Breaking the Blues

Hi everyone, todays post is all about breaking the blues. We all have those days were we can be a bit moody or fed up, and just want to curl up in bed watching Netflix (mainly Ru Paul's Drag Race) for the rest of the day. These are some of the ways that I get away from the blues and have a great day! 

Have a pamper

I feel like everyone suggests this, but it is important! If I've had a few days being in a rut, then a good pamper night makes sure I can break this cycle. I'll normally paint my nails, dye my eyebrows and pop some fake tan on. After this I feel so confident and ready to wake up the next day ready for the world! 

Make an action plan

I am a massive advocate for writing lists, I have a list for everything. If I have a list then I know I'll have a productive day, because I know there's stuff to be done! It basically stops me from sitting around doing nothing all day. 

Talk to your favourite people

Whilst I'm at uni I'll often get the blues because I miss my favourite people from home. So normally I'll ring my mum, my boyfriend or message my friends. It definitely cheers me up!

Get off your phone

Sometimes, if I am in a rut, then scrolling through social media constantly just doesn't help. I find that if I force myself off my phone and get on with something productive then I feel so much better. 

Get out the house and break routine

If I'm in a bad mood, then I find that going for a walk or going to a little coffee shop is such a nice escape. If you're like me and a university student, then you may be a bit too familiar with the 4 walls of your bedroom, so escaping them, even just for a couple of hours, is so refreshing. 

I hope you like this post, and please let me know if you have any tips for me! 

Jasmine xx

How I relax

Hi everyone! Todays post is all about relaxing and unwinding. Sometimes, after a stressful week you just need to do everything you can you relax a bit. Hopefully this post gives you some ideas on how to unwind too! 

Light a candle

If I about to unwind and try to relax, the first step is to always light a candle. It makes my room feel super cosy, and I think is quite cosy!

Take your makeup up

I find that if I take my makeup off I instantly feel more relax, and ready to lay back and chill out! It makes me think that I'm all done with my day and ready to put my feet up.

Read your favourite book

I'm currently trying to read all of the Harry Potter books. I'm on the very end of the 5th book now and find reading it so relaxing. Reading in bed with a cup of tea by my side is just perfect! 

Have a bath (or shower)

I know most people prefer baths to relax, so if thats what you like then get a bath bomb and relax that way. Personally, I prefer a shower, sounds super strange but when I was younger I'd sit down in the shower all the time, so now if I'm stressed or anything I sit in the shower, and use it as my thinking time. Strange, I know...

Watch something you love to watch

For me, I love watching youtube videos or Friends to relax. Basically, I like watching things that I don't have to think about too much, that way I can just unwind. 

A good cup of tea

I have already mentioned this briefing, but a cup of tea for me is just the best thing. If I need to relax and just take a minute to myself, a cup of tea is perfect. Maybe some biscuits if I fancy them. 

Hope you've liked this post, this is the best way that I unwind and relax, let me know how you best relax too!

Jasmine xx

Travel Bucketlist

Hi everyone, todays post is my travel bucket list. Looking through Pinterest and Instagram I see so many travel posts and it gives me serious wanderlust. So here are the places that I want to visit most! (All these pictures I have gotten from online). 

Rome

Venice

Amsterdam


Paris


China


I never used to be that fussed about travelling, but after seeing so many beautiful travel pictures I just want to go visit everywhere! There are so many beautiful cities in Europe that I'd love to go to, even if just for the weekend. I really like museums, trying all the local food and just exploring all the little side roads. Hopefully in the future I'll be posting my own pictures from these cities.

Please let me know where you'd like to visit, or tell me any places you have visited and would recommend!

Jasmine x

How to save money

Hi everyone, todays post is all about how to save money. Students, from what I know, can be notoriously bad with money, with so many people with only £10 left of their overdraft and spending it all on a jagerbomb. But as a student myself, I personally think I'm pretty good with saving money. I manage to save money every week and live happily on the budget I set myself, without having to live on beans on toast and pasta! So here are my top tips for saving money...

1. Take a packed lunch and your own drinks

In my first year of uni I would buy a Starbucks hot chocolate and a cup of tea for like £3 or more, when I had plenty of tea, hot chocolate sachets and a flask sitting in my cupboard at home. If you do this a few days a week, that's probably £10 a week just on hot drinks you could get for free at home. If you buy lunch, like a meal deal for example, thats probably £4 ish a time. If you just take your own, you could save so much money! All the money you'd normally use for lunch and drinks, put it aside and save. 

2. Get a savings account

Knowing that you have a savings account is a pretty good incentive to save money. Personally I have a Help to Buy ISA, which is a good choice if you're saving money for a deposit on a house/ mortgage. Some saving accounts may offer you perks if you put in a certain amount each month. 

3. Set a budget

Knowing exactly how much money you have to spend is so important. Work out how much things like rent, bills and direct debits will cost, then see how much you have left. Just make sure your stick to your budget.

4. Open a pay as you go card

This tip is perfect for people that can't stick to a budget. I put my weekly budget into one each week, then only use this card to buy things. I've tried both 'monzo' and 'revolut' and they're both great pay as you go cards. You can find them on the App Store on your phone. If you don't know what a pay as you go card is, it's basically a debit card that you top up with money. 

5. Do you actually need it?

There are so many things on my Wishlist that I'd love to buy, but I stop myself and think, do I actually need this. For example, I have at least 5 pairs of black jeans, and the other day I saw another pair and nearly bought them, but stopped myself, because I could save that £40 for something far more important! 

Hope this post has been helpful, if you have any money saving tips then please let me know by commenting them!

Jasmine xx

Harry Potter Tag

Hi everyone, I've mentioned before that I love Harry Potter. Like, I really love it. When I first got together with my boyfriend, he told me he had never seen Harry Potter, so like any Harry Potter fan would, I forced him to watch them all, and he must've liked it at least a bit because he then booked the Harry Potter Studio tour for my birthday! I don't actually remember a time when I haven't liked Harry Potter, but at the same time I also don't remember when I first got introduced to it. Any, if you love Harry Potter like me, then please answer these questions too and let me know so I can have a read! 

What house are you in?

I've done the Pottermore test probably 4 times, and each time I've been sorted into either Gryffindor or Hufflepuff. So my character maybe is somewhere in the middle, but I personally think I'm slightly more of a Hufflepuff so I go with that, and I always side with the underdog, which in Hogwarts is definitely Hufflepuff (or Ravenclaw). 

What is your patronus?

May patronus is a Weasel, but I don't really know what that means of what it says about me, so if you know, please tell me!

What is your wand?

According to Pottermore, my wand is an Acacia wood, Phoenix feather core, 13 1/4 inches in length and quite bendy and flexible. Apparently the Acacia wood is quite sensitive and will only normally work for its owner, though is ofter under-rated. The Phoenix core is the rarest core, use their own initiative and picky when it comes to their owners. The length of the want is somewhat long compared to average. 

What would your boggart be?

Like Ron, I hate spiders, so him crying over his fear of spiders is quite relatable. 

What position would you play in Quiddich?

I defiantly couldn't be a seeker, in fact I'm the most un-sporty person ever, so I'd probably be awful at any position! 

Would you be a pure-blood, half-blood or muggle born?

Hufflepuffs are happy to include anyone, so its difficult to say really! I think I'd be half-blood, but who knows.

What job would you want to leave after leaving Hogwarts?

I think I'd want to be an auror, or at least something within the ministry of magic. 

Which of the Deathly Hallows would you choose?

Definitely the invisibility cloak, the resurrection cloak and the elder wand just don't really appeal to me. 

Favourite book?

Definitely the Goblet of Fire. There's so much amazing stories and details in the book that make it so much better than the film. All the extra stories add so much to the book!

Least favourite book?

I think the Philosophers Stone is my least favourite, not because it's bad, but because it's the most child-like. Obviously all the books are meant for children, but where in this book Harry is so young, the whole book is more child-like. What I love is that throughout the series the story line gets so much darker and more mature. 

Favourite film?

My favourite film is either the Prisoner of Azkaban or the Half-Blooded Prince. I'm not sure why, but those are the 2 films I'd always choose to watch.

Least favourite film?

The Goblet of Fire is my least favourite. Maybe it's because the book is so good that the film can't match it, but it's never been on my top favourites. I still like the film though, it's still pretty good! 

Favourite character?

I think Neville would be my favourite. At the beginning he's kind of like any other extra character, but by the end his character grows so much. I do also love Hermione of course and Professor Snape.

Least favourite/ most hated character?

I can't say I hate any character because all the character's have some sort of value, but probably Lucious Malfoy. He's great in the story line, but a nasty character.

Thank you for reading! Hope you love Harry Potter as much as I do and choose to do this Tag yourself! 

Jasmine xx 

How to organise your life

Hi everyone, todays post is some organisation tips. Something that I am quite proud of is my organisation skills, because I have a plan and am always able to meet deadlines. Particularly if you're a student, trying to keep on top of things can be difficult, but hopefully these tips help.

Write lists - and lots of them

I talk about lists all the time, and so do most other bloggers, but they really are helpful. I write down everything I want to get done for the day, even the smallest of tests, and it's such a satisfying feeling finishing the day with everything ticked out. I try to be realistic with what I have to do, because there's not point planning to get a massive task done if you know it'll take way longer to do.

Use a planner

I have used a planner religiously for 2 years now, which doesn't sound like long, but it's made the biggest difference. In my planner I write uni deadlines down, meetings, my lists and anything else I need to remember. I much prefer to have a physical diary that I can highlight and write in than one on my phone. If you want a really pretty planner, I always find great ones in TKMaxx and Home Sense. 

Have a clean space

If my bedroom or work space is untidy then I feel so disorganised and unproductive. If you know where everything is and keep everything uncluttered, then you will feel so much more organised and ready to get stuff done. 

Leave nothing to last minute

I have never been someone to leave things to last minute, in fact, I get worried if the deadline is approaching and I haven't done it. If you get everything done nice and early you'll feel so on top of things and organised. 

Have a routine

I have tried to get myself into a routine of getting things done. The way I do it is to make sure I get all my uni work done in the week, and then can write blog posts and go to work at the weekends. This way I'm never overwhelmed by things I have to do and know I'll never fall behind with work. 

Hope this post has been helpful! 

Jasmine xx

How to have the best night sleep

Hi everyone, I'm writing today all about getting a better night sleep. I'm normally a pretty good sleeper, but sometimes I do need a bit of a helping hand, especially living in a uni house full of noisy boys! 

Put that phone down

Sometimes you just need to stop scrolling and put the phone away. Instead of staring at my phone, I much prefer reading a book. It really relaxes me, and puts me in the mood to sleep. My personal favourite is Harry Potter, because I'm a major Harry Potter geek! 

Write stuff down so you don't have to think about it

Sometimes there's times when you want to sleep but just keep thinking about things you need to do. At times like this I like to write these thoughts down. This way, I am able to push it out my head and deal with it when I wake up the next day. 

Pop in some earplugs 

As I've already said, I live in a uni house with 2 unbelievably loud boys, 1 of which will never be quiet even after the 10th time of asking. This is why I wear earplugs every night whilst I'm at uni. I find that foam earplugs do nothing, so I wear silicone earplugs and can't hear anything at all. They help me sleep through any drunken-antics going on downstairs, and I'll even use them when I need to focus on uni work.

Have a routine

My top tips for creating a sleep routine is to try and fall asleep at the same time, try and get a solid 8 hours sleep, and wake up at roughly the same time. I feel like my body clock has adjusted to my routine and now I wake up at the same time regardless of setting an alarm. I'm also pretty prone to migraines and headaches, and sounds strange, but if I sleep for too long I get a headache for the whole day. This is why I get 8 hours sleep and no more than that!

Sleepy scents

Lavender sleep products seem to have gotten even more popular recently. I personally love the Sleepy body lotion by Lush, it smells and feels amazing! I am yet to try their sleep spray but that'll definitely be my next purchase from them.

Clean your sheets often

There is no better feeling than getting into a nice clean and fresh bed. I feel like I relax so much easier and get more comfortable. 

Stop working early

If you work from home or are a student you may be tempted to stay up late trying to catch up on work, but this'll mean its far more difficult to fall asleep. You're mind will still be working overdrive and hasn't had time to relax. Stop work early, have some down time and enjoy a good night sleep! 

Jasmine xx

Long Distance Relationship at University

Hi everyone, today's post is all about having a long distance relationship at university. I know that maybe not all of you will be interested in this, but personally this is something I'd find helpful and interesting to read. 

(P.s. Please excuse the awful picture of me! All my nice pictures are at home and I'm at uni!)

So me and Ben haven't been together that long compared to most couples. W've been together just under 8 months, but it's been the best 8 months ever. I'm not ages away from home, its just under a 2 hour drive, but for a home-bird like me it's too far! Ben is also a chef so he works crazy hours and never has weekends off! But so far, despite missing each other loads, its working out well. So here are some tips and some ways we've made a long-distance relationship work;

1. FaceTime whenever you can! Phoning each other is great but face timing is better!

2. Try and make time for each other wherever possible. Obviously this may not be possible if you live in different countries, but going to meet one another, even if you don't see each other that long, is worth it. Ben's driven up later after work one night, had a day with me and then left super early the next morning to get to work. And sometimes I'll come home on a weekend just to see him for a couple hours once he finished work. 

3. Don't get angry if they can't visit you one day. Long distance relationships is bad enough, but having arguments about it too makes it worse. Just accept that they may not be able to visit you all the time, and see each other when you can. 

4. When you do see each other, make a fuss of each other! Go out on dates, cook with each other, movie nights, whatever it is that you can enjoy together!

If you have any tips for long distance relationships then please let me know in the comments! 

Jasmine x

Current ASOS Wish List

Hi everyone, I haven't written a blog post in quite a while mainly due to my exams and now I'm working full time. I do really want to get back into blogging, especially as I'll be (hopefully) going to university in September and would love to write some university posts. If anyone would like to do any collaborations or would like to give me any blog post ideas, please let me know in the comments! Enough of me blabbering on, here is my current ASOS wish list;

From left to right;

1. ASOS T-Shirt With Sequin Sleeve - £20.00 

2. ASOS Denim Shirt in Washed Black - £20.00

3. ASOS Crinkle Oversize Blouse - £25.00 

4. ASOS Jumper With Pug Elbow Patch - £22.00 

5. ASOS Jumper in Mesh Stripe - £32.00

6. ASOS Wrap Front Pleat Peplum Top - £30.00 

Hoped you've liked this little post. If there are any other shops you'd like me to do a wish list for, then please let me know!

Jasmine x

Top 5 Favourite Candles

Hi everyone, todays post is most top 5 favourite candles. It's just a little post because I am pretty hopeless at describing scents, but all 5 are very sweet, so if you prefer musky scents, these may not be for you. Give them a smell when you're next shopping, especially Yankee Candle's 'Pink Sands' because it's my all time favourite! They'd also make great presents for any candle lover.

Yankee Candle - 'Sweet Apple'
Lily Flame - 'Party Time'
Yankee Candle - 'Pink Sands'
Yankee Candle - 'Margarita Time'
Yankee Candle - 'Wild Passion Fruit'

'Wild Passion Fruit' was the first ever Yankee Candle I bought, and when I had it in the small jar, it was such a lovely strong scent that fills a room amazingly!

Thanks for reading
Jasmine x

#FOTD | Face of the Day

Hi everyone, I love reading these kind of posts and love sharing them with you as well. These are the products I've worn today, and nearly everyday for a week now, so it's a bit like an everyday makeup routine as well.

Primer - Maybelline "Baby Skin" in "Warm Apricot"

Foundation - Rimmel "Lasting Finish"

Concealer - Collection "Lasting Perfection"

Powder - Rimmel "Stay Matte"

Bronzer/Contour - Benefit "Hoola"

Blusher - Benefit "Dandelion" and "Sugar Bomb"

Highlight - Benefit "Highbeam"

Brows - Natural Collection Eyeshadow "Crushed Wulnut" and Maybelline Brow Gel "Medium Brown"

Eyeshadow- Urban Decay Basics Palette "Walk of Shame" all over lid, "Venus" in inner corner and "Faint" in the crease

Mascara - Benefit "They're Real"

Lipstick - Lo'real Color Riche "Eva's Nude"

Hope you've enjoyed this post, might do some more when my everyday makeup changes up a bit!

Jasmine x

Favourite Lush Products

Hi everyone! It's no surprise to the people that know me that I love Lush products, but I'm more of a Lush hoarder. I buy so many Lush products that I can't get through them quick enough. Christmas is my favourite time to buy Lush things because my two favourite scents are 'Snow Fairy' and 'Twilight', so I have to stock up on them and hope they don't get discontinued next year! I haven't included any bath bombs in this post, but I think I might do a separate post on them!

'American Dream' hair conditioner - I'm awful at explaining scents, but this says that it's strawberry vanilla milkshake scented, which I would probably agree with. It smells gorgeous, and leaves your hair feeling super soft!

'Sweetie Pie' shower jelly - the feeling of these is the weirdest thing because it does feel like actual jelly. The smell is amazing, again can't really describe the scent, but it says on the packaging that it's cherry and coconut. It's kind of weird to use because it's so unconventional, but it's amazing so give it a try.

'Snow Fairy' shower gel - my absolute favourite shower gel, smells gorgeous and has glitter in it! This doesn't say what the scent is, but it smells identical to their bubblegum lip scrub, so I presuming it's bubblegum. If you don't like really sweet scents, then you probably wouldn't like this but I love it. It's just a shame it's limited edition for Christmas time!

'Twilight' shower gel - My second favourite shower gel, again with glitter! You can definitely smell the lavender in it, but it's not like the strong lavender you'd relate to grandparent scents, it's more subtle and calming. Their twilight bath bomb would go amazing with this!

'Bubblegum' lip scrub - I love this so much, yes it's an amazing lip scrub and makes my lips really soft, but it also tastes amazing! I do have to stop myself from eating it, but it's amazing, so if you haven't tried it already, definitely pick it up!

'9 to 5' cleansing lotion - This is my top lazy day product. You just smooth it all over your face, and either use a warm flannel or cotton pad to remove. I personally use a cotton pad because then I can just do it in bed really quick. It does have a subtle scent, but nothing too over-powering.

Thanks for reading
Jasmine x

Affordable Autumn and Winter Nail Polishes

Hi everyone,  with Autumn and Winter being my favourite time of the year, finding the perfect inexpensive nail polish colours is essential. These are some of my favourite nail polishes for this time of the year that are affordable and look great with a glitter accent nail or top coat!

The first one is the Barry M Gelly High Shine in the colour Chai. I love all these kind of grey toned nail polishes as they look great with any outfit or jewellery. Barry M nail polishes are also really well pigmented and tend not to chip that quickly. 

Keeping with the good formulation of Barry M nail polishes, the Barry M Gelly High Shine in the colour Lychee is one I've heard a lot of hype about. I completely see why people love it as the shade, like Chai, goes with everything. It's slightly more of a yellow toned beige but I really like that. You need a couple more coats of this than you do for Chai, but it doesn't chip too easily.

Leighton Denny have really well formulated nail polishes, but I thought Gem Stone Buzz was the essential deep red for Autumn. Autumn nails always make me think of this kind of colour, and looks great with a clear topcoat for extra shine. This one also lasts really well on your nails.

Some of my favourite affordable nail polishes come from Rimmel as they're a bargain, and often, in Boots or Superdrug, have some sort of offer on them. As an alternative to the quite nude or quite dark, this Rimmel London 60 Seconds Super Shine in Caramel Cupcake is the perfect pinky neutral. It's perfect if you don't want anything to outgoing or noticeable. These nail polishes also dry really quickly and have a great shine to them. They ship a little easier than the others, but putting a top coat on over this really helps!

Thanks for reading, if you have any other autumn nail polishes, please comment them because I would love to try some new ones! 

Jasmine x

Blog Renovation and Update?!

Hi everyone, I know long time since I posted, so if you've stuck with me all this time, I owe you because I've been a blogging catastrophe! But I make a promise to you right now that I'm getting back into blogging, and I mean a proper blog schedule, a theme, and hopefully just better in general. 

In the next week, I'm changing the design of my blog to make it more suited to me and what I like. I've ordered a couple things to make my photos look better so will be taking lots of pictures soon. If you have any comments on what my blog needs to look better, or have suggestions on some posts, please comment them so I know what you all want to see. 

I hope you like the new look of my blog, I really like it! I'm not great with templates or HTML so it won't be as professional as others but for a first real go of designing, I'm pretty happy with it!

You may notice that some of my old posts will begin to disappear but I'm planning plenty more posts with better pictures and content instead!

If anyone wants to do a blog collaboration, please feel free to email me, I love reading new blogs as well! 

Thanks for reading, 

Jasmine x

Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes Recipe

Hi everyone, so these cupcakes are so quick and easy to make, can be made to look really lovely with sugar fruits or keep them rustic and simple looking like mine!

Ingredients;

For the Cakes -

6oz Butter

6oz Caster Sugar

6oz Self-raising Flour

3 Medium Eggs

For the Icing and Lemon Syrup -

Icing Sugar

Lemon Juice

Water

1. First, pre-heat the oven to gas mark 5 and place the cupcake cases into the tray, then cream the butter and the caster sugar together, it should look light and creamy. My food tech teacher used to tell us that you know it's creamed properly when you can no longer hear the sugar scrape across the bowl.

2. Mix the eggs into the bowl, too make sure it doesn't curdle, add some but not all of the flour.

3. Now mix in the flour until the mixture is light and airy. Make sure it's really mixed well so air is incorporated into the mixture to make the cupcakes light and fluffy.

4. Now spoon the mixture into the cases and place them in the oven for 12-15 minutes. I used a cupcake maker used because I find it easier but the timings are the same.

5. For the lemon syrup, I used plenty of icing sugar and added some lemon juice for a really runny icing. I just winged the measuring for it but as long as it isn't at all thick it's fine.

6. Once the cupcakes come out of the oven, pierce the cupcakes several times with a cocktail stick and glaze the cupcakes with the syrup. If you do this whilst the cupcakes are still warm, the syrup will soak in better.

7. Whilst the cupcakes are now cooling you can make the icing for the top. It's just icing sugar and a small bit of water too make a thick icing. Then once they've cooled, you can spoon a small bit of icing on the top of the cupcake and then read it out a little.

Hope you like this post, I'm thinking of slightly trickier foods to make and post as well, if you have any suggestions then let me know!

Jasmine x