#TheCityGirls Launch Event - Pizza, Cocktails and Bloggers!

On Saturday I had the pleasure of attending a special launch event with 30 bloggers for company, 2 for 1 on cocktails and pizza's a plenty - it's fair to say the #thecitygirls launch party was a roaring success. If you follow me on Twitter you'll have seen plenty of tweets ahead of the event, excited was an understatement. This was my second blog event, but I still felt a little nervous, the smell of pizza and the sight of friendly faces on arrival soon settled any nerves. 

The City Girls launch party was held in Bloo88 - a bar situated in Sheffield city centre. Bloo88 are well known for their amazing pizza, all the pizza's are cooked fresh in a clay oven - so yummy! The private function room was beautifully decorated, vintage tea cups were scattered around the room filled with retro sweets and goodies. The event was well co-ordinated it was clear to see how much effort Lorna and Holly-Lucy put into the event - the small details really were noticed ladies. 

Lorna and Holly-Lucy plan to run similar events in various cities across the UK, be sure to keep an eye on the @TheCityGirlsUk Twitter page for an event near you. 

The chosen charity for the City girls event was City Hearts. Amber, who volunteers for City Hearts told us a little bit about the charity and all the work that they do. Some of the stories were horrific and surprisingly close to home. City Hearts aim to help vulnerable women who want to turn their lives around. Women who have gone through drugs/alcohol abuse, eating disorders or self harm. City Hearts also work closely with the Home Office, UKHTC to help the victims of human trafficking. The work that City Hearts charity does is invaluable, so I was thrilled to hear that the City Girls raffle raised a total of £175 for City Hearts … even better, Aviva are matching our money raised to £350 which is incredible! 

Benefit, Lush Sheffield, Panache Lingerie, Cinnamon Buns Designs & Second Thread all had stalls within the room you could easily walk round to each stand and have a good natter with the brand sales assistants. Benefit were on hand to show us all the new Roller Lash mascara and eyebrow mapping.

At the Lush stand you could have a go at making your own fresh face mask, but given how rubbish I am at DIY I decided to talk to the lady about shampoo bars, SPF and the new Lush app (how cool is that app if you haven't downloaded it already... do!) 

The day flew by and unfortunately I didn't get the chance to talk to Panache or Second Thread. I hear the bra measuring service was very good though, it was surprising just how many people were wearing the wrong size! Get measured ladies. 

I had a lovely time at this event, great music, great food and great company! It was good to see lots of Sheffield brands on board too. I would like to send a huge thank you to Lorna and Holly-Lucy for organising such a fab event, I can't wait to hopefully see more events popping up in different cities. I feel very proud to have attended the launch party for The City Girls I'm excited for what the future holds, and I wish you every success.

Have you attended any blog events? Are you a fan of Bloo88? What are your favourite Lush products?

P.S Stay tuned for my goodie bag details, I'll posting this over the next few days. We were well and truly spoilt!

Bumble And Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Travel Set

One day whilst perusing the reduced counter in Boots I came across a little Bumble and Bumble. The Invisible oil primer was reduced down to £3.50, at this price I couldn't say no (what a steal) after a little inspection I decided why not. I would have never have guessed that this little steal would be the start of a new brand obsession…oh and some really great hair days!

Now, there's no denying I've always been a drugstore girl when it comes to haircare (Garnier, John Frieda and Pantene are some of my favourite brands.) As my hair grew longer I found that the products I was using were not making the cut. My hair often looked dull, weighed down and the greasy scalp yet dry frazzled ends combo was really frustrating - it's fair to say my hair was not in a happy place at all. I'd heard a lot about BB (all positive of course) after trying the Invisible oil primer I didn't hesitate to purchase the travel size trio set, it's fair to say none of the products in this range have been a let down. My hair looks healthy and hydrated since I started using this range.

So, let's start with the product that kicked off my new obsession the BB Invisible oil heat protective primer spray. Essentially, this 'primer' is a heat protection spray that can be applied on both wet/dry hair before using heat. The word 'primer' for me does seem a little gimmicky, but I guess essentially you are 'priming' your hair from heat so I'll let them off on this one. Without a doubt this is one of the best heat sprays I have ever tried, I even prefer this to my much loved Ojon Protecting Treatment (which says a lot as this has been a firm favourite for a long time.) Applied on wet hair the BB primer detangles and softens my hair whilst leaving a lovely fresh scent. The products in this range all have the same signature scent that lingers in the hair - it smells so lovely, I can't really describe the smell but it's so yummy!  What I love about the BB Primer the most is that it doesn't weigh my hair down, feel wet, sticky or crispy in my hair it's literally weightless. This spray even feels weightless after applying to dry hair (before straighteners) it doesn't leave my hair feeling greasy - now that my hair is longer, it's essential for me that my heat spray doesn't leave my hair sticky or heavy and BB's offering is in a completely different league to other heat sprays I've tried. If you buy just one thing from the range make it this!

The Invisible oil shampoo and conditioner have the same amazing scent as the primer which does linger in my hair (even after styling.) I have read a lot of reviews that claim the Invisible oil shampoo weighs down the hair, I have to disagree completely. Coming from someone with relativity fine hair that gets greasy quickly (like super greasy) this shampoo works wonderfully for me, it has a light lather, doesn't irritate my scalp and leaves my hair really shiny. This shampoo and conditioner combo hydrates my dry hair, and somehow make the ends of my hair (that are in dire need of a cut) look healthy and shiny. The Invisible oil conditioner hydrates my hair without weighing it down or making it greasy. I apply this through the mid lengths of my hair and my hair always looks so much sleeker and smoother post shampoo.

When using these three products in conjunction with each other I'm left with smooth, frizz free hair that looks shiny and healthy without looking at all greasy. Coming from someone who uses a lot of heat (addicted to my curl secret) I'm willing to pay that little bit extra for a shampoo/conditioner if I know that my hair is protected, healthy and well looked after. There's nothing worse than brittle hair, or heat damaged hair, but I feel like with these BB products in my stash I'm pretty much protected. I wouldn't hesitate to purchase full size of any of the Invisible oil range, Look Fantastic often have promotional codes (I got this with 20% off) so it's certainly worth waiting until a code pops up to make an order.

The Invisible oil trio comes in at £19.50 which isn't exactly cheap, but coming from someone with long hair I still have plenty of product left after 3 weeks of use (2x a week washes) so you can certainly get a fair bit of use from the minis

I'd love to know what your favourite haircare products are? Has anyone tried the Invisible Oil in this range? What is your favourite Bumble and Bumble product?

5 Tips Finding Motivation For Exercise

If someone had told me three months ago that I'd be working out 5 times a week routinely, I'd have laughed in their face as quite frankly I never used to be 'that' girl. I have no shame in admitting I used to be incredibly lazy, the thought of getting sweaty after a long day at work never appealed to me. There are still days where I have to really push myself, but on a whole I've gotten so much better at motivating myself, these days I rarely skip a session and coming from someone who used to be an 'I'll do it tomorrow' kind of person I'm really quite proud of myself. So the question is, how do I do it? Today I wanted to share some tips, everyone will have their own way to push and motivate but who knows, perhaps this post will inspire, encourage or even give you some motivation to add a little exercise to your day!

1. Find what you enjoy
Finding exercise that's both challenging and enjoyable has involved plenty of trial and error on my part, but I promise as soon as you find an exercise that you enjoy finding motivation is easy! If you find yourself stuck in a routine why not change up your workout, whether that be skipping the bus and walking home from work, joining your local running club or picking up a weighted hula hoop, once you find an exercise that you enjoy and what works for you you'll find yourself sticking to it and noticing changes in your body. I personally found that working out indoors isn't for me, from discovering that I took up running and I've never looked back. I'm motivated to lace up my shoes and hit the pavements after a long day at work. I also find keeping my 5 training sessions varied helps work more muscle groups and keeps it exciting. Introducing new workouts or forms of training makes your body work harder, keeps it fresh and enjoyable - I find so anyway. My average week of training might look like the following -

Monday - Yoga with Adriene
Tuesday - Run club followed my arm exercises (with weights)
Wednesday - Kayla Itsiness circuit training (involves HIIT training)
Thursday - Run club (speed session)
Friday - Swimming, run or circuit training.

2. Track your progress through pictures, and how your clothes feel
We all know how disheartening it can be to repeatedly step on weighing scales and see zero results. Although I can see the benefits of reducing weight/BMI I find keeping a folder on my phone called 'fitness journey' full of pictures keeps me motivated to exercise. Seeing small improvements like my muffin top shrinking, or slight muscle definition in my arms keeps me motivated.  Small progress is better than no progress even if your pictures are gradual seeing a slight difference in your body shape or muscle definition is better than no change. I'm also a firm believer in going on the way that your clothes feel rather than numbers, finally fitting into that pair of old jeans or tops feeling slightly loose always makes me feel happy, super motivating!

3. Eat, breathe, sleep fitness!
It's going to sound excessive, and perhaps not everyone will feel the same way, but I personally find browsing fitness accounts on social media incredibly motivating. Tips, tricks, progress pictures all leave me feeling incredibly motivated, as does reading fitness blogs, researching recipes or stalking all your fitness boards on Pinterest! Seeing strong women with incredible bodies, motivates me to put 100% effort into my workout. Reading new tips, or discovering new blogs gives me a fresh approach to my workout which in return keeps fitness enjoyable! Perhaps one day I shall do a roundup of my favourite fitness blogs/Instagrammers.

4. Celebrate small achievements
It's going to sound big headed, but when I notice a change in my body I celebrate, and reward myself. I treat myself to new workout gear, if you follow me on IG you'll notice my love of all things Nike. When I notice my stomach looking a little more toned I treat myself to that new Yoga top, or running trainers I've been lusting after. For me, looking good whilst wearing comfortable clothing motivates me to exercise. Again, not for everyone, but I personally find pretty patterns and colourful workout gear motivates me, if however sportswear isn't your thing find an incentive that works for you. Having incentives keeps you on track and also makes you feel like there's a reward for your efforts.

5. Positive mind
Going to sound all hippy like with this one, but if you believe you can't do something you won't be able to. For the longest time I told myself I couldn't get stronger or I couldn't run that extra mile ditching that negative mindset has helped me improve in leaps and bounds. Telling yourself, you can do something tricks your mind and somehow helps give you ten times more energy! Tell yourself you can do something and you'll achieve so much more. I think I need to apply this one to every aspect in my life haha!

I would love to know how you stay motivated to exercise?

Running Playlist + Blog Refresh

If you follow me on Twitter you will know I’m a running enthusiast. In all honesty I used to absolutely detest running, but over the years, it’s really grown on me. I’ve found that seeing improvements, beating my PB and seeing changes in my body (hello toned legs) really motivates me to continue. I recently completed my training for intermediate 10k, this involved lots of hill training and fartlek training, anyway to get me through those tough 8 weeks I updated my playlist and today I thought why not share it with you! There’s lots of dance music, that’s personally what I like to listen to (especially when speed training.) Music for me really makes me go that extra mile!

Calvin Harris ft. Ellie Goulding - Outside

Alesso ft Tove Lo – Hero's
This song always reminds me of New Years Eve as it’s the song that played before the final countdown at the party I attended (memories!)

Rihanna – We found love
Hang on…this was on my playlist last year (see 2014 playlist here) I still love this track even now! It just never seems to grow old…still gets my butt in gear when my legs feel tired.

Avicii – The Nights
Can always rely on Avicii for a catchy upbeat tune. This song reminds me of summer, cocktails…partying on a beach in Ayai Napa (I wish.)

David Guetta ft Emili Sande – What I did for love
I can’t not sing a top of my lungs when this song is on…yes I'm that crazy lady who sings alone in the woods.

Ne-Yo ft Juicy J – She knows
Gosh, I can’t help but think of Dapper Laughs with this song name (yak) song name aside this has a great beat for running and I do love a bit of Ne-Yo.

DJ Fresh ft Ella Eyre – Gravity
Woahwiee new girl crush alert but isn’t Ella Eyre such a babe? Her hair is amazing. The vocals on this track are incredible and the beat always gets me going I love DJ Fresh collabs.

Jason Derulo – With the lights on

Blog refresh
Although I haven’t technically had a break from my blog, you may have noticed my posts have been rather sporadic...to put it bluntly, there hasn’t been any consistency or schedule with my recent posts. I initially started my blog over a year ago with the intention being that I would blog about all things beauty, but as the years gone on I have noticed that my interests have changed.

I have thought about changing the direction of my blog for a while now, over the past year I’ve really taken an interest in health/fitness I’ve noticed such a difference in myself and my body. I love the idea of writing about fitness, by no means do I consider myself an expert but I do quite love the idea of my blog been somewhere I can document my progress, share some tips, learn new tips and promote an overall healthy lifestyle. You can expect to see fitness posts, recipes and a lot more lifestyle. For those of you who liked my beauty posts there will still be the odd one here and there but on a whole I’m trying to add a little more variety to my blog. With this in mind I’m hoping that from April I can resume my twice weekly posts, I can’t wait to share some new content and to get back into a routine. 

What's on your workout playlist? 

Ginger & Co Review

To celebrate the launch of Ginger & Co in the UK, I was kindly sent a box of goodies full of pamper products. The first brand comparison that came to mind when I opened my package was Soap and Glory,  both brands have that same retro inspired packaging (which I love) but I have to admit that’s where the similarities end. Like S&G, Ginger & Co have a signature scent that clearly runs throughout all their products, my Mum who absolutely detests the S&G scent (she’s adamant it gives her a headache) loves the scent of Ginger & Co products and for me that proves just how different the two scents are. The soothing scents of Blossom Honey, Lemon Balm and Marshmallow Leaf smell incredible. Today I thought I write up some reviews of the products I was sent - 

Double up creamy Body Wash*

A moisturiser/shower gel hybrid. In shower body moisturisers seem to be all the rave at the moment, although I’ve never been entirely sold on the concept, I do love the idea of a shower gel that doesn’t leave my skin dry, especially as my skin can be quite sensitive at times. This creamy body wash foams up like a dream and smells amazing.

Soft on You Comforting Body Butter*

This tub is huge, such great value for money. This body butter comes in at £4.99 for 500ml which compared to S&G £10.50 for 300ml or The Body Shop £13 200ml….you get way more product. For me the Ginger & Co body butter is on par with S&G body butter the texture is slightly richer meaning I’ve used a lot less. Out of all the products I have tried from Ginger & Co the body butter is my favourite, super hydrating on my skin without feeling greasy and the smell really lingers throughout the day.

Soft on You Daily Body Lotion*

If body butters aren’t your thing, then the daily body lotion will be for you. This has the same incredible scent as the body butter, but in a lighter lotion. I really like that this comes in a bottle with a pump, it’s just so convenient more daily lotions should come like this!

Heavenly Hands Moisturising Hand wash*

There’s not much I can say about hand wash, as long as it cleans my hands and smells nice I’m a happy chappy. As you would expect Ginger & Co’s offering does just that, it doesn’t feel too stripping on my hands and it smells really nice.

Hand it to me Hand Cream*

The hand cream that keeps ending up in my Mum's handbag, it’s fair to say both me and my Mum love this hand cream. This doesn’t leave any greasy residue which is perfect for me as I can’t stand hand creams that leave residue.  This has a lovely clean scent, and given its texture it will make the perfect all year round hand cream.

Bath Beauty Moisturising Bubble bath & Wash*

I love baths, all year round, after curbing my bath bomb addiction, I really enjoy using products such as this one to add some bubbles and a lovely scent to baths. The Ginger & co offering has a lovely texture and I love the fact that it doubles up as a wash. I’ll be honest the bubbles didn’t last quite as long as I’d have liked, but I do really like the scent of this.

Overall, I think Ginger & Co are a lovely, affordable brand with a distinctive scent, I can’t wait to try more products from the range. Most items are currently stocked on Amazon or Ocado. I do wish that the products were slightly more assessable (Boots/Superdrug) but for the amount of product you get and prices I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to purchase online.

What are your favourite pamper products? Have you tried any Ginger & Co products?

*PR Sample