Photo: Taken by myself on a Canon 700d, Krakow Town Centre 2017. 

The past few years I feel have been rather difficult. Maybe difficult isn’t the right word, perhaps even a little bit overdramatic. What I mean is that in your early twenties I feel immense pressure and confusion to make decisions.

See the thing is, I want my own space, I want to move out but then there’s the decision of renting or saving for a mortgage. I want a stable and growing career, but also to enjoy it. Perhaps what I want in life is a risk, a job that isn’t conventional and something you can’t just qualify for and then do. My degree is in English and Media, it made sense to me at the time, I enjoy reading and writing, I love film, images and videography. To me the perfect job would be blogging full time, not for the PR packages or the good pay packet or even the attention. It’s a job that is filled with everything I enjoy. But I’ll never take that risk to just quit a job and go for it. I’m not that brave.

So that leaves me to a point where you ask yourself, so what now? What exactly do you take the risk for? I haven’t quite figured that out just yet.

One thing I do know is that before I settle down into anything, I want to explore. This world has so much to offer, and I want to experience it all. Push myself to my limits. So that’s what I have decided. I decided to finally do it, after talking about travelling with my boyfriend since we first met, now felt like the perfect time to go.

On January 2^nd, I will be travelling South- East Asia for 3 months, so longer than a holiday but not long enough to feel like I’m gone forever. Just enough to experience somewhere else.

Life is confusing during your early-twenties, and I wrote this post to get it all off my chest and to see if anyone else could relate. Sometimes you have to follow your heart, and just think fuck it, life is too short, there’s plenty of time to worry about careers and a place to make a home. 

There’s so many more experiences to have, more people to meet and food to taste. Sometimes we forget how young we really are, when I’m 60, I want to look back and remember these experiences, that’s why I decided to take some time from work, to be twenty something and make memories.

I hope some of you might think the same, stop stressing and have fun.

I’ll be posting mine and my boyfriends adventures online, if it’s something you’d like to see, then I will share our social and website with you.

Emma :)

I caved and I bought the new Fendy Beauty products, but can you blame me? I'd watched like 4 review videos on YouTube and I was convinced that I needed it in my life.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, base make up is literally the most important part of any make up look. Yes, you can have eyeshadows that slay and eyebrows on point, but it doesn't matter if your base isn't quite right. So this range is right up my street! 

I was going to order it online but thought I'd rather go in store and give it a proper look, At first I thought I was going to be shade 170 or 190 in the foundation but boy was I wrong, I ended up going for the 150- let's just reflect on how pale I actually am. This foundation does dry a little bit darker so that is something to remember. 

Next I went for the trio sticks, I think these are good value for money as you get three for £46, whereas if you buy them individually they are priced at £21 each. I went for the lightest shades, they are creamy, so easy to blend and even more importantly they do what they say! My face looked defined and concealed, so what more could I want.

I went a bit crazy when it came to highlighters and ended up buying two as well as the brush. I felt like I couldn't get Fenty beauty without getting the trophy wife colour- despite the sales assistant insisting this wouldn't suit my skin tone. I thought it would be perfect for the inner corners of my eyes! I also bought the double highlighter in the lightest shades and this is amazing.. a little really goes a long way!

If you'd like to see a full video of me using the products and my thoughts then just click below! 

Have you bought any of the products? What are your thoughts?

Emma :)

When it comes to makeup, I've always been interested in foundation. For me, it's the most important part of any make up look- if it's wrong, it's wrong. There's no clawing back a bad base. I don't know if it's the same for everyone else, maybe you're more interested in your eyeshadow or your eyebrows, but when you've suffered with acne for years as a teenager, any sort of cover up is a blessing.

My skin has changed quite a lot over the years, from really oily to dry, to combination (which is where I'm at now.) So once I find the right foundation, I don't tend to change it much. For the past year or two, I've been using Too Faced Born This Way- which is also absolutely amazing so check it out if you haven't. I had no reason to change from it, other than the fact I stumbled into Sephora in Dubai and found myself at the Tarte section. I'd hear about their Under The Sea foundation but they didn't have it in store, and the lovely sales assistant was showing me the Amazonian Clay Foundation instead. It is oil free, and felt so lightweight as soon as she put it on my skin. The coverage and matte look was exactly what I wanted and so I wanted to know more about the range!

About ten minutes later, I ended up with the primer, the brush and the foundation and I left Sephora so happy! I felt confident and yet, not full of makeup. My skin can breathe with these products, and it actually doesn't move from my face. Even though I don't suffer from severe acne anymore, I always want to have a good coverage foundation and I honestly can't recommend this one more. It's hard to buy in the UK as we don't have any stores where you can have a colour match, but if you want to buy it online then just click here.

I know the base of your make up can be boring but it's so important! What's your favourite make up product?

Emma :) 

We all have one thing that we're fond of, whether it's football, handbags or collecting CDs. Whatever it may be, there is something that makes us happy. For me, it's always been travelling. Don't get me wrong, there are a few things in life that make me happy- good company, food, lusting over handbags and movies. But when it comes to travelling it's something else entirely, it's experiencing something for the first time. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea and when I say travelling I don't necessarily mean backpacking, more like the Hilton in Dubai but still.. you get what I mean.

So do I actually have a point here? To be honest, not really. I just wanted to tell you a little bit about my recent trip abroad because why not, maybe it will inspire you to go.

Where did I actually go then? If you haven't guessed it from the pictures above (no worries if you didn't) I visited Dubai and Bali this Summer with my boyfriend. I flew from Manchester to Dubai, spent four days there, travelled from Dubai to Bali, spent a week there, then back to Dubai for three days, before flying home. That was tiring just to type so you can imagine how the flights were long and boring. But more importantly, was it worth it? Going all that way and spending all that money.

I'm just going to focus on Dubai today as I honestly still can't make my mind up on whether I loved it or not. In the run up to the holiday I spent forever ordering and trying on clothes before sending them all back because I really didn't know what was acceptable. I wanted to be respectful of their culture but I was also very aware of how hot Dubai is. I ended up settling on some maxi dresses (one of which actually broke while we were out- nightmare!) and some flowy pants. So that's tip number one, if you're going, I advise you go for these types of clothes as otherwise, you were looked at quite strangely. I also opted for a scarf to wrap around my shoulders and I was so glad that I brought it with me because whenever I removed/ adjusted it, I felt really out of place.

Dubai is hot. I mean I knew it was going to be hot before we went but oh my, there is literally no air. My best way to describe it is to put your head into an oven. Even the sea was boiling hot and it was incredibly stuffy. I wish I would have gone at a bit of a colder time but nevertheless, inside had air conditioning and it gave me an excuse to look around all of the malls (which were great!!) So my second tip is to stay hydrated and if you're like me and awful with the heat, go when it is a little bit cooler.

Now since I already mentioned the Malls.. why not mention it some more. We visited two malls, The Mall of Emirates and The Dubai Mall. The Dubai Mall was easily my favourite, as like most of Dubai, it takes your breath away. The Aquarium and swarm of people surrounding it, is overwhelming as soon as you walk in, there are shops everywhere and so many restaurants and stores to suit everyone. You feel yourself just standing and looking around for a while in awe. The only downside was that the pound to the dirim isn't all that great so most things were quite expensive but if you have another currency this might not be a problem!

The views are definitely worth a look, we went up the Burj Khalifa during the day and it was such a stunning view. You can pay for various floor levels to suit yourself, and even if you don't want to go up to the sky deck (we never) you can still see eveything perfectly fine! They love a good photo opportunity in there so be prepared to be pulling all sorts of faces and moves infront of a green sceen, and although we didn't buy any of the photos, we still had a bit of a laugh at them.

Dubai was such a culture change for me and it took me a while to get used to. I like to walk around so the gigantic motorways everywhere weren't exactly in my favour. However, I still feel like Dubai has a lot more to offer that I never got to experience so I would love to go again maybe in Spring or Autumn.

Have you ever been? What did you make it?

Emma :) 

With Valentines Day just around the corner, I decided to post my favourite fragrances- girls, you can thank me later.

I'm quite simple when it comes to perfume, I get headaches if it's too strong so I usually go for floral scents, hopefully, you can find something you like from my collection.

1. Chanel Chance. RRP £49+ This is my most recent perfume and it was given to me from my boyfriend for Christmas. It has a sophisticated feel to it.. or smell I should say, it's not really like any of my others as it isn't quite floral, yet it's not strong or sweet either. I think this would suit most people and for that reason, it's top of the list.

2. Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb. RRP £50+  This is definitely a floral scent. It would be a bit stupid if it wasn't really! I know that Viktor and Rolf have since released a newer scent but I just love Flowerbomb. I feel like it's quite long lasting, light and really fresh.

3. Versace Bright Crystal. RRP £35+ I've actually run out of this but it's such a good perfume. It's really good for everyday use, and again it's another light fragrance. This comes in a few varieties but personally, I liked the light pink.  I can't quite put my finger on the scent, but if you're like me and can't really hack a strong perfume all day then this is a good one to go for.

I've always been very passionate about skincare. After suffering from acne in my teens, it's something I've been self-conscious about and so, I always make active decisions about what skincare to use. I know for some people it's just a case of whatever is easiest but for me, it's not quite the same. I hated my skin, to the point where I felt like I couldn't go anywhere without wearing makeup- whether it was to the gym, to work, or just to the shops. I couldn't go outside without covering up my spots.

I'm much more confident in my skin and my outlook has changed quite a lot, but that doesn't mean that I don't invest my time and money into a good skincare routine. I was recently approached by Preen.Me to take part in a current campaign with Dermalogica. As you can imagine, I was thrilled! And very intrigued to have my face mapping experience. 

I visited my local salon to see what all the fuss was about, and the specialist that helped me was so nice, I couldn't fault her. She told me all about the different areas of my skin and the products that I should be using to help tame my redness/dryness etc.

Dermalogica kindly sent me 4 of the recommended products from my 'prescription' if I didn't believe in these products then I wouldn't be sharing them with you. So I can confidently express my positive opinion on these products. 

I have been using these for about 3 weeks and I can safely say that my favourite product is the UltraCalming face mist. It does what it says, it calms my skin! I use it every morning after my cleanser and its so easier to just spray it on and let it air dry. I've noticed some redness going down and I think this will be perfect for travelling as you can keep your skin hydrated on the go. 

I also received some other amazing goodies, as I suffer with dry patches (particularly around my eyes) I have been using the UltraSmoothing Eye Serum. You only need a tiny bit as it's quite strong but it does the job and was the perfect size for my recent trip to Krakow. 

The other two products are weekly treatments, I guess we don't want to put harsh products on our skin too often. To be honest, I feel like I haven't used these enough to give my honest opinion, with being away recently I had to let my skincare slip a little. (The joys of having hand luggage only.) But I wanted to mention them regardless- Gentle Cream Exfoliant  and Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque 

Have you ever tried any of these products for yourself? I'm super impressed and so grateful that I was given the opportunity to try them. 

Emma :)

Hello!

I hope that you all had an amazing Christmas and New Year. I certainly did! I'm trying to get back to normal with uploading both on YouTube and my blog so keep your eyes peeled this year for some (hopefully) amazing posts. 

I recently uploaded a video on What I got For Christmas so feel free to check it out. I received a lot of skincare and beauty products this year and I've already been using them non-stop. Just some of them include the Clinique Sonic Cleansing Face Brush and the Rose Gold Oral B Genius 9000. 

I might post an updated skincare routine and some products that I've been enjoying so that I can give you a bit more of a review and just my general thoughts on the products. So if that is something that you would be interested in then be sure to let me know. 

Here's to an amazing 2017 with many new products to come. 

Emma :)

Day 19! Floral is pretty much my go-to scent so I'm quite excited by today's advent. It's Miller Haris Rose Silence.  It seems like quite the expensive perfume when I was researching it on the internet, but then I guess quite a lot of brands are priced around £80-£100 nowadays.

First of all, the packaging. It's quite simple but it is only a sample size so it's hard to judge. The full size looks a lot prettier with roses on the glass. Moving past the packaging, I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not normally a fan of rose, there's always been something about it. But this smells really light and fresh, not too overpowering. So I'm hoping that once I wear it out and about, it won't give me headaches and I'll like it! Only time will tell.

Emma :) 

I thought I'd do something different today. I mean sometimes it's a bit too much pressure doing blogmas/vlogmas and sometimes I feel like my content isn't exactly what I want it to be. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't want to post just for the sake of it. So today, I really wanted to talk about something that I have a little bit of trouble with. Treating yourself.

I bought some make up the other day from Chanel. Now I've never owned anything from Chanel if I'm completely honest and I felt like I hadn't bought myself anything in ages. So I took the plunge, and after trying some out a few days before at the counter, I decided to buy some products for myself.

I got the bronze universal and also a blush. This blog post isn't really about what I bought though, it's more of an expression of how I feel when I buy myself things. I guess I feel kind of guilty.. Having said that though, I'm trying to learn that we all work hard and if you don't treat yourself, then what's the point? So it's okay to gift yourself, especially at this time of year. Working overtime to get other people amazing gifts so it's not really that bad to treat yourself once in a while.

I'm not sure if it's just me that feels that way but I just thought I'd get my views out there anyway. So if you plan on treating yourself then do it! Try not to feel guilty, even though I know it's easier said than done and get whatever it is that you want. Of course, it has to be within reason, I don't think you'll be able to get yourself an actor husband or something anytime soon.

Emma :) 

It's time for a giveaway!

I've never done one of these before so I'm a little bit nervous to say the least. But I'd been thinking about it for quite some time now so figured I'd just do it now!

I posted a video on YouTube explaining what it is that you can win and how to enter so if you'd like to watch that then click here.

It's pretty simple, you just need to enter your details into the rafflecopter below and the more things you complete, the more entries you get! Simple! a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'm not really sure what to say about this product. I mean it's pretty self explanatory. In my advent today, I received a nail file.

It's quite thick so I imagine it to be pretty durable, I know that sounds like a random thing to mention but I'm used to really thin nail files that feel like they will snap in half at any minute.

It's quite clear too so it looks quite fancy, with just the brand name in gold at the bottom (or is it the top?) It also comes in this clear wallet to protect it whilst it's in your bag.

A practical advent today, I think!

Emma :) 

Hand cream, something you always need to throw in your bag! So this came in handy (get it?)

This is from The Organic Pharmacy, and it is Marigold and Comfrey Hand Cream. I have tried a little bit of it, you only need a small amount and it doesn't leave your hands feeling oily. It smells good and it's the perfect size at 50ml. I feel like this will last for quite a while.

It claims to leave your hands soft and silky, however, after one use I'm not sure I can make a proper conclusion. Having said that, my first impression is good and I'll continue to use it!

Emma :)

The name sounds a bit like a football show but ESPA is actually a skincare brand. In my advent today I have their hydrating skin mask. I love the white packaging, although it is simple, it is clean and to the point.

I say this about everything, but I could smell it through the packaging, and it smells so nice and fresh. I'll be honest, I've never used an overnight mask before but I'm really looking forward to trying it. Especially during this time of year where my skin is really dry.

It's only a sample size so is really small but that's enough to try it out! I'll let you know how I get on with this, along with everything else I open this month.

Emma :) 

I am a sucker for gold/rose gold and copper recently. So the packaging of this product won me over straight away. It's Nuxe Prodigieux huile de douche (and no, I can't say pronounce this whatsoever).

It's a 30ml shower gel that apparently cleanses your skin and leaves a satin finish. The version I have also leaves a shimmer. I'm yet to try it since I'd already had a shower before opening my calendar. However, I think as long as it is bubbly that it should be okay, right?

Emma :)  

I hate to one of those people that say 'I can't believe it's this day or this month' etc.. however, I really can't believe it's the 3rd December already. I bet I'll say that everyday now- whoops. Another day means another advent, and today I have Moroccanoil Treatment. This literally smells amazing. As soon as I took it out the box I could smell it, I mean I hadn't even opened the bottle yet, which is good because like most people, I like my hair to smell nice.

I'm always wary with oils, will it make me greasy or glowing? I can never tell and to be honest.. I'm not really much of a risk taker.

BUT having said that, I'm really wanting to try this since I've heard it's amazing for your hair. It's 25ml so I imagine I'll be able to get quite a lot of uses out of it!

Have you ever used it and what did you think?

Emma :) 

So todays advent is a Burt's Bees product! I'll be honest, I've never been much of a fan of Burt's bees but that's mainly because of the smell. However, my first impression of this product is that I can't actually smell anything- which is a good sign, as it's a tinted lip balm, and if a lip product doesn't smell nice, I can't bring myself to use it.

I guess so far so good then? The colour looks really nice, not too obvious, and of course a red lip is always something I'm extremely fond of. I think I'll like this product a lot! If you'd like to check it out, click here.  I'm also vlogging this month so if you'd like to watch me open my calendar everyday then click here and be sure to subscribe!

Emma :) 

It's the 1st December, do you know what that means? Advent time!

As I've said before, I'll be posting what I find behind the little door every day. I'll also be doing vlogmas this year if you'd like to watch me open them!

Today, I have the Aurelia Miracle Cleanser with Chamomile, eucalyptus, rosemary and bergamot. It came adorably presented in a black velvet bag with a discount code and cloth. I love hot cloth cleansers, as I'm sure you know since I always go on about the Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser. This one is 30ml so a good size to try and it is filled with bioorganic ingredients. So I imagine it won't be too harsh on your skin! I'll definitely report back once I've tried it properly.

I hope your first of December has been a good one! I'm really looking forward to the rest of the month.

Emma :) 

Yes, it's that time of year again.. Christmas! I apologise if you're not a fan (actually, I don't, because I love it) because I have quite a few Christmas themed posts planned. However, if you are a bit of a Humbug, but like beauty then surely you can still find yourself feeling slightly festive with a beauty advent calendar?

Two years ago, I had the YouBeauty Advent Calendar, and found my one true skincare love.. Liz Earlie Hot Cloth Cleanse and Polish. So this year, I have the same advent calendar on the hopes of finding something else that will become a staple in my routine.

I posted each product everyday with a first impression and I'm thinking about doing the same this time, if you're interested. There are so many amazing beauty calendars out this year, did you manage to pick yourself one up? And if so, which one/ones- I'm not one to judge.

Roll on 1st December!

Emma :) 

I've been having problems with my skin and eczema for about a year now and although I found creams for my body, I just couldn't get anything for my eyes. I had filmed a Get Ready With Me and it was particularly noticeable with how red they were before I put on my make-up. Usual creams such as E45 are no good near your eyes and it was really started to get me down. I mean my eyes were so dry they looked wrinkly if I even tried to wear make-up.

I was searching online for the best eye creams when I came across this one- The Creamy Eye Treatment, it seemed pretty expensive for the size (the image is of the bigger size, priced at £33) but if it worked, I wasn't too bothered. I knew that Kiehls generally have samples available in store, so I visited their stand in Debenhams and asked if I could try it out. The staff were really helpful, put some on for me whilst I was in store and gave me a sample to try at home. You only need a small amount so I tried it for a few days and fell in love.

The problem that I'd had with most creams was how itchy they were on my eyes, I mean they literally stung. The skin was so sensitive that I didn't know what to put on it! After a few days, it really started to clear up, the cream wasn't irritating my skin whatsoever and I can notice such a difference. The redness is definitely going down, the dry patches are gone and it even looks like it's started to brighten my under eyes too.

I just wanted to share this product with you because I wish someone had told me about it sooner!

Emma :)

 

It's been a while since I've been back from holiday, and I never really shared much of it with you.. (I mean, apart from all the Instagram posts.) I had vlogged a lot while we were away but still haven't brought myself to look through it all and miss it. I guess what I'm trying to say is, can I please go back?!

If you didn't know, me and my boyfriend went to America for 3 weeks, visiting 4 different cities, 3 different states. We started off in Los Angeles, then went to Las Vegas (amazing!) then to San Francisco and New York. I've been to New York before but hadn't visited any of the other places. I can honestly say I had the best time of my life, from visiting Minnie Mouse, to the Cheesecake Factory, to the heat and madness of the strip in Las Vegas and then finally, to the Magnum shop in Soho.. I mean, to the Empire State in New York!

It was the best way to celebrate my 21st and I made memories that will stay with me forever. I hope that some of you will get to visit these places for yourselves, if you haven't already. Just so that you don't think I'm a crazy person who won't let go of my Summer Holiday.

Also, apart from the amazing places that I go to see, I am missing one more thing and that's Panda Express. A part of me wishes I had never tried it because I ate orange chicken far too much when we were there and nothing will ever live up to it now that I'm home.

I hope that you enjoy the photos and let me know where you think I should go next!

Emma :)