Summers little helpers.

First of all, I'd like to apologise for the lack of posts recently, between the sunshine, work, families, and planning Europe (which I would like to announce is FULLY organised thanks to the amazing Abby) we have been super busy! Although we are back on track now!

Todays post will be our summer recommendations, because the sun has come out with all its force and I love reading any tips, so I hope you do too!

Feeling good in summer starts from the inside out. Everyone will agree. Your water intake needs to be much higher in summer than it does in winter as you lose water much quicker. It's important to replace the fluid we lose when we breathe, sweat or urinate (ew I know) The recommended daily intake is around 2 litres of water a day.

Love water, it loves you!

Next up, sunscreen and moisturisers!
Dermatologists everywhere are in disagreement over which should come first. Some think sunscreen should go first, to be closest to your skin, for maximum protection, absorption and ensures a uniform layer. Others recommend putting sunscreen last so that the moisturiser doesn't reduce the sunscreen protection. which ever way it goes, here's some of our favourites!

Roche-Posay Anthelios sunscreen is very pricy but one of the VERY few sunscreens that protect you from both UVA and UVB sun rays. There are so many that you can chose from and can create the perfect whole body sun care routine for you.

Myself and abby have very different options for moisturisers/body lotions.
Abby prefers to use Marks and Spencer's Florentyna body lotion.
It is my latest find, in fact I didn't even buy it so I can't take any credit. My nan - whom also buys me any pricey makeup I own - bought me this for my Birthday back in April. But I've only just started to use it. It smells incredible; 'Gardenia blended with a harmony of Jasmine, Lily of the Valley, Orange Blossom and subtle musk undertones' - also known as everything that smells nice. I know, however, there are plenty of other body lotions out there. But what makes this one so good is that it stays smelling great for over a whole day - I've proven it. If you buy this you basically don't need perfume.  

Where as I prefer to use Lush's King Of Skin body butter. I love anything from lush as it's nothing but good for you. It contains only natural ingredients and the company is completely against using animals for testing, how GREAT! This product is by far the best moisturiser I have ever used, and it smells great! It works and smells good, how much better can a product get?!

Nailvarnish is a must for us in summer, it just makes us feel so much better!

Abby's favourite: nail varnish that dries in a minute. For some one like me, who wants everything to happen instantly this is simply perfect. New York Colour is a brand I rest all my faith in. Their products are cheep, but they also work so well! Their nail varnish is all I wear, and I love their concealer and mascara too. 
This particular colour is called 'sky blue' and as soon as you apply it your nails look fake! However, go and check out their other shades too. I recommend; East Village, Spring Street, Power of Elements  and Raindrop. 

Shanice's favourite: Tanya Burr. The woman is amazing, not only is she gorgeous she is great at her job. I'm in love with her youtube videos and her lipgloss and nail varnish line! My summer favourites from her nail varnish line are Little Duck, Bright and Early, Mini Marshmallows, Peaches and cream and  Be Bright Be Happy Be You. My favourite lip gloss by far is picnic in the park. Please please go pick one of these lip glosses up! I've never used one like it, an amazing colour pay off and stays on for so long!

Any summer products that you love and think we should check out? Let us know!

Shabs x

Catching Up

June was a stressful month, so here's a post to catch up with our hectic lives!

So, July has just hit us (Happy Independence Day to any of you in the USA), and we have officially finished our first year at college! No more exams for a while, no more homework, no more assignment (well...) and no more deadlines, meaning there is a lot more time for us to update, or at least, in theory there is. Currently, we're both busy applying for jobs left right and centre. But, we're going to try our hardest!

On a little side note, today marks exactly a year since it was our prom! A day when, we must admit, the weather was an awful lot nicer than it is today. 

Here we are looking all fancy and glamorous at the Golf Club!
July 4th 2013.

So, yesterday Shabs met up, and it was made official that summer 2015 will not be when Shabs go stateside. Unfortunately, as we both have exams before we leave, and college and University when we come back, it will not logistically work. 

But, don't get too upset because there is a super awesome replacement in the works. How many countries are there is Europe? over 30. How many have we visited? Very few. So, it's about time we set that right. We can't quite manage, nor afford, to visit them all, but how about 1 month, and 10 countries. Setting sail from England, and hitting Paris, then going on one long train journey, stopping along the way, until we set sail back home from Amsterdam. 

So, as we work this out, and spend hours researching ferries, hostels and places to go, get ready to hear plenty about it! 

Where do you recommend that we visit?

Shabs

Bucket list!

Everyone has a bucket list. Whether it's written down or just a list of things in your head that you would just LOVE to do, we all have one. Most bucket lists are comprised of things will be massively expensive to complete, for example skydiving. So we thought that we would come up with something a little more achievable for us to complete together.
So here's our list:

1 - Go somewhere new.
2 - Complete 10 random acts of kindness.
3 - Watch the top 5 Imdb recommended films.
4 - Watch the sunrise and the sun set in the same day.
5 - Cook Greek food.
6 - Throw someone a surprise party.
7 - Write 3 letters to famous people.
8 - Host a dinner party for our friends.
9 - Dress fancy and go somewhere fancy.
10 - Meditate.
11 - Time capsule.
12 - Become an organ donor.
13 - Get our legs waxed.
14 - Apply for a tv show.
15 - Go to the salon and get something done.
16 - Stick positive notes all around the city.
17 - Order a pizza with unusual toppings.
18 - Spend a day at the beach.
19 - Write a cute note and put it in a library book.
20 - Learn 5 yoga poses.
21 - write a post saying what we would do if we won 5 million pounds.
22 - Movie day with ALL of our friends.
23 - Get a job. (which will fund our shopping)
24 - Charity shop shopping. (which will supply our clothes for camp!)
25 - CAMP AMERICA!

So thats our list! Every time we complete one of these (or a few) we will write a blog post on them. Let us know what you have on your list!

Shabs xo

A few of our favourite things

As the new week begins, so does our latest blog post...

Hello to all of you awesome readers where ever in the world you may be, and whatever time it may be. So, on this dreary, wet, fathers day we are talking about our recommendations - as varied as they are. Both Abby and Shanice have picked a few of our favourite things. They're not quite brown paper packages tied up with string, but they're not far off. . .

Abby:

#1 Automatic, by Miranda Lambert.

This is her latest album, and although any country music fanatic already knows plenty about it, I felt it deserved a mention. Since it's release she had received quite a bit of bad press about this album, but the multi-CMA winning artist is still on her game in my opinion. 

If you want an album which tells a story from beginning to end then go and listen to The Outsiders by Eric Church. 

If you want traditional country then go an buy the new Johnny Cash album. 

However, if you want something which is a little different, then this is perfect. Sure, there are a couple of songs that are not really my favourite; Somethin' Bad, Little Red Wagon. Then there are the best songs; Girls, Priscilla, Babies Makin' Babies...

#2 AVEDA Light Elements Smoothing Elements.

I first got this amazing, god's gift of a serum last Christmas. I only got the miniature version, which lasted me a full year. But investing in the full size is well worth the steep price tag. This product is fantastic for the simple reason that for me it eradicated the need for hair straighteners. 

Proof of this fact is that they now live in my mum's room, and in the last year I think I've used them twice. My hair is so much healthier because of the lack of heat. I adore this product, it is simply fantastic. 

#3 Camden Market.

My third and final favourite of this post is Camden Market. It is located in London, and is an old horse market. Now though, it is a maze of winding streets, small vendors, and one off pieces. 

There are multiple cultures, from all over the world. If you go downstairs then there are all these little sellers who have the most beautiful lace and dresses. There are old second hand book sellers, the softest and most intricate scarves . . . 

Everything is beautiful, international and just magical. 

Shanice:

#1 INFERNO.
Now books are complicated for me. I am very fussy, and won't recommend a book unless I am in love with it. Well I am in love with INFERNO, written by Dan Brown. It is outstanding. It is set in Florence, Italy (a place I am now desperate to visit.) I love learning about any aspect of history, and felt very ignorant when I started to read this book and had no idea what the Divine Comedy was, but now after research I am thoroughly educated! It is something I would never have come across without this book and I'm thankful to have increased my knowledge.

The main plot is a Harvard professor wakes up in a hospital in florence with amnesia, with a few lines of dante's Inferno, part of the Divine Comedy to guide him as he tries to save the world from a terrifying threat. Now I'm rubbish at explaining things without giving it away so I can promise it's better than I made it sound!

#2 Real techniques expert face brush.
This is one of many brushes made by Samantha Chapman. This brush is UNREAL. It's another thing I'm in love with. I don't leave my house without it, ever. I first saw this brush being used in makeup tutorials by Tanya Burr (one of my favourite youtubers along with Zoe and Louise.) Seeing the great results it gave her, I then purchased one myself! It's the best decision I have ever made. It buffs my foundation onto my skin perfectly and even makes my awful reserve foundation (for when I've run out of my actual foundation) look good! The synthetic bristles make this easy to clean and gorgeously soft. I can't imagine ever using anything else to apply my foundation.

#3 Bransby home of rest for horses.
Everyone needs their little spot. This is mine. It is a horse and donkey sanctuary. They take in injured, abandoned, and unwanted animals in. I have a massive soft spot for animals, and I love being at this place surrounded by animals that have all come from awful sad backgrounds and are now safe and very happy.
You can walk around the entire place and not see another person, there are so many pathways between all the fields that you feel like you're the only person there. Its a serene, beautiful place. The staff are all incredibly friendly, and there is a cafe and gift shop, with all proceeds going towards keeping the place running. So if anyone ever needs a charity to raise funds for, this is a great one! They have two bases, these are at herefordshire and Lincoln. It's well worth a visit if you can get there, and beware you will come out stinking of horses as they all love a good scratch!

#4 Black Roses - Clare Bowen.
This girl's voice is incredible. The song is incredible. just please give this amazing song a listen!

Do you have any recommendations for us? Let us know!

Summer romance.

Hi guys. 

Well today we thought that we'd indulge you in our fantasies and ideas of our perfect date. The title obviously refers to the time of year that our 'perfect dates' would be set, because when else could a perfect date be other than summer (any other season if you ask Abby)?!

Shanice: 

So first things first, as every girl will agree clothes.
For a date I believe in dressing to impress, and staying classy.

This cut out skater dress from TopShop (£45)
is perfect. It's something I'd feel comfortable in,
and that's key to having a good time
anywhere!

Heels are a must for me.
They give me confidence, and
confidence is a must!
asos (£42)

As you can see I couldn't choose!
I'm obsessed with heels.
asos (£55)

Makeup:

I'd love to have my makeup done by a makeup artist for a date. I love having my makeup done by other people! I think I'd opt for a smokey eye, a decent amount of contouring (to give shape to my very round face) minimal blush and topped off with Tanya Burr picnic in the park lip gloss.

I suppose I should get into some detail about the actual date! 

Place: 

I'm in love with London, my birthplace, an amazing city. So It would either have to be there, or in the complete opposite, a quirky place in the middle of the countryside, because nothing is more beautiful.

Romantic or fun? 

I'm a romantic at heart. I want nothing more than someone to take me out to a quirky little place that they absolutely love. This is because I love seeing people be enthusiastic about things they love. It puts them in such a good mood and it's contagious. Instantly making for a better time.

Doing what?

Food, food, and more food. I believe dates are to spend quality time with your partner and for you both to be relaxed. While I do think it's great to shake things up and do different things, the classic meal out is perfect for me. 

With whom?

Since I'm in a relationship I should obviously say him! Although as much as I love him, I have celebrity crushes that I'd absolutely DIE to go on a date with! These include Ian Somerhalder, Paul Wesley, and Liam Hemsworth. If I had to choose though it would be Ian Somerhalder, not only is he incredibly attractive and a great actor, he believes strongly in making this world a better place by reducing the impact we have on it. What he does is incredible and I admire him greatly.

Abby: 

So, for my clothes it would be all about wearing something that I feel would make me look good, but also that I am confident and not self conscious in. I also would pick something that allows them to see the real me. 

I'd definitely choose a dress, and I think
this cream lace dress is simple,
elegant and ever so pretty.
Debenhams (£45)

Because I'm always cold, I would put a shirt
open over my dress. Plus, it adds to the
country style. 

Because it's really important to feel happy in what
you are wearing i would wear my favourite
pair of boots. I do love my heels, and i wear them
at every chance i get, but i'm also conscious of being
taller than everyone else, so i would opt for these.
Skechers (£66)

Makeup: 

Unlike Shanice, i would do my own make up. I have had mine done before and it looked amazing, but I and terrible when it comes to people being near my eyes. It'd so simple and with what I know. Mascara, a touch of black liquid liner on either my eyelid or just under my eyes. Then, I'd go with a light dusting of shimmery shadow, a touch of blusher, and my Avon, Moonbeam lipstick. 

Place: 

Considering this is a fantasy, am I allowed to say Nashville? 

Fun or Romantic? 

I would like a little of both. I think if it was fun it would make it a lot less scary, but then again I'd love a romantic date! 

Doing what? 

It sounds cliché, and it's probably the result of listening to so much country music. I'd like to go to a country concert, not some big arena tour, but a small concert. Whom? Probably Eric Church, although I would not say no to seeing Frankie Ballard, Kip Moore or the Nashville cast either. (This would be the fun bit) Then I'd like to go somewhere quiet, like a park, and have a picnic (Romantic) on the grass - FOOD! This is the part which is in so many country song, and I guess it's just made me want to live it. 

With whom? 

Well unlike Shanice, I am single, so I don't have to say anyone in particular. And as there is no one who I can think of who I know, I'm going to say Sam Palladio (from ABC's Nashville, Jonathan Jackson (Nashville once more), or Michael Whetherly (NCIS). However, my first choice would be Sam Palladio, I think, because he is British, a fantastic actor and singer, but also seems like such a down to earth person. 

Who would your perfect date be with? Let us know!

Shabs xx

'So many books, so little time'

Hi guys!
ok so today we're talking books! Since we're both students (which automatically equals us being broke the majority of the time) one of our favourite pass times is reading!
We both have our individual tastes in books but we love swapping books and reading something the other one loves!

Abby:
I'm currently reading: F is for Fugitive, by Sue Grafton
So, this is the sixth book in the Kinsey Milhone series. A series which (funnily enough) focuses around Kinsey Milhone, a private investigator based in Santa Theresa, California. What's different though is that all of the series take place in the 1980's, meaning that the work she does is proper investigative work - therefore  you don't have to be a technology genius to understand what is going on.
This series is one of my favourites, and I discovered it about 4 years ago in Spain when I had run out of books whilst in a villa in the middle of no where. Thank fully there was a bookcase, which, low and behold contained 'C is for Corpse', my first Grafton book. The way I would describe them is almost a toned down James Bond, and Grafton actually writes a lot like Flemming. The beauty of which is that everything is described in a poetic like way.
F is for Fugitive focusses on Bailey, a man convicted of the murder of Jean Timberlake when he was younger. Only he escaped prison and laid low for many year until now, when a simple case of mistaken identity brings him to the Police's attention. Kinsey is consequently drafted in by Bailey's father to try and prove his innocence - whether she succeeds or not I am yet to discover.

Summer recommendation: Heat Wave, by Richard Castle (and then the rest of the Nikki Heat series)
Anyone familiar with the ABC TV show Castle, will recognise the name of this author. That is because, the fictional character 'Richard Castle' and the author of this series is one and the same. In fact, it's all based around the show it's self. To anyone who does not know what I'm currently rambling on about, Castle is a show which focuses on the New York Police department, and the team of Kate Beckett. Richard Castle is an award winning crime novelist who, thanks to his connections, gets to shadow Beckett on cases in order to research his new book. The new book is about a Police detective Nikki Heat - yep, you got it, these are the books he writes in the show.
Most people will write them off, thinking they're just the standard copy cat style, but don't. This is one of the whitty-est series around, and I highly recommend it.
The light hearted style is perfect for some poolside reading or garden lounging.

Shanice:
I am currently reading: the Gone series by Michael Grant. This is comprised of 6 books all set in the fictional small American town of Perdido Beach.The basic plot is that everyone 15 and over disappears and the whole area is trapped in an impenetrable energy barrier. Due to this everywhere erupts into chaos and when kids start developing powers things take a dark turn. It is a science fiction series with a little bit of horror thrown into the mix.
I discovered this series while I was very ill. I couldn't physically move out of my bed for a good week, so I laid and read all six books in one week!  I also had periods of hallucination during this time because I was so ill, mixed with reading these books, was very odd! Although this is not to put anyone off, it was a very very funny and strange experience!
I am re-reading this series because it is just SO great! With so many unexpected twists and it taking a turn for the dark side it's something I could read over and over again! It is immensely popular series worldwide and I'll be shocked if you haven't heard of it!

Summer recommendation: The Hunger Games. By Suzanne Collins. This is without a doubt one of the best book series I have ever read. I can not put into words how much I love these books. The films are amazing but they don't do any justice to the books. I know personally so many people that have hated reading, and they've tried these books and just can't put them down!
These books are perfect for the summer. You can pick them up and put them down and pick them up again and remember exactly what happened because it's such an easy read. I lovelovelove books like that! 

So let us know if you've read any of these books, if you love them or hate them, or if you've got any that you'll think we'll love! 
                        Shabs x 

Wading through exam stress.

Bonjour to all of you vagabond beauties!

So, today's post marks the beginning if exams. And, as of 11:10 this morning, shabs had their first AS exam - Abby had French speaking. Now, everyone has to deal with this abhorrent period at one point or another in their life. Whether it be for their SATs, GCSEs or Alevels in England, highers in Scotland or any other type of exam - each one of them is a month or two of stress and pressure none of us will ever forget. 

With that in mind, this post goes out to give a little bit of reassurance to you all. A shout out to say do your best, because your best is amazing. But sometimes, even knowing you've done your best does not ease the stress. Thus, we've collated a list of our top tips to survive the next month or two of sports halls, ticking clocks, single desks, sleepless nights and enough ink to bathe in. 

Tip #1; Music
It's like a tranquilly escapism from the real world, where words are beautiful and colours swim aimlessly around your mind. It lets you forget what you're worried about, and calms you down. So, the one things that got me through my GCSEs and will get me through my Alevels and no doubt my degree, is music. Pick a CD, one which you love, and always will do. But don't pick one which has songs which get stuck in your head - trust me, the result is that you find you spend your whole exam singing the song in your head instead of doing your exam. Abby's choice of CD? Bon Jovi's, Have a Nice Day. 

Tip #2; Relax
Sometimes, most of the time, we all get so caught up in the fear and nerves that come with exams, and so pent up that we should be realising that spew never actually take a deep breath. I'm not saying never revise, we all know that will do more harm than good, as you'd end up being disappointed with your final result! But one night a week take some time off, (and read our blog). The night after an exam, take a shower, curl up in bed, and just forget about the stress. A rule I have? (That Shanice doesn't because she works until stupid times in the morning and then cries all of the next day) Never work past 19:30-20:00, by that time your mind is so tired that nothing even manages to go in. 

Tip #3; Make the effort
This may be the strangest of all of these points, but it's true. On the day of an exam, make an effort, do your makeup, style your air, wear something pretty. Firstly, in the morning that's when you worry, and if your mind is occupied by applying makeup or braiding your hair then you have less time to panic. But secondly, if you look good on the outside then you feel good, you feel confident. That confidence is contagious, and so when you get in that exam, it's still there, and before you know it you're halfway through the exam. 

Tip #4; Make the effort
This time we're talking about revision. Blahblahblah I know, but it is THE most important thing to do if you really want to achieve the grades you know you can! The best way to do this is to find a revision technique that suits you, usually the sillier the better! Many of my friends have key points from their subject on post-it notes stuck in the silliest places they can think of! Or you could use the simple but effective 'look, cover, write, check'. No matter what you chose putting work into something is the only way you'll get anything back. Can you imagine how boring life would be if, as they say, everything was handed to you on a plate? 

Tip #5; This is not the end.
And by this we mean if you do these exams, and you don't get what you want then it is not the end of everything. You can usually retake them, and even if you can't there will be different routes of entry to what you want to do. There are always options. Remembering this will reduce the stress, and reducing stress is the best way forward!

Voila! They may be nothing outrageous, and not quite what all our teachers and tutors tell us to do, but they're what we do. These are the Shabs suggestions, not scientific, just why works for us, and if they work for you, then that'll make our day. 

Good luck our remarkable readers,

-Shabs