Lil Miss Happy: 100 things no. 5 +

Hi guys! I'm back with another 'Happy' post! Life has been so tough recently, what with revising for exams, essays, helping out at home and applying for jobs! I'm trying to stay positive on top of all this - because I know that life will be amazing in a few months time! 

 Going to the cinema - I just love the atmosphere, and not having to worry about anything for a few hours ;) I recently watched the Hunger Games, which I loved!

Finding a bargain! I love finding bargains - and I do boast about it ;)

Swimming is a passion of mine. I hardly go swimming, but when I do get the chance, I always make the most of it :)

 A cup of tea. A cup of tea solves every little problem, right?

 

 

Going to the park! The weather in England has been so beautiful recently, which has inspired me to visit my local park more often! London is full of exquisite ones - my favourite being Regent's park!

Wearing Indian outfits! I always feel so elegant and glamorous in them!

 Travelling the world - I've been fortunate enough to visit many places, and I can't wait to venture out this year! Visiting new places and admiring the culture is one of my favourite things to do! 

As I mentioned earlier, life has been pretty tough lately! I've learnt a lot in the past few months, and I feel that I've become more mature! Being positive helps so much! I have a natural tendency to worry about things that are out of my control! Having a more carefree attitude has definitely helped out!

I love Harry Potter! I was literally brought up reading the books! I can't wait to visit the Harry Potter studio later this year!

I love eating healthily. Healthy food makes me happy, as opposed to junk food, which makes me feel lethargic and sluggish! I've been drinking juices or green monsters everyday and I've noticed an improvement in my energy levels :) 

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Lil Miss Busy: What's been happening...

Hi guys! Sorry about the lack of blog posts lately! I've just handed in my dissertation, and generally been really busy with university work! 

One of the biggest things that has happened this year is that my dad had a kidney transplant on Saturday 17th March!)

My dad has been on the waiting list for seven years. So for seven whole years, he had to do manual dialysis four times a day, not drink much water, not eat vegetables and fruits and so on!

The donor (who unfortunately passed away) has given a whole new lease of life to my father. My dad's life expectancy has increased, and his quality of life has improved.

I know this blog post is quite personal, compared to most of my posts, but I feel strongly about organ donation. Hopefully this post will save a few people's live!

What is organ donation?

Organ donation is the gift of an organ to help someone who needs a transplant.

How do you become an organ donor? 

You can fill in this form, or you can join when you are: 

• Registering for a driving licence
• Applying for a Boots Advantage card
• Registering at a GP surgery
• Registering for a European Health Insurance card 

 What is the NHS Organ Donor Register?

 

The NHS Organ Donor Register is, quite literally, a life-saver. It is a confidential, computerised database which holds the wishes of more than 16 million people who have decided that, after their death, they want to leave a legacy of life for others. The register is used to help establish whether a person wanted to donate and, if so, what.

Here are some statistics:

In the UK between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2011:

• 3,740 organ transplants were carried out, thanks to the generosity of 2,055 donors.
• 1,008 lives were saved in the UK through a heart, lung, liver or combined heart/lungs, liver/kidney, liver/pancreas or heart/kidney transplant.
• 2,732 patients' lives were dramatically improved by a kidney or pancreas transplant, 156 of whom received a combined kidney/pancreas transplant.
• A further 3,564 people had their sight restored through a cornea transplant.
• A record number of 567 non-heart beating donor kidney transplants took place and accounted for one in five of all kidney transplants.
• 1,045 living donor kidney transplants were carried out accounting for more than a third of all kidney transplants. 'Non-directed' living donor transplants (also known as altruistic donor transplants) and paired and pooled donations contributed more than 60 kidney transplants between them.
• Almost 675,000 more people pledged to help others after their death by registering their wishes on the NHS Organ Donor Register, bringing the total to 17,751,795 (March 2011). 

You can read more about organ donation here.

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Lil Miss Healthy: Juicing! +

Juicing is now part of my healthy lifestyle regime. In fact, it was my parents who got me into juicing! As you all may know, I love eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Junk food tastes good, but it never makes me feel satisfied! Since I have started juicing, I've noticed an increase in my energy levels.

Juicing 101:

1) For this particular recipe, I used: two apples, two carrots, half a regular sized cucumber and 2 beetroots. I simply cut them in half and washed them.

2) I popped them in my Jack Lalanne Power Juicer

3) I then drank some tasty, nutrient filled juice!

What are the benefits of this particular recipe?

Benefits of carrots: great source of vitamin A, good for your eyesight, skin, hair and nails. Carrots also act as a cleanser for your liver.

Benefits of beetroot: very cleansing for the body. They also lower your blood pressure :) 

Benefits of apples: cancer prevention, good for suppressing your hunger too

Benefits of cucumber: high water content, good source of fibre and vitamin K 

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How often do you juice? 

About 2-3 times a week. I tend to cut the carrots and beetroots the night before (apples go bad quickly, therefore I cut them up in the morning). I tend to have the juice before breakfast. 

What are the benefits of juicing?

• The nutrients of the fruits/ vegetables are easily absorbed by the body

• They are a great source of nutrients

• They also help the immune system

What are the disadvantages of juicing?

• It can increase your blood sugar level - especially because you're combining many different fruits/ vegetables. I tend to only drink half a glass to prevent my blood sugar level from increasing too much

• You need specialist equipment, it also takes time to prepare the fruit/ vegetables as well as clean to the juicer!

• Don't replace juicing for eating the whole fruit/ vegetable. Juicing does not give you the fibre - which is essential for your body

  So the key is to juice in moderation! I will be posting a few more recipes, once I've experimented a bit more.

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Have you ever tried juicing? 

Lil Miss Charitable: Happy International Women's Day!

I just want to say 'Happy International Women's Day' to the readers of my blog :) In my previous blog post on this topic, I mentioned the 'Avon Empowerment Necklace'    which has just gone on sale. The £3.50 on the beautiful necklace will go to a great cause - Refuge and Women's aid - to help victims of domestic violence. 

Alesha Dixon is currently Avon's Global Ambassador:

Today Alesha Dixon, launched Avon’s Pass It On campaign and unveiled the new Empowerment Necklace with survivors, volunteers and top fundraising Avon Representatives at the 24 hour, Freephone National Domestic Violence Helpline.  

All proceeds from sales of the £3.50 necklace go directly to Avon UK’s charity partners Refuge and Women’s Aid; adding to the £1 million already donated in the UK and the $40 million awarded across the globe to fund life-saving domestic violence support services.

This is what Alesha had to say:

“It’s an unacceptable reality that one in four women in the UK will experience domestic violence in their lives - a reality we all must play our part to change. That’s why, as we celebrate International Women’s Day, I’m so proud to be speaking out against domestic violence and supporting Avon’s Pass It On campaign.”

If you want to donate to the cause, you can purchase the beautiful necklace from here. 

Lil Miss Glossy: Moroccanoil Treatment Review

I previously mentioned in this post that my hair is the bane of my life! It used to be frizzy, messy and out of control. I recently purchased 'Moroccanoil Treatment' after stalking it on BuyaPowa for weeks and I haven't looked back since.

The Low Down: 

 'Moroccanoil Treatment’s versatile, nourishing and residue-free formula can be used as a conditioning, styling and finishing tool. It blends perfectly with other products and even speeds up drying time. This treatment for hair completely transforms and repairs as its formula transports lost proteins for strength; fatty acids, omega-3 oils and vitamins for shine; and antioxidants for protection. It absorbs instantly to fill gaps in hair created by heat, styling and environmental damage.''

What are the ingredients?

Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Argania Spinoza Kernel Oil (Aragan Oil), Linseed Extract (Linum Usitatissimum), Fragrance (Supplement), D&C Yellow 11, D&C Red 17, Coumarin, Benzyl Benzoate, Alpha Isomethyl Ionone 

 Unfortunately the product is not made from only pure Argan oil (which is a miracle oil from Morocco) so don't be fooled by that! Silicone's also seem to be present in the product (the first three chemicals) - which is probably why my hair looks so shiny.

  What are your impressions of the Moroccanoil hair treatment?

I have seen a massive difference in the condition of my hair. This products makes my hair look very shiny and healthy. It rained today - and the shine still remained on my hair, instead of reverting into a frizzy mess (like it usually does!)

 
How do you use it?  

 I simply wash my hair, wrap my hair in a towel for about 10 minutes and then apply the treatment. I simply use one pump and pat it on my hair. I avoid the roots - and try to limit to only using one pump (the first time I used the product, I used two pumps, which made my hair look very greasy!).

   Where can you get it from?

 

You can purchase this product from Amazon, BuyaPowa (although you will have to be quick as it sells like hot cakes) as well as your local salon.

How much does it cost?

This was the reason why I was reluctant to purchase the product in the first place. £30 for a 100ml product seemed a bit too steep for me. Luckily I got £9 off by purchasing from BuyaPowa! I will definitely purchase this product again, but only if the results stay the same! (They say silicone damages your hair, so I'm not going to buy any backups just yet)

Advantages?

• Makes hair look very healthy
• Easy to apply
• My hairdressers recommended it!
• Easy to get hold off
• Great packaging - love the pump. The product also comes with a lid (which is useful for travelling)
• It is sold in different sizes - you can always purchases the smallest one to sample it! 

Disadvantages?

• Expensive - but it will last me a long time (the hair dresser said it could last up to a year)
• It's not really Moroccan oil - it's just silicones, a tiny amount of argan oil and some other chemicals
• The bottle is made of glass - so it could possibly shatter
• Product can make your hair look greasy! I do have to wash my hair more often now! 

Have you tried this product before? 

Lil Miss Energetic: Current workout regime!

When I ask people why they don't exercise, the first excuse I hear is 'I don't have enough time'. I always think 'So you have enough time to watch TV, go on Twitter, but not actually take the time to take care of your body?' Even though I am currently in the final year of my university , I still set aside a little bit of time to work out. I always feel so much: happier, healthier and so much more energetic after a workout! I don't feel that I am wasting my time - plus when I exercise, I feel that I am in much more control of my life.

Note - my workout routine changes often - because I like to challenge my body. I try to workout between 3-4 times a week.


Here is my current routine:

I love Jillian Michael's Ripped in 30 - which is a step up from 30 day shred. There are four levels - I am currently on level 2. I will be doing a thorough review once I have completed all four levels. The great thing about this DVD is that it is only 20 minutes long! I have no excuse - sometimes I get up half an hour early and do this workout! As I don't always have time for 1 hour workouts, this intense 20 minute workout hits the spot. I do this workout around 2-3 times a week.

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The next workout is one of my favourites. It's the No More Trouble Zones workout, again by the lovely Jillian Michael's. It involves working on different trouble zones such as your abs, legs, triceps, shoulders and so on. It involves mainly strength based exercises, but also incorporates abs and cardio. I've noticed a massive difference in my figure since using this workout DVD - my thighs and bottom are way more toned - plus I feel stronger. I will be doing a full review on this! I only do this workout once a week. (Note - it is 50 minutes long).

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The next workout I love doing is the Tracy Anderson mat workout. This workout involves exercises which work your accessory muscles (and are meant to change the shape of your body). I love doing this workout because it's very relaxing, especially compared to Jillian Michaels' DVDs. I only do this workout once a week, even though Tracy states that you should do it 5-6 times a week. This workout is one hour long, and you should ideally mix it up with some cardio. Here is my full review on the DVD.

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Even if I do an intense work out, it does not give me the right to sit around all day. I love walking - I try to take the longest route and walk as much as I can. I always walk on escalator's and even get off a stop early to walk the extra five minutes. The more you move your body = the more calories you burn! If you seriously have no time to work out, then I highly recommend moving your body as much as possible :D 

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This is my current workout routine, please note: it is subject to change....

What is your workout routine?

Lil Miss Glitzy: Orly nail polish in 'Oui'

 A colour I have been sporting as of late in Orly nail polish in 'Oui'. Even though I have a vast nail polish collection, I don't have anything that quite replicates 'Oui'. I would describe this 'Oui' as a mixture of purple, gold and silver - with an extra portion of glitter! It reminds me of an extra glittery, nail polish verson of Mac's Satin Taupe eyeshadow. 

This colour is from the Holiday Soireé collection.

Here are some photos:

 It is subtle enough to be worn in the day time but looks even better on a night out!

This photo does not justify how beautiful the shade is <3

 A close up - gorgeous colour!

Summary:

What is the packaging like?

The packaging is very original and has a rubber tip, which makes opening the bottle so much easier! I've dropped the bottle several times and it did not shatter. It seems to be bigger than an OPI nail polish.  

 

Any disadvantages?

Make sure you shake the bottle well, otherwise the nail polish will separate! This accounts for all nail polishes, but I've noticed I have to shake more with Orly. For this particular nail polish, I had to apply three coats for the shade to show! 

How much does it cost?

The price does vary. I've seen it for £10 in some places and £7 in others. You can buy the smaller bottles for about £5.

Where can I buy it from?

Amazon, Boots (mainly in store, the website has a small selection only) and  Beauty Bay (I have never purchased from this website so I can't be held accountable for its' service)