Emilia Rey Adams | Labour and delivery story

On July 24th 2017 at 5.53am we welcomed our daughter Emilia Rey Adams into the world. After exactly 40 weeks of pregnancy, various scans, antenatal classes, morning sickness, uncomfortable nights with my pregnancy pillow and having swollen body parts I didn't even know had the capacity to swell, we finally met our Emilia. Here is her birth story.

Emilia Rey Adams first moments

When I was pregnant I must have read hundreds of these types of posts. It seemed I had developed a morbid curiosity over what to expect from giving birth and the labour experience and I made it my mission to collect ever morsel of information I could find in writing up my birth plan (which you can read a little bit about right here) And did it go to plan you ask? Absolutely not! 

Everything kicked off at around 5.45am on Sunday the 23rd of July, one day before my official due date. My waters had gone pretty spectacularly when I woke to go for what must have been my 10th pee of the night. I woke Nick to let him know 'it's happening' only to be met with a very sleepy 'what's happening?' Though while my waters had gone that was where it pretty much halted, contractions didn't come on right away as I had expected them to and we were sort of at a loss of what to do. We had been told by our midwife at the antenatal classes we attended to wait for contractions to begin before calling the hospital so we went back to bed and slept for a couple of hours, woke had breakfast,  pottered about the house for a while. Still nothing happened, though my waters had continued to come.

At around 2.30pm we decided we couldn't just sit around waiting anymore and decided to give the hospital a call. We were given a 4pm appointment and pointed in the direction of the Westburn Ward of Aberdeen Maternity Hospital where I was hooked up to a machine to help monitor baby's heartbeat and movement patterns. As my contractions hadn't started, and there was some meconium detected in my waters, it was explained to us that as I was considered to be having a 'higher risk or red pathway' birth I wouldn't be able to give birth in the midwife led unit and would be taken through to the labour ward when there were more staff members available. Of course we were fairly disappointed as it meant we wouldn't be getting the birth experience we had expected initially however in the moment we were really just more concerned with making sure baby was delivered safely.

We were monitored consistently by our midwife, Hannah, over the next few hours and sat in our little room (on what can only be described as the worlds most uncomfortable bed and chair) watching Netflix on my phone until 12.30am on the 24th of July - which was when both a spot became available on the labour ward AND when they had the staff (thank goodness for cereal bars and still Lucozade!) Things finally seemed to be on the move and I was set to 'be induced'

Hannah explained that as my contractions still hadn't started on their own that I was to be monitored for baby heart rate and that I would be placed on a hormone drip that would be increased every half hour that would begin my contractions for me. Did all of this go to plan? Nope. As baby kept moving and squirming it was nigh impossible to get a good trace of her heart rate so she had to be monitored by placing a clip on her head, further reducing my plans for an 'active' labour.

It finally reached 2.30am after more monitoring and having my hormone drip placed things began to kick off. I was dilated 2cm and was told due to having the artificial hormone that I would next be checked over in 6 hours time as things don't tend to progress as quickly and that this time period is standard procedure. The contractions began to build steadily over the next hour and a bit, I would say they were a very manageable pain for the first hour and a bit until I finally caved and asked for gas and air. The gas and air was not pleasant and made me sick almost immediately, it of course helped in taking the edge off of the pain and made me feel a 'drunk dizzy' which helped distract from the pain but it very quickly became apparent that this would not be enough.

Though my contractions had began to build relatively slowly things really ramped up at around 4.00am when I was having back to back contractions with very little break in between, we're talking mere seconds to recover. As the pain had reached quite an intense level I really could only communicate in grunts, nods and shakes so when Nick suggested (begged) I try a higher form of pain relief I nodded and one shot of morphine was administered. I'm not sure as to whether or not the morphine really did help in terms of relieving the pain, though from then on it didn't get much more painful so perhaps that's how it's really meant to work. The hormone drip I had been on was reduced as the midwives were worried that baby was coming too fast, but by then it was too late, she was ready and I was ready to push, in fact I was REALLY ready to push (they aren't kidding when they tell you that your body just knows and tells you when you're ready and when to push, trust your bodies ladies!)

In my opinion the pushing stage hurt far less than the contractions and I didn't feel as though I was pushing for very long at all (though Nick says it felt like forever - but perhaps my memory is already getting hazy) I was pretty determined I wasn't going to have any intervention or assistance in my delivery, and as my birth experience hadn't quite gone to plan thus far I was giving the pushing stage my all.

And in just over 24 hours after my front waters broke (did you know you have front and back waters by the way?) and only 3 and a half hours in labour Emilia Rey Adams finally arrived at 5.53am on July 24th 2017 weighing a lovely 7lbs 8.5oz, stealing our hearts and turning us into a family of three.

Thank you for reading my labour and delivery story, while my birth didn't 100% 'to plan' I still consider it to have been a positive experience and would do it all again (no time soon of course!)

H.Elizabeth x

Pregnancy Update | The Third Trimester

Here we are at the home stretch. This has to have been the quickest pregnancy in the history of pregnancies! The third trimester begins at the 29th week of pregnancy and goes on until your due date (and after) at 40 - 42 weeks.

This trimester has been characterised by at times colossal feeling weight gain, trouble sleeping and swollen hands and feet (primarily due to the heatwave we have experienced here in sunny Scotland this summer!) 

The third trimester began very smoothly, baby continued to grow at the optimum pace and didn't give me too much of a hard time, she kicked and wiggled regularly and at times it really did feel like I was growing a parkour enthusiast or incubating the next Bruce Lee,  but it really felt amazing... though jarring at times. We attended antenatal classes at our local GP with our community midwife in order to get a better idea of what to include in our birth plan - which you can read a bit more on here.

Over the course of the third trimester my weight increased at a rate I wasn't expecting - it was as if I woke one morning and had this massive baby bump. Nothing fit me anymore, walking to and from anywhere felt like a struggle and towards the very end it really did feel as though the baby could just drop out at any moment.

My maternity leave officially began 2 weeks prior to my due date, for which I had plans of organising the house, washing all of the baby clothes and clearing out my cupboards and perhaps even receiving a bit of pampering and seeing a few movies at the cinema before baby decided to make her entrance. I was lucky enough to have help throughout the first week of my maternity leave as Nick took a holiday so we could have a mini 'baby moon' before madam arrived. We took it easy, went to the cinema, out for some meals and got a few last minute bits and pieces organised to make life with a newborn that little bit easier. As we had been told our baby was measuring on the larger side and that her head was already engaged we were waiting on tender hooks for her arrival... of course that didn't happen!

As time moved on - keeping in mind I still hadn't reached my due date I grew impatient and really quite miserable. All I wanted to do was shut myself away and not communicate with anyone bar Nick until my baby arrived. I was SO uncomfortable. Due to my weight gain walking was a struggle. particularly in the heat we had been enduring in Aberdeen, my back was in agony (thanks to a pregnancy massage from Pure Spa that only seemed to make things worse!) and my hands and feet were swollen beyond recognition, as in my wedding and engagement rings came off and I had ONE pair of shoes that could just go on my feet anymore!

But it was all soon to be over as my waters broke on the 23rd of July (one day before my due date) and as you all know our beautiful Emilia Rey Adams was born exactly on her due date of July 24th 2017.

Stick around in the coming weeks to read all about my labour and delivery story, what went to plan, what didn't go to plan and hopefully I'll have a chance to sit down with a warm(ish) coffee and write all about our first few weeks with a newborn. Keep updated via my social channels of Bloglovin, Twitter and Instagram.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Emilia Rey Adams

She's finally here!

Welcome to the world Emilia Rey Adams, born exactly on her due date, July 24th 2017 at 5.53am weighing 7lbs 8.5oz.

We honestly couldn't be more in love with her and we are so excited to begin our new life as a family of three plus our fur baby Marble.

I'm planning on writing down my labour and delivery story very soon as well as a summing up of the third trimester while it's all still fresh in my mind, they really aren't kidding when they say how quickly you forget specific details and how quickly you forget the pain.

Until then we'll be living in our new family love bubble a little while longer,

H.Elizabeth x

Dramatic Halo Eye Make up | NYX Glitter Pigment Review

Glitter is having a little moment in the make up industry right now. From OTT glitter cut creases dominating instagram, to covering dark under eye bags with glitter and products like unicorn snot and space jam popping up all over the place it's difficult not to be drawn in. Unfortunately for me glitter, more specifically glitter pigment, has been something I haven't had a great deal of experience with as a make up artist - which is a shame because I'm a fan. So in the last month or so I have been taking steps and working to change that and decided to pick myself up a couple of purse friendly pigments by my new high street fave, NYX cosmetics.

Unfortunately I still had to purchase these online, as my local Boots stores were either consistently out of stock or simply don't take them in very often. None the less I persevered and sucked up the 3 day delivery and I was granted my glittery wishes.

I decided to pick up 3 pretty subdued, more metallic shades, Vegas BABY! (which is a subtle sandy gold colour with hints of silver) Old Hollywood (a true gold) and Magnetic (a true metallic silver shade) All of them come in pretty small, dinky tubs (0.04oz), I'll be honest I was expecting more for £5.50 per pot but no matter I'm hoping these will last a good while.

I decided to give these a bash with a smokey, halo eye one day when I was having a practice with some new products and I decided to reach specifically for Vegas BABY! to help give me that brightness in the middle of my lid as is expected of a halo eye.

The pot looks a little like a salt shaker so I shook some of the product into the lid, which admittedly was not easy and it took a good few shakes to get out a decent amount of product, I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong but I couldn't get the lid off entirely at all! I then went in with a rounded, synthetic fibre brush with a little of NYX's Glitter Primer on it, picked up and packed the product on to the middle of my lid. It didn't take very much to achieve the effect I was after - the pigments are relatively fine so there wasn't a great deal of fall out and I was very impressed with the colour pay off!

The next time I use these I will instead be reaching for some of my setting spray or MAC Fix+ as I feel it may be a bit easier to pick up the product and pack it on using a slightly fluffier brush - though this is more of a criticism of the glitter primer than anything else. As I mentioned I am still disappointed in the size of the tubs, they will go nicely in my collection and not take up very much space however I still expected a bit more, and of course I don't very much like the salt shaker type lid - I would far rather have the option to take the entire lid off and spoon the product out for something quicker and easier.

If you are looking for a more purse friendly pigment than the likes of MAC, LA Splash or Illamasqua then head over to your local NYX counter and give these a bash - once you get the product out they are great to work with and the colours they offer are amazing!

Be sure to leave any comments or suggestions in the box below, otherwise you can catch me on the usual channels, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook for more make up artistry by me and more of everything else on Bloglovin.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

No Fuss Brush Cleaning Routine | Freedom Studio Solid Brush Bath Review

I may be the most easily influenced person on the planet. There I was quite content with my tried and tested brush cleaning routine (baby shampoo with a spritz of alcohol to disinfect and a blender cleanser for reusable foam sponges) when all of a sudden up pops THIS video by Andrew of Beauty and the Boy on Instagram showing, perhaps the easiest brush cleaning routine I have ever seen featuring this brush bath by Freedom Pro Studio.

No sooner had I clicked the like button than I had bought the solution to try for myself, and I must say if you're a no fuss, no muss no coconuts kind of person this may be the brush bath you've been searching for.

This sanitising brush cleanser works by swishing around your 'dirty' make up brush in some water, swirling it around in this little brush bath and rinsing the soapy solution (and make up residue) off under a running tap. And that is literally it! So in short, swish, swirl, rinse (trust me it's not a magic spell as much as it sounds like it!) 

Cleaning my brushes with this isn't a thought like it normally is -it is so quick and easy, it gets the job done and it helps in making your brushes smell lovely and clean. 

I of course always finish off my brush cleaning routine by leaving the brushes over night hanging over the edge of a counter on a dishtowel - this helps them maintain their shape and dry all around and top them off with a spritz of alcohol solution to ensure they are thoroughly disinfected.

The Freedom brush bath  retails at £7.00 for a 100ml tub - a little of this product really goes a long way and I can see myself using this for a long, long time to come. If you're looking for a cost effective, no fuss, no muss cleanser for your brushes I really do recommend checking out the Freedom range at your local Superdrug you really don't have to pay the world for an effective cleanser as some would have you belieive!

Hopefully you have enjoyed checking out this new product with me, be sure to let me know in the comments below if you do decide to give this a bash - at £7.00 for me it was a no brainer considering how often I wash my brushes! Otherwise you can catch me lurking on all of the usual channels, Twitter for rants and musings, Facebook for make up artistry, Instagram for snaps and more from the blog on Bloglovin.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Pregnancy Update | The Second Trimester

The second trimester. I can't belieive we have arrived here already - it really does feel like only yesterday I was sitting down bleary eyed and in the throws of morning sickness to write my first trimester update - but here we are a whole 16 weeks later and already into the third trimester! For those of you unfamiliar the second trimester of pregnancy runs from the 13th week of pregnancy until the 28th week of pregnancy.

What can I really say about the second trimester? We've hit a tonne of new milestones, from finding out our baby's gender to seeing her in many and varying scans both NHS and private, kitting out her bedroom and wardrobe with some new furniture and amazing clothes (courtesy of the Next sale which has Changed. My. Life!), attending new pregnancy fitness classes (which I may write a separate post on entirely) and finally feeling her kick, move and roll for the first time, it has been a whirlwind, exciting few months I'll say that!

Symptom wise my morning sickness has totally subsided though a few food aversions have snuck up on me such as my favourite curry from our local takeaway, ASDA's own oven pizzas and toast (which I put down to the morning sickness from the first trimester!) Stretch marks have also began to make their unfortunate and unwelcome appearance but so too has the appearance of my long awaited bump, which is now filling out all of my lovely new maternity clothes quite nicely. I need to pee pretty much all of the time, and when I'm not peeing I'm eating, and when I'm not eating I'm downing a family sized carton of orange juice which I think may actually be a pregnancy craving and of course the cycle begins all over again. Top tip for fellow pregnant ladies out there, when you need to sneeze, learn to clench and sneeze - bladder control during pregnancy is no joke! So far I haven't had any aches, pains or hospital related emergencies (touch wood) and I can safely say the second trimester has been plain sailing thus far.

There have been a few positives these last few months which I'm secretly hoping aren't entirely down to pregnancy hormones but I suppose only time will tell. My hair, nails and skin have never been better - in fact I treated myself to a gel manicure a few weeks back and the extensions grew off within a week (that's how fast they grow!) and I've thankfully got my energy back so I have been able to walk around a lot more during my lunch breaks at work and do more around the house which has been a blessing. 

A few fun facts about baby this trimester, she now has a regular heartbeat as well as the ability to yawn and hiccup in there, she also has her own set of fingerprints, is growing her hair, lashes and eyebrows and can even now taste foods that I eat via her amniotic fluid (how cool is that - plenty of fine foods and ice cream for me I think!)

So far so good - now we've got another 12 or so weeks until my due date and hopefully not too long after (or soon before!) to meet this little person and get acquainted with the individual assaulting me from the inside out! This has and I think will continue to be my favourite trimester particularly as during these last 12 or so weeks the bump is due to get quite heavy, I'm expecting cankles, swelling and general exhaustion as well as boredom in anticipation of her arrival (it's gonna be a long 12 weeks!)

Thank you for taking the time to read my pregnancy update - I'm glad I decided to document my pregnancy in this way as I think it will be fun to look back on in the future, so really I'm being kind of selfish in that sense! As usual though I do love to hear from you so be sure to leave your (helpful) thoughts and comments below, come share them with me on Twitter, Instagram and if you'd like to see more of me, bump (and eventually baby) be sure to follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Pregnancy | Things that I have not enjoyed about being pregnant

While yes - this post may seem a little contradictory from my 'things I have enjoyed about pregnancy' where I preached about how pregnancy doesn't have to be 'that bad' it's not all doom and gloom and f course don't get me wrong I do still feel this way. That being said it ain't all sunshine and rainbows either - pregnancy can have it's tough moments - not necessarily in terms of symptoms and ailments but even psychologically, mentally an shockingly socially (you mean people DON'T love hanging out with the preggo who can't drink?! Shocking!)

Rude comments from everybody!
These unfortunately are not few and far between. In fact as soon as you mention the P word to pretty much anyone, suddenly EVERYONE has an opinion. Ranging from 'you should breastfeed' to 'are you sure there's a baby in there?' and my personal favourite 'you shouldn't be going back to work!' the world knows no bounds when it comes to weighing in on a pregnant persons choices. Feel free to have a read of my previous post 'S**t people say to pregnant women,' to continue the hilarity.

Feeling isolated from your friend group
It's difficult enough when your friends live in many and varying places in the UK but add pregnancy into the mix and it's a recipe for isolation. Being one of the first of my friend group to have a baby is very exciting and when we do get together for our chats it's lovely and supportive but it can feel like being stuck in limbo much of the time when you're the first and only pregnant friend - a bit like all of your friends going to the same school and you living outside of the catchment area and having to start a fresh.

The stretch marks

With my weight fluctuating throughout the years I'm no stranger to some stretch marks here and there, mainly confined to my thighs - but for me pregnancy has meant these unsightly purple looking tears are everywhere! I'm not one of the ladies who will be calling their stretch marks 'tiger stripes' because if it were a choice to have them there I certainly wouldn't. Of course I'm kitted out with all of the lotions, oils and bump butters you could imagine - do they work? I'm skeptical but only time I suppose will tell.

The wardrobe clear out

This certainly was a dark day in my house indeed, only worsened by the fact I found a pair of my favourite Topshop jeans, never before worn with the tags still on in a size 12. Regardless of pregnancy I was due a wardrobe clear out and tidy - but when you're packing away pairs of your favourite jeans, skirts that you'll miss and dresses you hadn't even had an opportunity to wear - I'm not going to lie it stings a bit. 

Feeling super unfit
Don't get me wrong before this pregnancy I was by no means at the peak of my physical fitness - but I'm not saying I miss high intensity spin classes by any means - what I really miss though is being able to go for a lunchtime walk and not have a stitch in my side, or being able to walk along the beach on a hot day and not have cankles weighing me down. I'm looking forward to getting back into doing a bit more exercise once the baby is born and get my body back to feeling more 'myself' again.

Sorry if this post seemed like a rant, but I'm generally quite a ranty person so what else did you really expect from me with a post of this title? Hopefully you have enjoyed having a bit more of an insight into my pregnancy in general - as I said previously I am aware many people have gone through far worse during their pregnancy and being pregnant in itself is a blessing this is just my experience because really who elses experience would I be writing about?!

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Pregnancy | Things I have enjoyed about being pregnant

Pregnancy is not all doom and gloom - to be quite honest I feel as though I may have got off pretty lightly when it comes to symptoms. There have so far been no major aches, pains, trips to the hospital and no odd cravings at 2am which has really been a blessing, though my affinity for ice cream recently could be put down to pregnancy, or the nicer weather, who knows?

Today in light of my relatively good fortune I wanted to share some of the little things I have  really enjoyed about being pregnant because some of these things I don't feel are spoken about enough. When we were trying for a baby I read a tonne of pregnancy blogs and watched hundreds of You Tube videos revolving around the pregnancy experience, signs and symptoms and essentially what I could be in for and I'll be honest, most of those posts were damn scary! But it doesn't have to be, at least it doesn't have to be all of the time, so here are my top 5 things I have so far enjoyed about being pregnant.

That glow though 

I never in a million years expected that the 'pregnancy glow' would be real. I had images of nine months of having, dull, dry skin and feeling quite miserable with my appearance simply because of morning sickness (which I had convinced myself I'd have forever - I didn't by the way!) After my first trimester I had a surge in hormones that helped clear up my skin and give me a nice, healthy glow which I have never had before. My skin has quite literally never been better, it feels more plump, hydrated and glowy - long may it continue!

Hair envy
Not only has my skin taken a turn for the better but my hair has too. Gone are the days of rubbing oils, lotions and potions on to my scalp to encourage hair growth, I can't seem to get it to stop! While Nick now says living with me is much akin to living with a werewolf I'm just so happy that it's growing that I don't mind a bit of shedding...or, more accurately plunging the shower drain on a weekly basis - grim, but worth it.

Comfy clothes all day everydayMaternity clothes really aren't that bad. With stores like Topshop, New Look, ASOS and Boohoo killing it with their range of flattering maternity clothes I haven't found getting clothes I like to be a struggle and seriously though - where have maternity jeans been all of my life?! I don't think I'll ever give up my comfy stretchy paneled clothes now - pregnancy or no pregnancy it's comfy clothes all the way.

Kicks and fluttersThough I didn't start feeling my baby until much later than others due to my anterior placenta cushioning her every move, when I did it was pretty special. It's an odd and surreal feeling of course considering the only movement I'd been used to in there previously would be a dodgy burger, but it's nice to know she's in there communicating thorough her movements to let me know she's doing just fine.

Closer as a couple
Most women say they feel quite isolated from their partners during pregnancy, I understand why, it is of course the woman who goes through the carrying of the baby, the lifestyle changes and of course the physical changes and it can be tough. But I feel as though since being pregnant Nick and I are closer than ever, from spending time talking about important future decisions to the more fun aspects like baby clothes and nursery shopping I feel as though we're more in sync than ever as a result.

So you see ladies and gents? It's not all doom and gloom. Of course I'm not by any means saying pregnancy is a breeze and it can definitely be difficult at times (when you have to say goodbye to your fave outfit for example!) but it doesn't have to be scary.

Thank you so much for having a read of yet another pregnancy post I'll be back with my second trimester update pretty soon and I may share some of the things I haven't enjoyed quite so much about pregnancy if you're interested in reading that too. Until then though you can catch me on the usual channels, Twitter, Instagram and Bloglovin.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Thirsty Skin | Glam Glow Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment Review

Who doesn't love a good face mask? Having been a big fan of Lush fresh face masks for a good few years now suffice to say face masks have become part of my weekly skincare routine, however recently with life being a bit of a crazy, speeding rollercoaster I haven't had very much time to dedicate to a weekly pamper routine like I used to, and I find my face masks go out of date before I get a chance to get the full use out of them. As sad as it feels to admit, the Lush fresh face masks just aren't practical for my lifestyle anymore and so I have been on the hunt for something a bit more durable, long lasting and something I can dip into without having to worry about use by dates and mould. Enter GlamGlow.

Skincare centric brand GlamGlow are by no means new to the scene - as usual I'm late to the big beauty blogger party but hey, better late than never. GlamGlow offer a range of treatments depending on your individual requirements catering for dry, oily, combination, dull and aging skin. As I have self diagnosed my skin as being combination / dry I decided to pick up their Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment which essentially acts as a face mask and promises 'heart pounding hydrated glowing skin,' and I want me some of that!

I decided to use the treatment as an 'overnight' mask to ensure I got the full use of the product. I bought what is essentially the 'sample pot' which offers around 2 uses of the product (for the price of £14.00 from Boots) To make sure none of the treatment went to waste I applied it sparingly over my face and down my neck using a foundation brush which seemed to work quite well and I didn't get much of a build up in any unnecessary areas. I left the treatment on for 20 minutes before massaging any excess into my skin which felt like a treat - particularly when you pair it with some Netflix and teaser bunnies!

My skin afterwards felt as the pot had described, healthier, plumper, hydrated and most importantly it was glowing. The effects I would say lasted well into the next few days before dissipating and I felt I'd need another treatment as a 'top up' which so far I have resisted as I'm saving what's left over for a particular stressful week (whenever that will be!) 

As much as I did love the effect this mask had on my skin and how clean it was massaging it into my skin rather than peeling, picking and scrubbing it off, I don't think it's going to be one I'll repurchase regularly in the future. I see this as more of a treat or luxury purchase given the eye wateringly high price point of £14.00 just for a sample pot. Their larger pots come in at around £39.00 - which I could easily pay a professional spa therapist or skincare expert for a pampering facial and I'd far rather do.

Have you ever tried the GlamGlow treatments? I'm intrigued by their silver 'tin man' esque mask I've seen on Instagram lately however as it doesn't suit my skin type I'm afraid for me it would just mean wasting money for an aesthetic but I'd love to hear your thoughts on GlamGlow as a whole! Fad or worth the money? Let me know in the comments below, come share your own review with me on Twitter or if you'd just like keep up with me and see what I'm up to you can find me on Bloglovin and Instagram.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Healthier Hair | Lush 'The Plumps' Conditioning Bar

Pregnancy comes with a whole host of benefits (for some) and I have been very lucky to benefit from thicker, fast growing hair during these last few months which has been a lovely side effect of all of the hormones and almost makes up for the odd twitches and unfortunately stretch marks I have been subject to. However with the good, of course comes the bad. While my hair may be growing in faster and thicker than ever before I have found that the general health hasn't improved very much, it's quite dry, frizzy and just damaged! So in light of this I have been taking some steps over these last few weeks to improve the overall look and condition such as going for a chop to remove dead weight, using some new heat defense tools, cutting out straightening entirely and finally purchasing this conditioning bar by Lush.

Whenever I feel as though something is lacking in my routine, whether that's dry skin, dull skin or in this case, dry and damaged hair I'll turn to Lush. I'm always pulled in by the more natural ingredients they typically use in their products and this time was certainly no different. I was on the hunt for either a hair mask or oil treatment to inject a bit more life and shine into my hair but instead I found it in the form of a conditioning bar, something I didn't realise Lush did alongside their shampoo bars. 

The Plumps solid conditioner contains a range of ingredients specifically formulated to help your hair retain moisture, such as honey, while also giving you glorious volume through the fine grains of sea salt in the bar itself. The bar works in much the same way as their shampoo bars - after shampooing as you regularly would work the bar between your hands and run it down the lengths of your hair then rinse. 

Many have complained that the bar doesn't lather or foam when going on to your hair - it is very subtle and can be quite difficult to tell if you're doing it correctly the first time, this is something I find quite appealing as I don't feel as if the product is drying out my hair and is instead oiling it up. While it is on the more 'natural side' it leaves your hair smelling of sandalwood, it is quite a strong smell so if you don't like smelling it through the day this might be one to skip out on. As I write this post I have been using the conditioning bar every 2 or 3 days now for the past 3 - 4 weeks, I have found my hair doesn't feel as heavy or bogged down with product, it's easier to brush out when it's wet which means less breakages overall and generally my hair does feel that bit healthier in comparison to when I was using a liquid conditioner. 

I'm thinking of making the move back to shampoo bars to pair with my solid conditioner simply to see if the combination of the two makes any more of a difference - stay tuned for the verdict! Though I would be super interested to know if you've ever tried a conditioning bar - by Lush or otherwise . Leave your hair health suggestions in the comments below - because while I love make up and could study cosmetics for hours on end I just don't have the same affinity for hair so I really do need help! Otherwise you can find me and my mop on the usual channels, Twitter, Instagram and Bloglovin.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Cuckoo for KIKO | KIKO Milano High Pigment Shadows

This will be one of my first non pregnancy and parenting related post in what feels like a long, long time and it's no coincidence. It has taken me quite a while to get back into anything of a beauty routine after my first trimester knocked me for six and therefore a while to discover any new or exciting products that I felt I could rave about, scream from the rooftops and of course offer pride of place among some of my firm favourites. 

KIKO Milano are a brand that are relatively new to Aberdeen. They arrived in my favourite shopping complex, Union Square, a little bit before Christmas and I have found myself only able to go in quite recently so I could swatch and shop to my hearts desire. Given their relatively low price point I wasn't expecting too much from KIKO, at only around £4.80 for a 'high pigment' wet and dry eyeshadow I wasn't expecting fireworks, so after a couple of swatches and a rake in their bargain section I came away with 3 of their high pigment shadows one in a matte purple shade one in a subtle metallic pink /purple hue and finally a shimmery beige colour - perfect for an inner corner highlight. What I got however wasn't simply fireworks but an entire bonfire display in terms of quality, pigment and longevity!

I haven't yet been brave enough to use these 'wet' however I have dowsed my brush in some fix plus to apply them at times and I have been thoroughly impressed. They aren't kidding when they say 'high pigment' and I do get quite a bit of kickback - particularly on the matte shade I went for. A little really does go a long way and you've got to be careful to only dip your brush in else you'll be pink, purple and beige all over, and of course ruin your base if you're prone to doing your base first.

If you haven't already I would highly recommend popping int your local KIKO store to have a swatch of these shadows, I would definitely go as far as today they're better than any MAC shadows I have tried previously - even better than my much loved neutrals palette.. swatches don't lie! Since falling in love with these about a month or so ago I've bought a few more in some similar 'Spring' pink shades and I'll undoubtedly go back for even more shortly. All I wish is that they did some large palettes so I could decant the shadows into and they fit nicely instead of me fiddling about with about 10 different pots, maybe they do and I'm just being blind but KIKO if you're listening I need an empty palette for your pigments!

Have you ever tried anything by KIKO Milano? As you all know I also fell in love with their SPF Primer too which you can read my thoughts on here, otherwise I'd love to know what other gems you have found in KIKO. Be sure to leave your comments, thoughts and suggestions below, come share them with me on Twitter or if you'd just like to see more reviews, life musings and me in general you can find me on Bloglovin and Instagram.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Wand Wars | Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara VS. Urban Decay Perversion Mascara

Though I am a false lash fanatic and have been now for many, many years I am still partial to 'false lash' effect mascaras and love trying new brushes, formulas and brands. So it was no surprise that when I found myself with two highly coveted samples from two of the beauty worlds heavy weight brands one thing sprang to mind instantly. Wand wars! (what else?)

After quite an extensive haul from Sephora in Barcelona last year I found myself being gifted with a plethora of products including the Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara original (RRP £19.00). Admittedly this was something on my list to try out 'one day' anyway however being a Benefit Roller Lash girl through and through I decided not to purchase the full size Better than Sex Mascara - but was of course chuffed to have a sample to give a whirl before committing fully. 

The big pull for this mascara seems to not only be the formula itself, but their unique brush applicator, which has an 'hourglass' shape inspired by Hollywood Bombshells of the golden era. The carbon black mascara with its collagen rich formula promises full, defined lashes that take your lashes to all new lengths. Too Faced say that you can achieve three different looks depending on how many coats you decide to give your lashes - I decided to try all three and I felt for me 2 light coatings was quite enough - lest you risk getting into spider lash territory. I love the way the formula and brush feels on my lashes and the feel of the brush - unlike the Roller Lash which, if you catch your skin or eye is VERY sore, my only peeve would be how flaky it can be if you accidentally use too much and it'll go all over your face, otherwise, I give this mascara two very enthusiastic thumbs up!

Again I then found myself at Christmas buying a special edition box from Urban Decay which included a whole host of new and old product samples, lip gloss, eyeshadow, blushers and of course a sample of their Perversion Mascara (RRP £19.00). This product wasn't something I'd heard terribly much about, however when I opened it up for the first time quite recently, I kind of fell in love with the brush. Full of soft bristles and with a great tube that handily removed much of the product before application, for that alone I was pretty impressed.

With this mascara Urban Decay promise, bigger, blacker, badder lashes through their ultra creamy formula and to deliver great length and volume, and the big, big pull? It 'glides' on in one stroke! I found that the formula was quite 'wet' in comparison to the Too Faced one and took a while to dry - so if you're prone to blinking right after applying mascara then maybe this one isn't for you - unless of course you enjoy the clean up...and panda eyes! I wouldn't say you need as much of this mascara to achieve a similar look to what you get using the Better than Sex formula and due to the creamy, wet feeling formula it doesn't go clumpy in the same way. 

Would I purchase a full size of either? Yes I would, however which one I would recommend definitely depends on the type of person you are - if you like a quite make up routine then Better than Sex is for you - if like me, you don't mind spending a little more time on your routine, and can afford to be a bit more careful then I'd definitely go for Perversion. (Though I may buy Better than Sex JUST for the tube because come on it's beautiful!

Sorry if with a title like wand wars you were expecting a wizarding story of epic proportions but you guys know that's not how I roll! Have you ever tried the mascaras above? If so I'd love to hear what you thought of them - or maybe theres something out there even better than them, let me know in the comments below, come sneak the links to me on Twitter, or if you'd like to see me play with make up a bit more you can find me on Instagram and more of my words on Bloglovin.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Blogging | Tips for beating a slump

We've all, as bloggers, been there. Some more than others, i.e. me once every few weeks. Sometimes it feels as though there is just no beating it - you want to throw the towel in, declare everything in the world that is worth writing has already been written and close down your little corner of the web for good. Believe me I've had this thought more than you may think and it gets especially difficult when other areas of your life begin to take over! Today, however, is not one of those days. Today I'm feeling motivated, but I wanted to take a moment and give a shout out to those of you out there damning the blinking of that cursor, screaming, crying and throwing fits at your device, and those of you who are on the precipice of throwing the digital towel in.

Here are some of my top tips on 'beating' a blogging slump;

Take a break and don't be ashamed;
It can be tempting to apologise to readers when you take a break, but remember your reasons for starting this blog, as a hobby, as an enjoyable way to express your love or dislike for something, or even just to pass the time! As long as you don't have a specific obligation to advertisers or promoters that particular day / week / month then you're quite entitled to a break.

Schedule as far as you can when you're feeling it;
On a good day I can get myself sorted for a solid month in advance, which of course allows me some leeway to have a 'break' if I so choose. So what if one week I'm just not feeling it? I know there's still a post going up every Wednesday and Friday for at least four weeks - and trust me kids there's no better feeling than being organised (yes I realise this makes me sound 'boring' but I'm sipping on my coffee chilling while you're losing your minds over lighting!)

Think about you - not digital you;What do you fancy doing today? Relaxing at home with some Netflix? Chilling with your cat? Or hell going on  an adventure. Think about yourself minus the blog, minus the social media and run with it - and if you've got the time to blog, great, and if not who cares?!

Needless to say this is all much easier said than done - but if you're anything like me then simply seeing things written down can give me a nudge in the right direction. Whether that's the direction of the sofa or the direction of my blog it doesn't matter.

Hopefully from this post you have found what you're looking for, words of encouragement, the realization that a break is just what the doctor ordered or maybe even a kick up the backside, be sure to leave all your tips and hints for beating a blogging slump in the comments below, else you can find me lurking on all of the usual channels, Twitter, Instagram and Bloglovin.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Blogging Pet Peeves | Beauty Edition

You may remember back in the times of yore when I wrote a post ranting about my biggest blogging pet peeves. From overly obvious tweet and social media scheduling to auto DMs and of course straight up stealing images and fellow bloggers work to further your own blogging platform, there is a great deal to be peeved about when it comes to blogging in general. However, recently I have found myself becoming increasingly annoyed by the beauty blogging community so today in order to therapeutically cleanse myself of these thoughts, feelings and annoyances and maybe pass some of them along to you!

No swatches

More often than not I'm quite drawn to blogs with beautiful imagery. I am a sucker for a good, well lit product shot despite having never quite mastered the art myself, but there is one thing a beauty blogger can do when taking photographs that will make me instantly click off, unlike, unfollow and never return again. No. Swatches. It's all well and good telling me how amazing the pigment on your new eyeshadow is or how a lipstick's colour has changed your life, but if you don't show me then... it's all lies!!! Admittedly this is something that new beauty bloggers are perhaps not used to doing, however for seasoned pros surely this is just good practice?

'I was kindly sent this by Too Faced...' 

Psst...you forgot to add - 'in exchange for the money I paid for it,'

When this comes from a brand new beauty blogger with a small following you've got to know they're pulling your leg. I have seen countless young girls trying to draw folks in by saying, Anastasia Beverley Hills got in touch with me to review this product... yeah via an advert on Beauty Bay!

Review your damn hauls

I love a good haul post. I like a good nosy in my peers baskets, particularly when it comes to beauty and fashion. However some follow up would be great - or at least a little test of the product before posting your haul, else it's really just, 'hey guys I bought this,' and cue the crickets! 

Ever found yourself guilty of the above? Probably - I know as a beginner in both beauty and blogging I have been guilty of more than I would really care to admit - it's a learning process that is never ending.

What are some of your blogging pet peeves, beauty, lifestyle or otherwise? Be sure to share your peeves and comments in the box below, come share them with me on Twitter, or if you'd just like to see who I'll write another peevey post about next then make sure you're following me on Bloglovin.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Giving birth | My biggest fears

Since having a sit down and thinking a bit more in depth about my hopes and expectations when it comes to labour and giving birth naturally a couple of concerns and fears have popped up that I think (I'm hoping) may be therapeutic to write about in a bit more depth and get it out of my head, off of my chest...and maybe even ask some of you lovely mummy's out there to ease my mind?

Not getting to the hospital on time

Given I don't live out in the sticks this might be an unrealistic, reasonably far fetched fear of mine - however as a first timer and newbie to pregnancy, labour, birth and everything in between I'm a little worried I won't exactly know when to leave my house to get to the hospital to give birth and recognise the signs on time. Plus I've now seen that video of that very brave lady giving birth in her car and quite Wonder Womanly pulling a baby from her person and I don't want to be that person!

Tearing, having an episiotomy and...extensive damage

Shamefully the above are my main reasons for wanting as little intervention, drugs and as a natural a labour and birth as possible. I am aware having an episiotomy is quite common and tearing happens more so than we at first realise and the pain at the time isn't something I'm too worried about, it's the after pain and living with the damage left behind from this sort of intervention.

Breech baby

The thought of someone going in and having to physically turn her around turns my stomach, plus I would hate to think this could lead to....

An emergency c section

I've heard many women felt they were a 'failure' because of having a c section - this is definitely not something I would feel, however I would hate to first of all have my partner worry about me consistently and of course face giving up my independence (though temporarily) during the healing process. Of course if anything were to go wrong in my labour I certainly would not protest having a surgery but it's of course not something you want if it's not 'in the plan'

Distressed baby

There aren't many things that would scare a parent more than hearing their baby is in distress. Currently whenever I go for a routine check up with my midwife or have a scan booked I get this horrible, horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach and a niggling thought in the back of my mind saying, 'what if something is wrong?' I will happily go through ALL of the above to avoid having a baby in distress!

Hopefully in a few months time all of these fears will be nothing but distant memories...fingers crossed not distant experiences! Be sure to leave your thoughts, comments and birth experiences in the comments below, I always find reading other peoples experiences and perspectives to be really, genuinely helpful in situations like this so be sure to leave links to your posts below too. Otherwise you can catch me on the usual channels....freaking out... you know like Twitter, Instagram and Bloglovin.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Giving birth | My hopes & expectations

Now that I'm over halfway through my pregnancy I've been turning my attention to giving birth. Don't get me wrong, obviously I knew what I was getting myself in for when we decided to have a baby, I knew of course I would have to squeeze a human out of my person and I of course expect it to hurt.... a lot. However before the day arrives I thought it might be some torturous form of fun to write down what my hopes and expectations for the birth currently are and see how it actually compares to the birth when it does come.

To get through the experience with minimal pain relief

Many of these area actually linked, for example as I hope to stay on my feet for most of my labour that means I'm hoping not to have things like an epidural or drugs that'll keep me confined to a bed and a catheter. In an ideal world I'm hoping to get through the 'labour' stage using just gas and air.

For it to be over quickly

I've read all of the stories, labours that have gone on for days and labours that have gone on for just a couple of hours. Though I of course hope not to be giving birth on my living room floor, in my car or on the street outside the hospital I'm hoping the labour is quite quick (as I'm sure EVERYONE does) and to be in and out of hospital as quickly as I can be.

To have as little intervention as possible

Nobody wants to have intervention methods used in birth, forceps, emergency c sections, episiotomy (this is, has and remains to be one of my biggest fears about giving birth) and I'm hoping to do all that I physically can to avoid doctors having to intervene during my delivery.

To give birth in water

I feel given my maternity hospital has only one birthing pool that I may be reaching for the stars however I'd love to give birth using the birth pool alongside my gas and air (that's the plan at least!) I feel most relaxed in water and I've read and heard that the warmth of the water can help relax the muscles and assist in your delivery; ANYTHING for an easy time guys, anything. All I really know at this stage is that I do not intend on giving birth lying down in a bed.

To be as active as possible during labour

Being active, walking around, bouncing on my birth ball and making sure I'm as active as I possibly can be during labour is one of my goals - apparently this is something else that can help speed the labour process along (prior to the pushing stage just in case anyone was wondering)

Some day we undoubtedly will look back on this and laugh - a very big, very hearty laugh I'll bet but for now these are my hopes and dreams for pushing a 'tiny' person from my tiny person in a few months time. 

If you have pushed a person from your person I'd love to hear from you - my new obsession has been reading everyone else labour and birth blogs and experiences and if you've given birth in Aberdeen...even better. Be sure to leave me your experiences, comments, your hilarity at my hopes and dreams in the comments below, alongside any links to your own birth experiences. You can as always catch me on the basic channels, Twitter, Instagram, Bloglovin etc, and as always thank you for the read!

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Three Wishes | Luxury Beauty Wishlist

Have you ever thought about what you'd wish for if you found a genie....I of course mean if genies existed (cough) I've often had musings about this myself, from being gifted unlimited riches, to ensuring my loved ones never fall ill to any sort of ailment, to you know having a long lost relative come find me and tell me I am the rightful ruler of Genovia. Sometimes granted, my wishes can be quite extravagant but sometimes we could all use a little luxury. So with that in mind, and given my obsession for all things beauty and make up I thought it would be fun to share my current three wishes when it comes to luxury beauty items available right now.

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Pillow Talk Lipstick £24.00

Pillow talk is of course the lip liner that put Charlotte Tilbury on the map when it comes to cult beauty products. With the shade being hailed as a beauty gurus 'must have' and given that it suits ever skin type in the whole entire world, it isn't any wonder Charlotte has chosen to branch out with the shade into a matte lipstick colour, which naturally I need like yesterday!

Anastasia Beverley Hills Modern Renaissance Palette £41.00

Sold. Out. Everywhere. A couple of months ago I remember swithering on buying this highly coveted palette but soon decided against it. Could this be considered my biggest beauty non buy regret? Probably yes. Since it's release this palette has dawned the collections of some of my favourite beauty gurus and they have created some looks that are to die for and I want to too!

Marc Jacobs (Under)cover Perfecting Coconut Face Primer £32.00

In what way does this NOT sound amazing? I think I would buy this for the scent alone. It is on my wishlist, however I haven't even had an opportunity to swatch or give it a go in any way. This one therefore is a bit of a silly one to include but how could I not?

If a genie appeared to you right now...or a beauty guru more realistically, and offered to grant you three beauty wishes what would they be? Be sure to leave your three wishes in the comments below, I'd love to hear about more products I want but can't afford! As always though you can catch me with my regular old drug store make up on Twitter, Instagram and Bloglovin.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Killer Kyshadow | Royal Peach Palette Swatches & Review

When I heard Kylie Cosmetics were releasing a 'Kyshadow' and 'Kyliner' range, I was skeptical to say the least. Despite falling head over heels for the lip kits last year and building up quite a substantial collection (about a dozen or so and counting...) I just felt that branching into eyeshadows, liners and goodness knows what else was getting a bit gimmicky, you've found your thing, stick to it. So I held back and waited. I waited for the terrible reviews courtesy of the worlds biggest and best beauty gurus, I waited for critiques ever lack of pigment, patchy, slippy shadows, something, goodness anything! Nothing ever came.

What did however come were more and more eyeshadow palettes, more and more rave reviews, swatches and glowing endorsements from some of my You Tube favourites. Naturally I caved. I recently purchased a Kyshadow bundle which offered the relatively new Royal Peach palette alongside one of their newer lip kits in the shade 'Apricot' for $65 (which is about £52 ish) which considering how much I have previously paid for just an eyeshadow palette it really isn't bad.

Top L - R
Sorbet, Seashell, Peachy, Royal, Queen Bee, Duke
Bottom L - R
Duchess, Sandy, Mojito, North Star, Crush, Cinnamon

The palette boasts 12 shades in a variety of matte, metallics and satins- mainly metallics however you pretty much get the only matte shades you would ever need to create a warm smokey eye in this palette so no complaints there. I have swatched all of the shades down below for you to check out the colours and just what they each have to offer. The shades are all highly pigmented though when you go into the palette with a brush you get quite a lot of fallout from a couple, namely the matte shades as opposed to the metallics. The only shade I can say was quite disappointing would be 'Sorbet' which didn't deliver a great colour pay off, however used as a base or light transition colour it works quite nicely. My favourite shade so far has to be 'North Star' as I'm going through quite a big pink / purple girly phase when it comes to my make up North Star has been right up my street and is great as an inner corner pop of colour and metallic, glittery goodness.

I feel like you can get this sort of quality from other brands such as Too Faced, Urban Decay and of course Make Up Geek so if this is a little out of your budget (particularly when you factor in customs and postage fees) then there are plenty of 'dupes' on the market. For me this has been worth the money as I will use literally every shade in the palette, perhaps not for regular clients and brides but it certainly fits my personal aesthetic. I can't see myself buying another Kyshadow palette any time soon unless of course something is done to DRAMATICALLY reduce the customs fees (not possible I know but a girl can dream!)

Have you ever tried anything from the Kylie Cosmetics range? Be sure to leave your thoughts and comments (good or bad) below, come share them with me on Twitter - oh and as a side note if you've ever created any looks with this or any other Kyshadow products be sure to direct me to your Instagram!

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Budget Beauty | KIKO MILANO City Filter Sunscreen SPF 50 Primer

Now I'm getting older, and hormones are ravaging my body (and not in a nice way like in the teen years!) I've been making some conscious efforts to look after myself a little more, particularly when it comes to my skin - especially since I've started developing some pretty impressive under eye bags! After changing my moisturiser around a little and getting more rigorous and particular about make up removal and maintaining a solid routine I started digging a little deeper and decided to turn my attention to primers.

Many in the make up industry (bar those making and selling it of course) are pretty skeptical about the effectiveness of primers and to be honest after using the same one for almost a year I understood why. Due to the ever changing nature of skin I found my last primer was beginning to feel quite slippy, silicone like and unpleasant to layer on to my skin every day - in short it pretty much just stopped working, and after that I went on the hunt for ' the one ' 

I knew what I wanted, something that wouldn't totally mattify my face, but also not cause my foundation to slip and slide around, something that would protect my skin and preferably have something on the label that said 'brightening' or better yet, 'anti aging' It took a while but, guys, I think I've found it.

At the spectacularly low price of £6.40 for a 30ml bottle, the KIKO MILANO City Filter Sunscreen Primer promises to create an invisible shield for the skin, protect against the first signs of aging (though for me it may already be too late) and soften and brighten the wearers complexion. Oh and of course acts as a smooth and silky base for your foundation (you know like you'd want a primer to do)

The first thing I noticed about the primer was how gorgeous it smells, it reminds me of suncream from my childhood without the oily, sticky mess that used to come alongside. It also has a silky, lightweight feel which means a little can go a long, long way, I have found I only need one dot on each cheek and one on my forehead to prime my whole face. My foundation sits really well once applied with a spritzed beauty blender and since using this primer I haven't noticed any clogged pores or spots or dryness as a result which is of course the goal.

One of my favourite parts of using the primer is the SPF 50 sunscreen aspect - as I'm quite pale (the palest) it has always been recommended that I wear an SPF daily and given my love for make up and disdain for suncream or heavy moisturisers in general it just never happened- but combine my primer and SPF? Genius!

If you are currently in the market for a reasonably priced primer, need to start using SPF more, or just want something a bit more lightweight for the summer then this might be the primer for you, at the very least do give it a swatch in your local KIKO MILANO store.

Have you ever tried any products by KIKO MILANO? I have swiftly fallen in love with the brand since their descent on the Granite City just last year and luckily so far they haven't been to harsh on my bank balance. Be sure to leave your own KIKO picks in the comments below I'd love to try out even MORE of their products, come share your faves with me on Twitter or if you'd just like to watch the decline in my bank balance in the coming months be sure to keep up with the blog on Bloglovin.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Words of Wisdom | Some of the Worst Life Advice I've ever followed

This post was prompted though looking back at some of my more questionable life decisions and looking through some throwback pictures from 2007 onwards (I still have and love big hair so #noregrets there!) Today I therefore thought I would share some of my more embarrassing moments and some of the worst advice I sadly chose to follow throughout my youth and teenage years.

'Wear a bra two sizes smaller so your boobs look bigger' - courtesy of a flat chested friend.
This is something I genuinely did for a period of time when I was about 16 / 17 I stocked up on bras that were simply way, way too small for me in an effort to make my (already pretty sizable) boobs look even bigger. I'm not sure whether I was going for the Dolly Parton look or what between my babydoll dresses, big boobs and giant hair but either way this was so uncomfortable and not to mention quite bad for my back so if any younger ladies are out there reading this - heed my warnings!

'Get a better pout by pulling and stretching the corners of your mouth for one minute each day' - courtesy of either Mizz or Bliss magazine.

I actually remember reading this article when I was younger, it revolved around how to get boys to like you (I was about 12 at the time) and this was genuinely one of their tips. I remember it as if it were yesterday, I used to sit after eating my coco pops before school and pull at the corners of my mouth to achieve the perfect pout - needless to say that while this is safer than the Kylie Jenner lip challenge I've since found more effective and less painful ways to improve my pout.

'Drinking black coffee will sober you up' - courtesy of the friend who led me astray.

The first time I ever had an alcoholic beverage with my friends I freaked so hard (internally of course I had to maintain my ever cool exterior and rep...ahem) and they all agreed they'd be going home to down black coffee. Despite being an avid coffee lover and regular coffee drinker this did nothing for me and if anything the terrible 30p a bottle cider mixed something awful with the black coffee and made me feel ill - not one to replicate.

Sadly this is not the end of the list as we've only begun to see the tip of the iceberg when it comes to life advice I have naively followed throughout the years so let's simply call this part 1 of what I imagine will be many, many more posts of a similar nature.

What has been some of the worst advice you have ever received or followed? I'd love it if you'd leap out with me on to this branch of shame, embarassment and general throwback fondness. Be sure to leave some of your advice in the comments section below, come share them with me on Twitter or if you'd just like to wait on tender hooks for embarassing life advice part 2 then be sure to keep up with me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks,

H.Elizabeth x