A Day In The Life Of Lauren

Someone said to me last week that we are our own worst critic and this is absolutely true of me. I always doubt myself, my abilities, put myself down or be the but of the joke for a lot of reasons; 1) If i make a joke out of myself, it means no-one else will (wow this is getting deep, soz). 2) I actually like making people laugh because life can be rubbish sometimes (and that’s putting it politely) and I would rather make someone laugh because then they get a little minute of joy. 3) I think perhaps it’s Scottish/British culture to not get too above our station, show off, be overly confident or cocky so instead we downplay our abilities and strengths. How often do we say ‘oh that was just a flook’ when really we should accept compliments, celebrate our individual strengths and this is something I hope to change!) Today I had a driving lesson and although I actually do enjoy driving, I wasn’t looking forward to it.  I always begin my lesson by thinking ‘oh i wonder what I’m go...

Is there anything better than clean makeup brushes? I love cleaning, I actually do. Ask me to clean a house, a car - whatever. I love it, especially when there's music on! I feel like I could make a great addition to Kim and Aggie's cleaning team because I would love to clean people's homes and get them sparkling again. However, whenever it comes to deep cleaning my makeup brushes, I cannot stand it. I don't know why because I love having clean makeup brushes. There is nothing better than the softness and fresh scent of clean makeup brushes. It's obviously better for your skin as well because dirty makeup brushes harbour lots of nasty bacteria (I really do sound like Kim and Aggie now, don't I?) and I think that's what freaks me out and makes me bite the bullet and clean them so regularly. I clean my brushes most weekends, it is always on my to do list. So, this weekend I decided once I'd cleaned my makeup brushes that I would write a blog post ab...

Here is the second installment this week - my beauty faves! Barry M coconut infusion gel nail paint in the shade paradise and oyster - I am actually a big lover of Barry M nail varnish because it is not overly priced, the colours are beautiful and when you get fidgety like me, you need a good strong varnish that has good 'staying power.' These shades are very discreet but perfect for adding a subtle colour to your nails and I just love the consistency. They apply to the nail very well and often one coat is enough to provide a vibrant colour.  Even the name  'coconut infusion' 😍 suggests that it's doing something good. Soap and Glory. Anyone of knows me will know of my love for Soap and Glory. I love the scent, the quality of their products and the cute, quirky little names they give each of their ranges. It's just an all round fave! I recently got a gift set at Christmas so I've been working my way through that! It is such a more-ish sort of produc...

To make up for my absence last week, I have decided to write two posts this week. 💖 Last weekend was the long weekend from work. So, I took this opportunity to go on a spontaneous trip to see family and friends in Aberdeen. Whilst catching up with some of my favourite people, it also gave me a small chance to hit the shops. The shops in Aberdeen are unlike the one's we have in the Highlands, and you can pretty much find anything you are looking for, on your doorstep. Anytime I visit a large-ish city, I take this as a good opportunity to refill or re-stock my make-up collection, to try out new things and see what works best for me.  So, I decided this week that I would have a little chat about my most recent makeup purchases. YSL Touche Eclat foundation - BR20 - this is by far one of my favourite foundations for everyday use. If you're skin is having a good day, then this foundation provides a light to medium coverage of foundation which doesn't feel he...

The other day, I was having a clear out and I got rid of one of my old ballet bags. 💔 Now, for some people, reading this may come as a shock - because I looooove all kinds of bags and I am so sentimental I like to keep  everything.  I even have my first ballet bag my brother picked for me when I was three.  This got me thinking about my current ballet bag - and that's when I realised - I actually have four . 😨 I know that sounds a little excessive but there is  some  logic to it!   So today, I am going to write a blog post about what I carry in my dance bag (or bags in my case - oops) because it might help  someone  to know what they would like to carry to class. Or if you are nosey, like i am, and you just want to see what's in it for your sheer enjoyment then just keep reading. 😊  *Disclaimer. This is not what I think  you  should keep in  your  ballet bag, just what  I  like to keep in  mine...

For a lot of students in Scotland, January is the month of 'prelims.' These are mock exams which are often undertaken when two thirds of the course has been completed.  I often found prelims to be worse than actual exams because;  1) there is no 'study leave', you still have to go to school as normal. There is no time off like you do for real exams.  2) prelims are ALWAYS known to be much harder than exams. It is basically just a sneaky way of getting students to 'up their game'. If they get their grades back and they haven't done as well as they have might have expected, they are spurred on to work harder for their final exam. 3) Prelims are also just after the Christmas break. Who even made that a rule? So cruel! Studying for prelims over Christmas break shouldn't be 'a thing'.  So I've made up a 'wee' list of advice for those sitting prelims this month. 1.) Be prepared. 'Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.' We a...