Day out in London: Madame Tussauds and Town Adventures

Well hello to you my reader chums! The Saturday just gone (as you can probably tell by the title), I headed up to London town. For my twin Maria and I's birthday, our best friend Danielle treated us to  Madame Tussaud's tickets! After a very anticipating month waiting, the day arrived and all four of us were extremely excited (our best friend Chloe came along too!) We travelled up rather early that morning in order to have a little London adventure after visiting the attraction.  

Arriving early meant Madame Tussaud's wasn't crazily busy and we got to go round the exhibits at a slow and steady pace without the pushing and shoving of crowds. I have to admit when we initially entered the room with the wax works, we got a tad creeped out as they genuinely looked so real! Luckily, we got used to them quickly and found it absolutely fascinating how some wax models had an uncanny resemblance to the real celebrity! Not only was it filled with a vast collection of famous people, there were a couple of additional experiences we got to participate in. One of the more riveting activities was the Chamber of Horrors & Screams, which was a trail consisting of jumpy moments, scary music, all in a dark, eerie environment. Being quite a scared person I'm proud I got through it even though I was squeezing Chloe's hand the whole time! A more unique and fun encounter was the Marvel 4D cinema which all of us found absolutely thrilling! A ten minute film was shown where features like wind were blown at you and the props actually looked as if they were coming out of the screen, it was crazy stuff. The final experience was a charming London taxi ride showcasing London town's history. I loved this as there were a variety of puppets and different artwork which was a treat to watch. Through meeting all the top, a list celebrities, unique opportunities and capturing those exciting moments, we all had a truly phenomenal time. 

Here's all my favourite photos of Madame Tussaud's:
Maria, Chloe, Danielle and I waiting outside to go in.

My favourite picture of them all! I finally got to meet the One Direction boys even if it was only the wax models. As you can see I was very enthusiastic to see Harry grabbing onto his arm!
Us with Cheryl- aka the next best girl band.
Maria and I with Brangelina.
Danielle and I with Nicole Kidman.
Me on E.T's bike!
Maria and I meeting Jessica Ennis.
This is one of the funniest photos from the day, it really makes me smile! We were very excited/shocked to see Tom Daley as you can tell ;)
Us standing with the Olympic torch.
Chloe and I saluting with Prince Harry himself.
Me playing the guitar with Elvis.
Just the newest additions to the Beatles!
Chloe and I with the crazy Miley Cyrus.
Maria and I with Freddie Mercury.
Just posing with the King of Pop himself, Micheal Jackson.
Maria and I were very excited to visit No10!
Casually chilling with Barrack Obama in his presidential office.
Hanging out with Spiderman!
Us four sitting with Yoda.
Here I am being attacked by light sabers.
Got a selfie with the famous selfie queen, Kim Kardashian.

Once we saw the whole of Madame Tussauds, we headed back to Oxford Street and chose Bella Italia for lunch. The food was absolutely scrumptious, I shared a pesto and mozzarella bread with Chloe for starters, chose the lasagne for main and finished with the most gorgeous, authentic gelato, it was simply incredible. Since we were then all full, it was adventure time! Firstly, we went in a few shops on Oxford street, Topshop as it's genuinely the best Topshop I've been to and the exclusive Lush store which I adore, After a quick browse, we made our way to Camden as I'd never been before and had a look around all the quaint markets where I picked up a couple of tops. It was such a cute, picturesque setting and had a total different vibe about it to general central London.

Overall, I had a fantastic day! I want to say a big thank you to Danielle for taking us to Madame Tussauds and for planning such a fun filled day out. I'm genuinely so lucky to have the best friends I do and to spend these exciting, adventurous moments together.

I hope you enjoyed this lifestyle, day out post.

Thank you for reading <3

Beauty review: Dr Pawpaw multipurpose balm

Well hello to you my reader chums! Today I wanted to share with you a review of this beauty product I've been loving recently, Dr Pawpaw's multipurpose balm. Initially I got sent the original balm and whilst attending Catalyst's event, I received the tinted peach balm. I've heard many amazing reviews on these products and was therefore very intrigued and excited to give them a go!

Dr Paw Paw is a multipurpose balm I use for everything in terms of moisturising, especially for my lips. If you're in the need of a new balm, here is my full review of Dr Paw Paw's range.

Dr Pawpaw multipurpose balm    
As you can tell by the images, one is a sample size and the other is the medium size tube. 

Product Size 

I've been using the sample size original balm every night before bed for several weeks now and there is still a lot of product left. Even though it's only a small tube, a little goes a very long way I can assure you, meaning only a minimal amount is needed. The pink balm is over double the size of the sample tube and after using it a few times, I've barely made a dent. As these tubes are quite thin and compact as well as long-lasting, they rather travel friendly. This means I can easily pop them in my bag to bring on the go.

Dr Pawpaw multipurpose balm

Consistency

My top feature of these balms is the consistency because when applied it feels very luxurious on the lips, an aspect you wouldn't expect. They can be used for all over the body including lips, skin, hair, nails etc making it a very versatile product. I have to admit I've mainly been using the balms on my lips as I think it's the perfect purpose for them. I like to apply the original balm before bed because it leaves your lips feeling ultra-soft and moisturised. 

As the consistency is rather thick when blended in, only a small amount is needed, saving the product and lasting a long time. I've found that after leaving it on all night when I slept, I would wake up with my lips feeling smooth and soft, a great way to wake up really! I love how it isn't sticky on the lips as well as there's nothing worse than a sticky lip product. I simply adore the moisturising capability of this balm.

Dr Pawpaw multipurpose balm swatches

Colour

I have two of the three colours available, the original and peach pink-tinted balm, you can also purchase a red-tinted option, The original one is simply clear when applied to the lips and gives a lovely sheen/glossy look. The peachy-pink balm also consists of this glossy look but with a gorgeous pretty pink wash of colour. It's not the most definite pink, however it's subtle enough to wear as part of an everyday, natural makeup.

Balm's Scent

 Both of the balms are fragrance free which is an element I like because to me it makes them feel more natural. As it's not perfumed, when applied even though the consistency is thick, it isn't weighed down by an overwhelming smell.

Dr Pawpaw multipurpose balm

Original balm overview

Designed for lips, skin, hair/beauty finishings, cuticles and nails, the multi-purpose soothing balm is a great little gizmo to have to moisturise all different dry areas. Overall I'd say I truly love this product and have found myself reaching for it when my lips are feeling dry as I can trust it to do the job. The balm has definitely become one of my holy grail products! 

Dr Pawpaw multipurpose balm

Tinted peach pink balm overview

Created for lips, cheeks and cosmetic finishings, the peach-pink balm is more of a choice for that subtle hint of colour. With the same moisturising level as the original balm, the tint adds something fun and special to the product. I love this balm a lot also, which I prefer to use this in the day and the other at night.

I hope you enjoyed this review. Have any of you tried this product?

Thank you for reading <3

Book review: Life with a Sprinkle of Glitter by Louise Pentland

Well hello to you my reader chums! Today I have a very special book review for you all. As many of you may know the lovely Louise Pentland aka Sprinkle of Glitter has recently released her first novel. Shortly after her very successful LouiseLive tour (which was absolutely amazing), Louise's book came out. 

I've read Louise's blog and watched her videos for quite some time now and as you can imagine I was very excited when she broadcasted the news. I love to read Louise's blog especially because she has such an inviting and fun way with her words. Her writing style is one that really entices me in and has a whole book of it was such a great thought. I'm happy to say the novel didn't let me down and I thoroughly enjoyed it from cover to cover.

Life with a Sprinkle of Glitter by Louise Pentland

Book design 

Let's all take a minute to appreciate the beauty of this book. Every single page is styled like some luxury, glossy magazine with a shed load of love poured into it. I absolutely adore it! Depending on the chapter's topic, the backdrop design links in well, enhanced by even more cuteness with little touches throughout.

Life with a Sprinkle of Glitter by Louise Pentland review

Chapter breakdown

The book is split into four main chapters which include many sub-sections, covering a vast range of topics. From serious subjects like body confidence, bullying to more light-hearted, funny stories about dating and a selection of glitzy girly themes such as shopping, the book has a mix of humour and advice all in one. I like how everything she spoke about is from her own perspective and she offers thoughts/tips on the different matters. 

Life with a Sprinkle of Glitter by Louise Pentland review
Life with a Sprinkle of Glitter by Louise Pentland

Through reading the book you can tell every single word that was written is put together with love and like Louise has literally poured her heart out, sharing all her best tips and stories. To me even though it's not an autobiography, you still get a personal touch and it's like an extended, exciting blog post. I laughed and was touched whilst reading but ultimately I finished it feeling uplifted and so empowered in myself with the messages she conveyed.

Life with a Sprinkle of Glitter by Louise Pentland review

One of my favourite things about the book was the full-page quotes that occurred in pretty much every chapter. Basically, a line or paragraph said in the chapter was taken and displayed either in a frame-style background or many other beautiful choices. I loved this idea because it really highlighted the positive and overall point of the chapter! Also if you were just having a flick through, you can easily come across those pages and it'll put an instant smile on your face.

Life with a Sprinkle of Glitter by Louise Pentland

The more serious matters such as body confidence and comfort zones we're some of my favourite parts because reading them made me feel a lot happier about who I am and really put certain thoughts into perspective. I love how as she had such a big following, all these motivating messages will be put out there for young girls and boys as body confidence is such an arising issue.

Life with a Sprinkle of Glitter by Louise Pentland inside

Describing and giving tips on bullying will also be beneficial to many of Louise's readers as again it is something which is still happening and therefore it'll give those people advice on what to do and know they're not alone.

Life with a Sprinkle of Glitter by Louise Pentland

With all serious thoughts aside, I thoroughly enjoyed the many other parts of the book. The creative section, in particular, was literally written Pinterest in a book, who wouldn't love that?! Everything I read from that section has really given me some thoughts on crafty bits and bobs I now want to do either for my room or for future projects - which I am so happy about. 

The parts on beauty/shopping were another win for me because she discussed all her top tips on things I truly love reading about. The shopping section incorporated not only her best advice on what to expect but how to feel good about yourself, which I thought was fab. Let's not forget however all the hilarious stories in between. I love how she shared actual stories that either occurred in dating or day-to-day life because even though I sympathised with her I did have a little giggle! Oh, it was such a joyful read!

Life with a Sprinkle of Glitter by Louise Pentland

Overall thoughts

Overall as you can probably tell I truly loved the book. I'm not just saying this because of Louise's well-known status, I genuinely mean it. Even if I had no clue who she was I'd definitely pick this off the shelf and have a good old read. I just want to say a big congratulations to Louise! After following her for several years now it's crazy to think for one I've seen her live at her show but also that she's released a best-seller- an incredible one too!

It's simply a divine read filled with gorgeous decor, fab advice for a wide range of ages, and stories that will truly make you giggle. I now can say I feel so happy after reading such an inspiring book. If you'd like a book to genuinely make you beam with pride, this one is the perfect option!

Have any of you read it? Thank you for reading <3

Day in London: Catalyst Autumn/Winter preview event

Well hello to you my reader chums! Yesterday, I attended the Catalyst Autumn/Winter preview event, my first ever blogger-style occasion. As I was quite new to going to these functions, I asked to bring my twin along to make the day much less nerve-wracking. However, when I arrived, I was welcomed with such a friendly environment that all the initial worries floated away. 

The Catalyst Autumn/Winter preview event was an exciting day in London, and here is my full experience.

Catalyst Autumn/Winter preview event

The event was set in a gorgeous clear rooftop area, filled with a range of different booths showcasing and demonstrating a vast selection of products. After arrival, we delved into the many stands and got talking to all the companies. Through chatting, we learnt about the unique products, the history, how to use them and top tips. As well as a lovely interactive experience, it was really insightful and educational too, finding out about many unknown brands/products. I loved how friendly and easily approachable everyone was. I even got chatting and made friends with a couple of bloggers, Ceri and Lydia, who Maria and I then went and had Starbucks trip with afterwards.

Catalyst Autumn/Winter preview event

BeautyCrowd

The first stall we approached was BeautyCrowd who were genuinely so lovely and informative about everything on display and themselves.

Catalyst Autumn/Winter preview event

Steamcream

The lady at Steamcream and Micro cell 2000 was ultra sweet, testing out the products and explaining them all to us. At Steamcream, the tins were the most adorable and distinctive little things, I can't wait for the Christmas ones to be released!
Steamcream

Nanokeratin

Heading to the Nanokeratin stall, we found out it's a family run business. Within their family included twin brothers which was pretty fab as we could relate and easily talk to them both!

Nanokeratin

Sexyhair

The spread put on by Sexyhair was very glamorous and suave, complete with a backstage-esque type mirror where they styled guests hair.
Sexyhair

Sexyhair

Catalyst Autumn/Winter preview event

PawPaw

Waltzing over to the PawPaw booth I was very excited because I've been loving the original balm over the past few weeks! Finding out more about the product I've been using was not only interesting but eye opening as weird as that sounds because it made you aware of what's being put on your skin and the benefits it has.

Pawpaw

PawpawPaw paw

Revlon Professional 

One of my favourite stalls we went to was the Revlon Professional. Offering us a relaxing and inviting experience, the stylists made Maria and I up by doing our hair. They gave me rather swish, beachy waves and for Maria since she has long hair, experimented with a wedding inspired up-do.

Revlon professional

This is me posing in the mirror, which I have to admit I wanted to take home! It reminded me of backstage theatre where all the actresses/actors prepare their makeup and hair before an electrifying performance.

Revlon professional

Here's my final look; I felt oh so fresh at this point and wanted to just swish my hair around (without looking like a complete fool.)

Revlon professional

Maria's ever so elegant look ( I really loved the final outcome!)

Revlon professional hairRevlon professional hair

After a incredible and insightful few hours at the event, with our new buddy Lydia we headed to Starbucks, grabbed a drink (plus a nutella cookie aka the best creation ever) and sat down in Cavendish square for charming chat. I thoroughly enjoyed Starbucks and a natter with our new blogger friend in the cutest little setting. Good company and pretty places is all you really need for that perfect afternoon! 

London Chelsea
Starbucks

I want to say a big thank you to Catalyst for inviting me and making me feel so welcome at my first ever blogger event. The overall experience was fantastic, I left feeling so enlightened, discovering new people and products. I'm so excited to now dive into all my new goodies and give them a try! 

Thank you for reading <3