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☾ ☆ UK Glossybox Review | March 2015☆☽

Body Image, My Story

Body image is something that is heavily scrutinized by the media and it's consumers. It is apparent that we now have such a warped idea of what healthy really is. One thing that bothers me a great deal is skinny shaming. It seems to be far more acceptable to make a person feel bad because they are thin, alternatively women are more likely to defend each other if they are overweight. Don't get me wrong i'm not promoting weight loss at all but i'm saying both are equally dangerous when taken to the extreme. The thing that bothers me is that the people or celebrities that so often grace the covers of those magazines are rarely near these extremes. It is important to understand that people have different natural body shapes and types, these change through age and circumstances but health can't always be depicted by how someone looks.

I don't often talk about serious matters in the world but body image is something that hits home for me. When i was in my late teens i developed an eating disorder, it wasn't something i consciously did, i wasn't trying to loose any weight and i never thought i was fat or ugly, it just sort of happened. I was busy with two jobs and college which left me very little time at all to eat food. My weekly diet literally consisted of cheese sandwiches and noodles, nothing else, no fruit and nothing nutritious. I went from a size 12 to a size 8 i was 5'6" and weighed 8st, it may not sound drastically thin but i was pushing my usually muscular frame to its limits. Even when i had time for food i just didn't want it, i developed feelings of anger towards food. I didn't want to cook it and i would only want to eat very specific things. During the summer of 2009 i blacked out whilst walking to work, i was lucky that there were people around to help me. I remember being slumped against a wall with people around me, i couldn't hear anything and everything looked hazy. It was a terrifying experience and one which happened several more times until i realised i had to change my relationship with food. Although my weight loss was constantly pointed out to me by my family, boyfriend and friends it never seemed obvious to me. Now when i look back at old pictures the difference still surprises me, i had and still have very large breasts, i didn't feel underweight because i still had fat on my body. I felt constantly weak and dizzy and very rarely felt happy, it was like living in a constantly dazed state. I rediscovered my love for cookery and my recovery took off from there, planning meals ahead so i would have time to prepare healthy food full of nutrients. My weight soon came back along with my bottom (my mum always pointed out i had no bottom anymore) and plenty of energy. I haven't had a blackout since and while i'm back to my slightly overweight (for my build) size 12  i am happy in the knowledge i am now eating more healthily than i ever have. It feels strange to write this for people who i have never met before but i hope it gives you a different perspective on health and body image. It's not the image you see before you, it's more the feelings that you are experiencing, if you are healthy things just feel right. Having a good balance of diet and exercise really is key, i go to an indoor climbing centre because it is a workout that i enjoy. Finding fun ways to improve your strength and fitness are important if you want to change your body and mind for the better. I wanted to share my story because i understand that in a past post about body image i expressed some strong opinions without explaining why i feel this way. I just hope that my post can impact some of you. Weather it encourages you to be more positive about your body or inspires you to exercise or even if it changes the way you look at body image. Thank you all for reading =^_^=

Last Minute Valentines Gifts

It happens, Valentine's Day isn't exactly a memorable date for a lot of men but fear not, here are a few last minute ideas to show your pretty lady how you feel. I would advise you to steer clear of petrol forecourt flowers and tacky valentine teddy bears. Here are some of my top affordable last minute gifts.

Laduree Macarons £13.60 for a box of 8- Laduree

Chocolates at valentines day is such a cliché, iv'e never been the roses and chocolate kind of girl anyway. Macaron's are far more elegant, beautiful and full of the most delicious flavours. Laduree happen to be my favourites although i only get to buy them when i am visiting London. I think this makes them all the more special when i buy a box. These are definitely a little luxury which makes them perfect for a gift, and perfect if your love's heart lies in Paris.

Wick & Tallow Sandalwood and Rose Candle £35- John Lewis

Candles are often under looked as gifts and frankly i have no idea why. They look beautiful, smell beautiful and set the perfect romantic atmosphere. I'm in love with these Wick & Tallow candles, the black and brightly coloured waxes scream luxury. They come in a variety of exquisite fragrances, some more romantic than others. Plus if your girlfriend doesn't like candles she probably has no soul!

Perfume Bible by Josephine Fairley £9.99-Tk Maxx

Here's one for perfume lovers everywhere, this would make a great accompaniment along with her favourite fragrance. The bible is written by fragrance experts and contains the history of fragrance along with some information about some iconic perfumes.

Handmade Gifts

Handmade gifts are always great, even if you aren't the best chef or craftsmen it will still show her you care, plus if your gift looks a mess it will humour you both. I like to bake something on valentines day, cookies and cupcakes make nice gifts. If you are a bad baker you can always purchase a few items from a supermarket and put together a bouquet of tasty goodies. I made this using a cheap plant pot, styrofoam, kebab skewers. I skewered some home made mini cupcakes among some artificial flowers and heart shaped lollipops. Add a little ribbon for a finishing touch and you are all done. 

                       

Treasure Hunting at TK Maxx

I adore Tk Maxx, it's an Aladdin's cave, walls full of different jewels and rarities. Perusing the aisles i feel like i'm hunting for treasure (I was almost certainly a pirate in my last life). It take's a little practice and sometimes a few visit's a month but you will soon be able to sort the gem's from the rocks. Tk Maxx often have designer items marked as Gold Label, the more desirable designers are usually reserved for online purchases however i have seen Michael Kors and Ralph Lauren items in store. I have been buying bits and pieces for my future home and thought i would share some of my favourite finds with you from the last few weeks. Whilst Tk Maxx has some great beauty and fashion finds they also stock some unusual homeware items too. I will have my own blogging/ dressing room which we have been calling my bat cave. I plan to fill it with all kinds of curiosities and halloween related objects, in a glamorous way of course.

My first purchase was this fantastic two tiered cake stand, i needed one to replace an old broken one and this one is a perfect design. I plan to use it to either display jewellery pieces or makeup in a classy yet creepy way. This would look perfect placed on a dressing table or a small cabinet of curiosities. It would also be lovely for some Halloween treats or an Alice in Wonderland inspired picnic among the woodland. I paid £12.99 for this cake stand which is really affordable for such an unusual design.

I couldn't believe my eyes when i uncovered this treasure, it was literally made for me. Gargoyles and glitter in a globe, imagine my surprise. I found it just before Christmas so it fit in perfectly with my other goth Christmas goodies. It looks beautiful next to my dressing table and adds a little gothic glamour with its pretty glitter snow. This was also £12.99

The next items were purchased for the living room, we want to style it in a nautical way. As we live on the coast it is a big inspiration for us and we plan to use some beach finds to add a more personal touch. We found a stack of beautiful salt rock coasters, i collected salt rocks as a child, i always thought they were precious gem stones. I know these will look great and look a little more interesting than some boring wooden or cork ones. I paid £4.99, it may seem a little pricey for coasters but they are such great quality and super pretty too.

My final item is something i have been on the lookout for quite some time. I have lusted after them online but they are pricey and a little too fragile for me to feel safe ordering in the post. Could it be more perfect for displaying curiosities? Maybe a taxidermy piece, an interesting skull or something a little more contemporary like candles or jewellery. Tk Maxx are also fab for affordable candles, we bought some gorgeous wood wick reindeer candles at Christmas. The glass dome contains a few minor scratches but i like the idea of it looking old rather than new. I paid the bargain price of £14.99 for this find and have been having fun displaying different items. These can also be used to create moss terrariums.

Blindfolded Makeup Challenge with Pesky Peeves

When blindfolds were invented i'm not entirely sure this is what they had in mind. A clown inspired make up tutorial filmed with Gemma, it's clear to see that we both have envious make up skills, check it out, i promise it will make you laugh.

Elle World Exclusive: Benefit Roller Lash

Several weeks ago Elle magazine revealed they would be collaborating with Benefit to release a brand new mystery product before it goes on sale anywhere else in the world. I waited eagerly for the 28th of January so i could rush down to the shops and reveal the surprise myself. This brand new wonder product is "Roller Lash" mascara which is soon to be a cult beauty product following the success of  Benefit's "They're Real" mascara. 

The mascara is currently only available with Elle magazine, four weeks before it is released in Benefit stores. So what is going to make you purchase this mascara instead of others? The "Roller Lash" has a curved wand making it curl your lashes for a look that can only be rivalled by using eyelash curlers. It also has bristles that gently grip your lashes and elongate to give more length and volume.

The mascara definitely lengthens my lashes more than any mascara i have ever used. I did find that it left some of my lashes looking clumpy especially the lower ones. I think this is a great mascara although i will be using less of it next time, hopefully this will reduce any clumping. But for now i will be sticking to my favourite Holika Holika Magic Pole Mascara.