The Body Shop Event

Recently I was lucky enough to be invited to The Body Shop event in partnership with Rakuten Marketing, this was one event is really hoping to be invited to as I am in love with The Body Shop! As per usual I arrived an hour early (as they say the early bird catches the worm) to the Grace Bar just off of Piccadilly Circus, thankfully there were some other early birds out there as I sat and exchanged blog urls with Abbigayle and Pippi. As the event began we were handed our exciting goodie bags and let wild on all the new releases.

First up were the Body Sorbets which have been released already this summer in Body Shop stores. They boast a new lightweight texture experience with 24 hour moisture, so perfect for summer when you don't want to feel sticky all day in the sun. They come in 5 different scents (Mango, Satsuma, Moringa, Strawberry and Pink Grapefruit) that will make you want to eat it right off your own body. My own favourite is pink grapefruit.

Next was the New Wild Argan Oils Collection, which has only just been released in stores. Argan Oil has become increasingly popular recently in the beauty industry however I've never really gotten into the fad, mainly because my skin type is oily and my common-sense says oily skin + oil is never a good idea. The collection includes Body Butter, The Radiant Oil, Bubbling Bath, Rough Scrub, Body Lotion, Shower Gel, Miracle Solid Oil and Solid Oil Balm. After trying out their Radiant Oil Spray it felt initially oily however after a few minutes my skin felt moisturised, soft and I was glowing like Beyonce! FleurdeForce recently went to Morocco to see the development and beginnings of the new collection; check out her video here. 

At the start I didn't believe the Drops of Youth collection was made for my age group, mainly because products with the word "youth" in their name automatically make me think of anti-ageing and wrinkles. However I was pleasantly surprised by the Drops of Youth eye concentrate that I found in my goodie bag. Using Edelweiss stem cells it refreshes your under eyes, making you look and feel more awake. I also find it hard to get up in the morning (normally taking well over an hour to get ready due to feeling sluggish) but adding this into my daily morning routine cuts that in half, just because I feel more awake! P.S. If you have sensitive or irritated skin around your eyes(due to scratching or rubbing) this product is brilliant for soothing and calming those areas.

Finally The Body Shop Colour Crush Nails have arrived! They've started off strong by coming out with 24 gorgeous shades and they only cost £5...bargain. Body Shop claims that their polishes "don't yellow nails" and that they're "chip-resistant", but I wanted to test these out for myself so whilst I was at the event I gave myself one coat of a pastel pink colour (still hating myself for not catching the name). Now I know because I did not apply a base coat, a top coat and a few more coats of the actual nail varnish, I wouldn't of seen the best of the varnish however with only one coat it managed to stay pretty on my nails for a week! (virtually impossible for an artist)

Thank you to The Body Shop and Rakuten Marketing for putting on such a fabulous event! I met lots of new bloggers as-well so go check out their blogs below:

Tricia from ThreadandMirror.com

Abbigayle from StealStylist

Lynne from Populairelife

Yolanda from YolandaasY

Freya from Freydefleur

Angelique from Angelique-ald

Dovile from Diaryofamodernsocialite

The Team from Studentmoneysaver.co.uk

Whats your favourite product from the new collections?

Tell me down in the comments below!

Anna

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Easy Cooking: Healthy Kebabs

DISCLAIMER: This is a different kind of post from me today as I don't normally go into food blogging, however I thought if I am learning new things for university I should blog about it so others can use these easy ideas as-well.

As I am Pescetarian , at home I live quite a healthy lifestyle (thanks to my mother) however as soon as I leave the house I normally end up binging on McDonalds, Crepes and Belgian Waffles...

Soon I will be heading off to university and my mother wanted to give me some quick easy cooking lessons to make sure I eat a healthy variety of food when she's not there. 

So here was my first cooking lesson: Healthy Kebabs!

You will need : Fresh Fish (salmon, tuna, non-cooked prawns), Sweet Peppers, Tomatoes, Onion, Garlic, Oil (Olive or Vegetable) and Kebab Sticks

If you want to add any other ingredients or get rid of some thats fine, just remember to keep it healthy! 

First get a bowl and mix crushed garlic and oil together (this helps  the food to cook faster and gives it a little bit of extra flavour),  then cut up vegetables and fish into small chunks (Tip: keep the sizes big enough to they won't fall off during cooking).

Arrange the food onto your kebab sticks (Tip: Place harder foods like onion and peppers on the end of the sticks so your food stays on the sticks)

Then its time to cook!

For cooking I used a disposable barbecue which can cost as little as 1.79! Just leave it on an overturned plant pot a distance away from your table for safety. To start a disposable barbecue just remove the cardboard top, light up the paper inside with a match and voila!  Tip: Leave the barbecue for a while until the coal goes a white colour then it's at its hottest.

I hope you enjoyed this different post today and I hope it is as helpful to you as to was to me. Have you got an easy recipe's you swear by? Tell me in the comments below.

Anna xox

My Instagram diary #1

Instagram Username: @Anniemacblog

*A surprise gift from Hobbs * Main Stage at IMATS * I passed my exams and got a Merit * A sunny town selfie * My Top 10 Summer Staples * A preview of the Hobbs A/W Collection * First one to arrive at Hobbs HQ * Seeing ducklings on a walk home from college * Home-made kebab day * My boyfriend enjoying a meal at Sloppy Joes * Selfie after a long day decorating college studios * Topshop changing rooms * Babysitting my cousin in the local park * Decorating my bedroom wall with old memories * Last full day of Art Foundation with my besties * Trying to get a tan (failing) *

Considering I'm obsessed with Instagram I was surprised to realise I had never done an Instagram Diary! I love to see what everyone has been up to and following all my favourite brands. Here is a small collection of my Instagram images from the last couple of weeks. If you enjoy this kind of post then do let me know and I'll keep doing them!

Feel free to check out and maybe follow me on instagram to see all my photo updates!

HOBBS A/W14 Collection Preview

Whilst I am still awaiting my college grade results, I decided to go on a little trip to London where I was lucky enough to be invited to view the Hobbs AW14 Collection and it certainly lived up to it's name. We were let loose in the press room where delightful cakes and Prosecco awaited our arrival.

Ruby from Modus and Hobbs chief designer Jason talked us through the 3 collections and their inspiration. First was the Invitation collection which was probably my favourite, full of detailed and elegant evening wear. There was a lot on emphasis on how these fine evening pieces could be transformed into daywear by adding a textured knit to the equation. Latest Exclusive: Hobbs have now teamed up with the Royal Palaces to allow them access to their archives, which is the root of their inspiration for A/W Invitation collection however its all very hush hush, but once more is revealed, you will be the first to know!

MY FAVOURITES OF THE INVITATION COLLECTION

The Hobbs London Collection; tailored and polished to perfection, this collection was  full of camel, navy and granite coloured tweed jackets, thick pencil dresses and skirts. Perfect for a winter work wardrobe, although styled with a casual tee or some converse and these pieces can easily be put to everyday casual use as-well.

MY FAVOURITES FROM THE LONDON COLLECTION

NW3 is much more playful and casual than the other two collections, mainly for its use of colour. To be honest I was very intrigued by this collection as previously my only thoughts of Hobbs were "classic everyday workwear and elegant evening outfits made for a more mature generation" however NW3 completely smashed through this pre-misconception and showed me that Hobbs also caters for the more "relaxed at home" type of person and for a younger audience as-well.  NW3 was filled with similar styles and trends that you would see in favourite high street stores such as Topshop, Zara, River Island and New Look however you can tell that the clothes at Hobbs are made to a much higher standard.

MY FAVOURITES OF THE NW3 COLLECTION

One of my favourite parts of press gatherings is meeting new people/bloggers!

Here are some of the lovelies I met that day:

Bessie from FashionNoodle

Justine from FashionMixBag

Banke from A Style Diary

Jasmin from What Defines Us

Cristina from ChrissaBella

Tricia from Thread and Mirror

Tolu from FashinateMe

Thank you so much to Hobbs for inviting me to the event! and also a big thanks to all the team at Hobbs HQ for putting on an hosting such an amazing preview! Go check out the Hobbs Site HERE as they have a big sale on right now, and some of their A/W pieces have already started to be released. Go! Go! Go!

(P.S. I uploaded some more pictures from the event up on my Facebook Page for you guys to marvel over as-well so go have a look HERE if you're interested)

My 10 Summer Staples

1.Topshop floral shoes
A classy alternative to flip flops, two strap heeled sandals are a big trend this S/S14 along with jelly shoes (I own a pair and they are still causing blisters). I love these beauties from Topshop and they are only £32, bargain!

2.River Island mini tote bag
When travelling I hate carrying big heavy bags, so a mini tote or satchel bag is perfect for keeping little essentials safe. Also these adorable pastel colours are too hard to ignore! £30 at River Island.

3.Boohoo v neck cami

Camisole's are so simple but can start off any outfit, making them a must for summer! Stick to Monochrome colours as these can be paired with absolutely anything. Team it with any of these staples for an effortless but chic look. You get this particular cami from Boohoo for £8.

4.Topshop skinny ripped jeans

If you don't want to wear shorts but want to rebel and show some skin, ripped skinnies are for you. They add attitude to an otherwise simple outfit but still manage to look effortlessly chic and casual. You can find them at Topshop for £40.

5.Topshop white scallop jacket
I was really drawn to this beautiful scalloped jacket from Topshop. To keep it simple and as a staple I stuck with a classic white (my own rebel from black jackets), this allows the jacket to be paired with many different colours and textures. Tip - If you are pale (or are not blessed with luscious tan skin) pair this jacket with jewellery or the white will swallow you whole! £55 for insta-class.

6.Zara asymmetrical hem sweater

For days when it's a bit too chilly to wear a cami but too hot to wear a jacket, we have the thin sweater. Comfy and casual approved it looks perfect paired with ripped jeans, disco pants, shorts or even a skirt. £15.99 from Zara.

7.Topshop denim jacket

A classic here! The denim jacket has been a summer staple for years and for a good reason. Looks best paired with a dress or just anything that doesn't already include denim (i've never been able to understand the double denim trend).A classic denim jacket at £40, yum!

8.Reiss black velvet skirt

Simple and Classic; the black skirt add's class to any outfit. It also slims down those bum's and tum's we don't always want people to see. Paired best with a white jumper, cami or coloured top you can get this lush skirt from Reiss at £125.

9.Charlotte Russe skater dress

The white dress can be paired with pretty much anything, it's innocent, it's light, it's dainty and most of all adorable! One of my favourite trends of the moment because you can do so much with it. This beautiful skater dress is $34.99 (or £20.60 sterling)

10.Zara floral print skirt
I love but also loathe this trend. Midi skirts are back! The one I picked out is a favourite from Zara for £29.99 in the sale (it also has a matching peplum top), unfortunately due to my hobbit height I cannot wear these wonders *sobs* but theres no denying, Midi skirts are in and trending.

Hope you enjoyed this post, if you did please leave me a comment in the box below!