Well hello to you my reader chums! With skincare, I tend to stick to an everyday routine but love getting the chance to try new products and see how they work with my skin. When the brand, T-Zone skincare got in touch asking if they could send me their 'Charcoal and Bamboo' range, I couldn't jump at the chance quick enough. I've heard many great things about charcoal products and couldn't wait to see how they would work with my combination skin type.

Here's a full review of T-Zone skincare's 'Charcoal and Bamboo' range.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Have you tried T-Zone skincare's 'Charcoal and Bamboo' range?

Thank you for reading <3

Well hello to you my reader chums! Anxiety affects everyone in different ways. Whether it's general worrying or an anxiety disorder, awareness of this mental health condition has grown more in recent years. I struggle with anxiety and in the moments where there are no triggers and I wake up anxious, these can be the hardest mental health days to get through. With this post, I wanted to share my best advice on what to do when you're feeling anxious.

Whether you're an anxious person or feeling anxious lately, here are 5 things to do when you're feeling anxious.

Distract  yourself

Anxiety can leave you not wanting to do anything or wanting to do everything at once; it comes in different waves. The number 1 thing I've always been taught and practised is to distract yourself when feeling anxious. This can be one of the trickiest things to do at the moment where anxiety is at its peak.

 However, this makes it the perfect moment to switch on a TV programme, listen to a podcast or your favourite album as it'll give you that quick 'thing' to focus on. Over the course of watching the programme or listening to songs, your mind will slowly come out of that state as its concentrating on something else. You could also read a book, watch your favourite vloggers, test out new makeup looks or any activity that will move your focus.

Go on a long walk with blaring music

A little bit of exercise and fresh air can never hurt anyone. Getting out of the house and walking through your local park, beach or tucked away country lanes can be a blessing when you're feeling anxious. It allows you to soak in the natural surroundings and feel that bit calmer. I always put on a super upbeat album like 'The Greatest Showman' or sassy Demi Lovato at top volume to block out all the bad thoughts and enjoy the walk.

Focus on something you love

We all have hobbies and when you're feeling anxious, getting stuck into something you love to do can always make you feel a little bit better. My favourite things to do are writing, reading and researching holidays. Whether yours is taking part in a sport, painting, shopping, cooking or like me writing, try your best to get stuck in.

Make new plans

With my anxiety, having things to look forward to or knowing plans are set in stone will always ease things. Having uncertainty can sometimes trigger my anxiety and this is why I love making plans.

 Whether it's planning your next holiday (pretty much what I spend half my life doing), arranging your next gal meet up, thinking about your other halves birthday celebration or crafting Christmas presents, there's plenty of different ways to both tick things off your to-do list and feel a little bit better.

Get your emotions down on paper

Talking is one type of therapy, but there are other ways to get your emotions out. This can be writing them down on a piece of paper to get the weight off your shoulders, writing a daily journal or even drawing. Try out a variety of different methods and see which works best for you. Then, when the anxious day hits, you can put it into practice.

I hope you enjoyed this post! What are your best things to do when you're feeling anxious?

Thank you for reading <3

Well hello to you my reader chums! It's safe to say I'm a massive travel addict and when I'm not on holiday, I will be planning my next trip away. One of my favourite 'holidays' is venturing on a city break to some of Europe's most beloved cities. Over the past 2 years, I've seen quite a few from Rome, Paris, Amsterdam to Barcelona, Milan and Cologne plus a couple more. As planning city breaks have become a good hobby of mine, I'd thought I would share my best insider tips.

Here are my top tips for planning the best European city break...

Search for cheap flights - City breaks can come at a cost, depending on which country you're visiting, that it's handy to find a cheap flight. With websites like Skyscanner (my favourite ever), you're able to search for the cheapest flights across all airlines and dates, even comparing month by month of which would be the cheapest. It's a very handy tool and also offers plenty of last minute deals to take advantage of. The cheapest times to fly are generally during the week, outside of school holidays and low season dates. Booking around the 8 week barrier before, will give you the most affordable flight prices.

Only bring cabin size luggage - If you're going away on a city break, you usually don't need longer than a couple of days to soak up the best sights and city vibe that a cabin size suitcase will fit perfectly. By travelling light, you won't need to queue up at the airport to load luggage, pay for additional bags and can easily go straight through security. Plus - you can get those super cute Instagram snaps as you stroll through the airport with your stylish 4-wheeler cabin suitcase. Tripp ones are my favourite!  

Take advantage of public transport - In cities, one of the easiest ways to get around is by public transport, whether it's the metro system, buses or trams, all are convenient to travel to the best sights. Certain city main sights are located far away from each other, whereas others are in walking distance. If you're visiting a city like Paris or Amsterdam, consider buying yourself a tube pass, or for the Dam, a tram pass as it'll make getting from the tourist attractions much easier. A lot of passes can range from day options to weekly passes and cover a lot of different zones or areas. By using public transport also, you'll get a feel about what city life is all about in that particular area and how the locals commute everyday.

Dine away from top attractions - A big tip has to be about one of life's greatest pleasure, food. When it comes to dining, try to avoid searching for restaurants around tourist attractions because 1, they'll be overpriced and 2, you generally won't get the most authentic dishes. If you really want to delve into a country's delicacies, venture into the tucked-away lanes or quieter neighbourhoods and you'll find some hidden gems serving up top-notch grub.

Research into the best area to stay - Every person wants a different city break experience to the next. Whether you want to be a major tourist, go on a foodie break, explore the nightlife or hit the shops, finding a convenient place to stay is key. I'm a massive researcher that when I head off to a new place, I look up what the best areas of that city are in terms of what I want to do and accommodation which fits in with my price range. Cities vary in size and the closest you get to a tourist attraction can typically mean a higher cost hotel or apartment. However, with Airbnb, I always find much cheaper self-catering options and Booking.com always offer deals of the day, that you're bound to find something in your chosen area.

Bring along a Polaroid - Ever since I received a Polaroid for Christmas, I've loved snapping away at some of life's best bits, especially on holiday. This will give you the chance to have some instant pictures to hang up in your bedroom or put in your travel scrapbook.

Write a rough agenda - I'm a big planner and when you're heading on a city break, whether it's long or short, you always want to make sure to fit in all the best bits. I like to figure out where everything is in the city and plan a rough agenda around that, to bullet point what I'll be doing each day. That way, you'll have a bit of an idea of what's expected, where you're exploring and how to get around before you've even arrived. Research is always key.

Learn common phrases - Even though English is a common language and in Europe a lot of residents understand it, speaking the language of the country you're visiting is very useful. It will come in handy when you greet people, ask about the area or order at a restaurant. Brush up on the common phrases before you head off or bring along a phrasebook to help you out.

Read up on the city's tourist traps and etiquette - Each city is different from the next in its own way. However, they'll all have some sort of scams/tourist traps to look out for and things like tipping etiquette to be aware of. Depending on where you're going, it's always best to have a quick research on both of these before you go so you're not caught out on the trip. For instance, in Paris, there's plenty of people around the main tourist areas who come up and ask you to sign a petition to help a cause. Then, they'll demand you give them some money. It's scams like this to keep your head low and turn a blind eye. 

Enjoy the city life - Last but not least, enjoy everything the city has in store. Whether it's visiting Rome's Colosseum, shopping till you drop in Milan, walking the canals in Amsterdam or admiring the art scene in Paris, Europe is full of plenty of treasures to set your eyes on. Roam around, eat the best delicacies and soak every bit of European culture on your city break.

I hope you enjoyed this city break tips post. What are your best tips for visiting a European city?

Thank you for reading <3

Well hello to you my reader chums! I feel like February swept by quicker than I can say the word and now the promising month of March has arrived which I'm super excited for. Over the past few weeks, I haven't tried that many new products, however I've fallen in love with a few old ones and something new.

Here are my February favourites... 

Well hello to you my reader chums! Ever since I started this blog, beauty reviews have always been one of my favourite topics to write about. For Christmas, I've received a few new makeup brushes and one of the sets were 'Bella Pro contour brush set'. I've never heard of this brand before and was intrigued in seeing what the brushes would be like. 

Here are my thoughts on Bella Pro makeup brushes.

Well hello to you my reader chums! I've been wanting to see Paris for the longest time and I'm glad I've finally been able to experience the city in all its glory.

I did a lot of research into Paris prior to visiting as it may sound crazy but I didn't realise quite how big the city was and the many different neighbourhoods there were. The hotel was 2 minutes from a tube station and located out of the city centre, around a 30-minute tube journey to commute in. This was super convenient as once we got the hang of the tubes, we learnt how to get to the main hot spots easily. If you'd like to stay a bit more central, there are lots of accommodation options ranging in price.

Here's my take on a 5-day guide to Paris...

Day 1: Wednesday 14th February - Eiffel Tower and Louvre museum

I hope you enjoyed this post! Have you visited Paris?

Thank you for reading <3

Well hello to you my reader chums! I've been writing on this blog for nearly 5 years now that I thought it was about time to prepare a Q&A-style post. I asked on Twitter for a few questions to include in today's post and have a couple of fab ones I'd like to share. Whether you're one of my original readers or are only reading for the first time today, I'd like to thank you for your continued support of my blog.

Here's my blogging Q&A...

When and why did you start your blog? @callikitson

I love this question as it's a great way to share my blog journey with my audience, whether you're a new or original reader. I began my blog way back in early 2013 at the age of 16. At this time, I knew nothing about the blogging industry and it wasn't as big as it is today. I started my blog as I've always loved to write ever since I remember which sprung from my obsession with books and words. I wanted to grow my writing and have a place to document it that when I came across a few blogs, I instantly thought 'let's start a blog'. I brainstormed a name (this took a while) then finally took the plunge and began writing: Della Loves Nutella was born.

What is your favourite and least favourite thing about blogging? @coleoftheball

Blogging comes with varied pros and cons but every day, I still love it that little bit more. My favourite thing is the purely creative aspect behind it, I can write any blog post idea I have, document my holiday snaps, take quirky pictures of the latest products I've been loving and share my voice with the world. There's so much you can do with blogging and as it's the opportunity to own my little space on the internet, I'm able to share my different passions with those of similar interests. I also love the community; it's super friendly and whether you're a new or old blogger, everyone is supportive of your work. 

The downside of blogging is a tricky one, there are a few things that come to mind. I think numbers are a big weight on every blogger's shoulders. I personally do it as a hobby and love it when brands get in contact to work as it's always an exciting project. However, if you try and contact brands where your numbers don't match their criteria, it can feel a bit disheartening. Also, if you've worked hard on a post and it doesn't get the recognition you'd like it to, that never feels good. The pros do outweigh the cons completely though. I've nearly been writing my blog for 5 years now and every time I have a post idea, I can't wait to get typing!

What have you improved most through blogging? @thefrugalfrenchie 

Since beginning my blog all those years ago, I've improved in all areas of blogging. My writing quality had grown a lot, I've learnt to perfect the art of flat lays (still experimenting), I've got a bit better with web design and how I want my blog to look. Through my job, I've learnt about digital marketing which has helped with improving the way I promote my blog. When you look at it, there isn't really one thing that I've improved the most on, together every aspect has improved the complete appearance of my blog today.

@naomirowan_blog - Did any other blogs inspire you to start a blog?

I'm trying to think back to all those years ago if there were any low-key blogs that inspired me, however, the one that really made me think 'I can do it' was Zoella's. A very cliché answer but it's true. I love how she wrote and the different topics she talked about that it gave me the push I needed. Once I began blogging, there were a few bloggers that I really loved like Parie from Class & Glitter - go check her out.

Which blogs inspire you/ do you like to read the most?

There are so many blogs that inspire me which can range from beauty, travel to even family blogs. I love learning about people's stories, whether that's travelling the world, talking about their everyday makeup routine, or pregnancy announcement. I also really like to read personal growth style posts, mental health stories, and Q&As (I guess you can call me a bit nosy). Living in a world that we do, fixated on screen time, it's refreshing to hear people's voices through their blogs.

Here are a few of my favourites:

https://www.bethlouise.com/

http://www.charlottespicks.com/

https://sairasays.co.uk/

Do you ever wish you could write about a certain niche that you don't have knowledge of?

This question is very interesting as I like to think I cover all the topics that I love. However, I think a niche I'd love to write about more would be mental health, to spread awareness even further, and possibly recipes. I really want to get back into cooking from scratch and trying out different foods. If I began doing so, it's a writing area I'd love to explore.

Have you ever thought about using YouTube alongside your blog?

Yes, I have, a while back around 2014/2015 time when vlogging was on the rise but it certainly wasn't at the level it is today. I really got into watching vlogs in 2013 that I thought why not give it a go? As you can tell I never actually made the plunge but at the time I was interested in exploring making videos.


Have you ever been in a bloggers rut? If you have, how did you get out of it? @whitneylorenxo

As I've mentioned, I've been writing my blog for nearly 5 years now and it hasn't always been a fresh wave of ideas. There have been blips where I couldn't think of any new ideas or what I'd like to talk about next on my blog and at those times, it got me feeling very stressed. This however isn't the greatest approach to getting out of a blogger's rut. Usually, when this happens, I take a few days away, read some of my favourite blogs, take inspiration from them and what's around me. Things like conversions I've had, makeup I've worn, or how I've been feeling can strike up a blog idea. It's never forced, but when one does come, I write it in my notebook and plan from there. If you're in a bloggers rut, I'd suggest having a few days away from your blog as you'll come back with a fresh look and that'll hopefully bring on new ideas.

What is the most important thing to you in your life? @itismeelizabeth

This question made me have a good old thing. I'm completely blessed with the life I lead, with a supporting family, loving boyfriend, and best friends as well as the holidays and experiences I've had. But, I think ultimately the most important thing is mine and the happiness of my loved ones. Life can be hard at times for those around me and myself, that making the situation a little bit better is what matters most. Possessions are a great asset in life, however, in the end, you won't have those anymore, just what you had from the beginning, your loved ones and memories. This means, my loved ones and memories have to be the most important thing in life to me. 

I hope you enjoyed this blogging Q&A What's your favourite thing about blogging?

Thank you for reading <3