Lets talk mental health!

Mental health is important.

       Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices through-out our lives. It is such an important part of our lives, and if we're not mentally healthy, it can often become impossible to live our daily lives successfully, and be comfortable and happy with who we are. Statistics also show that 1 in 3 people will suffer with a mental health disorder at at least one time in their life, which means it is almost certain that somebody in our lives right now will be suffering. So why are people treated differently if they have a 'mental health condition'?  

       There are many different types of mental health conditions, which range from depression, and anxiety to bi-polar and panic disorders. There are actually a whole range of different conditions, and it is sad to think that some are so unknown that a lot of people have never heard of them in their lives.

      If a person breaks their leg, or in-fact any bone in their body, they are rushed to A&E and are given treatment within hours. They're often given pain-killers on the same day, and are given weekly check-ups with a nurse or doctor until they are better. A person with a mental health condition, is expected to wait three months on a waiting list to see a counsellor, which then can often to lead to further waiting lists if alternative therapy is needed. If they require urgent treatment, an individual is expected to pay up to £100 per hour.. just to see a counsellor. But society, and the NHS deem this as acceptable...

    With #MentalHealthAwareness we can all come together, and clear the stigma around mental health, and eventually make it easier to find and get an effective form of treatment!!

     If you suffer from a mental health condition, just remember that you're not alone. It is often that people find relief when they talk to others who are in the same position. There are also help-lines, and charities such as MIND that offer lots of information that might benefit you! 

My Favourite High Street Beauty Products

I am always searching for a bargain, so finding make up with a nice price tag is always a good moment! Over the last few years, I've tried many of different products from high street stores, so I thought I would put together a blog-post explaining what my favourite beauty products are and why! 

    Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation & Concealer 

My all time favourite is the Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation. I find this perfect because it suits my skin tone so much and I can wear it all day without it feeling like it has faded! It did take me a long time to find out the right colour for me, as there is so many to choose from, which can be quite annoying but now I have fallen in love with this foundation even more now I know my right shade. It's around £8/9 in most high street stores such as boots and Superdrug and it can last a really long time so I think that is it worth the money and a bargain in my eyes! 

Another Rimmel Wake Me Up product, is the concealer which I have fallen in love with! Nobody wants to pay a large amount of money just for a concealer, so I think this is brilliant as it's cheap and it does the job! I use this mainly under my eyes and it hides dark circles really well, I used to go for the Soap & Glory Concealer, but I find that this one is a lot better.

Max Powder Pressed Creme Puff Powder

Pressed Powder has always been a hard one for me to find, I've tried so many but I've never really been impressed with many! But then I came across the Max Factor Creme Puff Powder and I immediately loved it, it makes my foundation stay on a lot longer and also gives me a slight tan which I like as I am so pale! It's under £5 so it's also a bargain and available in most high street stores! 

Simple Moisturiser 

Choosing a good moisturiser is a must for me, as I have sensitive skin I needed to find a really good moisturiser which leaves my skin feeling smooth and refreshed. I have previously tried so many different ones, including high-end products and also ones from lush. Since using products from Simple, my skin has improved so much and I now rarely get spots, which is such a big relief! See my old post about my skin care routine for more details on how I cleared my acne just by using a simple skin care routine, using simple, Garnier and Lush products! They are also quite cheap and a lot cheaper compared to high end products, which makes it a lot more affordable to keep your skin clear and healthy. I also think that this moisturiser is perfect for applying before you put make up on, it is such a light moisturiser and I feel that it makes my make up stay on longer and doesn't irritate my skin! All round, a really good product, well done simple!

Rimmel Eye-Shadow Palette

When I am in a rush and want to achieve a dark smoky eye-shadow look, I like to use the Rimmel Smoky Eye shadow palette, this is an affordable palette and is really effective! The dark blue really works well for a dark, dramatic look which is one of my favourite looks! I like to use this palette when I go on a night out and I want my eyes to stand out! This is under £5 so it is quite a bargain as you are getting three strong colours! 

Beauty UK Blusher 

I am sure a lot would agree, a bit of blusher sets a make up look off and is not complete with out it! This blusher is one of my favourites and really makes my cheeks stand out. It also lasts a really long time and is perfect for the price! I actually bought this a year ago and I still have some left, unbelievable! 

These are my all time favourite products that have a really nice price-tag too! Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this post.

Please leave a comment if you also use this products, or let me know what your favourites are!

Amiey Laureen x

Summer Fashion LookBook 2015

  White top - 

Top shop 

white flowery skirt and blue dress -

Primark

Dark Coloured Skirt -

Forever 21

Shorts -

New Look 

Happy Summer <3

What Is In My Bag?

What Is In My Bag?

Bag: Peacocks 

 My phone (most important) 

my phone goes every where with me!

 My ipod.. 

music is life

 My purse 

with all necessary cards, money and ID

Lip balm 

for emergency dry lips!

Moisturiser & tea tree water

just in case I need a pick me up during the day

My make up bag 

(if it's going to be a long day) I usually pack my essentials such as powder, mascara, eye-liner, concealer and lipstick.

 Dry shampoo 

my favourite thing to ever exist 

Body spray 

always handy when I am out the whole day 

A bobble

Long hair is annoying after a while

Thank you for reading!

Amiey Laureen x

My hair care routine and tips

My hair is getting to that stage where it is really long and it requires a lot of attention (meh!) so I find it essential to have some useful products to help control my hair and keep it looking and feeling clean. Firstly, I find it a lot easier not to wash my hair every day, I usually leave it 2-3 days (unless I have something important planned)! It is a common fact that it is unhealthy to wash your hair every day as you are washing out all those natural oils, so if you can, wait a few days!

My favourite shampoo and conditioner is the Lee Stafford brand, this always leaves my hair feeling extremely smooth and soft! I seem to use these when I have a special occasion or when I feel that my hair needs a good pick-me-up wash as this brand can be quite expensive, so I want to to last as long as possible before I buy more! The lee Stafford setting lotion is also really handy, I feel that it gives a lot more volume to my hair which I love and you only need to spray a small amount in your hair after washing it so it is sure going to last a long time!

Another favourite brand of mine is palmolive. I love this brand as it is cheap and simple! I use this most of the time as I love how it makes my hair feel really soft, there are also different ones to pick from, but I love the "brilliant colour" one as it really brings out the blonde in my hair! This is perfect if you just want a basic and cheap shampoo that does it's job!

I am a massive fan of Soap & Glory, that is why I had to try their hair care products! My favourite hair care product of theirs has to be their shampoo. This leaves my hair with lots of volume and it makes it feel SO soft. It is a bit pricey, so I just use this on certain occasions, but it is definitely worth the buy!

Tips for your hair

• As I have already mentioned, try not to wash your hair every day unless you have to! Your hair will be a lot healthier if you leave it 2-3 days.
• When washing your hair - wash your hair two to three times with shampoo, your hair will feel fresh a lot longer and will look cleaner as the shampoo will remove more dirty and grease!
• Make sure you spray heat products in your hair before drying, straightening or curling your hair, heat can really damage your hair over time! My favourite heat care product is the Tresemme protection spray, this is an affordable price but does it's job.
• Once or twice a week, try and leave your conditioner in your hair for a while longer, this is perfect if you are having a bath. Leave it in for 10-20 minutes as this will condition your hair a lot better and it will do a lot of good to the quality of your hair.

Thank you for reading my blog, 

feel free to leave a comment, I love reading them!

Amiey Laureen-x

Nails of the day: Pretty in pink

My favourite nail varnish this week has to be this beautiful bright pink shade from Binky London. This nail varnish brand is also created by Binky from Made In Chelsea (in case you didn't know!).

I think it is such a bright and exciting colour and perfect for a nice spring day. Anybody that knows me will also know that my favourite colour is pink! Binky has created a lot of different shades which are all amazing and are all available on her website, go and check them out!

Amiey laureen x

Urban Decay Naked Palette Full Review

Being such a make up lover, I had to give in and purchase this beautiful palette! I am sure for a lot of people £37.99 is a bit pricey for eye shadow, which did put me off at first... but I always believe that you get what you pay for and Urban Decay never seem to fail with their quality products! This palette is perfect for darker colours that can be used in those winter months or to create a strong smoky effect! It has lovely shades of blue that blend really well together and some really nice browns that are nice for a day time look.. To the left of the palette there are some lighter colours too so you do get a good range of colours for your money!

I always use this palette on a day to day basis, especially on a night out! Check out my Get Ready With Me Party look using this palette I also think that it is perfect for a day time look if you are going some where special. 

Is it better than High Street Brands? 

I think that if you are just wanting a basic eye shadow then some thing from boots would be just as good as this palette. But if you are a serious make up lover (like me) and you love playing around with different colours and blending them together then you will certainly find this palette really useful! Check out a recent blog for more information on what I think about the difference between high street brands and high end products by here.

What are your opinions on this palette? 

Let me know in the comments section !

Amiey Laureen - x