Savage Beauty

If you know me, you'll know that I love anything to do with make up. Recently, I've been trying to test products that I have never used before, and I have fallen in love with Maybelline products! I wanted to share my thoughts on one of their newer mascaras, the Colossal Big Shot, as I really enjoyed testing it.


The Colossal Big Shot is a luxurious-looking mascara, designed to add a great amount of volume and drama to your eye lids. Maybelline states that this mascara is infused with collagen, lengthening your lashes from the root to the tip.
This mascara is priced at around £8, depending on the shop, and it comes in a 9.5ml tube. It can be purchased HERE.

So, what are my honest thoughts?

Firstly, I love the packaging of this mascara and I have to give credit where credit is due! Honestly, I feel that Maybelline have really pushed the boat out. For a mascara which costs only £8, it definitely looks like it could be a higher-end product. It is packaged in a reflective gold tube, with the name written on the tube in black. The packaging looks minimalistic and sleek, and it definitely caught my eye in-store.


Now, on to the actual product!

Maybelline is correct in saying that it adds drama, creating thick, long lashes that will awaken your eyes. The volume of this product, means that there really is no need for adding false lashes. This mascara is easy to build on the lashes, and I love that it does not dry too quickly, so it gives you time to build a bold look.

If I were to compare this mascara to a higher-end brand, I would 100% go for the Too Faced 'Better Than Sex' Mascara. I think it is a great dupe for the amount of volume that they both produce. *However*... If you are a little too hands-on with this mascara, you will definitely end up with clumpy lashes, so bare that in mind when you are using it. Definitely use a steady hand to build clump-free, voluminous lashes.

Another negative to this mascara, is that it tends to transfer on to the lower lid, when you get a little hot and bothered. Maybelline claim that this mascara is waterproof, but I would have to disagree as it does transfer when you sweat. There is not a huge amount of transfer, but there is definitely some. So, I tend to wear this on days where I know that I will be a little less active.

Overall, I think this is a great drugstore mascara for building dramatic lashes. This is great for when you do not have time to apply false lashes, but still want the same amount of volume! It has a fabulous price and is super affordable. However, I did not like that it transferred through-out the day, as I prefer to use waterproof mascaras... that will not budge!

Let me know if you have tried this mascara, in the comments down below!

XO Zoe

Hi there!

Today's post is in collaboration with Old English Company to celebrate the launch of their enamel pin collection. If you have been living under a rock, and you have not heard of the brand 'Old English Company', then let me break it down for you!

(Courtesy of Old English Co)
Old English Company are a homeware and stationary brand, which can be found HERE. Their products range from blush-pink planners to minimalistic mugs, containing quirky quotes. These hand-lettered quotes are a fantastic reminder to stay positive and keep motivated, through-out the day. My favourite print of theirs is "Go get 'em, tiger"! As a student nurse, I can definitely use all of the motivation that I can get, so these are perfect to give me a much needed boost.

(Courtesy of Old English Co)
So... what about these pins?
Well, Old English Company have just dropped a selection of enamel pins, with some super funky sayings on! Enamel pins are really on-trend and are fab at sprucing up an outfit. They look particularly cute on pencil cases or denim jackets, and they are perfect for the summer! My favourite pins of their collection has to be "heartbreaker" and "stay weird"!

(Courtesy of Old English Co)
Old English Company are currently holding a competition to win a set of enamel pins, including my favourite "heartbreaker". To enter this competition, and win the set of pins pictured above, you need to email your favourite enamel pin design from their entire collection (linked here) to hello@oldenglishcompany.com. Click 'HERE' to access the full competition. They'll be picking one winner at random on the 30th May 2018... So, what are you waiting for! It's incredibly easy to enter, so go and do it now.

Thank you for reading this post. Let me know if you have used any of the products from Old English Company, in the comments down below!

XO Zoe

Hey there!

It has been a little while since I have posted on my blog, due to being super busy at university. So, when my Pink Parcel subscription box landed on my doorstep, I jumped at the chance to write a review. If you do not know what Pink Parcel is, it's a monthly subscription box which arrives before your period. It includes a selection of sanitary products which you chose, and a selection of beauty goodies. If you would like to read my last Pink Parcel review, I provide a full breakdown of the sanitary products which I receive.


Each month you also receive a flavoured tea and a sweet treat, to help your through you period. This months sweet treat was orange milk chocolate by Cocoba and the tea was lemon and peach flavoured by t+. I have not tested the tea yet, but the chocolate tasted delicious, and mimicked a terrys chocolate orange. There were only two tiny samples of the chocolate, and I do feel that this was little stingy... I definitely would have appreciated something a little bigger!


In the box, there were five beauty goodies. I'll start with my favourite first, which was a generous 10ml sample size of
Catherine Malandrino's Style de Paris perfume. Perfumes can always be a little hit or miss in subscription boxes, as different people like different scents. However, I actually fell in love with this perfume! It has notes of red grapefruit, so does smell sweet but it is not sickly. It is a great summer scent, and I am very tempted to purchase the full-sized product.

This month, everyone received a full-sized mascara or a full-sized pen eyeliner from the Beauty Crop. Firstly, I really liked the "surprise" element this month, as usually Pink Parcel standardise every box. So, everyone gets the same thing. I received the eyeliner and I was initially impressed, when I first swatched it. When applying it to the eyelids, it took a lot more pressure to get the same level of pigmentation as a hand swatch. Therefore, I'm not a huge fan of this eyeliner, and I do not think it is worth the £15.99 it claims to be worth. If I'm going to wear an eyeliner, I'm going to make it bold... and, this just did not do it for me!

Another full-sized goodie in the box, is the Jelly Pong Pong lip scrub. This is a lip scrub in the scent coffee and coconut. I think this a great product, as lip scrubs really do come in handy. They're also something I always forget to buy. The product works well to exfoliate the lips, and the scent of the scrub is gorgeous!

The box contained a 50ml sample of Greenfrog Botanics natural body wash in the scent geranium and peppermint. I had never heard of the brand before this Pink Parcel. However, they are an organic cruelty free brand which are suitable for those who suffer with psoriasis or eczema. The wash contains aloe vera to moisturise skin and claims to be "enriched with natural oils". It's a nice product and all I can really say is, it does the job at getting your body washed!

Last but not least, the box contained a par of eye pads by Beauty Pro eye therapy. This is an under eye mask infused with collagen and green tea extract. I love eye pads, as they help to reduce puffiness and work well in banishing the bags under my eyes. However, you can buy a pack of three eye pads for less than £5, so, I do feel like this was a very stingy sample size. Although, I did enjoy using the product, and I found them very soothing!


Overall, I did really enjoy this months Pink Parcel box, and I am very happy with the perfume. However, I did not like the sample sizes of the chocolate and the eye pads, and feel that there could have been a little more... especially on the Chocolate front!

Thank you for reading my post! Let me know in the comments, if you liked this months box!
XO Zoe

For as long as I can remember, I have been overweight.

In Summer 2016, my weight grew to it's highest and I decided that I needed to change. I was not active and I felt ill from the junk food that I was consuming. My BMI classification had me entering the "obese" category, and I was putting myself at-risk of developing a range of weight-related conditions, including diabetes. Not to mention, the mental affect of having such low self-confidence. Since then, I have managed to lose almost four stone, and I have dropped five UK dress sizes. I wanted to share a few tips on how I manage to shed the pounds.


Quick disclaimer: I am not a dietician and I do not think these tips will work for anyone or everyone. I am just sharing my experiences and they are lifestyle changes that I swear by. I am also not insinuating that being classified as overweight is bad. However, I had to make a change as my weight was negatively impacting my health.

Reach Out

As a teenager, I had a negative relationship with food. Whenever a school peer would comment on my size, I would buy a bar of chocolate. If I was stressed over school-work, I would grab a bag of sweets. I felt out of control over the food I was eating and food quickly turned into a way of coping. My life became a viscous cycle of feeling depressed over my appearance and binging on sugar-y foods to cope with the stressors in my life.

Binge-eating is an eating disorder, which can cause you to feel embarrassed and ashamed. But, it is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. If you can relate to what I have written above, I would urge you to have a read of *this* website, which gives you information on this disorder. The second thing that I ask; is to reach out to someone that you trust and confide in them. Having the support of those around me, made everything a little easier. I knew that I always had someone to speak to, if I ever felt out-of-control. Reaching out really is the first step.

#WeightsOverCardio
In 2016, I dropped my first fourteen pounds by running on a treadmill every day. Quickly, I became extremely bored and I was keen to find something different. I wanted to try aerobics on YouTube, but I ended up stumbling across FitnessBlender's youtube channel. It's a channel ran by Daniel and Kelli, offering hundreds of different workouts which include High Intensity Interval Training. Discovering FitnessBlender's workout truly kickstarted my weight-loss, as I realised that exercise could actually be fun! Instead of running on a boring treadmill, I could challenge myself with high intensity workouts, that did not need to last hours.


Through Fitnessblender, I discovered strength training. Over the past year, I have become obsessed with incorporating weight-training into my HIIT workout. Please note, that lifting weights is *not* going to make you look bulky, as women have a harder time at building muscle than men. However, weight-lifting really did dramatically change my body for the better, proving that you do not need to do hours of cardio to lose weight.


Exercise to Feel Good
By completely FitnessBlender's workouts, I fell in love with exercise. I fell in love with the feeling of hearing the words "this workout is complete". I fell in love with the rush of endorphins that you feel after a challenging workout. I fell in love with trying new moves and pushing my body to it's limit. Daniel and Kelli encourage you to exercise for the "feel good" affect. Looking good is just a plus side!

I find that when I exercise, I have an up-lifted mood and I feel genuinely happier, through-out the day. I also sleep well at night, which is something that I used to struggle with as a teenager. Whenever I feel de-motivated, I remind myself of the benefits that exercise has given me.

Stop Counting
In the first few months of my weight-loss, I aimed for a calorie in-take of less than 1200 calories. When you're exercising for an hour every day, this is a very strict in-take. Having such a strict in-take was not sustainable, and my body craved the nutrients that it was not getting. I would always end up going over my daily "target", and I would feel so guilty that I had not met this "target" number.


My advice? STOP COUNTING NUMBERS.

Apps such as MyFitnessPal are fantastic for being loosely aware of your calorie in-take, as they make you realise what kind of macro-nutrients you are lacking. However, obsessing over your in-take can have a serious impact on your mental health, taking you into eating disorder territory. If you know that you have tendencies to obsess over the numbers; chuck the scale out, delete the apps and definitely ditch the numbers!

99% Water
If you're a lover of fizzy drinks, you'll know that they contain high volumes of sugar or sweeteners, which make you crave more sugar-y foods. If you want to ditch the weight fast, swap high-sugar drinks for water. The NHS recommends drinking six to eight glasses of water a day, which is equivalent to two litres, which is perfectly achievable. These days I take a bottle of water with me wherever I go, as it keeps me feeling awake, hydrated and more energised. Like I have said previously, if you do want a fizzy drink go ahead have one... Do not restrict yourself!


I hope you enjoyed this post and I hope that these tips are helpful for some. Weight-loss is incredibly personalised and I recognised that people have different ways to change their lifestyle. Let me know if you have any tips to lead a healthier lifestyle!

XO Zoe