Product Review: Loreal Voluminous Million Lashes Waterproof

O.M.G. I have totally been loving this mascara! I purchased L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes during the summer holidays when I went to Calgary, Canada in August (which seems to be such a long time ago!) I needed a new mascara that would last those summer pool dips, sweat, heat, water fights and survive the whole day (since during the summer keeping preoccupied is my biggest concern) and this was the mascara for it!

When I came back to school (unfortunately summer doesn't last a million years), soo many people complimented my lashes! I naturally have long, thick eye lashes but this product emphasized my eyes, created a 'million lashes' (see what i did there?), gave me great volume and length so that I could look wide awake without any other eye makeup like eyeliner.  

The elastomer applicator (wand) is AMAZING as it doesn't leave any clumps or over-load the product on your lashes. Also, I found it could really grip every single lash and coat it will minimal effort which is very helpful for those, like myself, that have limited time in the mornings or are new to makeup.

I like to put on two coats onto each eye, without letting it dry until I'm satisfied with how it looks. 

However (oh no!), I would say the only disadvantage of using this mascara every day is that it can be rather difficult to completely remove. I felt like it was a little bit too harsh everyday and when I went to remove it with a waterproof eye makeup remover (as I found that normal wipes didn't remove anything) and ended up pulling my lashes out in aggression...eek!

 Seriously, I would recommend buying this mascara or a mascara in L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes Range which are £10.99 at Boots. Eventhough this is a pricier side for a drugstore mascara it is totally worth every penny!

I know that before I buy a product I always do my research and see other people's views on products so I hope this helps.

Priyanka xx

How to Deal With Exam Stress

 Exams. The most time consuming, annoying and stressful thing to do during the whole of school life but its simply something we all have to deal with at one point or another. However, when you do try your utmost best to get the grades that will stick to you like super glue your whole live, you can easily forget about things that are very important to your body. 

Here are some things that helps me to DE-stress and stop me from going insane...   

DRINK WATER! 

You need to drink enough water to keep you body hydrated (and keep you alive!) Water increase your energy levels, fights fatigue (from staring at your book for what seems like a million hours) and is a natural head ache remedy. So isn't that exactly the kind of substance you need when you feel stressed?

Personally, I think it helps a lot to keep a cool glass of water in front of you whilst your studying rather than a bottle. This is why...

1) Every once in a while you can take a sip, with minimal energy since there is no lid.

2) As its just sitting there on your desk there's the worry that it will spill, so your more likely to drink all the water.

3) You won't have the option of throwing it onto your bed to drink for some imaginary time called 'later' 

4) When your bladder's full it is be the perfect opportunity to fill up your water again

5) Cool water more is more refreshing and awakening 

6) Glasses are better than bottles. Its a fact.

Light a candle

After revising for hours, sleep is the best thing that you could do, but your is still in the 'work mode' and it could be difficult to find your comfort spot. So to get you calmed down, relaxed and ready for bed, a lovely scented candle can allure you to sleep with its natural stress relief (heads up: do the sensible thing and blow out your candle before you fall asleep so you don't start a fire.)

Read a book that appeals to you!

Yes teachers 'recommend' that you read classical books (most of which someone gets married at the end) but its also important that you read books purely because you enjoy reading them. These are SOME of my favourite books, expecially The Hunger Games, that I am totally 'Cray Cray' about!

Try to read a good book (with your candle on), when you get into bed and you will notice it does several things. It opens your imagination to all the beautiful characters in its world and lets you dream about these stories with werewolves, vampires, extraterrestrial creatures, sad endings (that make you feel like you don't have the worst life at the moment), other planets and heroes (ha you already forgot about exams!). Also, it slowly shuts down and unwinds your mind so that you naturally feel more sleepy so you have better sleep since your in that type of mind. It's exactly like when your trying to go to sleep on Christmas Eve but you can't because your too excited!

The Divergent Series would have been here but I lent it to two of my friends...(its really amazing you should read it.)

Exercise

Just raising your heartbeat:

1) Releases good vibes all around your body (literally if your dancing)
2) Naturally reduces stress
3) Puts you in a good mood
4) Lets you have some free time whilst keeping active
5) Burns calories (umm...those cookies...)
6) Takes your mind away from work
7) Motivates you to do anything
8) And can be a lot of fun

You don't need to get your hand on any techy equipment or heave yourself outside in the middle of the winter. Do have earphones? A source of music? Then there you go! You can create a dance pattern to your favorite songs, jog on the spot, situps, squats, lunges, crunches, yoga...anything that will make you sweat a little!

Stay off Facebook

The last thing that you need is finding out ridiculous gossip and rumors that will distract you from your revision. Its really not necessary to log into Facebook after school since you see your friends at school for 6 hours everyday anyway. Do what is important to YOU!

 Look after you skin

Its important that you don't forget to look after the biggest organ in your body. Shower, cleanse, refresh.

Eat Healthy

The more nutrient packed, vitamin bursting you foods are the better job they will do to keep you brain functioning at its best, the better concentration you will have so the better you will do in your exams. So if you are guiltily munching on you chocolate cookie at this moment, finish it and then turn to those berries, fish, spinach and milk that are all good for your brain.

(Bananas, Strawberries, Fage Greek Yogurt, Honey, Jordan's Country Crisp Cereal...yumm!)

I hope this has helped anyone who is in the middle of exams and is pulling their hair out with stress! Remember relax and keep calm and you will be fine!

Good Luck

Priyanka xx

New Years Resolutions 2014

2014...wow is that not really strange?

I have a really good feeling about this year, I just want to make it a magical year that I can remember. Normally I wish away the days until a big event or something exciting but I have decided that I really want everyday to count.

So here are my resolutions...

Live for the present and smile!

Time, time, time. It's something we all want for to last longer but there is nothing else like the present. I always forget that the best time to do something is NOW! I really want, and I will really try, to make every second to count and to make it amazing...by just having fun and not caring what others think, because at the end of the day, it's me whose having the fun and making memories!

Find a new hobby:

This year I really want to build on my personality, to discover what kind of things I enjoy and what I dislike, find my inner passion and to unleash my (inner beast and...) interesting and creative side for everyone to see. I know that I would really like to take up photography and possibly even skateboarding /penny boarding, since it seems like a pretty awesome thing to do, especially for a girl. Taking up new things will probably be difficult at the beginning but I'm up for challenges. Bring it on!

Speak up!

 I have always been a quite girl, well that's what everyone thinks (except if you ask my friends they would give you a very different answer!) but I am tired of hearing the same old attention seeking voices in class. My aim is to talk freely to everyone, all the time and express my opinions and answers so that I do 'participate' more everyday, instead of watching, and become a much more confident girl.

Keep being active and healthy: 

I am generally a healthy and active person, I like to exercise at least 3 times a week or more and watch what I'm eating. However, this year its a new me and I want to push the limits! Taking up running with my dad and yoga at home could make my goals even higher and motivate me to do anything, since fitness is for both the mind and the body!

I'm going to try my best to keep to my New Year's resolutions this year and make it a very exciting time! 

I hope this has given you some ideas for yourself, what resolutions are you keeping? 

Priyanka xx

Day 6: LOS ANGELES

Last day in LA...Unfortunately :(

We didn't have time to do much on the last day in LA (wow that still sounds so sad), so my little brother and sister spent some time in the pool messing around and being... children.

...we were the only ones by the pool since it was only 9am!

After we had got our luggage completely ready at the hotel's lobby, we went out to a near by shopping mall to kill some time. That's when the most amazing thing happened:

We had Chinese for lunch, where they gave us a fortune cookie which read something on the lines of ' You will receive a pleasant surprise'.

Once we had finished shopping, we headed back down to the car park where we had arranged to meet the driver from the hotel. We waited for half an hour, but he didn't come. My dad started to worry since we had a plane to catch back to London (which I rather had missed!)

Soon enough, after we had waited and worried a little longer, a black limo pulled out in front of us and said that the driver from the hotel had sent him to pick us up...in a limo!

It was a perfect experience and it did simply feel 'so LA'. I could just feel those many heads turning wondering who was in the limo!

Us getting out of the limo!

Unfortunately all good things come to an end.

If there's anything to learn from my beautiful trip to LA it is that you have to spend more than a week there! Seriously, if your going to travel so far and spend so much money you have to make up for it. There are so many things in Los Angeles to see and do, even spending a day or two on the at beach or traveling to other places in California is time well spent.

For those who have already been in Los Angeles, you know what I'm talking about!

When I was there it really felt like I was living the Californian Dream, well maybe thats just me.

Priyanka xx

Day 5: LOS ANGELES

Right in the morning we took a 2 hour drive down to San Diego to visit Legoland. Whilst we were driving we could tell that we were really close to the Mexican border because there were Military beaches and bases that we could clearly see (err scary!?)

As you can see I was really excited to go on the children's driving test! I also figured out that I can't drive to save my life.

We didn't spend a very long time in Legoland since it was pretty much the same as the one in England, but it was lovely to travel down to San Diego and simply watch the roads and beaches we passed.

 
    California has the most beautiful sunsets ever...

It also seems to have the most beautiful traffic as well!

Has anyone else been to California? What did you enjoy doing there?

Priyanka xx

Day 4: LOS ANGELES

View from Venice Fishing Pier

The first thing in the morning, after breakfast, we went to a few of LA's most popular beaches, though we didn't swim or have day at the beach because we were so short of time. First we visited Venice beach, which is well known for its youthful Boardwalk and Muscle Beach (where there is bodybuilding machinery provided by the city and a load of muscular men!)

Whilst we were on Venice Fishing Pier, my Dad proudly caught a whole load of Californian fish.

 

Okay, okay he just wanted to hold the fishing rod because at the time it was heavily exciting to all of us!

Santa Monica Pier

Next up we visited Santa Monica Pier, where even at 10 in the morning there were tons of tourists, which makes me wonder how many people there would have been in the afternoon when the heat was at its optimum.

It was really facinating to watch people surf, its always been something that I have wanted to do but haven't got the opportunity to do- yet. If only we had spent some more time in LA...

Back in Hollywood Boulevard

After we had spent some time shopping for clothes and souvenirs we rushed off to our tour of the Dolby Theatre.

Unfortunately we were not allowed to take any pictures inside but it is the venue of the the Oscars. On the chairs there were still the names of actors and singers that had attended that year, including my one of my favorite actresses Jenifer Lawrence (since I am overly obsessed with The Hunger Games and is now becoming a little worrying). There was also beautiful Oscar dressing rooms backstage that we got a peak at.

After a lot of running, fierce navigation skills and unhelpful communicating we arrived at the Warner Brothers Studios for our VIP Tour.

For anyone who doesn't know, Warner Brothers is a American film, television and music entertainment producer.

Some Harry Potter Costumes

Yes, I was also really amazed! In the tour they showed us the Friends set which they filmed in! It was surprisingly really small (3 steps from the door to the sofa), but one of the workers explained to us that the camera is angled so the room looks much larger.

We saw numerous other fascinating studio sets, props and costumes from famous films that they store at the studio as well as the stages for TV shows like 'The Big Bang Theory', 'Two and a Half Men'. They usually allow people to watch when they are filming so they can also record the 'real' sound of laughter for television.

In the evening my dad and I went shopping crazy in Macy's, having the only reasons to buy the best part of the shop was beacause we dont have Macy's in London and things are generally cheaper in America. Well, you won't find me complaining!

Priyanka xx

Day 3: LOS ANGLES

So maybe, possibly I got kind of, sort of really excited when I caught a glimpse of the Hollywood sign...

 

   ... I mean who wouldn't? Its the most famous landmark in the whole of California!

It was really strange how Los Angeles is very similar to the movies; the roads are MASSIVE compared to the tiny two lane roads in London, the houses are so large and 'posh' (the ones I went in anyway), which had a swimming pool and tennis court in the garden (i know right- what?!) and the huge green palm trees and the invariably clear blue sky that finished the perfect picture of paradise. 

 

We were lucky enough to get so close to the sign because my dad's friend who lives in LA drove us up there because tour buses usually don't. The weather was fantastic and so hot so we had to spend our time outside wisely. 

After the sight-seeing, we did some more sight-seeing but from a tour bus. It took us around some of LA' s richest neighbourhoods such as Beverly Hills, Bel Air and a hilly area ( which name I annoyingly cannot remember) where we drove past houses, no not houses, mansions owned famously by Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Julia Roberts, Jenifer Lopez, Bruno Mars... and countless other wealthy individuals.

Beverly Hills, 90210, Rodeo Drive

Since I do watch the TV series 90210 it was really exciting to actually in person be there! We didn't shop there because as you can tell, the shops were very expensive.
 
After pacing up and down Hollywood Boulevard, Walk of Fame to find somewhere to eat, in which no creative manner we ended up eating in McDonald's, we entered Madame Tussauds. 

Hollywood Walk of Fame

I strongly enjoy snapping away in the middle of the road, everywhere seemed so beautiful!

As you can tell after a long day of walking in the heat we were exhausted. Unfortunately we didn't eat at any 'true American' restaurants or diners, would any one recommend any for next time?

Priyanka xx