Date night

Today is my birthday I'm turning 22. I know that this isn't old at all but it only feels like a few weeks ago I turned 21. I'm going out for lunch and dinner today so I'll most likely be 22 stone by the end of the weekend but that's what birthdays are all about. 

Anyway onto the title of the post. Date night. I had a first date on Thursday and I didn't really know what to wear (turns out I got it wrong) I was told we were going to Newcastle but I actually ended up going ice skating before going for dinner. I put on my twitter that I wanted to go. This was really sweet but I wore heels. I must be the only girl to ever do this. He was prepared with socks, gloves and a scarf for me which was really cute. I should probably also say that I can not ice skate to save my life. It seemed my legs weren't doing what my brain was telling them. 

Here's what I wore. 

Sorry for the phone in the mirror I had no one else to take my picture so the spare room mirror had to do. 

At this point I would like to state that if any of you are going ice skating don't wear heels. 

After reading Kayleigh's (Couture Girl) post on Mac Girl about Town lipstick I decided that was what I would go for. You can see my swatch here. 

I had a really good night after I got my glass of wine to forget about my shocking performance on the ice. Hope you have a good weekend. 

Getting to know me

I feel like I haven't blogged in like....forever. I have some lovely things to tell you about but do you ever feel like life just gets in the way? Anyway hopefully I'll get my thoughts written up soon and published for the world to see. Here is a 'getting to know me' post that I saw this on Jen's blog It's a blondes life! I have been wanting to do a post like this for a while as I think it's a really good way to get to know a blogger.

1. What is your middle name? Jane 

2. What was your favourite subject at school? A toss up between History and PE 

3. What is your favourite drink? A cold glass of Robinsons Orange and Pineapple or Cava depending on the time of the day. 

4. Favourite song at the moment? The Script - Standing in the Hall of Fame 

5. What would you name your children? I have absolutely no idea

6. Do you participate in any sports? I've just started playing Hockey again and I go to the gym if that counts 

7. Favourite book? The Hunger Games 

8. Favourite colour? Pink 

9. Favourite animal? Prince Alfie - Maltese Dog 

10. Favourite Perfume? Coco Chanel Mademoiselle 

11. Favourite Holiday? A beach type holiday although I don't actually like the beach. 

12. Have you graduated high school? Yeah but I didn't get many qualifications 

13. Have you been out of the Country? Yeah a lot. 

14. Do you speak any other languages? A tiny bit of French I need it for work 

15. Do you have any siblings? My little sister Emily 

16. What is your favourite store? Tough one....Boots, Mac, Topshop, Kurt Geiger, River Island the list goes on and on 

17. Do you like school? I did when I was there although I wasn't very academic 

18. Favourite Youtubers? The Ugly face of Beauty and Dizzybrunette3  

19. Favourite movie? Sex and the City 2 

20. Favourite tv show? 2 Broke Girls 

21. Pc or Mac? I am PC 

22. What phone do you have? Iphone 4s 

23. How tall are you? 5ft 5" 

So Hopefully you will know a little bit more about me now. Do you have any blog posts like this as I would love to read them. 

Sunshine Blogger Award

This is the first award I have been given on my blog. I was given this award from Jen who writes a blog called Its a Blondes Life! I had been following Jen before I started my blog on bloglovin so when she comment on one of my posts I was over the moon. So thank you so much!! 



So to start off I have to tell you 5 facts about me. 

1. I really want to get my HGV licence so I can drive trucks. 

2. I have a younger sister. 

3. I have to wear glasses at the computer or I am blind as a bat. 

4. I love to colour pink way too much. 

5. It's my birthday next week. 

Now Jen has set me 5 questions I need to answer. 

1. What is your favourite childhood memory? Going to Disney land Florida with my family for Millennium. 
2. Which country do you live in and do you like it? I'm form the UK. I like it as all my family live here we all live within 30 minutes of each other. 
3. What makes you want to keep reading a blog? Is it a nice layout? Lots of photos? Well written posts? I like to see photos but I carry on reading a blog if I can relate to the writer. 
4. Do you buy more high end or drug store (high street) cosmetics? More high end products. But I have a mixture of both. 
5. What is your favourite thing about Autumn? Bonfire night and my birthday. Bonfire night is my favourite. 

For the Sunshine Blogger award I nominate Catrine from Unnakednails. I love reading her blog. She is amazing at nail art, gives really good product reviews and is the MAC lipstick guru.If you haven't really recommend you stop by her blog.   

So Catrine my five questions for you are. 

1. What is your favourite Mac lipstick? 

2. If you could go anywhere in the world for 24 hours where would it be? 

3. What is your favourite skincare product? 

4. If you could go out for dinner with one famous person (dead or alive) who would it be and why? 

5. What is your favourite nail varnish? 

How to Relax

I'm not going to lie but the last few weeks I've been feeling really down. My job seems to be going from bad to worse. Nothing I do seems to make it better. My personal relationships seem to be falling apart. Since starting my blog I find that this is away I can escape it all. After a tough day at work. (Yes yesterday was one) I like to come home and relax. 

First of all I like to start by running a bath. I like my baths steaming hot and after a day in a freezing cold office these warm me up. 

While I am in the bath I like to put some music on. Last night's choice was The Script as mine came through the post yesterday. I also like to read a magazine. This seems to be my only time to ever actual read these days. So it was nice to just chill out. 

What bubble bath I use in the bath really depends on what mood I'm in. For chilling out I like to use Nspa Jojoba and white vanilla foaming bath milk. I picked this up a few weeks ago in Asda. This smells lovely and leaves a lovely scent on your skin. I also like to apply a face mask. Last night I used Elemis herbal lavender repair mask. It's a clay mask it doesn't really have the nicest smell but it does leave my skin really soft. 

Once I've turned into a mermaid. (This is the term my Mum used to use once I had gone wrinklely in the bath) I like to put my PJs get wrapped in my dressing gown and make myself a hot chocolate. This sums up my perfect evening in. 

Now I feel all relaxed I head to bed for an early night. How do you like to relax? 

Caribbean Adventures

I have mention on my Aruba Aloe lotion and my Mac Girl about Town post that I have been to two Island in the Caribbean and Jen form Its a Blondes Life!  said she would would like to see some pictures of my trip. 

I have been to the Caribbean twice and I honestly never thought I'd be able to go once in my life so I do feel extremely privlaged. Each time I have been has been on a cruise. First time was in February 2011 and second time was in March this year. I was so excited when my parents told me that they had booked it for us. They told me and my sister way back in March 2010 that we were going. I honestly couldn't wait however I felt like a cruise was for 'old people'. My parents reassured me and said that it wasn't but I still felt like there would be me and my sister and the rest of the ship will be all OAPs. OOOOOHHHH just how wrong I was. Each cruise I have been on we have met so many people our age. The first cruise there was a group of 5 guys my age on a lads holiday. I can honestly say they are the best holidays and I have ever been on and I couldn't recommend them enough. I have only ever been on a P&O ship called Ventura and it is massive. 

The 9 islands I have been too are, Barbados, Grand Truk, Antigua, St Lucia, Aruba, St Marten, Jamaica, Dominica and Bonaire. If I was going to tell you about each Island this post would be a book. My favourite Islands are Barbados, Aruba and St Marten. 

Here are some pictures of my familys adventures in 2012. 

Quick drink before we board the ship in Barbados. (This is me) 

Bonaire is a small island which is very popular for snorkelers. How blue is the sea? 

Dad me and my Mum in Arbua. Aruba is amazing for shopping and has white sandy beaches. 

Waiting for the lift. The ship has so many different places to eat and drink. 

Jamaica is famous for the Dunns river falls which we did in 2011. This is at the dock how big is the ship? 

Grand Turk is a tiny island you can see right across it from the top deck of the ship however it has amazing pool party there call Margaritaville which is amazing it's ful of Americans having an amazing time. I really enjoyed this island as it was a beach day. The drink I am holding was a Pina colada who doesn't love a good cocktail in the sun? 

You can see right across this island see.....Grand Turk. 

The White room on board the Ventura. 

St Marten. The shopping island. This has the best of both worlds there are two sides of the island the French side and the Dutch. The Dutch has the shops the beaches and the bars!! 

Antigua has 365 beaches one for every day of the year. On this beach I saw a lady who goes to my gym. It really is a small world. 

Dominica is a very green island. The first picture is their countries flag and the second is me and my beautiful family in front of mama waterfall.

St Lucia. These are the Pitons they are amazing to see. (Can you believe I took this picture with my iphone?)

Barbados is amazing the only music I heard play on the island is Rihanna.

Barbados, my Dad and sister and Terry the Turtle. 

On the last night in Barbados the ship docks over night. Me, my sister and some friends we met went to Harbour lights. It is a party on the beach. Imagine your local night club but open air, all you can drink for $20 and instead of a dance floor you have sand. I heard every Rihanna song that night that she had ever made. There were so many different nationality's there. It is a fantastic night out. 

I truly believe the people in the Caribbean are the happiest people in the world. They don't have any benefits out there so if you don't work there will be no money. People learn to live off the land and help each other out. I think maybe in a past life I was from there as I felt right at home! 

So there you have it. I had the best time ever on both holidays and I can't thank my parents enough for taking me and my sister. 

Sunday Shopping

Over the weekend I was looking after Alfie and on Sunday I decided to take him on shopping trip. He is allowed in most shops as long as I carry him. Luckily for me he decided to not walk at all so I ended up carrying him all around town. My arm was killing me by the time I got home. So here are the beauty products I picked up. 

Here's what I got. From The body Shop. Lightening Touch, Warming Mineral mask, All in one BB cream and Rainforest Shine shampoo and conditioner. From Superdrug I picked up Bastiste dry shampoo and two MUA 3 in 1 extreme contour liner in Brown and Gun Metal. 

The body shop have 3 for 2 on all skincare and make up so I got the warming mineral mask for free. I actually only went in for the lightening touch as I suffer form dark circles and I've heard that this is a dupe of the YSL Touche Eclat and at only £14 compared to £25 for the touche eclat I thought I'd give this ago. I got the shade 01. The BB cream is something I haven't really heard of. But it goes on as a white cream and the adapts to your skin tone. I thought for those more natural days this would be perfect. It was £12 which I thought wasn't too bad. I got this in the shade 02. The mask was my freebie. Recently I have has really bumpy skin so I am willing to give anything ago. The shampoo and conditioner was another freebie as I signed up to their Love Your Body reward card. 


Alfie hated Superdrug as I spent ages swatching almost everything. I picked up the Batistes as it was on offer for £1.95. I like this one as it has the hint of colour in and doesn't leave my hair with white streaks. I picked up the MUA extreme contour's to try and use on my eye lids to create a smoky eye. I might just had a play around and see how I can actually make them work best. 

They look just like a pencil and you just twist the top to get the product. They were a bargain price of £1.50. You can't go wrong. 

The top is gun metal and the bottom is brown. They are really creamy so I think they may be good for smudging. I really wanted black but it was sold out so I will be keeping a look out for it on my next trip. 

Also on Monday night I had a little trip to the Metro centre after work. I got 3 little treats for myself. 

For the life of my I couldn't get the brushes to stand up and I realise that this photo is awful, sorry about that. So I got the Real Techniques Stippling brush and blush brush. I  love the stippling brush I have been using it everyday I have to say I really don't like the blush brush. I think it's naff and I feel like I hardly get any product on my cheek. They were on offer for buy one get one half price in boots. 

The MUA pallet I picked up was Undressed as I've heard it's a dupe of Naked. To be honest Undressed is a better way of saying naked if you ask me. Also it was £4 compared for £36 that naked costs. I'm really looking forward to using this as I've had it almost a week and still haven't tried it. 

I am really happy with my purchases minus the blush brush. Here is a picture of Alfie after been carried all over town he still came home and had a nap. Typical man. Have you used any of these products what do you think?  

Mac Eye shadow Knight Divine

I picked this up in Covert Garden in May. I bought I'd try and teach myself how to do a dark smoky eye. However I just like I have a black eye so I need to practice more. 

It's a beautiful grey colour that has the silver pearl touch. I have about 6 mac eye shadows and recently I've been lusting after a pallet but I have too many individual eye shadows to do that just yet. 

It's such a pretty colour and just looking at this swatch makes me wish I could apply it properly. 

Do you have any tips on how I could apply this to create the perfect smoky eye? 

Elemis Skin Boost

Everyone needs a boots once in a while. This is mine. 

This product I received from Timetospa.com it retails at £18. I bought it was back in June.

I used this loads on holiday. You know when you've been in the sun all day and your skin feels really tight and dry? Well this was my life saver. I used this on it's own it does say on the box that you can put it on top of your normal moisturiser but I really didn't feel the need to do that.  

When you 'pump' the serum out the bottle it looks like a white cream although it is really light it rubs in so soft and goes almost see through straight away. 

When rubbed in completely it totally disappears unlike some extra  moisturising serums I have had in the past. 

It leaves the skin leaving very soft and very a glowing look. Do you use anything to give your skin a little boost? 

Mac Lipstick Girl about Town

I love the name of this lipstick as it reminds me of Carrie Bradshaw running around New York city? She was the ultimate IT girl. I bought this in St Maarten a Caribbean island in March. This Island by the way is the place to shop. It was amazing I bought some amazing things. These were all my shopping bags from my trip. 

The lipstick. I bought this in the Mac shop that literally was on the beach. 

This was taken about 10 yards from the shop. How white is the sand and how blue is the sea? Ahhh i just love this Island. So onto Girl about Town. 

This colour is amplified and boy ohh boy is it.  

It is a beautiful deep pink colour verging on purple. It's so creamy and very easy to apply and the lasting time on this lipstick is amazing. I think it is the kind of colour that any skin tone could wear. 

Do you have this shade?

Aruba Aloe Hand and Body Lotion

Every night before I go to bed I like to apply body lotion. I switch between about 4 of them at the minuet I'm loving this one. 

I bought this whilst on holiday in Aruba which is in the Caribbean in March. It's a beautiful island. I bought this at the factory where they make it all. There was a massive aloe vera farm next to the factory where they grow all their own produce. I didn't really take much interest in the factory but I was all in for the shop at the end of the tour. I bought this because it said Aruba on the bottle and it smelt so good and I am so glad I did. It is a very light white cream and once it is rubbed it leaves the most gorgeous smell of aloe vera and leaves your skin feeling silky soft.  I'm about two thirds of the way through the bottle and they don't send to the UK so I am saving the last bits for these cold harsh months that are about to come. If you do ever find yourself in the Caribbean and see this I suggest you pick up a bottle I wish I had bought 2 now.  Here is their website if you want to take a look they have some many other products I'd like to get my hands on. 

Mac Lipstick Costa Chic

Let me start of by telling you how much I love this shade.....a lot. Catrine from Unnakednails recommended this to me before I went on my holidays in July. Trust me when I say this she knows her lipsticks and this was the perfect shade for me. So off I went to Mac to give it a swatch and I fell in love with it. 

It's the perfect summer coral shade. I wore it almost every day/night of my holiday. It's a frost finish however it's not extremely frosty like Angle is.  It has the perfect bit of shimmer through it and looks amazing with a tan. 

Overall this was £14 well spent and I am so happy I picked this up. I only wish Summer wasn't over so I can carry on wearing it. Do you own this shade? 

If I knew then what I know now

I've seen a few of these post around the blogging world about what would you tell your 16 year old self. Well I was quite a mature teenager so I'm aiming for a little bit younger. Maybe about 14. 

Dear Katie, 

Don't use sun beds. Please don't go on them. There are loads of  fake tans you can get you should really try them out. I know you'll keep getting streaks but with some practice you'll get better. 

Don't care what people say. Something you've got to learn is not to care. As soon as they know you aren't bother they'll give up. They are jealous and jealousy is never a good thing. 

Mum is always right. Sorry you can argue all you like but she's right...every time. Mum and Dad also know a lot they've been around a lot longer than you. Listen to their knowledge. 

Expensive make up isn't the be all and end all. Try other brands you'll save yourself a fortune and they are just as good. Remember you're only paying for the name. 

You're sister is your best friend and you'll always be there for each other. 

Make more time for the people you love as they may be gone quicker than you will ever imagine. 

When Mum and Dad drag you around France they're doing it for your own good and the French you learn comes vital when you start to work full time. 

Take it all in, time goes by quicker than you'll ever imagine and in a blink of the eye you'll be working full time paying bills. 

Katie. 

So there you have it, that is the advice I would give to me if I could turn back the clock. I wouldn't give to much away about what is about to come. I couldn't find a old photo of me as I think they all must be at home on my parents computer. This is me when I was about 19 on holiday in Egypt. I still look really young compared to now and I can't believe how long my hair used to be.  

And this was me on holiday in the Caribbean in Mach this year. Maybe I look the same just look a bit more wiser not older. 

Is there anything you would tell your younger self? 

Sorry about the pictures it is my main aim to get more photos of me where I'm not holding a drink!! 

MAC Lipstick Angel

I love mac lipsticks and I have a fair few in my collection. When I buy a new one I stand over the counter and see which one catches my eye swatch it and then buy it. I very rarely go in and ask for one I've heard about. 

I picked up Angel in Malaga airport duty free. This has been my everyday lipstick since I got home. It's a really pretty pink colour. It's very moisturising which I completely love. It has very subtle lilac undertone in it. 

It is a frosted finish and you can really see in the swatch. I would wear it on a night out if I had really heavy smokey eye. I find it lasts really well too providing you're not drinking. I drink and awful lot of water at work and it does come off onto the cup so as long as you're not drinking it's great. 

What is your every day lipstick?