The Liebster Award | Recognising new bloggers

Firstly a big thank you to Alice Venessa for nominating me for this award. I wasn't too sure what it was or how it all it all worked at first but now I do so here are the rules:

1. Post 11 facts about yourself.

2. Answer the eleven questions by the person who originally nominated you,

and then create eleven new questions, ready for your own nominees.

3. Chose eleven people (who have under 200 followers) to nominate,

and link them at the bottom of your post.

5. Let your nominees know that they've been tagged - with no tag - back! 

My 11 facts

1. I love singing!!! I have been playing the guitar for over a year and one day hope to pluck up the courage to form a band or sing semi professionally. Check out my Youtube channel here - https://www.youtube.com/user/lmatkins1.

2. I have two Labradors and four chickens.. yes my house is crazy!

3. My dad formed a heavy metal band called Judas Priest a back in the 60's which you may have heard of and is fairly famous in Birmingham and across the US and Asia.

4. I love meeting new people and will literally talk to anyone (as long as you're not too scary!).

5. I hope to travel the globe next year and never come back.. haha just kidding but I'll definitely be paying Australia and Asia a visit.

6. My favourite type of food is Indian - I love a bit of spice!

7. I barely watch TV any more - I spend most of my time on my laptop or at the gym..

8. I currently work in the communications department at the hospital but dream of moving to London sometime soon and landing a grad job in PR/Marketing/Communications.

9. I know a LOT about health and nutrition - I love working out and want to write some more posts dedicated solely to this.

10. I am a bit of a feminist at heart - I love reading articles related to women; the diet industry, the female form, women in power, you name it.

11. I LOVE Beyonce. She is my favourite artist without a doubt.

Questions by Alice Venessa

1. What would be your favourite dessert of all deserts?

Something chocolatey... A nice cheesecake or tart.

2. Any secrets that your scared of anyone finding out about?

I don't really have any secrets. I have a big mouth and like to talk so everybody probably knows all my secrets by now (oops).

3. What would be your dream job?

Writing for a health and beauty magazine or working for a PR company (singing semi pro on the side too).

4. What country would you love to visit, which you haven't visited before?

I would love to visit Japan. The culture fascinates me and it's not somewhere your typical tourist goes. In fact anywhere in South East Asia would be pretty cool.

5. Any nick names people have for you?

My day calls me clara cluck. I don't even know why but after doing a google search on this just I have found out its a Disney character (I am still confused). A lot of people refer to me as laur too which I hate!

6. Which do you prefer, staying at home, or out partying?

Out partying point blank. I hate staying indoors!

7. Favourite thing to do on a 'no work, chill kinda day'?

Shopping, blogging, paying a visit to the gym or a nice day out with my friends/family. I don't really know how to chill...

8. Favourite film?

I don't have a favourite film. I love the Harry Potter films but for me it's all about my comedy's. Step brothers is a classic!

9. Favourite actors/actresses?

Jennifer Aniston is an absolute babe. I also love Jonah Hill. He is without doubt one of my favourite actors.

10.  Three songs which bring up your mood?

Single Ladies by Beyonce, Aretha Franklin - Respect and Sitting on the dock of the bay - Otis Redding

11. If you could only wear one outfit on holiday, what would it be? 

I would go for a delicate floral dress with a simple pair of sandals and a little denim jacket or coloured blazer to finish. 

My Questions

1. What do you love most about blogging?

2. Who is your idol and why?

3. What are your ambitions in life?

4. Favourite band/singer?

5. Describe your perfect day one sentence...

6. Where is the best place you have ever visited (UK or abroad)?

7.How you do promote your blog and what works best for you?

8. Why did you start blogging? 

9. What are your thoughts on feminism/women in power?

10. If you could have one wish what would it be? 

11. Describe your life to me...

I am going to nominate the following for the Liebster award. 

Laura Ward

Khrissie Farrands

Beckie

Alicia

Amy

Glitteryberry

Amissbee

El

Jessica

Tashpantz

Loveyournails

Happy posting!!!

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Mac powder review

So last time I was in Nottingham visiting my friends I picked up this little beauty with my Mac gift card which I had left over from my birthday back in April. There isn't a Mac store near me so I always have to pay it a visit if I am in Nottingham - it would be rude not to.

This apparently is Mac's latest product - skin finish powder which is used as a setting notion over your foundation. Now I did originally plan on buying the studio fix powder foundation, something my good friend uses and recommended. However after speaking with one of the in-store consultants she recommended I try this product instead for a flawless finish. Unlike the studio fix powder foundation, this product is solely for finishing purposes and therefore less likely to clog up your pores I imagine. I was a bit hesitant at first to part with my gift card and an extra £3 as I was looking to build extra coverage but I thought it would be nice to try something new on the market for a change.

I must say I am rather disappointed with this product. Unlike my previous powder by Rimmel, you can't really tell you have got it on and my skin has been rather oily lately which is unusual. I definitely don't think its worth the money as I cannot tell the difference between this and my drug-store Rimmel powder which I have been using for as long as I can remember. I must say I am not a huge fan of expensive make-up, let alone powders. As long as the powder does the job and sets your foundation, who cares about the price tag. However, I must admit it was nice to spend that extra bit of money in turn for a better quality product and finish, or so I thought anyway. I was also getting pretty annoyed at the fact that my Rimmel powder kept smashing in my handbag as it reached the end of its days...

This powder may be light to the skin and add a nice sheen to the face but in terms of setting your foundation, I don't think it does a great job at all and I often find myself reapplying this throughout the day. I won't be purchasing this product again.

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2014 Wish List

Right, so as you may have already noticed, I am having lots and lots of great ideas for my blog just lately, but not enough time to actually sit down and put them together! However, this evening I have decided I would dedicate an hour or so of my time to focus on sharing with you my latest creation, my 2014 wish list, (this one has been a long time coming). Now let me just say that this wish list is not 100% realistic, some of the things on this list will be way out of my budget, but this is why it is called a wish list. Maybe one day I will be lucky enough to own all these things on this list, or maybe not…

So firstly and most realistically, this year, actually no, sometime very very soon I will be purchasing my very own Mac lipstick. Mac is a brand every girl out there seems to love, including myself. The products are not only stunning; they are very high quality too. A Mac obsessed friend of mine introduced me to this lovely shade of lipstick and I instantly fell in love! If I'm truly honest, I used to be afraid of wearing lipstick due to the fear of smudging it all over my face, but now I have perfected the look so to speak, I am truly starting to see the benefits of a good lippy (or two). I have noticed a lot of girls going ‘all out’ lately with the darker shades of lipstick including dark reds, dark purples and even black. Heroine is the name of this shade of lipstick and what a lovely shade it is, perfect for adding a splash of colour to those dark winter nights. At £15 this is a beauty steal and one I cannot wait to get my hands on!

Secondly on my wish list is a designer watch, preferably Michael Kors, a brand I have always been fond of. Today it seems like everyone has a Michael Kors watch but I still can’t help but love them! I found this particular one on the official website and I really like it. The pink face adds a splash of colour to what could have been a rather plain looking watch. This comes in at just £180 which isn't too bad considering the designer tag. Big watches are very much in at the moment as mentioned in one of my previous blog posts, and Michael Kors certainly does a good job of making gold bling look classy as opposed to trashy! Their statement watches really add that final touch to any outfit, day or night.

Thirdly I would love a designer clutch. After a recent trip to Harrods in London and a few hours spent drooling over some of the very best looking handbags and clutches, I found this little beauty. At £1,345.00 obviously this is one thing on my list that may have to take a back seat, for the time being anyway. A skull obsessed bag lover, this clutch is to die for! I am a big fan of Alexandera Mcqueen and what a stunning work of art this is. Contemporary and stylish, this clutch will add that final sparkle to any evening. The pure leather material and Swarovski crystals certainly make this one of the more glamorous clutch bags on the market, and may even make up for that ridiculous price tag. I don’t usually do clutch bags due to the fact that I'm very clumsy and always end up leaving them lying around, however the knuckle duster on this one will allow you to keep a close grip on this little beauty all night long. 

I have seen a lot of pastel coloured coats hit the high street lately and I can’t help but love them. Not for the faint hearted, this baby blue pastel coat is available from ASOS, and what a little beauty it is! Great for adding a splash of colour to any dark winter outfit, this coat also allows you to make that transition into spring that little bit easier. A delicate looking coat, I really love the fluffy texture and cocoon shape, and think it would look great teamed with a pair of dark jeans and some black Chelsea boots, or even a cute little play-suit and a pair of black tights. At £85 I think this coat may be a little overpriced as it isn't something you could wear every day. However, I really do love the colour and think it would make a classic look year in year out. Patel colours are always in fashion, not necessarily around this time of year, but certainly in the spring and summer and therefore that £85 will probably end up being money well spent.

I have been longing for a pair of new trainers for a while now but in particular some new Nike ones. I have seen so many cool trainers pop up on my Instagram feed just lately, probably due to all the fitness groups I am following but I'm loving it! Who says you can’t look good at the gym? Okay a face full of make-up and a pair of see through leggings is certainly not the look you want to be going for, but a good pair of trainers, a well fitted sports bra and a cute pair of yoga pants is definitely on the cards. I love the range of women’s Nike trainers on the market today and even if you're not a gym fanatic like me, you can certainly wear these trainers on a day to day basis, they’re both trendy and fun. Now £130 may seem a lot to pay for a pair of trainers but you really are paying for the great set of features when it comes down to these sorts of trainers. Finely designed to give you not just the support you need, but the perfect amount of cushioning, these trainers are built with reflective visibility, perfect if you like jogging on these dark winter nights. Not only this, these particular trainers also allow you to play around with the actual design on the website. If you fancy a pair of pink trainers with white soles and a green tick nick, then a pair of pink trainers with white soles and a green nick tick you will get. Cool, lightweight and bang on trend, these Nike LunarGlide 5 trainers are a must have!

L.A

xox

Pastel Crazy

So I have just tested out the new pastel hair craze (better late than never) and unfortunately I am not best impressed with the result. After a quick last minute shopping trip into town before Christmas, I grabbed the first lilac hair dye I could find in Superdrug, this being Loreal Feria pastel toning conditioner. Seeing as this is a prestigious hair and beauty brand I did not think twice about the £8 I was handing over, nor the end result. However this product disappointed for numerous reasons.

After washing my hair as instructed my first attempt was pretty much pointless. It was only after I had got my hair bleached blonde again (costing me another £40) and attempted to use this product for another couple of times that I could actually see some results. Luckily you could use the product multiple times once the seal had been broken.

The general reaction from my family and friends was as follows; my mother said the product had aged me and looked ‘grey’. My boyfriend on the other hand happened to quite like the colour, as did I, however would have much preferred it to have taken to all of my hair as opposed to random sections. This product certainly did not do what it said on the box and I am sure after one or two washes I will not even be able to tell that I have used this on my hair at all. Even though it was advertised more as a conditioner I expected it to do something to my hair at least and therefore I will not be giving this product the thumbs up!

Overall rating 2/10.

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