Well hello to you my reader chums! This week, I've returned from a 3-day city break to Lisbon with my best friends. None of us had visited Portugal before and we couldn't wait to see what its capital, quirky city had in store. 

With hilly terrains, rustic streets, traditional trams, authentic food and colourful buildings on every corner, Lisbon was a city like no other. Its traditional appeal left me wanting to discover more and see what each corner unveiled. Lisbon slightly reminded me of a mixture between Rome and Athens, holding traditional European values and with the many historical sights to explore. I did a lot of research before we headed off on the adventure, however as much as you plan, you'll always pick up hints and tips as you go. With all that in mind, I've put together my pictures and tips for you.

Here's my take on a 3-day guide to Lisbon...

Well hello to you my reader chums! I can't believe my blog is turning 5 today and blogging has been part of my life for half a decade. Blogging will always be my favourite hobby and I'm thrilled to have reached this significant milestone with 'Della Love Nutella'.

5 years of typing away about my monthly favourites, rambling about my adventures, sharing my advice, tips and obsessing over beauty products; it's been a fabulous ride. Ever since I was little, I always wanted to be a writer and having this online space for the past 5 years has given me the opportunity to be creative with my words and share my thoughts with the world.

Whether you've read my blog from the beginning or have clicked on this post for the first time, thank you. Thank you to every single person who has read my blog, left positive feedback, shared my articles and supported me in every way possible, I couldn't be more thankful. I've made so many blogging friends over the years and I'd just want to say a massive thank you to them for the continued support. 'Della Loves Nutella' isn't just an online blog, it's a big part of my life. I love nothing more than planning new ideas, snapping photographs, writing up a post and setting it live for the world to see; I can't even express how much happiness it has brought me over these past few years. I'm also thankful to all the brands who have reached out and sent products to try. It's crazy to think a company would want to work with me when doing something I love.

Over these few years, I've also learnt a lot about the blogging world and digital marketing which has helped immensely with my job. Everything I have taught myself, I'm able to apply it to day to day work tasks and that couldn't make me more proud. Not only have I been working at a hobby for these past few years, I've gained skills which will always benefit me in my career.

As a thank you, I wanted to give away a bundle of all my favourite Lush Cosmetics products. I'm a big Lush fan so I thought this will be the perfect giveaway to commemorate 5 years. The giveaway will be opened to UK residents only and end on the 13th May 2018.

You can enter via the form below:

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all my fellow readers and blogging chums! Here's to the next 5 years of 'Della Loves Nutella' and all the adventures it may bring.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Which blog posts do you like to read the most?

Thank you for reading <3

Well hello to you my reader chums! Travel is one of my favourite hobbies, however a couple of years ago the thought of getting on a plane, absolutely terrified me. Over the past few years, I've battled my anxiety in many different forms including tackling my plane fears. 

Whether you're new to flying or an anxious flyer in general, here are my best tips on how I overcame this anxiety and general advice on what to do on a flight to keep the anxiety at bay.

Well hello to you my reader chums! March somehow managed to fly past and we can all finally say that spring has finally sprung. I'm getting excited for spring season with the warmer weather and cooler fashion choices ahead. Over the past few weeks, I've been enjoying a few new products that I couldn't wait to share.

Here are my March favourites...

T Zone 'Black peel off mask'

If you read my last blog post about the T Zone range, then you'd know how much I loved their peel off mask. It's one of those products that are truly good value for money. At £4.99, the mask works a treat, drawing out all the impurities and leaving your skin feeling completely refreshed. I'd recommend using it once a week to drag out all the impurities and feel like brand new. It's the perfect mask for a pamper night in or to bring to a sleepover with your best pals. If you have oily and spot-prone skin, you need to give this a go! Check out the full review here.

Sleek's 'Distorted Dreams' highlighting palette

There's no better way to finish a makeup look than with a beautiful bit of shimmer. The palette I've been obsessing over lately is Sleek's 'Distorted Dreams'. This iridescent palette has a range of translucent shades with a mixture of both cream-based and powder-based. I haven't given them all a go however, I've mainly been using the champagne shade and pink shimmer together for an everyday highlight which works like a dream. This palette has strong pigmentation, blends easily onto the skin and can be built up for a bolder highlight. I love the iridescent effect and how this palette is a sparkly fun product! The shades are also versatile enough for both everyday wear and an evening look.

Natural extracts shower gels

I'm a bit of a travel addict and always on the move, that travel sized products are my go to. The shower gel range I've been loving lately are Natural Extracts. Each shower is in a squeezable tube and travel size, making it easy to pack for a weekend away. The scents are strong and linger on the skin when you wash, lather up well and the product seem to last for ages.

Too Faced 'sweet peach' palette

I'm a big fan of Too Faced eye shadows as every one of their palettes has the best pigmentation, colour selection and scents. Over the past few weeks, I've been reaching for the 'sweet peach' palette a lot more because I love the champagne shades and the red tones for the crease. The versatile palette has something for every look, the shadows blend with ease, last all day long and have strong pigmentation. If you're on the hunt for a new palette, this is the perfect spring choice.

Maybelline's 'Falsies' mascara

I'm a massive fan of Maybelline mascaras. The 'Falsies' used to be my holy grail years and years go, that I decided to pick it up again a while back and have been using it again this month. I can see why I used to be so obsessed. It's one of those mascaras that give you the perfect natural curl, feel light on the lashes and doesn't clump at all. The brush is curved slightly which helps with covering the shape of the lashes. I'm not sure I prefer it to the 'Lash sensational', however, I love it for everyday use.

I hope you enjoyed my March favourites post. Which products have you been loving this past month?

Thank you for reading <3

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