Grown Alchemist

Last year, my skin got a little agitated in the cold weather, and I found myself trawling the internet for some new skincare to help it out. I stumbled upon the brand Grown Alchemist, and since then I've been a little hooked. 

Grown Alchemist is a botanical beauty brand with a philosophy I can get behind. They use natural technology to create organic products that your skin will love. I love that they explain the science behind their skincare (you can read about it in detail here) and that their team truly believes in what they are creating.  

I started off just using the Geranium Leaf, Bergamot and Rose Bud Cleanser, morning and night for a gentle cleanse. It cleans the skin without stripping it back, or making it feel like it's covered in product. It claims to help calm skin, whilst reducing redness and minimising pores, and having used it for over 6 months now, I'd say all of that is true. My skin just adores this stuff - I just have to hide it from Connor because his skin likes it too! 

A more recent addition to my skincare routine is their Hydra-Repair Cream with Camellia and Geranium Blossom. I was looking for a morning moisturiser that gave a nice finish for makeup, and this fits the bill nicely. It's light, sinks in quick, and leaves the skin feeling smooth. It contains Rosehip Oil too, which my skin absolutely adores, and my skin has been much softer and smoother since I started using this.

And lastly, I also ended up investing in the Vanilla and Orange Peel Hand Cream too. I couldn't resist the sound of the scent, and it smells every bit as good as you'd imagine. It's richly hydrating, but fast to absorb, so it doesn't leave your hands feeling sticky. It's really helped with the peeling skin around my nail beds, and it looks pretty nice sat on my desk too. 

As I use up other things in my skincare routine I'll definitely start switching them out with Grown Alchemist products, they seem to really work for my skin! I've got my eye on the Watermelon Lip Balm next!

Have you tried anything from Grown Alchemist? 

July To Do List

Finally, July. I think calling June the worst month of my life would be fair, so to say I'm excited for a new month would be an understatement. July, in reality, will probably be a strange one for me. Trying to get back into reality whilst still grieving, but in all honesty it'll just be nice to have something to take my mind off all the sad things. 

With that in mind, I've constructed a July to do list focused on little happy things to bring a little more light into each day. I'm not aiming for miracles, nor expecting to spend the month on cloud nine, but right now I could really use a little happy. 

Binge watch Gilmore Girls on Netflix. Us UK gals can finally catch up with our favourite coffee addicts on Netflix - I know what my Sunday is looking like! 

Buy a fresh bunch of Peonies. I may have already fulfilled this one! But seriously - is there anything better than watching peonies bloom? I think not. 

New shoes. I'm still wearing my summer sandals from three years ago. I've got my eye on these babies, I feel like they'll be good for the day and night! 

Film more.  I love capturing little happy moments on film, there's something so satisfying about watching back great things, and little moment with friends. Still one of my favourite things to watch back is this video, where at 4.39, Katy pulls a face at the camera. Makes me giggle every time. 

Have a picnic with friends. This plan is already in motion, I'm so excited to bundle together some of my favourite blogging gals for wine, cake and catch ups.

Watch a sunset, and a sunrise. Although, considering how long the days are at the moment, probably not on the same day. There's something so grounding about watching day break and sun down, and I think we could all use a little reminder of the important things right now. 

Take a day trip. I'm heading down to Brighton to see my wonderful friend Carrie, and I'm hoping to fit in a trip to Oxford to hang out with Tami too. Getting out of London is good for the soul, and a little time with great friends can't hurt either. 

Splurge on something pretty but unnecessary. If I manage to grab a few days away this month, I'll definitely be picking up this hat from Oliver Bonas, to perfect my poolside instagrams.

What's on your to do list this month? 

The Perfect Sunday

 I spend 52 days a year trying to construct the perfect Sunday - and I think I've finally cracked it. 

The recipe looks a little something like this - a lazy morning lounging in bed until noon, because who wants to get up on a Sunday morning.

Hot buttered toast and fresh fruit smoothies, consumed on the patio whilst throwing the ball for the dog.

Pulling on your oldest jeans and comfiest sweater before heading out to the forest, camera in hand. 

 I recommend taking a good friend, significant other, or lovely sibling along for this part. I took Connor, and although I had to stop and buy him a New Forest Ice Cream Cone to keep him happy, it was nice to have him along for the trip. 

I've become a little obsessed with texture recently, so texture spotting was the name of the game. I took so many photos my camera died, so I also recommend taking a spare battery. 

Once you simply can't walk any further, gather up your loved ones, and head to your nearest and best country pub. Hopefully at this point it will start to rain out, so once you're bundled up inside by a roaring log fire, you'll feel warm and cosy. 

At this point, you should order a bottle of your favourite cider, and catch up with happy things with your loved ones.

(Excuse the crappy phone photos but my poor camera was exhausted.)

 Order your favourite roast with extra veg & gravy, but make sure you save room for dessert.

Follow up with a pot of tea, sipped slowly whilst you watch the rain come down.

Head home, have a hot bath, and get into bed to watch an Orange is the New Black marathon.

And voila - you've completed the perfect Sunday.

5 To Buy in July

It's been quite some time since I splurged on some new beauty bits - so I think it's high time I do just that! And if I'm splurging you should be too, so today I've got five beauty picks that are worth parting with your pennies for this month!

Let's start with an exciting release from the awesome team at Essie. Since gel polishes are all the rage right now it seems like a natural progression for the brand to expand into a line of gels. I picked up the topcoat plus two of the summer shades. Spool Me Over, a creamy peachy nude, and On The List, a creamy based coral shade. The new twisted bottle design is pretty, if a little difficult to store, and it comes with the same flat wide brush we love. The formula doesn't feel any thicker than Essie's usual polishes, but it's definitely a little glossier, and the combo of the colour & topcoat is a good 7 days no chips!

My go to foundation right now is the Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Foundation - a waterbased foundation that sits somewhere in the medium coverage range. It blends really easily and feels super light on the skin, but manages to give coverage whilst looking natural. A great best of both worlds base.

I've been super shiny recently just because it's been so freaking humid, so I've gotten back into the routine of using a powder. I've been really loving the Maybelline Matte Maker Powder, which takes away shine without bumping up the coverage. It's also super budget friendly, so a guilt free splurge!

Urban Decay went rogue last month and relaunched all their lipsticks, and man are they gorgeous. I went for the shade Rush, a nudey-mauve everyday shade, in the cream formula, and I've already gotten a lot of use out of it. They pretty much have every shade in every colour, so you're guaranteed to find the perfect lipstick for you. 

And lastly, a quick mention for the Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Butter, an old favourite I've bought back into commission this month. When it comes to removing suncream, stubborn waterproof makeup or bold lip colours, there's nothing better! It's gentle but effective, and it leaves your skin feeling silky soft. 

What will you be splurging on this month? 

Lattes+ Laptops: Peyton and Byrne

 When you're a freelancer, you end up constantly on the look out for a place to work that isn't your home, just to get out of the house occasionally. When Tash and I walked past the newly opened Peyton and Byrne on Great Portland Street a few weeks ago, we instantly marked it as a place to head with laptops in hand, to indulge in coffee & cake while we work.

So on Monday we ended up bagging a window table at 9am to get a kick start on our weekly admin. We both ended up forgoing coffee in favour for their extensive tea selection - Tash kept things classic with a pot of English Breakfast, while I opted to try out the Ginger & Elderflower Rooibos.

We munched on toast whilst Tash fielded client calls, and I replied to my overflowing inbox, and it was a great spot! Just the right amount of ambient sound, and a steady stream of foot traffic to keep our people watching tendencies entertained!

Editing these photos I'm seriously regretting not indulging in a slice of carrot cake, but I have to admit my Avocado toast was one of the best I've had in London! Piled high with creamy avocado, fresh tomatoes and onion, it was incredibly tasty, but also super filling. If I had to nitpick I'd say the prices were a little higher than I'd have liked, but to be honest, I'm happy to pay it for a good working space!

We ended up decamping to Starbucks after an hour or so, purely because their public wifi wasn't yet set up (we'll let them off since they've only been open a few weeks) - but we will definitely be heading back for lunch soon, their salad bar looks to die for!