freshwater bay

If you ever get the chance to visit the Isle of Wight, make sure you go to Freshwater Bay.

It's a tiny tiny beach, hidden in the cliffs which you can only see if you take the coast road.

Freshwater Bay is by far the nicest beach I think I've ever been on. There is hardly anyone around - just the few boat, odd surfer and couple of seagulls.
The whole place just has this awe about it. It's easy to stay here for hours.
I stood just beside the sea for over half an hour, on my own, just watching the tide move it's way in and out of the bay.
The water is clear, the sand is fine. Even if you just stop in for a flying visit, please just go there!

model village

The Model Village in Godshill is one of the most amazing places I think I've ever visited.

It's situated in a small, quaint village and it's just a centre where the village is portrayed in tiny models.

The tiny airfield is one of the first things you see when you get in.

There's a few small planes and and mini models of people. One of the funniest things about this place is how there's a mini person everywhere you look.

I think that the photo above shows in comparison how small the actual models are!

One of my favourite things about the Isle of Wight so far is the houses.

If you drive down deralict country roads, you'll come across old barns with thatched roofs and these are all shown as models in the village.

I took this photo down a small section of the model center, and it really does prove that there are models everywhere you look!

Whether it's grandmas in phone boxes or men driving old buses, you're bound to find a mini-version here.

These photos also show in comparison how small the models are.

The houses in these photos are some of the biggest in the centre, and I would say there are no more models bigger than this. 

Thanks for the lovely visit, Godshill.
We'll be sure to visit again soon!

my ultimate driving playlist

Although I'm too young to drive, I still have my ultimate driving playlist.

It's already a saved playlist on my iPhone.

So, MoneySupermarket are hosting a little competition for all bloggers, and all you need to do is note down your ultimate driving playlist!

The prize is a 32gb iPad for you to store all of the songs on.

Here's a link to the competition T&C's and all the details on how to enter. :)

Image credit

Beyonce | Single Ladies.
This really doesn't need an explanation. As you may already know, I love Beyonce. She's such an amazing role model and empowering woman. I love her!

Frank Ocean | Swim Good
This is just a perfect song for if you're driving anywhere.

G.O.O.D Music | Clique
I love Kanye. Him and Bey are all I literally listen to now. It even got to the point where I was so obsessed where I took all of my mum's photos out of the frames and replaced them with photos of him. Even my brother loves him now... I taught him well. ;)

Jay Z and Kanye West feat. Beyonce | Lift Off
Hooray, Kanye and Beyonce in one song - it even has a little bit of Jay Z in. Bonus!

Nelly feat Kelly Rowland | Dilemma
Classic. An ultimate classic. Old rnb is my favourite genre, closely followed by rap.

R Kelly | Ignition
Who doesn't have this on a driving playlist?

Robin Thicke, TI and Pharrell | Blurred Lines
Yes, I've fell victim to the hype. I don't really listen to 'pop' music, but I  must admit that I do like this song!

the needles

So, if you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you may know that this week I've snook off to the Isle of Wight for some family time.

Eventhough it is my first time on the island, I'm in love with it already.

It's so quirky and scenic - I could easily live here.

First stop - The Needles at Alum Bay.

The Needles are three standing stacks of chalk in the middle of the sea.

There is also the lighthouse next to them which you can see up close on a boat ride.

The boat ride itself costs £5.50 per adult and £3.50 per child. Kiddies and pets go free!
It lasts about 20 minutes and you get right up close to The Needles with a running commentary on the local history.

Now... This is the interesting part. How do you get there?
Well, to get to the beach you have a choice - millions of steps OR a 4 minute cable car ride which feels like 100ft in the air.
Obviously, I took the more adventurous side and took the chair lift. It's fair to say that it was terrifying.

Yes of course you get nice views, but if you're scared of heights, I think you'd be better off to take the stairs!
When you get to the bottom, there's a gorgeous beach.
The cable car itself takes 4 minutes each way and is £4 per person. It is definitely one of the best things I've done since I've been here.
Seen as it only takes 45 minutes (at most) to get from one side of the island to the other, it's definitely worth visiting.

pinspiration

Here's just a sample of what's been catching my eye lately. You can always count on Pinterest to give you extra inspiration and amazingly cute photos. Long hair in a high pony with a cute ribbon is what I long for in the summer. Finding creative things like mini chicken coops (which look like mini houses) are just one of my favourite things about Pinterest. You never know what you're going to come across!

Cute candles in jars of sand look so relaxing - especially if they're near a long isolated bath tub. Black suede heels are one of my favourite things to look at at the moment. They're so sleek and elegant and I definitely want to own a pair to go with a cute LBD. Barbie pink lips are so cute, and old barrels which have been transformed into a flower pots are on my 'list of things to do'. And as for the ice cream spoons, they don't really need an explanation... Do they?

my (half) mac palette

Finally.

Finally, I bit the bullet and bought myself a Mac pro palette.

I love Mac eyeshadows because they're so pigmented and blendable.

Instead of having loads of random eyeshadow pots lying around, I figured it'd be better if I got one palette and they were all together :)

Even though it's only half-full, I love it already.

It's tonnes easier than carrying around seperate pots!

This is a perfect solution for my holiday next week :)

L-R TOP ROW: nylon, naked lunch, omega, woodwinked, espresso
BOTTOM ROW: smut, carbon

naked lunch, nylon

woodwinked, omega

carbon, smut, espresso

I use Nylon as a brow highlight or to highlight the inner corner of my eye to make them stand out more.

Naked Lunch is perfect to use as a base with Woodwinked through the crease.

Woodwinked has to be my favourite colour in this palette. It's like the perfect antique gold/bronze colour and it's so versatile!

Omega - perfect for blonde's eyebrows and as a nice neutral, plain colour.

Espresso is the colour I use for my brows because I have very dark hair.

Smut is the perfect crease colour for a smokey eye.

I haven't ventured much into Carbon, yet, but I'm thinking of using it as a powdered liner to blend in to make a dark, intense smokey eye. 

What are your favourite Mac eyeshadows? What shades can I add to my neutral palette?

diy exfoliator

Summer is a time of outdoor adventure and with the fun comes prolonged exposure to sweltering temperatures and sun rays, which have damaging effects on your skin.  

We all know that too much sun causes wrinkles and other signs of aging, but high temperatures can also compromise your skin’s health. 

Excessive sweating increases oiliness in skin causing more breakouts. 

Sweat, dirt and grime clog sweat ducts creating heat rashes.

Long bouts of swimming wash away essential oils in the skin exasperating problems such as eczema. 

Proper skin care, such as exfoliation, can help maintain the health of your skin.

Image Credit

 Here is an easy, all natural recipe for a DIY exfoliator from the experts at Skana spa of the New York resort Turning Stone.

What You Need
- 1/4 cup coffee grounds (either from a coffee pot or french press)
- 1/2 cup aloe vera gel
- 1/2 cup coconut oil

Coffee grounds need to be strained, though not completely dry. 

Melt the coconut oil, pour it over the coffee grounds and stir with a spoon. 

Add aloe vera gel and allow to set, either in the refrigerator or at room temperature. 

The coffee grounds will settle towards the bottom and you can stir occasionally if a mixed consistency is desired. 

You can use this before it is finished setting as long as it isn’t hot!

Apply in the shower to the whole body with special attention to rough skin areas, such as elbows and feet, as well as areas prone to cellulite, like thighs, belly and backside, for a firming effect.

Image Credit

Gently scrub using circular motions moving towards your heart for a few minutes, then rinse with cool water.  Pat skin dry with a towel. 

This may be too harsh to use on your face but if you wish to do so, scrub very gently and use only once or twice a week.

The beauty of this exfoliator is that it is natural and chemical free. It revitalizes your skin, leaving it smooth and refreshed. Aloe vera and coconut oils are excellent moisturizers that sooth dry, flaky, and burned skin. Aloe vera is also known to treat acne, especially in those with oily skin. The recipe is super easy to make and will protect your skin while you enjoy the summer.

*This is a sponsored post

maybelline popsticks

The Maybelline Popsticks have to be one of my go-to summer lipsticks.

They're just the perfect formula to get a subtle bit of colour and the staying power is amazing.

The shades I have are Cherry Pop, Tropical Pink and Pink Lollipop. 

In the tube, the colours look like they're quite dark, but they just give a very subtle colour.

If you're not a fan of bold lipsticks, these are perfect for you!

Cherry Pop / Tropical Pink / Pink Lollipop

Cherry Pop / Tropical Pink / Pink Lollipop

Cherry Pop is perfect for giving a gorgeous orange/peach shade.

Honestly, I think that Tropical Pink and Pink Lollipop are very similar on my lips and I can't tell the difference between the two!

My perfect combination is Tropical Pink as a base, and Cherry Pop applied over the top to give a peachy coral colour.

I've seen some quite bad reviews on this as they don't give quite a colour on some people's lips.

If you have lighter lip tones, I think this would result in a more prominent colour.

Have you tried these? What are your opinions?

mac studio fix fluid

Mac's Studio Fix fluid was the first high-end foundation I ever bought.

And it's fair to say I love it more every time I use it.

The only thing I didn't like about this foundation was that you had to pay an extra £4 for the pump.

I use a pump for all of my foundations as it's a much easier way to control how much product you actually get out of the bottle.

However, the lid doesn't fit over the pump but in the pump, you can twist it so that you can lock it and be able to transport it anywhere and have it not leak.

The packaging is sleek and simple too, like many other Mac products.

Because the bottle is made of glass, I'm terrified I will drop it and it will smash everywhere.

£21.50 is not cheap for a foundation!

I'm so pale, I'm practically the lightest shade that Mac do. 

The coverage for this is amazing - I would say definitely medium-full coverage. It's certainly blendable and some days I can even wear this without concealer.

It covers any blemishes if you build it up well.

This foundation has an SPF of 15, so if you build it up and take photos with a flash camera, you may get flashback and look a bit washed out.

The smell of this product is one I personally don't mind, but I know everyone else does.

The majority of Mac foundations get branded as smelling as 'paint stripper'.

However, you can't smell it on your face all day! There's always a positive. :)

I just pop a bit of Rimmel's Stay Matte powder and it stays putt all day!

Do you like the smell of Mac foundations? What are your favourite?