I was in Celebrity Masterchef Semi-Final 2018!

On 19th March 2018, Celebrity Masterchef came to the Black Country Living Museum, which is only 20 minutes away from where I live. OK, you're probably thinking from the title that I was competing for a place in the final amongst the celebs! I wasn't IN the semi-final, but I tasted the food the celebrities cooked for us.

My sister Laura came across an online advertisement looking for 1940s reenactors for a BBC filming day. As the advert said it included eating, my first thoughts were that we were going to eat 1940s food, which could include anything! I'm a fussy eater, but I thought it would be a fun experience.

As it is an outdoor museum and it had been snowing the day before, it was freezing! We were given complimentary tea inside the pub, so I got the chance to defrost! Inside the pub, there were cameras recording us clinking our glasses of fake alcohol - it was the morning after all. There were reenactors singing wartime songs too. Laura and I were picked by one of the cameramen to walk into the old sweet shop (probably as we were the youngest there) and pretend to order some sweets. We filmed it about three times to get the different angles.

A shot was taken of us looking at two menus outside the dance hall. None of us had an idea of what the filming was for until we spotted Lisa Maxwell running in front of us with a tray full of food. It was for BBC Masterchef! When we walked into the hall, several celebrities were waiting for us, it was so surreal!

The food tasted very professional. For the main course, I decided to have the blue team's menu, which was roasted beef with stalked broccoli and cauliflower. For dessert, I decided to choose the red teams menu, as not a lot of people were queueing for them. I really like AJ, and I felt sorry for his team! I had a pear with red wine and custard that honestly tasted so good. I don't usually like fruit, but it was lovely.

A man next to me was interviewed for his opinion on the food. I'm glad it wasn't me as I'd probably say the wrong thing, and it would be aired on TV!

When we were coming out, I happened to glance around the corner of the dance hall and the celebrities were gathered outside. I had to get a picture with AJ, so I went up to him and asked him! I also got a photo with Spencer Matthews and Josh from Union J.

They were honestly so lovely and took their time with us. One of the managers then noticed that we were taking pictures and asked us not to upload anything before the semi-final is on TV. I'm glad I can finally post about it now as it is being aired tonight!

Thank you so much for reading, 

See you soon,

Daydreamer Danielle xo

My Italian Holiday Lookbook

Hey everyone, and welcome to my Italian holiday lookbook. I visited Northern Italy a fortnight ago with my family for a week. It was one of my favourite holidays ever. I saw so many places that I have always wanted to visit. We stayed in a town called Garda on Lake Garda, and we visited Venice, Verona, and Milan. This lookbook includes five of my daytime outfits from the week, as the other days were spent chilling by the pool.

It was suggested by a few people on Instagram to write a blog post about my holiday in Italy. So, this blog is a combination of a lookbook and a diary.

Day 1: Pool day

It was so nice to relax by the pool on the first day. I always get my summer bikini from Debhenams, and this one is by Matthew Williamson. I have never bought anything of his before, but it has become my favourite bikini! The original price for the top and bottoms would have been just under £60, but I got a bargain in Debenhams mid-summer sale!

I love the fact the halterneck is adjustable, as it makes it really comfy to wear. I did get a few dodgy tan lines along my hips from the criss-cross pattern, and also from the bow hanging from the bikini top. It is worth it though, as it is such a beautiful bikini!

Day 2: Venice 

Venice really surprised me! I have always wondered if it was slightly overrated as I have heard a lot about it. BUT, this is one of the cutest and most beautiful places I have ever visited, and now I am desperate to go back. I enjoyed a trip on a gondola which felt to me like a Disney ride! There is no traffic in Venice either as there are no roads, so everybody travels by boat.

 As I went on a day and night trip, I got to see the contrast of how the city differs at night from the daytime. It took on a different atmosphere at night, as the crowds had gone and the city was lit up. I loved St. Mark's Square in the evening, as there were professional musicians playing outside the restaurants. 

I wore a summery floral dress from Topshop - although I got this one from eBay last summer. I also wore a necklace and sunglasses which were from Primark. When I was in Venice, I bought a real leather Vera Pelle bag which was 50 euros, and a little sunhat for 10 euros. They matched my outfit, so I was really happy about that!

Day 3: Verona

Verona, the city of love! I have seen Verona in romantic movies, such as Letters to Juliet. I have always wanted to go, especially as Romeo and Juliet is my favourite fictional novel by Shakespeare. I visited Juliet's balcony, which brought the tale alive. I saw the Ponte Pietra too, which is a Roman bridge from the first century AD.

I wore a white bandeau top from Primark, paired with some pink and white shorts from Missguided. I used my new Venice purchases too! I wore a watch from H&M for an extra touch, which was £14.99, which I picked up a couple of months ago.

Day 4: Milan

I hadn't researched Milan before I went, so I didn't know what to expect. It was a lot more quaint than I foresaw. As Milan is one of the most influential fashion capitals in the world, I imagined it to be similar to New York, a very busy city full of bright lights and busy crowds. However, it was the complete opposite. It is an old city with a tram-train, which was like stepping back in time. I saw the castle of Milan, and the famous Duomo di Milano cathedral. The building I fell in love with was the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. It is a luxury nineteenth-century shopping mall, and it has the most beautiful glass roof I have ever seen.

In Milan, I wore a dress from Miss Selfridge (my favourite shop!) with my Vera Pelle bag and my necklace from New Look. I wore my £1 sunglasses from Primark too (I can't get over how cheap they were!) These sunglasses have become my favourite summer accessory. They give off 1960s vibes which I love.

Day 5: Lake Garda

I spent my last day in Garda. It is such a gorgeous town. I enjoyed staying in this part of the lake as it was so nice to come back from the bustling cities in the day, into a very relaxed environment.

The top is white denim with blue stripes from Topshop. The skirt is from Zara, and I've been after one this for some time, so I was pleased to find it! Again, I'm holding the Vera Pelle bag and wearing the watch from H&M.

Thank you for reading! I have a rather exciting blog planned for next week (but I'm not giving you any hints!)

See you soon,
Daydreamer Danielle xo

Primark's PS My Perfect Colour Foundation Review

Just over two months ago, I noticed a crowd around one of the makeup shelves in Primark, and I was curious to know why. Everyone was talking about the PS My Perfect Colour foundation, and there were barely any left on the shelf. Primark's makeup was something I had not tried before, so I wasn't too sure if I was going to like it. After swatching the shades that were available, I decided to choose the shade Nude Beige. I had to see what all the fuss was about, it was only £5 after all.

I have had this foundation for around three months now which has given me ample time to test the product out. Since then, I have heard My Perfect Colour was supposed to be a dupe of the Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation, which retails at £33.50.

A Comparison to Estee Lauder's Double Wear

I own both of these foundations, and there are a few differences between the two. The bottle of My Perfect Colour claims it is long-wear and has double coverage. Maybe this could be a hint at DOUBLE wear? Sadly, I can't clarify if that's true or not.

A must-have ingredient in your summer foundation is SPF protection against the sun. Primark's foundation has an SPF of 15. This has slightly more protection than Estee Lauder, which only has SPF 10. Primak also wins on its quantity as it contains slightly more product than Estee Lauder, containing 32ml as opposed to 30ml.

However, Estee Lauder's Double Wear has a shelf life of 24 months, compared to My Perfect Colour which is supposed to last for 12 months. Though, this is not something to worry about if you use your foundation daily.

Here is what I have rated several features of the foundation out of 5:

Packaging: 4/5

I love the look of the matte glass bottle as it makes it look more luxurious than standard glass or plastic. It comes in the bottle only, with no extra packaging or boxes (so yay for the environment!)

The reason I have given the packaging a lower score is that it comes without a pump to dispense it. Therefore, it can be a risk that too much product will come out. The Estee Lauder foundation does not come with a pump either, but there is an option to purchase one specifically for the Double Wear bottle, which Primark does not have. I am not too keen on the layout and font either as I feel it does look cheaper than Estee Lauder, but this is just personal preference (and it is only a sixth of the price, so you can't blame them!)

On the whole, I like the look of the matte glass bottle. It is very durable too - perfect for those of us who are clumsy!

Texture: 4.5/5

I have very dry skin and often get mild eczema on some parts of my face, especially during the winter months. I have found My Perfect Colour excellent for my skin as it does not dry it out.

I use a damp beauty blender to apply it, and it blends easily. It does not dry or crack on the skin, and it does not have that cakey feel either that some drugstore foundations have.

The reason I have not given it a 5 is that it does not have that velvety feel on the skin like Double Wear does.

Coverage 4/5

Coverage can be a huge factor for some people, and it can be the main determinant of whether they are going to buy a foundation or not. My Perfect Colour has a medium coverage. It is not too thick and not too thin, but is buildable to suit all skin types. Two coats of the foundation gives an airbrushed finish on small pores and faint lines. The foundation continues to give lasting results throughout the day.

The reason I have not given the coverage top marks is that it tends to wear off on my nose and it sometimes starts to slightly crease under my eyes if it has been worn all day. This is not a huge problem though.

Choice of Shades: 2/5

As this product is new, the choice of shades is limited. When I purchased the foundation, there were only four or five shades to choose from on the shelf which is quite disappointing. I was lucky to have the foundation to match my skin tone. I hope there is a better choice of shades in the near future to suit everybody.

Price 5/5

It is only £5.00, what a bargain! Comparing it to other drugstore foundations that retail around £10, to me this foundation beats all affordable foundations I have tried so far.

As it is a similar dupe to Double Wear, it is definitely worth a try (especially if payday has not arrived yet!) To be honest, I would happily pay double the price for My Perfect Colour.

Final verdict: 4/5

I do highly recommend My Perfect Colour foundation. The texture and coverage are very good for the price. It even smells really nice! I also really appreciate that Primark's makeup is cruelty free and they are against animal testing.

Let me know what you think of My Perfect Colour, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

See you soon,
Daydreamer Danielle xo

Who am I?!

Hello all,

 Thank you for taking the time to click on my website! Here is a little introduction about me and my blog.

The main aims of this blog are to share my interests and favourite things. As I am new to blogging, I am not too sure what exactly my content will be on. However, I am aiming to focus on beauty, fashion and lifestyle. I may even throw in a few blogs on places I have visited, and my current food favourites. I like the idea of having this blog as a diary, and therefore I want my blog to be a happy corner of the internet for you all to enjoy to visit weekly.

So, let's get to the point! Here are seven fun facts about me:

NUMBER ONE 

I am currently a student at the University of Birmingham, and I study Ancient and Medieval History. It was a subject I had never studied before, so it is an understatement to say I threw myself into the deep end! I found my feet quickly, and I have really enjoyed my second year. 

NUMBER TWO

I am currently 20 years old, but 21 on the 16th October. I am not ready to be an adult just yet!

NUMBER THREE 

I am half Irish and half English. My mum is from Derry in Northern Ireland.

NUMBER FOUR

Italy is my favourite country. I have been to several places around the north and south, and I love everything about it, from the history to the culture and food. A visit to Pompeii in 2015 was the reason I chose to study Ancient and Medieval History!

NUMBER FIVE

I have always loved animals. I have a little Bichon Frise dog called Dillon who has recently turned twelve. I once wrote a cringe-worthy confession and sent it into the magazine 'Animals and You'. My family and I once were walking Dillon along the canal, and he was off the lead so, as dogs do, he decided to roll around in some weird gunk in the grass. He then ran from the canalside, into a stranger's open front door and straight into the living room. We found him looking filthy, sitting in front of their TV. Luckily, the owners of the house didn't mind too much. I was only about eleven or twelve, and I won on £20 for the top cringe of the month!

NUMBER SIX

I write my own songs in my spare time, and when I was 14, I taught myself the guitar, ukulele and keyboard. Taylor Swift and her country music was my inspiration for writing songs and playing the guitar. Pursuing a career in music was something I wanted to do in my mid-teens. However, after visiting Pompeii, I decided to go down the historical route instead!

NUMBER SEVEN

My current goal is to go travelling. I have had a dream since my early teens to own a little pastel colour Volkswagen Beatle campervan. I would love to fill it with dreamcatchers and comfy cushions! 

Congratulations if you are still reading! My aim to write a blog every week at least, so I hope to see you soon!

Daydreamer Danielle xo