Guess who's back

I've decided to come back to blogging after a long, unexplained hiatus. I needed a break from blogging to focus on the most important things in life, such as my physical and mental health and my relationships with the people around me.

I no longer spend hours in bed, watching Netflix, feeling sorry for myself (although I haven't said goodbye to my Netflix account just yet!). I've joined the gym and spend the majority of my time there. My family have joined too, which means I can spend more time with them whilst we help each other achieve our fitness goals. Working out relieves so much of my stress; I always feel a thousand times better after hitting the gym.

I've also finished a course of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help me manage my anxiety. The techniques I've learned have vastly improved my life. Therapy helped me gain the courage to stop taking anti-depressants and although it was a difficult time, I feel better for going through with the treatment. I may touch upon this in a future post as I think it's really important to talk about.

Improving my mental health means I've been more interested in going out with friends more. My relationships with friends and family have drastically improved and I spend a lot more time with my loved ones now. I think that's the most important change I have made so far.

I've decided to make some changes to my blog too. I've changed the design (thanks Pipdig!) and I'm going to focus more on things that I enjoy, rather than what's "fashionable" in the blogosphere. I'm excited to start writing about books, movies, music, traveling, etc, as well as sticking to the beauty aspect of my blog. I want my blog to finally represent me as a person instead of me as just another blogger!

I hope I can engage more readers with a wider variety of topics. If there are any topics you'd like to see me write about, feel free to tell me!

Thanks to all who have already welcomed me back! I can't wait to get back into the swing of things.

PS; share your blogs and twitter handles with me below!

GHD V Rose Gold Limited Edition Styler

Ok so today I wanted to share with you one of my favorite Christmas gifts (are we still allowed to talk about Christmas or is it too late?). I was very good last year and was given a limited edition GHD V Styler! I've been refusing to take them out of the box until I had taken photos for this post, so now that I've gotten round to it I can finally make the most of them, but aren't they beautiful!?

I already have a pair of trusty wide-plated GHDs that I got years ago, which is perfect for my thick hair, but not the pesky, stubborn short hair that I'm still trying to grow out. This baby not only works wonders on straightening all of my hair (despite the thin plates, which I thought would never tame my mane), but it can get the little fly-aways or baby-hair that are finally growing out!

I was very ignorant for a long time thinking that my GHDs were just "straighteners". They are called "Stylers" for a reason, Jade! Now I can do pretty much any style of wave or curl with my GHDs (with a little practise of course); I find dead straight hair boring on me anyway! This styler can produce a much tighter curl, something I wasn't really able to do with my wide-plated GHDs. However, these still create the perfect loose wave that I love.

I really just wanted to just show these off because I think they look amazing! I absolutely love the rose gold colour and the pattern engraved on the styler. I'm a sucker for packaging and I absolutely love how these are presented in the matching box! The set includes a heatproof storage bag and mat, which is great for when you're in a rush and have to wait around for your stylers to cool down before you can put them away! The storage bag is big enough to store a comb for styling too. You also receive two GHD hair clips and a protective plate guard.

I am genuinely in love with this styler and couldn't be more grateful to have received them for Christmas. Thanks Dad!

Are you a fan of GHD? What other stylers do you like to use?

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

About 6 months ago Birchbox gave their subscribers a sample of cult beauty product Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser. I immediately ditched my normal cleanser and started using Cleanse and Polish, hoping to find out what the fuss was about.

I've found every time I buy Cleanse and Polish I receive one or two 100% muslin cloths. This is the "hot cloth" that assists in the cleansing and polishing! A 100ml tube will last me around 2 months. One pump releases enough cleanser for your face and neck and each pump is measured evenly so there's no waste. You literally use every last drop in the bottle. 

Application is easy. One pump of the bottle and apply the cleanser to dry skin. I like to massage it in for maximum cleansing to lift as much dirt, grime and make-up from my pores as possible. Then you run your muslin cloth under hand-hot water and rinse. Gently polish the cleanser away, using a clean section of the cloth each time. Once you've done that, splash your face with cold water to close your pores and voilà! Beautifully cleansed and polished skin! 

I much prefer using Cleanse and Polish than any other cleanser. Previous products I've used had a lot of soap in them, which leaves my skin quite dry after cleansing. As Cocoa Butter is a main ingredient, Cleanse and Polish leaves skin hydrated and radiant, It really does de-clog pores, so I've had less break-outs in recent months. It's also perfect for creating a clean canvas for make-up too as it leaves skin incredibly soft and smooth. 

I'm absolutely in love with this product and I couldn't rave about it more! I definitely feel that my skin is much healthier and more radient since I've switched to Cleanse and Polish, and unless there is some super duper miracle product that gets released that promises to eradicate spots before they even happen, then I'm definitely not switching back to anything else. 

No wonder Liz Earle has won hundreds of awards. Cleanse and Polish is absolutely flawless (and now so is my skin...almost)!

Purchase your own bottle here!