Sun Safety.

Hi,

The current weather has been perfect for spending time outside in. From a BBQ to pool parties or just taking the time to relax and sunbathe in the garden but keeping skin safe in the sun is a must to prevent issues such as wrinkles, eye damage and most importantly skin cancer.

My three must haves for sunbathing this summer are as follows:

· Suncream - Protects from burns and helps prevent the dreaded C word. You can even purchase tan enhancing suncreams to make you darker faster so you won't need to spend as much time tanning! I use a cream to start and then progress to oil throughout the day. I use factor 15 as I am olive skinned and Garnier is my favourite at the moment as it does a good job of protecting skin and smells delightful.

· Water - Dehydration is the biggest cause of sunstrokes and also helps to bring on unwanted wrinkles. Try to drink at least 2 litres a day, especially in the sunny weather. Nestle is cheap and cheerful and doesn't have a horrible after taste that some plain waters do. Sparkling water is just as good too if you find still water boring and bland.

· Sunglasses - Looking directly at bright light can damage the eyes surface and in serious cases can cause permanent eye damage. They also help to prevent crow’s feet.

Make the most of this beautiful weather by all means but you know the saying 'safety first'!

Belle Rose x

5 Steps to Sandal Ready Toes.

Hi,

The summer is nearly upon us and those toes will be out again soon so here are my top five tips on how to prepare your feet for flip-flop heaven!

You'll need: Nail Varnish remover, cotton pads, an emery board, clippers, a metal nail file, nail lotion (I'm using Vaseline as that's my solution to everything at the moment!), toe separators and a nail varnish of your choice. I've gone for Revlon as the colour is intense and lasts for days without chipping, in 210 Jelly.

· Remove any old nail varnish with the remover before starting, that should be a given though!

· Squeeze a blob of nail lotion onto the nail cuticle and gently massage in.

· Push down the dead skin of cuticle with metal nail file and firmly clip away.

· Clip and file all nails to the length desired.

· Put in place toe separators and paint away, brushing in 3 downward stripes starting in the middle as this gives the best results.

 HANDY HINT!
Putting body lotion onto your feet at night underneath big fluffy socks leaves silky smooth skin the morning after!

Belle Rose x

Nail Heaven.

Hi,

Yesterday I decided to treat myself to a set of acrylic nails in my local salon to welcome in the summer and I love them!

Spring/Summer 2012 trends are spots and stripes and I'm more than a little obsessed with polka dots at the moment so that's the look I went for! I opted for classical black and white as they match with almost everything and the dots show up more intensely on a dark shade.

You can't just have your nails beautifully manicured and have done with it though, which is a common misconception. You have to give your new nails a bit of TLC.
Here are my top three tips on how!

• After using creams and lotions, wash each nail individually to avoid yellowing.
• NEVER clip or cut nails as they will shatter and become painful, always use an emery board.
• To avoid chipping or smudging, apply clear nail varnish once a week.

Looks like I may need to listen to my own advice however as I managed to somehow smudge a precious polka nail this morning!

Belle Rose x

A Healthy Way To Start The Day.

Hi,

We hear every day by some person or other that breakfast is our most important meal and to be honest, it's true! But have you ever felt like you just don't want to eat breakfast? Or that the options are bland and boring and you simply just don't fancy it?
The most common problem people have raised with eating breakfast when I spoke to them was that they didn't have any time. Well I've found you a solution!

Rowse Honey - sweet, sugary and super healthy!
Rowse Honey is "light & mild and is chosen for its gentle taste & pale colour, making it the perfect choice of honey" so why not give it a try?!

If you're strapped for time early on, purchase a tub of Greek yogurt and add two large table spoons into a bowl then squeeze in a decent amount of Rowse Honey and stir. Simple!

However, if you have a few more minutes to spare in the morning, produce some porridge!
Add a cup full of oats into a bowl with a cup full of milk or water then microwave for 3 minutes. Once you have your yummy breakfast made, drizzle a good amount of honey on the top and sprinkle with sugar. Enjoy!

Belle Rose x

Just A Normal Girl.

Hi,

Everyone, including myself, knows that the media isn't usually the kindest but all this abuse I've been seeing lately is highly disappointing and frankly quite shocking.

Essex girl Lauren Goodger has taken the flak for this particular issue most recently with harsh paper reports and mean tweets regarding her weight. I really do sympathise!
Other British stars that have been a human punch bag by the press over their weight are singers Adele and Kelly Osbourne. It actually makes me angry!
With the average UK dress size being a 16, the British media should know better and attempt to support their own, whatever happened to loyalty eh?!

I'm a healthy size 12-14 but I often have to prove this to people by showing them the tags on my clothing! Here's proof for you!

The above comment wasn't intended in a selfish or big headed way, I'm just proving that women can be a bigger dress size without it necessarily looking that way.
Did you know that in certain cultures, being a larger size is actually a compliment? You are seen as being wealthy and healthy for being able to afford luxury foods and fine wines!

Leave curvier girls alone, it's no crime and since I'm a dress size or two away from being the average isize n the UK, it looks like me and my beloved chocolate won't be parted as easily as first thought!

Belle Rose x

Trying Something New.

Hi,

I know this isn't exactly a massive deal but I've never actually had white hot chocolate before and as I was scanning the shelves in Whittard of Chelsea today, I spotted some! To all people out there who don't know me (the majority of people reading this blog) this won't seem like a fantastic find. However, for those of you who do know me, you can imagine my excitement.
 

I'm a self-proclaimed chocoholic and I'm especially keen on the white variety! Scroll down my blog for proof of this with my white chocolate cake recipe.

So obviously, I made the purchase and drove straight back home to make it, I was so excited (sad, I know).
Reading the back of the tub, it informed me I needed to make it with milk and warm up for two minutes, so I did.

My final result however was a bit of an anti-climax. It looked as plain as can be expected and tasted too creamy, chocolaty and too sweet in general. What a waste of £4.50!

Dull as Dishwater!

I'm well aware this particular blog post isn't educational or interesting to most of you out there but I just had to get it out and warn my fellow chocoholics!
DO NOT BUY. TASTES HORRIFIC.
There's a reason it's not and never will be as popular as the milk chocolate one!


Belle Rose x

Back To Reality.

Hi,

With Easter now over for another year, people like myself have started returning to University, College and School and with a range of exams making their annual appearance nationwide, everyone, including myself is understandably in a state of panic.

However, in this post I'm going to attempt to help you all out with handy hints and terrific tips I've learnt over the years.

The first and most important thing I'd say is make a schedule for your revision to ensure you know when you'll be doing it and how long for. This has always helped me and has benefited many people around me. Feel free to copy mine if you so wish!

My own personal top three revision tips are these. They work, honest!

1.      Take your revision into the bath. I know this may sound strange but reading notes and books etc. in the bath really helps. There are no people to distract you and no gadgets and gizmos to interrupt your concentration.

2.      Chew gum. This may also sound strange, however it has been scientifically proven that if you chew gum while revising and then chew gum in your exams, you'll remember things! Something to do with the taste and smell senses being linked to memory.

3.      Finally, start early. There is no time early enough to start to revise. It’s common sense really but it's funny how many people leave it to the last minute and start to struggle!

Belle Rose x