LIFE: Helix Piercing Experience!!

So, this is a bit of an unusual post, but I thought I'd tell you all about my new cartilage piercing. It is a life update I guess, and something I'd like to talk more about, as a lot of information on the internet I read beforehand was not particularly accurate. I know this is quite a common piercing to get and a lot of people are quite nervous about the pain and experience, etc, so hopefully this'll help :)

Preparation: Okay, so if you want any sort of piercing, you should give it a lot of thought beforehand. This is not the piecing to go and get spontaneously with your friends one day whilst you're out - you need to really decide if you are committed to it. I'd recommend buying a fake nose/ear ring - websites such as Asos do these for around £5, allowing you to decide whether it's something you'd like permanently.

The procedure itself: I had decided previously I was going to get it done on a day whilst shopping with my friend, so that I wouldn't think about the pain for the rest of the afternoon and also had some moral support, without being pressurised into doing it. I went straight into the piercers and requested my cartilage to be done, indicating where exactly on my ear by marking it with a pen. Just a heads up: you will need some form of official ID - this varies in different places, but I find a passport is a good one to bring.

I was incredibly nervous; my pain tolerance is super low, but I'd wanted this piercing for a good couple of years on and off (I kept wimping out because of the idea of the pain), and the guy that pierced me was lovely, putting me at ease and talking to me throughout the process.

He cleaned the ear, marked it up again to check and then started to push the needle in. I would say the majority of the procedure was not bad painwise; more a burning, unpleasant sensation than sheer pain. The last part, however, was so bad; I don't know whether this is my bad pain tolerance, I was expecting it to be bad or just as it is a sensitive part of the ear. Regardless, it was over really quickly, literally about 5 minutes max start to finish,

Beforehand, I had read that the pain was between a 2-4 on a pain scale of 10 (with 10 being excruciating pain) - this was completely wrong in my experience, but I think it is different for everyone. Don't let the pain put you off though.

Immediately After: understandably, my ear was not too keen about having a random metal object shoved through it with a needle and was protesting a lot; the whole of my ear burnt up for about 2 hours afterwards, and the pain was awful. However, by the time I'd got the train home and squirted the saline solution on, it had massively settled down to a gentle throb.

Aftercare Advice: the main reasons piercings get rejected is due to bumping them, sleeping on them and infections. These are all really unlikely to happen (do not let the internet pages terrify you stiff, as they did with me), as long as you are incredibly careful.

The saline solution I am using I bought from the piercers straight after the piercing was done, so I could go home and I knew I could just spray it directly on in the evening. You can make your own salt solution, but I think personally, this solution is incredible. My piercing was done on Monday (5 days ago), and so far, I've barely had much trouble with it. I couldn't rave about the solution enough!

Good precautions to take: it seems a bit drastic, but I've changed a lot since I've had this piercing done, and so far, it is healing well (although general healing time is at least 3-6 months).

• Sleep with your hair up, on the opposite side of the piercing.
• If you wear glasses and have horrific eyesight (such as myself), put your glasses on very slowly in front of a mirror - I find lifting them up, along then down a good technique. Be careful nudging them up your nose as well if they slip down - you could knock the piercing.
• Sleep on the other - do not sleep on it. You shouldn't feel a need to sleep on, due to the intermittent pain and throbbing ear, but it's not the best idea! I toss and turn a lot, and have found a good trick to be putting a pillow or small cushion underneath my ribs on the other side, so you are not only propped up, but not as tempted to roll over.
• Douse your ear in saline solution/wash it twice a day - many people become super lazy with the cleaning routine early on and consequentially get issues with their ear. Not only does it deal with the pain well, but obviously helps your ear heal. 
• When you wash your hear, rest it on the opposite side of your piercing and massage gently, so as little shampoo goes onto the piercing as possible. If it does, just wash it off and put saline on it afterwards.
• Do NOT touch it - sounds obvious, but it can be easy to subconsciously go to scratch your ear when it's itchy and healing. You'll regret it and possibly get germs in the ear itself - not good.
• Be careful putting on tops - avoid any hoodies, rollnecks or anything tight around your neck for a while.

At the moment, it is early days - I've only had my piercing for less than a week, so I can't say much about the healing process. All I do know is that it is common for it to be red, sore, itchy and swell. Just bare in mind it'll all be worth it in the end and I adore my piercing so much!! Between 9-7 at the moment, mine does not hurt at all and then just throbs and goes a bit red in the evening:)

Lots of people were shocked it cost £30 - personally, I'd rather go somewhere expensive, hygienic and friendly than a little shop without the right jewrelly and equipment, etc - this is such a good place to go. 

Where I got my piercing done - Guru Website and Facebook Page. 

Saline Solution I use - Amazon.

Katy x

Unboxing: Christmas Lush Haul!

It has been far too long since I had bought some Lush items - I believe the last time was when I was in Brighton in June, which is shocking! Seeing as it's coming up to Christmas, I thought I'd place a cheeky order to trial some Christmas bits and also a couple of products that I hadn't tried before. Not everything is Christmas related, but I wanted a good mixture. 

Magic Wand Bubble Bar // £5.95 // Lush

First up, we have a Lush Christmas Classic; the Snow Fairy scent. Last year, I purchased the shower gel version of this and loved it, but I just wanted to try something different. I absolutely love these bubble bars - they are so fun and cute to leave, plus smell amazing. This beautiful product is covered in glitter and is every young girl's idea of perfection! (Along with mine). I think this could be my ideal Christmas Day bath - I can't wait to use it.

Snowman Bath Melt // £2.90 // (Currently Out Of Stock) // Lush

I've never tried any Bath Melts from Lush before - I guess I always want to go for the spectacle in the bath and the pretty colours rather than actually soothing my skin. But this was so cute, I couldn't resist it - of course, he is Christmas themed and I think I will feel so bad when I pop him in the bath! 

Shooting For The Stars Bath Bomb // £4.25 // Lush

This includes a very strong orange scent, which reminds me of eating Terry's chocolate oranges at Christmas time each year. (If you're not from the UK, you might not know what I'm talking about - basically a ball of chocolate that looks like an orange and tastes like one.) The little gold stars on the outside look beautiful and I find this to be a really calming scent. I feel like this is going to be the perfect 'late night bath before bed' bath bomb.

Northern Lights Bath Bomb // £3.95 // Lush

A lot of people have been loving this, so I thought it was time I tried it for myself. 'Northen Lights' has to be my one of my favourite scents - it's quite a floral scent, with strong notes of Jasmine. Anything floral with musk and I'm there! Plus, this is such a pretty bath bomb and the demo on the website looks incredible. I think this is the one I'm the most excited to try! 

So, there it is! Let me know in the comments which looks like your personal favourite and if you feel tempted to order some products after reading this post. 

Katy x

Recent Empties

Today, I'm going to be talking about the last few items that I have been using up over the couple of previous months, and say whether I would honestly repurchase them or not. I've wanted to do this post for such a long time, but it takes me ages to use things, so I had to build up some!

Lets start with beauty...

Seventeen 'Brows that Brow' Eyebrow Kit // £5.99 // Boots
As I've mentioned before on this blog, I'm quite lazy when it comes to my brows, so I wanted something quick and simple. This was a really appealing option to me - something cheap that would last me a while and give me a bit more definition, without taking too long. I actually loved using this, and am quite gutted it's hit the pan. I was complimented on my eyebrows whenever I had this on and it made them dark enough to give some definition (like I wanted), but not to be over the top. The only criticism I had was that it did fall out a little bit onto the face (annoying when you've done all your base), and also, the powders do transfer over. For example, a lot of the wax ended up going into the highlighter section, which was quite annoying.

WOULD I BUY IT AGAIN? YES :)YES

Revlon Colourstay Concealer  // £6.99 // Boots
I do like to change my concealer up a bit sometimes - previously, I had used the Rimmel 'wake me up' and the Collection 'lasting perfection' concealers (both amaze FYI), but wanted to try something new. I have to say, this did not disappoint. It lasted me a good couple of months and was super creamy under the eyes to cover the bags; plus, it blended really well. This concealer defo did the job, and I liked using it.

WOULD I BUY IT AGAIN? YES :)

Next, let's chat about haircare.
L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oils Shampoo // £3.50 // Boots
I'm super fussy with my hair - I have to admit that I am a bit too obsessed with it. I always want it to look long, shiny and generally just nice. Shampoo and conditioner are both things I like to change every now and then, so I thought I'd go for this one. I was very unimpressed with this. When I picked it up, I liked the look of the formula and I know a lot of people have praised this. It was so strange; the first couple of times, it worked wonders on my hair - I'd come out of the shower with long, glossy, nice smelling hair, just like I wanted, yet a week in, it did the complete opposite. Every time I used it, my hair got even more greasy, so it would need to be washed again within 24 hours. Considering it is not a cheap brand, I was not very happy and won't be using it again.

WOULD I BUY THIS AGAIN? NO:(

Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo // £4.19 // Boots
I went onto using this straight after the bad experience with the L'Oreal Shampoo, desperately hoping for something better for my hair. This has probably been my 4th or 5th bottle of this - I've used it so many times as I love it! Although I'd used it before, after the last time, I was hoping that my hair would still be okay with it and thankfully, all was well. It smells incredible and I genuinely adore it!

WOULD I BUY THIS AGAIN? YES :)

Herbal Essences Hydration Conditioner // £3 // Boots
Conditioners are not really things I usually rave over - in my opinion, the shampoo makes all the difference and the conditioner, not so much. This entirely changed my opinion - I literally love this conditioner. I have to admit that I was not massively keen on the smell (I dislike coconut, sorry coconut lovers), but it made the ends of my hair nice, fluffy and sleek.

WOULD I BUY THIS AGAIN? YES :)

Generally, this haul of empties worked out pretty well - 4/5 I would purchase again! Let me know if you like this style of post, and comment below what you've been loving using recently.

Katy x

November Favourites

I didn't do a 'monthly favourites' post last month, as nothing really stood out to me. Instead, I've combined the items that have stood out to me for both October and November - hope that's okay with you guys! Autumn has rushed by and it's almost Christmas - get ready for lots of fun filled Christmas related blog posts, eek! 

MAC Lipstick  // 'Diva' // £15.50 // MAC Cosmetics

As we have been going through the Autumnal season, darker lipsticks are an absolute must. I was fortunate enough to receive this for Christmas last year and had been resisting using it until the beginning of October - oh boy, I was not disappointed! I could honestly go on for days about how much I adore this lipstick, but I'll try to keep it short! The pigmentation is gorgeous; the shade itself is divine; it stays on all day, even through eating food and drinking (to the point that it won't come off when you take your makeup off in the evening). I've been complimented so many times on it! MAC lipsticks are my fave - I only own 2, but if you've been reading this blog, you'll know how much I go on about Velvet Teddy!! Yes, I have been loving this very much through November!

MAC Studio Fix Powder // NW10 // £22 // MAC Cosmetics

After religiously using my Rimmel Matte 'Stay Perfect' Powder pretty much non-stop for the last couple of years, I wanted to treat myself to something slightly more expensive. I feel like your base is the most important part of your makeup, so you can splurge a bit on your foundation/powder, just so your skin looks flawless. I did really splurge with this - I only have about 5 high-end items of makeup in my collection, so £22 was quite a bit above my budget to be honest. I do not regret my decision at all - this has got to be my favourite powder ever (which really says something). You do not have to reapply it throughout the day - it covers the shine all in one go, and just sets your skin perfectly. I honestly don't know what I'd do without this, it's upped my makeup game so much!

Makeup Revolution Blush Palette  // 'Hot Spice' // £6 // Superdrug

This palette has been in my makeup collection for quite a while, but had recently slipped to the back a bit. However, I've rediscovered it and fallen in love all over again. For £6, you get 6 gorgeous blush shades, plus 2 pretty shimmer highlights. Mine is in a bit of a state - the mirror has gone very floppy is very messy (apologies for the finger smears, lol). If you are looking for a blush palette with a variety of shades in it for under £10, I highly recommend this one.

Toni & Guy 'Firm Hold' Hairspray // £7.49 // Boots

Almost £8 for a hairspray isn't cheap, but this has to be the best one I've used. Whenever I plait my hair, or want it down, but to have a bit of hold, I just spritz this everywhere and voila! It is stick enough to hold, but not enough to douse your hair too much. A little bit goes a long way, too. I love this so much and I am really glad I picked it up. If you're obsessed with hair like me, defo get this!

Ted Baker Body Spray // £7 // Boots

I use body sprays generally as opposed to perfume - I don't really have the money for many expensive ones on a student budget, so go for something cheap. My fave scents are floral, but have a musky undertone - nothing too full one, but just nice enough to stay on the skin for a while. This came in a gift set I got a while ago and I love this scent very much. The smell stays on your for quite a while after you spray it, with hints of grapefruit - I will definitely get this again in the future.

What have you been loving this month? Let me know below.

Katy x

Wandering Around Rye Harbour

Hi!

After I visited Kew last month, many of you have been liking my posts on quiet and undetected places, so I thought I'd do another one when I visited Rye Harbour last week. I came here to do a shoot for my Photography A-Level project and actually loved it so much that I had to take some photographs for my blog!

When you arrive, there is a few options of what you can do. There are a couple of trails that you can walk down in varying lengths, depending on your stamina (I took the quicker one, which is one mile. but there is one even further!). Also, there is a coffee shop, a shop where you can buy gifts and also, the harbour itself. I started off by walking round this part - one thing that struck me was how tranquil it was! The water was entirely still, with very little life. Despite being a Tuesday morning, it was almost dead.

I decided to walk along to the point, which is the beach. There is very little to do here, but the walk was really pleasant, with a hide along the way where you can try to catch seeing some birds (I wasn't successful) and a little house (pictured above).

It's just nice to get out of the house and spend a couple of hours in a little place not many people know about. I'm thinking of making these places a monthly feature in my blog (or however often I go to them) - let me know if you'd like that.

I'd highly recommend visiting this harbour - information is available here: Rye Harbour Website

Katy x

A Classic: Fairy Cakes

 

I find baking to be very therapeutic - I like to put some calming music on in the background ('Music For Concentration' on Spotify is my favourite by the way), put an apron on and get to it. The kitchen is usually a mess by the end of it (sorry Mum!) but it's worth it!

The recipe I used for this came from Mary Berry's book '100 Cakes and Bakes' (of course I had to use something from Mary, or Bezza as I like to call her). You will need the following:

• 100g (4oz) of Softened Butter
• 100g (4oz) of Caster Sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 175g (6oz) flour
• A drop of water
• 1 level teaspoon of Baking Powder
• 1 level teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

For the icing, you will need:

• 175g (6oz) of butter
• 175g (6oz) of caster sugar

To make these cakes, start by laying out your ingredients. You will need a large mixing bowl, a wooden spoon and a set of scales. Place the butter in the scales, weight and pour into a bowl, then add the sugar then cream. Once this is nice and smooth, add an egg, then frantically mix with flour (half of the portion), then repeat with the second. 

As it is fairy cakes, that's basically it - nice and simple. Shove it into the oven for 15-20 minutes, then leave to cool for around half an hour. Then we get to the fun bit - the wings! Cut in a circular motion on the top, take them off, then cut them in half. You can put whatever you like in the filling really - I opt for jam and buttercream, nice and traditional. Then pop the wings on top and you're done!

I'm aware that this is a very simple recipe, but I feel that there is still a place in many British hearts for a few classic recipes - this one should not be forgotten, as it's still delicious! 

Let me know what you enjoy baking below and if you have tried this recipe before.

Katy x

My Autumn Staple - OOTD

I haven't done an OOTD on my blog in sooo long, so I thought as the weather in the UK is very autumnal now, this would be the perfect time to!

This jumper has very quickly become a staple in my wardrobe. It is super comfy and easy to throw on with a pair of thick tights. It's quite over-sized as well, and in general I love it! It's long enough to pass as a dress (although it is slightly on the short side), yet has the warmth that many thin dresses don't give you.

A thick and warm blanket scarf is essential for the autumn/winter months, and this tartan one is one of the best clothing items I own. It goes perfectly with anything - I purchased it last year and have no need to replace it.

I had so much fun doing this shoot - credit goes to Charlotte for these images. Her Instagrams: General Instagram
                    Photography Account

Jumper: LaRedoute Black Long-Sleeved Jumper
Scarf (similar linked, mine is unavailable) New Look Tartan Scarf
Shoes: vans.co.uk

Let me know your autumnal essentials in the comments below!

Katy x

A Stroll Around Kew

When you think of London, one main image comes to mind: central London, the tourist hotspots like Big Ben, Covent Gardents, The London Eye, the Thames etc. Then there's the streets and shops, teeming with people; the cramped tubes and that feeling of exhilaration being in a huge city full of life. It is easy to forget that there are parts of London that are so different, one of these being Kew.

A mere 5 minutes walk from Kew Gardens itself, this little town is adorable, quaint and any blogger's dream. It's incredibly quiet, with shops and houses lining the streets. There is a hairdressers, a butchers, flower shops and of course, a Tesco's and a Starbucks. I honestly felt like I had been transported away into the 1950s, with the only sign of life and reminder of actually being in London was the train station with the tube sign at the end of the street. I had a stroll through a little market section, which was amazing. There was even a little old bike (pictured above) with a faded seat and a little wheelbarrow selling vegetables, which again you wouldn't imagine seeing in many places nowadays. 

I barely knew this gem of a place even existed, I cannot recommend coming here enough. Sometimes, we all need to take a moment away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and take some time to breath. Where better than here?

The address is: Kew Village Market, Station Parade, Kew, Richmond TW9 3PZ

Hope you enjoyed a slightly different post this week!Katy x

August Favourites!

Hi!

August has flown by, and we've somehow suddenly found ourselves in September! Here's what I've been loving throughout the previous month - let me know your faves in the comments below.

Suedette Bomber Jacket  // £35 // New Look

It may have been summer, but in the UK, the weather rarely reflects that. I found that I spent most the month in this jacket. The beige, neutral tones within the jacket make it perfect for summer wear, and the material is light. Inside the jacket it is silky, so you don't get too hot, but you are also very comfy. This is personally one of the classiest bomber jackets that I've come across and I absolutely love it. I think I'll be living in this in winter this year too, as it is just beautiful! If you don't purchase this yourself, you are missing out!

Adidas Gazelles (Mint & White) // £75 // Adidas

I never used to be into trainers, but recently, I've been obsessed! Adidas have massively upped their game from the unfashionable but comfortable trainers that I used to wear as a child in year 9 P.E lessons to shoes that everybody desires. I decided to splash out on these, and I don't regret a thing. The mint is nice and subtle, easy to pair with jeans and leggings, but also shorts and skirts (when it's hot enough). I think that these look so cute, and they're also incredibly comfy - I've walked round London and Brighton without getting blisters. At £75, they are a little pricey, but worth saving up for. 

Millie Marotta's Tropical Wonderland Colouring Book // £5 // Amazon

This book shows that you can be creative and have fun without breaking the bank. I received this a few months ago as a birthday gift from a friend to de-stress (they all know I stress out at everything, urgh) and have been loving it. I hadn't had much time to use it as I had college full time, but over summer, I've been loving sitting at my desk, reminiscing of a fun childhood full of colour. I think my favourite thing about this has to be that you can make this entirely your own - every person can colour in one section in different colours and exactly how they want it. I made a pineapple pink, purple and red, for example - I thought yellow was too boring!

'Clue' - Period Tracking App // FREE // Apple Store 

So I feel like raving about a period app isn't very normal, but I'm going to do it anyway! This app is incredible - you can track your period so easily with this. When you download the app, you enter a few basic details, such as your birthday, weight, and height. The app works out when you are due based on your last cycle, and gives you an estimate on when that should come on the calendar. It also gives you a 'fertility window', if you are trying for a child (I'm obviously not, but useful for people that are!) It looks super clean, and by being called 'clue' on your homescreen, you no longer have to worry about that awkward moment boys look on your phone, as it's unlikely they'll know what it is. I actually enjoy waking up and filling out the symptoms part. I'd really recommend this!

So that's what I've been enjoying this month! Let me know what you've been trying out below :)

Katy x

Revision Tips - How To Stay Calm

Hi guys,

So, it's coming up to the time of the year where we have the exam period. Usually, this results in us getting extremely stressed, staying up til 11pm the night before trying to cram in any last minute information and all in all, isn't a fun time.

I'm hoping these tips I've put together will vaguely help those of you not knowing where to start, and those of you who are extremely stressed. So, let's get going!

1) Make notes YOU understand

This sounds a bit strange, but your revision won't properly go in until you have notes you can interpret. A tip for this - discover what type of learner you are. 

There are a few types - visual (where you take in notes best from mindmaps, flashcards, colourful diagrams), sound (make notes on your phone and listen back to them), and by notes (bullet point lists in biro). To discover what type you are, try and make notes in all forms over a few days, and see which one makes the information go in best!

Just because your friend is making notes in black biro in a massive list, doesn't mean you need to copy them - make it in your own style.

2) Little and often

Don't cram in 8 months worth of work the night before your first paper. Try and do around half an hour of testing yourself, and then relax for half an hour - whether it's going on youtube, playing a game or going out the house for a bit, it'll help free your brain up, relax you and really help in the long run. It is the best way to get that boring information in there, promise!

3) Use colour

I find using coloured pens so useful, as they inspire you to actually look at the page and learn the info, rather than you looking at a load of boring black pen notes (although if you learn in that way, that is equally fine).

I make flashcards with questions and terminology on one side, then the answers/definitions on the other. This means your text is broken down into bits, and is much less intimidating than looking at large chunks of text.

I also find mindmaps are so useful - again, you've got the key information, but it's condensed into a form you can easily take it. Plus, they are quite nice to make and pretty to look at!

4) Breathe.

I am aware this is easier said than done (I myself am starting to feel a bit unnerved as we approach the 3 week mark until my exams), but stay calm. Think positive thoughts - "I can do this", "I know this", "it'll be over soon", "I'm going to smash this". 

When you go into that exam hall, make sure you've got a clear water bottle with you, and just sit down, focus and don't freak out - if you do this, you're likely to mess up or forget something. (I did this in my GCSE's last year - although I somehow got an A in that subject when I did the wrong section on the paper, it is not recommended!)

You'll be great, go smash it! Good luck:)

Love,

Katy x