How To Beat Those Down Days

As a fresh out of uni - and therefore unemployed - graduate, I've had one too many of those awful endless netflix-watching, pyjama-wearing and eating-endless-amounts-of-food-that-I-know-I'll-only- regret-later kinda' days. So whether you're job hunting, scouring the internet for the next step of your life, or just having one of those down days, here's a few tips on how to pick yourself back up and get that smile back...

1. Get up and Get Ready
As tempting as it is to stay in those comfy pyjamas all day and hibernate in bed watching Gossip Girl for the tenth time, it'll only make you feel worse. Get up and get ready for the day, even if you're not going anywhere. Feeling fresh and clean will make you feel ten times better and stop you festering away in your bed.

2. 'A Tidy Space is A Tidy Mind'
I don't know about everyone else but when my rooms a mess it makes my mind feel cluttered, too. Even just making my bed in the mornings helps me feel better, so keeping your room or your workspace organised and looking pretty is more likely to make you feel better and more motivated.

3. Find A Hobby
While once upon a time watching netflix all day sounded like a dream, the novelty soon wears off. Find yourself a hobby to encourage you to get up and do something. It could be blogging, running or even something as simple as drawing - just find something you enjoy so that your whole day doesn't merge into one long series of PLL.

4. It's Okay To Have Bad Days
It's okay to have those 'I'll never find a job!' days! We can't be positive Polly's all the time, so let yourself have a day off from job hunting or course researching when it all gets a bit too much. This is the perfect to focus on that hobby and give yourself a bit of you time.

5. Don't Overwhelm Yourself
Whether you're looking for a new job or worrying about which uni looks the best, remember not to overwhelm yourself. If it's a job you're looking for, set yourself a target of applying for say 10-15 jobs a day, and that way you've made an effort to look and apply but job titles won't be blurring into one and you can save your sanity!

6. Socialise
When you feel yourself slipping into one of those bad days, grab yourself a chum and cheer yourself up. If I'm feeling down I text my best friend and she'll soon remind that things could be a lot worse and the phase will soon pass. Even grabbing a cuppa' with your mum will you make you feel better than laying in a dark room feeling sorry for yourself.

7. Get Out And About
As much as friends help, so will getting out and about, too. Even a walk through the park or a browse in the shops makes me feel better. There's nothing worse than getting cabin fever after sitting in the same house for days on end, so for a clearer mind take a stroll and find some inspiration!

Hang in there, chums! Down days will soon be a distant memory!

Love, Lauryn xo

A Change Of Name...

Hey Guys!

So just a quick update to let you all know that I have had to change the name of my blog. Although I very much liked 'Love Lauryn' there were so many blogs with similar names and it just wasn't helping to get my blog noticed and 'out there'. So if you have commented on any previous posts, the comments will have been deleted when I changed my URL, and I am very sorry!

My blog is now titled 'Enchanted Rose xo' which reminds me of the rose in Beauty and the Beast which is very fitting seeing how much I love anything Disney related. If I'm honest, I'm not entirely sure why I chose this name but it seems so much more girly and magical so I'm pretty happy with it.

I'll still sign off my blogs in the same way but it's just the URL and header that will be different now! How exciting!

Keep your eyes peeled for my next post which will be in a few days!

Love Lauryn xo

Summer Nightime Routine

Now that summer is almost upon us, it's time to dig out the fan from the loft and prepare for those sleepless nights of unbearable temperatures and constant daddy long-leg invasions. But those sticky nights aren't all bad, as the arrival of the summer means a re-vamp for the night-time routine...

1. Make Up Wipes
Taking off your makeup after a hot day is one of the best feelings eveeeer. I have super sensitive skin, so I find the Tesco basic makeup wipes the best ones for me as any others break me out. The cucumber scented wipes smell amazing and leave my skin feeling so refreshed.

2. Exfoliator, Toner & Moistouriser
Hot summer days + a face full of makeup = gross skin. I love the Clean & Clear collection for my sensitive skin and make sure I exfoliate a few times a week and tone and moisturiser every night after taking my makeup off... It's the perfect way to cool your face down and get rid of the last bits of makeup!

3. Shower
A cool shower is one of the best ways to wind down before bed in the summer, especially when the nights can get so humid. I've been loving the Radox Feel Glam Berry Burst shower gel as it smells so summery. Instead of spending hours under a hot hairdryer and straighteners after a shower, I tend to french plait my wet hair which means not only do I get easy beach waves the next day but my wet hair helps to keep me cool in the evenings, too.

4. Vaseline Moisturiser Spray
I have been absolutely OBSESSED with this stuff this year! The spray means its so quick to apply and it dries instantly so you completely skip that tacky feeling when you're waiting for moisturiser to dry. The cocoa radiant spray is the nicest smell ever, its like holidays, suncream and happiness in a bottle. And heres a quick tip... if you have sunburn, leave your moisturiser in the fridge for a while and then spray on those red patches... it is heavenly!

5. Light Pyjamas
There's nothing worse than being uncomfortably hot when you're trying to sleep so light pj's are a must! Primark have some fab summer pyjamas that are crazy cheap, like these cute biscuit ones that were a complete steal at £4...

6. Summery Candles
I am such a candle lover... even in the summer. I love lighting candles before I get into bed, it just feels so much more relaxing when your room smells gorge! I've been absolutely loving the Strawberry Rhubarb Marmalade three-wick candle that I bought from Bath & Body Works when I went to America. I'm absolutely gutted that we don't have a B&BW here in the UK but Yankee Candle do some amazing summer scents such as Pink Dragon Fruit and Vanilla Frosting.

7. Cool Blankets
It's time to put away the extra thick winter duvet and bring out the lighter covers! Although a British summer isn't all it's cracked up to be, the nights can be crazy humid so instead of using a duvet, I tend to use a light blanket or throw as a cover, instead. I can't sleep without any cover on so this blanket from Victoria's Secret has been a life saver!

8. Refreshing Drink
While Winter nights were all about being cosy in bed with a mug of hot chocolate, it doesn't mean you can't rewind in bed in the summer, too! Think ahead during the day and leave a refreshing drink in the fridge ready to take up to bed with you. My fave's for the summer are Dragonfruit Vitamin water or a nice cold strawberry milkshake!... and as I have a obsession with pretty drinking glasses (weird, I know) I like to make it a bit more fun with a pretty tumbler.

9. Beating Those Light Nights
I don't tend to suffer too much with this as I'm not normally asleep until it's dark anyway, but if you're one of those unfortunate people who have to be up at the crack of dawn and need an early night, but find it impossible to fall asleep early now that it's light until much later, grab yourself an eye mask. They're the perfect cheap fix to shut out the sun and get that much needed sleep!

Happy Summer, Everyone!

Love Lauryn xo

Girl Struggles

While being a girl can be pretty damn fabulous most of the time, there are, without a doubt, a number of problems us females have to deal with that the male species wouldn't even consider in their simple day to day lives.

1. Periods.

We moan. We cry. We eat our body weight in chocolate - and then cry some more. Guess what? We're allowed to. If boys had to put up with this crap once a month I'm pretty sure they'd kick up a bigger fuss than us. 

2. Shopping.

The pain of feeling somewhat skinny before you set off for that mammoth shopping trip you've been waiting weeks for, only to find those shorts you've been dying for don't actually fit and having to do the walk of shame from the fitting room, grunting at the shop assistant when she asks if they're any good. 

3. Crazy Emotional - and for no apparent reason.

We hate you one day and love you the next? Totally normal. Some days we'll sob like a baby at the end of Titanic, and others we'll totally think Rose was just plain selfish. There was definitely room for two on that headboard. 

4. The Want To Look Good vs The Need To Be Comfy.

How we hate those girls who turn up at the airport for a 5am flight with perfectly applied lipstick, shoes to die for and ginormous blow dry... and there you are. No makeup, hair shoved up and wearing those leggings that you think may be see-through. Comfort all the way.

5. Eyebrows.

We were all fine with barely existing eyebrows and then bam! Cara Delevingne makes an appearance and suddenly were drawing on eyebrows that are thicker than Charlie's from Busted. The male species will NEVER understand the time and effort that goes into plucking, shaping, grooming, tinting and pencilling a girls eyebrows. 

6. Diet.

The struggle between wanting that stuffed-crust meat feast pizza with a side of onion rings and mozzarella dippers... and looking like a Victoria's Secret Angel. Guess which one wins?

7. Bitches.

You'd think that at 20 years old, you're too old for twitter wars, right? Wrong. Whichever path you take in life, you will always come across a bitch. Sometimes she will recruit an army of bitches to stand by her, and sometimes she will work solo. But she'll always be there. 

8. Shaving.

It's so time consuming and you practically have to be a gymnast to manoeuvre around the shower cubicle. But when it's done, it's SO worth it. Just call me the silk goddess. 

9. Expensive clothing.

Men can take a minimal amount of money and come home with an entire new wardrobe. Girls? Oh no. With a new bra costing the same as what you earn in 6 hours, we're surprised we can afford anything at all.

 

10. The Kardashian's.

We just want to be a Kardashian. Is that so much to ask?!

11. Tanning.

Having stood in positions you never knew existed in order to reach that awkward section on your back, you find you missed the back of one of your legs and your hands are now bright orange, only to then realise it's raining outside and end up in the club looking like you have a skin disease. Oh the joy. 

12. Pain.

Period pain. The pain of waxing. The pain of poking yourself in the eye with the mascara wand. The pain of breaking an acrylic nail. It just hurts, okay?!

13. Hair.

Do we go lighter, or darker, cut it all off, get extensions? Why can't I get it to look like Blake Lively's?! and don't even get me started on bad hair days.

14. Unrealistic Expectations Of Love.

Thanks to Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill all girls desperately hope for at least one romantic declaration in the style of Chuck Bass or Lucas Scott... unfortunately for us, the male species are content with a pizza delivery and a text along the lines of 'love u bae.' And who said romance is dead?!

But it's not all bad for us gals, because after all...

Love Lauryn xo

A (late) New Years Resolution

So although we're already half way through the first month of 2015, I decided to make a late new years resolution.

To blog more.

I started my blog over the summer during my break from uni. I knew I wanted to keep writing and I had so much time to fill that a blog seemed like a good way to cure that, but now that I'm back at uni, and in my last semester (eeee!) I feel that with all the work I have to do, I need to make time for things I enjoy. Like writing.

A lot has happened since I last posted; I went to Rome, I got ENGAGED!, I started at a new university, I went to Disneyland and most recently, I booked my dream holiday to New York. It's only now I've done all of these things that I wish I had been running my blog at the time to post about them.

So forgive me for this post being on the boring side, but I'm aiming to post at least once a week in the midst of essays and dissertations, as a release for myself if anything. So prepare for the posts on my last few months of the university adventure, wedding preparations (3 whole years to be precise) and a lot of excitement about my trip to America.

See ya soon!

Love Lauryn xo

A break from blogging...

So it's been a few months since my last post and firstly I wanted to apologise for that. I've had an absolutely manic summer and if I'm honest I just haven't had time or the inspiration. Between a family loss, some very stressful driving lessons and a job that involves long hours, I just haven't had the want to blog. However, now that summer is over and my life is slowly returning to somewhat of a routine again I will definitelyyyy start blogging again. With a holiday on Monday and starting a new uni the week after I have plenty coming up that I want to share. So give me a few weeks to get settled and I promise I'll be back!

See you then!

Love Lauryn xo

July Birchbox!

So I was soo excited when my July Birchbox was delivered this morning and after having a good old nose at the products inside, it's safe to say July is definitely a winner of a box! This months theme was 'Sun, sea and Sand' which was really cute.

For those of you who don't know what a Birchbox is, it's basically a box of 4-6 samples of hair, makeup and lifestyle products. They include brands such as Laura Mercier, Benefit and OPI. It's a great way to test a product before buying it as a lot of them are a bit on the pricey side. They also do a fab rewards system! The subscription is £10 a month but a lot of the time the products add up to waay more than that so in my eyes the box is totally worth it!

Benefit The Porefessional - £24.50

So the first product that caught my eye was the 7.5ml Benefit Porefessional. I have wanted to try this product for soo long but being a student I have to be careful with what I spend my money on, and a primer was beaten on the priority list by the need to eat (only just!). I have heard so many amazing reviews on this product, and as I suffer from oily skin I've been desperate to find a good primer, so I'm beyond excited to try this out.

This product was the 'lifestyle' extra in this months box, and a girl can never have too many nail files, right?! This has a really cute pattern and is perfect size to keep in your handbag. It also has a 'buffer', 'polish' and 'shine' side to give you that perfect manicure!

Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream - £20

An eye cream is another thing that's been on my to buy list as you can't rock dark circles with any make up look! The 7ml balance eye cream smoothes, brightens and lifts so it seems like everything you could possibly need in an eye cream. The cream feels really hydrating and moisturising when you apply it and a little certainly goes a long way - now just to see if those dark circles are banished!

Models Own - From £5

This Models Own nail varnish is in shade 170 and its quite a quirky little polish! It reminds me of the type of nail varnish I used to wear when I was little so I can't say I'd wear it all the time but it's definitely something that can be used to spice up your nails on a special occassion. It a varnish made up of sparkly streaks so it couldn't be used on it's own but it would look great over pastel colours. An added bonus is that this one is a full size bottle not a mini!

Whish, Three Whishes Lavender Body Butter - £14.50

The 22ml Whish body butter smells insane! It reminds me of a spa which is always a good thing! I've heard a lot of good things about the whish range but I've never gotten round to trying it out myself so now's the perfect chance. A small sample on the back of my hand felt really hydrating and left my hand really smooth so I can't wait to try it out properly.

Laqa & Co Sheer Lip Lube Pencil in Menatour - £14

I adore the colour of this Laqa & Co Lip Lube, it's such a stunning purple called Menatour but it doesn't come out too dark - a perfect splash of colour if you're sporting a natural makeup face. It smells quite minty and gives a tingly feeling but it also feels soo smooth when it's on and it applies really nicely. I'd definitely be interested to look into the rest of this range and it's a really good size that will definitely last a while.

So this month was box of little beauties! I am so pleased with all of the products and I cannot wait to try them all out properly. July was definitely a success so I can't wait for August! If you haven't already subscribed to Birchbox head over to their website www.birchbox.co.uk and use the code NEW14 for free shipping on your first box!

See you next time!

Love Lauryn xo