Monday 3 August 2015

Holly Valance who? Kiss Kiss singer's sister Olympia oozes sex appeal in lingerie shoot



SHE'S giving her sister a run for her money in the sex-appeal stakes.

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Four simple steps to achieving your fitness goals



JOE WICKS has been helping people to get into shape for years.

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Hitchhiking robot HitchBOT decapitated after just two weeks travelling in USA



A HITCHHIKING robot that gained fans across the globe met its demise after a brief spell in the United States.

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Woman, 49, who thought she was 'forgetful' is diagnosed with rare form of dementia



IT'S been a nightmare couple of years, but she's keeping positive.

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The long and violent history behind the cuppa



HOW very dare they. A couple of authors from the United States are taking on that most quintessentially British of beverages in a new book called How To Make Tea: The Science Behind The Leaf.

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Move over Carol Kirkwood: Mexican weather girl Yanet GarcĂ­a is internet sensation



IF YOU don't know this lady's name now, you will soon.

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Top 10: Selfridges Summer beauty picks

Summer is perhaps one of the most important seasons for investing in beauty products. Your skin is most likely going to be met with a lot of sun, your body will be subject to the elements and you need the right products and protection to make sure you're ready. Summer, for me, is a season all about beauty preparation. With the right products in your beauty arsenal, no hot weather task seems too daunting. 

This summer I've partnered with Selfridges to showcase my must have kit for the season. Like I said, it's all about preparation, and every single one of these products has an important role to play in my day to day summer regime. So... here we go...
This stuff is great to give your skin an instant bit of umph. Apply before makeup for a hydrating base.

This miracle in a bottle has an SPF 30 inside, so not only are you giving yourself great natural looking coverage, you are protecting yourself from the elements. I've been using this magical product for years and every summer I thank the universe for sending it my way!

This is an absolute essential for any season - but for summer I find it helps me cover the late nights out! This has been called "sleep in kit" and it's the truth. I NEVER leave the house without this - spring, summer, fall or winter.

I find in summer I'm always changing my nail colour to match my mood. And let's just say my hands aren't as steady as they used to be - and don't even get me started on painting the right hand. So this is just about the greatest invention ever. It's a pen that corrects the nail varnish mistakes and it's also a must have for every day use.
Hey, what can I say? I love a good mascara and this one gives some seriously good lash.

Mascara can also be lethal in the summer if not treated the right way. This stuff is brilliance in a bottle to keep mascara in place. Bareminerals have created a waterproof lash topcoat that will keep the streaky Alice Cooper look at bay! Just apply over regular mascara and instantly it's waterproof.

For the nighttime, give your eyes a lift with this eyeliner that delivers a truly excellent result.

And let's not forget brows for the nighttime look. This crayon is perfect for highlighting and shaping - two in one perfection!

Summer sun is well and good, but we all know that most sun on the face, especially as we get older, needs a little rounding out. This bronzer from Guerlain is the perfect tool to help give you that natural glow. Oh and it comes in pretty packaging as well. 

To keep it simple, it ain't summer without a great red lipstick in your bag. This tops the charts!

In collaboration with Selfridges.




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Sunday 2 August 2015

Reading Festival Tips & Advice




So festival season is well and truly in the swing of things. Admittedly I haven’t been to many this year however now that August is ticking over the countdown to my personal favourite festival Reading and Leeds is getting closer and closer. Over the years I feel like I’ve become a bit of a festival expert. I’ve been to so many there is no way I could even count how many bands I’ve seen in that time.To me festival time is an excuse to get away from the city and the real world and live a little bit hedonistic!

I thought I’d write a little guide on how to survive Reading and Leeds festival as I’ve been there twice before but admittedly haven’t been since I was 17 (and Im 25 now!) I’ve learnt a few things along the way about how to actually function like a human at a festival since! Here’s my low down!

Camping & Tents

Always bring a pillow. Trust me, you will thank me for this one! While it might seem like an annoying thing to carry there is nothing like having something soft to lay your head on once you get back to your base. Rolled up clothes just don’t cut it!

Also bring a roll matt. There is nothing worse than ending up in a duff spot and having to sleep on rocks. You can pick these up super cheap and they are really lightweight! If you’re feeling fancy then a airbed would be a good idea but they are heavier and you have to go through the effort of blowing them up!

Blankets as well as a sleeping bag is a good idea. It does get pretty cold on festival evenings so always bring an extra blanket or too. You’re inevitably going to be with someone who doesn’t bring a proper sleeping bag too so be prepared to share!

Think about where you’re going to camp. Most festivals provide a map of the campsite beforehand so so some research and think about where you want to stay. Avoid being too close to the arena and any main walkways if you want to get any sleep at night! Make sure you’re also far enough away but not too close to the toilets!

While they are expensive never underestimate the powder of a good tent. Honestly you don’t want something thats going to fall apart after a day or leak horrendously. 


Food & Alcohol

Always pre-purchase some alcohol at a local supermarket before heading to the camping site. Festival alcohol is notoriously expensive and you don’t want to waste your budget on it. Remember to avoid glass (pop spirits in plastic bottles) and always bring a hip flask just incase.

Water. Always bring a big ol’ bottle of water to the festival with you or one of those snazzy fold away water lung things. Reading has taps on site so you can refill but you’ll save a lot of money if you bring something to put water in rather than buying it bottled. It’s always important to keep hydrated!

Shopping - Do not bring a whole bunch of food to the festival. In my experience it’s best to bring things like snacks, crisps, cereal bars and something for breakfast/lunch and then keep about a tenner a day back for a meal in the evenings. Festival food is notoriously bad (although it has improved in recent years!) but having a hot meal in the evening will keep you going on alcohol fuelled evenings! Honestly though I’d avoid things like noodles or beans unless you actually HAVE a camping stove as there no point buying one just for the weekend. More fancy food I’d recommend bringing would be pitta breads, hummus, brioche, jam some fruit and juice.


Money

When it comes to money I’d try not to bring too much or too little. It’s hard to really estimate how much you might spend but I’d say £250 is the absolute maximum you might need if you aren’t bringing your own booze and food. I generally try and stick to the £150 mark averaging about £30 a day which is mostly spend on arena beers! 

There are cash points on site but charge a bomb and the queues are always ridiculous. If you can (and trust yourself) bring it all with you rather than trying to use your card.

Always keep your money with you as unfortunately there are people who will knick things at will if they have the chance! While bumbags might not be the most stylish option they do help at keeping your pennies close to you!


General Tips

Embrace Festival life. Festivals are a strange thing, it’s like a weird no-rules type deal where you escape from the real world for a bit. Don’t worry that your hair’s greasy by day three or you smell like a butt, let it slide for a bit and enjoy the ride.

Toilets are always going to be gross, there is no two ways about it. HOWEVER Reading and Leeds are offering up some fancy swanky toilets this year for an additional fee which if you’re Princess enough to need to use then I’d check ‘em out.

Portable chargers. If you don’t have one then Im not quite sure how you’re  functioning as an adult in 2015.  Bring more than one if you’re an excessive user!

Bring a camera, even a little disposable one if you’re worried about a nice one getting pinched! 

Don’t waste your time. While sitting around camp is fun there is always so band new bands to go see and people to make friends with. Wander around the site and see who you might meet along the way! 

I’ll be at Reading Festival over the Bank Holiday (August 28th-30th) weekend so if you’re around do come say hello! Mumford and Sons, Metallica and The Libertines are headlining the main stages so theres something for everyone! Personally Im looking forward to Saturday the most as Metallica, BMTH and my all time favourites Alexisonfire (although I went to their “last show ever” like three years ago!) are gracing the stage with their presence. Other bands I can’t wait to see are Refused (although clashing with The Libertines) The Bronx, Moose Blood, American Football, Kendrick Lamar, The Maccabees, Panic! At the Disco and of course Baby Metal. 

Check out the lineup here and you can still purchase weekend tickets well as day tickets! Come party!







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Top 10 things you never knew about August



The month of August settled in quietly over the weekend, so let’s have a few facts about it.

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Spiritualist Theresa Cheung: How angels helped me beat my food demons



IT WAS shortly after her 16th birthday that Theresa Cheung became self-conscious about her weight.

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River Island, Topshop and Asos: Oriental fashion for summer



EAST meets West with Japanese-inspired prints, stunning silks and and eclectic accessories.

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Amazon, Next, Amara and Orla Kiely: The best things we want this week



THERE'S something for every budget in this week’s must-have selection.

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Cool shoulders: Strapless and cut-out fashion for summer



SHOW OFF your neckline with these flattering strapless and cut-out designs.

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Some like it hot: The best heatproof make-up essentials



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Corrie's Sally Dynevor: The bravest thing I’ve ever done is jump out of an aeroplane



SALLY, 52, has played Coronation Street’s Sally Webster for 29 years. She lives in Cheshire with her writer husband Tim and their three children.

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Amy Poehler on new movie Inside Out: It gives children tools to talk about their feelings



COMIC Amy Poehler loves playing it for laughs – and she couldn’t be happier about her new movie.

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Criminal minds: Women living a life of crime



FROM a psychological-thriller writer to a real-life detective and a legal eagle, Melanie Whitehouse meets three women living a life of crime – and finds out why the subject holds such a fascination

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The Horrible Histories' Martha Howe-Douglas: My wardrobe is very organised



THE Horrible Histories star harks back to the era of 1940s Hollywood glamour for her style inspiration.

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Fast food generation: Top tips to make sure your children get enough nutrients



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Mum of little girl with Raynaud's syndrome: Gracie can never have an ice lolly



TWO-YEAR-old Gracie Hughes suffers from Raynaud’s syndrome. Here Mum Laurie describes her worrying condition.

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