Getting into Shape: Fitness Update #1

In the society in which I live, health and fitness is a particularly aesthetic thing. I've always been a skinny girl - for as long as I can remember. For many, that's all there is to the "health and fitness dream". You can imagine therefore the confused reactions to me expressing my desire to get fitter and healthier when I'm already slim - and that's the problem. Health and fitness is very much a personal and biological thing as much as it is simply about appearances. I for one can vouch for the fact that I am fairly unfit and that I definitely do not eat well enough yet people still seem surprised when people with my frame say they want to get fit and eat healthier. 

It is often hard to differentiate between looking good and feeling good and many would choose to only opt for the first option because of the pressures put upon from the media. 'Fitness' is often glamourised in a way that makes it seem like we should all look one way and often unhealthy and unrealistic goals are presented to us. 

Nike Roshe Runs from JD - £40.00 (Junior section, yay for being a size 5!)

However, I have realised that looking and feeling good are both as important and that actually, they compliment each other very well and both things can be achieved when they work together. I have come to realise at the age of 20 that I want to be fitter and I want to be healthier - I want it for me and for me alone and not to impress others or to adhere to social pressure, but so that I can get the most out of my life, feel the best that I can and do the best that I can. And I think that's where the fitness journey begins: making sure that you want to start this journey for yourself and understanding that it will be a personal journey - one that will be different for all of us so there is no need to compare. Big or small, good health and fitness is something we are all entitled too and I am making the first little baby steps to getting there.

So what are these baby steps? Well for someone who has never really eaten distinctly heathy, I am definitely not going to suddenly turn vegan or anything. I need to make small adjustments that I can gradually increase and adapt over time. For me, that starts with the basics like getting my five a day and drinking enough water. I am also taking beneficial vitamins and trying to broaden my healthy food spectrum as well by trying new things. And of course, excersise. I have found a lot of different workout apps and YouTube channels that have helped me to start working out and I'm starting to recognise what kinds of excercise I enjoy most and what works for me. I think like most things, the most important thing is to have a routine and to have goals -  this is something I am also trying to establish for myself and it's helping me to see progress and to feel like I am really achieving.

This is will (hopefully) be the start of a journey that I can share with you and update you on. It may be monthly or every couple of months, but I want to share with you my discoveries, my achievements and my physical development both inside and out. Let's go!

REVIEW: GlassesShop.com Sunglasses

A while ago I was contacted by the company GlassesShop.com and was asked if I would like to review one of their products. At the time, I'd started wearing sunglasses for the first time and upon visiting their site, I found they stocked them and so decided to take them up on their offer! In this post, I'll be reviewing the pair of sunglasses that I was sent as well as telling you my thoughts on the company as well - enjoy!

So, let's start off with a bit about the company and what they offer customers. GlassesShop.com aims to produce high quality prescription glasses and sunglasses at affordable prices. They are also devoted to delivering the most fashionable choices in frames to make sure you can stay on trend. They deliver all over the world and their products are highly discounted and the company regularly offer you really great deals on top of this. 

As I said before, this shop offers both prescription eyeglasses as well as lots of cheap sunglasses (also available in prescription) for men, women and even children. They come in a wide range of styles, colours and shapes to suit your needs and tastes. I'm really impressed by just how much variation there is on this site - there's definitely something for everyone. 

Eyesglasses Variation.

Now, the sunglasses that I received were in the style "Limoges - Wayfarer" and I chose the shade brown/chocolate. I really love the infamous wayfarer style of these glasses and this is why I decided to choose this particular pair. I also found the colour and detailing of these glasses to be quite unique which is another reason that they called out to me. These sunglasses retail on their site for $29.95 (£19.54).

Picture from GlassesShop.com

After choosing the sunglasses, the delivery of them took around 2-3 weeks. This in my opinion is absolutely fine considering this was an international delivery - so that time frame is pretty standard. When I received my sunglasses, they were packed very nicely - ensuring that they did not get damaged in transit. You also receive as standard a clear, plastic protective case and good sized cleaning clothing with your sunglasses. I really like this free addition to my delivery because it meant I could use my sunglasses straight away without fear of damaging them and as a makeup wearer, it's always nice to have a cleaning cloth with me to wipe off whatever transfers onto them!

The style and aesthetic of these sunglasses is even more beautiful in person - they are very sophisticated in my opinion and are quite an understated pair of glasses. I didn't want anything too out there and these are really just right for the kind of style that I feel suits me best. I love the gold-detailing and the wood-like effect on the handles of these sunglasses and I feel like it adds that extra touch that makes them really stand out. They are definitely on trend and this particularly style would definitely suit lots of people - both male and female. 

They feel great and very sturdy in terms of quality - they've been loose in my bag several times and haven't scratched, broken or bent in any way. They're definitely a well made pair of sunglasses in my opinion and for their price range, this is something that particularly impresses me. 

Overall, I'm really happy with the sunglasses that I received and I'll definitely be continuing to get a lot of use out of them. They're stylish, well made and bang on trend which is exactly what you want out of a pair of sunnies! As someone who is also short-sighted, I know that frames can be very expensive and so next time I need new ones, I'll definitely also be checking out this company for their prescription glasses too. This company offers really affordable products in a huge amount of variation so at the very least, I'd definitely recommend you have a browse of their site - and I'm sure you'll find something you love!

* This product was sent to me for my consideration. This review contains my complete and honest opinion on said product. *

Changes.

Hey! You guys may have noticed that I decided to change my domain and blog name. I'm still keeping it pretty simple with Levinia Jayne (Jayne is my second name by the way) but I actually quite like it and feel like it suits the direction I'd like to take my blog in a lot better.

Though of course I love beauty and fashion and it'll still be a prominent part of this blog, I have a lot of others things that I love to share with you and talk about. With that in mind, a little name change seemed in order and I definitely think it's a little more appropriate for the kind of content I want to write about!

One of the main things I'd like to introduce are more 'life' posts where I open up a little and share with you all parts of my life. As well as sharing it with others, I feel like that's a great way for me to document my own life as well - it's something to look back upon.

Anway, this was just a quick like post to update you on the change - I hope you're all well and as always, thanks for reading!

Check out my designs!

Hello everyone! Lately, I've been really enjoying design and playing around with programmes like Photoshop. Along with that, I also recently joined Redbubble. Redbubble is a site where you can upload your designs whether they're digital art, drawings, photography or whatever else - you can share it on that site and also sell those designs! As a member, I've been predominantly making t-shirt designs though a few of my pieces are available as phone cases and stuff like that as well.

I'd love it if you guys could check out my store and share it if you think anyone would be interested in my creations! All my designs are based around my own personal interests and some of them might be yours too!

Here's a little sneak peak at what I've uploaded so far:

'Winter is Coming' GoT Design, available here.

'House Stark'  GoT Design, available here.

'Heisenberg' Breaking Bad Design, available here.

Hayley Williams Design, available here.  

Distressed 'Mia Wallace' Pulp Fiction design, available here. 

You can check out my overall store here, as I said I'd love it if you'd check it out!

REVIEW: LA Splash Lip Couture Liquid Lipsticks!

Hey! Today I have a review for you as promised on the LA Splash Lip Couture liquid lipsticks. I picked these up just over a week or two ago now and I thought I'd share my thoughts and feelings on them. LA Splash (from what I can gather) is an American brand that has recently hit the UK. Though I believe they make multiple products as a company, it is mainly their lip products that are taking the makeup community by storm and I have 3 of them to show you in this post. 

Packaging:

I like the packaging of these lipsticks quite a lot - firstly, the fact that it's see-through makes it a lot easier to know what shade I'm going for without having to read it's name. It's also handy for knowing how much of them I actually have left which is always nice! The design is simple and sophisticated - something I always appreciate in packaging.

Colour and Pigmentation:

The pigmentation of these lipsticks is AMAZING - that's something I have to put straight out there. In one to two applications, you have completely opaque coverage which I find really impressive. The colour payoff is also very intense - these are truly pigmented lipsticks. This brand makes a lot of really unique, beautiful shades that you're not going to find in the drugstore - from true blue-toned purples to blues and blacks, there's a great selection of alternative colours as well as more wearable, everyday ones too. There's something for everyone in the colour variation of this product.

The colours that I currently own are Vindictive - a kind of blue-grey shade - something I've never really seen before in a lipstick and one I was particularly excited to own, Criminal - a very bright, pink/red-toned purple & Poison Apple - a beautiful cherry red.

Application and Wear:

As stated before, these are really pigmented lip products and all the shades I own are opaque in around 2 applications. Vindictive however could probably be opaque in one application and is definitely the thicker in formula of the three. On the lips, they glide on smoothly and feel comfortable to wear. Like most liquid lipsticks, these do dry matte but these however retain that creamy look to them which I like. Being a matte lipstick, they will accentuate the lines on your lips but in all honestly, that doesn't really bother me because well, that's natural!

In terms of wear time, these lipsticks are very long lasting. They last for a good 6-8 hours at least but will start to wear slightly in the inner portion of the mouth - particularly if you're eating or drinking. Even then though, it's barely noticeable and they do leave that kind of 'stain' effect on the lips and so it's not going to look very obvious that it's wearing. These lipsticks don't 'crumble' like some liquid formulas can but if you really pile on the lipstick, they possibly could. It's easy enough to re-apply in the areas you need it and it still feels comfortable on the lips when you do. 

A lot of people comment on the staying power of these liquids - specifically when showing you how difficult it is to actually remove them when trying to wash if off the lips. As impressive as that definitely is, it may be worrying to you that it will be impossible to get this product off.

Don't worry though, with a cream or oil based cleanser, these come off easily enough without leaving your lips sore or irritated. Their staying power is more so applicable to contact with water which won't be enough to remove them!

Overall, I am really, really impressed with these lipsticks and I can definitely say I'm excited about this brand. I'll definitely be getting some more of these - when they're in stock that is as after hitting the UK, a lot of them are out of stock now! I love the colour selection and performance of these lipsticks and I'd recommend them completely. I picked up these lipsticks from the website Love-Makeup but you can also get them in the UK from Cocktail Cosmetics, too!

Haul! Ft. TopShop, LA Splash & more!

Hello everyone! Today on the blog I am bringing you a fairly small fashion and beauty haul! This is a collective haul of things I have bought over the last few weeks or so, enjoy!

I firstly got a few pairs of shorts for the (hopefully) approaching warmer weather. I don't really like to get my bare legs out in shorts as I frankly don't like them, but I love the look of denim shorts with thin black tights and that's how I enjoy styling them. The first pair I got was from TopShop and the second is from the vintage store Harper and Lewis. 

From L to R: Topshop Vintage Mom Shorts - £28.00
Harper & Lewis Vintage Levi Shorts - £15.00

Both shorts are high waisted and in that sort of "mom" style fit - the Harper and Lewis shorts are made from vintage Levis and I'm so excited to own them! I've been searching for shorts like this for a long time and I'm very happy to have such a nice pair in good condition! I'm really liking the distressed effect as well with the loose seams on the bottom of both of these shorts.

Next off, I popped into TopShop and checked out the sale items. I found this beautiful Lilac jumper and just had to snap it up! Now is pretty much the perfect time to be snapping up sale items as most of them are Winter clothes which sorts me out nicely for next year! I also grabbed this really cool, silver bag that I think looks so unique which is why I had to get it. I've really got nothing like it and despite it's colour, I feel like it'll actually be quite a versatile piece!

From L to R: Topshop Jumper - £15.00 (Sale)
Topshop Silver Bag - £15.00 (Sale)

Finally, I got some liquid lipsticks from the brand LASplash. I've seen this brand so much on Instagram and for the longest time I have been lusting over their amazing collection of lipsticks. I had assumed it was going to be pretty impossible to get ahold of any of them until I saw that they were being sold on LoveMakeup. I quickly ordered 3 shades and after trying and wearing "Poison Apple", I can safely say that I love the formula of these lipsticks. Look out for a review coming your way soon! 

From Top to Bottom: LA Splash "Vindictive", "Criminal",
"Poison Apple" - £8.00

That's about it for my haul - pretty modest as I said but I'm in love with all my purchases! Especially those lipsticks, I think i'll definitely be buying more!

Outfit of the Day: Monochrome

Hey everyone! Today I have an outfit post for you all. I'm really enjoying the monochrome look lately and I'm embracing that in this look!

Blazer - Missguided | £30.00

Top - Newlook | £12.00 (Alternative)

Jeans - Topshop | £38.00

Converse - Schuh | £44.99

My Must Have Hair Styling Products!

Haircare is something I haven't really spoken about much on my blog but it's actually something I do take a lot of interest in. 

With that in mind, today I wanted to share with you all my current favourite products for styling my hair. If you'd like me to write another post in the future about my favourite products for washing and conditioning my hair, please do let me know! 

Fudge Urban - Iced Raspberry and Vanilla Hairspray 

I don't really use hairspray as much as I used to, but it is a must for my fringe. Having thinner hair means it can fairly easily come out of place and look a little crazy. Having hairspray on hand helps to tame my hair a little bit and helps it to keep its style for longer. I love this hairspray from Fudge Urban mainly because it smells delicious. Unlike that alcohol scent you usually get from hairsprays, this has a delicious sweet scent to it which lasts! I also find that this spray gives me just the right amount of hold that my hair needs without those dreaded "crispy" ends!

Batiste - Dry Shampoo (Original)

I don't like to wash my hair every single day - it dries out my hair far too much and considering it's already subjected to colouring and heat styling, I want to retain as much moisture in my hair as I can. However, this doesn't stop my hair from getting a little greasy - particularly in the root and fringe area and so to combat this, dry shampoo is a lifesaver! I've tried a few other dry shampoos before but Batiste is one I'll always go back to because well, it works. It's not overly powdery on the hair and blends away quickly and easily. It mattifies the hair and soaks up a lot of oil  as well adding volume which is always welcome!

Morrocanoil - Light Treatment

I first tried this brand when I purchased a small set from them featuring various minis of different products in their line. This particular oil treatment was in that very set and I've been using it for the last few months. It's worth noting that I don't use it everyday, but I'm still nonetheless very impressed by how far it does actually go. I like to apply this oil to my hair when it's damp after washing and when it dries, it leaves my hair feeling beautifully soft and ever so luxurious. I find it to be especially conditioning on my dry ends - and that's where I focus it on most. As the name suggests, this is the lighter version and I find it perfect for my thinner hair - it doesn't way it down at all. You can purchase the original version of this treatment for thicker hair, here. This is definitely a more expensive brand and while I can be quite wary of spending too much on hair care, I feel that this is a worthy investment and I'd definitely buy this product again and again!

TRESemme - Heat Defence Styling Spray

While I try my best not to subject my coloured hair to too much to heat damage, sometimes it just has to be done. And so, it is important to have a good heat defence product to help protect my hair from as much of that damage as possible. Currently, I'm using this heat defines spray from TRESemme and so far, I really like it. This spray leaves my hair feeling soft and sleek as I blow dry or straighten it and I actually feel like it is protecting my hair. My hair doesn't feel as dry after styling and it retains a lot of softness as well having a lot of shine as well. This is a great essential for your hair and I'd recommend it!

Bed Head Tigi - After Party

This is a product from Tigi that I enjoy using after blow drying or straightening. It smells great and is lightweight enough for my thin hair. This cream formula helps to smooth out my hair and any frizz as well as adding shine to it. I just pump a little bit of this and mix it between my fingers and focus it on the bottom half of my hair smoothing it all the way through - it also adds that extra bit of softness to my hair which I love. This is a great product to help finish off your style.

So, these 5 products are my current holy grails of hair styling! I'd recommend them all if you haven't already tried them, and if you have? Make sure to let me know what you thought of them by leaving me a comment! As always, thank you for reading! 

My Favourite Highlighters!

As Summer draws nearer and the weather slowly becomes hotter, I like to go for more of a dewy, glowy look within my makeup. A great way to achieve this is through the use of highlighting and in this post, I thought I'd share with you my favourite highlighters! 

Enjoy.

Benefit High Beam - £19.50

This is the only liquid highlighter that I own and I really love this one in particular because it has multiple uses. As well as using this highlighter alone, you can mix it with your favourite foundations to give you that beautiful radiant glow. As well as this, you really only need the smallest amount of product each time you use this highlighter so I feel as if this could honestly last for years! This is more on the pinker side as highlighting products go and has this beautiful pearlescent sheen to it. On the skin it looks soft and smooth and it blends effortlessly. This is great for an everyday, natural look. 

The Balm Mary Lou-Manizer - £17.50

You've probably heard a lot about this highlighter in the beauty community. This highlighter is from brand "The Balm" and the product aside, I just love the vintage packaging! This is more of a champagne kind of colour and I feel that this is in particular what makes it so flattering on lighter skin tones. The formula of this product is so fine and smooth and it blends like a dream on the skin. This is a highly pigmented product and you really aren't going to need a lot. It's also multi-purpose and can be used as an eyeshadow, too! This is probably my all time favourite highlighter - it's just that good!

Sleek Face Form Palette in Light - £9.99

This highlighter from Sleek is part of their Face Form palette which also contains a beautiful blush and contour shade. The highlighter is also fairly champagne toned in it's hue but it's not as intensely pigmented in it's shade as Mary Lou-Manizer is. It's very nicely pigmented particularly for a drugstore product and it blends well too. It's quite a shimmery highlight and so a little does go a long way and after having this for quite a while now, I've barely made an indent! I'd definitely recommend this whole palette as the other two products within it are amazing!

MUA Undress Your Skin in Pink Shimmer - £3.00

This is a great little highlighter from MUA - it looks beautiful in the pan and very shimmery - which on the skin, it definitely still is. This has a strong amount of pigmentation for such an affordable product and it applies and blends smoothly to the skin. Be warned however, you can definitely easily use too much of this and look a bit like a disco ball so for this one in particular, less is more! It doesn't last as long for me as the products mentioned above but it does last for a good few hours which I still think is impressive with all things considered.

So, there you have my favourite highlighters for that gorgeous, glowy-skinned look. I'd love to hear what your favourites are so please do comment below and tell me!

Thanks for reading.

REVIEW: NYX Concealer in CW10 Yellow

Hey everyone! I hope you're all well. Today I have a review for you on a concealer from NYX in the shade "CW10 Yellow" that I've been trying for the past few weeks, enjoy!

Firstly, I like the packaging of this product. This is my first NYX product (bar my Jumbo Shadow stick) and I think it has a sleek and simple design - it looks and feels like high quality. As with a lot of concealers, this particular concealer has a wand application which is something I do and don't like. I like it because I think it's good for more precise application but at the same time, I feel it means you'll never really use all of the product up because you won't be able to get it all out with a wand as opposed to a squeeze tube.

You may be wondering why exactly I chose a yellow concealer and the main reason was for the elimination of dark circles and redness. Of course, green is most known for it's abilities to counteract redness on the skin but taking in the fact that people have varying skin tones, I find green to make my skin look very sickly whereas I feel yellow better helps to blend into my skin as I tend to have warmer undertones in that colour. I predominantly get redness on my cheeks and on my eyelids and so I wanted something that would help to get rid of that and make it much less noticeable.

Upon application, I found this concealer to feel light and smooth on the skin. It's not a full coverage so bare that in mind but I'd describe it as more of a medium - and that's enough for me. It covers darkness and redness very well especially considering the coverage and it doesn't look thick or cakey in areas like the eyes where this can happen quite frequently. It does crease (slightly) but so do most concealers on me and so I feel this fact is more so due to my own eye shape than the concealer itself. 

It applies and blends well - it feels smooth and creamy on the skin and as I mentioned above, it feels light and pretty weightless which is always nice - especially on the eyes! Once set, it does stay put for a good while (maybe 6+ hours) which I am pleased with. As I said, it blends a lot better with my skin tone as though I am pale, I definitely do not possess porcelain skin and tend to have quite a warm, olive-ish tone to my skin.

Overall, I am very pleased with this concealer. I feel as if it covers darkness and redness well making it actually multi-purpose for my needs. It also makes a really great base for the eyelids - eliminating the discolouration of them as well as priming them well for further product application. This particular colour is far better than green for my skin and if you feel you have similar needs to me, I'd say this concealer is definitely worth a go. There are more within this NYX range and I'd definitely try them in the future!

I purchased my NYX Concealer from Amazon for the price of £8.45!

Have you ever tried NYX Concealers before? What's your favourite?

My Favourite Fragrances

Hello! I am a big fan of perfumes and nice smelling things, I particularly love sweet smelling scents - I'm a sucker for any perfume that smells like something I can eat pretty much... With that, I've now gained quite the collection of scents and I thought in this post, I'd share with you some of my favourites. 

I'm not the best at explaining scents unless "that smells nice" is descriptive enough (which I doubt!) so I'll be referring to the official explanations of the notes of the fragrances themselves so you can get a good idea of whether it's something you might like!

1. Paco Robanne - Lady Million

This is a scent that was pretty popular with people at one stage and it has remained a personal favourite of mine for quite a while now. I feel like this is a more refined, more sophisticated scent compared to the rest of my collection but it's definitely not overly musky or 'old lady' like. 

Scent - Floral

Heart Notes - Neroli, Orange flower & Jasmine

Top Notes - Orange, fleshy raspberry

Base Notes - Honey, Vibrant patchouli 

2. Roberto Cavalli - Exotica

This again is a little bit more a refined, more mature scent - it's quite 'sexy' in the sense that it smells (as the name the suggests) quite exotic. Despite being fruity in scent, it isn't overly sweet and still retains a lot of warm and depth to it that I think makes it smell to me, more mature.

Scent - Fruity / Floral

Heart Notes - Frangipani Flowers

Top Notes - Mango

Base Notes - Sandalwood

3. Marc Jacobs - Dot

One of the main reasons I love this perfume is because of it's adorable and unique packaging. Dot is a vert fresh and light scent - it's not overly sweet nor is it overpowering which makes it a great everyday scent. I feel it is quitr an elegant fragrance and this is one of my personal favourites.

Scent - Floral

Heart Notes - Jasmine, Coconut

Top Notes - Honeysuckle, Red Berries, Dragon Fruit

Base Notes - Vanilla, Driftwood

Britney Spears - Fantasy 

This is the cheapest perfume on the list as most celebrity fragrances are. Usually, i'm not a fan of celebrity frgrances and this fact stays true in terms of my lack of fan appreiation for Britney. Howver, I do have a lot of love for her scents which I find to be sweet, vibrant and long lasting. I love many of Britney Spear's perfumes and Midnight Fantasy has to be my favourite. It's a perfect Summer scent in my opinion - it may be a little too sweet for some but for me, it's just right.

Scent - Fruity

Heart Notes - Freesia, Irish, Orchid

Top Notes - Sour Cherry, Plum

Base Notes - Vanilla, Amber, Musk 

Vera Wang - Princess

Despite it's pretty 'young' name and packaging, this is actually quite a mature and sophisticated scent in my opinion. It's not overpoweringly sweet as a lot of younger scents tend to be and is once again, one of my more refined scents - it's a fresh, flattering scent that I think a lot of you will enjoy.

Scent - Fruity / Floral

Heart Notes - Exotic guava, Tiare flower, Tuberose, 

Top Notes - Water Lily, Apple, Mandarin, Apricot

Base Notes  - Vanilla, Amber

Well, those are my favourite scents right now - did any of yours make it to my list? Let me know if they did or if not, what your fave fragrances are!