Ben & Poppy Picture Update - 3 Months Old

(because they are cute)

(yes i am biased but hey ho)

First time Mummy to Twins

Good evening, I am writing to you on an unplanned baby free evening. To be fair the babies have been out all day and they will be staying out all night. I am full of a cold, i feel weak and so so tired.

We had a bit of a rough night, they usually sleep well between feeds but this morning they woke up after two hours and were on and off falling asleep/waking up so by the 8am feed i was shattered. My other half took them to his parents at 9am and i slept 9-12pm. I took some flu tablets and had a bath but i still feel crap so they are keeping them overnight. Plus i really don't want them to get ill.

HAVING GREAT PARENTS (Grandparents) IS A BLESSING!

This is one thing i have learnt since they were born. We are now 10 weeks old (tomorrow) and i could not have survived this long without my Mum and Dad and my fella's Mum and Dad. They have all taken it in turn to come at 7am in the morning (when Rick goes to work) to help me bring the babies down and care for them throughout the day. They tend to feed around the same time which is a challenge itself, mostly because Ben has reflux and Poppy tends to dribble big time. So it is better to feed them one at a time, which is hard alone. I have managed to feed them at the same time twice on their twin pillow but it really disturbs them and they don't eat the full bottle.

They are doing really well at the moment, they have put on 4lb since birth! and we now weigh 8lb 11oz.

It's really hard with Twins. I never knew it would be so hard, but when they smile its so worth it :)

Our Paid round of IVF

When our last NHS round failed i felt down. Why was this taking so long to work? Why could every else get pregnant so easily? I started to even resent the people that it worked first time for...and that was wrong but i was so fed up. Yet, it never entered my head to give up. I was all ready to start the process again...i hate waiting.

I knew we would now have to get a loan to fulfill our dreams. But luckily for us my fella's parents had the money set to one side and offered to pay for us. How amazing! 

We decided to check out Access Fertility as they have package deals and i had heard good things about them. We decided to do the 3 rounds, 50% refund programme. This was £10,800, which actually is a great deal considering a normal round can cost between £4-6k. We had to pay for the Meds ourselves, so that was probably around £900 for the first round (fresh)

I will do a run down of the process and things i did differently this round.

Supplements I have been taking for Egg Quality and overall IVF support

• Folic Acid (5mg)
• Collagen Complex with Hylauric Acid (recommended by Acupuncturist to support womb and keep it moist)
• CoQ10
• Levothyroxine 75mg (Prescribed for my Thyroid Antibodies)
• DHEA 75mg per day
• High Dose of Vit D

I also did accupuncture. I did around 2 sessions before collection, then a session before and after transfer.

Let's begin!

When our funding got approved, we could pretty much start on my next period. I got my meds from our clinic as they were cheaper then going to ASDA. I chose to take Lubion injections instead of pessaries as i really struggled with the pessaries (they are so messy) and i was always conscious i wasn't getting enough of the dose. 

The Stimming part of my cycle was pretty much like any other round. It went quick, and i responded well. I always seem to get a decent amount of follicles on each ovary, on my first scan they were between 9mm and 13mm with a random 16mm! I think i averaged around 16 on each side from what i can remember. after next couple of scans i was told to trigger on Saturday 2nd March at 10:30pm (this night i was throwing a surprise party for my fella's 40th! so i had to do it in the toilets) 

When we were talking about egg collection they suggested i may need to freeze all like i had done previously but i stressed how much i didn't want to do that this time and i really wanted to do a fresh transfer. She said as long as they don't get more than 20 eggs out then i can do a fresh. 

On collection day (Monday 4th March 10:30am) they got around 11 eggs. I was okay about that, it was average for us. I now just had to wait to see how many fertilised - this was the worrying stage. 

On the 5th March we got told that 3 had fertilised. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst. We had to pray all three survived. When they rang they asked if we would like to put two in this time....I said yes of course!

On 7th March they rang and said we wouldn't be doing a transfer today as there were no clear two front runners in our embryos and they wanted to get them to day 5. This was good news as it meant they were progressing well and they wanted to put the best two in. So we were penciled in for the 9th March. 

Transfer day! 9th March 2019.
We had two clear front runners now and they told us the gradings, we had a 5AB and a 3BB and put them both back in. We went in the morning, and then literally two hours later we were on a train to Manchester for food and drinks (no alcohol for me of course) with friends to celebrate my fella's birthday. I had such a good day laughing and eating the best food. It was the best thing we could have done as it took my mind off worrying about what to do after transfer...the do's and don'ts.

Its' all a load of bollocks the Do's and Don'ts.... Eating pineapple core and all that. 
The only advice i recommend is to keep your feet warm (keeps your womb warm), keep the blood flow going (accupuncture/walking) and laughing (this advice was from a friend who did IVF)

Here is the run down:

Day of transfer - still bloated and fat from collection. Transfer in am, Manchester Bem Brasil pm. Feeling really full. Ate a lot!

1dp5dt - kept waking up last night/early morn. Had about three wee’s. However I was out yesterday and drank a lot of liquid. Had salty food. And was still very bloated and gassy. Today I feel fairly normal. Pain on left side of lower back in pm.

2dp5dt - Accupuncture today. Woke up at 3:30am for a wee. Loose bowels 7am. Loose bowels again midday. Pain in lower left hand side of back.

3dp5dt - feel very normal. Work up early for a wee again. Loose bowels again. 

4dp5dt - decided i should test to check my trigger is out...bfp. faint line on frer. Think it might be trigger leaving as it’s 11days since trigger. Had that feeling that af was due this afternoon, like a dull ache...then yellow cm when wiping in Evening. sore boobs when touched. 

5dp5dt - bfp. awake between 1am-4am again. Had a wee. Can’t sleep. Cloudy wee with really faint line on frer again. (12 days past trigger) 7am wee. Sore boobs. Feeling full and period like in the afternoon again

6dp5dt - fri - BFP! This cant still be trigger!!

Sore boobs. 

7dp5dt - sat - BFP. Still sore boobs. Feel slightly nauseous sometimes...and having weird cramps/belly twinges.

Told our parents and close friends as they all know when we had transfer. Diarrhoea.

Afternoon nap. 

8dp5dt - sun 17th March- BFP. starving when I woke up, went out for lunch, it was awful. Came home and had diarrhoea. Had no tea and went to bed around 9. Really bloated 

9dp5dt - mon - BFP. Woke up with horrendous trapped wind in back and chest and belly. Had a headache most of the day. Little half hour nap when I got home. Early night 8pm. No sore boobs but I have also taken two paracetamol today. Nausea every so often.

10dp5dt - tues - awaiting more tests in the post. Hopefully will arrive today. Otd is tomorrow. Then need to ring clinic and let them know. Nausea. 

11dp5dt - OTD - BFP (2-3wks) on digi.

Going to clinic to get more meds. Scan booked for April 9th at 8am. Cramps and aches today. 

12dp - BFP Line is darker then control line :) shooting pains in Groin sometimes. Feeling bloated still but not as gassy. Gone off cups of tea. 

Clearblue digi 

17th March = 1-2 wks (8dpt)

20th March = 2-3 wks (11dpt)

27th March = 3+ wks (18dpt)

 

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On the 25th March i was supposed to be going to Cyprus to look at my potential wedding venue but because i got my BFP i didn't risk it. I didn't need a repeat of last year.  However they kindly face-timed me and the venue is so special! I cant wait for that.

My 7 week viability scan was booked for April 9th,  a week and a half before i got made redundant (great timing huh!) - it wasn't just me it was the whole of my team. And then at 6wks4days i had a brown blood bleed on my pantyliner. They told me it's normal and not to worry. However the day before my scan i had more blood, it was watery but heavier. the clinic let me come in because it got heavier and i had back ache. 

I picked my fella up and we drove quietly to the clinic, he kept saying not to worry and it would be fine but i just knew it was too much blood to be 'normal'. I told the nurse the bloody details and she lay me down on the bed to have the scan. Rick was behind the curtain. She popped wanda in and did a bit of rooting. I couldn't read her expression. Then she went "oh!, would you come inside" to my fella. Then said "what do you see there?" and he said, "A baby?" ....then, "two?"

She nodded and smiled but she looked shocked too. 

I couldn't help it...i said "Fuck off!" and then laughed out of pure joy whe she turned the screen to show me. I was so so shocked.

But yes we had two babies in there.....and a big blood clot. 

She warned us that i had to have a little time off work (2 weeks) and to take it easy because if this blood clot came out all at once it could take a baby or both with it. So we went home, absolutely over the moon but very cautious.

Twins!

Crazy shit.

Around 5 days later i had another big bleed. I went into the clinic again as i had passed some clotsbut thankfully they were still in there. The clot had reduced a little though. We got to see their heart beats too. 

When we made it to 12 weeks we announced it to everyone. 

I am now 33+2, and its' not been plain sailing, we've had a few hurdles but for the most of it, it's been a great pregnancy. We're having a boy and a girl, the girl had a bit more fluid on her brain than normal but this has corrected itself. But now she is measuring small, and is 21% below her brother. He is around 4lb and she is around 3lb.

I go for a specialist scan tomorrow, if he thinks she is ok to stay in, we have our c-section scheduled for 28th October 2019 (mine and Ricks 10 year anniversary)

However if they feel she isn't getting the nutrients she needs we may have two babies in the world very soon. 

For anyone who has read my story from the start, thanks for sticking with me. And for those who happen to fall upon it on their IVF journey, I wish you the best of luck and your time will come, just keep going. 

Wish me luck for my birth, i pray i have healthy babies. I am so nervous....and have no idea what to do when they arrive haha...but i'm sure that will be another future blog.

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IVF Update: No more Free NHS rounds left.

Hi Again,

I am almost at the end of the TWW. I am 9dp5dt and this morning i had another BFN. I know it's over. My OTD (Official Test Date) is actually Tues 13th (in 2 days time) but I've now had 3 BFNs in a row and even with my ectopic i had had a positive test by this point.

The worst bit about this now is that i've had a chemical, an ectopic and then this one that clearly didn't even get close. So i have to question my god damn womb. Whats the deal? Why you not let these embryos settle in? Is it the eggs? We know sperm is an issue but were doing ICSI so surely they are finding the best ones...

And now we don't have anymore free NHS goes. We have to find the funds to try again.

ACCESS FERTILITY
My goal for our next go is to get a decent amount fertilised and to day 5. We need frosties. Access fertility offer Multi-cycles and refund cycles. But they don't seem to be a finance loan company, i think they just bulk the whole IVF rounds into a package so you don't have to worry about paying as you go or being lumped with a massive bill.
Look like we are going to need to get a loan.

I feel so empty at the moment, i have no emotions, i'm just fed up of waiting for my time.

Why scaling down your social is really important

It's natural to compare yourself to others. We all do it, in pretty much every part of our lives. Jealousy is also normal. However, we shouldn't base our happiness on other peoples successes. And we shouldnt "act" on jelousy, there's no need. If you feel bitter you need to work on changing your mindset and changing things you are unhappy about. OR unfollow/block whatever upsets you.

How many times have you scrolled through facebook and seen "happy families" or nights out with champers, pictures of peoples new cars/houses etc etc and felt unhappy? C'mon i think we have all done it. But everyone only puts their "best life" or "best self" online.

Back in the day (yes i sound old but i'm only 32!) we didn't have social media,  so no one knew what Tom, Dick and Harry from high school were up to in life unless you were close friends or bumped into them in town, and even then they would only tell you their successes. :)

I do it myself, i only post things i like, or my house when its clean...and i can barely make myself post a selfie that isn't filtered. I think i'm addicted to snapchat filters because the camera never lies and it shows my wrinkles or chubby cheeks. But honestly, i don't want to live like this anymore.

In November i'm going to try and scale down how much time i spend on social media. So i'm going to try and do facebook only 1/2 an hour a day (and try not to use it all if i can) and only an hour on instagram (because this isn't as triggering as facebook - especially when i unfollow a load of useless celeb accounts)

I'm going to embrace my insecurities and just enjoy life. I want to do some creative projects, and start prepping for Christmas. Also the house needs a bit of TLC.

Wish me luck for #NOSOCIALNOVEMBER

IVF Update - Dealing with an Ectopic!

Hi Guys!! I am back! I haven't blogged for ages so i really wanted to do an update.

I can't believe that its been over a year since i spoke on here about my ivf. After my chemical back in July 17, we had to wait 3 months to try again. Then when the time came around the BMI limit had gone down to 29 (it used to be 30). So I couldn't start straight away i had to wait a few more months to get my weight down (annoying!)

So in April 2018 i started again, picked up my injections (short protocol this time) and we managed to get 14 eggs out of the 22 follicles we had. 10 were mature enough to inseminate (we're still doing ICSI) - 4 eggs fertilised and 2 made it to freeze! I've never done a fresh cycle due to the risk of OHSS.

FET (Frozen Embryo Transfer) was scheduled for June, my transfer date was 18th June and we transferred 1 embryo. Everything seemed perfect, my lining was 14mm, but my transfer hurt like hell ( i won't be seeing that doc again thats for sure!). It didn't hurt at all the time before, so it kinda upset me, and i have mentioned it to my clinic. He really dug into me, i could feel him poking around!!

I got my first positive, a really faint line on 26th June, 8DPT (left) It was amazing, however i've seen a faint line before, on my last transfer, so i didn't want to get too excited. But my god, i was wishing the day away so i could test again the next day.

I think it's best to show you my notes:

Day of Transfer: Feeling fine, transfer did hurt a bit. Embryo is 5 day blasto and was starting to hatch. Loose bowels in afternoon. 

1dpt - loose bowels in the morning, tired. Bloated but think it’s trapped wind.

2dp5dt - loose bowels again, woke up feeling dehydrated, slight headache. Bit of a sore throat and then got a little bit of brown spotting when I wiped this morning. Might be from transfer though. Breathlessness. Went home from work at midday as I was freezing and shivery. Slept for an hour n half then was boiling. Feeling better by afternoon. Lower back pain all day.

3dpt - slight runny nose in the morning. dull aching in lower right abdomen and back. Twinges on right hand side. Sore throat when swallowing. Light Brown spotting.

4dp5dt - woke feeling fresh and good. No aches or twinges yet. 

5dp - bfn. Too early to test but wanted to anyway. Woke up hungry. Feel mostly normal today, but tired. Feel a bit full in lower stomach but could be nothing.

6dp5dt - BFN. Boobs hurt only when I press them and also when not got a bra on. A bit bloated but gassy.

7dp - BFN on internet cheapie. Boobs a bit sore, feel a bit bloated and lower back pain, kinda like af.

8dp5dt - BFP on first response but very very faint line. BFN on internet cheapie. Feel bloated and full but otherwise fine. Did a walk after work and have backache, maybe I over did it. 31 degrees outside today!

9dp - BFP! Still fainter than control line but clearly there. Had bad back pain, tiny bit of brown cm. felt bloated. Shooting pain left boob at night 

10dp5dt - BFP!! For deffo, did a digital that also said pregnant 1-2 weeks. Eeek. Spotting brown blood but only when I wipe every so often. 

11dp5dt - 29/06/18 - BFP on official test date. Woohoo. Still spotting brown blood. Hospital didn’t take my blood they just gave me more meds (progesterone and fragmin). Scan is booked for July 17th. Sore boobs when pressed. 

We were flying out to Cyprus for a friends wedding on the 1st July. So i rang the clinic on Official Test Date and let them know it was positive and had to go straight in that day (it was a Friday and we flew on Sunday) to pick up more Progesterone injections and my letter for the airport. I had a bit of brown blood when i wiped that day but forgot to mention it to them, i had googled and thought it was just implantation. However it got worse the day we flew...

12dp - still bfp. Almost matches control line. Still getting dark brown spotting

13dp5dt - didn’t do a test today, might take some on holiday. We go to cyprus today. Had more blood today than ever since bfp. Really worried me so bought tests at airport. 

14dp5dt - bfp still, thank god. Still not as dark as control line but I’m using boots test this time. Officially I’m 4wks 6days.

15dp - not bleeding today apart from very very little when wiping 

16dp5dt - Wednesday - bfp. Darker then Monday but a lot of bleeding today. Boobs not hurting as much. Very emotional. 

17dp - boobs not sore, spotting red blood, wearing a pad. cramps but nothing like af.

18dp5dt - spotting bright red again. Wearing pad. Wedding day (friends wedding day)

19dp - sat - red blood. 

This was the day, that halfway through the England match i felt so so uncomfortable that i couldn't sit still. I was wearing a pad because when i was wiping i had blood. I went up to the hotel room and went to the loo, i had belly ache so i wondered if this was why i felt achy and uncomfortable. So i went back down after the match and we went for tea, but i felt really bloated and uncomfortable again so as soon as dinner was finished i went up to the room and we chilled out and i tried to sleep. However i could get comfy, my left hand side hurt so bad. I told rick that since 16 dpt i hadn't "felt" pregnant, and theres something wrong. I just knew it. I googled Ectopic and had a feeling it was that. 

Going to Hospital
We went to the local Cypriot Doctor and they got us a taxi to the hospital as they couldn't do scans. During the scan the doctor said that he could see fluid outside of the womb and couldn't see anything in the womb yet but that was normal due to how many weeks i was. But the fluid wasn't normal. They had to admit me because it was a suspected Ectopic and its so dangerous. So around 2am i was in a bed, and had to kiss rick goodbye till the next day, and yes we both cried...

Because the next day was a Sunday they didn't have any doctors in (crazy i know!) so it was a nothing day of waiting around. On Monday i had another scan and i also had a blood test (which Rick had to take to a pharmacy to be tested) I was still bleeding, but filling around 2 pads a day. I was in pain but not mega pain, they gave me Paracetemol and they seemed surprised my pain wasn't worse. They started to wonder if it was just early pregnancy and not ectopic. However after a few more days, my HCG was going up, as was my pain (but it wasn't constant just every so often i felt uncomfortable, but i was also lying on my back or sitting on a bed all day! On the scan nothing was showing in the womb. Finally on Thursday 12th July they decided it was Ectopic and that i either needed to have a laparoscopy and remove the baby and tube, or take a medication that would make it disappear (however this could take weeks and they would not discharge me until my HCG was 0!) therefore I rang my UK clinic and we decided that the tube was already damaged and we should just remove it and get home quicker. I had now been in hospital for 6 days and was supposed to fly home on Wednesday.
On Friday 13th (my birthday) I had my ectopic removed via Laparoscopy. Probably the worst birthday ever.

The Op
Going down to the operating theatre was awful, first they shoved a pee bag thingy up my pee hole (painful for 2 seconds) then wheeled me down, its like what you see in the films, the lights above you flashing every few seconds. then when we got to this silver room (everywhere looked metal, i had to shift myself onto another bed. They wheeled me into the operating theatre and it was freezing!!! I was shaking so bad. They asked me a few questions, like DOB and if it was my first child :(
Then they put me under.
When i woke up i was in a little room just off the theatre and they had put a heating pipe blowing hot air under my cover because i was shaking. God knows if i was like that all the way through.
I felt uncomfortable, but was glad to get back to my bed. Originally they made out that it would only take 1.5hrs, but i went down at 10am and only got back to my bed around 1:30pm. My fella was really worried.

The next day i was discharged and told to rest but also keep active, so i went down to the poolside with him so he could enjoy the pool and then later in the day we walked down to the town (really really slow) to pick up some tea. The next day we had to buy some clexane from the pharmacy and some dressings for my wounds.

Going Home
Thankfully throughout all of this, our insurance (Tesco) and the hospital we're great. I had forgot my European Health Insurance Card, and the hospital helped me get another one. The insurance sorted everything with the hospital and the only thing we lost out on was the cost of the Taxi's to and from the hospital. If we had realised  that i was going to be in that long we would have hired a car.

Emotionally
Well, emotionally it was tough but i always knew it wasn't the end of the road for us so i never let these things get me down. I know we have more chances. We have 1 more egg from our free NHS cycles, and we are transferring it on 2nd November 2018. If this doesn't work then yes, its a big set back but we will find the money to have another round. I'm determined.

If you have been through this, or are currently going through this, feel free to message me on instagram sarah_icsi_ivf  or on here in the comments :)

5 things...October 2018

Sorry, i know its been a while!

01: Autumn
I seriously love autumn!! Don't get me wrong, i like summer for light mornings, ice cream, everyone is happier, you can walk around without a jacket and the kids are off so getting to work is a breeze... But Autumn colours! brisk morning walks and gingerbread hot chocolates are the best! Wearing layers, jumpers, boots, getting cosy and watching the rain outside. Putting the fire on, corned beef hash! The leaves turning red and falling, it's all so lush.

02: Most Haunted
Everyone has a guilty pleasure, mine is trash reality tv (Kardashians RHOC, Towie etc etc) and Most Haunted. I LOVE IT. The new series was just released and i'm currently binge watching it. I know its probably not 100% genuine but i do enjoy watching it. I'd love to go and stay over at a haunted house/venue. I might make that my mission in 2019.

03: Conspiracy Theories
My name is Sarah and i am WOKE!

Woke

Getting woke is like being in the Matrix and taking the red pill. You get a sudden understanding of what's really going on and find out you were wrong about much of what you understood to be truth.

I recently discovered Mile Higher Podcast, thanks to a friend. They're an American couple (Josh and Kendall) who have 1-2 hr conversations on conspiracy theories and i love listening to them. They go into detail and provide evidences but they also want you to look into it yourself and they want your opinions. Right now, i totally believe in aliens, ghosts/spirits, reincarnation and time travel haha. Most of this i believed anyway. I always wanted to know more about the Rothschilds and John Titor, and i like the True crime stuff they talk about too! Check em out HERE.

04: Halloween
Is there really much explanation needed? Halloween is fun no matter what age you are, right? I love getting dressed up :) I feel like i have got better over the years. We've hosted a party a few times over the last 4 years, apart from last year when i was in the middle of ivf treatment and this year, in which i'm hoping someone else will host.
Also this year we have been Pumpkin picking!! i've always wanted to do this :)

05: Macbook Pro!
My Macbook Pro recently packed in, well, it turns on but the battery always says 0%, so i thought it was best to get a new one now before i lost everything. I'd had my last one since 2009 :) almost 10 years, it served me well. I considered getting a 2 in 1 touchscreen laptop/tablet but i played it safe.
I LOVE IT. its so crisp and clear (retina display) the only problem is i now need Photoshop and i also want Final Cut Pro, because i'd like to make videos. I need to find a decent torrent :)

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I will be doing an ivf update very soon!

My Eye Shadow Palette Collection

Good afternoon, if anyone is reading this...well, hello! This is a little guide to my current eyeshadow palette's. There's not a day goes by that i don't put eyeshadow on. Like seriously, i only go au natural a few times of year. I just love doing my make up!!


Kat Von D - Saints & Sinner Palette £52 - Buy HERE

Believe it or not i got this palette off my friend for free (yes you heard that right) as she got two for her birthday (lucky girl or what!) So thanks to my friend I got to try out and keep this lovely palette.

When i first opened it i was like "OMG these colours are so bold and bright!" and i had no idea what to do with them. but actually they are very workable. Some, i must admit i haven't used yet, but i have made a lovely ruby/peachy colour eye. I used the colours Sacred Heart, Stigmata and Rosary, I put a hint of Relic in the inner corner to brighten it and it really was a lovely eye!

Immaculate is a great khaki that really suits my green/hazel eyes. And i also really like Chalice and Sanctuary.

Cathedral is a winner for me on the lower lash line/under eye.

Personally i probably wouldn't have paid £52 myself for it as its not an everyday palette and i could only justify that type of money for everyday.



Too Faced - Sweet Peach Palette £39 - Buy HERE

This palette i bought in July with some birthday vouchers, it was another i couldn't quite justify. Not because i thought i wouldn't use it daily, but because i had the dupe by MakeUp Revolution and it was great!! I really rate Makeup Revolution as a brand, i know they are known for dupes and some people hate that, but its decent stuff and cheap, so why the hell not.

Anyway back to the official Too Faced Sweet Peach, this palette smells GORGEOUS. The peach smell never seems to fade. Some people hate the fact that its scented but i love it. My most used shades are: Georgia and Puree as my bases, Lucious as an inner eye highlight. Bellini is my ultimate fave, i also use Caramelized, Cobbler and Summer Yum too. Peaches and Cream and Nectar i like to use as under brow highlighters. The rest I don't use as much, i've not really been using a lot of dark shades this past 6 months.

Nothing beats the original i must admit. The real deal IS the real deal. Pigment and staying power is really good.


Anastasia Beverly Hills - Modern Renaissance Palette £43 - Buy HERE

I have a confession. Mine is fake :(
I risked it on Ebay and got a fake. I didn't pay a lot which was a dead giveaway but i went for it anyway as i wanted a general idea of what the colours were like. I must admit i have used this quite a lot so i should have just bought the real thing.

Buon Fresco is my favourite base, but i also like Golden Ochre and Burnt Orange depending on what look i'm going for. I like to use Antique Bronze and Cyprus Umber to give depth and for when i'm feeling daring i will lash on some Venetian Red and Love Letter.

Urban Decay - Naked 3 Palette £39.50 - Buy HERE

Urban Decay were my first venture into more expensive palettes. I got the Naked 2 Palette and absolutely loved it, but i used it to death and now i barely touch it. When Naked 3 came out i had to get it as the colours were so me.

Looking in my pan i can clearly tell you my favourites...Limit (the ultimate base colour) is almost gone, Strange (the lightest colour) has actually gone :(
Nooner i use in the crease and then i tend to lash on any of the following Trick, Liar and Factory sometimes id use Buzz or Mugshot but the darker ones id rarely use.

Makeup Revolution - Life on the Dance Floor VIP Palette £10 !! - Buy HERE 

This is the best budget makeup brand right now! - fact.
I literally love their eyeshadow palettes. Also i should mention their bronzer and highlighters are pretty decent too. Avoid lipsticks except their liquid lipsticks, they are also good (check out Reign)

This particular palette i have just purchased because i love every single colour and know i will use it everyday. The pigment and staying power (i always use eye shadow primer - thought i should mention that) is really good.

I think i will mostly use the colours Worthy, Notable, Rank and On The Rocks as bases. Then Fame, cocktail, Tycoon, Reputation, On Tab and Influence to make them POP!

Realistically i'm going to use almost all of these. This has a big thumbs up from me!


Freedom London - Pro Decadence Todays Tonight Palette - £3 (i shit you not- it was on sale) - Unfortunately this is no longer available

This palette doesn't have shade names so i can't tell you my most used but i'm sure you can see from the picture. The pretty sparkly pink (in the bottom right) on top of the lilac (next door but one to it) are such a great combo and really compliment my eye colour.
The nudes are great bases for when i'm having a natural make up day. I really really love this palette due to the value for money and the colours last all day. ( i rocked the lilac rose gold combo everyday for a week at work because i loved it so much.

Bargain! and brilliant.


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I just bought a ring light so I will try and do some examples and update this blog post to show you how i use them very soon :)

Maintaining Peachy/Rose Hair

Ok so i'm not one to blow my own trumpet, at all; but i had rose gold hair before it became "the thing" - even my hair dresser agreed. She knows the deal, because when i'm on a mission to do my hair Rose Gold she never sees me (unless my roots are in desperate need) Sorry Suzanne! But i only trust myself to get the colour i want.

Here are a few from over the years...

So i've had this colour on and off for a couple of years and this weekend i decided to get back on the rosy train.

At the moment my hair is blonde (with a bit of roots), i regularly get my roots done (maybe every 6 weeks or so) and whilst at the hairdressers i usually have a Rose colour Joico toner which tones my hair to a nice cool baby pink (i hate yellowy blonde)


So thats the stage i'm at now. I saw this product by Pick & Mix in Superdrug and thought, why not give it a try!

However, i wasn't that impressed with it. It did put a peachy tone into my hair but it wasn't anything drastic and i feel it would wash out in 1 wash. So once i had towel dried it a bit i put a generous squirt of both of these Live pastel spray dyes onto my hair, (Pictured below) I added a lot more peach than pink as i wanted a more peach look. Once it dried i absolutely loved the colour and these are ideal to add after every wash to maintain a rose gold look.

To be fair the Pick&Mix dye i may possibly repurchase because a bottle would last me two goes and its a good all over colour. The sprays could get patchy if your not careful.

Also, if for any reason I cant get into the hairdressers I tend to use this Schwarzkopf LIVE Lightener & Twist in the colour "Rose".

It lightens as well as toning/colour with pink, so it turns my roots a nice peachy colour.


How do you do yours? 

Any Questions??

Peace out xXx