...and Relax

...and Relax

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Finally, I have endured the majority of my exams and I cannot be more relieved. For those still in secondary school/sixth form, it is exam season and the past few weeks have been incredibly stressful. Currently, I'm taking my AS levels (the first year of sixth form) and I've had to work my butt off to try and maintain consistent grades throughout the year. You've probably heard many people say it before but the gap is H U G E between GCSE and A Levels - the courses get harder, the work load is more intense and the amount of content increases by 300% in some of my subjects. It has been a tough, stressful and tiring year which has gone very quickly and I'm praying that the work I've put in has paid off. Fortunately, we've all earnt this week off school and I can't wait to relieve some stress before returning on the 7th of June to complete my final biology exam. 

Now that I've got some time to myself, away from revision, I will definitely spend some nights pampering myself. What's more to love that coming home from an exam, work or simply a bad day and treating yourself to a 'me' night? If you aren't quite sure what 'me-time' is - make sure to carry on reading because you're seriously missing out. Here is my relaxion and ultimate night routine to keep you and your body feeling happier than ever...

Refresh Yourself

When you've had a busy day, or a study-filled evening, nothing is better than refreshing yourself with a nice warm bath or show. Whichever your preference, giving yourself a wash always helps to cleanse your mindset, as well as your body. Every once in a while, I treat myself to a nice warm bath. I love using bath bombs from BOMB cosmetics (the ones photographed above) and LUSH cosmetics (The Enchanter and Sex Bomb are my faves)! Also, I love to look at the ingredients in them to ensure there are products that contain oils to moisturize my dry legs. When shopping for bath ingredients, always look at what the product will do for your skin - unless you simply just want to relax and look for one with your favourite scent.

Washing my hair is also a must whenever I have a pamper evening. Currently, I'm using the Richard Ward Keratin Restore collection, which you can read more about here, that has thankfully recooperated my damaged locks. I used to neglect my hair so much but seeing the difference from using hair masks, oils and better shampoo/conditioner I'm constantly looking after it! After washing my hair, I wrap it onto the top of my head with a hair towel - these things are sooo useful and help to dry my hair quicker, allowing you to avoid exposing it to heat.

Cleanse Yourself

An essential part of my ultimate night routine is skincare. I cannot get into bed without removing my makeup, cleansing my face, moistuzing and apply a lip balm. My favourite, and highly affordable, makeup removers are the face and eye ones from Garnier. I apply a small amount of product onto a cotton pad and wipe my face in gentle, small circles - this avoids spreading the makeup around your whole face. Also, these products do not sting your eyes, which I've found a lot of remover products do. Next, I cleanse with the Skinology lotion to remove any excess makeup, get into my pores and be rid of dirt that may be trapped in my skin. Finally, I moisturize with the Garnier Moisture Match for dry skin and the Body Shop Hemp lip conditioner. Sometimes, I like to grab my Body Shop Japanese Camellia Cream, which I hasten to add smells and feels incredible, and give my legs a little bit of TLC. My favourite body lotion of all time - next time you are in Body Shop, please give that a whiff. You will not regret it.

Treat Yourself

Possibly my favourite part of this routine is the treatment session. When I'm feel sad after a bad day, I like to pamper myself with some face masks and give myself a manicure. Usually, painting my nails is one utter, monotonous chore; however, I absolutely love to paint my nails when I'm in a bad mood?! At the minute, I've been loving Nude Frosting (such a cute name!) from Model's Own. Although the finish is supposed to be matte, a slight glossy finish is present but I don't mind, the colour is so pretty. Nude nail polishes look incredibly feminine and go with every outfit! Face masks are also a must-have (especially if you've tagged a friend along to join you). Seaweed masks are my favourite; they are great for those with dry skin/dry patches, help to minimize pores and leave your skin feeling silky smooth. 

Comfort Yourself

The final part of the routine is complete and utter relaxion. Do your favourite thing and try to not worry about anything. Wear something comfortable so you don't feel restricted - I love wearing baggy tees and shorts to bed, or a dressing gown and fluffy socks in the Winter. Personally, I love to just sit on my laptop, watch Youtube videos and write some blog posts. If I'm really into a book, then I tend to read that or if their is no new Youtube videos in my subscriptions, then I watch my favourite Disney film, Family Guy or something romantic on Netflix. Oh, and don't forget your comfort food to accompany your activities (mine would totally be jaffa cakes and a strawberry split ice lolly) and a hot drink! Whatever you choose you do, this is entirely up to you! Just relax...

Allowing yourself time between revision, school and sleeping is super important - you need to give your brain time to relax and shut down for a few hours, especially prior to sleeping. I've had countless sleepless nights by making the mistake of cram revising until 11/12 o'clock and it is NOT good for you. I wish you the best of luck for those who are still in exam mode and have more left. Well done to those who may have finished already - I hope you all get the grades you deserve :)

Are you currently studying at school? What subjects do you take?

Lots of love

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This post is not in collaboration with any of the brands/products mentioned.

My Top 10 : Revision Tips & Tricks

My Top 10 : Revision Tips & Tricks

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A Levels are probably one of the most hardest and most challenging things I've ever done in my life. Throughout my years of education, I have absolutely loved, and hated school; I still find it extremely difficult to balance my social life, and other hobbies of mine, with revision. However, I've been able to explore ways which work and which don't to help me achieve the best grades possible. Thus I will be sharing my tips and tricks on studying with you in today's post to hopefully stop biology revision from driving me to insanity!

1. First and foremost, I always begin the exam season by creating a realistic timetable. I say realistic because my GCSE timetable included about 5 different subjects a night, which as you could imagine, didn't go down well. Before planning your revision hours/sessions, make sure you have pinpointed time for your weekly hobbies (e.g. sport, dance, music lesson etc), time for relaxation (I recommend you stop studying at least 1 hour before bed) and also time to socialize with family and friends.

You can colour code your timetable, like mine, for each of your subjects. As I am only taking four subjects, I've decided to split mine into sections so that I can focus on specific areas of my course. You can also use apps, like SQA My Study Plan or Skedule, to formulate a digital version of a study timetable.

2. A huge influencer of my procrastination would definitely be my phone. Therefore, as much as it may hurt, I advise that you ask a family member to hide it somewhere until your revision session is over. I believe that mobile devices can be a large distraction when trying to study so it is best to steer clear of too much mobile use over the exam season. However, I'm not saying to avoid technology as it can be a key helping point for finding unanswered questions and exam papers.

3. A personal favourite technique of mine is making flash cards, These are my predominant go-to when revising; the colours make it more fun to work with and concise, relevant notes ensure you are not overloading yourself with unnecessary information! If you're making revision cards, find your course's mark scheme, print it off and only write information it asks you to know. This way you are being efficient and not wasting valuable study time learning regarding something in a text book that you don't even need to know! Moreover, to utilise my finished flash cards, I put them in a pile on a my bedside table - this way I am reminded to read and remember them. I do this as I wake up and an hour before I go to bed. 

4. This may seem like a more obvious tip but using the correct stationery is crucial. When you see everyone around you using fancy paper, colours and flash cards, you can feel obliged to copy them. Nevertheless, you must do what is right for you. You can find this out by doing timed practice exams at home - revise in different ways to see what style of revision suits you. Not everyone will remember information through colours/visuals; for instance, my boyfriend likes everything to be in black and white when studying.

5. The classic - revision posters. Whether these be the standard mindmap or intricate diagram, posters seem to be a popular and effective method of revision. Make sure to be inventive so they catch your attention - stick them around your house in places you regularly visit (the fridge, your wardrobe or even the toilet). If you are consistently seeing the information, you are more likely to retain it. 

6. Printing off a TONNE of past papers has really aided my progression. As soon as I began working with previous exam questions, my knowledge expanded. This is technically the best way to retrieve the knowledge needed, in my opinion, as you are able to compare your answers to the mark scheme and see exactly what your exam board want from you. 

7. This next technique usually works if you have an eidetic memory, like myself. Eidetic memory is where visuals can help relate or denote an image vividly, enabling you to mentally see the photos/writing on a page. Therefore, I tend to purchase text books or create diagrams so that I can relate the images to writing on the page. Using colours also helps me a lot.

8. Remember to break down your subject into ordered section. This will stop your stress levels exceeding to maximum as you will have a focal point to work on that day. Once you've broken a subject into a section, make sure to create, or do, something that will help your remember the information and then answer some past questions on the topic. 

9. This is a good one of those who travel a lot or have a busy lifestyle - download apps that relate to your subjects/courses! By downloading releveant apps, you are able to revise on-the-go. This is convenient as you are studying and not wasting any time. My favourite revision app has to be Gojimo; this has an extensive array of subjects which can be specific for different exam boards.

10. Finally, you MUST have regular breaks. I am seriously guilty of not following this one and it results in insanity, for sure. It is proven that working consistently for over 3+ hours will completely demotivate a studient. Make sure to relax every hour or two, even if it is for 15 minutes to watch a couple of youtube videos, reading a book or having a meal.

Share in the comments below any methods you use to revise...

Lots of love

~ Winter Ball ~

~ Winter Ball ~

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Hey Everyone! Sorry for the lack of seasonal posts (not that this is any better) but A levels have literally taken over my life, along with extra activities like pantomime rehearsals and driving lessons. Hopefully I will keep this up over the Winter holidays and the New Year because I would love to be as active as I was during the Summer!!

Anyway, today I'd like to write about my Friday Evening at my school's Winter Ball - celebrating the hard work we've all put into playing on the Foosball table in the common room  our AS/A levels so far and to, of course, celebrate Christmas itself. I absolutely loved the venue, the colours used to decorate were very seasonally appropriate and the dance floor was so much better than my prom!!

Onto my favourite part... GETTING READY!

As always, makeup is the best part whenever I'm getting ready to go out. The focus tonight was on my eyes because I wanted them to match my silver and black outfit. Before applying facial makeup, I went straight to my eyes because when black is involved, fallout is crazy!!! I stuck cellotape from underneath the corner of my eye to the point of my brow to create a smooth, neat line where the shadow and liner would finish. Urban Decay's Naked 2 palette came in handy; I applied verve over the top of Mac's Bare Study to form a silver undertone on the lid, followed by pistol in the crease to begin layering. Black Out, an intense, pure black, was placed in the outer corner and crease layer by layer until built to my desired look. I finished my eyes by placing silver glitter all over my lid.

Primer : Benefit Stay Flawless 15hr 

Foundation : L'Oreal Infallible 24H Foundation

Concealer : YSL Touch Eclat

Powder : Rimmel Stay Matte

Eyebrows : Soap and Glory Brow Archery

Eyeliner : Rimmel Exaggerate

Lashes : P.S Love Primark 'Sultry' Lashes

Bronzer : Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess 

Highlight : Mac Soft and Gentle 

Lipstick : Rimmel Kate Moss 101

Outfit: 

Jumpsuit : Topshop

Shoes : River Island

I wore large, silver statement jewellery to cover up big areas of bare skin - i.e my neck and arms. I absolutely love the black and silver theme I went for, despite originally planning to wear royal blue, like my bestie Jess. Also, Jess offered to curl my locks because I wanted to make my hair really voluminous and bouncy to take attention away from my chubby face.

Before leaving for the ball, Jess and I met with our friend Harvey to take some cute selfies. We also had a couple glasses of Prosecco - maybe Harvey had a few too many glasses...

The night finished up being one of the best nights I've had in a long while. I absolutely loved spending time outside of school with new, and old, friends and having so much fun. Surprisingly, the music was fab too and everyone was dancing the entire evening (none of that awkward, tense atmosphere with noone on the dance floor). 

Thank you for reading, I hope to be posting again before Christmas. What would you like to see?

Lots of love

OOTD | Sixth Form Edition

OOTD | Sixth Form Edition

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If are lucky enough to have gone or been to sixth form like myself, you will know the struggle of planning an outfit every single day. For me, I honestly see it extremely stressful to buy new clothes that fit the 'smart-casual' standard alongside being versatile so you can pair them with other pieces in your wardrobe. Besides this, I haven't yet developed the ability to collate a suitable outfit in the morning so it has become a chore to plan a night in advance.

Anyway, enough of me complaining..let us get onto the outfit! 

Shirt - Wallis (similar here)

Trousers - Primark (only in store, but similar here)

Necklace - New look (similar here)

Bracelet - Pandora

Shoes - Primark

Overall, this look has a sophisticated element to it, perfect for schools that are strictly formal wear. This year, I have become a great fan of patterned trousers and would love to find more that suit me and could wear to school. If any of you know of specific items or shops that sell some, please leave a comment below. Also, I went all out on makeup in this particular look - the gorgeous Eylure 071 lashes came out, implementing an elegant edge. Oh, and my go-to nude lip at the moment is Mac's Mehr!!

What are your favourite fashion pieces of A/W 2015?

Lots of love 

Charlotte x

Just For £5?!

Just For £5?!

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This month I've luckily been introduced to an incredible brand; one that I've quietly been waiting to exist - a fashion place where EVERYTHING is £5! Fortunately, I was able to collaborate with 'JUST FOR £5' and chose a couple items I style and share with you all to give you a taster on what they have to offer. Each product sold is modern, fashionable and some are made to make a statement - I particularly love the huge variation in items, you can choose from dresses, trousers, shoes and bags. They seem to have covered everything! Not only does the brand hold one of the world's most afforable products, they offer a swift service costing only a measly £3.00 delivery - AMAZING!

First product - Monochrome Satchel 

To accessorise my basic attire, I opted for a small clutch monochrome bag. This satchel is perfect for events that requires little to carry; a bit of lippie, powder and my phone is all I need when attending a party. What I seem to love about monochrome accessorising is that you can pair it with any outfit in your wardrobe. It also has a golden chain so you can wear the bag on your shoulder, which is always handy too!

Second Product - Black Floral Print Shift Dress 

My 2nd item choice was inspired by the 'back to school' season, as I thought this little floral print skater dress would be perfect for sixth form. It fits wonderfully in the 'smart but casual' criteria as well as looking super cute and girly. Due to the upcoming winter months, I would possibly wear some knit black tights underneath too. Also, I've co-ordinated my outfit with my bag - such a 'me' thing to do! Finally, I adore the collared top and the way the dress hugs my figure in the right places.

Shoes worn are from Primark for £8 but here are a few from this site that are similar/school appropriate:

Laser Cut Flat Loafers

Gold and Bow Detail Ballet Pumps

Quilted Toe Cap Dolly Shoes

Overall, Just For £5 is a great place to go for people on a budget or who don't like to spend much on clothing. The items I received were of fab quality and I couldn't fault a thing. Sometimes I think it is too good to be true?! Like how can a brand sell such beautiful items for such an affordable amount - it honestly baffles me, but I'm not complaining!!!

Head over to their site 'Just For £5' or interact with them over on Twitter or Facebook. 

Thank you so much to Etail PR for giving me this oppurtunity; if you're a smaller blogger, who wants to get noticed and take part in collaborations, sign up for Etail PR ASAP!!!

Have you gone back to school/college/sixth form/uni this week or have you finished education altogether? Are you struggling organising an outfit everyday, just like me?

Lots of Love