Practising Self Care

One thing we all need a little more of in our lives is self care. We are quick to rush around keeping busy, but not so quick to offer ourselves the love and rest we deserve.

Right now, I'm all about grabbing moments of self care wherever possible - and I encourage you to do the same! 

Allow Yourself a Free Pass. 

To skip that night out you don't feel up to. To not feel guilty about leaving the dishes til tomorrow. To go to bed early. You deserve it. 

Stop Judging Yourself.

The past is the past, leave it be. Make positive decisions for your future, and let go of the guilt of bad decisions. Let how you proceed from this moment be what defines you.

Drink More Tea.

Not whilst staring at your phone, not whilst sat at your desk. Make yourself a cup of tea, snuggle up in your favourite spot and allow yourself the time to do nothing else.

Treat Yourself.

To a new pair of pyjamas, a cosy new blanket, or a fresh duvet set. Treat yourself to something that will enhance your relaxation time.

Try Mindful Meditation.

I always go on about Headspace but for good reason. Take ten minutes out of your day to simply be, without distraction.

Have More Baths.

Throw in a whole Lush bubble bar and go to town. 

Get Outside.

Walk your dog, your neighbours dog, or join Borrow My Doggy. Maybe this point should be called get a dog? 

Nourish Yourself.

Treat your body to something your body will enjoy. A green juice or a hearty homemade soup.

With love, hugs and internet brownies! x

Paris in Motion

It may have taken a while but I finally have my Paris Vlog live for you to see! Watch us career around Paris shopping and then deliriously make the trip home!

I'll have a big old Paris haul for you coming on Sunday - so keep your eyes peeled!

Thoughts On: Losing Your Mojo and (Hopefully) Finding It Again

Hello Internet friends, 

It's been a while since we've had a heart to heart, so settle in with a cuppa, cause I'm going to bare my soul to you on this grey Tuesday morning.

So, regular readers will know by now that the last few months have been kinda tough with family stuff going on. My Granddad was diagnosed with cancer back in December and in all honesty, he's not getting better, nor is he going to. And for me, I've somehow reached the ripe old age of 22 without losing anyone close to me, never mind being in this bizarre limbo land I'm currently in, where we are watching him slowly deteriorate. It's hard. It's really hard. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

I'm not telling you this for the sympathy vote, but rather because, this blog has always been about my life, and my life right now - well that's what it looks like right now. Life is panicking every time I miss a phone call from my mum. Life is spending all my spare time at home with my family. Life is not making any plans in advance because we don't really have a timeframe for this stuff. Life is tiring, hard and emotionally draining. Life is struggling to think of anything but what's going on at home. 

Right now everything just seems insignificant. I can't summon the motivation to do much other than be at home with my family. Everything has gone on hold because writing about makeup and clothes, or tweeting or filming or anything really - just feels a bit wrong. I haven't kept what's going on with my family a secret, but I've never really known how much it is appropriate to disclose. But I think I was forgetting that this blog, yes it's about you guys, the readers, but it's also about me. I've been so worried thinking about what you want to read, I forgot about writing what I want to write.

So I guess what I'm saying is - I'm not making any promises. I'm not promising to daily post. I'm not promising a weekly video. I'm not promising beauty, fashion and lifestyle content delivered in a neat little parcel. What I will do is create content that feels right, and content that does not feel like a chore to write.

Thank you for sticking with me. It's not been the greatest few months, but you guys are a nice little happy addition.

With love, hugs and internet brownies xxx

Starting The Week Off Right

Monday morning is always a tough one. It doesn't seem to matter that I generally work weekends too, I still seem to feel those Monday morning blues. For me, Monday sort of sets the gauntlet for the week ahead. A good Monday sets me up for a good week, where productivity reigns and I reach Sunday feeling pretty good about my accomplishments. A bad Monday though generally means I'll reach Sunday not really sure what happened in the days between, and knowing my to do list is no shorter.

So, since that's not really the ideal situation to be in, I try my very hardest to make my Mondays a success - and these are my top tips.

Start Slow.

Starting your day off rushing around, stressing about what you need to get done is not going to do you any good at all. But starting the day in a way that puts a smile on your face? Well that will. Whether it's whipping yourself up a tasty smoothie for the commute, making time for a quick yoga sesh, or just breakfast with your OH before cracking on, always start the week with something positive.

Plan your Attack.

Not just for the day, but for the week. I use this planner from Kikki.K. to jot down major tasks and meetings that I want to achieve on each day, and then do a more detailed to do list each morning. That way, you're not stumbling into the week blind! I always try to pick more enjoyable tasks for a Monday morning, like meetings or photography sessions, saving the more boring stuff for a Tuesday when my brain's a little more awake! 

Leave the Emails.

At least until the afternoon. Emails are like a black hole, they suck you in and before you know it the day's gone. I leave my inbox til Tuesdays, tackling anything urgent after lunch on Monday if need be. Instead, pick a task that will make you feel like you've achieved something when you can tick it off your list before your lunchbreak.

Reward Yourself.

For me, half of getting through Monday is knowing it will, in fact, end. Have something good planned as a reward for when you make it to the end of the working day. A glass of wine, a bubble bath, or a meal with friends - just something to look forward to when you're tackling something tedious.

What are your tips for surviving Mondays? 

10 Happy Things

This week has been so manic, that I've had to pull out my diary just to remember Monday. I've somehow hopped London-Italy-London-Paris-London-Bournemouth this week and man, have I had enough of public transport now. I'm also definitely harbouring the beginnings of a cold which I'll put down to all the planes and trains, so I'm looking forward to a restful Sunday.

It has, however, been a great week, full of lots of happy moments, so without further ado - ten happy things from the week past.

1. Arriving at Stansted airport at 9am Monday morning to find a Joe and The Juice through security - oh happy days! I ordered a Hangover Heaven which is definitely my favourite, a wake-me-up combo of apple, mint and elderflower. The perfect start to a busy week (along with a few cheeky duty free purchases!).

2. Landing in Genoa to beautiful blue skies, temperatures in the early twenties and palm tree lined streets - not a bad way to start your week!

3. Blagging an upgrade on my hotel room for the night - I ended up with a giant suite just for me! It was the first time I'd ever stayed in a hotel room alone, but the giant bed, big bath & marble table for photographs certainly helped make me feel at home!

4. Chowing down on the most delicious fresh pizza, and washing it down with a bottle of wine, I think that pizza has ruined all other pizzas for me for a while! Pizza is the best thing about Italy!

5. Shopping on the Champs-Élysées! I've never been before and it was certainly an experience! The blue skies, beautiful buildings and of course - Sephora! It was also a pretty easy trip to make, so perhaps I need to make a few more trips to the fair city!

6. Hanging out with my girl Allie in Paris - can we be best friends now please?

7. Paris Starbucks still has Berry Hibiscus Refreshas - my must favourite Starbucks order! I ordered a Venti in the world's worst french and the fluent English barista did a great job of not laughing in my face.

8. Coming home to see Con after three days away, and spending the evening in bed with takeout Wagamamas. It's the simple things, right?

9. Sneaking out on Friday night with my mum for a few drinks and a plate of nachos at a bar near our house. Catching up over beers isn't a bad way to end the week!

10. Cuddles with my sister's best friend little boy. He's such a cutie!

All in all - a very good week!

Here's to a wonderful week ahead for us all! x

Postcards from Paris

So if you follow me on Instagram (if you don't - go follow me now!) you'll know that I spent Wednesday with my wonderful friend Allie in Paris. I haven't been to Paris (other than Disney) for over ten years - so excited is an understatement, I was positively buzzing with happiness!

I'd never travelled on the Eurostar before and I actually really enjoyed the experience, it was relatively painless and the trains were surprisingly clean! We even enjoyed a cheeky bottle of wine on the way back and it didn't bankrupt us! 

Whilst we had our fair share of bad luck, it was the most amazing trip - we shopped our hearts out, admired the city and basked in the sunshine. We were super lucky with the weather, with clear blue skies and temperatures of 24c we couldn't have asked for anything better.

We ran out of time to do everything on our list, but we ticked off the important stuff! Galleries Lafayette, City Pharma, Laudurée, Sephora & Louis Vuitton on the Champs Élysées, L'arc de Triumph and of course Starbucks for the obligatory Starbucks city mug!

I couldn't not share a little photo album from the trip, there's a mix of camera, phone and Snapchat pictures in this post - but I know I'll cherish every single one! I'm looking forward to getting them all printed!

 I also got Allie to snap some outfit photos for me. I've linked everything up below but I really loved this outfit - I was super comfortable all day! 

Thank you to Allie for inviting me along, I had the best time, and I think the trip cemented our friendship! 

Keep your eyes peeled for a vlog of the trip on my channel tomorrow! 

JACKET - PRIMARK (IN STORES NOW) // TOP - ASOS // LEGGINGS - ASOS // BAG - REBECCA MINKOFF // SUNGLASSES - QUAY AUSTRALIA // SHOES - KURT GEIGER

The Awake Makers

As a perpetual sleep lover, I'm game for any product that will trick people into thinking I'm awake. Right now, I've got a crack team of products on hand to keep things looking fresh and bright, 

Starting with the Givenchy Wake Up Makeup Base, a blue toned primer that neutralises yellow tones and brightens things up. This is a little drier in consistency than I expected, but when buffed into the skin it really brightens things up. I like to mix a little of this in with a pump of the Too Faced Hangover X Primer, which gives the skin an extra boost of moisture, and leaves things looking plumper and happier. Together, they're a great mix.

I'd been neglecting my Benefit Erase Paste for a while, but I pulled it out of hibernation recently and fell back in love with it. I like to use this as an extra step before concealer, the peachy salmon tone helps neutralise darkness under the eyes, so that things look less sleep-deprived. 

I've tried a lot of different nude eyeliners, but none really stuck until I tried the Urban Decay 24/7 Waterline Eye Liner in Walk of Shame. This is creamy and easy to apply, rich in colour and super long lasting, a winner all round. This totally eliminates the redness in my waterline, which is half the battle when it comes to looking awake. 

I've been setting my makeup with the Nyx Radiant Finishing Powder, which brightens things up whilst colour correcting too. It's light and not cakey, but it makes a real difference to the way my skin looks!

And lastly, it ain't a face if it ain't got a whole lot of highlight. The Urban Decay Afterglow Highlight in Sin is my new ride-or-die highlight love, creamy and sheeny without being out and out sparkly, this stuff is divine.

And if you still need help, chuck on a bright lip! My pick is the MAC Retro Matte Lipstick in All Fired Up - which just makes my complexion pop! 

What are your makeup picks for a brighter complexion!

Evening Relaxation

I mentioned in this post that I have real trouble shutting off at night, I'm definitely a sufferer of 'busy brain'. To try and counteract it, I've gotten into the swing of a relaxation-friendly evening routine!

Starting off with a hot shower, using an Aromatherapy Associates Bath and Shower Oils, I slather it onto my skin, and let the steam fill the bathroom with the scent. It's a great way to clear the airways and centre the mind for a second. 

Post shower, I make myself a hot cup of tea, and then roll out my yoga mat for some gentle stretching. I find that a simple routine of a few poses just helps me loosen up and relax. I do a few Cat Cows, some Table Top Twists, a little time in Child's Pose and Happy Baby Pose, Pigeon, and then finishing off with Nightime Goddess. It's simple, won't let you break a sweat, and helps things feel a little comfier. Once I'm all Yoga-d out, I like to massage my legs and shoulders with a little Magnesium Oil, I find it helps soothe my aching muscles and calm me down - it's great for period pain too!

At this point I tend to find reading or watching tv keeps my brain too busy, so I tend to snuggle up with my colouring book for a moment or two. I find that concentrating on colouring keeps other stresses out of my brain!

When I'm ready for bed I get comfy, stick my Lumie Lamp on Sunset mode, and scribble in my 3am Journal. A few spritzes of my This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray, and snuggle down for a Headspace session with my Winter Glow Yankee candle - then it's off to sleep!

What's your go to relaxation routine? 

Little Ondine

I have a confession - and it's not pretty. 

I peel my nail polish off. 

All the time. In the shower, on the tube, if I'm lying in bed or at my desk. I can't help it, I just keep peeling. 

So when the team at Little Ondine got in touch and asked if I wanted to try their all natural nail polishes, with a peel off base coat, I said yes faster than you could say 'dirty beauty habit'. 

I picked out the shade Chai Latte, a gorgeous warm taupey brown that is the kind of colour I love wearing on a day to day basis. It took me a while to get used to these polishes, there's a definite knack to it! Base coat, two thick coats of colour and top coat seems to do the trick for a glossy, high-shine finish.

I love that they include a little mood board for each polish too, such a unique and useful idea!

And they really do peel straight off! Having been using this for a few weeks I can honestly say my nails feel stronger - which I'll put down to not having to use nail polish remover which strips the nails! It also takes all of about 30 seconds to remove, so it's super convenient too. I can imagine this would be great for people who can't wear nail polish to work or school, but want to wear it on the weekends, or if you like to change up your polish regularly! I also think this would be great for glitter polishes which are ALWAYS a pain to remove! 

These polishes are cruelty free, vegan and all natural - all good in my book! 

Have you tried any peelable polishes? 

Currently Consuming #3

Another day, another round up of awesome stuff from the media circuit.

Celina's Sephora VIB haul has got me lusting after a US trip. Is it worth the trip for a few lipsticks? I think so.

I finally watched Scream Queens and WOW, what was I waiting for? This is like PLL cross with AHS, cross with some kinda sarcastic YouTube channel. I love.

I read The Bones Of You in about eight hours last week, I can't remember the last time I actually got so involved with a book.

An oldie but goodie, Tami's post on things you should do in April has been bookmarked!

Anything Shonda Rhimes touches is gold in my opinion - I've just started watching new series The Catch and so far I'm digging it.

My girl Tasha vlogged her trip to God's Own Junkyard, and I'm starting to think it might just be worth the trip to Walthamstow.

I also read Sing You Home last week and it got me a little riled up about equal rights.

I've been watching a bunch of travel vlogs recently, and rewatching Katy's trip to Rome has me daydreaming of a return trip!

I thought this article on branded feminism was really interesting, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Homeware Loves

Homewares are my latest obsession, in fact, I think I now spend more on homewares than I do on makeup - and that's saying something! 

And I'm finally starting to feel like our pokey little London flat is home, it's only taken nearly three years, but I feel like I've finally found a layout I like! 

So - new bits I love! This gold Hello from West Elm was something I resisted for months and months, and then caved and bought in an instant. There's something about it that makes me feel happy, I keep it on my desk and I feel like my desk is saying hello to me!

The pen pots are new too, they were a Paperchase find, I love the gold geometric pattern over the pretty pink shade. I originally wanted to use these as brush holders, but they're a little short, so I've loaded them up with pens instead.

I think the biggest change is that we now have a bookshelf! It's just a basic Ikea Billy, but it's perfect for storing all my notebooks and work stuff! I am so pleased with how the top shelf looks! I've got my Cheerz frame of Instagram prints, an ampersand candle from West Elm, a bunch of cacti, my lamp and my Daenerys Targaryen Pop Vinyl. Oh - and my Caramel Pumpkin Swirl candle, which smells just heavenly. 

I can't walk past West Elm without going in these days, and on the last little peruse I found this gold bicycle. I have literally less than no interest in cycling but this was just too cute to resist, so it found it's way home with me. I still haven't found the perfect place for it, but right now it's jazzing up my bookshelf.

Since our little jig around, our Buddha statue is looking much more at home. He's a nice little reminder to remain mindful, and he looks quite cute I think!

And lastly, this isn't so much a homeware but I wanted to mention it all the same. I picked up this cute mason jar cup with my weekly food shop last week and I love it, it's perfect for fruity water drinks or smoothies, and it looks super cute on my desk!

Are you a homeware fiend like me?

What's In My Carry On: The Overnight Edition

I'm packing for a quick work trip tomorrow, and I filmed the process - my bag's a little full since I'm taking a lot of work equipment, but fingers crossed you'll enjoy!

What are your carry on essentials?

Favourite Spring Makeup Picks

The weather may not be in full Spring swing just yet, but my mind totally is. I've traded out my Winter capsule wardrobe for a somewhat less black affair, and I've moved my makeup around so I can reach for lighter, brighter picks. And I've been digging it, after what feels like the longest Winter ever, it's been nice to switch things up. 

I'm onto my second tube of the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Primer, it's my favourite glow-giving base from the drugstore. I take a pump of this and just massage it into the skin before foundation, and it just brightens things up and makes my skin look much healthier. If you read this post then you won't be surprised to know that the Innisfree Water Glow Cushion Foundation is my foundation pick. This applied with the beauty blender just gives a great, natural, glowy finish, and I'm obsessed with it. 

Concealer-wise, I've gone back to reaching for my Benefit Erase Paste, a creamy, salmon-y toned concealer that is perfect for neutralising dark circles. I find that this blends into the under eyes really easily, and it looks super natural, so it works well with the Innisfree foundation. I've also been using the Bourjois Radiance Reveal Concealer, which is nice and light, but blends beautifully into the skin. 

Now normally, with this kinda base I wouldn't powder, but I've been obsessed with the NYX Radiant Finishing Powder. It's kinda a hybrid between a highlighter, setting powder and colour corrector - it does all three but in a subtle kinda way. It gives a good dose of glow!

My go to blush recently has been the Stila Convertible Colour in Petunia, if there was ever a colour that represented Spring - this would be it! I love that because this is a cream blush, it blends into the cushion foundation well, and looks super natural, but it's quite tacky, so it lasts well on the skin. The other thing I've been reaching for is the Rimmel Sculpting Palette in Coral Glow, a pretty, shimmery trio that is a real bargain from the drugstore.

To say my love affair with the Urban Decay Afterglow Highlight in Sin is anything short of an obsession, would be a total disservice. This stuff is like pressed magic, sheeny, wondrous goodness. I think I could throw out all my other highlighters and be happy with just this for the rest of my life. 

For eyes, I've pretty much exclusively been using the Tarte Tartelette Palette. It's colour range is so unlike anything else I own, warm peachy and purple-y tones that normally I'd shy away from. I love how all the shades in this palette blend so well with each other, and you can really wear any combination of shades. 

Two lip mentions, the L'Oreal Infallible Matte Max Lip Colour in 001 Silencio, a gorgeous matte peach, which is probably my current favourite lip product - longwearing but undetectable. I've also been loving the NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Lodhi, a gorgeous orange coral which should be out of my comfort zone but somehow isn't.

And lastly, I'm totally obsessed with the Nails Inc Gel Effect Polish in Chelsea Grove, which just makes me happy when I look at it. Isn't it the prettiest colour ever? 

What are your spring picks?

A New Kikki K Love

Y'all know I can't resist walking past the Kikki K store in Covent Garden without darting in for a purchase or two. And when I walk in to find a 20% off sale, well, it would be rude to say no, right?

My favourite purchase was the 3am Journal. I suffer from a severe case of 'busy brain', and after climbing into bed and turning off the light, I can expect anywhere between three and five hours of intense thinking before I find sleep. Since that's not always practical (especially when in a twist of cruel fate, anything less than 8 hours sleep makes me a monster), I thought the 3am Journal would be great for keeping bedside, so I can jot down to dos, reminders, and important snippets to try and clear way for sleep. I love the size and shape of this, not to big and not to small, and the paper quality is second to none.

I'm hoping this will help me get a better night's sleep, but any other tips would be welcome! 

Pretty Little London

 Nearly four years in this city and the shine has yet to fade for me. The days where I have time to walk between meetings instead of tube are my favourite, I stroll camera in hand down back streets and side alleys, just looking at this city. This city, that is almost starting to feel like home.

What I love about London the most is how no two streets look the same. The buildings vary from colossal towers to tiny terraces, tudor marvels to glass monstrosities. Above store fronts you'll find hundred year old apartments with their original facades, and next to a monument you'll find a 2016 office block. This city never fails to surprise me.

London is in fact, so pretty, that I have a giant folder on my desktop just full of photos of it. So here they are for you to admire too. I love this city so much, so I'm spreading the word.