Aromatherapy Associates Orange Flower Mattifying Moisturiser

A while back I found the Aromatherapy Associates Orange Flower Mattifying Moisturiser at Poundstretcher for under £5, as I recognised the brand and couldn't pass up such a bargain.

The Aromatherapy Associates Orange Flower Mattifying Moisturiser claims to "moisturise, protect, regulate and clarify the skin's complexion" with evening primrose, rice germ and neroli, while also "leaving it smooth and matt" thanks to the use of oat extract.   

The texture of this moisturiser is very light and lotion-like, it doesn't feel greasy and doesn't leave my skin looking shiny either, but it does make it look more even in tone and also makes it soft and supple. It gets absorbed fast and has a soft natural scent that doesn't linger, plus it wears well under my SPF and would probably make a good primer under foundations.

Originally I wasn't expecting too much from this moisturiser as I thought it was just an overpriced brand but after trying out the Aromatherapy Associates Orange Flower Mattifying Moisturiser, I'm definitely interested in trying out more of their products, especially from the Mattifying range. 

Find the Orange Flower Mattifying Moisturiser on Aromatherapy Associates, AllBeauty and Liberty. 

xo

Friends x Revolution Makeup Collection

If you are a Friends fan then you are going to love this: Revolution has launched a Friends Makeup Collection consisting of 4 eye shadow palettes, 3 lipsticks and 6 lip glosses. 

There is a 27 eye shadow palette called Limitless, as well as 3 more eye shadow palettes named Rachel, Monica and Phoebe, with three different lipsticks named after them as well. And last but not least, 6 different shades of lip glosses: Phoebe, Monica, Rachel, Chandler, Ross and Joey.

The Friends x Revolution collaboration also comprises some accessories to help you apply and organise your new makeup: a cosmetic bag in 2 different styles, a hand held mirror and a pack of hair scrunchies.

My favourites have got to be the Phoebe Lipstick, Rachel Palette and Phoebe Lip Gloss.  

Find the Friends x Revolution Makeup Collection on ASOS, Revolution Beauty and Superdrug.

xo

Beautiful Personalised Notebooks at Old English Company

Ever since I can remember I've been a stationery fan, even when a lot of our work and life has gone digital there is always something so nice about having a physical version of our notes.

With people starting to go back to school and work, a beautiful personalised piece of stationery can make a great gift and give you the encouragement you need to start a new life chapter. Even if you are working from home, the right stationery can help you keep you motivated to stay on track. 

The people at Old English Company have generously sent me one of their beautiful personalised notebooks. I chose the Know Your Worth notebook which reads "Know Your Worth, Then Add Tax" and my name in gold foil, has a softback cover, 140 lined pages in 100 gsm ivory paper and is made in England using FSC certified wood.

I love the gold writing against the pink background and the quality of the paper is really good, I plan to use this notebook to keep track of my finances, which is why I picked that specific cover but they have lots of different notebook designs to choose from, all of which can be personalised with a name or short message. 

The Old English Company also gave me a 15% off discount code to share with you: OESPECBR15 so do check them out if you are looking to expand your stationery collection!

xo

Shapewear for All Occasions at FeelinGirl

*This is a sponsored post. 

Sometimes you have an absolutely amazing outfit ready for a very important occasion, however as women we all know that sometimes we could use an extra tool to make that beautiful dress look amazing from every angle - enter FeelinGirl: which is an online destination for all sorts of products that help you look and feel your best on that special day. They stock a wide range of waist trainers, thigh and arm trimmers, bodysuits, shorts and panties, neoprene shapers and even have a dedicated section on plus size shapewear.

  

In the FeelinGirl sports accessories section you can find a selection of thigh trimmers, which you can use to help with reducing the appearance of cellulite, help shed excess water weight and keep muscles warm, so it can be a great aid if used when working out. The one pictured above features three Velcro straps on each thigh and a waist belt for all over support and it comes in red, black, pink or green trims to match your sportswear. 

              

At FeelinGirl they also have some of the  best bodysuit shapewear, and above are pictured a couple of my favourites. The one on the left has detachable and adjustable straps, hook and eye closure for firm control and features plastic bone built in to avoid rolling. The design on the right has multi-way adjustable straps, a super stretchy and comfortable lace bralette style design, a high elasticity mesh in the tummy area for extra control and a lace trim at the thighs, which adds a feminine touch. They are both available in black and beige colours to best suit your outfit. 

So if you are looking for some hard working shape wear that you can use not just for under your special occasion outfit but also during a workout or even lounging at home, take a look on the FeelinGirl website.

xo

Miniature Pink Asiatic Lilies

A picture I took of the bouquet of flowers that Dot got me for our anniversary. It has beautiful fuchsia and pink dwarf Asiatic lilies as well as white roses and I wanted to capture it for posterity. I've also made this design available in my Redbubble shop (without the watermark, of course), where you can find it on over 80 different products including apparel, stationery, home accessories and more so if you like it please take a look at my shop.

xo

Our Anniversary

It was our wedding anniversary yesterday and Dot spoiled me with flowers, a card, a cute clear bag, and a Nintendo Switch bundle he made with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, a pink Switch controller and a stand/charger. And my in-laws got me some PJs along with a card and some money. In the afternoon we went out for dinner and I had a chicken burger with some cheesy bacon chips which were yum haha.

xo

New In: July & August 2020

Because I haven't been shopping as much there haven't been as many New In posts in a while, but I've got a few items here and there over the last two of months, plus it was my birthday in August so I got a couple of things to show you.

Dot got me a little pink pot with a flowering plant from Tesco. I got a Hask Argan Hair Oil from Sainsbury's, and an Omorovicza Deep Cleansing Mask sample. 

From Poundland I got a Mermaid Plate, and a set of Paper Mate Inkjoy Pens. Another sample: this time a Michael Kors Wanderlust Sublime EDP. The cute Sesame Street Duvet Set is from Lidl. 

Some Mickey Summer PJs from Tesco, and a couple more samples: Aveda Nutriplenish Leave In Conditioner and a Loewe Paula's Ibiza Perfume. 

For my birthday I got a set of PJs from Primark, and Dot got me a Garnier Rose Micellar Water, Nivea Glow Cleansing Mousse and Superdrug Vitamin E Body Butter. Dot also got me some flowers, pearl earrings and an Osprey London Heidi Leather Bag. 

From my in-laws I got a Nails Inc Cosmic Blur Set, another set of pearl earrings, Superdrug Vitamin C Serum, and a Simply Pure Serum, as well as a Stationery Set, some chocolate and a pack of Paper Mate Ink Joy Pens. 

More skincare buys: Dove Argan Oil Soap, BYRE Full Cream Body Wash, a pair of Reusable Face Masks, a Unicorn Tape Dispenser from Poundstretcher, a Palmolive Coffee Love Shower Cream and a Sainsbury's Hair Conditioner.

xo

Nivea 1 Minute Urban Detox Mask

 A while ago I picked up the Nivea 1 Minute Urban Detox Mask as it was reduced to clear for around £1 in my local Superdrug and I can't resist a good bargain, especially when it comes to skincare. 

The Nivea 1 Minute Urban Detox Mask contains White Clay and Active Magnolia Extract. This face mask is meant to detoxify by reducing environmental stressors, exfoliate dead skin cells to provide extra deep cleansing, and purify skin while refining its appearance. 

What I found very interesting is the claim that it works in just 1 minute, which I obviously had to try to find out if it was true. I applied a thin layer all over my face and found that it dried quite fast. Something I didn't realise is that the mask has exfoliating particles (which isn't mentioned anywhere) and I rather it didn't have them as I prefer a chemical exfoliation over a physical one nowadays. 

After rinsing it off (very carefully to avoid irritating my skin with the exfoliating particles) I find that my skin feels softer, smoother and the next morning it is less oily with a more even looking tone.

There are some good ingredients in the Nivea 1 Minute Urban Detox Mask such as Kaolin, Glycerin, Shea Butter, Magnolia Extract and Castor Oil, however it contains some ingredients that aren't ideal in skincare such as Alcohol Denatured, which can dry skin out.

Overall, it is a nice affordable mask that is very quick and easy to use and produces noticeable results with minimal effort so I would recommend it if you have oily skin and are looking for a softening and smoothing clay face mask that works fast.

Find the Nivea 1 Minute Urban Detox Mask in Savers and Wilko.

xo

7 Cute & Affordable Stationery Items at Aliexpress

4 Pack Cat Pens £1.83 // Moon Sticky Notes £0.76

Cloud Sticky Note Set £1.41 // Video Game Sticky Notes £1.88 

Washi Tape Set £1.23 // Water Memo Pad £1.56

Sumikko Gurashi 2x Mechanical Pencils £1.43

Keeping up with the stationery theme of the last couple of posts, I decided to compile a selection of cute and affordable stationery available on Aliexpress: everything is under £2 and most items have free delivery! (All prices above include delivery fee if applicable)

xo

Mål Paper Daily Goal Setter Planner

Last week I received the Mål Paper Daily Goal Setter Planner. As a lifelong stationery fan I’m always excited to try out new products, especially good quality ones such as this Mål Paper planner.

The Daily Goal Setter is meant to help you reach your goals by creating action plans that are divided into short, medium and long-term timescales.

On the first few of pages you can find a guide to help you get the most out of the Daily Goal Setter, and it explains a couple of methods on how to set effective goals and how to prioritise your to-do lists.

Included in the planner are sections for long, medium and short term goals; monthly, weekly and daily view sections; and a lined and dotted notes section (all undated so you can use any page at any time). 

Also included in the Daily Goal Setter are a 2020/2021 calendar, document holder, two ribbon dividers and elastic closure. The PU leather cover with gold embossed writing and ivory 100 gsm paper makes it look and feel luxurious.

I really like the minimalist design as it allows you to concentrate on the writing that you do on the planner’s pages, however if you do like to add a bit of colour or stickers to your notes to help keep you organised this is also the perfect blank canvas for that.  

Another thing I like about the Mål Paper Daily Goal Setter is how it includes motivational quotes at the bottom of each page, as well as an area for writing things you are grateful for each day, 'daily affirmation' and 'great things that happened today' sections. So not only is the Daily Goal Setter aiding with productivity but also with positivity and motivation, which I think is great as we all can use some help to improve our mood and mental health along with keeping organised.

Find the Daily Goal Setter on the Mål Paper website. You can get 15% off your order with code BRSPECIAL15, plus free delivery on all UK orders.

xo

Skincare Routine Stationery

 

Available from today is a new product in my RedBubble shop: Skincare Routine stationery including notebooks, journals, stickers, greeting cards and post cards as well as other items such as mugs, pin badges and clocks (because it's always skincare routine time!) 

Do check my new Skincare Routine collection out if you are skincare obsessed like me ;D

xo

Summer Tops at Femmeluxe

Red Dress & Trainers

H&M Dress // Fila Disruptor II Trainers // Thomas Sabo Necklace // Osprey London Heidi Bag

(Similar: Red Floral Dress, Hamsa Hand Necklace)

It was my birthday yesterday and usually I like to get a new piece to wear on that day, this time I found a dress around March and thought it would be a nice birthday outfit so I saved it until now. I really like the look, fit and feel of this dress, it's airy, slightly fitted and the puff sleeves are very on trend at the moment - I'm obsessed. I think I'll be wearing this every time I go out for the rest of the summer ha!

xo

Affordable Dresses at Prestarrs

 This is a sponsored post.

If you have been looking to get an affordable dress for an upcoming occasion (or even to feel fancier when working from home) you should have a look on Prestarrs, which is a website where you can buy cheap online clothes: from blouses and t-shirts to shoes and sweaters, and of course, dresses too.

I had a look at the bodycon dress section and picked out a couple of my favourite dresses: I really like the sporty vibes of the one on the left, which is their Round Neck Drawstring Patch Pocket Bodycon Dress, with its red and green stripe decorations along the slit pockets and shoulders it gives it a Gucci vibe, the drawstring adjusts it so it looks more fitted at the waist and the pockets are so practical and stylist, all while being comfortable in this casual cotton dress. 

The dress on the right (V Neck Slit Bodycon Dress) has a more formal look to it, and is also super feminine because of the colour and puff short sleeves. It frames the waist as well with the big bow that gives it the look of a sash. The sweetheart neckline is also another feminine touch, and the decorative buttons on the sleeve and neckline give it more interest. It is very fitted but the slit on the leg allows you to move more comfortably. 

And I know we're in the middle of a heatwave right now but that won't stop me looking forward to the cooler autumn days and searching for some inspiration, which I've found in a couple of Prestarrs dresses, shown above: the dress on the left is the V-Neck Plain Bodycon Dress, which is knitted, fitted and features long sleeves and a v-neck, plus it sits below the knee like a midi dress, which makes it more formal and perfectly wearable in a professional setting. The dress on the right (Band Collar Plain Knitted Two-Piece Bodycon Dress & Cardigan) is very versatile as it comes with 2 pieces that you can mix and match with other items in your closet: a long sleeve, midi length button-less rib knit cardigan and a matching fitted knit dress with a mock turtleneck. The dress sits just above the knee and looks extra chic when styled with a belt. 

So there you have it, if you are looking for some cheap bodycon dresses take a look on the Prestarrs website, as they have many different styles available for any occasion and season of the year.

xo

PS. Here are some Prestarrs Coupon Codes for some money off. 

Top 10 Summer Beauty Must Haves 2020

A list of this summer's beauty products must haves and why you should try them! (also known as my summer beauty wishlist and why I need them).

Olay Total Effects Eye Transforming Cream £15

I don't wear makeup so a tinted eye cream is a must have for me.

Sanctuary Spa Power Peptide Awakening Eye Serum £2.99

A peptide eye cream for less than £3 can't be passed up.

Lanolips Lip Water in Watermelon £13

A sparkly tinted lip balm with hard working lanolin for super soft and smooth lips.

Garnier Micellar Rose Water £3.99

A makeup remover enriched with rose water? Count me in! (I love rose-scented everything)

The 1nkey List Snow Mushroom Moisturiser £10

A moisturiser to plump and hydrate skin that uses an alternative to Hyaluronic Acid.

Super Facialist Rosehip Hydrate Gentle Foaming Cleanser £11

A gentle cleanser infused with Rosehip and Rose extracts.

The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution £6.30

This is one of the best face masks I've ever tried, and my one's nearly run out! 

Superdrug Vitamin E Body Cream with Moonstone £3.99

Mustn't neglect moisturising my body, plus I love crystals and this one contains Moonstone extract.

Garnier Sensitive UV Face Fluid SPF 50+ £7 

A dupe for the La Roche Posay 50+ SPF for less than half the price.

Botanics Simply Calm Hydratin Serum £11.50

A redness reducing serum formulated for blemish prone skin.

Have you tried any of these products? 

xo

Hask Argan Repairing Shine Hair Oil

A couple of weeks ago I got the Hask Repairing Shine Hair Oil from the Argan Oil from Morocco line as I had run out of my previous hair cream.

The Hask Argan Oil From Morocco Repairing Shine Hair Oil comes in 2 sizes: a 59ml bottle and a 18ml plastic vial. I opted for the latter as I wanted to try it out before committing to the full size.

This hair oil claims to be a "lightweight, alcohol-free oil which absorbs instantly to provide frizz-free shine without leaving an oily residue. Strengthens and restores frizzy, dry, damaged hair."

The formula contains besides Argan Oil, Keratin Amino-acids, Soybean Oil, Grape Seed Oil, Orange Oil and Vitamin E.

What I like about the Hask Argan Repairing Shine Hair Oil is that it is indeed lightweight and not greasy at all, it gets absorbed by the hair quite fast and makes it soft and shiny. Because my hair can get very frizz after washing, results may not be immediately visible but the next day my hair looks very smooth, still feels soft and looks shiny. 

You don't need to apply a lot of product, so this small tube will last me a while - making it really good value for money. Plus the oil has a delicious orange scent (which sadly doesn't linger) and the packaging is also great for travelling or storing in small spaces. 

If you are looking for a new leave-in hair product that makes your hair shiny, soft and smooth I would definitely recommend you try the Hask Repairing Shine Hair Oil.

Find the Hask Repairing Shine Hair Oil in Superdrug and Tesco.

xo

Blue Morpho Butterfly Watercolour Illustration

A few months back I illustrated this Morpho Butterfly in watercolour. Finally edited and uploaded the digital version yesterday so if you like it you can purchase prints, apparel, stationery and more with this design on my RedBubble shop.

xo