22/52 - Cinema, Salads and the Seaside



This week has been a reminder of why it's important to take note of all the happy things life has to offer. Our week was thrown up in the air when we had to head back to Bournemouth for a family emergency, and it served as a reminder of why we should be making the most of every day, and savouring the happy things.

We were planning on coming back next week anyway, and it's been nice to be at home, I just wish it had been under better circumstances!

Let's talk about happy things shall we?
  1. A lazy bank holiday spent with The Boy. We did very little and it was fantastic.
  2. Over the last week we rewatched all of the Harry Potter films. Despite being a total Potterhead, it's the first time I've watched all the films in order since the last movie came out. I irritated the boy all the way through by pointing out all my favourite book bits that didn't make the cut. 
  3. Cooking a midweek roast. I just love any food that's covered in gravy.
  4. Treating myself to the latest Jamie Oliver and Elle Decoration magazines, and curling up with a cup of peppermint tea to read them. Blissful.
  5. Receiving the most wonderful package in the mail from my friend Alexandra. I feel so lucky to have such wonderful friends! 
  6. Enjoying how beautiful Bournemouth is! I love driving around as the sun is low in the sky, and admiring how the sun shines in beams through the trees! It's so nice to be around so many trees!
  7. Being bought breakfast in bed by the boy! He's a good'un really!
  8. Being back in my own bed. I don't have much stuff left in my room at my parents, so it always has a slight hotel-stay feel to it, now that all my teenage clutter has disappeared. My bed is SO much comfier than our London bed (damn you furnished flat), and I always sleep so well at home. Until I get woken up by the birds at 4am. I can sleep through traffic and sirens, but birds? Not a chance.
  9. The tastiest salad in the world! I picked up some lunch from the Sainsbury's salad bar this week and it was so incredibly delicious!
  10. Spending the day down on the beach with my Dad, his dad and my sister. I see a lot of my mums parents because they live in an annexe on my parents house, but I don't see much of my Grandad on my dads side. We went for lunch down at the seafront and generally had a really nice day.
  11. Listening to the rain fall first thing in the morning whilst I'm still cosied up in bed. I think it's one of my favourite things in the whole world!
  12. Last night my dad, sister, Con and I all headed out to the cinema to see the new Disney movie Tomorrowland. It's so nice to get to do stuff with my family, I get to see my mum a lot but I don't get as much time with my dad and sister!
I hope you've all had a great week! x

5 Things I Won't Travel Without


This week all our plans got thrown up in the air when we had to jump in the car and head back to Bournemouth for family stuff, and in turn, so did my blog schedule. I stupidly hadn't prepped any photos at all (I normally have photos taken a week in advance), so now I'm stuck in Bournemouth with just the beauty bits I grabbed in a hurry. So look forward to a week of posts about the same products, potentially. Maybe I'll have to go shopping...

I digress, anyway the point is, it got me thinking about how I pack my beauty bits, and I realised that no matter where I'm going, why I'm going there, or how long I'm going for, there's five things that always make the cut.

First up, the Caudalie Beauty Elixir, I even have a mini one especially for travelling. I'm not sure why I feel the need to have this to hand wherever I am, because it's definitely a bit of a 'princess' product, but I just love it. It's cooling and soothing on the skin, the scent is really calming whether you're spritzing before bed or when you're feeling stressed, and it's just nice. I just like it.

The Body Shop's Aloe Lip Care has been a favourite of mine for a long time now, I even have a second tube now for in my handbag. This is just the best lip balm for travel, it's got a squeezy tube applicator so it's hygenic, it's fast to absorb for applying before lipstick, but it's also incredibly intense, so it's great if you have really sore, chapped lips. A good all rounder.

I never go anywhere without the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, it's my go to for travel. This is just fab stuff, it's high coverage but looks natural not cakey, and it works equally well for undereyes or blemishes. It's just a perfect all in one, and it's so reliable. 

Speaking of NARS, I always pack the NARS Blush in Daydream, a pretty soft pink with a vein of subtle shimmer. This is one of those blushes that just transforms the cheek, you don't need to pair it with bronzer contour or highlight, just sweep this on and you're good to go. It goes with pretty much every eye and lip look too! I wear this all the time, it's probably my all time favourite blush!

It's hard to pack lip products when you don't know what you'll be doing, but the Bite Beauty Luminous Cream Lipstick in Fig always ends up in my makeup bag. It's the perfect 'your lips but better' lipstick, pretty and pink, creamy but long lasting and just so beautiful.

What products can you not bear to travel without?

What's On My Face - The Everyday Look


I feel like I only show you a makeup look if it's something super exciting and different, but actually, my everyday look deserves the spotlight too!

I'm currently loving a really neutral look right now, something super simple! I've been downing brushes too, and opting for products I can smear on with my hands! 

I've gone back to the NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser because it's one of only two bases that matches my skin shade right now! It's perfect for everyday though, light on the skin and incredibly natural looking but covers the essentials! I was lucky enough to receive a package from my lovely friend Alexandra, where I found the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer in Brightener, and the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Skintuitive 12 Hour Blush in Energy, and I can see myself using these into the ground. The concealer is perfect for battling my under eye circles, whilst the blush is absolutely perfect for achieving that 'natural' flush to the cheeks!

I've been keeping eyes simple, using my fingers to spread the shade Frisk from the Urban Decay Naked 2 Basics Palette across my lid, and the shade Skimp up on the brow bone and in the inner corners. A thin line of the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper across the lashine to add definition, no wing or anything fancy, just a tiny line, and two coats of the Urban Decay Perversion Mascara, which is good for length but doesn't do a whole lot in the volume department. Since I had my brows done again this week, I've been able to just comb them through with the Blink Eyebrow Gel to add a touch of definition and hold them in place.

And on the lips I've been opting for a neutral gloss, like the L'Oreal Colour Riche Extraordinaire in 500 Moloto Mauve. Just adds a little colour and shine!
What are your daily go tos right now?

Upping My Eyeshadow Game




Ever since this fateful night when I stepped out of my comfort zone with a jewel blue eyeshadow and LOVED it, I've been feeling the urge to break out of my champagne-shimmer and neutral-brown shadow rut. Don't get me wrong, I love a good neutral eye, but life's too short to only wear brown eyeshadow.

I've made some progress, by playing with a few darker, smokier looks still in the neutral zone, but now I'm feeling ready to step out of my comfort zone and play with some colour. 

This is where you come in! I want to know how you incorporate colour into your eye looks, inspire me! Do you stick to neutrals, do you like a pop of coloured liner, or are you brave enough to rock an out and out coloured lid look? What products do you love for getting a bit of colour? Enable me, ladies.

Are you a neutral shadow lover, or are you a little more daring?

Tips For Overnight Packing




I deem packing for an overnight trip right up there with picking what sides to order with your pizza (it's always garlic bread and wedges in the end), trying to find a matching pair of socks and concealing my under eye circles. It's tricky. 

When packing for just one night, the aim of the game is packing as little as possible, and sometimes taking a full face just for a day seems excessive. But for someone like me, who is totally addicted to makeup, leaving behind a handful of steps just isn't an option. Of course, it depends on where you're going, but you know, a girl's gotta have options. So here are my top tips for keeping your luggage as light as possible. 

  • Put together your makeup & skincare bags as you get ready the morning you leave. This will ensure you don't forget anything, if you pack as you go along.
  • Pack miniatures wherever possible, especially those single use sachets you think you'll never use, perfect for chucking out after using them! I have a giant box where I put every sample and mini product I can lay my hands on, and reserve them solely for travel!
  • Go brush free where you can. A foundation that blends in nicely with your fingers, cream cheek and eye products, that sort of thing. Brushes can really bulk up your bag, so avoid them where possible!
  • Pick your foundation based on what's compact and travel friendly. For example, I'd pass over something like the YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat foundation, a large heavy glass bottle, for something like the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua or Jouer Matte Moisture Tint, a small compact plastic number. 
  • Sacrifice what you can. Do you really need blush, contour, bronzer and highlight? Do you need a twelve shadow eye palette? I tend to opt for just a shimmery blush and cream shadow instead, and go more simple. 
  • Invest in a mini hairbrush. I love the compact Tangle Teezer! It'll save you a ton of room, and comes in handy for windy days too. 
  • Check what's in your handbag. If you're anything like me, you'll probably have a powder, a concealer and about thirty lip products in there too. Don't pack what you're already carrying in a different bag!
  • Pack multipurpose products. Cream blushes you can use on your lips, an eyeshadow you can use as contour and to fill in your brows. That kinda thing. 
  • Think twice before you pack. I once found myself packing my hairdryer, straighteners, shampoo and conditioner, styling cream and heat spray for an overnight stay, before realising I'd done my hair that morning. I took it all out, and chucked in a bottle of dry shampoo. Just think about it. 
  • When all else fails, deploy a five product face, like this one!

What are your tips for overnight travel?

Not A Hat Person


 This hat was purchased on a whim (pushed by Daphne), on a day where I thought I could be like a proper blogger. I would wear a floppy wide brim hat, prance around London eating macarons, and taking perfect Insta-snaps of blooming cherry blossoms. What I failed to realise was that the blooms have long gone, I don't like macarons, and, alas, I don't look good in hats.

I'm not quite sure what it is, but I just don't feel comfortable in hats. I plop anything, a beanie or a sunhat on my head, and instantly become awkward and weird and kind of like Chandler when he's in front of a camera. It's not a good look. 

What this means is that, sadly, I can count the number of times this hat has made it passed the front door of my flat on one hand.



I've not quite grasped dressing for this weird in between season yet. England can't seem to make up it's mind what the weather will be like, so stepping outside means preparing for brisk winds and overcast skies, random patches of blistering sun, and the occasional downpour. I think the key is layers, I had a denim jacket and sunglasses in my bag, and both came in handy throughout the day.

I'm also not so good at dressing for the casual days. I've always been a jeans and a tee sorta gal, but these days I want to feel a little more put together, even if I'm only popping to Starbucks for a Lime Refresha, or out for a picnic lunch with The Boy. This is one of my only go to outfits for such occasions!

TOP - MANGO // SKIRT - PRIMARK // HANDBAG - URBAN OUTFITTERS // BELT - ASOS // SANDALS - PRIMARK // HAT - H&M // BRACELET - TIFFANY & CO

The Video: Products I've Used Up







Back again, this time with the classic, sit down and babble to the camera about errr.... my trash. Not as weird as it sounds, I promise.

I love these kind of videos because I really feel like once you've used up a whole product, you can give the best opinion on it! Prepare yourself for a lot of hair products and mascara!

What have you used up lately?

Worth The Hype? Zoeva Rose Gold Brushes














I think it's fair to say that these brushes have reached something of a cult status amongst beauty bloggers and lovers alike, not least for their shiny rose gold hardware. I resisted the urge to pick up this set for the longest time, but after chucking out a few brushes and identifying a few gaps within my brush wardrobe, I decided to pick these up, a 10% off code sweetening the deal.

Zoeva have recently bought out a new version of this brush set, but I went for the original, I prefer the brush selection in this one, and I slightly prefer the black handles to cream. The set contains eight brushes and comes with a beautiful brown leather pouch to store it in, complete with matching rose gold hardware.

So the brushes! There's a mix of face and eye, natural and artificial bristle brushes in the set, and I honestly can't think of any other brushes you'd need!

106 Powder Brush - Good for powder as the name would suggest, the super soft synthetic fibres pick up the perfect amount of powder so that things don't look cakey. I also like this one for bronzer, getting right up under the cheekbones and it blends colour out a treat if you go overboard with the blush.

102 Silk Finish - Possible the perfect foundation brush? This rounded top brush is the perfect shape and size for really blending foundation into the skin for a natural, streak-free finish.

110 Face Shape - The only one I struggled to find a use for. This is nice for under eye concealer, and also for cream highlight and contour products!

127 Luxe Sheer Cheek Brush - A small, natural, tapered bristle brush. This works equally well with contour and blush, it's the perfect size for getting under the cheekbones, or for dusting over the top. It blends product in a treat, leaving a really natural finish.

142 Concealer Buffer - Again, as the name would suggest, perfect for buffing in concealer. This works both under the eyes and on blemishes, and really creates a seamless concealed look.

227 Luxe Soft Definer - A perfect MAC 217 dupe, amazing for packing colour onto the lid and blending it in too. An eye essential.

231 Luxe Petit Crease - I actually prefer this for getting shadow along my lashline as opposed to the crease, the firm tapered bristles are perfect for creating a soft powder liner look. 

317 Wing Liner - I like this for gel liner, but I prefer it for filling in my brows! It's dinky enough to be perfect for the job!

So the verdict? Absolutely worth every penny. Especially when you compare it to something like the Real Techniques Bold Metals Brushes that are £25 for one and nowhere near as good.

At around £55 you're getting a lot of bang for your buck, and this really is an entire brush collection, you don't really need anything else! I am in love with every single one of these brushes!

What are your favourite brushes?


London Eats: MEATliquor


 This place can be a real mixed bag, and it's worth keeping in mind you will either love or hate it. 

There's no reservations so you can expect around a thirty minute wait, any evening of the week. If you go for lunch you'll often be seated straight away, but the food is never quite as good. 

MEATliquor has an outdoor queue covered with heaters to keep you warm, but it's unlikely you'll wait more than ten minutes there, they usually move you to the bar area when you have about 20 minutes to go. This means if there's more than two of you, your table will be ready by the time you've got your drinks.

The cocktails are tasty, and the bar staff will make a bit of a show of preparing them, but you're essentially paying around £8 for two mouthfuls of drink and a glass of ice, so I generally stick with bottles of beer/cider which all tend to be around the £4.50 mark. 

To say the atmosphere in MEATliquor is unique is an understatement. The decor looks like it was executed by graffiti enthused pirates, and it's exceptionally loud, a place to avoid if you like intimate conversation or dislike rock music. The majority of tables are large, so if you're a smaller group you can expect to be seated with another party. Be wary if you're seated under the domed section of ceiling too, the design means that your conversation can be heard better by those on the other side of the room than those sat next to you. None of this is a bad thing, it's just worth bearing in mind, since it makes for a rather 'marmite' dining experience. 


Moving on to the main event, the food! This is a strictly eat with your hands sorta destination, all the food is served on giant trays, and you can expect to finish your burger with a good amount of grease and sauce dripping down to your elbows. Each table has a big roll of kitchen roll that comes in handy for mopping it all up, but hardly makes for a silver service experience. 

I can whole heartedly recommend the Dead Hippie Burger, but all of there burgers are delicious, cooked medium rare as standard, and served in brioche buns. I've tried a fair few of the sides (cheese fries, dead hippie fries, chilli cheese fries, onion rings, fried pickles, chicken wings, Mac & cheese) and they were all delicious, but it's worth keeping in mind that the portion size is enormous. Particularly the onion rings, which look like they started life as giant genetically modified onions the size of a boxers fist. 

The service in MEATliquor is stretched thin, you can expect to have to haul in a server for your bill at the end of the meal. They're always lovely, their just stretched thin. 

Other notable things, it's cramped quarters and always rammed, expect to be rubbing shoulders with everyone. There's a photo booth that you can purchase tokens for at the bar, which gets a good rep. 

Overall, it's definitely an experience, the food is good, but it's not something you need to repeat more than once or twice. There are other burger joints in London with better service, food, and an atmosphere better suited to being able to hear yourself breathe. 

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