'You're fat'

What's the most insulting thing to hear from a guy?  For most women, being called fat has to be up there. I experienced this myself recently, and I think what annoyed me about it the most was the fact that I am happy with my size. As a UK dress size 10/12, I would have defined curves, and definitely a bum! Yet I like this about myself, and would rather be as I am than be a boy-shape. Absolutely no offence intended to anyone who might happen to be a 6/8, or to anyone who's an 18/20 - if you're happy and comfortable in your own size you are beautiful. Having an ex-boyfriend tell me today that I could stand to lose a few pounds and that, if I were to 'keep an eye on the snacks' he would take me back infuriated me no end. Why in the world would I want to be with somebody who doesn't like something I think defines me, and something I feel confident about? Luckily for me, I am strong enough to laugh such a comment off, but I think for the first time today my eyes were opened, and I had some sort of comprehension for what this type of comment may do to someone who is slightly self-conscious, or who may have suffered from disordered eating habits. It angers me to think that all it could take for some people is a careless comment from an insensitive arsehole. Words can do a lot to damage someone's self-esteem, and I truly see that now more than before.. and for that, I suppose I thank my idiotic ex. I hope he too has learnt from the torrent of abuse he received from my angry girlfriends. Girl power.

My Room. at School!

When I first tell people that I don't have a 'home', they look a little puzzled.

What I really mean to say is that I don't live with my mother or father, nor do I live alone, because I live at school.

This is an aspect of my life that I have touched upon lightly in previous posts, but it seems that people want more of an idea of just what it's like, and so I thought I'd show you a few photos of my dorm (bedroom). As I am now in Upper Sixth (or the final year of UK Schooling), I no longer have to share, and so this is the first time I have been able to really make a room 'my own'.

It's true that whatever you do to your dorm, it will always be school. But if you're as lucky as I am, and have a great set of friends, it really doesn't matter! There are 7 of us in one boarding house, what we call one of 'The Cottages'. We have a kitchen, common room (sitting room) with a TV and sofas, two bathrooms and even a garden, so it's a little bit like a student house of sorts!

I haven't said much about this side of my life, and was reluctant to for quite a while, so I ask that you please be respectful. I understand that I am extremely fortunate to be able to attend a boarding school, and am in absolutely no way deluded about that! I merely wanted to clear a few things up, as I have been asked a lot about this, and particularly in regard to my room.

                                       

Twinings Tea, London!!

Those of you who read my girlish ramblings regularly will know just how much I love tea, in fact, it seems to be becoming rather a regular topic among my posts! And so I'm sure you can only imagine my uncontrollable joy and excitement as I visited THE ACTUAL TWININGS SHOP in London yesterday... Hyperventilating just a lil bit here.

Whilst it looks upon first appearances small and quaint from the outside, once I stepped inside the very Mecca of fine quality tea I noted that it ran on for what seemed like an infinite distance, the walls piled high with teas: bagged, loose, pearls, crushed, gift sets and even adorable Twinings tea sets available in part or as a whole, making this an ideal present-buying spot (hint, hint, friends of mine...)

Whilst I could quite easily have gone absolutely mad and bought practically the entire shop (believe me, I would if I had the money!) I decided to get myself a variety of individually wrapped tea bags, which truthfully didn't come to all that much at only about 15p each. Rather than boring you all with a lengthy and complicated list of every single flavour, I'll just let you know that amongst my purchases were a Salted Caramel tea, a Gingerbread tea and those staple, everyday essentials (for me, anyway!) such as Earl Grey, Assam and Darjeeling.

If you share my immense passion for tea, I highly recommend that you journey here should you happen to be in London, as it really is well worth the visit (and the money!)

Tea at Birdie Num Nums!

After a disappointing run of AS Results (oops!) I thought it would be a good idea to reconsider my university choices for next year, one of which has now become Goldsmiths, University of London. Seeing as I was in London visiting my mother and a few friends, it seemed silly not to check out the area, and so I went for a wander around New Cross.

Given that I didn't, in fact, need to be anywhere for an hour or so, I spied an adorable, quiet little cafe tucked away in the busy high street called 'Birdie Num Nums' (cute name, right?), serving a range of flavoured teas in the most adorable mis-matched cups and saucers - and if you've read my previous posts, you'll know just how much I love my tea! Safe to say, for me this was heaven, and felt a world away from the business of London.

Highly recommend!

Birthday Funzies!

So.. I'm officially 18! Finally!

My mother has been planning this day for quite a while now, and after the incredible day I've had, I'm glad she decided to keep it a surprise.

After waking up in her apartment in London, we headed off to Covent Garden to pick up a new pair of pointe shoes. Okay, so this excited me already, as my current pair are getting just a tad too worn, much as I love them, but when I was informed that this new pair would be GAYNOR FLIPPING MINDENS I was beyond ecstatic. If you aren't a ballet bod, Gaynor Mindens, put very simply, use modern technology to allow for a more comfortable and more flattering line. I've wanted a pair for as long as I've done ballet, and so I was a VERY happy girly!

After this, we headed into Tiffany&Co jewellers, where we were greeted and given champagne & cupcakes. Oh my god. My parents had bought me a silver chain and a ballet shoe pendant with a diamond in the ribbons, which is absolutely GORGEOUS, and, as you've probably gathered, perfect for me. Tiffany also gave me a ceramic mug in their signature duck egg blue and white colours, informing me that these were not available to the general public, and definitely were not on sale anywhere. Wow. Cue extreme excitement on my part!!!

As if this wasn't enough, after cocktails and lunch I was taken for a manicure and pedicure at Hula Nails, which is a salon that i absolutely ADORE. If you don't know it, Hula Nails have vintage decor and beautiful tattooed beauticians with red lipstick and nails. They serve the most gorgeous rhubarb iced tea and the whole atmosphere is just incredible. I had dark pink nails with a sparkling gold accent, and it was done to absolute perfection. Very, VERY happy girly.

Not many people will know this about me, but I moved away from the Home Counties a few years ago, and the entire area remains my favourite place, but specifically Henley-On-Thames, and so when my mother informed me on the way to Paddington station that we were headed to Henley for a night I was, as you can imagine, absolutely over the moon! The next couple of days were a smattering of family parties and gatherings, as well as a lot of eating on my part! It was an absolutely fabulous day, and I couldn't have wished for a better 18th birthday.

Onken Raspberry & Honey Yoghurt!

Okay, so anyone who knows me knows how much I love eating granola and yoghurt for breakfast, and this usually comprises of Jordan's Super Berry granola (A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!) and some Greek-style yoghurt with honey flavouring, occasionally with berries scattered on top. Beautiful.

Having been in this habit for quite some time now, when I was picking up some more honey yoghurt I noticed, out of the corner of my eye, what I believe to be the most glorious sight in my life this month.

Onken's Raspberry and Honey Yoghurt.

Has this ALWAYS existed?! Have I been stupid and blind?! HOW have I not ever seen this before?

Resisting the childlike urge to grab 6 before I realise that they are a figment of my imagination, I picked one up and practically ran to the till, desperate to get this home and try it. And wow. My gosh I was not disappointed.

This tastes INCREDIBLE. Seriously though, amazing. The raspberry isn't at all artificial tasting, and neither flavour is too overwhelming. I occasionally find raspberry yoghurt to be slightly sharp, but the honey in Onken's product offers an ideal balance for this, and it truly is GREAT with granola.

Seriously, guys, you have to try this stuff.

I'm, like, fangirling Onken SO hard right now.

Healthy & Sensible Sleep!

It's a well known fact that some people can get to sleep quicker and with more ease than others. I have a good friend who is generally asleep just ten minutes after her head hits the pillow.

SORRY WHAT? HOW?

Seriously, I can't do that.

I have over time, however, developed my own, erm, 'tactics' to get a better night's sleep, which I find particularly effective at stressful times (exam season and the like) where the precious, valuable sleep time is taken over by thoughts of 'Oh my gosh I'm going to fail.'

I would like to point out here that I am in no way a sleep therapist and I really can't promise that these techniques will work for everyone!

1) TURN OFF YOUR PHONE

Seriously, I know this gets said all the time, but it really does work. And don't do what I did at first and just put it on silent, because you WILL check it, and that's even worse than it being on. Real talk.

2. IF YOU MUST HAVE IT ON...

...Then download a Sleep app, like SleepGenius, which plays soothing music designed to work in harmony with your body and relax you, getting you to sleep. Really though, it sounds like bulls**t, and I was initially skeptical, but it works.

3. HERBAL TEA

These actually work. I always find that a warm drink soothes me, and I'd particularly recommend herbal teas with sleep-inducing ingredients, such as camomile or lavender. One that I find particularly effective is Twinings' 'Caramelised Apple', which tastes absolutely divine as well as sending me straight off to sleep!

4. WINDOWS

Ideally, your room should be in a sort of mid-temperature range to allow you to be comfortable, so if you need to, open your window.

5. WRITE A TO-DO LIST

If the thing keeping you up is stress and you lie awake thinking you just have too much to do, I find that making a list of things you need to do before going to bed is particularly helpful. This way, you can wake up tomorrow and the list will still be there, you won't have forgotten anything.

6. IF ALL ELSE FAILS...

...Get up, walk around and get a drink. This is actually, like, SCIENTIFIC. This actually helps. So yeah.

I'm really sorry if none of these work for you! But if they did, great! :D

EOS Lip Sphere Review

Okay, so I've wanted one of these bad boys for quite a while (2 and a half years, but who's counting?) but was put off by the price (as well as the fact that I already own about 6 unfinished lip balms. Oops.) At approximately £5.50, this American hype seemed just that bit too much of a stretch for the size of the product -- I mean, it couldn't really be THAT amazing, could it?

But whilst I was shopping on Amazon, I saw this in my viewing history, and couldn't resist sneaking one in, but then came one of the hardest decisions of my life to date: Which flavour?

After almost half an hour of indecision (I'm not even joking) I finally settled for the 'pomegranate and raspberry' flavour. Boasting shea butter and jojoba oil amongst its ingredients, this sounded like it would be a worthwhile purchase, after all.

Amazon, as always, delivered promptly and early into the estimated time frame, and the cute pink packaging of this product was absolutely gorgeous! I was thrilled to discover, and am thrilled to be able to tell you, that this lip balm not only tastes absolute GORGEOUS, but soothed my lips into the most smooth state they have ever been in after just a few days (and being a self-confessed lip balm addict, that really is saying something!). I hadn't been expecting to write this review for a while, but after such speedy and effective results, I really would fully recommend this, even at the (ever so slightly ridiculous) price.

Simple Skincare Review!

If you've read some of my older posts, you'll know that I have very dry, very sensitive skin and I often get spots (attractive, I know). You may also know that for quite some time now I have been frantically hunting for a 'miracle product' which will help me out with all of these issues - impossible, right? That's what I thought too, until I stumbled across the 'Simple' range with it's beautifully earthly green and white colour scheme.

Simple skincare is specifically formulated for sensitive skin, and so is beautifully gentle as well as refreshing on your face both in the morning and at the end of a long day. As the name suggests, this regime is gloriously simple and straightforward as well as quick - the exfoliating facial wash is, unlike other exfoliators, delicate yet effective. Barely any scrubbing required -- which is all the better for your skin, or so I've read!

One thing that I think makes this range stand out is the day cream. This moisturising balm is so very light that I don't have to wait more than a minute before I can apply my make-up without that clammy, wet feeling left by most moisturisers. In addition to this, the deep cleansing face mask is just perfect for those who, like me, have sensitive skin but love a pamper evening, as well as those who hate the mess of most face masks. The easy-to-use tube allows minimal 'spurts' and the even consistency of the mask works its magic within minutes (but of course, you have to revel in a scene or two of 'Mean Girls' before you take it off, I'm pretty sure it's Girl Law).

At extremely cheap prices (all products lie within the £1-£5 mark at most drugstores or even supermarkets), I was really not expecting miracles, but having only used this range for a week, I am really surprised and over the moon to say that even my nightmare skin has cleared up beautifully (although I'll spare you the images!), and is now a lot healthier, smoothly moisturised and hydrated. I would definitely recommend this product, and it will certainly become a repeat purchase for me!

Glasses as a fashion accessory

I think that the idea of glasses as a fashion accessory and not just as a visual aid is refreshing. Gradually, even I have noticed that, since I got my first pair of glasses (black with slight gold detailing) there have been more and more designer pairs for women available on the shelves of opticians (Sorry to say that I really cannot speak for men's eyewear).

I only really need glasses for clarity, and so I wear them when I read or, usually, when I'm blogging or watching T.V. Seeing as these are all things that I do often enough, I wanted them to feel like an accessory, and I knew that I would, generally, be wearing them at school (where I care a lot more than I should about people's opinions). Despite my initial thoughts and my setting aside an entire day for the task, it really wasn't difficult to find a pair that I liked, and I picked up these stunning Lipsy frames with pink arms for a lot less than the original £90 price (I don't know how, there was a mish-mash of offers that somehow applied to me) and I actually really love them.

GO eyewear fashion.

June/July Favourites!

Hey, Bees!

First off, I'd like to apologise for not posting in a while; I have a number of excuses: firstly, blogger is banned from the internet at my boarding school and so, much to my frustration, I was not able to post :( Secondly, even if I had wanted to (and believe me, I did!), I forgot my password and so couldn't get onto the account.

I'm an idiot, I know.

Anyway, blog recovered, DoesntSheSparkle is back up and running! (JOY!) and I'm starting the recovered blog almost exactly a year later than my last post with my 'June/July Favourites'.



1. The Body Shop Tea Tree Flawless BB Cream

I only recently started using this product because I found that 

I was quite often going out for a short period of time, or I didn't have time to apply full make-up, or I even wanted to give my skin a bit of a make-up break, and this product offers coverage without being too heavy. When I use this product (I have the lightest shade) it doesn't leave my skin feeling shiny or wet, and it's just perfect for the warm Summer months (ha, yeah right, Britain.) where you don't want to cake your face in foundation, concealer, powder etc. Although I haven't tried it myself, I reckon that you could even wear this while chilling on a deckchair and taking the odd dip in the pool! Thumbs up from me!


2. Sleek Contouring and Blush Palette

If you've read through my previous blogs (please don't, they're cringy!) you'll recognise this as one of my favourite products from last year, too, and it's safe to say that nothing has changed! Unbelievably, I am still on my original kit, and I am crazily impressed that it's held out for so long, especially considering that I have dropped it a fair few times and the lid doesn't even click into place any more. I think that the rose gold blush is just perfect for the Summer and for people who, like me, have gold undertoned skin rather than silver (so if the latter applies to you, sorry!)



3. Seventeen Lip Crayons

I'm still loving these. My Summer shade is the lighter, orange crayon and my Winter the dark pink (which I have stupidly left in a friend's coat pocket after a night out!) These are simple, they aren't messy and I haven't had one break yet! These have also lasted a long time and have barely shrunk, so again, I am really impressed. I would definitely recommend this product, and I know for certain that I'll be using it throughout the Summer and well into Autumn as well; I tend to have a more lightweight set of essential make-up that I carry around when I travel (which is something I'd definitely suggest by the way), and this is always, always in it.

4. Eyeko London Skinny Liquid Eyeliner in Black

I originally got this as a free gift with a magazine, and so I wasn't expecting miracles, but it came at the   perfect time as my kohl pencil ran out (literally) the day before! I thought I'd give it a go in the   meantime, just before I got the chance to buy a new one. I've never been particularly good at applying eyeliner smoothly, and my past attempts with liquid have NOT turned out well (I promise, if I had photos, I would show you - check my crazy trust.) But this eyeko product surprised me - it wasn't too wet or sticky, it created a smooth line and the pen-style applicator made it so easy that even I can apply it, and, as you know, that really is saying something.

5. I love... Sugared Pomegranate Body Spray

This is a cute little product I picked up in the queue at Primark (you know where they line all the really cheap, really cool little cute gifts) and I can never resist things like this! Having previously used (and loved) the raspberries and blackberries range of shower products, I thought I'd give this a little go as it really is only tiny and was very cheap. Safe to say, though, that I love it, and I can't wait to go back and get more, maybe some other fragrances - but the handy little size means that I can keep it in my handbag, and I'm betting it would even fit in a decent sized clutch for those more formal events, not that you'd particularly need to top it up - the smell lasts for absolutely ages! I applied some in the morning, and my grandma commented on it that evening when I went for dinner.

6. Skullcandy Uprock Headphones

Okay, so I have tiny ears. In-ear headphones (or earphones) don't actually fit in my ears, and seeing as I spend a lot of time travelling, it is both annoying and painful to use these. For this reason, I decided to quickly and cheaply pick up some from Amazon. After I'd already ordered an array of lip balms and a Harry Potter hoodie (oops), I left only about £20 for a pair of headphones, picking these up for about £17. I wasn't expecting great things, but when these arrived I was pleasantly surprised. They came literally one day later in a nicely packaged box - if I'd wanted them to be a gift, I'd have been over the moon with the presentation. They're really good quality, and I'm so happy that I won't have to suffer painful ears any more on long journeys!



So, bees, these were my updated June/July favourites! Thanks for reading, it's great to finally be back! :)

I love you all!

DoesntSheSparle
xx