Fitness Fads and New Year's Resolutions

It's almost the end of the year which means the blogosphere will soon be swimming in resolutions to lose weight, join the gym and get more sleep.  There's nothing wrong with this.  I've been there, year after year, penning my list of resolutions and deciding that this will be the year I actually stick to them.  I'm a great advocate for not needing a new year to spark a change but there's something about January that just seems to work well for resolutions.

This year I've decided to do something different.  Yesterday, 28th December, I started working on my new year's resolutions. I'm hoping that without the pressure of starting in 2015 and having to stick it out to the end of January, I might be more successful.  Also, I'm going to blog about it here so I have you lot to respond to if I don't keep it up!

I want to be healthier.  I'm going to do it the old-fashioned way though by eating better and moving more.  No more fad fitness regimes or diets.  I've started running.  For those of you that know me, this may come as a bit of a shock.  I hate running.  2015 isn't going to be the year I run a marathon but I'm hoping I may be able to get round a 5K without collapsing in the near future.  I started the Couch to 5K programme at the start of the summer (yeah I realise it's only supposed to take nine weeks to complete but see above: "I hate running").  I'm now on week seven and running continuously for 25 minutes which is something I never thought would happen when I was wheezing just running down the road at week one.

Why am I running if I hate it?  Good question.  Yes, there are plenty of other ways to get fitter but I have to pass a fitness test which involves running so it's necessary.  Apart from that, I kind of want to conquer that childhood belief that I was rubbish at running and maybe find out why so many people actually enjoy it.

So, this is the start of my health revolution.  It's not going to be one of those fad diets with instant results but if you want to follow my journey of trying to learn to love running, then be sure to follow me on bloglovin or any of my other social media.

-Jenny :) x

Uni Packing List

Congratulations to you all for getting into university.  It's getting quite close to the start of term now so get packing!  I've listed what I think are all the essentials below in different sections.  Scroll down to the bottom to get a printable PDF version too!

Print out a PDF copy of the packing list here

Congrats, you got into uni! Now what?!

Getting the grades to get into university seems like the hard part but there's actually still quite a lot to do once you've been accepted.  Here's my little guide to make getting to freshers' week that bit easier.

1. You should receive a confirmation letter from your university/UCAS.  Make sure you follow any instructions if you're asked to on your letter.

2. Setup a student bank account.  You should already have all your student finances in place if you're getting a maintenance loan/any grants etc. However, it's worth researching some student bank accounts for your money to be paid into.  Typically, student accounts should offer you an overdraft that doesn't charge you for going into.  Also, some banks offer perks as I got a free rail card when I joined Santander last year.  I'd recommend setting it up in branch though as I did it online and it wasn't ready to use until several weeks into term.

3. Get your uni card and email sorted.  This may differ from uni to uni but at Exeter, we sent in the photo and details for our uni card before arriving so that it was ready from day one.  Also, you should get a university email and usually some kind of online account.

4. Check your accommodation.  Hopefully you'll get an offer of accommodation in halls if you applied for it.  Make sure you pay your deposit, check out when you can move in and book a moving in slot if necessary.  Also, check when you have to pay your first term's accommodation.  Mine was due before my student loan came in so you may have to speak nicely to your parents...

5. Look up your reading lists.  You should be able to see what books you need to buy for your course online.  Your uni might get in contact with you about this any work/reading you need to do in advance of your first week.  It's worth checking out amazon/ebay/facebook to see if you can get any books second hand as they get quite pricy!

6. Join Facebook groups.  See if you can find the society for your subject on Facebook.  There is likely to be people selling their old books on here at a much cheaper price and you can meet people on your course.  There may also be a group for your halls and you can get introducing yourself prior to moving in.

7. Pack!  There's an awful lot of things to take to uni, especially if you're self-catered so get packing well in advance.  Make sure you check to see if there's anything you're not allowed to bring into halls such as candles or electrical appliances.  I'm going to try and get a packing list up for you all in the next few days so watch this space!

8. Meet up with friends.  It might be a while before you see your friends from school again as you're all about to go off in different directions.  It's really nice to try and meet up with as many people as possible to chat about going off to uni/starting work/travelling.

I hope this makes everything seem a little more manageable although I know there's a lot to do before that first night out in freshers' week!  I'm going to be writing some more posts and filming some more uni related videos over the next few days so let me know if you have any requests.  Here's a few videos I've already made that you may find helpful:

• Uni Haul 
• Uni Room Tour 
• Uni Kitchen Tour 
• How to Survive Your First Year of Uni 

Shooting, Stampedes and Summer!

It's been a while.  This blog has been a little neglected recently but we're getting back on track, promise!  Back in May I finished my first year of university and am now "allowed" to continue onto second year.  I'm currently working on some uni related videos so let me know if you have any questions or specific video requests.  My first year of uni has honestly been the best year of my life and I'm really looking forward to going back in September.  Since then, I spent two weeks in Wales on annual camp with the Officer Training Corps.  We spent three days on the ranges, getting the chance to shoot both rifles and pistols which was great fun.




The next five days were spent in the field which is kind of like camping but without the tent!  I don't think I've ever shivered so much in my life so let's just say it was character building.  The remainder of our time was spent adventure training and I finally got the chance to throw myself out of a plane...parachute firmly attached!

I'm now writing this post from Canmore, Canada where I'm spending six weeks with my family.  The day after we arrived we went to the Calgary Stampede which I've wanted to go to for a long time.

I'm now working full-time at a local restaurant which is incredibly busy.  Being surrounded by the Rocky Mountains whilst working isn't so bad though!  I also turn 19 on Monday so I'm looking forward to celebrating with my family.  I'll be sorry to say goodbye to being 18 though, it's been a good year.

Anyway, that's my little update for now.  I'm working on new videos for you, as always, so let me know what you want to see in the next month or so.  I hope you're all having a great summer so far!

-Jenny :) x

How to Survive Exam Season

The sun is just beginning to come out which means one thing...exam season.  Yes, just as it is perfect weather for spending time outside, you're stuck in the house revising.  This time of year is incredibly stressful and sometimes it seems as though you'll never be rid of the textbooks and revision notes.  So, I've created this guide to try and help you through it.

Before the exams start...

1. Make a timetable and jot down when all your exams are.  This way you know exactly how long you have to prepare for each exam and don't get caught off guard by any of them.

2. Find out how you revise best and stick with it.  This could be anything from making rainbow coloured mindmaps to putting post-it notes all over the house.  Does music help or are you better off in silence?

3. Start with the hard stuff.  It's really tempting to just read over the topics you already know but focus on the parts you find harder.  This means you'll be able to spend longer on them and go over them a few times before actually sitting the exam.  Also, if you have lots of exams then this is a good method for starting to revise those subjects which may be one of the last exams and you might not have as much time to prepare for them.

4. Be realistic.  Don't expect to be able to revise for twelve hours a day and take everything in.  Similarly, don't start revising the night before your History exam if you haven't understood a single topic since the start of term... Try to revise for a few hours each day and split up your revision into manageable chunks.  It's really important to take regular breaks too so that you stay both motivated and sane!  Throughout the day, you can have mini treats and breaks (chocolate works particularly well for this).  On top of this, try to plan a couple of days to look forward to such as meeting up with your friends through the revision period so you can get out of the house.

5. Use your friends and family.  Get a second opinion on your English essay to check your argument is clear or ask someone to test your understanding of mitosis.  Either way, it can be much more fun to revise with someone else and also spend time not all alone in your room.

The night before the exam...

1. Pack your pencil case.  There's nothing worse than realising there's not a single pen in your house the morning of your exam so check you have everything the night before.  Also, ensure that everything complies with your school's exam regulations and you have the necessary equipment for each exam as it may differ e.g. a calculator, maths set...

2. Get plenty of sleep.  Try and go to bed early before your exam as it might take a bit longer for you to fall asleep than normal.

3. Review your notes.  Read through your notes and maybe get a family member to test you.  This way the knowledge can consolidate whilst you sleep and you can go to bed confident that you're ready for the exam (if that's ever possible!).

4. Check what time your exam.  Just in case you think it's an afternoon exam and it's actually in the morning...

5. Relax.  Yeah, I know this is kind of difficult but have a bath or watch your favourite tv show before bed so that your brain can switch off for a bit and you'll be able to fall asleep peacefully rather than reciting Pythagoras' Theorem.

During the exam...

1. Read the instructions.  You'll probably already have done lots of practise papers but just in case, ensure that you're doing what you're supposed to e.g. if there's a choice of questions and you're only required to answer one don't be an idiot and waste your time trying to answer them all.

2. Don't panic.  If you can't answer a question, simply skip it and come back to it later.  There's no point stressing over it and even if it's difficult, you'll probably be able to at least give it a go later on.

3. Read the question (RTFQ).  Like above, don't start the question until you understand what you're being asked to do.  Also, don't try and bend the question to suit something you've answered when revising - examiners will recognise this and mark you down!

4. Look at the marks available.  This should give you some indication of how much time to spend on each question.  Don't both writing an essay for a four mark question.  Similarly, a sentence probably won't suffice for a forty mark question.

5. There's no trick questions.  It's hard to believe sometimes, but the examiners are looking to award marks and aren't completely sadistic.  Try not to answer anything in a wildly different manner to how you've been taught as the exam papers are designed to test what you've been doing in class. You should be able to apply your knowledge to any question.  If you're really stuck, look back at the previous questions in the paper as they may jog your memory or have clues for how to tackle the question you're on.

After the exam...

1. Celebrate!  You survived - congrats!  If you've completed all your exams then you have a nice long summer to enjoy and if not, then at least it's another one down.

2. Refuel.  If you have another exam that day, make sure you drink some water and eat something (again, chocolate works well!).

3. Avoid post-exam analysis.  Your friends will probably ask what you got for question four, part b or whether you chose the question on eco-tourism or rebranding but try to avoid getting caught up in it all. There's nothing you can do to change your answer now and someone will always be upset if they didn't get the exact same answer as others.

4. Take a break.  Allow yourself a bit of time off before revising for your next exam.  Try and clear your mind of all the facts crammed in there for the exam you've just sat before revising for the next one.

5. Put things in perspective.  These exams probably seem like the most important thing in the world and they are certainly something to take seriously.  However, it's not the end of the world if they don't all go to plan and there are plenty of options to remedy it.  It might not seem like it now but in years to come, you'll wonder why you ever stressed about them at all.

Useful Links...

Videos...
Make Revision Easy (10 Top Tips): http://bit.ly/1jUAkP1
How to Get an A for Your Essay: http://bit.ly/1gJXSCo
Get Better Grades at School: http://bit.ly/1nhLDnW
Motivate Yourself: http://bit.ly/1gWx0Ti
How to Survive A-Levels: http://bit.ly/1f9BZfg

Top Revision Tips for Exam Success: http://bit.ly/1hZsKUS (Fleur DeForce)

How NOT to Revise: http://bit.ly/1mngKMb

Music...
Chilled, relaxing tunes (think Bon Iver, Bastille and Gabrielle Aplin): http://bit.ly/1iAeIYx

Upbeat, indie study jam (think Passenger, Kodaline and Mumford & Sons): http://bit.ly/1mnhctQ

A long day of revision (think Bombay Bicycle Club, The Fray and Coldplay): http://bit.ly/1dQOPCV


You are always welcome to contact me with any worries about exams or anything else:

Tweet me @JennyWelsh28
Email me at deargeekchic@hotmail.co.uk
Message me on tumblr at http://deargeekchic.tumblr.com/

Best of luck! :)

Emma Watson's Oscar Makeup

Most of the makeup looks for the 2014 Oscars were quite natural and featured nude lips.  As a result, Emma's makeup really stood out for me.  Her disheveled, undone hairstyle worked perfectly with her makeup to make her look effortlessly glamorous.

You can check out my tutorial below for a step-by-step guide on how to achieve Emma's look but here's a list of the products I used and some bonus tips.

• To get Emma's luminous skin, use an illuminating concealer on the high-points and center of your face e.g. brow bone, down the nose, under the eyes and tops of the cheekbones.  Skip the powder too for added dewiness.
• Use a black pencil eyeliner to tightline the upper lash line or use a liner brush with black shadow right at the root of the lashes.  This will give the appearance of thicker lashes whilst keeping the eye makeup quite natural.
• Apply a little concealer around the lips after applying the red lipstick.  This will give a sharper line and prevent the lipstick bleeding.

Products Used:

Laura Mercier Silk Cream Foundation in Cream Ivory

Collection 2000 Illuminating Touch Concealer

Rimmel Bronzer in Sun Bronze

Unbranded Plum Blusher

MAC Paint Pot in Painterly

Urban Decay Eye Shadows in Virgin, Buck and Naked

Rimmel Scandaleyes Liner in Black

Soap and Glory Thick and Fast Mascara

New CID Cosmetics i-Groom Pencil

17 Supreme Shine Lipstick in Red Devil

Beginner's Guide to Makeup

One of my friends asked if I would do a video on where to start with makeup if you have no idea.  I tried to put myself into that mindset and realised how confusing the world of cosmetics is to someone just starting out.  This first video hopefully gives you a brief overview into the main areas of makeup and a basic suggestion for application.  I'm going to do a few more in this beginner's series though, going right back to basics.  First up, I'm in the process of working on an eyeshadow video to take you from day to night.  If you have any other suggestions then please let me know!

New Year, New Blog?

So I'm already a little behind as I'm writing this post on the first day of February.  Anyway, I've been unhappy with my old blog deargeekchic@blogspot.co.uk for a while and wanted to change things up a bit.  The hope is that this blog will be a way to keep everything in one place.  I want to keep you up to date with the videos I'm uploading, products I'm loving as well as what's going on in my life.  I've not quite got the hang of the whole blogging thing yet and I'm going to be working on the layout in the upcoming weeks so bear with me please!

2014 has gotten off to a good start for me so far and I really hope the same is true for you too.

Product Wars: Bioderma vs L'oreal Skin Perfection Micellar Water

Bioderma has become quite a cult product in the beauty blogging world with everyone seemingly loving it.  I’m not going to lie I was quite sceptical at first.  I mean, it looks just like water and I didn’t see how it could be such a magical makeup remover.  However, after spotting it in a pharmacy in Covent Garden, I bought the travel version to see what all the hype was about.  After my first time using it I was hooked.  It removes waterproof mascara like nothing else I’ve tried and it doesn’t irritate my eyes or skin either – double bonus!

Get the Look: Clary Fray (The Mortal Instruments)

I'm a huge fan of the books and so I'm really excited for the release of the film.  Clary has quite an edgy look but it's also really easy to replicate using stuff you already have.  I've done a whole video on this look which you can checkout below, but if you prefer reading as opposed to watching then here's a written version too.

Leavers' Ball/Prom

I've just uploaded a video of 'Get Ready With Us: Leavers' Ball/Prom', however, there wasn't time to show all the products used.  So, here they are!  If you haven't seen the video, then check it out here:

The Great Gatsby Film Review and Makeup

I've been looking forward to seeing 'The Great Gatsby' for months as the release date kept getting pushed back.  Having studied the novel in English Literature, I was skeptical as to how the first person narration would work on the screen as well as getting across Fitzgerald's symbolic references.  I think Baz Luhrmann succeeded in doing this but like the rest of the film, this was done with a heavy hand.  From start to finish, the film is over-the-top and exuberant in its approach.  That is not to say it is a bad thing,  as the glittering party scenes are brought to life in a vivid, vibrant style of the 1920s.  However, the more somber exchanges regarding the Gatbsy - Daisy - Tom love triangle seem to fall a bit flat in comparison. It is as though Luhrmann's dazzling style is as stiffing as Mrytle's apartment, preventing the actors from just being able to act.

Nivea Express Hydration Primer Review

I've been hearing about this product from several bloggers recently so I decided to pick it up and try it for myself.  Nivea isn't a brand I buy many products from but I've been looking for a good primer and moisturizer and this combines both!

I like that it is available for two different skin types: Normal/Combination and Dry/Sensitive.  I have it in Normal/Combination and I'm really pleased with it.  An extra few minutes in bed each morning is always my priority, so having two products combined in one easy step is a big bonus in my books!

A Bite-free Vampire Transformation

If you haven't already seen my 'Bella Cullen Transformation Tutorial', then check it out below.  This post is just going to go over what products and clothes I used.

MUA Undressed Palette vs. Urban Decay Naked Palette

I've mentioned several times before how much I love my Urban Decay Naked Palette.  I got it last Christmas and it's been used pretty much everyday since.  However, I spotted MUA's Undressed Palette in Superdrug and thought it looked pretty similar....

After comparing them, the colours and almost identical and it's ideal dupe.  It's also just £4 whilst the Naked Palette retails for £36!

***I've just transferred everything across from my old blog, hence why my old blog address is on these photos - sorry!***

The Naked Palette has a velvet cover which everything sticks to!  The MUA palette is more practical but does feel cheaper and quite 'plasticy'.  However, the MUA palette does fit much better in my makeup bag so is a great size for travelling.

Barry M's 'Summer Ice Cream' Nail Varnish

Since I love my Barry M nail varnish in 'Mint Green', I went and bought another from the collection.  'Strawberry Ice Cream' is more of a summer colour but I'm a sucker for pink so got it anyway!

The polish applies really well and is a lovely, classic pink shade - I'd almost call it 'Barbie-pink!'.  I applied three coats but you could get away with just two.  The polish also lasted really well on my nails and looks really smooth and shiny!

Barry M Nail Paints retail for £2.99 and are available online as well as in Boots or Superdrug.

DIY Brush Holders

Makeup brushes can easily be left all over the place, especially if you're in a rush to get ready.  However, I've come up with a little DIY project to keep them all neat and tidy!

Organising Eyeshadow Quads/Mini Palettes

There came a time where I just had  to sort out my eyeshadow palettes.  I had lots of quads and mini palettes that came as part of a big set or just lots that had similar packaging.  As a result, I couldn't quickly work out which colours were in each so I ended up not reaching for them at all.

So, I decided to paint the top edge of each quad/palette with a corresponding nail varnish.  This way, it means I can tell which colours are where when they are all stacked up.

Purple nail varnish for these pretty lilac and mauve eyeshadows.

Gold nail varnish for my neutrals or metallics.

Here's the completed look!  It's much easier to find colours now and I'm reaching for these quads a lot more now!

Let me know if you have any good makeup organisation tips!

Let's Get this Color Show on the Road

Whilst I was in Canada I picked up a Maybelline Colour Show Nail Lacquer in 'Fierce n Tangy'.  I don't normally choose bright nail varnish (especially in yellow!) but this one was super cheap so I had to try it.

I applied two coats of the lacquer before finishing with my Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Topcoat.  I was really impressed with the opacity of this polish and the colour was really fun.  Yellow polishes are often never as they appear in the bottle so I was pleased that it was easy to achieve the same brightness as in the bottle.

The lacquer lasted really well on my nails for about a week before chipping.  I bought mine from Walmart for $2.97 so went I go back I will definitely pick up a few more colours!

Let me know if you've tried any polishes from this range :)

Feeling 'Passionate' about Lush's Liquid Lipsticks

LUSH's Liquid Lipsticks are part of their new 'Emotional Brilliance' range.  The idea is that you go in store, spin a colour wheel and pick out the colours that catch your attention.  These then correspond to different products in store.  I think the idea is a bit gimmicky but I loved the colour of this so had to try it out!