Feeling Uninspired.

I've been reading a few posts along the same lines over the last week or so, and Rebecca's Summer Slump really resonated with me the most. The past few weeks I've felt so lethargic, absolutely everything has been such an effort, and I've spent far too many days on the sofa infront on the TV than I'd care to admit to. Whereas I have always got such joy from blogging, it's been something I've been forcing out of me recently, and I feel like the content quality has dropped whilst I'm at it. I'm going through a bit of an inspiration-lacking phase, so I thought in an attempt to improve, I'd do a little post on how to feel more inspired on a day-to-day basis.

- watch old films.

- read blogs ( but not so many you just end up stealing post ideas! )

- take a trip.

- visit a little town or village.

- go shopping.

- read a magazine.

- take a break.

- visit a gallery.

- meditate.

- try something new.

- create a vision / moodboard.

- write a bucket list.

- listen to music.

Personally, I'll be doing a combination of a few, but mostly I'll be taking a little break. I'm off on a weekend trip away with my Mum to Wales, and in the meantime I'll be thinking about what direction I really want to take my blog. I've always said I'd like it to be a mixture of fashion, interiors, make-up and lifestyle, but recently it's been 90% make-up and I'm getting a little bored with it. I don't want to be one of those people who has thousands of products they buy purely to review and never use, it's wasteful. I'll be back next week anyway with hopefully better posts!

Happy Hair Favourites.

One of the really good things about having short hair is that it doesn't require so much up-keep, resulting in me being able to have a good clear out of my haircare drawer. A few products survived the cut though, and whilst I don't need to use them as often, I still have these on rotation to keep my hair looking tip-top.

I used to use masks for my dry ends at least every other wash, and now I just keep it as a weekly treat. My favourite at the moment is the Old Wives Tail Organic Clove & Jojoba Oil Treatment*, which is 100% cruelty free and vegan. It's a nice thick, oily texture that you massage into the scalp, run through the ends of your hair, and leave on for an hour or so, but if your hair is really in need of some nourishment you can also leave it on overnight. After washing off my hair looks so healthy, it looks incredibly shiny and feels really strong. The only downside is ending up having greasy hair after touching it so much, it feels so so soft!

I still like to use a little bit of oil on a normal day after just washing with S&C, and one of my favourites is the Dr.Organic Morrocan Argan Oil Serum. It isn't too heavy which is perfect having shorter hair, I just like to pop a bit of this on my ends and it's not obvious at all I've used anything, my hair still feels nice and light and bouncy. One I've been using a lot in summer is the Alterna Bamboo Smooth Kendi Dry Oil Mist, which is so perfect if you have thin hair and most products weigh it down as it's such a lightweight spray. It really helps smooth down any frizzy areas as well as making my locks shine like nobodies business, it's lovely.

I've found a couple of volumizing products that work so well for me after years of using horrible, sticky mousses that did nothing but stick all my hair together and really weigh it down. I've spoken about the Aveda Phomollient Styling Foam before and my love is still going strong, I've just been using less after having my hair cut. Just one pump of this emulsified and applied to the roots really makes such a big difference to me; I wouldn't say my hair ever goes huge, but there's definitely a visible difference. I've tried the Toni & Guy Volume Plumping Whip recently too, and whilst I don't love it as much as the Aveda, it's a lovely product if you're looking for a bit of extra volume and bounce too.

And last but definitely not least, I don't need to say too much about the Charles Worthington Volume & Bounce Texturising Spray, I don't think I'll ever be without a can of this. If you've ever spent hours blowdrying, curling, backcombing, and using various products a long the way just trying to add a bit of texture and style to your hair, you need this in your life, it's that simple.

What are your haircare favourites?

A/W Wishlist.

( 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 )

Yep, I think we all need to face it, Summer looks as if it's over. Hopefully if we're lucky we might have another weekend of lovely sunshine, but for over a week now up north it has been absolutely miserable and raining pretty much everyday. So of course that causes me to look ahead to Autumn, and whereas I wasn't looking forward to it in July, I'm pretty excited for the prospect of comfortable layers, cosy pyjamas and nights in front of the fire with delicious caramel lattes.

My standard uniform when the weather is a bit grey is always a pair of jeans with a striped top. I feel like I'm still looking for my perfect breton tee, and I love the look of this one. I really want a stripe tunic dress too, and Joules have a gorgeous selection. I love good pairs of cigarette trousers around A/W too if I feel like looking a bit smarter, but usually I do find it a bit hard to find pairs that fit around my waist, usually they fit my legs and bum perfect but are inches too big around my stomach! Such a pain. I definitely need to have a clear out of my pyjama drawer before the colder months come along too. Half of it it so scratty, stains and full of holes, and I'm in dire need of a good fluffy dressing gown. Although I know as soon as I get one, I won't want to take it off!

Have you got your eye on anything for A/W yet?

*This post was written in collaboration with Joules. All opinions are 100% my own.

Lesson Learnt : Things I've Learnt About Being Self Employed.

After a lovely response to my last lesson learnt post I thought I'd try to turn it into a mini series. There really isn't all that much I know too much about, so it has to be mini, but having run a vintage clothing and homewares business for over four years now, I thought I'd talk about what I've learnt about being self employed.

- getting to work in your pyjamas is ace.
- bank holidays mean nothing.
- don't blow your money if you're having a good patch, things could turn pretty quickly.
- it's long hours, and you never really 'stop working'.
- book keeping is awful.
- it's sometimes lonely. cats help.
- to be successful you have to identify waste. of time, money, resources, everything.
- you can be 100% in charge of your own schedule.
- your work can take over your home. try to keep it separate in an office or designated area.
- remember to take time off.
- it's more work than it seems, especially to other people.
- procrastination is a killer.
- social media is the best free promotion.
- there's a lot of competition out there.
- keep every single receipt.
- always be professional online - you alone are the face of your business.

Are any of you self employed? What lessons have you learnt about your area of work?

A Couple New Favourites.

It was only a few weeks ago that I wrote about my morning cleansers, but since then two new ones have come in and completely blown all the others out of the water. These two have created my new cleansing routine and are what I've stuck to every morning and night, with the occasional cleansing oil or balm, and my skin is looking a lot brighter and healthier for it.

I'll start with my morning cleanser, the Murad Essential-C Cleanser*. It's a nice, thick gel texture, which does feel a bit stiff after a while so you could add water, making it foam a little, but personally I like really working it into my skin. It has a gorgeous bright, fresh citrus scent that is so perfect for the mornings, I feel like I'm wide awake after using. The cleanser itself is made to help combat against any environmental issues and is full of anti-oxidants, which is great for my oily-combination skin. It feels so gentle and leaves my skin feeling incredibly soft, but balanced and clean too.

The Antipodes Hallelujah Lime and Patchouli Cleanser is my night time cleanser, either alone if I'm not wearing make-up, or after a cleansing oil or balm if I have had some on. It's nice and creamy with a herby, natural scent, and like the Murad leaves my skin feeling really soft and clean without stripping it in the slightest. It's full of oils like carrot and avocado so helps to really nourish my skin, with lime and patchouli that purify. Both of these cleansers just seem to work so well with my skin which is quite sensitive and can irritate easily, but since using them both I've not had any real breakouts, I've just had to deal with scarring from past blemishes. I'm so impressed with them both!

What are your favourite cleansers?

Lifestyle Loves #1.

I'm starting a new little series today, a sort of take on the video version of 'Non Beauty Favourites'. Seeming I can't manage to keep up with Youtube I thought it was about time I did a written version of it, and so was born, Lifestyle Loves. An original name, I know.

( 01. Peep Toe Block Heels* - New Look, £22.99 | 02. Scallop Mini Bag - ASOS, old | 03. Amande Candle - Diptyque | 04. #Girlboss - Sophia Amoruso, £10.50 | 05. Sweet & Salty Popcorn - Propercorn )

The weather has been pretty hit and miss the last couple of weeks, so I've been living in my standard uniform of black jeans and a striped breton tee. To jazz it up a bit I've been seriously loving these New Look heels; they're sort of classic looking with a bit of an edge, and as they're from the wide feet range they fit me perfectly too, hurrah! They're so comfortable to walk in, they've been worn a lot this summer with dresses as well, but I know I can take them into Autumn too, although perhaps not Winter with that peep toe! They're a bit more exciting than the standard flat sandal I seemed to be living in before these came along. I'm having a bit of a thing for small bags at the moment but the only one I really own is this little one from ASOS I got last year, so I definitely need to add more to the collection. I love my Zara tote but most of the time I just can't be fussed carrying anything around except my purse, phone and a lipstick.

I finally got around to finishing #Girlboss and I really enjoyed reading it. I can tell it's going to be one of those that sits on my bedside table and I can pick up whenever I'm feeling a bit of a slump with work or blogging. There's been a couple new favourites in terms of TV, the first being American Horror Story which Kane and I managed to absolutely blitz through all three seasons in two weeks. It's not too scary, it's more creepy and with lots of plot twists that always keep you guessing, plus a fabulous female cast, especially in season three. Another programme I've been enjoying incredibly surprisingly, as I've never even bothered to give it a watch, is The Great British Bake Off. Yep, I know, I'm probably the only person ever to have only watched a couple of episodes, and I thought it wouldn't be my thing at all, but there's something about Mary Berry, Mel & Sue (less of Mr. Hollywood) and seeing so many gorgeous baked goods that has drawn me in. 

What are some of your current lifestyle favourites?

A Few Thoughts On Social Media & Blogging.

I wasn't actually planning on posting today, but I've been thinking of writing a few thoughts on my blog for a while, and suddenly I got an urge to just put it out there before I lost my nerve and decided not to. I quite often consider posting things a little more personal on here, but I usually just chicken out and go back to writing about my favourite beauty things instead.

I wrote on my Twitter last week that I think of myself as a huge oxymoron in terms of my life on the internet. My business is online, I write a blog, and promote both of those through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, the list goes on. But behind all this lies a real dislike for all things related to social media and modern life, mainly because of the impression and environment I feel it creates for people who use it. I am 100% guilty of this myself, both the side of spending too long trying to create a pretty Instagram picture and also feeling guilty and bad about myself and my life by comparing it to others.

(source)

But I think it's such an easy thing to fall into. On Facebook people talk to each other on walls arranging plans, or couples profess their love for each other for everyone to see rather than just saying it to each other. And for some reason that makes me feel bad, am I not as popular as them? Is my relationship not as strong because I'm not constantly putting it out there how much I love my boyfriend? Of course, these are utterly ridiculous feelings, but I know I'm not alone in this sometimes happening to me.

And it's exactly the same with Instagram, where millions of us share our latest meal, outfit or day out. What we don't see is the day's we slob around our homes in pyjamas not leaving the sofa, or the chips and chocolate we've just tucked into. No, we see the latest purchases, clips from a holiday away, all the happy moments, none of the bad ones. Even Vloggers through Youtube are on the rise, and I see so many girls saying they feel as if they get to live vicariously through people who get to go to nice restaurants every weekend or holidays every few months, because they don't have the money to do nice things like that. But overall how does it leave us feeling? Not very nice, really.

After seeing the reaction online to Robin Williams death and seeing just how many people come forward talking about their experiences with depression, it really does make me wonder how the current state of modern life is effecting us all mentally. I know there's obviously a lot of people who suffer with mental illnesses, and there is no real reason for this, but personally I know my anxiety isn't helped by life online, and sometimes feeling like I need to portray the most perfect version of myself effects me in real life. To the point where I think about what I'm going to say to even my most close of friends before I say it in case they don't find it interesting, or funny. I'm not sure how figures compare of mental illness from around the time of the 1970s to now, and whilst it may have absolutely no relation in general to how modern life is progressing, I know certainly for myself it's definitely a factor. There's probably three people in my life who I feel 100% comfortable talking about anything to, but other than that most of the time I really have to push myself to go out with friends, and when I'm there I have to push myself again to really get involved in conversations and feel normal! I feel like I'm improving and getting a little bit back of the confident person I used to be, but half the time I do just stay in and sit behind my laptop, because it's just easier.

I'm rambling on a little now, but my main point behind this is to remember that no-one is perfect. No-one. Even the bloggers with their tens of thousand of followers, and their life online which portrays something entirely different, they'll get their bad days like me and you. Comparison really is a killer, and there's the quote that you shouldn't compare your day one to someone's day 20. Whether you're in a bad situation, going through a tough time, or are even feeling a bit rubbish about your blog's progress, things will improve. It's so easy to compare every little aspect of your life to other people's, especially when so much of it is lived online as we do, but it's such an awful, destroying thing to do, and really, you just need to stop. Put down your phone for a day, and go out and live life for you. Sometimes you can't really experience life fully if it's all through the lense of your phone's camera.

Sorry if this was a little rambly!

A New 'Do.

So, I've been debating it for a while, but last week I finally took the plunge and got the chop. It's been on Instagram since then so if you follow me on there you'll have seen it already, but I thought I'd pop it on here anyway. I've been going shorter and shorter for a while but kept leaving it to grow back, but really, long hair just isn't really me. I had a good few inches chopped off to just below the shoulder and I couldn't be happier with it.

I'm lucky enough that my boyfriend's sister is a hairdresser so I can call up and arrange a cut pretty sharpish, and she'll always advise me well and sort out any issues I've got. I went for very slightly below the shoulders so it doesn't flick out as much as it would if falling on the shoulders, and we took a bit of the heaviness out of my fringe which was getting a bit hard to style. I've had short hair most of my life but have had it long for a couple years now so I was a little worried I'd be completely incapable at styling it, but it's so easy and quick to do. For this style I blow-dried my fringe last night, left the rest to dry naturally and then used my GHDs to add a few waves in, so this took me under 2 minutes. I'm so happy I finally went for it, I kinda feel like myself again.

NARS Unlawful Blush.

I'm having a pretty friendly relationship with NARS blushers at the moment, and everytime I fancy a new blush, they're straight who I head to. That said, I hadn't even heard of their Unlawful* blush until it arrived on my doorstep, such an awful beauty blogger. It's from their new Autumn collection, but will be a permanent addition to their line.

Unlawful is a gorgeous rosy pink shade, with a warm peachy brown undertone. It has a silver glitter running through which I was a bit scared of in the pan, as I usually go for matte blushers, but the glitter isn't really visible after applying and just leaves a pretty sheen to the cheeks. I wasn't sure I'd love the colour, but I really do, and it's actually just what I've been looking for; a natural, everyday blush, but with a little something special added.

As always, the formula is fantastic. Every NARS blush I've tried has always been so buttery, really easy to blend and with seriously good pigmentation. It has great longevity too, and fades nicely throughout the day but lasts a good 7-8 hours on me. NARS have impressed me yet again!

What's your favourite NARS blusher?

The Simple Things.

Sometimes it's nice to just forget about the latest beauty releases, sit back and enjoy the more simple things in life. They definitely are the things that make me the happiest, so I quite often indulge in them. I find happiness a lot more in seeing flowers or spending time in my garden rather than receiving some new make-up, so I thought I'd talk through some of my favourite of the simple things.

- fresh flowers.
- a pile of pretty stationary.
- a new addition to my stripe wardrobe (for £9, down from £40)
- clean bedding.
- burning candles.
- almond hazelnut lattes with breakfast, thanks to my new coffee machine.
- having a full ebay store.
- a bright garden.
- fresh pyjamas.
- rainbows after a storm.
- having a good soak in the bath.

What are your favourite simple pleasures?

Lip Care Favourites.

I know I'm not alone in owning a full drawer of lip balms; they're one of those items I can't resist picking up, but only really have a few select favourites when it comes to keeping my lips in tip-top condition. I've always struggled with getting bad chapped lips since being a little girl, and found myself having an obsession with vaseline when I was around fourteen, although I'm moved onto much better stuff since then. Here's a few of my lip care favourites..

Most of my balms are for the evening as I always wear lipstick during the day, so the majority are a heavier formulation. My current favourite is The Body Shop Aloe Lip Care Balm, which I'm actually almost out of and a repurchase will be 100% necessary. This is a thick, almost gel like texture, which applies really nicely but seems to soothe any dry patches or flakiness immediately, it's a miracle worker. Another lot from the Body Shop are their lip butters, which the Honeymania one is my favourite. This is a little lighter so perfect for everyday wear and gives a nice glossy finish to the lips, as well as smelling and tasting absolutely delicious.

Speaking of delicious, I have to move onto the Nuxe Reve de Miel lipbalm, which is an absolutely gorgeous chocolate orange flavour. It's very thick so really only good for evenings, but again it cures every little bit of dryness. The Dr.Lipp Nipple Balm is a great, thick number as well, but it gets used a little less as it's too much like hardwork! It needs to be warmed up before it will come out of the tube, so I find myself reaching for others for a quick fix, but again it's a fantastic one if you really need something heavy duty for the evenings, and you can even pop this on dry skin, ezcema or cuticles!

And of course, a lip care favourites wouldn't be complete without one of the Lush Lip Scrubs. I have the Popcorn one, which I like to buff in with an old toothbrush. It removes any dry bits and preps the lips perfectly for lipstick. I'm pretty sure every beauty blogger has one of these floating around!

What are your favourite lip care products?

Lesson Learnt : Things I've learnt about make-up.

So, I know there's been quite a few of these floating around recently, but I thought I'd add my two cents.. Because they're fun, right? Lets all join in and laugh about all the awful beauty mistakes like wearing liquid eyeliner all over the lid like a panda at the age of fourteen. No, only me?

- blush isn't best worn on your temples, on the apples of your cheeks lifts your complexion.
- you can't pull off eyeliner in the waterline, it makes your eyes look tiny, plus, eye gunk.
- wash your brushes, they give you spots.
- go gentle with the contour, drag queen aint a good look.
- you really don't suit baby pink lipstick.
- wear a primer!
- don't assume the lightest shade of foundation will work for you, some are too orange.
- go easy with the eyebrow powder.
- the same with normal powder, unless you want a big ol' slice o' cake on your face.
- you don't really need to own more than 10 red lipsticks.
- not all high end is better than drugstore.
- always use a highlight.
- find products that really work and stick.with.them.
- you don't really suit matte eyeshadows.
- always have a lip balm on hand.
- don't follow the hype!

What have you learnt about make-up over the years?

The Vegan Kind, August 2014.

I love this time of the month, when the subscription boxes start rolling in. The Vegan Kind is one of the first to land on my doorstep, and possibly the one I get the most excited about! I love trying new vegan treats, and I'm definitely not a believer that being vegan means you only get to eat salad ( more commonly referred to as "rabbit food" ). Every month TVK comes around and introduces me to some new brands, products and yummy food, and this box was no exception.

August's box was mostly a foodie box which I'm always quite happy about. The first thing to immediately jump out at me was the Freedom Mallows (£2.50) which were in an earlier box but before I was a subscriber. These have a delicious strawberry flavour, and I think are actually nicer than original marshmallows, I remember them being quite sickly! I'm sad to say I've munched through this pack since Friday, so I'll definitely have to hunt these down, I can imagine them being amazing in cocoa in the Winter! Another gorgeous sweet treat is the Pulsin Vanilla Choc Chip Protein bar (£1.79) which I've had half of, it's really rich tasting and fills you up nicely too.

I've had a little taste of the Propercorn Sweet & Salty Popcorn (£0.80) which is absolutely delicious! The mix of flavours sounds a little odd but they go together really well, and this is a perfect snack size. I haven't tried the Nothing But Red Pepper and Mangetout snack bag (£1.20) yet, but these look really intriguing! I'm not sure whether I'll prefer eating these or would just have some vegetables instead, but it's nice to try new things.

Last up is a bag of Living Naturally Soapnut Tabs (£6.49) which I'm looking forward to using. I'd like to use more natural cleaning products but the lack of availability and price usually puts me off, so I like getting some in the TVK box occasionally. You get enough for 20 washes in one bag, so not bad value either. As a little extra they also threw in a 'Fuelled By Compassion' wristband from Teen VGN which I forgot to photograph as I was wearing it!

Overall, it's yet another great box! I love all the treats and I'm excited to try out the washing tablets. They've actually brought out a beauty box too which I think I'll have to give a go soon as it probably means we won't be seeing any in the original boxes.

Have you ever tried The Vegan Kind?

Weekend Wishlist.

( 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 )

I'm not usually a big fan of smock dresses on myself, but this WhitePepper one is really drawing me in at the moment. I absolutely love the little ruffle detail, and I just think it'd go perfect with my new 'do ( which I'll be revealing soon, had a good few inches chopped off! ) I'm really being drawn to more simplistic designs recently, and I love this cute little scallop bag. Half the time when I go out I take out a teenie bag and only take my cards, phone and a lipstick, so this would be perfect. And I love the minimalistic designs of the bracelets too, H&M always do such good accessories.

I'm having a bit of a cut-back from spending money on make-up at the moment, but I'm still finding myself being drawn to the higher-end scale of things. I'd love to try a Stila Convertible Colour after umm-ing and ahh-ing for so long, so many amazing reviews on blogs has convinced me I need some in my life. I'd love to start with Gerbera which seems to be the one everyone has. I'm in dire need of some new polishes too, I keep wearing the same two or three shades every time which are bright corals and peaches, so I need to mix it up a bit. My skin isn't behaving very well recently, and nothing seems to be really working on ridding me on the blemishes covering my chin. I've heard this Aesop number is great for balancing out oily/combination skin and helping draw out impurities, so it's on my to-buy list next!

Have you got your eye on anything this week?

Battle Of The Oils: Caudalie Divine Oil vs Roger & Gallet Fleur de Figuier Ultra-Nourishing Oil

I'm a big fan of oils; for my face, hair, body, I like to slap them on all over. And until recently the Caudalie Divine Oil has reigned supreme in my eyes. That was until I was introduced to the latest launch from Roger & Gallet, their Fleur de Figuier Ultra-Nourishing Oil* that could just knock it off the top spot.

Starting with packaging, the Roger & Gallet comes up trumps. I like the Caudalie one, but I like the bright bottle from R&G with a pretty little lid, which makes it look lovely sat on my dressing table. Getting onto the scents, both are absolutely delicious, some of the nicest things I've ever smelled! The Caudalie reminds me of parma violets which I absolutely loved as a kid, and is just a lovely, soft scent. Roger & Gallet's offering is of grapefruit and fig, so is a lovely, sweet fragrance with a hint of citrus. Both scents are absolutely gorgeous, and I love them both.

In terms of performance, they are both quite similar again. I only need a spray or two on each area of my body to really cover it, and both sink in really nicely leaving a pretty sheen on the skin. Both can also be used for different things, on the skin and hair, although the Caudalie boasts it can be used on the face too. Roger & Gallet's comes in 100ml size for £25.50, and Caudalie is 100ml for £27, so they're even pretty similar in price too, although R&G is currently 1/3 off at Escentual.

I feel like this is a pretty awful 'battle', because I honestly can't find myself picking a clear winner! I think the Roger & Gallet Fleur de Figuier is on the top spot as it's a new product, and has an absolutely gorgeous scent that is perfect for summer. I've been using it all over my body and in my hair since getting it, and I find myself smelling different parts of myself throughout the day! I absolutely love the bottle, and being on offer at the moment with Escentual means you can get it for a bargain too.

Have you tried either of these? What's your favourite body oil?

NARS Dolce Vita Velvet Matte Lip Pencil.

I think NARS and I are having a little love affair at the moment. After a wonderful first experience with their lip pencils in the form of Luxembourg satin lip pencil, I decided to try out the mattes. I've been after a good everyday lipstick, and I heard that Dolce Vita could be a 'your lips but better' shade for me, so I had to give it a go.

Whilst I love the colour, it definitely isn't like my lips. I'd describe it as a brick red, and slightly more toned down than the orange reds I usually go for, so a lot more suitable for every day wear, which is what I was looking for. The colour really works with my skintone, but I think it's one of those shades that would suit pretty much anyone. I'm not usually a big fan of a matte finish, as my lips dry out incredibly easily, but this is a gorgeous formula and feels quite creamy on the lips, not at all suffocating. I absolutely love the pencil design too, which makes it so easy to apply, tracing around the edges of the lips then filling in the rest. The lasting power is good too, and not being too bright it fades nicely throughout the day evenly.

I'm finding myself holding back professing my love for this, probably because it isn't a bold, bright colour, but a girl can't wear red lipstick every day. Or I can't, anyway. So for the days I don't want to look like I've made too much of an effort, I'll always be reaching for this for easy, pretty, every day wear

Have you tried any of the NARS Matte lip pencils?

Holy Grails #1

It's not every day I throw around the term 'Holy Grail' but when thinking up items for this post, I was surprised how many sprung to mind. Hence the #1, I thought I'd split it up into a few parts rather than ramble on for ages. To me, holy grail status means that it's not only something I know I'll always repurchase, but they're also items that if I'm stuck for what to use, I'll immediately grab these failsafe options.

Starting with base, one I always need to have in my drawers ready is the MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NW13. This has been a bit neglected recently as I go for a slightly lighter base in summer, and I also have a bit of a tan so it's slightly too pale. But as soon as I return to my pasty self, this will be back to my every day foundation. Firstly, it's a perfect colour match for me, and second, the coverage is second to none. Any imperfections, dark circles and scarring are covered up so easily with this, and it lasts really well too. My brush of choice is the Real Techiques Buffing Brush; I go through little love affairs with the Expert Face too, but I find myself always returning to this, and it's great for cream blushes and highlights too.

If I'm stuck for what blush to use, my failsafe option is always NARS Final Cut. I feel a bit bad talking about it as it's no longer available in the UK, but it's a pretty coral peach with a gorgeous formula and amazing pigmentation. It just brightens up my face and lifts my complexion so much, it's perfect. The same goes for MAC Vegas Volt, this is my go-to lipstick if I need something bright to perk me up, and it suits my skintone really well. My last pick me up that is my all time favourite perfume is Coco Mademoiselle. If I'm unsure what to wear or I want to go for something classic, it's this one every time. I've been wearing this since I was 15, and I'm pretty sure I still will be when I'm 40.

I hate body moisturising but one of the products that's lovely enough to encourage me is the Korres Vanilla Plum body milk. It's light enough that you don't feel like you can't move for hours, but leaves your skin really hydrated. Plus it has a beautiful scent that doesn't disappear as soon as it's all rubbed in. I don't class much skincare as 'holy grail' as I still have issues with my skin, but something that does help me out more than anything is the Trilogy Rosapene Night Cream. It's a lovely, thick cream, which means you don't have to use too much of it, with my favourite ingredient manuka honey in, as well as a ton of anti-oxidants that really brightens up my skin and helps to repair any blemishes whilst it's at it.

Have you tried any of these? What are your holy grail products?

Morning Cleansers.

Cleansers seem to be something I really like buying, and I always have a few key things in mind when I decide to add to the collection. I like creamy, milky cleansers, that will brighten my complexion whilst not being stripping, and have a fresh, nice fragrance to help wake me up in the early hours. I thought I'd talk through some of my favourites, and how they effect my skin after using.

The Gentle

My most used and one I always have on hand is Caudalie Gentle Cleansing Milk. It has a light, creamy texture, and is so gentle, after washing off my skin feels balanced and fresh. If you have sensitive skin this is definitely one you should be checking out, I pull it out every time I get painful breakouts as I know it won't cause any more irritation. The Body Shop Vitamin E Cream Cleanser is very similar, nice and creamy and just a lovely, easy cleanser to use. It's a nice one to use after a cleansing oil in the evenings too, as it does a good job of removing any left over make-up.

The Creamy

My most recent buy is the Antipodes Hallelujah Lime and Patchouli Cleanser, which is a nice, thick cream cleanser with a lovely herbal but fresh scent. I've only used this a few times but it doesn't strip my skin at all, it leaves my face feeling so soft and looking really bright. The Jurlique Purely Bright Cleanser* is almost all gone, and has been well loved throughout it's use. It has a little pumice scrub in so really brightens the complexion, but has always been gentle enough to use daily and not cause any blemishes or irritation. When I use this on a regular basis I actually notice a lot less breakouts and my scarring clears up nicely, too. I'll be repurchasing this one soon. 

The Gels

I'm not usually a great fan of gel cleansers, hence why there's only one in this little bit. Eucerin DermoPurifyer Cleanser* is a slightly foaming cleanser, which I find leaves my cheeks (which are quite normal-dry, as opposed to oily around the rest of my face) quite tight. It's nothing that can't be sorted with the help of a hydrating serum, but there's just others I slightly prefer. This one is a good'un for those with oily, blemish prone skin as it really removes any grime and oil on the skin without being too stripping, and leaves the skin looking matte. 

The Scrubs

I don't use either of these on a too regular basis, as I find using a scrub too often can irritate my skin, and most of the time I stick to the creamy, gentle offering. But if my skin is looking a bit dull and I don't have any active breakouts, just scarring, I'll pull out either of these. For a more gentle one, I'll pick the Balance Me Cleanse and Smooth Balm; this has a nice, thick balmy texture with some slight scrub in. I like how this one is used as you apply to dry skin for as long as you'd like, then add water and you can really get to work on your face without fear of it irritating you. For a more heavy duty scrub I really like the Vichy Normaderm. It has a gel texture and does foam up slightly, so works similar to the Eucerin in that it really removes any sign of grease and oil, whilst brightening up the face. It does sometimes feel a little scratchy so I am careful with this, but it's good to pull out every once in a while. I focus mostly on my nose, as it really helps to clear any blackheads I have.

Have you tried any of these? What's your favourite morning cleanser?

Five Favourites.

It's been a bit a while since I've done a sunday post of my favourites, but I like to pull it out of the bag every once in a while. It means I'm not just talking beauty and I take the time to appreciate the things around my home as well. I feel like I'm really in a blogging swing at the moment and I think it's down to my new workspace. It aint really that new any more, but it means instead of going downstairs every morning and sticking the tv on, I'm straight to work or blogging. After making a latte, of course. I've even filmed some more Youtube videos, and two have gone up over the past few days that you can see here.

And it's made a lot easier when I have a whole bunch of new products to be talking about. This last week has seen quite a few new products become mine, which I'm really excited to try and get reviewing. I was also given a little 1950s watch from my Mum which I really love, it's such a pretty shade of gold and so dainty and delicate.

I've been making more of an effort to read and comment on blogs this week, so I thought I'd share a few favourite posts as well. This one was from last week, but I thought Sam's Festival Essentials with her little illustration was absolutely beautiful, and so talented! I had such a giggle reading Rebecca's Gym Observations, and loved seeing around Kate's new bedroom in her Bedroom Details post - you can't get much better than a pineapple lamp. And of course, an ode to pizza from the Chapter Friday ladies.

What are your favourites from this week?