I've done a guest post over on Ashna's blog about my pole dancing journey. Go and check it out and have a read of some her other awesome posts :)
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Saturday, 21 March 2015
Monday, 16 March 2015
From quite a young age I knew I wanted to be in the beauty therapy industry. Maths, science and the more academic side of school never were my favourites. Don't get me wrong I passed my GCSEs with a good grade and could probably do a bit of mental maths here and there, but for the most part I do rely on a calculator! I've definitely got a more creative brain!
When it came to choosing GCSE options, I was lucky enough to be able to do an NVQ Level 1 course in Beauty Therapy where I learnt how to do a manicure, a facial and a bit of make up.
That was it. I knew from that point I wanted to continue in this field.
Being able to transform someone's nails or see someone really relax means I have done my job properly and through various work experience placements and jobs I've managed to work my way up to quite a high position in the salon I work at. I love the staff, the job, the clients and although I find it tough and may moan here and there to my family and friends (who doesn't eh?!) I actually do love my job.
My lovely team and manager!
You become a councillor. This happens so often. It's amazing what people will share and open up to you about. I think it's the idea of talking to a complete stranger who knows nothing about you or your life and just having someone to listen and sympathize with. I've had many a conversation giving advice, comforting or even having to bite my tongue sometimes, but it comes with the job and I do love the social aspect of it. The thought of sitting at an office desk all day is not my idea of fun!
The atmosphere. Most of the time the salon is always a really happy place to be. I absolutely love the people I work with. I honestly could not have asked for a better team of colleagues and I've actually become really close friends with the girl I've spent the last 3 years growing with. We always try to fit in time to do things outside of work so we have a personal friendship as well as a business one. I think it really comes across to clients when there's a happy atmosphere and it's something we try to maintain.
The freebies! This is a given really. With any beauty industry job comes the best bit. The freebies! We only get these if new products are launched or there's a sample here and there to try, this also comes with lots of training and having to remember knowledge on everything (any other Dermalogiga trained therapist will know exactly what I mean!) But nonetheless it is a lovely perk to have and is what drew me into the industry really.. being able to try and test products to then rave to my family and friends about. My dressing table is rammed full of things I've tried past and present.
The treatments. I wouldn't have started this career if I didn't have a major passion for health and beauty. I love nothing more than transforming someone's nails or helping them with their skincare routine or making someone feel really relaxed. It can get tough at times and there will be days where you're non stop but it definitely makes the day go quick.
The clients. I really have some amazing clients who I see on a regular basis. It's so nice to catch up every few weeks and just have a good old gossip about everything that's going on. I've made some great friends from working this job and know we'll stay in touch if we ever move on, and it really makes you feel appreciated as a therapist to know that someone keeps coming back for your service.
I'm sure any other beauty therapists out there can relate to me, it's such a nice career to be in and the positives definitely outweigh the negatives!
With love,
Lauren x
Monday, 9 March 2015
I can't believe how quick the weeks are going. I spent the previous weekend in London with my mum, cousin and auntie and had such a lovely time. We started at Zebranos on Carnaby Street for some food and cocktails and ended up at Strawberry Moons on Regent Street for a good old dance. It was lovely to spend some quality girl time with them and we always have a good laugh when we go out.
I also finally got my hair spruced up. In December I decided to go blonde and get a full head of highlights but keeping the dip dye slightly. This looked great at first, but as my hair grew so did the colour and it ended up being patchy and the blonde was quite brassy. After 3 and a half hours in the hairdressers chair I finally have a much more manageable look!
We decided to introduce the ombré a lot more by applying a darker colour and a lighter colour and dragging the 2 down so it created a much more toned down and blended out look. I am so much happier and when I'm in the sun for 3 months it should bring my natural highlights through finally giving me the light colour I've been looking for.
Anyway after that little update the basis of this post is to tell you about my favourite apps for travelling.
We all rely on our smartphones and tablets nowadays, as information and entertainment is so easily available! I know I couldn't live without my iPhone and have numerous apps that I use on a daily basis.I've found some really useful apps to take with me whether it be entertainment for the long long plane journeys or to help me with the more practical side of things!
Kindle - Being limited on weight limits and space, bringing books isn't really an option so having the kindle app on my iPad is a lifesaver. I've got three books downloaded and ready to keep me occupied!
Bloglovin' - This a self explanatory one for anyone who loves to read blogs. I'll make sure I've got my favourites ready to access for some fresh reading material.
Spotify - I recently upgraded to spotify premium to allow me to listen to my playlists anywhere and everywhere. Whether I keep this up when I get back is another story but it certainly comes in handy on long journeys with no wifi connection!
My Travel Cash - Seeing as I'm not too keen or dragging around all my spending money as cash, I invested in a travel cash card. You load your money on in English pounds and it converts it to whichever currency you are using at super low exchange rates. It's so convenient, with an app meaning you can check your balance and load money on, you're also provided with a PIN number and the option of an additional card so for me I find this to be the easiest and safest way! You can also use it anywhere in the world so shall definitely come in handy for future holidays!
Uber Taxi - A friend of mine told me about this. You enter your card details and make an account and whenever you need a cab you sign onto the app where the taxi will locate you and be with you in next to no time! It can be used in major cities all over the world so again will be super useful should I ever need a taxi upfront! Rates are cheaper than using local companies and you can choose whether to pay cash or have your card charged!
Till next time!
With love, Lauren x
Wednesday, 4 March 2015
When I first decided to go travelling I had absolutely no idea where to begin. I literally came home from work one day, sat around the dining table with my family and blurted out 'I've decided I want to travel the world'. I had no plans, no one to go with, just me and my thoughts!
I think my family thought it was all talk and no action at first, but after a lot of thought and research I decided it was something I was more and more interested in and looking at all the options got me so excited. Jump to 18 months later and I'm 3 weeks away from going!
I've put together my top tips on what to look for if you decide to go travelling on your own. I've never done this before and haven't actually been on my trip yet, but stacked with an arms worth of paperwork I certainly feel very in control of every step of my journey!
1. Do your research!
I spent days on days looking for the best travel agencies, reviews, tours etc... to figure out what would be best suited to me and make it the trip I want. I made the mistake of jumping at the first company I saw and after reading reviews and actually looking into it I realised it may not be the best option for me and so I looked elsewhere. You want to make this a trip you will never forget and not regret any of it!
2. Skyscanner will be your best friend!
My dad introduced me to this beauty. Type in the dates you want to go and where from/to and it loads the cheapest options they have. To put it into perspective I got a flight home from New York and it cost me just under £200, can you complain about that?!
3. Make lists.
I have made endless lists through this process of things I need to do. It keeps me organised and once I've ticked each thing off its such a good feeling.
4. Get organised
I'm not one to leave things to the last minute I like to be organised. Research any injections you may need, buy any specific items in advance (I didn't have a rucksack so this was a big one for me!) keep on track of flights and bookings (I printed out each e ticket or booking confirmation as I booked it) and log it all into a folder.
5. Use trip advisor!
This is another little gem. If you go on holiday a lot you may already know about this however I found it extremely useful when looking for hostels to stay in. I always try to go for something with a minimum 3* rating and I actually found some really cheap, popular hostels from this which had great reviews.
6. Look for added extras!
This has happened a couple of times to me. Again with thanks to my dad, he managed to find a connecting flight from Sydney to San Diego with a stopover in Hawaii! So I'll be saying aloha to the palm trees and gorgeous beaches for a couple of days! I also managed to grab a really good package deal with the company I am using to tour Australia. It includes a skydive, bungee jump and kayaking tour with dolphins for a really good price and means it'll all be paid and ready to go when I arrive!
As far as I can think of these are my top tips for travelling in the lead up to my trip. I'll be updating along the way so will let you know what works and what doesn't! Hopefully it will help someone who is thinking about going travelling take the first few steps!
If anyone has any other advice, tips or tricks about travelling then let me know!
With love, Lauren x
Tuesday, 3 March 2015
Hey everyone!
My name is Lauren, I'm 21 and have created this blog in preparation for my upcoming adventure. As of the 29th March 2015 I am off travelling the world for 3 months stopping at Thailand, Australia and America.
I've created this blog to share my journey with friends and family and create a lasting memory of the adventures I will have. I've shared a few pictures below of some of my favourite memories with the people I love and just to give you an idea of what I look like and what I enjoy doing in my spare time.
Myself and my amazing cousin and best friend at Electric Daisy Festival 2014
My 3 beautiful best friends who I have known since I was born.
A snap from my 21st birthday in January with a group of my closest friends. As you can tell it was fancy dress and yes the selfie stick will be making a lot of appearances on this blog!
This won't be just a travelling blog however. I will post anything and everything on here that I enjoy talking about: Fashion, music, make up, beauty, skincare, general day to day life and of course travelling and all my tips and tricks I pick up along the way.
Keep your eyes peeled for what's to come as I have so many ideas I want to share!
Looking forward to speaking to you all soon,
With love, Lauren x
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