SHOES!



Although the weather may be gloomy outside, these shoes add a hint of much needed sunshine to your day! They beautifully sum up this season's hot new trends it one; bold colours, big prints and a wedged heel. Team with a pair of skinny jeans and a blazer and you're be walking on sunshine!

New Look, £24.99

Summer's Here!

The beautiful weather at the weekend has got us all excited for the summer months ahead. Being British, any glimpse of sunlight has got us panicking about our summer beauty regime. The thought of baring our pale skin which has been hiding under skinny jeans and chunky jumpers for months and getting our feet sandal ready terrifies us.

I’ve selected my favourite beauty items from the high-street to transform you from winter gremlin to beach babe in ten easy steps.

Hope you enjoy!

Love Rachel

xxx

Step One:

Superdrug’s Exfoliating Brush

It’s important to give your body an all over exfoliate, to get rid of dead skin and prevent cellulite. Use in circular movements all over your body before showering for the best results.

Superdrug, £4.09

Step Two:

Clean & Clear Exfoliating Facial Wash

Get your skin glowing with Clean & Clear’s Morning Energy facial wash. The beads gently exfoliates your skin and smells delicious.

Superdrug, £3.99 for 150ml

Step Three:

Garnier Skin Naturals Body Repair Moisturiser

We all know that the cold weather combined with central heating can dry our skin out, but Garnier have created this miracle moisturiser to repair and hydrate dried out skin. I saw a dramatic improvement after one use.

Boots, £4,29 for 250ml

Step Four:

Rimmel Sunshimmer Instant Tan

We all know there is no chance of getting a natural tan in England, not yet anyway. Rimmel Sunshimmer Instant Tan is a brilliant, it sprays on effortlessly leaving you with an air-brushed and streak-free finish. Its lasts all day and washes off in the shower!

Superdrug, £8.16 for 100ml

Step Five:

Ms Pedicure Smooth Talker 2 in 1 Foot File

Locking our feet away in winter boots all winter is bound to cause a build-up of dry skin. Ms Pedicure’s Smooth Talker 2 in 1 Foot File is made from stainless steel so is harsh on dead skin. Dead skin will be no more in just a few strokes.

Boots, £5.10

Step Six:

Boots Four Way Buffer Block

Now all you have super soft feet, the next step is to get your nails into shape, both fingernails and toe nails. Boots Four Way Buffer Block gives you a professional manicure at a fraction at the cost.

Boots, £2.00

Step Seven:

Barry M Nail Polish in Tangerine

Now you have salon perfect nails, add a splash of colour and get ready to show them of in a pair of sandals. Brights always make a return to the spring/summer catwalks, but this summer in particular we are seeing a lot of yellows and oranges. Barry M never fails to disappoint, try their nail varnish in Tangerine, it instantly makes you feel summery!

Superdrug, £2.99

Step Eight:

Eylure Eyebrow Shapers

One of my most important assets are my eyebrows, I really find that they frame the face. If like me you are helpless as plucking, then try Eylure Eyebrow Shapers, they are quick and easy to use and shape your eyebrows for you. Easy peasy!

Boots, £2.69

Step Nine:

Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Lip Balm with SPF 15

Most of us don’t give our lips a second thought in the summer, but just like our skin, our lips can get sun damaged too, and believe me – it’s not pretty. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Lip Balm with SPF 15 smells lovely, whilst both softening and protecting.

Boots, £1.83

Step Ten:

Nivea Sun Invisible Protect SPF 30

Now for the most important beauty product – sun cream. Not protecting your skin is the main cause of early ageing and even worse, skin cancer. Cancer Research reported that 100,000 cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year, so make sure you protect your skin this summer. Nivea Sun Invisible Protect SPF 30 is easy to use and is lightweight and non-greasy.

Sainsburys, £15.00 for 200ml

Happy summer preparation everyone!

Skinny Models, A Bad Influence?

Yet again, we see the return of skinny models parading up and down the catwalk at London Fashion Week, causing controversy once more.

With these stick thin models being used for catwalk shows, there’s no wonder more and more young people aspiring to look these models are developing eating problems. Statistics from the Priory Group show that 1.6 million people in the UK suffer from an eating disorder, with women between the ages of 12 and 25 being most affected. 

Susan Ringwood, the Chief Executive from Beat, an eating disorder charity said: “The media is a powerful influence and we know how vulnerable some people at risk of eating disorders can be to its visual images in particular.”

There is no doubt that glossy magazines place a huge emphasis on the ‘perfect body,’ with pages full of tall and extremely thin women. This is clearly an unrealistic representation of women, considering that the average woman’s dress size in the UK is a 16. The way that the media ‘glamorises’ thinness is unhealthy and distorts a person’s sense of self-image. 

However, some may argue that the fashion industry is changing its ways, with some designers using plus size models. Although this is a very small minority, with a vast majority of designers choosing the typical tall and skinny woman. It is not enough for just one designer out off hundreds to take this approach, all designers need to enter reality and celebrate the diverse body shapes and sizes of real women. Although the fashion industry claim to employ models of a healthy weight (those with a Body Mass Index of 18.5 and above), what we see on the catwalk and in magazines suggests different. 

It’s not just designer brands that are guilty of portraying this negative image of women, high street chains are also to blame. Mannequins used in shop windows portray tall, slim women, showing that this trend has trickled down from the catwalk and into stores.

The eating disorders charity Beat is doing an excellent job in recognising this growing problem. However more could be done to raise awareness about the link between eating disorders and the fashion industry. Fashion shows such as London Fashion Week could benefit from having a spokesperson from Beat or a similar charity discussing the dangers of eating disorders and the importance of looking after your body.

Although efforts are being made to change this, these are minor and insignificant and underweight models are going nowhere soon.



Highstreet stores like this are portraying an unrealistic image of women



The Priory Group

BBC News

Beat

The Degree Debate

Universities like Southampton Solent are set to increase tuition fees

The recent increase in tuition fees and unemployment rate for new graduates in the UK has left prospective university students questioning the value of a degree in contemporary society.

Degrees have proved to be a controversial subject matter recently, particularly with the large increase in tuition fees and it seems everyone has a viewpoint on the topic.

Liz George, a Careers Advisor at Southampton Solent University said: “As a careers advisor I value higher education for the university learning and experience and access to a better future. It is the whole university life and experience that can benefit a student.” She added: “Employers are still looking to recruit graduates into their management and training schemes and in some instances the number of positions is rising even in the tough economic climate.”



Libraries could soon look like this



On average, those with a degree earn £100,000 more during their working lifetime than non-graduates. Liz said: “Evidence from longitudinal surveys shows that after 14 months plus of graduating, graduates are more likely to be in a graduate level job and in the career of their choice.”

Students are not expected to fund their entire degree themselves. A significant amount of financial support is available to support students, including maintenance grants from the government and bursaries and scholarships from universities which are non-repayable. The amount a student receives depends on their household income, ensuring that individuals from all backgrounds are given the opportunity to further their education. Graduates are not required to pay back their student loan until they are in paid employment and earning over £15,000 per year.

Students may find themselves borrowing

 more money from banks

However, the new fees that come into force in the academic year of 2012/2013 mean that universities will be able to charge up to £9,000 per year for courses. The Higher Education Funding Council currently makes a contribution towards a student’s tuition fees and the student pays the rest using a loan. However the Government has now decided that students will now have to fund their entire degree themselves, meaning that tuition fees increase.

This has caused outrage for many, especially students, demonstrated in the recent student protests. Ebonee Harrison, aged 20, studying Sociology with Psychology at Portsmouth University said: “I think the tuition fee increase is very unfair and unnecessary. Students already struggle with the cost of tuition so an increase doesn’t really give people any incentive to go to university knowing the lack of jobs, debt and struggle they will face afterwards.”

Last year the unemployment rate for new graduates was 20%, which was the highest rate in over a decade. However this is mainly due to the recession, as unemployment rates not only rose for new graduates, but also for the UK population as a whole.

There are currently two million higher education students in the UK, suggesting that higher education is very much considered important by many. Despite the latest rise in tuition fees and the current unemployment rate for recent university leavers, a degree is still an extremely valuable qualification and remains a worthwhile investment, improving graduates career prospects and earning potential.

National Statistics
Student Finance
Push