Vintage Tea Rooms

I love any excuse for a little afternoon tea, it's one British tradition that I firmly believe in. However, if you indulge in a full afternoon tea spread too regularly, it doesn't remain such a treat, so sometimes you've gotta go a little more simple.

I've popped into the Vintage Emporium a few times since it opened (it's walking distance from my house so it's a great spot for mid afternoon procrastination), a treasure trove of vintage wonders, but I'd never visited the attached tea rooms.

So on Sunday I rounded up the family (they all answer the call of tea and cake), and we pottered down for a little afternoon indulgence.

After a good rummage through the treasures of the store (I fell in love with a typewriter, apothecary chest and all the vintage rings, my mum and sister were eyeing up cinema seats and baby furniture, whilst my dad reminisced over old copies of Dandy), we settled in for tea.

I love when a company follows through on a theme, and walking into the Vintage Tea Rooms there's no denying they've done just that. Full of chintz armchairs, seventies sideboards and lampshades that I can't imagine anyone under the age of seventy owning, it could just as easily be called the Time Warp Tea Rooms.

Even the till is an old beauty, and the teabags stores in jars, and cakes encased in glass bells keeps the vintage theme alive and well throughout.

As not much of a traditional English Breakfast Tea Drinker, I was pleased to spot a few Teapigs jars nestled on the shelf, I opted for the Superfruit whilst my mum had a pot of camomile. It was only 20p more for a pot than a cup, an obvious choice for any tea fanatic (plus the pots were just so darn cute).

My sister opted for a classic cream tea, served with two Scones, fresh strawberry jam and scrummy clotted cream (a bargain at only £4.70 for all). My dad went for the breakfast tea too, and the both of us succumbed to the draw of the Victoria Sponge Cake, which was incredibly moist and intensely sweet. My mum opted for the vegan brownie, which had inexplicably disappeared before my sister even got her scones.

I love that everything was served in mismatched vintage tea cups and pots, I fell in love with my cup and didn't want to leave it behind! The little touches were there too, old style sugar scoops and a set of silver coasters I remember my grandparents having.

If you're ever in the Bournemouth area and looking for a good pot of tea, look no further!

A Taste of Spa

Any product that helps me relax is good stuff in my book, and the new Body Shop Spa of The World collection aims to do exactly that. For the last few weeks I've been putting a few things from the collection through it's paces and the verdict? If you're after luxury, look no further. 

Let's start with the product that intrigued me the most, the Himalayan Charcoal Body Clay. Charcoal has been used in skin care treatments for hundreds of years, particularly within Asian cultures. It's usually used to draw out impurities from the skin, as well as having de-stressing and calming properties. Now, I'll be real with you here, this is messy stuff, best applied and removed in a hose-downable setting, and it's a bit weird too. Just like a charcoal mask for your face, this stuff sets before you wash it off. But once you get past the weirdness, it's an awesome product, it's calming to use, like being in a spa for a treatment, and it really helps to keep your skin looking tip top. 

I've never owned a massage oil before, but I've been trying out the French Lavender Massage Oil and oh my what was I missing. Lavender has been used as a sleep aid for centuries (even by royalty, with Kin Charles VI demanding pillows stuffed with fresh lavendar), and is there anything more relaxing than a massage? Whilst in an ideal world, I'd have my boyfriend give me a fantastic back massage with this to send me off to sleep each night, it's just as effective when I give myself a mini pre-snooze foot massage. It's hydrating and luxurious, and the smell sets me up for a night of deep sleep.

And lastly, the Japanese Camellia Cream Body Cream, which might just be my favourite. I'm really not good with body moisturisers, in essence because I just can't be bothered to go to the effort of slathering my whole body in product (I'm 5"10 so it takes a while), and then sitting still to let it sink in. This stuff however, may have just changed my mind. It's thick and almost slightly whipped in texture, and it sinks into the skin beautifully fast. Camillia Oil is renowned for it's hydrating properties, it's been used by Japanese women for over a thousand years to soften and moisturise the skin, and you can really feel those benefits in this product. I defy anyone to dislike the smell too, it's so delicious. It's the most luxurious product I own!

This line gets a big thumbs up from me! 

What are your favourite at home spa products?

35/52 - Wardrobes, Work and Family Time

I feel like the weeks are FLYING by, and that it wasn't that long ago that I was constructing last weeks post. WHERE ARE THE DAYS GOING MY FRIENDS. IT WON'T BE LONG TIL WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE C WORD.

This week has been a bit meh. Maybe it's this great British Summer we're having (read: torrential downpours), but things just feel a bit meh.

It's weeks like this that I especially appreciate these posts for reminding me of all the good things.

1. On Monday morning I finally got my mitts on a Lorac Pro Palette! My wonderful friend Tami got her mama to pick me up one from the States and man am I in love.
2. Tuesday saw an impromptu visit from my youngest cousins, I don't see them all that often even when I'm home since they live around forty minutes away on the other side of town. I somehow ended up with child amusement duties for a couple of hours, which basically translated to two hours of bouncing children on the trampette, but they were so happy and giggly, it left me in a good mood for the rest of the day!
3. We had to nip back to London for the day this week which meant a 4am start, not so happy, but it did also mean four hours uninterrupted time in the car catching up with my dad.
4. Getting back to the flat for a few hours, to find press packages! They're the best surprises! 
5. A cheeky meal at Five Guys. Burgers at their best.
6. I had my first Shakeaway in over two years, and it was just as good as I remembered, even though it was dairy free.
7. Staying the night at Connors house, and spending an hour sat around the table chatting with his family, it was good fun having a catch up!
8. A sneaky Friday morning breakfast with my parents at our favourite hang out. Giant fry ups do wonders for motivation levels.
9. Connor has left to go to a family wedding in Spain for the week, which is definitely NOT a happy thing, but it has put my productivity levels through the roof! My room has never looked so tidy!
10. Saturday night pizza & tv with the family. Doesn't get better than that.

Have a great week guys! x

Putting On The Spritz

I have yet to find a Soap and Glory product that I don't like, and so it's taken up residence as one of my favourite brands, and one of my most recommended. They just seem to hit the mark every time, with their pocket-friendly prices, beautiful formulas and oh-so-delicious scents!

The latest Soap and Glory product to drop into my mailbox was the body spray range, five iconic Soap and Glory scents, bottled up into handbag-friendly packaging, ready to take on the go.

If you're a Soap and Glory fan already you'll be familiar with the scent line up already, but here's the line up!

My personal favourite from the range is Orangeasm, a fresh and fruity mix of Green Mandarin, fresh Lemon, Mint & Bergamot. It's so super fresh, the perfect scent for when you get hot and sweaty out and about!

Mist You Madly is one for any floral lovers out there, undertones of Mandarin and Bergamot, mixed with Cardamom, Magnolia, Sandalwood, Freesia and sweet sweet Vanilla. It's warm and floral, and the perfect autumn scent.

Original Pink is as it would suggest, Soap and Glory's signature scent. A Rosey scent with hints of Strawberry, Jasmine and Bergamot, I can't imagine anyone disliking this scent.

Sugar Crush is one for the sweet scent lovers, Vanilla musk mixed with sweet Lime and Ginger, a delicious fragrance, but definitely not for the faint hearted. 

And last but not least, Fruitigo, another one that I can't see anyone not liking. A yummy mix of Wild Fig, Yuzu and Pomelo Essence, it's a very ladylike scent!

As far as I'm concerned, they're all winners in this collection, and at £4 a bottle, you can afford to splash out on a few!

What's your favourite Soap and Glory scent?

Stationery Loves

I'm a total stationery fiend, it doesn't matter how many notebooks I have, I can never resist buying just one more. I've currently got a line up of stationery stars that are just getting the job done, and I thought I'd share them with you.

I got my new Erin Condren Planner back at the end of July and I'm in love. My previous one was getting a little on the bulky side, so I'm making a conscious effort to keep this one as slim as possible. I'm not a particularly 'pink' sorta girl (not that you'd know by this photo) but I love the pretty pink swirly cover, it makes me so happy to look at. I did a post a few months back on how I used my previous Erin Condren, but if you're interested I could do an updated one in the 2016 planner? 

I'm not really an M&S shopper but their stationery line is something to sit up and take note about. I picked up these pretty gold bulldog clips, super handy for keeping files organised, and marking pages in some of my bigger notepads. I also picked up this 'Today I am Mostly' notebook, which has pretty lined list pages, perfect for jotting down which blog posts I need to work on, and writing shopping lists.

I've been after one of these Rifle Paper Co To Do List pads for the longest time, and finally got my mitts on one a few weeks back. It's so pretty, and perfect for making my master to do list, to slip inside my planner at the beginning of the week.

And lastly, a little shout out to this bunting washi tape from MT, I've been covering everything in it and it feels so festive!

What's In My Bag - The All Day Edition

When I headed up to London for the day on Saturday, I wanted to have all the essentials with me, but I also didn't want to be lugging a giant bag around all day. I was out of the house for over 17 hours, so I needed a fair few things, but I managed to condense it all into one bag.

The bag in question is this simple black bucket bag that came from Primark of all places. I'd been on the hunt for a bucket bag for ages when I spotted this, I was struggling to find one that wasn't covered in weird chains or fringing. It was a mere £9 and I can fit so much in it.

So, the contents!

My iPhone 6: an obvious essential.

Card wallet: an Accessorize purchase that's perfect for space saving, just big enough for a few essential cards, and a little cash.

Camera: the Canon 550d with a 40mm lens. 

iPad Mini: for reading and writing on the train.

Portable phone charger & wall plug: because I'm on social media so much I'm guaranteed to run out of battery.

Spare camera battery: just in case.

iPod & Beats Heartbeats 2 Headphones: to drown out crying babies and shouty football fans on the train.

Rifle Paper Co Notebook & Pen: for making notes and planning blog posts.

The Happy Reader Magazine: in case I get bored of reading books.

Antibac Wipes: because you just never know.

Lip Balm: because I have the dryest lips ever, I love the Avene Cold Cream for Lips.

Bath and Bodyworks Hand Sanitizer: because London is dirty.

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer: for touch ups, this applies nicely over powder for undereyes and blemishes.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir: for refreshing the skin, this came in handy in the 31 degree heat.

Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder: to combat shine.

Sephora Monoi Flower Mini Perfume: to stay fresh.

Nurofen Tablets: in case of headaches.

Compeed Blister Plasters: because shoes rub when you spend 17 hours walking around London.

Hair Pins: in case my hair all falls down.

Frosties Cereal Bar: for hunger purposes.

Naked Green Machine Smoothie: for breakfast!

What are your all day bag essentials?

What's On My Face: The Bloggers Market

After my 5.30am start on Saturday morning, I knew I was going to need some heavy duty products to see my through til my 11pm home time.The aim of the makeup game was long lasting makeup, that wouldn't require touch ups, and would photograph well. Not too much to ask, hey?

The obvious base option was the MAC Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation, a product that needs no primer, offers medium to full coverage and lasts all day, no matter what. This stuff excelled itself, still looking good despite 31 degree heat, lots of running around on the underground and a 17 hour day. I used the Maybelline Eraser Concealer to help it out under the eyes, and set my t-zone with a tiny bit of the Makeup Forever Ultra HD Setting Powder. I didn't have to touch up my base at all all day, I call that a result!

For the eyes I pulled out an old favourite, my NARSissist Palette, and opted to take the shade Ashes To Ashes all over the lids. It's a beautiful smokey taupe shade that requires no help to look super pretty on the lid. I used my Kat Von D Tattoo Liner for a simple winged liner look, and added a coat of my Makeup Forever Smoky Lash Extravagant Mascara. I then went in with the Eylure x Fleur de Force 'Simply Fleur' Lashes, a simple day lash that just added a bit of subtle definition. I filled in the sparse bits of my brows with the Soap and Glory DIY Archery Brow Bar just to make them all even!

Cheeks were a simple affair, I wanted something that looked natural, but was still visible at the end of the day. I went with the Tarte 12 Hour Amazonian Clay Blush in Fearless, to add a pretty pink flush, and a touch of The Balm's Mary Lou Manizer Highlight on the tops of the cheekbones.

And for lips, I just went for my Fresh Sugar Petal Lip Treatment, simple and pretty, and easy to touch up on the go.

What makeup look have you been going for recently?

Rhodes Photo Diary

 I wasn't expecting much of Rhodes in all honesty, but it won me round in all of about 20 minutes, after I found a Sephora and a Starbucks that sold Berry Hibiscus Refreshas. I was expecting a really tacky touristy town, and whilst there were definitely a few areas like that, there was also a lot that wasn't.

We left the ship and meandered around the coastline, admiring the wares in the little seaside 'market', little shopping boats moored to the promenade that you could hop on to explore. My mum and I were totally fascinated by the coral sponges, buckets and buckets of them, being sold at such a cheap price.

The sea in this part of the Mediterranean is so inviting (if you ignore all the fish), it's so clear, yet so blue at the same time. We all had a little dip to cool off from the heat, and it couldn't have been more welcome. 

 The old town was fairly similar to Dubrovnik, wrapped in a large city wall and filled with tiny narrow side streets. I honestly just enjoyed stumbling around the city, exploring the different areas and little stores. I fell in love with all the Aladdin-esque lamps, and a handful of stray kittys too (unfortunately I didn't have enough room in my luggage for either).

The town was busy, and a lot of the stores were fairly touristy, but there were a lot of gems hidden in there too. After a lazy lunch of fresh tzatziki, tomato salads and chunks of crusty bread, we did a little shopping (I splurged in Sephora and picked up a little bracelet too), swam in the sea, and headed back to the ship for sail away cocktails. 

The No Maintenance Hair Product

I love having swishy just-got-back-from-the-salon-esque hair as much as the next girl, but sometimes I just don't have the time, and my natural hair lives in a state of untamable curls, waves and frizz, and leaves a lot to be desired. 

I'm always on the hunt for the perfect hair product, particularly one that requires minimum effort on my part (show me someone who enjoys styling their hair every morning and I'll eat my hair tie collection). Most recently, the Bumble and Bumble Don't Blow It (H)air Styler came to my attention, and I've been putting it through the ringer.

It took me a while to figure out how much of this stuff to use, but I find an amount about the size of a 20p coin is perfect. I distribute it through the midlengths of my damp hair, after towel drying it a little, and use my fingers to really comb it through evenly. Leave my hair to dry naturally either down, or in a bun or braid, and that really is it. It stops my hair from being frizzy, and just gives my natural curl a bit of a calm down.

No, this isn't going to give you freshly blow dryed hair without the effort, but nothing will. What it will do, is make your hair's natural state a little tamer, and I can definitely get on board with that.

What's your favourite no effort haircare product?

34/52 - Burger King, Blogging Friends and Bed Days

This post is coming at you late this week, because yesterday I decided I deserved a day off. After a busy week, and then leaving the house at 6.45am on Saturday, and not return until 11pm, I was pretty much exhausted. So yesterday I ignored my to do list and did nothing. It was blissful.

This week has been busy and drizzly, but happy too. I've made a lot of time for the good things, if only every week was like it!

1. I woke up on Monday morning to sweet words from Lola. Sometimes, the blogging community is so gosh darn lovely.
2. Connor and I finally set up a joint bank account for bills, rent and food shopping, does this make me a proper adult now? 
3. On Tuesday I felt really run down, so mid afternoon my mum and I stopped working, pulled out the blankets and snuggled down on the sofa to watch Eat Pray Love. Not the best film in the world, but it was good to recharge and I now want to travel to Bali to stay at a yoga retreat. 
4. I had a late night Burger King craving and I decided to go with it. I hadn't had a Burger King in over two years but it was just as delicious as I remember.
5. Con and I played chauffeur to my dad and his friends on Thursday, and had an hour to kill at 9.30pm. There's pretty much nothing open at that time so we settled down with a cup of coffee in McDonalds in Southampton. They have tablets built into the tables that you can play games on, and we had a right old giggle.
6. I visited The Bloggers Market on Saturday and raided Carrie's wardrobe. That girl has impeccable taste.
7. I also got my hair braided, and had a little illustration done of me. It's the cutest thing ever, and I want to frame it, but I'm worried about appearing a little vain!
8. I finally got to meet Allie & Jordan, was reunited with my best girl Daphne, and put the world to rights with the lovely Natasha and Katy. Blogging friends are the absolute best.
9. Spending most of Sunday in bed. Bed is great, everyone should spend more time in bed.
10. Sneaking out mid afternoon on my lazy day to have tea and cake with Con and my sister. Tea is the only thing worth getting out of bed for.

I hope you are all having a happy Monday so far! x

A Moisturiser I Love and One I Don't

About six weeks ago I shook up my skincare routine, and switched my moisturisers out. It was a long time coming since I'd gotten into a bit of a skincare rut, and my skin really needed a change.

In the mornings, I've been using the Ole Henrikson Sheer Transformation Moisturiser, a lightweight moisturiser marketed for all skin types. The formula is incredibly light, and it feels super silky on the skin. It absorbs into the skin quickly, making it a perfect pre-makeup step. Despite being lightweight it still gives a good boost of moisture to the skin. The longer I use this stuff, the more I like it, it's helped brighten my skin and reduce the appearance of the little bit of hyper-pigmentation around my cheeks.

The story doesn't go so well for the Hydraluron Moisture Jelly though. I picked this up when I ran out of my evening moisturiser after hearing lots of good things, but I can't see why so many people like it. It's supposed to be formulated to give skin maximum moisture absorption, but this just sits on top of my skin and sets, it doesn't sink in at all. I can apply this and run my hand across my cheek an hour later and it'll roll off, kind of like when you were younger and you put PVA glue on your hands. Disappointing.

Have you tried any of these products?

5 Easy Ways to Add Volume To Your Hair

1. Do your prep work. There's no use expecting volume if you're using a shampoo and conditioner combo that's not up to the task. Anything with 'hydrating' or 'moisturising' in the title, or something with a ton of silicones in will weigh the hair down and make it much flatter. There are a ton of products on the market for volume, but my personal favourite is the John Frieda Luxurious Volume 7 Day Volume line. The shampoo is light and cleansing, whilst the conditioner hydrates and gives the hair a healthy sheen, without weighing it down.
2. Don't overload your hair with product, pick one to do the job. A lot of the time we are so desperate to create volume, we pack our hair with product, and only succeed in making hair stiff and crunchy. Pick a product that doesn't need any help giving lift and texture. I like the Bumble and Bumble Thickening Creme, but more recently I've been using the John Frieda Luxurious Volume 7 Day In Shower Treatment. You apply this like a mask whilst you're still in the shower, and rinse it out before blow drying as normal, and it just gives your hair that slightly thicker, grittier texture with a bit more hold.
3. Blow dry those roots. There's a lot to be said for flipping your head when you're done with blow drying, and concentrating the heat on the roots for a minute or two. You'll look a bit nuts when you're right-side-up again, but those extra two minutes will give you a lot of lift and volume at the root.
4. Backcomb, backcomb, backcomb. Get in at the roots and tease your hair. You don't have to knot it to hell, just get a little body going at the top.
5. Don't forget to set. When you've spent all that time creating thick and bouncy hair, don't ruin it all by skimping on the hairspray. If you can, pick a hairspray that says 'weather proof' or 'anti-humidity' to make sure that the elements don't ruin your hard work.

How do you add volume to your hair?

Makeup To Stay All Day

Right now, I'm all about a simple makeup routine that I can apply at 7am and not have to worry about touching up at all. Ain't nobody got time for that. These are the products currently in residence in my makeup bag, and they're fitting the bill perfectly.

I start off with the MAC Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation, which I know I've been banging on about recently but I just really like it. This stuff is high coverage, but not thick, cakey, or uncomfortable on the skin, and it really does stay looking perfect all day. To help out, I also use the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer which will cover any imperfection with ease. Set the lot in place with the Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder, which just takes away any shine and holds the lot in place.

I have yet to find a cheek product that lasts as well as the Tarte 12 Hour Amazonian Clay Blushes, they really live up to the 12 hour name. I love the shade Fearless, it's the perfect natural, rosy cheek shade.

Complicated eye makeup is not on my radar right now, I'm loving anything that's simple and involves as few products as possible. When it comes to all day staying power, the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Creamy Beige sets down and stays put until you go at it with the makeup remover. As far as mascara goes, I didn't like the original Revlon Lash Potion Mascara, but I quite like the waterproof version. It's not as dry and flaky as the original, but it sets on the lashes and won't smudge or flake.

And lastly, a lipgloss isn't a traditional pick for longwearing lip colour, but the NARS Gloss in Mezmer gives a pretty pink shine, and wears down to leave a stain that won't budge. It's super natural looking, but just gives that hint of colour I love.

What are your longwearing makeup picks?

Little Things To Improve Your Day

I'm all for taking little steps every day, to make every day a little bit better. As someone much wiser than me once said (Ernest Hemmingway) "It's good to have something to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end." Truer words never spoken.

With that in mind, I've been keeping a little note in my planner, writing down little ways that I, and now you, can make every day a happier one. 

Switch off your phone. Whether it's for half an hour, or a whole morning, spending more time with our phones off can only be a good thing. Not only does not checking your phone every five minutes boost your productivity through the roof, it also is oddly relaxing. I make a point now of having phone free time every day.

Get outside. Whether it's making time for a morning run, taking your office into the garden, or just walking to the post office instead of hopping in the car, a little time in the great outdoors does wonders for the mindset. And every little bit of vitamin D helps too.

Read more. It doesn't have to be the entire works of Hemmingway (although, I'd recommend them), but even just taking a bit of time to consume carefully. Take some time to find new websites with articles you love, or that provoke thought, pick up a new magazine, or download a new book. Reading never did anyone any harm.

Exercise. Urgh, I know. But it really does improve your mood, productivity, and your health, so making time for a little something in your day is a good idea. I like to alternate one heavy cardio circuit, with a forty minute walk in the park, and a yoga session, so I'm doing something every day.

Engage your mind. So often we get dragged into the monotony of day to day life and don't really challenge our brains enough. Read an article that makes you think, play a game of Sudoko or pull out your old Nintendo for a bit of Brain Training. Even if it's something like colouring, it's good to get your brain working in different ways.

Make something you're doing pretty. Bear with me on this one, but hear me out. Make your bed, spend an extra ten minutes organising your breakfast into a perfect Instagram, or clear up your desk. If your environment is looking good, you'll feel better too, I promise.

Pamper Products to Make You Feel Like A Princess

I firmly believe that every girl deserves a bit of pamper time on a regular basis, but I'm rubbish at following my own rules. I've been trying my hardest to make a little more time for me recently, and I've assembled a crack team to get me feeling totally blissed out.

The first order of business is to run a big ol' bubble bath. I love having baths back at my parents house, because the bath is HUGE and it's one of very few baths where I don't have to pick whether I want my shoulders or legs submerged. I like a lot of bubbles, so I normally use a splash of the Arran Aromatics Lavender and Tea Tree Bath Gel, and also run my Lush Divination Bubble Bath. The lavender mixes with the Patchouli and Amber to create a beautiful, warm, woody fragrance that fills the room.

Of course, to set the mood before climbing in, you'll need a candle. I normally burn my Diptyque Pomander Candle with this bubble bar mixture, since the scents really compliment each other, but this time I went for the Arran Aromatics Just Grapefruit Candle, to add a little freshness to the room.

Now the whole point of a good bath is to spend a long time doing nothing, or if you're like me and you can't do just nothing, reading is normally the answer. I normally go for magazines, but I've been meaning to read The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up for ages, so on this occasion that's what I went for! 

When I've soaked and snoozed for long enough, I get into the pamper products. I'm obsessed with body scrubs right now, particularly this Seaweed and Mineral Salt Scrub from Arran Aromatics. It's thick and gritty, but not too harsh, smells amazing, and leaves my skin silky smooth. Plus, I love anything presented in Kilner Jars.

A new addition to my pamper routine is The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Body Clay Purifying Mask. Definitely messy and a little weird to get used to, but my skin looks and feels so much smoother since giving this a whirl! 

For the authentic bath time experience, a white waffle bath robe is a must for snuggling up in post-bubbles. I love this one because it's not too long, or too thick, so you can still wear it in the summer months without boiling, and for a bargain £6 in Primark, you can treat yo'self without feeling guilty!

And lastly, no pamper experience is complete without a post-bath moisturising sesh. I'm terrible at moisturising my body, but The Body Shop Japanese Camellia Cream is giving me the motivation to make it a regular occurance. This stuff is so thick and luxurious, but it absorbs really quickly, and doesn't leave you feeling sticky. Win!

What are your favourite pamper products?