Until recently, for some reason, I have never purchased a single makeup product from Topshop. I've never had a reason not to as I have heard some really great things about some of their stuff. I guess its probably because I don't necessarily shop in Topshop much and when I'm looking for new makeup products, I generally stick to my comfort zone, Superdrug. A few weeks back I went into town with a friend as she needed to return something and whilst she was at the counter, I soon found myself drawn to their makeup. I picked up this highlighter and instantly fell in love. There wasn't much contemplating and before I knew it, I was heading towards the counter and pulling out my debit card.

After a good few weeks of using it, I can honestly say that this is the BEST highlighter I have ever come across. It is very pigmented and VERY shimmery, so I don't necessarily use it during the day. It's definitely more of a night out highlighter!

The one thing that I'm not so keen on however is the packaging. White is too difficult to keep clean so it was only a matter of time before I stained it, and that's what I did.. the day I bought it. I opened it up and my nail polish smudged onto the outside, which is why I couldn't photograph the pretty black stars on the front. I also have makeup stains all over it now, but there's no point attempting to clean them off as they will only reappear again. This is why you should definitely take blog photos before you use the product!

I fully recommend this highlighter to anyone who wants a noticeable, frosty looking shimmer. However, definitely be careful not to go too overboard. You don't want to end up looking like a disco ball before you leave your house. The highlighter is retailed at £12 in store and online, which isn't too bad considering how fantastic it is.

photo source

I took so many notes that day, definitely too many for a blog post so I wont bore you all with the facts and figures, but instead share one thing that really stood out to me and I can still remember to this day. When you walk into a Marks and Spencer store today, there are so many things available to purchase whether thats food, clothing, homeware, skincare and makeup or children's toys and school uniform. It was such a surprise when I found out that it originated as a market stall in Leeds in the 1880's selling buttons and threads that working class customers could use to make and mend their own clothing. It wasn't until World War Two that the company began to design and sell their own clothes.

The reason I love visiting museums and exhibitions is because I love looking at things that have been around for a long time and imagining all sorts of things in my head like who did it belong to? who created it? how did it end up in this exhibition? History fascinates me so much, so its such a delight that I am able to study the history of fashion as one of my modules.

I thought this particular cabinet had the cutest vintage set up. This showcased products that they sold between 1950 - 1960, which is one of my favourite fashion decades. I absolutely idealise 50's and 60's fashion and pretty much the overall lifestyle of that period in history. I can never get enough of listening to my nana talk about her younger years and the music she listened to, the things she wore, and the things she got up to as youth of those decades.

This exhibition is free to all members of the public and I encourage everyone to visit who is local. You don't even have to be into fashion to enjoy the exhibition as it covers so much more than that including food, children's toys, homeware, beauty, the historical roots, how the company has developed into what it is today, and of course the advertisement and promotion aspect. There is so much to look at and take in. It is honestly a truly fantastic experience! More information can be found on their website.

A few weeks ago I was contacted by a brand called Teagime as they asked me to try out their teatox programme in return for a blog post about my experience. Until this programme, I had never considered teatoxes because I always assumed that they were for people who wanted to lose weight, but as I followed this two week plan, I began to realise that they weren't just for losing weight. Teatoxes have so many benefits allowing you to become a healthier and more energetic person. On their website linked above, Teagime claims that their teas are "based on flavour preferences, caffeine requirements, skin condition and menstrual cycle. We use information provided by you to custom-blend herbs and other ingredients specific to your needs. That means each cup of teatox you drink is optimised for your particular health and energy needs."

Every two weeks Teagmine sends out three packets of tea for morning, afternoon and evening. The ingredients are specifically chosen for your needs after filling in a questionnaire when you first sign up so that they can get an idea on your preferences. You also receive two free silicone tea infusers with your first order as every package you receive is completely fresh which means that the tea is still loose, therefore meaning that you have to infuse the tea yourself. It's an added step in the tea making process but I don't necessarily mind because its more of a comfort knowing that my tea is fresh and hasn't been packaged in a box for weeks like the ones you pick up at the supermarket.

The package also came with an information booklet about tea which I found really enlightening and informative. It also came with a sheet of information about the ingredients used in my teas, the benefits of each one and a star rating of how well they increase metabolism, helps cravings, boosts energy, eliminates toxins, and improves circulation. My morning tea was called 'Blessed by Diana' and it was a combination of nettle, lemon balm and blueberry. Whereas my afternoon tea, named 'The Little Alchemist' included raspberry, raspberry leaf, lady's mantle, and pouchong tea. This was definitely my favourite of the three as I much preferred the flavour compared to the others which were much more subtle and not as strong flavoured. The raspberries definitely gave my afternoon tea a bit of a fruity flavour boost. I also found this tea to work wonders when I was on my period as the lady mantle helps relieve symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, as well as the raspberry boosting immunity levels. My final tea which was for the evening whilst I settled down for bed was called 'The Light Fantastic'. This tea was a combination of elderflower, fennel and chamomile. All of which helped strengthen the kidneys and stomach, support the immune and digestive system, guard your body against any allergies, and overall allow you to have a better nights sleep.

I would definitely recommend this programme to anyone who it may appeal to after reading this post. However, that is if you are willing to spend a bit of extra money for quality as each box is priced at £29.99 every two weeks. This definitely does not fit in with my student loan but maybe if I had a little extra money and worked full time rather than living off a loan, then I would most probably invest in this as I have always loved tea. Whilst doing this programme, I noticed so many benefits to my skin and overall perspective to things as I was much more motivated, mindful and energetic which I managed to maintain throughout the day.