10 Things I've Loved This Summer.

1. Bank Holiday BBQ's with friends with drinks flowing, decent food and joking around all day. 

2. I've thoroughly enjoyed doing some outdoor runs when the weather is nice around the local parks. 

3. Visiting Rome & spending some quality time with my family exploring the city.

4. I've really loved getting closer to some of my friends and have made some brilliant memories with them.

5. Pub garden evenings. And cider. Because who doesn't love that combination.

6. Eating later and in the garden most evenings with Mum, Dad & Keira rather than in front of the TV.

7. Going to my first festival and absolutely loving it. 

8. Getting home from a night out when it's light out. 

9. Iced Caramel Macchiatos. The meaning of true love.  

10. Looking forward to doing it all again next Summer.

If I could only choose one ..... Tag!

So I've been tagged by Amber over at Amber's Beauty Talk to take part in this tag. Basically I have to choose one and only one of each make up category which is going to be very difficult. Here it goes....

Primer

I've only dabbled with a couple of primer in all the time I've worn makeup. Benefit's Porefessional really keeps your make up stay put all day and it has the silkiest texture. Saying that one I absolutely used to love was GOSH's Velvet Touch Foundation Primer. It makes your skin flawless and so soft, in fact I can't remember why I ever stopped wearing it. So yeah, the GOSH one. 

Base Product

After a year of really focusing on skincare I am finding I use less and less base products on my skin. I do think if you are going to spend lots of money on one product it should be foundation but I've been quite lucky that I've found a few high street foundations that I love. I think Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum would be top of my list right now. It's a medium coverage which gives a glowing finish without being too dewy. 

Concealer

MAC's Studio Finish Concealer. I just haven't found anything else that can beat it (especially under my eyes)!

 Powder

Ooooh a tough one. Been love love loving KIKO's Sunproof Powder Foundation but I always go make to MAC's Mineralize Skin Finish as I find it's a light coverage that doesn't make you look cakey. Plus I don't really wear a lot of powder.

Blush

I have an Accessorize blush which is a dupe for Benefit's Coralista which is by far my most used one. I think it's discontinued though but so obviously I would go for the Benefit on. Ooooh but I am partial to NARS Deep Throat. (I am finding this tag waaay to difficult)!

Bronzer & Highlighter

I can throw these two categories together because they are in the same product. Sleek's Contour Kit in Medium. Hands down. I love Sleek as the really cater for girls of different ethnicities and I can never find a bronzer dark enough to contour my face but they have the perfect shade!

Make Up Brush

Uh oh. This is the hardest one. I love Real Techniques so much I think I own every single brush. I'm going to go for the buffing brush. It blends foundation beautifully and is a godsend for cream blushers.

Eyebrow Product

I change the actual product I use on my brows quite a lot but I always use the Real Techniques Eyebrow Brush for flawless application. 

Eyeshadow (Single)

I only really have Urban Decay's Naked palette but my favourite within the palette is definitely Toasted.

Eyeliner

Ohhh, probably Maybelline's Gel Liner purely for staying power!

Mascara

I usually go for Maybelline's Volum Express Colossal but Benefit's They're Real is hands down the best mascara I've ever used.

Lipstick, Lip Gloss or Lip Stain

Oh god, can't I have separate categories for these? Ok. Revlon's Lip Butters. Shiny, pigmented and great colours. No I cannot pick just one colour. Go away. 

Lipliner

Not really a product I have many of but I have a couple of Sephora ones I enjoy using. I have it in shades of pink but the red one is the most loved. 

Lipbalm

The Body Shop's Hemp Lip Protector. My saviour when it comes to dry winter lips. 

Nail Polish

I'm a nail polish hoarder and my favourite changes with the season. I think my all time favourite is Models Own Hedonist, an almost neon orange/red which really brightens up any outfit when I wear it.

I tag:

Em at Em Talks
Francis at Francis Dodson
Chloe at Peace, Love & Chloe
Amy at The Pretty Vain

If anyone else would like to do this tag please link your responses down below as I would love to read them!

Bedtime Mantra.

From Pinterest. 

Every night before I go to sleep I do two things. Firstly I read the news. This usually means that I read about something horrible going on in the world and I get all emotional about the misfortune of less fortunate people around the world. I sometimes get stupidly upset, mainly because I realise how lucky I am. I'm not famous or a millionaire but I have a loving family, amazing friends, a roof over my head and a career. Not everyone gets all of those things and I think it's really easy for people to get wrapped up in their own drama and forget about what is really important in life. 

Now I am just as guilty as lots of others; I get emotional about the news yet I don't volunteer or make a massive effort to help (this is something I aim to work on). I do feel however that I do make a small difference to the people around me. I always think positively, hold doors open, smile at strangers and genuinely try to be a good person. I believe that positive thinking is one of the most powerful things in the world. Hope is the only thing greater than fear. Yes, that is a quote from The Hunger Games. 

Oh yeah, the second thing I do every night? I make myself think of something to be grateful for. And you know what? It isn't difficult at all. Give it a go and believe me you will go to sleep with a great big grin across your face. 

V Festival 2013

Ahh, V Festival. I was so worried I wouldn't survive the experience as I am not the camping type. Four days without hair straighteners, showers and a total lack of privacy I thought would equal a grumpy Tanice. I loved every moment of it. I honestly felt I thrived living in a tent and trekking to the toilet and all the other less glamourous things. 

I decided not to bring my blogging camera or even my phone as I wanted to have a good carefree time so my good old digital camera was used to take endless amount of selfies and funny poses which I want to share with you.

Waking up stupidly early to get there!

Waiting for Beyoncé.

Rocking out to Basement Jaxx!

I had so much strongbow I will be happy if I never touch it again!

Basil our mascot for the weekend!

6 Girls in 1 Tent = carnage. 

The camping was my Pre V concern but it shouldn't have been. The toilets were tolerable (and a lot better than some other festivals I have been told), there was lots of food available and everyone was in good spirits. 

We forgot to bring a knife so resorted to biting our friends birthday cake!

Waiting for Olly Murs!

The main reason we were there was for the drinking  music. We saw so many super amazing acts! Beyonce of course was unbelievable and I have never danced or sang so hard in all my life. The atmosphere at Rudimental was ridiculous and The Script never fail to disappoint me live. A few others I loved were Jessie Ware as I have always loved her music, Rita Ora's voice was incredible and Calvin Harris' set was like the largest outdoor nightclub I've ever been to! I was gutted to only catch half of Basement Jaxx, one of my all time favourite bands but I am planning on seeing them later in the year! 

BOOM BOOM

The crowd for Rudimental was insane!

Way to drunk during Calvin Harris to take a decent picture!

ALAN!

Special mention to the boys who survived the weekend with us girls!

And the best girls ever!

 It was honestly the best weekend of my entire life. I keep smiling just thinking about it. The friends I went with are just incredible and so so special to me. That cheesy grin from me in the last picture just about sums it all up. I know it's really cheesy but these people have made the last year without a doubt the best in my life so far and I feel incredibly lucky to be their friend.

Bring on V Festival 2014!

Fitness Update #1

Taken from Pinterest.

That last few weeks I've been quite unwell. Extreme tiredness and endless nausea along with other less lovely symptoms. The worst one is a loss of appetite because I never lose that and that must mean I'm ill. I've gone for some blood tests and am booked in for some other tests so hopefully I'll find out what is wrong in a few weeks.  This has led me to be a bit lazy with my exercise routine as a lot of days I just want to go home after work and sleep. But on the good days where I have a bit of energy I get my butt into the gym. Anyways here's a few updates this week fitness wise:

#1 I have always hated my arms and it's been the thing I've focused on the most over the last two weeks. I always end my gym sessions with weights and been really pushing myself when it comes to my upper arms and I'm seeing such fast results especially in my biceps which have some definition now! My triceps aka bingo wings are my problem so if anyone knows an effective workout for them please share it with me.

#2 I managed to bring my 5k time down again to 30:51 which is something I'm really proud of! Now I want to start doing longer runs and seeing how long I can run for rather than how far.

#3 I'm lucky that we get lunch provided for us at work and some days it is lovely but some days it's simple and quite stodgy. I've been making big salads with no carbs and lots of protein to give me energy throughout the afternoon. 

#4 This week I am really upping my healthy eating and gym sessions as I know I can't go over the weekend (alcohol and greasy spoons will be the diet of V Festival) and I want to look as good as I can!

Wella SP Luxe Oil

I used to be awful at going to the hairdressers, I hate someone cutting my hair. One of my New Year's resolutions was to go frequently at least once every 8 weeks! I have really stuck to it and it has really helped my hair. 

When I do go to get my hair done, my hairdresser uses an amazing smelling hair oil prior to blowdrying  and after styling. After a couple of visits I had to ask for a sample, which she gladly gave me. It's a game changer and I got the bigger bottle within 3 days of having the sample.

Wella's SP Luxe Oil is luxurious hair oil which claims to treat heat damaged, chemically treated and dry hair. A much thinner consistency to Moroccan Oil which is obviously better for shorter hair as it doesn't weigh it down. The oil has almond, macadamia and argan oil in it and has the most amazing smell! 

There are many ways you can use this such as an overnight treatment but I find it works best as pre blowdrying treatment and then to tame flyways. I love how soft it makes my hair it's honestly like I get a hairdressers blow out after each shower now. 1 or 2 pumps is enough and I try to keep it away from my roots as I find it can flatten my hair. 

I'm a serum/oil girl through and through because nothing else tames my hair like it. I didn't get along with Moroccan oil at all and I've tried a couple of other oils that I do enjoy but I love this and will be repurchasing when I run out. 

You can grab the Wella SP Luxe Oil from BeautyBay for less than £20!

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 Hr in Pink Gold

 Ever faithful to the cat flick eyeliner I feel my everyday make up look is predictable. Hell even on a night out the furthest I'll ever go is a red lip. The reason for this is two fold. One I feel my eyes don't suit eyeshadow and two I am awful at applying eyeshadow. 

I have always wanted to try some cream eyeshadows and after many a read of reviews opted to try out Maybelline's Colour Tattoo 24 Hour (and it had nothing to do with 3 for 2 on Maybelline products in Boots). 

I already new the colour I wanted; Pink Gold. I feel that pinks and purple if I do attempt to wear them bring out the brown in my eyes a bit so I always sway towards them. This is a light shimmery pink which in some lights looks more golden and in others more silvery. I use a brush and blend blend blend! This stuff sticks fast so you need to shift it quickly. The swatch I did had to be properly scrubbed off to the point I was a little sore. So although it 100% leaves up to it's 24hr claim it does not make for easy removal. Nothing a bit of Liz Earle can't fix though.

This is a beautiful every day colour and I have been wearing this to work to feel a tad more glam on a dreary day! I am going to attempt to do a day and night look for this eyeshadow to see the different ways this can be worn! 

August Haul.

Primark £6

I really want to invest in some proper Converse's but know if I get them before going to my festival I will ruin them when I am there so am holding off until after August! Primark stock a lot of colour knock offs and I thought these grey one would go with a lot and it doesn't matter if they get trashed!

Tesco £14

Tesco £14

I couldn't choose between the two so I got both. These are smock, tunic type dresses and I went for a size or 2 bigger than what I am as I wanted a floaty effect plus these look super nice with a belt to clinch it in and it makes your waist look tiny (mega plus)!

New Look £20 £10

I saw this skirt on the New Look website ages ago and they never stocked my size. I popped into town the other day and found it in my size AND half price! It had to be done. It's lovely and structure and perfect for a night out but I also like this with some vans/fake converse and a black t shirt!

ASOS £4.00

ASOS £18 £9

These last bits I picked up before going to Rome last month, I wanted a baggy top to travel in and really love the vest I chose along with white shorts although I feel ever so rock in it. The skirt is so pretty. So pretty that my Mum made me order one for her too! It nothing like anything else in my wardrobe and I think it's a great piece for nights out or casual with sandals and a white boyfriend tee which is how I've been rocking it!

I'm really trying to not go shopping as much anymore as I really want to save some money! I find it all to easy to waste £40 in Primark "because it's cheap". Yes it is and that's why I find so many of their dresses shrink, which on a 5"10 girl means her bum cheeks will be out. So I'm trying to find more investment pieces; things that are different that I can dress up or down and that I know will last. I think I'm set for summer pieces now and have banned myself from clothes shopping until September now when all the A/W 13 will be out!

Practicing our Festival Technique...

I have to confess something I've only ever slept in a tent once, but sleeping wouldn't be the right word. We were young, it was pouring with rain and we were drinking absinthe...I think you get the picture. Me being me there's nothing like diving in at the deep end and I have committed to 3 nights camping at V Festival in two weeks. I am freakin' scared of hope I am going to cope!

Luckily my friend Sophie is in the same boat as me - an avid beauty and skincare fan and just as scared excited of the experience we are about to jump into! Some of us that are going decided to do a little test run of putting up one of the tents we bought. Now in my tent there's 6 girls so we need an extra big one (so big it barely fitted in the back garden) for all our bits.

The boys fired up the BBQ and left us to it. We had it up in less than 45 minutes which I thought was a good time although I have nothing to compare it too.

We had some food, some wine and a late night poker competition which I won! I've been feeling really poorly lately but just getting some fresh air and having something else to take my mind off of it really helped! That and the company of my brilliant friends!