The MaE Deli…a Vegans Dream…

If you’re a whole food lover then you might want to stick around for this one. Or even if you just love food. And we’re talking all food that’s vegan, gluten free, nutritious and god damn tasty.

Situated in the heart of London, in Seymour Place lies the one of three MaE Deli’s by deliciously Ella. With a beautiful interior you’ll feel right at home with their contrast of a modern vintage design, with worn wooden chairs and tables, a cute selection of cacti and some old-school books lying on the shelves. Not to mention the colourful food that will fill your stomach with a hug of content and leave you feeling energised and ready for absolutely anything.

Open from 8am to 9pm weekdays and 9am-9pm on weekends, the deli has you covered for anything. Pop in before 11am and discover the dreamiest of breakfasts. I picked up the acai bowel, with their homemade granola, coconut yoghurt and homemade almond butter along with peanut butter on toasted rye bread. Simply delicious. Grab yourself a coffee made with either coconut or brown rice milk. That’s right! No animals were harmed in the making of your breakfast or your coffee.

If you’re looking for something hearty, head in for some lunch or dinner and grab some beautifully cooked butterbean and cauliflower falafels, roasted sweet potato with coriander tahini, Tuscan bean stew served with brown rice and courgette and sweet potato stew. Just beautiful. For the full menu head to their website here.

If you’re looking for something to sweeten your taste buds you absolutely must try the fudge brownies or the blueberry muffin! Vegan and gluten free and to die for! 

So if you ever find yourself strolling through London, be sure to check in to the deli and you won’t be disappointed.

And Breathe…

Finding different ways to switch off and relax your body is important. It’s important to make time for yourself, and let your body relax. And what’s our favourite way to revitalise ourselves, and recharge? Sleeping. But when the stresses in our lives, and anxieties cause us to loose sleep, we can’t manage to face our days to the maximum because we’re just so tired and anxious. So what do I like to use to help me get a good nights sleep, and relax myself when I’m feeling anxious, that really do work?

First up is one product I’ve written about before. The Deep Sleep Stress Less roller ball. I got my hands on this product around a year ago, and I’m still loving it. It’s a really great travel friendly product, which once applied to your pulse points, releases a cooling and calming oil onto your skin, which just oozes tranquility. I really like to carry this with me in my bag, just to help deal with those anxious moments. For a more in depth review, head over here.

Next on the list is the Deep Sleep Pillow Spray. I’ve had my beady eye on this product for a good while now, and after grabbing a small sample in the latest Marie Claire magazine, I was also able to get 20% off my order at This Works. I really like this product. When I get into bed, I like my routine to be smooth, and I want to be able to get really comfy in my nest. There’s nothing more agitating than not being comfy and not being able to sleep. So I spray this a couple of times onto my pillow, and on the top of my duvet. The super blend of lavender and camomile really help to relax me and ease me into a nice calming sleep. Definitely one to purchase if you’re an agitated sleeper.

And lastly is one to definitely pair up with the Pillow Spray. The Deep Sleep Breathe In. This one is very similar to the Deep Sleep Stress Roller Ball. However, it comes in a longer white tube, and works really nicely with the Pillow Spray. It comes in a roller ball form again, and is recommended for your pulse points. The essential oils combined with the natural therapeutic ingredients of Lavender, Vetivert and Patchouli are really calming, and allow that extra pinch of anxiety melt away. I also like to use this on the go, because the tube feels more durable in my bag, I really find this helps when I’m out and about and I can feel my anxiety taking over. I just rub this on my neck and my wrists and breathe in the beautiful aromas, which really help to calm me and keep my anxiety levels to a minimum.

So there are my natural products which help to keep my anxiety at bay, and allow me to get a good nights sleep. Which we all know is one of the biggest tips of beauty. If you are struggling with anxiety, I really would recommend these products to keep at your bedside or in your bag. And remember, to just take it easy. With me anxiety feels like everything is happening to quickly all at once. Take a breath, take each day slowly, and maybe give these a rub on your pulse points when you need to.

Rodial Glamoxy Snake Mask…

If you have a problem with saying no a lot of the time, or you get to the cashier ready to purchase an item and you don’t realise it’s more expensive than you thought, but you’re too embarrassed to say no, then you might relate to this one.

Since I live in a pretty isolated town, whenever I’m in Leeds visiting my sister, we make an exciting and traditional trip to Space NK. It’s definitely one of my favourite things, because we have so much fun going round the little store, trying and discussing different products.

In this particular Leeds Space NK, me and my sister got talking to a skin care specialist, who was just amazing. She spent a good hour with us talking about different products, about their ingredients and why they can help our skin, and what type of skin care routine and product would be suitable for us. She got to know our names, our jobs, it was just really warming to have someone take the time to help you and just have a good chat!

When I asked her about what would be good for my skin, because I suffer with combination, and weird persistent pimples on my forehead, which come across as really oily. She recommended me to try the Rodial Glamoxy Snake Mask. Now I’ve seen all the hilarious Facebook videos of girls sat for hours trying to peel off the black face mask, which I didn’t really fancy doing myself… But I tested it out on my hands, and asked other employees in the store, all of them of course giving me good reviews, but the evidence was there on their amazing skin. So I decided to go for it. However, I got to the cashier and she asked me for a whole £68 for a 50ml product. Really? I’m not really sure why I never checked for the price and got a sample instead…I guess I was caught up in the moment!

Is it worth the money I hear you ask? Well after a couple of weeks not touching it and thinking I should go and take it back, I decided hell no. Let’s see if it does the business, and I can talk about it on here.

So First impressions. It smells pretty alcoholic when you put it on your skin. It always makes my eyes water, but once it’s on there the scent turns into a lovely calming aroma that feels really nice and cooling on the skin. I started out by applying the mask all over my face, which after a couple times, I felt it really tightened my face, and left it feeling glowy and much brighter. It contains oxygenated, viper-inspired neuropeptide which helps to lift your face, by freezing the muscles and plumping any fine lines and wrinkles.

I then decided to only do that every now and then, and stick to just using it on targeted zones, such as my chin, nose and forehead. This really works for me, and also helps me ration the product because 50ml ain’t that much ladies and gents! It’s also really satisfying to peel off. It doesn’t hurt, you just have to make sure you’ve left it for a good 20 minutes or so, and it starts to peel itself. You can also see all the dirt and blackheads etc, on the peeled mask afterward…Which is good! It’s a really good mask if you’re wanting to remove any excess oil, impurities and dirt from your face that won’t break you out!

So would I recommend this product to you guys? Yes. Yes I would. However, is there something out there just as good, but half the price? If you’re wanting to treat yourself and your skin, then I’d say go for it. But in the mean time, I’m rationing mine, because my bank balance is a little sore…

Lush Lovin…

Recently I’ve taken the decision to be kinder to myself. Give myself more time to relax, focus on me, and we all know what means. Bath time. I’m a big lover for Lush. I love their ethics, their products, and most importantly, the smell of the shop as you walk in. Lush.

So I’ve found myself buying more of their products recently, and really taking the time to appreciate what they’re doing for my body. I was able to get my hands on The Comforter, with thanks to my kind Sister who treated me. This guy is just so nice. It comes as a big bar that you can break off into pieces, which you can then run under the tap for your bath and you’re pretty much in a bubble blanket of heaven. With heavenly calm aromas, it leaves the water a nice pink colour which you can soak in and cleanse your body and mind. Definitely the ultimate bath product.

I then picked up some bath oils, which just smelt delicious. The Melting Marshmallow Moment (left picture) is sweet and smooth. With ingredients like almonds, to hydrate the hair and skin, from virgin coconut oil to really sooth and moisturise the body, this oil will melt away your troubles as you melt into the goodness. I also picked up the You’ve Been Mangoed. This guy is just full of rich fruity mango and avocado butter, lemon grass and lime oils, which really help to liberate your senses and give you that extra dose of energy you’ve been missing. I loved this product!

Since going Vegan, I’ve been slowly turning my make up and beauty products into Vegan ones. I then thought about shampoo and conditioner and I’ve been on the hunt for something that’s going to wash my hair, and leave it feeling clean and full of life. I came across the 2 in 1 Shampoo and Conditioner bar, Godiva. This fella takes me back to Vietnam, with the beautiful scent of Jasmine and the different oils and butters which help to condition the hair. It leaves my hair feeling so fresh, soft and clean, and smelling so so good.

Next up is the Dream Cream Hand and Body Lotion. This stuff is just lovely. It’s so soothing and rich, that I feel I’m having a big hug when I apply it. It’s great for dry skin, which I have on my hands due to the cold weather. The ingredients are so dreamy, with oat milk to help moisturise the skin, calming chamomile and organic cocoa butter that soothes and calms the skin. Just perfect. And it also smells heavenly. But we knew that was always going to be the case with Lush.

Ruffle Ruffle…

It’s been a good while since I’ve written or posted anything for which I apologise. After travelling and then going back to work and some other matters I’ve found myself with very little motivation to write anything.

However, I’m trying to change that and I’m trying to ignore the voice in my head that’s telling me I’m not good enough at the moment.

It’s finally my favourite season. When it got to the end of September I was dying to dig out all my scarves, big coats, big jumpers and plum lipsticks. I’ve also been finding myself recently trying on different clothes which I wouldn’t usually wear when I’ve been out shopping, and being pleasantly surprised when they’ve fit or looked good.

Here’s one I was particularly happy with. This little Ruffle Style Shirt from H&M. I’ve had my eye on the ruffle style and I’ve been really liking it so I thought I’d try it out and needless to say I’m loving it. It is a bit out there for me, and something I wouldn’t usually go for but I’ve been inspired by other women to try new things with my style and this I did.

It’s smart and classic and effortlessly chic. All the things I look for in my wardrobe. I think I’m going to get some wear out of this one. What do you think?

Make up for Sweaty Betty Weather…

So if you’ve been living in the UK, you would be currently sweating in the very hot weather we’ve been having. And us being British it always comes as a shock when the temperature gets to a point we don’t recognise unless we’ve paid an all inclusive rate for a nice hotel by a beach somewhere far from here. But something’s telling me as soon as I post this our weather will be boltic again…But in the meantime…what are my summer make up staples to ensure that my make up doesn’t completely sweat off my face?

First up is one I’ve spoken about before a long time ago, and still to this day I always come back to it in the summer time. The Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer. This product is perfect if you’re not a fan of BB creams, and you don’t want a full coverage foundation that will suffocate your face in this heat. This moisturiser gives a beautiful dewy glow to the skin, with a light to medium coverage. It’s a dream to apply, as it just glides onto the skin beautifully, and gives a beautiful radiant even coverage over the face. Definitely one to pick up for your make up stash!

Next up is the Healthy Balance Powder by Bourjois Paris. This little well used beauty is just lovely. It gives a nice delicate matte finish to the face which isn’t over powering. If you just want a natural and healthy glow to finish off your base and lock it all in, then this is your pal.

Ready, Set, Brow. I just love this product by Benefit. Whenever I’m touching up my eyebrows, they always seem to go walk about during the day, but this product just locks them into place all day long. A definite must to have in your make up routine during all the seasons.

Summer is all about that gentle and delicate glow to the skin, and this summer I’ve been loving my Soft and Gentle Highlighter from Mac. This product is just stunning. I could talk and recommend it for days. It just gives the most beautiful glow and radiant glow to the skin. With its rose gold, and light tones, it just works wonders in adding different tones to your face in a lovely and delicate way. I cannot recommend this product more.

And of course I’d be silly not mentioning the Urban Decay Make up Setting Spray. This bad boy really does lock in your make up and make it last all day long. It’s oil free, which is great for me having oily skin and it also helps keep your face cool, to stop your make up from sweating down your face. It smells incredible, it’s lovely to apply especially if you need cooling down after applying your make up, it’s just lovely.

Coconut Oil…The Best Beauty Product?

I just have two words for you. Coconut Oil. Worth the hype you ask? 100% YES.

If you want a cleanser that won’t break the bank which will 100% work and change your skin for the better, if you want to have a nice relaxing bath and still feel silky and smooth days after, if you want to wash your make up brushes and see real clean brushes after, if you want to give the ends of your hair some life…You need to try coconut oil.

I happened to buy some when I needed it as a baking ingredient for my non bake vegan brownies which you can find the recipe here if you haven’t already stumbled that way. I purchased a nice massive jar of 100% Raw Coconut Oil in Tescos which didn’t break the bank, and after many different uses I still haven’t really made that big of a hole in the tub.

So. Not just for baking? No sir. I’ve been using the oil as a face cleanser to take off all of my make up, after massaging it into my skin, turning it into a nice milky oil, followed by a warm muslin or face cloth which also gently exfoliates my face. After I’ve cleansed and washed my face and removed all of my make up, I’ll then go back to the oil and apply a very small amount and massage that again into my skin and leave that as it moisturises my skin all night and then wash it off in the morning.

Since doing all of that, as well as continuing to keep a basic skin routine, using minimal products which are gentle for my skin, drinking plenty of water, and eating the right foods, my skin feels sensational. Honestly, I feel my skin is more radiant and glowy, I’m not really breaking out as much, and my blemishes are also few and far between if at all. So go on, get your hands on some oil ladies and gentlemen. It genuinely is worth all the talk. I’d even say this has helped my skin more than any skincare brand I’ve used, because it’s just so natural and free from any nasty ingredients that are likely to break you out.

So what else can you use this little gem for? Take a soak with your usual bubble bath and then add a few scoops of coconut oil. Honestly, your skin will be moisturised and glowy for days. It gives that extra relaxation to your bath, and after you will just feel all gooey and soft. I also lathered some into the ends of my hair, which worked really nicely as a conditioner. After leaving it in for about an hour or so, I washed my hair as normal with shampoo and conditioner and the ends of my hair felt unreal. So so soft.

It’s also great for washing make up brushes along with fairy liquid. The oil helps separate the make up from the brush really well and works great with the fairy liquid to really deep clean the brushes. Definitely try this and see for yourself!

It’s safe to say me and this little find have been getting on really well recently. Our relationship has grown, we’re finding different things about each other and I think it could be love. So go an start your love affair with a big fat tub of some coconut oil, and then thank me later.

All Night Long…

We all want our make up to stay put. Especially when you know your make up’s going to be on your face all day and you won’t be able to reapply much throughout the day. So apart from our trusty primers…what else can we do to ensure our full face stays put?

Number 1 has to go to the Amazing All Nighter Make Up Setting Spray by Urban Decay. Everyone knows this product. From beauty gurus, to your sister recommending it to you. This guy is one you definitely need if you’re going to be out all day and you want your make up to stay exactly where you put it when it was applied. This product promises to reduce the risk of your make up creasing, melting and fading, and also making your skin look softer and smoother…Which I can proudly say it does. I recently attended a wedding and I wanted my make up to stay solid throughout the day, with not being able to carry that much make up with me in my little clutch bag. So I sprayed this baby 2-4 times in an X and T motion over my face, and my make up stayed put ALL DAY and NIGHT LONG. Queue Lionel…? Nope? Alrighty then…

Next up is another Urban Decay love… The Eye Shadow Primer Potion. This one you’ve definitely heard about. If you want your eye shadow to become bolder, brighter and last forever then you’ll probably wanna purchase this little beauty if you haven’t already. I also used this perfect potion for my eyes for the wedding. My eye shadow became even more bolder and brighter, and really did last all day without creasing. A holy grail product for your make up stash. Application is also a dream, with the small applicator at the end of the product. This stuff is also great if you’re wanting to wear winged eyeliner and you want to ensure that it stays exactly where you applied. No one has time for walkabout eyeliners. Especially me. But using this as a base to lock the product in, my eyeliner stays precise all day without smudging. Thank you Urban Decay!

Raw Vegan Non Bake Brownies…

So you know when you get those people who go ‘you’re vegan? What do you even eat?’ Well…

I may or may have not made some brownies, which are 100% Vegan, and 100% raw and healthy. O h m e o h m y…I stumbled upon the Minimalist Baker [who i’ve officially fallen in love with because she’s an absolute babe] who I found through Pinterest on how to make vegan non bake brownies. After loosely following her recipe which you can find here. I tried to recreate her beautiful little wonders.

The recipe is really easy to follow and so so quick, and as long as you have some sort of food processor or blender, you are on your way. The ingredients are also really easy to get hold of. I braved a busy Saturday tesco shop and was able to get all the ingredients and make the brownies within an hour! I also added some chai seeds into the mix, just because…well chai seeds are essential no? But apart from that everything was pretty bang on.

Oh did I mention they also taste incredible? No? They taste incredible 😉

Ingredients

BROWNIES

• 1 cup (93 g) + 1/2 cup (47 g) raw walnuts, divided + more for topping
• 1 cup (150 g) raw almonds
• 2 1/2 cups (~425 g / 15 ounces) dates, pitted (if dry, soak in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain)
• 3/4 cup (60 g) cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 Tbsp cacao nibs + more for topping
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

GANACHE FROSTING

• 1/4 cup (59 ml) almond milk
• 1 cup (~175 g) dairy-free dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil (or sub vegan butter), melted
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

You can find all the instructions and more pictures on her page which will definitely make you want to make some of your own. Thanks Dana!

The Vegan Files…6 Months In…

I can’t quite believe that it was 6 months ago I decided to cut out all animal products from my diet and become a Vegan. Where on earth has that gone?!

So how are things? For me now, being a Vegan is just who I am. At first I remember it felt like this crazy diet I had started, or weird phase where I’d be thinking ‘okay day 4 I can do this’ to then counting the weeks, and feeling sad when I couldn’t have a caramel shortbread that I used to love so much at work. But now, it’s just my lifestyle. I don’t head to the chocolate isle anymore, and if I do I go for oreos [oh me oh my thank you oreos]. Checking packets of products for their ingredients is second nature also, and it’s helped me look at what other ingredients are in food that we eat which has proven to be quite interesting. So that’s the biggest thing for me. I’ve actually gone this far not consuming anything from an animal. It’s not something really to be proud of because I believe it should be that way anyway, but I am because it has been pretty difficult.

The hardest aspect of this I would say has been finding the motivation to actually get up and research new meals and ideas and actually make them. I often find myself making a tasty meal and then when I actually sit down to eat it I’m not that hungry anymore. But I have been loving experimenting different ideas with breakfast which I live for. Especially porridge made with almond milk and infused with peanut butter, or acai bowels [DAYUM].

As for little sweet cravings that won’t go away, try pure dark chocolate, the higher percentage the coco rating the better, topped with some peanut butter. Or just fruit. Especially strawberries and blueberries, they instantly satisfy me if I’m craving something sweet. Places to eat? Five guys do a veggie burger that’s purely just vegetables in a bun. A lot of places do pizza and nine times out of ten their dough will be vegan too, and just order no cheese. Pizza Express do lovely pizza’s which can easily be made vegan. Bill’s Restaurant is a personal favourite, and they have a good range of vegan food there, or dishes which can be made vegan. Nando’s believe it or not do a great Quinoa salad which includes sweet potato, sunflower seeds, avocados etc. I get this every time I go to Nando’s and just swap the feta for some hummus. YoSushi is also great for Vegans. They have lots of great plates on their menu and they highlight dishes which are vegan. And of course, if I happen to be in a city wandering, I will almost always go to Pret. How can I not? Their range of vegan foods is great. So healthy, natural and tasty. And their soya lattes are great too.

As for other things, such as make up…I’m slowly starting to introduce beauty products that are animal friendly into my stash. With having so much make up and beauty products, and few pennies, it’s difficult to instantly cut all of that out. So my next goal throughout the next 6 months is to cut out any products that are not animal friendly, and learn and research into brands which are strictly non animal testing.If you have any recommendations that would be great too!

So that’s pretty much where I’m at at the moment.

Rosie Face…

It would appear that my blog is slightly showing some favouritism towards a certain Skin Care Brand. You don’t even need to guess really…Yes Super Facialist by the one and only Miss Brennan once again I hear you sigh. But hear me on this one. I have another product for you which I am of course just a little bit in love with.

I picked up the Rose Hydrate Calming Creamy Cleanser, when I couldn’t get hold of my usual cleanser, which I’m pretty glad about. This one was slightly cheaper too. After using this cleanser a couple of times, my skin just feels so gentle and calm. My blemishes and red areas have gone down tremendously, and my skin just feels squeaky clean! It’s great to take your make up off with too, along with a warm muslin cloth.

The formula itself is enriched with Shea and Coco butters and Pro Vitamin B5 which help to remove all make up, and impurities without making the skin all dry and damaged. The smell itself is a little overpowering at first, but it’s such a gentle and soothing aroma, it will leave you feeling calm and relaxed like you’ve just had a quick little spa session at the sink. A definite must for your skin routine!

Summer Glowin…

What I love about Spring and Summer make up is the glowy and dewy natural looks you can create. The base is all dewy and fresh, the eyes are natural, the lips are nude and pink and together you have a beautiful fresh radiant look. One particular element is getting that beautiful glow with a highlighter. I’ve been digging around finding different products, both powder and cream to see what different glows I can get to create a beautiful and radiant Spring look.

First up is a favourite that I have repurchased numerous times. The Sleek Face Form Palette is my go to every time. It’s just beautiful and the quality of the product is sensational. The pigmentation, the colour, the texture and finish they all give are just beautiful. The blush, I don’t use that much because I’m not really a big blusher fan myself, but the colour is stunning and a complete duplicate for the Nars Blush in the shade Orgasm…[cheeky] If you are gentle with the brush and not too heavy handed, this blush is very glowy. It works well with the highlighter and the bronzer giving a nice healthy look to the cheeks. The bronzer is a straight up duplicate of the Laguna Bronzer by Nars. 100%. This is also a beautiful shade. If you are light with your brush, and use patience to build the colour because again the pigmentation is so powerful, you can create a really nice and subtle contour with this power. It’s matte texture works well with creating contours in the face, and is excellent to blend. Now for the highlighter. Oh me oh my. This is just stunning. It’s just so delicate and beautiful. The colour has a slight shimmer, but it’s not overpowering. It works well onto the skin, and is totally build-able that creates a beautifully romantic highlight to the lighter areas of your face. This sleek palette is just a love affair.

Next up is a creamy formula. Something which I am not used to at all, but I am loving this product, The Rimmel London Good to Glow Highlighters. They come in three shades including: Piccadilly, Soho and Notting Hill Glow. First up, the names of the shades are just perfect, but that’s me being biased with my favourite city…The shades themselves are actually really good too. They’re all very different from each other and offer a wide range of skin tones to match up to these. The Notting Hill glow I found was very very light and too frosty for my skin tone, and the Piccadilly was too pink for me for a highlighter, but would look stunning on medium to dark skin tones… Which pointed me to the Soho Shade which is a warm golden shade which would suit all skin tones including mine. The formula itself is very creamy and very lightweight. However if you really want to get that glow going, you need to be prepared to build up that bad boy. But once you’ve got the look you desired, it leaves a beautiful and delicate highlight to the face which subtly catches the light. However, I have found after a couple of more wears that this particular one took my make up off…My upper cheek bones were left looking extremely patchy. So this is definitely one to reapply and keep checking throughout the day. They’re also very affordable too if you’re not wanting to break the bank at £4.99 in Boots.

If you’re looking for a delicate highlight, with a hint of rose gold luxury than you definitely need to contact Miss Mercier and purchase the baked highlighter powder. I’ve spoke about this product before and I still come back to it. It’s just the most beautiful and delicate powder to apply. It’s not over powering or too shimmery. The formula is perfect for a subtle highlight, with the gentle rose gold running through the powder. It’s easy to build and catches the highlight just how you want it to, in a subtle and gentle way. Just beautiful.

Last but definitely not least is the Soft and Gentle Highlighter by Mac. GOD’AYUM this powder is probably the queen of all highlighters. I was recommended this by my close friend who is incredible with make up. This highlighter just kisses the skin with gorgeous radiance. You can build this up so easily, but if you’re wanting a little highlight ensure to be very light with the hands because the pigmentation with this product is insane. And there’s so much product!!! Which makes me delighted that it’s going to last so long. Definitely worth the price tag.

Social Sickness…

2016. The year of Tweeting rather than taking time to converse in conversation with your loved one. The year of finding appropriate filters for Instagram, just so you look that little bit nicer. The year of sharing horrific videos on Facebook just for a little giggle or two. We live in a Social Sickness Bubble. We’re constantly scrolling through our phones for justification that people like us with how many likes we get on our latest Instagram selfie, or how many retweets our ‘funny’ tweet will get, even though it’s probably rude or offensive to somebody. When was the last time you shut yourself off from your phone? The last time you woke up and didn’t check your phone for notifications? The last time you actually felt at peace from this sick little world? I’m trying to remember too.

Why must we fill our lives with this bubble which we feel we can’t live without? We can’t see through or out the bubble. Does it even exist?! Don’t get me wrong, it’s great for situations like these, or when you want to share something so important with the world like animal extinction, or being able to catch up with your beloved over the ol’ messenger when they’re thousands of miles away. But why do we feel the need to post inappropriate things for people to see and to offend? To use it as a battle ground of who’s better by the like counter going up? The constant competition between others on how many followers they have? Or how pretty they feel with their latest picture. When in reality, none of that compares. It doesn’t compare to the people you see face to face every day. The people you talk about your feelings and emotions to. The people you spend time with and create beautiful memories together in person. You can’t really capture those beautiful moments and share them truly. This bubble makes us all create this fake account of ourselves. We create this filtered sheen over us, to let everyone think we’re okay, we’re losing weight, we’ve done our make up pretty today, we’ve done all these things, look at me. I’m going to show you I’m okay… But in reality, we’re not even those people. We’re photoshopping ourselves through fake tweets, stupid nashville filters and preposed uploaded profile pictures that took longer to snap than to actually upload… Why not look at the tagged photos on Facebook. They show a little more truth… Why are we so afraid to let people see how we’re really doing? Why can’t we post a picture of ourselves saying we feel like shit? Or writing a tweet explaining all the emotions your feeling? Because it’s just simply not cool. Because you’re too scared what people will say or think to themselves or others in this sick bubble. We let everyone else living in this bubble with us dictate what we can and can’t do.

And what about the pressures we feel in the bubble? The pressure to be a certain way because that’s seemed accepted? If you scroll through Instagram what will you see? Will you see all the popular ladies and gentlemen getting all the ‘bubbly’ attention for their excellent portray of themselves? The portrait which then enables others to then feel they have to be that way. And so then they feel bad, they hate on themselves, they cut, they cry, they starve and they constantly question why they don’t look or act like that? Because they see this acceptance with all this attention that this pretty tiny lady will get, and they refuse to see the attention they get with the people that truly matter. So they continue to hate themselves, and change themselves until they feel accepted. They wear more make up, change the way they dress, try and lose weight, opening a mind field of different mental health issues, just so they can feel as pretty as that girl in that photograph with hundreds of likes, comments, reblogs, everything. Heck knows, social media is the main reason I suffer with my mental health issues. Wow a controversial subject?! Mental health. Am I allowed to say those two words together? Online? Is that accepted? Or should I hide that too? But if I had a broken arm, or a heart condition that would be okay to write about right?

Or what about the need to hate on others through the internet? The need to single people out, and comment rude and disgusting things on pictures to make others feel shit about themselves? Does it make them feel any better? What is the ultimate gain when you put someone else down either on the internet or in real life. Ha, real life! Like the internet is this other world where people leave their real lives for a few hours or so and then return when they have to. Oh wait… All this hate you see on the internet. People calling others out for faults, ‘ripping’ into them for sheer joy. Just to make another human being feel less than they should. Social Media can tear people apart. It gives individuals this fake throne which they feel they can shout and spit cruel words onto other human beings because their face is covered. What gives one human being the right to be hurtful to another?! To bring someone down, and make them feel worthless? It’s such a sick environment to put yourself in. Constantly paranoid that a tweet is about you, or a quoted Instagram picture is about you because passive aggressiveness still exists. People feel the need to make people worry and feel anxious through passive aggressive posts. Liking and retweeting disgusting tweets and pictures that you just know are about you. So you sit there panicking, discovering a whole new feeling in your stomach and that terribly fast heart beat in your chest. Anxiety. Oh god. Another Mental Health word! Why is there so little encouragement? Why is it so hard for people to not express a positive thought to someone else? Why and how on earth is it easier for someone to pass on a negative thought instead?

This bubble does share some light. It allows people to speak up, to write about and stop stigma and to express their thoughts and opinions and channel them into articles, blog posts, photography, and many other beautiful artistic ways and share it to the world. It can reach to many different people across the world and maybe, just maybe help one person. That’s pretty beautiful. And that’s how we should use it. To promote health and happiness and important messages to each other. Through that many changes can be made. We may hate and be addicted to this bubble of sickness, but in some respects, we can’t live without it. Could you live without your mobile phone and twitter for a week? Could you restrain yourself from Instagramming your delicious lunch, or checking your location in for your online friends to see…and actually talk to the person opposite you instead of checking the amount of likes coming your way?  Take a break. Turn off the wifi, the mobile data, put down your phone, your laptop down and live and embrace the moment around you, not online. This is the moment that matters. Look up and just live. Break the bubble, and leave.

The Anxious One….

So in a day or so I’ll be on a long haul flight to Hong Kong…again. I’ll then be there for a while to then find myself on another plane heading for Thailand. After some time researching and looking into voluntary programmes, meditation escapes and yoga retreats…I found an opportunity to work with my beloved spirit animal back in Asia. Elephants. Since coming back from Vietnam I’ve found myself with this love inside me and this wandering heart needing to travel, to learn different cultures, to meet different people and to live in all of that and take it in and soak it all up and learn from it all. And so with that bug inside of me, I was desperate to book another trip. But here comes the catch. Anxiety.

Living with anxiety I would say has been the toughest thing I have to live with. Some days it’s just in the background, other days it pulls me down making me want to make a nest in my bed and not face the day or anyone for that matter. That constant churning in your stomach, the feeling of constantly treading water, getting ready to drown again. As hard and exhausting it is, you shouldn’t let it stop you from doing things you want to, like in this case travelling.

It’s so easy to stop yourself and think ‘nope, there is no way I’m getting on that bus, train or plane’. It’s so easy to just not experience and just dream about the places you want to go and let your anxiety build up that wall in front of you instead of you knocking down that wall and freeing yourself. I’m not going to lie to you, it takes a lot of strength, because that wall isn’t made of straw. That wall is solid brick, and it’s high. Very fucking high.

Finding that strength is bloody hard too. Because, well, you’re anxious. And you’re anxious you’re not strong enough, you’re scared on what’s on the other side. You’re scared you’ll crumble, or lose your footing in that water and begin to drown again like you have in the past. Even if that happens, that’s okay. Remember that. It’s okay to fall. It’s okay to lose your footing.

When travelling, I’ve learnt many things on how to overcome my anxiety. Taking small steps is the biggest one. Don’t do everything at once. If you do this, you’ll become overwhelmed, you’ll go too deep and you’ll feel like that waters coming in to drown you. Give yourself time. Time to gather yourself, to calm and find your peace, before heading onto your next step. I hate not having time to get from one place to the other. I like knowing once I get to one place, I have the time to prepare myself for the next phase otherwise I become agitated and stressed which can make me lose myself in those waters.

Be organised. If I’m not organised, this makes me feel anxious. So eliminate that factor. Have your documents with you ready to travel. Tickets, passports whatever you need to get from A to B. Have a watch or clock handy at all times. Plan your route, plan your timings. This really helps me stay calm and relaxed. Check in with people. People back home who are probably tracking your every step… Notify them where you are. You’ve just gone through check in, you’re about to board the plane, or you’ve just landed in your first stop. Then think about that. Then tell yourself you’ve just done that. And not only that, but you’re okay. You’ve achieved so much already and you’re still okay. Maybe you’re a little shaky, a little nervous or disorientated but you are okay. Always. Don’t feel stupid congratulating yourself either. Hell I was pretty much having full blown conversations with myself in toilet cubicles keeping my cool, or walking to different gates in airports, casually talking to myself to remain calm and congratulating myself on what I’ve just overcome. People thought I was insane, but that’s okay. Because it made me okay.

After being physically and mentally able to travel to Asia on my own in February was a big deal. Yes, I broke down on occasions, I had to be escorted onto the plane from Manchester to Hong Kong because it was visible to the flight attendants that I was loosing it. But I still got on that plane. Something I never really thought about. Even though I was in the midst of a mild panic attack, I took that ladies hand and crossed over from the Terminal tunnel onto the plane. I crossed over my anxiety and basically told it to fuck off. And I’ll do the same with this trip to Thailand. I know I’ll get anxious thinking about different things, and being there on my own, travelling all that way again on my own, being safe, meeting new people. But that’s natural. I just have to control that crippling anxiety. If I had let my anxiety stop me from experiencing all I did in Vietnam I would never have forgiven myself. Not like I’d really know what I was missing…but still. The life I felt there gave me such strength that I forgot for just a moment what it was like to feel that cloud over me.

This constant battle you are fighting is all you. No one else. It’s the battlefield in your mind that you’re fighting, and my god its exhausting. You see people buckle into their seat on the aircraft, not even wincing. Then there’s me shaking too much to even fit the buckle of my seat belt together. But that’s not the people around me. It’s not the aircraft itself. It’s the battlefield in my head constantly telling my body I’m afraid. I’m afraid of these situations. I’m afraid that I’m trapped, and I see no way out. I’m afraid when I say something to someone, which I then mull over for hours thinking how bad or awkward that was, when in reality that person has forgotten or didn’t even notice the awkward situation. It’s this constant battlefield in my head which tells me to curl up and run because I’m not good enough. I’m not strong or brave enough to fight, because well, it’s just me, I’m only Lottie, I’m nothing. That’s the fight that you constantly deal with. And it’s fucking hard to charge from the opposing side on your own with no weapons or back up. Because it just feels like too much. And it’s just too bloody exhausting. And it’s a part of you now, that’s made itself at home for so long, you don’t even now when it really started, or if it was there all along…So that makes it pretty hard to imagine it not being there. Almost like the sickest comfort blanket you’ve ever held onto. Or that holds onto you…

I can’t tell you things will be okay, and it will be sorted soon. I can’t tell you to just calm down, and stop worrying. I can’t tell you to cheer up and smile either. But I can say that you can deal with this. If you accept it first. Accept that things aren’t okay. But you are. It’s not something to be ashamed of. If you had a chest infection, or a broken limb, you wouldn’t be ashamed of that, so don’t be ashamed of this, just because it’s not visible to all. It’s still there eating inside of you, constantly nibbling away. Don’t let it finish its meal. Speak out and tell someone. Anyone who you think will listen. Confide in a friend or relative and find comfort in that release that at least someone knows and can try and understand that battlefield. Hey they might even join your side and help you fight. There is so much help around you and inside of you that you are oblivious to. This might even help. But don’t let it waste opportunities either.

Recently I’ve learnt that this anxiety within me isn’t going away any time soon. So in the meantime I’ll embrace it. If I feel anxious, I won’t let it consume me or take over me, but I will ride it out. And if that means embarrassing myself with the uncontrollable sweats, the tears, the shakes and the hyperventilating then fine. This is me for the moment. Maybe people will describe me as the anxious one. But in a couple of years time, hopefully people will describe me as the one that travelled and helped so many people and animals, and did these amazing things despite having crippling anxiety, which she overcame.

I’m not letting my anxiety stopping me from doing all the things I’d love to do. So don’t let experiences fly past you, let yourself fly with them…

Nyx Lip Lovin’…

After discovering that my local Boots store recently started selling Nyx Cosmetics, I’ve found myself popping in and leaving with a cheeky purchase or two. I’ve had my eye on their lip products for a good while, and so with being able to physically see the different shades, I fell over numerous times at the counter, eagerly giving my debit card to the cashier. What can you do? It happens…

So what shades have I been loving I hear you ask? WELL…

First up is the Soft Matte Lip Cream in the Shade Abu Dhabi. This is a real nude with a slight peach tint to it. On the lips I feel it’s very similar to Velvet Teddy, but more peachy. It’s great to apply, and drys very matte and stays put. The only thing I would say would be that all of these lipsticks are quite drying after a while. But they really do stay put and are non transferable. The colour pigmentation force is strong in this lippy, but not overly powerful with it being so nudey and naked. One definitely to wear if you’re wanting something subtle but just very lovely.

Next up is another nudey shade. But this ones got a lot more sass. This one is the Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick in the shade Soft Spoken. This lipstick is just beautiful. The colour itself is more a deep dusty rose, which kisses the lips with so much pigmentation. Application is also a dream. The nib is long which helps for more precision, and the lipstick itself applies with a strong liquid consistency which then soon dries into a gorgeous suede/matte texture which stays put all day. Use a pretty dusty pink lipliner with this and your lips will look pristine. I would recommend Morning Coffee or Absolutely It Lip liners by Mac, which I love putting together with this number.

Last up is a bold one for me. I also picked up another Liquid Suede Lip Cream in the shade Cherry Skies, which is a deep and dangerous oxblood shade. Even the tube looks so dangerously inviting. I’m not a bold lip kinda gal’, but I just fell in love with this colour when I swatched it on my hand. The colour is so deep and bloody delicious, it’s almost drinkable. And the way it applies onto the lips is just something else. Once the lip cream has dried into that lovely suede/matte texture, this particular shade gives a sexy and sophisticated look which remains subtle but still so romantic. I’m so in love with the shade that I don’t even care if I feel silly wearing it because it’s just utterly gorgeous.

So there are my favourite lip buys from the Nyx counter. I’m sure there’s going to be numerous times when my bank card is going to slip out of my hand as I fall onto the cashier, but that’s okay, because all Nyx products are cruelty free and vegan too. What are your favourite Nyx Lip products at the moment?

Amsterdam Assembles…

So I headed to Amsterdam for a couple of days and fell even more in love with the beautiful canels, the wonky terraces and the old school dainty bikes. Don’t let the stigma of Amsterdam put you off this beautiful place. You may get attacked by a cloud of horrible hazey smoke every now and then, but this place is full of history, nature and very fashionable people.

I was quite hesitant as to what clothes to take since I’d be walking around a lot and I wasn’t sure which way the weather was going to go. I kept it relatively simple. You can probably guess I only took monochrome colours, but please remain calm when I say there may have been a pastel pink coat and a blue shirt thrown in the mix. I know dare devil alert…

And of course I packed waaaaay too many clothes…but let’s not get into that…

My favourite picks from this trip have been this pastel pink coat from Forever 21. I went ahead and bought this after seeing so many pretty pastel pink outfits. Told you I would give it a whirl. This number has been my saviour. It goes with everything. Absolutely everything. It looks slick and chic and really adds a touch of elegance to all of my outfits. I was able to pair it with my Stan Smiths and my ankle boots and I still feel elegant and smart. Not to mention this bad boy is also great for comfort. But needs a good ironing every now and then…

Next up are my beautiful culottes. These babies have flown me to Hong Kong and given me the greatest of comfort. They also go so well with my trainers and still give me that touch of elegance and grace. Especially when I wear them with my pretty pink coat. Did I mention they’re comfy? Seriously if you’re not a skirt person in the heat and you don’t want to melt in your tight jeans, these are your pals. They’ll have you high kicking down the street for days.

So those are what I felt pretty darn cool in the last few days whilst walking round like a little tourist trying to look Dutch…what are your favourite picks for city breaks?

Pretty Pleats…

It’s getting to that time of year again where the days are longer, the sunsets are stunning, my neighbours are making their gardens bloom and the sweet smell of freshly cut grass is oozing through my window. Spring has sprung and here’s another Spring Style Post.

Pretty Pleats.

Pleated skirts are what I’m in awe of at the moment. They’re just so romantic and alluring with how delicately they fall around the ankles. And so so incredibly versatile. Pair them with some Courts for an inch more of sosfistication, or throw on your Stans and you’ve still got beautiful elegance.

I’m absolutely in love with these pastel pinks too. There’s just something even more graceful and delicate about this colour. We all know I like to stick to the darker colours but this Spring I may even branch out to some pastel pinks. Why the hell not?

What are your favourite Spring Styles at the moment?

Dealing With Allergic Reactions…

A couple of weeks ago I decided to try a new cleanser. One which looked pretty good, the ingredients looked good, the size of the tub for the money looks great, and what it promised to do to my skin also seemed pretty great too. And then I used it and my skin burnt off… Let’s just say I’ve never experienced an allergic reaction to a skin product like this before. I didn’t know skin products would actually burn layers of my skin off…

I purchased the Nip and Fab Deep Cleanser Fix and used it once. The next day I found my skin red raw, like I’d been sat in the blazing sun all day with no protection. It was so sore I wasn’t able to apply any make up at all, never mind any moisturisers or creams to soothe it.

As the week went on, I still wasn’t able to wear much make up, which I guess was good for my skin having a break from make up, but terrible for my self confidence with having to work every day, with my dark circles on full show, red raw cheeks, and cracked skin around my chin and mouth. My skin stayed really fiery pretty much the whole week, and then went seriously tight. If I’d smile my skin would crack and start to peel. I’ve never seen anything like it.

After having such a bad reaction to that cleanser, I was scared to use many products on my skin. So I went for ones which you may know already, but now are officially my holy grail products.

I tried to keep it simple and gentle. I used my Super Facialist Oil Cleanser to sooth and wash my skin. With it’s natural ingredients which I know work well with my skin, I thought this would help balance my skin and soothe it well, giving it the vitamins it needs. After cleansing with a warm muslin cloth, I then sprayed my face with the Avene Spring Water. This is such a fantastic product. I carry it round in my handbag everywhere. It’s so handy for on the go but also to add into your skin routine. It really calmed and soothed my skin and took away the majority of my redness, which was A LOT!

In the evenings, I then piled on the Avene Soothing Moisture Mask and left it on throughout the night. This made me waking up feeling soothed and relaxed, but my skin was still a little dry…God damn you Nip and Fab.

After digging around my skin care drawers, I found a product I couldn’t believe I forgot about… The Moisture Surge by Clinique. After using this once, I found my skin was already feeling moisturised. It took a few goes to really work its magic, but this stuff really saved my skin from peeling off. The moisture locks in all day, and works really well after using my Cleansing Oil and underneath make up. For throughout the day I carried the Avene Moisturiser which helped keep my dryness to a minimum on the go.

So after trying what looked like a good cleanser which then practically burnt my skin to shreds, giving me the sensation of what it’s like to have Botox and cracked skin at the same time, it’s made me be more conscious of my skin routine and to keep it simple!!! Stick with products you know, and are natural. If you’re going to buy something else or new, really research into the ingredients and seek advice from skin care specialists! No one likes to have their face burnt off…

Anyone want a whole tub or Nip and Fab cleanser? Nope. Good.

Eye Shadow Pencils…

Eye Shadow Pencils are always great when you’re just not in the mood to spend a good amount of time on your lids and recently I’ve been having a lot of those days. So with that in mind, I’ve dug out my favourite eye shadow pencils for those days.

Kiko Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow / 05

This guy really is all about that long lasting. It doesn’t budge. So much so that when you apply it, you need to make sure you are ready to blend straight away because there’s no stopping this baby. The stick itself is a dream to apply. It’s not hard or awkward on your lid, it just glides on beautifully. The colour. Well. It’s just beautiful. A metallic brown with rose gold oozing out of it. It’s not too metallic either, the shimmer is controlled and the pigmentation is just gorgeous. I like to apply this lightly at first in the outer corners of my eye, gently blending over my lid and up in the crease, gradually building up the colour and I’m ready to go!  A definite must to have in your make up stash.

Laura Mercier Eye Stick Colour / Rose Gold

This is just so beautiful. This one I didn’t think would be for me when I first swatched it on my hand, but since then the love has grown. It’s so delicate and gentle on the lid. One that you can wear all over the lid, with adding a darker colour in the outer corners to create a bolder look. This even works great as a highlighter applying it in the inner corners of the eye. The colour is so light and rosey and lovely to blend. This one you don’t have to blend straight away because it doesn’t stick to your lid quite as dramatically, which doesn’t make it so intimidating. To read another review I did on this and the Rose Gold collection In the Glow from Laura Mercier pop over to here.

Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencil / French Fries

This stick is new to the make up collection after Nyx came to boots in my home town. An exciting event if you ask me. So I picked up this Eye Pencil in the weirdest shade name ever…French Fries… There isn’t one part of this eye stick that reminds me of french fries…The colour is very pigmented and quite long lasting. The colour itself is just a pure bronze.  There’s no shimmer, but it is slightly metallic. Super easy to blend, if you blend too much the product may come completely off, so ensure you build the colour up and try not to rub your eyes. On a whole I’m impressed with this product but it didn’t really wow me like the others in this collection.

Maybelline 24 Hour Colour Tattoo / On and On Bronze 

I’ve definitely saved my best for last on this post. I can’t tell you how much I love this product and how many times I’ve found myself having to buy another pot, and going back to this product because every time it never fails me. If you want to create a soft and bronzy brown look that will 100% last all day, then you really need to get your hands on one of these. The colour is just insanely stunning and the formula is perfect. The creaminess of the gel helps to apply the product easily onto the lid, and making it super blend-able. The shadow doesn’t crease throughout the day either, especially if you wear an eye primer underneath to lock in the colour even more. It’s just beautiful and I’m a little bit in love.

So there are my favourite Eye pencils and creams. What pencils and creams do you love slapping on your lids?

The Spring Style Edit…

So the sun is definitely making its appearance much more these days, meaning that the days of big cosy coats are gone…for now and the days of wearing light jackets, lighter colours, and more delicate numbers are sure to be here. Ish…she says going for her big coat still…

I love looking through Pinterest and reading magazines, finding different styles and seeing how I can adapt them to make them my own and more me, but that’s so much easier when it’s Autumn and Winter. Spring and Summer is a different story. I feel much more on show in these seasons, something that makes me feel uncomfortable. I find so much comfort in being able to hide under that massive scarf, and oversized coat. Now I’m just vulnerable! Help!!!

So how do I go about this? How do I find a nice style throughout these warmer months coming up that I will feel comfortable in?

First things first…A long cardigan. I found one in Forever 21 and since buying it I’ve been wanting it to be warmer so I don’t need a jacket and I can wear this instead. I love how long and tall it makes me feel, with it dropping down to just before my ankles. Paired with some ankle boots and it oozes elegance. I also like to wear it with trainers too, which I think also looks good. It also covers everything I’m not a big fan off. The hip area, the bum and the legs. Everything a big coat will cover, this little number has it covered too. I may go crazy and buy all different shades, but for now I’ve just got the grey…For now….

Next up is Tailored Trousers. I just think so much elegance comes from these garments. They are SO versatile is makes me giddy. Wear them with a big jumper or t-shirt and some trainers like Stan’s or some Vans and you still look smart and chic. Pair them with some heels and you’re suddenly finding yourself sipping on a cocktail at a bar looking luxurious. You can then pair them with a shirt and a blazer and still wear some sort of trainers and look elegant. It’s all about the trouser. It just works.

Next up for the Spring Edit is the t-shirt with a blazer. This just makes me melt when it’s done right. Honestly I think it’s such an effortlessly alluring combination. Keeping it casual with a basic t-shirt, and then adding a blazer on top instantly adds that elegance and charm to the outfit.

So these are my little inspirations for outfits as the months become warmer. What are yours?

Drug Store Haulin’…

It’s been a while since I’ve written a post on make up, so I thought it would be my justification to myself when I was contemplating whether to buy these products. Thank you long lost blog post. Here’s my first impressions!

First up is the Sleek Eyebrow Stylist…For a while I’ve wanted an actual eyebrow wand, with the grooming brush on one side, and a nice twisty angled pencil on the other. I just never got round to buying one. I had my eye on the Arch Brow by Soap and Glory but this one seemed too good to be true with the pricing. First impressions? Not bad. Not what I’m used to, which is the Rimmel Brow This Way Eye Brow Kit, which I absolutely adore. However I love how compact this product is, and the brush is great for brushing through your brows, I’m just not sure how I honestly feel about the pencil itself…It seems too solid and rigid to draw my eyebrows in, I feel I don’t really get a defined brow. Saying that though, because of that it gives a much more natural look to the brow and the colour is great and really natural for my skin complexion and hair colour. So maybe a few more trial runs and this bad boy should be okay. If not Soap and Glory Arch Brow, I’m coming for ya honey!

We all know how much I love a nude lip, well yes, you can guess I went for another nude lip product. This ones from Revlon and it’s the Nude ColourStay Lipliner. I love the shade, I think it’s really lovely and will work with a lot of my nude lipsticks. It’s very similar to the Absolutely It liner by Mac with great pigmentation but is very very matte and a little drying. The packaging is also great, with the twist up applicator rather than having to sharpen the liner. There will definitely be a blog post to follow on my thoughts on this product after wearing it a few more times.

Next up is a hunt I’ve been on for quite some time now.Will it ever end? I can’t say but I am determined to find a liquid eyeliner that stays on my lids and doesn’t go walkabout around and underneath my eyes, making me look like a Panda. There’s nothing wrong with Pandas…but if I wanted to look like a Panda, then I would? But not every time I put the bugger on my eyes. That’s oily eyelids for ya! So I picked up the L’Oreal Super Liner Superstar Pen. I swatched this on my hand and after a couple of minutes after leaving it, I tried to rub it off and it would not budge. Yes. So I am praying this will be the case on my eyes too. We shall see…

Sticking on the theme of eyes. I also picked up the Mega Volume Miss Manga Mascara also from L’Oreal. I just wanted to try another Mascara and this one stood out for me. My first few wears have gone pretty well. The formula is lovely, not too sticky but not too gooey either. It glides on really well and sticks to the lashes creating a nice and even coverage and volume. The brush is nice and flexible which makes application a delight. I’d say we’re getting onto a good start me and this lil guy. Early days still, but I think it’s safe to say things are getting pretty serious…

And last but not least on the make up front is the Infallible Sculpt Palette by L’Oreal…Is it obvious they had a 3 for 2 offer on…? And I just look like a cheapskate… I bought this because of all the hype about it. A lot of people and bloggers have been talking about this product and I kind of just wanted to see what the fuss was about. I’ve only used it once, and I wasn’t disappointed. I’ve never used a cream formula for contouring, I’m used to using powders so this was quite weird for me at first. I absolutely love the Dark Shade. It’s really nice to build and blend. The shade isn’t over powering either. The highlight however, I wasn’t that taken back with it. I definitely prefer more powdery highlighters like my little Laura Mercier Highlighter, or the one from my Sleek Face Form Conturing Palette… I just think they work better on my skin. However, I will keep giving this a go especially when I’m going all out on my make up and doing the whole shebang with it.

So overall not a bad haul. It didn’t break the bank, and I’m pretty happy with the products on a whole. I have also definitely got my beady eyes on the new Revlon Matte Lip Sticks which I think will be very similar to the Boujois Rouge Edition Velvet Matte Lipsticks which I also adore.

What have you been loving in the drug stores lately?

Trusty Trench…

Is that Spring I can see peeping through my window? Hello you my little lost friend. As much as I love cozying up in my oversized scarves, hiding under my big coats, there’s something about the freshness of the Spring air, the lighter evenings and swapping my big grey coat for my Trench. So with that in mind, and a little Spring in my step…here’s another outfit post for you.

Hey there cheeky man…

Coat: Zara / Shirt: Jack Wills / Jeans and Boots: New Look /

I fell in love with this coat as soon as I saw it. The fit, the material, everything is divine. It’s so comfortable too. Sometimes I’ve found Trenches can be a bit restrictive with the fit, the arms are too tight, it doesn’t sit nicely on the shoulders or the chest..not this lil guy. I didn’t think I’d like actually fastening it either, but hey there I am buttoning her up. I just love how elegant and classic they look, and of course very Parisian. We all know what a sucker I am for the Parisan Style.

I can’t wait to wear this little love thoughout the Spring Season.

Go Monochrome or Go Home…

I’m always a big monochrome fan. It’s my go to, my sanctuary. I feel safe in monochrome. I feel cool, chic and smart. It’s always a winner.

So here’s one of my favourite go to monochrome outfits I’ve been wearing lately. It’s still quite chilly here in good old Seaside Southport, so I’m clinging onto the Wintery clothes until it will be too hot for a chunky scarf, and my trusty big coats. Farewell my loves, until next year.

Coat and Jumper: Zara / Culottes: Mango / Scarf:New Look / Trainers:Vans.

It took me a while to feel okay with wearing Culottes. But when I finally bit the bullet, I thought what the hell was I thinking putting these bad boys off for so long? They are incredible comfy, which is something I always want with outfits. Comfort first. If you’re not comfortable in something, ditch it. These guys are so so great. Perfect for travelling in, perfect for a long day out, and perfect paired with a pair of strappy heels. Match them up with a big coat and I think it looks great, even better with some sort of trainers. I like to pair them with my Stan Smiths if I’m not wearing my Oldskools.

The Old and the New. True Match Foundation Review…

Good foundations for me are quite hard to come by. So when I do actually find one, I’ll hold on to that baby. I bought the old True Match Foundation a while ago (old formula) and I thought it was okay….It didn’t really do much for me to be honest. I found the formula way to oily and runny. I’d pump it on my hand ready to apply, blink and then half of it had run off my hand onto my floor…Then when I’d apply it, I just felt it was taking days to set. But maybe that was just my skin, as the foundation is supposed to adjust to your skin texture and tone… So it’s my skin that’s fucked but it’s cool…The coverage wasn’t that great either. But saying that, whenever I’d try and give it a chance by wearing it, people would say nice things about my make up…? The heck?

Then I heard about the new formula that had recently hit the shelves, and it’s safe to say I’m absolutely loving it! The new formula contains three new shade enhancers which make matching the skin tone and texture even more precise. I find the formula to be more creamier than runny, which makes application a dream. It glides on easily and stays put, giving a nice dewy finish to my skin, making me feel that little bit more radiant, with excellent coverage on all my blemishes and dark spots. And the bad boy lasts. All day. Be sure to wack a primer on if you really want it to last. It’s just great. Thank you L’Oréal.

Here’s the bad boy in action. What foundations are you currently loving?

 

 

Vietnam…

So I’ve been back from Vietnam for a week or so now, and it’s safe to say I’m missing that beautiful place. Writing posts was difficult whilst I was there, not just because they blocked the server with it being quite communist there, but whenever I tried to write something I constantly found myself in a block. But how do you write about something you can’t really understand yourself? How do you really write about sights you’ve seen like poverty, which you think you know about, but it’s only until you’re really there in the thick of it, living it you feel your heart snap in two. How do you write about how you’ve found more of your spirit and soul, when you’re blind, and the feeling of it bleeding around your body only makes you aware. How do you write about energy and spirit in other people? I knew this trip would test me in lots of different ways, but I never really thought about how and when. But I guess that’s the beauty of travelling and leaving your comfort zone back in your comfy bed. Nothing you do will really prepare you for travelling to somewhere completely unknown, to a completely different culture, to a heartbreaking poverty, but so much life.

Culture shock is a thing. Really. Whenever I heard about it, me being little naive me thought okay, so you have to use chop sticks instead of knives and forks, it will be okay. Oh Lottie. Let’s just say my first day put me in my place. Being a Westerner, we’re so used to our home comforts which we don’t really think about. Like the warmth of our bed, with hugging duvets and inviting pillows. The warmth of our water from our shower head, the comfort of having an actual kitchen with worktops, and a sink and a clean cooker. The comfort of actual running water and working toilets. But not in Vietnam. After travelling for two days, I found myself in my accommodation, a house rented by a buddhist lady, sat on what I would call my bed for the next two weeks curled up in a ball, disorientated, exhausted and incredibly lost. I wanted my bed, my pillow, my safe space, my little escapes but I couldn’t have them. I had to make them myself. I woke up to a Vietnamese lady who was shouting at me, apparently telling me dinner was ready. With her being Buddhist, this meant she only ate food that was non meat, this settled me. I was joined by two other volunteers in the house and we all sat round the dinner table eating this beautiful food, awfully with my new knife and fork. Chopsticks are hard to use let me tell you!

Working there was also difficult. I was so lucky to meet and interact with some of the most precious children. Children whose eyes would light up when they saw you walk into the room. They’d give you these hugs which would melt you. The way they touch your face with wonder, the way they hold and look at your hands and trace the lines within your palm. How do you not melt at that? These children deserve nothing but love. Simple. But not simple  for the teachers that work there. They’re not working there because they love the children. They’re there because they just are. They don’t care when a child begins to cry in distress. They don’t care that a little autistic girl is crawling around looking for someone to hold her and rock her gently. Instead they think she’s a contagious poison, and they gesture us to get away from her before we catch it, so to keep everyone safe they trap and lock her in a room for a couple of hours or so because she’s just too much to handle. They don’t mind hitting the children. They don’t mind pulling down the pants of the children and smacking and hitting them on bare skin, making the children scream in pain leaving marks on their body. They don’t mind doing that. And they certainly don’t mind doing that in front of volunteers. If there’s one thing that I’ve brought home with me, it’s the images left imprinted on my brain of those horrible teachers being emotional and physical abusers. But it’s also the life of the children. Their pure and precious souls and their happiness when you give them love. The twinkle in their eye when you give them just an ounce of your time. When you hold them in your arms and they hold you back. When a little girl is able to learn how to count in English, and each day she will show you how. That’s why I went to that country.

This beautiful lady let the three of us onto her tiny little boat to sail around a little part of the bay for an hour or so. She was the kindest, sweetest and warmest local I met there.

I also never thought about the other volunteers I would meet on my travels. I met people from Mexico, Canada, Africa, all of the States and even some from back home. I never thought how I’d deal with these people either…When you go away on your own, you find yourself having to trust strangers. You find yourself having to start the conversations and making a big effort because these are people who are going to see you at your worst, and at your best. I was so fortunate to get a long with these people so well, and I know that I’ve met friends for life here. They’ve shown me parts of myself I didn’t know I had, and they helped me find more of my spirit and my balance for nature. They showed me I can climb mountains and return safely.

I’m not going to write about every detail of my trip, because even when people ask me, I always hold back because there’s always parts I’ll keep for only myself, and I’d be talking about the experience for days. They say travel broadens the mind. They’re right. It does open your mind, but it also opens your soul, especially when you see people with the same rights as you, but they have nothing. They’re walking down the street with just the clothes on their back, yet they still walk over to you and they talk to you. They want to interact with you. And they’re so so happy. They are thankful, and kind and warming. Vietnam isn’t just a country, it’s the biggest family I’ve ever met.

And now chopsticks are second nature to me now ha!

 

Travel Essentials For a Long Haul Flight…

It’s suddenly dawning on me that I’m going on a pretty big trip in the next day or so. I’ll be enduring 18 to 22 hour non stop flights, which suddenly gave me the realisation…oh snap that’s gonna do some nasty things to my skin as well as other nasty realisations. So here’s a little post on some products I’ll be taking to help defend my skin against the nasty cabin air, keep me calm, pass the time and make me comfortable for these flights ahead.

One thing I will definitely be taking is my This Works Deep Sleep Stress Rollerball. This is going to be my savour on this daunting trip. The gentle and calming aromas are sure to take the edge off the worry when I roll it on my pulse points and inhale the calming scents. If you want to read more about this product read the full post here… Another product I will be taking is the Avene Spring Water spray which will not only refresh and care for my skin but also freshen me up and bring me back down in moments of calmness.

I will also be taking a deep moister mask, which I can apply and leave on my face for a good while. I’ve made sure I’ve got a clear one which doesn’t need much attention after applying. Because let’s be honest no one wants to be walking back from the loo and see a little green monster sat on an aisle, and the poor person next to me definitely won’t want that either as they do that awkward sleepy head roll and wake up with some green mask on their face too… So I picked up the clear Avene Moisture Mask which is travel size friendly too!

I’m also taking my small Emma Hardie Cleansing balm, which I know will instantly relax me and cleanse my skin beautifully. It’s also a good excuse to get up stretch my legs and wash it off. Moisture moisture moisture. My skin is going to dry out so much, so I’m making sure I’m taking a moisturiser that I know works deep into my skin, so I’m taking the Avene Hydrating Cream. I’m also taking the Clinique All About Eyes Serum, just to brighten and hydrate my eye areas. I’m also taking the one and only Elizabeth 8 Hour Cream. I love this stuff. It has too many uses, seriously from a lip balm, to a nail moisturiser, to a highlighter to bloody elbow cream…Honestly, if your elbows are dry, wack this bad boy on. I wonder if my elbows will get dry on the flight…

And then obviously the other less fancy essentials: Passport, Visa, Purse, Toothbrush, toothpaste, tissues, hair ties, hair grips, paracetamol, chewing gum, kalms, etc etc…

Moving onto the not so beauty items, I’ll be taking a good set of headphones [a definite must] which will help to cancel out the engine noise of the plane. Books books and plenty of books. I’m gonna try and read so much to pass the time, but also to let me escape and forget where I am so I can relax and keep calm throughout the flight. I’ve downloaded podcasts and apps so I can use this time to learn some of the Vietnamese language too! Portable phone charger in case I can’t find any areas to charge my phone in between flights. Blanket/scarf… I have a safety/comfort thing…Is it a thing? I just love scarves, but I also love how safe and comfortable I feel when I wear one, so I’ll definitely be taking one that I can turn into a throw and blanket as well as wrap around me.

Hello head pillow…This guy is great! I’ve been trialling him out getting used to the neck and psyching myself up, and he’s really comfy and the fabric is really soft and comfortable too! I got this one in Muji, and it comes with a nice little sock which you can put it in to keep it compact when it’s deflated.

So there we have it. A little look into my survival kit for my trip. Hope this also helps you if you find yourself travelling somewhere soon!

Vietnam…

So about half a year ago I had a mad moment and I booked a trip to Vietnam to volunteer with children and young adults with additional needs. And now it’s pretty much here. AH.

Yes I am absolutely shitting myself, yes I am the most nervous I have ever been in my life but yes I am so overwhelmingly excited. If you read my blog post a couple of months back about how I travelled to London on my own, you will know I am pretty pants at travelling, especially on my lonesome. I hold my hands up and admit it, travelling is a major trigger for my anxiety. But it’s okay. I’ve got this. Ish…

I will be leaving Manchester and heading to Hong Kong which will take me a brutal 18 hours in a metal tube with recycled air. How can anyone not feel nervous? After that, I will spend the day in Hong Kong and wait for my connecting flight to Hanoi, the Vietnamese Capital. After spending a night there, I will then head to my final destination of Halong Bay where I will work for two weeks with children and young adults.

One factor that has kept me feeling okayish is keeping organised. Thankfully I have had great support with the organisation I am travelling with, [IVHQ] you should definitely check them out if you’re looking to volunteer anywhere! They gave me plenty of information about the country and checklists to do to organise me for my trip such as visa’s, safety checks and vaccinations etc. When I don’t feel organised, everything I know I need to do hangs on me like wet washing slowly pushing me down. Once it’s done, the relief is great and relaxes me. So get everything you need done and let that washing dry people!

When I feel myself loosing control of keeping it together, I think about the people I will be helping, and how I may even get the chance to change their lives even for just two weeks. That very thought alone makes me almost banish all of my anxious thoughts, and makes me even more excited and motivated to go. I am so incredibly lucky to have found the opportunity to catch that metal tube hurdling enormous amounts of speeds through the air just to help individuals less fortunate than me.

It’s going to be terrifying yes. But let’s do it! See you soon Halong Bay…

Tam Biêt…

Perfectly Parisian…

There’s something seriously gracious, majestic and elegant about the Parisian style. One which I absolutely adore and aspire to have even just the slightest hint of, whenever I throw an outfit together. It is an art. The artfully rumpled hair, the stylistic wardrobe of basic staples which look effortlessly tailored every time, along with that divine red lip finishing every single look. These Parisian women, not girls, have this down. There’s no doubt about that.

Of course there’s the ultimate French staples that everyone knows about. The trench coat, striped tee, a simple black dress, the perfect blue jeans, a crisp white oversized shirt, and the trusty ballet pumps or stilettos. Maybe add a slouchy jumper along with a tailored suit blazer and some heeled boots and you’re on to a winner…But what is it about these women that really pull off this Perfect Parisian Style? Is it the clothes? Is it the artfully rumpled hair? Or that signature red lip? Or maybe everything put together that makes these women radiate Paris, and sheer chic’ness… Or maybe there’s something in the pastries? Croissant anyone?

But it’s something else. It’s not the clothes. It’s the way they wear them. With these women, it’s not about fitting into the clothes…it’s about the garments fitting them. And that’s the epitome. That’s the inspiration. That’s Parfaitement Paraisenne. That’s Pefectly Parisian.

Au Revoir Belle Dame

 

 

The Oil That Will Change Your Skin Routine…

For a while now I’ve had my beady little eyes on a certain cleansing oil. Of course you guess right when you think ‘I bet its an Una Brennan one…’ HA I just love this lady. But I did get the cleansing oil…So sit back, relax, maybe grab a brew whilst I tell you about another great find.

I used to always take my make up off with facial wipes. I was lazy, and also under edcuated when it came to skin products. Believe it or not, I didn’t realise you could take make up with any other products. I then found micella water and began taking my make up off with that, until I found the world of cleansers and oils. Holy moly has my skin changed since.

This oil is a particular favourite. Let me introduce you to the Vitamin C Brighten Skin Renew Cleansing Oil. The freshest of fresh cleansers which will leave your skin feeling soft, gentle and CLEANSED thanks to all the essential oils it’s enriched with such as Rosemary, Grape-seed and Olive Oil. And no this doesn’t mean you can lash a bit in your frying pan…well maybe? I’ll get back to you on that one…. But I do know it’s a good make up brush cleaner…that you can do! It’s also a great make up remover, and also removes all of those little impurities that have kindly built up throughout the day. So how can you not say no? Give it a try and see for yourself that you’ll be left with a glowing, healthy and cleansed complexion. Damn Miss Brennan, you got it going’ on!

 

 

January Skincare Edit…

 

January’s been a pretty good month with skincare. So much so that I’ve found myself going into drug stores walking straight past the make up and going down the skincare isles…Don’t worry I’ve not neglected the make up…But this cold month has definitely taken its tole on my skin.

The Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel is always part of my skin routine. It’s incredible. To read more about my thoughts on that…wander over to here…

I’ve had a little new discovery with another brand that believe it or not isn’t Una Brennan! I’ve been really getting into Eau Thermale Avene products recently. I picked up the Hydrance Optimal Light Hydration Moisturiser which I have found works so well on my skin. My skin is sensitive, there’s no doubt about that, but it can also become quite dry sometimes, or irritated. I’ve used this for a good few weeks or so, and so far so very good. It’s enriched with Avene Thermal Spring Water which increases the absorption and limits water loss throughout the day hydrating, soothing and softening the skin. Not only that but it purifies the skin by containing absorbing microspheres which help to absorb excess oil which mattify the complexion. Come on tell me you’re not just a little bit tempted…?

I also picked up the Thermal Spring Water Spray, which I like to use after I’ve cleansed my skin, before applying the Hydrating Cream. This water, may not look like much but holy moly it’s a gooden. It’s so lovely and refreshing on the skin, instantly soothing and relaxing me. It can also be used for many other situations that life throws at you such as facial redness [I know that one for sure], Sunburn, after exercise or make up removal or even shaving. It’s also known to work well whilst travelling and in hot climates…So this little can is going to be my best friend for my trip away in a couple of weeks.

Now then…It wouldn’t be a true skincare post if I wasn’t going to mention my number one lady now would it? She is the best. I’ve found another little beauty from Miss Brennan and of course there isn’t a bad word to say. The Vitamin C daily wash is so gentle on my skin, but is still also able to gently exfoliate and remove dead skin cells with the infused micro-beads in a light gel texture. Enriched with vitamins C and E and also containing Ferulic Acid, an antioxidant which all help to boost and brighten the skin. This wash is my best friend right now, it’s delicious. No seriously, I want to drink it every time I pop the lid. It smells so heavenly.

Last but not least is another one from the Super Facialist Range… The  Vitamin C Brighten Skin Renew Cleansing Oil is also making its way onto my christmas card list. This stuff is also seriously good. It’s incredibly gentle on the skin and great for lightly cleansing and removing any impurities…and of course something I want to drink when I pop the lid DAYUM. But I’ve got my own little post dedicated to this beauty, so stay tuned for the full review… But let me tell you now, this is a cleanser you definitely need to put into your basket next time you find yourself wandering round in Boots.

So that’s all of my current favourites which I’ve found last month, which have helped me battle with my skin whilst it reacts to the crazy weather we’ve been having. But it is England, and it is Winter…What are your favourites that you’ve kept going back to?

 

Cherish Those Lips…

If you’ve been up to date with the ol’ blog then you will know I’m a nude kinda gal…Okay, that came out wrong. But I do love a good nude lip. If you don’t know what I mean then maybe you should go here and possibly here to know about my little love adventure.

However, recently a new love has begun which I am cherishing. Let me introduce you to another lipstick by Mac. Cherish.

Isn’t she lovely? Again very similar to Faux, she’s got a satin texture which I think personally works well with my lips, because it’s not quite matte, but not too creme sheen either. The colour and pigmentation is to die for. It’s a true nude, whereas Faux is quite pinky, this one is nude all the way. The little minx. Stop Charlotte! But yes, very versatile and easy to wear whatever the occasion. I’ve found it works great with the Nice n Spicy ProlongWear Lip Pencil, if you’re wanting to give it that extra pout. Enriched with blue tones, this lipstick also makes those pearls extra white. A win win all around?

Here’s the lipstick in full flow from the other day…

Go on…I know you wanna…

And Relax…Deep Sleep, Stress Less Review…

Some people count to ten when they’re feeling tense or on edge. Some concentrate on how they inhale and exhale, and breathe out all their worries. I like to use this. The Deep Sleep Stress Less by thisworks. And what a little gem it is to me. Only recently was I able to get my hands on it, but since having it and using it when I need to has really helped me relax and breathe.

With natural fragrance notes of Lavender, Frankincense, Coconut and Eucalyptus, this little rollerball aims to relax and calm you by allowing these gentle aromas to ooze onto your pulse points to calm the senses, and for your body to softly inhale the smells, taking all that weight away from you.  Lovely.

It can be used by rolling onto certain pulse points, for example your wrist or your neck, and it instantly starts soothing you as it releases many  natural oils and vapours. It can also be used by rolling onto tissue where you can inhale the vapours to relax you.

I personally like to apply this onto my wrist and my neck whenever I can feel myself becoming anxious, which helps me relax and breathe. Never a day goes by now where I won’t carry this around in my handbag. It is an essential for me. I also really like to apply it before sleeping, if I’m also feeling anxious or agitated. I especially like to apply it softly on my arm creases, which I feel really cools and relaxes my body, allowing me to sleep.

And breathe…

Emma Hardie and her Amazing Face…

I was lucky enough to get my hands on Emma Hardies Amazing Face Cleansing Balm. Oh me oh my this stuff is so good. Like really good. It really deserves the hype it’s been given by many beauty gurus.

It’s so lovely to use to melt away your make up, but also just to cleanse the skin. With Wild Sea Fennel and Vitamin E, making up this delicious cocktail, it is able to rebalance, purify and reduce the appearance of pores. Not only that, but it also illuminates and hydrates the skin with the use of Jasmine, making your skin look pretty damn good, and feeling heavenly soft.

If I haven’t won you over yet, the face cloth that the cleansing balm comes with is also pretty damn good too. Double sided, it allows you to exfoliate on one side, and then gently wipe the face on the softer side.

If you’re feeling fruity, you can also use this balm as a treatment mask whilst taking a soak in the tub! Simply apply the balm and leave for 10 minutes or so, and let the balm work it’s magic by using the steam from the bath to open the pores and let the oils to dig deep into the skin, giving you that beautiful spa treatment you deserve.

Emma, you are a gem. Sincerely, my skin.

Laura Mercier, In the Glow…

So firstly, Merry Christmas! Is it too late to say that now..? Yep…Happy New Year? Been there done that. But anyway, I hope you all had the loveliest of days spent with lots of food this past festive season with lots of laughter and time with your loved ones. Second of all, how’s that food baby? I’m still nursing mine, but I’ve grown very attached to it. I’ll be expecting in the early spring, but I’m still deciding with names. But now let’s get to business. Make up, oh hello you.

Today’s post will be about the divine Laura Mercier, In the Glow Trio Set. This set is unreal. Really. I’m a big fan of highlighting, so when I saw that this is all about that highlight, I was a very happy lady.

The kit includes: Matte Radiance Baked Powder in the shade Highlight, Bonne Mine Stick Face Colour in Peach Glow and a lovely Eye Stick in the shade Rose Gold.

Let’s start of with my favourite product of this set. The highlighter powder itself. It’s just so damn lovely. Everything about it appeals to me. It’s not too much, it’s not too shimmery and white. It’s got a really nice rose gold tone running through it, which I think makes it look subtle on the face, but still pops in the light when you want it to. It’s also perfect for all areas to highlight on the face, including the upper cheek bones, the eyebrow arch, the inner tear ducts and the cupids bow etc etc. Just a beautiful, soft and gentle easy to use highlighter. LOVE.

Next up is the Face Stick in Peach Glow. I won’t lie, I saw this product and thought, the fuck do I do with this?! [excuse the french, but I’m really not a cheek stick kinda gal…] It looked a bit too pink for my liking, especially when I like to keep the cheeks quite neutral. But I gave it a chance and it’s safe to say I was pleasantly surprised! Again, it’s subtle as anything, which I love. It’s so easy to apply. Just a light sweep or dap on the cheek bones, and blend with either your fingers or a brush and it works really well. It’s not overpowering, and it doesn’t look like you’ve just finished a 5 mile run, it just gives you that tiny little pop of colour that sometimes I need. Definitely one to use more of and experiment with.

Last up is the Eye Stick in the shade Rose Gold. I knew I was going to get on well with this product. I mean how could I not? It’s an eye shadow stick, come on! And I wasn’t disappointed. It applies so nicely on the lid, and even though it’s a waxy and long lasting finish, it blends really nicely, either using your finger tips or a blending brush. The colour is just so divine. The only way to describe it is a dewy rose gold with a hint of shimmer. It looks lovely all over the lid, with maybe adding a darker colour in the outer corners to build more colour. But it also just looks lovely all over if you’re not wanting anything major going on.

Laura, you’ve done it again.

New Year New Me…?

I know many people always jump on the ‘new year new me’ bandwagon, which is fine, absolutely nothing wrong with that, but for me I won’t be on it as such. I’ve always tried to make New Year Resolutions for myself in the past, and I think with the pressure to stick to them always made me fail in a certain respect. So what are my plans for this New shiny Year?

There are many different goals and achievements I want to be able to hit in this year, but I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself, because I know if I do that, it will get too much, so let’s just say they’re really relaxed resolutions? Is that a thing? I guess it is now for me!

If I look back on this last year, I see a lot of things. I see many different emotions, experiences and lessons. I’ve felt a lot of happiness and laughter, but also the worst. I’ve learnt that it’s okay to drop out of College, to not go to University yet, and even when that happens you’re not a failure. I’ve learnt that it’s okay to be the person you want to be, even if everyone around you wants you to be different and more like them. [btw if you are around those people, you need to tell them to do one…] I’ve learnt that sometimes the truest friends become not that true and leave you feeling lonelier than you’ve ever felt. But I’ve also learnt that everything happens for a reason. And because of these things, you walk down a road that leads you to something that is much better. You just have to go through these things to understand what really happened, and that it wasn’t healthy for you, and the strength it takes to override it is big, massive in fact, but makes you grow so much as a person, and teaches you many different things. One of which is appreciation. If you are lucky enough to find people who truly appreciate you, and make the time for you, and allow you to be your true self, make sure you secure them in your life and show your appreciation for them too.

I know I want to develop myself more. The past few years have really tested me as a person, and have developed me into the person I am today, which I am thankful for even if those situations have been pretty horrible to say the least. I’m not saying I want to have more of these situations to make me a better person. That’s not it. I’ve just suddenly come to the realisation that I’m learning about the person I am and I want to continue in doing that and continue to grow into myself. I don’t exactly know for sure how I’m going to go about it, but I know that surrounding myself by the best possible people will certainly help.

As for other things…I want to seriously continue blogging, and stretching my blog further by doing more fashion and lifestyle posts as well as the make up. So stay tuned for that…

But most importantly, I want to be happy this year and make others happy. I’m going to try and see as many places as I physically can and embrace every moment [as corny as it sounds] because another thing I’ve really learnt this year is that time is so precious and the only way you can slow it down is to embrace and drink in the moment. I want to read more, write a lot more and have fun. Put myself first when I need to, be kind, be gentle, be positive for the year, scare myself sometimes, but laugh as much as I can.

So Happy New Year!

Quick and Easy Vegan Meal for One…

I’m going to be honest here, I’m not as healthy as I should be or have been. I used to exercise religiously 4-5 times a week, eat 3 square meals a day and eat healthy snacks in-between. Somehow, in the last year I’ve fallen off that slope and spiralled into skipping meals, snacking a lot but not substantially and not exercising as much as I should. After a lot of thought I’ve decided to give myself a kick up the backside, and make more effort into my health. I’ve always wanted to be a committed vegan, and after being a committed vegetarian for a few years now, why the hell not go the full hog? No puns intended on that one…

So, want to read about a super quick and super yummy meal that may happen to just be vegan?

This one is simple and I was surprised at how good I felt after having it. Yes, I’m now kicking myself that I hadn’t done this whole healthy eating again sooner, but the main thing is I’m doing it now right?

So all you shall need for this little beauty would be, a sweet potato, vegetables of your choice. I personally went for half a red pepper, some red onion, a clove of garlic, and some spinach and cucumber thrown in there two. Oh, and also some sexy salsa! Whilst the sweet potato cooks in the microwave…[told you it was a quickie] you might want to dice all of your veg and wack that into the frying pan. I didn’t use any oil or anything, but if you’re into that, you might want to wack that into the pan at this time too. After those vegetables start sizzlin’ I added some mild salsa into the mix to shake it up a little, whilst doing some salsa myself by the stove, but that step is optional… as well as adding some mixed herbs during each spin. Ding. My sweet potato is done, and so is my veg! Next step is to plate up, possibly add some pepper and a spinach leaf for garnish if you want to be fancy and enjoy.

It’s not much and I know that I’m no pro at cooking or anything, but it’s a start for me and I really enjoyed it. Go on you know you wanna try it, just look how pretty she looks…

 

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Eyeliner…

If you’ve been up to date with the ol’posts recently, then you would have seen the sneaky free eye pencil that Bobbi Brown were kindly giving away for a limited space of time. Of course I slipped on the website and somehow purchased a gift and then suddenly I was being forced this eyeliner through my door. Don’t worry, I’m fine, everything’s cool, I’ve got this.

Of course I couldn’t try out the little naughty without writing a blog post about it could I? That would be very rude indeed. So what are my thoughts?

I like the nib. Ha! Can we just look at how weird that first sentence is…Sorry about that. Anyway, yes, the nib is good. I think it’s easier to apply, as it allows a softer application because I often find that some pencils can be quite sharp especially when you apply them on the lower water line. The colour and pigmentation is great. Really stunning. I love dark chocolates and bronze eyeliners, because I think it really opens up my green eyes and contrasts well. I like to apply the eyeliner along my water line, and then getting a tiny eye brush, smudge and blend the eyeliner down a little, and then repeating to build impact creating a smokier look. However, with this one you don’t need to build that much as it’s so bold anyway. It’s also really long-lasting, which can often be a problem when it comes to eyeliners, but with this not so much. I didn’t find myself reapplying it throughout the day, and it was very smudge proof. A good 10/10 from me Bobbi Brown. Thank you ever so!

Here’s a little peak of the bad boy in action…

Have you managed to get your hands on any free giveaways this festive season?

Primin’ It Up…

For me, primers have saved my life when it comes to applying make up and keeping it on my face throughout the day. If I don’t wear one, what usually happens is it either smudges and starts becoming patchy, which makes me look like I have a weird skin thing going on, or it runs and smudges around my eyes which just looks weird all together. Something that I never notice until I actually get in and look in the mirror. Feels soooo good. NAT.

Rimmel Londons Fix and Perfect Pro. This stuff is beautiful. It feels like you’re putting on a really light moisturiser that smells like summer. It claims it’s supposed to: smooth down the pores, resurfaces for an even complexion, brighten the skin, mattifies and eliminates shine and protects the skin from environmental aggressors. Bit of a mouthful for a tiny bottle of liquid eh? But to me I think it does, if not comes very close to doing all of those things. My skin feels great when I use this product, and my make up seems to stay in place for the whole duration. I also just love wearing this product if I want to have a make up free day, but I want my skin to look fresh and even.

Next up is the Clinque Universal Super Primer. This stuff was sent down from the heavens. Trust me on this one. There are 5 other super primers from Clinque which all claim to do different jobs, like calm down redness, but I prefer the Universal one, because for me it does everything I need. It’s not as moisturising as the Rimmel, but I feel it controls my oiliness, evens my skin complexion and really locks in my make up. This stuff is excellent if you’re wanting to go on a night out, or you’re competing in a dance competition all day [like my sister hehe] because it keeps that face in place.

Last up is a latest find from Revlon. I’m really getting into their face products, as their ColourStay Foundation is my favourite at the moment. This primer hasn’t disappointed me. First off, I think it has the best bottle out of all three that I use, with the pump which is much nicer to use. And the primer itself is also great. It creates a nice even canvas on my face, and allows my foundation to glide on smoothly, setting it there for the whole day.

So there’s my top three favourite primers at the moment. Have you got any favourites?

 

 

Bobbi Brown You Lil’ Naughty…

I’m doing you all a favour here. If you’re a fan of make up like me, and you enjoy the sweetness that is Bobbi Brown like me, then you might already know about what I’m about to say which could be slightly awkward and slightly pointless…

If not then you’re welcome. Bobbi Brown for 2 days only are giving away a free full size Long-Wear Eye Penicl in the shade Black Chocolate on every single order, no matter how many pennies you spend. Excellent. So you can get someone something else where you won’t break the bank….Or treat yourself and keep the little beauty as a reward for Christmas shopping..?

Shitting yourself…

If there’s one promise I’ve made to myself recently, it’s to do more ‘stuff’. Doing more on my days off, seeing different places and doing things that scare me a little.

If you read one of my recent posts, you would have seen that I spent a couple of days in London. Read that here if you like! I went to apply for a Visa as I will be travelling to Vietnam early in the New Year which is a different story that I’m currently shitting myself about. But if you continue to read you’ll see that shitting yourself is okay. Ish…

London to some people may not be that scary, which is cool. Great even. But it’s not something that’s the norm for me. If I venture somewhere on my own, the furthest I’d go would be to Liverpool or Leeds only to be met by my sister. So travelling from Southport to London completely on my tod was a big deal, especially when I’m quite the anxious traveller. But I’m working on it.

How did it go you say? It was tough. It was tough not knowing anyone around me, and having so many people go about their daily business, and then me sticking out like a sore thumb, trying to figure out which tube station to hop on and hop off at. I got lost, I tried to check into the wrong hotel, but I had a lovely man that told me Jesus loved me. Not all that bad hey! But in all seriousness, this trip tested me in so many different ways, which may sound really over the top or whatever but I’m happy it did.

It scared the shit out of me. I had a constant sickness feeling in my stomach because of where I was and who would try and speak to me. I was paranoid I was walking too slow and slowing people down. I was scared I would get so lost I wouldn’t find my way back. But aside from all that, I was able to find the courage to go and watch a show on my own, and cry along with the strangers next to me. I was able to eat my lunch and drink some of the best coffee’s I’ve tasted from lovely little independent cafes. I was able to do something I don’t usually do. I had me time. And that’s what matters the most.

From this tiny little trip I’ve learnt so much. That yes, it’s okay to worry your socks off and panic a little. But to continue and be strong, and embrace the moment you’re in so you can cherish it later and look back and think, I did that. Go me!

So I guess I should find the point to this post. If you’re desperate to do something that isn’t what you normally do because it scares you, you should do it even more. It’s okay to feel like you’re loosing control of a situation because as quick as that can happen, it can easily become back into your control. Grab those experiences by the horns and live. Don’t get me wrong, I still want to curl up in a ball every time I think about travelling to Vietnam by myself, but at least I can look back at this little trip and think, well I travelled to London on my own? Yes, it’s not the same distance, but it was pretty major. Why is this any different? I can do this and I will do this.

Finding the Force with Max Factor…

We may not have the droids you’re looking for, but Max Factor certainly has the make up. With the most anticipated film of the year approaches its grand debut this month, it’s also influencing make up, which is bloody fantastic if you ask me.

Max Factor have created an inspiring collaboration with Star Wars, creating 6 different looks influenced from the films, using light and dark looks to embrace the light and dark side of the force.

The collection includes The Light Side: Jedi, Mystic, and Droid. These looks  concentrate on using metallic and highlighting products creating a softer and  gentle face. Earth and sand tones are incorporated into the Jedi look, blending out with subtle browns and light golds reflecting the desert planet. Pat McGrath, global creative director for Max Factor, recommends taking risks and using metallic golds and silvers for lips for this festive season. Are you bold enough?

 

The Dark Side…

This includes looks such as The Dark Apprentice, The Chrome Captain and the Stormtrooper. I’m loving how lots of black, silvers and whites are dominating to create these looks, giving intense mystery to each look. The Stormtrooper look does it for me. I love the sharp edges to the eyes reflecting the robot like features from the character, and that gorgeous oxblood lip is to die for! I may not go out of the house with my make up like any of these looks, but I truly love the influence from the film; The Force Awakens. It’s amazing to portray the different characters through make up.

Last Minutes in London…

Having spent a few days in London, I’ve found myself finding little places every now and then to hide for a bit and chill. London is busy. Very busy and where I live is not. I feel like I’ve travelled to a different world. Don’t get me wrong I’ve been to London before and I knew what to expect, but not like this. Not on my own.

I’ve found myself wandering round the streets of Oxford and Regent, and took a left onto Carnaby Street and joined their Christmas Party. My goal was to find somewhere I could hibernate for an hour or so to get myself together before heading back onto the tube to catch my train back up North. I found the perfect place.

The Espresso Bar, Mozzino. This place is right up my street. If there’s one word to describe this place it would be cool. It’s just seriously cool. With contrasting modern and vintage interiors, old school coffee grinders, and an excellent playlist, it feels seriously cool to be here. I’m able to sit in the window (something I don’t usually do at home, but I’m in London and people watching is seriously addictive here) with my coffee and take everything in around me.

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One thing I’ve enjoyed about London is seeing all the people go about their daily business and looking fly as hell whilst doing so. The street style has inspired me, and makes me think about how it’s actually okay to express yourself in the way of style. Something that I often feel odd doing.

Hours later and I’m still here, nursing my huge glass of green tea, munching on a tomato and basil grilled sandwich, having Jamie XX and fleetwood mac bless my ears, taking in my last few minutes in London.

 

Review: Air Mat Foundation, Bourjois Paris…

Bourjois have always smashed out excellent foundations, of which I am a massive fan of. So when I heard about the new release of a foundation in which they promised would mattify the skin, hold for 24 hours, and still be ‘light as air’ I started rubbing my hands together. This girls got some oily skin that needs to be mattified, so you could see my excitement…

So. First thoughts? The bottle is different from other foundations in their range, it reminds me of the cc cream they brought out a couple of months ago which I also LOVED. It’s pretty easy to use, no leaks so far. The only comment I could really make would be that it doesn’t actually look like there could be that much in the bottle…But that could be me being greedy ha!

Application. Pretty damn good! It applies really well. Very easy to blend giving a medium to high coverage. With yellow tones running through the foundation, I found it wasn’t too pink or pale on my skin which was excellent. The texture is also lovely. Sometimes with foundations that try and mattify your face, they can be very drying and almost powdery. This doesn’t at all. It’s a light non drying formula which works wonders with my skin, and gives me a subtle matte finish which feels very lightweight.

As for the 24 hour hold…I’m not really one to wear make up that long throughout the day on my skin…Does anyone? It’s a big statement to make, but hey! Why aren’t you guys washing your faces?! Bourjois doesn’t seem to think so!

 

 

Make Up Lookin’…

Do you ever go through stages where one day you apply your make up in a different way and then think OOOO I like that and then for the next few weeks you keep trying to replicate that look over and over until you do something different again? No just me then okay 🙂

Well, since this happened, I thought OOOO blog post OOOO. So here’s the make up look I thought I would talk about…

For my favourite look at the moment, I’ve used Revlons’ Colour Stay for Combination to Oily skin foundation which gives a very good coverage especially for me. It lasts all day, and if I apply it evenly and take my time it won’t cake my face. After powdering up with the Healthy Balance Powder by Boudoir Paris, I slightly contoured with my Nars Orgasm and Laguna Pallete only using the Orgasm bronzer, slightly accentuating my cheekbones.

Eyebrows... These buggers used to be my least favourite part of doing my make up because the cheeky little blighters would never match. They wouldn’t even look like sisters…more like distant cousins twice removed!! But now having got over that family feud, they finally look similar with me using the Rimmel London Brow Pallete and taking my sweet…sweet time. 

Moving to my eyes now which is my absolutely favourite part of make up. I used my trusty Urban Decay Naked Pallete the 1st. I sticked to the shades Virgin and Sin to highlight the inner corners of my eye and just slightly underneath. Then for the outer corners I went for the shade Naked to start with blending that out and then building the browny colour of Buck, taking that underneath on the lower lash line also to build the colour around my eye and then blending out, finishing with Rimmel’s Scandal-eyes for my lashes.

For lips I simply used my trusty combo of Mac’s Morning Coffee Prolong-wear Lipliner and my all time favourite Faux lipstick. You can read about my love affair this combo here.

And here’s the finished look!

I hope you like!

The Cove…

If you’re searching for a beauty and fashion related post today then you should maybe go somewhere else. But. If you’re interested in what I’ve got to say about one subject I am truly passionate about then feel free to stick around.

Animal Rights.

Please don’t let me feel you sigh when you read that heading. What gives you the right to shrug off something so important? Because you’re a human? Because you’re better than them? No. Please don’t think that. I’m not here to push my opinion onto you whilst you read this, but educate you in one subject in particular. The Cove. And what happens there.

Taiji, Japan. The location of a gruesome dark secret. You may drive and explore the town of Taiji, and see a beautiful place filled with gorgeous buildings and culture. Boats sailing in the shape of whales and dolphins. Roads with tiles painted in the shape of whales and dolphins. Billboards showing you these incredible creatures. If you’re naive enough you might even believe that this town is a lover of such beautiful animals. Wrong. Taiji, is the home to 23,000 killings of dolphins each year. All of which happen in The Cove. But all to only be seen by the local murderers labelled as ‘fishermen’.

The Cove is situated in a bay in Taji which is surrounded by ‘keep out’ signs and barbed wire. Here, in the dark of night, the fishermen of Taiji, driven by the multi-billion dolphin entertainment industry, and an unethical market to sell dolphin meat contaminated with mercury, take part in an ‘unseen hunt’. Because of this horrific act that they perform from September through to March every single year, which not only goes against all animal rights but is dangerous to human health, they will go to great lengths to stop anyone from seeing it and knowing the truth. Until the 2009 documentary of The Cove was released.

The Cove is directed by Louie Psihoyos and produced by Paula DuPre Pesman and Fisher Stevens. The film is written by Mark Monroe.

Ric O’Barry, now a hero of mine started his career off as a dolphin trainer. Appearing in the hit film of flipper, this guy fell in love with dolphins. Working with aquariums he was all for dolphin captivity, until one day his heart was broken when his beloved dolphin died in his loving arms. This then made Barry realise that dolphin captivity was wrong. He spent years after this releasing many dolphins into the wild. For which is was arrested for on many occasions.

We see in the film when the team arrive into Japan, they are soon followed to hotel rooms and to The Cove, by who we can imagine are the police or even the Japanese Mafia. No-one knows. They are instantly questioned by Japanese police and told what locations are out of bounds. Soon using these forbidden locations to their advantage.

Missions are set from the team to go into The Cove to create an orchestra of cameras in the rocks of the cove, as well as diving deep underwater, listening to the cries of the herded dolphins awaiting their soon tragic fate.

With the rocks looking back on the horrific events, we are able to see for the first time exactly what goes on in the darkness. The dolphins are herded into the cove by fishing boats surrounded the dolphins, scaring them with sound to make them flee directly into the cove. They are then trapped by nets where they wait until the fishing boats come back the next morning ready to slaughter them. Some dolphins are chosen by different aquariums where they are sold for thousands of dollars. Others are killed, with spears and knives, turning the deepest of blue waters of the cove to a thick deadly red in seconds. The slaughtered are then sold for meat. Little do the people know of Japan that the dolphin meat they are buying is also infected with mercury, which we also find out in the documentary.

If there’s one thing I ask of you is to watch this documentary. There are no words that I can write that can show you the passion behind these people making this film to make a change. And the only way for this to happen is for people to watch it and make a difference. I urge you to watch the documentary. Do it. If not that then share this post. Share it across the internet and let’s educate what is happening in the oceans around the world. Incredible creatures are being hunted to be sent into a small bath and trained to perform in shows where they will soon lose their sanity. Or to be killed.

Show me your compassion and share this post.

There’s one Japanese saying that is mentioned in this film. “The nail that stands up must be pounded down”. Let’s keep that nail up.

 

The Perfect Match…

If you’ve read some of my blog posts before you will know that me and one particular lipstick go way back. So much so that this is without a doubt the longest relationship I’ve ever had… But that’s 100% okay. Faux by Mac is a beaut. If there’s one nude lipstick you feel like you need to buy then this is your pal. But if you want to read more about that then read here…

Now let me introduce you to morning coffee by Mac… another beaut. This lipliner has amazing pigmentation and is perfect for autumn. The colour is so lovely, and is really versatile so it works great for a day to day wear, or for a night out or a meal. I personally like to wear it all over my lips if I want to wear something that will last all day (because the pigmentation is unreal) or I will wear it with Faux and create the perfect match.

These two colours work amazingly well together (as well as on their own) and create a lovely classy look. They work so well that I kind of feel like a third wheel now…However,  I’ve found that the liner really compliments the lipstick by creating that sharp edge with an added touch of elegance. I’ve been complimented a lot when I wear this combination. Sorry for the lack of swatches, but if you want to see it in action stay tuned for some future posts where I wear this combo.

What are your perfect matches?

Yeezy Breezy…

If you’ve been out the loop or living under a moon rock recently then you may have not heard about the craziest kick drop for a long time. The Yeezy 350 Boosts, a trainer collaboration with Adidas and Kanye West officially landed. These fresh little babies dropped exclusively into stores on the 14th of November only selling a selective few in the colour ‘moonrock’ for £150 now to be sold at a much higher price. HOW ANNOYING.

People queued outside stores across the country and stayed up all hours online, even entered countless raffles so they could get their hands on the small amount or pairs that were released on the 14th. Me being me, FORGOT and now I’m currently sat on my laptop googling them like a madman, dreaming about wearing them on my feet.

Similar to the last Yeezy styles, these babies are composed with a grey combination of Prime-knit and canvas around the shoe, using suede accents on the central side of the trainer not forgetting the Adidas boost cushioning on the sole providing you with that satisfying ride, making them not only one of the most stylish trainers to bless our feet this year but one of the most comfiest too.

So will you be getting your hands on a pair of Yeezy’s? Are you fortunate to already own a pair?

All images sourced from http://www.kicksonfire.com/

Makeup Wishing…

So I’ve recently been dreaming about dreamy make up releases that have hit our make up counters this Winter.  So I thought I’d share them with you incase you didn’t already know about these amazing new releases.

The first is the Nars One Shocking Moment Limited Edition Face Complextion Palette. This has me in absolutely awe. I love Nars’ Orgasm and Laguna face palette for a cheeky contour and blush, but this palette takes this to a whole new other level for me. Priced at £49 makes me feel a little sick inside however, if I trip into Space NK and accidentally trip so hard that my bank card just happens to find it’s way into the chip and pin and suddenly pays for it then that’s absolutely okay isn’t it??

Image sourced from http://narscosmetics.co.uk

Just look how dreamy it is!! With everything from highlighter to bronzer, this is the ultimate palette to have to give yourself a perfect complexion. Definitely on my to buy list…

Next up is another palette I have been dreaming of ever since I saw a blog post of it a few months back. The Paris Audacity EyeShadow Palette. Based on the streets of Paris, this palette includes 16 luxurious shades with 4 different finishes which I am dying to get my eyelids into. I love working with eyeshadow and creating different looks and with being a very big fan of the Lancome Hypnose eyeshadow palettes, I already know this palette is going to work wonders. It’s going to be perfect for all occasions, building different looks and having LOTS of fun in the process.

Image sourced from http://www.lancome-usa.com/

My last lusting piece at the moment is the Laura Mercier Gift Collection. Holy mother of God have you seen the gift sets this year from this wonderful woman?! Christmas is gonna be gooooood. From a luxurious brush set, to a dreamy 12 set eyeshadow palette, a master class colour essentials kit which includes everything you could ever need is absolutely to die for. There’s just too much to talk about and I’m getting too excited AH. If you want to know exactly what I’m drooling over then head over here and hopefully accompany me in the drooling game.

What do you have your beady little eyes on this winter? Have I made you drool? Because right now there’s a puddle underneath my laptop…

The Skincare Edit…

So recently I’ve been going a bit skin care crazy, which I guess isn’t totally a bad thing? And with premium skin care, you do usually feel like you’re close to taking out a mortgage when you get to the check out. But fear not my friends, these three skin care products I have been loving will not completely empty your purse!

So first up its Mrs Una Brennan and her excellent exfoliator…I wish I bought more of her products when I was having a real rough time with my skin because everything I’ve bought from her collection, I have LOVED. I feel like it’s all real, with true ingredients. This exfoliator and I are getting on like a house on fire. I use this around three times a week, which leaves my skin feeling fresh, clean and, well, exfoliated? My skin has cleared relatively well, since using this product.

Next up is another Una Brennan product. This is her clay face mask. I saw the beautiful Miss Estee Lalonde reccomend this product in one of her videos which gave me that little jump to buy it. At first when I applied it to my face, I could feel a weird burn that panicked me a little. But when I checked the ingredients to see if I could find one I didn’t recognise but I was left with true ingredients that was probably actually doing something for my skin. After one use I found that my skin felt INCREDIBLE. Just so fresh and clean and AIRY. I did break out after using this product, which I won’t lie, it was a pretty bad one which took a while to clear! But I carried on using this face mask, which after a couple more uses, really worked well with my skin. The burning sensation has now stopped…A definite product to put straight in your basket 😉

Last but not least is a neutrogena 2-in-1 face wash and mask. This is excellent. If you’re looking for a product which you just want to clean your face when you’re in the shower, which actually cleans your skin and digs deep into those pores, then this is your pal. I like to leave this on a good 5 minutes in the shower, which I feel really opens my pores and digs deep into my skin cleaning out all the dirt. When I wash it off my skin feels UNREAL. Kind of like when you bite into a really strong chewing gum and you get that overpowering flavour of mint that even clears your nostrils, the feeling is pretty similar but with your skin if you could ever imagine that….? No? Best buy the face wash then!!

What are you loving for you skin at the moment? Do you find everything you want in the drug stores? Or is SpaceNK still the one?