Laura Robles Gourley
More by Laura Robles Gourley
 6 Homemade Beauty Recipes that will Make you Glow this Spring!4/28/2012 |
We all love to pamper ourselves, but beauty products can be expensive and our student budget can only go so far. However, our lack of funds doesn’t mean we can’t look our best! These six recipes are natural, really easy to make and guaranteed to make you glow. Stretch marks
Spring is the time when we all start wearing shorts and miniskirts, but this may mean your stretch marks will be on show! Some of you will be lucky enough not to have any but if you do, don’t worry; there are a few tricks to fade the marks. Warm coconut oil and rosehip seed oil are the most common solutions to fade stretch marks. However, if you prefer a cheaper remedy, mix half an avocado with a teaspoon of lemon and a teaspoon of honey until it forms a paste. Apply the paste on the stretch marks whilst massaging the area and leave it on for 30 minutes. Do this every day until the stretch marks fade. You should notice the results in a couple of weeks! Hair mask We all love having soft and glossy locks but buying hair masks can be quite expensive. Make your own hair mask by mixing avocado and a teaspoon of olive oil in a bowl. Apply the paste on the ends of your hair (you can apply it all over you hair but as it’s quite greasy so if you apply it on the roots,it may make your hair greasier!) cover the areas you’ve applied the paste to with foil or cling film and wash your hair after 30 minutes. |
 Hips Don't Lie: Leeds Belly Dancing Society4/22/2012 |
The first time I went to a belly dancing class, I never would have thought that I would end up performing in the Riley Smith Hall for hundreds of people. Two years ago, during my semester abroad in China, I decided to try the belly dancing classes offered at my local gym and I just happened to fall in love with this oriental art. I still clearly remember the first class I ever took. I was trying to copy the moves our teacher was instructing us to do in Chinese, trying to move my belly in ways that I never imagined it could. By the end of the class, I ached in places I didn’t even know existed and I discovered muscles in my stomach that I didn’t realise I had. It was quite an enlightening experience. What I didn’t know then is that that first class was the start of a hobby that would grant me with lots of new experiences. After attending that first class, I started going every week. By the time I came back to Leeds, I found out that there was a belly dancing society and joined it right away. Now, I am secretary of the society and performed throughout the week-long LUU Dance Show last term, an event that brings all of the dance societies in the Union together to showcase their talent. |
 7 trends you’ll fall in love with this spring3/8/2012 |
It may still be freezing cold outside, but spring is starting to bloom in the shops. Despite the fact I’m probably not going to be able to wear any of the new spring collection for another five or six weeks - if we’re optimistic about the weather - looking at the new clothes every shop has to offer this season has become my new favourite procrastination tool. Looking at shorts and floral dresses reminds me that there are better and warmer times ahead! If the gloomy winter weather is getting you down, keep on reading to find out what we have to look forward to this spring. 1. Pastels One of my favourite things about spring is the colours. Bright colours will still be around, but a new colour palette is going to rule the high street this spring: pastels; they’re the key colour trend this season. I must admit that I wasn’t the biggest fan of pastels, but after doing my research for this article they have definitely won me over - I have already added a couple of things to my ‘must have’ list! If you’re not convinced, these are some of the advantages of wearing pastels: |
 Dan Brooks2/19/2012 |
Most final years are incredibly busy, but Dan Brooks, 22, is one of the busiest. Not only does he study two languages, Japanese and German, he also runs the Japanese Society and has now decided to run for Activities Officer in this year’s Leadership Race. Her Campus spoke to Dan to find out more about his course, his experiences abroad, the Japanese Society and his motivations for running for Activities Officer. Japanese and German are two very different languages, what made you choose those two languages in particular?
That’s a question I get asked a lot. It’s a bit geeky really - I started off really liking German in school, and from that moment I knew I wanted to study German in the future. I then realised that my school also happened to offer GCSE Japanese and I thought it would be a shame to miss out on the opportunity. Once I had finished my GCSEs, I thought that there would be no point in giving them up, and that I should take it further because I enjoyed learning languages so much. When I was doing my A Levels and the time came to choose a degree, I really didn’t want to give up either German or Japanese, so I went looking for universities where I could do both without having to do a major or minor split; that’s why I landed on Leeds. Which language do you prefer? |
 The Perfect New Year’s Eve Outfit for Under £5012/27/2011 |
The end of the year is quickly approaching, and that for me usually means that it’s time to get the party frocks out. Whether you’re staying in Leeds to celebrate or going home, we all want to look our best on New Year’s Eve. However, our student budget is limited and we can’t afford to spend lots of money on an expensive dress that we’re probably only going to wear once or twice, especially when you also have to spend your student loan on Christmas presents. Being a bargain hunter, I’m a big believer that you don’t have to spend a lot to find the perfect outfit for NYE. So don’t worry girls, whatever your plan is for the last night of the year you’ll look fabulous without having to use your overdraft! THE LBD The LBD is a timeless classic and is definitely the most popular choice for NYE. However, just because you’re wearing black it doesn’t mean you have to be boring. You don’t want to end up looking like you’re going to a funeral, so spice up your outfit with some statement jewellery, a colourful handbag or some killer heels! There’s plenty of LBDs to choose from:
This ASOS dress is one of my favourites. You can order it online for only £25. It’s very simple but the detail in the back makes it incredibly sexy while keeping it classy. If the length of the dress is too short for you, ASOS also offers a longer version of the dress for £30. Add some red lipstick to this LBD and you’ll be ready to welcome the New Year looking gorgeous! |
 Zara: the Spanish giant taking over the world’s high street11/29/2011 |
I may not be a fashion guru, but when it comes to shopping I know my stuff, and when it comes to Zara, I am THE expert! My romance of a lifetime with Zara started from a very young age. Being a Spaniard, Zara has been present in my life since I could say shopping and I plan to keep it this way for a very long time! Some of my friends think I’m a little obsessed, and they are probably right. But, as long as it doesn’t wipe out my bank account, who cares? At least I look good thanks to my ‘hobby!’ Zara may be one of the world’s top fashion retailers nowadays, but its origins are actually very humble. It all started with one man, Amancio Ortega Gaona. Ortega worked in clothing stores from a young age, and after many years in the industry he eventually decided to open his own business in 1963. After the success of his first shop, GOA, he opened the first Zara shop in 1975 in La Coruña, a town in the north of Spain. The rest is history; the success of Zara encouraged Ortega to open shops all over Spain and eventually the rest of the world. Zara’s first overseas shop was opened in Oporto (Portugal) in 1988. |
