DIY: Studded iPhone cases

For ages now, I have been after a studded phone case and looking on ebay they can be a bit pricey, so to cut costs, I thought I would do it myself. In this blog I'm going to go through how I made my very own studded phone case.

For this simple little project, you will need:

- A silicone case (I brought mine from Primark for £1 each, but these can be found elsewhere)

- Studs (I purchased mine from eBay, a range of sizes can be found)

Just to be sure, I began by testing out the ways in which I would place the studs, as it's hard to go back once you've secured the stud. 

Once deciding the way I wanted the case to look, you simply push the stud through the silicone, as seen in the picture below.

To secure the stud, there is no mess, no bother, you just simply push the spikes inwards (as seen below) as the studs are hollow you can push the spikes fairly far in to ensure they do not scratch the back of your phone. 

Just keep the process going and soon enough you'll have a studded phone case. The beauty of doing it yourself means you can change the style and make it unique. As you can see, from the ones in which I made, there are many different ways to create your own studded phone case. 

I hope this little tutorial was helpful for anyone looking for a DIY project. Leave any comments if you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer :-)

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Dye time

Hello again :-) So, as previously mentioned in my Beauty Favourites post, I am in the process of dying my hair from light brown to dark blonde. In this post I'm going to tell you about the hair dyes which I have used and which brand I would recommend the most.

L'Oreal Wild Ombrés

At a young age, I was quite the goldilocks, it wasn't till I was about 3 when my hair started to naturally change colour, as I've grown up it has continued to be a light brown colour with some natural highlights. However, last January I felt like a bit of change was needed, so I decided to ombré my hair. At first I was quite nervous, because I had never dyed my hair before so it was quite a daunting process for me, especially when it involved bleach. To ombré my hair, I purchased the L'Oreal Wild Ombrés kit in the shade No2, a kit I would very much recommend as there are several colours to match your hair too. The kit itself comes with a brush to comb the product through the ends of your hair, a tool which made the process so much easier. This product was fabulous and fit it's purpose, despite the undeniably strong smell of bleach. After a couple of months I grew tired of the blonde ends, which had actually started to fade and sometimes resembled a ginger colour rather than blonde in pictures. As I didn't want to just cut my ends off, I allowed my hair to grow and progressively had my ends chopped off. However, I would strongly recommend this kit for anyone looking to ombré their hair and if you are to keep with the colour, it may well be a good idea to go over your
ombré again.

L'Oreal Sublime Mousse

Some of the still blonde remained after many haircuts and as I grew more tired of it, I felt that it would just be easier to dye all of my hair. So I opted for a similar colour to my natural hair colour, to do this I used L'Oreal Sublime Mousse in the colour Very Light Brown. Quick and easy to apply with very little mess, definitely a product I would recommend as the colour took well. When my roots started to show I chose to dye my hair again with the colour Radiant Golden Brown, again a colour by L'Oreal Sublime Mousse. This colour had an amazing tone to it and I was very happy with the life it brought to my hair colour. Like the Wild Ombré Kit, it had a strong smell, however the fact that it was not messy and stressful completely made up for the overwhelming smell. The brilliant things about these kits are not only do they have a wide range of colours, but they also come with a conditioner, which I can honestly say works wonders on your hair after it has been dyed and becomes dried out. 

John Frieda Precision Foam

Most recently, I have been in the process of dying my hair from a light brown to dark blonde, to achieve this I purchased John Frieda Precision Foam in the colour Natural Dark Blonde, however, due to the colour already on my hair it means I still have to keep working on getting it to my desired colour. Nevertheless, John Frieda products are amazing, they take so well and the smell of hair dye does not last for a couple of days unlike the previous products mentioned. Alike to L'Oreal hair dyes, the John Frieda hair dye kits come with a conditioner too, I found that I personally preferred the conditioner in the L'Oreal kits to the John Frieda kit, however it still did it's job of locking in the colour. This hair dye took well to my hair and despite the length and thickness of my hair, I, personally, only needed one bottle to cover all my hair. Although, in some shops this product is expensive it is well worth it's money as it is so quick and easy to apply, this product can be found on offer throughout the year, so it is always good to look out for an offer.

My verdict

In my opinion and from my experience, I've found that mousse hair dyes take better to your hair, as it soaks in making sure all hair is covered and coloured. Out of L'Oreal Sublime Mousse and John Frieda Precision Foam, I would recommend John Frieda, as there is less of an overwhelming smell and there is quite a large range of colours to choose from. A top tip which my mum told me for when dying hair is "when finished applying hair dye, make sure you're in a warm room and put a plastic bag over your hair in order to keep the hair dye warm". I would also recommend that after dying your hair, you take good care of it's condition, as it will become dry and look damaged, by applying something like Moroccan oil or Argon oil can bring back life to dead ends *check out my previous blog post 'Beauty Favourites' where I review Pantene's Argon Oil*

I hope this review of the hair dyes, which I have used, is helpful to others. If you have any questions please feel free to leave them in the comment section below and I will answer them. Thank you for reading and Happy Easter to everyone :-)

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Getting ready for exams

Well, this week has been a very hard week for me, as my study leave period begins in preparation for my final exams. So daunting and quite a bit emotional, I cried in our last assembly, oops.

It's been a tough week, mostly because I now have to find a way to divide my time in a way which will be most beneficial to me and prepare me best for my exams in May. I know many people are going to be going through similar issues at the moment, so in this post I will include some of my top tips to try and help those who may be struggling to find a technique which works. 

Tip number 1:

- Begin by writing down any deadlines and the order in which you will doing your exams, this will be useful as a daily reminder of what you will be expecting during exam session and what you may need to focus your revision on, in terms of what exam is first.

Tip number 2:

- Attend any extra revision classes which your school may put in place, during your own study leave. If they are not, why not try setting up your own revision session with your friends, here you can exchange notes, things to expect in the exams, be reminded of key themes/people/events which you may have forgotten. 

Tip number 3:

- Make up your own exam questions. Sometimes it is good to think like an examiner, as they will be marking your answers with a certain expectation, it is good to understand the mark scheme and where you can also pick up easy marks.

Tip number 4:

- Make a revision timetable, day by day. Make sure on this timetable you do not exceed long times of revising and give yourself regular breaks. There is nothing worse than sitting and staring at a book with nothing going in, because you haven't moved from the same spot in 3 hours. 

Tip number 5:

- It may look like clutter, but revision notes on posters are a good way to be constantly reminded of important information. For instance, when I was revising for my GCSE History exam, I felt that dates/years were not my strongest subject, so I created a timeline which went along my wall, so every time I looked up I would see that information.

Tip number 6:

- It's important to take time out for yourself. When you know you have hit the point of no information going in, cool it for a couple of hours, watch a film and let your brain relax. You will find once you go back to your revision you will feel more refreshed and ready to pick up where you left. 

Tip number 7:

- Reward yourself, only you can set your own goals. It's important recognise in yourself how far you've come.

I hope this has been useful, thank you for reading and good luck to those with their exams soon :-) 

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My beauty favourites

Hello again, thank you for taking your time to look at my blog. In today's post I will be going through some of my beauty must haves.

Firstly is my makeup brush collection. I am completely in love with Real Technique brushes, I own the Core Collection, which includes:

- Small pointed foundation brush

- Contouring brush

- Small detailed brush

- Buffing brush

In addition to the Core Collection I also own:
- Real Techniques Powder brush

- Real Techniques Stippling brush
- Foundation brush from Body Care

I would definitely recommend the Real Techniques brushes to anyone, they are perfect for applying both everyday and more heavy makeup, for anyone going on a night out. I purchased the Core Collection on Amazon at a bargain price of £14.65 with free delivery, they arrived within a matter of days, perfect for me because when it comes to deliveries I am overly impatient. My favourite brush has to be the Stippling brush, I purchased this brush from Boots for £11.99, it may seem a little pricey but it is well worth the money I can assure you (I also purchased the Powder brush in Boots for £12.99). It is perfect for the liquid foundation which I use, giving a flawless and even cover. It is best to wash these brushes as often as possible to avoid build up of products, which could make your makeup look cakey and uneven. To wash my brushes I don't use anything to fancy, I find that shampoo and warm water is just as good and quite handy.

Next is my new found love for Rimmel's Stay Matte powder. I have heard many people on Instagram rave about this powder and the wonders it has done for them. For me, I have naturally oily skin, as the day graduates my foundation starts to become almost greasy looking. However, this pressed powder has became my holy grail, a must need for anyone with oily skin. It comes in several colours, I have Peach Glow, purchased from Boots for £3.99, despite the price this powder can be applied lightly and still give an even and good coverage, so I am sure it will last a long time.

If ever I am asked to recommend a bronzer, I will instantly point them in the direction of Benefit's Hoola. Although expensive at £23.50 from Boots, it is perfect for contouring and even comes with an application brush, after I apply this with the brush provided I blend it with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush to avoid harsh lines, creating a more natural summery look. As it has a dark tone to it, it is best to use it lightly, as you use it only lightly it is most likely that this product will last a long time.

I have gone through many mascaras throughout the years and I have finally came to find one I am completely in love with, as it does wonders for my eyelashes, as I have eyelashes that look almost non-existent because they do not have a natural flutter to them. I have considered eyelash extensions, however, when looking at the procedure I felt it was not worth me doing just yet, so I looked at the reviews of They're Real by Benefit and thought I would give it a go and it is probably the best decision I've made. I received this mascara as part of a gift box. This product can be found in Boots for £19.50, again a little pricey, but most definitely worth the money as it separates lashes and lengthens them in a jet black colour, it even has bristles at the end of the wand to help volumise lashes in the smallest of lashes.

Lastly, is the Pantene Dry Oil with Argon oil. Unfortunately I don't have the link for this as I brought it in a local shop, but I'm sure it can be found elsewhere. This product has become my new saviour as on a daily basis I go through the hair straightening process, which has damaged my hair, causing many split ends. However, since using this product I have found my ends are in much better condition. It is best to use this product when your hair is damp, it is also important to only apply this product to the ends of your hair (using a minimal amount of product), as the roots of your hair have natural oils to protect it's condition. It is also handy for me as I am in the process of dying my hair from a light brown to dark blonde, as I am looking to have a hair colour which is a lot softer and has more tone to it. I would say that thick or thin hair, this product would be useful to all that are looking to treat their dry and damaged ends.

I hope this post was useful to you, if you have any questions please leave it in the comments below and I will be happy to answer. Thank you for taking your time to read this, have a nice day :-)

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Book review: The Fault In Our Stars

Hello all you fabulous people, who have chose to actually look at my blog :)

It seems quite stupid to be writing this post such a long time after this book has been released, however, I know there are many people out there, still yet to read the emotional rollercoaster that is The Fault In Our Stars. In this post I will share my review of the brilliant work of John Green, a writer who I am in complete adoration of (I seem to be in complete adoration of a lot of things) as he completely understands the average teenager's thought process. 

~ I'm also going to apologise in advance if any of my review has any spoilers, I aim to not ruin any elements of the book before you choose to read it ~ 

My review:

If ever I'm asked what my favourite book is, without even thinking I will say The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. There is no doubt that I am completely in love with this book. To say it entails a rollercoaster of emotions is an understatement, there's the heartwarming highs and the gut wrenching lows, Green has created a world in which details the harsh reality of cancer and the brilliance of finding true love. 

Many people who have never read the book, will have heard quite often that the book is "two teenage cancer sufferers finding love" however, cancer is the side effect, as highlighted in the book "cancer is a side effect of dying". It is personal and touching, the finest of details matter to such a book that deserves so much recognition. It is definitely a book to read with a box of tissues at the ready, as the characters of Augustus Waters and Hazel Grace Lancaster are brought to life and become a part of reality. It is easy to care for each character as they are all significant to the story and depict the reality of such situations in a realistic way.

The book itself has many iconic quotes, Green has drew inspiration from the quote "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves" from Shakespeare's play, Julius Ceaser. For me, it was a book which I read within a matter of days, I just could not put it down, it gripped my heart from beginning to end. It is hard to pick out any points in the book which disappointed me, I felt there wasn't any. Although there is one major part of the plot, which I will not disclose, as I don't want to spoil the plot, but lets just say it broke my heart.

I would recommend this book to someone who is particularly into romance, or stories which depict the harsh reality of the life and the unfortunate situations of which many people encounter. I would say that girl or boy, man or woman, who are over the age of 14 would appreciate this book (this is just my suggestion and if you are younger you may too enjoy the brilliant work of John Green). I would also suggest that if you are planning on watching this book evolve onto the big screen, when it comes out in June of this year, that you read the book first, in order to fully appreciate the story.

My rating out of five: ★★★★★

Thank you for taking your time to read this post, I hope this review was useful to you. Please stay with me for my future posts ♡

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Introduction

Hellooo, if anyone actually reads this, thank you for looking at my blog and I hope you'll stay around to see my future posts.

My name is Gemma, I'm relatively small considering I'm 18 years old, but what can you do when you're born into a family of short legged people? I was constantly told that I'm a quiet person, in secondary school I was forever being asked "have you really been here since year 7?!?" I never realised I was that quiet. However, I know myself and that I have a lot of opinions and advice to give, so I felt that this blog would be a good way to document any advice on family and friend dramas, school work worries, makeup and fashion tips and any music, film or book recommendations. Advice is something I love to give and I'm aiming one day to have my very own published book in relation to my advice giving ways.

A little bit about my personal life: 
I am currently studying on the International Baccalaureate, which means I'm studying six subjects which are equivalent to the demands of A-Levels. I've never known something so tiring, but hopefully I will achieve my targeted grades, as I am hoping to be off to university in September, to further my journey into becoming a primary school teacher. During my years in education, I have always had best friends, however, I have gone from friendship group to friendship group, as there has been many times when I have been made to feel unwanted. Despite the way in which this made me feel, it has helped me become a stronger person, and although I was left out a lot, I would thank these people for shaping me into the person I am. 

As I've grown older my music, film and fashion taste has changed so much, at one time I only listened to chart music, that is one mistake not to be made. My film taste ranges for 80's classics to action films to soppy Rom-Coms to Disney films, it really depends on my mood. So in my blogs I will comment on films I have watched recently and whether I would recommend them, I hope that will be of help to many people. 

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I know this is not a proper post, but I will hopefully have a post up soon, thank you if you read this first post. I would love it (in the hope people actually read this) that people would comment with any ideas of blogs I could do, or any problems they have, so that I can make this blog more relevant ♡

Follow me on:
Instagram - @perksofgemma_
Twitter - @Gemm96
I promise to follow back ♡