Thea Scott

WHY THE HATE, PEOPLE?
(mild spoilers - would recommend you watch the show before reading, but it doesn't really matter if you haven't)
hello world,

THIS WAS THE BEST PHOTO SHOOT : I GOT TO WEAR PJ'S

Hello world,

PICTURES : GRACE

I'm not going to lie to you. I'm a PROPER NIGHT OWL. And it was most definitely necessary to put that in capitals, since going to bed at 2am and waking up at 4pm is my speciality. Still, getting ready in the morning is always quite a lot of fun. It's just so nice and relaxing and a bit of chill before I have to go to school (cryyy (unless it's the holidays and then I can sleep in YAY)). Here's my morning routine x  

   READ A BOOK

There's nothing more relaxing than reading a book. I love getting caught up in a story for just an hour or so in the morning. It's a great way to start my day feeling all nice and positive and also a good way to wake my brain up. Especially on a school day, jumping out of bed and immediately having to think about quadratic formulas (ugh) and a load of history dates is pretty difficult. And just a little bit of reading, is a really great way to get ready for a day of work. During the summer, the thinking I do pretty much extents to working out which episode of Friends I finished at the day before and which one I should start with that day, but still that can be pretty difficult :)

                                                               

SET THE SCENE (yay)
On weekends and during the summer, I go for a bit more of a relaxed morning than the rushing and running around that generally happens on a school day. Sometimes I might light some candles or turn all my fairy lights on. Generally I prefer to use my candles in the evenings when I'm going for a bath or something like that, but my Madagascan Vanilla scented candle just smells soooooo lush it can be hard to resist :)
I also have a lil' playlist I like to stick on. I generally like to go for upbeat music in the mornings (slow piano ballads with send me right back off to sleep) that'll help me wake up and feel all nice and lively and energetic for the rest of the day (not the sluggish mess I generally am most mornings).



DO SOME MAKEUP
That's if I can be bothered :)
If it's a school day, then I'm probably up earlier than I would like to be, so even brushing my hair seems a struggle at that hour, so I mostly just ignore my makeup draw. However, it's currently summer and I'm loving the excuse to bronze up in the mornings and chuck on some bright lippy. If you would like to see exactly how I have been doing my makeup during this summer, then head over to the link right here and see what products I've been using each day :)
Makeup Look : Bright Lip

SPRITZ UP
Mmmmmmm. 

I have way to many perfumes and body sprays and general smelly things that I could probably wear a different scent every day for the rest of the summer. One of my absolute faves to spritz all over myself in the morning (probably too much) are my Jack Wills body sprays. They are so gorgeous and such a lovely fresh, light scent- perfect for summer.
Another 'staple scent' of mine is actually one of Zoella's. I feel like some people think they're a little childish and maybe a little tacky, but if you've ever smelled the 'Snow ella' Christmas scent from last year (yes a Christmas scent, don't murder me) it's actually one of the nicest things I've ever smelt. It's so fresh and minty and actually smells like a Mojito. And I love a good Mojito (no-alcoholic obviously :))) )


 SORT MY HAIR OUT
As you may know, I have really curly hair, and despite what you might say, it's actually so incredibly annoying. I can't sleep on it without ending up with hair sticking up in the air, I can't use a normal hair dryer (just makes it go frizzy) so if I do use a hair dryer, it has to be a diffuser, and generally it just refuses to behave :(
That makes getting ready in the mornings an absolute pain.
I literally have to use about 50 zillion products just to get it to stay in one place. If I am going to wash and dry my hair, I use this 'curl cream' thingy (I can't tell you exactly what it's called because the writing has rubbed off the bottle). It's like this conditioner that you put in your hair before drying it and it's ACTUAL MAGIC. Since I started using it, my curls have been bouncier, lighter and almost blonder ? A small spritz of heat protection spray too helps quite a lot actually.
On the days I don't hair dry, just a little Batiste 'Frizz Tamer' and maybe a little hairspray is enough to tame my curls :)


STOP AND SMELL THE FLOWERS (y'know?)
Mornings tend to bring out a little more of a grumpy side to me (sorry mum). Waking up early does not work for me and I am usually a little bitter before I get a cup of tea into me (hehe).
By "Stop and smell the flowers) I just generally mean anything that is going to get you out of that morning mood. Listening to some music, maybe a little meditation, anything that makes you a little calmer and gives you a moment to just sit down and calm yourself down a little. A good cup of tea seems to do that for me, for some reason, so it literally could be anything- maybe even literally stepping outside into your garden and smelling some flowers (hehe).


                                                                                                                                             


So there you go, that's everything I do in the morning.

What does your morning routine look like?



Lots of love,
Thea xo

      

I MAY HAVE SAID HOLLY BOURNE WAS MY FAVOURITE AUTHOR, AND I MAY HAVE TO TAKE THAT BACK...

hello world,
(spoiler free x)
This year I've seemed to be thrown into a bit of a reading slump. (I know!) Reading slumps are so difficult to handle and just so incredibly annoying when all I want to be doing is reading piles and piles of books, but I lack the motivation to do so. My 2018 Goodreads challenge seems to be permanently reading "you are behind schedule" and the stack of un-read books on my shelf is not getting any smaller. In came this book.
Summer holidays means shopping trips and shopping trips mean me spending way too much money in Waterstones, even though I know I can get the same books way cheaper on Amazon. But this time, I restricted myself to buying just one book when I ventured into Waterstones - meaning I had to purchase a book that really stood out to me. This book seemed to just throw itself off of the shelf and into my basket.
Here's my review on Cat Clarke's "Torn" x



Like I said, I was immediately drawn to this book. The fact that it doesn't have a "real" blurb on it just intrigued me from the very beginning. Of course, if you buy this book from amazon, you will find a summary there, but in store, it gives you very little info. On the back it says:

I'm not stupid enough to think I can make up for what happened to her. But I've got to get back to who I am. Someone who does the right thing.

And on the front it simply states:
She wasn't supposed to die.

I feel like you can guess a lot of the story line and the ideas inside it from those few words, but from the moment I read that, to the time it took me to pay for the book, simply because it didn't have a blurb, I was already guessing and thinking all about the book - therefore making myself very very very excited to read it. And I wasn't disappointed in anyway possible.

The story begins, again, in a way that really fascinated me even more. I don't want to spoil anything (I'd really like to keep most of it as much a secret as possible so you have that similar mystery that I had when I first read it) so I won't give too many details, but we begin and the funeral of the character who has obviously died / been killed...

I just thought this was a really good choice of a place to start. I would have been so disappointed if it had started from the beginning and had gone from the start telling us exactly what happened to the girl that died. This may seem like a really obvious thing to do, as it gives you that slow unravelling feeling that all mystery readers crave, but you would be surprised with the amount of mystery books I've read that just start at the beginning and kind of tell you everything without the main character having to work for it. Nothing is worse that picking up a book that seems amazing, and then it being one of those.



With mystery novels I quite often find myself skipping and skim reading because I just get bored. I find that mystery novels are often JUST TOO SLOW, and the ones that are fast paced, just move way too quickly and drop massive bombs and then move on like it was nothing.
*cough* One Of Us Is Lying *cough*.
Books like "One of us is Lying" I just think are just the worst. It was good writing, nothing too wrong with it in that sense, it was just way too fast. It kept moving on so quick after anything big happened. I ended up skipping to the end around half way just because I thought it was that bad, and even then, the ending was so predictable, it was pretty much what I initially guessed after reading the first page.


Then, there's books like "13 Minutes". I thought this book could have been so incredible. It was such good writing, I kinda loved the way it was done, yet I still skipped to the end about half way through. Of course, I didn't understand the end since I didn't read half of it, so ended up googling the plot line. Why?

It was just too slow.
Around half way I had my suspicions on who "dunnit", but as soon as I felt myself feeling that boredom, they didn't do anything dramatic that reeled me back in. I feel like "Torn" had that.
There was a moment, again, around half way of "Torn" where I could just feel my patience slipping a little, waiting for the end, and at that exact moment I could feel myself turning to the final chapter, the writer added another "plot twist" - if you like. And that plot twist is what hooked me in, making this the first murder mystery (ish) book I've ever finished without flipping to the final page first.
Of course, the thing that kept me hooked was something kind of obvious. I mean, I had thought of it, but I also hoped it wouldn't happen, if you get what I mean?

I actually kind of love this book. It explores ideas of guilt and anxiety and grief and regret and basically everything that had the ability to just make my heart DROP over and over and over again. From the beginning, I was enjoying it, but I also expected it to be much less than it was. I was expecting it to be a bit more of a "teen drama" type thing than a proper good, hard hitting novel. This book was heartbreaking, utterly terrifying in times and so thought-provoking.

Near the beginning, I seriously hated the main character- Alice. She just seemed annoying and a little foolish, but it wasn't long until I realised that it was that exactly that made her such a believable character. Even though this is the type of book I don't usually feel myself relating to, Alice's character was so incredibly relatable I could feel myself wanting to cry in parts. It was just her guilt and regret and pure desperation to do the right thing which I think was so incredibly emotional.

There is an element of romance in this book, and I did really like that. Sometimes it annoys me when the mysterious side of the story is overshadowed by a romantic subplot, but the one in this just added complications and flare (?) to the plot.

As for the ending, I kind of loved it, yet kind of hated it. It was one of those that you know was done exactly right and all the characters were saying and doing the right things, in keeping with their personalities, but, it was also very frustrating. I don't think I would have wanted it any other way though.

Well that's my reading slump broken, and I don't think it'll be coming back anytime soon since I just bought almost every other Cat Clarke book I could find, and have already delved straight into one entitled "Entangled". What can I say? I thought this book was brilliant, and I found Clarke's style of writing so easy for me to practically inhale in one sitting :)
____________________________________________________________________________


Have you read this book?
What would you rate it?


Lots of love,
Thea x


MY OVERALL RATING FOR THIS BOOK IS 4.99 / 5
(don't wanna give it a 5 but it was still pretty great)




update : i just finished Entangled and it's even better than this one. i don't usually cry at books but i am currently balling my eyes out hehe :)

SUMMER IS HERE AND IT'S TIME TO CRACK OUT ALL OF MY BRIGHT LIPSTICKS

Hello world,

Summer is here and I could not be more excited. It's time to say a buh-bye to all that red lipstick from winter and the subtle pink lipstick I seemed to wear all the way through Spring. 

Somehow the sunshine seems to bring out a different side to me - I always feel a little more confident and brave when it comes to clothes and makeup during the summer. I even have a pink leather jacket that comes out in the summer- and I wouldn't dream of wearing that in winter or autumn (but we'll talk about that jacket another time). For now, I want to walk you through a makeup look that is my absolute go-to for when it's a little warmer than usual. Enjoy x

THE SKIN

The skin is probably my favourite part of makeup. I just love the way my skin looks once I've bronzed up and highlighted. I don't really know what it is, but there's something about making my skin look somewhat nice (and hiding my spots) that is actually a load of fun. 

I'll usually begin with my Rimmel "Wake Me Up" concealer. I find it so much easier to over do the concealer a little than to do foundation. Honestly, who has enough time to blend all of that?

Just a little concealer in my worst areas is generally enough to get rid of pretty much all of my spots, so why bother with the hassle of a foundation? I just find that it can be so heavy and usually leaves me with worse spots the next day, so I'll avoid wearing it at much as I can. 

For contour, my beloved Rimmel Kate Moss Contour Palette in Coral Glow, always does a good job. I generally don't use blusher because I always seem to go overboard when I do, so I usually try to stay away from it, and for this look I use a different highlighter, so I'll only use the brozer for this look. I don't think I have ever found a better contour palette than this one. The bronzer isn't too orange (a deal-breaker for me) and it's also not too shimmery. It does have a bit of a sparkle, but not enough to make it look like I just chucked a load of glitter on my face, which is perfect for a summers day. 

Gold highlighter is something that can be difficult to work with, so if it's not your thing, they stay away. But, I think my gold highlighter is one of my favourite products in my makeup collection. I use the I <3 Makeup "Goddess of Love" triple baked highlighter. This one is absolutely stunning and I honestly don't think summer would be the same without it in my life. I think a friend might have gifted it to me for Christmas a couple years ago- and so to that friend, I thank you. 

THE EYES

I always prefer to go for something a little simpler on the eyes, and so for this look I didn't actually use any eye shadow. My recommendation for a good palette would be the Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette, and you can read all about it in my review of the palette here : Peach Palette Review. (Shameless self promo hehe. But, seriously- it's an amazing palette.)

So, for mascara I went with my almost dried out (woopsie) Collection Lengthening Mascara on the bottom lashes and my brand new (and not dried out at all) Bourjois Push-Up Volume Waterproof mascara. This mascara is great for really dark and dramatic (and ever so slightly clumpy (in a good way)) lashes. I actually love this new addition to my makeup collection. 

THE EYEBROWS

Eyebrows are something I pretty much always to the same. Sure, I have different products for days where I just want to quickly chuck on something to make them look a little better, and products for days where I have a bit more time and want to fill 'em in properly, but they are the kinda thing you don't really change the style of.

For this look, I used my Collection Instant Brow Pomade in Blonde. It's really easy to apply with an angled brush, and it does a good job. What else do you really want from a brow product? Oooooh, and it's cheap too !!

THE LIP

And now, for the thing this post has been all about : the bright lip colour. I'm actually really picky about the lipsticks I buy. I don't like it when a lipstick rubs of within 10 second, when they aren't pigmented enough, and when they are hard to apply or the lipstick is too soft and it just snaps when I go to apply it (happened too many times). The lipstick I chose is the MUA luxe velvet lip lacquer in the shade "Hustle". This lipstick (technically it's a "lip lacquer" but who cares?) is so easy to apply (it comes with a lip gloss style applicator), it lasts for a pretty good amount of time, and dries really quickly to be a gorgeous velvety matte shade. It's so stunning and such a lovely colour for summer.

I believe this lipstick comes in a trio (at least it did when I bought it) with 2 other shades named "Halcyon" and "Reckless". "Reckless" is more of a dark red-ish shade and "Halcyon" is more of a softer pinky colour. Both are gorgeous, so if you can't find them in a trio, I would recommend buying them separately anyway x 

_________________________________________________________________________

Well there you go - that's the makeup look I will be applying and reapplying over and over again throughout summer. 

-What do you think of this look?

Dress - New Look
Sunglasses - Primark

Lots of love,

Thea xox

I'M GOING TO GO ALL ZEN ON YOU : SORRY

hello world,
Sometimes it's nice to get away from everyday life and appreciate what's around you. Maybe take a break from what you're doing and just look at what is right in front of you - ya know?
"Stop and smell the flowers" and all that jazz.
So today I have gathered together my top 5 tips for you, to help you look around you and feel all positive and happy :))






LISTEN TO MUSIC
Firstly, I'm afraid the pics today are of me dancing and I can't dance- so I apologise for the cringe photos- but you only live once, right?
Secondly, oh yes people, MUSIC. Music is the thing that universally makes people happy. All over the world people are jamming out to pop, rap, country (ew) and everything in between. We all love music, and that's no secret, so why not go to your garden when it's all sunny or to a park with your friends, slam on a bit o'Drake or Beyonce or whatever "feel good" music you want and just have fun. Honestly, music can really lift a bad mood.



EXCERCISE
EW. But honestly, really good for you. Not only is it great for you physically, but it can work wonders mentally. I seriously LOVE running. Just think about it, a nice day with a little breeze, running through a village with music blasting in your ears. It's actually so nice, and running is really freeing and a lot of fun once you get into it.
If running ain't your thing, then maybe just a bike ride or a simple walk. Anything that gets you out of the house and into some sun and feeling good.






TURN OFF YOUR PHONE
I'm sorry, I really am, but turn off your electrical devises (not right now, finish reading first :)). If you're going to use a phone for music then put on the music and then walk away. Honestly, you have no idea how much more positive you will feel just being away from it for a few hours. You've probably heard it a million times and it's probably getting annoying, but I'm just going to tell you again. Being away from electrical devises for a while is a good thing.
No- that is not permission for my parents to take my electrical devises away.
Yes- I still think it's a bad thing that my school want to ban mobile phones.
:)


TALK TO PEOPLE / FRIENDS
No one likes being cooped up at home, stuck with nothing to do. Grab a friend, go to the park or a coffee shop, somewhere, anywhere. Sitting at home or in your bed, wallowing isn't going to make you feel more positive- in fact, it's going to make you feel worse. Bored.
Grab a friend and go and do something fun, even if it's just chatting. The chances are, just having a conversation with them is going to make you feel a lot better, and leaving the house will feel a million times better than being sat in bed watching Netflix all day.
Just saying.



MEDITATION
Ooooh this is where I go all Zen on you my friends.
Meditation is really really difficult and I respect that, so if meditation really isn't your thing, then that's honestly fine- try some of the other tips. But, I would definitely recommend it.
Of course, meditation isn't always sitting cross-legged on the floor and going "ommmm". It's really all about  clearing your head and feeling peaceful- and that can really be anything. Just try anything that makes you feel calm- it could just be sitting in your garden with your eyes closed for a minute.
Even if it isn't your thing- it makes a good distraction for a while x






TAKE A BATH (BUBBLES ARE RECOMMENDED)
Oh yes. I don't care if you are a guy and think this is a little girly, I believe that bubbles are the solution to everything :)
Taking a bubble bath is a little like meditation, I guess. It's calming and relaxing and can make you feel a lot more positive. Maybe do a face mask if you're feeling a little fancy, or crack out one of those bath bombs you've probably had since christmas (anyone else or just me) - whatever it takes to make you feel good and confident.
Taking a morning bath can be a really good way to kick start your positivity, and generally have a bit more of a productive day...


Well there you have it, 6 tips and tricks to feel positive. Each one has been tried and tested by me- I hope you have a lovely day :))



Lots of love,
Thea
xx

EVERYONE NEEDS A STAPLE OUTFIT: HERE IS MINE

Photos by: GRACE

Hello world,

When I say summer, I'm sure a lot of you picture bright rays of sunshine, probably somewhere hot, surrounded by pale blue ocean. But here, in England, "summer" pretty much means the same as Winter elsewhere, maybe a little warmer. So often a jacket in necessary, and if you're going to wear a skirt, tights can be a good idea. That's why I crafted this outfit, perfect for the days that are a little chilly, maybe rainy, but also a chic and stylish outfit. Everyone needs a staple in their wardrobe: here's mine.

One of the most universal staple items is the denim jacket- and I love it.

Mine is blue and oversized, and a little worn in places. I find that this colour is my favourite in denim jackets, but light wash also works well as a staple item.

If denim isn't really your thing, then another jacket can work great, but I find that denim looks great on pretty much everyone.

Even though summer can be cold and rainy, I still like to bring out my short sleeves and this is one of my faves. It's just a simple white, oversized tee- again, the perfect staple item. Mine has some writing on it ("there is no planet B") but it's the kind of thing that any plain t-shirt will work. I tucked it into my skirt underneath the jacket which I think looks lovely for the perfect simple statement look.

  

THE SKIRT

I feel like everyone needs a statement skirt. Mine is just a simple black skater skirt- which pretty much goes with anything. I think I probably own about 5 of the same skirt I where it so much.

THE SHOES

Like always- I went with comfort over style and landed on these. These are pretty much my everyday, go-to shoes, and they are sooooooo comfortable. They're kind of a fake converse thing (im poor) thing / black lace-up trainers. They are probably the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned- definitely no Gucci heels, but still, probably my favourite shoes.

What do you think of this look? Do you have any staple outfits of your own?

Top - H & M
Jacket- NEW LOOK
Skirt- H & M

Lots of love,

Thea

IT'S BEEN A WHILE

Hello world,

I'm back. It's been a while, and I'm not going to lie to you- I kinda told myself I was done with the whole blogging thing. And when I mentioned that to my parents, they responded by laughing in my face and saying "You'll be writing a post in a month and begin it by saying "sorry I've been gone for so long". And when they said that, I kind of knew they were right- and so I asked myself:

What's the point in waiting a month to start blogging again when I could just start again now?
And here we are.

This is the only time I'll ever say it:

My parents were right. 

So, like a year ago now I wrote a post called Top 10 Movies of All Time and I kinda loved writing it. But I looked back at that post a couple of days ago and completely disagreed with my past self. A lot of my favourites have completely changed. So today, I am going to be a lovely person, and tell you all about the best movies in the world.

Enjoy xo

THE ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF A SPOTLESS MIND

Now, I'm not going to lie to you, I've actually only seen this film once. But that one time was enough to know that this film has to make the list. 

The film follows polar opposites. Clementine- a free spirit and dangerously spontaneous and carefree. Joel- not so much, definitely not spontaneous and definitely not carefree. Of course, the two fall madly in love, but like most relationships, they grow apart and eventually break up. Now, it's 2 years later and Joel finds out Clementine has undergone a procedure to erase him from her memory. Confused and heartbroken, Joel decides to do the same.

But, as he relives the past memories of their relationship- he falls in love with her all over again. And throughout the rest of the movie, Joel does everything he can to fight back against the machine too save his memories.

When I saw this movie, I had to kind of sit in silence for a few minutes after it. Partly because the ending is pretty confusing and it took me a minute to work out what just happened, but also because it was so beautiful. It's really not your ordinary romance movie. It's alternative, playing with the boundaries of romance, and even breaking into the world of science fiction.

It really is a life-changer.

GREASE

This one has to be up there. Multiple times a day I'll just randomly break out into song and most of the time it's either Grease or High School Musical.

Go grease lightning du dun dun dun dun dun dunnnnnnn..... *cough*

It's the movie I always find myself reaching for when I'm ill or just need a good sing-along. It's an all round fantastic film- featuring that romance we're all suckers for (the bad boy / good girl) and a good playlist of bangersss. What more could you want in a movie?

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

I think it's safe to say, Star Wars has pretty much been my life since I was born. My family are such nuts for a Star Wars movie, we even have a separate cinema we go to for just Star Wars films (oh and Marvel films). Yep, we're that crazy.

Star wars has taken the whole world by surprise these past few years. First we has The Force Awakens which I thought was pretty incredible. And THEN ROGUE ONEEEE. Rogue One was soooooooo good. Then I'm pretty sure The Last Jedi was next- I've honestly lost count. Then Solo- which I saw last week and also thought was pretty good for a film I didn't really expect much of. So, the world has seen a hella lot of Star Wars recently, and lots of people will say one of those were the best so far: But come on, we all know The Empire Strikes back was the best. I mean, come on.

HARRY POTTER (yes the whole series (no that's not cheating))

I mean, what other series of films am I capable of binging in a day? Harry Potter will always be up there in my faves. There's something about Harry Potter that always seems to bring be away from reality slightly and really make me de-stress. It's a real life saver around exam season- what can I say?

J.K Rowling is a proper genius. 

INSIDE OUT

My god this film.

I wasn't really expecting much when I went to see this in the cinema. The trailer really didn't do it much justice. It was so much more than a sappy little Disney movie. Don't get me wrong- I love a good little sappy Disney movies but this was just so much better. It was so deep and actually such a beautiful story.

And wow I didn't expect to cry so much.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

A classic turned live action. Absolutely amazing.

Emma Watson has been one of my faves since the first time I saw The Philosopher's Stone. She played Hermione perfectly and exactly as I had imagined when reading the book, so she had a tough act to follow in this film. But she did it so perfectly.

Belle was always my favourite princess, and this live action version of an already pretty amazing film, only made my love for Belle stronger.

THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN

Oooosh. This film was so incredibly real and honest, amazingly funny and a proper cryer. If you've seen The Kissing Booth (that seems to have recently taken over most teenage girl's lives) then this is probably the honest version. Nadine is in the situation where her best friend is starting to date her brother and she. is. falling. apart. Every girl can relate to her breakdowns, uber embarrassing mistakes and crushes. I love a film that's not afraid to tell the truth.

MEAN GIRLS / THE DUFF

Okay this might be cheating to put them together, but they're pretty much the same film- not going to lie.

Both films contain a romance, some mean girls, a bad ass group of girls that like to walk down corridors in slow motion and a ton of lip gloss. Both equally entertaining, both equally funny, both brilliant.

DEADPOOL

I luvvv a good super hero movie. And I'm pretty sure this counts as a superhero movie?

Deadpool is easily the funniest film I have ever seen. The kind of indie / alternative comedy and story line behind this is utter genius.

LEGO MOVIE

Okay. Please don't hurt me.

This film is actually hilarious and the story line is actually pretty clever too.

If you say this film wasn't good- you're lying. Simple as. :)

Well there you have it. My Top 10 Favourite Movies. Leave me a comment to let me know if there are any films you agree with, and what your favourite films are.

Lots of love,

Thea xox