Meal Planning

Eating on a budget can be no fun, no mad dashes around Asda buying whatever the eff you want. It has taken a few years of training but I now go to the supermarket armed with a list and only deviate of it for offers (9p loaf of bread! £1 pack of quorn mince!). Sounds dull? Nope. Once a week I drag out the recipe books and have a look through the iPad for new recipes using things we mostly have already. My favourite app is The Photo Cookbook which was free a while ago, so many quick ideas. The stir frys are also really good, making the most out of a few ingredients! 

Charlene from Dainty Dresses has recently started posting some wonderfully simple recipes on her blog and instagram, I tend to find recipe inspiration all over rather than the same old thing every week. Rachel Phipps' blog makes me so hungry, combined with gorgeous photos. These vegetable fritters are next on my list to make. Over on Where Are My Knees  Sarah's wonderful Weight Watchers recipes all look amazing, the butternut squash lasagne is something else. 

I find the best method is to stand in front of my cupboards and fridge and write down everything we have left and then start from there. Lots of tins of chopped tomatoes? Spag bol! Coconut milk? Curry! I only plan for 6 meals a week, leaving one to either just make something from stuff we have or maybe a treat. We usually have a curry on payday for example, we could save the money and have a few extra bits each week. But to be honest to me living cheaply means we can afford the occasional treat! I write everything on a whiteboard in the kitchen however A Thrifty Mrs has a post with some wonderful meal planning print outs, she is my meal planning inspiration. We have cut our weekly shop down to half and have stopped throwing anything away.

Give it a go, go to the supermarket with a strict list and only buy what you need. 

Zoey xox

Pass me a flannel!

Face wipes. Hands up who has a packet by the bed for those nights you just can't face properly cleansing. Or are you firmly in the use face wipes to remove everything camp. I used to be. I loved Simple wipes for removing my makeup, get in drunk, wipe my face. Sleep. That was my entire routine.

Then I discovered the cult Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish. A lovely creamy cleanser and a cloth, it removed all my make up and made my face feel amazing. Beauty "experts" are in two camps about Liz Early C&P, but it worked for me. I even ordered some cheap muslin cloths from ebay to continue my cleansing quest.

As I started reading more and more on skin care, namely Caroline Hiron's blog, discovering there was so much more to cleansing. Rebecca introduced me to double cleansing! So within a year I had gone from just removing my makeup to double cleansing with a flannel. I started to barely ever get a spot, I'm sure leaving my skin with makeup on was having a detrimental effect on my skin. 

My favourite cleanser at the minute is Clarins Gel Cleanser, however I left it at a friends so am loving No 7s Gel Cleanser. Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm was an extravagant purchase but it smells amazing, I don't use it every night but have it as a little treat for my skin.

But, use whatever cleanser you feel like. Just buy some flannels. They are dirt cheap in Primark, go in the wash and are perfect for removing EVERYTHING from your skin. I cover my skin in cleanser, brush my teeth and then wash it all off with a hot flannel. More effective than face wipes, trust me.

A Make Up Counter Grumble

I have had a few unpleasant experiences at cosmetic counters in stores, as have most people. Being matched to the wrong shade foundation and told it looks amazing only to realise when you step outside you are as orange as the counter assistant. Dawn had a horrible experience in Boots when they applied foundation with an old, unwashed brush. Now I've worked in retail and sales, not saying they are the best jobs in the world but some basic customer service would help. There are only a few things I buy from higher end brands, foundation being one. I know what shade suits me, I know what shade I am. A lady on the YSL counter tried to convince me the foundation I was wearing made me look ill as it was too pale. She insisted on applying a new foundation that made me look I had fallen in the mud. 

Many people I know try to go to Boots first thing in the morning to grab things they need to avoid the awful sales pitch and pestering. Last week I went to pick up an eyeshadow from MAC, I picked up of the shelf and walked toward the counter. Like in a normal shop. As I walked across a staff member grabbed it out of my hand, no idea why. No eye contact and just asked for the money. In stark contrast to the service I had at the MAC in Harvey Nichols, a lovely woman helped me find the perfect red lipstick to give to my sister.

The growth in beauty blogs and endless swatching means you don't need to spend as long at a beauty counter, basically grab your shade and go. I like going to Boots, having a dabble with the testers and walk out with a few treats. I have a fairly small "high end" collection. I think many blushers and nail varnishes are just as good at the £5 price point as £20, with the growth in online retail maybe counters might change and become more accessible.

Thick Hair Problems

     

Now first things first, I am not moaning about having thick hair. I inherited thick hair from my dad and have grown to love it. When I was a child I used to go swimming a lot and used to hate the neck ache my wet hair would cause. Booking a cheap child's haircut? Not a chance. My gran had to ring them and warn them to allow twice the time as a normal child. The day my mum learnt to french plait was an awesome, no more heavy ponytail.

I've never had my hair below shoulder length, I have always had a fringe may it be a side one or full fringe. I once had really short layers cut in, when everyone had that awful Toni & Guy mullet but other than that long thick hair. And always dyed! My hair is naturally dark brown but I have probably dyed it since I was 15. It might be grey underneath for all I know! So how do I look after it?

I always just buy a cheap cleansing shampoo, at the minute Tresseme's is £2 in Tesco, removes all the product build up ready to start again. I then use a conditioner for dry or coloured hair. My usual favourite is John Frieda's Full Repair. Happy Hair Days conditioners were on offer in Sainsbury's (seeing a theme here) so am currently using them. They smell AMAZING. Especially the marshmallow and coconut one.

Organix Moroccon Argan Oil & Brazilian Keratin Therapy Anti-Breakage Serum - My hair gets very dry, probably from all the hair dying and excessive use of heat. I alternate between them however the Brazilian Keratin one has an amazing coconut smell thanks to coconut oil. They leave my hair beautifully smooth and manageable. They are also free from many of the nasties you find in most conditioners. 

Managing - Hair donuts are awesome, I really don't enjoy the slicked back tight bun look. I prefer mine to be slightly messy. I am currently getting back into braids, so easy to hide a full thick fringe in this weather. I am trying to stop drying it and then straightening my hair, I love the smooth straight look. I can't go to bed with my hair wet in a bun and wake up with curls as my hair would still be soaking wet. In fact I could spend all day with wet hair if I didn't dry it.

We all wish we had different hair, I know I did when I was in my early teenagers as I had no idea how to manage my hair. Neither did hairdressers, whenever changing hairdresser they would comment that they did not know what to do with long hair. Ah thanks for the vote of confidence guys!

xxx

Shop Your Stash. Really?

I have quite a lot of make up by normal standards, but hardly anything by a beauty blogger standard. I have my favourite foundation and favourite lippie, doesn't mean I ignore the rest of my "collection". I  have a lipstick in Vamp, far too dark for normal everyday wear but there it is. Say one night I decide to go for vampy lips and pull out this dark lipstick, does that mean I've been "shopping my stash?" NO I PULLED OUT A LIPSTICK FROM MY LIPSTICK DRAWER. (The offending lipstick is Vamp from Sleek)

The idea of Shop Your Stash is to use something you wouldn't usually do to create a whole new lot of make up for the week. Like going to Boots and buying some new make up. But it's not new. It's a Fearne Cotton pallette you got for Christmas that is shocking but this week you are going to add it to your make up rotation.

Now I'm quite a grumpy wee girl, I tend to ignore "holy grail" and "hyped" products, love a good empties / favourites  post (minus the cream blushes with hair in) but creating a post about using make up from your own make up drawer and call it "shopping" Erm. I'm not down with this one.

:)

One True Base

 

(L-R Estee Lauder Double Wear Maximum / Laura Mercier / YSL / Bourjois)

 I have given up trying to find my perfect foundation, I now have one of four which I go to depending on situation or what type of day I have ahead. One is pefect for a night out, no SPF so no dreaded ghost face but others have amazing staying power. I have blemish prone dry skin, I am always the lightest shade of "drug store" brands, Ivory by Rimmel for example is always too orange but am not the palest of skin tones. My boyfriend describes me as "porcelain"

YSL Le Teint Touche Éclat foundation BD20 - This was all over the blog world a while ago, so I hopped down to Boots and got myself colour matched and picked up a sample. The sales assistant matched me to B30 which was far too dark. A few months ago my skin was especially dull and I needed a foundation to give me a boost so was colour matched again and an amazing lady in House Of Fraser spent ages with me picking the right shade. I was bang in the middle of BD10 and BD20 so opted for the darker shade as I can sometimes look ill when wearing an exact match! It applies beautifully and is my foundation choice for a night out.

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation Cream Ivory - Another hyped product, but it was Rebecca's glowing recommendation which made me shell out. The first time I applied it I felt a little disappointed as it looked a little caked on. However a few goes and I realised a little went a long way. The colour is a little off, I think I could easily go down a shade. As you can see from the swatches it is a lot thicker than the rest of the foundations and really important to work it into the skin. 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Maximum Very Light - First thing first, this isn't very light. It is fine for my skin, but the main amazing thing about this is the coverage! Oh my gosh. I have quite a few scars from acne and have to apply concealer and then foundation every day, this helps me skip that step on placement mornings. It also lasts and lasts through a 12 hour shift and does not move until I remove it in the evening. This isn't for the light hearted. 

Bourjois Healthy Mix 51 - Bourjois have recently changed the formula of this slightly to "provide more radiance". This is my ulitmate slap it on and go foundation. I just wish it lasted longer on my skin, even setting with powder doesn't seem to help. It also doesn't provide me with quite enough coverage but is perfect during the summer months when I can imagine the ones above making my face feel very full of make up. I don't need to say more as this is a well loved foundation all over.

So which will I buy again? Estee Lauder Double Wear Max for those full coverage days and my make up bag will never be without Healthy Mix. This must be around my 8th bottle. I'm trying more and more to improve the state of my skin under my foundation these days in a hope I won't feel I need as high coverage.

These Boots Were Made For Walking

Feet. Not the most glamorous of topics. I spend my working days on my feet traipsing up and down a ward. They take a battering and I am often in pain. I tend to get hard skin on my heels which can hurt more and sometimes they just want some pampering. I have some amazingly comfy shoes from Hotter which I think is the most important thing first but to help even more there arethese three beauties.

Soap and Glory Heel Genius - S&G usually have amazing smelling products, Smoothie Star smells just wonderful. I think however that the combination of menthol, lemon fruit acid and orange doesn't create the best smell. It is perfect for every day moisturising especially after a pedicure. Besides the smell I love this, a lovely thick cream with a slightly blue tinge. It is in the normal S&G packaging promising a "miraculous moisturising mix".

CCS Foot Care Cream - This is the real deal and a heavy duty cream. My aunt originally recommended this to my mum, as a podiatrist I'm willing to take her word for it. I apply this at night  under a pair of socks and leave it to do its thing. It really helps soften the skin on my heels without the need for a good old skin grating session, shudder. It doesn't have a strong smell unlike S&G's offering. Covering my feet in this every night in hope I end up with beautiful soft feet.

Body Shop Peppermint Soothing Foot Scrub - The peppermint is hard to miss, as soon as you open the lid you can smell it. It exfoliates your foot as well as soothes and freshens, I found it really cooled my feet down and helped ease any burning pain. I tend to apply this before a shower so it is easy to wash off, the first time I rubbed it on my feet before bed and then had to do a rather glamorous manoeuvre of getting my foot in the sink to wash it off.  

Next on my foot care wish list is the Peppermint Cooling Foot Lotion from Body Shop, I can see it being perfect at the end of a long day. 

(PS How beautiful is the scarf? It was my grandmothers and is in beautiful condition)

Oh hello there

I'm slowly getting back into blogging, it makes a lovely break from placement and uni work. A nice little hobby! I'm not going to start doing weekly catch ups but thought a little catch up from this year so far would be nice. 

♥  I started 2013 in Cardiff with one my best friends and have seen her only once since, if only trains were cheaper. I am currently driving a 206 which isn't very economical and has a tendency to break down (I am the only one who uses my families RAC membership, they no longer get discounts on renewal!) so not really feeling a 300 mile trip! It is bad enough to drive the 50 mile round trip to placement in.

♥ We  two beautiful cats, one is a complete fluff ball who wakes you up at 5am by biting your feet. The other is old beyond her years and just sits in the corner watching. Creepy cat.

♥  Currently making a conscious effort to eat healthier, slow cooker recipes are my friend. Especially freezer ones, where you can have a session of filling up bags with something like a nice sausage casserole, freeze it, defrost the night before putting in the slow cooker and when you come home from work / uni it is sitting waiting for you to eat! I've also started doing Weight Watchers after seeing some of the success over on  Where Are My Knees. A diet where you can eat cheese? Awesome. 

♥  March saw the worst snow I have ever seen, apparently some of the worst snow to hit Huddersfield in years and years. We live up a hill on a small farm so leaving the house was impossible unless you had a tractor. We were stuck in the house for 4 days until I started to get severe cabin severe and set out for the shop to buy wine and chocolate. 

♥  Most of my days are currently spent on placement, however organised I try to be I end up with lots of crap everywhere. I seem to carry around most of my make up collection and far too many pens. A new fringe means I also have to carry a comb / brush everywhere! 

All in all life is good, my course is hard work but I know at the end of it I will be a nurse and doing what I truly truly want to do.

What's in my drunk bag?

  

When I get in from a night out I tend to tip my bag upside down looking for a hair elastic or my house key. Every time. This is obviously a staged one but full of my night out essentials.

MAC Candy Yum Yum - This is my go to lipstick at the minute for night time. It is a bright neon pink with a matte finish. There are plenty of reviews if you do a quick google but it's not easy to wear, as with any matte any dry patches will show up but other than that it instantly finishes my face off. 

Bourjois Healthy Mix Powder 52 and Little Round Pot Blusher 54 - This is my favourite powder ever, lovely and smooth making my skin look lovely and matte. I like a highlighter on my cheeks but nose and chin need to be matte! The Little Round Pot Blushers are iconic, this is a really easy shade to wear and perfect for topping up. I tend to not carry anything brighter in my bag as I have a tendency to over blush after a few too many jaegerbombs. 

Collection 2000 Supersize Falsh Lash Mascara - This was £2.99 in Boots, I was not expecting anything but it gives lovely perfect day time lashes. I tend to wear false lashes on a night out so this is perfect for touching up. It also doesn't matter if I lose it! Of course my trusty eye lash glue has to come out too.

The Models Own brush is from a set, it is the perfect size for blush but also just big enough to powder my nose. What's the point in taking two brushes out! You always need a black khol liner and Rimmel's is one of the best. Pefect to fix any cat eye problems. The bag is from Topshop many many years ago, it's quite small but makes a nice addition to a black dress. The shoes are from Dorothy Perkins and actually destroy my feet but I am intent on trying to wear them in!

My bag is obviously missing the random bar mats, shot glasses and proof I used my card to pay for a round of shots at 3.40am. 

(Yes, a blogger cliche post but I've already done a What's In My Bag with a difference) 

Seventeen Wet Look Lacquer Eye Liner

   

Seventeen Wet Look Lacquer Liquid Eyeliner

I love black eye liner, I feel a little naked without a quick cats flick on my eyes. I love my eye liner to be black, pigmented and have lasting power. Oh and cost under a tenner because I am forever losing them. This  one from 17 at Boots is only £3.99 and I am actually now on my third pot! It has a thin flexible brush end, I don't like felt tip liners as I find they constantly dry out. This is perfect as an every day eye liner, but due to my lid shape I find if worn over metallic eye shadow on a night out it does pick up the glitter and become less black. But that is my only bad point and that is down to me and not the product. It's not you, it's me and all that. 

So £3.99 for a wonderful little liquid eye liner, excuse my messy eyebrows in the photos below but I promise they have now been plucked and waxed back into shape!

I've created a new twitter account, would love if you would follow it :) @Zoey_Daisy

Models Own Neon Nails

Models Own - Bubblegum, Luis Lemon, Beach Party, Pink Punch & Pukka Purple

I love neon nails and Models Own have the best collection. Their new ice neon collection is amazing, however some of the colours are just repackaged (Luis Lemon and Bubblegum!). They all dry matte so need a good top coat for that glossy look. I couldn't resist taking these photos in the snow when I spent 4 days cooped up inside my own house due to huge 6 foot snow drifts, cabin fever well and truly set in. Apparently keeping your nail varnish in the fridge keeps it in tip top condition but think that would be a bit extreme.

Pukka Purple isn't as bright as the others, but is a really unique wonderful colour. The rest are in your face neons, my favourite for a night out is Hed Kandi Beach Party, it glows under UV light! 

I am all for neons in Summer and am firmly on the side of neons instead of pastels. I always have a neon on my toes as it cheers me up at the end of long day on my feet, I know I know. But then when you start to think shoes like this are beautiful you need something to perk you up. (If you work on your feet, hospital / supermarket retail etc, get some Hotter shoes. They are so so comfy)

So love neons? Buy one from Models Own :)

It will be all white on the night.

Barry M Creme Foundation in White

In my endless quest for a pale foundation I decided to go to the extreme and buy a white one to mix with too orange foundations. In steps Barry M's white foundation. This does come in your usual colours too, however the formulation is very thick. I'm not sure how it would go on by itself! But when it comes to mixing it is perfect. Most "drug store" foundations don't have enough shades so this is just what you need to lighten them a bit. I have found that higher end foundations do cater for paler skin tones, but sometimes they are just out of budget for us student types. 

It is worth buying if you are pale like me, good thing to have in your make-up stash to lighten up foundations

xo

Collection Extreme 24 Hour Felt Liner

Collection Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Liner

First things first, I really didn't like this. I love my eyeliner black and black, every day a cat liner flick adorns my eyes. I only ask two things of my liquid eye liner, be pigmented and last all day, especially a 12 hour shift. This isn't either. It comes out grey / black and is nice and easy to draw a line on with. The felt tip end is fine for precise lines. I popped it on in the morning with my normal eye shadow base but by lunch time it had creased and smudged. Boo. This was however free with a purchase from Collection in Superdrug so I am not too disappointed. I will have another go but think I'll stick to my trusty Seventeen Liner, but more on that another day. You my little Collection liner friend may find yourself living in my nail art kit, perfect for leopard print!


Basically, not a fan. There are much better cheap eye liners out there.

xo

Sinful Pink Nail Varnish

 

I have a huge problem when it comes to nail varnish, I own far too many bottles. I might need that bright lime green occasionally you know? Most of my nail varnishes are Models Own, I find their formula really good and fast drying, a wide range of colours and £5 a bottle is perfect. Then I saw Sinful Colors in a stand in my small Boots while at home for Easter. £1.99 each and so many different colours. There are 70 shades according to the website.

Pink nails for me are the ultimate, I am always looking for the brightest barbie-esque pink. I think I have found it! As well as bright pink nails, nude is always a second favourite. Perfect for a glitter top coat or leopard print nail art.

24/7 This is my new favourite nail varnish, I've tried to capture how bright the neon pink is but I always find neons really hard to photograph. It is fully opaque in two coats and dries matte as most neons do. Perfect with a glossy top coat! The formula is comparable with Models Own for £3.01 less! I always find neons last longer on nails, but used Seche Vite over the top which you all know can be a bit hit and miss when it comes to peeling off.

Easy Going This is a milky nude colour, I was hoping it would be bit more pinky on the nail but love it nonetheless  Similar formula to 24/7 but dries shiny. I found it to be opaque in two coats on natural nails and one on falsies. Perfect base colour, much like Models Own Utopia just less grey.

Pinky Glitter When I first tried this I was expecting it to be a pink glitter top coat, it is instead quite thick almost like jelly?! It can be quite hard to work with, I tried to do glitter tips but found it a bit thick. It is perfect on the whole nail. Two coats and it is opaque! Apart from the tricky formula I love it!

To conclude, 24/7 is my ultimate pink. I am starting a 12 week placement this week so won't be able to wear it on my fingernails but shall be doing a full on pedicure tonight and bright pink nails will be featuring. These are amazing for £1.99 (they are currently on 3 for 2 in Boots). The Boots in my home town had a fully stocked stand a week ago but today in Huddersfield the stand was a bit bare! So get in there quick, but sure they will be restocked soon.

When I grow up

Taken from a book my school contributed to when I was 8! They kept our own versions of spelling

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." C.S Lewis

 I never knew what I wanted to do when I was growing up. When I was 8 years old I liked animals and my mum was a vet so I wanted to be a veterinary nurse. As I grew up a few awful science and maths teachers made me despise the subject, I hated plants and photosynthesis and still don't understand quadratic equations. Fast forward to college, I took A Levels in English, ICT and Politics. I enjoyed Politics and a college trip to Washington DC turned my enjoyment into love so I went to do a Politics degree. Careers advice at my college was useless, basically we were told if you didn't go do a degree you were stuck in retail. I already had a part time job at Claire's which I liked but didn't want to do that forever. 

Turns out a Politics degree was not for me, I hated political theory for one. I was run down, tired, suffered from illnesses constantly and ended up having my tonsils out. I restarted a year, still couldn't do it. Instead threw myself into work at the student's union shop and a local night club. Eventually it was time to leave my university town, I moved to Manchester with my boyfriend and got a generic call centre job which I hated. I moved back to retail which I knew I was good at, but hated. I liked people, I loved making sure they left happy. Working for a big supermarket doesn't let you do this.

The final straw was one Sunday I was left alone, as a "team leader in training" as a kind of test. A serious accident happened in the cafe and a member of staff was left badly bleeding, I immediately did not give a crap about the till queues and instead helped with the situation. The next day I was called in to discuss my "behaviour". Turns out helping a member of staff not bleed to death and then comfort your staff members that were basically suffering from shock is not how you run a successful business. I'd go home in tears every night, getting paid £6.86 an hour to spend your life in tears is not the one. I had to keep going, bills to pay rent to pay. Until I cracked.

I knew what I wanted to do, nursing. I'd known for a while but was too scared to embark on another degree after already failing one. I spoke to my mum who encouraged me to do what I want, I wrote a personal statement and at 7am on the morning of clearing I started ringing round universities. By 10am I had an interview the next day. By the next Tuesday I had a place on an Adult Nursing course in Leeds. We lived in Manchester, I suddenly had to hand my notice in. Everything went a bid mad. 

Over 6 months in to my first year I am in love, I have completely made the right decision. I won't discuss too much of my course on this blog, it's hard work but I know it will be worth it in the end. I finish 12 hour shifts on placement happy. I love helping a patient get washed, fed, dressed, washing their hair and making them comfortable in bed. All those who say we are too posh to wash can frankly do one. 

All I wanted to do when I was little was to grow up (I told people I wanted to be tall when I was older, didn't happen) but now I have rent and bills to pay? I hate being a grown up

Sweet Like Chocolate

 Body Butter / Lip Butter / Body Scrub / Shower Cream 

I love chocolate, when I was little the two things I would eat were macaroni cheese and toblerone. I was a horrible child. I still love the scent. In step The Body Shop and my sister, she bought me a wee Chocomania set as part of my Christmas present and I was hooked. 

The body butter is pretty standard Body Shop however it does promise "48 hour feel good hydration" which I don't think the rest of their famous range do. I am always dubious of promises like this, but this does keep my legs feeling lovely and smooth . It is the body scrub which is the winner for me, I love exfoliating. I'm odd like that. I've tried some that are full of salt (Ted Baker, I'm looking at you) and some that just don't do anything. This scrub however smells divine - almost nutty, has a lovely texture of sugar works well to get rid of dead skin ready for moisturising or fake tan if I am feeling adventurous.

The lip butter is always in my handbag, it is not as heavy duty as my Nivea SOS or Carmex but is a fine the rest of the time. It doesn't taste of chocolate though, c'mon I wasn't the only one hoping. I love that LUSH's lip scrubs taste amazing, but then remember I am also eating my own dry skin. Yum. Last but not least is the shower cream. Now I usually buy the cheapest body wash in the supermarket, or anything on offer. Except for Snow Fairy but that's a once a year thing. So to become hooked to a shower cream that is more than £1 is something for me. It is lovely and moisturising, doesn't irritate my eczema prone areas and has the same scent. 

I have since bought another set from The Body Shop Outlet store at Cheshire Oaks, they offer 40% off RRP when you buy 3 or more items. They also gave us an extra 10% for having a Body Shop Love Your Body card. Basically I bought them for cheap. Would I pay full price? For the body scrub maybe. Then again they always seem to have offers on their website.

xoxo