Regular exercise and getting physically fitter is a goal I see a large majority of people setting themselves when it comes to January. For me, it seems realistic for the first few months to attend 3-5 classes a week or workout every evening at home but before long, it's inevitable that I'll fall back into an exhausted routine. This results in irregular sleep, napping throughout the day and generally leaves me with unhealthy habits. However, this year I've decided to set myself a goal of exercising at least twice a week - this seems more achievable as my work load at school is at its peak and my life being generally busy. If I'm honest, I can't afford the gym at the minute so I stick to home workouts and occasional classes. Despite setting myself this goal, I find it so hard to motivate myself and find exercising enjoyable; I love the feeling during and after working out but getting there is always the struggle. Fortunately, this has changed...

Clubbercise seems to be the current craze. I found out about the whole idea from one of my friends, who kindly invited me to attend one of her Clubbercise sessions in Bedford. The overall idea is to make exercise a fun experience - an incredible atmosphere in the midst of a club, flashing lights to create the illusion you're just dancing around with your mates and my favourite part...GLOWSTICKS! You get to dance with flashing glow sticks, which I think makes the whole experience so exciting and unique. I was absolutely buzzing to go after Sarah invited me! 

MY EXPERIENCE

The session was held in the evening of a week day - something to ease my mind off school and let out a bit of steam. My mum kindly joined me to keep me company, as she loved the idea of Clubbercise too. When we arrived at Empire Club in Bedford, we were greeted by Sarah, herself, and her parents. They were all so lovely and handed us a set of glow sticks each. I got very excited about these and played with all the different coloured settings for a considerable time before the class started. When the class began, I was so pumped because the music was loud, the lights were flashing from all directions and it honestly felt like I was just having fun! Sarah was such an amazing instructor - she was really motivating, especially towards the end when my thighs started burning, and had such a wonderful attitude that positively added to my experience. The exercise was super fun and involved a mixture of dance with traditional movements (e.g. squats, lunges). Each song worked a different part of your body or general cardio so the experience involved a whole body workout - something I definitely needed! Afterwards, I was sweating a lot and the morning after my body ached all over (I hadn't exercised in a while prior to this as well haha!) The aching told me I had achieved something and that made me very happy. It's so great knowing that I worked my body to an extensive level, whilst feeling like I was just partying and having a good time. My mum thoroughly enjoyed it as well and told me she would love to do it all over again; she thought the routines were universal and believed anyone of a variety of ages could participate.

If you want to know more about Sarah's Clubbercise classes, make sure to click on her FACEBOOK PAGE here! The page holds information about upcoming events and informs you of her regular classes. Make sure to get in touch so you can try a fun, fitness class for only £5! 

"It's like clubbing without the heels and hangovers"

If you didn't know already, I hoard candles. There is nothing I love more than snuggling under a freshly-washed duvet, in my dressing gown, watching a film with a room full of candles. Candles, in my opinion, create such a beautiful atmosphere - I love to coordinate my candles with the seasons or how I'm feeling because the aroma formed is incredible. Throughout my candle-loving phase, I've never owned a luxury one. The majority of my collection consists of Yankee candles so I was pleasantly surprised when my boyfriend bought me the Jo Malone candle I've been lusting over for what feels like a century. Every time I walk past the Jo Malone counter in Selfridges, I am in awe at the aesthetic of the brand...but more importantly, the wood sage and sea salt scent. Honestly, I cannot get over how good this smells every time I have a good ol' whiff; however, I've never invested in one simply because of how expensive they are. Since Christmas, I've only burnt this once as it is so precious and I never want it to leave me...Here is a little review on my experience with the brand and my thoughts so far on the candle I've been wanting for a life time!

PACKAGING

Seeing as the product is rather expensive, the candle was held in a beautiful box in Jo Malone's iconic cream and black packaging. The box is sturdy and is currently sitting on my bedside table because I love how stunning it is. Cushioned by thick, black paper, the candle sat in the centre of the box in a pretty glass jar. The overall look is nothing but luxurious - the adorable black bow at the top, the label embossed on the front of the glass jar and the silver hardware lid. The colours used are so elegant, matching the brand and luxurious feel to the product. 

THE PRODUCT

When talking about the product itself, I am obsessed with it. The scent is incredible; all I can describe it as is a combination of a winter walk in the forest and the smell of the waves as they hit the shore. It's the perfect mix of Winter and Summer - allowing me to use the candle all your round, fit for every season of the entire year. For some reason, the two specific smells remind me of childhood memories, which is obviously a lovely thing; I'm also a fan of how the scent is equally balanced. You will be hit with a wave of the salty sea but then closely followed by a rush of wood, forest scents. In terms of longevity and intensity, the smell is strong and can be noticed throughout my entire house. Either my mum is so sensitive to smell or the candle diffuses crazily because my parents can smell it from their room (my bedroom is downstairs and a long way from theirs!) Although the scent is intense, it is not over-powering and certainly not overwhelming. For instance, I can't burn my vanilla scented candles after a while because of how sickly sweet the scent is (and it makes me crave all the unhealthy stuff when I'm trying to diet too)! Overall, I would say the retail price of £42 is worth it - the service, incredible packaging, beautifully boxed and manufactured product and a musky travelling scent all results in this candle being my favourite of my collection. I truly recommend this to anyone looking for a luxurious candle range to try or to extend your collection. 

Do you own anything from Jo Malone? What brand/scent of candle is your favourite?

Lots of love

Hoodie

Leggings

Hat

Shoes

THE FLORAL MESH EDIT

Jacket

Bralet

Shorts

Clutch

I hope you like these three outfits I created. I tried to incorporate current trends, something everyone would like as well as considering my own style and what I would love to pull off this year. I am obsessed with all the clothes ROMWE have to offer and cannot wait to add tonnes to my online shopping basket! Let me know if you love there clothes as much as I do!

Have you heard of ROMWE before? What is your favourite fashion trend at the moment?

Lots of love

One of my personal new year's resolutions is to take care of my skin more. As of January, I have tried to stick to a strict skincare routine to ensure that my skin remains healthy, glowing and as spot free as possible. Luckily, I haven't had too much trouble with my skin growing up through my teenage years but I do struggle with dullness and dryness. This year I've become more active in finding products that are suitable for my skin type, those which will benefit my skin and also to calm the redness. I managed to get in contact with the team at Magic Organic Apothecary to share with you one of their bestsellers - the DAILY CLEANSING RITUAL.

Magic Organic Apothecary are a London-based, natural skincare brand that combines old herbal folklore with an element of magic. They've decided to incorporate old herbal remedies within their products, such as yarrow in the Green Balm, making the company's style authentic and traditional. The simplicity of the brand was one of the factors that drew me in, not to mention the packaging...

The Aesthetic

I know a lot of people will regretfully agree with me that you sometimes buy products for their packaging or overall aesthetic for the brand. I'm literally obsessed with the wooden, environmentally-friendly tube packaging that the cleanser was held in, not to mention the cool design on the front. The artistic writing and stars add that extra excitement to the product and I love the look of it on my vanity. Wooden aesthetics seem to be my thing at the minute! Alongside the tube, Magic Organic Apothecary popped in a handy little booklet to inform me of all their wonderful products. The handy guide advised me of the best ways to use the product and a little section on each of the ingredients involved. I'm in love with the company's logo printed on the front of the booklet too!

The Product

Inside the tube, there is a 50ml pot of The Green Balm along with a super soft bamboo face cloth. The material is thick, luxurious and feels smooth against my skin. There are times where my skin is really sensitive so a cloth that isn't abrasive is always favourable. I love how the cloth is made of bamboo fibre - it is one of the most eco-friendly materials on the planet, making it the perfect accompaniment to The Green Balm. On the packaging, there are simple step-by-step instructions which I closely followed to achieve the best results. After a day, with a face full of makeup, I take the a small amount of the cleansing balm and rub it between my fingers. This helps to formulate an oil which can be smeared over your eye make up. I further used this to take of my face makeup by massaging the product into my skin. Instead of slapping it on, make sure to massage the product to increase circulation and tone the facial muscles. To remove the product, dip the bamboo cloth in warm to hot water and press against the face to steam away excess oils and impurities. Honestly, the product smells amazing because of the Tea Tree and you can really feel the product deeply cleansing your skin. Something I never knew before was that after using a cloth, you should dip it into cold water to close the pores...thanks MOA!!

Overall, I'm super impressed with this little duo - I think everyone with dull, dry or sensitive skin should give this a go if you're looking for the perfect cleanser. The Green Balm retails at £12.50 for a 50ml pot, which I believe is an incredible deal. For this post I used the balm as a cleanser but there are honestly so many uses because of the specialist ingredients within. For instance, it helps to soothe sensitive skin conditions (e.g. eczema), aids the healing of minor cuts/blisters, helps to get rid of insect bites, calm inflamed skin after shaving or even to soothe chapped lips. I suffer from a lot of the things this balm can help treat so I'm so excited to see if this is multi-purpose because it certainly is the best cleanser I've used. I'll be sure to keep you updated!

What is your favourite cleanser? Do you have a favourite skincare product?

Lots of love

MAC are a beauty brand that is consistently hyped about in the blogger world. Not a day goes past where I don't see someone wearing a MAC lipstick or reviewing MAC's latest collaboration with an upcoming film or popular artist. Personally, I completely agree with the majority - the products are high quality and I am impressed with all the products I own from the company. I have continuously bought their lipsticks, worship the 'Soft and Gentle' highlighter and have 2 eye shadows that I solidly wear year in and out. Over the years of blogging and watching beauty videos, I have been drawn to the Strobe Cream - I've seen so many people use this and it seems right up my street. My dry skin sucks all the life out of my complexion and I am constantly on the hunt for something to brighten my face, making it glow. Thus, I popped this on my Christmas list and my lovely grandparents kindly gifted it to me. 

Packaging-wise, the cream is housed in a beautiful white tube - this seems fitting as the actual product is white and said to have strobing powers. The overall aesthetic is crisp, classy and to me, looks rather luxurious. As for the product, the cream is thick in consistency and holds minute silver glitters throughout. MAC's Strobe Cream can be worn as a primer/base or mixed with foundation; I've been rather pale over the Winter months so combining this with a darker foundation has formulated the perfect colour for my skin. Additionally, I've tried using the product as a primer/base to see if it is universal. The two things I specifically noted were that my foundation appeared to sit comfortably on my face for a slightly longer period of time and there was a natural glow shining through the foundation. When I wore this for the first time underneath my foundation, it looked like I had been on holiday and was completely sunkissed. I love how naturally the glow looks, making me feel confident in my complexion and the radiance this cream has provided it with.

Luckily, I managed to find this in a Cosmetic Company outlet store in Portsmouth; this meant that the price was knocked by a fairly significant amount. You would usually pay roughly £22.00 RP for this, which I would be more than happy to purchase again. This has really improved my daily makeup routine - creating a smooth base for my foundation to stick and making my skin stand out in the best possible ways. I could not recommend this enough for people struggling with dry or dull skin! A must-have in your makeup collection. It is certainly now one of mine...

What is your favourite product from MAC? Have you tried their strobe cream?

Lots of love

Happy New Year! 

What better way to start (a very late) New Year's post than a lovely reflection on 2016. Instead of all the New Year's resolution posts floating around on my social media channels, I've decided to collate a list of things, experiences and feelings this blog has given to me throughout 2016. Scarlet Slippers was initially a silly little internet space I started at the beginning of 2014, where I originally shared my beauty favourites and reviewed makeup products. In these two years of blogging, I have learnt so much about the industry, through my own personal learning and through other professional people, expanding my knowledge regarding the online world and trying to improve my blog. Scarlet Slippers is much more to me than just a small internet space to review things - I have developed friendships with fellow bloggers as well as a great bond with this blog of mine. I loved every second of blogging in 2016 and uploaded the most posts yet in a single year. Here are a list of 10 things that blogging has done for me...

1. One of the most incredible parts of this blogging experience has to be the friendships I've created with those who share the same passions as my own. I always make an effort to check in on people's blogs, show them support and have began interacting with a lot more bloggers/vloggers on my social networks. These friendships have allowed me to create some incredible collaborations with my best blogger friends - i.e. Abigail Hunter from Lady Hunter blog and Lily Rose from Lily Rose Richards through blogging and Sophie Jolley over on Youtube. Some of my best work comes from working with other people because their incredible photography skills and writing motivate me to make my post equally as eloquently as they do. I'm so glad 2016 has allowed me to see other incredible bloggers in a motivational way rather than lower my self esteem. This is something I'm very proud of as my outlook from 2015 would have been a lot different and negative!

2. Following from my previous point, my self confidence has expanded immense amounts throughout the year of 2016. I began taking more fashion posts where my body/figure was on show a bit more, or close up shots of my face. I used to be such a negative person in regards to my personal appearance (I'm not saying this has changed but I've definitely had a more optimistic outlook on life thanks to this space). From all the wonderful comments online and lovely compliments in person, I have been much more confident in writing and talking about personal topics and discussing my life in further detail. I've even seen a positive change in my personality since I've started my blog - less lazy and more bubbly.

3. Looking back at my old blog posts, I've realised how significantly my photography has improved. This is most likely from looking at other bloggers layouts and investing in products to put in flatlays. I am clearly not a professional photographer by all means but I'm definitely improving the way I take my photos. I always think photos can make or break a blog post so 2016 made me take them into careful consideration when taking, editing and uploading my images.

4. This one may seem kind of silly and 'out-there' but blogging has honestly given me a new perspective of life. Whenever I'm out and about, I can never get blogging out of my head...If I'm walking through a park and I notice the sun shining through the trees, I just wish I had my camera on me to take a photo of it. Scenic shots are my fave! Also, whenever I travel to places I'm always looking at the scenery or intricately built architecture and cannot stop thinking how much I wish I could shoot a fashion post there. I personally think this is a good thing because photos are something I find sentimental and priceless. I am always taking photos on my phone, if my camera is not at hand, wanting to cease the moment in a still image to look back at in years to come.

5. Staying organised is the key to a happy, productive life - to me, personally. Therefore, I like to manage my time wisely and try to get the most out of my day, creating new memories and experiences. The consistency of my blogging throughout was pretty decent if you ask me - there were a few hiccups here, and there, but they had valid reasons. I have never been so consistent and that's all down to my hardcore organisation. I am a notebook hoarder so decided to dedicate one of my books to my blog/youtube. This impeccably improved my time management, allowing me to balance regular blog posts and video uploads, alongside A levels (homework, constant revision), extra-curricular activities, social events and allocating time to spend with family/friends/boyfriend. The commitment to my blog in 2016 made me manage my time as effectively as possible to ensure I could upload regular content to Scarlet Slippers.

6. Throughout 2016, my viewer outreach increased a lot. I am so thankful for all the people who read and continue to support me during my online journey, listening to all the rubbish and stories I have to tell. Gaining a larger audience has given me so many opportunities - working with brands I never thought I would. Little disclaimer: I only agree to work with companies who I feel my audience, and myself, will love and genuinely use. I also give my honest opinions on products and would never exploit a single one of my loyal readers. Anyway, this year I have worked with countless brands - reviewing products, sharing experiences and even being invited to some big events. Unfortunately, I couldn't make any of the events due to school, other plans or me not having the confidence to attend on my own without a friend! That's definitely going on my New Year's Resolution list...

7. Aside from all the positivity this blog gave me in 2016, I went through one of the most difficult years ever personally. I don't think I want to get into that, especially in my first post of 2017, so maybe I'll save that for another time...A lot of terrible things happened on a global scale in 2016, as well as my personal life - I struggled alot. Therefore, on the opposite end of the scale, there were times were I was insecure and at the lowest I've ever been. All in all, I thought this bad time in my life would affect my passion for blogging - well, not really my passion, just how committed I would stay to writing instead of sulking in bed. However, I looked to blogging as my light in 2016 - an escape route or comfort blanket, away from reality. I was able to talk about happy, positive things...everything I loved all in one place. I was able to chat to people who would give me positive vibes and make me a happier person, despite what I was feeling inside and what was going on behind the screen. Blogging changed this negative in my life to something positive and I am very happy about that!

8. As I mentioned earlier, 2015 involved a lot of self-hatred and lack of confidence in my appearance. 2016 has kicked 2015's ass (kinda). There are still moments where I dislike how I look or wished I looked a certain way; I feel like this has become most people's second nature and I hate it (DAMN YOU MEDIA!). I tried as hard as I could to kick ass and become more confident in myself. I personally think I did a good job, thanks to the blog. Honestly, I felt so comfortable uploading more photos with my arms out (my least favourite part of my body) and looking at enhancing my favourite features. 2016 on my blog helped me appreciate the good parts of my body and look at the positives - this helped in reality too. Instead of disagreeing when someone complimented me, I would actually say thank you!

9. All this talk about confidence made me think of something really important that happened in 2016, with regards to my blog. Confidence allowed me to expand my social platform and branch out to something I've wanted to do for a number of years - YOUTUBE. I'd been wanting to start a Youtube channel for years but never plucked up the courage to do so. I used to make cringey videos back in the day where I'd mime to music and try to create a music video. However, over the past few years, I'd really wanted a place to voice my opinions, have a general chat with other people who shared the same interests with me and have fun talking about things I love/do. Youtube has already had a massive impact on my life - I have documented a number of lovely memories (my 18th birthday week, vlogmas and my first holiday abroad without my parents in Paris)! I cannot wait to look back at all my videos a year on and look at the difference - I'm definitely looking forward to keeping it up! I also hit 350 subscribers in the space of 6 months which is insane...

10. Finally, my blog made me happy. It quite simply boosted my morale in the lowest or times, keeping me going when I just wanted out. I thank each and everyone of you again for your support. Without you, I would be talking to myself all the time and feeling like I had noone in times of need. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love ya all!

What made you happy in 2016? Spread some positivity in the comments below!

Lots of love