Packing For Summer: Beach Bag

Bag: Primark

Hat: H&M

This week's topic for the "Summer Blogger Challenge" is "Packing For Summer" so I thought I would do a post on what I tend to take to the beach! I love going to the beach; it's so relaxing and it's lovely when it's nice and warm. Going to the beach is quite a laidback thing, so you don't need to bring loads of makeup (or wear it for that matter!) I usually pack a few bits and bobs to make my beach trip a fun and relaxing one.

Water (obviously...)

No way would I go to the beach without packing some water! Being sat in the sun all day can result in dehydration (which is dangerous! You don't want to end up with sunstroke!) I usually bring a few bottles; you can even bring a cooler to make sure your water stays cold all day!

Sunscreen (a must!)

Another necessity that is just plain safe to have! You need to keep topping up your suncream when you're outdoors, especially at noon when the sun is at its highest point! There's nothing worse than spending the rest of your holiday with sore, burnt skin - you're going to wish you'd used it!

Hand Sanitiser (just because...)

This is me being a bit of a germ freak, but if you've been in the sea and touched god-knows-what on the sand (and especially if you're about to eat) it's nice to have clean hands.

Schwarzkopf Texturising Salt Spray (for creating beach waves!)

I love this spray; it gives your hair texture and holds your style. If you've been in the sea, give your hair a spritz with this and scrunch - you'll have some lovely beach waves!

Sunglasses (so you can stop squinting!)

Big sunglasses are essential for the beach; I like the design of these (they're also slightly cat-eye!)

Lip Balm (lips need hydrating!)

I love this strawberry lip balm from The Body Shop as it's super moisturising and it has an amazing scent! It also gives a gorgeous pink/red tint.

Mirror (vain I know!)

My friend got me this personalised mirror for my birthday and I always carry it in my bag. It's great for whipping out if you have something in your eye (like sand!) I always have something in my eye, so a mirror always comes in handy wherever I go.

Phone (and earphones!)

You may not be able to get signal, but you can still use your phone to take snaps of the view and listen to music. During the journey and on the beach, you can listen to some Summer tunes whilst relaxing - perfect!

Kindle (for reading a bit of John Green)

I know that lots of people like to read on the beach when they're sunbathing, as it gives you something to do! Plus it's a bit of entertainment if you're bored.

Bikini (don't forget a towel too!)

If you tan easily (I unfortunately don't) then bringing a bikini is essential so you can make sure every part of your body has access to the sun (well, nearly every part!) I like going in the sea in my bikini, but just don't forget a towel!

Leave your link down below so I can have a look at your post this week!

Thanks for reading!

Fit For Summer: Wii Style

This week's topic for the "Summer Blogger Challenge" is "Fit For Summer". Because I've already written two posts about the fitness routine that I do and the apps that I use (here and here) I was wondering throughout the week what I could do for this post (without repeating myself). I decided to focus on some Wii games that can help with fitness and get you active, without even leaving the house.

Wii Sports
I'm sure this game comes with the Wii! This has kept my family entertained for hours and it's great exercise (especially the boxing and the tennis!) My grandparents have even played it at Christmas time - it's fun for any age and there's plenty to choose from.

Wii Fit
This used to be one of my favourites! It's really useful if you want to keep track of your weight loss as it tells you your weight when you step onto the board. You can then choose from different muscle exercises, yoga poses and games to play in order to improve your physique (my favourites are the ski jump, the aerobics and the hula hoop!)

Zumba Fitness
I find this game keeps you very active as it involves jumping about and shaking your hips! A belt was included with this, which you put your Wii remote in so you don't have to hold it! There's different dances involving Latin music and over 30 routines to choose from. Zumba is a big thing amongst women, for a reason - it's fun and keeps you fit!

Michael Jackson The Experience
I'm a big fan of Michael Jackson so I was really excited when I got this game. You can dance to a number of his hits, following the routine and earning stars. It's great fun to play at parties and it's a good laugh watching your friends attempt the dance moves!

Just Dance 2 & 4
I loved the second one so much that I had to buy the newest one! When my friends come round, we always end up on this (and they go home knackered) and we have a good laugh! You can go solo, dance together, or battle each other to hits from the past and present. It leaves you breathless and tired (which only means you're improving your fitness each time you play!)

What's your favourite Wii game to play, that keeps you fit?

Leave your links below to your challenge post for this week - I'd love to read!

Thanks for reading!

My Summer Bucket List

This week's "Summer Blogger Challenge" topic is "Summer Bucket List" and I'd been wondering what type of post to do for it seeing as this is the first time that the post isn't specifically beauty-related. I've decided to put together a handful of things I'd personally like to do this Summer, before September comes around again and it's back to college.

This would be the perfect Summer afternoon; packing up some sandwiches, crisps, cold drinks and blankets and sitting out on the grass in the local park with my friends. Bringing some speakers so we can listen to music while we soak up the Sun and having a good laugh! Can't wait!

Need I say much more?! My friends and I have already said that we'll be getting the train to the beach - it's one of my favourite things to do in the Summer! I love relaxing on the sand, paddling in the sea and getting some fish and chips to eat.

I love spending time with my family and we'll all be off work/college/school so we'll have plenty of time to make the most of the holidays. We're also getting a gorgeous new puppy (which I'll be doing a post about soon!)

I started driving lessons in April after over a year of being terrified! I'm hoping to pass my theory before September but I wish I'd started my lessons as soon as I'd turned 17, as I'd have probably passed by now. But I'm really looking forward to having the freedom of being able to drive wherever I want.

I also want to do more exercise, especially playing tennis and going swimming now that it's getting warmer. I've also downloaded these apps above, where it gives you exercises to do everyday as part of the 30 day challenge. I did a post on getting in shape for Summer with some fab exercises you can do, so check it out here.

Thanks for reading my Summer bucket list!

Leave a link to your bucket list down below if you're taking part in the challenge!

Mini Lookbook: Summer Trends

So this week's "Summer Blogger Challenge" topic is 'Summer Trends'. There's still time to get involved if you like! Just contact Amy (her email address is amsiegramham@gmail.com) as she's running the challenge and emails the topic to everyone each week. This week I decided to do a mini lookbook on a few outfits that I really like wearing this Summer. I'm loving floral print, crops tops and maxi dresses so I've put together three outfits to show you all! Bearing in mind that I've tried to avoid taking pictures in my garden, as it's such a mess! So I've had to do a lot of cropping and positioning. Plus, my head's cut out on a lot of them (yeah, sorry about that - I know it looks a bit creepy haha!)

Dress: Boohoo

Shoes: Primark

I love this dress (even though it's hard to walk in as it's so tight at the bottom - I waddle like a penguin!) But I love the way it falls all the way to the floor; I'd probably wear this if I was going for a meal in the evening (especially with these shoes!) But if I was to wear it during the day, I'd team it with a denim jacket and a nice pair of sandals.

Top: H&M

Skirt: H&M

Shoes: Oasis

I'm really loving this skirt at the minute! I love wearing crop tops with it, as it's high-waisted so doesn't show too much of your midriff. I'm loving floral print and I decided to wear this outfit with these flower flip flops as they're really girly and I love the detail (you may have seen them in one of my wish lists - I ended up getting them!) Again, this skirt is tight (like most denim skirts) but you're not completely restricted as you can undo the zip a little at the bottom, so you don't have to stick to baby steps if you're on a walk!

Playsuit: Next

Shoes: New Look

I've had this playsuit a while, but I still wear it as playsuits are still on trend at the minute. Again, I love floral print and I love the fact it's really loose and comfy - the top part is elasticated (so it stays up!) I teamed it with these black plimsoll shoes as they're great to just slip on - plus they're comfy if you're planning on going for a walk!

I hope you enjoyed my first ever lookbook!

I really enjoyed doing this post (just a shame about the horrendous background haha!)

I'd love to see your "Summer Blogger Challenge" this week; leave a link below!

Thanks for reading!

Summer Makeup Bag Essentials

I'm currently taking part in the Summer Blogger Challenge, which takes place every Tuesday. This week's topic is 'Summer Bag Essentials' so I thought it would be the perfect chance to show you a few beauty bits and bobs that I like to use in Summer.

1. ELF Baked Eyeshadow Palette - California
I love the warm, toasty shades in this palette and I love mixing them up to create a gorgeous eye look. You can wear these shades during the day and on the night time, so this little palette's perfect for taking on holiday! Even though they're not that pigmented (you have to wet your brush to get a bit of the colour) they're ever so shimmery and I find that they brighten up my eyes - I especially love the gold tones!

2. Rimmel BB Cream - Very Light
You may have already read my review on this (which you can find here). I love this BB cream; it's really light on your skin and the SPF 25 obviously comes in handy when you're out in the sun. I find it easy to apply and it blends in really well, so if you know you're going to be a bit sweaty, it might be best to use a BB cream instead of a thick foundation.

3. Collection Bronzing Powder
If you can't get a natural sun-kissed tan (like me) then bronzing powder is the way to go! I like adding this under my cheekbones, around my temple and down my nose and neck to give myself a nice glow.

4. ELF Lip Stain - Heartbreaker
I love wearing this coral shade during the day; it sits on your lips just like a lipstick, but you can also make it look more like a lipgloss by using the other end.

5. No7 Stay Perfect Long-lasting Volume Mascara - Black
This has been my go-to mascara for the past year or so; the main reason I like it is because it's waterproof and sweatproof! It stays on all day without the worry of getting panda eyes.

6. The Body Shop Strawberry Lip Balm
My lips can get very dry, so this is perfect for carrying in my bag (it also smells like strawberry laces, mmm!) I love the subtle tint it gives to my lips.

What products do you prefer using in the Summer?

Thanks for reading!