Hey everyone!

As promised, this blog post is about the tattoos that I have. In this post I am going to write about pain scale, timing, if it was comfortable to get tattooed, healing process and whether the tattoo needs touching up.

((Disclaimer: These views are entirely based on my own experiences getting tattooed and if you're reading this because you are thinking on getting tattooed, please do not presume that your tattoo experience will not be the exact same as mine. Everyone is different and everybody will react to a tattoo differently. This is a post based upon my experiences alone.))

Tattoo number 1: Sleeping Beauty castle in a snowglobe

This tattoo is on the front of my right thigh. I had been wanting this tattoo a good year before I finally bit the bullet and got this done. I wanted to find the right artist to bring the style that I wanted to the tattoo, and I finally found tattooist Ollie Pinder who is based at Magnum Opus Tattoo in Brighton. This tattoo cost me around £300.00 in total. (Ignore the red scribble at the top of the photo - you could see my underwear as the tattoo is high up!)

Pain?

This tattoo is the biggest tattoo that I have, and had to be done in two sessions. Sadly after the first session getting the lines down, I had to tap out. The front of the thigh was relatively easy, however my tattoo goes into the inside of my thigh, where the really thin skin is right at the top. This was honestly the most painful spot that I have been tattooed on. The only way I can describe the pain is like someone pouring hot water onto your crotch and pinching it at the same time. I would rate the pain around 7/10 - it would be significantly lower if it was not for the inside part, which destroyed me completely.

How long did it take?

Overall, I think the tattoo took 3 1/2 hours panned out over 2 sessions. My first session was around 50 minutes, only getting the lines down. I went back for my second session a couple of months later and my best friend came along with me. The colour and shading was so easy in comparison to getting the outlines, and I managed to sit the rest of the tattoo with my best friend sitting and chatting away to me.

Was it a comfortable experience?

No. I could not get comfortable throughout either of the sessions for this tattoo. I started sitting up and then decided to lay down after the first 10 minutes as it was not comfy sitting up. However, when I  laid down I just could not get comfy at all. I was also aggressively sweating (for those of you who have not been tattooed, this is a natural reaction to you getting penetrated with a needle) and I was sticking to the massage chair and slipping all over the place. Not to mention, this studio is all open plan, so anyone else getting tattooed on the main shop floor or anyone who walks into the shop can see you getting tattooed. I was a little uncomfortable with this as I had to have my skirt hitched up fairly high because of where the tattoo was.

Healing process?

The healing process for the line work was the easiest thing I have ever experienced. It pretty much was healed and peeled in the first week, with no itchiness whatsoever. After I got the colour done, this was a lot more... lengthy. Overall my thigh took about 3 weeks to heal completely. It was SO SO itchy, and was a nightmare to dress correctly because of where the tattoo is. The tattoo does not at the moment need touching up - this tattoo healed perfectly and I cannot fault anything the artist did with this.

2. Alice in Wonderland

This is my FAVOURITE tattoo. This tattoo is on the outside of my left calf. This is my first tattoo from the beautiful Vicky Morgan based at the Ghost House in Derby. I had been wanting a tattoo from Vicky for a while but never thought it would happen because of the distance to get to her and I thought her pricing would be really high because of how beautiful her work was. I was able to get my Alice tattoo from her and the rest is history. This tattoo was £200.00.

Pain?

I found this tattoo relatively easy to get through. The worst parts of this was on my shin bone and around the back of my calf on the fleshy bit. This tattoo was done in one session and towards the end I was in a lot of pain, but this happens with all big tattoo pieces. I would rate the pain of this tattoo 4.5/10. The shin bone felt like someone had a chisel and a mallet against my leg and they were trying to chip away my bone. The back of my calf was a horrid pinching sensation, which I personally found worse than the shin bone pain. Although these aspects hurt, I found this tattoo easy to sit through right to the end.

How long did it take?

This tattoo took around 2 and a half hours with a short break between lines and colour.

Was it a comfortable experience?

Obviously, all tattoos are painful and this can make you extremely uncomfortable. However, I came better prepared for this tattoo, I had a proper meal before I got my tattoo done and the weather was a lot cooler outside making it less hot and sweaty. I was a hell of a lot more comfortable with this tattoo then I was with my thigh piece. Unlike at Magnum Opus, Vicky shares a room with her husband and one other artist, but it is closed off and is not open to the reception area. This set me at ease, and I was a lot more comfortable with this. I was also more comfortable around a female artist.

Healing process?

This was probably the worst healing experience that I've had out of any of my tattoos. Even after a few days it was sticking to everything I was wearing which was pulling the scabs off. I was so upset as this is my favourite tattoo, and my anxiety was sky high because I could not stop worrying about the tattoo getting damaged. It was also SO itchy. I could not deal with how itchy this tattoo was. Thankfully after 2 weeks she was healed and peeled. I had to have Alice touched up when I went to get my next tattoo from Vicky, as the blue is a total bugger to heal as there is white inside of it, so it was extremely patchy in her dress. Vicky was able to touch up as much as possible, although when I head back to her in September I may have to ask her to give her another little touch up for me.

3. Ariel and Eric

This tattoo I also got from Vicky. This is a tattoo I've been wanting for years so I was super stoked to be getting it done by Vicky. For those of you who don't know Vicky's work, she adds a beautiful little twist to her Disney characters, and this was why I wanted tattoos from her. This tattoo is on the outside of my right calf and cost me £200.00.

Pain?

Same as the Alice tattoo above. This was in the same place just on the other leg, so the pain was the same.

How long did it take?

This tattoo took around the same time as my Alice tattoo took, around 2 and a half hours with a small break after getting the lines down.

Was it a comfortable experience?

This tattoo was the easiest tattoo for me. Since I had already met the artist and knew how lovely she was, I was a lot more relaxed around her and a lot more comfortable with getting tattooed. This was also my third tattoo so it was getting easier for me to know the right positions to sit in and how to make myself comfortable. Vicky makes every tattoo easier, as she is so chatty and is such an amazing distraction from the pain, this is one of the many reasons why I enjoy getting tattooed from her.

Healing process?

This tattoo was the complete opposite of Alice - it healed like a breeze. Overall I believe it took around 1 1/2 weeks to completely peel, it barely itched and caused no problems for me whatsoever. This was the easiest healing process ever and I wish that all tattoo healing went as wonderful as this one! This tattoo needs no touching up at the moment, although the red may need touching up in the foreseeable future!

4. Harry Potter Always Patronus tattoo

This tattoo I also got again from Vicky. With this tattoo, I gave her an overall feel for what I wanted the tattoo to be like, however I gave her complete freedom with how she wanted to draw up the tattoo. I was so happy with what she presented to me and did not have to make a single change to the design! I decided to get this tattoo done after Alan Rickman died. I always knew I wanted to get a Harry Potter tattoo, however was not set on what I wanted to have done. After the passing of Alan Rickman, I thought that this would be a beautiful tattoo to commemorate him and his character Snape. This tattoo cost me £200.00.

Pain?

Not going to lie - this tattoo really hurt. Although it was not as bad as I expected the pain to be, and it was bearable, it was not pleasant at all. The pain of getting your foot tattoo is different to the rest of the tattoos I've had done - its an extremely uncomfortable pain. The worst part of the pain for me was towards the end of the tattoo. Vicky had to lean on certain parts of my foot to tattoo me, and the foot was starting to bruise up. Every time she touched me it was like being attacked by Satan. I'd rate the pain 8.5/10 - I would rate it higher but I know I am going to get more painful tattoos in the future.

How long did it take?

This tattoo took around 3 hours with a break. I was quite pleased with myself for sitting the whole tattoo in one session.

Was it comfortable?

No. The problem with getting my foot tattoo was trying to stop it from sliding across the massage chair, especially when my foot was sweaty and horrid. You also have to keep your leg up with your foot flat against the massage chair, so I kept getting cramps and all sorts. This was not as uncomfortable as my thigh tattoo, but was close to getting that way. I also hate having my feet touched by people.

Healing process?

The healing for this was not the worst, but wasn't the easiest. The first few days were a nightmare, as my foot was so so swollen and I couldn't fit into my shoes. You also have to be careful with feet tattoos and ensure that it gets as much fresh air as possible, so when I wasn't outside i was walking around completely barefoot. It was itchy but not unbearably. This scabbed up the most and took around 2 1/2 weeks to peel completely. This tattoo is fairly new and is just around a month old so I'm not 100% sure on whether this tattoo will need touching up or not. 

Thank you so much for taking time out to read this.

Please let me know any comments or thoughts you may have!

With magic, always

Hay x

Disney Era Tag - The Golden Era

Hello everyone, I hope the past week or so has been amazing for you!

Today, I'm bringing something a little different to my blog, which is really exciting for me and will hopefully open me up to new blog content!

The beautiful Jade over at Outside the Tower, who posts AMAZING content has tagged me to take part in the "Disney Era Tag". I am starting off with the Golden Era, and perhaps if people find this enjoyable to read, I shall work my way through. Please let me know in the comments if you would like me to work my way through the eras!

The Golden Era Movies are:- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo & Bambi.

1. Any unseen films?

No, I have seen all the films here.

2. What is your favourite film from this era?

This is a difficult one for me as the Golden Era is not my favourite Disney era, but I would have to say Bambi. I think this film is so so beautiful, despite how sad it is. I love the whole feel of the movie.

3. What is your least favourite film of the era?

I'm probably gonna have to go with Dumbo. This film is so beautiful and lovely, but I feel the least connected with this one out of all of them. And it also makes me ball like a baby.

4. Who is your favourite main character?

Bambi. I just love him. I didn't ever really enjoy Bambi, but recently I have really fallen in love with it.

5. Who is your favourite villain?

I think everyone's answer is going to be the same here - The Evil Queen. She's just, so evil. I love it.

6. Who is your favourite sidekick?

THUMPER! He's just so adorable, I want to just sit and cuddle him and listen to his cute little voice all day.

7. What is your favourite song from this era?

When You Wish Upon A Star. I think this song just takes me back to going to Disney with my family and is what Walt Disney stood for the most. It brings a tear to my eye. I also flashback to Disney Dreams at DLP and... *Sobs*

8. What do you consider to be the most underrated film of this era?

I gotta go with Fantasia here. A lot of people do not enjoy this movie as they do not really understand it. No need to understand it, just sit back and watch the beauty.

9. What is your favourite thing about this era?

Well, this is the era that started it all. The first classics that Walt Disney released. And just for that, I love them.

10. What is your least favourite thing about this era?

Personally, I find for myself these are the hardest films for me to find a connection with. None of the films in this era are in my top Disney movie list, purely just because I just don't connect much with these movies. They're still beautiful movies, all the same.

Thank you so much for giving this blog post a read. I really appreciate every single one of you taking time out of your day to read my posts and I love you all.

I tag Cara, Shawnee, Jamie, Lottie and Lizi!

With magic, always

Hay x

Flawless - Make Up Revolution Ultra 32 shade eyeshadow palette

I am, along with many other beauty bloggers on this site, a HUGE fan of Make Up Revolution.

Revolution is a drugstore make up brand based in the UK, and they sell high quality make up for extremely affordable prices. If you are wanting to try out some of their make up but are based outside of the UK, they do deliver worldwide and are available to ship outside of the UK. They are also a cruelty-free brand, which I am so pleased about, as I am gradually switching a lot of my make up products for cruelty-free products.

The palette featured in this post is a 32 colour shade palette, with both mattes and shimmers. I honestly feel like this is an incredibly versatile palette - a lot of the shades in the palette are must have shades for anyone who is a fan of eyeshadows. At just £8.00, the quality and the pay off of the eyeshadows is just astonishing.

The colours in the palette are primarily warm and nude toned, with more shimmers then matte shades. 

Having swatched the shades, I must say I am so happy with the palette. Only a couple of colours in the palette do not give the strongest pay off, but overall the eyeshadows are creamy, wonderful to apply and very pigmented. 

Although there are a few shades in the palette that I would not choose individually, the colours in the palette work incredibly well together and if used correctly, are wearable for any occasion. 

If you're looking for a eyeshadow palette with colours for any time of day, this palette is just perfect. It would also be a really good palette for someone who is new to make up as the colours are so easy to apply and are heaven to blend.

I have used Revolution for a good couple of years and their make up always impresses me, despite it being so so affordable. I cannot wait for my Fortune Favours the Brave Palette to arrive!

With magic, always.

Hay x

Error 404 (Lush Kitchen)

First, before I get into this review, let me apologise for how long it has been since my last blog post - I have been so busy with my new job which I started last month, and life has been a bit hectic to say the least! The good news is (whether anyone actually cares or not) I should be getting a bit more free time after work/at weekends to start doing blog posts on a weekly basis.

Now that all the boring stuff is out of the way, lets get to the interesting part - Error 404 bath bomb. (I know, yet another Lush blog post).

This bath bomb is a Lush Kitchen product, which is only released a handful of times a year. Luckily enough, I was finally able to pick up 2 of these before they sold out; products go live at 8:00am and for extremely popular kitchen items like Error 404, they usually sell out in around 5 minutes as only a small quantity of the product are made. As soon as it hit 8:00am I hunted down this rare ballistic and snatched up a couple in my basket (and managed to check out before they were all gone!).

This bomb was first released by Lush as an "easter egg". This product was not released anywhere other than on an"unknown" page, which was only able to be found by those who knew how - like an easter egg hidden inside a video game or movie. The description of the product reads:

"When the cogs in your mind need a little time-out, sink into this uplifting rosewood and floral geranium oil-filled soak. Let its swirling, turquoise pool of shimmering lustre dazzle whilst cheerful orange flower absolute brings your mood into a positive dimension. Engage all taps and let the reboot commence."

The product is a wonderful egg shape(nice play on words there, Lush), and is COVERED in a generous layer of bio-degradable gold lustre, making this product spectacular to look at. Don't panic, guys - despite the amount of glitter on the product, and the fact that even touching the product for 0.5 seconds you seem to be covered in an endless pit of sparkliness, it surprisingly does not leave your bath tub looking like a unicorn just spewed up in it (I know, too good to be true, right?!). Once the product has fully dissolved, the lustre is barely even noticeable, and barely leaves any evidence in the tub once the water is emptied! Miracles do happen!

The smell of this product is probably one of the most delightful floral scents that my nostrils have ever whiffed. Geranium oil, rosewood oil and orange flower absolute make the most perfect combination, giving this bath bomb the most glorious, uplifting smell without burning out your nostril hairs. Honestly, I could just sit and sniff it for hours. The rosewood adds just the perfect amount of "woody" undertone to the product, whilst the geranium gives the product its main floral smell, and I think the 3 scents compliment each other beautifully.

Once the bomb starts to dissolve in the water, that's when the wonderment begins...

The bomb starts to disperse as soon as it hits the water, with the gold lustre floating along the top of the water, almost with a foam-like texture. It then starts to create paths of blue and green, as it slowly fizzes away around the tub. The bath bomb does not make noise, which is great considering this bath bomb is meant to help you unwind. Once the bomb is softly fizzing away, the orange smell really starts to come out of the bomb and fill the bathroom with a astonishing scent.

Once the bath bomb has finished its marvelous display, the beauty does not stop there! The bath water is left looking an alluring green colour, filled with splendid gold lustre gently floating around, making the water almost 3 dimensional. Even though the floral scent has become overtaken with the orange flower, the scent does hang around in the air for a while (my bathroom is next door to my bedroom, and I can still smell it, now).

I really enjoyed the experience of this ballistic, and I regret that I only picked up two of these - I am unsure when they will be making another appearance in the Lush Kitchen. I feel like this is one of  Lush's most unique products available and I am somehow thankful that it is only available in the Kitchen so that when you are able to grab some, the experience is out of this world.

If you have the opportunity to pick this product up, please do not hesitate! I was put off getting the product for a while as I was not convinced by the description of the scent, and I was seeing it being decribed as smelling like baby powder online, but I am so glad I decided to bite the bullet and give it a go!

With magic, always

Hay x