A letter to my fourteen year old self.

Don't stress about being tall. The boys in school may call you 'lanky' and a 'giant' but before long people will be longing for longer pins! You'll get used to it - I promise. (plus your height comes in handy when you lose your friends in a club).

Make the most of your perfectly clear skin. It won't last - it's just luring you into a false sense of security. Start cleansing now.

Go to the dentist and ask for braces. They will never offer you them and when you reach the age of 24 you'll be seriously considering forking out almost £4,000 on them. Make the most of free dental treatment on the NHS while you still can!

You have a great body. Don't binge on rubbish foods - you'll regret it when you reach your twenties!!

Log off MSN once in a while. Go outside with your friends (if you can lure them away from their desktop computer that is...). Ask mammy for some pocket money (make the most of the pocket money. Spending money on sweets isn't half as fun when you earn it yourself), get a 'Run Around' bus ticket and go down the Mumbles or something.

Don't worry about being the only single one out of your friends. Make the most of being free. You're too young to be dating anyway. You'll fall in love at 19... That's only 5 years away. You can wait - be patient.

When you do experience 'heartbreak' - you'll get over it. When you're older, you'll look back and laugh. (Remember this when you're 24. You'll experience real heartbreak. You'll feel lost and inconsolable. Life is not over. You'll grieve for a while but that's normal. You'll be OK in the end. I promise you).

Don't stress. You'll end up going to College and University. You study Psychology. University will be bitter-sweet. It will be both the best and worst time of your life. One of your flatmates in the Halls of Residence where you'll live will be horrid. You'll be sad. You'll get over it. You'll fall ill and spend most of your second year in hospital appointments - but you'll be fine - it's just Pernicious Anaemia. You'll meet one of the most important people in your life, but you'll also lose two of the most important*. Make the most of your graduation day - you deserve it. Mammy will cry - she's proud on behalf of herself and daddy.

*Spend as much time as possible with Bampa and Nana Freda. Speak Welsh to bampa - he loves it. Stop being a moody teenager and treasure your time with them. You'll miss them when they're gone.

You'll never stop missing Daddy, but it gets easier.

Stop arguing with Mammy and Darren. Appreciate them and everything they do for you. You're very lucky... Spoiled rotten in fact. Stop moaning about the things you don't have and be grateful for the things you do have. You always have the best of everything.

Your little sister Carys won't always be annoying. There'll come a time when she won't be so little and she will be your best friend. Let her borrow your makeup - because one day you'll need to borrow hers too!! Ps.. You'll have another sister soon - Abigail. Mammy hasn't told you yet, but she's pregnant. 

You'll move away at 23. Only four and a half hours away. You won't like it and you'll be sad. It only lasts 6 months. It all gets too much and you move home. While you're there, embrace it and make the most of it.

Don't worry that you don't know what you want to be when you're older. You still won't at 24. It don't matter.

Your family love you. You may not see it, but you're constantly surrounded by people who cherish you. Show them how much you love them too.

Give Pebbles, Cloe, Suki and Sophie a cwtch. You'll miss them when you're gone.. Although the majority of them live until their twenties.

School will be the best years of your life. Yes, mammy says it all of the time. Yes, you think it's annoying. But yes, it's true. Trust me, in a couple of years you'd your right arm to go back. Sitting in a science lab watching Mr Thomas create chemical reactions trumps sitting in an awfully lit office, answering the telephone all day.... Even running around a track when it's -2 degrees outside trumps what they call 'The Real World'. Make the most of it. Listen to your teachers in your lessons instead of drawing pretty patterns on your weekly planner - specifically in Science. You'll end up resitting. Concentrate more on the reactions themselves rather than how beautiful Mr Thomas is. You'll thank me for it I promise. Nobody likes staying behind for a Science GCSE resit class in College on a Wednesday afternoon when everyone else gets half-day.

Have fun. Cry. Laugh. Obsess over silly boys. Make friends. Lose friends (it's a part of life). Enjoy.

Ps... Remember, some of the best times of your life haven't even happened yet. I can vouch for that. ♥

Pps... Don't wear whatever it is you're considering wearing today. I can almost guarantee that your outfit is horrendous.

Ppps... Stop ironing your hair. NOW.

Autumnal Lips

I'm absolutely loving bold lips at the moment, particularly deep reds, berries and purples.
I've got a selection of textures, tones and finishes - from completely matte to shimmery glitter.

I've picked four of my absolute favourites which I have accumulated over the past year. They are all under £10, therefore super affordable.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick - 477 Black Cherry.
A gorgeous deep burgundy/ purple colour which is mostly opaque but leaves a slight sheen. It's easily applied straight from the bullet but requires a good lip liner and a steady hand. It's very dark and therefore a good choice for when you're feeling brave. Probably not for you if you're not sure that dark colours are your thing.

Collection - Gothic Glam - 1 Seduction.
A beautiful deep red colour. It applies well - I press it into my lips first to stain the lips and then add one coat straight from the bullet. It's not dramatic enough not to wear it day-to-day but dramatic enough to add a statement to your lovely Autumn outfit. A fab choice for those of you who may just be beginning to venture into the world of gothic, vampy lipsticks. (I'm pretty sure these are only about £3 too - BARGAIN!)

Maybelline New York - 338 Midnight Plum.
A shimmery, sparkly violet colour. The colour reminds me of my childhood - was my absolute favourite. Almost everything I owned was this colour; my walls, clothes, shoes, nails, eyeshadow - EVERYTHING. When I saw it, I had to have it. Despite being bright purple and sparkly, it isn't too dramatic. Go buy it - NOW!

Topshop Lips - Beguiled.
This is a statement lip colour in my makeup bag, Autumn, Winter, Summer, Spring... No matter what the season, this lipstick makes an appearance. I've repurchased a few times. It is so wearable and really creates a statement. It has a thick consistency with a very subtle sheen. It's a happy medium between the Collection Gothic Glam and the Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick.