My First Smear

OK, so this is a bit of a weird one I guess... But that's only because we don't really talk about it!

So as you've probably guessed from the title - I had my first smear test recently, a month ago to be exact!
I was one of those MANY people that just ignored my reminder letters, tucked them away somewhere safe and eventually 'forgot' about them. But the thing is, no matter how much you ignore them, its still in the back of your mind, knowing how important it is to book an appointment! Also we are so lucky to be able to have these free tests available to us!

Anyway, for me turning 28 years old a couple of months ago and never having a smear test, enough was enough and I managed to pluck the courage to phone up my GP surgery and book an appointment. I felt proud of myself for actually booking it but then the anxiety of the actual test kicked in - 'its going to be so embarrassing!', 'do I need to shave?!', 'will it be a female nurse?', 'how long will it take?' etc etc (you get my drift). This is what went through my mind during the two weeks leading up to it. In fact there were numerous occasions where I considered cancelling it! (I'm glad that I didn't!).

After spending pretty much all of Sunday thinking about it, before I knew it, it was Monday and the dreaded day of my test. Luckily my appointment was early in the morning so I could get it done and out of the way! After sitting in the waiting room for 10 minutes (which felt like forever!) I was called in by a nurse. She asked me to sit down and answer a few questions regarding my periods and contraception and then she explained the process of the test to me. Then once that was done, it was time! She took me over to the bed and asked me to undress from my waist down (little tip here girls - wear a loose dress or skirt! You don't feel so on 'show') and to then lie down on the bed with my knees up, feet together and to flop my knees to the side (so ladylike!). She then quickly showed me the speculum, rinsed it under the warm tap and put it in place so she could get to my cervix. This didn't hurt at all, it just felt like there was pressure on my lower stomach. Then she quickly used the rubber brush swab to take a sample of cells from my cervix (honestly, this lasted about 10 seconds!) which was a little uncomfortable/stingy and felt slightly strange and once that was done she removed the speculum and voila, it was over!

Afterwards I did experience a little bleeding throughout the day and had some mild period cramps but was told that it was completely normal. And that was it! All of that worrying and ignoring my letters for years for something that lasted less than 2 minutes! Honestly it was so quick, its a mere vacant memory now! Also it wasn't embarrassing, lets be honest, is that nurse going to remember my vagina?! No! Did she care whether I had shaved or not? No!

If your'e reading this and have been putting it off, I urge you to book yourself an appointment and get it done! Trust me, its nothing to worry about! BOOK YOUR SMEAR!

Oh and I got my results back after a week and a half of having my test and my results came back normal meaning I don't need another test for 3 years. It feels 10 times better having my results in my hand rather than having another reminder letter! ♥

Millionaires Shortbread

I absolutely love baking! Its one of my favourite things to do and at the beginning of the year I decided to bake more things that I've never made before! So far this year I've made 'Blondie's' (a white chocolate version of brownies, yum!) and a seriously delicious carrot cake (it literally was incredible!). Check out my Instagram for pics!
So, just over a week and a half ago my recipe of choice was 'Millionaires shortbread', something that I have wanted to make in what feels like forever! I had only ever made these once when I was about 13 (so long ago now! Waah!) using a different recipe and they turned out awful... But, here I am  14 years later, with a little more experience and using a new recipe and lets just say they turned out fab! (well, second time lucky...).

Once baked and set, they smelt and tasted amazing. If I'm honest though, they took quite a lot of effort to make as you have to wait for each layer to set and cool before being able to continue to the next layer. A good bake but will be saved for special occasions I think! ♥

Autumn Clothing Haul

Recently, I took my Sister and my Mum shopping as we were all in need of new Autumn clothing!
I've never particularly enjoyed spending money on Autumn/Winter clothes, I'm much more of a Spring/Summer kind of girl! But I think that was mainly due to the fact that I was bored of my old/current Autumn wardrobe!
Luckily I managed to find quite a few staple pieces which I'm really looking forward to wearing over the upcoming weeks!

Top £7.99, H&M
This is a very simple t shirt, yet I simply love it. I really like the slight pop of burgundy it has around the neckline and sleeves, it just gives it that extra little something. I bought this to wear as part of an outfit with the next item, which I feel go really well together.

Skirt £17.99, H&M
This skirt is beaut! I love the deep berry tone combined with the zip going down the centre of it. The A line shape is flattering as it gives a slight curve and the material is so soft like velvet. I have already worn it a handful of times and love it paired with the striped top (seen above) which I also bought on the same day.

Top £16, Miss Selfridge
Another stripey top but a completely different style! The knotted/twisted effect at the side of this crop top makes it that little bit different and gives a flattering look. I thought this would look really cute paired with some high waisted jeans and pumps.

Dress £39, Topshop
I had wanted one of these last year but every one that I tried on seemed to completely swamp my figure and give me no shape what so ever! Luckily I happened to come across this one in the petite section and it fits me just right, even though it is a size smaller than I usually wear! I love the colour of it and the thick, soft material its made out of will keep me nice and warm in the colder weather.

Top £5.99, H&M
I actually bought this top online as it was in the sale but I thought I'd still include it in this haul as I received it the day before I went shopping.
This is such a classic staple top, yet it gives any outfit a classy touch. I love off the shoulder tops as it is and I was hoping to find one for Autumn as I only owned a short sleeve one prior to my shopping trip. Luckily I found this online and it was just under half price! Such a bargain.

Top, £12 , Topshop
I decided to buy this cute navy crop top after trying it on with the pinafore dress and thinking that they went really well together. The pretty crinkled sleeves just add to the cuteness of the top!

Now that I've already worn a few of these items, I'm looking forward to wearing the rest over the next few weeks! Make sure to look out for my Halloween themed blog post next week! ♥

My Current Skincare Routine For Sensitive Skin

As you can probably tell from the title of this post, I have sensitive skin, I have done since I was very young. I have to be very careful with the skincare products that I use as certain ones that contain perfume and alcohol in them can really irritate my skin and make it flare up (something I want to avoid!). Now if like me, you have sensitive skin and struggle to find products that suit your skin type, I have been there believe me! I used to be in a viscous circle where Id buy a new product, try it out for a few weeks and have to stop using it as it would irritate my skin and make me come up in a rash. Urrgh! But fear no more as I have found the perfect skincare routine that works for me, is affordable and I've managed to stick to it for just over a year. Since sticking to this routine and using these products I have had no problems with my skin and its looked the best it ever has done!

Burt's Bees Sensitive Facial Cleanser £11.49
I use this as my morning cleanser and I absolutely love it! You may think its a little pricey for a cleanser but it is well worth the money! I've been using this everyday (and not sparingly may I add) for over a year and still have some product left! The cleanser itself is thick and creamy and makes your skin feel so soft afterwards. Plus its 99.0% natural and has no colour or perfume in it which is fab for all of us sensitive souls out there!

Nivea Daily Essentials Sensitive Day Cream £4.99
Thank goodness I found this moisturiser as I was really struggling to find one that worked for me! All the others that I had tried either made me come up in a rash, made my face oily or didn't moisturise my skin enough, leaving it dry and feeling tight. But ta-dah! This has changed everything! It glides on my skin, leaves my skin moisturised throughout the day, holds my make up in place and to top it off it contains SPF 15 in it. Plus it is so affordable, every time I have bought this it has been in the sale!

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm £22
I use this cleanser at night to remove my makeup and cleanse my face. I love the texture of it, it literally melts onto your skin! It leaves my skin feeling so soft and clean after using it, I love it! It is a little on the pricey side but its worth it as I have only just had to buy a new one after using my last one for a year!

Simple Kind To Skin Soothing Facial Toner £3.29
This toner seems to be the only one that doesn't feel like its stripped my skin of moisture! Its so gentle on my skin and is 100% alcohol free which is great for not drying out sensitive skin! Its also an absolute bargain!

Nivea Daily Essentials Sensitive Night Cream £4.49
In the evening, after I've toned, I use this moisturiser/night cream. I absolutely love the texture of this as it is slightly thicker in consistency than a day cream/moisturiser. It leaves my skin feeling supple and nourished, its just fab!

So there is my skincare routine, I hope it helped give you a few ideas if you are looking to try a new product or if you have sensitive skin and don't know what to use. Let me know if you give any of them a go! ♥

My Makeup Favourites

The products featured in this blog post are all of my go to favourites that I have bought or will buy again when I run out!

Revlon Colorstay Foundation (Buff - Normal/Dry) £12.99
I have bought a lot of different foundations in the past and have only bought them that once as I tend to go off of them quickly. But this foundation is different! It has a light to medium coverage which is build-able and just glides onto my skin. I wear this everyday and it lasts well throughout the day without going patchy. I've finally found a foundation that actually matches my skin tone and caters for my skin type!

Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 Palette £23
I bought this back in August with my birthday money and its the best eye shadow palette that I have ever owned! I have hooded eyes and have heard many times that you should use matte shadows rather than shimmers as they compliment your eyes more - I must say I totally agree! I love all of the shades and being a nudes fan - this palette is perfect for me! There is quite a bit of excess when applying with a brush but it sweeps onto the eyelid so smoothly, making it super easy to blend. I love it so much that I ended up getting the first Naked Basics palette for Christmas too!

Max Factor Clump Defy Mascara £11.99
I have bought this many times! Its one of my absolute staples! I haven't as of yet found another mascara that does as good a job as this one. It separates all of my lashes whilst still making them look thick and long. It literally transforms my eyes!

Bourjois Radiance Reveal Concealer (Ivory) £7.99
I use this concealer to brighten under my eyes and it does exactly that! It quite literally illuminates my dark under eye circles! I will be purchasing this again soon!

Loreal Superliner Perfect Slim Liquid Eyeliner £6.99
I bought this after hearing great reviews on it and it definitely lives up to them. It has a thin tip which makes it easy to draw a thin line close to the lash line and also makes life a whole lot easier when it comes to cat flicks!

Urban Decay Primer Potion (Minor Sin) £16
This is absolutely fab for making eye shadow stay put! It does exactly what its supposed to do and it does it very well!

Barry M Lip Liner (No 17) £2.99
Firstly I love this shade - its a lovely nude dusky pink. Secondly I love the price of it - so affordable and thirdly the colour stays put for quite a while before having to reapply again. All in all they are fab ( I now own 4!).

Mac Highlighter (Soft and Gentle) £24
This is my ultimate fav highlighter! Its subtle in colour but packs plenty of pearly shimmer. Its just so pretty! I dust this on my cheekbones, down my nose and on my cupids bow for a lovely glow. I highly recommend trying this if you haven't already! You will fall in love with it just as I did when I bought it at Gatwick for my holiday to Tenerife last year - I wore it every day!

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer (Fair) £4.19
I have bought this time and time again! I use this on any scars and blemishes that I may have and haven't found another concealer which gives the same great coverage as this one. It lasts for hours and is so affordable.

NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick (Sandstorm) £6.50
I've never been a huge fan of lipstick but I actually really like this as its matte! It does have quite a thick consistency to it once its dried but I just love the colour of this so much that it doesn't bother me.

Benefit Gimme Brow (Sample)
I got this sample free with a magazine and when it runs out (which will be very soon!) I am going to order a full size one straight away! The shade is great and it makes my eyebrows so much more defined and neat.

Let me know if you try any of these products out or if you have any recommendations! ♥

What's in my bag?

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and New year! I thought I'd start this years blog posts off with a classic 'What's in my bag?'.

I bought this bag from Accessorize over two years ago and I always come back to using it during the Autumn/Winter months. Its a good size, meaning I can fit all of my essentials in it, without it being too big and bulky.

I always carry a bottle of antibacterial hand gel with me, mainly out of habit from using it at work daily! This bubblegum one smells so good too! I can always guarantee that if I use this when I'm out with friends, someone will ask to have some!

Having a compact mirror in your handbag is so handy! If I ever need to touch up my make up or sort my messy hair out I can just grab my mirror on the go. Plus, look at how pretty it is!

I know its not the best picture of my tangle teezer but I started taking photos and realised it was a little grubby... I like to have this in my bag as my hair can get really knotty when out and about. If i'm honest though, my boyfriend tends to use it more than me!

My auntie bought this umbrella for me for Christmas as I kept meaning to buy one! I cannot count the amount of times that I have been out in non waterproof clothes without an umbrella and its started raining! I mean everyone needs an umbrella in the UK!

Ah lip balm! I have a slight obsession with it! I own too many and probably apply it way too often! Its great to have one or two in your bag in case you get dry lips or just want to give your lips a nice sheen. I honestly panic if I don't have any lip balm on me.. My current favourite is this Burt's Bees one, it nourishes lips and gives a lovely shine along with a pop of colour.

I'm really wanting to buy a new purse, I have been for the last year! But for now Im going to stick to using my trusty old River Island one. Its a good size, having plenty of room for cards etc. Plus I love the cream colour and pretty art deco pattern.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my handbag essentials and I will be posting again very soon! Happy New Year! ♥

Asda Homeware Haul

A few weeks ago, I went shopping with the intention of getting a new winter coat, which I actually did buy! But I also happened to pop into Asda for a quick look and spotted a few things along the way that I just couldn't resist putting into my basket! I'm a complete sucker for pretty homeware items and when they are at such an affordable price, I simply can't stop myself from buying them!

Mug £1
As soon as I spotted this, I knew instantly that I wasn't going home without it! I rarely drink hot drinks at home but its just so so pretty that I couldn't not buy it! Plus it was a £1... it would have been silly not to have bought it!

Candles £1 each
I just LOVE these candles! I always have them lit at this time of the year as they make my room look and feel so cosy, plus they smell amaazing! I already have a little collection of these candles, so I love it when I find new ones to add to it.

Pasta bowl £3
I already have the cereal bowl version of this and being a huge pasta lover, I wanted one the same. Its such a simple design yet its so pretty!

Measuring spoons £4
I have a huge passion for baking so finding these was very exciting for me! I had been wanting some of these for such a long time but never found any that I liked. When I saw these, they were exactly what I had been looking for. I love the pastel colours, the cute bow and the little hearts on them. I can't wait to use them the next time that I bake!

Hot water bottle £5
I had been needing a new one for such a long time that I actually forgot about looking for one! I just happened to spot this and liked it straight away. I love the grey knitted case and super soft fur trim! One of the prettiest hot water bottles I've seen!

With Christmas coming up very soon, these would make great gifts! I've always thought that Asda have lovely homeware bits and pieces. It just shows that you don't need to spend a fortune to get nice things! ♥