My Skincare Routine!

Now I'm one for trying new products when I have finished one so its not very often I will repurchase a product in the skincare department. Currently I think I may have found some real dems that will stay in my routine until I  need a switch up so I thought I will share with you what I'm currently using.

Both my morning and evening routines are pretty much the same other than how I cleanse my face. At night I really cleanse my face well with the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel for Oily Sensitive Skin (see what I thought of it in this post). I tend to cleanse once to remove my makeup and then a second time to make sure my face is squeaky clean. In the mornings I just use the Yes to Grapefruit Correct & Repair Brightening Facial Wipes (also spoke about here). 

I then use the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+ which for my skin has worked its magic. My skin was quite spotty on the jaw line which I could never get rid of; now I have. This will stay in my routine until they take it off the shelf because I did go without it a few weeks back and I was getting the odd spot come back. I'm also one of them people who get spots when they are stressed and that has not been happening either so I have a very fond love for this skincare staple.

I then have two moisturisers. Good Things Manuka Honey Daily Moisturiser in the morning and Olay Double Action Night Cream for the evening. For me a moisturiser is a moisturiser and I'm sure I will wont to try something these before I think about buy these again but I do really like them; I just haven't seen them do anything that other ones I have tried have done.

Finally its the lips. For me one of the most important part of this routine is the lips because I wear lipstick on a daily basis but have very dry flaky lips (ew..). I'm currently using Blistex Intensive Moisturiser which is quite thick so is good at bedtime and the Elemis Loving Lips Quenching Lip Balm which I find works great in the morning just before I apply my lipstick.  

My eye makeup remover of choice is the Garnier Simply Essentials Soothing 2 in 1 Make-up Remover. I first tried this about a year ago and have since tried others but I just keep coming back to this one. I do only use it on the eyes as I don't like putting the oil all over my face but it works amazing on waterproof mascara as it brings it off in seconds.

Sarah x

My Thoughts on 3rd Year

Hey

I still get a funny feeling in my belly every time i think I'm in 3rd year. Everything about it is very surreal. I knew it wasn't going to be a walk in the park but golly me, I didn't realise it was going to be as challenging as it is. Or should I say sounds, as I have I'm only 3 weeks in!

Stressed?!
We had to go into university for a couple of hours before starting back full time, for what was like a introduction type lecture and golly me, I came out wanting to pull my hair out and that was before starting any proper seminars. All assignments are no less than 1500 words which doesn't seem much but I also need to do as much as my dissertation before starting placement as I possibly can, with an 2 exams thrown in there to make it that little bit more interesting.

Workload 
8000 word literature review (dissertation)
1500 assignment (reflection)
1500 assignment (reflect on learning plan)
Maths exam
Partially seen exam (2.5 hours)
2 placements (12 weeks each)

I can now start to see the end of what has been a stressful but enjoyable 3 years. I don't feel ready to qualify so the feeling is quite scary.

Sarah x

This Month I've Been Loving - September '14

I haven't done one of these for what feels like forever but these are just what I have been loving this month in the beauty department.

Makeup Revolution Eye Shadow Palettes (first link here) (second link here) - I have purchased both of these this month and love them dearly. The first one I picked up was their Salvation palette in What You Waiting For?. This is made up of 18 neural shades; 12 shimmer and 6 matte. The second is their Redemption palette in Iconic 3 which is meant to be the dupe for Urban Decays Naked 3 palette. These shadows just apply to the eye with easy, blend well and stay put all day. Winner for me.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifing Foaming Gel (link here) - This is a magic potion in a bottle for me. I have very sensitive skin but it is also quite oily. Most of the products I have come across in the past that target oily skin cause my skin to become angry looking and very sore. I came across this product when I wanted to try something a little higher in the drugstore price range and I'm so glad I paid what I did. I use this mainly at night and whenever I'm in the shower. As it is free of all the nasties it helps my oily skin while making my skin soft without upsetting it. Love, love, love!  

Yes to Grapefruit Correct & Repair Brightening Facial Wipes (link here)- I cant remember whose YouTube video I was watching but these were lovely wipes were mentioned and I remember thinking to myself 'I must pick some of these up' and are now currently playing a big part in my morning skincare routine. They make my skin so soft and ready for the day that I now think these may be a permanent staple in skincare cupboard.

Hair Bun Accessory - Now I cant find this on their website but its from H&M for £2.99 if anyone wants to grab one. I have used this every day since I have had it because I'm quite lazy when it comes to my hair and the quicker its done the better. I came across this when I was in the queue to buy something else and thought 'what the hell is this' . It came with picture instructions which showed that it was for a bun so put it in my basket. I have really long hair which means when I used a normal bun ring I have a load of hair I have to wrap around which I hate; this stops that. You basically put your hair up in a normal pony then thread it through the gap in the middle, spread it and roll it up then bend it into a bun shape like i have done in the picture. Takes 2 mins and uses like 2-3 bobby pins! What a dream!

Sarah x

Its All About The Stationary!

Cant believe its that time again.  I'm off to begin university for the final time so of course I wanted pretty stationary that I'm going to love using.

Stationary makes me very happy and so I have been collecting since the beginning of August because I just couldn't resist any longer. As I'm going into my 3rd year I feel it's very important for me to be as organised as possible, which in day to day life I can find quite hard as I a 'go with the flow' kinda person.

One thing I do do is take pride in my folders. They will be living on a bookshelf once I am done and I want to be able to open them and not be horrified by the the mess that they are in. That was how I reasoned spending extra on these Cath Kidston lever arch folders.

Although there are a lot of pricey brands amongst the mix and you may think to your self is it all necessary. The answer is I saved on a big chunk of them as they were mostly on offer when I purchased. I shopped all over the place and picked them up when i knew I wouldn't get them cheaper.

What a bargain hunter I am!

Sarah x

A Day Well Spent!

Hey

I'm sat here on this lovely Sunday morning watching a boxset with my laptop on my lap thinking to myself; there is no better moment to have a ramble on my blog to you guys. I'm currently going through my annual disorganised period where my life becomes chaotic as I prepare to go back to uni. So although I have so many posts I want to do; I come to my boyfriends without my iPad which has all the pictures on.  

Yesterday me and my great friend went to Birmingham for an open day at Birmingham Childrens Hospital. Its crazy to think that in April I will be applying for jobs. As I'm from the Midlands but train in Buckinghamshire, I felt it was really important that I get my face known up here if I want a job up here. We were a little quick to the mark and couldn't be interviewed because we haven't started 3rd year yet, it was a great opportunity to have a look around and get a feel for the place. We were also given a great chunk of time to chat with staff from the different departments and although I want Neonates, it was nice to here what other areas offer to their their newly qualified nurses. 

I am only from down the road but I don't drive and I don't think I will enjoy the commute everyday so it was great to find out about the nurses accommodation options available and as many hospitals don't offer nurses accommodation so it was music to my ears when I knew this hospital did. 

If your going into your final year, get yourself out there and go and have a look. 

It wont be a wasted day. 

Sarah x

Where Has The Time Gone? - End of Year 2!

Hey,

It feels like 5 minutes ago I was writing one of these posts but that was a year ago; I'm not quite sure I like how fast time is going. In a months time, I will go to board and will be known as a 3rd year student nurse...crazy!!

I went in to 2nd year expecting it to be a tough year as that was what I was told. That was such a lie as it was actually a really enjoyable time. Don't get me wrong I had my stressed out, hair pulling moments but nothing like I was expecting. I had the best placements I have had in the 2 years and my exam result just proved that I'm capable of  a lot more that I give myself credit for.

My one big stress this year was my accommodation. You may have read the posts I had wrote about some of the issue but I'll fill you in anyway. It started with my 2nd year house falling through as it wasn't ready in time and franticly searching for a new place. Found one which sounded and looked amazing in pictures but turned out to be the opposite. I went to view the place to see that it too was not ready but was told it would be before move in day. Move in day came and it still wasn't! A few weeks later when it was ok to move in I started to have problems with my room. These problems were water leaks coming from the flat above every time they had a shower. I spent my entire tenancy complaining and all they did was paint over it for it to then come back. Lets just say I will never recommend the company to anyone I know.

The academic side of the course is not my forte as I have never been the brightest kid in the class but this course has tough me how I learn best so I'm improving as the time goes on. To start the year off I had to do a presentation on a public health issue. I chose smoking as it is something I am passionate about especially as I'm doing children's nursing and passive smoking is worse than smoking yourself. That went ok but we were not given enough time at all as there is so much to cover. That was followed by an assignment which was a critic on a research article. This amazed me as we were told it was very hard but once I had wrote all my notes it was very easy to put together. The assignment was due in as the exam was due to be sit so this was a real hair pulling time but both came with great grades and that's all I ask for.

After the exam I had a few days to pull myself back to reality and it was straight into placement. My first placement was a general ward which looking back wasn't my favourite but while I was there I thought it was great. I had an assignment which needed writing during my first and second placement so I got a lot of that done on night shifts to help the heavy eyes which happened every time I sat down. My second placement came health visiting which every 2nd year has to do. I loved this placement mainly because the ladies as they were just so lovely in the office and working 9-5 was a novelty. My final placement was on a neonatal unit and I could talk about this placement so much but I wont bore you to much. I'll just say it is where I want to be when I qualify. I knew from previous ward placements that babies were my favourite patients and having a whole unit of them just made me very happy and I felt at home. I also had the greatest mentor who knew I was good at what I do and knew I knew my own limits so I was able to do everything you are allowed to as a student. Of course there are a few things like IVs that that you have to be qualified to do, but there was always something else to do while these sort of things where being done so I didn't really feel like a student as I always had something to do and was trusted to do it all by myself.

Overall, 2nd year has been great and I'm looking forward to 3rd year as this time next year, this chapter of my life will be over and I will be starting a new one as a qualified nurse.

Sarah x