MY TOP FIVE TIPS FOR AU-PAIRS

After my experience of being an Au-pair this summer I thought it would be a good idea to write a blog post which will help future Au pairs!

1. Your host parents are most likely going to give you some jam-packed schedule with exact times you must do this or you must do that. However, I must stress that no matter how much you try to keep to this schedule it is not going to happen. There is no way on this planet that the children are going to take exactly half an hour to have there breakfast or an hour to do their homework. Some days, most days, well in fact everyday they're going to go completely off schedule and that's okay! I've found that as long as I get everything done, who cares what order it's in or how long it took?

2. IMPORTANT! So, no one wants to be the strict Au-pair that the kids hate but you have to lay down some ground rules with them. In the first week be a little bit stricter and a little less fun just so you don't become wrapped around their little finger, cos believe me it can happen. 

3. If, like me, you're going to be an Au-pair in a country that you don't know the language be sure to learn a few key words and phrases to help you get by. It can be very overwhelming when you're constantly been spoken to in a language you do not understand and it can also be very frustrating for the kids. 

4. Make friends with other Au-pairs! I honestly cannot express enough how making friends with other girls in the same situation as me made this experience a whole lot better. You need to get out of the house in your free time, have fun and just feel normal again. Trust me, after a long week of taking care of the kids you'll be itching for some freedom. 

5. Be kind and respectful to your host parents. Remember that you are living in another persons house, yes they want you to feel at home and like part of the family but don't take that for granted. I was lucky, my host parents were amazing and we got on really well. 

Don't forget to have fun and stay positive! Being an Au-pair is what you make of it. So make it a enjoyable experience that you can look back on and be happy with. I hope you all have as much fun as I did! If you have any further questions about Au-pairing please leave them in a comment below, I would be happy to answer them.

Lots of love

Hayley x 

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YVES SAINT LAURENT AND No7 MAKE-UP HAUL

I cannot contain my excitement over the fact that I finally, finally bought YSL's Touche Eclat! So, not that long ago, I took myself on a little shopping trip specifically to get new face makeup as I felt that the products I was using were having a bad effect on my skin. I have a combination skin type and the sections of my face which are oily are very prone to spots if I am not using an oil-free foundation and concealer. So I bought these beauties. Expect reviews of these products very soon, I can't wait to try them!

No7 Beautifully Matte Foundation and Match Made Concealer

No7 Beautifully Matte Foundation - £13.50

No7 Match Made Concealer - £7.50

For my day-to-day foundation and concealer I did not want to buy products that were too expensive as I wear them so often that I know I'll finish them pretty quickly. No7's Beautifully Matte range is oil free and designed to minimize the appearance pores therefore leaving you with a more flawless complexion. Their Match Made concealer is a high coverage concealer, which again is oil-free and designed to erase the appearance of blemishes. They're both perfect for people who are prone to spots like me as it is not going to add to the oil in those areas of your face. 

YSL Touche Eclat

YSL Touche Eclat - £25.00

Unlike the other two products I am certainly not intending to wear my glorious YSL Touche Eclat on a day-to-day basis, it is too amazing for that. This is an illuminating concealer, it is not going to give you a high coverage on spots. However it is going to instantly brighten your under-eye area and highlight your best features! (This is not an oil-free product.)


Lots of love,
Hayley x

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REVIEW - THE BODY SHOP'S ALOE CALMING FACIAL CLEANSER

As a student I know all about the struggles of sticking to a budget and attempting to avoid the temptation of buying the expensive versions of things you need. So I thought it would be a good idea to write a new Beauty on a Budget blog post each time I find products that I really like and are budget friendly.

A couple of weeks ago I finally bought The Body Shop's Aloe Calming Facial Cleanser after reading a number of bloggers recommending The Body Shop's skincare range. The cleanser costs £8.50 for a 200ml bottle. 

I have sensitive skin and it is quite hard for me to find a budget friendly cleanser that doesn't aggravate my skin. So when I saw that this cleanser was especially suited to people like me, with sensitive skin I thought why not give it a go and see if it works? It is described on the bottle as a 'skin-kind lotion proven to cleanse without irritating' and as a customer I would agree with that statement.

I use the Aloe Calming Cleanser morning and night. It is very gentle and does not cause my skin to sting whatsoever which is a recurring problem I have had with a lot of other cleansers. My skin type is combination and I am quite prone to blemishes. However since using this product I have definitely saw an improvement in my skin. This cleanser is also good for removing face make-up however I would not recommend it as a way to take off your mascara.

Also, just as an added note, a really good thing about The Body Shop is that they often have offers on. The day I bought my cleanser it was actually half price! So I would definitely keep an eye out for these offers to grab yourself even more of a bargain.

Lots of love,

Hayley x

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HAIR UPDATE: I'M BLONDE AGAIN

One of my very first blog posts was a guide to DIY Hair Stripping. Although it did work, I can't imagine how long it would take to completely strip your hair using this process. However here is a link to the post for anyone who wants to give it a little read, and try it out. The post also gives a brief background on my hair colour history.

http://hayleysbubble.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/diy-hair-stripping-how-to-naturally.html

After using this method continuously for three weeks I went to Madrid to be an Au-pair, where I stopped this and instead let the sun work it's magic on my hair. Well, I say magic... Yes, it turned my the mid-lengths and ends of my hair blonde but it also made them very dry. Therefore I spent the last three weeks or so of my trip dreaming of nothing else but a hair cut. As you can tell I lead an exciting life if that's what I dream of! 

So that's what I did, I booked in for a cut and a full head of blonde highlights. I got foils, rather than the cap, and asked for a cool sandy blonde. I'm extremely pleased with the result and very glad I went to a professional. Although I am quite dreading the upkeep of it, I don't plan on going back dark anytime soon.

So that's my latest hair woos and woes, what's yours? 

Also, now I'm back from Madrid, I plan to keep my blog updated with weekly blog posts. I'm back to university next week so there will be lots going on so I'll have lots to post about! 

Lots of love,

Hayley x 
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So I'll Never Forget...

Today is my final day in Madrid and I still hadn't bought anything to keep as a lasting memory of the trip. However that was soon to change, whilst in a little shop in the town I am living in I spotted this bracelet. It is the colours of the Spanish flag and has a cute little elephant charm. It's perfect! I am even more pleased that I found it in a shop in the town I have lived in for 6 weeks, as it makes it even more significant. 

Lots of love,

Hayley x 

An Evening at The Royal Palace of Madrid

Well not quite... More like a quick 10 minutes of taking a few pictures after seeing the never ending queue to get inside. Nevertheless it was a beautiful palace to see. After seeing the palace me and my friend, who is a fellow Au Pair, endulged in some retail therapy and McDonald's eating before heading home. Find pictures of the palace below... 

Lots of love, 

Hayley x 

My Halfway Mark

Today is the halfway mark to my Madrid adventure. I have been here exactly 21 days. On one hand I can say that the time has flown past, I honestly don't know where the days have gone. On the other hand I feel like I left home months ago. That's probably just the homesickness kicking in though...

So far I have had an amazing time in Madrid. Being an Au Pair, I will obviously admit that some mornings I wake up feeling totally unprepared for the day ahead of me but then, on an evening I realise that I had nothing to worry about. After hearing some horror stories, I am grateful to have such a kind host family! 

So, I've got exactly three weeks left until I go home and I certainly plan to make the most of it! This evening I am going into Madrid with a few friends to do a bit of sightseeing, so I'll be sure to make a blog post about that with lots of pictures. 

Lots of love,

Hayley x