5 Struggles of Living with PCOS








Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is something that affects millions of women all around the UK. It's a condition to where the normal functioning of your ovaries is affected, and can result in some very unsavoury symptoms!


*Disclaimer*
I've written this post as a bit of a laugh, but also because some of the symptoms are often misunderstood. As someone with PCOS this is definitely about my own struggles and do not speak for everyone!


1) Spending at least £50 a month on hair removal products!

Seriously, it grows so quick. People with PCOS can struggle with having long, dark, thick hairs grow anywhere from the chin to the bottom of your back. I now stockpile Nair and my boyfriend is so used to seeing me with a cream moustache *facepalm*


2) Thinking your pregnant at least 6 times a month.

Okay seriously, what is the deal? I either get no period, a massive period, or multiple tiny periods! Often people with PCOS have an irregular period which can lead to frequent over-worriers like myself going crazy with worry!



I honestly don't mind putting on 5lb when i've had a naughty! 


3) Putting on 5lb even when you've genuinely eaten really well :( .

Perhaps the most frustrating thing for me is when I've eaten really healthily, kept to a daily limit, and I still put on weight! It does eventually go, but people with PCOS will hear me when I say that standing on the scales is demoralising when your body doesn't always want to play ball.

4) My skin produces enough oil for Mcdonald's to cook their chips!

I used to think that it was just teenage hormones. Then I thought it must be my diet. I've tried every trick in the book to have beautiful dewy skin, and yet come afternoon I nearly always have a bit of a sheen.

5) Bugging those I love with my constant mood swings!

It is a common side effect for those with PCOS to then develop depression/mood swings as a result of loss of confidence/self-worth of having PCOS. So it doesn't only bugger up my physical health but makes ME feel bad about it. Fantastic.


I wanted to write this as a sort of tongue in cheek post. So many times in my life I've had comments from people, "why are your arms so hairy" or "you're clearly not eating well to have put on 2lbs" and it really hurts. To the point where now, 21 year old me still removes all of my hair and never update anyone on my weight loss!

I feel like so many people may go through my struggles and probably have never sought a diagnosis. If you're in the UK, check out the NHS website for PCOS and definitely get checked out by your GP.

Thanks for Reading,

Ellie xx

Elf Make Up Review!





I recently treated myself to some Elf make up after hearing some good reviews on the products. I've seen the brand mentioned across YouTube mainly, and was curious as to the quality of the make up, especially considering its bold claims and low price. I ordered a mix of products, and spent only about £25 for everything. Considering I could easily blow this or more on one product, I was so excited to try the products!




On a special offer, I received 3 products for £15. The first I'm going to review is this lipstick.
You didn't actually get to choose the shade, but I received a pink toned nude sheen lipstick in the shade Runway Pink.
This lipstick has a really strange smell to it. I don't expect my lipsticks to have a fragrance, but found that this lipstick had a crayon-y smell that I really didn't like. I could smell it from my lips as I was wearing it, and was worried that my boyfriend could too!
The lipstick is easy to apply, with a smooth yet grainy formula. I didn't think much to it's staying power, finding that it practically all wiped off after taking a sip from drink. The shade wasn't really suited to my skin tone and so would be one that i'd offer to my mum or sister, but generally didn't enjoy the lipstick. I think I'll stick to Charlotte Tilbury or Mac on this one!



The next product was a mascara which came in black. I was pleased to receive this as I am running low on my holy grail, Urban Decay's Perversion. The mascara formula feels quite dry upon application, but was not clumpy and separated my lashes effectively. I am lucky enough to already have long eyelashes and I usually look for products that claim volumising effects, but feel this mascara is just a simple formula that gives a natural look to the eyelashes. I would advise this mascara is more suited to day wear. The packaging is simplistic, but I found the wand difficult to use as it appeared to bend a lot when putting it into the formula. Honestly, it felt like it was going to snap! Whilst I will still use this mascara, I'm not sure i'd repurchase.



Separate to the offer, I also bought a contour palette which only cost £7.50! I am an inexperienced contour-er and didn't want to spend a lot on a product that I would simply practice with. This palette comes with a large mirror, and four shades including a highlight shade, a setting shade and two darker contour shades. There wasn't the option to change these shades for different skin tones which I imagine would make the palette unuseful for certain skin tones. Whilst I am quite pale, the setting shade was really too pale for me and the highlight shade was literally white,  and I had to use some of my other make-up to downplay it. The shades are a light wearing powder, that go on with ease but require quite a bit of buffing to blend. They do feel cakey when on, and I was really aware of the make up on my face.. I feel for the price of this contour palette it is a reasonably good product. It suited my need as a "practice" palette but I feel I was reasonably lucky in that the shades semi-suited my skin tone. In regards to a repurchase, I think I'll personally struggle to get full use out of this palette as the pans are relatively deep.

Look how yellow!!

I also treated myself to a primer. I love the smashbox primer that comes in at £28, so wanted to find another primer that was cheap for when I'm running low on my beloved. This primer was sold to brighten your skin. The formula is very creamy and appeared quite greasy on my face. There is a lot of gold glitter in this formula, which I felt looked really strange under my foundation. It didn't make my foundation last longer, and if anything, made it patchy. I really didn't like this primer!

The one saving grace was the baked highlighter, in the shade Blush Gems. This champagne, rose gold shade isn't massively pigmented, but graces the skin with a subtle highlight perfect for day wear. Unlike the contour palette, it blends lovely and leaves an iridescent sheen. I would love to try different shades as I think this product is fantastic for the price, and I really enjoyed using it.

Overall, I wasn't massively impressed with Elf cosmetics. When I received my order, the packaging had been ripped to shreds and there were several items missing. I have emailed Elf and am still awaiting a response in regards to sorting out the other items. I feel that though the make-up isn't awful, it didn't fit my relatively low standards. I want to try a few other products before I totally write off this brand for me, and would really appreciate any recommendations! I don't know whether I just picked the wrong products.

Are there any brands that you are iffy on, or would like me to try? Do you completely disagree with my elf review, and have an recommendations to change my mind? I'd love to hear 'em!


Many Thanks,

Ellie xx

Caveman to Modern Man!






When I met Luke, I was dumbfounded when he said that he used nothing on his skin. An even, dewy complexion that I could only dream of, and all he did was wet his face a bit in the shower. Cheek!

However, he became quite interested in my skincare routine. I spotted him looking at my products a bit, pumping them on to his hands and sniffing. I could tell that he wanted his own special lotions and potions. I preached to him more often than not, that I definitely needed this special face cream because X,Y and Z, and our bathroom is full of all my day to day skincare/haircare products, and my stock of reserves. I think he was a little jealous.
When we went to London in January, we visited the Lush Oxford St store as I was desperate to try some of their exclusive products. While we were in there, I managed to convince him to pick up a shaving cream AND moisturiser!

Just to emphasise- Luke genuinely believed that you washed moisturiser off after use. He thought my Liz Earle cleanse and polish was a lovely hand cream. He'd even used my exfoliator in his hair. He didn't have a clue!



Firstly we picked up Prince shaving cream from Lush. This beautiful shaving cream is thick, and only needs a small bit to apply good coverage. It smells beautiful, largely down to the added orange blossom. It smells fresh and fruity, and I think neutral. I have sneaked this a few times to use when shaving my legs! Luke had previously used the Maca root shaving kit from The Body Shop but said he prefers the feel of this cream, and that it leaves his skin smoother after shaving. What more could he want?



We picked up Cosmetic Lad moisturiser from Lush. This is a unisex product that though is targeted more towards men, I think has a neutral smell. It's thick, creamy consistency means that he doesn't have to use a lot to get real moisture to his skin after he has shaved. This moisturiser contains lavender, wheatgrass and marigold cream. It does also say on the packaging that you can use this as a shaving cream should you so wish.
Luke loves this product! As mentioned before, it isn't strong smelling and takes 2 seconds to apply. He's always asking me to "stroke my face' after applying, and I think he really appreciates the results.

Luke had been brought up to believe that "men don't moisturise" etc, like they have a completely different skin to women. When we started dating, and he met my dad (who has a bigger collection than me!) I think he was converted. Him being 23, I think it's ideal to care for your skin as much as you can when you're young, to reap the rewards when being older. Especially as he shaves his face, which i think is harsh when you think of it!


With it approaching Valentines day, maybe these two products could be the perfect gift to a loved one who is just getting into skin care. As mentioned, the scents are neutral and I think most people will like them as they are not strong smelling.

Have you got any other products you think Luke just HAS to try? I know he'd genuinely be excited to try them haha.

Thanks for Reading,



Ellie xx

Going back into Education!


I'd just started university at Nottingham as a student nurse, and felt like my whole life was mapped out in front of me. I knew where i was headed and what I wanted to do in the future, and everything was just one step away from being perfect.

Then a personal trauma, and a complete rethink happened. I didn't want to be a nurse anymore. There is a lot of stigma around people who choose to leave nursing, perhaps they are not caring enough. I was a really good student nurse. Without being big headed, I was compassionate and caring and really enjoyed working with people and helping them through their situation.

However, ever since i was a little girl, I'd really wanted to be a teacher. My plan was, when I qualified as a nurse, I would work for 10 years and then work at the university to support new nurses through their journey. I thought I was too stupid to ever fulfill my real dream of working with primary school children. When I left uni, due to personal circumstances, I started working in a 9-5 admin job for the NHS. 
All the ladies I work with have been doing the job for 25 years+ and are a lovely bunch. However, I need more. I miss education, and although this may sound really geeky, I really loved being in education and achieved reasonable grades. 

As of today, I have been accepted to do my A Level in English Literature. I have enough UCAS points to enrol on to the primary teaching undergrad degree, however they like you to have an A Level in a chosen subject. I'm going to continue to work while I do my 1 A Level, and after that apply for University to fulfill my ambition of being a teacher. It's a big deal for me. I feel anxious that I may have lost my love for education, or maybe that I'm too stupid to actually even pass this.

I feel determined though, and can't wait til the course pack comes through and I can get to work.
I wonder if anyone else has ever gone through something like this? Entered education later on?

I'd love to hear your experiences.

Thanks for Reading,



Ellie xx 

A Day in Brighton!


This weekend I went for a weekend in Brighton with my little brother, Ethan and my boyfriend Luke. We stayed the night at a B&B in Henfield, a small village 20 minutes drive away from the centre of Brighton. We stayed at No1 The Laurels B&B, which was a lovely little place. We arrived at the B&B at around 09:30am, and Malcolm, the owner, was more than happy to settle us in before our day of adventures.

We drove in to Brighton and parked in a car park right next to the sea front. We were starving, having left at 07:00am, and decided firstly to go for breakfast!



We went to The Breakfast Club! I had heard of this place as I believe it has been mentioned by other Youtubers and was dying to go. We arrived here at about 10:00am and were seated straight away. 


W O W this food was so good. This humongous plate of food cost only £11 and was literally the best breakfast I'd ever had. The menu was extensive and if you are visiting Brighton and want to go somewhere special for breakfast, I urge you to go here! The food was cooked to perfection and the service was fantastic. It's located near to The Lanes and was really easy to find. Please bear in mind however, that as we left people were queuing out the door to get a table, so i'd try and get in early!


After breakfast, we walked for around 5 minutes to reach the sea front. I forced my (not so) little brother to have a photo with me. Part of the reason for this trip was to get Ethan out the house. I worry so much as boys seem to be able to lock themselves away and play Xbox for hours. He had a good time exploring and walking along the beach. 

We then walked along the famous Brighton Pier. We had some hot doughnuts and then played in the arcades. I haven't been in a proper arcade since I was little, so had a go on literally everything! Probably spent around £50 but it was genuinely so much fun. It was so lovely, and I can't wait to relive this again when I have my own children. 

Following this, we went shopping. Luke loved looking in the Pretty Green shop, one of my favourite men's labels. I may or may not have popped in to the Mac store and picked up a few things.... 


Once we'd finished our shopping we were spent. We'd been up since the crack of dawn and wanted to go back to the room to freshen up with a shower. After paying the £20 (!!!) parking fee we drove back to Henfield and got ready to go for dinner. We went to the Bull Inn which serves really lovely italian food. I fancied something rich and creamy so went for a carbonara, which was beautiful. 




Henfield is a really beautiful village, really close to Devils Dyke too. Driving to Brighton gave us some stunning views, which we all lapped up. I really recommend staying somewhere away from the hustle and bustle in somewhere like Henfield, as it was really perfect. 

I can't wait to go back in the Summer and enjoy even more of what Brighton has to offer. It really was one of my favourite places that I've had the pleasure of being recently. I completely understand why so many YouTubers base themselves here!

Have you ever been? 





Thanks for reading,



Ellie xx 

So, What's The Deal With Mindfulness?




Taking a walk on my own helps me achieve mindfulness.


You may have heard about "mindfulness" from the media, magazines and other outlets. You may have also seen your local bookshop displaying "Adult" colouring books and wondering how colouring can be adult, and will it involve naked people?!
You may also feel stressed and/or anxious, and feel utterly consumed by your world as it grows bigger. The idea of tomorrow may frighten you, and you may even feel guilt around your daily choices that day.

Mindfulness it to be aware. Aware and accepting of your thoughts, feelings and senses. This may sound like hippie mumbo-jumbo but hear me out.

Sometimes accepting feelings and situations can be really difficult. Especially when you categorise these in your mind as negative. You may feel jealous, angry, anxious or upset and then maybe even guilt on top of that for feeling these feelings. It can be really hard to accept these feelings. You may share your feelings, and be told to "chin up" or "It'll be okay mate!".
For me, mindfulness was accepting these feelings. I'm human, i'm allowed to feel what I feel. These feelings will come and go throughout my life, and it's a joyous part of being alive that we can feel all these different emotions.
Some situations are harder to accept, you've been hurt, cheated on or double crossed. Though these situations definitely need resolving, and you are not alive to take shit from anyone else, accept that these things have happened. This is a part of you now. You will get better, and move forward. It's not a case of letting go, in my opinion there are some things that feel impossible to let go of, but being aware that this is the situation you're in. This doesn't have to be negative, you can accept the current situation that you've binged a whole series on Netflix, or accept that you've just tucked in to a large pizza. It's about acceptance.

I wholeheartedly accept that I'm going to eat/drink ALL of this.



Accept your senses and really tune in to them. The feeling of wet rain on your skin and clothes, the smell of bread baking, the sound of excited teenagers gossiping behind you on the bus. Sometimes we get so wrapped in our working day that we forget life's simple pleasures.

To achieve mindfulness, I find it helpful to take time individually that i've scheduled. I relax. I light a candle, have a bath.

Be for the sake of Being.

Mindfulness helped me to overcome over-thinking and certain aspects of my anxiety. Pulling yourself away from overdrive and into first gear, slowing everything right down. I'm not saying mindfulness will solve anything and everything, but it surely can't do you any harm.

How Can I Start Being More Mindful? 

 Definitely start by thinking what you want to achieve. More "me-time" or simply to destress, your reasons are your reasons. I'd then think about how much time you want to dedicate solely to this. It can be hard at first, I felt a bit strange doing this as I'd never done anything like it before, so maybe try just 2 minutes, 120 seconds, of being aware to yourself. If you feel after this time you could do more, go for it! This is all about how you feel. I could literally now spend the whole day being mindful if life did not get in the way at times. I still have days where the anxiety clouds over and I can't see to turn on the light, but I accept that. That is me, and I'll get better.


Do you feel like you could use more mindfulness in your life? Or do you think I'm talking complete and utter nonsense? Let me know.

Thank you for reading,

Ellie x

What I Learned From Slimming World



Okay Okay Okay.
I have a substantial amount of weight to lose, and a significant amount of health to gain. I joined Slimming World in November of 2015, after hearing many success stories and wanting to write my own. I followed the plan to a T and lost a stone in a month. I began reading about health and exercise and found that some of the information I'd found did not quite fit with Slimming World's ethos.

I want to lose weight and this is no secret, but I also want to be healthy. I want to nourish my body in the healthiest way and do so by ensuring my nutrition is as natural, raw and balanced as it can possibly be. When I first started Slimming World, i thought it was a revolutionary way of thinking about diet. I loved the idea of Healthy Extra A's and Healthy Extra B's, which basically limit milk/cheese and refined carbs. I loved that you could still have "naughty" things as long as you synned them. I enjoyed going to group and hearing people's new recipe ideas and how they had done that week.



A typical breakfast of Scrambled Egg and Salmon



Then I downloaded My Fitness Pal. I started logging what I was eating and drinking, and noticed that my suggested calorie intake was going in to minus everyday. The idea of "free food" on Slimming World means that you can eat as much as you like of certain foods. You had to fill a third of your plate of "Speed" foods (basically certain fruit and vegetables) but other than that, could eat any amount of what you wanted from the list of free foods provided to you.
I tracked this for the month that I was on Slimming World. I discovered that they would prefer you to have a syn-free serving of "Mug Shot" (a cuppa soup/pot noodle hybrid" as opposed to a high syn serving of all natural avocado. I accept that avocado does have a relatively high fat value, but I was under the impression that there are "good fats" and "bad fats" and that it's important to still ensure you intake a small amount of "good fat" in your diet. Apparently not, according to Slimming World.


My packed lunches are always protein (chicken/turkey) with veg like kale and mushrooms.


My mum is a type 2 diabetic who lost a good amount of weight tracking her calories, and followed SW to the T much like me. She put on 5lbs in the first week. The SW Consultant was adamant that my mother actually hadn't followed the plan, and maybe she should try exercising less or cutting out having pineapple/fruit for her evening snack, and replacing it with a Muller Light yoghurt. My mum was dumbfounded. She knew that fruit wasn't the best thing for a diabetic, and treated the evening pineapple snack as a massive treat much like how others in the group would have a bottle of prosecco or a bar of dairy milk. We were shocked!

Since Christmas, I have left SW. I have decided instead to plan my meals to be the healthiest they can be, and to track my calories and exercise to ensure that I don't go over my personal daily limit of 1,410 calories. I have lost 4lbs in a week. I still stick to some principles, for example, I limit my milk and cheese intake, I don't really eat refined carbs and if i do, I limit it. I vary my diet and enjoy cooking from fresh. I fill my plate with healthy veg and chicken, turkey, or fish. I even enjoy a steak on the occasion.


Delicious bloody steak with a lorra lorra veg! 



Slimming World works fantastically for some people. They enjoy the food and find the group helpful. I really feel that if it works for you, then go for it!

I am working on My Fitness Pal, and am going to try it this way for a month, to see if my results differ. If you want to add me on MFP my username is: eleanorfinnerty

I shall keep you updated! Have you got any tips for weight-loss that you feel really work? I'd love to hear it. I'd love to read about anyones weight loss journey, so if you can recommend any blogs I'd be really grateful!

Thanks for Reading,

Ellie xx
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