Betrousse Beauty Box - An Introduction

Hello Lovelies,

I have been wanting to try out a beauty box for some time but just never actually got round to doing it, i thought about Glossy box and about Birch box and even about Lux box, but there was something about it that just didn't do it for me. Maybe its just me, but i think i prefer spending my money on some products that i know I'm going to use up, or that i like, or that I'm going to be able to use time and time again. I guess, to me, it just seems a tad weird to spend so much money on what i would call a "Tester" box. Inside these beauty boxes you get 5-6 products of sample sizes, (literally like travel sizes) for you to see if its something that interests you and if it is, then that's when you would then go out and spend yet more money on the full size product!

Don't get me wrong, i think, if you like testing products or trying out new and different brands you might not have heard of, then beauty boxes are defiantly something that you will enjoy, for me, however, I'm still on the fence about them and unsure weather they are really worth it in the long run.

However, saying all that, i recently got contacted by a company called Betrousse, I had never heard of them before and had to do some background research into who they are and what they do.
Betrousse is a beauty box from France, and up until recently, they were unavailable in the UK. The idea behind them is that, there are different "Kits" that you can purchase, the price range starts at £10 plus postage and stems all the way up to £19 plus postage, while i think, that £19 may be a bit steep for some to pay, you are yet to hear the best bit about this little beauty box and what makes it so different from the others.

Not only do you get to choose the "Kit" you want, so in a way, you can see what is coming inside your box and you will know if its actual products that you would want to try out, (nothing worse then receiving a box with all products that you can't use, or that you just don't generally like.) The best bit is that inside, the products are all full size, yep, you heard me, FULL SIZE! Theres none of the little sample pouches floating around, you get a full bottle of Shampoo or cream instead of a travel size one.

Betrousse, sent me a box/kit to review, they sent me the "Glitz & Glamour Kit" which normally retails for £10 but the products inside are worth up to £70. I received 5 full size products, in a box roughly the same size as a shoe box, with lots pretty pink paper to wrap up the products and keep them safe. Inside there was also a little note which explained a bit about the box and there was another little note that had a description of what each product was and how much they retail for normally.

I received..  Mango and Safflower Body Moisturiser Rosewater and Chamomile Shampoo. G 1 Exfoliating Facial Cleanser. Enhance Shimmer Lip gloss. Tulecos Tonifying Oil.

I am super excited to try these out, and then do separate reviews on them, They all look really good, and i am well happy that because they are full size, i can use them for a number of weeks instead of only a few times.

Another good thing about this box, (just one more), is that some of the products will inevitable come from France, (as that's where the box is from), so if like me, you're a little unsure about beauty boxes because of the size of the products and would it really be worth your while, then i suggest having a look on the Betrousse website and seeing if any of their "kits" appeal to you. Or if you are a blogger that loves to try and experiment with new products, especially products that may be hard to find in the UK but may be easier else where in Europe, then again, i would recommend having a look on the Betrousse website to see if there is anything that takes your fancy there.

Betrousse Website

Betrousse's Facebook

Betrousse's Twitter

Have you tried a beauty box before? Whats your thoughts on them?
*This beauty box was sent to me to review, but the opinions are that of my own and i have been 100% truthful.*

Ana
xx

Fast & Furious 6 Review

Picture Source

Evening all,

I can not even begin to tell you how excited i was at the fact this movie was getting made. When i walked into the cinema to watch the Fast Five film, last year, i was under the impression it would be the last in the franchise, so when i heard that a sixth film was being made, i literally, cant even tell you how excited i got. The Fast and Furious films are a BIG favourite of mine, the whole collection is just superb, from the stunts, to the characters, the actors/actresses portraying them, to the music and of course, the CARS!

Fast & Furious Six does not disappoint, this time the film is set in England, which to be honest i didn't like. I prefer the locations like Brazil and Spain etc. I love the scenery and the amazing views with the great weather, Filming in England means lots of grey days and lots of night shoots instead! Also living in London I'm very well aware of what the London streets are like to drive on, and there is no way in hell that a high speed race could happen in the busy London streets where you would inevitable get stuck in TRAFFIC, (Which this film didn't seem to have any of). There was underground scenes too, which, again i didn't like either, it was all too familiar to see the London Subways, but i put that to the side and still think the film was amazing!

I don't really want to spoil the film for anyone who hasn't gone to see it yet, so i wont be giving the plot away, but i will say, the film had me stitches of laughter, especially Roman and Tej, the connection these two share never fails to make me giggle.

Dwayne Johnson comes back to reprise his role of Luke Hobbs and a familiar face also returns in Michelle Rodriguez's character Letty. Its nice to have the original gang back together as such. This film sees Brian and Mia as parents, and sees Han and Giselle also in the middle of their relationship, which is actually really sweet. There is of course the bad guys, and in this film, they are British, and portrayed rather well i must say. They weren't like any of the other villains that the gang have tried to take down before as theses were more street smart themselves and were able to handle themselves in fights alot better too.

So what can you expect from this film? Well, a guest appearance from Rita Ora as well as an extra guest appearance right at the end, some amazing car chase scenes through the streets of London at night, one of the most amazing stunt scenes i think i have ever witnessed over a bridge, lots of action, and girl on girl fighting, lots of drama and giggles and of course some answers that we weren't expecting. No Fast and Furious film is complete without some plot twists and lots of drama. There is also sadness, and of course some deaths.. (I'm not going to spoil it for you guys, but it was sad to see).

Make sure you stay to watch till after the credits as a little extra clip is thrown in there for you, and this clip leaves us thinking that there will be another Fast and Furious is in the franchise. I did of course check online for it, and it has been confirmed for release in July 2014, filming starts in August of this year, EXCITED is an understatement here, i mean really.. I'm practically falling apart at the fact i have to wait a whole year for more!

Now one thing i didn't like in this film, was the lack of Santos and Leo's characters. They just weren't present throughout the whole film, they did get mentioned and something was said about them doing casinos at the moment, but that still didn't make up for it in my eyes. I love the comedy that flows backwards and forwards between the two Latinos who speak little English but yet, seem to understand everything said to them. This did upset me a little, as the whole point of the Fast and Furious films, and in particular this one is FAMILY!! They are a family, and they will defend each other and protect each other till the end, but then they are missing two big characters, so i was a little sad about that.

However, Overall, i can not fault this film, it had everything it needed to have, an amazing cast, a great story and plot, incredible stunts and just the whole production into the special effects etc, was beyond words, it is amazing, i think the producers of these films just keep outdoing themselves and they don't even realise.

P.S - Watch the little extra clip at the end after the credits for a little surprise guest! Sshhh..

Have you been to see the Fast and Furious 6 yet?

Ana

xx

Boots: Let's give trends a go: No7 Stay Perfect Nail Polish - Shade, Get Wed

Image Source

Hello all,
A few weeks back i mentioned having been sent a bag of goodies from Sinead who works for Red Consultancy, inside this bag of goodies there were some fake eye lashes, which i wrote a post on HERE.

I wanted to try out another little gem that was inside the bag of goodies, and i fell in love instantly with this nail polish from the No7 collection, so i knew it would be the first one to go up on my blog.
It's all to do with the campaign boots launched about "Lets give trends a go". Which is about us ladies trying new trends out that we wouldn't normally do and trying something a little different to see if we like it. (Hence, why i tried fake eyelashes, if you know me, you know they are NOT my cup of tea).
Today i am back with my second instalment of this, and I'm going to be doing a simple "Nails of the week" post, using the nail polish that came in the goodie bag and i feel in love with

No7 Stay Perfect Nail Colour - Get Wed

This colour is a beautiful ivory colour which when i first applied it i said something aloud along the lines of "what a perfect shade for a wedding day", i then went to check the name of the polish and it was actually in fact called "Get Wed". This made me chuckle, but my description of the colour is spot on, with the name even mentioning it. It is indeed the perfect wedding shade.

The brush makes applying this polish easy, i used two coats, as the first coat didn't give me the total coverage or finish i wanted. Application itself, was easy and dried quite quickly, the polish consistency is not too thick, which i think can easily ruin a good nail polish. The colour is so wearable, for day and night, and i think if you're one of these people that isn't too sure on the colour white for your nails, (like me, something about it just reminds me of tippex) this is a great alternative as its not as harsh as white may appear!
I also think if you are in the process of a wedding, then this shade must be at least considered for your big day.

The finish of this polish, isn't matte or too shiny, its almost silk like, but that may just be because the colour appears to look that way.
Overall, I'm really impressed with this shade, and i can see why it was one of the first to catch my eye.

No7 Nail polishes retail from BOOTS for £6.

Have you tried any No7 Nail Polishes?
What do you think of the colour!?
Ana
xx

BEDM - Day 8 - My First Job

Can you believe today is May the 8th already, and I've stuck to my BEDM so far, I'm so super proud of myself. I used to blog twice, maybe 3 times in a week and for the last full week i have blogged everyday! This challenge has really motivated me! :)

So today's topic is "My First Job".

My first job apart from all the little bits of training i did else where, was at a private nursery. The first year was full of joy, i was 19 turning 20 and was making over 1 grand a month, so you can imagine how elated i was. I enjoyed working with the kiddies too.

However over time i grew to dislike the job, don't get me wrong, i grew super attached to some of these kids and I'm still friends with some of them even to today (by some of them, i mean the parents), its great to see these kids grow up and go off to big school, but what i grew to dislike was the environment i was working in and i grew to dislike certain co workers!

I mean, not to twist my words, i did meet 2 of my best friends there, Sacha and Sasha! LOL i found a mummy figure in Joan, Shirley and Monica and i love those ladies to death, they made my leaving the place so hard, and we all shed lots of tears on my last day, this also included some of the parents. i got way too many gifts and i got flowers from parents, cards and all sorts. Not only was the staff sad to see me going but also the parents and the children who had grown with me there for 4 years. It was tough to make the decision to leave and to then actually go through with it, but it was the best decision i have ever made!

Every job is tough, but this was more such then i could think, its a stressful job looking after other peoples children in general, you want to make sure they are always happy, safe and healthy but at the same time it becomes quite hard when you have a boss telling you to do things differently, and then a few weeks later when you have started doing them in that way she walks in and says, "Urm, why is this like this?" and when you remind her that she told you to do it that way in the first place, she seems to have completely forgotten, therefore you get into trouble!

Also unfairness happened alot where i worked. The boss had her children working there, and they had a much easier ride then everyone else, including when they cocked things up and we were left to tidy up after them.

I stayed at my first job for 4 years, i needed the money and it was a great experience, i also completed my level 3 in childcare while there. One day, a co-worker was really mean, i stayed late to help another member of the team as there was far too many children and not enough staff, i wasn't expecting a "thanks Ana" or anything, i was just helping out a co-worker as i knew how stressful it could be to have that many children and not enough adults, theres only so many eyes that one person has! Well, what i got instead, was a whole backlash of crap, about asking first to stay instead of just assuming its okay, etc, she did all this in front of parents, so i defended myself, i said i didn't want to be paid for the overtime, i just simply stayed to help out a co-worker, she wouldn't have it and it turned into this debate. The worst part wasn't the parents, the parents were okay with it, i mean, they knew me, i had looked after their kids and the siblings, what made it worse was, i then went home and cried for the full night, because of the fear of having to face my boss in the morning. I was terrified, even though i had done nothing wrong. If ofstead had arrived and i had not been there, it would have been a very different story for that little old nursery, but of course my boss didn't see it like that. Either way she had us make up and be friends again, and then things went back to normal, but i never forgot it. Never forgot how one woman had made me feel and how terrified i was of dealing with another one for having done the right thing. So i decided in May last year, that i would find myself a new job and leave them behind to rot in that place.. so i went for a few interviews and got a job in a primary school where i currently am.

I would not change my currant job for anything, i LOVE it to pieces, the best bit is, there are policies and procedures and we all stick to them so theres never any wrong doing, and if i decide to stay late and help out a fellow co-worker, i get a "thanks" or a "go home Ana, you have finished for the day" :)

I love my new job!

Do you like your job?

Ana

xx

What i would wear at Coachella

Hello my little gems,

I was randomly flicking through my twitter dashboard the other week when i noticed that the lovely Joelle had done a post on Coachella Fashion. She had written up a wish list based on the clothes she would choose to wear to day one of Coachella, but her theme was that all her pieces were from River Island.

I loved the idea of this post and thought about doing one myself, but mine is slightly different, as I'm not just basing it on one shop. My outfits were made on Polyvore and are from all different shops, some pieces i could afford if i wanted to, some would be a treat and others, well, i wouldn't even go there as I'm broke and cant afford them, not even the material used to make them!

You can read Joelle's post here, and you can have a little look at what choices of clothes i would wear below.

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Okay, okay..I'm not even going to lie.. Festivals don't appeal to me too much, but ever since i first heard about Coachella, i was drawn into it, and i have loved it since.

Its just another reason to want to go to California so badly.

These are just a few examples of what i would wear if i was strutting around in the Coachella dessert listening to some music.
I would love to see what everyone else might wear if they were to go, or even, if you did go, i would love to see a little post on what you wore while there.

Unfortunately all the outfits were made through Polyvore and i don't have the direct link to where all the key pieces are from. (Sorry, bad blogger).

Which is your favourite look?

Ana
xx

BEDM - Day 5 - Fit & Healthy

Today BEDM's topic is about being Fit and Healthy, but to be honest I'm literally the worst person ever to be blogging about being Fit and healthy as i just don't do anything specify to maintain my health, apart from eating healthy foods.

I used to walk to work everyday, in fact i used to walk everywhere i went but then i got my car and it stopped. I mean a trip to the local shop round the corner i will of course walk, but that's hardly exercise as its only a 2 minute walk down the road. I should walk to more places i suppose, but its not something I'm motivated to do, nor something i wish to partake in alot of the time.

Ive never been a member of a gym, or had a work out routine, or anything like that, i used to do swimming as a teenager, and i actually LOVED it. I didn't take PE as a GCSE or anything like that, but i was in the swim team at school and i did go at lunch times and after school to practice, i even had a swim coach, although now i forget if his name was Tony or Mark!?
Either way, my coach once said to me, 'you carry on like this and you could try out for the Olympics!'.
I ignored this statement at the time not really caring, and even to this day every time the Olympics come on, i always regret it! I should have listened and i should have taken him seriously, but in actual fact for me, it was just fun, it was just a little bonus that i was good at it!

I'm in no way saying I'm 100% happy with my body, tell me what lady is? there is always things on our bodies that we wish we could change, for me, its my arms and my knees. I truly hate how thin my arms are and how bony my knees look. I get the odd 'You're too thin' comment or things like 'Is your body a healthy weight?' and things like this used to get me really down so badly, but its got to the point in my life where, i know that my body may not be up to everyone standards of 'beautiful', and i know i will never be a curvy Kelly Brook look alike, but I've learned to love what i got and flaunt the best bits!

I am a UK size 8, and i have always been a size 8 since i can remember, my doctor has told me i have a fast metabolism and that i digest food very fast therefore i hardly gain any weight. My dad and his side of the family, including my nan are thin and i guess i have just gained their genes. I thought i would post 4 photos so everyone could see what what my body shape is.

I have only ever swam, as a form of exercise. I did do some Gymnastics as a little one, and by the age of 6 i was doing Ice-Skating, with a coach every other day, but i stopped that after a few months as mum couldn't keep up with the payments of it. I don't have any specific exercise i do at the moment but i also don't feel the need to go and make a work out routine, nor do i feel the need to go and lose weight or tone up my body, this may of course change in the future..but for now, i am happy with what i have, i feel the most important thing for me, is to feel happy and be healthy with my own body.

I drink lots of water, and i do eat healthy, saying that, i NEVER check how many carbs or calories etc i am eating, its just never been something that has worried me..so i have never checked.. i also don't limit myself to a chocolate bar a day etc, as long as i am happy and feeling healthy then i don't worry myself with it too much. (As i said, this could all change in the future)

My advice for you to be healthy, is LOVE your body, i know there are other things i would gladly change on my body but for now, i have learned to love each part of my body including my bony knees. Drink lots of water as it is very good for your skin, and don't forget to eat your five a day, five pieces of veg and fruit throughout the day. As long as your feeling fit, healthy and happy then you will be doing good.

If you are thinking of joining the gym, my advice is stick to it, and maintain it, there is no point in paying for something if you are only using it every other month, make sure you get as much as you can for your money. Also, why not work out with some mates, get a group of you and your friends together and some of your favourite songs ready to pump, and then you can go for a run together around the local park or you could do a little work out session, either way, you feel way more motivated to work out when you are taking part with your friends, even if you just go for a swim, go in a group and suddenly it seems more like a fun hobby rather then doing some exercise.

Let me know if you have any tips to stay fit and healthy, and as always..don't forget to link up below if you are taking part in the BEDM challenge! :)

Ana
xx

BEDM - Day 4 - 5 Favourite blogs

We are onto day 4 of the BEDM challenge and the topic is "5 of my favourite blogs". Now, here's the issue, i follow so many different blogs that asking me to pick only 5 is a challenge in itself, like forget the fact i have to write a post everyday, just ask a blogger to pick their favourite 5 blogs and that my dears, is a bigger challenge! I however, have managed to do it, but I've picked my 5 favourite's as of today, these change monthly and could be different within a week but for this week, i am loving reading these blogs.

Helen, who runs Beautifully Superfluous, is such a lovely lady, she is at the moment planning a blogger meet up for July in London and i can't wait to attend. I actually stalk this lady on her blog and her twitter as well as her keek, basically wherever she is socially, i am right behind her. I absolutely love her blog, for a variety of reasons, but the main one that sticks out, is the fact, she not only posts about fashion, or beauty, but its the variety that she throws at me to read, that is the main reason i return to her blog. I love her tag posts and the lifestyle posts she does. So if your not following yet, well...simply missing out aren't you!?

Blog

Twitter

Cara is one of my all time FAVOURITE fashion blogs, like literally i can not contain my excitement at her blog. I follow her mainly for her fashion choices and her style, i love it to pieces, not to mention she is beautiful and has a handsome little son which often takes part in her "outfit of the day" shots too. Hanes, her little boy, is beyond cute and the style that kid has himself is just EPIC. If you are looking for a fun, quirky, fashion flavoured blog, you defiantly need to follow Cara Loren.

Blog

Twitter

Couture Girl is ran by Kayleigh, She is this stunning goddess like creature, who actually has really good content in her blog posts. I love looking at her fashion choices, but i love the fact that if she buys a new bag or a new pair of shoes she blogs about them too, so its always nice that we have lots to see and read about. She once wrote about her bath time pamper routine, which is exactly the type of posts i love, how unique to write a post up like that? Her blog is defiantly one of favourites and her photos alone make you dribble.

Blog

Twitter

Chelsea, is one of these girls you can easily chat to through twitter, she is genuinely so lovely, and when you are talking to her you feel like you have been mates for years and as if you know each other personally. This is how the writing in her posts at through Chelsea's eyes comes across too, she is stunning and such a funny girl, i just have to think about what her neighbours must think when she is taking her photos in her garden and i am giggling. Her blog is such a beaut to follow and its one of the first i would recommend to anyone!

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Twitter

Bonnie who you can find over at The Life of Bon is one of my most favourite American bloggers. She works in an high school and her blog was one that inspired me to blog in the beginning. Her posts are a mix of everything all jumbled together, and it really is like a little online dairy she is making along the way throughout her life. It is a brilliant read, the way she writes is how i imagine her to speak, and its full of funny, witty comments and also full of sarcasm. I cant even explain which posts are my favourites to read, I would just say if you haven't checked her blog out, please do, and tell me if your tummy isn't hurting from all the laughter quite quickly on.

Blog

Twitter

So, there you have it. 5 of my favourites blogs at the moment, 5 gorgeous girlies, 5 amazing reads, and 5 heaps of originality and quirkiness!!

Make sure you go check them out..

Have you done your day 4 today?
Ana
xx

BEDM - Day 2 - Spring is here

Day 2 of May could only mean one thing... Day 2 of BEDM :)

Today's topic is "Spring is here", What is your favourite thing about Spring and what plans do you have to enjoy it.

To me personally, spring isn't one of those months that stick in my mind, i LOVE winter for all the cuddly nights it produces and i LOVE summer for obvious reasons, (i am a summer baby after all). So Spring is just one of the in between months for me, hooowwwever, saying that..it is the month, where the weather starts to heat up and a little of the summer clothes start coming out, so i cant complain about that!

This year for Spring, my plans are to work all through it, i work in a school and at the moment we are doing the topic Life Cycles, we have tadpoles, butterflies, ladybirds, fish, rabbits, hens and guinea pigs at all different stages of their life. So for Spring this year that will be my plans. I also have 2 birthdays, one is my dad's on the 16th and one is my little sister Monica's on the 28th, i also have to buy Monica a prom dress, and my car needs a service and an MOT, which are both now booked as well. To top all that off, we are hoping to be able to go on a little holiday this year at some point too, so we deffo need to book that soon as well.

As for what is happening with me and my blog, well I'm attending a few bloggers meet ups, and i bought my own domain (which isn't up running yet), I'm also in the process of making my very own set of business cards (that I'm hoping i will get some use out of) and i am hoping to maybe take more "outfit of the day" photos, i desperately want to add a little more fashion flare into my blog! I've also been invited to participate in a little photo shoot this month, which should be fun and a great experience! :)

Whats your favourite thing about Spring? and what are your plans?
Don't forget to link me below if you are taking part in the BEDM challenge and i will check out your posts too! :)

Ana
xx