Monday, 27 June 2016

Scarves Can Still Be Worn In Summer| My Debenhams Summer Look

Move out of the way Spring wardrobe, Summer has officially arrived! With the first full week of Summer done and dusted, I thought that I would first pimp up Eltoria with a Summer beauty and fashion combination. For years I have always wanted to rock a long skirt with a crop top but I have never had the confidence to style them together (until now). So with fears set aside and wanting to make my own stamp in this blogger's world, I want to be be the first fashion blogger to claim that scarves can still be worn in Summer. Every year I always find it hard to say goodbye to my cosy tartan scarf, so it's about time I create my very own tartan scarf 2.0.

So let's start with the outfit itself. This Zibi London Black Boned Crop Top (adjustable straps) has gorgeous black lace detailing on it and can be worn without a bra due its current inbuilt support. The Dorothy Perkins Khaki High Waisted Tube Skirt is perfect combined with this crop top, but I found that it also sat nicely on the hips (so the choice is yours).

Personally for me, I believe that the accessories completely make this outfit. This Warehouse Wide Brim Panama hat looks amazing and I really think it adds to the Summer vibe (who can't resist a straw hat when its hot outside). With the fashion world almost forgetting how good a clog styled shoe looks, I decided to go for these Wallis Black T-Bar Clog Sandals to relight a once loved flame. They are the perfect sandal if you are wanting a slight heel and they are pretty versatile when it comes to pairing them with different outfits. This Miss Selfridge Black Lace Skinny Scarf on the other hand steals the show... just look how effective it is. What I love about this scarf is that it almost reminds me of a choker, a very long choker for that matter, and it just adds a whole lot of sophistication to this outfit. It's light, soft and matches the lace on the Zibi London Crop Top, this outfit was just meant to be.

An outfit isn't quite complete without it's own makeup look so I gave baking a try (not baking a cake of course). Baking is an effective way to create a flawless matte finish to the skin whilst highlighting your bone structure just like a Kardashian. So to match the greens and blacks in the outfit, I decided to create a smokey pink eye and a nude lip. So with using a few products from Debenhams, I created a Summer Makeup Tutorial video on my YouTube channel (you can check that out by clicking here or by clicking the thumbnail below). The products I used are listed below:

Above: click on the thumbnail to check out my Summer Makeup Tutorial video
MAC Prep + Prime Skin
MAC Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer NC15
Vichy Dermablend Setting Powder
MAC 212 Definer Brush
MAC Eyebrow Pencil
MAC Cosmetic Fluidline Brow Gelcreme
MAC Brooke Shields Brow Set
MAC Bronzing Powder
NARS Orgasm Blusher
NYX Jumbo Pencil in Cottage Cheese
Rimmel London Black Eyeliner
Artdeco Liquid Eyeliner
MAC Mascara
Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette
MAC Eye Shadow (Expensive Pink
Eyelure Volume False Lashes
Smashbox Cherry Smoke Palette
MAC Matte Lipstick Persistence

To finish off, I need to stress how amazing this makeup sponge by Pamper Therapy is. As you can see from my Summer Makeup Tutorial on YouTube, this sponge was amazing when it came to applying and blending the foundation, concealer and translucent powder into my skin. It's pointy edge makes it really easy apply concealer underneath the eye, and it was a major key tool when it came to baking the face (it is pretty much impossible to do without this sponge). I found that the sponge works best when you use it wet- it made the foundation streak free and it was much easier to pick up the translucent powder for baking. It is definitely a must have tool to have in your make up kit and you can pick one up here for £7.95.

What would your Summer makeup and style be?
Much Love
Eltoria x


Eltoria- South West Beauty, Fashion and Lifestyle Blogger and South West YouTuber
Be sure to check out my recent Summer Makeup Tutorial video (click here) 
Share:
Posted by at Edit this post

Tuesday, 21 June 2016

How I Motivate Myself To Workout

You're tired, I get you. You're too busy, I understand. But there is 1,440 minutes in a day and you only need 30 minutes for a good workout, so in my eyes there is always time for exercise. Sure most of us are tired from leading busy lives, I mean, I work a full time job, run a full time blog, run a YouTube channel, have a great social life, run around like a headless chicken most of the time trying to attend meetings on time, but everyday I will leave an hour/hour and a half for a work out. Heck if I am that busy I will squeeze in a cheeky ab session in a lunch time at work. But seriously, I wouldn't change my routine for the world... why? Because I feel absolutely amazing for it. 

When I was at university I aways used to say that I had no time exercise, I mean I used to study for 12 hours straight a day but was that really an excuse? No. The truth really was that I couldn't be bothered to go because it meant having to get changed, get there, have a shower after, and oh, I was also mega tired from studying. Bad Eltoria I know. But that was 2 years ago and my attitudes towards exercise have completely changed. I've never really had body issues (fortunately I have always had a slim figure) but have I been unfit, errr yeah. Apart from starting to gain a little extra weight around my waist and thighs, the simplest things like cycling to university would be a gruelling task. Also running for a train would make me hot, sweaty and out of breath. These are all simple day to day tasks, why should these feelings be the norm for a 21 year old? Something had to change.

Above: click on the thumbnail to check out my fitness story
As soon as I left university the first thing I did was join a gym. Now as a child/teen I was always into sport, so my sport knowledge was pretty good. But stepping into a gym and using the equipment properly, I had no idea what I was doing. So yeah, I had to completely re-educate myself. I got help from a personal trainer for a while but I then started to pick the brains of the internet and fellow gym friends that I had made. Never feel bad for asking questions, it is the best way to learn and also get inspired. I also found that going to the gym made significant improvements in other areas of my life, for example, diet and confidence. I can now honestly day that if I do not exercise in a few days, I generally start to feel really lethargic and sometimes it can start to effect my mood. But don't get me wrong, this whole fitness game isn't all rainbows and flowers.

Some days I really do struggle to get myself to the gym, so to make it easier for myself I take my gym kit to work and drive straight there after (and trust me, this really does help!). I also follow a training plan that I had prepared for me by James Whipp Fitness (here) and I generally feel really bad if I skip a session. I also believe that fitness plans are also really good for guidance, that way you are able to research the exercises before going the gym and it gives you the opportunity to prepare some questions for a PT at the gym. So here are a few other things that help me get motivated for the gym:

- Book a session with a training partner (your sister, brother, friend etc)
- Keep before and after photos, you will definitely see difference after a while!
- Keep inspirational photos on your phone (fitness pics, body goal pics etc)
- Take your iPod with you and create a damn good playlist
- Eat clean, train dirty- you have to balance the two out!
- Buy some new gym gear (a personal favourite)
- Set realistic targets and have a goal in mind (for example, beach ready for a holiday)
- Talk to other fitness enthusiast (I find so motivating)
- Plan a time for each day to exercise and stick to it

So what else can you do to motivate yourself? If you have children or a responsibility which means that you cannot leave the house, try home workouts. There are some amazing HIIT YouTube videos, apps, workout DVDs and even books- they are all really affordable or for free! You also don't have to go to the gym, maybe join a running club, a team or go swimming. There are so many other things you can do so don't feel obliged that going to the gym is the only option.

What do you like to do to keep yourself motivated?
Much Love 
Eltoria x


Eltoria- South West Beauty, Fashion and Lifestyle Blogger and South West YouTuber
Share:
Posted by at Edit this post

Sunday, 19 June 2016

Skin Genius| How To Keep Your Skin Spot Free This Summer

It's coming to that time of year where our skin gets a lot more oiler- it's hot, humid and our skin is prone to the odd pimple or two. If you think that you need a load of chemicals to banish problematic skin, then you can think again. Skin Genius's 'no junk' attitude uses the most natural ingredients that gets on top of hormones to balance skin naturally to keep it clear. For years I have stressed on this blog that using natural ingredients on your skin is the best way to treat troubled skin- it soothes, it balances and goes to the root of the problem. The skin especially on your face is incredibly delicate so using the best engineered skin treatments is the best way to banish your skin worries. Believe it or not, using highly chemically products can in fact cause more damage than good- so take note.

The three important steps that you must do in order to maintain an effective and hygienic skin routine is cleansing, toning and moisturising. Without incorporating these three important steps into a skin routine, I believe that it is hard to keep clear and hydrated skin (especially if you generally have problematic skin). So if you are still wanting to wear your foundation throughout the summer you may have to start looking after your skin a little more. No one likes the look of blocked up pores (ew).

Recently I have been cleansing my skin with Skin Genius's Facial Wash and its foam texture is incredibly gentle on the skin. I have been using this product day and night and it leaves my skin feeling ever so fresh- a perfect way to start and end the day. The Clarifying Lotion on the other hand is my my favourite beauty child out of this trio. It is unbelievable the amount of dirt that this product is able to lift from the skin and all you have to do it pop it onto a cotton pad and work it into the skin in circular motions. To finish off my daily routine, I always pop on a small amount of Skin Genius's Moisturising Lotion which is a light moisturiser which is non comedogenic (meaning it will not block the pores). This moisturiser contains nut oils which are similar to the body's own sebum, so it is able to control oil production which also helps to protect blocked pores from turning into spots. I only use around a 'pea size' day and night and it has worked wonders- it leaves my skin not too oily and not too dry.

As you can see from the picture far above (and below), my skin looks incredibly clear and nor does it look oily. I was amazed on how these products were able to leave my skin with that fresh tingly feeling without having any chemicals in them (they all had the fresh smell of oranges and mint). The biggest result was around my nose area, the amount of blocked pores significantly decreased and I did not get one single spot! I loved trying out this range and I do highly recommend it.

Do you suffer from problematic skin? Would you try any of the above?
Much Love
Eltoria x


Eltoria- South West Beauty, Fashion and Lifestyle Blogger and South West YouTuber
Share:
Posted by at Edit this post

Wednesday, 15 June 2016

Cohorted Beauty Box

Something for the lips, nails and body- oh how I love my monthly Cohorted beauty box! If you have never heard of Cohorted before, they kind of remind me of the beauty version of ASOS, so you are able to discover new products whist in the comfort of your own home (and with a cup of tea and biscuit of course). If you are too a beauty magpie just like myself, the montly beauty box is a great way to discover new products at a major discounted rate (and I know how much us Eltorians love a bit of a discount). Personally I feel that without this monthly box, I hand on heart wouldn't of fallen in love or even discovered half of these products. Oh Cohorted you are quite the beauty cupid!
Firstly can we please appreciate the cuteness of this Miss Patisserie bath melt box- IT HAS THE ELTORIA BLACK STRIPES ON IT. Ok compose yourself Eltoria. This bath melt by Miss Patisserie is unreal- it smells better than a vanilla cupcake and their website has pictures of bath bombs in ice-cream cones (how flippin' cool). If you are a LUSH bath product fan, this is the next place to check out (I am honestly so impressed). So after I took a bath with Miss Patisserie, I popped on some of the Body Shop's White Musk Libertine Spray and I smelt delicious. The smell is quite strong so you would only need a couple of sprays and you can seriously smell the sweet notes of turkish delight, baby orchid and chantilly cream-mmm.
So let's face it, with Summer around the corner we have more of a pressure to look our best (no longer can we hide underneath our baggy jumpers). Some of you will know that I have been struggling with my nails since having acrylic nails almost 3 years ago- they pretty much break 90% of the time. Since taking two cod liver oil tablets a day and using the Gold Treatments nail products, my nails have grown so much stronger (just look at the before and after photos below). The buffing block has clear instructions on how to use on the front and applying a bit of cuticle oil after buffering helps to moisturise and nourish the cuticles stronger. The hand and nail cream is the perfect finish before applying my Sally Hansen Miracle Cure nail strengthener. The results speak volumes if I say so myself.
Above Top: Nails before Above Botton: Nails after
Pucker up and kiss the town pink- well that's what Cohorted seem to suggest anyway. I was really impressed that I received a MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil Crayon in the colour Kittenish in this month's box-it was definitely the treat of the box. Kittenish is a gorgeous pale pink colour which makes the perfect everyday lip product. On the other hand, the brand MDM Flowe is a lipstick connoisseur offering the beauty world the best lip service. This gorgeous colour is called Flamingo and it is going to look gorgeous on my lips this summer- just look at that pigment!

The value of this box is £85.00, but you can get one just like this for only £35.00 a month! Bargain. You can check it out by clicking here.

If you got a Cohorted monthly box, what would you like to see in it?
Much Love
Eltoria x

Don't forget to check out some of my new YouTube Videos

Eltoria- South West Beauty, Fashion and Lifestyle Blogger and South West YouTuber
Share:
Posted by at Edit this post

Sunday, 12 June 2016

How To Get Summer Body Ready

Now I am not going to lie to you. If you are currently a newbie in the gym, or if you haven't been working out that long, getting a six pack before the summer is a long shot (given that Summer is only a month away!). I am a massive believer that 'summer bodies are made in winter', but there's nothing stopping you from getting 'summer body ready' in the 5/4 weeks that we have left. So don't panic, put in that little extra effort, and let's get you bikini confident!

Just to put it out there, I am not a nutrition/gym expert. All of my tips in this post purely comes from personal experience. Sure, I've worked with personal trainers and nutritionists that do know what they are doing, but the key thing here is to listen to your body. I have never let myself go hungry or tried some ridiculous smoothie diet, food is your fuel and you should never think that eating is bad for you. If you are worried about what your are eating, please contact your GP or qualified nutritionist/PT who does know what they are talking about. I always find that their advice is extremely useful.

Above: click here to check out my Fitness Story
In the time we have left, the first thing to do is look into your diet. Personally I eat 5-6 times a day, typically smaller portions (enough not to make me starving!) and I roughly consume under 1,500 calories. Not only does eating regularly increase your metabolic rate, but it also keeps your energy levels stable. So, what do I eat? I usually start the day with oats, almonds, blueberries and almond milk (FYI, normal milk has so much sugar in it), or if I am feeling rather lazy I like to have a high protein yoghurt (low sugar) with oats. Around mid morning I like to snack on a banana or a small handful of unsalted nuts, and at lunch time it wouldn't be abnormal for me to have a turkey steak (or a chicken breast) with asparagus/avocado and sweet potato. Another favourite lunch meal of mine is a tin of tuna with avocado, cucumber and sweet corn- it literally takes minutes to put together. A mid-after noon snack would often be a boiled egg or unsalted rice cakes with cashew nut butter on top (throw a banana on top of you like, it tastes ever so dreamy), or if I want to treat myself, I may have a protein bar. For dinner I love having 5% beef steak mince, broccoli and sweet potato- but I do like to change it up a bit (but I'll leave that for another post).

As you can probably tell from my diet, there's a lot of protein in there. As I typically do a lot of weight training on top of cardio, it is extremely important that I keep my muscles fed so that they can repair themselves. I always make sure that I have a protein shake within half an hour after a training session (protein powders hit the muscles much quicker than digested foods) and I also like to take cod liver oil (x2 a day), Vitamin B (x1 half an hour before training) and more recently BCAA's during workout. I don't currently take fat burners but it is something that I would consider if I was 'cutting down'. You don't have to take supplements if you don't want to, but I found that the cod liver oil really helped with targeting fat areas and the Vitamin B works great a pre-workout energy injection. So here's a few simple things you must do in order to get summer body ready:

- Cut out sauces- calories matter!
- Drink unsugared drinks (water and green tea being the best)
- Prepare your daily meals
- Incorporate at least 30 minutes of cardio into every training session (important for a flat stomach)
- Eat regularly and clean (no chocolate bars!)

You can also do a number of beauty treatments to get yourself summer body ready too. Why not go for a spray tan, exfoliate your skin, and even harden up your nails with some protein polish. I would have to say that going manicure and pedicure seriously helps me get ready for the beach.

Whilst this is a general overview on how to get summer body ready, I will soon be bringing out a mini fitness series which will contain easy fitness routines and meals- so watch this space! Please comment below any post suggestions and I will be happy to jot them in my little Eltoria journal.

What do you like to do in order to get summer body ready?
Much Love
Eltoria x

Don't forget to check out some of my new YouTube Videos

Eltoria- South West Beauty, Fashion and Lifestyle Blogger and South West YouTuber
Share:
Posted by at Edit this post

Wednesday, 8 June 2016

Beauty Blogger Awards 2016 Finalist!

Firstly wow, thank you so much. After winning Best Beauty & Fashion Blog 2016 and Vlogger 2016 at the UK Blog Awards in April (click here to check that post) I never thought in a million years that I would be up for another lot of awards. This blog honestly amazes me every single day and it is slowly changing my life. After a few hellish months, this blog is becoming one of the most important things in my life. Despite going through a number of tragic circumstances in my personal life in the last few months, I always know that I can turn to Eltoria for a 'pick me up'. Whether it is winning awards, going on TV, reading your lovely comments, or even escaping my own head, this is one of the only things that makes me truly happy. I am living my dream.

Above: click on the thumbnail to check out my UK Blogs Awards post where I won best Beauty & Fashion Blog 2016 and Best Vlogger 2016
I am so honoured to be up for 'Best Designed Blog 2016' and 'Outstanding Career Achievement 2016'. Now the competition is extremely rife- there are so many well known bloggers/YouTubers/celebrities in these categories. I am just so amazed that I made it as a finalist. So just to say a massive thank you for your votes, I am giving one of you the chance to win £100 cash! All you have to do is vote for me in both categories and tweet about the give away through the portal below (so I know who you are). Easy peasy.



Thanks so much once again! I seriously appreciate all of your support and I would be forever in your debt if you vote for me.


Much Love
Eltoria x  

Don't forget to check out some of my new YouTube Videos

Eltoria- South West Beauty, Fashion and Lifestyle Blogger and South West YouTuber
Share:
Posted by at Edit this post

Sunday, 5 June 2016

Physiq Apparel Fitness Clothing & My Current Fitness Story

All thanks to the lovely Lisa Hawthorn (my fitness fave on Instagram) I have been crushing over the Physiq Apparel fitness clothing range for women. So without hesitation, I decided to purchase the white NeoLite Breakout Top and NeoLite Breakout Tights and I am totally in love. If you guys haven't already, you seriously need to go and follow Lisa (lisafiitt) on Instagram- she posts some great workout exercises, selfies and nutrition tips! So perfect if you are wanting to trim up before Summer.

What I mainly love about this combination is the loud pattern- it definitely sets you up for hard core work out session at the gym. The NeoLike Breakout Tights and Top are made of a unique ultra-smooth lycra which is cool to touch and helps to keep your body temperature regulated during intense training. What I love about this duo is that it pretty much hugs your body- it allows for full movement, it will not rise, and it defines your toned areas *inserts peach emoji*.

The range is a lot cheaper than high end brands like Nike (leggings costing at an average of £34.00 and tops £20.00- but hurry there's a current sale on!). You can also use the code LISA10 to get a further 10% off! I cannot wait to be wearing some more Physiq Apparel items whilst I continue to train dirty and tone up to be even better! I am definitely eyeing up the black NeoLite Breakout Top/Tights and Marble Tights!

Ok so what's my fitness story. So in the last 4/5 months I have been busting my ass in the gym- changing my fitness plan, eating clean, and generally just changing up a few things a bit. Since I left university 2 years ago, I have had to completely re-educate myself when it came to fitness (I had lost my mojo). So in the first year and a half, I mainly focused on cardio and attended the odd boot camp/group PT sessions, but it got to the point where I wanted more out of. It started to become my passion and a lifestyle that I enjoyed. This is when I decided to get a one to one PT- I started to lift much heavier weights and learnt new gym workouts. I think that there's a huge misconception around women lifting weights, but I guess I'll leave that for another blog post to explain why.

Currently I am working with James Whipp (jameswhippfitness on Instagram) and the progress that I have seen in the last 4 weeks has been crazy! James has written me weekly workout plans and he has also sorted me out with a nutrition plan (a plan which doesn't leave you starving). I have also been taking supplements from Vicky Pattison's Mini V Nutrition range, so go on their website to check them out. So what's next? The reason why I have been holding off my fitness posts is because I wanted to be able to bring you the best tips and advice that I could possibly offer. This meant going away, re-educating myself, and putting my plans into practice. So over the next few months I will be continuing my fitness series and I have some great and exciting content planned! So be sure to follow me on my social media sites to be in the loop!

Oooh also a posted a brand new video on my YouTube channel- Does Children's Makeup Actually Work? Click here to watch it.

What would you buy from the Physiq Apparel range?
Much Love
Eltoria x

Don't forget to check out some of my new YouTube Videos

Eltoria- South West Beauty, Fashion and Lifestyle Blogger and South West YouTuber


Share:
Posted by at Edit this post

Thursday, 2 June 2016

50 Facts About Me

Above: click to check out my 50 Facts About Me Video
Since you guys really enjoyed my 'Get To Know Me More' post that I published last week (it actually turned out to be my most read post for last week), I thought that I would write a post that contained 50 interesting facts about myself. Now I have actually filmed this in a YouTube video (here), so if you like the sound of the below, I have actually expanded on them in the video. So in this post/video I mainly talk about my childhood, anxiety, likes and dislikes and current bits and bobs. So without further delays, here a few interesting facts about myself: 

1. I am 5ft 4.5 inches
2. I have size 5 feet 
3. I am a twin
4. I have two brothers
5. My nickname at school was 'Sim1' and I had a song made up about me at school
6. I can only drink half a cup of tea
7. I cannot say Macaulay Culkin
8. My favourite foods are: cottage cheese and pineapple, pulled pork and a cheese board
9. I hate celery
10. My favourite flowers are lilies
11. When I like a song I play it over and over again
Above: My twin sister and I
12. I have been on TV
13. I am part Italian
14. My favourite place to visit is the USA and more locally, Whitehall Garden Centre
15. I miss Blind Date, Sabrina The Teenage Witch and my twin sister
16. I have a Law degree and I got a 2:1 in it
17. I studied Law, Business, PE and Philosophy and Ethics at Alevel
18. I have a huge phobia of the sea
19. My favourite song ever is 'Love The Way You Lie' by Eminem and Rhianna
20. My favourite artist is Jason Derulo
21. My favourite band is One Direction
22. I have one pet (a springer spaniel dog named Brooke)

Above: Elyar Fox music video. Click here to read more
23. I am terrible at texting back and answering my WhatsApp messages
24. I don't smoke
25. I love sport and the gym
26. My favourite films are the Rocky ones, more recently the newest one called 'Creed'
27. I used to be a Tom Boy
28. My hair as a kid used to be terrible (I explain in my video)
29. I used to be a Tap and Ballet dancer (10 years)
30. I used to love horses (and still do)
31. My sister and I used to make TV shows and I still have the footage!
32. I used to suffer from anxiety when I was younger

Above: UK Blog Awards Post (click here)
33. When I get too tired I get clumsy, forgetful and grumpy
34. I want to design and build my own house one day
35. The SIMS is my favourite PC game of all time
36. My first job was in a pub as a waitress
37. I pretty much live in PJ bottoms
38. I won best Beauty & Fashion Blog 2016 and Best Vlogger 2016 at the UK Blog Awards
39. I started blogging and YouTube to find myself again (I explain in my video)
40. I started earning money when I was 10 years old
41. I used to pay my sister to borrow her clothes

Above: My Gadget Show Appearance (click here)
42. Next time I dye my hair I was to go dark brown with coppery ends.
43. My favourite makeup brand is MAC but more recently Laura Mercier and Charlotte Tilbury
44. I love chelsea boots
45. I love the countryside
46. My favourite high street brand is River Island
47. I currently have no tattoos but if I were to get one, I'd get one on my thigh
48. I used to write a private diary
49. I have a boyfriend and his name is Joe, I have been with him for 4 years
50. In the future I plan to carry on with this blog and YouTube channel (I explain in my video).

Do we have anything in common? What's an interesting fact about you? Let me know in the comments!
Much Love
Eltoria x

Don't forget to check out some of my new YouTube Videos

Eltoria- South West Beauty, Fashion and Lifestyle Blogger and South West YouTuber

Share:
Posted by at Edit this post
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
© Eltoria | All rights reserved.
Designed by Eltoria | Built by pipdig.co