Ciara Sims

Can you believe we are halfway through 2015 already? Seems like just yesterday I was celebrating Christmas! I'm not complaining though because the end of June means my exams are finally finished (I will stop talking about them soon, I promise) and I have a whole two months of holiday stretched out in front of me. June has been a funny month, because I was at school for the whole first half of this month I didn't really have any favourites, but the end of the month has been jam packed for me and it means I've really been able to sit down and think about what I have been loving.


I've been keeping my makeup quite minimal recently due to the hot weather we're having. I can't stand heavy makeup in the summer, I just feel like I'm going to sweat it all off. So I've loved using the Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream (£6.99). I'm not sure how many times I have talked about this now on my blog but I really do love it. It is just so easy. It covers any redness, leaves my skin looking smooth, doesn't cling to dry patches and you can just put it on using your fingers which takes a matter of seconds. I won't ramble too much because I've done a full review but I do think that if you have oily skin and are looking for a lighter base for this summer then give this a try.

My skin has been alright recently but I have had a couple of tiny breakouts. The Seventeen Phwoarr Paint Concealer (£5.49) has been my absolute saviour. I love this stuff so much. I'll be honest, the name is awful but everything else about this product is perfect. This is actually marketed as a heavy duty under eye concealer, which it is, but it's also great for covering up any other unwanted blemishes or spots. This creamy concealer covers everything, blends easily and lasts as long as you need it to. I also love the size, it's perfect to chuck into a handbag and it has a handy little mirror for on the go touch ups or emergency coverage. I have done a full review before but I definitely think that the more I've used it, the more I've loved it.

Seeing as it is summer and I am on the paler side, I've been really loving bronzing myself up a bit. Bronzer was something that I was always a little bit scared of before but this month I've barely gone a day without it. The Body Shop Honey Bronzing Powder in 01 (£13) has been my go to because it is so beautifully natural but still leaves me looking like a bronzed goddess (sort of). I think what I love most about this bronzer is that it's matte. Unless it's eye shadow, I generally don't like glittery products and I can't think of anything worse in the summer than looking like a glittery mess. This is also a really nice compact as it contains a really decent sized mirror and the honey comb pattern is so cute. Full review here.

To put on my bronzer my weapon of choice is always the Ecotools Retractable Kabuki Brush (£12.99). This brush is PERFECT. No joke. The packaging is smart and classy, the brush is just the right size, the bristles are as soft as a baby's bum, it doesn't shed and it can be thrown into a makeup bag without making the inside of the bag all dirty. What more could you want really? I could rave about this brush until the cows come home, but I think I'll save for when I do a full review. Yes a full review just on this brush because it is that good.

I never used to wear mascara on my bottom lashes for fear of smudging it all down my face. But I've got into it quite a lot and I can see how much of a difference it does make. It really helps to open up my eyes, making them appear bigger and it just pulls together my makeup look, especially if I have put colour underneath my eyes. One of the reasons why I have loved wearing mascara on my bottom lashes so much is definitely because of the Natural Collection Water Guard Mascara in Brown/Black (£1.99). I love this mascara because it's a lot more natural than a black mascara but you can actually see it unlike a brown mascara. It's just the perfect colour, doesn't smudge and the natural bristle brush picks up every lash. I tend to just bounce the wand along my lower lashes and all the lashes are coated yet still look incredibly subtle and natural. For one of the cheapest products in my makeup collection, this is probably one of my favourites at the minute.

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If you aren't watching Humans then what exactly are you watching?? This is without doubt the best new series I have watched on telly for ages and we are only 3 episodes in! Humans is a sci-fi series which imagines a world in which humans live alongside Synths - robots that are scarily similar to humans in nearly every way. These Synths are the latest must have gadget. They do the washing up, cooking and gardening and are even able to provide medical care. These Synths are so advanced and lifelike that they really are blurring the lines between people and machines. Humans follows the lives of Joe and Laura who have taken a Synth called Anita into their home, but there is something a little bit funny about Anita and I don't think that she is quite all that she is made out to be. It's quite hard to explain because not even half of the series has been shown yet, but so far this show is amazing and I highly recommend it to everybody regardless of whether you like sci-fi or not.

What have you been loving this month?

Ciara x

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I've got my prom next Friday and although I've got my dress all sorted, I'm still undecided on how to do my hair and makeup. So I've been putting together a little mood board on Pinterest and I thought I would share some of my favourite pictures with you.

Ciara x

Don't forget you can follow my hair and beauty boards on Pinterest!

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Ciara x

We've all done it. Anybody who tells you they have never had a soft spot for a fictional character is definitely lying. I know I've had my fair few and I can tell you that it's not easy. No matter what I watch/read there always seems to be one character that I just connect with and I wish they were real. My latest fictional love is Richard Hardbeck AKA Metal Rich from Skins Generation 3.

Since getting off school I have had loads of free time. So what did I spend that free time doing? Watching Skins of course! I finally got around to watching Generation 3 and although it gets a lot of stick, I really liked it. Now there were some characters that annoyed the hell out of me, but there were also some characters that I absolutely loved. In particular - Rich.

I love everything about this character and from speaking to people, I don't know anybody who dislikes this character. His lines are funny, his character development is amazing and he is so god damn sweet. Now I know he's not real, but he really is a good character. I also think it helps that Alexander Arnold, who plays Rich, is a fantastic actor. He's the kind of actor that makes you forget that he is acting. Alexander Arnold really sucks you into the programme and he is genuinely one of the best things about Generation 3.

Now I can't really talk about his character too much without giving away major plotlines, but I seriously think that if you were considering watching Generation 3 but haven't yet then you must. Rich Hardbeck will always have a place in my heart and I think it's a shame that Alexander Arnold isn't acting in even more films/programmes. He's one to look out for.

Ever fallen in love with a fictional character?

Ciara x

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I think the majority of exams are over now so it is time to celebrate.



Ciara x

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So I finally finished my exams and I can't tell you how happy I am that they are all over. It feels so nice to not have to worry about anything and I'm looking forward to this summer break so much. I'm not going to lie, I did find my exams very stressful. But I think I dealt with them a lot better than I thought I would. I'm exhausted but I am really happy with how hard I worked and now I can put that all behind me, catch up on all the telly I've missed and just enjoy myself.

However, I'm not completely done with school just yet. In September I hope to carry on at my school's sixth form and I have two induction days coming up for that very soon. I'm not nervous because I'm staying at my school and so I know my way around and all the teachers. I'm actually quite excited. It'll be nice to have a sort of fresh start and meet new people. Plus I don't have to wear a uniform anymore which is great.

In July I've also got the school prom which should be a laugh. My school takes prom quite seriously and so you always get girls in huge dresses and the boys all wear suits so it's really nice. I don't really do dressing up so formally and I don't wear heels so prom is kind of a big thing for me. My dress is nothing fancy but I like it and I am looking forward to getting all dolled up with my friends and having a good night. The prom itself will actually probably be quite rubbish seeing as my head teacher will be sat in the corner, but it will be nice to see everybody again and it will just be something a little bit different.

Now this is something I am VERY excited about. After prom I am off to Ireland for a week to go and see my family with my boyfriend. It's just the two of us and he has never met my mum's side of the family before so it is nice that he is finally getting to. I love Ireland so much and I love going out there to see my family so I can't wait to share all of that with him. It will be kind of weird though because I've never been to Ireland without my mum before but I am very excited. I know it's only Ireland and not the Bahamas so most of you probably wont class this as a holiday, but this is a big deal for me and it is one of my favourite places and I can't wait!

What have you been up to lately?

Ciara x

Ps. I'm trying to use Instagram a lot more you can follow me if you like!

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It's the end of my exams and I am more than ready to kick start this summer!

Have you got any plans for the summer?

Ciara x

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I'm quite shy and I struggle getting my words out quite often. I know what I want to say but I can't quite seem to get it out and writing this blog has helped me out a lot. I do think I have become more confident and my writing has got much better. Also it is quite nice to know that people enjoy reading what I have to say enough to follow and comment.

I love writing this blog and even over the past year I've learnt a lot. My photography has improved massively, I've struggled my way through HTML basics and slowly but surely I think my design is improving. But there is still so much that I want to do.

I hope that things can only get better in the years to come and that I continue to enjoy blogging as much as I have this past year.

Ciara x

If you don't already, you can follow me on Bloglovin' here.

It's been a while since I used any Soap & Glory products but I found the Scrub Of Your Life (£7) body scrub at the back of my bathroom cupboard and fell in love with it all over again.

I don't usually use body scrubs as I tend to just put my body wash on with one of those puffy shower things ( I have no idea what they are called but I am sure you know what I mean). I just think body scrubs can be a little bit harsh on my skin as it tends to be quite sensitive. However, Scrub Of Your Life is amazing. It contains scrubbing beads but they aren't at all harsh. I mean obviously you can tell they are there, but they wash away easily (unlike some scrubs where you are finding the beads in all sorts of strange places for the next few days) and don't feel like they are scraping your skin away.

Scrub Of Your Life also smells gorgeous. It is scented with bergamot, mandarin, rose, jasmine, peach, strawberry, oakmoss, amber and vanilla. While that might sound sickly and overpowering, it really isn't. Also I want to stress that this is scented without smelling perfumed if that makes sense. I know some people like to stay away from scented things if they have sensitive skin, but I think this is gentle enough.

I have had tubes of Scrub Of Your Life before but I think this little tube actually came as part of a Christmas present and I am so glad that I found it again because it really does do wonders for my skin and I am going away soon so it is always great to have a travel size. It leaves my skin feeling so incredibly smooth and moisturised at the same time. Scrub Of Your Life contains a 'moisture foam formula' which means you don't have to use a separate body wash as well.

I love this scrub and think it is so lovely. It's quick and easy to use and has amazing results. I will definitely be repurchasing!

Anything you recommend from the Soap & Glory range?

Ciara x

The Moomins. Oh how I love the Moomins. Since I was little I have had an affinity with the cute, podgy little creatures that are the Moomins. I have all the books and my mum used to read me their tales as bedtime stories. I just love everything about them and find them so comforting. No matter my age, I will continue to read the books and hopefully one day I will be able to read them to my own children just as my mother did with me.

So you can imagine my excitement when I saw the Moomins On The Riviera advert. I had to go. I couldn't not! All these years of loving The Moomins and now they were going to be on the big screen! So I trotted along to the cinema with my best mate and sat through an hour and a half of Moomin goodness. Now I know a cartoon aimed at small children won't be for everybody but I loved every minute. It was like reliving my childhood and it was so nice to see these stories come to life on the big screen.

Now a think there will be quite a few of you out there who have no idea what I am talking about. The Moomins are characters that were created by the wonderful Tove Jansson who was a Finnish author. The Moomins are a family of fairy tale creatures that kind of look like mini white hippos. They're so sweet and charming and along with their friends get up to all kinds of antics. Tove Jansson was such a talented and creative writer and the world she created for the Moomins - Moominvalley - is magical place indeed.

This time the Moomins are off to the Riviera for a glamorous holiday. However, the family becomes divided as Moominpapa and Snorkmaiden become carried away with pretending to be aristocrats so Moomintroll and Moominmama move to the beach to get away from it all. I thought the film was really charming and sweet and perfect for all ages. There were funny moments and heartfelt moments and the animation is amazing. If you are a fan of the Moomins then I'm sure you'll be glad to hear that they have kept the same hand drawn style. Something that was very important to me.

If you love the Moomins as much as I do then definitely go and see Moomins On The Riviera while you still can and if you have young children and are looking for a lovely film to go and see, then I definitely recommend this one!

What books do you associate with your childhood?

Ciara x

If you do love the Moomins as much as me then you can follow my Moomins board on Pinterest!

There's about a week left of the exam period so I thought I would share a few of my revision tips for anyone who is desperately in need of it.

Take breaks!
I know that as the exams are drawing to an end everyone is really stressed and that usually results in packing in hours of revision all in one go but this really isn't healthy. You need to take regular breaks to stop yourself getting frustrated and your brain overheating. Working in 30 minute slots with a little break in between is really effective and hopefully it will prevent that feeling of "nothing is going in!" Also when you are having your break, get up from wherever you are working and move about. Even if it's only taking a walk to the kitchen to get a drink. You need a change of environment.

Flash! Ahhh!
Flash cards are a great revision tool. They force you to cut down your knowledge into a couple of short and sweet key points that you will remember. They are also handy to fit in your bag for a quick test. I also find that because they cut the information down into short points, you don't get overwhelmed by looking at a huge page of text.

Make your work colourful!
Making your work colourful will make it more pleasing to the eye so you will be more likely to remember it. Also if you are like me, the fact that your notes are pretty may even encourage you to revise more. I find that using colour not only improves the appeareance of my notes but the clarity of them too. Just by doing something simple like having all your headings in a different colour to your text underneath will separate out the work and make it easier to read.

Study Buddy.
Go and revise with a friend. Some people need to revise alone because that is how they work best and that is fine. But others work better in the company of others. I enjoy a mixture of both. Somedays I want to be on my own and other days I will go and sit with my friends or my boyfriend and we will go through our notes together. This way you have somebody to test and to test you and you can also discuss points and go over anything you perhaps don't understand. Even if you don't do any of this and carry on with your work in silence. I find that I always work better when there is somebody else sat there with me.

Give yourself rewards, you deserve them!
After every so many hours or something, give yourself a little break and a reward. This could be absolutely anything you enjoy. It could be time watching your favourite programme or a cupcake or going out with your friends, anything! What I do is for every hour of revision that I do I put a coin into a jar. Then, when I have finished all of my exams I can crack open the jar and treat myself to something nice. I think this is a nice little incentive because I enjoy going to the jar and putting the coin in and thinking of nice things that I am going to treat myself to in the summer. Just find something that works for you.

I am by no means a revision expert or anything of that kind. I am just simply sharing with you what I feel works for me. Hopefully some of this may be helpful to you.

Good luck!

Ciara x

Miss Sporty Lasting Colour Nail Polish in Hypnotic Turquoise (£2.99) is exactly what it says on the tin. It is this beautiful blue colour that has an iridescent green sheen. The green was a little hard to pick up on camera, but trust me it is beautiful and is exactly how I imagine a mermaid's tail to be! I think this iridescent sheen and duotone effect give this polish a unique look. This was my go to nail colour a few years back. It catches the light nicely without containing glitter and has this almost aqua effect that is just perfect for the summer. I hate when a colour is so nice in the bottle but doesn't translate well onto the nails but this is so beautiful.

Unfortunately I did find the application of Hypnotic Turquoise a bit tricky. It was quite gloopy and very thick which means it took a little bit longer that I would have liked to dry. (Which ended in me smudging it sorry!). However I have had this polish in my collection for a while now so it could just be because of that. I have had other Miss Sporty nail polishes before and they've always been fine.

What does impress me the most about Hypnotic Turquoise though is the fact that it lasts for a whole week. A WEEK! There aren't many polishes that can make that claim but this one just doesn't chip. By the end of the week, it looked as fresh as if I had applied it an hour before. This is great for me because I am super lazy and hate taking my nail varnish off.

So yeah, a beautiful colour that lasts forever. What more could you want really? I think Miss Sporty is so over looked as a brand. Everything I have tried has been budget friendly and surprisingly good quality. I will definitely be picking myself up some more of their nail varnishes for summer!

What do you think about Miss Sporty?

Ciara x

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Ciara x

Ps. Want me to follow you on Pinterest? Just leave me a link!

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I love t-shirts in the summer. There's something just so easy about them. They're perfect for throwing on for a relaxed day in the park or lazing about in the garden having a BBQ.

How do you like to style t-shirts?

Ciara x