Thursday 10 April 2014

1800 Minute Challenge.. Update!

Is anyone else still on track with their 1800 minute challenge? I am! Surprisingly...

I thought I would share an update on how I'm getting on and maybe give someone a few ideas of ways of getting their 1800 minutes in!

So, this is how my spreadsheet is currently looking...

#1800MinuteChallenge
Date Minutes Worked Out
April 1st No Workout. (0 minutes)
April 2nd 45 Minute Spin Class (45 mins)
April 3rd 60 minute Box Circuits class (105 mins)
April 4th 45 Minute Spin Class (150 mins)
April 5th 50 minute beach walk ( 200 mins)
April 6th No Workout. (0 minutes)
April 7th 30 minute Metafit class (230 mins)
April 8th 60 minute pilates class (290 mins)
April 9th 30 minute workout DVD (320 mins)
April 10th 60 mnute Kettlebell class (380 mins)

I can't quite believe I've completed 380 minutes in just ten days, crazy! I'm going to weigh myself tomorrow actually so I might update this if I've lost any weight in these last two weeks.. fingers crossed!

Hope everyone else is getting on well with their own personal fitness challenges! 

Imogen
xo

Sunday 6 April 2014

Sundays Featuring Cosmopolitan and Chocolate

Sundays tend to polarise opinions, half love the relaxing set up of them and half absolutely detest them due to Monday looming. I really enjoy Sundays, they seem to just feel like a day to eat a lot, which is always a good thing in my opinion! 

I'm on holiday from university at the moment too so I don't have that horrible Sunday night feeling.. yay! 

This is how I'm currently spending my Sunday...



White chocolate fingers from Cadburys and an Options white hot chocolate... this was a very chocolate heavy snack but was so good. Plus the hot chocolate was only 40 cals.. win win!


Loved this particular page in this months Cosmopolitan, lovely inspiration for everyone who (like me) is loving the pastel trend! 

Hope you're all enjoying your weekend :)

Imogen 
xo

Saturday 5 April 2014

March Favourites 2014!

I realise this is a little belated, however I wanted to share what I have been enjoying this month!


1. Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Nude Glow - I cannot seem to find a link for this online so I'm wondering if perhaps it was limited edition?! I got this in December but seemed to have used it a lot in the month of March. Great for a highlight and eyeshadow!
2. Origins GinZing Moisturiser - A lot of people have raved about this and it really is amazing. I got it back in December and have used it every morning since and it has only just ran out... amazing or what?! Best moisturiser I've ever used!
3. Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub - Pretty simple, gets rid of any flaky skin which is helpful when wearing lipstick!
4. Lush Breath of Fresh Air Toner Water - This was a new purchase in March, I had used the other toner waters lush has to offer although this may be my new favourite!
5. Crabtree & Evelym La Source Hand Therapy - Really nice hand moisturiser, dries very quickly!

Those were my favourite items this month! Can't believe another months has finished.. 2014 is flying in!

Imogen
xo

Friday 4 April 2014

1800 Minute Challenge!

If you read quite a lot of blogs you have probably heard about the 1800 minute challenge over on Erin's blog

I signed up to do the challenge and, it lasts from the 1st of April to the 31st of May. If you're not already signed up you definitely should! It works out at around 30 minutes a day, but the beauty of it is that you can make up the minutes in whatever way you want to. You could do an hour one day, and nothing the next day!

All you need to do is something active, a workout, a walk, a run, or whatever gets you moving! I decided to do a really quick blog post about it as I'm hoping to document some of my workout ideas for getting in those 1800 minutes!

Since the programme started I've done two 45 minute spin classes, and a one hour boxing circuit class. That means I've already done 150 minutes of working out since Tuesday! Which is a lot more than I usually do... haha!

Definitely check out Erin's blog, if you complete the challenge you're in the running to win a prize which has yet to be confirmed. There are also 3 other bloggers who are involved called: thefreckledfox, alyciagrace, and alissa mcircle.


If any of you are doing the challenge definitely comment below or get in touch, would love to hear the workouts your doing! I'm always looking for motivation and new ideas. I think it's such a good idea, gives me a reason to ensure I do more exercises! I'm hoping to also lose some weight and tone up a little in the process :)

Imogen
xo


Tuesday 1 April 2014

Boots No1 Fresh Linen and White Blossom Candle!

Affordable scented candles that look pretty and smell amazing... am I right in thinking this is many people's dreams?!
Scented candles are pretty popular within the blogging world – with good reason! They just make any room seem instantly fancy and the smell is definitely helpful in keeping your home smelling nice.
I only have one candle from this range, but I smelled all of the testers in Boots and instantly fell in love. They have the perfect balance between being able to actually smell them, and not being over powering. Nothing worse than a candle's scent that is so thick it makes you nearly gag.... ugh!



My particular candle is No1 in Fresh Linen and White Blossom and retails for £8. You cannot go wrong with these candles! The jar they come in is so pretty (I'll definitely be reusing it once the candle is all burned out!) and they smell amazing!



So if you're wanting to buy an extra treat for yourself this week I definitely recommend this candle as it won't break the bank!

Imogen

xo

Monday 31 March 2014

MOTIVATION MONDAY: Little Book of Confidence!

I thought I would bring a little bit of motivation to Monday today with a review of this little book.


Apologies for the rather poor photograph, this book has been one of my favourites for a really long time now. It's so small that it takes around half an hour to actually sit and read, which is a perfect amount of time to take out of your day to relax.

It has lots of little inspirational hints and tips to help your confidence to grow and combat your fears.

Being an anxiety sufferer, this book has really motivated me in times where I did not have the confidence to fight my fears.


This page specifically is one of my favourites!

Definitely check it out for yourself if you're interested :)

Imogen
xo

Sunday 30 March 2014

REVIEW: Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

I don't know where everyone else stands on powder, but I personally find it 
essential after applying my foundation and concealer to set it and prevent me from getting too oily throughout the day.

It's a difficult balance as  I love to look healthy, and dewy, but I don't want it to cross that line between dewy and oily. Sometimes when I don't apply powder I feel that my foundation seems to come off particularly in the nose area. 

It takes me a while to get through a powder as I only use a small amount, however I've been using the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder for a really long time, and if it ain't broke don't fix it!



I really like this powder, it helps to prevent excess oil and helps to prolong how long my foundation lasts. It's also very cheap at £3.99!

I recommend it for anyone how is wanting a powder on the cheap, no need to always buy expensive makeup!

Imogen
xo

Friday 28 March 2014

Nails of the Weekend!

Just a quick post to share my latest nailpolish! I adore nailpolish, literally is the nicest everyday nailpolish that just looks put together and elegant. It's called Porchester Square from Nails inc.


How nice is it?! 

Imogen
xo

Thursday 27 March 2014

REVIEW: La Perla In Rosa Perfume!

My perfume collection is sadly lacking, I tend to literally buy one perfume and use it till it's all gone before I purchase another. I'm a little bit picky when it comes to perfumes so if I like one I really use it to death!

So, I was smelling lots of different perfumes in Debenhams to try to decide what my next purchase and I stumbled across the La Perla In Rosa perfume. Literally from the second I smelled it I knew that I wanted it! I hadn't really heard anyone talk about it, which I actually quite liked as I think it is a bit boring if we all smell the same!

I quite like the packaging, I do admit it is a little plain compared the extravagance of some perfume bottles. 

I'm really bad at describing the smell so I would recommend smelling this yourself before actually purchasing it. It has quite a floral sweet scent, which I really like! I had another La Perla perfume a really long time ago called J'aime, not sure if they still make it but it was definitely one of my favourites!

Definitely check it out if you're looking for a new perfume! The smell lasts really long too :)

Imogen
xo


Wednesday 26 March 2014

REVIEW!: Estee Lauder Perfectly Clean Foaming Mask/Cleanser!

I got so much skincare at Christmas I wasn't 100% sure what to do with it all, however I will always find a use for it! I had just ran out of my Origins Checks and Balances cleanser that I wasn't that bothered about repurchasing so I welcomed this new cleanser with open arms.

Estee Lauder's Perfectly Clean Cleanser retails for around £22 which is quite standard for high end cleanser's. I hadn't really heard any hype surrounding this product so I probably wouldn't have purchased it myself, but I love receiving things as presents as it gives you an opportunity to try out products you wouldn't have necessarily picked for yourself!

(I accidentally binned the bottle so apologies for the boring stock photograph!)

This is a 2 in 1 foaming cleanser/mask that slightly reminded me of my days of being obsessed with the Neutrogena 2 in 1 mask... didn't everyone have that? Anyways, when mixed with water this creates a relatively thin froth – sounds really bizarre – and you massage it in! I usually spend around 2 minutes doing this just to ensure its really getting into your skin. I also tend to use either a face brush or a muslin cloth, with this particular cleanser I was using a face brush from Sally's that I bought years ago.

I really like this cleanser, it gives you that “clean” feeling which I know some people don't like but I actually really do! It could leave my skin feeling a little tight immediately afterwards but after applying my toner and moisturiser it wasn't really noticeable. I felt like it really did clear my skin up, although near the end of the product I felt like my skin was going a bit rubbishy looking? Not entirely sure if this was hormones or other factors, but sometimes I do feel like that after using the same cleanser for a certain amount of time? Is that just me?! Overall I would recommend this product, all be it not my favourite cleanser of all time but it is definitely in my top 5! It's a really nice product to use that gives your skin a good clean, especially when you leave it on for a little while as a mask!

Hope this post was helpful :)

Imogen

xo

Tuesday 25 March 2014

Wish List...

I am a little low on cash at the moment... to the point that I even considered applying for an overdraft to fund my shopping obsessions. Definitely not my best idea!

So I've been admiring lots of makeup, and clothes online as opposed to buying (crying) and I thought I would share with you what I've been wanting (craving)!

1. Zara Baby Doll Dress


Image 1 of BABY DOLL DRESS from Zara

2. Zara Knotted Back Dress

Image 4 of DRESS WITH KNOTTED BACK from Zara

3. By Terry Cellularose Blush Glace in Flower Sorbet

Cellularose Blush Glace, , large

4.  Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturiser



5. Charlotte Tilbury The Vintage Vamp Eyeshadow Palette

LUXURY PALETTE

So those are just some of the products I've been lusting after recently! Definitely going to be saving up to purchase a few of them! If only clothes and make-up were free, as they are borderline necessity...

Imogen
xo

Thursday 6 March 2014

Nail Polish of the Weekend - Nicole by OPI

I tend to change my nail polish up around 2 - 3 times a week, so I thought I would share what I'm wearing on my nails this weekend!


Apologies for the slightly sloppy application - painting my nails is sadly not my forte! This is One Big Happy Fame-ily by Nicole for OPI! I got this as part of a set for my birthday and this is the first time I've applied it - and I'm really impressed! I needed two coats for an opaque finish and topped it off with Sally Hansen Megashine Topcoat

Think I might write about my different nail polishes whenever I change it up :)

Imogen
xo

Monday 3 March 2014

Get Running!

Before I start raving I thought I would tell you a little bit about my health and fitness journey!

Like a lot of girls and boys out there I'm currently on the quest to lose weight and get healthier. I've never been very active really since I was like 11 so this journey has been quite difficult! Getting your fitness levels up is definitely one of the hardest parts especially if you're feeling quite self conscious you're not going to want to run around with no makeup on all red, sweaty and jiggly. 
I was a gym member for a little while and actually managed to lose a stone from going to the gym regularly. However, I felt so uncomfortable the entire time I was there so it wasn't really an enjoyable activity, although I'm actually yet to cancel my membership...

I'm trying to lose around another half a stone to a stone and tone up, so I wanted to look into ways of getting fit and healthy without having to feel like you're being laughed at by crazy fit guys (I think i'm paranoid...). Laura over at Buy now, blog later spoke about this app a verrrrry long time ago - it might actually be from her lollipop26 days?! Anyways, I downloaded it a long time ago but I've only recently been properly using it and I'm so pleased with the results! It really eases you into running so if you've never run before and are as unfit as I am, it is an amazing way to start running and build up your general fitness levels! 

The programme basically involves running 3 times a week over a 6 week period, with the aim of being able to run a 5k by the end of it! To begin with you start and cool down with a 5 minute walk and do 8 1 minute runs with 1 and a half minute runs in between. Each week the run changes and gets gradually harder to keep up with your building fitness levels. I'm already feeling fitter and healthier and I've only been doing it for a few weeks! I strongly recommend this app and I'm hoping to enter into a 5k once I have finished the programme! 

I will keep you all updated on how I get on!

The link to buy it is here:
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/get-running-couch-to-5k/id319043985?mt=8

I know it does cost, however £1.99 in comparison to a gym membership?!

Imogen 
xo

Friday 28 February 2014

Hello and February Beauty Favourites!

Hello to any readers... or most likely no-one!

I've been toying with the idea of starting a blog for a really long time as I'm so interested in other people's blogs and YouTube channels! I'll most likely be posting shopping, beauty, fashion, fitness and overall things that I'm interested in. I don't really know what else to say... so I thought I'd dive right in and talk about my favourite beauty products from the month of February!

1. Philosophy Shower gel, bubblebath & shampoo in Peppermint Stick - £7.00
(I would include an URL but I cannot find anywhere with it in stock... my apologies!)
I picked this up in Boots around the end of January for £7! Which I thought was a really good deal as I received another Philosophy shower gel for Christmas which was retailing for about £14. This smells amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing, I've heard quite a few people talking about this - with reason! It lathers up beautiful and leaves you smelling sweet and minty, plus its such a pretty colour. Not sure how I feel about using it as a shampoo but it is a fab shower gel and  bubble bath! If you can get your hands on it, you need to buy it!

2. Dove Go Fresh Deodorant - Pomegranate and Lemon - £3.50
(http://www.boots.com/en/Dove-Go-Fresh-Pomegranate-Aerosol-Anti-Perspirant-Deodorant-Compressed-125ml_1425927/)



Okay, I don't know if this is a little bit too much information... but I LOVE this deodorant! It's rare for me to really have any kind of opinion on deodorant so this must be something extra nice. It smells really good and stops me sweating.. need I say more?

3. Dark Red/Purple/Magenta Nailpolish
(Cannot find URL's for any of these and they were all received as presents!)



This last month I've found myself reaching for a similar colour of nail polish when changing my nails for what feels like the 100th time that week. These three nail polishes are some of my faves and have really good lasting power! The picture directly above is the Clinique polish (slightly sloppily applied).

4. Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Eyeshadow - £24
(I think this might be a limited edition product, please correct me if i'm wrong! Please go buy another shade of this eyeshadow though.. it's my goal to own them all!)

Honestly, this is my favourite thing ever. No picture will be able to fully appreciate how beautiful it is! It's a cream based eyeshadow that's shimmery and blendable. It has amazing staying power and this shade Fatal is just gorgeous. Could not reccommend it more and I'm desperate to get every single one of the shades!

5. Chanel Perfection Lumiere Foundation - £36
(http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_123152008599_-1)

This is the ultimate foundation in my opinion. I originally wanted to try the Vita Lumiere Aqua foundation, but the sales lady managed to convince me otherwise and I'm so glad that she did! This is a very buildable foundation, but when applied with a stippling brush it has the perfect balance between flawless, dewy and natural. It has great lasting power too. I might do a full review of this at some point with pictures of it applied!

6. Bourjois Bronzing BB Creme - £9.99
(http://www.boots.com/en/Bourjois-Paris-BB-Bronzing-Cream-8-in-1_1319821/)

(apologies for the rubbish photo!)
I've not really heard anyone talk about this but I've been really liking it! I use it under my foundation as a contour, it's a really nice way to contour your face as it blends in really nicely. It also could be used to darken up any foundations that are a little too light for the skin.

7. Bourjois Express Eye Makeup Remover - £4.99
(http://www.boots.com/en/Bourjois-Express-Eye-Make-Up-Remover_985370/)

I really like this eye makeup remover, it reminds me of the Lancome Bi Facil eyemakeup remover. It separates so you have to shake it but it has a slightly oily texture to it which some people might not like, however I feel that texture removes the eye makeup gently whilst coating the lashes. Big thumbs up!

8. Vaseline Spray and Go - Cocoa Radiant -£4.99
(http://www.boots.com/en/Vaseline-Spray-Go-Body-Moisturiser-Cocoa-Radiant-190ml_1336204/)

This has literally changed my life (slightly dramatic). Being a big fake tan wearer, I neglected daily moisturising my body which resulted in patchy faded fake tan... not my best look. However this has made it so easy to moisturise twice a day and my fake tan is lasting longer! Fab!

Okay, so that's it for my first blog post! Hope it was okay! I'm currently working on a review of a whitening tooth paste which I'll post when it's finished - speak soon!

Imogen
x