What's on my iPhone

I've seen this tag on YouTube and always enjoy having a nose at what apps other people have! I'm going to talk you through the apps I have on my iPhone 5C, and I'll do mini descriptions/reviews of the ones you may not have heard of.
*WARNING: Text heavy post*

First Page
National Rail
Duolingo is an app that helps you learn a new language. You can set yourself goals and track your progress. I'm trying to learn French and I find it really effective, just doing 10-15 minutes a day.
Tumblr (i'm a little obsessed)
Facebook & Messenger
Snapchat
Instagram 
WhatsApp
In my music folder is the normal 'Music' app that is already on the phone when you get it, plus:
Air Transfer which let you transfer music to your iPhone over a wi-fi connection.
8Tracks has loads of user-made playlists which you can filter by mood or style. It's a great way to discover new music and independent artists.

Second Page
MyEE helps me keep track of my EE account such as how long I have till my next bill & how much data I've used this month.
Blogger
My Fitness Pal is a great app the helps you keep track of what you're eating, how many calories you're taking in as well as how much protein, cabs and fat your eating. You can add goals to lose or gain weight and the app will calculate how many calories and how much protein, carbs and fat you should be eating to reach your goal. You can add exercise into your day and the app will calculate how many calories you've burnt. I found it really interesting and motivating when I was trying to gain weight. I'd recommend it to everyone.
HSBC
YouTube
My iPill (pill reminder)
My 'Others' folder is just a load of miscellaneous apps that I never really use.

In my 'Food and Travel' folder I have:
Domino's & Just Eat for ordering takeaways
GBK for discounts and special offers at Gourmet Burger Kitchen
Booking.com
TripAdvisor
Weather

Photo Apps:
VSCOcam is such a good photo editing app. You can make loads of different changes such as changing the contrast, lightening the shadows and giving the photo an overall tint of colour. The filters on there are also great and you buy additional packs if you want to.
PhotoWonder is a really cute editing app with an adorable anime-style interface. I like it for its blemish removal feature and filters.
Reflection lets you create those awesome photos were the one side is a reflection of the other, or the bottom is a reflection of the top. It's a great app to play around with, you can create some really surreal images on there.
PhotoGrid is a simple, effective app for making photo collages.
TimerCam (self-timer camera)
And with Free Prints you can upload photos straight from your phone and have them printed for free, you only pay for delivery which makes it super cheap. I recently ordered 40 prints for just £2! They arrived really quickly and are good quality prints, very happy with them.

Games:
Fruit Blast
Candy Crush
Unblock Me
Million Pound Drop (anyone else love playing along?)

Health-Related Apps:
Muji plays soothing music/sounds to help you sleep.
Fit Flexibility includes loads of stretch routines that can help you increase your flexibility.
Blogilates app is great for watching Blogilates vids on the go and looking up delicious healthy recipes. You can also keep track of the workout calendar for each month on here.
SIT times exercise sets and the break time between each one.
Simply Yoga is my favourite yoga app out of all the (free) ones i've tried. It has routines of 20 minutes, 40 minutes or an hour which flow in a smooth logical order. The commentary is very relaxing and informative and I always feel so relaxed and at ease after doing a routine - love it!
MoleCheck lets you photograph the moles on your body, and reminds you to take new photos every few weeks to keep track of any changes that might be happening. This is to make sure all your moles are always looking healthy and safe. I am a very moley person and also very wary of skin cancer so find this app extremely helpful.
Sleep Time tracks how long you sleep for, and how much of your sleep was light or deep. I'm not sure how accurate it is, but it's interesting nonetheless.
Relax Melodies is another app that can play soothing sounds to aid sleep. I much prefer this over Muji. There is a much larger variety of sounds to chose from, and you can even combine two sounds to play together.

Shopping Apps:
Depop is a super easy app for buying and selling things. The interface reminds me a lot of Instagram which not only makes it familiar and easy to use, but also I think it looks very sleek.
eBay
UNiDAYS is an app that allows students to get discounts in loads of online stores without having to buy a NUS card.
Amazon

Hope you like this post as something a bit different to the usual beauty content. Let me know what your favourite apps are!

xo

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Carnival Spirit | Swatches & Mini-Review

Size: 3.7g

Stockists: Superdrug & Boots

Price: £7.49

Colour Payoff: This is lipstick gives a sheer, buildable colour which feels moisturising on the lips:

bare lips                                           one coat                                   built up colour

What do you guys think? Have you tried any of the other colours from this range? I know i'd like to!

xo

Nivea Sensitive 3 in 1 Micellar Cleansing Water | Review

Size: 200ml

Stockists: Superdrug (here) & Boots (here)

Price: £4.07, currently on sale for £2.03 in Superdrug!

What it Says On The Tin: "Cleanses deeply, removes make-up and moisturises in one step. Helps protect against 3 main signs of sensitive skin: redness, tightness & dryness. Free of parabens, colours and perfume."

Packaging: It comes in a durable plastic bottle. It has a (screwed on) flip-top lid with a small hole in, perfect for dispensing the product onto cotton pads.

Formula & Smell: The formula of this is just like water, very light and refreshing. It's not oily and has only a very gentle, pleasant smell.

How I Use It: I tip a little of it onto a cotton pad and sweep it all over my face and neck. I do this every morning and every night before bed. If have make-up on, I usually remove the majority of it first using a make-up wipe before using this to cleanse more deeply.

Does It Work? Yes! In my opinion it's perfect! Here are some of the reasons i'm so in love with it:
1) It is safe to use on the eyes. No nasty stinging. It fairs pretty well with normal mascara but i imagine it might need a little extra help with the waterproof stuff, although that doesn't bother me.
2) There's no need to rinse it off after use - great for lazy people like me!
3) It is free of alcohol, parabens, colours and perfumes. Better for my skin and better for the environment.
4) It doesn't dry my skin. It leaves it feeling moisturised and supple, but not oily or greasy, it's just right! (The baby bear's porridge to my oily/combination skin)
5) It leaves my skin feeling deeply clean and refreshed.
6) My skin is noticeably clearer, less red and more even looking since using this.

Have any of you guys tried this? If not, I highly recommend it! 

xo

Recent Downloads - Jessie Ware, Charli XCX & You Me At Six

Thought I'd do a quick post sharing some of my recently downloaded music. Might make this a regular thing even though I'm really lazy when it comes to downloading stuff haha 

Katy Perry - This Is How We Do 

Jessie Ware - Wildest Moments, If You're Never Gonna Move & Tough Love (Cyril Hahn Remix)

Alt-J - Hunger of the Pine

Snakehips - Days With You 

Charli XCX - Boom Clap

Nico & Vinz - Am I Wrong?

You Me At Six - Room to Breath

xo

Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser | Review

I picked up this cleanser from Superdrug a while ago now, as an alternative to the Liz Earle cleanser (my review here) so i might make some comparisons to that during this review.

Size: 150ml

Stockists: Superdrug & Superdrug.com

Price: Usually £5.99, currently on sale for £2.98!

What It Says On The Tin: "Infused with plant extracts. Awakens skin's natural glow, cleanses and gently exfoliates. Brightening kiwi fruit & mulberry extracts. Nourishing cocoa butter"

Packaging: The cleanser comes in a pale green box, which contains the actual squeezy tube of cleanser and a muslim cloth.

Formula & Smell: It's a thick, smooth, white cream which spreads really nicely on the skin. Unlike the Liz Earle cleanser, this cleanser is designed to be applied to a wet face, then massaged in and removed with the cloth in the same way. The smell is a really nice smell in my opinion even though it reminds me of a 'man's aftershave' type smell.

Does It Work? I really like this as a cleanser, it's effective at removing make-up, including waterproof mascara, and it leaves my skin feeling super clean and soft. As for the 'brightening' aspect, I'm not so sure, I can't say i've noticed any improvement in the brightness of my skin but I love it nonetheless - it's an effective and (very) affordable hot cloth cleanser, thumbs up from me!

Have any of you guys tried this or any other hot cloth cleansers? I'd love to hear your opinions!

xo

Jamie Oliver's Asian Tuna, Coconut Rice & "Jiggy Jiggy Greens" | My Take

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

Tuna:

4 Fresh Tuna Fillets

200g Sesame Seeds

2 Green Tea Bags (I chose not to use these since I don't like green tea)

Salt 

Sesame Oil

Greens:

Bunch of Asparagus

Bunch of Tenderstem Broccoli

Bunch of Bok Choi/Pak Choi 

2 Cloves of Garlic (I chose to omit this)

Teriyaki Sauce

Rice:

Basmati Rice

1 Tin of Coconut Milk

Optional Dressing :

Sushi Ginger

Juice of Half a Pink Grapefruit

(I didn't make this since I really don't like ginger)

Extras

1 Red Chili

2 Spring Onions

Bunch of Fresh Coriander

Soy Sauce

Method:

1) I began by sprinkling sesame seeds and a couple of pinches of salt on a board. I then pressed the tuna raw tuna fillets into them before setting them aside.

2) I added the tin of coconut milk to a pan, then filled the tin with boiling water and poured that in, then i filled the tin again with rice and added that to the pan. I let it simmer with the lid slightly open and turned it off after 10 minutes.

3) With the rice simmering away, I finely chopped all my greens, as well as a red chili, the spring onions and the coriander. 

4) I added some oil to a pan on a medium heat, and, once hot I put in my greens, keeping the chili, spring onions and coriander aside. I stir-fried the veg on a medium heat for a couple of minutes, and added a few dashes of teriyaki sauce, before turning it down to a low heat. It is at about this point that you should turn off the rice.

5) I bought out another pan, put it on a medium-high heat, and poured in a table spoon worth of sesame oil. Once hot, I placed in my tuna fillets. I gave each one about two minutes on each side before turning it. The amount of time you should give your tuna will depend on both the thickness of your tuna pieces and how well done you like it. I wanted mine to be still raw in the centre, as Jamie's was.

6) Once I felt the tuna was done enough it was time to plate up, the rice and the greens were perfectly cooked at this point. The last thing to do once everything was on plates, was simply to sprinkle the chopped chili, spring onions, and coriander onto the rice, and add a splash of soy sauce onto the tuna. Et voila! You're done!

My Verdict:

I loved this meal! I enjoyed making it and I enjoyed eating it even more, and so did my family. 

The tuna was enough taste on its own and I was glad I hadn't used the green tea as I think it might have masked the beautiful taste. The sesame seeds and the the sesame oil were a really nice subtle flavor that worked with the tuna and the rest of the meal. 

The greens were lovely, the different flavors and textures worked well together, my only disappointment with this was I felt the teriyaki sauce was too strong for me. Next time I would either use a lot less or omit it completely. 

The coriander and spring onions were lovely extras, but the chili was, again, too strong for me and only took away from all the other lovely flavors. 

Lastly, the rice, it was amazing, so delicious! Slightly sticky and slightly sweet, i loved it! Coconut rice was now become a staple in my household - you have to try it!

______________________________________________________________________________________

Hope you enjoyed seeing my attempt at one of Jamie Oliver's '15 Minute Meals'. I was quite proud of myself, even if it did take me closer to an hour! Haha

xo

Rimmel Funtime Fuschia Nail Polish | Review

Size: 8ml

Stockists: Boots & Superdrug stores & online

Price: Usually £3.69, currently on sale for £2.69!

Pros: Lovely, bright, hot pink colour. Super shiny finish. Long lasting/doesn't chip easily. Quick drying, maybe not quite 60 seconds, but its pretty fast! I also love the extra large brush, makes application a lot quicker and easier.

Cons: I struggle to find a con to be honest. The only negative i can think of it that there was some slight 'bubbling' (has anyone else experienced this?) on a few of my nails. However, that might be due to my poor application rather than there being anything amiss with the polish.

Overall, I love it! Fun, bright, shiny and long lasting.

xo

Mini Primark Haul

So I popped into my local Primark the other day and, as always, ended up spending money. Quite happy with what I picked up though, and thought you guys might like to see too:

White Midi Skirt - £10

This lightweight, floaty skirt is a great staple. It's sheer with a mini-length opaque white liner, and sits right on your waist, closing with a concealed zipper at the back. It would be lovely to wear during the day or even better dressed up with heels for a cocktail night with the girls. I think its super chic and makes a welcome change to the more popular tight-fitting, pencil midi skirts.

Light Wash Stretch Skinny Jeans - £11

Now, I'm not usually a jeans girl, I'm much more of a leggings girl, however, I wanted to see if I could find some jeans which would rival the heavenly comfort of leggings and these are pretty darn close. They are Primark's ultra soft, super stretch variety. I chose the light denim colour in a size 8 with 30" leg.

Burgundy Bag - £8

I love this bag! It's a perfect size (small but not too small) and I think the push-lock on the front and the little handle on top give it a high-quality, vintage look. It's a gorgeous, rich browny-burgundy colour and it comes with a long adjustable strap which makes it easier to carry around. Underneath the front flap there is a little pocket, and then inside the main body of the bag, there are two small inner pouches and a discreet zipped pocket. Definitely going to be using this as we go into autumn. If you're not a fan of this colour, the store also had the same style in black and a lovely dark forest green.

Hope you like my purchases! Have any of you visited Primark recently? 

xo

How to Fix a Broken Nail

Do your nails ever break so low down that you can't cut them off? They split on the edge almost halfway down your nail and yet no matter how many times you paint over it continues to split more and more, catching on your hair or clothing, breaking further and further across your nail bed and becoming really sore.

This often happens to me, especially on my thumb nails for some reason. In the past i've always done one of two things: Either, gone through the pain of cutting it off, ending up with an extremely short nail and a very sore, or sometimes even bleeding nail bed. Or, if i couldn't bear to cut it, i've wrapped it in sticky plaster to stop it catching on things, which always looks rubbish and comes off every time i wash my hands.

However, i have recently discovered a new method which works like a dream! Hoorayyy! The nail spilt is fixed completely which means no more painful catching and pulling, plus it lasts ages and when you paint over it it looks like a perfectly normal, unbroken nail. It's a tad fiddly but the results are well worth it!

What you'll need:

sellotape, tissue, a fairly rough nail file, super glue & tweezers

Before you start make sure your nail is completely bare, clean and oil free

Step 1:
- Wrap you finger in selloptape, leaving only the section of the nail that is split bare. You should try to get the tape as close to the edge of your nail as possible, and underneath the tip of it if you can. This will stop the super glue seeping through the split and sticking to your skin.

Step 2:
- Take your tissue roll, and if double-ply, split it in half leaving yourself with the two thin layers.

Step 3:
- Rip a small piece off one of the thin layers. It should be just a little bigger than the section of nail where the split is so that it's enough to cover it completely.

Step 4:
- Holding your section of tissue in the tweezers with one hand, use your other hand to squeeze out a few drops of super glue onto it, then place it onto your nail, over the split. Use the back of the tweezer to press it firmly onto the nail and flatten it out, be quick though otherwise the tissue will stick to the tweezers! Once happy with the position, leave the tissue to dry hard onto your nail.

first layer applied, second layer dry and tape removed

*Tip* One layer is sometimes enough, however just to be safe, i'd recommend repeating steps 3 and 4 and applying a second layer for extra reinforcement.

Step 5:
- Once the tissue is completely dry and hard, carefully remove the sellotape from your finger.

Step 6:
- Use the nail file to file away all the loose rough edges, and file down the superglued area until it is flush with the rest of your nail and feels smooth if you run your finger over it.

Tissue paper filed down and away until smooth, a clear polish applied, and the final result - smooth and split free! 

Step 7:
- Apply a clear nail polish to secure it in place and give a super smooth result. Then you can go ahead and apply whatever colour polish you want! Job done! I used 'Funtime Fushia' by Rimmel, review here!

Your new repaired nail should last you a pretty long time, especially if you keep it painted. Obviously still be careful with it, but you no longer need to worry about it catching on hair or clothing. 

Hope this has been helpful to some of you :)

xo

Model's Own HyperGel Nail Polish in Turquoise Gloss & Naked Glow | Review

Size: 14ml

Stockists: Model's Own, Asos, Boots.

Price: £5 each

Turquoise Gloss

This polish is such a fun colour - a bright, luminescent turquoise, it's perfect for summer, and adds a really uplifting pop of colour to any outfit.

Naked Glow

I love this natural, mocha colour. It's wearable any time of year and is a perfect natural colour for school or work.

Formula: I found the formula of both of these polishes extremely thick. You know when you've had a polish for a bit too long and it goes kind of gloopy? They're like that. It made them really difficult to apply neatly. The turquoise took one thick coat, i tried to do two thin ones but found getting only a thin coating pretty much impossible. The formula of the mocha one was slightly less thick and therefore slightly easier to apply. It took two coats. I applied a clear top coat over both the polishes.

Finish: The idea of these polishes, as stated on the lid, is that they give a 'gel effect'. I've got to say that I was kind of disappointed. Although they do give a lovely, high-shine finish, i cant say that i'd tell the difference between them and any other 'normal' nail polishes. This finish is definitely not as shiny and flawless as the finish of real gel polish.

Staying Power: The staying power of these was really average - I got about 1-2 days out of them before they started to chip.

Have you guys tired any of the models own hyper gel polishes? What do you think? I'd love to know!

xo