ELLE Insider Mystery Serum || Day Eight

I missed posting the last few days due to a family issue, end of semester work and a birthday so I have a fair amount to say today.

In case you haven't read my previous posts, I applied to receive a free sample of a mystery serum from ELLE magazine a while ago. It arrived on Monday, December 8, much to my surprise!

The product came in a plain bottle with no hints as to who created it and I have been using it two of three times a day since Monday.

Today is day eight of using it and I still have over half the bottle left. So here is my complete round-up of the product over the past eight days...

Results: Wow. Eight days and my skin is noticeably smoother - even my friend noticed that my cheeks looked smooth which is incredibly impressive. My skin does feel firmer but then again, I am only 20 and there probably isn't that much loose skin for it to sort out. It feels like such a light formula and my sensitive skin doesn't react at all to it. Over the eight days, I tried my Clarins Daily Energiser cream, Estée Lauder Advanced Time Zone moisturiser, Garnier Moisture Match and a Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser. The serum worked wonderfully under all of them but I definitely found it worked best under the Clarins one. I tried applying this over my make-up a couple of times. This was a little strange for me as I have never applied a serum over make-up. I was worried that I would rub off my foundation or that it would smudge or melt. Apart from it feeling a little alien, I found that I looked a little shiny afterwards. Initially, I thought it was because I had done a lot of walking but the second time I wore make-up (day 5), I had the same result. This wouldn't bother someone who carried a make-up bag and you don't HAVE to apply it over make-up - it's just an option.

Price Estimate: This is a complete guess as I know absolutely nothing about the product or who made it but I would imagine it would retail at around £55 - £60 for a 50ml bottle.

Smell: As I have mentioned in previous posts, it has a soft, rosy scent and it is absolutely beautiful. I never opt for floral things but it is so subtle and sweet that it really does not bother me or make me feel nauseous.

Texture: Originally, I moaned about the texture because I did not use enough of it so I felt it was a little too jelly-ish. It isn't like this at all. I realised that on the first use, I squeezed out blobs which were full of air bubbles, not the serum. I have now found that the texture is totally fine, not sticky and my skin absorbs it nicely.

Brand: Like I have said, I still think it could be Clarins except for the fact that I am almost certain Clarins have recently brought out a serum. I then thought it could be Estée Lauder but they already have some wonderful serums so I'm not entirely sure about them either. I feel like I should have been able to guess by now but i really really can't! I think I'm leaning more towards Estée Lauder though.

Overall, I would definitely spend my money on this product. I have loved testing it out for ELLE and I would recommend it to anyone with old or young skin. If I notice a difference on my skin, then I can only imagine what it could do for someone who had rougher or older skin than I do.

Thank you, ELLE. This has been a brilliant opportunity <3

ELLE Insider Mystery Serum || Day Four

It's day four of the mystery serum and I am absolutely loving it.

My skin feels incredible.

I applied it to a clean face at about 8:40am. I used a different moisturiser (Garnier Moisture Match) and found that I needed a tiny bit more than usual. Like I said in previous posts, this product could be Clarins because it just works so well with my Clarins moisturiser.

I would like it to be something like Kiehl's or Charlotte Tilbury or some other brand that I am desperate to try but can't quite justify on my student budget but hey-ho. I doubt it.

I reapplied it at around 1pm and then again before putting on my make-up to go for a meal at 5:50pm.

My skin feels unbelievably smooth on my cheeks and I definitely think it is a little firmer too.

I haven't taken any photographs today because I received some bad news and I'm a bit blotchy but I'll definitely have some snaps up tomorrow!

ELLE Insider Mystery Serum || Day Three

Even the best of us sometimes go to sleep with our make-up on.

In an attempt to test this mystery serum to its absolute extremes, I made a conscious effort last night to sleep in my make-up from the day. When I got up, instead of using a face wash, I had a good old scrub with a make-up wipe. I also didn't go to sleep until 5am. No reason for this. I just wasn't tired & I was socialising.

I basically reenacted the morning after a night out when you wake up and realise you're late for something and your daily beauty regime just doesn't fit into your pressed schedule.

I know this isn't good but I wanted to be a little harsh on my skin to see if the serum is actually any good at all.

Thoughts:

To say my skin looked pretty weathered for a 20-year-old this morning, I actually feel a little more alive this evening. I applied the serum twice today and I definitely feel that it has pulled my skin back into shape after I pulled at it with the wipe.

My skin also feels a heck of a lot smoother which is amazing. I'm having a bit of a pimple-problem at the moment. I have been feeling really bobbly on my nose and forehead but the serum has definitely helped over the last three days.

I'm still loving the mystery product from ELLE.

I'm starting to doubt my initial thoughts of this being a Clarins product simply because I don't associate rose scents with Clarins. I feel like they usually opt for a clean, cream smell.

Read day one here.

Read day two here.

ELLE Insider Mystery Serum || Day Two

Day two!

For those who may not know about the mystery serum, check out yesterday's post here.

I got up nice and early this morning as I had to go to crown court to report a sentencing. So I made myself a nice mug of black coffee, washed my face, got back into bed and applied the Elle mystery serum.

Yep, that black line at the bottom of the second image is my boob. I don't own a tripod and I had no where to rest the camera apart from my chest. I'm sorry. I'm not a professional photographer!

Today, I changed I used three blobs - one less than yesterday. I found that yesterday, each drop of serum was quite small so I was a little more generous today and it was fine. It spread beautifully and I no longer have an issue with it being a gel.

After the serum, I applied the same moisturiser as yesterday which was the Clarins Daily Energizer Cream. It works so well with the serum that I didn't want to try anything else today!

I then applied some make-up. I wore primer, foundation, concealer, highlighter on my cheekbones, mascara and eyeshadow. I was going to apply bronzer and blusher and everything else but as I was going to court, I did not want to overdo it.

 So here I am, ready for the day and forever unable to take normal photographs...

I reapplied the serum over my make-up at about 1pm - it spread far easier over my foundation so I was a little scared that it would rub off. I applied it in more of a patting motion than a sweeping motion this time.

Thoughts:

I did not notice much of a difference today. The very first application did make my skin feel a little more plump but nothing as dramatc as yesterday. The second application showed no visible effects but it is only day two and I have five more days.

I still love the rosey smell and as I have already mentioned, the texture is far better now I'm not being so stingy.

The only issue I have today is that I did feel it added a slight shine to my face after the second application. Maybe this was because of the serum, maybe because of my make-up or maybe because I had been walking a heck of a lot. I never carry a make-up bag with me so I did not have anything to blot my face with.

The photograph below shows me at 2:30pm.

Overall, it is only day two and I am still liking this mystery serum enough to know that I would part wih my money to buy it.

ELLE Insider Mystery Serum || Day One

Hello, my lovelies!

I am sorry for straying away these past couple of months - university is getting hectic! On top of my course, I work one day a week at my local paper (ha, "one day a week"... I'm doing stuff for them most days).

I have a really exciting post today.

A while ago, I applied to receive a free sample of a mystery serum from ELLE magazine. Lucky me, it arrived today (December 8)! Five of the samplers will get the chance to go to London and meet the ELLE Beauty team - fingers crossed!

So here I am, fresh out of bed, with no makeup and horrible yellow hair (sorry for betraying you, Toni & Guy - I have learned my lesson). I washed my face this morning with Simple Moisturising Facial Wash as I wanted to keep it, well... Simple! I didn't want to exfoliate as I have quite dry skin at the moment and I find exfoliating more than once-a-week causes my skin to flake.

The mystery serum arrived in a clear glass bottle with a black, pipette-style applicator. ELLE have described this product as a "gel-serum that instantly firms, lifts and plumps the skin to leave it looking dramatically smoother, tighter and more youthful."

I'm going to be putting on my Clarins Daily Energizer Cream afterwards.

The way I applied this was the same as how I apply my current serum, the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II (click for review).

ELLE said to use two or three drops but as it is a gel, I found it harder to spread than a slightly more liquid-like serum. I popped a little blob on each of my four fingertips and touched them with the fingers on my other hand. Then I just massaged it into my face starting at the centre of my forehead, lightly drawing round to my temples and down towards my mouth. I then put my fingers on my nose and swept them out towards my ears. I'm not sure if this is the correct way to apply it but it works for me and I don't want to drag my skin too much.

I did not put this product around my eyes as the skin is about 40 per cent thinner and I'm not sure if this product is meant for that area so I avoided it.

Initial thoughts:  

This might sound a little crazy, but I swear I could feel the product working the second I put it on which is phenomenal. It felt as though my skin was being pulled just that little bit tighter. My moisturiser went on beautifully afterwards. I usually have to apply a fairly generous amount of my Clarins cream as my skin just absorbs it in seconds but I used half the amount today.

I know I am only 20 so my skin isn't exactly sagging but my forehead and cheeks definitely feel more plump.

I have sensitive skin and I have not reacted at all to this product.

I love the smell of the serum. Usually, I am not one to go for floral/rose-scented products but it so subtle and sweet that I actually like it. 

My only qualm with this serum is the texture. As a student, I feel I would go through a lot more of this than I would with my Estée Lauder because the gel does not spread as well. My bank account might struggle a little. However, the way it plumps my skin makes up for the fact I need an extra blob each time I apply it. I do not get that plumpness with the Advanced Night serum.

I have absolutely no clue who this product might be made by. Judging by the softness of the smell and the way it works so beautifully with my moisturiser, I would like to say Clarins but I could be completely off. I am also pretty sure that Clarins have already released a pretty good serum this year. I would not be surprised if it turned out to be Estée Lauder because their serums always work so well and this one would be like the next-gen thing for them.

Today, I decided to go make-up free because that is what I usually do and I wanted to see how this product would work for me on a regular day. I will be applying a full face tomorrow and I will even try applying the product over my make-up as it says you can do.

Stay tuned for another update tomorrow, folks!

MCM Comic Con | Birmingham 2014

If you were out and about in Birmingham this weekend, you were probably confused by all the Harley Quinns, Stormtroopers and Final Fantasy characters. No, your television hasn't exploded, spewing out all your favourite characters and no, they were not hired for a child's birthday party.

They were in fact going to MCM Comic Con...

On November 22-23, thousands of comic, science fiction, TV, film and game fans came together at the NEC, in Birmingham. I was finally a part of the horde in all our sweaty, geek-excitement.

The cosplay was amazing. There were characters from Star Trek, Attack on Titan, League of Legends, Star Wars, The Walking Dead and so many other TV shows and games that I was constantly tapping my friend, shouting "oh, look look!!"

I had not had time to put together an outfit and I did not want to go in my Halloween Bioshock Splicer outfit as I had no fake blood and the mask makes my makeup melt. Here some of my Halloween photos: 

I'm the one on the far right in the red dress and homemade rabbit mask

The hall was split into various sections but comic village had to be my favourite. There were so many artists there, showcasing their drawings, comics and offering commissions. I had my portrait done by two different artists (see below) and I swear I have never looked so goddamn good!

There were various other areas including; Robots Live where you could watch metal bots try smash each other to pieces but never quite achieving it; a Japanese area with food stalls, soft alpaca teddies and a bunch of cute manga and ears like Chii from Chobits; an MCM eSports section with computers set up to play League of Legends; an indie games area and a bunch of steampunk stalls with guest speakers. In between all of this were rows and rows of stalls selling signed scripts from popular TV shows, pokémon plushies and all the merchandise and comics you could possibly want. 

On the Sunday, I entered the huge blow-up tent, which largely resembled the Michelin Man, to listen to Vic Mignogna, a voice actor, give a Q&A. It was so inspirign but I won't ramble on about him. Unfortunately, I missed Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter) on the Saturday because it was so busy that there was a huge queue outside and I couldn't see or hear anything.

Price-wise, it was fairly reasonable. Each day ticket with early entry was £15 and a lot of the things offered inside have had a slight price cut so they will be far cheaper to buy at the convention than if you were to purchase them online.

I came home on the Sunday evening feeling a little miserable that I couldn't live in the hall and talk to other passionate nerds everyday of my life!

I plan on going to the May con in London next year and I have already sketched up a possible cosplay idea (Spyro, of course).

Mallzee - The Personal Shopper in Your Pocket

Once again, I've been AWOL. Sorry blog - I love you really.

Third year is really taking its toll on my sleeping pattern so I've been using up all my spare time by napping. It's beautiful but I definitely miss posting. Things are starting to settle now (especially the crazy nights out) so I should have time to get back into the swing of things over the coming week.

I have just downloaded a new app (on my snazzy iPhone 6!!) which I stumbled upon on The Blogger Programme. I haven't opened the app yet so I'm going to look through it whilst writing this post so you guys get an honest opinion from a Mallzee-newbie. I'm going to mainly focus on how easy it is to navigate, how aesthetically pleasing it is and anything else that catches my eye.

*opens app*

I've just set up my account which you can do via Facebook or email. The home page isn't too cluttered but it isn't boring and empty either. I can see a little slideshow of adverts from Reiss, River Island and Forever 21 - a nice combo as they all have different price ranges and in my opinion, target different people. The other links on the front page are "UK Student Scratchcard Competition", "Smokin' Sales", "New In", "Zip It Up" and "Laura Potter of Tiny Twist". I tried clicking on all these and it was super quick to load everything. What was even sweeter was how it offers both blogger and stylist fashion picks!

Along the bottom, there are 5 buttons. The middle one is the app logo and it takes you to the home page.

Style Feeds: This is the first button on the bottom bar. It says: "Personalised feeds of clothes tailored to your tastes and styles. Tap + to make one now!"

Ok, so I've tapped the + in the top corner and it asks you to select a gender, name for the feed and a photo. I've called mine "Halloween" just to be topical. Next, you're asked to select whether you want tops, dresses, bags etc. I'm starting to wonder if anything Halloween related will come up. Is this going to select things for me..? Then you pick colours. Orange... Black... What other colours are Halloween-y? Then brands (I think my Halloween idea was a little off). I think I'm most impressed by the number of brands on this site - Armani to Forever 21. Free People to Criminal Damage. 

Not too shabby, Mallzee. Not too shabby at all!

Then you pick a price range. For the purpose of this, I'm going to have £0 - £250+.

Ok, I've clicked save and it has brought up this screen:

Omg... It works like Tinder but with clothes! Ohhhh lordy. I'm basically on a clothes dating app. <3

If you swipe left, it shows a green thumbs up and if you swipe right, there is a red thumbs down. Not sure where these items go when you swipe them to the left though.

Saved: Right so if ou swipe left, they go into your "Saved" section. Mallzee gives you the option to be notified if the item goes down in price which is a nice touch for us students out there. It provides you with retailer and product information and an option to buy or share the item. Easy enough!

 

Brands: You can search all the brands on the website and either star them so they go into your favourite brands section or hide them. I just starred American Apparel and clicked on it. It brings up a page exactly like the one on the Style Feeds section. I actually love this because you can just sift through one brand.

The final button is Settings but I'm not going to bother talking you through that. It's pretty self-explanatory.

All in all?

It's easy to navigate, pretty to look at and an incredibly handy tool to have in your pocket.
I feel like I'm going to spend so much time on this app. It's so easy to whip out whilst walking to lectures, the gym or when I'm on my way to interview someone for Staffs Live.

You can get the app here:

http://app.adjust.io/umerqp

Or get it by simply typing Mallzee into your app store search. 

Mallzee on The Blogger Programme: http://www.thebloggerprogramme.co.uk/profile/Mallzee/

This competition is in association with ebuyer.com and London College of Fashion.
All you have to do to enter is mention Mallzee on your blog.
The prizes: an iPad air, a Canon wireless printer, a blogging short course at the world-renowned London College of Fashion, where you’ll learn (from industry pros) about how to develop your blog’s effectiveness and £250 to spend on your favourite brand through Mallzee.

I encourage everyone to try this app out. It's unlike anything I've ever used!

I'm about 90% feminist!

The whole world has turned feminist with the like of Lena Dunham leading the way. I love Dunham and I love her TV show, "Girls" (if you haven't seen it, where the hell have you been?). I also think women should have equal rights and opportunities - to a point. I know what you're probably thinking because Lena has already said it in an interview with Metro U.K:

“Women saying ‘I’m not a feminist’ is my greatest pet peeve. Do you believe that women should be paid the same for doing the same jobs? Do you believe that women should be allowed to leave the house? Do you think that women and men both deserve equal rights? Great, then you’re a feminist. People think there is something taboo about speaking up for feminism.”

Let's look at firefighters.

I had this debate with one of my housemates at the start of 2014. She's a huge feminist and to her, women should be able to have any job they want.

My dad went for a job as a firefighter many years ago. He passed all the physical tests but walked out of his interview. He was asked why it is important to have women, people of different ethnic backgrounds and differently-abled people in the service. If I was asked this question, I wouldn't have an answer. I don't think it is important to have a variety of people at all. In fact, if that is how the fire service employ people, then I'm definitely worried. Shouldn't it be whoever is most capable..? If an Asian man is better than an English man, then he should get the job. If a deaf woman is better than a black bodybuilder, she should be employed. 

 So I'm 90% feminist. Equal opportunities and all that jazz...

What my friend argued was that there should be an equal number of men and women which I think is totally wrong.

In general, women aren't as physically strong as men. Firefighters go into burning buildings in pairs. Let's imagine a man and woman going in as a pair. If the man were to faint, most women would struggle carrying him out to safety, especially with all the smoke and the heavy gear. I appreciate that some women are physically able in these circumstances but the majority of us aren't and we shouldn't get the job just because we are women. 

I've voiced my opinion to many of my friends, both male and female, and only one person (a male) has ever agreed with me. 

Maybe I'm old fashioned or maybe my dad has been slowly twisting my thoughts over the years (he hasn't), but if my life was on the line and I was about to be engulfed in flames, I'd want the best person possible carrying me out and I'm pretty sure all the feminists out there would too.

Let me know your views, please. I find people's opinions on feminism really interesting!

Have a beautiful day <3

Instagram Snaps

Here's a little bit of shameless self-promotion...

I love Instagram. It's my favourite social media site by far. If you fancy checking out my account, that's cool if not, that's also cool...

@fluxandflo

Hope you're all having a lovely day! I'll be back to posting regularly soon! <3

Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Mrs. Mia Wallace lipstick review

Like most people, I've been itching to get my hands on the Urban Decay Pulp Fiction range which hit America months ago. 

I went into my local Debenhams today to visit the Urban Decay counter and found that they had completely run out of the Mrs. Mia Wallace Revolution Lipstick which I the item I had most been looking forward to! The woman was new on the job and she tried to offer me similar colours from their normal range but I have to admit, I didn't want to even consider them. I love Pulp Fiction. It's definitely in my top 3 favourite films (along with A Clockwork Orange and all of the Lord of the Rings films... Or does that make it my top 5?).

Whilst she was looking at other colours, she came across one final lipstick which had fallen to the bottom of the drawer! Of course, I instantly bought it.

The lipstick retails at £15 and it is one of those "get it before it's gone" items - they won't be making any more once stock has gone, which is unfortunate because I would definitely buy this again.

The packaging is amazing. I really should have taken some more photos to show you the shimmery black tube. Never mind.

It's a very classic shade of dark red but somehow, it definitely has the edge over all other dark red lippies that Urban Decay sell (or maybe I'm just biased). I don't like glossy looks and this certainly isn't glossy but it does have a nice shine and the pigmentation is incredible. I have only just bought this item but I have had it on my lips for the past 2 hours and it hasn't budged despite me dunking biscuits in my tea.

10 ways to really annoy your barista

Warning: there may be some minor vulagrities below. If you are easily offended, I advise not reading on.

I've been a Starbucks barista for two and a half years now. I am a "button-pusher". My job is "cushty". But despite everyone slating the "tax-evading" company I work for (just leave if you're that bothered), I'm pretty sure they would all stop functioning if their caffeine was taken away from them. I need a doppio espresso to kick start my day just as much as you need yours.

So, if you're heading to a coffee shop tomorrow and fancy being an arse, then the list below is a sure-fire way to get your coffee poisoned with urn cleaner. Enjoy.

10. Don't collect your drink
Your barista spent time making your drink and if they are like me, they actually put some effort into it. If you do decide to leave it on the counter for five minutes, don't moan if your cappuccino froth has sunk or your latte isn't quite hot enough. Certainly don't demand a new drink be made - we don't have time to correct your laziness.

9. Forget your order
 I have placed two drinks on the end of the bar. One is a decaf latte. The other is an iced mocha. Apart from these two drinks being completely different, it only took about 30 seconds from you being at the till before your drink was ready. How in the hell did you forget what you ordered that quickly?!

8. Complain about the price

Yes, I know a small latte is £2.65 and yes, that is more expensive than the Starbucks in the town centre. You have come to a Starbucks in a 4-star hotel with free parking. If you're that bothered, walk away. Don't spend five minutes looking at the board and then complain once I tell you the total cost. I agree, it's very expensive but your barista does put some effort into making it (this isn't your soluble instant coffee at home) and we can't change the price.

7. Bark orders to clean your table

I often get customers telling me their table is a mess and asking me to come clean it but a couple of weeks ago, a woman actually clicked her fingers at me and said: "CLEAN THIS!" I received no thanks or smiles. Sorry, did you want me to poison your coffee after I've cleaned your table?

6. Order a "dry cappuccino... Like, really dry - just foam."
Just foam? That's not really a cappuccino, mate. It's kind of more like a really large espresso macchiato..? Either way, it's a pain in the arse to make so once I have dirtied a spoon so I could stop any liquid from falling into your beverage, please PLEASE don't do the "weight test". The fact you even know how heavy your drink should feel is strange.

 5. Think you're above everyone because of your order
Omg. You drink a filter with no milk?! Fuck... You are badass.  Now, can you please stop shouting your order and looking around to make sure everyone can hear you..? And your friend should be able to drink her half shot latte without feeling belittled by you, you coffe snob.

4. Talk on the phone whilst ordering
I understand that your phone call is important but do you have to be so rude as to continue talking on it whilst trying to order? No offence, but I can't tell what you're mouthing at me. Would it be such a crime to tell them to hold for two seconds or wait until you have finished talking? And please don't give me a dirty look when I ask you what size you'd like - it's not my fault that you're on the phone.

3. Say you "don't care" when given options
"Erm, I'll have one of the frappuccinos."
"Which flavour would you like?"
"Oh... I don't care."
"Well do you like coffee or would you prefer it without the coffee?"
"I don't care."
"My personal favourite is the caramel coffee but if you don't want the coffee then the strawberries and cream is really refreshing."
"I really don't care. You pick."
"Okay... Medium size?"
*getting angry at me now* "I don't care!"
"Whipped cream?"
"Oh my god... There are too many questions. I don't care. Anything."
 
You get my frustration?

2. Flirt with your barista
I came to work to work not to have you sit at the end of the bar and tell me you'll "keep me safe at night" and ask if my mum is "as fit" as I am. I also know that I have put makeup on today and yes, I know I look good. In fact, I look sassy as fuck so you can stop telling me and winking at me. Let me do my job.

1. Ask us to do extra things to your order
"Sorry, can you put these sugars in the cup before you make it?"
No, I've already fucking made it. Get a stirring stick like everyone else.
"Can you stir my drink whilst you're pouring it?"
What difference will that even make?!
"Can you just cut that sandwich in half once it has toasted?"
We give you a knife and fork for a reason.
"Can I have a free shot of caramel?"
No.
"Come onnnn... I come in every week! Just a little caramel?"
Again, no.
"Can I have a mug of hot water and a spoon as well?"
I have a shortage of cups right now and I know you've brought your own porridge, you cheapskate.



  This post was inspired by a similar post that my old boss shared with me at the start of the year. I'd link you to it but I deleted all my texts at the start of summer.

Pokémon | Top 5 episodes of series 3 | The Johto Journeys

Round 3! 

Gosh, I haven't posted in a while... I'm off to Winchester tomorrow to visit my boyfriend for the week so I figured I would get this post out now!

Episodes based in the Johto region seem to receive a lot of negative comments and I can understand why. There are a lot of "filler" episodes which aren't necessarily relevant to Ash's journey but some of them are great.

Last month, I posted my top 5 episodes from series 2 (read here) and the month prior to that, I gave you my top 5 from series 1 (read here). Now, I'm going to give you my top five from The Johto Journeys! I can't begin to tell you how long these posts take to write up. I really should plan them in advance or write them up over two days or something... The funny thing is, I'm pretty certain none of you guys enjoy reading these posts but I just love writing them.

The plot sees young Ash Ketchum on his journey to become the world's greatest Pokémon master. Pokémon (Pocket Monsters) are like animals but you can catch, train and battle them. Team Rocket (the bad guys) are constantly causing trouble throughout the course of the series and they are my favourite part! #teamTeamRocket

Due to the high level of filler episodes, I really struggled to pick my top five. We say a kind of temporary/kind of permanent goodbye to two main Pokémon (one of these episodes has made it into my top 5).

Before I begin, please note that when I say the episode number, eg. 136, I mean the 136th episode ever. There are only 41 episodes in this series but I'm taking into account the first and second series and all banned epsiodes up to this point as well (there are 2). So episode 136 is known as 134 everywhere but Japan... Does that make sense? Probably not.

So here we go!

WARNING: I will be giving away good portions of each plot. If you don't like spoilers, don't read ahead!!

5. Episode 157: Forest Grumps

An Ursaring's (Pokémon which look like bears) hyper beam attack saves Ash, Misty and Brocks Pokémon from being captured by Team Rocket but sees both groups being chased into the forest by an angry pack of these Ursaring (you'll find out at the end of the episode why they are aggitated). After escaping the Ursaring, they realise they have all been split up. Jessie is with Ash, Pikachu and Brock while Misty and her Togepi are with James and Meowth of Team Rocket. Each group is forced to make a truce. This switch-up is the reason Forest Grumps made my top five! I love watching the "enemies" work together. I won't give away much else but we get another little surprise from Togepi right at the end and James' Victreebell uses vine whip for the first time!

4. Episode 148: Tricks of the Trade

 Ash, Misty and Brock meet a young trainer who is having trouble trading his Wobbuffet at a Pokémon Swap Meet. Again, I don't want to reveal too much but this Wobbuffet becomesa pretty important character from this episode onwards! I have a little soft spot for Wobbuffet which is the reason this episode made my top 5. We say goodbye to two pokémon in this episode.

3. Episode 129: Once in a Blue Moon
The mission to get the GS Ball to a Pokéball expert is interrupted when a Quagsire takes it and swims away. We eventually find out that the reason reason the Quagsire took Ash's GS Ball was because it was spherical, and during this time of year, the Quagsire take round objects, swim upstream and then send them back down the river. The tacken objects are said to be good luck, especially the last thing to float down the river. I just love the whole story of the Quagsire ritual. I thought it was quite sweet.

2. Episode 131: Ignorance is Blissey
 I nearly gave this episode the number one spot but changed my mind at the last minute. Although it sits in second place, I probably prefer it to my number 1 choice in many ways. A  ahuge Team Rocket fan, any episode which has a focus on their history really excites me. Ignorance is Blissey sees Team Rocket and the three kida wind up at the same Pokémon centre where a very clumsy Blissey works beside Nurse Joy. Whilst stealing food, Jessie is tackled to the floor by Blissey and realises that they both went to Pokémon Nurse School together and were friends. The rest of the episode shows not only Jessie's love and friendship towards Blissey but also James and Meowth's friendship with Jessie as they back her up and sacrifice the food they stole. I love this episode so much that I teared up the first time I watched it! What can I say? I'm emotional!
 

1. Episode 136: Charizard's Burning Ambition
This episode is a pretty significant one. We finally say goodbye to one of Ash's oldest Pokémon, Charizard. I love Charizard and the whole story behind him. Ash hears about a place called Charicific Valley and believes that visiting it will help Charizard's spirits. However, when they reach the valley, all the dragons are far bigger and more powerful and we see Charizard's pride get wounded. Another reason I chose this episode is because although we see a miserable Charizard, we also see his determination and I really admire that in this Pokémon.

Music tag

Music is one of my biggest passions. I know a lot of people say this but I don't know where I'd be without it. I haven't actually been tagged to do this but I saw it on tumblr and figured it would be a nice thing to pop on my blog since no one really knows anything about me.

1 - A song you like with a colour in the title? White Riot by The Clash

2 - A song you like with a number in the title? Vermillion Pt. 2 by Slipknot

3 - A Song that reminds you of summer? The Joker by Steve Miller Band

 

4 - A song that reminds you of people you would rather forget about? Say Goodnight by Bullet For My Valentine

5 - A song that needs to be played loud? Thou Shalt Always Kill by Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip

6 - A song that makes you want to dance? Ever Fallen In Love by Buzzcocks

7 - A song to drive to? When We Were Younger by SOJA

8 - A song about drugs or alcohol? Because I Got High by Afro Man

9 - A song that makes you happy? Peace Sign by LIGHTS

10 - A song that makes you sad? Skyscraper by Demi Lovato

11 - A song that you never get tired of? Raise Your Weapon by Deadmau5

12 - A song from your preteen years? I Write Sins Not Tragedies by Panic! At The Disco

13 - One of your favourite 80’s songs? Call Me by Blondie

14 - A song that you would love played at your wedding? Everlong by Foo Fighters

15 - A song that is a cover by another artist? Tainted Love by Marilyn Manson

I tag anyone who wants to do it!

Jeffrey Campbell Platrane Shoes || Unboxing

My Office parcel arrived!

Anyone else get insane satisfaction from ripping open these kind of bags? Ugh. It's nearly as good as stroking a cat - but not quite.

And speaking of cats, look how amazing the box is! This is my second pair of Jeffrey Campbell shoes. I bought Lita Spikes a few years back for my sixth form prom. I love the Jeffrey Campbell boxes. Last time, it had a drawing of a face on the front with loads of beautiful colours in her hair. Inside the box, I found details of the artist. I have to say I prefer that box but I still LOVE this one - mainly for its cat element. The profiles for some of the cats inside this box literally killed me: "Widowed down to earth tabby seeks housebroken similar female for late in life cat romance and friendship" hahahaha. "Seeking a bad boy who can pamper this uptown feline".

These are the Jeffrey Campbell Platrane shoes in a UK7 (yeah, I have big feet for a 5ft 5 girl). I love how distressed they look because they appeared to be plain black on the Office website! I know I go on about my student budget a lot and how broke I am but how could I pass up on these when they were only £60 in the sale (usually £135)?! I have now put my bank card away and I don't intend to get it out until I next have to pay for driving lessons!

Click here to buy.

Please excuse my pasty legs and recovering shaving rash. I don't false tan and I avoid the sun so I'm constantly a clinical shade of white. Campbell shoes are so unbelievably comfortable and I'm all about the comfy life. They have so much cushioning on the soles that they almost feel like slippers.

It's incredibly difficult to take photos of yourself without a tripod so you will have to excuse all my photographs. My boyfriend is the only person that I have told about my blog and he lives at the other end of the country so I have no one to assist me right now.

I'm not sure why I look tanned, 'cos I'm not. Anyway, as I said before, it's really hard to take photos of yourself without a tripod but I have teamed my Platranes with:

"London" t-shirt from H&M: £7.99 (old)

Crochet shorts from Topshop: £24.00

Silver coin charm bracelet from River Island: £3.00

Cresent moon necklace from Black Moon: £7.00

Crystal necklace from Black Moon: £6.99 (can't find link)

Lord of the Rings ring from eBay: 99p (can't find link)

I have absolutely no regrets buying these. I absolute love them and I will be wearing them to death this summer.

I'm definitely going to invest in some fishnet tights and socks when I can afford them!