*Items mentioned below have been gifted*
Like I have mentioned before, I am very slowly forming my version of a capsule wardrobe and I felt like I had a few items missing from my autumn capsule. I like to use Pinterest to give me ideas of how to wear items in my wardrobe differently and I have found a lot of the photos I am drawn towards, have items with a very smart and polished feel to them which I used to have a lot of only a few years ago. This was before I started working in an office and I didn't think I would ever wear them again. Fast forward a couple of years and most of my gorgeous patterned shirt are in my parent's neighbour's daughter's wardrobe your welcome.
So when Femmeluxe asked me if I wanted to try a few of their pieces to add to my wardrobe, I was very appreciate as the website is full of gorgeous items. I picked out four items which I thought would work really well in my wardrobe and suit my body shape.
The first item was this Black Polka Dot Fishnet Sleeve Shirt which I picked up in a size 10. I have an array of shirts in my wardrobe now which I wear on a day to day basis. I love to wear them to work with a smart pair of black fitted trousers or at the weekend with a pair of light blue mom jeans. I am lucky that shirts suit me really well so I can basically pair them with any bottom and they look pretty good, if I say so myself. I also don't normally wear shirts untucked because I find them can drown me and my body shape but actually, the length of this shirt makes it great on top of bottoms. I definitely think I would get a lot of wear out of the white version as well as I am trying to add more light staple colours into my wardrobe. Changing up my wardrobe for autumn has shown me how much black I actually own.
Now with sizing I picked up a size 10 which is true to size for me and fits me really well but for someone will bigger boobs pancakes over here I would maybe size up once to make sure the buttons don't pop open on your boobs. I love the way the shirt sits on my shoulders with the top bottoms open. Feel free to head on over to the website to see the shirt on a much better model then me!
The next item I purely pick up because they looked so comfy on the website and I don't have many lounge sets in my casual home wear wardrobe, so I picked up the Dusty Pink With White Stripe Lounge Wear Set. Whenever I am at home just chilling, I normally looking not very cute in some over worn pjs and I want to invest in some lounge sets. Something that is comfy enough to wear lounging around the house but if I needed to pop out to the shop I could just run straight out.
I picked up the dusty pink pair because the colour is so gorgeous and I think they are a great colour to mix and match with other bottoms and tops. I could wear some blue jeans and the top or wear a cropped one top with the bottoms. I picked these up in a size 10 and i could do with a size 10 bottom and a size 12 top just so it is more baggy and comfy. For the photo I have paired the bottoms with my basis Levi's t-shirt.
I ordered this Black Polka Dot Ruched Puff Sleeve Mini Dress along with the other items and which I'm sure you can tell by the picture why I wanted it. I wanted a easy to wear dress to add to my wardrobe for when I had an occasion and I needed to look like I have my sh*t together. This black and white dress was perfect but I totally underestimated the size of my bottom region and couldn't get the dress over my bum. I picked it up in a 8/10 when really I am the bigger end of the size 10 scale so really to make sure it fitted, I should have got the 10/12. Lesson learnt! I definitely want to try the dress again because I think it will be a great additional to my wardrobe.
A few other pieces which I have my eye on from the website are this Black Satin Pleated Midi Skirt. I lived in my rust orange colour pleated skirt from H&M this year and I know I would get so much wear out of the this black style. With a black shirt and a pair of heels or with a cropped jumper and a black of black heeled boots.
Lastly I have my eye also on this Black Fishnet Sleeve Top which like the photo on the website, would look so cute with some light blue mom jeans and black loafers. I really like the look of mixing smart and casual items and this outfit is perfect.
Like I have mentioned before, I am very slowly forming my version of a capsule wardrobe and I felt like I had a few items missing from my autumn capsule. I like to use Pinterest to give me ideas of how to wear items in my wardrobe differently and I have found a lot of the photos I am drawn towards, have items with a very smart and polished feel to them which I used to have a lot of only a few years ago. This was before I started working in an office and I didn't think I would ever wear them again. Fast forward a couple of years and most of my gorgeous patterned shirt are in my parent's neighbour's daughter's wardrobe your welcome.
So when Femmeluxe asked me if I wanted to try a few of their pieces to add to my wardrobe, I was very appreciate as the website is full of gorgeous items. I picked out four items which I thought would work really well in my wardrobe and suit my body shape.
The first item was this Black Polka Dot Fishnet Sleeve Shirt which I picked up in a size 10. I have an array of shirts in my wardrobe now which I wear on a day to day basis. I love to wear them to work with a smart pair of black fitted trousers or at the weekend with a pair of light blue mom jeans. I am lucky that shirts suit me really well so I can basically pair them with any bottom and they look pretty good, if I say so myself. I also don't normally wear shirts untucked because I find them can drown me and my body shape but actually, the length of this shirt makes it great on top of bottoms. I definitely think I would get a lot of wear out of the white version as well as I am trying to add more light staple colours into my wardrobe. Changing up my wardrobe for autumn has shown me how much black I actually own.
Now with sizing I picked up a size 10 which is true to size for me and fits me really well but for someone will bigger boobs pancakes over here I would maybe size up once to make sure the buttons don't pop open on your boobs. I love the way the shirt sits on my shoulders with the top bottoms open. Feel free to head on over to the website to see the shirt on a much better model then me!
My next item which I have been on the look out for since last autumn are a pair of Black High Waisted Faux Leather Look Leggings. I think when planning your autumn winter wardrobe leather look leggings can be a big staple. I have been looking at different styles and deciding whether i want ones with belt loops or the more basis leggings style and i think for the way i want to wear them with big oversized jumpers and cardigans, the leggings are the best option.
These are so comfy to wear and they feel even more comfy with a big fluffy jumper like the white one above. Now I picked them up in a size 10 which fit me perfectly when they are on and i can already tell i will not be pulling these leggings up during the day. I am extremely short at just 5 ft so I have had to roll the bottoms up but I think i prefer the look that way as it balances my short legs.
I love the look of these with my black suedette boots as well as my black loafers so depending on where you are going ,you can make the leggings look more smart or more casual.
The next item I purely pick up because they looked so comfy on the website and I don't have many lounge sets in my casual home wear wardrobe, so I picked up the Dusty Pink With White Stripe Lounge Wear Set. Whenever I am at home just chilling, I normally looking not very cute in some over worn pjs and I want to invest in some lounge sets. Something that is comfy enough to wear lounging around the house but if I needed to pop out to the shop I could just run straight out.
I picked up the dusty pink pair because the colour is so gorgeous and I think they are a great colour to mix and match with other bottoms and tops. I could wear some blue jeans and the top or wear a cropped one top with the bottoms. I picked these up in a size 10 and i could do with a size 10 bottom and a size 12 top just so it is more baggy and comfy. For the photo I have paired the bottoms with my basis Levi's t-shirt.
Now for a few bonus items!
I ordered this Black Polka Dot Ruched Puff Sleeve Mini Dress along with the other items and which I'm sure you can tell by the picture why I wanted it. I wanted a easy to wear dress to add to my wardrobe for when I had an occasion and I needed to look like I have my sh*t together. This black and white dress was perfect but I totally underestimated the size of my bottom region and couldn't get the dress over my bum. I picked it up in a 8/10 when really I am the bigger end of the size 10 scale so really to make sure it fitted, I should have got the 10/12. Lesson learnt! I definitely want to try the dress again because I think it will be a great additional to my wardrobe.
A few other pieces which I have my eye on from the website are this Black Satin Pleated Midi Skirt. I lived in my rust orange colour pleated skirt from H&M this year and I know I would get so much wear out of the this black style. With a black shirt and a pair of heels or with a cropped jumper and a black of black heeled boots.
Lastly I have my eye also on this Black Fishnet Sleeve Top which like the photo on the website, would look so cute with some light blue mom jeans and black loafers. I really like the look of mixing smart and casual items and this outfit is perfect.
O U T F I T S
1.
Jeans - H&M
Loafers - Primark (similar)
2.
Jeans - Primark
Loafers - Primark (similar)
3.
Skirt - Newlook
Boots - Primark (similar)
1.
Jumper - H&M
Loafers - Primark (similar)
2.
Shirt - H&M (similar)
Boots - Primark (similar)
3.
Jumper - H&M
Loafers - Primark (similar)
1.
Top - Levi's
Let me know if you have purchased anything from the website before and what your favourite item from my order was in the comments!
Although I am starting to now see the benefits of investing in clothing items, I am still a bargain shopper at heart. There are some things I splurge on and some things I save on (post to follow very soon!)
Over the years I have found some lovely pieces on eBay which I have ended up wearing for years afterwards. There are pit falls when buying from eBay which I have had my fair share of over the years but I have two items which I have loved since last year and two items which have been in my wardrobe since April time and again, I just love. All the items are great quality and wash really well. All links and sizes will be at the end of the post!
Starting with the items which have been in rotation in the wardrobe all spring summer, some basic jersey t-shirts. At the start of the year I didn't have any logo tops in my wardrobe mainly because I felt they made me look young and boyish while wearing them. Then I really started to like the whole t-shirt and midi skirt vibe and that started a love affair with them. I picked up three t-shirts off eBay, all which I have been wore several time during spring summer.
Call me a basic bitch but I loved these Vogue tops when I first saw them and thought a black and white version would be perfect for my wardrobe. I really love to wear the black and gold version with black skinny jeans and gold jewerelly where as I like to pair the white and black version with light blue denim. Both make a otherwise plan outfit look a bit more put together.
Then to add a carve ball in, I decided to pick up this black makeup design which I love! With an all black outfit, especially some black joggers and a cardigan. I think it would make the outfit look like I made some effort, when really I've just rolled out of bed.
Now we have two jumpers which I wasn't expecting to like so much but the quality of them is above my standard for eBay. First up is this slightly cropped black, cream and brown patchwork jumper which has a high neck which I love and looks great with some black skinny jeans. I really like to throw this jumper on with black jeans and brown boots for work and it just looks like I have my sh*t together. Since condensing my wardrobe I have really become drawn to the neutral palette because the colours are so easy to style together and this jumper is a neutral lovers dream.
My last item is this longer fitting black and cream patchwork jumper. Like the previous one it is not too thick so perfect for the start of autumn when the sun is still shinning but there is a breeze. I do think you can't go wrong with a black and cream jumper, I normally wear this with black skinny's (shock) and some heeled black boots as I find being short, this makes my legs look longer with the length of the jumper. This jumper does have breathable holes throughout so it can make choosing a bra colour tricky as the front of the jumper is black and the back of the jumper is cream. I tend to opt for the black and have it pocking out the black.
I definitely do not need anymore knitwear or jersey but I am following a few things on eBay right now just in case I find a use for them in my wardrobe. Right now I think my wardrobe is pretty much set for autumn bar one plain black roll neck jumper....
I recently watched Emma Hill's YouTube video where she showed you everything she bought on eBay which was second hand. I have had bad experiences buying second hand on eBay but after watching her video, I am intrigued to try again. If I do I will definitely show you what I bought and if it was worth it.
Have you found any gems on eBay recently? Leave a comment below!
Black and white vouge t-shirt - Small 8-10 - Baggy fit
Black and gold t-shirt - Medium - Tight fit
Face t-shirt - Medium - Tight fit
Cropped patchwork jumper - Small - Baggy fit
Long patchwork jumper - Small - Baggy fit
Black and white vouge t-shirt - Small 8-10 - Baggy fit
Black and gold t-shirt - Medium - Tight fit
Face t-shirt - Medium - Tight fit
Cropped patchwork jumper - Small - Baggy fit
Long patchwork jumper - Small - Baggy fit
Since the start of the year, i have really honed in on my packing skills meaning i can go away for a few days with a small bag. I used to throw everything into my bag just in case and end up with some much stuff that i didn't need.
Cal and I have taken several weekend away trips this year so i have had loads of practice at packing and i haven't made a wrong move yet. This weekend we are heading to the seaside with some of our friends so i thought i would let you pack with me, just in case you need some packing inspiration! I am sucker for packing videos, blog posts and photos on Pinterest. I am fascinated in capsule packing.
For content i am going away for 3 nights and 2 days and the weather is quite bright with a high of 22 during the day and 9 during the early morning/evening.
C L O T H I N G
1 green jacket (which i am wearing down)1 grey jumper (wearing down)
2 white tee shirts
1 cream shirt
1 pair of light blue mom jeans (wearing down)
1 black and white maxi skirt
2 bras
4 pairs of underwear (always bright too many in case of emergency but never use them)
2 pairs of socks
1 pj set
1 pair of black boots
1 pair of white brogues
S K I N C A R E
Sukin night moisturiser Simple moisturiser
Pixie glow tonic
Garniner micellar water
Clinique mini face cleanser
Lots and lots of cotton pads because they are life
M A K E U P
Rimmel Lasting Finish Breathable Foundation Clinique High Impact Mascara
Urban Decay Naked Flushed Palette
Mac Eyeliner in Teddy
1 nude and 1 red lipstick (undecided)
To some people this might seem like a lot for a weekend away, while other people might be wondering how i am only bringing these items. I would defineily call this a capsule pack, considering i can fit this all in a small bag or the smaller side of the mini suitcase which Cal and i share for most weekends.
Let me know if there is anything you think i have missed out, or something you can't travel without!
Hello lovelies! How are you all? Sorry it has been sooooo long, I know I apologise I'm missed you too. The last five months I have been in a total blogger brain freeze and didn't know what I wanted to write about and why I wanted to write. This is a little thing I like to do in my spare time to talk about random things that entertain/excite me and I just didn't have anything that excited me for a while.
I guess you could say I was living my life, one lasagne at a time...
But I woke up this morning in my empty bed which I was star fishing in all night, I turned my tv on to start watching YouTube and I suddenly got this feeling to blog. My style, hobbies and personality have changed a lot recently and I felt like my blog didn't reflect how I was feeling. Now I'll got a little mojo back it is time to get back to the blog and change it up a bit.
I feel different, I think different so lets start again.
Enough of my needless ramblings.. just have a little chat up!
A lot of things have happened in the last five months;
- I've changed job roles at my work and am now the finance assistant which I am very happy with. I loved doing all the finance side of my previous role but I didn't get much time to actually get my teeth into anything so to now spend most of my day on those jobs makes me very happy, if not a little bit of a geek. They annoy the hell out of me but I love working with numbers.
- I have also started a AAT course in bookkeeping and I never thought I would go back into education. The course is completely online so I can work at home or at my desk at work which works for me. I am waiting to book in my first exam so wish me luck!
- Another important note is that I am going to become a auntie next year which I am so excited about. hopefully spending time with the little bean which make Callum broody...
- I also recently got a fringe! I feel like I am 16 all over again but I like it... for the moment. I tend to be quite indecisive with my hair so hopefully I make up my mind soon.
- I finally made it to Brighton for my birthday and I loved everything about it. The shops, the pier, the houses and streets. I would love to go again but with a bigger group of people next time.
- We have finally started finishing off some of the rooms in the house, it only took us 2+ years. Our living room and spare room look completely different and our next step is to get the house ready to host Christmas! We still need to get a dishwasher (for obvious reasons) and buy a bigger table to fit my family around.
- Callum and I have also started saving for a wedding- ish. Its a working progress. We went to the most beautiful wedding this year which I have to say was basically my dream wedding. That made me really want to start doing something to work towards it.
- Callum and I haven't been on a proper holiday since last year so we went for a few days down to the English seaside which was lovely, apart from the fact we stayed in a caravan on the hottest week of the year. You don't know heat until you've walk into a caravan which has been empty all day on the hottest day of the year.
- I am now officially as blind as a bat and need glasses 70% of the time. Do I wear them 70% of the time? depends where I am going.
- Lastly in true blogger fashion I have considerably reduced the size of my wardrobe over the last five months. We finally got our fitted wardrobes installed and I really wanted to use that time to make sure everything in my wardrobe was something I loved. More to come about decluttering I promise.
That's basically everything that's happened in the last five months. I feel like this is the perfect time to get my mojo back into blogging with the autumn coming up. I have already transitioned my wardrobe to my autumn/winter clothing, maybe too early but I really needed my jumpers back in my life!
Lastly have some photos from the last five months and try not to laugh at my poses as a teenager!
Lastly have some photos from the last five months and try not to laugh at my poses as a teenager!
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| Callum and I at our first wedding we attending together! |
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| The only time my fringe ever looked good when I was 16, at my prom in 2010. |
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| A random street in Brighton which was too cute to walk past and not take a photo. |
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| Our current living room. Still very bare but I love how it is turning out. We still need a new dining table and artwork for the walls but it is coming together. Yes I was watching the real house wife's of New York City. |
How is it April already? Before we know it it will be the end of August and we all will be wondering where the summer went! Since we last spoke i have had a lovely birthday weekend down in Brighton where one day it was sunny and hot and the next it was miserable and raining. Spring can be such a headache when it comes to work to wear.
I have been completed engulfed but the whole capsule wardrobe frame of mind and thanks to Anna from the Anna Edit, my wardrobe is considerably smaller than it was a year ago. Since reducing the size of my wardrobe i have found that i now love all my clothes instead of forgetting about some pieces which were hidden behind the piles. I still have a few favourite pieces which get a little more love then the rest and today i am going to take you through the 5 items i know i will be continuously rotating over the spring season.
First up is my trusty mustard Zara faux leather jacket (similar) which i picked up in Barcelona 3 years ago. I can literally pair this jacket with anything and it looks amazing, especially if the outfit is a little plan jane (which you know is my favourite). Considering i have worn it so many times over the years, it still looks bloody brand new, well done Zara. I love everything about this jacket from the colour which really suits my skin tone, to the cut and style of the cropped body. I haven't been able to wear this jacket since last summer because it has been so cold so i can't wait to whip it back out.
Next up is my Asos Mini Denim Skirt (link) which i have been kinda obsessed with over the winter period with thick black tights so i am kinda excited to pair it with more lighter tights in the warmer weather. I find with this skirt that no matter what kind of day i am having, i feel amazing in the skirt. I can try on my whole wardrobe and feel really fat and frumpy but when i put on this skirt with some tights and a black roll neck, i feel good again. It is kinda like a safety blanket, if i'm having a fat day i wear my skirt, if i wanna look rocky i put on the skirt, if im cold but i want to look cute i put on the skirt. I definitely know i wont be wearing the skirt during the summer months because i would have a check slip every five minutes so i want to give it even more love before it gets too warm.
My next item is something that people who know me in real life would say i wear about 90% of the time. I love a good dungaree dress and i have four denim styles and 1 cord style, don't judge me on the cord one it is super cute. With dungaree dress they work with any weather whether it is summer or winter so they are items will you can keep in your wardrobe throughout the year. I love weather them with tights and jumpers but my favourite way to style them is with a basic t-shirt underneath with sandals. I get hot and flustered quite easy so when it is hot i need to be free and breath and dungaree dresses are great for that because they give you so much room to breath without making you look like your wearing a bin bag. This Newlook dungaree dress (petite) is probably my favourite because it is a little bit longer than my others and is super baggy so perfect on a fat day.
My fourth item which will be a must during the spring season is my Primark mom jeans (similar). I love these so much i have them in two different sizes because like I've said before, i sometimes have fat days. The last thing i want to do when the weather is lovely and spring like outside is pull on a pair of skinny jeans, it just doesn't feel right so i know at the weekends if i am going to be wearing jeans, it will be this pair with a tight crop top and my mustard jacket. It is just a easy casual look and super comfy,
My last spring staple is this Jacket Willis midi dress. I have never shopped in Jack Willis (link) before because basically i am a high street girl at heart and i cant imagine paying so much for clothing, but when i walked past my local JW i noticed this dress in the window and it was reduced from £79 to £25 so i couldn't walk by. This was exactly the kind of dress i was looking for and i didn't have anything like it in my collection. I bought it with the intention of wearing it with a brown belt and brown boots and i definitely will be this spring.
I have been completed engulfed but the whole capsule wardrobe frame of mind and thanks to Anna from the Anna Edit, my wardrobe is considerably smaller than it was a year ago. Since reducing the size of my wardrobe i have found that i now love all my clothes instead of forgetting about some pieces which were hidden behind the piles. I still have a few favourite pieces which get a little more love then the rest and today i am going to take you through the 5 items i know i will be continuously rotating over the spring season.
First up is my trusty mustard Zara faux leather jacket (similar) which i picked up in Barcelona 3 years ago. I can literally pair this jacket with anything and it looks amazing, especially if the outfit is a little plan jane (which you know is my favourite). Considering i have worn it so many times over the years, it still looks bloody brand new, well done Zara. I love everything about this jacket from the colour which really suits my skin tone, to the cut and style of the cropped body. I haven't been able to wear this jacket since last summer because it has been so cold so i can't wait to whip it back out.
Next up is my Asos Mini Denim Skirt (link) which i have been kinda obsessed with over the winter period with thick black tights so i am kinda excited to pair it with more lighter tights in the warmer weather. I find with this skirt that no matter what kind of day i am having, i feel amazing in the skirt. I can try on my whole wardrobe and feel really fat and frumpy but when i put on this skirt with some tights and a black roll neck, i feel good again. It is kinda like a safety blanket, if i'm having a fat day i wear my skirt, if i wanna look rocky i put on the skirt, if im cold but i want to look cute i put on the skirt. I definitely know i wont be wearing the skirt during the summer months because i would have a check slip every five minutes so i want to give it even more love before it gets too warm.
My next item is something that people who know me in real life would say i wear about 90% of the time. I love a good dungaree dress and i have four denim styles and 1 cord style, don't judge me on the cord one it is super cute. With dungaree dress they work with any weather whether it is summer or winter so they are items will you can keep in your wardrobe throughout the year. I love weather them with tights and jumpers but my favourite way to style them is with a basic t-shirt underneath with sandals. I get hot and flustered quite easy so when it is hot i need to be free and breath and dungaree dresses are great for that because they give you so much room to breath without making you look like your wearing a bin bag. This Newlook dungaree dress (petite) is probably my favourite because it is a little bit longer than my others and is super baggy so perfect on a fat day.
My fourth item which will be a must during the spring season is my Primark mom jeans (similar). I love these so much i have them in two different sizes because like I've said before, i sometimes have fat days. The last thing i want to do when the weather is lovely and spring like outside is pull on a pair of skinny jeans, it just doesn't feel right so i know at the weekends if i am going to be wearing jeans, it will be this pair with a tight crop top and my mustard jacket. It is just a easy casual look and super comfy,
My last spring staple is this Jacket Willis midi dress. I have never shopped in Jack Willis (link) before because basically i am a high street girl at heart and i cant imagine paying so much for clothing, but when i walked past my local JW i noticed this dress in the window and it was reduced from £79 to £25 so i couldn't walk by. This was exactly the kind of dress i was looking for and i didn't have anything like it in my collection. I bought it with the intention of wearing it with a brown belt and brown boots and i definitely will be this spring.
I'm pretty sure with these five items i am set for the next few months outfit wise.
There are a few bits that i want to add to my spring capsule wardrobe for spring which i will be in another post for you.
Over the time that I have been blogging I have learnt a few things that really help to make a blog look better and get more attention. Some of these I have seen in other blogs and some I have found myself along the way. I thought today I would tell you guys a few tips that I wish I knew when I first started blogging.
- A little goes a long way - Posts don't have to be paragraphs long with super super detail. I love reading bullet point posts and lists.
- Labels are important - These help people who search for a specific topic find your post which means more page views
- The blogging community isn't scary- I didn't start taking part in the blogging community until recently because I didn't know if I really fitted in, but since I have I have met so many lovely people and gained some lovely followers so don't be scared to put your self out there.
- Add properties to your photos - By copying your labels into the Properties tab on your photos, when someone searches a topic your photo can appear leading them to your blog which means more page views
- You can post as much or as little as you want - Some times I can feel like I need to post more frequently because all of my favourite bloggers do but if you have a good following, it won't matter how often you post they will still be there to read them.
I have learnt a lot since I first started my blog many moons ago, feel free to comment anything you wish you knew at the start!
My favourite cleaning product to date has to be the disinfectant Zoflora. I know the product is huge within the family and home community which I have become a big fan of recently (watching speed cleaning and house tour videos is my new favourite thing) and I couldn't ignore the hype around the product. If this isn't your thing I completely understand, take a look at my other beauty and skincare posts at the top!
To date I have 6 bottles underneath my sink and once that stash starts to decrease I am totally picking up some new scents! I used up 3 scents this week so I definitely make the most of them!
There are so many uses for this disinfectant I have seen over the months and here are 9 of my favourite.
1. Down the sink
I like to pour some of the disinfectant down my sink plugs at the end or beginning of the day. Afterwards the kitchen smells beautiful and every time water goes down the plug the scent will come back and please your nostrils.
2. In a spray bottle mixed with water
This disinfectant you will come mix with water to make your own disinfectant spray which smells amazing. Depending on the size of the bottle your using I tend to normally mix 1 to 2 cap fulls with water to make the spray.
3. Sprayed on fake flowers
This is such a genius idea the person who thought this up needs a medal! Zoflora make a ton of flower related scents so you can spray the disinfectant on to fake flowers to make them smell like real flowers and to keep them bacteria free.
4. In your clothing wash
This tip is based on the Fresh Linen scent of Zoflora which smells like clean clothes and fresh bedding. Pour 1 cap full of the disinfectant in with your detergent and your bedding and towels will be totally clean and smell amazing. I find my clean clothes can sometimes not smell like anything but when I use this I can really smell it through the material. Plus while it is out to dry it fills your rooms with the scent.
5. Wiped over your warm radiators
This is a great one for the cold months! All you need to do is wipe a cloth soaked in the disinfectant over your warm radiators, every time the radiators are on the smell will fill the room. This is perfect in the winter when all the winter scents are available.
6. In a sink full of boiling water
This is a great thing to do before you go to bed so during the night the scent fills the room ready for the morning. The hot water makes the scent more powerful and when you empty the water in the morning it leaves the scent in the drain.
7. In your car
I don't look after my car at all, I'm sorry car for never washing you or emptying you of rubbish but I am getting better! I now have a small spray bottle in my car to spray along my dash board to 1. clean my car of horrible germs and 2. to leave it smelling fresh and inviting. I find my dash board gets very dusty very easily so this is really handy to have.
8. In your washing machine
I have started doing an hot empty wash with a cap full of disinfectant in to clean out the drum and the draw after I have done a few spins. Washing machines can be full of bacteria with all the dirty warm water running through it so running disinfectant through then can be really useful.
9. Wiped over your door handles and entrances
This is a great tip especially if you have a busy house with people coming and going. Door handles are full of bacteria with the amount of times people touch them so wiping them over with scented disinfectant is a must. Also wiping Zoflora over the handles and door frames means every time someone walking into a room they catch a whiff of the amazing smell and it lingers with them.
You arent an adult until you become excited about cleaning products! What is your favourite scent?
We decided to visit Newcastle for Callum's birthday because he has supported the team since he was four so when i asked him where he wanted to visit for his birthday, it was a no brainer for him.
We traveled down on the Wednesday and made it just under four hours which isn't to bad considering how back traffic can be on the motorway. We arrived just before 2pm so had the whole afternoon to explore the place. When we return we have a few favourite places we want to visit again.
H O T E L
We picked to stay at the Romada Encore Hotel in Gateshead which is just a bridge away from Newcastle. We decided to stay just outside of the city center just so that we could get away from it all especially as the weekend approached. We have no bad words to say about this hotel. The staff were amazing and so friendly and unlike some hotel in the area, it included a car park which only cost £5 a day. We were right next to the Millenium Bridge so it only took us 10 minutes to be right in the center of the city
D A Y A C T I V I T E S
There are so many things to do in Newcastle we never got bored once, most of them involved alcohol but hey we are on our holidays! The first place we visited on Wednesday was the St James Football Stadium of course and Callum was in his element. We had a drink in the Nine bar located underneath the stadium and had a little planning sess of the next few days. Lucky we also go tickets to the Newcastle vs Huddersfield game on Saturday so we return for the game on our last day and it was a-m-a-zing!On from there we went to Lane 7 to play a few games of bowling, have a few drinks and fell like proper locals. The place is spaced out over 3 floors with bowling, ping pong, mini golf, a bar and a resturant. We really wanted to return before we left but we ran out of time.
Along the same line we also visited Space Golf in the middle of the centre which was a lot of fun. We first saw it while walking round one night but decided to actually go in during the day. It ended up being full of kids to maybe the evening might have been more fun with people the same age as us but we still enjoyed it.
Lastly if you are like me and Callum who love a walk, you will love Newcastle. most days we started and ended the days going on a random walk and we would end up at a random place with a cute little pub and having a drink. We also walked across all the bridges because they are so beautiful and the views from them are breathtaking.
S H O P P I N G
I love a bit of shopping but i was quite reserved while away but i did pick up a few bits. We visited the Gateshead Intu Metro Center first since it is meant to be the biggest center in England? There was loads there like food resturants and games areas as well as all the shops. Callum ended up winning me a Peter Rabbit in the grab machines which made me very happy! We had a lovely lunch in Coast to Coast which set us up for a day of shopping although i didn't end up buying anything that day.We then visited the Newcastle Intu Center the next day and i found it so much better! I found the lay out of the shops much easier to look round ended up finding loads of bits in Topshop. I would definitely recommend the Newcastle Center to the Gateshead Center.
F O O D & D R I N K
There are so many places to end and drink in Newcastle and unlike London, there are ridiculous ques and endless waiting. We went to quite a few places for dinner and lunch including Frankie and Bennys and Coast to Coast and then we tried a few random places. We had brunch one day at Georges Great British Kitchen in the Newcastle City Center, which also gave you 20% off if you had a match ticket which drew us in. I have definitely put on weight since we have been away.We did our fair share of day drinking while on our break (Callum more then me) and our favourite place we found has to be the The Stack in the City Center. It is made of loads of industrial containers which are made into drink and food places. You have loads of benches to site on all the levels and gas heaters attached to every table to it was lovely sitting outside. Although the weather while we were there was beautiful, it was nice to stick your face next to a heater. We ended up having fish and chips at The Stack and it was amazing!!
The last place we visited before we left was the By The River Brew and Co which is a brewery located just be the river, like the name suggests, where you can try loads of locally brewed drinks. It had a few food stalls getting ready for a busy Friday night when we arrived and we sat by the river with a heater and it was the perfect way to round off the break.
I can't wait to return to the city because it was such an amazing break. I would definitely say i prefer Newcastle to London 100% because it is less expensive, less busy and so so friendly! The only down side is that it takes me 4 hours to get there when as London is only a hours train journey away.
When we return i can't wait to explore much more of the city as i know we only saw a fraction of the place. If you have any recommendations for our next visit, leave me a comment so i can make a list of places to see! :)
This week I had a huge de-clutter of my makeup and removed a huge bag of products from my collection. When I first got into beauty blogging and youtube I thought the aim of the game was to have the biggest makeup collection. I used to watch youtubers collections and be so envious of the size of theirs and the different products they had to hand. That made me end up buying makeup every time I went out and picking up bargain products I found in random shops so that I had products to bulk up my collection.
I know now that that is stupid since I hardly used the majority of the products because I had my favourites, thankfully people started focusing on steamline makeup collections and the 'makeup declutter videos' were born. As silly as it sounds, now that big youtubers are reducing the size of their makeup collections I now don't feel deflated with my small collection and enjoy reducing my own to the essentials.
So here are 5 questions that I ask myself when I am de-cluttering my makeup!
1. Is it used up?
Sounds simple but I find so many products which are basically empty but are still in my collection. Whether its a reminder to repurchase the product or you just forgot to throw it away get rid of it. Luckily with my blog I can talk about the products that I love so in the future I can look back and know the formula and shade I want to repurchase.
2. Have I used it in the last 3 months?
Like I said when I was trying to expand my makeup collection I had quite a few products in my collection that never got used so I had wasted my money and time in purchasing them. Now I like to go through my collection and see if I have actually used the products. If I haven't used the products in the last 3 months then I will either give them away or put them in my everyday makeup bag to use them and see if I like them. The worst thing is throwing away a product to later find out you would have loved it if you had tried it. If when I next sort through my makeup I still haven't used that product it then goes in the give away pile.
3. What is the expiry date?
I am someone who will hold onto a product because I love it even if it is a little bit old... I know it is disgusting but you ignore the fact that the product is gloppy and just spend an extra 10 minutes blending it in... I have stopped doing that you will be pleased to know and I follow a strict process now where every 6 months I go through the items which I know would have expired during that time. I do use the little icon on the back of products to identify if I need to get rid of them but lets be honest, who remember exactly when they bought that lipstick? I also use this cheat sheet to remind myself of the time frames for makeup.
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| Photo Credit - show some love! |
4. Do I like it?
Sounds very strange when you have spent money on this product to ask if you like it but so many times you are keeping products you don't actually like because of sentimental value or because you spent a lot of money on it. I am quite careful with high end products because I will always research them before giving over any money, the idea of spending so much money on a product I won't like scares me. So I always ask myself if I like this product when I am going through my makeup because a lot of the time the products that always make it through your sort outs are sentimental but not your shade or formula at all. You might be thinking I couldn't do that my nans best friends son's girlfriend got me that eye shadow palette but when you have minimal room for your storage and the palette hasn't been used once, isn't it better to give it to someone who will use it?
5. Do I have anything similar
Lastly the question we are all guilty of, have the same product in 5 different variations. I am not that adventurous with my makeup because I like the natural look most days so this can mean I end up with 5 eye palettes all with the same shades in which is obviously silly and wasteful. I don't need two matte nude palettes or two shimmer pink palettes sadly so I like to pick my favourite one and pass on the other to a friend. It is the same with lipsticks so many shades right now are basically the same with different packaging so who needs two browny nudes with look exactly the same.
I hate the idea of waste so any products that aren't out of date or a bit grim go to my sister or friends who love rummaging through and finding treats. I find that I might not like a product but my sister who is different in her style of makeup and shades might love the product so at least it goes to a loving home.
I hope this post helps you de-clutter and spring clean your makeup collection.
I have always been a forgetful, lazy person since i was a child and it has never really changed, but i have decided that this year i am going to get shit done. I am someone who likes to makes plans and follow a diary so a bullet point planner was right up my street. I found this one by Wendy Hobson back last year in my local B&M and kept it on my book shelf for months.
Then in January i knew i wanted to make a change so i dug out the book and started from there, if i had the time and the fancy hand writing i would make my own but sadly i don't so pre made books will do. This book is really good because it has not dates printed on the pages so you can use it how ever and whenever you want. I started using this the first week in January so hopefully if i keep at it, i can complete the whole year and become more organised.
Included within this planner is a week to week planner with to do lists, meal plans, inspirations, priorities, themes, countdown clocks and annual and yearly reviews. Here are some of the ways i am going to use this planner to organise my year.
Become more healthy
I am a serial takeaway eater and i can't do it anymore not just for health reasons but to help save for a wedding as well, so i have been planning our meals every night and prepping my lunches for work to stop myself grabbing rubbish to eat. I have cut out rubbish lunches and junk food as well opting for healthy fate free options and seriously reducing my portion sizes. I think one of my main problems is i am always scared to not make enough food and be hungry afterwards, which then makes me cook stupid amounts of food. Since January i have been filling my lunch box with fruit and yogurt and recording everything i eat to keep track of my intake in the notes section of my weekly pages. Since starting this the only thing i have seen a reduction in the size is my fingers, i feel like they are less chubby which i guess i can;t complain about.
I am also making a list of the routines/exercises i want to do each week or how many times i want to go gym. I plan in which day i am doing what so i know which type of meal i want to make for dinner and how much spare time i will have that night. I've been doing this for a 5 weeks now and if you don't include the week i was ill and dying, i have stuck to it quite well. I have purchased new workout gear, bought a yoga mat and even some exercise bands. check me out! At the minute i am doing more home workouts rather than going to the gym mainly because i don't have to go out in the cold and dark to complete them. Once spring rolls around, which i can not wait for, i plan to become more active at the gym.
Take charge of my weekends
My weekend normally start out the same. It gets to a Friday night and i plan all these things i want to achieve over the weekend, i do a big clean and go for a walk on Saturday morning and then for the rest of the weekend i am sitting on my arse dreading the approach of Monday. I don't want to be that person anymore. I now make a list of jobs i want to complete over the week and at the weekend i make sure i tick off all the job left on the list. Now they aren't boring jobs like empty the bins (even though it has been on the list once), it is fun stuff like finish my puzzle which i did this week thank you very much.
It is currently Sunday when i am writing this post and my last two jobs are look up hotels for my birthday which is very exciting and hand wash my nice party dresses which i am dreading but when they have been sitting in your dirty bin for months, you just got to bite the bullet.
Up my blogging game
Last year i made a conscious effort to post more on my blog over the summer when i had some free time to myself but once i started work again my blog kinda took a back seat. I do this as a hobby because even though i am pretty rubbish at it, i like to write. I'm using my planner this year to keep me motivated and up to date with my blog. I am planning in my posts on my weekly diary and setting myself goals to achieve blog wise. I don't write for anyone other than me so i don't put too much pressure on myself about my blog because like i said, its a hobby i enjoy for myself.
I do feel like i am a more organised person since the new year, i have more time for myself but i'm also planning in making time for other people. i have a second bullet journal which i received as a birthday present last year which is cuter and smaller than the Wendy Hobson planner. I wanted to start out with the Wendy one so i could figure out what i wanted to use it for most and make it messy ready to start again next year with my nice journal.
Moisturisers are like gold dust in a skincare routine especially for people with dry skin like me. A moisturiser is the most important step in my skincare and i find a good moisturiser can make or break a makeup look.
My skin type is dry which has bouts of normal happy skin and bouts of severly dry patches. My skincare routine consists of using a moisturiser every morning and if i remember, in the evening too. I've collected all the moisturisers I've used over the last year and ranked them from favourite to least favourite, even though i still like some of the products at the bottom of the list.
1. Clinique Moisture Surge
Starting off with my all time favourite moisturiser which i first spoke about back in March 2017 in a wishlist post. So many people spoke about how hydrating this product was and how it made people feel like they had just experienced a facial. I agree with every statement ever made about this product and i am gladly on my second tub now since i was given a gift set this Christmas with a new tub included. The product is super hydrating, leaves the skin super soft, gives a boost of life to your skin and lasts all day on the skin. I like products that make a big difference on my skin and after a long day, i can still feel the benefits of this moisturiser on my skin. The product is rich without feeling heavy and clogging on the skin which means it doesn't break me out after using it. Lastly you only need a small amount of product to make a big difference so the tub lasts ages, my first tub lasted me from April to December and i used it every single day.
2. Origins Gin Zing Moisturizer
Now this was my favourite moisturizer for a very long time and even when i first started using the Clinique Moisture Surge, i still went between the two when we came to choosing my favourite. Just like the Clinique Moisturiser this product is so hydrating for dry skin it leaves your skin feeling brand new, as soft as a babies bum. Also the Gin Zing ingredients make the product super relaxing, hydrating and soothing on the skin. It somehow always seems to feel cold on the skin so every time you use the product it really wakes up your skin. I really liked using this product on really bad skin days because it wouldn't irritate my bad skin and it give my skin a big boost, it left me feeling like my skin was glowing when it was at its worse.
3. Lush Gorgeous Moisturiser
Although i only tried a tester of this moisturiser back in January, the product is still on my mind. A lot of people raved about this moisturiser so i ended up getting a little sample pot and i couldn't be how much i liked it. The product was really rich and luxurious on the skin and took a while to completely sink into the skin which normally i don't like but i found this moisturiser worked as a great base for my makeup. I didn't need to use a primer afterwards and the product helped make my makeup last longer. The only thing that has stopped me repurchasing this moisturiser is the price. £42 for a moisturiser from Lush seems ridiculous especially when my origins and Clinique moisturiser cost around £25 each and they are bigger brands.
4. Sukin Facial Moisturiser
Sukin skincare is a brand which I only started trying out last year and I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the products. They advertise themselves as natural, cruelty free, vegan and carbon free skincare which doesn't cost a bomb. This moisturiser was a firm favourite of mine when i first purchased the range, opting to use this moisturizer during the day underneath my makeup. What i liked about this product is that it is a bog standard good moisturizer with no nastiest in. It worked at moisturizing my skin without breaking me out or making my pigmentation standout.
5. Clinique Dramatically Different
If you have been around for a while then you will remember when every skincare post of mine included this moisturiser. It was y holy grail for a very long time and even though i haven't repurchased it in a few years since trying out different products, i know if i needed to go out and purchase a new moisturiser this product would be on my list. I've tried this product in a few formulas and packing but my favourite is the cream formula in the pot. The product has a thick consistency which soaks into the skin and leaves it feeling so smooth. This used to sort my skin out on bad skin days when my dry patches were at their worth in my early 20s.
6. Clinique Super Defense Night
This is another product that i had in my collection a long while ago while i recently used again when it came in a free promotion from Clinique. From what i can remember about this product when i first used it was it was quite greasy and slippery but the small pot i received of the product was so much better. It obviously had been reformulated and i'm not complaining at all. I found it was really good for wearing underneath my makeup and helping me start with a even base, don't hate me for not using it as a night cream... I wasn't too keen to use the product at first when i received it but when i ran out of moisturisers it was my only option and i ended up falling in love. The consistency of the product is quite thick but easy enough to sink into the skin in good time.
7. Sukin Moisturizing Restoring Night Cream
This product is what i call a magic product because it doesn't matter how much product you scoop out the tub, the product never seems to go down. It looks perfectly untouched every time i go to use it. This is the only night cream i use at the minute and there isn't much to say about the product apart from it is a good night cream. I pair it with the Clinique All About the Eyes cream before i go to bed and in the morning my skin feels like a babies bottom.
8. Clinique Prep Start Moisturiser
I brought this product because of a recommendation of a shop assistant in Bicester Village as she said it was amazing underneath makeup which i agree with, the product works great as a primer but it doesn't feel amazing as a moisturizer. It feels more like a matte primer then a moisturiser so i tend to use it as a primer using the summer when i don't need a lot of moisture added to my skin.
9. Glossier Priming Moisturiser
I won't say much about this product because i don't have many good things to say about it. It is advertised as a priming moisturizer but i don't feel like it moisturizes my skin at all and the primer element i don't rate as well. I know a lot of people who claim to love this product so it is definitely all down to different skincare preferences. I love every other Glossier product i have tried but i just don't rate this product at all.
What are your opinions on the products ive mentioned? Skincare is definitely something that works differently for different people so if you have liked something that i haven't or vice versa, no worries i'm glad it works for you!
April seems like a very long time ago considering in two months it will be a full year. Man time flies! Back in April i shared with you some of the beauty products i received for my 24th birthday (link), i thought i would write another post dedicated to these products to give you my feedback and all but two are high on my radar.
Starting off with the Urban Decay Naked Heat palette (link) which i have used non stop since April. My preference for eye shadow shades is basically this palette, i can make great everyday looks with this palette as well as ramp up the shades on the right side of the palette for a more dramatic look. I already had the Naked Palette 2 which was a holy grail for a very long time. Now this palette has overtook the old favourite in my opinion. The shades are generously pigmentation and the formula is really easy to blend, i don't know one person who dislikes this palette.
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