Spilling the Tea.... [GIFTED]

Once in a while, I like to do a good old Tag post or Q&A. Not only because it's fun but because my readers get to know a bit more about me. So today I'm going to spill the tea.

I was recently gifted a PR Package from Adagio Teas. They are a wonderful company that sell a variety of teas from wellness teas to Iced teas. I was lucky enough to be gifted lots of options to try out and I FELL IN LOVE with some of them.

Some of my favourites:

Spearmint  - A beautiful herbal tea that I have been really enjoying in the morning. It is naturally sweet and refreshing. I've always been a Peppermint tea lover but this tea has converted me to Spearmint too!

Blood Orange Iced Tea - Believe it or not, I had never tried Iced Tea before this, but I definitely will be trying more this summer. It was super refreshing and perfect for the heatwave we had here in the UK these last couple weeks.

One thing I really love about Adagio is that their teas are loose leaves, which makes it Eco-Friendly and also really enjoyable. I surprisingly enjoyed assembling a cup of tea, because of the few extra steps.

Disclaimer:

The products mentioned were GIFTED to me, however all opinions are 100% honest and my own. I'm not being paid to make this post. 

So, I have my Spearmint tea next to me, and I'm ready to spill it (more like sip). Make sure to grab yours from https://www.adagiotea.co.uk/ while their summer sale is still going on.

Now let's answer some questions!

How did you find your First Year of uni?

I really loved it! I'm doing a series of posts all about my experience. So far I have posted my Academic and Social experiences. Check them out if you want to know all the details.

What is the best accommodation to stay in at Aston?

I stayed in James Watt accommodation, which is on campus. This post will be coming really soon, so I'll give all the details about my experience living there.

How do you make important life decisions?

I definitely don't take them lightly. It depends on the situation to be honest, but some of the things I always do are pray about it, and listen out for God's voice. God is always going to have your best interest at heart and he knows your future, so he is the best person to consult with big decisions. I also like to seek advice from the people in my life. For example, my parents and closest friends. It's always a good idea to get advice from an outside perspective, so I never make big decisions without talking to someone else. Ultimately it will always be your own decision, but the people in your life can see things you may not, and they most likely will know you more than you understand yourself.

And if you want a more practical way of making decisions, lists never fail me. Make a list of pros and cons or a list of desires that you can see if weigh up to the decision in front of you.

How are you?

I'm not too bad thank you. I can't complain. Enjoying this break from uni, before all the chaos starts again in September.

Opinions on Love Island?

AHHHH, I have way too many. I could make a whole post on that (I won't though). Follow me on Twitter if you wanna see my thoughts on each episode because I'm super active on there when I watch it.

To keep it short, I'll say 10 opinions I have

1) Ovie is the best Love Island contestant that has been on the show and definitely needs more screen time
2) Curtis never really liked Amy and was just using her until someone new came along
3) Anna is way too immature for a 29-year old woman
4) Amber has grown on me over the series
5) Sherif was unfairly kicked off, considering Maura basically harassed Tommy at the start
6) Tommy is in love with Molly Mae
7) This is the best time for the lie detector test (I know it's not coming)
8) Amber and Ovie would be a perfect match
9) Danny was playing a game
10) Joanna and Michael won't last

What does it mean to be a part of Constantinas?

Um EVERYTHING. Only the Elites are a part of the Constantinas and I'm grateful for it. Best squad around.

Pizza or Pasta?

Pizza 100%. I like Pasta but I can eat Pizza all day everyday.

How do you avoid someone you don't want to see?

Unfortunately I don't think that's possible

If you could swap lives with one person, who would it be?

Hmm this is a tough one. I thought about this for A WHILE and I think I'd swap lives with my mum just because she's such a strong woman and I would want to learn how she deals with things and takes on so much. I don't know how she does it!! I'm really happy with my life though, so I wouldn't change anything at all.

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x

My Self Care Routine

Well....hasn't it been a long time! I feel like I haven't written a post in soooo long. Uni and work has been a little crazy. I may possibly do a post on my first semester at the end of this year so I won't get into all of that now. I did actually write the kitchen part of my uni hauls but I decided not to publish it because I didn't like how it turned out, so please forgive me.

Anyway.......enough waffling. Today's post is going to be my self care routine. This is something that I really want to get into the habit of doing, now that I'm at university. I'm only a month in and I can already see how your mental health can seriously be affected, so it's important to always make time for yourself. It's OK to go out and live your best life, but it's also important to have some alone time and make sure you're good. It can be very easy to focus on being social and looking out for other people but you really do have to treat yourself well too.

My routine isn't set in stone. It really does depend on my mood and how my day has gone, however I do have certain things that I am likely to do when I have me time. Hopefully this will give you some ideas for your own self care routine.

You can have some you time at any point. Sometimes I do it before a night out but most the time staying in is actually a part of self care. If I choose to do it before a night out, I like to give myself lots of time to get ready. Doing your makeup can honestly be so therapeutic and being able to do it whilst relaxed, rather than rushing around is so lovely. Do not underestimate the power of blending foundation. It's extremely satisfying. It's even better with music or Netflix in the background. Oo and don't forget your fancy wine glass haha.

When I stay in, I do the complete opposite. I love the process of getting UN-ready. Doing a full skin care routine is such a stress relief. I don't have a bath in my student accommodation so I definitely appreciate it more when I go home. If you like baths then a classic LUSH bath-bomb is essential. I take my time when taking my makeup off and I may do a face mask or two. I've found that less is more when it comes to skin care so on a daily basis I use no more than 3 products but self care days/nights, I may do a mask or some kind of treatment.

I've been asked to do a post for my skin care routine for a while now but honestly I don't do much anymore, so the post wouldn't be very long. Another thing I like to do is dress appropriately. If I go out, I will ATTEMPT (key-word) to pick a nice outfit but if I'm staying in, I usually wear pajamas or comfy clothes.

Obviously, self care is about how you feel, so it's not all about how you look. I just find that looking good makes me feel good but if you don't care for it, don't feel that you have to. There are so many other things I like to do.

If you've been reading my blog posts for a long time or you know me personally, you'll know that I've danced for years. It's always been one of my favourite things to do. Whether it be to an upbeat song or I'm just laying my emotions out to a sad song, dancing helps me relax. I just grab my laptop or some headphones and DANCE. I live with earphones in most the time. It's honestly not because I'm trying to be antisocial, I just get lost in my own world when music plays LOL. I literally have headphones in as I write this.

As well as dancing, sometimes I like to write. It could be a blog post or just something random in my journal (yup I am that person). I feel like people should expect that, considering I study English. Writing is such a good outlet. Angry? write. Anxious? write. Sometimes I write my exact feelings on paper and then rip it up. It's such a good feeling. It gets all your emotions out.

It doesn't have to be all negative either. I have a gratitude section in my planner so every night I spend time writing for that.

Since it is now Autumn and it's getting a lot colder, this is the best time to start your own routine. If you have a routine, what things do you like to do? Leave a comment below.

I hope you enjoyed my post. Sorry for abandoning y'all (yet again). Hopefully you won't have to wait too long for the next one.

Thanks for reading,

Have a great day x

Glowy Makeup Routine

During the winter I prefer a semi matte finish with lots of neutral tones but during the summer months I look for super glowy and bronze skin. There is something about having radiant and tan skin during the hotter season that I adore. Recently my makeup routine has been exactly that. Today I thought I would share with you all my summer makeup routine.

Disclaimer:

I do not wear makeup every single day but when I do, this is most likely the outcome.

Skin Prep

This is a very important step to getting a natural and fresh face. Your makeup will only look as good as your skin underneath. Don't get me wrong, my skin is no where near perfect but I do try to look after it as much as possible. A couple pimples won't hurt but the smoother the base, the better.

I don't do too much when it comes to prep. I obviously wash my face in the morning and I moisturize. The only extra steps I have been taking lately has been using SPF and primer. A lot of the time I don't bother with primer but it does make a difference in the heat.

I have been using the Rimmel Lasting Perfection primer. It smooths out the skin and creates a long lasting base.

Foundation

When it comes to the foundation, I have been changing between two different methods. The main option is a mixture of two foundations to create a soft and natural base. I use a few swipes of the Revolution fast base stick foundation in F12 and a pump of Maybelline Super Stay in Warm Sun. The finish that you get from mixing the two is so beautiful. The revolution foundation is a dewy finish whilst the Maybelline is matte, creating the perfect balance.

The other option is to use any foundation with some moisturizer to make a tinted moisturizer/BB cream consistency. This is perfect for days where I want my skin to be evened out and cover where necessary. I usually use equal amounts of moisturizer and foundation.

Concealer

The concealer that I have been using is the Revolution conceal and define in the shade C8. It is FULL coverage and covers my dark circles. A little goes a long way in my opinion. I like to highlight between the brows, the bridge of my noses and chin. 

Powder

I don't have majorly oily skin however it does get oily during the summer, as you can imagine. To avoid my skin getting super greasy and creasing, I always dust a little powder over my face. In the day-time I just dust some Rimmel Stay Matte Powder all over my face however I sometimes bake under my eyes with some Airspun loose powder if I feel to. 

Left: Bronzer Topper
Middle: NYX Buttergloss in Madeline
Right: NYX Sandstorm Lipstick

Bronzer

To bronze my skin and add some warmth I have been using my Wet n Wild contour duo. I use the bronzer side on my forehead, cheekbones and my nose to balance everything. I am looking for new bronzers to try and hopefully I find the perfect shade, but this works for now. If I want that extra glow, I use the darkest shade in the Revolution Golden Sugar 2 Rose Gold Blush Palette as a bronzer topper. It looks beautiful when the light hits it.

Highlighter

I LOVE highlighter so this is always my favourite part when it comes to my glowy makeup routine. I have plenty of options but for this look in particular I gravitate to my gold shades. My favourite to use is the Maybelline Master Chrome Highlighter. I pretty much just go ham with it. I like to put it on my cheek bones, nose, above the brows and on the brow bone. I also like to highlight my cupids bow and chin. It sounds obsessive and unnecessary. You would be absolutely correct if you are thinking that.

Of course I always make sure to wear mascara and do my brows too.

Lips

Glossy lips are THE ISH during the summer. I think I am more of a gloss person over matte anyway but I love a glossy lip in the summer time. My current fave  lip combo is NYX Sandstorm with the NYX buttergloss in Madeline over the top. Sometimes I use Madeline alone too

So this is my general glowy skin routine. It's one of my favourite type of looks to do. When it comes to makeup I stick to quite natural makeup. Maybe I'll go more out of my comfort zone one day.

Thanks for reading,

Have a great day x

My After School Routine

Sixth form has completely turned my life upside down and I've only been back for 2 weeks. If you knew the workload and deadlines that I'm currently facing, my goodness! Since this is my life currently, I thought it would only be appropriate to give you a glimpse of it. Today I am going to share with you my after school routine.

The first thing that happens after sixth form is that I get the bus home. Sometimes I walk down to the bus stop and literally watch it drive away before I get to the door which is so frustrating. I have to wait another 10 minutes for the next one, with heavy bags (which includes my backpack and the ones under my eyes).

Once I get home, I say hi to my family, ask about their day and then change into more comfy clothes. At our sixth form we wear formal/business wear so I prefer not to stay in them when I'm at home. I usually wear leggings and a t-shirt or pyjamas.

I'm usually super hungry when I get home because I haven't eaten since lunch, so I get a snack and chill for about half an hour before doing some more work. I prefer to have a break before going straight into more work when I've just come back from sixth form.

Before I get into the work, I actually need to know what I'm doing so I always review my school planner or to do list for the week and decide on what to do. I may do several things or if I have something big due like EPQ or coursework, I'll just do that for a couple hours.
I make sure to do any homework I've been set first before my own revision or further reading. Most the time I end up having no time to do my own revision because of deadlines.

Sometimes I like to do some reading because it allows me to do something for myself that has nothing to do with my sixth form. I may do this before dinner or before bed, it depends on how I'm feeling that day.

Whilst I'm reading or working, I get called down for dinner. I sit and have dinner with my family. This is my time to actually socialise with my siblings as I'm always occupied with work in my room.

At the end of the day I Iron my clothes for sixth form ready for the next day. It takes the pressure off me in the morning and gives me more time in the morning. Sometimes I make my lunch too. If its something that takes more time to make or prepare, then I do it in the evening, otherwise if its something like a ham sandwich, I do it in the morning.

The rest of my evening usually consists of winding down and being relaxed. I take my makeup off, braid my hair (I always sleep in braids) and watch YouTube or do something to relax and take my mind off school.

So that is my after school routine. I hope you enjoyed hearing about it.

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x