New dividers!

Trying to sort out my life and my filofax, I thought I'd start by getting rid of the dividers that came with my filofax. After having a rummage around eBay, I found these. I am a bit of a geek when it comes to geography, so when I saw these, I had to have them.

I have a Filofax Personal Original and I got the dividers from here for £3.40

What you buy when you have no make-up whatsoever...

After going home for the weekend and then getting all the way back to find out you've left ALL of your make-up (including tweezers, got such bushy brows!) is annoying to say the least - but having to go out and buy replacements is much worse! For starters, I didn't know what to buy! I did need a new foundation, lip stain and eye liner...but I didn't know what I wanted.

So I headed to Boots...and with 3 for 2, it meant I felt obliged to buy 3 items from the same brand!

So what did I buy?

I didn't want to buy replacements for things I had left at home, as I knew I'd be getting it back...that and I like to try new make-up until I find something that is HG.

Rimmel 3 for 2:

I had originally intended to buy the Rimmel London Stay Matte Primer but I had picked up the tester and when I went back to go and get a normal primer, not a single one...so I had to choose something else (the cheek stain)

• Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation in Ivory (30ml) - £5.99
• Rimmel Match Perfection Illuminating Concealer in Ivory (7ml) - £5.99
• Rimmel London Stay Blushed! Liquid cheek tint (14ml) - £4.49

Maybelline 3 for 2:

• Maybelline Fit Me Powder Flawless in Classic Ivory (9g) - £5.99
• Maybelline Master Drama Cream Eyeliner Pencil in Ultra Black - £4.49
• Maybelline Superstay 24hr Dual Ended Lip Colour in (9ml) - £8.99

Others:

• L'Oreal Paris Volume Million Lashes Mascara in Black (9.2ml) - £10.99
• Nivea Pure & Natural Moisturising Cream: Dry/Sensitive (50ml) - £3.56 - I forgot to buy a moisturiser so popped into Superdrug on the way home! 

Luckily I remembered my Boots Advantage Card and could redeem some things with my points! I know I will remember my make-up bag next time! 

What are your new recommendations for make-up?

EMPTY: Benefit Hello Flawless Foundation in Ivory

I've never really done an 'empties' review post, but to review a foundation, I personally think you really need to use it for a while before you review it.

I bought this from Boots for £25.50 after browsing the Benefit section and the make up artist approaching me. She did my full face with the make up and I felt obliged to buy some things (don't ever feel that you HAVE to, you don't!) I ended up buying the foundation and the Fake Up concealer.

My first thought was it was a little too dark and almost orange for me and I still have that opinion. If I apply it well I don't look orange, but it doesn't make me look as pale as I am. For me, this isn't a foundation I can do in a hurry and then leave the house - I've found this out the hard way. The colouring of the foundation on me is the only reason I won't repurchase this product.

I love the finish to the foundation (which is a tad too dark, but can be toned down with powder) and I think it looks great. It does not dry incredibly quick so you can blend it all in without worrying, however, it does have a dewy look and feel to it (I don't know how to explain, it takes a while to settle - almost moistened -  and dry into your skin...even with powder -) It doesn't have an odd smell which is common in quite a lot of foundations. The packaging is brilliant, I really love the Benefit names of products and how lovely everything looks - it doesn't look cheap. The foundation is distributed with a pump that lifts up so you don't have to really worry about the wastage and having some left at the bottom that the pump won't pick up.

Life as a trainee teacher

I haven't had much time to blog recently, mainly because I'm currently on a teaching placement. I do a teacher training course at university - primary education. So I'm fairly busy.

I don't have much long left, but I'm struggling to cope. All the observations make me feel quite negative and I don't feel that I'm going to be a good teacher because of it. I had an observation today with a member of staff from university who observed, I thought the lesson went appalling but they didn't see it to be as bad as me. It got to the question of 'what do you think you did that makes you a good teacher?' - I couldn't answer the question. I told them I'm quite a negative person and I cannot see anything good in anything I do, which led to a dreaded conversation on self-esteem. I have quite low self-esteem, especially in work, I feel I need a pick-me-up or for someone to say 'that was really good' to make me feel like I'm doing something right.

I compare myself to other people, which is the worst thing you can do as a person. I look at other people and I wish I could just somehow be as naturally good as they are, or make it seem so effortless. I wish I had parents, or family members who were in teaching, as many of my friends' parents are - which makes it easier for them with support (in my opinion). 

I just want to be at home. I have so much to do and I have so little time to do it in. I have no idea how I am supposed to do this. I have become the most disorganised person since I starting this teaching placement. In fact, I wish I had so much more time to go through.

Bad blogger, bad student... bad times!

I'm a bad blogger, I know it. I've not even logged on here in so long, never mind writing anything! In the spirit of trying to get more organised, with my academic life, personal life (and blogging life) I'm hopefully going to get on track! I will be using my Filofax to help me stay organised and tell myself what I need to do and when!

Look forward to more blog posts soon :)

My first Filofax: Personal Original - Patent Black

I've been in awe for Filofax's for so long! I've been searching for the web, looking at all sorts of filofax's and watching videos of them personalised. I finally now have one.

This is my personal size Filofax from the 2013 original line in patent black. It's gorgeous! I bought this in-store, which was quite tricky to find the original line where I live, but The Pen Shop in Debenhams had a larger selection than a very large WHSmith! It cost me £60 and was a birthday treat to myself!

It was quite hard to photograph, and my camera was very mischievous today and refused to take many good photos and they made the Filofax look a brown. But I can assure you it's a very black black which is super shiny!

These Filofax's were produced in the UK and from what I have heard, they are using the same leather as the British company - The UK Satchel Company.

It has 4 rings and comes with a lovely flyleaf to preserve your pages against the cover.

Here's a glimpse of the pages, they are the standard cotton cream week on two pages (WO2P) and included was from July 2013 - December 2014.

I can't wait to start using it, though I'm scared to christen it and mark the pages! I've ordered some more pages and some colourful pens so I can colour code everything! :D

SWATCH: Avon Nailwear Pro + in Caliente Couture

I'm sorry I've not posted in a while, but I do have a reason....I now have a job! Yay! I had my interview the other day and I had to catch the train there and as I didn't take my laptop, I couldn't blog :( I'm so happy I've got a job though, I start work on the 31st of this month - the day AFTER my birthday!

Anyway, the last post I did a mini Avon haul and I thought I'd show you a swatch of the nail polish and what it looks like! 

The colour is a bright purple from the Nailwear Pro + collection. It has a gloss finish and it's opaque within one coat - however, I always apply two!

I have to apologise for the absolute state of my nails, I didn't think they looked that bad, but the camera seems to have picked out the flaws! My cuticles are a mess and my hands have been dry for the past week or so, so I'll have to make sure they're in a better state for the next nail post!

As you can see the colour is pretty opaque and matches the actual colour within a coat or two. It lasts FOREVER! Normally my nails are great for a day and then they're chipping and looking a mess within a few days, this lasted well over a week in quite a good condition. It was also mixed with the Avon base coat that I got in my mini-Avon haul in my last post!

~ What do you think? Do you own any purple polishes, if so, what's your favourite?