What's In My Shower

I know that some of you would be interested in a tour (snoop around) of my new uni flat, and I thought the best and most interesting place to start would be in my little en-suite. Often, I am asked what products I use- and if I am honest I haven't altered my morning/night-time routine for a long time. For those who are interested, here's a sneak peak into my shower, and a review of some of my current faves.

Original Source shower gels really are your best bet if like me, you need a burst of energy and zest on those cold, early mornings. I've been obsessed with both the lemon and lime products which really pack a punch when it comes to scent and freshness.  Amazingly, forty real limes are crammed into this citrus shower gel, and the zesty scent stays with you even after you've rinsed the product away. The miniature lemon shower gel I own came free as part of a 'starter kit' when I arrived at the uni. After giving it a go I was not disappointed. The products are vegan and friendly to the environment- another bonus to the shower gels which are currently unrivalled in terms of scent and quality. I've been reserving my coconut scented bottle for the evening time, as this particular body wash is creamier and more luxurious than its fruitier counterparts. I've found it to be very relaxing after stressful days running from lecture to lecture, maybe it could do the same for you! The products are available to view here, and are widely available in most high-street drugstores and supermarkets.

When focussing on skincare, I am still using my 'holy grail' combination of St. Ives Apricot Scrub and Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Wash.  If you're interested in knowing further details and a more in-depth review of these products, check out this blogpost from earlier in the year. For me, this facial scrub and daily wash seem to work together well, and keep my skin feeling fresh and noticeably clearer with regular use. Until I hear about something that works just as well, I'm planning to re-purchase these particular brands time and time again. What kind of products are you enjoying?

The priciest items in my shower are hair lightening shampoos by John Frieda (available here). These 'Go Blonder' treatments have been very effective in gently brightening the lighter parts of my hair, and have given me a naturally, visibly blonder look. I use the shampoo in isolation, as I feel my hair is soft and fine enough without need for additional conditioning. In my experience, the John Frieda products work fantastically well alone, and don't necessarily require their sister product (shampoo + conditioner combo) to have a dramatic lightning effect on your hair. I would certainly recommend these products, and believe them to be well worth their price. If you're feeling thrifty, wait for the range to be on offer, or explore shops such as Body Care to try and grab a bargain with your toiletries. 

If you'd like me to write a full post about my hair lightening experience, let me know in the comments or on Twitter. I've used three different products in order to achieve a sun kissed look, and avoiding the use of bleach had enabled me to maintain soft and healthy hair. 

As always, thankyou for reading and continuing to tweet about and support my blog. I've been tremendously busy at university, settling in and getting to grips with my course. Freshers week really took its tole on my body and skin, and I think a full detox is definitely required to get back to feeling healthy, active and well! Studying English as I do, I'm very determined to keep up to date with my blog, and keep you informed about what I'm up to! Thankyou for reading. 

University Checklist / Preparation

If you're my age and going to univeristy, the next two weeks are probably going to be the busiest and most anxious as we prepare to move out of our family home and into halls of residence with a set of other students we have not yet met. In all honesty I'm very excited. I'm not viewing it as 'moving out' or leaving my entire life behind, but putting it into perspective- I'm merely going to uni! I'll probably be home every other weekend- I'm never more than a couple of hours from home. So no need to stress. 

What could be stressful though is preparing the colossal amount of things we need to take with us- from bedding to laptops; it can all get very confusing. Recently my parents and I had a visit to Asda Living, and there we filled four large baskets with homeware, bedroom decorations and kitchen utensils. These are the kind of expenses a student loan doesn't cover and the things we don't always think about when planning to go to uni- but these items really are essential. 

For the bedroom, you'll probably need a new duvet, quilt cover, pillows and bedding. Another item I'd highly recommend is a mattress topper- they're fairly inexpensive and ensure a comfortable and clean base- you never know who's been living in that room before you... ugh. Other than that, have you thought about storage? Maybe plastic boxes, laundry baskets and extra shelving would come in handy- I suppose it's all very personal to your requirements. To make my room cosy, I'm planning on buying a couple of soft cushions, maybe some fairy lights and photo frames to make everything feel warm and homely. The last thing I want is a cold shell of a room- it needs to feel like a place of my own. 

Aswell as all of that, there's the kitchen utensils to think about. I walked down the aisle and literally filled my basket- you'll be surprised how much there is and how much you'll need. Cutlery, bottle openers, tin openers, baking trays and tongues- my accomodation is self-catered so I'm planning on rustling up some (hopefully) impressive and affordable meals. I also picked up some glasses and mugs, plates and bowls. There's so much to remember! 

Electricals. Depending on your course, other items you'll need in your flat are a laptop, printer, small tv and even a desk lamp. These are things most of us have already, but I've had to buy a new laptop and tv. Moving to univeristy can be expensive, but look for the best deals and buy items that will last you the duration of your studies. I bought a white Samsung TV and Toshiba laptop in a matching colour, I'm so thrilled and think they look so pretty; I'm in love. 

After collecting an enormous pile of bits and bobs, I also began to prepare for other aspects of my time at univeristy.  The English department sent me a reading list- the names of 6 or 7 books I am expected to purchase (and in some cases read... argh) before I arrive. This is something to bear in mind, does your course require any kind of preparation? My department have even given me a few 'tasks' to complete before my induction... homework before I even get there! I suppose I've gotten lazy over summer and the thought of educational work intimidates me slightly! I'll soon get back into the rhythm of things once I move in- I'm looking forward to it. 

Hope some of you found this post useful and interesting, even if you're not going to univeristy and just fancied a nosey. Make sure you follow me on twitter, I'm always posting on there about univeristy plans and what I'm up to... What kind of posts would you like to see next, an insight into the items I bought, advice about moving away? Let me know in the comments below. 

Recent Purchases for Autumn/Winter- Topman Haul

With the summer slowing disappearing and the darker nights approaching, I've been excited to start searching for a few items to begin my autumn/winter wardrobe. This season is my favourite time of year clothes-wise, I love to layer and wrap up in darker colours and comfortable materials. So recently I visited the Trafford Centre with the aim to spend a bit of my savings on some key pieces to kick off the fall season. I'm constantly getting asked on twitter and in private messages about how to dress and where to shop, so this post will hopefully be helpful to some of you. If I had one tip it would be keep everything simple, and stick to one colour scheme. For me this year is has to be monochrome: blacks, whites and tonal greys. 

The first item I picked up was this grey/black check skater t-shirt, which I found in Topman for £16 (available here). I was immediately drawn to it because it is made from a much thicker material than the kind of tees you find in store for spring/summer. For this reason it's ideal for the wintery months. I think I'll get a lot of wear out of it too, as it is both comfortbable and easy to style- it should see me right through to summer next year. The one I purchased was in size XXS, something I was shocked about as this size is always much too small for me- I'm almost 6ft! The t-shirt is designed to be oversized, and in order to find a fit I was comfortable with, I opted for this much smaller option. In my opinion, the XXS fits like a normal M, so bear this in mind if you decide to order it online. 

Another staple for autumn/winter is a good pair of black jeans. I've been living in my Topman Super Spray Ons, an extremely tight pair which admittedly sometimes resemble leggins. If this is the look you're going for, I'd say these are the perfect pair. In my personal style, I always think the tighter the better when it comes to denim jeans- avoid bootleg at all costs guys. My size is 28/32, put I'd definitely advise trying these on in store before you buy. Topman/Topshop always have an impressive selection of jeans available, I wouldn't bother looking elsewhere.  Online, the black super spray ons I bought aren't currently available, but a pair of black spray ons are available here for £30. 

Another recent purchase was a pair of black (are you noticing a theme?) desert boot style shoes. The 'suedette lace-up chukka boots' are available here for £40, a price I was impressed with as similar boots from Clarks can retail for up to £100. I'm saving these shoes for nights out and parties in the festive season, as they are a smart and fashionable alternative to a brogue or formal shoe. In addition to this, they are also a change to the black vans that I wear day in day out, perfect for when I feel like switching it up. I've wanted a pair like this for a long time, so I'm really happy with this buy. 

A key trend for this coming winter is the Breton stripe, a style made famous by the iconic French designer Coco Chanel. You can see this type of print everywhere on the high street, and I found this £14 oversized tee in Topman here- which was also available in red and white as opposed to navy. This shirt is a basic, and can be paired with jackets, hoodies, and denim jeans of any colour. If you're looking for a versatile item with a nod to the stipe trend- this is your best bet. If you have a bigger budget or fancy a splurge, have a nosey at the Pretty Green and Fred Perry websites- but for me Topman always clinches it on price alone. 

Thanks for reading guys as always, and don't forget to follow me on bloglovin, twitter and instagram- all my links are on here somewhere! Leave a comment with your favourite trend or items you've been liking, I love hearing from you and I'll reply as soon as I can!