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If you have a pet, or are planning on getting a pet, there are a few things you might want to think about. It’s especially important to make sure that your home a safe place for them – and also so that they don’t destroy everything within reach. Here are five tips on pet proofing your home:

Wooden floors
If you have a carpet, and plan on letting your dog or cat inside – good luck. You’re lovely rug will soon become a mass of animal hair, bits of food, and quite possibly urine. If you can afford it, get a wooden or lino floor. If not, invest in some mats you don’t care about – they may not be pretty, but at least you can take them up when people visit and still have a clean carpet underneath.

Scratching post
Cats need to sharpen their claws, and if they’re mostly inside they’re going to do it on your sofa, if you don’t give them an alternative. A scratching post is definitely worth it.

Hide the valuables
Dogs are known to eat things they really shouldn’t eat, and cats jump all over everything and knock things down. If you have things that are really precious, hide them. Hide them FAR away.

Child proof
They may not have opposable thumps, but this doesn’t always stop pets from breaking into presses and drawers. It’s a good idea to lock any presses that have poisonous substances, just incase.

Safety checks
Cats hang out in the weirdest places – always keep your washing machine closed, and check he’s not taking a nap in there before turning it on. Shut the door behind the dog when the pizza delivery guy comes, so he doesn’t bolt out and down the road. Don’t leave any low hanging cords (such as venetian blind cords) hanging down for your pet to get caught up in either. These kind of safety checks will make sure you have your new best friend around for many years to come.

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This week’s Beauty Blogger(s) of the Week are Kat and Rachelle from DollyRouge, a gorgeous Irish beauty and lifestyle blog with a little bit of a difference. Not only do they find products that give you the best bang for your buck, they understand the science behind the beauty and not the fluffy marketing stuff that is put there to make you buy things.

Not your typical beauty bloggers, Kat has a Degree in genetics from UCC and Rachelle is a sales executive, their mutual love for all things beauty was discovered one day at work.

SHEmazing! caught up with the girls to uncover their beauty secrets and tips:

What is your best budget beauty buy?
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. It outperforms even high-end brands and costs less than a tenner!

What is your top make-up tip?
Less is more. Instead of using a heavy coverage foundation, try a light base and use a concealer where it’s needed. Letting your skin show through looks much more natural and youthful. Heavy foundation settles into fine lines and wrinkles making you look much older.

Most girls have much-loved lipstick – what’s yours?
It has to be a classic red like MAC Russian Red. You can wear this colour no matter what your skin tone is and look incredible. Forget eyeshadow and blush, it’s all you need to dress up.

What was your very first perfume and what are you currently wearing?
The first perfume that I bought out of my own pocket money was Exclamation! Gosh that brings back memories of teen discos and awkward crushes! I’m currently wearing Roger & Gallet Gingembre Rouge – a fabulous fresh, exotic summer scent.

You’re only allowed to use three make-up products for the rest of your life – what are they?
Concealer, lipstick and mascara. I can try sheer out the concealer a bit with moisturiser for a light foundation effect… is that cheating?? A pinky-rose lipstick will work on lips and on cheeks as a cream blush. And mascara is a MUST for wide awake eyes.

Check out DollyRouge and don’t forget  to follow the girls on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

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So you’ve decided to move in together, and it’s SO exciting. You buy new bed clothes and cutlery, and pick your favourite couple photos to put on the mantelpiece – but before you get carried away, remember: living with someone isn’t easy. Even the most charming prince may leave his toe nail clippings on the coffee table, or his beard shavings in the sink. It’s good to be aware of the realities of living with your other half. Here are some tips on make the transition as smooth as possible!

If possible, move somewhere neutral
If you move into his current abode, or he moves into yours, it won’t actually feel like it belongs to both of you. It’s better to find somewhere new. That way, you won’t feel like you have to ask if you can have shower or use the oven.

Agree on payment methods
Moving in together means sharing the bills. Make sure to agree beforehand about how you’re going to split them. If you’re not married, it’s better to keep your finances separate and agree that you’re each going to put a certain amount towards groceries etc. There’s nothing romantic about arguing over money.

Be aware of his bad habits
You’ve probably spent quite a lot of time together beforehand, so you’ll know a lot of his bad habits anyway. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that he’ll miraculously turn into a clean freak once you move in together, it won’t happen!

Compromise
The beauty of TV nowadays is that we can record what we want to watch and watch it later – but this doesn’t mean the end of fights over the remote control. If he wants to watch Ice Truckers on Sunday evening and you just want to watch Friends all day, be prepared to compromise!

Don’t storm out
Now that you live together, you can’t storm off after a fight. And if you do, you can really stay out for a couple of hours before running out of things to do.  Try and find a better way to resolve conflict. You don’t want to be that couple that the neighbours hear screaming at each other in the dead of night.

Make time for each other
It’s easy to get complacent about spending quality time together when you’re living together. Remember to dedicate at least one night a week to quality time. Even if you don’t go anywhere, it doesn’t matter. Just make sure you don’t fall into the rut of reading your book in the bedroom while he watches Storage Hunters every night of the week.

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Give everything its own space – and stick to it.
If you can clearly see where something belongs, you’ll put it there. Whereas if everything is in a jumble in your room you’ll just go along with it. Create a system!

If you don’t need it, bin it
Holding on to things you don’t need will just create clutter, and it’s very hard to be organised when you’re surrounded by clutter!

Keep important documents in one place
Bills, birth certs, tax documents – all these things get lost very easily but are very important. Keep them all in the same place so you remember where they are.

Storage boxes
If you’re short on actual storage space you can always get clear plastic boxes and use them instead. At least everything will have somewhere to go when you’re finished with it.

USE your calendar
It’s not just there as a decoration you know (though Mr. June is looking VERY well). Make use of your calendar so you don’t forget important dates.

Make lists
We all love making lists, don’t we? They’re good stress relievers too because once you have it down on a list you don’t have to keep mentally reminding yourself of what you have to do!

Get a good handbag
They’re getting bigger everyday, so it’s easy to lose things in the depths of your handbag. Having one with different sections is a good idea as you can designate areas, and you won’t spend ten minutes looking for your purse when you’re at the check out!

What are your three most important tasks?
Identify the top three things that you absolutely have to get done in one day. Prioritising is the key to success people!

Learn to say no
If you find that your to-do list keeps getting longer because of requests from other people, learn to say no. You need to be aware of you limitations, and it’s nothing to feel guilty about.

Do it now!
Stop procrastinating! If it can be done today, do it today. Obviously don’t stress yourself out, but if you find yourself putting things off just because of laziness, then give yourself a mental slap, get up off the sofa, and Get. It. Done.

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Don’t you just hate that groggy feeling you always seem to have when you get off a plane?

Whether it’s a one hour flight for a Hen weekend or a journey half way around the world, you always end up looking crumpled and somehow a bit hungover, even if you haven’t had a drop to drink.

Here are some tip to avoiding that flight hangover.

Make it a no-booze zone
While the thought of a pre-holiday tipple is oh-so tempting, the old saying ‘one in the air, is worth 10 on the ground’ is not too wrong far. Alcohol will dehydrate you much quicker in the air, leaving you feeling headachy and sick when you land. Wait ‘till the hotel to enjoy a holiday cocktail!

Think pineapple
Pineapple has been proven to help ease tummy trouble when flying. It especially helps stomach woes because of an enzyme the fruit contains. The altitude does crazy things to your digestive system, so down lots of pineapple juice or tuck into chunks of the juicy fruit.

BYO
If you have the option to take a bag on board, leave some room for a small cooler filled with your favourite healthy snacks to avoid having to chomp those unhealthy (and very pricey) on-flight foods.

Water, water everywhere
All that recycled air in the plane will leave you feeling thirsty, your skin dried out and your arms and legs bloated. Keep sipping water during the flight to stay on top of your hydration.

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It’s happened to the best of us.

You see someone you’ve met a few times and realise you’ve drawn a complete blank on their name.

You bluff your way through the conversation, until that cringe moment when someone asks you to introduce them to your anonymous pal!

Here, a few super simple tactics to avoid that awkward moment for good.

Repeat
When you first meet someone, immediately say their name out loud – “Nice to meet you Sue”

Reinforce
Form an association between the name and the person, such as ‘merry Mary’ or ‘tall Paul’. Do not say this out loud, and especially not in front of the person in question!

Record
Rely on an external memory source. Tell your good-with-names friend or make a note in your phone or diary.

And if all else fails
Even if you can’t remember someone’s name, you can usually recall something about them, which will let them know you didn’t forget them altogether. Say something like, “I’m so bad with names, but I know we take spin together.” Or reintroduce yourself and hope they return the favour. Chances are they can’t remember your name either, so don’t sweat it.

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Red carpet goddess Blake Lively has shared some style tips for turning heads at super-glam bashes such as Cannes.

The Gossip Girl actress will only wear clothes she feels confident in when she has a big event to go to because she finds posing for the cameras nerve-wracking.

She said, ”Being on the red carpet tends to be stressful because there are a million cameras and some are looking for that embarrassing photo.

”So my advice is always feel comfortable in what you’re wearing – and that includes your clothes, your shoes, your make-up. That is what will make you feel the most confident.

”Of course, I don’t mean comfortable like sweats and Uggs.”

Blake loves getting glamorous in floor-length gowns and prefers having her hair down in loose waves.

The 26-year-old actress said, ”Honestly, though, I enjoy getting ready for big events – it’s like grown-up dress-up.

”Often you see people on the red carpet with tight up-dos, but that makes me feel stiff. For me, effortless hair is much more romantic and lived in.”

We hear you Blake!

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Sometimes, it’s the things that take a little bit of effort that make the sweetest gestures!

Has your BFF been there for you every step of a break-up, have you gotten the best pressie ever from your favourite aunt or did all your mates come to your party when you feared nobody would show?

Surprising them with a simple ‘Thank You’ note will probably make their day!

Here are a few tips on how to create the perfect one.

Better late than never
No matter how much time has passed, still send a note. Simply start by apologising that it took you so long.

Keep it simple
Skip cards that are already printed with ‘Thank You’ on the front in favour of a nice design. Select a simple block or script font and look for flat versus fold-over cards. This means there is less room to waffle on a bit, and instead leave a simple, but lovely message.

Don’t mention it
Don’t mention any amount of cash – for example ‘Thanks for the €50, I bought new shoes!’ Thank them for the ‘generous gift’ instead. On top of this, never admit you’ll be returning the gift! And don’t toot your own horn – ‘I’m just the kind of person who appreciates her friends’. A thank-you is about them, not you.

Hard Copy or digital?
Do you need to pen a card, or will an e-thanks do? Ask yourself how memorable you want your gesture to be. An email gets the point across, but something handwritten leaves a lasting impression.

Do the maths
Add up these six elements: Dear So-and-So + Thank You For The Gift Or Action + How You Enjoyed It (or plan to) + Something Nice About The Giver + A Desire to Catch Up Soon + Sign-Off = job done!

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Follow these simple baking hacks to give Mary Berry a run for her money!

1. Ripen bananas in the oven
If your bananas are perfect for eating but not ripe enough for baking, don’t panic! Cook the bananas you need for your recipe in a medium temperature oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Be sure to line the pan with foil as some bananas may leak when cooking. Once the bananas are black and soft, remove them from the oven and let them cool for 20 to 30 minutes. Peel, and start baking that award-winning banana bread!

2. No rolling pin? Grab the vino!
If your mostly-unused rolling pin is on a dusty top shelf, save on cupboard space and just use a wine bottle as your rolling pin! Empty or full, remove the label and scrape off any residue, then wash the outside of the bottle.

3. Cheat! (a little)
If you want everyone to think the cake mix you baked was from scratch, just add one more egg than the box’s recipe calls for, use melted butter instead of oil, and use whole milk or buttermilk instead of water. Shhhh…we won’t tell anyone!

4. Make the perfect cookies
If you’re looking for perfect chocolate chip cookies that are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, follow these two steps! First, chill the dough prior to baking (one hour is good; overnight is better). Second, when you remove the cookies from the oven, bang the pan straight down on the stove to force the cookies to settle.

5. Keep brown sugar soft with bread
Throw a piece of bread into the container to keep your brown sugar from going hard. The bread magically keeps the sugar soft and never gets mouldy!

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Would you burn a salad? Do you friends grimace when you invite them over for supper?

Cooking is like flirting – it’s all about the confidence.

Once you feel at home in the kitchen, you’ll be a culinary goddess in no time!

Here are a few tips on how to boost your confidence in the kitchen.

1. Keep it simple
You don’t need to kick off your culinary tutorials with a super complicated dish! That would be like trying to run a marathon before you’ve even master the ‘Couch to 5K’ app! Start with a few simple recipes that need few ingredients and not much time to make. Once you’ve got the hang of them, you can move on to something a little trickier.

2. Invest in the right tools
Again, it’s like buying a decent pair of trainers before you decide to start running! You don’t have to spend a ton of money, but it’s worth investing in a few high-quality basics, like a good chopping knife and the right pots and pans.

3. Make it a labour of love
Rather than making some super healthy dish because you feel like you should, start with a recipe for one of your absolute favourite foods, and maybe a little bit naughty too. Looking forward to trying it afterwards is motivation enough to get you cooking!

4. Read the whole recipe

There’s nothing worse than getting  halfway through a recipe and realising you don’t have everything you need.  Read the whole recipe before you start, and make sure you have all of the ingredients on-hand. Try to follow the recipe to the letter the first couple of times you make it. Then, after you’ve mastered the basic version of the recipe, you can move on to trying out some variations.

5. Stick to what you know when cooking for friends

It can be super exciting to try a new recipe out on your friends, but it can be stressful too! Finding that thing you’re really good at making builds confidence, because who wouldn’t feel amazing about her cooking skills after mates gush about it all night!

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We’ve all had an attack of grazing fever before.

We’re cramming for that big exam, we’ve a work project due in tomorrow or a long overdue email to write to a friend.

But instead of tackling it all head on, you’ll find yourself making umpteen trips back and forth to the fridge to forage for scraps.

Grazing is a sure-fire way to gain weight, and will play havoc with your digestive system.

Here are a few simple ways you can stop that bad eating habit for good.

Put on lip gloss
This will not only give you something to do with your hands other than pick at leftovers, but it will also makes you less likely to eat because who wants to mess up freshly-applied gloss?!

Turn up the tunes
Listening to your favourite track (the more upbeat the better), will give you a big energy boost and release lots of lovely feel-good hormones which suppress food cravings and help you stay on task.

Watch a funny viral
Research show that laughter makes us feel calmer, which means you’ll be less likely to stress eat.

Take a breath
Take a deep breath in and then a deep breath out. Repeat for just two minutes, and you’ll be so much more relaxed, you won’t want to even look at that leftover takeaway.

Post a picture
Posting a snap on Facebook or Instagram of yourself looking gorgeous on a night out will boost your confidence and remind you that you’re just too fabulous to feast on leftovers!

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Yoga, chatting to friends and writing things down – this is how Aussie supermodel Miranda Kerr stays sane.

The model admitted she has struggled to keep negative thoughts at bay, especially during her very public break-up from ex-hubby Orlando Bloom.

But even while juggling a hectic schedule as well as being mum to super cute three-year-old son Flynn – Miranda sticks to a few very simple techniques to stay cool, calm and in control.

Speaking about how she deals with life’s obstacles, she said, “When I have challenges now, I feel like I sit with them, I try to look at things, because there’s always a positive and a negative to everything.

“And sometimes I’ll speak to friends, and sometimes I’ll just meditate and I’ll visualise letting it go. Meditation and yoga, and having people, as I said, who you trust, who you talk to. But also writing. I like to write, and then I can rip it up or burn it.”

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