Favourite TV shows of the month #2 | PLL & Desperate Housewives

If you're looking for girly shows that have just the right amount of grit that stops them turning into a sickly sweet concoction of romance and fly on the wall drama, then look no further than Pretty Little Liars and Desperate Housewives.

Whilst both shows may seem like something only teenagers/middle aged women would watch when they need a fix of girly drama and soppy romance, you'd be very much mistaken for thinking so. The shows are filled with relateable characters, various gripping story lines and just the right amount of fear factor to make them stand out to other programmes of the same genre. But how can a show about a bunch of teenagers and housewives be at all appealing to anyone not in these age groups? Well trust me, I started watching Desperate Housewives at the age of 13 and was hooked since the first episode.

Pretty Little Liars
This is a show I've only gotten into recently, so yes no 'A' spoilers please. I'm on series 3 and so far have managed to dodge any official clues as to who 'A' is, though I may have just been a bit dim, because I'm pretty sure I should know who they are by now. Update: scrap this, I found out yesterday, damn it. Anyway, I was very hesitant to watch this show when it came out a few years ago, (2010?) as I really did judge a book by its cover. I assumed the show was going to be unbearably girly and cheesy for me to handle, with a naff story line that would only appeal to the very young. Now, I'm not going to say that the show isn't cheesy and a bit too soppy at times, but when you become so enthralled with the lives of the characters and have a weird obsession with their hair, it's easy to forgive the OTT lustful stares from Ezra and Aria. Speaking of them two, their scene in the first episode alone was enough to stop me watching it altogether, talk about not remotely realistic?! However, if you manage to forgive the first episode, it's certainly worth the watch. 
In a nutshell, the show basically revolves around the disappearance of a girl named Alison and a year later, her best friends Aria, Hanna, Emily and Spencer start receiving creepy texts from someone signed 'A'. They are then left trying to find out what happened to their best friend and just who is the person sending them the life changing messages. If you aren't into teenage drama style shows, then this probably isn't for you but I'd certainly recommend giving it a try and I'm so glad I did.

Desperate Housewives
Now this is a show that finished a few years ago, but it does have some big parallels. If you watch PLL, think of it as if the girls were now 40 somethings women and odd things were still happening to them, but this time in a suburban neighbourhood with the girls all now being married/divorced and cattiness is even more prevalent. This is another show I recommend binge watching if you have them time. There's many series and lot's of episodes, but I think it's definitely worth it. Again, what I find appealing with the show is that it's not a typical drab series about a bunch of housewives and their mundane lives. It focuses on each individual characters personalities, their relationships and the mysterious happenings on Wisteria Lane. The flashbacks keeps the storyline interesting and the diversity within each characters personalities will make you and your friends relate to at least one of the women and their sassy one liners. "Oh you're just like Edie/that's such a Bree thing to do!" Again, with a total of 8 series there's a lot to catch up on, but to follow the lives of Gabrielle, Susan, Lynette and Bree, I certainly think it's worth it.

If you're into shows with a fictional reality of daily life, then these two are likely to be right up your street. I do think that PLL would appeal to a slightly younger audience than DH, but if you're a fashion fanatic, both shows are great for their different generations of styles.
Victoria ♥ 

Maybelline Eyeshadow | The Nudes Palette

A high street dupe of the original Naked palette? Yes please!

I've been on the hunt for a good nude eye shadow palette range for a while now and The Nudes Palette by Maybelline is just the ticket. Unfortunately, though tempting it is, I'm yet to buy any of the Urban Decay Naked palettes. For an average month, £38 on any one item of make up is slightly out of my price range. So this is something that is definitely going on my Christmas wish list this year. Yes I am aware it's only the end of July, but a girl can dream.

I'm a big fan of Maybelline products and when I saw the palette advertised on TV, I knew I had to have it and I've not been left disappointed. The colours in the set vary from light to dark, all very blendable to create the perfect smokey nude look.

  

On the back of the product, a little help guide is provided to show you which blend together in duos, trios and quads. I thought this was very helpful in achieving the perfect daytime/nighttime look. My personal favourite is the quads in golds.

 As you can see, the shades range from barely there, shimmery, to darker tones, which gives a varied selection for a assortment of looks to choose from. (Or maybe not as the quality of an iPhone camera is not the best, sorry!)

For £9.99 at Boots, I fully recommend the palette if you're looking for a new nude shadow range. The colours have great pigmentation and can last all day (or night) if used with a good eye primer base. Personally, I would use different brushes to the one provided to really help blend the colours together, making the look less full on and dramatic. Unless of course that's the style you're going for.

 If anyone else has bought the palette, I'd love to know what you thought of it and your favourite combinations!
Victoria ♥ 

Haul | The Body Shop

For quite a few years now, the internet has been a buzz with The Body Shop products. I myself, as a 19 year old, hadn't bought anything from there until recently. I know I know, I'm ashamed of myself too. It wasn't a "I'm too cool for this hype" however, unlike my insistent decision to not watch Frozen unless I'm forced, then my hipster side really does come out (but that's another story). 

Until recently, I'd just never been bothered to actually buy anything from there. It sounds bad, but it's only been in the last few years that I've upped my skincare and I had no idea how many people raved about their products. Don't get me wrong, I've had Body Shop gifts from friends in the past, but I never felt compelled to go in there myself. What is this madness you ask? Well, years of "Oh look, The Body Shop - maybe I can go buy a new body!" from my mum and grandma EVERY SINGLE TIME we've walked passed, may have contributed towards this. Anyway, with the help of a cheeky 15% off sale, I recently bit the bullet and ordered some of their most popular skincare products. So I thought I'd give my unbiased opinion with this little haul.

Tea Tree Face Mask

I'll start off with the Tea Tree Face Mask. This was one of the products I was most intrigued about due to the major skin benefits that come from tea tree. Before now, I've mainly used shampoos containing tea tree, on my hair, not my face, because it's great for unclogging build up and making my scalp feel refreshed.The thing I liked most about the the face mask is that it didn't dry out my skin unlike some masks that I've used before. I found that my skin was left feeling soft, refreshed and really revitalised. The labeling of the product advises that it used regularly to keep spots at bay and I've found that just by using it twice a week, my skin truly does look a lot smoother. If your skin is slightly on the sensitive side, the mask may feel a bit too intense so I recommend a thin layer instead of the heavy usage it suggests.
Price: £10

Aloe Soothing Night Cream

I really do love a good nighttime moisturiser. Who doesn't love a product that you can just shove on your skin and gets to work while you sleep. Aloe is well known for it's soothing attributes and great for treating problems such as sunburn, perfect for the hot summer weather (or lack of it if you're living in Northern England). I'll be honest, I haven't really seen much of a difference whilst using this night cream. I suppose I'd probably get the best results if my skin was slightly on the drier side/faced the effects of the weather. I was hoping that that the aloe properties would have a cooling effect, but I'm really yet to see the benefits of using the cream.

Price: £12

Tea Tree Oil

This was another tea tree product which had me interested. Before using the oil, I'd heard many people gush about it's ability to tackle blemishes and reduce all around redness. I'm not too sure why it's called an oil, as the consistency is very runny and is best to be used on a cotton bud which is dabbed on the problem area. That being said, I have noticed a significant reduction in the redness of blemishes and it does shrink them quite a bit. Again however, the product is quite strong and will probably be a bit harsh on sensitive skin. I also have used other spot targeting creams which have done an overall better job in completely getting rid of them.
Price: £7

Vitamin E Body Butter
Who could hate on a good old body butter? Well not me, although the idea of smearing butter on your body is quite grotesque. Thankfully, no butter is used in the actual product. Again, following the healthy skin theme I wanted to try this particular moisturiser, as it contains vitamin E which is used in sun creams as it helps soak up all the goodness which prevents it from drying out. I tend to find that shaving my legs, especially in winter, can leave my skin slightly irritated and can make them slightly dry. Using the butter on my legs does after showering really does leave them smooth as a dolphin. It's a pity it can't give me the swimming power of one. But, I will say I haven't noticed a major difference when compared to other moisturisers I've used in the past, other than that I do think it lasts a bit longer on the skin.

Price: £13

Vitamin E Eye Cream

Price: £11
Yep, more vitamin E. Hurray for vitamins! Any eye cream which suggests it can hydrate, soften and reduce puffiness of the eye area gets a thumbs up from me. The pointed shape of the tube means the cream goes on like a dream. I do find the formula hydrating and the skin under my eyes is left feeling velvety soft. Other than that though, I haven't really noticed a massive difference in the appearance of my under eyes, and I'm still yet to find a cream that really has a wow-factor for me. (Recommendations are always welcome).

Many of the products featured in this most were on the 'best sellers' part of the site. I've got to be honest, although I find one or two items a brilliant addition to my skincare routine, a lot of what I've purchased hasn't really blown me away. (Alright ya Debbie Downer). If anyone has any products from the Body Shop that you think I'd be a fool not to try, then please do leave a comment letting me know!

Victoria ♥

Product Recommendation | Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash

With summer now officially in full force, yes I'm looking at you heatwave in the UK, prepping your skin is a must when dealing with hot weather. Obviously whilst drinking water, sun creams, cooling sprays etc are important, changes to your skin that may have happened in winter which you did not care about/notice may have occurred. 

Whilst I now have to regularly shave my legs so that they don't resemble the Amazon rain forest, sigh, I also have to keep my skin prepped to be officially 'summer ready'. So what does that entail? Well, for me a major problem I have is tackling an unfortunate issue with my skin which seems to occur on my shoulders/top of my back - spots. What's that I hear you cry, a young adult who has a slight acne problem? Oh no! The shame! No but in all seriousness, I feel like what is termed 'bacne' isn't really documented enough since as far as I'm aware, it isn't as common as facial acne. But since I know full well I'm not the only sufferer on planet Earth, I thought I'd recommend a product that has been a real game changer for my problem.

Bring in the Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash. 

(For all you English folk, I think I've been watching too much Love Island)

Before summer had even began, I'd started looking for a not so overly priced solution for my body blemish problem and that's when I'd discovered Neutrogena's £10 life saver on Amazon. After reading numerous positive reviews and finding that the price wasn't at all extortionate, I thought I'd give it a go. It quite literally only took my about a week to notice a difference in my skin. There was a stark contrast in the amount of blemishes I found on my shoulders and the colour of them looked significantly less red and angry. Whilst the product doesn't clear up the marks, which it doesn't claim to, it definitely prevents another outbreak from taking over my skin. It's like my skin is Meereen and the wash is the Unsullied. Yes, the Sons of the Harpy are going down. I have been watching too many episodes of Game of Thrones, I think I need help.

When I team this with my trusty Sudocrem, my skin honestly clears up within a matter of days. I truly recommend this product to anyone who is suffering with body acne, no matter how big or small. Obivously if it's a continuous problem that doesn't clear up within a few months I would recommend going to see a doctor, but otherwise I think I've just found a major gem.

Victoria ♥

Giving Blood

One of my New Years resolutions (yes the ones I don't actually make) was to give blood this year. Giving blood is something I've been meaning to do for a while now, as I'm not someone who's particularly afraid of injections or needles in general. After having to have surgery last year, yes looking at you appendix, I really felt it was important to help others who are in a situation beyond their control. While I didn't have to have a transfusion, luckily this meant I could still donate my blood, if I did I would have relied on a stranger who'd donated out of the kindness of their own heart. This really inspired me to help, even in just a small way, the people who are in hospitals for emergencies that require a blood transfusion. Although after reading the leaflet I'm fully aware it could just go to be tested on and in the words of the infamous Jesse Pinkman:

The process was very quick and easy and it honestly took no longer than an hour all together. The longest part was sitting and drinking my juice! 

I'll just give a quick rundown of what happened if anyone is interested. First of all I booked the appointment on the www.blood.co.uk website, I'd booked it for a few months in advance just so I could check all the information and that I would definitely be able to donate. Not weighing enough was a big concern of mine, but after scrutinsing the website thoroughly I discovered that my low BMI at the age of 15, was no longer an issue. Granted I learnt that 5 years ago while in a science lesson, but its better to be safe than sorry. Also, did you know that you can't donate if you've a had a piercing 4 months prior to your donation date? Well I certainly didn't. Thankfully, because I'd filled out the form before I'd turned up to my local donation centre, when I got there all I had to do was hand in my questionnaire and drink A LOT of lemon juice. 

Then once my name was called, no longer than a few minutes was spent going through my questionnaire and checking my iron levels with a prick to the finger. This seriously hurt more than the needle going in my arm. Afterwards, I spent about 5 minutes waiting for name to be called up again, to which I was then escorted to a bed by a lovely nurse. They then asked me which arm I would prefer to use (the opposite of your writing arm) but since my body is awkward, even though I'm left handed they had use the vein on my right. There was some last minute checks, e.g. blood pressure, then the needle, which was a lot less painful than I expected, was put into my arm. I was told to tightly clench and release my fist repeatedly to keep the blood flowing and before I knew it.. "you're done!" The machine beeped, which I swear was after around two minutes of me laying there. I was unhooked from the machine told you go take another drink and eat a biscuit and I was finished.

It was honestly so quick and really easy, I was quite worried about feeling faint afterwards but thankfully this didn't happen. Then Vicky, minus one pint of blood, left the building.

The experience was actually something quite pleasant and it's something I'd definitely do again. If you're able to donate I seriously recommend you do, as I know many people who wish they could but aren't able to for various reasons. Is this guilt tripping? If it's coming across that way I really don't mean to haha! If you're scared of needles I 100% understand, but if you know someone who is thinking about it I'm sure it would be great if you could support them. I'll get my results back in a few weeks to see if I'm eligible to donate again and I really hope I'll be able to. If you have any other question about my experience then feel free to get in contact!

Victoria ♥

The Coronation Street Tour

On Sunday it was Father's Day and two days before it was my mums birthday, so as a joint present for the 'rents I decided to book tickets for the Coronation Street tour. If you're not from the UK you might be wondering what on earth Coronation Street is. Essentially it's a is really popular British soap opera that has been going since the '60s. It's not the 'coolest' show on television, but it's watched and loved by many families. Last year, Granada Studios opened the old set to the public and since it closes again later this year, I felt that this would be an ideal time to go visit with my family.
(P.S. if you've never seen the show in your life, this may be very, very boring)

The tour starts with interior sets on the show, (The Rovers, Gail's house etc) but unfortunately you are unable to take pictures inside the building. The hilarious Geordie tour guide did inform us however, that pictures of the set in can be found on the website. This lasts for about an hour to which you're then thrust back into reality, well, sort of. Que cheesy the Corrie opening theme and lots of pictures from the day (no honestly, they literally play it as you exit the building).

(Literally loling at my claw hand)

(R.I.P. Kal xo)

(R.I.P. Maddie/Tina xo)

The biggest thing I realised on the tour, is that everything looks so small compared to how it looks on television! I mean that's the backyard of The Rovers, really?! I honestly applaud the actors and extras for making the most of the room that they have, considering if you were to take two steps from Tyronne's house, you'd be on the Nazir's doorstep.

All in all, we had a fab day and even if you're not the biggest Coronation Street fan, I'd seriously recommend seeing it before the end of this year, just for the experience.

Victoria ♥

Learning to drive | Do's & Don'ts

Ah, learning to drive. You either love it or you hate it. When I first started learning, I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. This was when my instructor was doing the most of the work in terms of giving me directions/instructions and I didn't really venture further than a small residential area. Now? Well, let's just say some days I'd rather be stuck juggling knives whilst walking on hot coals.. for eternity. Yeah, not so fun. But because I've been driving for a while now, I thought's I'd share some of my thoughts when it comes to being a learner driver.

So here's my tips!

  

1. Pick a good instructor

Yes, you really do want an instructor that has a flying car. No but in all seriousness, pick an instructor who you feel 100% comfortable with and who at least seems to vaguely know what they're doing. It doesn't really matter your learning style, whether you need someone strict/firm or someone who's willing to give you a pat on the back every time you have a mini breakdown, but an instructor who is patient with you and makes you feel at least 1% more confident whilst driving is key. 

2. Don't panic

I can safely say, this is something easier said than done. Whilst behind the wheel, you're probably going to end up in panic mode at some point. Whether it's at home or in the car, you'll probably be left questioning the meaning of life itself. Yep, I've had my fair share of these from when I parked up and may or may not have hit a curb, the time I nearly my knocked my left wing mirror off and another cars in the process, or last week when I ended up bursting my instructors tire over a pot hole.. fantastic. But at the end of the day, you don't learn without a few, ahem mishaps, so just roll with it (quite literally) and remember that even the professionals mess up now and again.

3.Concentrate/stay focused

It's pretty hard not to concentrate when you're driving a car to be honest, but when you've got so much to think about it can all get a bit too much. My best advice for this is just to go at your own pace and try not to let your emotions get the better of you. If you can't deal with the passenger talking to you, let them know before hand to keep the journey safer for you and others on the road, just simple things to keep you fully focused. Also whatever you do, please don't start headbanging to Bohemian Rhapsody while in the driving seat.

4. Have fun
When you've stalled one too many times at the same junction for the third time this month, the whole learning to drive process can seem a bit.. horrible. But I can promise you there probably is one element of driving you'll remotely enjoy. For me, I actually quite like doing maneuvers and you feel such a great achievement when you do something really well. If you feel like you're not enjoying any aspects of your lessons, you might need to take some time off and assess how you really feel about the whole driving shabang.

5. Ignore rude drivers/pedestrians

Yeah so you may make mistakes, you're learning who cares?! Well idiots who clearly think they own the road, that's who. If you're someone who is easily embarrassed you probably won't take well to others judging your driving, but if those same people are still being rude after they've seen your L plates then that's there problem and NOT YOURS. I don't think I recommend driving dirty however.

6. Keep focused on your main goal
Lastly, if you feel all is lost, remember why you wanted to learn to drive in the first place. Keep this in mind when ever you feel like you're having a moment and you everything should come into perspective. Just remember, no matter how long it takes you, whether it's months or years, you'll get there in the end and it will be so worth it.

I've got my theory test coming up soon, so if anyone has any advice/tips it would be truly appreciated!

Victoria ♥