Schwarzkopf Supersoft Volumising Mousse Review

Hey guys, how is everyone doing? It's nearly the weekend, yay! So for today I thought I'd do a quick but honest review of the Schwarzkopf Supersoft Volumising Mousse which I purchased from Fragrance Direct for £1.49.

I have extremely fine hair and not much of it so I always need a little volume boost adding to my hair otherwise I look like someone has gone over my head with an iron. Sadly this product was not the one to give me the big bouncy hair that I wanted. Don't get me wrong, it isn't a bad product, it doesn't leave hair sticky and gross but it just doesn't do all that much to my hair. I did notice a little more volume than usual but not enough for me to buy it again. I'm glad I only paid a small amount for it otherwise I'd have been really annoyed. Hair products have changed a lot recently and it seems that mousse may be a bit old hat for the Chelsea Blowout that everyone expects these days. Anyway, I'm still on the search for anything that'll add volume to my hair and make my hair look this:

What's your favourite hair styling product? 

Cooking in Bulk: Why Bigger is Better

Fancy not photoshop skillz

How has everyone been this week? Good I hope! Today I've destroyed my kitchen been doing some meal prep for the coming week. Cooking can be pleasurable but during the week it can be a pain if I'm busy or feeling particularly lazy (which is most of the time). By investing a little bit of time I've saved time cooking and washing up during the week. I hate washing up so only having to do it once is great news for me. Cooking in bulk is saving me money too because now I won't be tempted to order in or have to pick up overpriced sandwiches for lunch!

A lot of shit went into this chilli

I decided to cook a gigantic vegetarian chilli because it's easy and can be combined with different things so it doesn't get boring. I'm probably going to have this with rice for a main meal or in a wrap with lettuce for a filling lunch, I could also put some on top of tortilla chips for a snack. Anything that I haven't eaten by wednesday will be portioned up and go in the freezer for quick meals in the future.

What's a delicious chilli like you doing in a kitchen like this?

Have a great week everyone :) x 

Essentials for Treating a Cold

How is everyone doing? I'm back at lectures now and have caught a cold from all the germs which have been flying around, eww. A cold is inevitable at this time of year but you don't have to suffer with one for long, this post will help give some tips on how to avoid feeling shitty for too long.

Hydration
Keep yourself well watered. Usually I can't drink water unless it is ice cold but when I have a cold I HATE drinking cold water it tastes so strange. What I drink instead is herb teas, Dr Stuart's Valerian tea is incredible to help you sleep and the classic honey and lemon drink is always a winner to sooth even the worst sore throat. If you are feeling low on energy have some kind of sports energy drink like Lucozade or have pure orange juice instead.

Supplements
It might be worth taking some vitamin tablets just to make sure you are getting enough of the things your body needs especially if you aren't eating properly.

Cartoons/Jeremy Kyle/OK Magazine
Choose something nice and mind numbing, you'll feel relaxed and be taken back to those times when you were off school because you were ill.

Keep Warm
It's nice to go on a little walk if you can to get some fresh air but you still need to keep warm. Wear a cute hat, gloves and scarf combo with a coat over your favourite jumper. Don't over heat when you are inside though as this can be bad for you, turn the heating down but keep a blanket or something snuggly close by.

My sister's dog in his hat :)

Pain Relief
Take some kind of painkiller if you are getting pains, headaches or an extremely sore throat. I'm no doctor but we all know that you should never overdose on painkillers, like ever. Even if you are still in pain, don't get tempted to take more than you should as it can cause liver problems and make you more sick than you started. What you can do if you are still not feeling right is take both paracetamol and ibuprofen together, don't worry it is safe! Remember not to get conned into buying expensive branded medicine as it almost always contains the exact same ingredients but with a huge mark up, always go for supermarket own brand stuff.

Soup
It it is just essential and delicious! My lovely friend bought me over some homemade soup to help me cope with my cold, she is a diamond.

Yes, I did a little giggle at this

Remember: don't do too much
It's always tempting when you feel a bit better to try and catch up with everything you've not done whilst you've been in bed but you always end up doing too much and making yourself iller the next day. Ease yourself back in gently and try to do things from your bed if possible, Florence Nightingale wrote over 200 books and articles from her bed. If working in bed is good enough for Flo, then it's good enough for anyone!

What are your essentials for surviving a cold? 

If I Wasn't Skint #2

If I wasn't skint, I'd buy these New Look chunky strappy heels (£27.99) in EVERY SINGLE COLOUR THEY HAVE! 

What would you buy if you weren't skint right now? 

Valentine's Day Gifts from HOPE

Unsure what to get your beloved this Valentines day? HOPE Sheffield have a range of cosmetics and jewellery for you that your other half will love and it all helps towards protecting those who have been affected by human trafficking and rehabilitating survivors of domestic and sexual abuse. Many people don't even know that trafficking and slavery still occur in this country, but it does, HOPE do a lot of excellent work to raise awareness of this but they also work directly with victims to give them a new life and fill them with hope for the future. For more about HOPE click here and here. 

Valentine's Charm Bracelet - £6.99 (including p+p)

Coconut and Sweet Almond Body Butter 150ml - £14 (including p+p)

Charm Bangle - £6.98 (including p+p)

Coconut & Shea Sugar Scrub 250ml - £12 (including p+p)

Ribbon Bracelet - £5.98 (including p+p)

Neroli and Vanilla Lip Balm 15ml - £5 (including p+p)

Valentine's Friendship Bracelet - £2.98 (including p+p)

Cheap Eats: Kale Chips Recipe

Today's post is a recipe for kale chips which has taken me a few attempts to perfect, after burning the first lot and then drowning the second lot in too much oil, I've finally got something which will rival crisps in flavour but with fewer calories and packed with vitamins.

Curly kale is a vegetable which can be bought extremely cheaply from supermarkets. I picked up a 200g bag for just 50p although most places charge about £1 for this much. Right now Tesco has kale on offer for 3 500g bags for £4! Kale has a quite strong and bitter taste but when baked it transforms into a delicious crispy treat.

1. Pre-heat your oven to 175. Take a massive handful of kale (about 50g) and dry it with some kitchen roll. I like to squeeze mine a little to make sure it isn't wet at all.

2. Remove the hard stalks so you just end up with bite sized pieces of kale leaf.

3. Put about a dessert spoon of olive oil in a dish with a pinch of salt, pepper, sugar and whatever seasoning/herbs you like. I used some seasoning which is meant for chicken and it turned out really well. Mix in the kale until its all evenly covered.

4. Place the kale evenly on a sheet of greaseproof paper and bake for around 10 minutes. Just keep an eye on them so they don't go as black as mine did!

Looks grim but tastes divine!

Tweet and Instagram me your pictures of how your kale chips turn out! 

January Favourites

This is my first ever monthly favourites post (high five!)! I just thought I'd share with you all what I have been loving over the month of January.

Breakfast at Tiffany's
This month I watched Breakfast at Tiffany's for the first time, with my mother. Not only was it a beautiful bonding moment for us but the film was hilarious, George Peppard is looking fiiiiiiiiiine and it's filled with relatable romance. I have no idea why I'd never watched it before because it is my kind of film entirely; for a kick off I love films from late 50s/early 60s, Vertigo is one of my all time favourites, and I think Audrey Hepburn is stunning. I'm hoping to watch some more Audrey film soon because I feel as though I've been missing out.

Sparkling Water
In an attempt to get healthy (which I'm failing at entirely) I've been drinking carbonated water in place of fizzy drinks. I've been mixing it with cordial or pure fruit juice, I love the taste and for 17p you can't go wrong really.

Striped Tops
A striped top is the staple to any wardrobe. This month I've been loving my white and black striped top with 3/4 length sleeves. I've been wearing it with dark blue jeans and an unbuttoned denim shirt or a chunky statement necklace. Very nautical and very chic.

        Striped top - Primark, £2                                                            Denim shirt - H&M, £15

Yankee Candle in Clean Cotton
My boyfriend bought me the giant jar one earlier this month as a return to university present which was extremely cute of him. It smells very crisp and scents the entire room. Even though I've had it burning for hours it still hasn't burned down very much at all.

Naughty Alice by Vivienne Westwood
I adore pretty much anything Vivienne Westwood does, apart from the giant globe bags because there are so many knock offs it makes them look cheap. This fragrance is one of my favourites and I rediscovered it this month after having a sort out of my dressing table. It smells like floral baby powder, it is extremely delicate but the scent lingers for ages after. There is only a tiny amount left so I'm hoping someone will buy me a bottle as a gift (hint hint) so I don't have to be without it too long. I love the little charm bracelet that comes with it, it's probably the closest I'll come to owning a piece of Westwood jewellery for now.

Neutrogena Visibly Clear Oil-Free Moisturiser
I usually use Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion, which although it is great for my skin it isn't very budget friendly so I've gone back to using this little gem. This is one of the few moisturisers I can use without my face freaking out and giving me either very dry or very greasy skin. I have oily skin which becomes dry if I add anything to it. Covering acne used to be a nightmare because the area where I'd put product would make my skin dry and highlight the spot even more. Gross. This moisturiser has an oddly refreshing and cool feeling when applied to the skin and is absorbed in seconds. Right now it is on offer at Boots at 2 for £5 making it essentially half price!

Happy by Pharrell Williams
I love this song so much you just can't help but sing along. It is very motown-esque and better than some of the absolute shit which is coming out these days. I have been quite a fan of Pharrell ever since the N.E.R.D days. "Her ass is a spaceship I want to ride" is the best lyric of a song ever.

What have you been loving this month?