March Favourites

Another month, another favourites post. I'm shocked at how each month I'm not even consciously going for different products and really enjoying them when previously I haven't been as fussed. Last month's favourites featured Mac lipsticks, Benefit's Hervana Blush box my new new favourite brow gel. This month I focused on creating the perfect base using L'Oréal's Infallible 24hr Matte Foundation which I began using with the L'Oréal Infallible Priming Base as they're more effective when using them together. Although that's a selling point for the brand, I did find that the foundation worked a lot better with the matching primer and it has given me the perfect medium coverage without drying my skin out. As this is a matte base, using the Nars Hot Sand Illuminator which I've loved for quite a few months, but didn't make good use out of it until now. It is honestly the most beautiful highlighter I've ever used as it's a cream product that is really easy to blend in, and since we've just headed into Spring, I'll probably be using it even more. It's a nice balance between the matte skin and a hint of shimmer on the cheeks. To finish off I apply the Kiko Perfecting Bronzer in the shade light-medium which is the best shade of bronzer I've ever used to contour with and perfect for pale gals. I'm definitely not a contouring expert but I've loved applying it to my temples and the top of my forehead to give my face more definition and this is the only bronzer that allows me to do this flawlessly.

The L'Oréal La Palette Nude has been well loved since it made it's way into my makeup bag in October but I've been wearing a lot of matte shades on my eyes with a simple shimmery shade underneath the eyes to ban the boring and make my eyes pop. I've also played around with the navy blue shade at the end of the palette and using it instead of a black eyeshadow for a everyday smokey eye which goes so well with my blonde locks. To finish off my makeup I've been loving two Nyx products that I've been forcing myself to wear and eventually have loved. 
The first is the Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream in Antwerp which at first didn't think suited me at all but in fact goes really well with anything blue. It's a fabulous transition shade and is velvety enough not to dry out my lips, something that is a pet hate of mine with matte lip products. The second shade was a real push to get myself to love; the Nyx Liquid Suede in Sandstorm as I felt completely alien to a real nude lip as opposed to pink-nudes that are in my comfort zone. In my opinion, the Liquid Suedes are definitely better than the Soft Matte Lip Creams which I demonstrated with swatches in this post which makes me even more eager to try out the new Lip Lingerie products. Next month my mission is to start introducing pastel and bright shades into my makeup routine, and maybe try a few new hair products too.

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Why Blogging Enhances Your CV

A lot of us often start blogging because we have a real interest in certain topic areas and writing about this becomes really enjoyable and opens up many opportunities that you never imagined. You might not really think about this but blogging can really help boost your CV, without even having to go out your way to increase your skills. Having gone through numerous applications over the past few years, whether this being for uni, placements or jobs, filling out your CV can often seem a daunting task. Andy has written this blog post to help you make the most of your skills and show how they are appealing to prospective employers.

I've searched online many a time looking for the key things to include on your CV. It all seems to be going well, you have the important points all typed out, now you just need to put a bit of evidence for where you have acquired this skill. All of a sudden, your mind goes blank and you can seem to think of anything you can use to include. 
Even though you may have a job and can use this for certain skills, and your education experience to fill out some others, there may be some key skills areas you might think you are struggling to justify. This is where your blogging experience comes in. These points below should give you an idea of what skills blogging gives you and should help you out when you next have to update your CV.

Writing Skills

It seems obvious right? Of course blogging involves writing. The reason I'm including this obvious one is because it can often be overlooked as a skill to include. A lot of people tend to call on writing skills from things such as university or other education that they have been through. Most of us will have written essays, reports etc etc. Being able to use blogging as an addition to these others as evidence of your skill will make you stand out and give something else that other people may not have. You can also include things such as the ability to write in different styles. If you have ever worked with a brand or PR, they sometimes might ask you to structure a post a certain way which will influence your writing style and can back up why you have these different skills. 

Communication

This is a key skill that should always be on your CV, as it is one of the basic ones that every perspective employer or HR adviser is looking for. Communication through blogging gives you a different angle on the skill, as it can often involve a lot of exchanging emails or online messages to brands, PR's or other bloggers. Each of these will require a different approach to how you would construct an email or even a tweet to them. This in itself gives you skills of how to alter your communication method depending on the recipient. You can be gaining the ability to create a professional message to someone you do not know, sometimes including persuasive language if you have been applying for an opportunity for example. Even though this form of communication may not be in person, it gives you a different communication skill that without blogging, you may well not have gained.

Interpersonal Skills

As I've already said, a lot of blogging is done online including engaging with other bloggers on social media. Bloggers will often get invited to things such as product or brand launches, or industry events where they invite a whole range of people across different fields. Even if its not created by brands, bloggers will often create their own events to meet up with bloggers from the same area. If you ever go to one of these events, its a great way to develop your skills networking with other people. This can give you unique experience of interacting with a range of people that other people will not have, and will once again give you a better chance of standing out. 

Media Skills

This will depend on the type of thing you are applying for, but any application that is any way related to blogging, having the ability to take quality photos and/or videos can help showcase your skills. You can show you can consistently produce high quality photo/video content for a range of situations. This can sometimes be for brands who have specific requirements for the type of photos they want, which demonstrates your ability to work to specified criteria. Using editing software such as Photoshop can come in very useful for certain jobs or courses, and you can demonstrate this through the photos your produce. If you can get these points onto your CV and they want evidence of your skills, you have your blog to show them will be be showcasing the best of your photography.

Creative Skills

Writing blog posts requires some creative flare. As you write more posts this will increase as you have to come up with new ideas and ways of writing. Being able to churn out new ideas on a regular basis can demonstrate your ability to be imaginative and inventive. Another key thing you can take from this creative skill, is your ability to overcome a difficult situation. Nearly all bloggers will have got to a point where they can't think of and new content. In the end, you'll change something up and come up with new ideas and get back on with blogging. Getting over this 'bloggers block' can be used to show how you have reached a problem, done something about it and then resolved the issue. It can show a different method to what people would normally use as an example.
I hope these points have made you think about other things that you can include on your CV. Don't underestimate how blogging can help boost some of your key skills, as well as give you new ones to add. 
If you want to check out my blog, I'm over at www.hadleysmith.co.uk. 
If you're into tips posts, here's some other posts you may be interested in: The Best Blogging Tips Written By Bloggers Pinterest Tips For Bloggers 200 Blog Post Ideas How To Find Blogging Opportunities How To Promote Your Blog Posts How To Create A Successful Blog Post A Basic Guide To Working With Bloggers How To Start A Blog

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Joe Delucci's Gelato Tasting

Sweet treats are a must for me as I've always been in favour of them instead of something savoury. When Joe Delucci's contacted me and asked if I'd like to review two of their Gelato flavours, I was over the moon. Their Gelatos are made using traditional Italian recipes using only fresh and natural ingredients. Some of their products are fat-free, gluten-free and dairy-free so there is something for everyone. Aside from the normal flavours you see such as vanilla, chocolate and mint choc chip, they also make flavours such as melon & chilli, parmesan and tiramisu. I've tested these two flavours out with family members to see whether they're better than your standard tub of ice cream. They are in the flavours Creme Caramel and Creamy Coconut.

Now I went in assuming that I would fall head over heals for the Creme Caramel and I wouldn't mind the Coconut flavour. I tried both at the same time and whilst I liked the Caramel tub, the Coconut one was by far the nicest. These flavours include coconut oil and that's why I wasn't in love because the initial taste is gorgeous, the coconut pulls through afterwards and doesn't taste the same. For me the Coconut flavour was exactly how I imagined it to be and a million times better. Although the Caramel wasn't for me, they do flavours such as Chocolate and Hazelnut which I think would taste amazing picture Nutella gelato and now that they're available in Tesco, I think I'll try that one out next. They're around £4 to buy but they fill the tubs right to the top and the tubs are pretty big too. 
If you're looking for an alternative to your everyday supermarket ice cream, I'd give Joe Delucci's a try. They have parlors around the UK (the nearest to me being Manchester) and you can find them in Nando's. Yes Nando's! They're proud to say they've scooped over 257, 684,472 scoops of Gelato too. Head over to their website to explore their flavours for yourself, and let me know if you'd try their Gelato for yourself.

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Blogging Essentials Wishlist*

Something to store your items in Although I love my current camera bag that has two compartments for my camera and equipment, it isn't very stylish. I pride myself in being a beauty, lifestyle and fashion blogger and having a leather camera bag to carry my equipment that will support the items and prevent them from damage is a must have. These are on the pricey side of £80 so I won't be getting one anytime soon, but it's on my list for future buys.
Something to take photos with To run a blog it's important to have beautiful photos to go with what you're writing about. Cameras like the Panasonic Super Zoom Cameras such as the DMC-LX7 have full-range brightness which would help out so well with blog photography. I take most of my photos against a white background and without the useful settings these cameras can provide, I can't ensure that the background will be crisp and white. I love having a blank canvas as a background for some photos as it keeps the focus on the item you're taking the photo of. This is especially important when working with brands as they don't want the reader focused on something else other than their product. I love using my Olympus Pen E-PL7 to ensure I have high quality images which you will also be able to achieve using a Panasonic Super Zoom camera.
Something to help inspire you To get motivated, I tend to stick on music that can get me in the mood to write. Now I'm not a one genre music gal. I like anything from rock to dance, oldies to new songs so not everyone in my house is interested in listening to what I'm listening to. I'm I'm going to have to wear something pretty, such as the Frends (not friends, trust me I wouldn't include a typo!) Layla Rose Gold Headphones as they go with pretty much everything I own and aren't too big to mess up my hair.
Something to light up your day Currently I am a huge lover of natural, diffused light and that isn't always achievable. Apart from using a good camera to change the f number to brighten everything up, you can use artificial light too. Soft boxes are ideal as they use white light from their huge bulbs to light up what you're focusing on, and their material helps diffuse the light to not make it so harsh. Having the white light there also stops photos looking like a different colour i.e. more yellow because you might turn a light on using a yellowish bulb. I currently have one but hoping to purchase another soft box for this purpose.
Something to write down your thoughts on Obviously to blog you need some form of computer that allows you to type freely. I don't have a working laptop and use my boyfriend's at the moment but I'm hoping that a miracle will occur and I'll be able to invest in an Apple Macbook in the near future. Along with typing out my blog posts, I also use Photoshop to edit my blog photos on just to brighten them up if required and resize the images etc. Having a working device such as a laptop is vital for blogging for me as I often use html to edit the text on my blog posts (such as this one) and it makes life that bit easier.
Something to keep everything steady For some blog photos I require a tripod to keep the photos level. The good thing about adding a tripod into your equipment is that you can use them for whatever you want as they're adjustable. Some good uses for them are for fashion photos as you can take practice shots behind the camera and ensure all your photos are taken in the same way, or food photography in order to create birds eye view photos that are aesthetically pleasing. For beauty blogging I don't require a tripod often unless I'm taking flat lay shots but they are handy and not all are expensive.
All of these elements create the perfect blogging package and hopefully in the future I'll invest in more cameras such as the Panasonic Super Zoom cameras, add more lenses to my Olympus Pen and buy those beautiful Layla headphones. Everyone has different blogging techniques and I'd love to know in the comments below what your perfect blogging essentials are.

* This post was proudly sponsored by Panasonic

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Los Angeles Bucket List

As you may know, I'm off to LA at the end of April and despite me planning for months what I would like to do and see when I'm out there, I hadn't narrowed it down to things I definitely would like to do. Obviously makeup shopping, picking up some American snacks and dining out are on the list but since I've never been to the US I had to do a bit of internet research first.

Ulta, Sephora, CVS, etc

Clearly makeup is my top priority here but that's instantly what flashed into my mind when I found out that we won the trip in the first place. American brands we can't get here, cheaper makeup than over here and buying some products that I've never heard bout just because. I'm not one to buy makeup that often and since I've been saving up for LA I'm due a big splurge!

Studio Tours

You can visit studio tours at Universal, Paramount, Sony and Warner Bros and I desperately want to visit them all, with Universal Studios being at the top of my list. I know I shouldn't ruin the surprise by watching YouTube videos of rides and tours but they just make me want to go even more! I love watching behind the scenes clips of tv shows and movies so it's not really surprising that this is on the list. I'm definitely be going to taking a ton of photos and videos when I'm there to record the memories.

Santa Monica Pier

So I love looking at beaches but hate going on them. Traumatised by previous foot operations and the prospect of anything moving on the sand or in the sea, I'm so excited to visit Santa Monica Pier. I get to take photos of the beach and sea whilst on a ferris wheel with nothing gross going anywhere near me. Perfect! Plus I've spotted a few places to eat that seem to be popular with the locals. Can't beat shopping, sun and food.

The usual tourist things

Now I've not quite figured this out yet but I have big plans for having a nose around the streets and seeing what tends to be popular. Renting a car out and just driving until we find a cute place to stop off at. As much as I want to visit all the obvious places, I'd really like to make some precious memories by exploring by ourselves. You never know, I might discover somewhere genius that needs a lot more attention than it's given!

Explore american food

Aside from the makeup this is probably the most obvious thing to do. From what people have said, the portion sizes are huge and I'm probably going to be opting for kids meals when I can. I'm glad the County Fair isn't on when I'm going because they make all kinds of crazy fried stuff including butter, vom. Definitely looking forward to visiting the Cheesecake Factory and iHop!

If there is anything I should add to my bucket list, feel free to let me know in the comments! I'm still building up my makeup list of things to pick up, what I'm going to take with me and which cars to rent out I'm looking at you, beautiful convertible Beetle. Having never flown to the US I'm all up for trying new things and I'm looking forward to an amazing trip.

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