My In-Flight Travel Essentials

Hello everyone! So I've been a busy bee recently and have just returned from a lovely holiday in Ibiza. It occurred to me that it might be interesting to see what my top hand luggage bits and pieces were, to help you if you're going away soon, or just to have a relaxing read.

For this holiday I took a small backpack. It's lightweight so wasn't too bad to carry around. I like the style of the bag, with its minimalist black and brown fabric. It has a simple magnetic popper opening, disguised as fake buckles. I do like that this means you can get into your bag easily, but sometimes for extra security, it'd be nice if the bag had a zip or did actually buckle down. Inside, there are two small sewn-in pockets, a small zip pocket and a large compartment at the front.

Ipod and Headphones

I placed my Ipod and headphones in the zip pocket so that the headphones and Ipod were easily accesible. I think it also helped my headphones stay un-tangled, a first world problem I'm sure many people have encountered.

Wordsearch Book

I have had this wordsearch book for a while now. It contains loads of word searches and so it keeps me well distracted whilst on the flight. It's also useful to have when on holiday, to use on the beach, by the pool, or just whilst you're waiting to do something.

Magazine

I love magazines. I am not the type of person to be able to sit down and read a full book. I find that magazines suit my lifestyle. I love to be doing things, going in the pool, playing a sport etc. Therefore, a short one page read, or a look at the latest trends for five minutes is great for me.

Sunglasses

I love my sunglasses. These were just around the £2.50 mark and came with their own travel sleeve which is really handy. I like to pack these for when I come off the flight when the sun can be quite dazzling, or even just when coming off the plane due to the change in brightness. I also like to carry these for tired eyes because often my flights are in the morning or late at night and so they can be a little more susceptible to being sensitive to the light. Also, an extra tip and reason to carry sunglasses is that they're great for hiding tired eyes/ eye bags, which I get a lot. And because I don't wear make-up on flights, you can at least still look human for a bit.

Tissues

Anyone who knows me, will know that I often carry tissue with me wherever I am. The air-con on planes can sometimes make my nose run, or eyes water and so tissues are just convenient to have. I tend to be sensitive to dust or strong smells also, so I'm normally the one sneezing. If don't have the above issues, still take a pack of tissues (yes, I know that rhymed), because you never know when an unexpected sneeze may arise. And they're multi-functional for spills too.

Camera

My camera goes in my carry on so that when I get off the plane, I can start my holiday snaps. On my recent trip to Ibiza, we had a short transfer and so I took a few pictures on the journey. I also just like to have my camera in my bag anyway....I don't really know why.

Passport/Travel Documents

This is a given. Without them, you're not going on any flight. However, I thought I'd mention them anyway, just to remind you that if you're going away, check they're in-date and that all your documents are ready.

Stress Ball

I'm afraid of flying. I have been going on aeroplanes since I can't even remember and have experienced flights with bad turbulance. I have also been on a long haul flight to America, which coincidentally was one of the flights with bad turbulance. None of these experiences even phased me and I actually found the jumpy flights to be entertaining. It wasn't until around four years ago that a little nerve kicked in. Firstly, I wanted to be sat next to my family, then I just didn't like flying and then last year, I just freaked out. Now I have found a way which really really works for me. A simple stress ball. This green, squidgy, foam, stress ball helped so much to the point where take off and landing was a doddle for me. If you're not a good flyer, I would highly recommend trying this out.

So these are a few of the things that I took with me in my carry-on bag. Obviously you may need to take more if on a longer flight and you can take liquids that are up to 100ml. I decided not to take any liquids with me, just for ease and you can always buy drinks once you're through security.

 I hope you enjoyed this blog and if you're going to be flying soon, where are you going? Leave a comment, follow my blog and see you soon!

Follow @Charlottejade77

My Winter Nights Routine

Hello!

I am definitely a summer girl. I love being able to wear shorts and a top and feel comfortable and uplifted. Unfortunately, it is freezing now so I thought I'd write a blog about how I keep calm, pampered and winter ready.

Firstly, I like to get in from wherever I  have been, throw my coat over the stairs and relax on the sofa with a cup of tea. That sigh of relief that you get when walking into your home is the best!

Then, once I've eaten I will start my routine. I will go and take a shower. During the winter months I like to use moisture rich shower gels. I have this Nivea in-shower moisturiser that helps to soothe dry skin. A lot of people would have thought that a bath would have featured in this blog post, but personally I find having a bath very boring. I like to get in the shower, have a soak and then get back out again so that I can relax in my pyjamas.

My slippers from Marks and Spencer 

Nivea in shower moisturiser 

Christmas scented candles (not the spicy ones)

Dressing Gown also from M&S

For my showers I use:

• A regular shampoo (non-expensive) such as Alberto Balsam 
• A conditioner for medium to dry hair/dry hair
• Shower gel of choice with a shower lily/shower scrub

I find that gently using a shower puff helps to exfoliate my skin and prep it ready for moisturising which I do about once a week using a Bodyshop body butter. 

I get out the shower, quickly dry and put on my dressing gown. That's the other bad thing about winter- getting out of a nice warm shower, into the frozen bathroom.

I don't often do this step and I do it even less in the Summer, but if I've had bad skin, I will give my skin a full treatment using my No7 skincare.

Firstly I take the hot cloth cleanser and place onto my face. I then run the cloth under a warm tap and put onto my face for a few minutes as guided (the reason I don't do this much, is because you have to wait for the cleanser to work...I find it difficult to sit still).

Then once I have wiped and washed off the cleanser it's onto my face mask. This No7 moisturising mask helps to soften the face and treat any dry spots on the skin. My only reservation is that these products can sometimes sting, depending on how sore your face is feeling.

Then after this I moisturise using a Boots own moisturiser #studentlife. I find it's really gentle and it just really works for me. On a normal day however, I'd skip out the hot cloth cleanser and mask, and just use my other boots cleanser and toner, as they both work really well.

Before jumping into bed, I make sure to moisturise my legs, arms and elbows, as I find that these are my trouble spots. I use a different moisturiser for my hands, as the body butter is very oily. I have almost used up all of my Ted Baker one, which smells really nice.

Then, I can settle down with my drink, my fairy lights and enjoy a movie. Recently they have been Christmas themed, like The Santa Claus featuring Tim Allen who is the voice of Buzz Lightyear in
the Toy Story films.

I hope you've enjoyed my blog post and I hope it has reminded you to pamper your skin every once in a while!

Follow @Charlottejade77

Stationery/Back to Uni

So although the schools have gone back, a lot of universities haven't so I thought I'd make a little post about some of the stationery items I bought and just a little tip to go with each of them.

1. A plastic wallet

So really, this depends on your workload and how much you're writing. I bought myself a small floral wallet last year from Tesco, for just under a pound I believe. This was before I'd gone to University and didn't realise that just one wallet would not arrange my sheets well enough. However, that one wallet was useful for the sheets/handouts or 'homework pieces' that I was given, so I then started to use it for that (a homework wallet). However if you wanted a wallet for each of your different modules, Wilkinsons had a good deal on a 4 pack of wallets so maybe that's where you'll want to go.

2. Expandable folder

Depending on your course, you might get a lot of work that you need to always have with you. You might want to break down the terms in your modules and be super organised, so I thought I'd add an expandable folder to my list. These folders are usually A4 and are plastic, but you can get paper ones if you wish (these can be quite flimsy). The folder shuts at the front and in this form looks like a thick folder, however when you open this up, there are different slots for you to put papers in so they're a really good idea for a course that has a lot of writing and papers involved.

I've had this folder for years but still does the job! 

3. Display Folder

So recently I got myself one of these after spending quite a long time mulling over the idea of getting one. But I thought it'd be handy for me to see my work as there are sewn in folders. I also thought that it was quite compact and will hopefully be useful. I might make my own separators for each subject as well and just slide them into a pocket.

4. Notepads

So these are pretty essential. If you need to write your lectures, take notes or anything where you'll be writing, you'll need a notepad! I just use a regular A4 one at the minute, with a plastic case for durability and an elastic security band which keeps everything nice and together. I love these because I also used to keep sheets in it and use it as a folder and well as for my writing. HOWEVER!! You might find that buying smaller notepads for each subject is more suitable to you and how you like to organise things. My plan is that I'll write my lecture in my A4 pad, tear out the sheet and put it in my display folder, but if you'd prefer just to have each subject in a different book, go for it!

5. Pens/highlighters/small stationery items

So these are pretty straight forward, you've been using them since school but as you get older, you start to 'forget' your pens or you just take one 'trusty pen'.....Guys, that's really not enough. Buy a pack of three pens, I bought mine for £1 and take all three. Pens run out, pens get lost and everyone knows that one person who asks for a pen before every lecture! Highlighters are quite useful also, especially when it comes to revision time. On my course, the lecturers suggest printing out lecture slides (from the PowerPoint presentations) so going through and highlighting important parts will be really helpful when you go to reflect on what you've learnt.

6. Journal/Planner/Diary

This is just an optional addition but I think these are brilliant. I've featured my journal quite a few times but I'll mention it again because I love it and it's the one that I use the most. It's helpful to write down the weeks plan, to write to do lists and to write down any homework or tasks that you've been set and the date they're in for. You can also find ready made weekly planners and other organisers so it's worth thinking about.

So that's it! They're all my University stationery items. If you think there are more don't hesitate to comment, you can also like this post and follow me on Instagram and Twitter! 

Hope you enjoyed it 

x

Follow @Charlottejade77

Get Ready With Me- Casual Meal

Hello! So I'm back with another post and for this week I thought I'd do something a bit more beauty related. I thought it'd be a nice idea to show you a get ready with me, so that you can see a bit of my style, how I do my make-up and maybe take some inspiration from it. 

So I started the day/night before by having a nice relaxing shower using my Soap and Glory shower puff and some Baylis & Harding 'skin spa' steam cream wash in the scent 'cherry blossom, oriental lily and lotus flower'. The shower gel smells amazing and lathers up really well when combined the with soap and glory puffs, which is the best one I've ever used. It's quite large and padded so it doesn't separate, which means I can give my body a good exfoliation without any hassle. I then went on to give my hair a good wash with the Alberto Balsam 'Tea Tree Tingle' shampoo. This is super affordable and although it might not be the most expensive product, it still leaves my hair feeling soft, looking shiny and smelling really nicely. Then to finish off I used Aussie's '3 minute miracle' conditioner. I don't usually use this conditioner but it's sometimes a nice treat and really helps to 'restore manageability and shine'- so it does, just what it says on the tin (bottle)! Also it has a bubblegum scent to it which is really nice and sweet.

Then to get ready I brush my teeth just using regular Colgate toothpaste, the one in the picture is the cavity protection one but I like to have a change and use the whitening one from time to time. I don't know if it's just me, but I like to brush my teeth before going out. It makes my breath smell fresh, makes my teeth feel clean and maybe it's a little OCD thing, but I just don't feel ready without doing this step.

I get my skin ready using my cheap and cheerful cleanser and toner from Boots. I say cheap and cheerful because they were both only £1.50 each and I don't think for that price, that they're too bad actually! So I cleanse my skin with the cleanser and a cotton pad to make sure my skin is clean and clear from any excess oils or dirt. Then I tone to close my pores- I love this step as it feels nice and refreshing.

Then I prime my face with No17's Photo Flawless Primer that I got in a set for my birthday. I feel like this creates a barrier between my skin and my make-up and makes my concealer and powder stay on longer because of it. It's got a gel like consistency and glides onto my skin; I then rub it around my face and around my eyes.

Now that my skin is ready I start with my concealer. I switch up my concealer and sometimes use Rimmel Wake Me Up or this one I'm featuring here which is the Collections 'Cover up stick' in 'Natural Beige'. I think this helps to make my dark eye circles lighter and less noticeable. The product itself isn't very dewy like the Rimmel Wake Me Up and is more like a creamy powder so would suit someone who likes more of a matte finish.

After this I take my powder brush and using the Rimmel Natural Bronzer, contour my cheeks a little but then also powder the rest of my face just to give me a nice finish and a healthy tanned glow. I'm not very tanned so this step helps me to not looked washed out. This bronzer is amazing, it has a brilliant shade and leaves your skin glowing without adding visible glitter pigments into the product. Also it has an SPF 15 and is waterproof so overall a brilliant make up addition.

I got this No17 make up collection box, which contains loads of beauty bits like lip glosses, highlights and a bronzer. I think these boxes are great gift ideas because they contain a variety of colours and products, so you can make different looks from them by just using this one box. For this look I am using a baked eye shadow powder. Unfortunately it doesn't give a specific name for this colour but as you can see from the image, it's a shimmery gold with a brown undertone. However, it's often up to personal preference, so get a gold eye shadow that you love and one that suits your skin and you can still recreate this look.

I spread this colour all over my lid and then move onto step two, which is to add the 'natural' eye shadow from the outer corner and blend inwards.

I then finish off the look with a few coats of mascara on the top lashes only. My top tip for getting rid of clumps is by using two mascara's, because the different applicators can separate the clumps left by the other mascara.

So now that my make-up is done, I move onto my hair, or vice versa, depending on how I'm feeling. I take Tresemme's Heat Defence spray with protection up to 230oC (purple box around writing). Heat defence is essential when using heat products on your hair. I have naturally curly hair and like to let it air dry, which is what I did the night before. This meant that all I had to do was to add a few extra curls with my GHD's to complete the look. These are just the original GHD's but I love them and they're my holy grail of heat product. I use these to curl my hair by getting a section of hair that looks a bit straighter than the rest, putting the straighteners at the top of the hair and pulling down whilst turning the straighteners. Once I'm at the end of the hair, I then roll it on itself, wrapping the hair around the straighteners and holding for about five seconds, before slowly releasing the straighteners holding them up vertically and lowering down.

This is what my hair and make up looked like completed

My outfit is a baby pink knitted jumper from New Look which was around £19, my paisley patterned black jeans were from TU at Sainsburys! And my jacket is a black leather Dorothy Perkins jacket that has a detachable fur collar that I got a few years ago. My necklace is an Amethyst crystal that I got from a crystal shop in Tintangel, Cornwall.

So that's it! Look complete! I had a lovely night and had a lovely meal for my Nanna's birthday! Hope you liked this blog and the look I created as my style is very simple and natural. 

Please comment, like and follow and I'll see you soon for another post! 

Follow @Charlottejade77

Holiday Essentials

Hello! I'm back with another blog post! Hopefully it's not too late for me to do this post and that people still have holidays to go on! If not, I'm sure there will be a few of you going for a long weekend or something of that nature so......Here's my 'Holiday Essentials' blog post!

I've chosen a few of the things I took with me on my last holiday. Many of these things have been featured in previous blogs so if you'd like further information about them then go check them out! The items I will feature are also more on the cosmetic/hand luggage side of things so if that's what you enjoy reading about then here you go!

Number One

Hand Sanitiser....
So you might be thinking, 'this girl is a clean freak', or you might be thinking 'yes! Someone else that likes to feel clean'. I bought this in a pharmacy in Cornwall, however they are sold in so many places. The Bodyshop has its own collection of fragranced hand sanitisers in fruity scents and I also saw Soap and Glory had brought one out, so I think the demand for these is on the rise! They're super handy for if you're going on a flight and need to freshen your hands before eating or after touching hand rails and I also found that these are handy in public situations e.g. public toilets if the soap has ran out because you wont be caught short and can always stay nice and hygienic! This one was £1 so they can be quite cheap, but prices can vary. I got this in the bubblegum scent so.....YUM!

Number Two

Glasses! A must have to prevent frowning which creates the weirdest tan lines. I got these ones from Primark (I love Primark if you haven't noticed). They were around £1.50/£2 and came with their very own material case which has been really handy because it isn't bulky and prevents scratches! I just love the tigers eye print on these

Number Three

Make-up wipes.

Now...the beauty guru's of this world will tell you how bad these face wipes are for your skin, that they don't properly cleanse etc... But it's a bit difficult trying to take cleansers and shampoos etc in hand luggage because of the airline/airport security rules, and rightly so. Therefore I don't really see a problem in using these for the duration of your travels. If you still would like to take liquid cleansers then go ahead, but I still find these really useful for freshening up for example, if it gets hot it's ideal to just wipe these over my neck to freshen up! I picked up the boots brand cleansing wipes and I think these ones actually get my make-up off. Inexpensive, super quick and won't take up too much room in your bag!

Number Four

Make-up! These are my staples that I use a lot of the time and they don't take up much room at all. I use the number 17 metallic eye pencil in gold as a base and then use my Rimmel natural bronzer as an eye shadow by building up the colour which makes it into more of a natural brown which looks really nice with the gold accent. I then use my blusher brush to apply my bronzer over my face giving me a healthy glow- one product, two uses!  I use the concealer under my eyes as I have dark circles and I think this just makes me look awake, hence the name 'wake me up'. This is by Rimmel and is in the shake classic beige. The lipstick is Miss Sporty 210 in Pearl Nude. I have featured this in a previous blog but it's just a peachy nude colour if you wanted to add a bit more elegance to an outfit in the evening times and smells like melon!

Number Five 

Smellies! 

I thought I'd speak briefly about these because it's pretty self explanatory but I enjoy taking a body spray and a deodorant on holiday and this body spray doubles up as a nice scent for the evening. The deodorant is a miniature, which makes it super handy and works just the same as any other deodorant-I really like it. 

Number Six

Hair bits and bobs if you need them!
Just a small assortment of bobbles (a few because they have a mind of their own), hair grips
 (also have a mind of their own), scrunchies to jazz things up a bit and maybe a headband, nothing major but in the heat, tying your hair up is very helpful.

Number Seven

Magazines
I'm not saying take this many. I just thought I'd show you some of my collection....looks like I hoard magazines haha! I like Glamour because it's cheap but even despite the price, is one of my favourites. My other favourite is Cosmopolitan which is a bit more money but if you're not a book person like me, magazines are easy to pick up whenever, and put down when you want. Easy to roll up and are pretty flat already.

Number Eight

And finally nail polish
This is the LP nail polish in an orange-y colour, great for tans! The gel finish makes the nails really shiney and it doesn't chip. A matching mani/pedi looks really great on holiday and saves you having to take more than one colour

And that's everything! A bit longer than usual because obviously you need to take more than two things if you're going away! These are only recommendations and aren't everything you might take. If going somewhere hot, remember that suncream, have a great holiday if you're going on one and I hope you enjoy this read

Follow @Charlottejade77