♡ Lush VIP Bloggers Party ♡

Ciao!

On Friday 2nd May 2014 I was invited along by a friend of mine to an event at Lush Norwich. With Lush being one of my favourite shops of all time (ever!!) I happily accepted and went along for some fun. I was not disappointed!

The event was mostly arrange to promote Lush's new 'Lush Kitchen.' There was also a chance to try out some of their gorgeous new products...

(Here's a peek at some of the delicious new products Lush are selling in their stores now!!)

✿ Granny Takes A Dip - This new bath bomb is absolutely AMAZE! It's ginger, pepper and lemon-scented and turns your water a gorgeous psychadelic green pink and blue pattern. Another thing that I adored about it is that It lasts for ages! (£3.25)

✿ New Charity Pot - Now, the Charity pot hand and body lotion is no stranger to lush. You're probably thinking 'Er, Ellie.. Lush have been selling the Charity pot for ages..' If you are, you're right. However, Lush have taken the charity pot and changed it slightly so that it's now a self-preserving, rebalanced formula.  It still smells just as gorgeous and still gives 100% of profits (minus taxes) to small grassroots organisations that align with their ethics in the areas of environmental conservation, animal welfare and human rights. (10g - £1.00 / 95g - £6.95 / 240g - £12.95)

✿ Mangnificent - Firstly I'd just like to express how AMAZINGLY AMAZING this new soap smells. It smells like mango-lemony-mandarin heaven. It was absolutely delicious smelling and reminded me of summer. (100g - £4.00 / 250g - £10.00 / 500g - £20.00)

✿ Parsley Porridge  - Another of Lush's new soaps that smells just as good and leaves your skin smelling and feeling awesome! Containing parsley, thyme, tea tree oil, aloe gel and fine oatmeal, it's great for exfoliating skin. (100g - £4.00 / 250g - £10.00 / 500g - £20.00)

✿ May Day - Now, I didn't actually get this product in the picture (smooth move, Ellie.) So I've stuck one to the right. May Day is a new bath bomb that's looks so cute.  Another product that gives all proceeds to anti-badger cull projects in the UK (minus VAT) this sweet-smelling cute little bath bomb is nothing but groovy and great for charity! (£2.95)

There were so many cool little activities going on! Party-goers were allowed to experience trials of existing Lush goodies (modelled by Emily in the top left hand corner,) Watch demos of some of the new products I talked about (Top left - Granny Takes A Dip in action,) and make your very own Comforter bubble bars to take home for free! (I was very pleased about this!! Thanks Lush!!) 

I was also given a free sample of 'Catastrophe Cosmetic' face mask to try at home. (yay Lush!) 

It was a great afternoon treat before my birthday! 

A big thanks to Lush for inviting us all along and giving us all these lovely free samples of products! It was a great time and I really enjoyed myself!

x

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♡ Doing it for the curvy girls! ♡

Hi everyone!

How's your day going? I've written this post purely for anyone who wants to listen. Even if I help one single person feel better in themselves I would have done my job. If you want to carry on reading after that awful introduction, then please feel free to do so!

I'm here to discuss an issue that is probably close to many of your hearts; just as close as it is to mine. Body Image. I've spent the last year of my life feeling like I wasn't content with how I looked. I'd constantly turn down food I really wanted, and feel so down when I wouldn't lose any weight. I've realised now that feeling that way wasn't healthy for me. I've cleansed my body and changed my way of looking at things. I still eat well, but if I'm offered some cake or chocolate I'll take the opportunity. I've completely changed how I dress, and tried to dress more to my shape rather than constantly wearing leggings and baggy shirts. I've overcome this constant fear of judgement and I have never, ever felt so liberated.

Girls and boys alike, you should love your body. It sounds soooo cliche but it's soooo true. After all, you only get one go at being on earth. Why spend your time feeling not good enough? You. Yeah, you. The one reading this. I bet you're thinking that this is just another one of those 'hey listen you're beautiful' things. Well, you're right. It is. Believe me, unknown person who's reading this blog post. You look beautiful today. You have every right to feel beautiful. There is nothing stopping you from feeling beautiful every day. Those low life people who make you feel any less than beautiful don't deserve to take away your happiness.

There are many ways to feel more confident in yourself.

1. Accept Compliments. People aren't going to compliment you for no reason. The things they are saying are true. Accept their compliments and believe them!

2. Dress for your shape. Depending on your body shape, there are going to be different styles of clothing that will either accentuate or not accentuate your figure. It's easy to research and find out what's going to suit you and what isn't. Accept this. Don't let the fact that the one certain style of jeans made you look a little on the big side get you down. Not all styles of clothes were made for everyone! 

3. Feel confident. If you don't feel confident in yourself, no one else is going to feel confident in you. Embrace your unique qualities - everyone is unique for a reason. Life would be boring if we were all the same! 

4. Don't be afraid to try new things. Try new things in terms of style. Don't be afraid to develop your own look! If a look doesn't suit you or you don't like it, just scrap it. You don't have to wear something again if you don't like it! It's down to you to develop your own personal style. Don't let others tell you what to wear or how to do your hair. As long as you like it, that's all that matters.

I am Ellie, and I am a size 14 in UK sizes. My legs are on the bigger side. I have fat on my belly. I have bigger arms than most. But hey, I feel beautiful in myself. That's all that should ever matter. My body isn't going to change any time soon. I am comfortable with my body now. As long as you are comfortable and content with your unique qualities, the world is your oyster.

I know this entire post is soppy and samey samey but I promise you I'm telling the truth. Remember I love you.

Love,

xxx

♡ Exam Advice ♡

Hello all.

Today I thought we could discuss issues surrounding Exams.

Now, I know that it's now coming up that time of year that all students either in High School, College, Sixth Form or University become a massive ball of stress. Well, fear no more students, I am here with some fairly decent (ish) advice you will hopefully find a little bit useful.

I am Ellie, and I am just about 17 years old. I, like you still belong to the education system. I study a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Creative Media Production at College. Prepare for the irony.. My course doesn't actually involve any formal exams; only coursework. Before you begin throwing things at me such as 'But how the hizzly heck does she know about exams if she doesn't have to do any?' This time last year, I was under some intense pressure myself about GCSE exams. With the end of school looming, I was a huge ball of worry and over thought things way too much.

That's why I want to give those of you who do have exams some advice on how to cope with the ever mounting pressure you might feel like you are under.

Number one. Please don't freak out. Stay calm. With it feeling like there are a hundred and one things being thrown at you from all directions, it's very hard to stay focused. If you get yourself in a muddle, it's just going to feel worse. The best thing you can do is stay relaxed and calm. Obviously not too calm - you still need to work hard.

Number two. Stay organised. This was a big mistake I made in Year 11. Organise both your time and revision materials wisely. It's going to be hard juggling both work and play and getting a good mixture of both, but it is doable. (Also make sure you get enough sleep!!!!!) If you get given any sort of revision materials to help you, make sure you keep them filed and organised neatly. My best advice would be to purchase either a folder or storage facility with many compartments, or a folder for each subject you are taking an exam in. Trust me - A clean and organised structure will help to keep your mind clean and organised.

Number three. Keep focused and persistent. I know from experience that it is very easy to get distracted. The best thing to do is switch off all internet connected devices and keep them as far from you as possible. (As cliched as it sounds, it's really not that hard and is definitely worth it.) It will stop you from getting distracted and get down to some good ole' revision. Plug in your headphones, listen to some of your jams. (Nothing wrong with rocking out to some 5 Seconds of Summer whilst revising maths; or Rihanna whilst revising science.) Also, when it comes to revising, be persistent. You have to do it regularly! (not great but worth it.)

Number four. Get enough sleep. I can't stress this enough. You really do need at least about 8 and a half hours of sleep every night to keep your brain functioning how it's supposed to. You will revise and take in information a lot better at school and home if you're not struggling to keep your eyes open. Eat a good healthy breakfast every morning, and drink plenty of water. This will ensure your brain is Beyonce instead of Kelly Rowland!

Number five. REVISE! I can't stress to you how much I wish I'd revised more when I had the chance! The day you walk out of that school with your results slip in your hand knowing you did the best you could, trust me you will feel so much better for it! It may seem like a lot of stress and work at the time, but when you get to what I like to call the 'eternal summer' between leaving school and starting further education, you will have all the time in the world to sit on tumblr for 12 hours and finish a TV season from start to finish in a day.

PLEASE take my advice on board. These sorts of things sound like a drag coming from teachers, I know they do. They may seem like they are pushing you too hard but they are doing it for a reason! Listen to them. I have only just left school myself and believe me, what they are forcing onto you may be stressful but it's very right.

Feel free to leave a comment or tweet me @ellieontoast if you have any questions!

Good luck.

Love,

x

♡ Good Friday Fun - Joyland American Diner ♡

Hello everyone!

Today it is Good Friday. In case you don't know what that is, it's a Christian Holiday which commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus. Now, I'm personally not religious but in the UK most people get the day off work! I celebrated with some family members and took a trip to the seaside. Today consisted of walking by the very windy beach, playing games in amusement arcades and going out to eat. Today I also got my birthday present 2 weeks early - A brand new Canon Powershot SX170. The pictures on my blog will finally be of better quality!! Wooo!!

Me and my family chose a lovely little American themed diner in Great Yarmouth called 'Joyland American Diner' to have lunch in today! It was a really lovely place and was decorated with themed items from the 1950's.

It was a very hard decision to choose what to eat - there were so many nice choices! Eventually I opted for a classic Chocolate Milkshake and a Frankfurter Hot Dog with salad and 'Twister' Fries. The milkshake was so milky and chocolately, went down a treat.

Here is my hot dog, fries and salad. By the time we got to the diner I was starving, so as you can tell I was very pleased to see this! Even better, it was yummy!

It was delicious food - definitely one of my favourite American Diners I've eaten at so far! It was also in a lovely location, right beside the seaside. The decorations made me feel like I was part of the Grease movie. I was soooo full when I left!

How did you spend your Friday? Have you ever been to an American Diner?

Love,

x

♡ Look of the Day - 17th April ♡

Good morning!

Thought I'd make a post showing you what I've done with my hair and makeup, and what I'm wearing today! Always wanted to do one of these, so here it goes!

Today I am going shopping with my family before meeting a friend for lunch. I decided to go for a very simple, easy hairstyle which I thought was also quite summery. I simply took a piece of my hair from behind one ear, plaited it, and pulled it over to the other side to make a sort of hairband look. All it took was a simple hair grip and touch of hairspray to keep in place. It literally took 2 minutes and was a quick fix hairstyle which I love!

My makeup was very minimal today, I tried to keep it as bright yet simple as possible. I started with Miss Sporty SoClear anti-spot foundation in 001 light, before also using the SoClear anti-spot pressed powder in transparent. I love these products, as they are cheap but very good. They are anti-bacterial and don't give your skin as many spots! I then moved onto my eye makeup and used a random eye shadow I found that sadly isn't branded. However, it's a shade called 'cloudless sky.' I then also used Barry M kohl eyeliner pencil in metallic silver shade 11. I finished my eye look with Natural Collection LashDefinition mascara.

I am also wearing my yellow 'Be Happy & Smile' boyfriend shirt from my Primark Haul post, My aqua jelly heels from my Tilly London review, and a pair of light denim skinny jeans from Primark. I am wearing blue flower earrings from New Look, and my gold pearl ring also from my Primark Haul post.

Have a beautiful day whatever you are doing!

Love,

x

♡ Tilly London - Heeled Jelly Sandals - Review ♡

Hello lovelies.

I have a treat for you today! A few days ago I purchased a gorgeous pair of Jelly sandals with heels from Tilly London.

I found them on Amazon, but they were actually sold and delivered by Tilly London which is an independent company based in Billericay, Essex. Tilly London sells both through their website and Amazon.

They had a range of gorgeous summery colours, and the classic glitter. They also sell them as flats, but I thought i'd opt for the heels as they looked a lot more funky! I chose the 'Mint Green' colour as they are a lovely turquoisey blue which is my favourite colour.

I really can't fault the shoes - they were £10.98 including delivery which I think is really good value for money! The shoes themselves are very sturdy and comfortable, also very easy to walk in! When it comes to delivery, they came a lot faster than I expected. I ordered them through Amazon on the 14th of April - it's now only the 17th and they are already here!

If you're looking for a summery shoe with a touch of heel and a classic feel, I'd definitely recommend these lovely shoes. For a very cheap price and with fast delivery, I'd rate Tilly London 10/10 as a seller!

Check them out over at www.TillyLondon.com!

Love,

x

♡ Primark & Lush Haul - April 16th 2014 ♡

Hi All!

I took a cheeky trip to Primark and Lush yesterday and ended up buying some more summery clothing and beauty goodies! (Ignore the pritt stick! I bought that for some college work!)

Doesn't it all just look so fabulous? Right, where to start?

Primark - 

The first thing I picked up was a pastel yellow colour boyfriend style t-shirt which I thought was super summery and bright. This particularly caught my eye because of the slogan. On the front it says 'Be Happy & Smile.' This reminded me of my favourite Youtuber ShayCarl and his famous 'Happiness is a choice' quote. I also love the rolled sleeves. This lovely shirt was only £5.00 which is a bargain!

Secondly, I picked up a lovely black and white aztec print playsuit. Being a fairly curvy girl, I'm all for playsuits as they hug your body in all the right places to accentuate curves. I am a sucker for black and white items of clothing, and for only £5.00 you really cannot go wrong! The only thing that could be a possible problem with this jumpsuit is the cut-out section in the back. However if this was a problem it could easily be styled with a black or white strappy tank top layered underneath.

My favourite item of everything I purchased was a lovely pastel pink iPhone 4 case. It's a matte finish plastic with cutout flower print sections on the back. For £3.00, I really was amazed at the quality and gorgeous design!

Next, I decided it was high time to purchase some new tights. I opted for 60 denier. These were only £2.00 which is great as I am prone to laddering tights so easily! I also got some lovely frilly white socks for only £1.50.

I also picked up some white deck shoes. I love these shoes! They are comfortable, cheap and a lovely design. The bottom part is made up of a rope material to give them a real summery, beachy feel. The insides are also lined with material with little anchors on which adds to this theme! Super cute and practical!

My final purchase is a pack of four gold rings. These were only £2.00. The designs included a pink flower, a diamond bow, a simple pearl and a diamond circle design. For such a cheap price, it's nice to stock up on accessories for summer.

Lush - 

My purchase from Lush for the day was one of my all time favourite Lush products, The Brightside bubble bar. Having a conversation with a member of staff when I was paying for the item informed me that they are no longer limited edition but now part of the permanent collection. Woo! The Brightside bubble bar has a very spring/summery smell. It's citrusy and very refreshing! Only 1/4 of a bar will give you endless bubbles and peachy coloured bath water! It leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth, and smelling great for hours after use! This costed £4.50 which was very good considering you can get about 4 baths out of one bar if used in moderation. Find more information and buy your own here.

So, that was my haul for today. Hope you enjoyed hearing about all the lovely things these shops have to offer! I'd definitely recommend all of the items in the post - without a doubt!

If you have any links to your own blog posts with some items you think I'd like, drop me a comment and I'll get reading!

Love,

x