Beauty | My Make-up Quick Fix Kit

Now that I'm a full time business woman (omg, I'm not sure I will ever get bored of saying that) I am constantly out and about running from this meeting to the next. 

In business, first impressions mean a lot, and so it's important that I at least try to look the part at all times. In order to do that, I carry this five piece Make-up Quick Fix Kit with me for on the go touch ups. 

1. Maybelline Matte Powder

2. BodyShop Powder Brush

3.Maybelline Mega Plush Volum' Express

4. Avon Glimmerstix 

5. Avon Perfect Kiss

What's in your Quick Fix Kit?

Beauty | Miss Sporty Nail Varnish - Colour Layering

Every once in a while, happy accidents occur in my attempts at beauty.

And this weekend something wonderful happened.

We attended a wedding reception on Saturday & I was trying to match my nails to one of the colours in my dress.

I had purchased these two nail varnishes from the miss sporty counter at Boots the previous weekend.

I first thought that the one on the left, Ferris Wheel, would match perfectly, though once it had dried it seemed I was wrong.

At this point, anyone else would have grabbed the nail varnish remover and wiped it off. Me? I could not find any in the entire house.

Plan B. Paint over it and hope for the best. Bodge it.

I grabbed the Blue Bath, and painted on, hoping for the best.

When the polish was going on I was pleasantly surprised that it held its colour well, though as it began to dry the bottom layer began to blend through.

And amazingly, it made the perfect match to the turquoise detail on my dress.

I never thought colour mixing would work with nail varnish. Especially when one layer was already dry.

Super impressed & will definitely be trying this with some different combinations.

Friends are like Stars

Friends are like stars

You may not always see them

But you know they are there

Health | Breast Cancer Awareness Part One - The difference a Selfie can make.

This last week, social media platforms have been taken over by #nomakeupselfies.

The point behind these self taken photographs was to raise awareness and subsequently money for Cancer research UK.

There have been people  who have expressed anger at them. 'We all know about cancer, no amount of selfies is going to raise more awareness' I read on one particular disgruntled woman's facebook profile. Another misery guts tweeted 'Stop taking photos of yourselves, you aren't curing cancer.' (I'm paraphrasing of course, but the sentiment is the same.)

So far the #nomakeupselfie has raised over £2million for Cancer Research UK.

That's £2million that would not have been raised without them.

In a way the grumps above were right,.The individual photographs of your facebook friends without any make up on alone did not make anyone more aware of cancer. We are all aware. Ii struggle to believe that anyone in this life has not been touched or affected by cancer in some way. But what those photographs did, was act as a prompt to get people talking about it, writing about it. To show current sufferers that each and every one of us is behind them in their fight. To encourage women, old and young to TLC. Touch, Look & Check. Something I plan to tell you about my own experiences in part two.

All of those people posting photographs prompted their friends, families, acquaintances and businesses to donate if they could. And look what a difference it has made!

Did you know that £2 alone could help find a cancer causing gene. £2 could be another step to finding the cause of cancer and nipping it in the bud before it takes any more victims.

That's 1 million enabled steps because of #nomakeupselfies.  And I think that's pretty amazing myself.

So here's my very own #nomakeupselfie.

Raising a Glass

It feels very weird to be writing this post.

For the last month, everything I have been doing has been leading up to exactly this moment.

When I resigned from my job 28 days ago, I was angry, let down and quite frankly exhausted.

If you know me well enough, you will know I am a planner. I have a schedule for everything. A plan for the next five minutes, the next five days, the next 5 years... You get my drift.

It was never going to be my career. Administration is really not me. I need to be stretched & challenged. I need targets and something more. There was always going to be a day when I eventually left & went on to do what I love. Running my business is my passion. You cant get more of a challenge than doing just that. Running Beebies full time was always part of the plan, it has just come a little sooner than anticipated.

Today, as I made those last calls to colleagues, stamped the last envelope and completed my last 'project', the nerves and realisation kicked in. I would never sit in my seat again.

I would never really laugh until my jaw ached at my bosses funny tales & cringey stories from 'back in the day'. I would never have another 4 o'clock debate. Hear G's daily drama's. Make another nettle tea in A's  blue cup.  A lump formed in my throat for a short while.

Don't get me wrong, I know that this is absolutely the right thing. I am excited and can't wait but As much as the job drove me crazy, I have spent the last 15 months with three people who pretty much know me inside out. They have supported me in their own ways through some crappy times, we have laughed, despaired and just been there every single day. They have each taught me so much about life & about my self.

I have so much to thank them for.

If you're reading this you crazy three, As I pop open the champers this evening, I'll be raising a glass to you. For everything you have done.

Ohh... we laughed!

Xx

Business | Preparation is key

So tomorrow is the start of my last full week of employment!

It has all been about preparation since I handed in my notice.

Financial Planning.

Marketing.

Organising.

Filing.

Talking.

Scheduling.

Forecasting.

Searching.

Preparing.

Leaving my full time job was not a decision I took lightly.  Nor had I envisaged it happening quite so soon. And so these last three weeks will have been key to my success going forward.

Preparation is key.

Finding 'The One' - My Skincare Must Haves

Finding the correct skincare product for you skin type is difficult. I have spent many years testing and trying out different ranges, high street to high end, big brands to local sources.

My skin in incredibly sensitive. I am allergic to any thing too smelly, too chemical. Only I could also be allergic to the 'Simple' skincare range! I'm not sure it has anything in it!?

But I think I have found the one. The One.

I have been using the Vitamin E skin care range from The Body Shop for nearly six months.

It is range of gentle, lightweight, and softening lotions and potions containing the antioxidant known for protecting and repairing your skin.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant which protects & repairs your skin. And smells absolutely gorgeous!

"LOVED SINCE 1977, OUR VITAMIN E SKINCARE RANGE HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME. IF YOU’RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE DAMAGING EFFECTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT ON YOUR SKIN, OUR VITAMIN E RANGE CAN HELP TO PROTECT AGAINST POLLUTION, CIGARETTE SMOKE AND UVA/UVB RAYS. OUR POPULAR VITAMIN E CREAM AND VITAMIN E OIL ARE SUITABLE FOR ALL SKIN TYPES AND HELP TO PROTECT THE SKIN FROM PREMATURE AGEING."

So far, I have the cleanser, toner, day cream, night cream, overnight serum-in-oil, hand and nail treatment, daily exfoliator, gentle facial wash, body butter & moisture mask.

 I use them daily and they are all now part of the furniture in my every day make up bag. You can purchase the smaller travel size bottles of most of them, which are perfect for overnight stays.  I'll be filling my Body Shop travel bottle kit with all of my favourite Vitamin E products when I travel to Manchester for the weekend in May.

Have you found 'The One' for you? 

Matilda Mae Remembers

Dear Matilda Mae,

I wrote to you just under a month ago, in the lead up to your anniversary.

I wrote to you and promised that you would never be forgotten.

Yesterday, on the eve of 13 months since you past, we remembered you and your Angel friends, who I've no doubt were sitting up there smiling and sending us all a little bit of sunshine.

Yesterday, good, loving people came together, and gathered at the church where your family bid you farewell. The best of people stood together and without drama, without competition, without question, stood side by side and supported eachother.

I was perhaps the youngest member of the congregation. I do not have very much of a story of my own to tell. At least, not one that I can bring myself to share with the world just yet. Instead, I had the honour of sharing the story of one of life's everyday heroes, a lady who spends everyday caring for and saving the vulnerable babies & children.

I cannot tell you how touched I was, I am, by the stories shared. I sat and I sobbed for the families going through the sheer pain that your own parents are. I cried for their loss. I cried for how utterly unfair it is that some babies are destined for the skies. Your wonderful godmother, held my hand the whole way through.

I made you a promise to always remember, to never forget. To never stop spreading your legacy.

Yesterday, I, with so many others remembered you and your angel friends.

Yesterday, your legacy spread that little bit more.