creativity and positivity

SPRING LOOKS

April 24, 2016
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5 TIPS FOR STARTING YOUR OWN BLOG

Hey everyone! I get a lot of DMs from people, eager to start their own blog but not quite sure how to get their feet off of the ground. They aren't sure what to post, where to post it on, how people will react to it etc. So I thought that rather than regurgitate the same advice time and time again, it would be handy and better for all considered, to post all of my tips and thoughts into one handy post!

Blogging can be a great platform for lots of people for many different reasons; writers who want to showcase their work, people who are interested in fashion and want to share their looks with the world, or for those who feel like they would love to make their voice heard, but are too anxious or shy for Youtube (a point which I will pick up on later). Some people have their ideas and know what they want to post and say, others know they have the drive to create a blog but don't know what to say! If any of this applies to you then keep reading, here are my helpful tips for starting your own blog.

1.GATHER YOUR IDEAS
As mentioned above, some of you will have a clear idea of the type of blogger you want to be; fashion, lifestyle, art blog etc. Others, much like myself, will have so many ideas and will be constantly changing and chopping, and that's totally fine too!
The first thing you should do, regardless of whether you want to fit into one genre or not, is make a list of the posts you want to make and show on your blog. I made a list almost a year ago and still haven't worked my way through them! You will also find that your ideas will expand and more will come to you, so make a specific note, so as you don't forget.

2. CHOOSE YOUR FORMAT
Personally, I choose Blogspot because I have a little bit of experience with it and I find it the easiest to work with and edit (even though my HTML and coding skills are zero to none). But it doesn't end there! I have also previously used Wordpress (which allows for a lot of stylistic aesthetic choices) and still use Tumblr regularly, but I just didn't feel like it would be appropriate for this kind of blog!
You could even use YouTube. I know that for many of you, anxiety and nervousness can get in the way of becoming a vlogger, and if that is the case then considering a writing based blog first of all could be a good idea. You may find that once you become confident with writing, you want to switch to vlogging - I personally like doing both!
Ultimately the choice is yours, but I would say that you should try a variety of websites before you settle on one, particularly if you're planning on becoming a blogger of a particular genre.

3. DO IT FOR YOURSELF
The best advice I could give to anyone who wants to start a blog is that you should make it for yourself. It doesn't matter how many people read your blog, even though I know it can be frustrating to feel as though no one is reading or interested. The most important thing is that YOU remain interested and that you are proud of the fact that your voice is out there. You really shouldn't even consider what other people are going to think of what you post, don't let their opinions get in the way!
Also, make sure you are yourself. Don't copy someone else's ideas because you think that's what people want to see. Of course it's okay to be influenced by someone's opinions but remember you are your own person and what you have to say matters too!

4. BE REALISTIC
It is easy to let real life take over and distract you, and that's fine! It's healthy even, do don't be afraid of letting real life take over. At the same time, don't let blogging take over your life. It isn't something that should be taken too seriously, it should be a fun platform for you to share whatever you want to! I think sometimes people can forget that the Internet isn't reality, even if you're blogging about your reality.
And don't think that you can suddenly become the next *insert famous Internet person here*. That very rarely happens and if you want to be a blogger for that reason, you're doing it for the wrong reasons.

5. ENJOY IT
Although it's only a hobby on the side, I really enjoy blogging. I love sharing my thoughts and opinions, photos and feelings, even if other people don't enjoy what I have to say! You need to make sure you're interested in what you post and you're doing it because you like it, not because you feel like you have to. If you're bored it shows, and if anything it'll make you unhappy; no one wants that!

I hope this has helped some of you make up your minds about blogging. Maybe some of you will be encouraged by this post, and maybe some of you will be totally repelled from all ideas of blogging forever! But either way, thank you for reading these tips and if any of you even need more advice or help, be sure to let me know!

Rachel x

April 04, 2016
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LUSH "HUMPTY DUMPTY" BATH BOMB REVIEW: COLLAB WITH TOREO TALKS!

easter

Hey everyone! Today I will giving you a review of the Lush Easter exclusive, "Humpty Dumpty" bath bomb, with a twist. I am very excited to announce that this review will be a collab with the lovely Victoria and will also be available over at her blog, Toreo Talks. Also, just for a change I will be following how she structures her reviews, rather than how I do mine! We thought this would be something fun to do, to show our contrasting styles and opinions on the product!

PRICE:
Rachel: At £6.95, this product is way more expensive than your standard bath bomb. However, considering the size, the fact that you can get three baths from one bomb and that it is an Easter exclusive, I was more than happy to spend my money on it! I just wouldn't buy too many of them.

Victoria: I bought this bath bomb for £6.95. I thought the price was reasonable for what you get, especially as it is limited edition. It actually works out cheaper to buy this bath bomb if you can believe it! You get three baths out of it, or one if you're feeling greedy. Normally bath bombs are about £3.50, so it is fair in my opinion.

SCENT:
Victoria: This bath bomb is the best thing I've ever smelt in my life - no exaggeration! I could smell it from a mile away in the shp, and if it has the power to do that when there are probably 10000 other scents, then it's good!
It's a mixture of sweet, syrupy caramel and a slight hint of Brazillian orange extract comes through (the same stuff that's in Bouncy Bunny shower jelly). For those of you who prefer milder scents, this probably isn't for you, as it is quite strong.

Rachel: I personally love the smell. The sweet caramel and the zingy orange make a winning combination. Initially I thought that it could become sickeningly overpowering in an almost Snow Fairy-esque way, but I am delighted that it wasn't as strong as it could have been. The scent remains on the skin for a really long time, and I've been feeling like a sweet traybake all day!

HOW TO USE IT:

Rachel: It is a 3-in-1 bath bomb, and I think it would be best to use it in three separate baths as I have mentioned above. Personally I enjoy the bath bomb so I want to get as much use out of it as I can and because it makes it seem much better value for money.
Mine did not crack in half as smoothly as I expected! I had to smack it off of a hard surface a good few times before I even made a dent. The half I used was a lot smaller than the other half I left, but I added the crumbs and leftovers in after.

Victoria: "Humpty Dumpty" is meant to be used in three baths, and for the price, I think this is the best thing to do. You could use the mini egg bath bomb with one of the halves, as I don't think it would make much of an impact on its own.
Initially, I had visions of me sawing at the egg like a maniac, desperately trying to open it - but in fact it was the complete opposite!
I put both my thumbs on the little join connecting the two halves and pushed gently in the bath bomb. It cracked in half beautifully and let a few little specks of dust in my sink, but nothing too big. The small fried egg easily prised from the shell without any cracking (no pun intended!)

IN THE BATH:
Victoria:There was a bigger half and a smaller half, so I used the bigger one on it's own and I'm planning to use the smaller half with the mini egg bomb soon. When I placed the bomb into the tub, it fizzed very loudly and spun around the tub, leaving behind a trail of bright blue and peach foam. I thought the half-egg shell was quite large, yet it had completely disintegrated within 30 seconds. I was expecting it to fizz for a little while longer. It turned the water a nice deep blue, with no bubbles, and the smell was still present in the water. I felt like something was missing though. To be honest, the only other bath bomb I've tried before was Intergalatic ( an extremely bright colour, effervescent bath bomb), so I think I may have been expecting a lot.

Rachel: "Humpty Dumpty" is definitely a quick fizzer, which I expected after deciding to use the smaller half I cracked off.
The blue and tan contrast very nicely together, splitting the colour of the tub almost evenly. There was even a hint of yellow that emerged from the water which came from the bath bomb's yellow bow tie. Eventually, the water faded to a beautiful turquoise blue. Whilst I did think the end result was perfection, there wasn't much else that excited me about the bath bomb. No bright colours, no glitter etc.

OVERALL:
Rachel: I personally have to give the product 7/10. I think it is a cute, quirky and original addition to the Easter range. "Humpty Dumpty" is aesthetically pleasing, combines that beautiful clean spring scent with a sweetness that could only come from this time of year, and for the size and the usage I do think it is good value for money. However I would have liked something more than just a pretty bath bomb with a nice smell, some glitter, more oil or colour, just anything! I would buy it again next year, but only if it were revamped to contain something with a bit more flavour and flair.

Victoria: In my opinion I would rate the product an 8/10. It is a really lovely bath bomb that gets you in the mood for Spring, and the combination of colours looks super pretty in the water. The fizz time in the water disappointed me slightly as I was expecting it to last a little longer and put on more of a "show". However I would definitely repurchase this, as the smell and aesthetic of it is truly amazing!

I hope you guys have enjoyed this slight change of direction for this special review. Hopefully this has given you all an extra opinion on the product and opened your minds to the idea of any future collabs! And a huge big thank you to Victoria for the opportunity.

Rachel x

March 29, 2016
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LUSH EASTER HAUL AND "FLUFFY EGG" REVIEW!

easter

Hey everyone! So I recently popped into Lush and picked up some of their Easter range which I'm really excited to tell you all about. I have never previously tried any of their Easter seasonal products so I thought I would give you all a brief run down of what I bought, my first impressions of them and a detailed review of one of the products, "Fluffy Egg" bath bomb, and hopefully help you decide which one to go for and treat yourself with this Easter!

L-R: "Which Came First" bath bomb, "Ultraviolet" bubble bar, "Ladybird" bubble bar, "Humpty Dumpty" bath bomb and "Fluffy Egg" bath bomb.

"WHICH CAME FIRST" BATH BOMB

The first thing you will probably notice about this product is how much bigger it is than your standard bath bomb. That is because unlike regular bath bombs, "Which Came First" can provide three baths from one product. There are two halves to the exterior and inside is a surprise extra! "Humpty Dumpty" is the same.

I think this bath bomb is so cute, the pink and yellow compliment each other really well, as does the blue on the reverse side, and it smells so amazing. Sweet, fruity and citrussy! I am really really excited to try this one out.

"ULTRAVIOLET" BUBBLE BAR

"Ultraviolet" is probably one of the more aesthetically pleasing products I've seen, at least to me anyway! I love how the shades of purple, blue and green make a kind of reverse rainbow and they're some of my favourite colours.

To me it smells very earthy and natural, which is another unique quality that I actually really like. I can't really smell the violet or floral tones in the product, hopefully they will be brought out in the water itself.

This product is a real love / hate one, I personally like it and the anticipation of trying it is really getting to me! However, I know a lot of you might not enjoy the more dirty notes to it, so I would definitely give it a sniff in store and maybe check out a demo of it before you buy.

"LADYBIRD" BUBBLE BAR

Although actually a part of the Mother's Day range, my local Lush had a few left in stock so I decided to get one to try out after missing out previously! The colours are so vivid and a cute twist on traditional images of this cute little insect.

The scent is amazing, it's subtly fruity with lots of minty tones bursting through, kind of like a fruity chewing gum!

This is probably one of my favourites that I picked up and I hope it will live up to the hype.

"HUMPTY DUMPTY" BATH BOMB

As previously explained above, this little guy will give you three baths as he also has a surprise inside!

I am actually quite disappointed with how mine looks. The peachy skin colour faded away to white and a lot of the blue dust comes off, so I hope it looks a lot better in the bath than it does solid!

It smells incredible however, the sweet caramel really compliments the fruity and uplifting orange and bergamot oil scent - it's probably one of my favourites!

"FLUFFY EGG" BATH BOMB - REVIEW

LOOKS:

"Fluffy Egg" is probably the least visually appealing of the products I picked up. It's still cute however, the pink is very vivid and the little flowers adorned either side of the bath bomb make a cute spring touch!

OVERALL: 7/10

SCENT:

This product shares its scent with some of the Christmas range and my personal favourites; "Snow Fairy" and "Candy Mountain"!

Sickeningly sweet enough to hurt your teeth, fruity and vanilla I absolutely adore it.

OVERALL: 9/10

IN THE BATH:

This bath bomb was a very quick fizzer and there really wasn't much to offer in terms of colour variation in the water. It went in pink and stained my bath pink, however I didn't necessarily mind, as much as I enjoy a beautiful and colourful bathtub display from my bath bombs! I think I just love the scent so much I would forgive anything else about it.

OVERALL: 6/10

THE FINAL RESULT:

The colour came out a very vivid, almost fluorescent pink, but I'm not sure if that is because of the sunlight in my bathroom that day. But either way the water made me feel like I was bathing in melted candyfloss like some kind of imaginary mermaid, so not a bad effect overall!

OVERALL: 8/10

OVERALL:

"Fluffy Egg" is a cute and simple addition to an otherwise very bright and creative range of Easter products. It's not my favourite, but it will have a special place in my heart because it is one of my favourite scents. I am definitely going to stock up because I'm almost out of "Snow Fairy" shower gel and I don't think I can last until Christmas without some sweetness in my life! If you're looking for something to have a quick, relaxing but beautiful bath, this product is the one for you.

If you're looking for something a bit more unusual or exciting check out the other products I've mentioned above. These are only some products from the range and there are many more to try!

Hopefully this brief guide will have helped some of you decide which products to go for this Easter and I will try to post reviews of the rest at some point!