End of 2016- Reflection and a Promise xoxo

I can't believe it's the last day of 2016! Finally, finally I have a blog post (on the last day of the year) but I guess I wanted to do one today as a promise that there is ALOT more to come on this. I guess I haven't been prioritising this and lately I've been asked by so many people about my blog and why I haven't been blogging? I've been choosing not to- I work full time and that's been super busy, and just generally living and loving life, but, going forward no more excuses! I have lots of ideas for great content. So, please bear with me and I promise to have a lot more posts and content in 2017.

Jacket (Zara), Jeans (topshop), shoes (office)

                                    

I know for some people 2016 was the best year of their lives, and for others they can't wait to see the back of 2016- for whatever reason. So, today I'm sitting at home all cozy drinking a cup of tea reflecting on the past year.  I was in really bad mood yesterday, my boyfriend and I were supposed to go away for NYE but he got sick and we had to cancel. I was so disappointed, but I soon realised I was being silly and we can go away any time. Thus, so began the reflection and realising how truely blessed and grateful I am for this year. I think I can speak for everyone when I say that each year bring challenges and problems that we would all rather avoid but unfortunately you can't, you just have to tackle them one by one and hope it will work out and they will be resolved. With each lesson and challenge they shape and mold us into the person we need to be.

                                               

For me personally this has been a great year, I landed my dream job, I did lots of travelling. A big highlight was getting to visit Rome, that had been on my bucket list for ages and it really did not disappoint. Honestly, for me this year has been about ME, finding myself, accepting myself and being truly happy. It was about falling even more in love and sharing special moments with special people. In the same breath I will admit it hasn't all been "perfect" and I've had my fair share of problems and challenges this year but as I said I believe they make us who we are and without them I wouldn't be the person I am today.

No year is perfect but it does give us perfect moments.

I always try and see the good in everything and everyone and I think if you can do this too it helps make the best of bad situations.


I hope you all have a lovely night celebrating and I will check back in 2017!

love Fiona Xx

                              

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CAO Offers. A little bit of advice......

I decided I’d do a bit of a personal blog today. For so many Irish teens today is a pivotal day in your life. Today is the day you got your CAO offers. Hopefully for many of you it’s been a good day and all your hard work has payed off. But, for some this may seem like the worse day ever (if you didn't get that course that you so badly wanted). I want to tell you that it will all be OK! If you didn't get your first choice (you might not see it now) but it’s probably not meant to be. Maybe there’s something else out there for you, something that will make you a lot happier in the long run. Or maybe this is what you really want and if it is then there are ways around everything, you might have to work a little harder and instead of taking the straight road you’ve taken the roundabout-but again that’s ok. All these roads eventually lead to the same place….

I remember back to when I got my CAO offer. I didn’t get my first choice, and I was literally devastated when I didn't get my offer. Thankfully my Mum helped me complete my CAO form and she had a lot more wisdom than I did at that time so I put down nursing as a “backup”. Little did I know that that “backup” was going to change my life forever. 

I got into Trinity to do Nursing and I was probably the most unenthusiastic person there for the first while, I SO didn't want to be there. But as my thirst for knowledge expanded and I commenced my first placement (where you spend time on the wards working with qualified nurses) I really began to love nursing. I loved that I could help people in their most vulnerable state and make a difference. Even though at the end of the day I would literally be exhausted I would be looking forward to going back to the wards to see if my patient had improved, to learn more, to see more, to do more.

Nursing is such a tough course. While a lot of my non nursing friends were only in college for 15/20hours a week we were there every day 9am-5pm and it was intense. Placement was also pretty hard work, we were allocated to the wards for 12hour shifts (without pay). I remember my feet and legs used to throb with the pain from standing all day and being on my feet. As well as that we had lots of assignments and exams to do. But you know what I wouldn’t change if for the world.

I feel so privileged to say that I am a nurse. I qualified to work with adults but then I went back to college for another year and got my post grad in Children’s Nursing, there is no greater job than caring for sick children. I feel so honoured and blessed to be able to make a difference in a child’s life. 

Nursing has opened so many doors for me. I even got to travel to Australia and work as a nurse while I was there in Brisbane and Sydney. It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever done, like ever. I went with all my girlfriends and literally had the time of my life. I was free and easy and at the same time working in the field I loved, gaining invaluable experience. I even worked as a nurse in a prison! I have some crazy stories about working there but maybe not for this blog post. 

So I’ve kinda rambled on a bit about how amazing nursing is.. But my point is that at the time I genuinely thought my life was over when I didn’t get what I thought I wanted but now I’m so grateful that I didn't get what I originally wanted. I believe (and not only in this situation) but in all situations that things always work out the way they are supposed to and if you embrace that then I promise it’ll turn out much better than you ever imagined. 

So, if you’t not happy today then make a plan and change it figure out what it is you want and go about making it happen. You only have one life so make it count….. It may require a bit of hard work but if you want it bad enough then you’ll do it. 

Also, on a side note maybe you’ve gotten a CAO offer and you’re not sure if it’s for you… College isn’t for everyone, but I do believe that everyone is good at something. So go away, travel, explore the world, find yourself and in finding yourself you will find your niche and what makes you happy and ultimately what you want to do with you life. You only get one after all..

Love Fiona Xx

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Get the Glow- My Favourite Highlighters

Hi guys ok so… without further ado lets talk highlighters. What is highlighter some may ask? 

My sister asked me the other day “ how do you get that gold thingy on your face” aghast I responded you mean “highlight on my cheekbones”!?! I then realised so many girls don’t know much about highlighter, what products to buy and how to apply them. For me, if you don’t include highlighting in your makeup routine then you may as well not wear makeup at all. Highlighter creates that youthful, dewy glowing complexion which every girl aspires to. Makeup highlighters create dimension and emphasise features with a realistic touch that adds a shimmery dewy glow to any makeup look. Visualise celebrities such as the Kardashians, their skin is always glowing and looks so healthy! Obviously to get healthy skin that needs to come from the inside out- so by eating healthy food, and making sure to include lots of vitamin C for skin and also drinking plenty of water. BUT if you want a little help then I’m going to talk you through my top highlighters and hopefully help you make a decision on which one to buy. 

               

Wearing the Inglot Sparkling Dust here

Inglot Sparkling Dust, Face, Eyes and Body €18

I couldn’t do a post about highlighters without including this absolute beauty from Inglot. This is not only one of my favourite highlighters but probably one of my all time favourite beauty products. It is so pigmented, so ladies use caution when applying or else you could end up looking like a shiny disco ball (which is SO not a good look). I would tend to use this highlighter at night time for nights out- as it is so pigmented and glowy. I use a small brush to apply this shaking any excess product off. If you're not sure how to use this get yourself to an Inglot counter NOW and ask for a demo! I think €18 is a really good price point for this as it will literally last you forever. 

The Balm Mary Lou Manizer €19

A cult product, loved by all the beauty bloggers, if you haven't heard of this then you must be living under a rock. I heard about this through instagram and I must admit curiosity got the better of me and I had to invest and give it a go. Thankfully I was not disappointed. Firstly the packaging is very pretty (which always scores brownie points with me). It is a highly pigmented highligher, up there with the inglot one but less messy. It’s a champagne colour and if you swatch it then wow! SO fab. This gives such a glowy, dewy effect and comes out amazing in pictures. I purchased this off Cloud 10 Beauty.

Catrice High Glow Mineral Highlighting Powder €5.50

I purchased this in Penney’s a while ago. I didn't have high expectations from this but girls this is an absolute STEAL. €5.50 for this 8g of amazingness. On the back of the product it says “baked highlighting powder infused with minerals and fine light reflecting pearls for a luminous look”. It most definitely does what it says on the tin, giving a gorgeous luminous glow. For €5.50 this is definitely a very affordable highlighter- one every girl should have in their makeup bag.

Mac Mineralise Skin Finish Global Glow €31.50

I don’t think I could ever do a beauty post and not include a product by Mac. Ever since I was fourteen and I got my first ever Mac product ( a lipstick or eyeshadow I think) I have been hooked. I am obsessed with this. I’ve had this highlighter for about two years so even though its definitely on the pricier side it’s well worth investing. It’s a beautiful golden shade which suits many skin tones. Depending on the look you want this product can be used as a highlight or subtle bronzer. What I love most about this is that it’s not too in your face like many popular highlighters dazzling you with their shimmering properties. There isn't much glitter which makes it perfect for an everyday natural soft glow. I love this especially in the summer when I have a tan it gives that luminous bronzed look.

   

Cocoa Brown Golden Goddess Oil €11.95

Ok so I've saved the best to last... Made by the fabulous girl boss extradonaire Marissa Carter, used and loved by makeup artist to the Kardashians Joyce Bonelli. So why is this product so loved? It's oil based and the gold shimmering particles illuminate the skin. I use it on my face as a highlighter but what I really love about this product is that it can be used on your body as well you can apply it anywhere. When I'm going on a night out I apply it to my collar bone, my legs- basically everywhere! You can pick this up in Penneys and in most pharmacies. There's even a limited edition rose gold version.... This is pretty much the dream highlighter. I'm definitely a fan! 

 So now that you've got the low down on my top highlighters I hope you feel informed to go and make good choices when buying highlighters! There are sooooo many on the market but I feel these are the best...  Go forth and glow ✨😊

Love Fiona Xx 

Ps. Follow me on Instagram: feefeebelle 

And Snapchat:feefeebelle22

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Healthy Protein Pancakes

Hey guys so I posted this picture on my snapchat the other day and got quite a few requests for a blog post.  I generally try and make these at the weekend as during the week I'm in work and don't have the time or resources to make these.

These are so yummy and healthy and a good alternative to cereals. I like these as they add variety to my diet. I'm such a fussy eater. I'm not the biggest lover of eggs so I try and include them in my diet in other ways- this being one of them.

Ingredients:

• 2 Eggs
• 30mls of Almond Milk
• 1 Banana
• 30g of Oats
• 1 scoop of Protein Powder

For the topping: Strawberries/Raspberries

Method:

• Add all the ingredients into a blender.
• Blend.
• Add mixture to a pan on medium heat and cook.

Depending on how big or small you want your pancakes will determine how many you get. I like mine medium sized so when I use these quantities I usually get about three or four pancakes. 

For topping I added a drizzle of Maple syrup (you can leave this out if you're being super healthy) but I usually add it for flavour. Then add whatever berries you want.

And voila, there you have it. Yummy, fulfilling healthy, delicious pancakes.

Super easy to make and leave you feeling satisfied and full. 

Enjoy! 

Love Fiona Xx

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Pink Stripes, Cocktails and Catch-up’s

Hi guys i hope you are well! I feel as if I’ve abandoned my little blog (but I haven’t) life as you all know is just so busy. I recently started a new job, which has been pretty stressful so that’s taken up a lot of time and I guess  I’ve had such busy weekends and it’s super hard to make time for this. So, I’m sorry, no more excuses! From now on I’ll have lots more REGULAR content on my blog.. Pinkie promise :-) 

I’m loving the fact that its summer and finally the weather is starting to be a little bit nice out. This weekend was beautiful, the sun was shining and it was so warm out, I wore this fab dress from Zara. My favourite colour is pink (how original) so when I was in Zara I couldn’t leave this beauty behind.

  

My weekend was pretty busy, I went to a baby shower for my friend. How cute is this table setting? Sooooo much food!

And then, last night I went out with my boyfriend and friends. We went to the cutest Tapas restaurant on South Williams Street. Town  was buzzing, I felt like I was in Spain, it was so warm out, everyone was in great spirits. 

                          

                                           





              
















We then went to a pretty cool contemporary cocktail bar called Farrier & Draper.It’s got a really cool old school vintage glamour vibe. The staff are dressed in themed 1920’s outfit’s. The guys are wearing white shirts, suspenders and hats while the girls are in black ensembles with pearls. When you go upstairs there are lots of old school portraits covering all the walls and there are huge gold plated mirrors hung on the walls ( which I loved). Downstairs they are serving food (which smelled and looked pretty delicious) we obviously didn't have any as we had just had food. The cocktails were yummy. I may have had one too many as today my head is pretty sore!   

                              

So, that’s pretty much a round up of my weekend.

As I said earlier I promise to have more content coming soon. Please let me know what you want to see! 

Have a great Sunday guys, I’m going to chill out and have some food! 

Lots of love 

Fiona Xx 

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Rimmel in shower self tanner review

                                                                            

                                

I love self-tanning. I feel complete when I have a nice glow to my skin. There are so many brands and types on the market. My go to fake tans are St.Moritz, Cocoa Brown and Rimmel instant sun shimmer (the matte version of course).  When I heard that Rimmel had a new tan on the market of course I had to give it a try. 

First off I love the packaging, it’s pretty, bright and eye-catching. It’s a nice size and comes in a squeezy tube for easy application.

                                             

I was quite sceptical when I read the instructions on the back of the tube.  The idea is that you shower as normal and then you apply the tanner while in the shower. I did what I had to do and washed as normal with shower gel and then applied the tanner. It felt quite oily and greasy while rubbing it into my skin. The instructions recommended leaving for one minute and then washing off. I rinsed it off and then got out of the shower. I patted myself dry and I was able to get into my pj’s without any problems. There is a lovely fresh, perfume smell to this tan (unlike other fake tan’s). I was also apprehensive about moisturising after using it as I didn’t want to ruin the tan so I avoided this. To be honest because the tan is so rich and textured my skin felt pretty soft and nourished after application.

It says on the tube gradual tan and that it certainly is…I woke up the next morning, I was expecting to be a bronzed goddess and to my disappointment I was still pretty pale. Don’t get me wrong I had a slight “glow” but it was definitely barely there. I showered again that evening determined to give it another chance so I followed the same process. Finally, the next day I was tanned! Yey! Again, very natural, I was definitely darker than the previous morning but personally for what I like it was too pale.

I would recommend this tan for girls who don’t use tan that often as it does give a lovely natural tan. It is definitely buildable, so I’m sure as I use it more and more in the shower it will build up to the colour I want. I wouldn’t recommend you using this for the first time if you had a special occasion coming up, as you might not get the colour you want and also applying in the shower is tricky and you could miss certain spots and have white or uneven patches of tan.

Another thing I didn’t like was that there is no pigmentation in the tan so you can’t see where you have applied it. Personally I like to see pigmentation as you apply as this is a good guide to avoid those dreaded orange and white marks. In saying that I do think that this tan is so natural so it would be hard to get major streaks.

My overall thoughts on the tan is disappointment. It is convenient in that you can throw it on in the shower. I imagine it would suit busy Mum’s who don’t have time to fake tan and who just want a natural buildable tan. But if you are after a deep, dark instant tan (like me) then this may not be for you.

Lots of love

Fiona Xx

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Must have: The Bomber Jacket

Zara Bomber Jacket, Ripped Jeans Topshop, Reebok Silver runners from Office

Hey gals, so if you don't already have a bomber jacket then you need to go and purchase one now! 

The Bomber jacket is a 90's trend revival and one that is here to stay. Personally, I'm pretty happy about that. I have one in black, khaki and this one in the above picture. I love bomber jackets and think they are super easy to wear. With the summer months approaching I think every girl in Ireland should have one. So let's face facts, it never gets  too warm in this county so you will always need a little jacket (especially at night time in the summer months) yet the temperatures do increase from those freezing cold winter months (thank god), they increase enough to ditch your reliable winter coat... Enter the bomber jacket. 

There are so many variations of this jacket that would any girls taste and style. I'm loving that you can pretty much get any colour you want. And, to really give that Spring/ Summer feel Zara and many other high street shops are steering away from the standard black/khaki colours and going with bold flowery prints and pastel themes. 

Here are some of my favourite bomber jackets at the moment. 

Happy shopping ladies! 

Missguided €49

I love this pastel pink one! Missguided €49

Missguided €56

Topshop €76

Topshop €76

Boohoo €20- This is a steal!

Zara €69.95- An alternative to plain black

Talk soon, 

Love Fiona Xx 

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Milkmaid braids and camel coats

Milkmaid Braids

Pretty Tulips in Avoca 

Blueberry Pancakes 

Camel Coat, Roshe, Micheal Kors

xoxo

Braids

Flamingos

His and her's... Roshe Runs

Hey guys, 

Hers are some snaps from last weekend. I went to Avoca and had the nicest pancakes EVER! So yummy. We went to the egg cafe and if you've never been then I would definitely recommend going. They have an amazing brunch menu with lots of healthy options (which are all delicious).  OR you could be bold like me and go for the pancakes! I have such a sweet tooth.

On Sunday the sun finally made an appearance so we went to the Phoenix Park. We had a lovely walk around  enjoying the sunshine and then we decided to go to the Zoo. We had the loveliest time..I hadn't been to Dublin Zoo in the longest time. I was the biggest kid going around looking at all the animals. 

Even though it's Spring it's still quite cold so I wore my camel coat from River Island with my black jeans from Topshop and jumper from Topshop. I literally live in runners and these Roshe are sooo comfy- perfect for walking around in.

I hope you've all had a lovely week.

Talk soon,

Love Fiona Xx 

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