New In: September 2015

For our 3rd anniversary Dot got me a Uniqlo cashmere blend jumper and a H&M glass box where I keep some of my jewellery on display. 

Also last month I won a couple of giveaways including a Boden cashmere cardigan and a 75ml bottle of Givenchy Live Irresistible. 

After being painting for over a year I decided to upgrade my painting supplies and got a Daler & Rowney set of watercolour paints and Daler & Rowney mixed media sketchbook from Hobbycraft as they were half price.

Found the Lierac Luminescence serum in TK Maxx for just £13 (normally around £40) so couldn't not get it.

Last but not least, another giveaway I won: a couple of gold necklaces from Gramerci design.

xo

Sanctuary Spa Body Butter

A while back I won a Sanctuary Spa gift set that contained, amongst other products, the Sanctuary Spa Body Butter, which is an award winning product that claims to provide a boost of moisture and instantly smooth and soften skin.

There are a few varieties of the Sanctuary body butters, but this is the classic scent one which contains luxurious butters from shea and cocoa, oil from macadamia nuts and sweet almonds and vitamin E.

The Sanctuary Spa Body Butter has a sweet, light scent and a slightly thicker than cream consistency. When I first used it I thought it would be thicker but it is in fact just perfect as it is very easy to apply and spread, you only need a little bit, it sinks in quickly and leaves skin soft and moisturised but not greasy.

Find Sanctuary Spa Body Butter* in Boots.

xo

Oversized Cardigan

Nomads Oversized Cardigan* // Uniqlo Jumper // Topshop Jeans // Paul Costelloe Bag // Topshop Chelsea Boots // Gramerci Necklace*

(Similar: Bag, Boots)

On Saturday I received in the post this super long oversized cardigan from Nomads Clothing, it is super cosy so perfect for layering and can even be worn as a coat. It is comfortable, soft and keeps me warm which makes it perfect for autumn and winter.  

Nomads Clothing is offering 20% off to all my readers, all you need to do is use the code BLOG20 when you order. Happy shopping!

xo

Back To Work Haul

Denim Backpack, Flask, Umbrella & Biker Boots: all Primark.

(Similar: Backpack, Flask, Umbrella, Boots)

As I work in education, it was finally time to go back to work for me last month, for which I decided to get a couple of things as an upgrade was needed.

I got a backpack as the bag I was using for work was a satchel, I liked that it was structured but sometimes I needed a bit more space, also I like that I can carry it on my back which avoids back pain. 

As I'm cold most of the time even in the summer, I got a thermo thing to carry hot drinks with me, which a) will help warm me up and b) will save me queuing for the kettle at lunch time, which means wasting precious eating time. 

The temperatures keep dropping, for which I needed a new pair of boots (my last ones were falling apart). These ones have faux fur inside which makes them super cosy. 

Last but not least, I got an umbrella which I haven't had the pleasure to use as it hasn't rained when I walk to or from work (typical). I love the floral design on the dark background and the ruffle trim which makes it very feminine.

xo

Styling a Dress for Winter

Maison Margiela Wool Dress // Isabel Marant Coat // MSGM Oversized Furry Scarf

Tom Binns Pyramid Stud Earrings // Larsson & Jennings Watch

See by Chloe Ankle Boots // YSL Shoulder Bag // Off-White Wide Brim Hat

If you thought wearing dresses is something that should be left only for when it's warm this might change your mind. You can also wear your dresses when the temperatures drop, the key is to layer up with your cosiest accessories to keep yourself warm. 

I would choose a knitted dress in a burgundy tone and a camel masculine inspired tailored wool coat, along with a super furry scarf and leather ankle boots. For accessories I like to keep things to a minimum but I never go out without earrings on, so these tiny stud ones are great. A wide brim hat, watch and cross body bag complete the look.

How do you style dresses in the winter?
Share with the #FFAWDressUp and you could win £250 Farfetch credit.

xo

Alaïa Paris Perfume

With the purchase of the most recent edition of Glamour UK magazine, there was a sample of the new Alaïa Paris perfume, which I, as a fan of fragrances (my collection won't stop growing as of late), curiously decided to try. 

There was no description of what the scent would exactly be like, but judging by the model's outfit styling and the black background I assumed it would be a sexy, night time, deep, dark and mysterious fragrance. 

The packaging features a dusty pink box with black font, and on the bottle the colours appear inverted, plus there is a very interesting geometric pattern on the bottle and a textured golden lid. Upon further reading I found out the notes of the Alaïa Paris Perfume are musk, blended with tones of freesia and pink pepper.

When I first sniffed it I thought it had a strong scent to it and proceeded to apply it on my pulse points. The perfume has very faint floral notes and is very woody and warm, it's definitely a lovely scent but I find it a bit masculine and I think I would appreciate it more as a male fragrance, just not on me.

It is definitely long lasting, I applied it in the morning and can still smell it after about 10 hours, so a great option if you like your fragrances to have lasting power and find it annoying having to reapply them.

Find Alaïa Paris Perfume in John Lewis.

xo

New in: August 2015

Last month was my birthday and I got a couple of gifts from my coworkers and lots of cards, as well as some money from my in-laws and nieces. Dot got me the cutest bunny eared fluffy pyjamas, Albert Hammond Jr's signed album, and the Elie Saab L'eau Couture perfume with a shower gel and body lotion. 

The toys are the bits I won in the Blackpool arcades, I'd never won a prize in one of those crane machines but I was so excited when I got the little dog, I couldn't believe it haha. The bear and the piggy I won in one of those racing games where you throw a ball and the more points you score, the further you go on the race. 

Got a 3 notebook set in a shop in Blackpool and when we got back, a pack of 5 inkjoy pens in the pound shop.

After trying a sample of the oil free version of the Garnier BB cream, decided it was time to purchase a full size one. The Alice in Wonderland Rabbit Tsum Tsum was a gift from Dot.

Last but not least, a book for learning French from The Works for just 4p as I had some money in my rewards card, and a set of Paris themed sticky notes that Dot got me.

xo

Stripes & Flats

H&M Top // Topshop Jeans // Paul Costelloe Bag // New Look Flats

(Similar: Top, Bag, Flats)

Last weekend I got a couple of bits for work, which I'll show you soon. There's still a few more that I need to get, like a pair of boots for winter, an umbrella and some wellies so I don't get wet when I walk to work.

xo

The Autumn/Winter Wishlist

Time to start stocking up on autumn & winter essentials, the ones I've got my eye on are:

Primark Reversible Scarf £5 A very affordable way of updating and adding a touch of texture and colour to an otherwise monochrome winter outfit.

Uniqlo Ines Check Shirt £30 A long sleeve shirt is a must during colder months, this one has a classic check design and feminine rounded collar.

Uniqlo Wool Cashmere Coat £100 I'm on the lookout for a camel coat, I want one with a masculine shape and simple design and this one seems really nice and good quality. 

Reebok Black Trainers £55 I'm not 100% decided yet but I do want a pair of black leather trainers, and this is one of the top choices.

Paul Costelloe Purse £17 A purse where I can keep my cards, notes and coins all in one place without being bulky would be greatly appreciated. 

New Look Black Chelsea Wellies £16 Rainy season is back, and since I walk to work a pair of wellies are much needed. These in a chelsea style are just gorgeous.

H&M Sripe Jumper £15 I am obsessed with knitwear, and with breton stripes as of late. This jumper combines classic stripes and grey (my favourite colour) in one. Must. Buy.

H&M Wool Scarf £30 This scarf in grey wool it looks warm, cosy and sophisticated. It seems a nice choice to add to my collection, 

H&M Check Shirt £15 Another flannel but in a lighter colour scheme, which means it can be also worn in the summer with a couple of undone buttons at the top and rolled up sleeves. 

xo

Paul Costelloe Triplet Bag

This is another birthday gift to myself that I got a couple of months ago, the Paul Costello Triplet Bag. After seeing the (overpriced) stylish Celine Trio bag a lot on social media, I really wanted a similar bag, so when I learned about the Paul Costello Triplet Bag, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Originally retailing for £150, found it on the sale for just £40.

It has 3 zipped compartments with gold hardware, one zipped pocket inside the back pouch, and a phone pocket on the front one. Also features a removable and adjustable strap so it can be used as a cross-body bag or a clutch. It is just the right size for me not to overfill it and end up with a back ache. It has the Paul Costello fox logo on the front and it is made out of 100% super soft leather.

xo

Sanctuary Spa Matte Perfecting Hydra Lotion

Since becoming a skincare fanatic, I love trying new products all the time. I found the Sanctuary Spa Matte Perfecting Hydra Lotion in Savers for just £3 so I just had to get it, as I have tried a few other Sanctuary Spa products and really liked them.

This lotion is meant to be refreshing and easily absorbed without clogging pores, as well as giving targeteted hydration where it's needed. It contains an extract from an alpine plant that cuts down excess oil production and helps minimise open pores. A concentrated blend of five fruit acids helps promote cell renewal to increase radiance without shine

After using this lotion for a few months I can definitely agree with the fact that it moisturises without clogging my pores, feeling heavy or greasy. It is not exactly what I would call mattifying, but it's fine, as it absorbs really quickly and doesn't leave my skin looking shiny, only naturally glowing.

I've been using the Sanctuary Spa Matte Perfecting Hydra Lotion morning and night. The only downside to this lotion is that it has no SPF, so it would be amazing if they reformulated it as it would be my go to product. 

Find Sanctuary Spa Matte Perfecting Hydra Lotion in Boots and Debenhams.

Have you tried this product?

xo

Mohair Cardigan

H&M Mohair Cardigan // Topshop Jeans // H&M T-Shirt // Topshop Leather Boots // H&M Necklace

(Similar Cardigan, Boots)

Started work again this week with mixed emotions, I'll be doing something productive with my time though who doesn't like a lot of time off?

Hopefully this weekend I'll be able to find some watercolour supplies I've eyed up online on Hobbycraft, as I would really like an upgrade.

xo

Food: Cinnamon Swirl Banana Muffins

I really like baking, so when I found a recipe online for a cinnamon swirl banana bread, I decided to try it in muffin form and with a few changes. I present to you my version:

For the muffins:

• 2 ripe bananas, smashed up
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tps vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• dash of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of self raising whole flour

For the swirl:

• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1 tbs cinnamon 

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven 180/Gas mark 4. 

2. Mix bananas, butter, sugar, egg & vanilla. Sprinkle baking soda & salt on top of mixture. Stir in flour gently.

3. Mix in a small dish the sugar & cinnamon.

4. Pour a tablespoon of batter in each muffin case, sprinkle with the sugar & cinnamon mix. Add the remaining batter and sprinkle leftover cinnamon mix. I also sprinkled a bit of Bioglan Cacao and Flax powder* on top.

5. Bake for 15 minutes and if they're not done, turn up to Gas mark 6 for 3 more minutes. 

Will you be trying them?

xo

PS. Check out the Great Denby Cake Off competition.

4 Daily Eye Essentials

Normally I try to keep things simple when it comes to clothing and makeup. A few years back I would only wear eye liner, then I started using eye cream, then concealer and more recently, curling my lashes too. Here are the 4 items I use when I do my eye makeup:

Eye Cream: L'Oreal Skin Perfection Awakening+Correcting Eye Cream, as it is a great base for concealer, moisturises and has a faint tint to it, plus fades dark circles, bags and lines thanks to the caffeine and vitamin C it contains. It is a similar version of the Vichy Idealia Eyes for a fraction of the price.

Concealer: Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser Eye Concealer in Light, which I only started using very recently. It is lightweight, creamy and a little bit goes a long way, so it will last me for ages. Not in love with the applicator/dispensing system but doesn't bother me that much.

Eye Liner: Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Eyeliner, another Maybelline product though I've been using this one for a while and really like it. The extra long pointed tip makes it very easy to achieve a nice cat eye flick. It's not exactly waterproof but that only means it's easy to remove and is very affordable.

Eyelash Curler: Sally Hansen Double Lash Curler, I got it many years ago under the name Lacross. Stopped using it for a while as my skin decided to break out where I rested the curler under my eye, but now obsessed with Jeanne Damas, upon reading she curls her lashes and omits mascara, decided to use it again. I love that it curls the lashes on 2 places, avoiding the dreaded "L" shape and achieving a more natural curl.

What are your eye essentials?

xo

Is This The Secret To Longer Hair?

Now that I've been taking them for about 6 months I think I can speak about the effects these Skin, Hair & Nails vitamins from Boots have done for me. 

The Boots Skin, Hair & Nails multivitamin and mineral food supplement is formulated to maintain healthy skin, hair and nails: vitamin B2 helps to keep skin complexion, biotin helps to nourish and maintain shiny hair, copper helps maintain a natural hair colour, and copper and selenium both help to nourish and maintain healthy nails.

I really enjoy dairy products and I have them almost daily (excluding milk which I stopped drinking in order to prevent spots), which is why, I imagine, my nails grow quite fast and need trimming every couple of weeks, especially since I don't like the feeling of longer nails, so in the nail department I didn't see that much of a difference, perhaps it did make them grow even faster but can't be sure.

Having struggled with oily skin and breakouts for over a decade I have tried many things to get rid of them. I got these vitamins as they contain vitamin B6 and evening primrose oil which are supposed to aid in regulating hormones. I don't think I have gotten as many (or as big) breakouts on my skin as I sometimes would, but that could also be due to the fact I've stopped drinking milk. I would say that my skin has improved slightly since taking these vitamins.

I've always liked my hair long, though the main reason I started taking these vitamins was to improve my skin, so wasn't expecting to see any drastic changes regarding my hair. I began taking the Boots Skin, Hair & Nails vitamins around January this year and during the February half term I had my hair cut, taking off about 10 or more cm. Hair supposedly grows at an average rate of 1 cm every couple of months though it hasn't been 7 months and the full length that I had cut off has come back, though the ends can get a bit wispy, so I would advise a tiny trim every few months. 

If you are trying to grow your hair I would definitely recommend Boots Skin, Hair & Nails vitamins, currently on offer in Boots.

Have you tried skin, hair and nail supplements? 

xo

Blackpool 2015

Pictures from our trip to Blackpool. I know, most of them are from the zoo, but there are a couple more on my instagram.

We had really nice weather, which was great. We arrived on Monday 10th, checked in and had a really long walk which kind of messed up my knee for the time we were there >;(

On Tuesday we went to Pleasure Beach and on a couple of rides (not the Big One, too scary - days later a bolt fell off it, so good job we didn't go on it haha).

Wednesday was my birthday and we went shopping in the morning and in the afternoon went up the Blackpool Tower. Later that day we had a little walk on the beach.

On Thursday we went to Blackpool Zoo in the morning and to the arcades in the afternoon. 

On Friday we just sat down in a little cafeteria and wasted some time in the arcades before it was time to come back. 

We stayed at the Albany B&B on Albert Road. The breakfast was really nice as there was a variety to choose from: cooked sausages, bacon, different types of egg (scrambled, fried, boiled), hash browns, a selection of yogurts, cereals, flavoured milks, pancakes, croissants, fruit and toast, including lots of different jams and spreads. The room had an iron, ironing board, tv, kettle, closet, and the bathroom a nice and easy to use shower. The only thing we didn't like was that there was no room to put your stuff in the shower and also that mattress was one of the lumpiest and most uncomfortable ones I've slept on. Would I visit again? Sure! Would I stay there again? Only if they changed the mattresses.

xo