7 Pounds in 1 Week

7 pounds, in 1 week?  Is this how much I've spent or how much I have saved?  No, this is how much weight I have lost!

I have adopted the lifestyle of Slimming World.  The Extra Easy plan is really easy to follow as there are only a few key rules.

I'm not 100% great on rules and regulations but basically you have 15 Syns a day (20 for a man) then a healthy A and a healthy B.  The A is dairy so either milk or cheese and the B is wheat so 2 pieces of whole meal bread or 2 weatabix.

The "free" items are meat, pasta, rice, vegetables and fruit so you can eat as much of these as you want. Most over things will be a number of Syns defined by the slimming world lists or information found online.  The best thing to do is join a group, with support and guidance on how to plan you meals.  You will also have a weekly weigh in and get rewarded for mile stone weight loss such as 1/2 stone, 1 stone, 1 1/2 stone and so on.

There are lots of blogs, forums and books with plenty of support from like minded people and receipies to make you favourite meals, sun free.

How I started is by popping to Iceland, picking up some frozen slimming world meals and rice then also picked up some mug shots for lunch times.  This has started me off and inspired me to try my own receipies and think creatively about everything I eat.

If you want to shift some weight, I recommend this plan to everyone and you can even just do an online version with an app.

New Tips and Tricks

Whilst looking on my Facebook timeline I spotted a makeup artist I followed ages ago, so looked at her work and saw some great "cut creases".  I have tried and kinda failed at trying this look as I had no idea how to achieve it.  But this is because I just thought you put the eyeshadow on and just blend but it's a bit more technical.

This is before YouTube;

And this is after;

Turns out, this make up artist has a YouTube page with tutorial videos which include a cut crease here; https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCyHvYKdVpwjei4H80VHAAsg

What I learnt from her videos is the following;

1. Blending is key on your face which I knew anyway but she uses serval different types of brushes to blend the face make up
2. I need me some translucent loose powder for baking and protecting my under eye from eyeshadow fallout - apparently collection have a cheap one that I must seek out in Boots or Superdrug
3. Liquid bronzer or darker liquid concealer is perfect for contouring your face
4. The secrets to a cut crease is to start with the crease, slowly adding shadow blending and building up the darkness in the crease.  Then you cover just the eyelid in either eye shadow primer or a long wear eye cream/pencil such as the NYX Jumbo Eye Crayon (think I'm gunna get this in the colour "milk").  This can be moved around and right up to crease with a flat eye shadow or concealer brush. Then you can finish by putting a lighter or different colour eyeshadow on the on top of the lid only and then your usual eyeliner and mascara routine.

Plump Those Lips

I'm Recently I've seen loads of girls with insanely large lips pumped up with injected lip fillers, especially on Instagram and I think it looks gross!  On the other hand I see normal girls everyday who have thin lips and may not be able to afford these expensive treatments or simply disagree with the procedure.  I am not against cosmetic surgery or alterations as long as it makes you happy, confident and you don't go over the top.  There is also nothing wrong with thin lips but sometimes you want to make them look bigger so I have put all my tips together in a lip tutorial.

To achieve this look, I did the following;

1) Use lip scrub in a circular motion, then wash or wipe off (optional to use a lip plumper cream or suction tool at this point)

2) Use lip balm to calm the lips

3) Line lips with a neutral dark lip liner, just over the edge of your natural lip line, in a cross on the cuspids bow and 3 lines  in the middle of the bottom lip to create definition

4) Then fill the lips in with a slightly lighter nude lipstick, I had to mix 2 shades together

5) The next step is to add lipgloss to just the centre of the lips to make them appear plumped (I used a lip plumping gloss from Soap & Glory)

6) Carefully add a creamy concealer around the edge of the lips with a flat concealer brush to neaten the lines

7) Add highlighter (cream, liquid or powder) to the Cupid's bow on the skin above the lips to make this area stand out

I used the following products along with some others;

Foundation; The Struggle

I'm quite pale so finding foundation is hard but basically only wear it to look more alive and healthy.  The struggle is not to look orange or have a line on my neck.

My other struggle is running out so quickly and the glass bottles make it so hard to get the last bits.  There are loads of different foundations but money doesn't grow on trees.

After some research, I recently settled on trying the L'Oreal Paris Infalliable 24H-Matte Foundation in shade Vanilla, which is the second lightest shade.

First of all, I like the packaging because it's in a tube that you can cut to get the last bits and its 35ml instead of the usual 30ml that most bottles hold.  The nozzle once the lid is off, is perfect for dispensing just enough on your brush or sponge.

When using it for the first time I really wasn't sure as I felt so pale like I wasn't wearing anything on my skin.  But once I had some bronzer on, I looked great.

It is very mattifying as it almost feels like once you have applied the foundation, you don't need powder to set but I do anyway.

After a while of using this product it definitely seems darker when I put it on my skin.  I don't know whether this because my skin has got paler or the foundation has oxidised in the tube?  I also find that it rolls up in little balls on the make up brush sometimes and falls everywhere but maybe that is because I need to wash my brushes or not?

Before I was using the Rimmel Pore Perfect in Ivory or maybe true Ivory which is nice and very liquid compared to the L'Oreal thicker foundation.

I got this on 9th July 2016 and I already feel like it may be running out, oh dear.

Overall I give this product 4/5 stars and it is very long lasting!

Lazy Up Do Tutorial

It's no secret that I'm not too bothered about my hair, yes I want to look as blonde as possible but I often just wear it down and free!  Today I decided to wear my hair up with some dry shampoo as it could do with a wash.

Tools you will need;

• Hair brush
• Tail comb or teasing brush
• Hair bands x 2
• Hair grips x 6 or more

If you want recreate this look please follow these steps;

1. Brush through of your hair to de tangle any knots
2. Tease the crown and parting of your hair by brushing downwards at the roots in sections
3. Roughly part your hair at the nape of your neck
4. Create one plait on the left side and one on the right (make these as lose or tight as you wish but you will get more volume in the style make them looser)
5. Tie each plait at the as fair down as possible with small elastic band or hair bands
6. Grab some kirby grips/Bobby pins and pin the first plait across to the other side of your head, curling the ends downward
7. Now pin the other plait across the opposite side of your head, tucking the end downwards underneath the other plait
8. I only used 6 pins to secure these plaits in place, findeling with overall shape but you can use more for more hold
9. You can also use hairspray if you wish

Ok so the one side looks a bit wonky but it was only for work and if it had more time in the mornings, I would actually take a bit more care.

Dat Highlight Tho

I am in love with highlighters. 😍

From powder, to cream, to liquid.  The shimmery goodness it my fav.  I think it helps define features and makes your face look slimmer.  It also makes you look very youthful.

I feel that it difficult to take a decent picture of clear highlighter but it looks awesome in person.  My favourite product ever is the Benefit High Beam and I've only got a small sample from boots in the 4 minis for £15 deal.  Then I love my No7 Instant Radiance Highlight stick for £9.95 with a highlighter powder to set the cream.

The following snapchat filter is basically the ultimate highlight that would be hard to create in real life.

Netflix and Chill

I love Netflix, it's a modern marvel.  You can watch almost anything you imagine but unfortunately it doesn't have things like Geordie Shore or any other English gems.

My top programmes are as follows;

1) Once Upon a Time - my favourite fantasy series with lovable characters and unpredictable storylines.  Basically it's full of everyone's favourite fairytale characters trapped in our world with no memories of their lives.  All 5 seasons are on there following stints on serval channels.

2) Jane the Virgin - I love this programme as its easy to watch and get into but it keeps me on the edge of my seat wondering what will happen to Jane next.  It has made me cry but it has also made me laugh so definitely recommendable.  It's like Ugly Betty with the Spanish culture netting the modern American world.

3) Orange is the New Black - This really interests me because you get attached to all the characters but they are convicted criminals!  The back stories go through how they got inside and it only makes you like them more.  Warning - there is a lot of lesbian action in there so if that makes you feel uncomfortable, maybe skip it.

4) Pretty Little Liars - How could I leave this out?  It's a teen classic and I have only really watched the first season, so I've got a lot of catching up to do!  This is like a teen murder mystery mixed with a classic high school setting.

5) The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmit - Another easy watch with this American comedy that follows a girl in New York after she was rescued from a doomsday cult.