Botanics #theplantone review*

I was really kindly sent a large selection of skincare from Botanics, I love skincare so I was so happy to receive it.  Botanics is a natural skincare range that combine powerful plant extracts for a healthy looking complexion whilst being very reasonably priced. This weekend I had been painting my fence and shed out my back garden I had no idea it would take so long plus I didn't realise it was so hot so guess what I burnt my face and nose a bit ahhhhhhh. So these products have been so welcome to use to try and soothe my poor face. So let's have a little look at what I had.

My favourite: Organic Facial Oil, basically this is described as a meal for the skin, a little bottle of facial oil complete with a dropper to dispense the product, I put three drops into my palms and warmed then pressed into my skin, I was hoping that I wouldn't be met with that gross greasy feel and I wasn't this oil soaked quickly into my skin and made if feel lovely and hydrated, combined with rosehip oil which is rich in omega oils this may explain the nourished feeling and plumping, oils are my go to with skincare now as I feel they are essential in maintaining healthy skin and I was impressed by this little gem.

Day Cream: sometimes I skip it then do my makeup and I wish I hadn't when my makeup looks rubbish, so I try and find something lightweight I can use before makeup and this cream is good for that lightweight and non tacky I massage this cream in and let it sink in for about 10 minutes then apply my makeup, this cream is enriched with clary sage extract which helps moisturise dehydrated skin for hours.  As you get older it's been more important to keep your skin moisturised and hydrated because if you don't it will look rough and prune like and aged and you don't want that, so try not to skip it try and keep it moisturised, cleanse and then moisturise whilst you have your cup of tea in the morning.

Radiant youth refining microdermabrasion polish: now in truth I haven't used any exfoliating products on my face for a little while, so when this arrived I thought ok lets have a little go, now products I've used before have put me off for being quite rough, now when I used this yes it is a rough but I used it in areas that I felt my skin would benefit from getting rid of gross dead skin cells particularly my forehead and round by my nose and my chin, so a little scrub gently in circular motions and then I rinsed off oh my word my skin felt like velvet after using it I was so happy, this is the best time then to apply a facial oil or serum as your skin will literally soak it right in. My skin was a little red after using it, but that's to be expected after giving it a little scrub. My skin was glowing after this, now for me I will use this only once a week I feel like that is enough as rubbing your skin too much is not good for it and it's more effective to use it less frequently.


The triple age renewal facial super serum: this serum is formulated to help hydrate and nourish skin and reduce the appearance of deep lines and wrinkles,  this one wasn't my favourite but only as I found it a bit drying for me, I'm more of an oil person than a serum I've come to realise, but combined with the combination of skincare this is a good little product.  You cannot beat the prices of these products and for the record my skin is normal to combination and I didn't receive any irritation or breakouts the only redness I experienced was when using the micro Dermabrasion but that's to be expected.  No dryness spots or weirdness so I would recommend.

Laura x

How to live life to the full

Hello beauts hope you are all well, today I'm writing another positive post, in view of so much sad things around at the moment and me knowing 4 people my age with terminal illness I thought it was time to reflect on positive things and blessings.  I'm a massive believer in life is too short to not enjoy it and for me I love travelling and going different places and doing that with my children as that is what makes happy memories.
If you can't go abroad then going to the park or for a nice walk is just as good, fresh air and quality time with your family is priceless and doesn't matter where you are.
If like me you suffer from anxiety or depression sometimes you may not feel that your life is positive or you can even live your life to the full but with that my best advice is to take small steps every day and try and dig out positive aspects of your life and what I'm trying to remember that your kids are only little kids for such a short time they grow up so quickly and then don't want to do things with you when they get older.
I have started doing exercise now to, I used to shut off when I heard people talk about going to the gym or running and think how boring and actually I don't do any of those things but I do an exercise class with wicked music that helps me through it, I don't find it one bit boring and I actually really love it and I get home and feel good and less stressed when I do that.
If you have lots of friends try and meet up where possible and spend time with them, people are very busy with life but try and fit in time for your friends you need them as much as they need you. And to have a good laugh and a giggle is something to look back on when you don't feel too great.

I'm a firm believer of not saving for when I'm old this doesn't mean it's advisable and not for everyone, I think to myself sod it spend it now, if I do get to old age il be skint but at least il have good memories a good skincare collection and I will have good memories with the kids.

What do you do to live your life to the full??

Laura

My micro blading experience

Hey guys much more of a light hearted post compared to my other ones,  today I'm talking about ya browz in real terms your eyebrows, I've always heard bloggers, makeup artists and anyone who knows there stuff say how important your eyebrows are to your face and that they really frame your face.  So for years I've been plucking my eyebrows to within an inch of there life and then with any gaps I've been left with I've been filling in so badly.  I have bought every product and brush known to man to try and give me the brows I have wanted but I've sadly failed.
And then I heard of people having there eyebrows tattooed and I had been toying with that idea for ages but never actually done it.
And then I heard of microblading and I was like ok what is that?  "Microblading is a form of tattooing, unlike a regular tattoo where pigment is implanted under your skin with a manual handheld tool instead of a machine, hair like strokes are drawn with the tool to mimic natural hairs in your brows"

Now my eyebrows are pretty straight naturally and I didn't have an arch at all, so the space between my eyelid and the top of my eyebrow was literally non existent.  It was only when I had my makeup done for my birthday and the artist gave me a really definite arch I realised how much it could transform your whole look and I decided to give it a go.

I booked in with a reputable salon and seen loads of examples of her work and done it, I had numbing cream put on the areas needed and she left that to take effect, once she started I could hear a scraping noise which I wasn't loving but I couldn't feel anything.  It did take a while I honestly felt like I had been in the salon for hours and was loosing the will to live but then it was done.  I was really happy with the results though and the lady booked me in for a further 4 weeks for a top up.  The environment was really clean and sterile which again is essential when having a treatment like this done.

So today i returned for my top up and this is essential for any patches to be filled in and to keep your colour nice and fresh, the colour can be adapted to suit any hair colour and skin colour so that they look as natural and non fake as possible.  Today didn't take half as long as they first did, and the bonus was I didn't hear that scrapy sound either, so truthfully I could have gone asleep and I wouldn't have felt a thing.  The only thing that freaks me out is when I wake up in the morning makeup free my eyebrows are completely done and I look so funny as they are perfect and then you have my non makeup face ha ha.

If your considering it, it is worth it, I have to return every year now for a top up and I should always have nice eyebrows.

Hope you enjoyed this post

Laura 

Real life How I Escaped a cult growing up.

Hey guys hope your well, wow this title is deep isint so unlike my normal I like this tan or face highlighter post but I've been thinking a lot about this all recently and thought I would share it particularly if it can help anyone.
So about me you may know that I'm in my forties and currently live in Wales growing up my "dad" was in the RAF so I lived in lots of places but ended up in Scotland as a small child along with my brother who I was just over two years older than.  Being a little girl I remember quite a happy childhood when I was say 6 years odd but that all changed when my families religion changed from my father being a Catholic and my "mum" being a non practising Methodist to a different religion that I won't name but you may guess when you read on. I noticed that a lot changed the Christmas tree was thrown away and I didn't have birthday presents or parties anymore, and nor did my brother, I will say my father wasn't part of the new religion but he agreed with the stopping of birthdays and Christmas. At school I was taken out of participating in Christmas concerts in mixing with the children out of school and not allowed to receive or give presents, I remember being stuck in a room on my own whilst the other children enjoyed christmas parties and not enjoying that feeling.

Attending the meetings (talks about god etc) where very regular, I personally hating walking there we would be made to do the three mile trip there by foot three times a week in all weathers, I don't think I missed one even if I was unwell. So I got to about eleven years old and then my parents told us we were moving to Wales I was quite excited about this, being a kid I thought this was a great adventure new school new friends and hopefully not having to attend those meetings.  Little did I know that my life was going to get a whole lot worse.
The move was complete and my brother and myself were put into new schools, I settled ok, and was invited to lots of places but I was never allowed to go, I don't know what changed in my dad but I started beating my mother really really badly and they would be arguing constantly, he started drinking extremely heavily and that did not help matters. Whilst all this was going on I still was attending this church.  My mother became more and more iratic in her behaviour and would shout at me whilst on the way to the church, if I didn't participate in the meeting she would hit me on the back of the head with her hand or worse get the microphone and hit me on the head with that it was mortifying.
Home life was getting increasingly worse, I was now 13 and my brother 11 and my father was beating my brother all the time and throwing so much emotional abuse at him, in the end my brother stopped going to school and ended up running away from home and getting into trouble.  I was being made to go to the betting shops and stand outside and ask old men to put bets on for my dad as he wouldn't leave the house and then I would have to get people to get cans of beer and cigarettes for me to take home for him to, this was daily, my brother didn't return home after this he ended up at young offenders institutes which was awful, meanwhile back at home the beatings went to me.  I was still having to go to the church and disguise my bruises my swellings and my tears.  I wasn't allowed to discuss what was going on,
I sat my exams and I really do not know how I did it without falling apart I was desparate to get away from the church and my situation at home, I remember being scared going to bed and going to sleep in fear as many times my father would drag me out of bed by the hair and pull me down the stairs and scream swear at me and beat me, he would continuously tell me how ugly and horrible I was so naturally I thought I was.  I begged my mum to help me but she wouldn't listen to me, I was now 19 and I was mentally and physically battered, I had been beaten 4 nights continuously and was a wreck, the church were having a party (gathering) In a house in Cardiff and I begged to go, I couldn't believe I was allowed to go, I went and was told to be home by 11 bearing in mind I was 19, I was enjoying myself and realised it was 12 o'clock and at that moment I decided I wasn't going to return home and I never did.
For three years after that night I would go to work and my mother used to wait in the bus stop and thrust letters in my hand,, she wouldn't talk to me, she said she wasn't allowed as I had left the church to, she said she couldn't have anything to do with me anymore, the letters were very long and rambling and didn't make any sense at all. But in essence she wouldn't bother with me anymore.

So where am I at now, well I'm 43 years old, my parents are now living in Reading, I do not see them at all anymore, I have seem them once 15 years ago and that was when my brother died, but I don't anymore, if you think I'm harsh not having things to do with them this has been a long thoughtful decision, I am a mother to three children myself and I would never ever treat them in this way or force them into a religion either.  I would say that I haven't been left unscaved by them and I struggle with a lot of things, I was never shown love or affection by them, so I do find it hard to be loving loving if that makes sense, I know I'm not ugly but it's taken me a long time to realise that but the feeling of escaping the clutches of the religion were and have been overwhelming some of my memories have been lost of my childhood I don't know if it's because of trauma but I can't remember them, but now I'm happy and living a normal life.

So if your in a similar position or scared you cannot get out of something you can be brave strong and do it, you won't look back.

Laura xx

Does ageism exist when your a blogger

Well hello lovelies hope your all well, today's post isint my normal look I've bought a fab shampoo or look at the bling of this highlighter today's post is about a more prevelant thought.

As an avid twitter user although no I don't have thousands of followers etc, I like twitter for promoting my blog, competitions and seeing what is going on in the world I have noticed a change in the last four years.  Whereas when I started blogging I couldn't give a rats ass about my age my weight my bank balance and what bag I carry, I started blogging as a hobby and I consider it still that way.
However I have noticed that bloggers do seem to get on if they are the size 8/10 perfect hair chanel bag carrying type, this is not meant as a swipe by all means I myself have been in the size 8/10 category I just didn't have the Chanel bag or the perfect hair... But what about the talent and the personality first.  Why can't bloggers succeed because they are older a bit more lined and have a bit more junk in there trunk.

I've seen big bloggers who are a bit older and shall we say not as stereo typical looking as the run of the mill types get terrible abuse on Instagram saying some awful things.why even people even type these terrible things i will never know what gain do people have from belittling people.  Why shouldn't people who are a bit older or a bit different looking do a lovely contour look, or a nice glitter eye why not??? Or do a nice outfit post who cares if they are a size 20, everyone is beautiful and unique and what are we telling these younger girls that unless your perfect you won't succeed, why my words to that is kiss my age as the lovely Jules a fellow blogger says, she rocks the outfits posts and her positivity is refreshing... age doesn't matter we are all succesful and we all can look amazing we need to stick together and support.

Here is my kiss my age picture, sporting lashings of glitter highlighter and bronzer and I don't care....yes I'm old but I'm not growing old typically why should I.


Laura x

Wella Oil Reflections Lumionous Shampoo

I had been sent this shampoo and conditioner a couple of months ago to try and I loved it so much I ordered the mega 1000ml size it must be a salon size as it's huge, I didn't realise it didn't come with a pump though so when the shampoo came without I just ordered that separately.  My hair is now just under the chin in a bob with purposely dark roots, it's then a while to get there so it's quite frazzled.

My hair is also very fine and flyaway to.

The shampoo is described as being able to offer a mirror like shine to dull hair, and I can say this is true, my hair is dull and bring processed to blonde doesn't shine very well at all. But that being said my work mates have commented and said my hair does look more shiny recently win win. 

Ingredient wise Camellia Oil and White Tea extract are present which help to moisture the hair from roof to tip without weighing down the hair.  Now scent wise some people have described it as floral I personally don't I think it's more of a fresh clean scent, I love the smell and thats one of the things that made me buy it, I can smell it on my hair for hours after washing it, I love that as it makes me feel clean and that my hair is clean.  

I bought the conditioner that matches the shampoo to but you know how it goes the shampoo always runs out first so I figured it would make more sense to get the large shampoo and normal sized conditioner as they will probably run out at the same time now haha.

I know Wella have a new range out now to called FUSION my beady eye is on that to, but let's see how long this takes me to use up.  Another reason I love this is my opinion is that if you have a nice haircut and you colour your hair to, you need to look after that colour, so that's another reason in my justification in buying posh products.

It may help to know I picked up this huge size for £20 which is a bargain as it's normally £40 I can't remember the site but if you scour the net you should be able to find a good deal to.


Laura x 

Forty third birthday celebrations

Scary that in seven years il be fifty but hey live life to the full I say, so with that in mind it was rude to not organise a birthday night out well starting at 5pm ok so early evening.  You don't realise how much effort it is to get ready for a night out, pre prepping is all about the tan, the nails, the hair then on the day it's the makeup.  My early morning started with football matches for my littlest then more football through the day.  So bit of a final rush to get ready.  We decided to go out local as it's easier to get home and if you have a good drink you don't really want to be sitting in a taxi for twenty minutes feeling queasy sore feet and just dying to get in.

So this was the start hair done by my clever niece I wanted a nice clean blonde with dark roots and that's what she did, literally a hair angel so lucky the poor girl is local as I'm always pestering her I think I'm enough to put her off hair.

And here she is all ready I know she's my niece but what a gorg she is.  She's such fun as well and always has a smile on her face.

And me complete with a top I had for my birthday from a little boutique in Cardiff from my best friend... Makeup mainly Mac Charlotte Tilbury and Armani. 

So a late afternoon tea which was gorgeous washed down with copious amounts of Prosecco.

Now don't be deceived by this little ensemble. Inside this copper teapot was a cocktail which was called Cherry Bakewell and was absolutely stunning, but absolutely lethal and very strong I'm sure it was neat alcohol but really nice.  We always start off so sophisticated and it ends up a little bit messy but why not being 43 is not so bad.

Laura