Ready in Five Routine

I thought I'd show you guys my go to speedy get ready routine for when I'm running late! It's super easy and straightforward, and there's some real gems of products in there! Apologies in advance for my bare naked face...

What are your go to products for getting ready in a hurry?

101 in 1001

I came across this challenge online a couple of weeks back and decided to give it a go, the idea is that you have 1001 days to achieve 101 different goals. They can be anything, but they have to be something you have to actively try to achieve! I want to try and tick off as many of these as possible, and hopefully document some of my progress here!

1. Visit Paris
2. Go to the Tate Modern.
3. Create and finish a scrapbook.
4. Graduate university.
5. Throw a dinner party.
6. Learn to speak French.
7. Bake cinnamon rolls.
8. Learn how to run.
9. Save my boots points for a year.
10. Make pizzas from scratch.
11. Go camping with my boyfriend.
12. Write a letter to myself to be opened when 1001 days are over.
13. Complete the secret garden colouring book.
14. Go on a month long spending ban for non-necessities.
15. Add 50 words to my vocabulary.
16. Sleep in a blanket fort.
17. Learn how to use all the functions on my camera.
18. Read Catcher in the Rye
19. Save £5 for each goal accomplished.
20. Try meditation.
21. Take an online class.
22. Sell the stuff I don't use.
23. Learn how to make sushi.
24. Learn more about Buddhism.
25. Stay in bed all weekend.
26. Cycle from Hengistbury Head to Sandbanks and back.
27. Say yes to something I'd normally say no to.
28. Visit the Tower of London.
29. Take a selfie at the Eiffel Tower.
30. Complete a 30 day yoga challenge.
31. Make a list of 100 things that make me happy.
32. Go a month without fast food.
33.  Leave an inspirational note inside a library book for someone to find.
34. Watch two movies at the cinema in the same day.
35. Read 50 great books.
36. Get a pedicure.
37. Watch 10 documentaries.
38. Unplug from all electronic devices for 24hours.
39. Unsubscribe from all my junk emails.
40. Learn how to use photoshop properly.
41. Run a 5k run.
42. Have my own real Christmas tree.
43. Start a collection of Christmas tree baubles with meaning.
44. Eat something at Harrods.
45. Try a new recipe every month and save them all into my own recipe book.
46. Get an article published.
47. Raise money for charity.
48. Get a massage.
49. Pay off my student overdraft.
50. Send birthday cards to all my loved ones in 2015.
51. See a West End Show.
52. Take a Bikram yoga class.
53. Visit Shoreditch high street.
54. Eat awesome street food.
55. Have a blog sale.
56. Take a calligraphy class.
57. Visit three new places in the UK.
58. Send a surprise care package.
59. Learn about SEO optimisation.
60. Write an updated CV.
61. Make someone I love breakfast in bed.
62. Quit fizzy drinks for a month.
63. Organise my photos.
64. Find the perfect brunch location.
65. Find a home for everything.
66. Invest in five good quality bras that fit properly.
67. Take part in a blog swap.
68. Go gluten free for a month.
69. Give 5 just because gifts.
70. Go to a wedding.
71. Buy myself lingerie.
72. Write a blog post on my university experience.
73. Make a DIY.
74. Get a full time job.
75. See an exhibition at Somerset House.
76. Get my own place.
77. Decorate my own place.
78. Maintain my Q&A a day journal.
79. Take a photograph every single day.
80. Complete the 30 day minimalist challenge.
81. Buy myself an unnecessary, luxury treat.
82. Get into a good morning routine.
83. Send a handwritten letter.
84. Do 10 nice things.
85. Downsize my wardrobe.
86. Organise my photos.
87. Make time to go on a date every month.
88. Go to the globe.
89. Go to the observatory.
90. Upload a style video to YouTube.
91. Visit the Barbican.
92. Make my home feel homely.
93. Downsize on clutter!
94. Bake donuts.
95. Swim in the sea.
96. Learn how to pack light.
97. Learn 10 new Yoga poses.
98. Get up at 7am every day for 2 weeks.
99. Send cards to blog friends around the world.
100. Reach 4000 Bloglovin followers.
101. Make money from my blog.

First Impressions: Real Techniques Bold Metals Arched Powder Brush

I caved. I was hoping something along the lines of 'curiousity killed the cat, but satisfaction bought it back' was going to happen. Unfortunately right now I'm not so sure this is worth the pennies.

Let's start by addressing the obvious, these brushes are considerably more expensive than the original line from Real Techniques. At first this made me kinda uncomfortable, but after watching this Pixiwoo video, I kinda understand. If you haven't seen it what they essentially say is that these are supposed to be high end brushes, the only reason they are stocked in Boots is to make them more easily available, which kinda makes sense.

I picked up the Arched Powder brush, originally I was planning on buying the blush brush, but in real life it was really small, and I prefer my blush brushes to be bigger, so I plumped for this instead.

Let's talk design first, I'm a big fan of the rose gold brushes, but in real life the gold ones are pretty too. I'm a little concerned that after a couple of months of use they could get scratched and not look so good, but in general, I love the design. I like the angled handle that stops it from rolling away too, it's a nice touch.

The bristles are incredibly soft, and all cut at different lengths, so it's great for blending out cheek products. However, the problem I have with this brush right now is that the bristles are almost coated, they're so soft and almost glossy, that it doesn't really pick up much product. I'm not sure if it'll get better after I've washed it but for now, I can't use this as a powder brush because it doesn't pick up any product. The only thing I can use this for is blending out cheek products, which, when this costs £25 isn't really enough of a pay out!

I'm hoping that the more I use this, it'll get better, but for now I'm not sure it's worth the money! I would be interested to try the contour brush though!

What do you think about the Bold Metals brushes?

New In: Home Things

 Finding new bits for my flat in London is one of my new favourite pasttimes, I'm enjoying trying to make it feel more homely, which is no mean feat considering we can't paint or hang anything on the walls. I've picked up a few new flat bits over the last month that are definitely helping though!

First off, during my last Tesco shop I stumbled across this Tesco Graperfruit + Lime Leaf Awake Candle, which oh my god smells totally amazing. It's in a cute plain clay jar with the word 'Awake' embossed on the front, so it looks really minimal and cute in the flat, but the smell is what I'm obsessed with, it's so clean and refreshing, perfect for keeping on my desk for early mornings! It's around the same size as a Diptyque candle, and it was a steal at £6.

I finally picked up a lamp for my desk, we don't get a ton of light in our flat, so I wanted a lamp to help brighten up the area when I'm working late. It's a simple glass pillar that was a bargain £4.50 in Ikea, it's not the most exciting looking, but it's small and it's discreet, and my god is it bright. Total bargain! Also for my desk I found this cute Orla-Kiely-esque tin in Home Sense (I think it's meant to be a coffee tin), and it's perfect for keeping all the odds and sods I have on my desk, things like batteries and stamps, spare cables and post its! It makes everything much more tidy and organised!

I've been struggling with the pillows on my bed recently, I keep waking up with a trapped nerve in my neck, so I decided to replace the lot, and after looking at loads of pillows, I settled for the Ikea Akag Firm Pillows, they were only £4 each, but they are so supportive and incredibly comfortable, I'm so pleased I got around to it! Although now I want to get out of bed even less...

I've picked up a couple of small plates recently, the dark grey one is from H&M Home (link here) and the blue and white one is from Ikea. I've got candles on them at the moment, but I basically bought them to use as props for my blog photos, just to mix things up a bit!

And lastly, I've started to collect a few different postcards to put on the wall above my desk, most recently the bright yellow Hello Sunshine one, which was 60p in Paperchase. It's a cute, inexpensive way to make the place feel more homely, when you can't hang anything up!

Next on my list is a full sized mirror!

What's On My Face: Smokey Taupes

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