Thursday 31 March 2016

No Mirror Makeup Challenge Ft. Becky from Disney Polar.

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are all fine, well and having a lovely week so far.
So a couple of weeks ago I was with my lovely best friend Becky when we decided to have a go at the no mirror makeup challenge, which it turns out Becky is a pro at and when it comes to eyeliner I'm not such a pro. I hope you enjoy this video, you can check out Becky and her sister on their channel "Disney Polar" which I will leave in the link below.

Disney Polar: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4ow...

Follow me:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi5ZGYmNuMzgf4Qt-gokIpw
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Natiee_blogs
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Natiee92blogs/
Instagram: natiee_blogs

Edited on final Cut pro by myself.

Thursday 17 March 2016

Was that really the 100th Episode? Once upon a time "Souls of the Departed" Review

Hello Everyone,

So it's back, the "we have no idea where we on the timeline, are we even on a timeline?" Fairy-tale twisted, world's most complicated family tree ever Tv show is back for its 100th episode and the beginning of season 5B. As much as I am a lover and true oncer fan, I have to say, I am... disappointed with "Souls of the departed" at the same time, still hooked and in need of this show. Before we go into detail and pick apart this 100th episode, let's just recap you on the season 5A and where we left off in a shorter summary than what I originally rambled about in my last blog post on "Once upon a time (Season 5A part one)"  and the Season 5A part two.  


Do not read if you don't want to deal with spoilers.
 Emma Swan turned Hook into a Dark one to save him from dying, Hook resurrected all the Dark Ones from the Underworld for his revenge on Emma however, Regina reminds him of something Hook's father used to say "what kind of man, do you want to be?" as well as seeing Nimue harming Emma makes Hook realise just how much he loves her and how he doesn't want to cause her serious harm or have his revenge, so he absorbs all the darkness and allows Emma to kill him in a loving and understanding way, asking her to let him die a hero. Only for Rumplestiltskin to double-cross Hook by enchanting Excalibur with a spell to transfer the Darkness back into Rumple, making him the Dark one again. As payment for his treachery, Emma threatens Rumple that she will tell Belle who he really is if Rumple doesn't take Emma to the underworld to save Hook and thus-HERE WE ARE. Just a tiny summary, of course, more stuff happened than just that, but that summary will do for now.



Let's talk about the introduction to the Underworld, this world looks a lot like Storybrooke except a bit of the clock tower is on the ground, the shops all looking as though they've been ransacked, the red and sandy looking atmospheric fog that lingers around every corner, not to mention the scary witch from the tale of Hansel and Gretel that offers her services at "Granny's." and just so happens to look like Harley Quinn. There is even a place for Snow and Charming to move into when they cross over into this realm, freaking creeps-village but then again the man running the joint isn't exactly Santa Claus or the Easter bunny. I quite like the idea of the residence within this underworld having a grave, in a way it's a connection that can be shared and the only common ground that both worlds, their memory of life preserved in a headstone. The introduction to the underworld is literally like a frantic introduction to run down Storybrooke, but why the heck does the town look like Storybrooke?
There are some theories that this is because Hades has a love for Zelena, of course, Regina creating a curse which created Storybrooke in the first place was one of the reasons why Zelena was envious of her sibling and turned green; just one of the many reasons. It might also explain how Hades knows about Zelena, although he has to know about everything as does everyone in the underworld somehow, whether that is also because although underworld is very similar to Storybrooke, maybe it acts as a cross-over and why sometimes you're able to communicate with the dead. Still however, in this fan theory Hades "undying love" for Zelena may have caused him to create a Storybrooke Underworld just for her however with a cryptic and "wicked" twist on it (naturally!) Of course, we are only two episodes in and therefore, this theory will not yet be revealed to be true or not until much later on as I'm assuming. Of course, Zelena will find a way to the underworld; kinda romantic in a way and at the same time, Hades and Zelena love would be quite mortifying to witness plus with his blue hair and her green skin, really not good genetics for a child? Or is that just me?

So let's talk about the man that is running the joint whilst we are on the subject, Hades, no doubt about it did not fail to be the Evil "A" of the underworld (more about that in the next blog, let's concentrate on this episode for now). We only get a brief introduction to this man at the end of the episode, when we see how truly scared Cora is of the man, yep that's right, even the Queen of Hearts is scared of Hades. Portrayed by Greg Germann the ruler of the underworld with his terrible blue hair, sorry but it looks weird in photographs, as seen in the Disney classic "Hercules"  is portrayed more as a comedic and almost "friendly" in a ruler of hell kind of way. However, in Once upon a time, there is a much darker side to him or so I feel. It's almost like A with the torturous mind tricks, I feel as though we can expect more of this villain and that there is more to him than just wishing to keep everyone imprisoned in the Underworld. Especially since he's taken great pleasure in harming our beloved Hook for some reason that I'm curious of and is having a ball messing with Emma Swan and her family. Seeking revenge on the people, who are helping people to leave and in addition, perhaps seeking revenge on the people in the way of Zelena's happiness, it also may explain why Hades knows about them all and about Zelena, then again he is the lord of the underworld so that might just be part of the job description.

Not only are we introduced to new faces in this episode, but we're taken back with a blast from the past as we are reunited with Regina's father Henry Mills, her dreaded mother Cora and the villain we all love to hate, Peter Pan. This episode, in particular, is a very Regina orientated episode, which would make sense as she was the original focus of the first seasons as she cast the Dark Curse and to see how far she has come as a character, especially in this episode shows just how much the show has been through and grown since the very beginning. Although this to me made me feel that the 100th episode was not as big or full as it had the potential to be, we have original villains we all loved to hate returning to leave again after this episode, we have Cora already threatening "to do what's best" for Regina and as usual her selfish disguised as caring attempts end up biting her in the ass, we have Peter pan in the Museum of Rumplestiltskin with the Chipped cup and doll, offering a favour in return for switching places with the living souls that have come with Rumple. Whilst you might think you are glad to see them return I am 99% sure you aren't so pleased about their intentions.
Cora looking for a way to escape by trying to manipulate her daughter, Regina, into leaving the underworld. I don't even understand how Cora fell for this foolish trick or thought she could succeed since she has seen how much Regina has grown and changed into perhaps, someone she wouldn't approve of seeing as her daughters heart is pretty much pure now. However, in spite of her intentions to make her daughter leave, Regina fails to listen and makes the right choice to stand by her friends and complete the mission to take Hook back to Storybrooke. This, in turn, leading to her father Henry being able to pass over to a better place, the exchange between Henry and Henry over believing in Regina was absolutely heart touching and if you didn't cry or have happy tears of joy, then there might be something wrong with you. With the realisation that they can help people transition over to a better or worse place, the team now make it their aim to assist everyone in the Underworld as best as they can to move on to a better life (or a worse one).
Again, totally losing track over the real reason we went to the underworld in the first place, HOOK!
What has become of our heroic and dashing pirate? He's taken a few beatings from Hades by the seems of it for a reason I am not particularly sure of, unless they were aware that Emma would try to save him from the underworld and in turn, be a threat to Hades plan or whether this "theory" is correct and Hades is simply punishing Hook for being a part of the family, preventing Zelena from having her happy ending.
We will receive our answers in the season finale, which I can totally wait for. Overall, the 100th Episode was not what I expected and although I was happy to see old characters, it wasn't as powerful as it had the potential to be in my personal opinion, but I still really enjoyed the episode and I'm looking forward to the rest of the show unravelling.

xoxoxo 

Wednesday 16 March 2016

Showdown: What do you want to see first?

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are all fine, well and having a fantastic week so far.
I've been thinking for a while and I'd LOVE to try some new products in a showdown comparison video, what would you guys like to see first? Let me know by following and placing your votes on my twitter! Please let me know if there are any specific products you would love me to try!

Twitter Poll: The Showdown!

xoxox

Tuesday 15 March 2016

Sneak Peak "Stone Angels" BBC Introducing session.

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are all fine, well and having a lovely day today.
A few weeks back I went to the Stone Angels to their "BBC Introducing" session in Plymouth. Admittedly, I am not 100% pleased with this as I would have liked the camera qualities to be the same through the shots and a much smoother transition, BUT I'll settle for this until I win the lottery and can afford another SLR and decent sound equipment.
Please check out The Stone Angels, I will leave links below they are an absolutely talented band. Official videos from the BBC Introducing can be found on their YouTube channel and the BBC Introducing session can be found on the BBC Website.

FOLLOW THEM:
The Stone Angels YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfdB...
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thestoneangels
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheStoneAnge...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheStoneAngels
BBC Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03g3cx1

FOLLOW ME:
Blog: http://natiee92.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Natiee_blogs
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Natiee92blogs/
Instagram: natiee_blogs

Monday 14 March 2016

Book of the month (April 2016)

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are all fine, well and having a lovely week so far. Today I am back with another Book of the Month for April 2016, it is a high fantasy novel and I absolutely loved reading in, I'm dying for the next novel already.
Hope you all enjoy it as much as I did don't forget if you enjoy my book recommendations don't forget to subscribe.

"Red Queen" By Victoria Aveyard
Currently, £5.99 in Waterstones Online.
Purchase: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-...

"This is a world divided by blood - red or silver. The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change. That is until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power. Fearful of Mare's potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group and bring down the Silver regime. But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance - Reds against Silvers, prince against a prince, and Mare against her own heart ..."

BLOG: natiee92.blogspot.co.uk
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Natiee92blog...
TWITTER:@Natiee_blogs
INSTAGRAM: natiee_blogs

Wednesday 9 March 2016

Lush Haul/Review



Hello Everyone,

I hope you are all well, fine and having a lovely week so far. Upon beginning my training week at work, I happened to just accidentally fall into Lush, half will be reviewed in this video and the other half can be found on my blog. Enjoy this video and I will see you all soon!

Products Reviewed:
Rose Jam Bubbleroon.-£3.75
Purchase: https://uk.lush.com/products/rose-jam
Dragon Egg Bath Bomb-£3.50
Purchase: https://uk.lush.com/products/dragons-egg
Razzle Dazzle Bath Oil-£2
Purchase: https://uk.lush.com/products/luxury-b...
Pink Fun-£5
Purchase: https://uk.lush.com/products/fun/pink
Rainbow Fun-£7.95
Purchase: https://uk.lush.com/products/fun/rainbow
Nes Worry Pas (Kitchen Special) bath bomb
New Shampoo Bar-£5.95
Purchase: https://uk.lush.com/products/new

Thank you to everyone in Lush Exeter and Plymouth for always being wonderful to me! Follow these stores on instagram.
@lushexeter or lushplymouth

Thank you lovelies.
Follow me:
Blog: http://natiee92.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Natiee_blogs
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Natiee92blogs/
Instagram: natiee_blogs

Edited on final Cut pro by myself.


Tuesday 8 March 2016

Lush Review: 7 Face wonders.

Hello Everyone,
I hope you are all fine, well and as eager to see spring as I am. I apologise for not really doing many blogs or videos at the moment, I had a full week of training from 5am-7pm when I returned home and could not fit in the time to do videos as well, but don't fret! It's all for a good cause so I can continue to review and test out a variety of products, whilst aiming for other lifestyle goals and choices.
I figured it would be worth my time whilst being in Exeter every day of the week to purchase some Lush goodies, return Five of my pots to receive a free face mask and some free samples given to me after one of my consultations.
I have done a video of some Bath Lush products as well and you should be able to catch it very soon.


Products up for review.
Full of Grace Serum Bar
Rosey Cheeks face mask
Mask of Magnamity body and face mask
Cosmetic Warrior faces mask
Tea Tree Toner tablets (in bottle)
9 to 5 Cleansing lotion (Sample)
Celestial moisturiser (sample)


Full of Grace Serum Bar-Price: £8.25 Vegan-Friendly
Recently those of you who have seen my "lotions and potions" video on YouTube will know, I had the world's worst breakout of spots and I believe this is due to some of the chemicals used in the Superdrug's own brand range. Upon feeling that my skin was becoming very dry and unpleasant when using the Superdrug products, I quickly switched back to the Lush products I was using and this being one of them. Full of grace facial serum comes in a solid bar form, which melts slightly at body temperature and, therefore, it is important to keep this product in the fridge. The product itself smells quite relaxing and not too overpowering, which is just what you want from a facial serum. Upon application, I felt my skin instantly drink up the product and love every second of it, restoring its firmness and within a few days, my skin had been restored to its original condition, clear, glowing and firm beautifulness. I feel that switching back to this bar definitely helped to calm my skin down after a terrible reaction to the Superdrug range, with Full of graces blend of calamine powder, which helps to calm and soften the skin, combined with murumuru butter, which is known for it's firming and glossy qualities which it offers the skin, feel it is safe to say this product offers it all and can be great for all skin.
Rating: 5/5 

Rosey Cheeks Face Mask-Price: £6.75 Vegan-Friendly.
Upon returning a total of ten pots to Lush, I was informed with every five pots I return to recycle I received a free face mask, meaning I gained a total of two to claim and this being one of them. A new release from Lush Cosmetics, Rosey cheeks face mask comes in the standard black pot at £6.75 with a vegan-friendly stamp on the top. Upon opening the tub, you are greeted with a blooming beautiful pastel pink face mask product, which is ready for use when you are. The calming and floral scent that delicately reaches the nostrils, not only know for this beautiful scent but in addition to this, has very moisturising and soothing qualities, which I feel may help to even skin tone and repair the damage of the winter winds outside. The product promises and keeps to its word, evening out the skin tone so all those reds and pinks seem calmer, more even and moisturised along with the rest of the face leaving a well nourished and all round even skin tone. However, if like myself you have fairly normal to the oily skin at the current moment in time, I would advise trying the next face mask instead to clear the breakout before the application of Rosey Cheeks to even skin tone, as this product can be quite moisturising. The smell is lovely and I did see an even skin tone in the finish, however, due to its moisturising qualities the product MAY have caused a breakout on my skin so for my personal self with oily-normal skin, I recommend trying the next face mask below and using this on any dry areas you may have or areas which suffer from redness/uneven skin tone.
Rating 3/5 

Mask of Magnamity Face and Body mask-Price: £9.95 (NOT vegan)
The mask in a bigger pot, minty, fresh and most definitely restoring, a mask of Magnamity is yet another new mask product from Lush, which is not just intended for the face but also, finally a mask that takes care of the body. Although you may feel it is slightly more expensive, this mask of wonders can be used in many areas of the body, therefore, comes with the extra product, bigger tub and more value for money. The peppermint oil within this product assists the vanilla in calming the skin, as well as cleansing it from acne breakouts and unleashing a fragrance, which relaxes the user as well. Currently only used the product on my face, I have found that within 20 minutes of using this product as a facial mask, my skin has been left to have a healthier glow and clearer complexion, whilst the Marigold not only draws us "closer to god" (or so the Ancient Egyptians believed) but it also has many benefits for the skin, helping this product to soothe skin dryness or chapped areas and Marigold is also known to be very helpful for skin irritations such as eczema, dermatitis etc.
I would recommend using this product as a face mask, in particular when the face is in need of a gentle cleanse.
Rating: 4/5 

Cosmetic Warrior-Price: £6.75 Vegan-Friendly.
Upon accidentally *coughs* falling into Lush in Exeter, I was gifted by a lovely assistant, whose name I believe to be Linzy, though I am 99% sure that's wrong I'll go back and correct this (sorry!) who offered me a consultation to help fix the dreadful skin that occurred thanks to Superdrug products and within this heroic attempt to save my skin, she gifted me with the introduction of this beautiful facemask once again and yet again, I fell in love. Although not one of the most fragrant smells or most enjoyable, the ingredients within cosmetic warrior still make the skin thirsty and excited, ready to absorb all of its moisturising, soothing and anti-inflammatory goodness. The garlic within the product has been known by many for it's anti-aging, pore minimising, removal of blackheads and whiteheads as well as anti-fungal and infection prevention qualities. When combined with the moisture of honey, tea tree and green grapes the skin definitely falls in love with this product and it really did help to soothe my overly irritated skin. This was the other facemask I received free when recycling/returning my pots to store and has quickly become an essential in my fridge for really bad days.
Rating: 5/5

Tea Tree Steam Toner Tablet-Price: £1.
Bargain alert but also a massive pain to set up, OK I love this product but it required a lot of effort and although now, I have a wonderful bottle of toner that cost me £2 which was a bargain! It wasn't that easy. The Tea tree toner tablets are absolutely adorable and pretty easy to use, just ensure you have access to a kettle with some boiling water, a bowl and your hair is up, away from the face; a cloth or towel to hold the bowl with close to the face as well. Drop the tablet into the hot water and place your face over the bowl, allowing the steam to rise and get ready to literally feel all of your dirt leave your skin. I did thoroughly enjoy the steaming experience and I could literally just feel all of the dirt leaving as my pores opened up, however, it's probably a pain because I'm miles away from a kettle and I wanted the steam experience in the comfort of my own room. The tea tree cleanses the face, combating acne whilst calming the skin, being fairly gentle. What I love about this product is the fact you can pour the remainder of it, into a spray bottle to use as a toner for the rest of the week or month, I used two tablets within my toning experience and filled the whole bottle meaning I gained a toner for a very cheap price. I did really enjoy this product and in a spirit of efforts, I would most definitely repurchase!
Rating: 3/5

9 to 5 Cleansing Lotion-Price: £5.10 for 95g, £9.95 for 240g Vegan-friendly.Another product used during my consultation and honestly, this product has quickly flown to a must have on my next lush shopping list. Instantly, upon applying this soft and gentle cleanser via a cotton cloth deep into the skin with a massage, my skin just absorbed the goodness instantly and began to feel relaxed, calm and even skin tone. The product is a milky, soothing, refreshing and moisturising milk like cream in a fairly big bottle and ideally, I would recommend using after removing makeup and before applying makeup so your skin can really benefit from the wonders of this product. The almond oil within the product helps the skin to plump, moisturise, removing of dead skins and impurities as well as gives the skin many vitamins which it requires for repair, whilst the Dove orchid extract to be a soft, gentle skin clearing ingredient meaning it may offer some protection from pollution and other harmful environmental hazards your skin may come into contact with. As I left the shop my skin was so nourished and refreshed, it could feel the wind and it felt good against my complexion something, which since using the Superdrug products, I just felt my skin was very much smothered, very eager to try this product further and combination with the final product on this list, it was a dream consultation.
Rating: 5/5 (so far!) 

Celestial Moisturiser-Price: £12.95 Vegan-Friendly.
On my lovely little sample pot, the extremely helpful Lush consultant placed the words “fave moisturiser” and I feel she might have had a right too. Again, this was the final product she used in the consultation and my skin just adored it so much. Whatever it was stripped of thanks to the Superdrug cosmetics, Lush yet again saved my skin with this moisturising, soothing and calming moisturising. Basing alone of the skin of the lush representative, her skin was so radiant and youthful I will put money on it that after years of use, the moisturiser soon enough took 20 years off her. She looked FABULOUS and I felt fabulous after just one use of this moisturiser. The blend of vanilla, dove orchid and almond oil reinforced and complimented the 9 to 5 cleanser extremely well, giving my skin the rejuvenation it much deserved.I really do hope to test this moisturiser out in the long run in the near future and I can let you know if it continues to work its magic!
Rating: 5/5 (so far!) 

That’s it for this Lush Review my lovelies, thank you so much for reading and stay tuned as I have my Lush bath review video being uploaded very soon.xoxo

Monday 7 March 2016

Silent Scream by Angela Marson's (Review)

Silent Scream by Angela Marsons

Thrilling, psychological and almost too believable to be crime fiction, Angela Marson’s novel “Silent scream” creates hard-hitting twists, suspense, disgust and chills as we follow the story of detective Kim Stone in another investigation really does place you at the heart of the streets, where Tolkien found inspiration for Mordor, where Charles Dickens found disgust and where Queen Victoria begged for her blinds to be shut, the very same place where I spent 11 years of my life and I would not change it for the world; the Black Country.  
When a series of murders, starting with a headmistress, Teresa Wyatt, Kim Stone is called out to investigate. Teresa was found dead in her bathtub, submerged under the bubbles and water with bruising under her breasts, little did Kim stone and the rest of the team know that it would link to a series of murders from many years ago, at an old children’s home near Rowley Regis Crematorium; something which hits Kim Stone a little harder to home. 
Angela Marson has created so many wonderful and some twisted characters making you feel unsafe, in this already unsafe environment. Although guarded, the sheer determination and heroic attempts of bringing justice to victims mean all readers fall in love with our protagonist and heroine, Kim Stone.
Marson gives us a background run within this novel as Kim is challenged with dealing with her previous demons, through the victims of rape and murder. Marson’s sense of mystery in this third person novel has us completely unaware of who committed the modern murders and murders of many moons ago her writing style was somewhat similar to the style of Lynda LaPlante in “Twisted” and I particularly enjoyed although was very mortified when we entered the mind of the perpetrator of the murders within the childcare home. Each description and murder was more graphic and horrifying than the others, even summarised with just four words and no more, leaving the next set of horrors for the readers to imagine; “Then I grabbed the saw” she really made the murders and horrors almost feel like a part of reality by describing it in such a descriptive yet subtle way; as mortified as you are you find yourself continuously reading on.
The description of the Black Country was so accurate, it was literally like returning to my previous hometown without needing a train ticket, it hit quite close to home for myself as well as the crime scene and place where Kim Stone’s brother is buried, is the exact same place my younger brother Liam has been buried. It was almost like visiting his grave without actually being there and this is something I really did love, made me feel close to family, even in the grim circumstances of the novel.
The exploration of the protagonists brings us an understanding as to why she became a detective, at the same time brought a great level of empathy from me as a reader, almost as though although Kim Stone is very guarded, you feel close to her and wish to reach out to her, perhaps because she is right where I grew up made me feel a lot closer to this protagonist as well as the fact she’s in a position as a detective, something I would love to have the opportunity to do as a career choice.
The twisted individual, who committed the crimes from many moons ago, triggered the trauma and horror, which caused the most recent murders to take place. Both committed by different people, one series of murders grimmer than others, the novel explores the mind of two murderers and the detective, something for me makes it a very interesting read. We have one murderer who we end up empathising with and another who makes us feel sick to our stomachs. At the same time, one of the murders you could argue links quite closely to Kim Stone herself and therefore, perhaps this is why we see her being a lot kinder on one than the other due to empathy and understanding; readers opinions reflected through the protagonist.
Marson’s has created an absolutely fantastic psychological thriller within the world of “Silent scream” and from this novel alone we develop a very good understanding of the detective and we see diverse motives of murder. I really did enjoy this novel for the diversity exploration alone, all just in one novel, as well as the gutsy determination of Kim Stone, I would definitely recommend this novel to lovers of psychological thriller and I am very eager to read more novels from Angela Marson, in particular, more on the crime fiction stories of Kim Stone.

Rating 5/5.