An Honest Liz Earle Review

A few months ago Kirst started hogging the bathroom more than usual, standing at the sink for ages and running up our water bill with excessive use of the tap. Intrigued as to what she was up to twice a day I probed her, and realised that the culprit was the Liz Earle Cleanser. 

I'd seen the product before (and all the hype that comes with it), and with a glowing report from Kirst, the next time I went into Boots I couldn't help but be tempted. I had been looking to update my skincare routine for a while, and this just seemed like the perfect opportunity. 

I needed both a cleanser and toner, but somehow completely forgot about my student budget, and ended up purchasing the Daily Essentials Kit (£45.99). I got the normal/combination set, which is advised if you are unsure of your skin type. 

Despite the initial scare of the price of the whole set, when you add up each of the products individually (and the bonus of the exfoliator) the value is actually pretty good, and seems worth it for the amount you get. 

The first thing to note about the kit is that if you are lazy with your skincare routine, do not bother buying this. I am incredibly vigilant with cleansing and toning twice a day (no really, I can't count the amount of times I've woken up from a night out and my cleanser and toner have been on my bedside table with no memory of me using them), so the amount of steps didn't phase me at all. But I can't deny that it is effort, so consider this before you make such a pricey purchase. 

Included inside is two Muslin cloths (£4.50), Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (£14), Instant Boost Skin Tonic (£14.50), Skin Repair Moisturiser (£20) and the Gentle Faced Exfoliator (£11). 

First up, the Cleanser. One of the main reasons that I wanted a new cleanser was that my skin never really felt clean. I would take off my make-up with a wipe, then cleanse using L'oreal and a cotton pad, and would still wake up in the morning with make-up on my face. The Liz Earle cleanser completely eliminates this problem. It's gentle, but thorough and leaves your skin feeling squeaky clean, and refreshed. I apply the cleanser, leave it for a few minutes, place the cloth in hot water and rub it off, lay the cloth over my face and then rinse my skin with cold water (opening and closing the pores). 

I really do love this product, but there is a BUT. It seems to have given me spots. I'm not sure if my skin is doing that whole 'get worse before it gets better' routine, so i'll have to hold out, but after 2 weeks I'm definitely more spotty than before. 

In terms of the actual product, I love the Toner. Like the Cleanser it really does work at making your skin feel refreshed, and as though all the dirt on your skin has been removed. My only complaint is that I dislike the bottle. You twist the top and tip the solution onto a cotton pad, and then twist the lid back down to shut it. In theory this sounds fine, but I find that solution comes out when you close the lid, and it just always feels as though it is going to leak. Apart from that though, it's a great product.

Kirst has the toner that sprays and absolutely loves it, so I would recommend this as a more practical option. 

For me, this is the best product in the whole kit. I couldn't even begin to count the amount of moisturisers I have tried. None of them worked, and they either made my skin look greasy, or did not provide any moisture at all. This one is perfect. I absolutely love the smell (I couldn't tell you what it smells of, it just smells clean), and it's the perfect consistency to spread well, without using too much. My skin looks completely hydrated, and stays looking so throughout the whole day. 

I usually hate exfoliators. When I think of exfoliating I think of the Clearasil ones that I used to use when I was in the shower, with the big beads, gloopy texture and the dry feel that they would always create on my skin. Well rest assured the Liz Earle exfoliator is nothing like these products. It feels more like a cream than an exfoliator, with just a slight rough texture that acts as a gentle scrub to revitalise your skin. Applied in between the Cleanse and Toner (I use twice a week, although it says use when necessary) it creates an even smoother touch to the skin. 

Overall I do love this range. My skin feels cleaner than it ever has done before, and the dryness that winter has created really does seem to have been eliminated. While it does take time to complete the whole routine properly I actually do enjoy doing it (it feels nice to look after yourself), so for me it's not a problem. 

Would I recommend? Yes 

Is it worth the price? The moisturiser definitely is, but I think the other products could be slightly cheaper.

Does it live up to expectations? Hmm it does, but it's not as perfect as most bloggers make out (sorry, but I wouldn't be me if I didn't have some moans!). 

Emma x 

Being Friends and Being House Mates

        

Being friends with someone and being house mates are two very different things. I adore my friends, would I choose to live with them? Nuh uh.

Em & I are quite lucky that we were house mates before we were friends. Well, we’d spoken on Facebook prior to meeting (that makes us sound creepy, doesn't it?) but we weren't really friends. Our friendship was based on learning. 1) We were learning about each other as a person, determining if we were going to be friends, how well we got on, how similar we are etc. and 2) we were learning to live with each other.

This sounds silly and quite obvious. But it’s something we both hadn't been through before, and many others haven’t before university. You've always lived with your family, people who take you for what you are because they've always had to. 

My brother was a nightmare when I was in my teens, he's so lazy and untidy and it was unbearable. But what could I do? I can scream and shout but its' just the way he is.

Now, we were quite lucky in our first year. We were surrounded by friends in other flats/houses who were going through hell. Flatmates who stole their food, smashed up the kitchen, broke doors, tables… whatever. Our flatmates were not perfect by a long-shot, they were unwilling to clean without being nudged, but they weren't the worst, so we were thankful. 

Anyway.... back to the subject. Em & I were getting to know each other, as a friend, as well as getting to know our daily habits. Em has a habit of cooking dinner, but using up all the worktop space. She has packets, chopping boards and random bits of food spread around our kitchen. I spent most of first year piling it up for her so I could make some room to cook my own dinner. 

Me? I talk to my food. That sounds odd. Let me give an example. I tell it to "hurry up" or "wait there". Ok that's odd. But anyway, living with strangers whilst growing a friendship means you learn absolutely everything about them, all at once.

Traditionally, people meet. They spend time together, they decide they like each other. They think they like each other enough to move in together - this means learning a whole new side to them. That boyfriend you've had for 7 years and you're sure is 'your perfect match'? Yeah... has a habit of leaving dirty tissues everywhere and he wears the same jeans 8 times before washing them. You now have to adapt to this.

Isn't it weird to think that you've known some of your friends for years, yet you're basing a friendship on only really knowing them for snippets of their life? You don't see them 24/7, you don't see them go through every emotion, every mood swing or every illness... You can pick and choose what you show. 

University is such a test. Em & I have a stronger friendship than I do with the majority of my friends from home. Why? Because we have to spend so much time together. We've learnt every aspect of each others character, there is nothing we can possibly hide. We know each other inside out. 

It works both ways. People I would usually have a great friendship with because we share the same sense of humour or the same interests, I can't stand because I know how lazy and unclean they are. 

Isn't it strange how you judge a friendship or relationship on how well you 'get on'? Yet you could be basing that whilst only knowing half of their character. I wonder how many of my existing friends I would still like if I'd had to learn all of their personality. 

Best of Benefit - Our Top 5

Between us we probably own near to everything that Benefit sell (we really are useless at a student budget). With all the hype around the new Benefit releases we thought that it would be good to pick our top 5 that we couldn't live without.

First up is "that gal". At £22.50 this is pretty pricey for what it is, but once again we were tempted by a free sample, and once it ran out it just had to go on the Christmas list. This product is used in between moisturising and applying foundation, and acts as a prep for the skin. It is silky, spreads easily and helps give your skin a fresh looking flow. The bottle has a bottom that twists and the primer then appears on the top, and then you apply with your fingers. It is worth the money? Hmm this is debatable, while we absolutely love it, on a student budget it does seem a lot to pay despite it being better than any others we have previously used. 

When you're a student the late nights really do catch up on you, and no amount of RedBull seems to work on the tiredness of your under eyes. Ooh La Lift comes in at £17, and works as an instant eye lift. You simply apply three dots under the eye, smooth it into the skin and the whole area is instantly brightened. It can be used in the morning, and re-applied throughout the day as you get more tired. As far as eye-brightening products go this is definitely the best we have come across (lecturers have no idea we've been partying all night).

This choice was tricky as between us we own both Hervana and Hoopla. At £23 the price is standard for a Benefit bronzer/blusher making the decision between the two even harder. While Hoopla is highly rated in the blogger world Hervana just got the edge with it's mix of colours. Each of the shades compliment each other and give your cheek the perfect blush. 

Finding the right concealer must be one of the hardest parts about buying make up. We can't even begin to count how many we have been through before finding one that is perfect for both coverage, and colour. Benefit Boi ing (£16.50) fits the best of both, providing a decent coverage without looking cakey or as if the skin is obviously concealed. It works well when applied to areas of the face that should be highlighted, removing any unwanted shine or blemishes. 

With the new release of the Benefit Roller Lash we wanted to make sure an old favourite isn't forgotten. Coming in at £19.50 this Mascara is pricey, but we've lost count of how many we have gone through (it's that good). It separates the lashes perfectly, and creates a long lashes that provide a length that creates a false effect. The brush is firm, and easy to apply and the results last all throughout the day. It can also be easily built up depending on the reason for the use, making it a staple in all looks. 

It's OK To Have Felt Like You Want To Leave Uni

Nowadays it's drummed into us that after college Uni is the next step. College puts pressure on you to apply if you're unsure, and with everyone around you being tempted you find yourself doing it too. Before you know it you've convinced yourself that a) Uni is your only option, and b) it's what you want to do.

Fast forward a year and you've made it. You're a Uni student. You're here so it must be what you want, and you must be happy with your choice, right?

If it only it were that easy! Trust us when we say that whether you are waiting to go to Uni, are in your first, second or final year there will be times when you will ask yourself 'what have I done'?.

If there's one thing all students will agree on it's that Uni really is an emotional roller coaster. You will go through phases so quick that sometimes you aren't even aware of the phase you are in. One day you will love Uni and another day you will completely hate it, and question why you ever thought it was a good idea.... and that's ok.

There are a million reasons why you feel like this, and we can guarantee that you are not alone in feeling it. Maybe you're struggling with your course, whether that's finding it too hard or just wondering if you have chosen the right one (especially if you're first year), or maybe it's the Uni life itself.

The problem is that Uni is like nothing you have ever experienced before. Up until now you've been pretty safe in your comfort zone, and mostly known what to expect. Uni takes that comfort completely away from you, making you feel unsettled, and sometimes all alone.

If you make it through Uni without ever questioning your choice of going then wow, well done you! But for the rest of us, it's completely normal to feel like this. While we have had these thoughts many times, they have always passed and we have managed to fall back in love with Uni again. Having said this, it's ok if you can't. You've made such a huge life change, and the thought of backing out of it can actually be more daunting than seeing it through.

You need to do what makes you happy, and despite what society is telling you, Uni is not for everyone. Don't be afraid to leave if it's not for you, but remember that sometimes you will have doubts, and that's OK.

If it's becoming a constant feeling then maybe it is time to consider your options, discover whether you really want to complete Uni. But for most of us, doubts will come and go, its unlikely that you will feel 100% about your choice to be at university, ever (sorry to break it to you). Remember you're not alone, and many others are/have been through it.

Our advice? Don't make rash decisions. It's OK to have doubts.

Flirt Cafe Bar

One thing that really bugs us about the Blogger World is how generic it can be. There's only so many pictures of Starbucks and Costa you can see before it becomes a tad boring. 

We've lived in Bournemouth for a year and half now and although we have found some places that we absolutely love, we have a habit of revisiting these places instead of exploring new ones. So, we've set ourself the challenge of trying to find all of Bournemouth's best independent food places (any excuse to eat out eh?). 

Today the choice of location was Flirt, located in Bournemouth Square, acting as a cafe/bar. 

The outside really does catch your eye with it's disco effect wall, and just the name alone makes it look enticing. 

The choice of food then lives up to the high expectations that the outside sets, with everything you would want (and more) on offer at a reasonable price. We went in for lunch so were looking at the lighter bites, but both breakfast and dinner are served alongside an impressive selection of sweet treats, and goodies baked on site that day. 

We absolutely cannot resist a good Hot Choc and the ones that Flirt offer are far more than we have ever experienced. Ice Cream in a hot chocolate!? How can you say no? 

We went for Cadbury Caramel and Kinder Bueno and they definitely did not dissapoint! The perfect amount of the treats was added so that there was enough flavour, bit it wasn't too sickly. This picture does not do them justice, the 'Large cup £3.95' really is huge, and while it does seem a little pricey it was definitely worth it! We've also set the challenge that we are not allowed to have the same again so we get to try all the flavours (soon we will have to be rolled out, oops). 

We weren't too hungry so went for one of the lighter options on the menu (well we thought it was going to be light). The portions are very generous and with a panini comes salad, coleslaw and nachos. We chose the Chicken, Chorizo, Cheese and Tomato Salsa (£5.95), which was reasonably priced compared to the price of the packaged goods that you get in the mainstream coffee shops. It was delicious, and super filling and was served on patterned plastic plates making it feel like a picnic. 

While the food and treats were great what won us over was the wacky decor, and lively atmosphere. Absolutely nothing matched and some of the decorations were so odd that we barely spoke whilst eating (seriously, there's so much to look at). 

This was such a fab find and we will definitely be returning! 

Any recommendations for cafe's in Bournemouth? We would love to know, comment below x

25 Reasons Living With Your Best Friend is Great

All you ever say to your friends growing up is how good it would be if you lived together. Unfortunately most things you want at that age turn out to be a disappointment, however living with your best friend is not one of those things. Here are 25 reasons why we love living together!

1. You have two of everything (including wardrobes!)

2. You save money buying everything together

3. No need to send 6 page text messages, she’s just next door

4. A bad day is never as bad

5. No need to text around to find out what everyone else is wearing

6. Never turn up anywhere alone

7. Doing nothing doesn’t count as doing nothing when you’re in someone elses company

8. You’ll always have someone to do Two for Tuesday’s with

9. Always split the price of delivery

10. Someone to finish your sentences for you

11. You gain an extra mum

12. Surprise cups of tea

13. It’s acceptable to take your bad mood out on them. They’ll probably tell you you’re a 
dick, but they will still love you for it.

14. Someone to hold your hair when you’re being sick

15. Can’t be bothered to move to have a conversation? Just shout

16. Half price taxi’s

17. You can be in a bad mood together

18. “I've run out of…” “don’t worry I've got it”

19. Every night is a year 9 sleepover

20. Reassurance is always there

21. 24-hour nurse always available

22. No more lonely nights-in

23. Don’t feel like cooking tonight? I’m sure she wouldn’t mind

24. You always have someone to stick your eyelashes on for you

25. Always someone to have a moan with

Pampering On A Budget

There is nothing worse when money is tight and all you want is a nice pamper. We've all heard that when you look good, you feel good and being on a budget shouldn't get in the way of this! 

As we've shown in our blog post Best Budget Buys  (http://morethanamoan.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/best-budget-buys.html), you do not always have to spend a fortune to look good, or to do things that you enjoy. 

You can have yourself a lovely pamper evening with just a few products, and without breaking the bank. 

One of the best parts about being pampered at a spa is the atmosphere. It just feels clean, and calm making you instantly feel relaxed. To re-create this atmosphere at home (or at least try) candles are an essential tool. These are just £1 from Primark, and come in all different scents. They burn for up to 30 hours, create a flowery smell and provide the perfect calm setting. 

Pampering always involves getting your nails done. There is nothing better than freshly polished nails, and there's no need to get them done professionally for them to look good. These are a few of our best budget polishes, all under £5 each, and fitting all different occasions. The Sinful Colors polishes are brighter, and more daring in colour, where as the Rimmel 60 Seconds still stand out but have a much duller tone. The Barry M Gelly is then the perfect nude, and gives the nail a clean finish, without attracting much attention. 

A face mask is a pamper evening must! At just £1 per mask these Pro Formula Purifying Thermal Face Masks (from Tesco's own range) are the perfect way to feel pampered whilst saving money. They work best for combination/oily skin and are just the right weight for a nice refreshing lift. Put them on after your usual cleansing routine for 5 minutes, and your skin will feel like new. 

To prepare for a pamper evening a nice bath will help you feel clean and relaxed. This is then the perfect time to pay attention to your hair and nourish it with a mask. Hair masks can be pretty pricey but this one comes in at £4.99 (in Superdrug), and that's for 500ml so it will last a lifetime! The mask helps to repair any damage to hair, and is the perfect consistency to create a smooth texture. Leave in whilst in the bath, or wrap your hair in a towel with it on while you pamper the rest of you, and then rinse off. 

When we feel particularly moany a pamper evening is the perfect way to help keep us quiet! You don't have to spend a lot to feel nice, so treat yourself. 

We're always looking for new ways to pamper ourselves, what are you favourite pamper products to use on a budget? 

Why Social Media Is Talking You Out Of A Night In

It's Friday night and you're sitting in your pjs with a dominoes feeling like you should be in heels and a tight dress, like the other 90% of people your age. It's strange because you're not having a bad time, quite the opposite actually you're having a fabulous time, but you've looked through Instagram and seen a million 'out out ' posts, and every 5 seconds you receive a new drunken Snapchat and you can't help feel as though you are missing out. You're boring. You are not going to have anything to post on social media in the morning, and the world is going to assume that you have no life. 

When did enjoying yourself become so centred around how you are perceived by others? You can bet your life that you are happier in a baggy tee with pizza in one hand and a tea in the other, than you would be with your toes squished and ankles awkwardly arched, while you stumble around sucking in your belly because your dress is too tight. So why do we do it? We can't even count the amount of times we've forced make up on, and every sip of alcohol has been a struggle, but the fear of missing out has won again.

No snapchat story of us dancing with a drink? No overly posey selfie with a caption telling everyone what club we are going to? No hungover Sunday status about how we are 'never drinking again'? Oh no that just won't do. 

We live in a world where posting about a night out is more fun than the night itself. Where we can never do what we would rather be doing because that's not interesting to others. A night out is not a night out if it hasn't been posted about, and most of the time is spent focused on how the night will be documented best. 

Going out is no longer for fun, it's to have something to update, it's to create an interesting online existence. Dresses can't be re-worn because they are posted for all to see, and you can't be drunk and embarrassing without the whole world being in on your antics. Your night is shared with the everyone, and you better hope it's good enough to keep your social networking the perfect representation of your life. 

Ok ok we could moan about social media all day, but I guess the point is do what you enjoy, not what is enjoyable for viewers to see. Stay in on a Saturday with a takeaway and old episodes of Gavin & Stacey, the beauty of social media is that it's not real, so you can always upload a throwback and pretend you were 'out out ' last night. 

Best Budget Buys

Is it just us or do all bloggers seem to be rich? Don't get us wrong we are guilty of splashing out, but is it always necessary? As much as we would love to, we can't always afford to buy the best of everything, and actually don't believe that you always have to spend a fortune to get a good quality product.

To make your living on a budget easy, we've got our favourite budget buys that will make it feel like you haven't had to make a compromise.

Obviously everyone has a different interpretation of 'budget', so there's a mixture of cheap, a bit of a treat and products that only really seem good value when you compare them to their up market versions. 

First up is the Pro Formula make up Wipes from Tesco (£2). We have no idea why make up wipes are so expensive but most are on average around £3, ouch! These wipes are cleansing wipes with Green Tea and Vitamin E and are one of the only range of wipes that actually leave our skin feeling clean. They have a fresh smell, not fragranced like most, and are perfect for sensitive skin and removing impurities. 

                   

Contouring has gone absolutely crazy in the Blogger world, and so many paint it to be a pretty pricey task. This kit by Sleek comes in at £6.50, which is relatively cheap in comparison to so many on the market. The shadow side is a perfect matte, and can be built up to achieve the level of darkness that you desire. The highlight then has the perfect shimmer, and again starts relatively light, allowing you to create the right build up for the look you want to achieve. 

Some of the face masks currently popular are extortionate. £45 for a tiny bottle!? Even if it's a miracle worker not many of us can justify spending that much on a mask, so here's an alternative. The Mudd range are such trusty products, and buying the masks in bulk is much cheaper than buying the individual packets. While this one does not appear to be on the market currently, the same product is available in different packaging. You can get 10 masks for £3.99 at Fragrance Direct http://www.fragrancedirect.co.uk/mudd/mudd-original-mask-100ml/invt/0043442. 

The product is heavy, and thick leaving your skin completely revitalised and cleansed after just 10-15 minutes. Perfect little weekly pick-me-up for you skin. 

It's such a common perception that the most expensive perfume is best. We have a large proportion of the Marc Jacobs range (and don't get us wrong, we love it), but it does feel pretty pricey to be wearing everyday. We like to have a less expensive perfume for everyday wear, and the Zara range is absolutely perfect. Starting at £9.99 the price allows for a quality product that lasts, and smells absolutely amazing. 

With Benefits release of a new mascara, the hype around expensive mascara is pretty high. We absolutely love Benefit mascara, but like to have cheaper alternatives that we can combine. Here are two options depending on how much you need to budget. 

On the left is Bourjois Paris Volume Glam Ultra Curl mascara. At £7.99 (in Boots) its not too cheap, but in comparison to the Benefit ones it really is a budget one! It really work and elongates eyelashes, the brush is not too bold and stumpy and allows for build-up with each stroke. Great for everyday make-up or to use on top of others. 

On the right is Collection 2000 Volumising mascara, and at just £3.99 (currently on offer, £2.99 at Boots). This mascara perfectly separates lashes and really does create good volume. This is an absolute essential if you're on a budget. 

Above are Boots Botanics Day and Night Creams. The Botanics selection comes in six different ranges, all designed for different skin types and vary in price. Kirsti is currently using the Radiant Youth range, which is typically for women looking to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Recently, her skin became stressed and appeared run-down so she tried this range and it has really improved the quality of her skin. Previously, she's used the Organic range which is best for all skin types, so if you aren't specific or suffering from anything it's a good place to start!

Boots Botanics are a great range to use and their products can be used by all different skin types. The Day and Night creams vary in price depending on the range you buy, The Radiant Youth ones come in at £7.99 each, the other ranges are from £4.99-£7.99 - a bargain compared to some of the larger brands! A real good quality product, too. 

And off the subject of beauty, this is an absolute Gem. The new Cristalinas range is available at Asda, and this diffuser comes in at £4. Since having our own house we are constantly looking at ways to make a lovely home, whilst sticking to our budget. Who knew how expensive diffusers are!? Well this one isn't in compassion to most, and honestly works so much better. This particular fragrance is Cherry Blossom and it honestly smells good enough to eat (please don't eat it though). It's the first thing you smell when you enter the room, and it really does last. Probably the best £4 we've spent on our home (well technically the best £12 as we've brought three!). 

So there you have it, living on a budget doesn't have to be so bad after all! Do you use any products that are a bargain? We'd love to know! Hopefully these products will give you a few less things to moan about. 

30 Things We'd Tell Our 14-Year-Old Selves

This year we both turn 21. We’ve lived together for a year and a half now and are pretty close, we share basically everything – including our mood swings. Deep conversations (or DMC’s if you’d prefer) are a common habit of ours and today we found ourselves compiling a list of things we would tell our 14-year-old selves. 

So here it is, agree or disagree? Can you think of more? Leave a comment, we’d love to know!

1. Pull your skirt down

2. Stop using dream matte mousse

3. Throw your Jane Norman bag away. Now

4. You really don't need 6 layers of mascara

5. It is not OK to have holes in your tights

6. Cross-the-body bags will give you severe back ache in a few years

7. Lunchtime is for eating not a chance to re-do your make-up

8. Go and get your eyebrows done professionally. You will suffer for the over-plucking

9. Don’t let the sole of your shoe fall off before you buy new ones

10. Your mum is right. That friend will screw you over

11. Quality over quantity. This refers to friends, layers of mascara…

12. Eat as much pizza as possible, fast metabolism is a temporary gift

13. Stop moaning. That homework is not real work, do it and then go out.

14. You do not love him

15. Friendships aren't based on time. Just because you've known them the longest, doesn't mean they are the most important.

16. Do not stop playing netball just because your friends have

17. Do not stop anything just because your friends have

18. That lip gloss does not make you look “sassy”

19. Your mum’s cooking is not crap

20. Stop holding your fringe with a clip

21. On the subject of fringes, a gap is not the end of the world

22. Stick-on fake nails do not look real. At all

23. Claire’s Accessories does not count as jewellery

24. And Charlie does not count as perfume

25. Lambrini is not wine and Vodka should be mixed

26. Only speaking over text does not count as a relationship. You will not call him an “ex” when you’re twenty.

27. Your natural hair colour is fine

28. Be prepared for your friends to really let you down. But chill, you will find friends that really do care

29. Not everyone sticks to “treat others how you like to be treated”. Remember that.

30. And lastly, relax. You’re doing better than what you think you are