mrsjennyws

Before you say, yes I am aware that we are basically half way through February now...

I was looking through my Evernote (where I store all my blog drafts and general notes about everything) and came across a list of goals that I wrote for 2016. I'm pretty sure I had intended to blog about them, but with the change of blog I never got round to it.

2016 Goals

Buy only one piece of high end makeup a month
Well this goal has failed already, in January alone I bought a Stila palette, 2 MAC lipsticks, YSL Touche Eclat and Clinique Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder.

Oops.The last two were on the last day of January, so does that count if I don't buy anything in February? I am going to try a little harder not to spend as much on makeup this year, as last year I was building up a whole stash of makeup from nothing.

On the other hand, I'm doing this blog now and it is makeup related. So I can justify anything if I try hard enough, right?

Obviously this one will go on hold when I go to Canada/USA and buy ALL THE MAKEUP.

YSL Touche Eclat in 1 Clinique Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder in 101 Invisible Matte

Complete the 52 Weeks Saving Challenge

Again, another fail, so doing really well so far...

I did save the amount I needed to in January, but in February I had to spend all my savings to pay off my credit card (naughty) and now I'm scraping through February.I'm not sure whether I'll actually end up doing this in 2016, maybe 2017 is the year for that.
Maybe I'll move it to the Life Goals section.

Build up a pot of savings

The last one is kind of covered by this, but after I've saved up spending money for Toronto I'll be trying harder to put some proper savings away for the future (moving house, holidays, kids etc.), but also to have some money to buy the things I want, like a Mulberry and a Mac. I'm going to blog next week about my more general, non-makeup wishlist.

[Credit]

Work on decluttering

I have WAY too much stuff and I hold on to EVERYTHING. Everything means something to me, everything holds a memory and it means that we have a flat full of crap and loads of stuff still at my mum's. I'm getting better, slowly, but I want to try not to hold onto as many things. I might Marie Kondo that shiz, which ironically is an excuse for me buy another book!

Oh and if it's something to do with our Wedding or my Dad, then my grubby paws will clutch onto it forever.

Have a more stable weight

In 2013 I was overweight and unhappy about it, over the next year and a half, I lost 4 stone (56lbs) taking me from nearly 11 stone (150lbs) to just under 7 stone (92lbs).

Yes, yes, I know that reaction. The reaction I always get when people find out I weigh less than 7 stone. But I assure you I'm not underweight, my bones don't stick out and I eat like a bloody horse. I'm just tiny, I'm 5ft and I have a very small frame.

Last year in the lead up to the wedding my weight did fluctuate, but I knew I had to be a certain weight to fit into my dress. But now the wedding has passed and we had the honeymoon, followed by Christmas and I knew I could relax more, but it also meant my weight has crept up nearly half a stone.

This year I want to get back down to around what I was for the wedding and try and maintain that instead of yoyo-ing. My weight is still up from the honeymoon and Christmas, but at the moment I don't seem to be able to shake it, which is something I'm trying to deal with.

I will also add that I lost weight for me, and I am so much happier now. I also couldn't have done it without my wonderful husband.

Buy a Mulberry Bag

This might seem a little frivolous, but I've been wanting one of these bags for years and I feel like this is the year...this is the year that I will finally be able afford one! Well, let's hope I can. I'm going to do post with a more generalised (i.e. non-makeup) wishlist, so look out for that if you want to see which Mulberry bags are on my list.
All of them.

Make more of my life

This one sounds a little crazy I know, but read on and it might make sense.

Try harder with instagram and start blogging again - I feel like, for once, I'm actually getting somewhere with a goal/resolution I've made for myself. I've started a whole new blog, I'm trying to use instagram more and think about what I'm posting. I've rearranged by Pinterest and started a Twitter page, and I'm thinking about doing a Facebook page too. Yes I have barely 50 page views on most of my posts so far (except my February wishlist, which is storming ahead!) and I have 1 follower on Bloglovin (thank you!!!) but it's a start.

Get a new job, one that challenges me - I've been working on this too, I've been applying for jobs and I had an interview a couple of weeks ago (which I didn't get, which is a bit of a downer) and my current managers are SO supportive, it's truly amazing and I'm so lucky to have them. The problem is that in the 4 years I've been working since uni, I'm yet to have a job that properly challenges me. I spend most of my time sitting at my desk browsing the internet, or now, blogging. It may sound great, but let me tell you, it's not.

Prep for family life - I know how this sounds, I don't want to announce to the world that I'm desperate to get pregnant or that I'm definitely planning on popping out a little one soon, but I do know that my husband and I don't want to wait too long. So I'd like to be a bit more ready, healthy, know what supplements I'll need to take, having some savings etc.

So that's nearly enough what I wrote a month ago (edited slightly) when we started the year. I feel like I'm not doing too badly so far, yes some of them have been slightly ignored or broken, but I feel like the majority are achievable things for me and that they're things that I actually want to try and work towards.

Life Goals

I guess that some of these probably overlap with my 30 Before 30 on my old blog. I need to review and update it so that it's on this blog, but I'm going to include one here that isn't on the 30 Before 30.

Move to Australia

This is a real option for me and my husband. I'm actually an Australian National as well as being British. My Dad was Australian, born and raised. My Mum is English, but has Australian nationality from when she was living there and they got married. My parents registered me, my brother and sister as Australian citizens when we were born.

Which means I can get my passport and we can go, well as far as I'm aware. I think I may need to make a visit to Australia House.

We do need to go to Australia for a holiday first, my husband has never been and I think he needs to go before we make a huge life decision like this. Another great advantage we would have in moving there is that I have loads of family there and I feel like it would be really nice to have a support system in place before we go.

I also feel like it's something that my Dad would have been really pleased about, I mean sad that we'd be moving half way across the world, but I knew he always wanted to move back to Australia. I'd like to do it partly for him. 

I think that's it in terms of goals/resolutions for this year. I can't explain exactly why, but this year I feel much more fired up than usual.

I also just feel more positive, like more is achievable. It might just be because we're past the wedding and the move. Whilst the last couple of years have been full of amazing highs, getting engaged, buying our first home together and getting married, those things have come with pressures and restrictions. We had to save a huge amount for both the move and the wedding, both of which were very stressful in terms of savings and making decisions. And of course the wedding came with a whole string of people pleasing issues.

There's also been huge lows in the last few years, one really, which was my Dad passing away in 2014. I still can't believe that it's been nearly 2 years. It makes me upset to think that he hasn't been around for us buying our first place, getting engaged and married, things that he would have been so happy and proud.
But we did learn from everything that happened and we got engaged not long after his death because we knew that we wanted to get married and there was no point in wasting time. Life is precious.

Maybe it's because 2016 can be a fresh start for me, we're newly married, we have a new flat and we've shaken off the pressures of the move and wedding. It also means I can start looking for a new job.

I feel like these things mean that it's actually possible for me to start building up some good savings this year AND buy some of the 'big ticket' items that I really want. And after a year of solid saving (and now having nothing remaining), that's exciting for me.

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I wanted to write a little post to say a very Happy 70th Birthday to my dear Daddy.
I only wish that he was still here to celebrate it with us.

As I've mentioned, a few times, he sadly passed away in May 2014. It was completely unexpected and out of the blue and within the space of a day, my life changed forever.

We had a very special bond and I miss him more than I could ever express to anyone.

As this year would have been such a big birthday for him, I couldn't let it go unmarked.

Happy Birthday Daddy
I love you so much and I couldn't miss you more than words can say.
xxx

So I'll admit, up until the beginning of last year my skincare routine consisted of taking off my eyeliner and mascara with a face wipe and washing my face in the shower in the mornings. I always thought that as my skin is quite greasy that I shouldn't be using a moisturiser.

But once I started wearing more makeup and needing to get my skin wedding ready I realised that I needed to develop more of a skincare routine.

I have combination skin, probably more on the oily side as I don't get many dry patches, but in the winter I do find a few trouble areas cropping up. I tend to have quite large pores around my nose and it's blackhead heaven, I've never really seemed to shift them no matter what I've done.
I do get a few spots, usually reoccurring monthly, around my chin, between my brows and I have a recoccuring one that won't shift between my nose and my lip - it's a constant red mark that surfaces as a spot every now and then.
And finally, as a result of a burn, I have a raised patch of red skin on my forehead, that seems to become worse when I'm stressed and tired (pre-wedding it was an angry flare all of the time). It often seems to show up through foundation and can look a bit caked if I try to cover it more. Ideally I'd like to do something to make it less red and less 3D. (Also, just in case you wondered, you get a burn scar on your forehead when you make tempura and the oil explodes in your face - terrifying to say the least.)

Step 1: Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

I put this on a cotton pad and press it over my eye and hold it there for a few second and wipe off, then I hold it between my eyelashes (anyone know what I mean?) and do the same. Then the other eye. Then sometimes I'll do a fresh one and wipe it over my face.

I have very sensitive eyes and I find that a lot of eye makeup removers can make my eyes water and sting or leave them clogged with gunk if it's a thicker one. Once I was having my makeup done at the Benefit counter and the lady gave me something to take off the mascara I had on (I'm not sure what product it was) and my God, my eyes were streaming for the rest of the time I was there.

Touch wood, this hasn't made my eyes bad, so recommended if you have sensitive eyes.

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

Step 2: Clean & Clear Deep Cleansing Lotion

This is one of my favourites, I love that it has that tingly, almost burn-y feeling on my skin. If it does that, then something in my head tells me that it must be working! I use this on a cotton pad to get the rest of the makeup off my face. Obviously as it's a skin tingling one, keep it away from those sensitive peepers!

Clean & Clear Deep Cleansing Lotion

Step 3: Boots Essentials Cucumber Face Wipes

I usually find that I still have some makeup stuck on my lashes and waterline, so I use these to get in there and get that off and then give the rest of my face a once over.

Boots Essentials Cucumber Face Wipes

Step 4: Cleansing Pads

I've been using the Superdrug Deep Action Pore Cleansing Pads recently, although my husband decided that they didn't work and he's bought some other ones now, I think they might be Clearasil, but I'm still finishing off the Superdrug ones.

I like this as they're textured they feel like a good exfoliating scrub on your face. But this is probably the most likely step that I'd skip as I'm not sure if it's always needed.

Superdrug Deep Action Pore Cleansing Pads

Step 5: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

A pea sized blob (I probably use too much) all over my face.

So how many cleanses is that?

Face Wash

As previously mentioned, I wash my face in the shower (it's just easier that way) every morning. What I use does vary, but I do favour something that's quite a coarse exfoliating scrub or has charcoal or tea tree - or ideally all of the above. Sometimes I use more than one face wash per shower, excessive I know.

Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Charcoal Facial Scrub

Masks

I do love a mask! I currently have the Superdrug Witch Hazel Mud Mask, Superdrug Dear Sea Mud Mask and the Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Charcoal Face Mask. Maybe some others knocking around. And I've just worked my way through a tub of Lush Cosmetic Warrior (review here). I probably don't use these as much as I should, but I always get them in my hair, so I have to do it before I have a shower.

Superdrug Dead Sea Mud Mask Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Charcoal Face Mask, Superdrug Witch Hazel Mud Mask

I've come late to the party and have just spent some time reading up on the Pixi Glow Tonic and I've decided that I must have it.

Advice please?

My skin's been feeling a little greasy/tacky lately and I've been getting a few spots, so I'm open to mixing up my current skincare routine. I also wonder whether I should be using an eye cream or something similar. I'm not really up on this area!

Any ideas to help with the greasy skin and the burn scar?
Suggestions more than welcome!

Guys...I gave in to the hype!
I'd heard good things and read lots of reviews about the Lush Masks. I've been wanting to try one for a while and so I did my research and looked at the different ones, what they do, what they're for.
The husband was away with work and I wanted something to pamper myself with. I had a bit of a greasy face with a few spots popping up (sounds. so. gross.) so I opted for the Cosmetic Warrior Mask.


Off I went to the Lush in Romford town, promptly loitered around the masks, swiped up the one I wanted from the ice tray and took it to the till. Here I must say that Lush failed me a bit, I feel like they create quite an expectation with all these fancy, handmade products and so you go in expecting an equivalent level of service to the effort they've put into their products. The staff didn't offer to help me once, or even greet me; and then I had to stand by the till waiting as the staff were too busy chatting to each other to come over and serve me. Then, only once they had finished their conversation, did the girl come over to the till to serve me. She seemed pretty uninterested, I'm not sure if she even said anything to me. I didn't get offered a bag, so had to ask for one - the pot had a smear of mask on the outside, I don't want to put that straight in my bag!
So all in all, pretty lacking in the customer services, in the Romford store anyway.

Definitely minus points for Lush there.
 

But back to the mask...

Lush says 'Combats troublesome spots, cleanses and cools the skin.'
'A gentle and balancing fresh face mask with antibacterial tea tree and fresh garlic working together to cleanse. Fresh green grapes clean and cool the skin, whilst free range eggs tighten its texture and antimicrobial honey leaves it soft and moisturised. Smooth a generous layer of this mask onto your face and leave for 10 to 15 minutes.'



Ingredients
Kaolin
Fresh Green Grapes, cleansing
Fresh Organic Free Range Eggs
Honey, moisturising and antiseptic
Cornstarch
Glycerine
Fresh Garlic, deep skin cleansing
Tea Tree Oil, antibacterial and antiseptic
Limonene *occurs naturally in essential oils
Perfume



I got back home and basically I was super excited to get that stuff on my face.

Texture
My first opinion was that it's surprisingly thick and lumpy, more like a really think, lumpy moisturising cream. Quite different to the other masks I have (Superdrug Witch Hazel Mud Mask, Superdrug Dear Sea Mud Mask, Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Charcoal Face Mask). But then again, that might just be a general first opinion of it being fresh mask. Considering the teeny, tiny tub I was thinking that there would be enough in there for like 2 masks, but I found that it went further than I thought. I probably got about 4 or 5 masks from it before I threw it out (the bits were going brown and it didn't seem as tempting to put it on my face anymore). I will also add that I am someone who likes to be generous with my masks, I like to put quite a lot on and get a good covering.
I do also like that it's cold, as it's a fresh mask you have to keep it int he fridge, and so it's quite refreshing to put on.


Smell
The smell, which is always mentioned in reviews, is actually something that I likes about the mask. It is quite strong and although I've read that people have said it doesn't stick around once you take the mask off, I found myself smelling it for ages after. Maybe that's just because it's probably crushed in my hair. But prolonged smelling of it wasn't so great.
The smell somehow reminds me of compost and it takes me back to my childhood (which apparently was compost filled).

Results and Final Verdict
I didn't really feel like it made much difference to my skin, it still feels quite greasy and spotty. And maybe because of the lumpiness and smell, it didn't really feel like a nice pampering treat.
I do feel disappointed, as looking at the ingredient list and description it sounds perfect for me, but this was not meant to be.
Sadly I don't think I'll be buying the Cosmetic Warrior mask again.


I know that a lot of people love this mask and it really works for them, so I don't want to put anyone off trying it. Everyone's skin is different and somethings work well for some people and not for others! So if you haven't tried it and you're interested, I'd still say to give it a go!


I'd still be interested in trying another Lush mask, any suggestions?


I also just realised that I threw away the tub. Stupid, stupid!


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Here's a few things that I have been loving this month!

Charlotte Tilbury - Filmstar Bronze & Glow (Light to Medium)

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow That packing!

This was something I got just before my wedding when John Lewis were doing a price match or something to do with Black Friday. I was having a wedding highlighter wobbly and thought that theBalm's Mary-Lou Manizer might be too much, so I picked this up for £44 (RRP £49).Quite the panic buy. Although I had read lots of reviews and I had a free make over when John Lewis in Oxford Street had Charlotte Tilbury in stock.

I went to collect it, I was so excited. I opened it, oh my Lord that packaging - Charlotte Tilbury certainly knows how to do it! I haven't thrown away the box yet...it's too pretty.
I initially ignored the bronzer, I bought it for the highlight and I am all about the highlight at the moment. Slapped it on and then a few hours later I was so upset to find that it looked AWFUL. My skin looks all gross and everything had settled into my pores. I reluctantly put it away, telling myself off for such an expensive panic buy. It hasn't come out again until we hit the new year. I figured I needed to give it a go considering that I'd spent so much on it, and as a spur of the moment thing. Plus the packaging meant I would never part with it.

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow The rose gold...

 My God, I absolutely love this little palette. I have no idea what was wrong with me before. It's so gorgeous looking and the bronzer is really lovely and that highlight, oh my! And it's so perfectly formed to just throw in my makeup bag and to take around with me, and I don't have to try and fit in both a bronze and highlight separately anymore.
Also in hindsight I realised that it may have been the Benefit Boi-ing Concealer making my pores look awful.
I absolutely love this, quite pricey, but highly recommended!

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow

Urban Decay - All Nighter Setting Spray

Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray

I bought this (in travel size) for my wedding, need to make that makeup STICK. I do feel like it makes me go a little shiny, my forehead is a terrible culprit for shine..., pressed powder compact is next on my list of makeup needed.
I haven't used it for a bit, but as the husband who hates makeup has been away, the makeup obsessed wife will play! I've been getting up early to put on makeup before work!
I like a nice spritz before I put on makeup (to prime) and after (to set).
This stuff works, I put on my makeup at 7.00am and it's still looking pretty good by 4.00pm!

I'm nearly at the end of my travel size one, I got a small All Nighter and De-Slick to try, I think I prefer the All Nighter so I will be repurchasing once I run dry.

Stila - Peach Shimmer Blush (from Whole Lotta Love palette)

Peach Shimmer Blush, Stila Whole Lotta Love Palette

 Now when I look at blushes, I think roses, pinks and mauves. I've always thought that I would NOT wear a peach or coral blush. I mean, I'm so pale that I look a weird colours anyway, why make it look weider!
Well. There's a peach shimmer blush in the Stila Whole Lotta Love palette that I picked up from M&S for a bargain post Christmas. Peach AND shimmer? It's like my worst blush nightmare (actually try coral and shimmer for that, second worst nightmare it is).
I was going out the other night, putting on some makeup and thought, why not, let's give it a try. Oh my God, it's love. I am totally in love with this blush! I almost wish I could put so much on that I look stupid, that's how much I love it.
The Too Faced blush list on my Canadian/American wishlist will definitely be updated!

Stila Whole Lotta Love Palette

Urban Decay - Naked Palette

Urban Decay Naked Palette

This is an old fave, well, about as old as makeup and me get. I've been not bothering with powder eyeshadow recently, it means that if I do my makeup at work I have to cart around a huge palette that doesn't fit in my makeup bag (ooohh, what a good excuse to buy a small palette or some of the MAC or Makeup Geek single shadows!), plus primer and half a dozen brushes, that need a good washing might I add!
But as I said, the husband's away, so this little palette has trotted out the cupboard and into my hands again. Yes, I use the same 4 eyeshadow from it everytime (Naked, Buck, Sidecar and Hustle), but it was my first fancy palette and proper splurge. I love it.

Urban Decay Naked Palette

MAC Lipstick - Brave

MAC Brave

I think this is forever going to be my favourite lipstick. I thought I'd lost it the other night and had a minor panic (before realising I had put it in a different slot in my lipstick holder). You can see how much I've used it compared to some of the other lipsticks here.
Little Brave, with his satin finish has a special place in my heart.

A well used MAC Brave

Maybelline Forever Strong Nail Varish - Golden Brown

Maybelline Forever Stone Nail Colour in Golden Brown

 And whilst this definitely was not Forever Strong on my nails (it chipped straight away), I can't not love it because the colour is simply beautiful. Although it's called Golden Brown, it was much more of  rose gold and when I had it on, everytime I looked at my nails I thought 'my God that colour is amazing'. So buy that one, and maybe just be better at painting your nails than I am, I'm absolutely terrible so maybe that's why it chipped.

 Harry Potter
Now we're going away from the beauty favorites, but I have to include this, because who doesn't love Harry Potter? If you don't then you break my heart. But this is coming from the girl who went to the Studio Tour for her 26th birthday and opened the doors of the Great Hall (!!!) AND who went for her Hen Party, oh yes.
I've been re-reading the books on my Kindle and I just love them so much. And after having a Harry Potter movie marathon last weekend with ma bestie (that's you @keepcalmtaylor), this had to be in there.

Plus I feel like this needs to be in there to commemorate Alan Rickman.

So that's my first favourites post done!
And with real photos! I'm not saying they're great, but they're better than my old iPhone pictures.

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Here's a work around of the whole no posts with photos thing. I don't own the products yet, so I don't have my own photos - perfect!

I thought it would be nice to do a little round up of the things that I am currently lusting after. Which obviously is ALL the makeup that I do not currently own, but I've tried to get it down to a more targeted list.
Sadly I doubt that I can actually afford these things at the moment, I need to remember that I'm saving for our Canada trip and I need to visulaise everything on my wishlist.
I also redeemed my Debenhams Beauty Club reward points (worth £10) at the weekend to buy YSL Touche Eclat and Clinique Stay Matte Pressed Powder...but I did get £5 worth of points from that purchase alone.


Sleek MakeUP Solstice Highlighting Palette

I spotted a review about this palette on The Sunday Girl and that was it, I need to have it. I thought it looked a little strange at first, I mean what is that purple colour? But...I've changed my mind and I want it. Really, really want it.
£9.99 at Boots and Superdrug
£10 at Sleek MakeUP

Sleek MakeUP Precious Metals Highlighting Palette

 After my sudden lust over the Solstice Highlighting Palette I thought I'd take a look at what else Sleek has to offer, especially in the highlighting range. HELLO! Highlighter, precious metals, need I say more?
Let me just add, I swatched this on my hand (see edit below) and OH MY GOD. I need it even more now.
£9.99 at Boots and Superdrug
£10 at Sleek MakeUP

Sleep MakeUP Blush in Rose Gold

Sleek MakeUP Rose Gold Blush

I think the name says it all, Rose Gold is everywhere at the moment and I do not know a person who isn't in love with ANYTHING Rose Gold. Based on the name alone, I knew that I needed this in my life.
I also saw a swatch that compares it to NARS Orgasm and Benefit Bella Bamba. I've always wanted Bella Bamba, but as it's discontinued I've missed out. I would say that theBalm Hot Mama is going to be pretty similar too, as I've seen some people say it's a dupe for NARS Organsm.
But at £4.49 and the cheapest of the bunch, who can argue?
£4.49 at Boots, Superdrug and Sleek MakeUP

YSL Touche Eclat Blur Perfector

YSL Touche Eclat Blur Perfector Balm

Now I know there are mixed reviews on this, but I went to the YSL counter at the weekend and swatched it on my hand. My God it's the softest, creamiest most velvety thing I've ever touched and I must have it. And that packaging.
£31.50

YSL Poudre Compact Radiance Powder in Shade 01 Universelle

YSL Poudre Compact Radiance Powder in Shade 01 Universelle

Lame title, I know.

I had some posts in the works for this week, however I'm going to hold off on putting them up this week.
I dug out my old camera (Canon PowerShot SX150 IS Digital Camera - bought in 2012!!) over the weekend and ended up taking loads of pictures that I want to use for blog posts. Then I came across a stumbling block as I realised that I have no camera cable or memory card reader, so for now the pictures are stuck on the camera. Fail.

I've ordered a cable AND memory card reasder from Amazon (cover all bases), but it's not expected to arrive until Friday...or maybe Monday.

So the blog posts that have photos stuck on the camera are going to have to go up next week.

Sorry, I know you're probably dying for another post. Ha.

 
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