The Ikea Idea

Matthew and I went on a little trip to Ikea in Leeds today. It seemed like a good idea at the time - we're looking for a new sofa bed. It was only my 2nd ever visit to the Swedish superstore and I had to go for a lie down when we got home. That place is mad!

How anyone can find anything in Ikea is beyond me...! I must admit it's nice to look around the little rooms they've got set up, and the novelty of the whole thing is wonderful, it's just such a long way round the store! It might feel less claustraphobic if they had more windows...

Anyway, after what felt like 5 hours walking from the entrance to the exit, I remembered we needed some lightbulbs. We spent a grand total of £1.99... and I managed to pick up entirely the wrong size of lightbulb(!) So it looks like we'll have to go back sooner rather than later. Nooo! 

Fiona x

Image from weheartit.com

Staying Safe in the Sun

Hello lovelies,

Today I thought I would write about the dangers of the sun and how to protect yourself during this gorgeous weather we are having in the UK. I know a lot of you will be aware of these facts already, however the number of red, sore, burnt backs and shoulders I have seen over the last few days has horrified me and I really do think it's time even more was done to raise awareness of the very real danger of skin cancer. I know it's not nice to talk about, but sometimes it has to be done unfortunately!

We all know that we should wear sunscreen if we're out in the sun. A common myth is that doing so will prevent you from tanning - this isn't the case, rather it will prevent you from burning. I know I'd much prefer to tan without going through the painful itching and peeling of sunburn! Experts now believe that on the hottest days, skin can burn after only 20 minutes of exposure to the sun - so even if you're just popping out for an icecream, wack on some sunscreen! 

Try to avoid the sun between 11 and 3 if you can. This is when the sun is highest in the sky and consequently at it's hottest. Wear a hat to protect your head and face and remember those sunglasses! Remember to drink lots of water to replace the water lost through perspiration. 

Use a sunscreen of at least factor 15. This means that those harmful UV rays are 15 times less likely to damage your skin! Children and those with paler skin should use a higher factor - I go for about 35 myself, I'm very pale and burn very easily. 

Being sunburnt just once as a child can double your chances of developing skin cancer later in life. According Cancer Research UK, in 2010 in the UK over 100,000 cases of skin cancer were registered and 2,749 people died from skin cancer.

Yes, it's a heart made out of sunscreen. I know, I'm cool. :)

For this reason, I strongly believe that it is time the price of sun protection was reduced! I know that I have been put off buying sunscreen in the past because of the large price tag, particularly when many lotions only have a shelf-life of 12 months and therefore would definitely not be used up during the short summer we seem to have in this country! If you are put off by the price, check out the Solait range from Superdrug which is currently half price. 

And finally, if you do end up with sore, red skin, I recommend an aloe based after sun lotion or gel, such as this one by Malibu. It soothes your skin and should prevent it from becoming flaky. I also recommend popping your shower gel into the fridge for an hour or so before you have a cool shower - it's lovely and refreshing!

For more information, or if anything raised in this post has worried you, check out http://www.sunsmart.org.uk/. I do apologise if this is a subject close to any of my readers' hearts, I don't intend to scare or upset anyone, I just really believe that awareness of this needs to be raised.

Thank you for reading!

Fiona x

Gorgeous Brush Roll

Hello lovelies,

My friend Meghanne (The Magpie's Nest) has recently got back into sewing, and I have to say, she's wonderful at it!

Last week she surprised me with this absolutely gorgeous brush roll, which she had designed and made herself. It is absolutely perfect and I would have paid good money for it in a shop! The material is very 'me' and it holds all of my 'every day' brushes, plus some little scissors and my tweezers. 

To see more of Meghanne's creations, hop on over to her blog - I'd keep an eye on her, I can tell that she's going to be a big hit with her creations! 

What do you think? :)

Fiona x

Review : Face Etc... Medispa, York

Hello girls,

Last week I visited Face Etc.. Medispa in York for a spray tan. This was my first ever spray tan - I have previously used gradual tanning lotions and Rimmel Instant tan, however this time I wanted to go for the 'whole hog' as it were! 

I had no idea which salon to go to, and settled on Face Etc... because their website looks lovely and professional and I pass the salon most days on the bus and admire it! I wanted somewhere affordable but more importantly, friendly - after all, I was going to be getting my kit off in front of whoever was tanning me! *Scary thoughts* 

Anyway, I made my appointment - I popped in to do so as I wanted to get a feel for the place. The receptionist was really helpful - I really didn't have a clue what I wanted! On the day of my appointment I arrived 5 minutes early and my friend and I were ushered to sit down. I was called through quite quickly which I was impressed with.

For those of you who've never had a spray tan done, I thought I'd tell you what it was like for me. I was asked how dark I wanted to go, and advised to choose either light, medium or a mixture of both - I went for the mixture! With hindsight I would probably have gone for straight-out medium. The therapist then left the room while I stripped down to my knickers (or you can wear the paper ones they provide) and stood on the 'sticky feet' infront of a screen. The whole room was tiny but didn't feel claustraphobic.

Laura (we're on first name terms, aha) then sprayed my back, sides and front, and repeated again with the darker colour. It can only have taken 5 or 10 minutes. She then left the room and told me to stand in front of the huge fan for a few minutes and then get dressed. And that was it! I was left with a nice glow straight away which developed over the next 8 hours. My appointment was at 3 so I just waited until the next morning to have a shower, and I was left with a beautiful deep, natural looking tan. :D

The tan used at Face Etc... is Fantasy Tan (for £5 more you can add a Shimmer Tan on top!). For a full body spray tan it costs £25, which seems to be about average as far as I can see. For a treat I don't mind spending that, however I think if I wanted a more permanent tan I would stick to doing it myself. Overall, my experience was great and I would definitely recommend Face Etc... to a friend! 

Face Etc... website - http://www.faceetcmedispa.co.uk/

Spray tan info - http://www.faceetcmedispa.co.uk/treatments/body/shimmer-spray-tan/spray-tanning/

Fiona x