use to whiten my teeth. 

Method 1: Dial-a-Smile Professional Home Teeth Whitening Kit

This first method is more expensive than the next one that I will get round to. The kit costs around £50 on the web but I was lucky to recieve a package including the full kit, two Whitening Lightning lipglosses and two Whitening Lighting touch up whitening pens for $50 (£30 approx) with a discount code I came across on youtube - so definatley do your research before spending money on the package alone.

The kit comes with three treatments in where you have to swab your teeth first then apply the whitening gel with a brush. After doing so you then have to hold the small handheld UV light in your mouth for half an hour in order to complete the process. After half an hour you then brush your teeth and that is you done! The process does work BUT it is quite a lengthy process including what you have to do prior to applying the gel to your teeth.

Method 2: Crest Professional Whitening Strips

Crest Whitening Strips are a much simpler and more inexpensive way of whitening your teeth which has now became my go to routine. I buy the strips from ebay - 10 packets for approx £16 (within each packet is an upper and lower whitening strip). 

For this method all you do is open the packet and stick the top and lower strips to your teeth (they stick straight away) and fold them over your row of teeth in order to keep them in place. They are then left on for approx. 20 minutes before they are removed and you have to brush your teeth. I can't explain how easy this is, they cause no hinderance whilst in place as you hardly notice that they are there which is why the strips have become my preffered method of whitening. I mean pop them on before you jump in the shower or do your make-up and by the time you have finished you just take them off and brush your teeth then you are good to go! :)

*Note - Neither of these methods have cause me any sensitivity during the whitening process but that does not mean that it will be the same for each user so do your homework before using.

A few more tips:

It is important to have a good whitening toothpaste that will help maintain the pearly whites that you have, I use Blanx although it is a tad expensive for a toothpase. 

Try avoid any foods or drinks that may cause discolouration to your teeth such as fizzy drinks, coffees, harsh coloured foods (eg. curry) or if you do eat or drink any of the above make sure that you brush your teeth as soon after as you can in order to prevent your teeth from becoming stained.

That is all the tips that I have for keeping your teeth white. Disclaimer, I am by no means an expert on teeth whitening but this blog post is to share products and tips that have worked for me although this may not work for everyone. Teeth whitening can however, damage the tooth enamel so it is important to whiten your teeth safely and in moderation.

Make sure to comment below with any tips you have for teeth whitening!

'A smile is the prettiest thing you can wear...'

xo

But is it really ok to call a skinny girl skinny?

This is something that has been bothering me for a while now so I feel no better way to get off my chest how I feel than to share it with you lot.

I have always been slim.. All my life. No matter how much crap I eat including snacks and takeaways, and even working at McDonalds, my matabolism just won't let me put on weight. I have jumped on the scales many times after weeks of binging out and nope, not a difference what so ever. This is something I cannot help! I understand peoples concerns when the see a slim girl and it gets the talk going, 'is she ill', 'does she eat properly' bla bla bla. But it gets a bit much when they start to ask you blatantly.. 'Do you seriously eat though?'.

Yep this is something that has just happened to me. Infact in the last month at least three people have commented on my weight situation and I can assure each and every one of you that I am perfectly healthy. This has been going on since school (5 years ago!) where at least two teachers had taken me in on seperate occassions to discuss if I was ok or not. I really cannot stress how annoying it actually is for the fact that I CANNOT HELP IT. I eat like a pig and I know that my parents or my boyfriend would be the first to let me know if they had any concerns about my health or my eating habits. I am 8 stone, exactly. Never up nor down but it is a completely healthy weight for a girl of 5'4'' with no boobs and no booty!?

So why are people so critical, and not concerned about the way that they make a passing comment on a persons weight without thinking if it actually would affect said person?

It used to really upset me as I still to this day have no self confidence what so ever and this isn't helped by peoples blunt comments. Now I have started to wonder if it is other peoples own insecurities that cause them to be this way? I would NEVER dream of turning round and saying to someone, 'oh my god you're so fat, you really should eat less!' so why does it then make it okay for someone to turn to me and say, 'oh my god you're so skinny, you should eat more!'. It really is just as insulting. As I was saying before, maybe us skinny girls need to realise that people who are making these comments are insecure about their own bodies and wish that they could be skinnier. Although it is hard, I have learned that these people just have to be ignored as they thrive off of making you feel worse in order to feel better about themselves. 

I would also like to take the time to say though, if you do have any concerns about your weight or eating habits then talk to someone or seek help. There are so many people out there that can help so please do not suffer in silence. The same goes for if you have a concern about someone you know. You have to be extremely careful about the way you bring up a weight situation as you will never really know what is going on in that persons life if anything, so approach these dicussions with caution. 

But no matter your weight, big or skinny, flat or curvy, tall or small, big boobs, big butt or neither YOU ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL. In someones eyes you will be the most beautiful person that they have ever seen and as for those people than have not seen your beauty, maybe someone has yet to see theirs.

Please leave a comment telling me how you feel about this topic because I would love to know what other people think x

Life Changes

Recently there has been a log of big changes happening in my life and I feel that there is no better way to keep a record of what has been going on rather than a quick blog post.

I finally finished University *sigh of relief. I am not going to lie, it was not easy. There were many times throughout the year where I said to myself that I wouldn't be able to make it through or that I would never reach the end.. After becoming depressed and crying a lot over messing up one of my exams, I thought that I had flung away all of the hard work that I had done over the last four years. Patiently I waited for the final results to come through, and finally when they did I could not believe it. Not only had I managed to score a high B for the exam I had thought I had messed up, I also managed to achieve a First Class classification for my course!! This makes me feel extremely emotional and proud of myself, and I am far too excited to graduate next week with my First Class degree.  I cannot even begin to explain the overwhelming feeling of getting Uni results and knowing that I literally could not have gotten a better result.. AMAZING.

My time at Uni was difficult, through arguments, boy dramas, makeups and breakups, money problems, losing both of my papas and my cousin within the space of a through years. Not only has this been physically draining it has also been mentally draining. I cannot thank my family and friends for supporting me throughout the last four years of my life and although I have not always been easy to deal with at times of stress, with deadlines on my mind 24/7 I will never forget the emotional support that I have received. 

Asides from this, I have finally received the keys to me and Leon's flat! I am so excited and cannot wait to start taking all of my stuff through in order to get it just how we like it.. (pictures to come soon folks!). I cannot lie, I am tad nervous about moving in with Leon but fingers crossed that everything works out for the best and it is the right step for our relationship.

So many life changing and exciting things are happening this month and I cannot wait to see what the future holds.

All Work & No Play..

Again, I have been missing in action? What kind of new blogger am I... 

It has officially been one whole month since I posted my last blog post. Over the last month I have been so busy between working my job and trying to finish my degree. I finish on Tuesday - it cannot come quick enough!!! University work and working at home to make pennies for the new flat has literally run me into the ground, and I can't wait for next Wednesday to pamper myself and start clearing out my room for the big move. 

Socially I have been non existent, so their is nothing to report there but I have been going through some tough personal times that I know will all change once University is over (5 more days!!)

This blog will be much more active as of next Tuesday, so please keep faithful to me as I am excited to begin blogging properly!

Also, on Wednesday the 21st of May 2014, I officially submitted my fourth year dissertation (on some engineering stuff that you guys won't care about). So here is the generic dissertation selfie that is all the rage at this time of year! The feeling of handing it in is amazing, feel like I've come such a long way over the last four years and they have just flew by...

Love x

MIA: Where Have I Been?

Hello beauties! 

I know it has been forever since I have posted on here.. I literally have been so busy between University and work :( I had my first exam yesterday, and my last one is on the 27th of May so after that I will be free to bore you with my thoughts on all things beauty and fashion! Still cannot believe that it is all going to be over soon and I will be an Engineering graduate in the big bad world... *wimper*

So, what has been going on in my life you might ask? Aside from stressing, having mental break downs and sleeping all the time because of how tired I have been, a few exciting things have happened as well - not all bad! At the weekend I was at my boyfriends cousins wedding. It was such a beautiful day, the sun was shining, the wedding took place outside, the bride looked gorgeous and the food was divine! It was a perfect little break to relax, just what I needed before my exam on Tuesday.

Above, a picture of me and my favorite other half! I wore a navy dress that I got from Chi Chi London, with a cream blazer from H&M whilst Coops wore a purple tartan kilt. He looks so hot in a kilt!

Some other exciting news that happened a few weeks ago.. is that we officially put a deposit down for our first flat in Edinburgh together!! We are both extremely excited (don't know if I am more excited or nervous) and we get our keys on the 1st of July.. eeeeeeeek!!! We cannot wait and our parents and grandparents have been going crazy buying us everything that we need. Our first little home together - cannot wait to make it our own! July is shaping up to be a good month as not only do we get the keys to our flat we have my graduation and graduation ball the week after. It looks like its going to be a good summer!

I'm also heading down to Alton Towers from Monday - Thursday next week and hope to vlog whist I am there so watch this space. Right now I better get back to slaving over University work, only 4 weeks to go and it will be all over.

Remember to follow me on twitter, instagram and facebook!

Be back soon x

TMI Tag (50 Questions)

I thought I'd do a get to know me tag so that you readers can get a better idea of what I'm like. It's just for fun and to give a better insight into me as I just kind of launched into this blog without any kind of introduction to myself or my life :) So here goes..

TAG QUESTIONS:
 
1: What are you wearing? 
Jeans & a pink top with cosy socks and slipper boots!

2: Ever been in love? 
Yes, I am just now <3 

3: Ever had a terrible breakup? 
Yep one around 2 years ago now..

4: How tall are you? 
I am 5ft 4.5" haha and yes that half does count ;)

5: How much do you weigh?
I weigh 7st 12 pounds, so around 110 pounds or approx 50kgs

6: Any tattoos?
None yet, but I've wanted one for ages and my boyfriends dad does tattoos so maybe soon if I work up the courage!

7: Any piercings?
Both ears, twice on my left ear and three times on my right

8: OTP?
What does this mean haha :( ? I think it means, 'One True Pairing' so for now I'm going to say Chuck and Blair from Gossip Girl cause I'm currently watching it and only starting season 3!!

9: Favorite show?
Right now, Gossip Girl.. But I love The Hills, Laguna Beach, KUWTK, Teen Mom, Catfish etc

10: Favorite bands? 
There are too many to name, but a few.. Arctic Monkeys, The Courteeners, The View.. most Indie bands and anything I can sing along too (not very well)...

11: Something you miss?
Being in Ibiza with my boyfriend :( Sun, sea, sand and a gorgeous tan
 
12: Favorite song?
At the moment, Jealous by Beyonce

13: How old are you?
21 years young!

14: Zodiac sign?
Virgo, the perfectionist ;)

15: Quality you look for in a partner?
Someone that can make me laugh, that understands me and has a good work ethic
 
16: Favorite Quote? 
I have loads of fave quotes but currently, 'When it rains look for rainbows, when its dark look for stars' 

17: Favorite actor?
Wentworth Miller, it saddens me that he's gay :'(

18: Favorite color?
Blue

19: Loud music or soft?
Loud!
 
20: Where do you go when you're sad?
My rooms so I can be on my own, my boyfriends or a lonnng drive to no where

21: How long does it take you to shower?
About 15 minutes?

22: How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
About half an hour if its just for Uni

23: Ever been in a physical fight?
Yes

24: Turn on?
Dark hair, strong arms

25: Turn off?
Long nails

26: The reason I joined Youtube?
I haven't yet but might if I can get the confidence

27: Fears?
Pigeons, heights.. I am squeemish with eyes so I guess I'll put them here. Michael Myres in Halloween.. eeek
 
28: Last thing that made you cry?
Over thinking

29: Last time you said you loved someone?
Earlier today on the phone to my boyfriend

30: Meaning behind your Youtube Name?
Well the meaning behind this blog, 'Perfect Imperfection' .. I guess I would define it as that even your imperfections are perfect because they are yours. Your flaws and insecurities are your worst enemies so you should learn to love them!

31: Last book you read? 
The Quickie by James Patterson.. Soo good
 
32: The book you're currently reading?
None because I have so much work to do for Uni :( HELP
 
33: Last show you watched? 
Gossip Girl, of course
 
34: Last person you talked to? 
My doggy
 
35: The relationship between you and the person you last texted?
Boyfriend :) 
 
36: Favorite food?
Indian! Love spicy food
 
37: Place you want to visit?
Paris
 
38: Last place you were? 
Dundee

39: Do you have a crush?
Just on my man! .. And Wentworth Miller..
 
40: Last time you kissed someone?
Wednesday morning
 
41: Last time you were insulted?
About a month ago.. By a lecturer

42: Favourite flavour of sweet?
Strawberry

43: What instruments do you play?
None, I'm not musically talented
 
44: Favourite piece of jewellery?
My Michael Kors watch and my Pandora charm bracelet
 
45: Last sport you played?
Bowling.. on the wii ;)
 
46: Last song you sang?
Drunk in Love by Beyonceeee

47: Favourite chat up line?
Why do they call you a bee? .. Is it cause you couldn't BE anymore of a HONEY haha
 
48: Have you ever used it?
No but it has been used on me and it made my day

49: Last time you hung out with anyone? 
This morning at Uni
 
50: Who should answer these questions next?
Anyone reading this blog & then they should comment and let me know so I can go check their blog out :)

Indie x 

Dealing with Period Pain

It's that time of the month again that all us girlies dread.. No point in getting embarrassed about it, we all get it! As much as I hate to admit it though, I do believe it is healthy to have and gives us that sigh of relief that we are not pregnant (hurrah)! 

I honestly don't think guys give us the credit for the amount of pain that we go through this one week every month. For those girls that don't get the aching cramps, backache, spots, headaches and sickness.. I ENVY YOU. I am one of the unfortunate ones that seem to get all those symptoms in the one whack and during my time of the month I'm left feeling extremely down, hormonal and crave every single take away and chocolate known to man - yep it is that bad. Some of you, and I bet any guys that read this will think I am being over dramatic about this as it is only one week of the month but I feel that it would be good to share some of the things I do at home to relieve the pain and make myself feel better.

For those lucky gals that don't get the pains that bad, I can only describe it as someone shoving there first into your lower stomach, grabbing everything in there, digging their nails into you and twisting at the same time, horrific I know. So let's look at somethings that I feel can help..

1. Feminax Express Tablets

Feminax is an express pain relief  ibuprofen style tablet that treats period pains, cramps, headaches, muscle pains and backache. Initially, I was skeptical about trying these because I thought nothing would be able to relieve me of the pain I was going through BUT I was wrong. These tables work wonders.. I honestly swear by them now. They retail for around £4 and you can find them at your local supermarket or drugstore such as Boots or Superdrug. I really recommend if you get bad period pains then you should give these a try and hopefully they will work as well for you, as they did for me.

2. Painkillers

If you are like me and suffer from  extremely bad headaches during the time the painters are in, then there is nothing like good old painkillers to relieve a headache. Any kind will do whether its Tesco's own or Nurofen, they will do the trick. Swallow with water then go for a little nap and when you wake up your headache should hopefully be gone. Headaches are the worst symptom I get. I find myself not able to concentrate on anything at all meaning I can hardly get anything done that I need to that day, so it is important I start my day with a good dose of old fashioned painkillers to tackle that headache from the get go. I have also just discovered that Nurofen have heat patches for relieving period pain, defo going to try these.

3. Exercise

Although exercising may be the last thing you want to do when you have your period, it really can help. Keeping active will distract you from the pain. Try swimming, cycling or going a run to keep your body and mind active and stop you from thinking about the pain. It will help you feel happy and keep your hormones from causing you to feel down that day as you will feel like you have achieved something productive.

4. Heat

The good old trusty hot water bottle is great for easing the muscles to lessen the pain. Make sure not to use boiling water but warm water to ensure you don't burn or damage you skin. Heat pads can also be used for effective pain relief.

5. Warm Bath or Shower 

Taking a warm bath or shower will ease the muscle pain and help you to relax. Try running a big bubble bath, lighting some candles and chilling with a glass of wine or your favourite magazine to help you relax and distract you from the pain. 

6. Massage 

Last but not least, nothing can relieve the pain like a good old massage. Try massaging your lower abdomen gently using circular motions to reduce the pain. If you have a partner try having them massage your back pain or even giving you a head massage to help provide some pain relief. Again, this helps you to relax distracting you from the pain and also helps ease the cramps through the massaging technique. 

Hope this helped girlies, share you tips below!

Indie 

x

Quick and Effective Ways To Get Rid of Spots Fast!

If you are like me and your skin just does not want to work with products by well known skin perfecting brands, there are some cheap methods of improving your skin at home that you can try without buying any harsh and ineffective face washes!

Firstly, let me tell you I have tried them all. From Clearasil, Clean and Clear and Biore to Tea Tree and NOTHING works for my skin!! I cannot explain how frustrating this is after reading review upon review of how well they have worked for other people, but they just don't do it for me. My skin used to be extremely dry and only now at the age of 21 years young it has began to become quite oily. I have found that using harsh products such as Clearasil and Biore (review on Biore products coming soon) only irritate my skin more causing further breakouts and even more dry flakey areas. And yes, this has resulted in copious amounts of product being chucked before half the bottle has even been used.. Pet hate. There is one brand of skin care products that I swear by. Freederm. Not only does this work wonders for the skin by clearing up any blemishes, it is not harsh and does not irritate my skin in anyway, shape or form. I LOVE it, but, like I said this blog is going to look at cost effective ways of treating your skin at home for those that cannot afford or simply don't want to keep buying products for their skin until they eventually find one that works for their own kin type.

Lets look at the cheap alternatives guys and gals!

  

1. REFRAIN FROM PICKING & SQUEEZING

That's right people, one of the worst things you can do for your spots is to pop, pick or squeeze them. As tempting as it is you have to stop yourself from doing this to avoid leaving scars on your face or your body. Especially when using your fingers, you are touching your face with your hands that have been touching 10308381831031 things already in the day, so god knows what kind of dirt you are transferring onto your skin and into your pores. Just don't do it people, you will regret it later in life. 

2. SHOWER

No guys, I don't mean just have a shower... I have heard that taking your shower head and blasting it in your face whilst showering is an effective way of opening up your pores in order to clear out any dirt and other impurities that are hiding in there. 

3. STEAMING

Similar to having a cold, blocked sinuses or a fever you can attempt steaming to open up your spots. Boil a kettle and pour this into a bowl, then sit with a towel over your head in order to enclose the steam from the bowl like a mini sauna. Yep you sure will look daft but it will work to release trapped dirt in your skin.

4. SUNLIGHT

Getting out in the sun is also another great way of helping your spots. UV rays are great for clearing up your skin by reducing redness and size of spots. Unfortunately in Scotland there is a serious lack of sunshine within the year. Although not everyone agrees with using sunbeds, if you are then a few trips to your local tanning studio will clear up your skin in no time when it flares up. 

5. NOT WEARING AS MUCH MAKEUP

Ladies, this one is for you. When in the house and know that you aren't going anywhere for the day try not to wear any makeup. It is good to give your skin a break from it for a while if you tend to wear it every day as it gives your skin the chance to breathe. Makeup clogs your pores and when it isn't removed properly you are likely transferring the dirty makeup onto the pillows that you sleep on each night. This is a vicious cycle when you think you are removing your makeup properly but you are only making your skin work by sleeping on makeup ridden pillow cases, yucky!

6. SUDOCREM 

The holy grail people. Sudocrem is magic when it comes to clearing your spots. For those that don't know, Sudocrem is an antiseptic healing cream that can be found in any supermarkets or makeup store such as boots and Superdrug. Apply this to your spots during the day around the house or at night whilst you sleep and lie on a towel to avoid cream going everywhere and it will reduce redness and spot size over night. It does come in at around £5 but this will be worth it, especially as there are many uses for it such as; nappy rash, eczema and surface wounds.

I swear by it, as do many of my friends and other people that use this in order to improve their skin. Oh and I can't forget to mention that the gorgeous Cheryl Cole is a huge fan of using this as a skin perfecting treatment ;-) and I'm sure we can all agree how flawless her skin is!!

I hope that this post has helped as I know how expensive it can be trying to find a treatment that will work for your skin, but remember that the cheap and home remedies are sometimes the best way to improve your skin! Comment below with any other cheap or home methods you have for treating your skin at home because I would love to hear them.

Thanks for reading xo