Glamour Pants - A Beauty & Lifestyle Blog

5 Places I Want To Travel To Before I’m 30

October 19, 2017 filed under: Lifestyle, Wishlist

Travelling is something I really enjoy doing. It’s also something I’ve been blessed to do a lot during my childhood. I’m sad that I don’t remember a lot of places I’ve been to and seen, because I was so young, but even to this day I love travelling. I love the buzz of flying, airports, I even don’t mind turbulence. The feeling of excitement when the plane finally takes off, flying over beautiful places, and the feeling of relief when the tires finally hit the ground.

I’m not just 20 anymore. I’m in my 20’s. It might not sound like much difference but I’m shitting myself a little bit. Ideally, I’d like to have my life together (at least the basics) by the time I’m 30. I don’t just want the next nine years to be all work and no play though, so today I’m going to share the 5 places to travel to before 30.

Santorini, Greece

Santorini is somewhere I’ve had my eye on for years. It’s the epitome of a relaxing vacation. Sitting out on the beach, maybe do a little wine tasting, chilling out by the pool with a good book. There are so many beautiful things to see and do in Santorini. I’d love to go to a winery there, maybe even a day trip out on a boat, visit some of the ancient ruins, and watch the sunset on the beach.

New York City, USA

New York is very high on my list of places to visit. I’ve already been to NYC once, but I was very young. The way I look at it is, if I wasn’t old enough to order a glass of wine I’d like a do-over. I’d really love to go back, maybe at Christmas time, and really experience the parts of New York that you’re supposed to on a trip there.

Perth, Western Australia

Australia, oh, Australia. My eldest sister went travelling to Sydney when she was about my age and ever since seeing her pictures and all of the awesome things she did there, Australia’s been very high on my travel bucket list. Then, this year I started doing family history and found out that I had a number of ancestors who emigrated to Australia. I’m extremely intrigued and dying to pay a visit, especially to Perth.

Rome, Italy

Now, while I’ve seen a couple of places in Italy, Rome is somewhere I’ve never been before. I have yearned to see the Fontana di Trevi since Lizzie fell in love with Paolo in 2003. There, I said it. In all honesty though, there are so many beautiful things about Rome. I couldn’t even list them all if I wanted to. Gelato, architecture, the Sistine Chapel, wine, food. Where do I sign up?!

Nassau, The Bahamas

Visiting the Bahamas is the absolute dream. I’m not sure when in the next nine years I’ll get the chance to go to such a luxurious place but a girl can dream. And currently I’m dreaming about Blue Lagoon Island, snorkeling, lying on the beach, sipping (a rather cheesy dream) a margarita out of a coconut. I don’t even know if they do that in The Bahamas, but I want to do it. Sun, sea and sand. It’s sound like heaven to me.

So there you have it, the 5 places I want to travel to before 30, not a bad list. Some more reasonable than others. But what is life without dreams? Let me know in the comments where you’d love to visit, I’m all for adding to this list!

My Goals For The Rest Of 2017

August 23, 2017 filed under: Lifestyle

I’m struggling to come to terms with the fact that it’s already the end of August. I feel like I have hardly achieved anything in the last 8 months and I’m wondering where on earth the time has gone! In an effort to make my life a little bit more productive and to hopefully achieve something in the coming months I thought it might be helpful if I wrote down some of my goals for the rest of 2017. That way, I might actually stick to some of them!

Learn something new

I’m extremely tired of the rut I seem to have gotten myself in lately. It’s definitely one of my goals to try doing new things, new hobbies, new places. I never get tired of learning new things, and I think that picking up a new hobby to learn would be really productive.

Get better with finances

Finances have always been a bit confusing to me. In the last year though my finances have taken a real knock, and it’s something that I really struggle with now there’s a lack of income. So budgeting has become a big part of my life. As I get older I think I’m realising the importance of being financially clued-up and I want to keep learning about how to manage my finances. It’s a skill I’ll always need, so why not learn now?

Push my comfort zones

This is one I have definitely been working on recently. But I want to continue to push my comfort zones, in both my personal life and my social life. I think I’m far to comfortable not being social, and keeping to myself. It’s something that I really want to grow out of. Pushing my boundaries and doing things that at first might make me a little uncomfortable is something I really want to run with for the rest of the year.

Be more sociable

I am a big people person, once I’m in the zone. But something not a lot of people know about me is that social situations kind of terrify me. The prolonged getting ready process so I feel presentable doesn’t always help. But I would love put myself out there a bit more and be more sociable.

So there it is. 4 of my main goals for the remainder of 2017. Hopefully the latter half of this year will be more productive than the first!

Hello Again! Life Update & Back To Blogging

July 25, 2017 filed under: Lifestyle

Well, hello! It’s been a while… and by ‘a while’ I mean far too long. I’m not entirely sure where the last 11 weeks have gone. I feel like I blinked and I just missed it. There’s been an awful lot going on in my life in recent months. Not all of it good I’m sad to report although things are hopefully looking up. Amidst all the BS that’s been going on I do have a few rather exciting things I really want to share. So, here’s a little life update.

I’ve started CBT again.

It’s been a long time coming really, after some recent stresses my OCD seems to have escalated and so I really needed to do something about it. I’ve only been in CBT for about six weeks but it’s going really well and I’m already seeing some progress. So that’s good!

I’m finishing my final year of high school education.

This is a really exciting one for me. I’m almost 21, and my journey through education has been a bumpy one. I completed my first two years of high school, did year 9 at home and virtually all by myself with an exception of about three classes and one exam. Then I did year ten and eleven in a special school program for kids who have personal problems that have affected their education and I missed so much of that although I did pass some exams it wasn’t nearly enough to prepare me for my future.

I then got into college (a miracle in itself), but dropped out after about three or four months because I was really struggling with my OCD. So my education has been a bit patchy to say the least. However, I’m pleased to report that I am in my final year of high school education, doing a double science award. It might not seem very impressive to be doing this at 20, but it’s a really big achievement for me.

And on that note… I’m applying for university.

While we’re on the topic of education, that leads me to my next piece of exciting news. In September I’ll be filling out my forms to apply to university. And much like my previous experience with education it’s not going to be the stereotypical route. I’m going to apply for an access to higher education course first for a year, and then to do my foundation degree. Needless to say this is extremely exciting for me. I never thought I would go to university but it all seems to be falling into place.

I’m also working on an exciting new project… cough, cough, graphic design.

So, things have taken a little bit of a change in direction. For years I’ve really wanted to do something in beauty, or cosmetology. But in recent months I’ve discovered a new interest. I really didn’t think I could ever make enough money to live on and save up for some of the things I wanted to do working in cosmetology. I know some people manage to do it, I just came to the conclusion that it wasn’t right for me to do full time. I needed something with a bit more stability. So, queue an exciting new project. I’ll be sure to share once it’s all official.

So there you have it, a little life update. I’m happy to be back blogging and hopefully getting back into the swing of things. I’ve got a few post lined up to get started so watch this space!

20 Little Things That Make Me Happy

May 6, 2017 filed under: Lifestyle

I think it’s so easy to focus on all of the things in life that we struggle with, (as evident in my last post), that stress us out, or make us unhappy and that’s okay, but I think it’s really important to also concentrate on the wonderful things in life that make us happy! So, this is a post dedicated to the little things that make me happy. The little things in life are sometimes the best and it’s the little things that honestly make me the happiest.

1. My family

2. The feeling of clean bed sheets

3. Comfort food and a glass of barefoot wine after a long day

4. Poetry that touches the soul

5. The way perfume changes scent throughout the day

6. Lower petals that fall from trees like snow

7. Pyjamas

8. Dance parties for one in the kitchen

9. Good music

10. Fresh air blowing through my bedroom when the window’s open

11. My laptop and all the amazing things it allows me to do

12. Spending time alone. I’m not afraid to say that I love my alone time

13. Travelling, particularly flying

14. Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food ice cream (total guilty pleasure)

15. Pinterest, I love nights curled up in bed browsing the endless pins on Pinterest

16. Getting to see the mountains of Utah as I’m flying in

17. Sleeping in late

18. Laughter, I love to laugh.

19. Animals. I love animals more than people, and can you blame me?!

20. Makeup, testing new makeup, creating new looks, the smell of certain products. So much happiness!

Even after just typing it all up I feel so warm and fuzzy. It’s nice to remind myself of things that uplift me and that I’m grateful for. Just talking about the things that make me happy, I feel happier.

Sometimes It’s All A Bit Too Much

April 30, 2017 filed under: Real Talk

I feel the need to be really honest about what’s going on in my life right now. It seems that I started this blog with the best of intentions, and then all hell broke loose. I took a break from blogging and pretty much started from scratch again last year, and now here I am. Wondering where the time has gone. It has been three months since my last blog post and I honestly feel like I blinked and it’s May. And I’m starting to see now that it’s all just been a bit too much for me to cope with. Blogging, photography, editing, writing, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram. There has just been no room for me to breathe, to spend time with people. Real people, my family and friends. Focusing on school and studying, trying to stay on top of my health problems.

I feel swallowed up in a vortex of all of the things I should be doing, but am not actually achieving. It’s just not working for me, so something has to change. I’ve come to understand that it’s really okay to admit you’re not coping. So that’s what I did and things are starting to look up.

While I’ve been MIA for the past few months I’ve really been trying to find my feet, in life in general. And I certainly think I’m a lot more grounded and focused than I was before. I know I still want to blog, it’s almost a release for me, it’s a creative outlet and that’s good! Everyone needs a hobby. But I think that’s what it needs to be, a hobby. I think I was putting so much pressure on myself to be good at all of the different things I was juggling that I just felt like I was drowning in it all.

So I’ve decided a change is in order. My blog posts may not all come out on the same day of the week, there may be weeks when I’m lucky to even get one out. But they wont be so forced, they’ll be written because I’m happy to do it and I enjoy it. I just needed a bit of space from blogging, from socialising, from excess stress. Because sometimes it’s all a bit too much.

Best Blogs for Women In Their 20s

February 4, 2017 filed under: Blogging, Lifestyle

Something I truly love about blogging, that I don’t really see enough of is women celebrating other women on their blogs. I’m not an anti-guy person at all, I’m also not a feminist extreme. I am all for supporting people. I do however believe that women understand each other on a different level. We are all so different, but all of us can use a little advice and guidance every once in a while. For today’s post I’ve compiled a list of the best blogs for women in their 20s that really inspire me to be the best woman I can be.

There are certain women in the blogging world that I really look up to and admire. The transition from teenage to young adult is very much blurred these days. Even from childhood there is a much less gentler transition from girl to woman than there used to be. So as a young woman I could really use all the help I could get to keep my feet on the ground and live life to my best potential. So I wanted to share them with you, in the hopes that they can help you too.

Smart Twenties

I love smart twenties, and Sam Brown (the creator/writer) has perked me up many a time by her great advice. Smart Twenties is *in my opinion* very much about achieving your goals and being the best twenty-something you can be. I know I find myself feeling very overwhelmed sometimes and then I remember, Smart Twenties! Definitely one you need to be reading if you’re trying to find your feet.

Lauren Conrad

I would be quite surprised if there was anyone in the blogging community who didn’t know who Lauren Conrad was. She’s an absolute ball buster in the blogging world and for good reason. Though I first knew who Lauren was through a TV show she was on years ago her website has become her brand and is definitely one of the things she’s most known for. She is quite literally ‘the boss’. Her website/blog is widely catered to a lot of different subjects but there’s something for everyone you just have to look for it. I personally love her ‘Tuesday Ten’ and ‘Go For It’ posts.

The Everygirl

The Everygirl is my jam. Seriously, if there is one blog/website that I can spend a day just reading through in awe, it would be The Everygirl. They have such amazing advice, and honest posts about being a woman! On this website they talk about everything from wellness, healthy living, relationships, careers. I could go on, but I’ll save you all the big gushy paragraph, just trust me on this one. Go to this site and bookmark it, you won’t be sorry.

Advice From a Twenty-Something

Advice From a Twenty-Something is a blog/advice column created and written by Amanda Holstein. I love Amandas complete honesty, but it’s gentle honesty. I’m in awe of how much good advice she has to give. I am particularly fond of the Self Improvement section in ‘Wellness’, as that’s really a personal goal for me this year. I really like how this blog takes a holistic approach to life. It’s about becoming healthier and happier, and more educated. And at times like these we could all do with a bit more health, happiness, and education. Her other sections include beauty, fashion, career & living.

Literally, Darling

Literally, Darling is another fantastic blog that I now find myself going to daily in my spare time. Every time I’m on this site I feel like I’ve hired a life coach. It’s fantastic! I don’t think there is anything this blog doesn’t talk about. Religion, college, wellness, sex, relationships, travel. It’s all there. Nothing is off limits at Literally, Darling, and that’s what makes it so fantastic.

Career Girl Daily

Last, but by no means least, there’s Career Girl Daily. This blog has helped/is helping me find my feet in a world that is so career driven. As someone now in their 20’s who is still figuring out exactly what career route I want to go down I have found having blogs/websites to turn to as a way to find myself extremely helpful. CGD has been a great source of motivation and inspiration to me over the time I’ve been reading it. If I’m ever feeling low about my career prospects, or I experience something that knocks down my self-confidence I know I can always be boosted by the pep talks the CGD writers give me. I leave their site feeling so empowered, and like I can take on the world and achieve my dreams.

My First Cult Beauty Experience

January 18, 2017 filed under: Beauty

Today I want to talk about a site that I only discovered a few months ago. Cult Beauty. I’ve always been very hesitant to order from what I would call a third party site. I mean you hear horror stories about orders that never arrive (I’ve actually had this happen), and products that weren’t what you payed for (also had this happen). So you can’t blame me for being a little wary. After placing my first order with them, I’ve since gone on to place another order. They’re that good! So, never one to keep a beauty secret, I wanted to share with you my first Cult Beauty experience.

Why I Chose Cult Beauty

I’d done an awful lot of research about where I could order specific brands from without having to pay an excessively large tax, customs and taxes. I had a great experience ordering from Sephora once but they don’t half slap on some fees. So I was really looking to find an alternative for here in the UK. Now, Cult Beauty doesn’t offer the same variety that Sephora does, by any means, but they’re definitely on their way.

I also love that unlike mainstream beauty stores they are all for promoting and stocking alternative brands who maybe don’t quite fit in with the a-typical cosmetic lines that are stocked elsewhere. There are rather a lot of brands that they stock that I had personally never ever heard of until browsing their site. But as it states on their site they pick only the best products and brands, influenced by beauty insiders and celebrities, hence the name ‘Cult’. They also refer to it as a beauty hall of fame, which I think is such brilliant terminology. I ultimately chose Cult Beauty for their reviews, their site layout and their customer service. I read through the reviews on websites now like I’m running an investigation. I’m so cautious after bad experiences, but this site most definitely did not disappoint.

What They Offer

Returns Policy

If for any reason you’re unhappy with your order they have a 14 day returns policy. Which in my personal opinion is a little tight, but I’ve been willing to overlook that. If your item arrived damaged or faulty, get in touch with customer services right away and if possible send pictures.

An Expert Panel

The site has an expert panel where you can talk to someone about any specific questions you have about a product or need advice in finding the right one. I love this idea of a panel to help guide customers. I think this is a great addition to online shopping, very innovative.

Free standard delivery on orders over £50

Not an excessive amount (at least not in the beauty industry) to get free delivery. Especially not for higher end or more expensive products which they stock quite a lot of. The delivery has been one of my favourite aspects of shopping with Cult Beauty. But more on that later.

Customizable Account

This feature is one that I really love about this site. You are able to customize your preferences, your account can be altered to your specific needs. In the section of your customer account they have a sections called ‘My Beauty Preferences’, here you can tick boxes that are relevant to you in areas such as skin type, skin tones, skin concerns, hair concerns, makeup focus, and categories of interests, etc. This is a great way to make your experience completely personal.

Waitlist

The waitist is a personal favourite of mine. I love that even if there isn’t a particular product in stock, you click a button and they notify you by email when the product is back. It’s like having a friend who texts you to tell you that the dress the store didn’t have in your size the day you went shopping is now waiting on the rack for you.

My Overall Experience

After going in very sceptical, I’m very happy to report that shopping at Cult Beauty is Glamour Pants approved. I had a fantastic experience, the delivery time was less than expected, my products arrived in perfect condition and I love them, I wasn’t ripped off or scammed, so all round I am one happy bunny! I have ordered from them again, and received my second parcel from them yesterday but have yet to open it.

So here’s what it boils down to. Yes, I definitely recommend them. I also recommend doing your research before shopping anywhere online you haven’t purchased items from before. I’ve had a great experience with them, and will certainly be buying in the future.

Setting New Goals for a New Year

January 7, 2017 filed under: Lifestyle, Real Talk

This last week seems to have absolutely flown by. I honestly cannot believe how quick time seems to be going at the minute. The older I get they faster my days seems to go! This last week has been spent prepping for some very exciting things I have planned for this year. I’ve been spending time with my family, and looking back on the last year. I can’t say that I’m sorry to see 2016 behind me, it was a very complicated year. It was filled with some of my lowest lows, along with some of my highest highs. It seems to have been that way for a lot of people I know. Nobody can decide whether they loved it or hated it, so I think we’re all choosing to just move on from it.

In the midst of all the new year hustle and bustle I’m trying to make time to think about what I would like for this next year. I don’t like setting myself resolutions. It’s a bit unreasonable to tell yourself that you will or will not have done something by a certain date, in my opinion. That’s what a resolution is, after all. Instead, I decided to set myself some goals. I think that goals are so much more realistic and do-able. Here are the ones I’m set myself so far:

Be open to new relationships – I struggle a lot with my relationships, there is no other way to put it. I think because of past experiences, and even recent experiences I tend to be quite afraid of new relationships and this is something I’d really like to work on this year. This is definitely one of my most important goals.
Read more books – There are certain books that I’ve started reading recently that have made me wonder why I don’t read enough. I need to read more, and expand my knowledge.
Sleep more – Sleep can be my worst nightmare, and I yo-yo between not getting enough and getting too much. I need to find that right balance this year so I can be healthier.
Be present – with social media becoming so all-consuming these days, I think I need to do a detox. Something to break the habit of constantly picking up my phone.
Find happiness – I don’t always feel happy. I know it’s impossible to be happy all of the time. But with my mental health wavering a lot at the minute I’m struggling to be happy. I need to find some happiness this year, and put the stress and emotion of 2016 where it belongs… in the past.

As the year goes on, there’ll be things I add to my list of goals. It will no doubt change regularly, and that’s okay. At the start of a new year at least I have some things guiding me towards the best me I can be.

What are some of your goals for 2017? I hope you’re all having a good start to the new year!

New Years Eve Makeup Look

January 1, 2017 filed under: Beauty, Makeup Looks

This year I went for more of a sophisticated look for New Years, I thought I was going to do a bit more of a party look but that just wasn’t how I was feeling. This year I spent New Years Eve at my sisters house with the family which was really fun. We played games and watched Mrs Doubtfire. I really didn’t need to get dolled up but I just enjoy doing my makeup so much that I wanted to make a bit of an effort, New Years is a big deal after all.

I decided to go for a more sophisticated gold themed makeup look, which I think turned out really nice. of course I’m going to say that though. Using some of my favourite products, and some new favourites, my New Years makeup was a lot of fun to do.

Products

Urban Decay Ultimate Basics Palette ‘Pregame’ ‘Faith’ ‘Lockout’ & ‘Extra Bitter’

Too Faced Les Grand Palais ‘Wish List’ (SOLD OUT)

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner Liquid Eyeliner

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

Lips:

MAC Cosmetics Matte Lipstick ‘Honeylove’

My Christmas Day Makeup Look

December 28, 2016 filed under: Beauty, Christmas, Makeup Looks

Christmas is such a fun time, and I particularly love doing makeup in the winter. I think it’s partly because I find a little more confidence to go a bit bolder in the colder months, I’m not entirely sure why. This isn’t a very bold makeup look, as that’s just not what I wanted this Christmas. So this year I decided to go more ‘classic’ a bit of a brighter eye, a cat eye, and a classy red lip. For this look I really loved how it turned out, and I seemed to get quite a lot of compliments from the people I was with (which is always lovely).

This is the first ‘Makeup Look’ post I’ve ever done, but I really enjoyed getting ready this year. I hope you like this Christmas day makeup look almost as much as I do! And I hope you all had a very merry Christmas.