OOTD: Christmas Day

Hey!

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and had lots of fun with your loved ones!  I thought I'd do a little OOTD, as I've done some previously on this blog. Here's what I wore on Christmas Day.

Top: TK Maxx
Skirt: Boohoo
Tights: New Look
Necklace: Anna Saccone for Stilnest

Thank you for reading!!

Claire xxx

My Favourite Strictly Pros

Hey!

So Strictly Come Dancing is one of the most popular shows from the BBC and as I've been a fan since the very first series, I've seen a number of changes to the pros and the growth of the show in general. Even though this is a lifestyle/beauty blog I thought I'd share with you some of my favourite professional dancers from the programme!

Janette Manrara
Janette is one of my favourite Strictly pros because I love how talented she is at her latin dances. She comes across as a very warm and cheerful person and I love her attitude to life. She's very funny and doesn't take herself too seriously.

Oti Mabuse
In my opinion, Oti is one of the best choreographers the show has to offer. She delivers some absolutely incredible routines for her celebrity partner and knows their strengths. She's very funny and is an asset to the show in my opinion.

Ola Jordan
Ola is probably one of the most famous female pros and one of the most memorable. She's very daring and produced some incredible routines during her time on the show.

Karen Clifton
Karen Clifton is one of my favourite female pros because she always manages to make fun routines no matter who her partner is. She knows exactly how to show off her partner no matter what their skill of dancing might be.

Katya Jones
Katya is another professional who has shone on both of her series' so far. She has the ability to choreograph some fantastic routines to even the most difficult of Strictly's music choices. She has a fun personality and I hope she stays!

Lilia Kopylova
During my earlier years of watching Strictly, I loved watching Lilia. Even though she isn't on the show anymore, she did an amazing job while she was competing as a professional.

Pasha Kovlev
Pasha is one of my favourite male professionals on the show as he has such a great attitude towards the show and is always really positive about his partners, as well as being funny and creating some great routines.

Aljaz Skorjanec
Aljaz is a professional who's always got a smile on his face and that makes him very warm to watch. He's excellent in my opinion at having a balance of the required dance and the dance matching the song.

Kevin Clifton
Kevin Clifton is one of the most successful Strictly professionals of all time having been in the final for 4 years running. He's someone who always manages to pull out a clever routine, you just know he will have nailed it.

Anton Du Beke
You can't be a fan of Strictly and not have a soft spot for Anton Du Beke. A very comedic asset to the show, the show simply wouldn't be the same without him.

Giovanni Pernice
Giovanni is an incredible dancer and he has a huge personality too, he's a very funny character and he's proved that he can work well with whoever he's given.

Darren Bennett
Likewise to his wife Lilia, Darren did an amazing job on Strictly while he was competing and came across as very likeable and memorable during the years before Strictly become what it is today.

I hope you enjoyed this blog post and that you enjoy the rest of Strictly!

Claire xxx

Chester Weekend Trip (Meeting The SacconeJolys)

Hi!

Some of you may or may not know, but a couple of months ago I took a weekend trip to Chester, where I stayed with my best friend who is down there for university.
This trip has been long-awaited, as I've always wanted to go down but somehow I suppose my anxiety always got in the way and stopped me. It was always something which got to me.

This time however, was the time to go and visit her and also another special reason too.
We had tickets to meet The SacconeJolys on their book tour! Me and my best friend are both huge fans of The SacconeJolys and I've been watching them for a while now and I just find their videos so entertaining and really relaxing, they have gotten me through some tough times.

I travelled down on the train on Saturday afternoon (nearly missing it because my watch decided to stop and my housemate literally saved my skin by ringing a taxi for me last minute) and arrived around evening time, just in time for a Dominos!

I really enjoyed myself, we went for a night out on the Saturday night which was a lot of fun and one of my favourite nights out I've been on (and thankfully Beyoncé played) and then the next day, being a bit tired, we slept in, caught up on Strictly and watched Moana. She also made me a very tasty roast dinner which was soo good!

Monday was the day I went home but it was also the day we met The SacconeJolys. It was held in WH Smith, in the centre of the city which was great for me as it meant I got to see a bit more of Chester in the day this time! I should have taken more photos as it was my first time in Chester, but we were making sure we got there on time. At the signing, there was the opportunity to get your face painted with one of the dogs, or balloon animals. It was a very chilled event overall. As for Anna and Jonathan themselves, they were absolutely lovely and Jonathan's humour came out even in the short time we saw them. Anna looked so pretty and it was so weird to think that we were standing there beside them after having watched them for so long.

I really enjoyed my weekend down in Chester and I especially felt proud of myself because I know that I managed to throw myself into it and that a year or two ago I wouldn't have been able to do it. Looking back, I still can't believe I did it but I can't express how happy I am that I did. Somehow I managed to control my anxiety for the most and when I look back at the photos and videos, I smile a lot and am grateful for the amazing memories.

I also put together a short vlog featuring a couple of the clips and photos I took over the weekend (not all of them). Enjoy!

Claire xxx

Christmas Gift Ideas: Best Friend

 

Hey everyone!

It's the most wonderful time of the year! And if you still haven't got a plan of what to get your best female friend, take a little look at my gift ideas below:

Unicorn Mug - £10.00 Missguided.co.uk
(You could even get some chocolates or hot chocolate and marshmallows to put inside with the mug for an extra cute gift!

Strawberry Treats Set - £6.00 The Body ShopPerfect for someone who deserves a relaxing and indulging bath, you could team this up with some face masks or a cute shower cap to complete the gift.

Flamingo Wall Print - £3.15 EtsyThis wall print is so cute and would make a great gift for a friend who's into interior and decorating. If you wanted to follow up with something to go with it, you could always buy a reed diffusor or candle.

Cactus Hoodie - £5.69 Amazon.co.ukFor your friend who loves to be cosy and snug, an oversized hoodie would be a very appreciated gift idea. This cactus one is so cute and quirky, as it's from Amazon so you won't see it worn everywhere. You could even pair it with some cosy socks from Primark to make sure the person is extra snug!

Echo Falls Gift Set - £5 TescoWho doesn't love a little beverage around the festive season, (providing you are of legal age)? This Echo Falls gift set is so cute because not only do you receive a small bottle of wine, you get some Lindor chocolate and a sweet little glass to go with it! Pair up with a DVD your friend may like or a new lipstick and you're sorted.

Sleek Solstice Highlighter Palette - £9.99 Superdrug
This highlight palette has caught my eye for a while but it would make a gorgeous gift for a makeup loving best friend, as it's budget friendly and Sleek are a brand which do amazing quality products for their price range. A nail polish or cute brush set would be the perfect partner for this gift idea!

 

Personalised Wall Calendar - £14.99 Boots
Taken loads of selfies with a friend over the past year? A personalised calendar would make a very thoughtful gift and treasured because it's personalised. You could maybe pair a small stationary set to go with it so they can mark on their important dates and let's face it  - who doesn't love some new stationary?

Gold Coloured Shoulder Bag - £8.99 H&M
There's no such thing as having too many handbags, and this one would make a great night out bag as it's small and the gold colour is pretty to stand out in the light. I think it would make a great Christmas present with maybe some gel heels if you're planning on giving it to a mate who's always out in heels! Their feet will be very grateful!

So there's my gift ideas guide for your female best friend, I tried to incooperate some ideas. Ultimately, the decision is yours as to what your best friend likes and her personality, but I hope my ideas have maybe inspired you.

Claire xxx

Makeup Revolution Redemption Iconic 2 Palete Review

Hi!

Today I'm talking about the Makeup Revolution Redemption Iconic 2 Palette. I recently got gifted this palette from one of my best friends and it had been a palette which I'd been considering buying. Mainly because it displays a gorgeous number of shades. There's a nice collection of both matte and shimmery shades which compliment one another enormously. All of them range through light browns/cream to shimmery browns to the dark matte shade at the end.

I tested out this palette at the weekend and let's just say I was very impressed!
The pigmentation is extremely outstanding and very easy to blend.
It's a palette which can take you from your neutral and subtle day makeup to your seductingly sexy shimmery smoky makeup with just one brush sweep.

It's actually my first product from Makeup Revolution but I've got to say I'm really happy with the quality of the palette and the number of potential looks you can create with it. I'm hugely impressed and really recommend it! Makeup Revolution is definitely a drugstore brand I've wrongly overlooked and never quite noticed before but let's be honest that will not be happening anymore!

Have any of you used any Makeup Revolution products? What's your favourite?

Claire xxx