Versus: primer

A few years ago I wouldn't have even thought about putting primer on underneath my foundation. From Maybelline to No7, not only do you get "primer", but there's "matte", "illuminating", "colour calming", "undercover shadow", "lash primer" and the list carries on. So today, we have MUA Primer Vs. Monu Illuminating Primer.

First of all we have MUA's primer which they don't actually sell anymore...
Anyway, what I like about this one if the fact that it's a creamy texture and spreads on well. It's not thick at all, meaning that it doesn't feel heavy on your skin or like another extra layer. However, I've found that it doesn't really match up to what's expected of a primer. I didn't feel like it kept my foundation on for any longer or made it feel any smoother than when I use foundation on it's own. But it was cheap so that's kind of expected? Or maybe that's why they've discontinued it..

I was given the Monu Illuminating Primer in a Glossybox a while back and completely forgot I had it until a couple of weeks ago. Fortunately, you can get this one for £27.95 on the Monu website, as well as the Feel Unique website and Amazon. Unlike the MUA primer, the texture of this one is alot thicker and a bit gritty, being the only way I can really describe it. At first I hated it because it wasn't as smooth to put on as the MUA one, but on the other hand, I really can tell the difference once I've put foundation on. My foundation feels a lot more set and it lasts more during the day. So despite the fact that it feels like you're putting a mixture of suncream and sand on your face, if you're willing to spend a bit more money on a primer then I definitely think it's worth trying this one out.

Georgia.xo

Sweet Sixteen

This weekend I turned 16! Mum's motto for the day was "you only turn sixteen once" and she really did go all out there!

We started off the day by opening all my presents and I was given the loviest handbag, a Pandora bracelet, tickets to go and see McBusted (again!) at Hyde Park and lots of money. Afterwards, we headed out and went for some birthday breakfast. I don't mean to sound rude, but having breakfast at the local chavvy carvery wasn't exactly my preffered way of eating it, but the boys were eager for a fry up so hey ho. From there we carried on into Brighton, did a spot of shopping, walked around a few of my favourite spots (I'd reccommend the North Laines to anyone!), had a couple of games of bowling and finished it off at Gormet Burger. In the evening I had everyone round for drinks and mum made the cutest little set-up in the garage for us. The second to last picture of us isn't the most photogenic - excuse my father's photography - but it shows we were having fun right?

I admit, I was a very lucky girlie. I was given a bunch of amazing presents, I spent the day with everyone I couldn't live without and the sun even made an appearance! It was the perfect excuse to wear my new Zara dress and relax - if only we could have 3 day weekends every week. Sigh.

Georgia.xo

Morocco: Day 5

We ended up back down in the village in the morning so people could do any last bits of shopping and have lunch before we left. By then I was totally done with all the heckling and just wanted to go over to the cafe to grab the wifi and I've just realised how lost that made our generation sound!

The majority of the afternoon was then spent on the coach praying to God that we wouldn't drive off the side of the mountain or end up in some huge crash in the middle of Marrakech, therefore not many pictures were taken.

I found myself being very reflective. I learnt to cope in a completely different, unprivilaged culture, tried foods I would never think of trying back home and I spoke to people which I'd never really spoken to before. Take the girls in my room for example (1st picture). They're in a completely different friendship group to me at school and I guess I'd always kind of judged them some way or another, but really they're the nicest girls and we got along somewhat better than some of the people I hang around with usually. Admitidly it was hard trying to force down food that I didn't particularly want to eat and trying to aim my wee down a hole in the floor, but I did learn loads and I'd love to go and visit more countries like Morocco. Maybe with a bit more sunbathing next time though!

Georgia.xo

Morocco: Day 4

Tuesday was the last proper day of the trip so I set about trying to make the most of it; as much as I'd been telling myself that I was missing everyone, hated the food and everything else, I really had been having a good time.

To start off the day we went on another trek down the mountain to go and visit a waterfall. Not going to lie, I did think I was going to fall off the mountain and die at some points, but the waterfall was so beautiful I guess it was worth it. Some of the group decided to turn back and chill at the hotel afterwards but the rest of us carried on into the village, have some lunch, and do a spot of shopping, before trekking back up the mountain.

We had lunch at the boys' house again but unlike before, we sat in the garden. It was so cute and relaxed with the blossom trees over our heads and that much needed shade. I wasn't too keen on the food this time but there were side dishes of pasta and lentils so I stuck to those. I'd never tried lentils before but I mixed them with the pasta and they actually weren't that bad. I've always thought they looked a bit bland and a bit like animal food but Morocco proved me wrong once again!

We finished off with a few shops where I got the most gorgeous cactus silk scarf for mum and some Argan Oil at the Argan Oil Cooperative. The place was impressive and it must be one of the only factories without machinery. The woman were sitting on the floor just cracking their nuts on some rocks not really giving a damn.

The highlight of the day though was when the boys performed to us. Or it might've just been the highlight of the whole week! It must've been about 11pm, we were all sitting there after dinner, just wanting to pack and go to bed. We all thought they'd just be sitting along the edge for a few minutes so what actually happened was completely unexpected. I don't know how to describe it exactly because it was one of those "you had to be there!" moments but long story shot, they started having their own mental party in the middle of the room. One guy was banging the drum so hard I thought he was going to end up slapping one of the others in the balls and the whole time we were just sat there like "what the actual f*** is going on?"

Georgia.xo

Morocco: Day 3

Monday was tough but put it into perspective how privillaged we really are. In the morning we packed up our stuff and left the hotel in two groups. One group (mine) went further up the mountain one side of the valley to get involved in some community work. The other half went up the other side and visited the local village school.

I don't think any of us were expecting to work while we were on holiday. For two hours we had to help build a water irrigation system by forming a chain and passing along bags of rock and other mountain like material to where the next part was being built. It was harder work than it sounds and by the end of it my back was killing me, but as we were told many times, it was for a good cause and something extra to put on our CVs.

Both groups then came together at lunch time at our tour guide's house. Each of the tour guides were either cousins or brothers to each other so the atmosphere was so much more comfortable than any of the resturants we'd been to. The food there was the best we had all week too. Bread was still put on the table, but instead of coucous we had rice instead, as well as sweetcorn, peas and carrot - almost like a vegetarian paella.

Afterwards we swapt activities and off we went trecking up the other side of the mountain to the school. It was a surreal experience. There were no laptops or electronic whiteboards or, from what we could see, no writing books either. However, we'd brought them all mini whiteboards, whiteboard pens, pencils and rulers and I've never seen someone so happy about a pencil. Ever. The kids were so adorable though. They all got involved and one kid even let me teach him how to draw and write in English. He probably didn't have a clue what he was writing but the fact that he actually copied what I'd done without anyone forcing him was the cutest thing I've ever seen.

The next big thing was the mule ride up to the next hotel which we were meant to go to the night before. I was aboslutley shitting myself the whole way up to the hotel, but, like everything else that day, it was an experience which I will never forget.

And now I know why people go on volunteering holidays so much.

Georgia.xo