Ciara Sims

Last month, my boyfriend and I took a trip to Ireland to visit my family and we ended up staying with my Uncle and Auntie in Murrisk for most of the trip. Murrisk is an absolutely beautiful village in County Mayo which is on the West coast of Ireland and is home to Ireland's Holy mountain - Croagh Patrick. Now I've seen Croagh Patrick many times and I have family members who have climbed the mountain but I've never been all the way to the top myself. I thought that while we were staying there it was an opportunity not to be missed.

Climbing Croagh Patrick was easily one of the hardest things I've ever done and it took us a good few hours to climb all the 762m above sea level to the top and back down again. It was challenging, many breaks were taken and I'm in no rush to go and do it again but I am so happy that I can say I have climbed it. I don't really know what I expected. I expected it to be tough, it's a mountain. But I wasn't prepared for how steep it was at all. Or for the fact that if you went very wrong, it could possibly end quite badly. There wasn't a path or anything, like people think there will be. It's just rocks. But we were fine and we met loads of people coming up and down who were so lovely and offered encouragement. The views when we got to the top were amazing, you could see for miles and if the weather had been a little bit nicer then I could have stayed up there for hours. Even if you don't make it to the top, the views from the half way point are stunning so it's worth it if you try and make it to there.

The whole reason why Croagh Patrick is such a big deal is because Saint Patrick is supposed to have completed a 40 day fast there and legend also has it that the mountain is where Saint Patrick banished snakes from Ireland forever! Each year, on the last Sunday of July, thousands of people from around the world visit the mountain for a day of worship in honour of Saint Patrick. Some of these people even climb the mountain barefoot as an act of penance (you'd never catch me climbing that thing barefoot but each to their own).

I seriously admire anybody who makes it to the top and my auntie even did this thing for charity one year when she climbed Croagh Patrick every day for a week. Which I think is so impressive because I was really tired the next day and couldn't even think about going up again. Plus there was a man who climbed the mountain every day for a year. A WHOLE YEAR. If that's not impressive then I don't know what is. I think it's something that should definitely be done once in your lifetime and if you ever get the chance to go and see it then you definitely should. Murrisk is beautiful and the mountain makes for some breath-taking pictures. When we stayed at their house I could see the mountain from the bedroom window and that was a view that I definitely think I could never get used to.

Climbing Croagh Patrick is an experience that I will never forget and I'm so happy that I managed to do it.

Ciara x

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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

Garnier Pure Active Fruit Energy Daily Energising Gel Wash (£4.99) has been my face wash of choice this month. I love everything about it from they way it subtly smells of grapefruit to the way it leaves my skin feeling smooth and looking clearer. It tightens my skin without completely drying it out and it really brightens up my skin. It's not a miracle worker, it wont banish every spot, blemish and black head but it is a really nice, easy to use daily face wash.



I still can't get over how much I love the White Company White Lavender Pillow Mist (£15). I wont ramble on about this too much as I did a full review recently, but this stuff really is amazing. It smells beautifully of lavender and if you do struggle with sleeping or are after something to relax you before bed, then check this out. I have been spraying it on my pillow every night religiously since I got it for Christmas.

Benefit Hoola Bronzer (£23.50) has been so well loved this month. This product is great for contouring or adding a quick bit of colour to the cheeks. It looks so natural and is buildable so it is impossible to go over board. Great for me as I am quite heavy handed! This bronzer is great for all year round and I love the fact that it is matte as I cant be dealing with overly glittery cheeks! You can check out my full review of Hoola here.


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My Oh My. Words cannot describe my love for the incredibly talented Jake Bugg. I have had his latest album Shangri La on repeat this whole month. It is just fantastic. There aren't many albums that I can sit down and listen to the whole way through, loving every song. But this one is just perfect. If you haven't heard it already then I seriously suggest that you give it a listen. It is so hard to pick but my top tracks off this album are Slumville Sunrise, Messed Up Kids, Me and You, A Song About Love and Simple Pleasures. I NEED to see him live.

So there's what I've been loving in January. What about you, what have been your favourite things this month? Let me know in the comments.

Ciara x

I was Nominated by Emily Mace to answer a couple of questions about last year and the next. I'm new to blogging so I think this will give everybody another little chance to get to know me. So, let's get cracking:

1. What was your biggest achievement of 2014?

I think my biggest achievement this year would be the fact that I can now make it through a whole netball match without the need of my asthma pump. I am by no means super fit but I've learnt to control my breathing and gradually built my fitness up and I am so proud of myself because I really didn't want to have to become dependant on my pump. Now I can play and enjoy it, rather than feeling like the devil is having a party in my chest!

2. What do you want to achieve with your blog by this time next year?

As I've said I am new to blogging and I haven't even been blogging for a year yet! So I think this time next year I would love to have a better blog design and over 100 followers. I know to some blogs that probably doesn't seem like much at all but it is for me and I'm going to build up my blog in little steps.

3. Name one thing you want to do next year that you can tick off your bucket list.

Not the most interesting thing on my bucket list, but I would love to go camping with a group of my friends to hopefully celebrate our GCSE results!

4. What are you most looking forward to next year?

I haven't really got anything planned but in September I will be able to learn how to drive! That's pretty exciting!

5. Your happiest moment of 2014?

In 2014 my little brothers friend finally beat cancer and I think that has got to be one of the happiest moments in my whole life. I've never known a nicer family and I was so happy for all of them.

6. What new years resolution are you actually planning on sticking to?

Well as I said in my resolutions and goals post; in May I will be sitting my German and French GCSE, so I really need to stop using Google Translate for my homework!

7. A personal goal for next year

Definitely to surround myself with people that make me happier and to stop jumping through hoops for people who wouldn't even cross the road for me.

Thanks for tagging me Emily!

I would like to tag: Taylor from Repressing The Crazy, Amelia from Amelia Anastasia and Andie from Andieology. However if any of you would like to join in with the tag then leave me a link below because I would love to read them.

Ciara x

2014 was a weird year for me. It was filled to the brim with ups and downs. Things that I thought were going to be amazing weren't and things that I wasn't excited for at all turned out to create some amazing memories. I started this blog, joined a local netball team, had 3 sets of mock GCSE's, I visited Berlin and Paris, grew close with people that I never imagined I would and grew apart from ones that I thought would be there forever.

Actually the friendship thing has been a big thing for me this year. I learnt that sometimes you grow out of friendships and it's not because either of you have done anything wrong and it isn't something that you can necessarily stop, you just grow out of each other. But that's okay. Sometimes it's healthy to form new friendships and talk to people that you never thought you would have anything in common with, and maybe just maybe that person could become a much better friend to you than your old friend was. I'm not saying that means you should completely ditch your old friends, I'm just saying that it is okay to perhaps not be as close with them as you used to. Some friendships will last for a life time and others wont, that is just life. The real trick is being able to spot which friendships are worth investing your time into. I've made this mistake a lot but I think I am getting better at it. If you do one thing this year then please, please, please let it be this: Surround yourself with people that make you happy. That is one of my goals this year, as cheesy as it sounds. Be with people that make you laugh and that you make laugh, the ones who check up on you and distract you from things when you're feeling down. You don't even have to have the same interests as them. Sometimes you meet somebody and you just click. Look out for those people and trust your gut instinct and do whatever it takes to keep yourself okay and happy. And if ever you want to talk to somebody, then remember that I am here and I am only an email away.

I am due to sit my GCSE's in May so obviously my other goal this year is to get the best possible grades that I can, so I am able to continue in further education. This is going to be probably the hardest thing I have ever had to so far and revision will be beginning extremely soon. I figure little and often is the way to go? If anybody has any revision tips for me, I would be hugely grateful!

That brings me on to my New Year's resolution: No more Google Translate. I am currently studying for a German and French GCSE and I have 5 months to go, yet I am still letting Google Translate do my coursework and homework for me. This has got me into many sticky situations as my teacher firmly believes that I am capable of achieving an A* while in reality I scored a C in my mocks. Whoops.

Okay so here's to knuckling down and being happy. 2015 - Let's do this!

What are your goals/resolutions for the New Year?

Ciara x