I realised this morning while getting ready that i had really been neglecting my style as of late. I was choosing cosy clothing over fashion most days and although feeling comfortable and cosy is very important, my outfits were lacking style and smartness at work. This is what lead me to come home, stick on my pjs and scan the internet for clothing on a Monday night. It just so happened that my Boohoo items are reduced which is a treat.
B O O H O O
Sooo starting with Boohoo I ordered this black cold shoulder knitted jumper £11.20). I thought i could tuck this into my black high waist jeans to wear for work with my long brown boyfriend cold over the top. I used to be obsessed with cold shoulder tops at one stage but i guess i fell out of love with them when they seemed to be absolutely everywhere. Hopefully with it being black it will give the allusion that i haven't just eaten a box of mince pies...
Next up i have a different risky choice that i thought i would take the plunge with. I love the look of raw hemmed black mini denim skirts (£9.80) but always thought my thighs would dominate the look. Now we are basically hitting winter hard now with the cold weather i thought now was the perfect time to try it. I imagine it would look super cute with some black thick tights and a bagging jumper tucked in at the front. Now it could look absolutely hideous but at least i will have tried it. Wish me luck.
If every girl doesn't have a long sleeved stripy top (£8.40) in their wardrobe then i will eat my own arm. Over the last few months all my stripy tops seemed to have disappeared into thin arm so i thought it was about time i purchased a new staple. I already know i am going to wear this non stop with some light blue denim and ripped jeans. I just need to make sure i don't wear it to death!
Lastly from Boohoo i picked up this very festive multi coloured tinsel jumper £15.40 which i think will look super cute with some black jeans and black boots for a chilled night out during this season. If i ever get invited out after about October, you will see me in a jumper and jeans over having my legs out every single time. At the grand old age of 24 my bare leg days are over apart from the one Christmas party i attend! I like that it is cropped and will hopefully look like i have made an effort with my outfit.
A S O S
Now onto Asos which is fast become my favourite online clothing brand by far. I just find the website really easy to navigate and they do sizes that other brands fail with. I used to buy jeans from Newlook and roll them up or buy jeans from Topshop and pay a fortune. Now i buy all my jeans from Asos because they fit my properly and they don't break the bank!
I firstly bought these Ridley black high waist ripped knee jeans for £30. I am in love with my black Ridley plain jeans which i wear mostly everyday to work and i really wanted some ripped versions for the weekend. Who cares about cold knees anyway? I got a waist 28 and length 30 so they should hopefully fit my perfectly. crosses fingers
I got a bit jean happy and tonight i think and bought another pair of Ridley jeans for £28 but this time in light blue. I used to have a pair of light blue skinny jeans from Newlook which i wore to death, they literally ripped everywhere, but i never replaced them. I really wanted some light jeans to wear with my dark jumpers to balance me out a bit. My outfits are quite plain most of the time so a little bit of light denim could do wonders. Plus the colour of the jeans is lavender blue and that is just the cutest.
Lastly for the haul i bought this shock plain grey long sleeved crew neck jumper from Pull and Bear for £9.99. I thought this would be another perfect jumper to pair with my checked mini skirts for work because it looks like it fits really very and wont be baggy in the wrong places. Also i think that would look super cute and plain with the light denim jeans i bought tucked in at the front.
So that is my whole haul with a grand total of £112.79. I know i definitely wont be keeping all the items and will most probably end up only keeping less than half but hopefully i like some. I have got them all next day delivery because i am an inpatient person by the time you are reading this on Tuesday hopefully they will have arrived by them. I'll make sure to post some photos of my outfits i make with the items so make sure you are following my on instagram! I'm really trying my best to actually post photos on there instead of just staring at everyone else's!
Let me know what yo bought the black Friday / cyber Monday sales! x
Since the year 2010 i have spent my Christmas eves, boxing days and new years working in a shop and wishing i was like my family who spent all those days together. Having Christmas day and new years day as one of your two days off a week really kills your Christmas spirit. I've tried to not let it get me too down over the last 7 years and to be completely honest, after so many years it was all i knew.
Now after 7 long years i am finally out of retail and have a traditional break, i couldn't be more excited! My office are breaking up on the 21st of December and are not reopening till the 2nd of January, this is completely strange to me so it will be a shock to the system. I might not know what to do with my 11 days off. I am making the most of my weekends this month and attending the early Christmas markets, they are the best things ever! All the cute shops, great food and Christmas music.
Here is a little itinerary of my next two months with a few events I've already gone to from the start of the month.
#3rd November
Bonfire Night at Wickstead Park
#10th November
Northampton Winter Food Festival
#17th November
Higham Ferrers Christmas Sparkle
#24th November
Towcester Christmas Fayre
#1st December
Birmingham Christmas Market
#20th December
Work Christmas party at Barton Seagrave Hall
#Christmas Eve
Spending the day round my parents making sure we have everything ready for Christmas day
#Christmas Day
Christmas at the brother in laws house with all the family and a sleepover
#Boxing Day
Scanning the internet for some boxing day deals in my pj's eating the left over food
If i can bring myself to actually step foot in a shop after Christmas you may see me having a look in the sale sections. I have decided if i actually want to be on the other end this year, i know how crazy shoppers can be at Christmas.
I have used up quite a lot of skincare products since the start of the year so i thought I would round them all up and give you my opinion on whether I would purchase the products again. I have tried so many new skincare products this year so I have a few new favourites in my collection.
First off i am taking it back to August when I used up the Clinique Take The Day Off Balm. I am a big fan of cleansing balms especially in the winter when my skin can get quite dry. The balm lasted me quite a few months as I treated it more like a luxurious cleanser as I was also using the Lush Cleansing balm at the same time. Although I don't use cleansing balms a lot of the time because I am much too lazy, i do want to purchase a new pot going into winter. I loved using this cleanser on my pamper nights when my skin really needed it.
Another product I used up quite a while ago was the Origins GinZing Moisturiser which I have spoken about so many times before. I scraped that pot till there was nothing left to scrap! This moisturiser is one of my top 2 moisturisers of all time so once I finish the Cinique Moisture Surge Moisturiser that I currently have, I will be buying another pot from Bicester Village. I really love rich moisturisers which leave you skin feeling like you've just had a facial.
Back in April I was given a bunch of Glossier products for my birthday and my favourite product out of all of them was the Glossier Super Bounce Serum. I used that serum every day so it didn't last very long at all. I will definitely be repurchasing that once I use up the Botanics serum I purchased last month to replace it. Sadly they don't compare at all... The glossier serum left my skin feeling really soft and bouncy (as the name suggests) but the Botanics serum feels like it strips my skin and leaves it really dry.
Another skincare product I've used up is the Sukin Foaming Cleanser which I first tried back in January. I love using a foaming cleanser with my manual cleansing brush and this cleanser left my skin feeling cleaner than any other product I've ever used. I haven't had a chance to go out and buy another bottle yet but I definitely will soon!
Finally for the last of the skincare, I'm not going to lie I probably had my L'Oreal Pure Clay Detox Face Mask for way longer than I should had. It probably was past its sell by date but who cares it still worked. This was the only face mask I owned after a big clear out of my collection and once I finished the pot I picked up the Pure Clay Rescue Mask as a replacement. There aren't many make up brands which make great skincare (in my opinion) but L'Oreal know what they are doing. My skin is currently in a good condition but now and again springs a random spot which can get sore so these face marks are a life saver.
Now that the evenings turn dark super early and it is bitterly cold past 5pm, this is the perfect time to get comfy on the sofa and put on a cosy film. I have so many dvds at my house which just sit there in the background while Netflix gets all our attention. I have to admit that using Netflix is so easy but I do like sticking a old school dvd on for the evening. Here are just a few of the films i regularly watch this time of year.
H A L L O W E E N
I know Halloween has come and gone but i still watch Halloween films throughout winter.
#Hocus Pocus
#Halloween Town
S E A S O N A L
I love watching the Christmas 24 channel and finding some really obscure Christmas films you wouldn't normally find on sky movies. I am a sucker for a good romance, royal story line and big happy ending so i am in my element right now.
#A Christmas Prince
#Christmas Inheritance
#Once Upon A holiday
#Autumn Dreams
#My Perfect Romance
T H E C L A S S I C S
No explanation needed!
#The Holiday
#HARRY POTTER
#Bridget Jones's Diary 1/2/Baby
I love shopping for winter clothes and Asos is fast becoming one of my favourite clothing brands recently. It all started off when I tried their black skinny jeans, they actually fit my legs and don't go baggy. How did I never know this??
You can buy most brands on the asos website so a quick browses can be literal. I've narrowed down my wish list to these four jumpers which i am living for right now. Mustards and dark blacks/purples are my favourite colours at this time of year so my wish list is full of them.
First up we have a jumper which I'm pretty sure I had about four years ago but sadly it went all bobbly and horrible and I threw it out. I love stripes so much, they are so easy to wear and make it look like i have style when really, i'm the biggest plan Jane around. I really like the mustard on the top section of the jumper as well because it isn't your typical stripe jumper. I also know that the sleeves are tight and the body is baggy which is the best style of jumper.
Who doesn't love a furry jumper? I feel a little like a chicken hatching a egg... but the cosy feeling you get when you wear them is worth it. I love this burgundy cropped flurry jumper. It i could pull off the white jeans I would totally copy the picture. Sadly my thighs would look massive so I stick to dark colours.
I am really into what i call the 'London adult look' at the minute totally inspired by Emma Hill. The look is light blue denim and jumpers and blazers, like the photo above. This black off the shoulder jumper is right up my street and perfect just to throw on in a hurry.
Lastly i have the perfect jumper to stick on with all my mini skirts and tights this winter. I find roll necks really flattering on me, especially when i have my long bob hair style. This doesn't look too chunky as well so hopefully i wont sweat in thus jumper while i'm out and about probably shopping for more clothes.
Colour Block Stripe Jumper
Off The Shoulder Ribbed Jumper
Dark Fluffy Cropped Jumper
Ribbed Roll Neck Yellow Jumper
You can buy most brands on the asos website so a quick browses can be literal. I've narrowed down my wish list to these four jumpers which i am living for right now. Mustards and dark blacks/purples are my favourite colours at this time of year so my wish list is full of them.
First up we have a jumper which I'm pretty sure I had about four years ago but sadly it went all bobbly and horrible and I threw it out. I love stripes so much, they are so easy to wear and make it look like i have style when really, i'm the biggest plan Jane around. I really like the mustard on the top section of the jumper as well because it isn't your typical stripe jumper. I also know that the sleeves are tight and the body is baggy which is the best style of jumper.
Who doesn't love a furry jumper? I feel a little like a chicken hatching a egg... but the cosy feeling you get when you wear them is worth it. I love this burgundy cropped flurry jumper. It i could pull off the white jeans I would totally copy the picture. Sadly my thighs would look massive so I stick to dark colours.
I am really into what i call the 'London adult look' at the minute totally inspired by Emma Hill. The look is light blue denim and jumpers and blazers, like the photo above. This black off the shoulder jumper is right up my street and perfect just to throw on in a hurry.
Lastly i have the perfect jumper to stick on with all my mini skirts and tights this winter. I find roll necks really flattering on me, especially when i have my long bob hair style. This doesn't look too chunky as well so hopefully i wont sweat in thus jumper while i'm out and about probably shopping for more clothes.
Colour Block Stripe Jumper
Off The Shoulder Ribbed Jumper
Dark Fluffy Cropped Jumper
Ribbed Roll Neck Yellow Jumper
Like i mentioned in my previous post Lazy girl guide to cooking, I have learned to cook an array of different meals since moving out and over the last year I have learned some tips and tricks to make my food cook quicker and taste better. The best thing I have done is invested in kitchen appliances! Making a great home cooked meal everyday can be very time consuming and take a lot of energy so at the minute I have two appliances which help me out a lot.
T H E S L O W C O O K E R
Best invention ever made, there I said it.
For someone who gets anxious about cooking various meats, my slow cooker has become my life safer. I always worry that I haven't cooked meat enough or that I'll cook it too much and ruin the taste but with this, I can leave the meat in the cooker all day and know neither will be a problem. I'm still trying different things out in it all the time but my favourite meal to make is a roast with shredded chicken, it is the easiest thing to do and saves you fathing while watching everything else and entertaining the family on a sunday. I mention how to make shredded chicken in my previous post so pop over if you want to try it.
I found out how to make shredded chicken on Pinterest of all places, it seems there is a H U G E cooking community on it! I always thought it was more for clothing and interiors but I was just looking in the wrong place. I look on Pinterest for most of my meal ideas now because there is something for everyone and with slow cookers, you can cook basically anything in them! Chicken, Pork, Lamb, Mince, Lasagna, Pasta, Potatoes, even a deep dish pizza. If you want to see what I have been pinning on Pinterest click on my Slow Cooker Recipes board.
Lastly, the best thing about a slow cooker is you can place all your ingredients in there in the morning, go out all day and when you get home in the evening the food is cooked and ready for you. I know i am going to be using my slow cooker even more in winter because it means I can spend more time during the evening in the bath rather than cooking. goals
T H E S T E A M E R
This is a recent addition to my kitchen collection bur I have fallen in love with it already and use it most days. I bought a 3 tier Russel Hobbs steamer from Argos which aren't too expensive and stack away really easily.
I bought one of these because I was tired of spending all night in the kitchen standing over my hob boiling my veg. I love veg and i like to have it with every meal but boiling it can be a nuisance especially while your in the middle of cooking a roast. My mum suggested I get a steamer and I haven't looked back since.
Like the slow cooker, you can cook most things in the steamer from veg and potatoes to fish and chicken. On a daily basis I throw baby potatoes and veg in with some breaded chicken in the oven and we have a easy, quite healthy meal. One of the reasons I bought the steamer was so I could cook different vegetables more regularly. Callum doesn't like broccoli whereas I love it but i never saw the point in boiling some just for me . With the steamer I can throw some in with some peas and carrots and it is no extra work for me.
Having both of these appliances make cooking a roast dinner for my family a breeze! I have my meat in the slow cooker, my vegetables in the steamer and my roast potatoes in the oven and I still have room on the side (and time to dance around the kitchen to Mamma Mia)
I am planning to write another post about some recipes I have been making lately and both of these tools will feature heavily in it! Hope I haven't made you too hungry reading this!
You would have seen in my last post that I recently picked up the Clinique Take The Day Off makeup remover to try, now after I have been using it for a few weeks I thought I would compare it to my holy grail Simple Micellar Water. As you should all know I am a budget girl through and through only springing out for certain skincare pieces which I know work way better for me then the drugstore equivalent I have tried.
P A C K A G I N G
Not that you should judge a book by its cover but we all know the packaging is what attracts us to look at a product in the first place. For the most part both bottles are relatively similar with both being clear plastic bottles but the Clinique bottle is more appealing and expensive looking, I can't lie when I put all my Clinique products together on the side they do look good. But what the Simple bottle lacks in cuteness it makes up for with size. You know everyone always tells you size doesn't matter? It does when it comes to skincare products. The Simple bottle holds more than 3x more product than the Clinique bottle and is more than 1/3 of the price. You can't argue with maths although the Clinique bottle would be better for traveling.
F O R M U L A
When it comes to formulas these two products couldn't be any more different. The Clinique remover is oil based so the product separates in the bottle when it is untouched. Many times I have poured some of the product out before I have remember to shake the bottle and I get a face full of oil! I am learning and haven't done that is a week tho. The product also leaves a residue on the skin afterwards that I tend wash off straight away otherwise my skin is slimy for a while, afterwards you can't deny your skin feels amazing though like you have just had a facial. My skin is always super soft after I have used this product and unlike the Take The Day Of Cleansing Balm that I tried before, this product doesn't irritate my eyes.
As for the Simple cleanser it is exactly what it says on the tin (or bottle), you wipe your makeup away with a cotton pad and your done, no need to wash your face afterwards. My skin has always liked this micellor water and I really like you can get sensitive formulas as well as my skin can be unpredictable sometimes. I find with this cleaner you don't a lot of product to remove the majority of your makeup which makes my night routine even quicker.
P R I C E
Now for the all important price... I normally buy the Simple Micellor water for around £6 which is extremely good for your money but at the moment, the product is half price and £3 for the 400ml bottle which is a steal. As for the Clinique makeup remover I purchased the 125ml bottle from Boots for around £14 if you compare it to some other skincare brands isn't actually that much.
C O M P A R I S O N
I know no matter what I will also have a bottle of Simple Micellor Water in my skincare collection because it comes in really handy and I know it will always work for me. I do like to branch out with my skincare though and Clinique is one brand that I really like to try new products from. I swear by their moisturizers and feel like my skin benefits from using their products regularly. If you are looking fo ]r a bog standard does what it says on the bottle then the Simple Micellor water is the one for you but if you like the more luxurious feel then try the Clinique makeup remover because it does remove all your makeup and leave your skin feeling super silky.
Its time again for another YouTuber round up post but with a twist. Normally I talk about beauty bloggers 90% of the time but most of my time now on YouTube is spent watching vlogs and families on the site. I thought it was about time I gave them a shout out since I haven't done a round up since February last year!
Starting off with my new favourite mummy vlogger who I have been obsessed with for the last few months. I first found Rebecca from Rebecca Lamb, a mum of two who lives in the dales, when I was searching aldi food haul videos, I am not ashamed to say I am obsessed (dont judge me...) I love watching her family vlogs and her day in the life videos, I feel like I know the family and if I was ever in the Dales I would hope I would have the courage to go over and say hi. Her two boys are so cute, Steve is so down to earth and their house is a big old fashioned cottage style house which I love. I will leave a speed cleaning video of hers below which I am obsessed with watching at the moment.
Next up I have another mummy vlogger who I found after becoming obsessed with cleaning videos and family vlogs. Lucy from Lucy Jessica Carter is a mum of two who uploads everything from cleaning videos, food hauls and makeup and clothing hauls. Her two boys are absolutely gorgeous and I love her grey stylish home. I love watching her weekend vlogs with her family and seeing what they have been up too. She has a great photo gallery wall in her living room which I have so copied! I will leave her day in the life of mum video.
Lastly for this post I have the ever cool Emma Hill. I originally found her YouTube through her blog website and fell in love with her style and manors. I love her style of clothing and I wish I could pull off the light denim jeans and blazer look. Later on in life I hope I can adopt that style and look as cool as she does. Her seasonal wardrobe clear outs are one of my favourites to watch purely to see how many pairs of jeans she actually owns goals and I will leave my favourite below. Emma is originally from Cornwall but now lives in London with her husband Simon who is hilariously unimpressed with Emma most of the time. Her style of home furniture is so chic as well, I need her bathroom and plant area!!
Starting off with my new favourite mummy vlogger who I have been obsessed with for the last few months. I first found Rebecca from Rebecca Lamb, a mum of two who lives in the dales, when I was searching aldi food haul videos, I am not ashamed to say I am obsessed (dont judge me...) I love watching her family vlogs and her day in the life videos, I feel like I know the family and if I was ever in the Dales I would hope I would have the courage to go over and say hi. Her two boys are so cute, Steve is so down to earth and their house is a big old fashioned cottage style house which I love. I will leave a speed cleaning video of hers below which I am obsessed with watching at the moment.
Next up I have another mummy vlogger who I found after becoming obsessed with cleaning videos and family vlogs. Lucy from Lucy Jessica Carter is a mum of two who uploads everything from cleaning videos, food hauls and makeup and clothing hauls. Her two boys are absolutely gorgeous and I love her grey stylish home. I love watching her weekend vlogs with her family and seeing what they have been up too. She has a great photo gallery wall in her living room which I have so copied! I will leave her day in the life of mum video.
Next up is the last of my favourite mums of YouTube and that is Rebecca from Mrs Meldrum, Rebecca is a mum of three girls and living in Scotland. I love Rebecca's ascent, her style and her husbands love of golf. She has the ability to make any clothing look amazing on her which means her hauls are lethal to my bank balance. I will leave her supermarket autumn look book which I love everything in. I also love watching her speed cleaning videos because she has a great kitchen to watch being cleaned, does anyone understand that or am I just being weird?
Lastly for this post I have the ever cool Emma Hill. I originally found her YouTube through her blog website and fell in love with her style and manors. I love her style of clothing and I wish I could pull off the light denim jeans and blazer look. Later on in life I hope I can adopt that style and look as cool as she does. Her seasonal wardrobe clear outs are one of my favourites to watch purely to see how many pairs of jeans she actually owns goals and I will leave my favourite below. Emma is originally from Cornwall but now lives in London with her husband Simon who is hilariously unimpressed with Emma most of the time. Her style of home furniture is so chic as well, I need her bathroom and plant area!!
Make sure you take a look at all four ladies channels and subscribe if they are your kind of people! If you have anyone else who you think I may like leave their channels below! :)
This week I decided to spontaneously take myself down to my local retail park to treat myself to a few new bits since I hadn't in a long while and I wanted to have a look round at all the knitwear in shops right now.
On my travels I picked up a few new skincare bits to try since I am currently trying to combat a hormonal breakout that still wants to stick around a week after my period. First up I picked up the Loreal Pure Clay Blemish Rescue Mask to try and combat that problem. I had recently ran out of my Pure Clay Charcoal Detox Mask so I wanted to try another mask in the range. I tried it the first night I bought it and left it on while I cooked and eat my dinner and after removing it, my kin definitely felt more clean. It might be TMI but my giant spot that I have been hiding for the last couple of days was soft after my face mask so hopefully that means all the gunk has been removed! I shall keep you updated.
I also picked up two products from the Botanics range at Boots which were the All Bright Cleansing Toner and the All Bright Radiance Concentrate Serum. I have a love hate relationship with toners which you might have noticed on the blog before. Some times I am obsessed with them and other times, I totally forget about them for months. I wanted to change up my skincare and wake up my skin so I thought this toner would do the trick.
I picked up the Radiance Concentrate Serum because I have recently finished my Glossier Super Bounce Serum which I frigging loved! The only problem is I don't have any Glossier shops near me so I thought instead of ordering a bottle online I would try something new. I picked up this serum because it claims to make your skin more radiant and bright which is what I am looking for moving into autumn. Also the prices of these products are amazing, I will be sure to do a post just on these after I have given them a good run.
Lastly from Boots I picked up another old trusty Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in 101 Classic Ivory. I don't know how many bottles I have used of this foundation over the years but most people understand the obsession. This is my summer shade and since I still have quite tanned arms and chest area I still can't get away with my many other foundation so I knew once I had finished my original bottle, I needed to stock up. This is a non fuss perfect everyday kind of foundation which is where I like it, I don't have to worry about it going oxidizing or going patchy, with this foundation I am good for the whole day.
Now onto the fun bit, the clothing!
I was quite restraint walking round the retail park and I only bought two jumpers which I don't think is bad at all. First up is this super cute cropped mid pink roll neck jumper which I got in a side medium so that I could roll up the sleeves to match the neck. I love cropped tops and jumpers in winter with high waist jeans so I know I will get a lot of wear out of this jumper. Plus oddly I don't have any pink in my wardrobe which I never noticed before.
Lastly I picked up this mustard yellow flared sleeve jumper which like the pink one, is the really soft chenille style material so it feels lovely on your skin. Although it is a flared jumper I plan to wear it with the sleeves rolled up again and some plain black skinny jeans. You really can't go wrong.
Back in May I wrote a list of objectives I wanted to achieved over the summer, a little summer to do list and I thought It would be a good idea to look back over the list and see if I actually achieved anything because yes, I'm sorry to say... Summer is over in my eyes. Bring on the blankets, fairy lights and hot chocolates.
#Get a new job
The most important goal of the summer was to get a new job and thankfully I have achieved that. If you haven't read a few of my more personal posts lately you might be questioning this goal but I don't want to bore you with the topic anymore so head over to a previous post to find out all the details. Anywho I am now in a new job, with amazing work friends and a much better work life balance. I really couldn't have found a better place to work at and I am so thankful it all worked out in the end.
#Become more fit
This was always going to be the up in the air idea, would I start working out or would I forget or just not be bothered. Annoyingly right now I am not signed to any gym BUT i do have plans to join one with Callum in October so watch this space!
#Grow my hair
I am proud to say I haven't caved and chopped all my hair off yet, I have even had a trimmed and the dip dye taken higher to balance out the length of my hair. I have even invested in a hair oil so hopefully that will encourage my hair to grow even faster. I am aiming to have my long bum touching hair by the start of next year so wish me luck!
#Finish off the bedrooms
Even though no physical progress has been made in the bedrooms, we do have plans in place. A colleague at work has agreed to make and fit my wardrobes since he is a carpenter which is amazing. Having someone I already know come over to make my wardrobes takes a load off my mind and makes me excited about the process. Once they are in my blogging/beauty room can really take shape. I have already made plans of how I want my space to look so I will definitely make a post about it when it happens.
#Fill up my cooking book with recipes
Do you know where the best place is to get dinner recipes? Pinterest of all places. There is a whole community of food lovers on it who share all their favourite recipes and I get most of my dinner ideas from there. My book is filling up but I definitely have room for more!
#Get the garden started
This ambition was a bit ambitious for myself really... I bought some lovely plants and painted my garden table and chairs to make the place feel homely and then all my plants died in the crazy heatwave we had. I have since replaced the plants and so far they are still alive, just. My plan is to spend more time in the garden now it is cooling down so hopefully by next summer the garden will look like a jungle.
#Visit another country
It's been a long time coming but I am finally going on holiday! After the year I have had this holiday can't come quick enough. Cal and I are going to Majorca at the end of the month and I can't wait to spend a whole week sitting by the pool reading hundreds of books and exploring the island. Hopefully being on holiday will spark some new ideas since there is nothing better than letting your mind run wild with no distractions.
What have you done this summer?
Isn't it great when you receive a free gift?! I recently went into Boots to purchase my current favourite Clinique moisturiser and was told that if you bought two or more products you got to pick a choice of 5 free gifts. Never one to turn down a good deal I bought right into it and picked up another product so I could get the gifts.
I originally went into Boots to pick up another of the Moisture Surge Moisturizer which is one of my favourites and I had just ran out of it. I love this moisturizer because it is so nourishing on the skin, it almost gives the effect of a moisturising mask afterwards. I know a lot of people like to take this traveling with them as it is great to counter out the downfall of flying and dry skin. This moisturizer isn't the cheapest product to purchase but it also isn't anywhere near the price of some products alike. I tend to spend more money on my skincare and stick to drugstore makeup as I believe if you get your base right then your makeup will always look good.
The second item I purchased to receive my free gift was the Take the day off makeup Remover which I had previously tried in cleaning balm form. This was £17 in boots and I chose this because I have had my eye on it for a long while but was always out off by the price. When you are used to buying Simple micellor water for a couple of quid £17 seems crazy. Any i loved the cleaning balm version a lot as you know from my previous posts so I was intrigued to tried this version. It is definitely more luxurious and feels like it benefits my skin a lot, but I do have a few things I don't like about it. Firstly it leaves a residue on my skin which I end up washing off with water afterwards so it takes more time and effort than my Micellor water and secondly, you have to shake it well before you use it to mix the product together but me being me, I forget 9/10 times. Let me tell you rubbing oil over your face on a cotton wool pad isn't as comfy as you would imagine. Apart from them two things I do like how it leaves my skin and I am glad I have tried it out.
Now onto the goodies.... there were about 7 items to choice from and the two I didn't pick were products I already had so it worked out quite nicely. The first product I picked was the Superdefence Night Recovery moisturizer which I have just realised is a newer version of a product I used to use. I am excited to test this properly but so far I like how moisturized and healthy it is leaving my skin in the morning. Next we have the 2 in 1 micellor gel make up remover which is a great travel size and perfect to take on holiday with me. I've finally booked a holiday btw thank god! Then I've got a True Bronzed Pressed Powder in Sun Kissed which is a great summer bronzer shade which isn't too pigmented, so it makes the dark shade much more wearable. I chose to get another High Impact Mascara which I have been using a long while now and it again is a great mascara to take away with you and on a night out. Lastly I chose two Pop Splash Lip Gloss + Hydrators in the shades Adore and Watermelon Pop. Adore is definitely my kind of shade because shock I love nudes but Watermelon Pop will be great to take on holiday with me.
I can't find this offer being advertised anywhere on the Boots website now but if you live anywhere near one i would definitely pop in and take a look. I'll let you know how I get on with these goodies!
Thanks to my sister I have the eBay buying bug!
I have been a fan of eBay fashion for years now and recently I have forgotten how good the fashion actually is. I deleted the app off my phone in the last year or so because I was getting addicted and surprise surprise i'm addicted again!
I find the summer time is the best time to buy fashion on eBay because you can get away with cheaper fabrics and designs because you live in dresses, whereas a rubbish jumper is more noticeable and annoying to wear.
There are so many nice dresses and playsuits on the site at the moment so today I am showing you some of the pieces that have caught my eye, with links of course.
Starting off with these gorgeous dresses we have this red wine bardot maxi dress with the floral print (link) . What I really like about this dress is the ribbed material over the bust because hopefully that will mean it doesn't fall down. Then we have this super cute yellow pokadot jumpsuit (link) which looks like a bardot but it has has tiny straps. The legs look cropped which is perfect for me because I am so short so hopefully it will fit my legs. Then we have this cute short bardot button up red dress (link) which would look really nice during this heat wave we are currently having with some tan accessories.
So far I have bought 4 items off eBay so I have restrained myself! Everything else is currently sitting in my watching feed waiting for payday to come back around.
I have been a fan of eBay fashion for years now and recently I have forgotten how good the fashion actually is. I deleted the app off my phone in the last year or so because I was getting addicted and surprise surprise i'm addicted again!
I find the summer time is the best time to buy fashion on eBay because you can get away with cheaper fabrics and designs because you live in dresses, whereas a rubbish jumper is more noticeable and annoying to wear.
There are so many nice dresses and playsuits on the site at the moment so today I am showing you some of the pieces that have caught my eye, with links of course.
Next up I have this sunflower two piece which I am obsessed with (link) . Both the top and the skirt are a ribbed material so it is guaranteed to fit you and not fall down. I find dresses/skirts like this are the comfiest things to wear especially when it is this hot. Then we have this thin simple button down midi dress (link) which is all over Instagram at the moment. I have a few of this style of dress already and they are really easy to just throw on and go. Next we have the first of many white and blue pin strip dresses (link) , you will see after this post how obsessed I am with them! This one has a nice slit on the front making this dress perfect for holiday, which reminds me I really need a holiday! Lastly for this photo is this super cute short white button down dress top which has a cute peplum flare at the bottom (link) . I can see myself wearing this as a house dress when I want to feel comfy but cute.
Last but not least we have these four great outfits. First up is this thin button down dress with pockets (link) , which I already have in black, pink and mint green. They do come up big for their size so I would size down if it takes your fancy. I wore the pink one for a day out walking round Sandringham House in Norfolk one sunny weekend and it was the perfect outfit with a brown bag and sandals.
Next up we have this white and blue striped jumpsuit with a tie on the back (link) . Blue and white patterns are my favourite colour combo as you can see, I just think they suit everyone and they can look smart and casual at the same time. Sticking with the stripe theme we next have this baggy stripe jumpsuit in a jersey material (link) . This would be the perfect lazy Sunday or traveling outfit wouldn't it? Most of the time my style is all about comfort so you would normally see me in this rather than something sexy and smart. The last item I have for you today is this blue and white stripe (shock) jumpsuit with a bow on the front (Link) I know I have an obsession I am seeking help I promise. What I like about this jumpsuit is it has elastic on the back so I know which ever size jumpsuit I go for it will most likely fit me.
So far I have bought 4 items off eBay so I have restrained myself! Everything else is currently sitting in my watching feed waiting for payday to come back around.
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| The W7 palette is much more darker in real life I not sure why it looks so pale.... |
Since the heat wave started in England I have been living my best sun kissed life (apart from when I'm drenched in sweat...) and I have been returning to the same five products every day to help me keep my glow.
The first is the Revolution Vivid Baked Bronzer in the shade Golden Days which if you have been around for a while you will know this was my favourite bronzer back when I started this blog in 2014. I like bronzers that are warmed toned without being too dark because although I have olive skin not all bronzers suit me, this bronzer is really easy to blend and it is a steal at just £4.
Now I'm going to do that horrible thing where I talk about a product that isn't available anymore I'm sorry! It's currently sold out on the website but it may still be in shops I hope! The bronzer in question is the Fall 2.0 Baked Bronzer in 01 Warm Melange which was a bit more expensive at £22.90 but it is an amazing bronzer especially during this heat wave. It has the same effect as the Revolution baked bronzer so it doesn't give your face a flat colour when you apply it. It it also huge so for that size I don't mind spending a little more money on it. It also smells like chocolate I thought you might want to know. Since I can't link the actual bronzer here is Fall Bronzer Blush Duo which is currently only £3.80!! and the current Gold Waves bronzer which is very similar to my one.
The only highlighter I've been reaching for recently is the PS Glow Palette from Primark which is actually bloody amazing and is only £5!! I didn't expect too much from this palette when I bought it but I have been wearing this palette all over my face. I normally only wear highlighter on my cheeks on a day to day basis but with this highlighter I have gone to ham. My favourite shade has to be the bottom right which goes with any makeup look. As my tan has developed I have branched out to the dark top left shade which looks amazing. If you want to see swatches of this palette then head over my New In Primark Makeup post.
Now onto eye palettes I have two which are my favourite to wear during the summer. Starting with the cheaper of the two again I have the W7 In The Nude palette which is a great dupe for the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette but a fraction of the price. I have had this palette since 2016 and two years on I am still living it, especially when it is sunny. It just has a lovely array of pinks and light browns with shimmers mixed in, anything you would need for a cute summer eye look. All the shades are easy to wear which is why I like it so much, you know I am a max two shade kind of eye so these shades all work well together. My favourite combo from this palette is the fourth shade called Marilyn with the eighth shade called Bad Manners on top. The other palette I have been loving this summer is the Naked Heat palette which of course is perfected for summer. Callum bought me this palette for my birthday as he is a keeper so I have this beauty in my collection. I tend to stay down the bottom end of the palette especially at this time but when we get into the winter time I know I will be using that beautiful ashes shade. My favourite combo at the moment from this palette is to place Dirty Talk on top of Low Blow for a brown/red glitter.
Whats your favourite makeup product this summer? I haven't bought anything new in so long!
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| This is me walking into the weekend with my big girl pants on ready to live my life. |
Lets go back to the end of May. I had been care free living off my last pay for a month and a bit and loving life, I had kept myself busy not worrying too much about finding a job because I knew I wanted to find somewhere prefect for me, not just a place to stay with until something better came along.
A few days before the end of May I decided I had taken enough time to refresh myself and decided it was time to start properly looking. The first thing I did was message a load of recruitment agencies in my area with my CV hoping they would contact me back to meet them. I don't know how but I managed to email one agency and get an immediate response to meet them the next day. That was on the Wednesday and by Friday I was having my first trail shift in a office down the road from me. How the hell did that happen??
I never thought I would find something as quick as that and it all seemed a little fast to me so I didn't get my hopes up that they would like me or if I would even like it. When you are used to managing a floor and running around after staff and customers, sitting at a desk for 7 hours a day can be a shock to the system.
Much to my surprise the company I joined were absolutely lovely and so nice to me right from the start. Because they are a relativity small firm office wise I only share an office with a few people, I get my own desk (which I have taken over completely) and it is such a relaxed and friendly atmosphere I couldn't be happier.
I have now been with the company three weeks and I have just been asked to stay permanently working full time which I am over the moon about. It was initially suppose to be a six week temp contract but they have told me that they like me so much and that I have fitted in with them so quickly, they would love me to stay with them. You don't understand what this means to me after a month of feeling completely unmotivated and useless.
As far as working in an office goes, I get to sit at my desk and eat chocolate biscuits all day what girl doesn't love that? But seriously it is so nice to sit down and not get pulled from pillar to post every five minutes. In retail I never really got a lunch break and I almost always got texts or phone calls on my days off so it is so nice to finish work and leave it in that space. The lack of stress attached to this job is heavenly and the weekends with Cal and my family are great. This weekend Cal and I went to Bourton on the Water and it was just lovely.
Anyway the moral of the story is don't ever be too scared to make a change if you are unhappy, yes I could have stayed at my old job where I got more money, was in a higher position and got half price clothes for life but I wasn't happy. You never know what is round the corner and yes I could still be looking for a job right now if I hadn't have found this company through the agency, but that is fine too.
Happiness is the most important thing in life.Yes I know that sounds cliche like it should be on some kind of greeting card but I have been on the other side and know what it feels. Never be too scared to take control of your life if you aren't happy.
This summer I am on a mission to have banging skin and so far, the skin gods have been nice to me. I have very dry skin as I have told you all before so I get flare ups of dry skin in both the cold and the heat so I'm quite unlucky. I have a bunch of products that are really working with my skin in this heat wave we are currently having so I thought I'd share them with you.
F A C E
For my face I am currently loving a simple skincare routine of three products, which all have pastel pink packaging which pleases me greatly. First up I have my Loreal Fine Flowers Gel Crea Wash in Rose and Jasmine which sadly doesn't smell as amazing as you would think from the name. I really like this cleaner in the mornings because it doesn't stripe my skin or dry it out after ward but it still leaves my skin clean and clear for my next products.
Once I have washed my face I use the Glossier Super Bounce serum which has really mad me feel in love with these types of products. I have never used a serum before this and now I want to try every product going. I used to think that serums would clog my skin and make me feel like I have too many layers on my face but this serum just sinks into my skin and leaves it with this super dewy moisturised glow.
When I then layer on top my Clinique Moisture surge moisturizer then I am living my best life and have no dry patches in sight. I know a lot of people use this moisturizer for long haul flights and travelling because it is so luxurious on the skin and that is what first attracted my to this product. I am at the stage now where I am scrapping the bottom of the tub to get any product out so I will definitely need to repurchase this soon!
On the days when it is just too hot to even think about putting any makeup on I like to use face mists and sprays to give me a little glow, keep me refreshed and to stop a sun burn. I love using the Newlook refresh and prep spray which I are only £4.99 and you can use them on days when you aren't wearing makeup to refresh your skin and underneath your makeup to prime your skin. Sometimes you just need a little spritz of something to cool you down and this spray is perfect for that.
B O D Y
Once my face is all ready for the sun its time to sort my body out! I have a lot of shower gels and creams in my bathroom because I always get them for birthdays and Christmas so I have a lot to choose from but my favourite have to be the Lush shower gels. I am currently using Snow Fairy which is my second bottle now and I love the smell of it. It is great to use in the summer because it is a time when you have more or your flesh out so you want your skin to smell nice. Plus you tend to sweat more so when I shower I like to use something that has a really powerful smell so that I feel more clean afterwards. If I use a shower products with no smell I don't feel that clean afterwards, anyone agree?
I also need to show some love to my feet during this time of year because I suffer from the worst dry feet in the world. Sad but true. So I like to use the Soap and Glory Heel Genius foot cream most nights before I go bed so that I can wake up with some what softer feet. The tub is huge I think so I know it will last me for a long time and I like to keep this on my night stand to remind myself to use it. I'll be honest... I don't always remember and then I really regret it the next day when I have to get my feet out.
H A I R
Lastly we have hair but not hair on your head, no hair removal. Not a lot of people talk about hair removal because it is not a glamours topic but we all suffer from it and if any of you are dark haired like me then you will know the constant struggle!
Starting with the typical hair removal I still, after how many years now, use Lush's D'Fluff strawberry shaving cream to shave my armpits and legs. During the summer I tend to shave my legs and armpits every couple of days because I like to feel comfortable and free when it is hot. This can be quite grooling on your skin but with this shaving cream, i have never hurt myself or caused a rash and my skin is always smooth and soft afterwards. Plus a tub lasts me so long considering I used this product up to 3 times a week so it clear how much I love this.
For the more unconventional hair removal, I like to use Veet sensitive hair removal cream and I have been using this since my teens. Having dark hair and Italian heritage I have dark hairs allllll over my body which used to really get me down but now I've learned to get over it. Some of the places I use Veet cream is mainly around my belly button and on my chest. As embarrassing as it is to say... we are all girls here. The cream is really easy to use, the process is quick and it doesn't leave me any red patches or rashes after wards so I can go out straight afterwards. Please tell me I'm not the only one???
Once I have sorted out my unwanted hair I am set to put on my dress, get my legs, arms and chest out and catch that sun.
Do you have any tips or tricks to get your skin really for summer?
F A C E
For my face I am currently loving a simple skincare routine of three products, which all have pastel pink packaging which pleases me greatly. First up I have my Loreal Fine Flowers Gel Crea Wash in Rose and Jasmine which sadly doesn't smell as amazing as you would think from the name. I really like this cleaner in the mornings because it doesn't stripe my skin or dry it out after ward but it still leaves my skin clean and clear for my next products.
Once I have washed my face I use the Glossier Super Bounce serum which has really mad me feel in love with these types of products. I have never used a serum before this and now I want to try every product going. I used to think that serums would clog my skin and make me feel like I have too many layers on my face but this serum just sinks into my skin and leaves it with this super dewy moisturised glow.
When I then layer on top my Clinique Moisture surge moisturizer then I am living my best life and have no dry patches in sight. I know a lot of people use this moisturizer for long haul flights and travelling because it is so luxurious on the skin and that is what first attracted my to this product. I am at the stage now where I am scrapping the bottom of the tub to get any product out so I will definitely need to repurchase this soon!
On the days when it is just too hot to even think about putting any makeup on I like to use face mists and sprays to give me a little glow, keep me refreshed and to stop a sun burn. I love using the Newlook refresh and prep spray which I are only £4.99 and you can use them on days when you aren't wearing makeup to refresh your skin and underneath your makeup to prime your skin. Sometimes you just need a little spritz of something to cool you down and this spray is perfect for that.
B O D Y
Once my face is all ready for the sun its time to sort my body out! I have a lot of shower gels and creams in my bathroom because I always get them for birthdays and Christmas so I have a lot to choose from but my favourite have to be the Lush shower gels. I am currently using Snow Fairy which is my second bottle now and I love the smell of it. It is great to use in the summer because it is a time when you have more or your flesh out so you want your skin to smell nice. Plus you tend to sweat more so when I shower I like to use something that has a really powerful smell so that I feel more clean afterwards. If I use a shower products with no smell I don't feel that clean afterwards, anyone agree?
I also need to show some love to my feet during this time of year because I suffer from the worst dry feet in the world. Sad but true. So I like to use the Soap and Glory Heel Genius foot cream most nights before I go bed so that I can wake up with some what softer feet. The tub is huge I think so I know it will last me for a long time and I like to keep this on my night stand to remind myself to use it. I'll be honest... I don't always remember and then I really regret it the next day when I have to get my feet out.
H A I R
Lastly we have hair but not hair on your head, no hair removal. Not a lot of people talk about hair removal because it is not a glamours topic but we all suffer from it and if any of you are dark haired like me then you will know the constant struggle!
Starting with the typical hair removal I still, after how many years now, use Lush's D'Fluff strawberry shaving cream to shave my armpits and legs. During the summer I tend to shave my legs and armpits every couple of days because I like to feel comfortable and free when it is hot. This can be quite grooling on your skin but with this shaving cream, i have never hurt myself or caused a rash and my skin is always smooth and soft afterwards. Plus a tub lasts me so long considering I used this product up to 3 times a week so it clear how much I love this.
For the more unconventional hair removal, I like to use Veet sensitive hair removal cream and I have been using this since my teens. Having dark hair and Italian heritage I have dark hairs allllll over my body which used to really get me down but now I've learned to get over it. Some of the places I use Veet cream is mainly around my belly button and on my chest. As embarrassing as it is to say... we are all girls here. The cream is really easy to use, the process is quick and it doesn't leave me any red patches or rashes after wards so I can go out straight afterwards. Please tell me I'm not the only one???
Once I have sorted out my unwanted hair I am set to put on my dress, get my legs, arms and chest out and catch that sun.
Do you have any tips or tricks to get your skin really for summer?
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