Lipstick Queen Trio Review

If you follow me on Instagram (@curlykira) you will already know that I have been away for a considerable chunk of the summer. I will talk all about my time away in another post but today I wanted to focus on something beauty-related. So I have a review instead of products from a brand I have wanted to try out for quite a while now: Lipstick Queen. When I saw that British Airways's in-flight Duty-Free was offering a trio of their lipsticks at a discounted price I decided to buy it and give it a go. The three lipstick shades were: Medieval, Jungle Queen and Hello Sailor.

Left to right: Medieval, Jungle Queen, Hello Sailor

To show the difference, this is me with bare lips...

Medieval

According to the Lipstick Queen website, this shade was inspired by how women in Medieval times would use lemons to bring out a blood-red stain on their lips since lipstick was considered a sin. As such, this lipstick is very sheer. It only gives a tinge of colour in the lip. I mean, that is arguably the whole point of sheer lipstick but as a fan of opaque and bold colours, this is a bit new to me. The sheerness of this lipstick does, however, make this a suitable red shade for all complexions. It is also a great option for people who prefer natural makeup looks or work in professions where statements of personal identity need to be quite subtle. The sheer formula makes it very comfortable to wear and there isn't such a worry about colour bleeding. This takes most of the risk and fear out of wearing a red lipstick.

Hello Sailor

When I saw the colour in the tube I immediately got excited that this would be an amazing navy colour. It's not. This is another super sheer shade which, despite my initial disappointment, is actually a clever colour that should become popular with a lot of people. Not everyone is a crazy colour fanatic like me so Lipstick Queen definitely made the right choice in creating a shade that looks outrageous but then looks pretty and wearable on the lips. That is a great act of quiet rebellion if you ask me! The colour comes off more as a sheer dark berry stain than a navy blue which makes this a much wearable colour. I still found it very sheer and as such, I don't think it will be a lipstick I reach for often, unfortunately.

Jungle Queen

This is the most opaque colour of the three and has more of a creme finish. It is a bright orange-coral colour which I think would suit most complexions. It is also very comfortable to wear. Although it is a fairly bright shade to wear, I do believe that the cream  formulation does lend itself to being more wearable, especially for summer (which is sadly coming to an end). This would look amazing with a natural makeup look with a winged eyeliner so that Jungle Queen gets all the attention it deserves. It's such a fun, flirty and feisty colour (what more would you expect from a Jungle Queen?).

Overall, I can see the benefits of these lipsticks as they are flattering, subtle and comfortable to wear. I can see these lipsticks being great options for going on dates. The colour enhances the lips in a way that looks natural whilst the sheerness makes it low maintenance so you don't have to worry about it messing up whilst eating or drinking (or kissing!).  These products are amazing quality and their packaging is gorgeous, which is why I now understand the hype around them. They may not suit my personal style, but they will make a good addition to my kit and may be nice to use one in a while to change things up a bit.

Top to bottom: Medieval, Jungle Queen, Hello Sailor

Thanks for reading!

Love love love,

Kira <3 xxx 

A Fresh Start

I've given up apologising for my absences on here and I'm sure you are tired of reading about them. What it all boils down to is that I have been unmotivated to write my blog and I need to stop making excuses for that and address the issue. Whilst I begrudge producing a sob story for you to wade through, this is a beauty and lifestyle blog. While most people may only be interested in the beauty aspect, part of the reason I write a blog is to have a space where I can express myself no matter what is on my mind. So here I am, expressing how I've been feeling in the hope that maybe writing it down will help me make sense of it or that someone reading this might be able to relate and tell me that I'm not being daft (or maybe that I am, but there's something I can do about that).

Let me be clear about one thing: being unmotivated to write does not mean that I no longer want to write. I do still love writing and I do want to commit to this blog. The issue was that so much has been happening in my university and personal life that I couldn't see past it to the things I wanted to concentrate on. If I'm honest, I didn't even think about my blog this year until my summer holidays started and even then it's taken me nearly a month to force myself to write something. I definitely think I've lost my mojo (which is possibly the cringiest word on the planet but I couldn't think of a better alternative) and this is partly because writing became a chore for me. I loved my degree subject and although it was tough, I did enjoy researching and writing my coursework essays. I may not have appreciated how much I enjoyed it at times, but knowing I was creating content that I was usually pleased with to some extent did make me feel good. The problem with constant essay writing, however, was that I developed a routine that became monotonous; a style that ensured me a fairly decent mark but lacked flair or innovation. They were safe and while safe may be enough for a solid 2:1 mark, it will not cut it for a good blog. The sheer number of essays I wrote this year also resulted in me essentially running out of steam when I finally finished the year. I couldn't think about doing anything remotely connected to degree work, which included reading anything non-fiction and writing.

You've heard the university excuse before, I know, but there's more to it this time. Actually, this is where things get a bit personal. I would understand if you opted out of reading the rest of this because you feel uncomfortable reading so deeply into someone's life and state of mind. Part of me questions if I should be writing this at all and even as I type I'm not sure if this will even make it into the final draft. It seems unprofessional to write about something so personal, or at least to do so this early into my blog, but to be honest that's the kind of person I am. I am very open when it comes to communicating through written word, mainly because I can find it hard to communicate confidently in person. There is something about having someone physically there and me needing to say the words aloud that makes talking about things like this unbearable. If I do talk to people about how I feel, I often will leave out great chunks to make it seem less serious. So although it is perhaps inadvisable, I'm going to write about this because unless I do, I'll never know if this helps me to move past it.

For the past three years I have been trying to come to terms with a lot of loss. During my time at UCL, six people close to me have died. That is a lot for anyone to go through but when the list includes one of your best friends and both of your grandfathers it is difficult to see past the grief that you feel. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I have a very bright and bubbly personality, even now. What most of them may not realise is that whilst there is a smile on my face, in my head there is a lot of pain that I've not been able to get to grips with. I mean, that's just grieving really. I'm not special because I'm suffering a loss; most people are. But without knowing what other people's grief feels like and whether this is typical or not, all I can say is that my grief feels like losing myself. I feel like I have died a little bit more with every lost friend or family member and each time I grieve for someone new it is worse because I'm also grieving for the ones who came before them. I feel lost constantly; I don't know what I am doing most of the time. I've started to have panic attacks which was entirely new and terrifying for me. I have not only  started to spontaneously cry on nights out now (which I find so humiliating because drunk crying in itself just looks ridiculous), but also during the day with no idea what has set me off. 

When I'm around other people it feels more natural to be happy, like it's my default setting. For a little while I can convince myself that I am fine by convincing others of the same thing. Even still, close family and friends have noticed the difference in me. I've started to push away from people as the result of the insidious thought that I might be better off alone so that I don't keep hurting like this when people I love inevitably leave. My parents and brother have noticed the change the most because I have become a nightmare to live with. I've been extremely moody and my parents have not really known why, yet unfairly I have made them deal with my constant foul mood.  I really am trying to be better to them but it's so exhausting to force myself to be happier and courteous at home. It is even harder to stay positive when I'm on my own. I find it unreasonably difficult to get out of bed or force myself to do anything. It did get to the point where I would stay in bed all day and only leave when my hunger became so unbearable that I was on the verge of fainting. I can't tell you why I did it, but I can say that it was unhealthy and stupid of me and no one should do that to themselves. When you can't even force yourself to get out of bed for food, writing a blog post becomes an impossible thought.

But as the White Queen in Lewis' Carroll's Through The Looking Glass says, "Sometimes I believe as many as six impossible things for breakfast", and I've decided that it's time to reshape my thinking. I still hurt. Heck, I have cried every day this week so far (including twice on my birthday). But I just have to keep moving forward until the heavy pain of loss transforms into a warm fondness of memory that reminds me of how lucky I was to have these people in my life to begin with, and that they will always have a place in my heart.

This blog post has accomplished what I hoped it would: it has released some of that emotion I had built up inside of myself and helped me to see that I'm ready to start living my life again. I was worried before that I'd lost all ambition and motivation in life but writing this has proven to myself that I still have some fire in me and that I am capable of going on to do things with my life that will make me happy and proud. I'm ready to take the next daunting steps that come after leaving university and to live my life to the full. So, to conclude this mammoth blog post, I am ready to start blogging properly now. No more distractions or excuses.

Love, Kira

Soulmatefood Perfect Juice Diet Review

Today I wanted to share with you all something new that I have recently tried out: The Soulmatefood Perfect Juice Diet. There were a few reasons I decided to try this product out. Firstly, juice diets made their rounds on Instagram a while back and I never had the opportunity to try one. I wasn't convinced that they could achieve the rapid weight loss they claimed but I was curious to see what the effects of the juices during and after the 5 day diet would be. Secondly, I had just come back from a two week indulgence heavy holiday in Florida and felt like my stomach could use a rest. I had eaten so much cheese, fried food and sugary treats while I was away and I felt so fat for it. I needed to kick start a new healthy regime and I thought that this could do that.

The reason it has taken me so long to try one of these diets is because they are so expensive to do. This one comes with 5 juices and a tea per day for five days (25 juices and 5 teas in total) and costs £200. That's £6.67 for each juice/tea. When did you last pay £7 for a juice or tea? As you can see they are not even in big bottles. There's only around 200 ml of juice in each bottle! But what they lack in size they do make up for in taste (most of the time). It's the same 5 flavours of juice and the same tea everyday, which you are supposed to have every two and a half hours from each other (with a glass of water to avoid dehydration).

The handy little guide sheet that comes with the diet kit

On the first few days of the diet I kept a note on my phone of  all the juices and my thoughts on them (and how I was feeling throughout the day). So I thought I'd include that as a diet diary, grouping them by juice because my experiences were pretty similar each day.

Juice One: Carrot, Apple, Ginger

This one was very tangy. The fiery ginger warms your throat which I personally really liked. I love the taste of ginger in juices and it was very strong in this so I was really happy with how this tasted but I can imagine those who like milder tastes might not be so keen. The only issue I did have with this juice was that it had odd bits in it which put me off since I did not like the texture of them. I disliked the bits so much that I could only give this juice a 4/5 rating when the taste alone would have given it a 5. Since I sleep in really late during the holidays I had this juice at 12pm but was already really hungry by 14:20. You'll notice that the mention of hunger or craving food and needing to pee feature heavily in this food diary, mainly because this diet made me so preoccupied with those feelings!

Juice Two: Parsnip, Pear, Lime

This one was surprisingly nice. I am not usually a fan of parsnips but apparently I like them in juices, who knew? The reason I liked it was because the juice literally just tasted like Copella Apple Juice. There is actually apple juice in the drink as a lesser component but that was literally all I could taste. Weird. I would give this one a 5/5 for taste. I did however start to feel the effects of the lack of solid food after this drink. I began to feel very tired an hour after drinking this drink and dizzy another hour after that. I also had to keep going to pee. It was ridiculous, I had to plan my day around when I could stop to go to the loo because there was just so much liquid in my system (don't forget you drink a glass of water with each juice too).

Juice Three: Blueberry, Mint, Kale

As I have succinctly put it in my notes, "Weird. I still kinda dig it though". This one has a bitter taste which I assume comes from the kale in the drink and also leaves a weird after taste in your mouth. I gave this a 3/5. Between this juice and Four I started to experience a headache as well as increased tiredness and let's not forget the ever-full bladder.

Juice Four: Coconut Water, Yuzu, Blue Spirulina

This drink was definitely the coolest colour. I loved the vibrant baby blue colour! The taste of the drink also really surprised me since I'm so used to coconut water being sweet, however this was surprisingly tangy. You see, I had never heard of Yuzu  before and so wasn't aware that it was a citrus fruit from East Asia (which would account for the tangy taste!). This drink tasted similar to grapefruit juice or still lemonade but wasn't as sharp. It was nice and refreshing though. I gave this one a 4/5.

Juice Five: Kale, Avocado, Coconut

I was not a fan of this one. It was thicker than the rest of the juices and also bitter (that darn kale again) which led to an awful aftertaste. I also found the creaminess of the avocado odd in conjunction with the bitter kale. This was definitely my least favourite and only scored a 2/5, unfortunately.

Bedtime Tea

The bedtime tea was pleasant too. It was a nice change to have something hot for once! It was berry red in colour and tasted fruity but I have no idea what was inside it because they don't tell you! I give it a 4/5. 

By the end of the night I felt full (despite feeling hungry at many intervals during the day) but not bloated which was nice. I was also sleepy by 11pm which is very early for me.

One thing I really struggled with when doing this diet was the lack of solid food. Usually I am fine with not eating much food and am actually in the very bad habit of skipping/forgetting meals. But as soon as I'm not allowed food it was the one thing constantly on my mind! It was bizarre. I really struggled. In fact, I was so preoccupied with food throughout those five days that I made a list of all the foods I wanted to eat as soon as I finished it. I think one reason I found it so hard was because I am living at home at the moment and so our house is full of different snacks as well as my mum's cooking. If I had tried this at my university flat there would be less temptation because I don't have an abundance of food just lying around to snack on! The constant thoughts of food made this a very painful and drawn-out experience for me!

So in terms of results I personally didn't feel or see any drastic weight loss. Unfortunately I couldn't find any working scales in my house to do a proper comparison but I did notice that my tummy did seem slightly smaller and certainly felt less bloated. In fact, when I started eating solid food again I could actually feel the difference because my stomach felt so much heavier and fatter. It did feel uncomfortable to eat solid food again so I guess my stomach shrank over the five days which I guess is a sign that it did do something. If I had paid attention to my stomach and my newly reduced appetite, I might have been able to sustain some weight loss by eating less. However, dummy that I am, I decided that I should eat ALL the foods I put on that list I made and completely negated all the good work I had done with my diet. What. An. Idiot. Well I guess I'm going to have to go back to good old exercise and a healthy eating plan!

Despite how much I grumbled about doing this juice diet, I think I might possibly do another one sometime in the future, but definitely not any time soon! If I do decide to take up another one I think I'm going to do one of the DIY diets as a cheap alternative. I know that the NutriBullet comes with some information of doing a similar juice/smoothie detox but it's a two smoothies to one normal meal a day ratio which I think will be much easier for me to stick to!

I hope you guys have found this informative and also enjoyed a nice little chuckle at my expense. I know I was being melodramatic about this diet but seriously, this girl needs hers food! Let me know if you've tried this juice diet, or any other ones for that matter. Until next time.

Lots of love, Kira xxx

Florida Holiday 2015 + Haul

Hello lovelies! As you know I've had a lot going on the past year so activity on here has been pretty much non-existent. However, with a new university year starting I have decided to try and commit to writing again. This is my last year at uni and I have to make it count, doing as much as I can possibly fit into my remaining time here. Goodness knows how I am going to make time for all the things I want to do as well as studying and running a blog regularly!

Anyways, less of my rambling about thoughts in my head and onto the subject of this blog post. Recently I went to Florida on a family holiday. We spent a few days at Disney (a first for my family), a few days at my godmother's house and the last portion of our holiday at Fort Myers for a family reunion with my dad's side of the family.

Some Disney snaps for your viewing pleasure!

In between spending time with my extended family and discovering the magic of Disney, I somehow managed to fit in a lot of shopping. The majority of which, unsurprisingly, were cosmetics. So today I thought I would take you guys through what I bought. It goes without saying that I do not mean to brag or anything, I'm just very happy with the purchases I made and I cannot wait to start using them on myself and clients. I personally love blog posts like this because it gives me an idea of what makeup is on the market at the moment. 

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in " Global Glow"

Smashbox Full Exposure Palette

 Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish Pressed Powder in "Basic Brown"

MAC Lip Pencils in "Boldly Bare" and "Cork"

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in "Moonstone"

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

Tarte "tartelette" Palette

NARS Dual Intensity Eyeshadow in "Phoebe"

MAC Sized To Go Pigments in "Vanilla" and "Melon"

NYX Lip Pencils

NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams in "Copenhagen", "Abu Dhabi" and "Prague" and NYX Butter Gloss in "Angel Food Cake"

 Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in "Radium" and "Retrograde"

The swatch doesn't do the eyeliners justice. They are so vibrant and glittery in real life.

I hope that you found this interesting. Please let me know if you have tried any of these products and what you thought of them.

Lots of love,
Kira <3 xxx