tube strike survival kit

Having suffered through the tedious (yet understandable) tube strikes of 2014 twice now, I have developed a bit of a knack for them. In fact yesterday I was an hour early to work and even though I felt so exhausted I thought I might pass out by 12 o clock - I felt there were some key essential items that really got me through this weeks strike. If you are dreading the three day stint they have planned for next week you may want to take my advice...

1st is food & water (the obvious)

The wonderful and deliciousso Volvic with a Touch of Strawberry really cheered me up and stopped me from fainting in the sweaty crowds of the carriages.

Food wise a breakfast bar or piece of fruit is easiest in the morning as you can eat it quickly whilst (if you are lucky and extremely strategic like me) sat on the tube or whilst stood waiting for one (or if you have the pleasure of having to do a 20 minute walk from Waterloo to Westminster like me (or similar) - scoff it then!

On the way home a yummy chocolate bar actually does cheer you up - it is true what they say about it releasing your happy hormones - and the sugar gives you a little rush to keep you going until you get home to the warmth of food in the oven and your cosy duvet wrapped around you.

2nd is a personalised first aid kit 

Now these items are some what first aidy and medical seeming in their advantages as well as essential for your journey. Once you have fed and watered yourself you need to consider A. Cleanliness - This is where the Carex Refreshing Handy Wipes come into play, also here an antibacterial hand gel or cream would be perfect (I hear Lanolips is launching a new one with aloe, I can't wait to take a whack at it because I hate the alco-gels that smell like the bottom of a vodka bottle) anyway the wipes are perfect for cleaning you up, or moping up the orange juice you got all over your hands from successfully peeling your nectarine on the go.

B. Falling to the floor because your head feels so sensitive newspapers are too loud. 4head - my miracle worker. My all time love and one of those motherly tricks I'll never forget. The tingling sensation makes your headache seem miles away without having to pop pills mid journey. It really helps in the morning when you feel like your head is going to fall off your shoulders, and in the evening when you feel totally out of balance.

C. Puffy eye syndrome. Another thing that helps you feel less like death at 6.30 in the morning, is the Nip & Fab Viper Venom Eye Fix - a cold eye roll on that stops your eyes from making your journey to Westminster stop at Stanmore, and makes your eyes look more Shakira than Puff Daddy...

3rd is the nice smelly beauty things

Vaseline with aloe vera smells nice, does the job on cuticles, lips and sore dry bits (like my nose atm) so HAS to go in the handbag whether there be a tube strike or not.

Speaking of cuticles, once you've cleaned your mucky mits up with your wipes or anti-bac be sure to keep them moisturised throughout your journey with some hand cream (if you have anti bac hand cream - well - two birds and all). This is one of my new fave hand creams (Soap & Glory Hand Food), mainly for the smell and lightness of it. It's like sticking marshmallows up your nostrils - not that I have ever done this but I know my brother has once upon a time, and the image just came into my head... - anyway, it smells nice so I recommend it for all you pink and pretty lovers out there.

Another pink and pretty essential is the I love... Strawberries & Cream Body Spritzer - obviously you need this for when you start to sweat and stink (or smell someone else start to sweat and stink), but you should also use a mist or spritzer on the tube or in crowds because deodorants and body sprays aren't fair on your neighbouring passengers with asthma (so I've learnt). This one smells like heaven in a bottle (reminds me of the strawberry and cream chubba chub lolly).

Take head, and do as I do and say and you will survive the tube strike too. What's in your survival kit?

going balm'y

I was quite impressed with my pun today - It took a sleepy warm tube ride (one of the ones where you fall asleep and fall off the curb - you know the one!), that combined with a rummage through my bag looking for my new favourite lip balm to realise I have too many lips balms/glosses/ointments/scrubs/sticks in my Mandy (Mandy is from Mango, she is my handbag, and I love her). Seeing as I've shown you all my lipsticks here in my red lippy post I thought I would stick to all the other lip products Mandy has been hoarding for me.

So these aren't in any real kind of order but the Pocket Balm by Bakewell & Vaseline with Cocoa Butter I alternate because I love them both so much. I would recommend all of them -that's why they all made the cut into Mandy's infinite depths. 

Prepping - Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub

When I need it a love a good exfoliation, I never thought of doing this to my lips until my best friend turned up to my hole in Uni and showed me this product. It is basically sugar in a pot to be honest and I do eat it (even though I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to) but it's so nice! - It's actual purpose is to exfoliate the lips and prep them to be balmed and lipsticked. And it really does work, even if it is just a jar of sugar goodness.

 It's The Bakewell Soap Company Multi-Purpose Pocket Balm in May Chang Citrus

This balm isn't just for lips, I've used it on my cuticles to soften and keep them in shape and my elbows when they got oddly dry the other week. It smells lush though I suspect there is hemp in the ingredients (they aren't stated on the tin!). It's very strong in smell and in action, it works absolute wonders. I swear by my Vaseline normally but I started with this product last month when it came in my Love Me Beauty box - I will be sure to invest in it in the future as I recommend you do too!

The obvious runner up is my Vaseline Lip Therapy with Cocoa Butter

Need I go into detail with this product? It speaks for itself in reputation, the cocoa butter smell is my favourite. I have all sorts of cocoa butter products (inspiration for a post) because it's really good for dry skin and soothes my itchy arms and legs (post shaving!) so I knew I would love this version of the magical Vaseline tin of miracle balm. All I need say is, try it - it lives up to reputation.

The hydrator or also known as Nivea Hydro Care Lip Balm

This one is normally found under my pillow, especially when I have a cold as that's when my lips get driest. It does what it says on the tin - hydrates your lips to the maximum, definitley a must if you tend to get dry lips/bite your lips (I have a really bad habit of this, hence the amount of lip balms I own)

Love this one for the taste... DuWop Iced Tea Treatment in Strawberry Kiwi

This is one of the products I have had for 5 years, I remember how much I love the fragrance (and taste), use it for a week and then lose it again until I move house/flat! I have no idea where I got it from but it always finds its way back into my life, and I am glad because it is lush - the smell keeps me coming back for more. All I remember about getting this lip treatment is having really bad lips and being sat rubbing it on my chops for a good hour before realising it wasn't really helping.. This means I wouldn't call a treatment, I use it as a gloss because it gives a lovely sheen.

The last two products are what I use for a bit of colour when I'm not quite in the mood for the bright red look I love to go for!

When I'm all pretty in pink and girly it's got to be Lanolips Lip Ointment with Colour in Rose 

This product is from a long line of lip ointments and lanolin products. Lanolin is a miracle working thing that makes you all soft and healed (at least thats my version of it). This ointment has a lovely pinky colour that I love to use when I'm not going for my usual lipstick choices. And it has SPF 15 which is always a plus to this pale skinned red head.

Another one that I couldn't pinpoint it's entry into my collection - Pretty:Smile Pearl Shine Lip Gloss

Pretty sure this one came from my mum when she decided the roller didn't work for her - but it works for me fine, and I love a roller (I haven't the foggiest why). But this product, more importantly, glosses a lovely lovely sheen onto your lips, it's really light (makes it perfect for summer) and has Q10 in it (which is apparently good for cell growth - so another goodie for those biters out there).

BIG post for you all today, but I hope you enjoyed it because I do own this many lip glosses and have been this way for as long as I can remember - and I KNOW I'm not the only one ;)

Try as many of these as you can because they are all favourites of mine, determined after years of research and lip application! - And believe it or not this is not ALL of the lip products I own, it's just the ones in my handbag!

PS - don't forget to click the names as they are links to see/buy the products!

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bat those lashes

Thought today I would let you in on a little make-up secret of mine. One thing I could not do without on a daily basis is mascara - I have the blondest eyelashes that are literally invisible.

And so I have tried so many mascara's in my time always bouncing from one to another trying to work out which is best and I like a lot but my favourites are the ones I currently own (and need to re-purchase!). Before I tell you about them though I wanted to tell you about a little trick of mine that gets the mascara to apply nice and thick and sleek with no lumps and bumps. 

It's called Vaseline ladies, yes, vaseline can be used for pretty much anything (I say vaseline but I mean petroleum jelly). I used to and still do watch make-up tutorials and yearrrrs ago, we are talking donkeys, when I started using mascara the three tips that stuck with me are as follows:

1. Hold your mirror low/tilt your head upwards to that you can avoid getting mascara on your eyelids

2. Shake your brush from side to side after a few strokes to get your lashes to split from one another

3. And always apply vaseline to your lashes before putting the mascara on - don't ask questions just do it

And a new tip that I need to invest in as soon as possible is one passed on by my lovely best friend Juliette, when I was telling her about my vaseline trick she told me that she uses coconut oil on her lashes (or at least she had heard of it). More specifically, she had the Superdrug own brand one on her bed side table, it was a waxy texture and smelt lovely (looking online here it is only £2.29). However, upon doing more research it is rumored that vaseline makes your lashes grow also .. So hey presto, another amazing reason to listen to my advice!!

My favourite mascara at the minute and I think ever acutally is the Rimmel London Scandal Eyes Retro Glam - My eyelashes look so so so long, now I don;t know if they are and the mascara is the only one that covers them all or if it is a case of lengthening in the mascara?, either way I love it. The brush hugs all your eyelashes that makes it so easy to get all the little iddy biddy ones in the corners (even though it is what I call a bushy brush which I don't normally like).

Another one I love at the minute is the Max Factor Eye Brightening for Blue Eyes mascara - It's brush is a type I've always loved, its straight with little spikes and it super thin so again easy to get into all the difficult places your eyelashes like to hide. I don't know about the whole 'eye brightening' idea, at first it excited me but really I don't see a different. However I do like the mascara a lot a lot so maybe it does do something different.

The final one is a newby to the bunch - a little tester that I am considering to be my next mascara buy! - it is the Urban Decay Supercurl Curling Mascara. The brush curves right around your eyes - maybe even better than the Rimmel one - and is thin and spiky the way I like it! It goes on well, comes off well and doesn't crust off over the course of the day (which I find happens with the Max Factor one). It's perfection in a tiny weeny tube.

Which mascara do you like best?

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