Topshop Rio Rio Lipstick Review

Topshop Rio Rio Lipstick £8.00 

I always pick up a new, bright shade for summer. This year I chose Rio Rio from Topshop, unfortunately in the UK the summer has been lacking so my chance to wear this has been few and far between, but as I feel autumn is descending upon us it's time I review this lipstick.

I wanted a lipstick with a retro, 70s feel making Rio Rio perfect. It's a bright, red-orange shade that really stands out brightly. It applies so softly, both silky and smooth yet the finish is matte which makes it a perfect statement shade for the daytime. It feels really soft and nourishing on the lips and also has a fruity "taste" to it.

Now my summer plan was to just wear it with a light coat of mascara but this summer just hasn't really happened. I will make the most of this lipstick by taking it into autumn, again with a 70s retro feel, wearing it with a bronze eyeshadow and lashings of mascara.

With just a lick of mascara

It's such a bold lipstick you'd think you would need to reapply constantly but it sits and stays on the lips, even after a meal I found it stayed put. It really does feel like it sets when it goes on, just not in an uncomfortable sticky manner.

It's a gorgeous shade, it's just a shame the weather hasn't been on my side.

Not only is Rio Rio available in the standard packaging but currently you can pick it up in the limited edition Topshop 5 years of beauty packaging for the same price.

Health & Fitness Update (Playing Catch-up)

Well it has been quite some time since I posted a health and fitness update. There has been a lot of upheaval in my life but it is all okay now. Everything is once again more positive. I'm happy to say that even though I haven't been updating my blog I have been super busy and super active.

I'll start with what hasn't changed much, the food. I still have a standard pattern, I eat a little more as I'm doing more activity but in general I'm happy. I eat everything I like in moderation although I can be a little lazy. I do find it hard to cook from scratch for one, it's all the pots that mount up. If I'm making some kind of veggie "meat" sauce, (i.e. bolognese, chilli), I'll make enough for a few days. I don't bother to freeze, I just have the same meal for a couple of days in a row, I can always change the carb that goes with them. I've been lazy with making food to take to work which is something I need to change, there aren't many vegetarian options let alone healthy ones so a weighed portion of pasta with veggie pesto is better than the usual chips that they have.

I haven't discovered any new, interesting foods to discuss. I really could do with a bit of excitement and colour injecting into my diet!

My steps have been pretty okay, I think! I really haven't been checking as diligently as I spend so much time in the gym at the moment.

Now the gym is the new love of my life, it treats me well and I make sure I spend plenty of time there. I try and spend 4-5 days at the gym/swimming pool. I have a fabulous routine that I'm enjoying and have also added the treadmill to that routine as of yesterday. I've even made it on the Top Swimmers board at my gym (no. 2) - happy days!

So to conclude, I haven't given up, I'm still here just working out super hard. I feel strong, fit and healthy so I thought I would share some of my pre/post gym photos.

If you are on Instagram or Twitter, please look me up, I post most of my workout stats on there along with "sexy"* photos like above.


So how is summer treating your fit and healthy routine? Any inspiration?


*I'm using the term sexy very loosely, I can't pull a normal face. 

Happy Anniversary Samhain

On the 23rd July we celebrated a year of Samhain. It marked a year since I adopted Samhain, I really can't believe he has made it with the amount of mischief he likes to cause but it has been such a wonderful worthwhile year I wanted to share some little bits of information.

After briefly looking after the lovely but poorly, elderly cat The Beast for 6 months starting 13th December 2013, I knew I wanted to continue to adopt. It was hard at first but when I realised how difficult it is to rehome black cats I knew I wanted to continue and make it almost a tradition that I adopt black cats. I also knew I wanted an older cat, I knew with each death I'd be heartbroken but I also realised I would feel even more heartbroken thinking about all those poor, elderly cats that nobody is interested in taking in simply because there time with them would be shorter.

I found Samhain around two weeks after The Beast passed away, I wasn't ready to start looking but I couldn't resist looking at my local RSPCA site and then I saw this photo.

I thought he looked a bit helpless, unsure, shy but inquisitive, I was right about the last part. He does that little head tilt each time he is trying to work something out. I knew that Samhain (then Sam) was the boy for me and within 6 days all the paperwork and checks had been done and he was now in his forever home.

I love my little Samhain to bits, he can be a handful but that makes him more special. He came to us with some missing teeth and has managed to lose another half fighting.

The love he gives my home is amazing. I love how bold he is, going from my room to my parents room in the night, plonking himself wherever he likes. Although Samhain has been done he still has the urge to hump and my clothing ends up getting the short straw. My neatly folded piles become unfolded, dragged around and crumpled. I don't mind, I just want him to be happy.

My once neat piles of clothes destroyed, mounted then slept upon

Samhain and I last week

I love Samhain's quirks. One thing I taught him was to tap/high five my hand for a treat. He picked that up so quickly and now uses it against me. If he wants attention, say if I'm trying to get changed, he taps me, if I'm cooking he taps me, if I'm sleeping he taps me! I find this adorable, I love it when he demands attention first thing in the morning.

Another "defect" Samhain came with is a bust nose so I'm wary of him having problem breathing. Nothing to worry about so far but he does snore, grunt and huff when he isn't happy as well as the odd grumbling meow.

I love Samhain so much, now his age was estimated to be around 10 but we really don't know, he can get himself into trouble so I do worry about him, it's still worth it. In general he is very happy, he has a home to roam around and a large garden to go out in - he can do what he likes when he likes. Whatever happens I know each day I make him happy and he makes me happy, that's all that matters.

So Happy Anniversary Samhain, here's to another year (hopefully!)