How to beat First Day at New Job nerves

This is a pretty random subject to write a blogpost about, but I have my reasons! I had my first day at my new job a couple of weeks ago and was quite anxious about it. I wanted to be as stress-free as possible on the day and take everything in my stride. I hardly slept the night before, couldn't eat breakfast and wondered if I'd forgotten anything. Despite this the day went very well! I felt as prepared as I could have been and everyone I met was very welcoming and kind. Reflecting on this experience, I thought I'd write a list of ways to beat 'first day nerves' just in case it helps anyone relax a little before starting a new job.

1. Preparation!
- Know what you need to wear and lay out your outfit the night before.
- Ask whether you need to bring anything (i.e. laptop, packed lunch etc) and make sure everything is prepared and ready the night before.
- Find out where your job is, how to get to it and how long it will take you. Remember to try to be a little early!
- Fill your car with petrol or buy your train ticket / bus pass the day before.
- Make sure you have a drinks bottle for water. It's important to stay hydrated and drinking helps to prevent dry-mouth when you're nervous.
- Make sure you have change in your purse for the car park, vending machine, or just in case.
- Make a checklist of everything you need and everything you need to do, Lists help to clear your mind and keep you on track.

2. The night before ...
- Try to relax! (easier said than done, I know!)
- Keep yourself occupied to avoid intrusive thoughts and anxiety.
- Have a nice, hot bath, or paint your nails. Pampering can help you to relax, but also makes you feel and look good.
- Eat a filling and nutritious evening meal. You probably will be too nervous for breakfast in the morning so you need to make sure you eat well the night before.
- Set a few alarms. I always set 2 or 3 alarms to make sure I definitely wake up when I'm supposed to do something important the next morning. Leave enough time for you to get ready in the morning at a relaxed pace so that you are not stressed or rushed.

3. The first day ...
- Get ready to some relaxing music and a good radio station.
- Drink lots of water and try to have even just a little nibble of breakfast.
- Make yourself feel and look good! Make-up and perfume can boost your confidence.
- On the journey sing to the radio to distract yourself.
- It's your first day - they expect you to be nervous! No one expects you to be an expert on your first day of a new job!!
- Smile and say 'hello' to everyone you come across at work.
- Be polite, approachable and listen to everything that is said to you (even if you don't even remember half of it).
- Ask lots of questions. Don't be afraid to ask about something if you don't understand.
- Remember your manners. Manners go a long way, so remember to say 'please', 'thank you' and 'pardon'.


Those are the only points I can think of right now! I'm sure I've forgotten lots that I was thinking of including! Do you have any tips or tricks on how to make a first day less daunting?


Love & Kisses,

Vicki xoxo

Mini Festive Asda Haul

It's still only October but everywhere I go I see so much cute Christmas stuff! When the winter Asda catalogue came out I spotted two cushions I just had to have. 

The 'retro deer' cushion was £7 and the 'Merry Christmas deer scene' cushion was £6 (I'm not sure what the cushions actual names are). I also picked up a 6-pack set of Yankie festive candles for £6 and a cracked mirror candle holder for £3.

I saw some adorable Fairisle mugs too, but I thought I'd save buying those for a later date to spread the Xmas-themed purchases. I can't wait for December so I can start bringing out all of my decorations!! 

What so you think of my mini haul? Have you seen anything particularly adorable in the shops?

Love & Kisses,

Vicki xoxo

BeautyUK Products - Review

I bought some BeautyUK products two weeks ago and have been testing them out. See what I think of these budget beauty buys below!

BeautyUK  -  Posh Palette no.1  -  EDEN

BeautyUK  -  Posh Palette no.1  -  EDEN

Product:  

I like the selection of colours this palette has - a combination of matte and metallic shades of nude, bronzes and browns. I felt I could use every single colour on the palette - unlike some others where I don't like all of the eye-shadows.

However, this is where all the positives end. The eye-shadows aren't as pigmented as Urban Decay's shadows. The brushes are cheap looking and feel cheap also. They aren't great at blending or even getting the colour from the palette. 

The eye-shadow does stay put all day, but don't have such a dramatic effect or coverage as other higher branded eye-shadows.

Value for Money: 

I bought the product for £5.99 from Superdrug.

The palette was very reasonably priced in comparison to other branded palettes, but you pay for quality. 

Packaging:

Simple, clean and basic. Not awful to look at, but not overly glamorous. 

Would I recommend it to a friend: 

I would recommend it to a friend who cannot afford a more high-end palette, but I would explain the downfalls of the product.

BeautyUK  -  High Brow  -  Eyebrow Kit

BeautyUK  -  High Brow  -  Eyebrow Kit

Product:

In this eyebrow kit you get:
a double ended brush with an angled brush and a blending brush,

tweezers,

eyebrow wax, and

three shades of setting powder.

I used both ends of the brush, the wax and the lightest setting powder shade. The wax felt really strange to apply and on my eyebrow at first. Once I had coloured in my eyebrows with the setting powder, however, I soon forgot about the wax and liked the way my eyebrows looked.

I didn't use the tweezers so I don't know if they are any good, and I also have not used the dark brown or black setting powders as they would be far too dark for my hair / complexion. 

The brush provided isn't great quality, so I would recommend using an alternative one if possible.

Value for Money:

I bought this BeautyUK Eyebrow Kit for £3.99 from Superdrug.

I don't mind paying £3.99 for this product, but I probably could buy a slightly better branded kit for only a few pounds more. I think that if you're working with a tight budget, this product is alright.

Packaging:

Like the other BeautyUK products, the eyebrow kit comes in simple packaging. For this product I don't mind the minimalistic look.

Would I recommend it to a friend:

For a product under four pounds, I think this is an okay purchase. If you have a bigger budget though - get a nicer version!

BeautyUK  -  Blush & Brush  -  no.3 Upper East Side 

BeautyUK  -  Blush & Brush  -  no.3 Upper East Side

Product:
I quite like this shade for the more autumnal seasons. I've been wearing a peach-coloured blusher until recently, but I feel like now the weather's a bit cooler I want a more pink-coloured shade. 
I like the shade of this blush, but I use my own brush to apply it to my cheekbones because the brush provided isn't fantastic.

Value for Money:
This blusher is £2.99 from Superdrug, which I think is very cheap for a blusher. 

Packaging:
Simple, compact, easy to fit into any make-up bag. Nothing fancy, but it's not like you need anything over-the-top for a simple blush.

Would I recommend it to a friend:
Yes. Out of the BeautyUK products I tried, this is probably the only one I would talk to a friend about. It cheap, a nice shade and lasts all day.


Thanks for checking out my review! Have you tried any of these BeautyUK products (or any of their others)? What did you think?

Love & Kisses,

Vicki xoxo