What I Got For Christmas 2015

I know this is rather late, but I got some lovely presents which might inspire my readers to do a bit of on-line shopping during miserable January. I was so so happy with everything I received from my friends and family; I hope you all don't mind me sharing (this is not for bragging purposes).

My mum got me this cute mug after I confessed how much I loved the John Lewis- Man on the Moon advert. Now I realise it would feel a little bit odd to buy a Christmas mug in January, but its been reduced to £2.50- here! Plus 25% of the price goes to the Age UK charity who work with older people in the UK to make sure they are happy/cared for.

Shearer candles are a brand I hadn't heard of before my Mum gifted me them. However,  both products are very good quality and smell very strong of Frankincense and Myrrh (which again may be a bit Christmassy for this time of year). But I am so happy, as my University room smells gorgeous each time I enter it and the candle is super long lasting. Check out their website as they have loads of different scents- here!

I got Argan Oil hand and nail cream in my stocking from Santa and Oh My God it smells gorgeous. I'm not really sure where my Mum/Santa bought this but I have found a link- here!

Jimmy Choo- Illicit was top of the list of presents I wanted this Christmas. Its just a beautiful, sophisticated and feminine perfume. You can buy it at your local boots- here!

I'm going to be completely honest, I have no idea where my Sister bought this little beauty. Its a tealight holder and it looks so pretty when the light shines through the intricate holes in the design. It is absolutely my style.

Make-up presents are THE best. My sister got me a very pretty floral Cath Kidston free-standing make-up bag- here! I also got two amazing eye-shadow palettes, one from Soap & Glory- here , the other from Collection- here! Both have warm and glittery colours perfect for winter.

Yayyyy- I finally got real techniques make-up brushes. So happy with these- particularly the powder brush, the quality is amazing. These can also be found at Boots- here!

With money from various family members I invested in a taupe coloured leather jacket. I fell in love as soon as I saw this is River Island. Its a little bit of me because of the fur; its so feminine. I know I'll get so much wear out of this, and it'll give my black leather jacket a little break haha. Unfortunately I can't find this version on River Island's website but did find this version for the same price.

My Sister and Best Friend both had the same fabulous idea when they got me Mindfulness colouring books. I have an abundance of pens, pencils and drawings now. These books can be found easily on Amazon for a very low price. They do wonders for helping you to relax and zone out from all your worries- all you think about is what colour green should this leaf be? Haha.

My beautiful Mum got be both of these presents. The first being a Yankee Candle melt holder- which has been the best addition to my room. The melts last FOREVER and smell so good. You can buy this from Yankee Candle- here!

My favourite present from her was the picture of myself and her on my 21st Birthday in Disney, printed on slate. This was done at a local shop and is really good quality; amazing considering the picture is off an iPhone. It just makes me smile so much every time I see it.

Thanks for reading everyone- hope it has inspired you in some way (at least to do some naughty January shopping)!

New Years Resolutions

I never normally set myself goals at the beginning of a year. This year felt different; I feel a few goals could help me feel like myself again and get me through the rest of my time at University.

I have tried to be realistic, but these goals are still big steps for me at the moment because of my anxiety.

So here goes:

1. Build and continue my skincare routine-

I started doing this before Christmas, however going home confused my routine and I have slacked a bit recently. I want to buy some more high-end products and really look after my skin. It makes me feel more confident and my make-up looks a lot better on moisturised skin. But most of all having routine parts of my day really help with my anxiety, as its unfamiliar things that stress me out so a bit of structure comforts me. Liz earle is the dream.

2. Look after my lips-

I get SO annoyed when my lipstick looks rubbish because I have ridiculously dry lips. I know part of this is because I don't drink enough water, so I should probably add that to the list. But I also want to use lip scrubs, buy a lip primer and always have a lip balm with me. Any recommendations for anything else I could do will be much appreciated?

3. Build my social media platforms-

I have been quiet on social media recently, this is due to losing my confidence completely. I've been feeling like no-one would care about pictures I post or my opinions. This is all part of my anxiety trying to convince me to go and sit quietly in a corner and never speak again. However, I LOVE looking on social media and the people I follow give me motivation. If I can be accepted on social media, then I can in real life too.

I want an Instagram theme please

4. Practice Mindfulness-

This is something my counsellor has suggested a do a few times a day, to help my mind relax. It should then train my brain to be able to calm down when something is stressing me out. However, I am rubbish at setting out time to do it. For Christmas my sister and best friend got me mindfulness colouring books. I have loved them so far, and it is so relaxing to do before bed time. A friend also suggested I practice mindfulness whilst brushing my teeth or making cups of coffee (I am aware coffee is awful for anxiety...but its university exam time, please forgive me?)

Millie Mackintosh has this book...eek.

5. Make plans/ don't get lonely

At university I get very lonely. As I am a year behind my home friends academically, I get very envious that they are all busy in jobs and social lives like I was last year. I need to make plans to go home more regularly, walk into town for some window shopping, make an effort to attend choir more and make exciting plans to give me something to look forward to. When I sit alone, I just drown in my own thoughts. I need to give myself positive things to focus on. Soon I should have something VERY exciting to look forward to...hint below..

6. Eat more vegetables/fruit

I've had stomach problems in the past where they ended up giving me stomach ulcer tablets to sort out the pain. However, I haven't learnt from this awful time. I still have the worst diet, and occasionally bad stomach aches. I eat a lot of acidic and fatty foods. My aim is to slowly introduce more vegetables and fruit into my diet. This will include going shopping more as well, as my main excuse has always been food going out of date.

I don't eat half of these at the moment...promising.

7. Let my interest in beauty and and lifestyle develop

I've finally found something I'm really interested in, so I'm really keen to see where it takes me. I want to buy more make-up, try more brands, improve my lifestyle and redecorate my room at home. These things make me really happy, so its definitely worth making them my focus. And of course, all of this will feature on my blog.

Charlotte Tilbury lipstick is next on my list.

Happy New Year to all my readers, hope 2016 is fabulous for you all!