How-To // Survive Summer - Tanning

Okay okay I know, tanning is not particularly essential to surviving summer, but it helps. I am not one who tans particularly well, not unless I get unbelievably burnt, and even then I think most of the colour comes from all the new freckles that crop up. I'm very British okay!?

Over the past couple of years I have had the odd fling with fake tan but I've never settled into a committed relationship. I think this year we're going to have summer romance and see how that goes before I think about going long term.

Once I found a tanning brand that seemed to work for me I stuck with it. No way am I risking using a different brand and it going horribly wrong! I use a brand called St Moriz (which I'm guessing is a St Tropez knock off), it's pretty inexpensive at around £6 per bottle.

There are two main types of tan that I use (both by St Moriz):

Fast Self Tanning Mousse

and

Tanning Mousse in Medium

High End Make-Up | First Impressions

I'm not one that tends to go for the high end products of make-up. Mainly because I can't afford it and think that spending a whopping £40 on foundation is a bit OTT.

However, last month I had quite a bit of my paycheck leftover so thought I'd just splurge and treat myself.

I hesitantly made my way to feelunique.com and went to the makeup section. And stayed there, because once make-up was in my basket I couldn't face looking at other beauty products that would burn an even bigger hole in my wallet.

Becky's Favourite Books

It's Becky, yes I'm back again!! It's summer and so I have free time around working and making a start on my dissertation, so Kate nagged me to try and write some blogs.

I thought I would write about some of my favourite ever books. I'm not a Kate-level book worm but I enjoy reading when I get into it and remember/have time to do it. I read some similar books to Kate but also some VERY different books! Just to warn you, quite often I read as a comfort thing so books from my childhood are some of the best, I'm not actually a child...

Instagram // Favourites

So this week I had a purge of the accounts I follow on Instagram. I started off following around 380 accounts and now I'm down at 200. I really want my Instagram feed to be a place of inspiration and beauty where I want to like every picture. I think it's finally getting there, obviously there are a good number of accounts I follow which aren't quite to gorgeous, my 12 year old cousin for example does not necessarily have the strongest of Instagram games compared to some of the people I'm going to list below.

So here is my list of my current favourite Instagram accounts.

How-To | Compassion, Sponsoring a Child

As most of you probably know, or have sussed out by now, Kate and I go to church.

Within our church we support a lot of charities and Christian businesses. Which, if I'm being honest, I'd never really paid attention to.

It wasn't till one of the leaders in the church got up to speak about an organization called 'Compassion UK'. 

TGIF // Friday Favourites

So I decided it was about time I made myself switch from my normal ginormous handbag to something a bit smaller and more colourful for summer. So I chose this bag from New Look. It's orange and small and that's about all I needed to know to buy this. I wouldn't say I'm loving using a small bad, I find it means that I spend half my day playing tetris trying to fit everything I 'need' into it, or bringing a tote bag with me so I can bring my laptop etc,.

I bought a pair of white trainers from Primark, this pair is the most similar still available. I have a pair of Stan Smith's which I love but I needed a cheap pair that I wouldn't mind wrecking. These are super comfy and cheap enough that I don't feel bad if they get ruined quickly.

I picked up this fake tan from Boots the other day. Usually I buy the St Moriz one where it develops over 6 hours and then you wash it off but I thought I would give this one a go and wash it off after 1 hour for a light tan. It came out really well and not at all streaky. Although I think next time I would leave it on for a wee bit longer.

I have been loving these Precious Metal and Solstice palettes from Sleek. As soon as I have even the slightest tan I go highlighter crazy. And these two palettes are gorgeous!

So there we have it, my Friday favourites all of which I'm coincidentally wearing/have used today.

What are some if your current favourites?

Kate // SK

History of Art is cool // I need a better title

As a frequently mentioned person on this blog Kate finally annoyed me into writing another post. This is all her ideas and so you can blame her if it is boring or rubbish!

I'm the younger sister and I'm just coming to the end of my third year of University (of four) studying a joint honours in History and History of Art. Something I get asked regularly is what exactly does a History of Art degree entail, to be honest most people think it's a skive. So I thought (or Kate thought) I should write a post about my degree for anybody who wants more information as it is not a subject taught in most schools.

How-To // Survive Summer - The Clothing

Summer in Scotland can be a relatively elusive thing. There's usually a week in May or June when the summer arrives and the next week it's gone again. People rush out to buy sun cream, BBQ's ice creams and the parks are full of pasty white people desperately trying to get some colour. And then as quickly as it came it's gone again, the very next week people are back in trousers and jumpers and suncream goes to a cupboard somewhere where it's forgotten about. All we have to show for the week of sun are the Instagram pictures and the sunburn.

Last week we had that week of sun and it got me thinking about the things I change when the weather gets hot. My fashion choices change, my make-up changes, my hair changes. For that one week I adapt happily to the sunshine hoping that this time it might stay.

How-To // Surviving A Busy Week

So I really love being busy, I can't stand having days of doing nothing. I just get into a funk and end up being completely unproductive. The more time I have, the less productive I am. But there is a difference between being busy and having the most ridiculous hectic week I can remember.

This week is one of those weeks.

When I have a busy week there are a few things I do to help myself not to get stressed.

So this is Kate's Guide to Surviving A Week of Madness (catchy name I know!)

Couch to 5k // Weeks 8 and 9 + FINISHED

Week 8:

Days 1-3 - 28 minute run
Week 9:
Days 1-3 - 30 minute run