jillian michaels' killer buns and thighs review & results.

this took forever to finish. my apologies. i've finished my masters, begun a new job, and have been so busy that i simply haven't had the time to do anything let alone blog! i'm extremely useless.

measurements before:                         measurements after:

waist: 26.3''                                                        waist: 26.0" (-0.3) 

hips: 37.7''                                                         hips: 37.7" 

thighs: 21.6''                                                      thighs: 21.1" (-0.5)
calves: 12.6''                                                      calves: 12.6" 

upper arms: 9.1''                                              upper arms: 9.1"
lower arms: 8.7"                                              lower arms: 8.6" (-0.1)

TOTAL INCHES LOST = 0.8"

as you can see, my results weren't so great inch-wise. this was a real disappointment considering how hard the workouts were. in terms of difficulty, i would say that it's behind 'banish fat boost metabolism', but much harder than anything else i've tried. i lost 0.8'' in level one, 0.1'' in level two, and zilch in level three. AWKWARD. but still... this brings my overall inch loss to 9''. better than nothing i guess (*grumble*).

however, something very strange happened instead. for the first time, the number on the scale went down instead of my measurements. i started this weighing 139.7lbs (63.4 kg), and set a goal weight of roughly 133lbs (60 kg, ish) for fun. and i hit it!  i honestly don't know how. but it didn't really last, as my weight has fluctuated a LOT between 133-136 lbs since. suffice to say i'm still trying to get through this plateau. with that said, onto the review!

before the workout
i hate my legs. i really do. the worst part is that they used to be my best feature in my teens! weep. i honestly don't know why they look so chunky now, and every time i see a photograph of them i want to gag. my inner thighs are particularly dreadful, and so i was really keen to do this. i felt as if my legs were technically in shape though, and so i severely underestimated jillian's sadistic tendencies was really up for the challenge.

yeah. i said it was hard.

during the workout
this follows jillian's usual format in that it's done in circuits, with three levels. however, the workouts are longer and last between 40-50 minutes - and so if you're someone who has little free time or is constantly on the go, this probably isn't the best option. instead of also just needing handweights, you will need a mat and a chair. yes, a chair. A CHAIR. this is something that i didn't like about the workout, as not everyone has a chair they'd be willing to stomp on. i used a two-step ladder and just felt like it was a bit of hassle really.

however, what i absolutely love about this dvd is that it's a lot more fun and relaxed than jillian's other offerings. she's constantly chatting and joking around and it cracks me up. i can understand that it may be offputting for some, but i felt as if it made the (very, very, very) hard workout somewhat easier to get through. i just think she's hilarious really.

after the workout
my thighs are bigger according to the tape measure. i would punch jillian, but i can't lie - they are a lot more firm that they used to be. for the first time, i'd say that they are vaguely strong. my bum also looks better.

i really liked the challenge element to this, but considering that it didn't work for me in terms of inch loss, i don't think i'll be doing it again. i might hang on to level two though, only because it was an absolute killer.

as usual i kept a diary to log the torture. read on if you fancy it.

ysl le teint touche éclat foundation.

truth be told, i've only been embracing foundations with dewier finishes since last year. when i was 15, my mum (probably out of pity due to my slightly oily, crap skin) let me buy my first foundation: mac's studio fix fluid. lots of coverage, photographs like a dream, slightly heavy - but extremely mattifying. i'm now in my 20s, and although my skin is now radically different, i still swear by it. i guess i wasn't willing to stray away from the matte look i was always so used to. however, what managed to really steer me off course is this new ysl le teint touche éclat foundation. i won't really go into the whole 'it took years and years to develop' stuff as frankly - i couldn't really care less. 

firstly, i am extremely impressed with the wide colour selection. i always have a really hard time getting matched to foundations as they hardly cater for my beige self but the make-up artist was really helpful and got it spot on. for the first time ever, i am super duper pleased with the shade i've been matched to. i should also point out that the bottles look a lot darker than the foundations inside them, so don't turn up and pick a shade based on the bottle.

secondly, i love the finish. it feels so light on the skin, is extremely blendable and has a nice smell (unlike other foundations which smell gross, here's looking at you mac) - meaning that applying it is very easy. i also assumed that, due to its illuminating finish, it would be incredibly sheer and that i'd have to put my concealers into overdrive... but it does a totally awesome job of covering my blemishes with one pump, meaning that a little goes a long way. however, the only thing it does not cover completely is the dark circles around my eyes .

thirdly, lasting power. i have dry skin overall, but foundation can often disappear from my t-zone throughout the day. this really does last, and that is the major difference between high street and high end brands for me. i honestly love this foundation, and at £28, i think it's an absolute steal. i honestly cannot bring myself to use my other foundations at the moment! i really do love it. oh ysl, you're so bloody fit and i love you.

face: no 7 beautiful skin day cream, sephora smoothing primer, ysl le teint touche éclat foundation (bd40), collection lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: urban decay primer potion, nars bronzer (laguna), maybelline gel liner, mac studio fix lash, mac eyebrow pencil (stud), the body shop brow & lash gel.
cheeks: nars bronzer (laguna), nars multiple (portofino), nars blush (orgasm), nars highlighter (albatross).
lips: 17 (bon bon).

ps - feeling really fat and miserable.

instagram [july 2012].

i'm giving this a whirl... although i do not intend on doing it weekly! once a month will do. i like seeing these on other blogs as they are quick to read (see?) so i hope you will too.

clockwise: london zoo lates / me posing and not quite sure why / reppin' pat butcher with some asos earrings i bought last year / dirty waffles / matching nails and lips / dog shorts from the zara sale / delicious food / MADD mangoes.

products for uneven skin tone.

i exfoliate. i cleanse. i tone. i moisturize. i use face masks several times a week in fact. i drink far too much water. based on effort alone, i really ought to have perfect skin and front my own clearasil campaign.

unfortunately, life isn't that easy. my biggest issue with my skin - that is, its unevenness and dullness - has always refused to improve, despite me using an array of products across all price ranges. i had begun to lose hope, so much so that i was actually considering dropping £60 on a face mask... eek... however, i've been using two new products and have noticed a huge change. my skin is still not 100% just yet, but looks the best it has done in a long while.

soap & glory 'scrub your nose in it' exfoliator - this doesn't claim to counteract redness, but does aim to reduce pore size. generally speaking, i exfoliate my skin if it feels a little oily or if i have been wearing a lot of make-up throughout the day (having used clean & clear's daily exfoliating wash for the past eight years). however, i had run out of it and before i went to buy more, my friend bought me a hamper of soap & glory products for my birthday - so i was able to give this a whirl.

the immediate difference is that this isn't as harsh on the skin. it's a lot more gentle and has a refreshing mint scent throughout which is really refreshing. what i also love about it is that a little goes a long way, and so i can see the tube lasting forever. i get very similar results from this to my previous exfoliator in the sense that my skin gets a thorough clean and is instantly brightened - but the result of this definitely lasts longer. i have definitely replaced my old exfoliator for good now!

nails - no 7 (betty blues), barry m (hologram hexagrams).

no 7 balm - i picked this up as part of a 3 for 2 offer. the idea is that you apply it underneath your moisturiser. i have quite dry skin, and this would not be moisturising enough (for me anyway) to wear on its own. however, i have been sticking with it and see less redness. it's light to wear, non-greasy, and comes in a nice bottle. i'm actually a big fan of no 7 skincare anyway, but really do like this.

if anyone is also suffering from the same skin problems as me, check these out!

revlon lip butter in 'candy apple'.

right: what have i been up to in the past month which has warranted me temporarily ditching this blog? well. i failed another driving test (wheyyyyy), began working at my old job again, and have just been enjoying myself. i feel 15 again because i've begun seeing a lot of people from school again - some of whom i haven't seen since i was actually that age, which was a very long time ago. i've also got a new job which is absolutely incredible and has really cheered me up. hell, it's made my 2012 even. 4,300 people applied for 16 places and i really wasn't expecting it, seeing as i thought i totally sucked at the assessment day. i also have some other stuff going on but it's a bit too personal for here.

back to bizniz. my blogging pet peeve (definitely just typed "pleeve") has to be writing about a product which every other person has written about. i really don't buy into ~cult beauty blogger products~ at all as they're usually more overhyped than not - but every now and then you'll find a gem. one of the very few products which i do think is worthy of the hype are revlon's lip butters. will you die if you don't own these? probably not. but i do think they make a nice, lighter alternative to lipstick for the summer. they have a very smooth, balmy finish, and a lot of pigmentation. i find them a lot more wearable, and perfect for those who might shy away from bold lipsticks.

although i now own quite a few, my favourite has got to be 'candy apple' which is a nice alternative to red lipstick. sometimes i steer away from red lipsticks because they often don't survive dinners and drinks - and when i'm out, i don't want to constantly be checking and reapplying more red. however, this balm has the fantastic colour without all that hassle. if it fades away, it fades away. for that reason, i've been gravitating towards these lip butters much more recently. yes, they do not stay perfect through meals either, but they leave a stain which is a lot more flattering than the mess that occurs with red lipsticks!

so yeah, that is my latest pride and joy. as for the make-up i wore today, well, please excuse my 'deer in headlights' look. recently my skin has been awful, so i've trying to divert people's attention to bold lips and big brows. perhaps too big.

face: sephora smoothing primer, mac face and body (c2), collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).

eyes: maybelline gel liner, mac studio fix lash, mac eyebrow pencil (stud), the body shop brow & lash gel.

cheeks: sleek (flamingo).

lips: revlon lip butter (candy apple).

WHOOPS.

busy month. new phone. new everything. i promise i will sort my blogging out across the next week! i have actually been working on a few fitness/weight loss posts too, but they are not ready to be published just yet. in the meantime, here are some cute otters.

top five neutral shimmer shades.

i'm not going to post about a new product today, but instead share a few eyeshadow shades which i've really liked wearing as of late.

my go-to brand for neutral, shimmery shades has to be urban decay. for some reason, they are the only brand whose eyeshadows work perfectly for me in terms of texture and pigment. a lot of the time, other brands come up with neutral shades which just don't work with my olive complexion or fail to show up at all. luckily for me, urban decay's shade selection is amazing with a bunch of really pretty ones that don't ham up the glitter. despite sounding like a broken record (i am literally banging my head on the keyboard as we speak), their naked palette is stupidly good value and a real staple of mine. dsdfjg gdi ifg guuuuuu.

now, i'm the first to admit that my experience with rimmel eyeshadows is somewhat limited. their eyeshadow in 'spicy bronze' is something which i've blogged about before, and which i absolutely love. the texture is buttery and the shade is unlike anything else i've seen before (i certainly haven't found a dupe) - plus it's cheap. unfortunately i can't say whether that is something that extends to all of their shadows, or just this one. a must-have for darker girls, seriously.

left to right: rimmel (spicy bronze), urban decay (chopper), urban decay (smog), urban decay (toasted).

this small selection of shades has kept me going despite me opting for a no-fuss look as of late. the extra 10 minutes seconds it takes to apply these makes me feel as if i've put a slight bit of effort in, taking me from a 9 on the tramp scale to possibly a 7.

face: 17 primer, mac studio fix fluid (nw30), collection lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).

eyes: urban decay primer potion, urban decay eyeshadows (chopper, twice baked), maybelline gel liner, rimmel kohl pencil, mac studio fix lash, clinique high definition mascara (lower lashes), mac eyebrow pencil (stud), the body shop brow & lash gel.

cheeks: mac (stunner).

lips: 17 (bon bon).