It's Been A While

So.. what's this site again? It's been so long since I've blogged and I actually am starting to miss it. You see, many things have change since we last spoke. And when change comes, I go into shut down mode until I feel comfortable again. I suppose I'm at that point now that I'm writing again? How about a quick catch up then? Here's what I've been up to since we last spoke..

1. Firstly, I started a PLC (a year-long course after the Leaving Cert) in Applied Science. I wasn't too sure in the beginning. I missed my old friends from school and the routine of school life, but now I am really happy. Don't get me wrong, I still miss my friends like CRAZY but it's getting easier. This year is so laid back and relaxed after the dreaded LC and I really think by this time next year I'll be much more ready to go to college.

2. Driving is going well. I reckon I'm stalling only half the amount I was and I'm half way through my lessons (WOOHOO!).

3. Still eating like a pig.. but at least now I feel bad afterwards.

4. I got my eyebrows threaded for the first time. Hurt like hell, but at least my eyebrows are slowly but surely improving (they were a serious mess)*

5. Completely obsessed with One Direction's new album and Little Mix's new album. And ADELE THE QUEEN IS BAAAACK!! Amazing time for music.

*NOTE: Never touch your own eyebrows! I wish someone had told me this when I was younger. I used to shave my eyebrows.so that there was no arch at all. My eyebrows are permanently messed up. So there is a lesson for you. Learn from my stupidity.

In other news, how excited are you for Christmas? It is without a doubt my favourite time of the year. Everywhere is so festive I can't help but smile. What do you love about the magical season? And what have you been up to the past few months?

Will I Ever Fall In Love?

A question that I've been asking myself recently is will I ever fall in love? And I don't mean obsessing over celebrities who I vow I will marry someday, I mean like a boy who knows I exist and who doesn't only exist in my mind.

I've been on this earth for 18 years now and not many people know that I've never had a boyfriend and I've only ever been kissed once (which doesn't really even count as it was just a silly game of truth or dare when I was 12 and it was more like a peck on the lips). Writing that down is actually quite embarrassing for me. It's hard not to ask yourself 'Is there something wrong with me?'.

I know I'm probably not alone is this problem. I wouldn't make such a big deal out of it but my biggest worry is that when it does happen with someone I care about, will I be terrible at it because I've had virtually no experience?

All the movies and books make finding someone who loves you look so easy. But it never is. I honestly believe it's because of these expectations that society thinks we have to find the one, fall in love and live happily ever after. These expectations are forced on us and now when we find ourselves without love in our lives we believe there's something wrong with us. It's crazy pressure from such a young age.

Maybe the best way to find someone is to stop looking (as Rachel Green told us in Friends). Growing up is proving to be a real pain. Any advice for a confused girl? Leave a comment below.

The Manifesto On How To Be Interesting

The Manifesto On How To Be Interesting is a YA book by Holly Bourne. Quick bit of information before I start my review: I started reading it at around 5pm yesterday and had it finished by 2pm today. That should give you an idea of how much I loved this book.

From the very first chapter to the last I was completely hooked by Bourne's offbeat and unusual characters and captivating storyline. While Bree is so different and an original character she is so relatable and stands for so many teenagers around the world today.

I think why I loved this book so much was because the story was so original. I had never read anything like it before and it was so addictive. I just wanted to find out was would happen so kept on reading.

This was my first Holly Bourne book to read and as a result I have bought her other novel 'Am I Normal Yet?'. She tackles serious problems in a relatable way that young adults can understand. I am blown away by her talent and can't wait to keep on reading her books in the future.

I would give it a 5 out of 5 stars. This book has changed my life. Is there any book you loved so much and would recommend? Leave a comment below.

The Land Of Fiction

I always wondered why I had such a love of films, books and tv shows and recently I think I've figured it out. The land of fiction is so much more interesting than the land of reality. Honestly, I don't know if this is such a good thing for me as once I get even a taste of a fictional world, I get completely sucked in and become obsessed with it. For example, I much rather think about the wizarding world of Harry Potter than what I'm going to do with my life.



I really do believe that these world of witches, wizards, vampires, shadowhunters, werewolves, love, adventure and what not are taking over my life. My mind is constantly thinking of these places from movies and books that I sometimes forget to live my own life. So now I'm an eighteen year old who is happiest spending all day every day watching Disney films or catching                                                                                                              up on the latest episode of 'The Originals'                                                                                                                while the world passes me by.

By getting absorbed into these worlds I can forget my own problems or my own life and start obsessing over the problems of the characters even though THEY ARE NOT REAL! Just yesterday I watched Beauty & The Beast for the first time in years and now it's all I can think about. The story, the characters, the songs. While I love this obsession with fiction and stories, sometimes I do worry that it will take over my life to the point where I won't even care about what happens in my life but rather care about these characters and their worlds and problems more. I don't know. Maybe I'm being dramatic and should embrace this passion.

Do you ever get completely absorbed into the world of fiction? To the point where it's all you think about? I'd love to hear your opinion and personal experience. Leave a comment below.

Entering The Adult World

As of the 30th of July 2015, I am a fully fledged adult of 18 years. This sounds surreal to me because I still feel like a little kid watching cartoons and eating too much chocolate. Honestly, I know that it is time for me to grow up and start acting like an adult but I find it hard to let go of my childhood and start accepting responsibilities.

New Phone!

New hair!

My birthday itself was a great day. My three best friends surprised me by coming over with presents and cake. Their gifts were so thoughtful and amazing and I'm so grateful to have friends like them. My parents for my birthday bought me a new phone which I desperately needed. I got the Samsung Galaxy A3 and am completely in love with it. I also took a big risk and decided to get blonde highlights put into my hair which I do like but is taking some serious getting used to!

As I have said, getting older scares me. I don't enjoy going out and getting drunk like a lot of other 18 year olds and don't feel ready to tackle the big bad world on my own just yet. However, now that I am 18, I have comprised a list of things I want to do to ease my way into 'adulthood'.

1. Eat healthier and not just chocolate and sweets 24/7
2. Actually do some exercise (btw walking to the shop to buy food does not count!)
3. Learn to drive (I'm not too good yet)
4. Stop wearing childlike clothes
5. Go to a nightclub
6. Try drinking alcohol (that's right I have only ever sipped it once or twice)
7. Make an effort to change up hair
8. Say yes to more things!

So there you have it. I can't promise that any of these things will actually stick seeing as I have just eaten a fudge brownie (it was a birthday present!). As much as I hate to admit it, growing up is something we all have to do. The thought of making a life for myself scares me. But anyway, maybe if I can start acting like an adult I will become a respected adult without even realising.

Any advice on how to be an adult? How do you feel about growing up? Leave a comment below.

Current Beauty Favourites

I thought that today I would share with you some of the beauty products that I have been loving lately and have been including in my everyday make-up routine.

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder 003 Peach Glow

So this product is actually an old favourite of mine. I have used this powder for as long as I can remember and have never found a powder that I love as much as this one. And for such a great price, it's an absolute steal. It keeps my make-up in place all day and I never have to touch up.

Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Lipstick 107

I had heard such great things about this lipstick and I was not disappointed. Although when I applied it straight on my lips I found the colour a bit extreme for me, I used a small brush and lightly dabbed it on my lips to create a much more toned down but still colourful look.

 Bourjois Little Round Pot Blusher 34 Rose D'Or

As soon as I opened this little pot I knew that I had fallen in love. The colour is so pretty and looks lovely on the cheeks. The blusher is quite pigmented also so a little goes a long way. Also, I can't help but love the cute packaging of this product and have been loving using it lately.

Soap & Glory Supercat Eyeliner Pen

Up until now I have not been the biggest fan of eyeliner, and not because I don't like how it looks but because I cannot apply it. Then I saw online that this eyeliner had some great reviews and decided to give it a go. It is a life saver. The marker-like applicator is so easy to use and the product does not 

come out all at once like most other liners I have tried had done. It has made getting the perfect eyeliner look so much easier to achieve.

Gossip Girl Shaped Hole..

A few weeks back I finished the TV series Gossip Girl (I know, only 3 years too late) and I never thought I could find a show which I loved as much as that one. All the characters were so entertaining and I would spend hours on end watching episode after episode until finally the inevitable happened and the show came to an end. I'm not going to lie, for a while I was lost. I had no show to watch and wasn't even sure that I was ready to move on from the glamorous life on the Upper East Side. That is until I found a show to fill brilliantly the Gossip Girl shaped hole in my life. And what's that show you may ask? The Vampire Diaries..

To say that I'm addicted is definitely an understatement. I'm currently on Season 3 and just can't seem to stop watching. The characters are so interesting and every episode seems to surprise me with all the twists. Oh and did I mention that the vampires are totally hot?

So to sum up, these TV shows are amazing and are responsible for countless hours spent stuck inside glued to the screen. Thank you Gossip Girl and The Vampire Diaries, greatly appreciated. So while Gossip Girl will always hold a special place in my heart, The Vampire Diaries has just carved it's own special place right next door.

The Imitation Game

The other night I watched a movie that changed my life. It was called, if you haven't guessed by the title of this post, 'The Imitation Game'. It follows the life of Alan Turing, a young man, who along with a group of other people, work towards breaking the Nazi's Enigma Code during World War Two. There were many reasons why I fell in love with this movie, and the first is Benedict Cumberbatch.

Although I've always been a fan of his work, this movie really showed Cumberbatch in a new light for me. It highlighted his incredible talent for bringing a character to life and he kept me completely intrigued throughout the movie. His performance was utterly mind-blowing in my opinion. He proves without a doubt that he is one of today's greatest actors.

However, the main reason why I fell in love with this movie is the story itself. Something that greatly upset me was the fact that before this film I had never even heard of Alan Turing and had no idea what Enigma was. Turing's story is heartbreaking, from his childhood to his later years. A loner in nature, he proved that "sometimes it is the people no one imagines anything of who do the things no one can imagine." I don't want to say too much about the story as I urge every single person who reads this to watch this movie and appreciate the man that was Alan Turing and his incredible team. Not enough people know of their contribution and they are the unsung heroes of the War.

So, although I may be 70 years too late, and wasn't alive at the time, I want to thank Alan Turing and his team. You went through so much suffering and never got the recognition that you deserved. You have just become my hero and I want the rest of the world to appreciate what you have done too.           Thank you Turing.

My Skin Journey

About three weeks ago I was in the middle of some very serious exams here in Ireland called the Leaving Cert (cue dramatic music!). During these two stressful weeks my skin was terrible, even though I've never had great skin anyway. The biggest problem I faced was dryness. My chin and nose were so flakey and felt really tight. I also broke out in spots a lot more during that time than I usually did. It really was such a horrible feeling that I sort of pinned down to the stress of exams. Something that I leant during the exams was that if your skin doesn't feel good, you don't feel good.

Having said all this, all my life I've had to deal with rosacea on my face and sensitive skin. These two weeks were the tipping point in making changes to my skincare routine. Up until then I'm not going to lie, I did not have a proper routine with set products. I just kind of used whatever products of my sister's I found in the bathroom. THIS WAS A BIG MISTAKE! I now know that it is SO important to find products that work for you and not to mismatch drugstore brands and products like I had been doing.

And so I made two major changes. The first, of course, was buying skincare products that were recommended by a professional. I purchased La Roche Posay cleansing gel, intense moisturiser and anti- blemish cream. Although these cost a lot more than I was used to spending on my skin, I believe that when it comes to your skin it's important to pay a little bit extra if it works for you. And my God, these products definitely worked for me. My skin is completely different. It feels hydrated and soft all the time. It even looks less red, so much so that recently I have stopped wearing foundation and just applied concealer! It's a miracle.

The second change I made was drinking more water. Every day I try and always have a pint glass of water beside me to keep me hydrated throughout the day. I definitely feel like this also contributed to the clearness of my skin and think that it's something that many people forget to do. Although it makes me have to go toilet so much more often, it's a small price to pay!

So that's my skin journey these past few weeks. The change has been amazing and I would never go back to my old ways of skincare. Leave a comment down below with your skin journey or the products that you find work best on your skin!

And so it begins..

Hi there. If you're reading this then welcome to my blog. The birth of this blog was your typical birth story, painful and joyful. I was sat at home on a warm July day, in tears of boredom when I had a eureka moment: why not start a blog? And so Little Mortal was born.

As a way of letting you get to know me, I thought that I would share 10 facts about me to break the ice.

1. I live in a little village just outside Mullingar (yes, the home of Niall Horan) in Ireland

Yes, this is how cute my dog is!

2. I have just finished school and am currently taking a year out before I go to university
3. I have passed Grade 8 violin and am hoping to get a teaching diploma in the future
4. My dog's name is Milly and she is the cutest thing ever!
5. I absolutely LOVE the Australian soap 'Neighbours' and it's the only soap I watch
6. I get bored really easily (hence this blog)
7. I'm the youngest in my family (one sister and one brother)
8. I really want to write a novel someday
9. I am an extremely awkward person and there's very few people I feel comfortable with
10. Oreos, pizza and cereal are my favourite foods!

So there are the 10 facts that I could think of about myself. I'm sure there's many more things but hopefully we'll get to know each other as we go along. Please leave comments and suggestions and advice and all of that stuff. It would mean a lot :)

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